Non-destructive evaluation method employing dielectric electrostatic ultrasonic transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, William T. (Inventor); Cantrell, Jr., John H. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

An acoustic nonlinearity parameter (.beta.) measurement method and system for Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of materials and structural members novelly employs a loosely mounted dielectric electrostatic ultrasonic transducer (DEUT) to receive and convert ultrasonic energy into an electrical signal which can be analyzed to determine the .beta. of the test material. The dielectric material is ferroelectric with a high dielectric constant .di-elect cons.. A computer-controlled measurement system coupled to the DEUT contains an excitation signal generator section and a measurement and analysis section. As a result, the DEUT measures the absolute particle displacement amplitudes in test material, leading to derivation of the nonlinearity parameter (.beta.) without the costly, low field reliability methods of the prior art.

Toward Mixed Method Evaluations of Scientific Visualizations and Design Process as an Evaluation Tool.

PubMed

Jackson, Bret; Coffey, Dane; Thorson, Lauren; Schroeder, David; Ellingson, Arin M; Nuckley, David J; Keefe, Daniel F

2012-10-01

In this position paper we discuss successes and limitations of current evaluation strategies for scientific visualizations and argue for embracing a mixed methods strategy of evaluation. The most novel contribution of the approach that we advocate is a new emphasis on employing design processes as practiced in related fields (e.g., graphic design, illustration, architecture) as a formalized mode of evaluation for data visualizations. To motivate this position we describe a series of recent evaluations of scientific visualization interfaces and computer graphics strategies conducted within our research group. Complementing these more traditional evaluations our visualization research group also regularly employs sketching, critique, and other design methods that have been formalized over years of practice in design fields. Our experience has convinced us that these activities are invaluable, often providing much more detailed evaluative feedback about our visualization systems than that obtained via more traditional user studies and the like. We believe that if design-based evaluation methodologies (e.g., ideation, sketching, critique) can be taught and embraced within the visualization community then these may become one of the most effective future strategies for both formative and summative evaluations.

Toward Mixed Method Evaluations of Scientific Visualizations and Design Process as an Evaluation Tool

PubMed Central

Jackson, Bret; Coffey, Dane; Thorson, Lauren; Schroeder, David; Ellingson, Arin M.; Nuckley, David J.

2017-01-01

In this position paper we discuss successes and limitations of current evaluation strategies for scientific visualizations and argue for embracing a mixed methods strategy of evaluation. The most novel contribution of the approach that we advocate is a new emphasis on employing design processes as practiced in related fields (e.g., graphic design, illustration, architecture) as a formalized mode of evaluation for data visualizations. To motivate this position we describe a series of recent evaluations of scientific visualization interfaces and computer graphics strategies conducted within our research group. Complementing these more traditional evaluations our visualization research group also regularly employs sketching, critique, and other design methods that have been formalized over years of practice in design fields. Our experience has convinced us that these activities are invaluable, often providing much more detailed evaluative feedback about our visualization systems than that obtained via more traditional user studies and the like. We believe that if design-based evaluation methodologies (e.g., ideation, sketching, critique) can be taught and embraced within the visualization community then these may become one of the most effective future strategies for both formative and summative evaluations. PMID:28944349

Reduction of bias and variance for evaluation of computer-aided diagnostic schemes.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; Doi, Kunio

2006-04-01

Computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) schemes have been developed to assist radiologists in detecting various lesions in medical images. In addition to the development, an equally important problem is the reliable evaluation of the performance levels of various CAD schemes. It is good to see that more and more investigators are employing more reliable evaluation methods such as leave-one-out and cross validation, instead of less reliable methods such as resubstitution, for assessing their CAD schemes. However, the common applications of leave-one-out and cross-validation evaluation methods do not necessarily imply that the estimated performance levels are accurate and precise. Pitfalls often occur in the use of leave-one-out and cross-validation evaluation methods, and they lead to unreliable estimation of performance levels. In this study, we first identified a number of typical pitfalls for the evaluation of CAD schemes, and conducted a Monte Carlo simulation experiment for each of the pitfalls to demonstrate quantitatively the extent of bias and/or variance caused by the pitfall. Our experimental results indicate that considerable bias and variance may exist in the estimated performance levels of CAD schemes if one employs various flawed leave-one-out and cross-validation evaluation methods. In addition, for promoting and utilizing a high standard for reliable evaluation of CAD schemes, we attempt to make recommendations, whenever possible, for overcoming these pitfalls. We believe that, with the recommended evaluation methods, we can considerably reduce the bias and variance in the estimated performance levels of CAD schemes.

A KARAOKE System Singing Evaluation Method that More Closely Matches Human Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Hideyo; Hoguro, Masahiro; Umezaki, Taizo

KARAOKE is a popular amusement for old and young. Many KARAOKE machines have singing evaluation function. However, it is often said that the scores given by KARAOKE machines do not match human evaluation. In this paper a KARAOKE scoring method strongly correlated with human evaluation is proposed. This paper proposes a way to evaluate songs based on the distance between singing pitch and musical scale, employing a vibrato extraction method based on template matching of spectrum. The results show that correlation coefficients between scores given by the proposed system and human evaluation are -0.76∼-0.89.

Quantitative nondestructive evaluation of ceramic matrix composite by the resonance method

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

Watanabe, T.; Aizawa, T.; Kihara, J.

The resonance method was developed to make quantitative nondestructive evaluation on the mechanical properties without any troublesome procedure. Since the present method is indifferent to the geometry of specimen, both monolithic and ceramic matrix composite materials in process can be evaluated in the nondestructive manner. Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, SiC/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}, and various C/C composite materials are employed to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the present method.

Supported Employment for Young People with Intellectual Disabilities Facilitated through Peer Support: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaehne, Axel; Beyer, Stephen

2013-01-01

The article reports the evaluation of a small-scale-supported employment project in a local authority in England. The study examined whether or not the peer support model could be used to deliver supported employment to a group of young people with intellectual disabilities. We utilised a mixed-method approach involving activity data, family…

The Usability Evaluation of Fakih Method Based on Technology for Students with Hearing Difficulties: The User's Retrospective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabdan, Muhammad Sayuti Bin; Alias, Norlidah; Jomhari, Nazean; Jamaludin, Khairul Azhar; DeWitt, Dorothy

2014-01-01

The study is aimed at evaluating the FAKIH method based on technology in teaching al-Quran, based on the user's retrospective. The participants of this study were five students selected based on hearing difficulties. The study employed the user evaluation framework. Teacher's journals were used to determine the frequency and percentage of…

A Customized Transportation Intervention for Persons with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crudden, Adele; Antonelli, Karla; O'Mally, Jamie

2017-01-01

Introduction: Transportation can be an employment barrier for persons with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments. A customized transportation intervention for people with visual impairments, based on concepts associated with customized employment, was devised, implemented, and evaluated. Methods: A pretest and posttest…

Evaluation of methods for the assay of radium-228 in water

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

Noyce, J.R.

1981-02-01

The technical literature from 1967 to May 1980 was searched for methods for assaying radium-228 in water. These methods were evaluated for their suitability as potential EPA reference methods for drinking water assays. The authors suggest the present EPA reference method (Krieger, 1976) be retained but improved, and a second method (McCurdy and Mellor, 1979), which employs beta-gamma coincidence counting, be added. Included in this report is a table that lists the principal features of 17 methods for radium-228 assays.

A Strengths-Based Group Intervention for Women Who Experienced Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker-Williams, Hayley J.; Fouché, Ansie

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study evaluated the benefits of a ''survivor to thriver'' strengths-based group intervention program to facilitate posttraumatic growth in women survivors of child sexual abuse. Method: A quasi-experimental, one group, pretest, posttest, time-delay design was employed using qualitative methods to evaluate the benefits of the…

Using Corporate-Based Methods To Assess Technical Communication Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faber, Brenton; Bekins, Linn; Karis, Bill

2002-01-01

Investigates methods of program assessment used by corporate learning sites and profiles value added methods as a way to both construct and evaluate academic programs in technical communication. Examines and critiques assessment methods from corporate training environments including methods employed by corporate universities and value added…

Automated corresponding point candidate selection for image registration using wavelet transformation neurla network with rotation invariant inputs and context information about neighboring candidates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Hiroshi; Suezaki, Masashi; Sueyasu, Hideki; Arai, Kohei

2003-03-01

An automated method that can select corresponding point candidates is developed. This method has the following three features: 1) employment of the RIN-net for corresponding point candidate selection; 2) employment of multi resolution analysis with Haar wavelet transformation for improvement of selection accuracy and noise tolerance; 3) employment of context information about corresponding point candidates for screening of selected candidates. Here, the 'RIN-net' means the back-propagation trained feed-forward 3-layer artificial neural network that feeds rotation invariants as input data. In our system, pseudo Zernike moments are employed as the rotation invariants. The RIN-net has N x N pixels field of view (FOV). Some experiments are conducted to evaluate corresponding point candidate selection capability of the proposed method by using various kinds of remotely sensed images. The experimental results show the proposed method achieves fewer training patterns, less training time, and higher selection accuracy than conventional method.

Comparison of Metabolomics Approaches for Evaluating the Variability of Complex Botanical Preparations: Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) as a Case Study.

PubMed

Kellogg, Joshua J; Graf, Tyler N; Paine, Mary F; McCune, Jeannine S; Kvalheim, Olav M; Oberlies, Nicholas H; Cech, Nadja B

2017-05-26

A challenge that must be addressed when conducting studies with complex natural products is how to evaluate their complexity and variability. Traditional methods of quantifying a single or a small range of metabolites may not capture the full chemical complexity of multiple samples. Different metabolomics approaches were evaluated to discern how they facilitated comparison of the chemical composition of commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] products, with the goal of capturing the variability of commercially used products and selecting representative products for in vitro or clinical evaluation. Three metabolomic-related methods-untargeted ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), targeted UPLC-MS, and untargeted, quantitative 1 HNMR-were employed to characterize 34 commercially available green tea samples. Of these methods, untargeted UPLC-MS was most effective at discriminating between green tea, green tea supplement, and non-green-tea products. A method using reproduced correlation coefficients calculated from principal component analysis models was developed to quantitatively compare differences among samples. The obtained results demonstrated the utility of metabolomics employing UPLC-MS data for evaluating similarities and differences between complex botanical products.

Disability Insurance Beneficiaries with Visual Impairments in Vocational Rehabilitation: Socio-Demographic Influences on Employment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giesen, J. Martin; Cavenaugh, Brenda S.

2013-01-01

Introduction: Given mutual concerns of vocational rehabilitation and the Social Security Administration, our purpose was to evaluate the effect of current individual and economic factors on competitive employment for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries with visual impairments in vocational rehabilitation. Methods: Using…

Overcoming Language and Literacy Barriers: Using Student Response System Technology to Collect Quality Program Evaluation Data from Immigrant Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Susan K.; Mao, Dung

2016-01-01

Student response system technology was employed for parenting education program evaluation data collection with Karen adults. The technology, with translation and use of an interpreter, provided an efficient and secure method that respected oral language and collective learning preferences and accommodated literacy needs. The method was popular…

Employment and educational outcomes in early intervention programmes for early psychosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Bond, G R; Drake, R E; Luciano, A

2015-10-01

Young adults with early psychosis want to pursue normal roles - education and employment. This paper summarises the empirical literature on the effectiveness of early intervention programmes for employment and education outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of employment/education outcomes for early intervention programmes, distinguishing three programme types: (1) those providing supported employment, (2) those providing unspecified vocational services and (3) those without vocational services. We summarised findings for 28 studies. Eleven studies evaluated early intervention programmes providing supported employment. In eight studies that reported employment outcomes separately from education outcomes, the employment rate during follow-up for supported employment patients was 49%, compared with 29% for patients receiving usual services. The two groups did not differ on enrolment in education. In four controlled studies, meta-analysis showed that the employment rate for supported employment participants was significantly higher than for control participants, odds ratio = 3.66 [1.93-6.93], p < 0.0001. Five studies (four descriptive and one quasi-experimental) of early intervention programmes evaluating unspecified vocational services were inconclusive. Twelve studies of early intervention programmes without vocational services were methodologically heterogeneous, using diverse methods for evaluating vocational/educational outcomes and precluding a satisfactory meta-analytic synthesis. Among studies with comparison groups, 7 of 11 (64%) reported significant vocational/education outcomes favouring early intervention over usual services. In early intervention programmes, supported employment moderately increases employment rates but not rates of enrolment in education. These improvements are in addition to the modest effects early programmes alone have on vocational/educational outcomes compared with usual services.

Quality by Design: Multidimensional exploration of the design space in high performance liquid chromatography method development for better robustness before validation.

PubMed

Monks, K; Molnár, I; Rieger, H-J; Bogáti, B; Szabó, E

2012-04-06

Robust HPLC separations lead to fewer analysis failures and better method transfer as well as providing an assurance of quality. This work presents the systematic development of an optimal, robust, fast UHPLC method for the simultaneous assay of two APIs of an eye drop sample and their impurities, in accordance with Quality by Design principles. Chromatography software is employed to effectively generate design spaces (Method Operable Design Regions), which are subsequently employed to determine the final method conditions and to evaluate robustness prior to validation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Technology selection for ballast water treatment by multi-stakeholders: A multi-attribute decision analysis approach based on the combined weights and extension theory.

PubMed

Ren, Jingzheng

2018-01-01

This objective of this study is to develop a generic multi-attribute decision analysis framework for ranking the technologies for ballast water treatment and determine their grades. An evaluation criteria system consisting of eight criteria in four categories was used to evaluate the technologies for ballast water treatment. The Best-Worst method, which is a subjective weighting method and Criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation method, which is an objective weighting method, were combined to determine the weights of the evaluation criteria. The extension theory was employed to prioritize the technologies for ballast water treatment and determine their grades. An illustrative case including four technologies for ballast water treatment, i.e. Alfa Laval (T 1 ), Hyde (T 2 ), Unitor (T 3 ), and NaOH (T 4 ), were studied by the proposed method, and the Hyde (T 2 ) was recognized as the best technology. Sensitivity analysis was also carried to investigate the effects of the combined coefficients and the weights of the evaluation criteria on the final priority order of the four technologies for ballast water treatment. The sum weighted method and the TOPSIS was also employed to rank the four technologies, and the results determined by these two methods are consistent to that determined by the proposed method in this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Apparatus for monitoring high temperature ultrasonic characterization

DOEpatents

Lanagan, Michael T.; Kupperman, David S.; Yaconi, George A.

1998-01-01

A method and an apparatus for nondestructive detecting and evaluating chas in the microstructural properties of a material by employing one or more magnetostrictive transducers linked to the material by means of one or more sonic signal conductors. The magnetostrictive transducer or transducers are connected to a pulser/receiver which in turn is connected to an oscilloscope. The oscilloscope is connected to a computer which employs an algorithm to evaluate changes in the velocity of a signal transmitted to the material sample as function of time and temperature.

A Quantitative Analysis of the Work Experiences of Adults with Visual Impairments in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolffe, Karen E.; Ajuwon, Paul M.; Kelly, Stacy M.

2013-01-01

Introduction: Worldwide, people with visual impairments often struggle to gain employment. This study attempts to closely evaluate the work experiences of employed individuals with visual impairments living in one of the world's most populous developing nations, Nigeria. Methods: The researchers developed a questionnaire that assessed personal and…

A Method of Self-Evaluation for Counselor Education. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Donald G.

A pretest-posttest control group design was used to test the value of employing four psychotherapeutic interaction scales for self-evaluation. Self-evaluation of the counselor-offered conditions empathy, positive regard, genuineness and intensity of interpersonal contact during the live counseling sessions of 44 counselors were compared with the…

A Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation Approach to Improving Resource Allocations for School Systems. Administering for Change Program. A Professional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temkin, Sanford

This dissertation begins with a description of some methods employed in making public-sector resource-allocation decisions, with conclusions on the appropriateness of each method for evaluating the ongoing programs of a school system. The second section has been rewritten and published as "A Comprehensive Theory of Cost-Effectiveness" (EA 002…

A centrifugal method for the evaluation of polymer membranes for reverse osmosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollahan, J. R.; Wydeven, T.; Mccullough, R. P.

1973-01-01

A rapid and simple method employing the laboratory centrifuge shows promise for evaluation of membrane performance during reverse osmosis. Results are presented for cellulose acetate membranes for rejection of salt and urea dissolved solids. Implications of the study are to rapid screening of membrane performance, use in laboratories with limited facilities, and possible space waste water purification.

Measuring acetabular component position on lateral radiographs - ischio-lateral method.

PubMed

Pulos, Nicholas; Tiberi Iii, John V; Schmalzried, Thomas P

2011-01-01

The standard method for the evaluation of arthritis and postoperative assessment of arthroplasty treatment is observation and measurement from plain films, using the flm edge for orientation. A more recent employment of an anatomical landmark, the ischial tuberosity, has come into use as orientation for evaluation and is called the ischio-lateral method. In this study, the use of this method was evaluated as a first report to the literature on acetabular component measurement using a skeletal reference with lateral radiographs. Postoperative radiographs of 52 hips, with at least three true lateral radiographs taken at different time periods, were analyzed. Component position was measured with the historical method (using the flm edge for orientation) and with the new method using the ischio-lateral method. The mean standard deviation (SD) for the historical approach was 3.7° and for the ischio-lateral method, 2.2° (p < 0.001). With the historical method, 19 (36.5%) hips had a SD greater than ± 4°, compared to six hips (11.5%) with the ischio-lateral method. By using a skeletal reference, the ischio-lateral method provides a more consistent measurement of acetabular component position. The high intra-class correlation coefficients for both intra- and inter-observer reliability indicate that the angle measured with this simple method, which employs no further technology, increased time, or cost, is consistent and reproducible for multiple observers.

Comparisons of Four Methods for Estimating a Dynamic Factor Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Zhiyong; Hamaker, Ellen L.; Nesselroade, John R.

2008-01-01

Four methods for estimating a dynamic factor model, the direct autoregressive factor score (DAFS) model, are evaluated and compared. The first method estimates the DAFS model using a Kalman filter algorithm based on its state space model representation. The second one employs the maximum likelihood estimation method based on the construction of a…

Comparison of Metabolomics Approaches for Evaluating the Variability of Complex Botanical Preparations: Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) as a Case Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A challenge that must be addressed when conducting studies with complex natural products is how to evaluate their complexity and variability. Traditional methods of quantifying a single or a small range of metabolites may not capture the full chemical complexity of multiple samples. Different metabolomics approaches were evaluated to discern how they facilitated comparison of the chemical composition of commercial green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] products, with the goal of capturing the variability of commercially used products and selecting representative products for in vitro or clinical evaluation. Three metabolomic-related methods—untargeted ultraperformance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), targeted UPLC-MS, and untargeted, quantitative 1HNMR—were employed to characterize 34 commercially available green tea samples. Of these methods, untargeted UPLC-MS was most effective at discriminating between green tea, green tea supplement, and non-green-tea products. A method using reproduced correlation coefficients calculated from principal component analysis models was developed to quantitatively compare differences among samples. The obtained results demonstrated the utility of metabolomics employing UPLC-MS data for evaluating similarities and differences between complex botanical products. PMID:28453261

Measurement and evaluation practices of factors that contribute to effective health promotion collaboration functioning: A scoping review.

PubMed

Stolp, Sean; Bottorff, Joan L; Seaton, Cherisse L; Jones-Bricker, Margaret; Oliffe, John L; Johnson, Steven T; Errey, Sally; Medhurst, Kerensa; Lamont, Sonia

2017-04-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify promising factors that underpin effective health promotion collaborations, measurement approaches, and evaluation practices. Measurement approaches and evaluation practices employed in 14 English-language articles published between January 2001 and October 2015 were considered. Data extraction included research design, health focus of the collaboration, factors being evaluated, how factors were conceptualized and measured, and outcome measures. Studies were methodologically diverse employing either quantitative methods (n=9), mixed methods (n=4), or qualitative methods (n=1). In total, these 14 studies examined 113 factors, 88 of which were only measured once. Leadership was the most commonly studied factor but was conceptualized differently across studies. Six factors were significantly associated with outcome measures across studies; leadership (n=3), gender (n=2), trust (n=2), length of the collaboration (n=2), budget (n=2) and changes in organizational model (n=2). Since factors were often conceptualized differently, drawing conclusions about their impact on collaborative functioning remains difficult. The use of reliable and validated tools would strengthen evaluation of health promotion collaborations and would support and enhance the effectiveness of collaboration. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Video Self-Modeling: A Job Skills Intervention with Individuals with Intellectual Disability in Employment Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goh, Ailsa E.; Bambara, Linda M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of video self-modeling (VSM) to teach chained job tasks to individuals with intellectual disability in community-based employment settings. Initial empirical evaluations have demonstrated that VSM when used in combination with other instructional strategies, are effective methods to teach…

75 FR 13515 - Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII); Overview Information; Ready-to-Learn Television...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... on rigorous scientifically based research methods to assess the effectiveness of a particular... activities and programs; and (B) Includes research that-- (i) Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw... or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data across evaluators and observers, across...

The Evaluation of a Training and Employment Program: Discussion on Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bustos, Antonio; Arostegui, Jose Luis

2012-01-01

Universities in Europe have been playing an increasingly important role in the institutional evaluation of political and social systems for the last thirty years. Their major contribution to those processes of accountability has been to add methods and safeguards of evaluative research. In this paper we report an illustration of how evaluative…

Improving a web-based employability intervention for work-disabled employees: results of a pilot economic evaluation.

PubMed

Noben, Cindy; Evers, Silvia; Genabeek, Joost van; Nijhuis, Frans; de Rijk, Angelique

2017-04-01

Purpose The purpose of this study is to improve web-based employability interventions for employees with work-related health problems for both intervention content and study design by means of a pilot economic evaluation. Methods Uptake rate analysis for the intervention elements, cost effectiveness, cost utility and subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential content-related intervention improvements. Differences in work ability and quality-adjusted life years and overall contribution of resource items to the total costs were assessed. These were used to guide study design improvements. Results Sixty-three participants were a-select allocated to either the intervention (n = 29) or the control (n = 34) group. Uptake regarding the intervention elements ranged between 3% and 70%. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses resulted in negative effects although higher total costs. Incremental effects were marginal (work ability -0.51; QALY -0.01). Conclusions The web-based tool to enhance employability among work disabled employees requires improvements regarding targeting and intensity; outcome measures selected and collection of cost data. With respect to the studies of disability and rehabilitation, the findings and methods presented in this pilot economic evaluation could guide the assessment of future assistive "e-health" technologies. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION The methods presented in this pilot economic evaluation have large potentials to guide the assessment of future assistive e-health technologies addressing work-disabilities. The findings show that the web-based tool requires content related improvements with respect to targeting and intensity to enhance employability among work disabled employees. The findings show that the web-based tool would benefit from improvements related to the study design by more adequately selecting and collecting both outcome measures and cost data. The burden attributable to large-scale studies and implementation issues were prevented as the outcomes of the pilot economic evaluation did not support the implementation of the web-based tool.

Evaluating Bang for the Buck: A Cost-Effectiveness Comparison Between Individual Interviews and Focus Groups Based on Thematic Saturation Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Namey, Emily; Guest, Greg; McKenna, Kevin; Chen, Mario

2016-01-01

Evaluators often use qualitative research methods, yet there is little evidence on the comparative cost-effectiveness of the two most commonly employed qualitative methods--in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus groups (FGs). We performed an inductive thematic analysis of data from 40 IDIs and 40 FGs on the health-seeking behaviors of African…

Infrared and visual image fusion method based on discrete cosine transform and local spatial frequency in discrete stationary wavelet transform domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xin; Jiang, Qian; Yao, Shaowen; Zhou, Dongming; Nie, Rencan; Lee, Shin-Jye; He, Kangjian

2018-01-01

In order to promote the performance of infrared and visual image fusion and provide better visual effects, this paper proposes a hybrid fusion method for infrared and visual image by the combination of discrete stationary wavelet transform (DSWT), discrete cosine transform (DCT) and local spatial frequency (LSF). The proposed method has three key processing steps. Firstly, DSWT is employed to decompose the important features of the source image into a series of sub-images with different levels and spatial frequencies. Secondly, DCT is used to separate the significant details of the sub-images according to the energy of different frequencies. Thirdly, LSF is applied to enhance the regional features of DCT coefficients, and it can be helpful and useful for image feature extraction. Some frequently-used image fusion methods and evaluation metrics are employed to evaluate the validity of the proposed method. The experiments indicate that the proposed method can achieve good fusion effect, and it is more efficient than other conventional image fusion methods.

Development and validation of a method for the determination of low-ppb levels of macrocyclic lactones in butter, using HPLC-fluorescence.

PubMed

Macedo, Fabio; Marsico, Eliane Teixeira; Conte-Júnior, Carlos Adam; de Resende, Michele Fabri; Brasil, Taila Figueiredo; Pereira Netto, Annibal Duarte

2015-07-15

An analytical method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of four macrocyclic lactones (ML) (abamectin, doramectin, ivermectin and moxidectin) in butter, using liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The method employed heated liquid-liquid extraction and a mixture of acetonitrile, ethyl acetate and water, with preconcentration and derivatization, to produce stable fluorescent derivatives. The chromatographic run time was <12.5 min, with excellent separation. The method validation followed international guidelines and employed fortified butter samples. The figures of merit obtained, e.g. recovery (72.4-106.5%), repeatability (8.8%), within-laboratory reproducibility (15.7%) and limits of quantification (0.09-0.16 μg kg(-1)) were satisfactory for the desired application. The application of the method to real samples showed that ML residues were present in six of the ten samples evaluated. The method proved to be simple, easy and appropriate for simultaneous determination of ML residues in butter. To our knowledge, this is the first method described for the evaluation of ML in butter. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of the methods for enumerating coliform bacteria from water samples using precise reference standards.

PubMed

Wohlsen, T; Bates, J; Vesey, G; Robinson, W A; Katouli, M

2006-04-01

To use BioBall cultures as a precise reference standard to evaluate methods for enumeration of Escherichia coli and other coliform bacteria in water samples. Eight methods were evaluated including membrane filtration, standard plate count (pour and spread plate methods), defined substrate technology methods (Colilert and Colisure), the most probable number method and the Petrifilm disposable plate method. Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes BioBall cultures containing 30 organisms each were used. All tests were performed using 10 replicates. The mean recovery of both bacteria varied with the different methods employed. The best and most consistent results were obtained with Petrifilm and the pour plate method. Other methods either yielded a low recovery or showed significantly high variability between replicates. The BioBall is a very suitable quality control tool for evaluating the efficiency of methods for bacterial enumeration in water samples.

The Power and Promise of Group Work: Consumer Evaluation of Group Work Services in Gauteng, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasool, Shahana; Ross, Eleanor

2017-01-01

Purpose: In light of the limited research into consumers' experiences of group work services in South Africa, the study evaluated groups offered by a range of social service agencies in Gauteng to determine whether group interventions were perceived by users as developmental and empowering. Methods: Program evaluation was employed to evaluate 47…

Dosimetric comparison of lung stereotactic body radiotherapy treatment plans using averaged computed tomography and end-exhalation computed tomography images: Evaluation of the effect of different dose-calculation algorithms and prescription methods

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

Mitsuyoshi, Takamasa; Nakamura, Mitsuhiro, E-mail: m_nkmr@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Matsuo, Yukinori

The purpose of this article is to quantitatively evaluate differences in dose distributions calculated using various computed tomography (CT) datasets, dose-calculation algorithms, and prescription methods in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with early-stage lung cancer. Data on 29 patients with early-stage lung cancer treated with SBRT were retrospectively analyzed. Averaged CT (Ave-CT) and expiratory CT (Ex-CT) images were reconstructed for each patient using 4-dimensional CT data. Dose distributions were initially calculated using the Ave-CT images and recalculated (in the same monitor units [MUs]) by employing Ex-CT images with the same beam arrangements. The dose-volume parameters, including D{sub 95}, D{submore » 90}, D{sub 50}, and D{sub 2} of the planning target volume (PTV), were compared between the 2 image sets. To explore the influence of dose-calculation algorithms and prescription methods on the differences in dose distributions evident between Ave-CT and Ex-CT images, we calculated dose distributions using the following 3 different algorithms: x-ray Voxel Monte Carlo (XVMC), Acuros XB (AXB), and the anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA). We also used 2 different dose-prescription methods; the isocenter prescription and the PTV periphery prescription methods. All differences in PTV dose-volume parameters calculated using Ave-CT and Ex-CT data were within 3 percentage points (%pts) employing the isocenter prescription method, and within 1.5%pts using the PTV periphery prescription method, irrespective of which of the 3 algorithms (XVMC, AXB, and AAA) was employed. The frequencies of dose-volume parameters differing by >1%pt when the XVMC and AXB were used were greater than those associated with the use of the AAA, regardless of the dose-prescription method employed. All differences in PTV dose-volume parameters calculated using Ave-CT and Ex-CT data on patients who underwent lung SBRT were within 3%pts, regardless of the dose-calculation algorithm or the dose-prescription method employed.« less

Forensic Evaluation of Deaf Individuals: Challenges and Strategies.

PubMed

Pollard, Robert Q; Berlinski, Brian T

2017-01-01

Forensic evaluation of deaf individuals presents unique challenges due to many examinees' fund of information deficits, potential for language deprivation, and examiners' frequent lack of creativity regarding communication methods. This article describes challenges most frequently encountered in competency to stand trial and criminal responsibility evaluations and offers strategies for overcoming them. The value of employing multiple communication methods, especially the use of illustrations, is emphasized. Suggestions also are offered regarding preparing evaluation reports and effectively communicating "key deaf fundamentals" to legal personnel. Encouragement is offered for qualified, sign-fluent professionals to engage in forensic work.

Design and numerical evaluation of full-authority flight control systems for conventional and thruster-augmented helicopters employed in NOE operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perri, Todd A.; Mckillip, R. M., Jr.; Curtiss, H. C., Jr.

1987-01-01

The development and methodology is presented for development of full-authority implicit model-following and explicit model-following optimal controllers for use on helicopters operating in the Nap-of-the Earth (NOE) environment. Pole placement, input-output frequency response, and step input response were used to evaluate handling qualities performance. The pilot was equipped with velocity-command inputs. A mathematical/computational trajectory optimization method was employed to evaluate the ability of each controller to fly NOE maneuvers. The method determines the optimal swashplate and thruster input histories from the helicopter's dynamics and the prescribed geometry and desired flying qualities of the maneuver. Three maneuvers were investigated for both the implicit and explicit controllers with and without auxiliary propulsion installed: pop-up/dash/descent, bob-up at 40 knots, and glideslope. The explicit controller proved to be superior to the implicit controller in performance and ease of design.

Apparatus for monitoring high temperature ultrasonic characterization

DOEpatents

Lanagan, M.T.; Kupperman, D.S.; Yaconi, G.A.

1998-03-24

A method and an apparatus for nondestructive detecting and evaluating changes in the microstructural properties of a material by employing one or more magnetostrictive transducers linked to the material by means of one or more sonic signal conductors. The magnetostrictive transducer or transducers are connected to a pulser/receiver which in turn is connected to an oscilloscope. The oscilloscope is connected to a computer which employs an algorithm to evaluate changes in the velocity of a signal transmitted to the material sample as function of time and temperature. 6 figs.

Standardized plant disease evaluations will enhance resistance gene discovery

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Gene discovery and marker development using DNA-based tools require plant populations with well documented phenotypes. If dissimilar phenotype evaluation methods or data scoring techniques are employed with different crops, or at different labs for the same crops, then data mining for genetic marker...

Oxygen utilization of the human left ventricle - An indirect method for its evaluation and clinical considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghista, D. N.; Sandler, H.

1974-01-01

An analytical method is presented for determining the oxygen consumption rate of the intact heart working (as opposed to empty but beating) human left ventricle. Use is made of experimental recordings obtained for the chamber pressure and the associated dimensions of the LV. LV dimensions are determined by cineangiocardiography, and the chamber pressure is obtained by means of fluid-filled catheters during retrograde or transeptal catheterization. An analytical method incorporating these data is then employed for the evaluation of the LV coronary oxygen consumption in five subjects. Oxygen consumption for these subjects was also obtained by the conventional clinical method in order to evaluate the reliability of the proposed method.

Analysis of spreadable cheese by Raman spectroscopy and chemometric tools.

PubMed

Oliveira, Kamila de Sá; Callegaro, Layce de Souza; Stephani, Rodrigo; Almeida, Mariana Ramos; de Oliveira, Luiz Fernando Cappa

2016-03-01

In this work, FT-Raman spectroscopy was explored to evaluate spreadable cheese samples. A partial least squares discriminant analysis was employed to identify the spreadable cheese samples containing starch. To build the models, two types of samples were used: commercial samples and samples manufactured in local industries. The method of supervised classification PLS-DA was employed to classify the samples as adulterated or without starch. Multivariate regression was performed using the partial least squares method to quantify the starch in the spreadable cheese. The limit of detection obtained for the model was 0.34% (w/w) and the limit of quantification was 1.14% (w/w). The reliability of the models was evaluated by determining the confidence interval, which was calculated using the bootstrap re-sampling technique. The results show that the classification models can be used to complement classical analysis and as screening methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploration of a Method to Assess Children's Understandings of a Phenomenon after Viewing a Demonstration Show

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeKorver, Brittland K.; Choi, Mark; Towns, Marcy

2017-01-01

Chemical demonstration shows are a popular form of informal science education (ISE), employed by schools, museums, and other institutions in order to improve the public's understanding of science. Just as teachers employ formative and summative assessments in the science classroom to evaluate the impacts of their efforts, it is important to assess…

Cancer Education Program Evaluation: A Responsive Approach to Planning an Evaluation and Initial Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearsol, James A.

This paper describes evaluation planning for the Cancer Education Program (CEP) at Ohio State University (OSU). The three-year OSU CEP project was designed as a multidisciplinary cancer education program. A responsive method, which trades off some measurement precision in order to increase the usefulness of the findings, was employed in the…

Ethnographic methods for process evaluations of complex health behaviour interventions.

PubMed

Morgan-Trimmer, Sarah; Wood, Fiona

2016-05-04

This article outlines the contribution that ethnography could make to process evaluations for trials of complex health-behaviour interventions. Process evaluations are increasingly used to examine how health-behaviour interventions operate to produce outcomes and often employ qualitative methods to do this. Ethnography shares commonalities with the qualitative methods currently used in health-behaviour evaluations but has a distinctive approach over and above these methods. It is an overlooked methodology in trials of complex health-behaviour interventions that has much to contribute to the understanding of how interventions work. These benefits are discussed here with respect to three strengths of ethnographic methodology: (1) producing valid data, (2) understanding data within social contexts, and (3) building theory productively. The limitations of ethnography within the context of process evaluations are also discussed.

Development and application of computational aerothermodynamics flowfield computer codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

1993-01-01

Computations are presented for one-dimensional, strong shock waves that are typical of those that form in front of a reentering spacecraft. The fluid mechanics and thermochemistry are modeled using two different approaches. The first employs traditional continuum techniques in solving the Navier-Stokes equations. The second-approach employs a particle simulation technique (the direct simulation Monte Carlo method, DSMC). The thermochemical models employed in these two techniques are quite different. The present investigation presents an evaluation of thermochemical models for nitrogen under hypersonic flow conditions. Four separate cases are considered. The cases are governed, respectively, by the following: vibrational relaxation; weak dissociation; strong dissociation; and weak ionization. In near-continuum, hypersonic flow, the nonequilibrium thermochemical models employed in continuum and particle simulations produce nearly identical solutions. Further, the two approaches are evaluated successfully against available experimental data for weakly and strongly dissociating flows.

A bibliography on formal methods for system specification, design and validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, J. F.; Furchtgott, D. G.; Movaghar, A.

1982-01-01

Literature on the specification, design, verification, testing, and evaluation of avionics systems was surveyed, providing 655 citations. Journal papers, conference papers, and technical reports are included. Manual and computer-based methods were employed. Keywords used in the online search are listed.

Assessment in Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raymond, Chad; Usherwood, Simon

2013-01-01

Simulations are employed widely as teaching tools in political science, yet evidence of their pedagogical effectiveness, in comparison to other methods of instruction, is mixed. The assessment of learning outcomes is often a secondary concern in simulation design, and the qualitative and quantitative methods used to evaluate outcomes are…

An Analysis of the Bases Used By Library Evaluators in the Accrediting Process of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Dudley V.

Seventy-seven of ninety library evaluators of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) responded to a 1973 questionnaire to determine: (1) if evaluative criteria used are based with an authority other than SACS; and (2) if certain methods, procedures, and techniques employed by evaluators could be used to construct an ideal…

Tremor Detection Using Parametric and Non-Parametric Spectral Estimation Methods: A Comparison with Clinical Assessment

PubMed Central

Martinez Manzanera, Octavio; Elting, Jan Willem; van der Hoeven, Johannes H.; Maurits, Natasha M.

2016-01-01

In the clinic, tremor is diagnosed during a time-limited process in which patients are observed and the characteristics of tremor are visually assessed. For some tremor disorders, a more detailed analysis of these characteristics is needed. Accelerometry and electromyography can be used to obtain a better insight into tremor. Typically, routine clinical assessment of accelerometry and electromyography data involves visual inspection by clinicians and occasionally computational analysis to obtain objective characteristics of tremor. However, for some tremor disorders these characteristics may be different during daily activity. This variability in presentation between the clinic and daily life makes a differential diagnosis more difficult. A long-term recording of tremor by accelerometry and/or electromyography in the home environment could help to give a better insight into the tremor disorder. However, an evaluation of such recordings using routine clinical standards would take too much time. We evaluated a range of techniques that automatically detect tremor segments in accelerometer data, as accelerometer data is more easily obtained in the home environment than electromyography data. Time can be saved if clinicians only have to evaluate the tremor characteristics of segments that have been automatically detected in longer daily activity recordings. We tested four non-parametric methods and five parametric methods on clinical accelerometer data from 14 patients with different tremor disorders. The consensus between two clinicians regarding the presence or absence of tremor on 3943 segments of accelerometer data was employed as reference. The nine methods were tested against this reference to identify their optimal parameters. Non-parametric methods generally performed better than parametric methods on our dataset when optimal parameters were used. However, one parametric method, employing the high frequency content of the tremor bandwidth under consideration (High Freq) performed similarly to non-parametric methods, but had the highest recall values, suggesting that this method could be employed for automatic tremor detection. PMID:27258018

Sustained employability of workers in a production environment: design of a stepped wedge trial to evaluate effectiveness and cost-benefit of the POSE program

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Sustained employability and health are generating awareness of employers in an aging and more complex work force. To meet these needs, employers may offer their employees health surveillance programs, to increase opportunities to work on health and sustained employability. However, evidence for these health surveillance programs is lacking. The FLESH study (Functional Labour Evaluation for Sustained Health and employment) was developed to evaluate a comprehensive workers’ health promotion program on its effectiveness, cost-benefit, and process of the intervention. Methods The study is designed as a cluster randomised stepped wedge trial with randomisation at company plant level and is carried out in a large meat processing company. Every contracted employee is offered the opportunity to participate in the POSE program (Promotion Of Sustained Employability). The main goals of the POSE program are 1) providing employee’s insight into their current employability and health status, 2) offering opportunities to improve employability and decrease health risks and 3) improving employability and health sustainably in order to keep them healthy at work. The program consists of a broad assessment followed by a counselling session and, if needed, a tailored intervention. Measurements will be performed at baseline and will be followed up at 20, 40, 60, 80, 106 and 132 weeks. The primary outcome measures are work ability, productivity and absenteeism. Secondary outcomes include health status, vitality, and psychosocial workload. A cost-benefit study will be conducted from the employers’ perspective. A process evaluation will be conducted and the satisfaction of employer and employees with the program will be assessed. Discussion This study provides information on the effectiveness of the POSE program on sustained employment. When the program proves to be effective, employees benefit by improved work ability, and health. Employers benefit from healthier employees, reduced sick leave (costs) and higher productivity. The study can expose key elements for a successful implementation and execution of the POSE program and may serve as an example to other companies inside and outside the industry. Trial registration The trial is registered at the Dutch Trial Register (http://www.trialregister.nl): NTR3445 PMID:23164366

Comparison through a LCA evaluation analysis of food waste disposal options from the perspective of global warming and resource recovery.

PubMed

Kim, Mi-Hyung; Kim, Jung-Wk

2010-09-01

This study evaluated feed manufacturing including dry feeding and wet feeding, composting, and landfilling for food waste disposal options from the perspective of global warming and resource recovery. The method of the expanded system boundaries was employed in order to compare different by-products. The whole stages of disposal involved in the systems such as separate discharge, collection, transportation, treatment, and final disposal, were included in the system boundary and evaluated. The Global Warming Potential generated from 1tonne of food wastes for each disposal system was analyzed by the life cycle assessment method. The results showed that 200kg of CO(2)-eq could be produced from dry feeding process, 61kg of CO(2)-eq from wet feeding process, 123kg of CO(2)-eq from composting process, and 1010kg of CO(2)-eq from landfilling. Feed manufacturing and composting, the common treatment methods currently employed, have been known to be environment friendlier than other methods. However, this study shows that they can negatively affect the environment if their by-products are not appropriately utilized as intended. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peace Works: A Program Evaluation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeBlanc, Patrice; Lacey, Candace

2002-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the model used to evaluate the two-year Allegany Grant between the Peace Education Foundation and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools that focused on reducing school violence through implementing the "Peace Works" program. A mixed method design using simultaneous methodologies was employed. For…

Evaluation of Attention Training and Metacognitive Facilitation to Improve Reading Comprehension in Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jaime B.; Sohlberg, McKay Moore

2013-01-01

Purpose: This pilot study investigated the impact of direct attention training combined with metacognitive facilitation on reading comprehension in individuals with aphasia. Method: A single-subject, multiple baseline design was employed across 4 participants to evaluate potential changes in reading comprehension resulting from an 8-week…

Economic Evaluation of Building Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance. Seminar Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruegg, Rosalie T.

This workbook has been prepared for participants in the seminar, "Economic Evaluation of Building Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance." It has two main functions: (1) to provide basic resource materials, references, and introductions to methods employed in the seminar; and (2) to provide instructional problems for solution by…

Teacher Evaluation Comments Within Program Evaluation: An Analysis of Negotiation Structures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothe, J. Peter

How teachers methodically construct report card comments into organized social features is addressed through an examination of negotiation structures which organize anecdotes. Anecdotal comments are key communication devices which teachers employ for reporting. Four hundred and fifty anecdotal comments teachers wrote about students were collected…

Receiver Statistics for Cognitive Radios in Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-28

SNR) are employed by many protocols and processes in direct-sequence ( DS ) spread-spectrum packet radio networks, including soft-decision decoding...adaptive modulation protocols, and power adjustment protocols. For DS spread spectrum, we have introduced and evaluated SNR estimators that employ...obtained during demodulation in a binary CDMA receiver. We investigated several methods to apply the proposed metric to the demodulator’s soft-decision

The Evaluation of Health Education Program (HEP) of 9th Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Polat; Gürol, Mehmet

2016-01-01

The main purpose of evaluation is to improve the quality of program. So, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the Health Education Program of 9th graders (HEP) with Educational Criticism Model of Eisner. The study was conducted with the qualitative research method. A holistic single case design was employed in this study. The typical case…

Comparison of methods for evaluating ground-contact copper preservative depletion

Treesearch

Stan Lebow; Steven Halverson

2008-01-01

Depletion of the biocide(s) used to treat wood has a major influence on service life and environmental concerns. However, little is known about the extent of depletion from the specific leaching method employed. Wood treated with two types of copper-based preservatives were leached using three different methods: field stakes (American Wood Protection Association (AWPA...

Resting-state fMRI data reflects default network activity rather than null data: A defense of commonly employed methods to correct for multiple comparisons.

PubMed

Slotnick, Scott D

2017-07-01

Analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data typically involves over one hundred thousand independent statistical tests; therefore, it is necessary to correct for multiple comparisons to control familywise error. In a recent paper, Eklund, Nichols, and Knutsson used resting-state fMRI data to evaluate commonly employed methods to correct for multiple comparisons and reported unacceptable rates of familywise error. Eklund et al.'s analysis was based on the assumption that resting-state fMRI data reflect null data; however, their 'null data' actually reflected default network activity that inflated familywise error. As such, Eklund et al.'s results provide no basis to question the validity of the thousands of published fMRI studies that have corrected for multiple comparisons or the commonly employed methods to correct for multiple comparisons.

Smithtown: An Intelligent Tutoring System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raghavan, Kalyani; Katz, Arnold

1989-01-01

Described is an instructional aid that employs artificial intelligence methods to assist students in beginning economics courses to improve their problem-solving skills. Discussed are the rationale, structure, and evaluation of this program. (CW)

Roles and methods of performance evaluation of hospital academic leadership.

PubMed

Zhou, Ying; Yuan, Huikang; Li, Yang; Zhao, Xia; Yi, Lihua

2016-01-01

The rapidly advancing implementation of public hospital reform urgently requires the identification and classification of a pool of exceptional medical specialists, corresponding with incentives to attract and retain them, providing a nucleus of distinguished expertise to ensure public hospital preeminence. This paper examines the significance of academic leadership, from a strategic management perspective, including various tools, methods and mechanisms used in the theory and practice of performance evaluation, and employed in the selection, training and appointment of academic leaders. Objective methods of assessing leadership performance are also provided for reference.

Evaluation of an automatic brain segmentation method developed for neonates on adult MR brain images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moeskops, Pim; Viergever, Max A.; Benders, Manon J. N. L.; Išgum, Ivana

2015-03-01

Automatic brain tissue segmentation is of clinical relevance in images acquired at all ages. The literature presents a clear distinction between methods developed for MR images of infants, and methods developed for images of adults. The aim of this work is to evaluate a method developed for neonatal images in the segmentation of adult images. The evaluated method employs supervised voxel classification in subsequent stages, exploiting spatial and intensity information. Evaluation was performed using images available within the MRBrainS13 challenge. The obtained average Dice coefficients were 85.77% for grey matter, 88.66% for white matter, 81.08% for cerebrospinal fluid, 95.65% for cerebrum, and 96.92% for intracranial cavity, currently resulting in the best overall ranking. The possibility of applying the same method to neonatal as well as adult images can be of great value in cross-sectional studies that include a wide age range.

Evaluating Predictors of Program Attrition among Women Mandated into Batterer Intervention Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buttell, Frederick P.; Powers, Dolores; Wong, Asia

2012-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate pretreatment differences between treatment completers and dropouts among a large sample of women ordered into a 26-week batterer intervention program (BIP). Method: The study employed a nonequivalent, control-group design (comparing program completers to dropouts) in a secondary analysis…

Evaluation of an Online Study Skills Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pryjmachuk, Steven; Gill, Anita; Wood, Patricia; Olleveant, Nicola; Keeley, Philip

2012-01-01

This article describes the evaluation of an online study skills course unit designed, using evidence-based principles, to support undergraduate students. A mixed-methods approach was employed to establish the extent to which the unit was (a) fit for purpose and (b) effective. Data were obtained from an online survey (n = 63) conducted on entry to…

Evaluation on the Efficiency of Biomass Power Generation Industry in China

PubMed Central

Sun, Dong; Guo, Sen

2014-01-01

As a developing country with large population, China is facing the problems of energy resource shortage and growing environmental pollution arising from the coal-dominated energy structure. Biomass energy, as a kind of renewable energy with the characteristics of being easy to store and friendly to environment, has become the focus of China's energy development in the future. Affected by the advanced power generation technology and diversified geography environment, the biomass power generation projects show new features in recent years. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of biomass power generation industry by employing proper method with the consideration of new features. In this paper, the regional difference as a new feature of biomass power generation industry is taken into consideration, and the AR model is employed to modify the zero-weight issue when using data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to evaluate the efficiency of biomass power generation industry. 30 biomass power generation enterprises in China are selected as the sample, and the efficiency evaluation is performed. The result can provide some insights into the sustainable development of biomass power generation industry in China. PMID:25093209

An Exploration of Alternative Assessment Methods for the Field of Education: From the Fields of Law and Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paule, Lynde; Murray, Stephen L.

As a precursor to making recommendations for more effective assessment methods for teacher certification, an examination is made of the professions of law and medicine. Specifically, the examination covers the relationship between training programs and the methods employed for evaluating prospective lawyers and doctors to ensure that they have the…

Improving validation methods for molecular diagnostics: application of Bland-Altman, Deming and simple linear regression analyses in assay comparison and evaluation for next-generation sequencing.

PubMed

Misyura, Maksym; Sukhai, Mahadeo A; Kulasignam, Vathany; Zhang, Tong; Kamel-Reid, Suzanne; Stockley, Tracy L

2018-02-01

A standard approach in test evaluation is to compare results of the assay in validation to results from previously validated methods. For quantitative molecular diagnostic assays, comparison of test values is often performed using simple linear regression and the coefficient of determination (R 2 ), using R 2 as the primary metric of assay agreement. However, the use of R 2 alone does not adequately quantify constant or proportional errors required for optimal test evaluation. More extensive statistical approaches, such as Bland-Altman and expanded interpretation of linear regression methods, can be used to more thoroughly compare data from quantitative molecular assays. We present the application of Bland-Altman and linear regression statistical methods to evaluate quantitative outputs from next-generation sequencing assays (NGS). NGS-derived data sets from assay validation experiments were used to demonstrate the utility of the statistical methods. Both Bland-Altman and linear regression were able to detect the presence and magnitude of constant and proportional error in quantitative values of NGS data. Deming linear regression was used in the context of assay comparison studies, while simple linear regression was used to analyse serial dilution data. Bland-Altman statistical approach was also adapted to quantify assay accuracy, including constant and proportional errors, and precision where theoretical and empirical values were known. The complementary application of the statistical methods described in this manuscript enables more extensive evaluation of performance characteristics of quantitative molecular assays, prior to implementation in the clinical molecular laboratory. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Transient modeling/analysis of hyperbolic heat conduction problems employing mixed implicit-explicit alpha method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tamma, Kumar K.; D'Costa, Joseph F.

1991-01-01

This paper describes the evaluation of mixed implicit-explicit finite element formulations for hyperbolic heat conduction problems involving non-Fourier effects. In particular, mixed implicit-explicit formulations employing the alpha method proposed by Hughes et al. (1987, 1990) are described for the numerical simulation of hyperbolic heat conduction models, which involves time-dependent relaxation effects. Existing analytical approaches for modeling/analysis of such models involve complex mathematical formulations for obtaining closed-form solutions, while in certain numerical formulations the difficulties include severe oscillatory solution behavior (which often disguises the true response) in the vicinity of the thermal disturbances, which propagate with finite velocities. In view of these factors, the alpha method is evaluated to assess the control of the amount of numerical dissipation for predicting the transient propagating thermal disturbances. Numerical test models are presented, and pertinent conclusions are drawn for the mixed-time integration simulation of hyperbolic heat conduction models involving non-Fourier effects.

Gauge invariance of excitonic linear and nonlinear optical response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taghizadeh, Alireza; Pedersen, T. G.

2018-05-01

We study the equivalence of four different approaches to calculate the excitonic linear and nonlinear optical response of multiband semiconductors. These four methods derive from two choices of gauge, i.e., length and velocity gauges, and two ways of computing the current density, i.e., direct evaluation and evaluation via the time-derivative of the polarization density. The linear and quadratic response functions are obtained for all methods by employing a perturbative density-matrix approach within the mean-field approximation. The equivalence of all four methods is shown rigorously, when a correct interaction Hamiltonian is employed for the velocity gauge approaches. The correct interaction is written as a series of commutators containing the unperturbed Hamiltonian and position operators, which becomes equivalent to the conventional velocity gauge interaction in the limit of infinite Coulomb screening and infinitely many bands. As a case study, the theory is applied to hexagonal boron nitride monolayers, and the linear and nonlinear optical response found in different approaches are compared.

Exploring Vocational Evaluation Practices following Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Dillahunt-Aspillaga, Christina; Jorgensen Smith, Tammy; Hanson, Ardis; Ehlke, Sarah; Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Dixon, Charlotte G.; Quichocho, Davina

2015-01-01

Background. Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) face many challenges when attempting to return to work (RTW). Vocational evaluation (VE) is a systematic process that involves assessment and appraisal of an individual's current work-related characteristics and abilities. Objective. The aims of this study are to (1) examine demographic and employment characteristics of vocational rehabilitation providers (VRPs), (2) identify the specific evaluation methods that are used in the VE of individuals with TBI, and (3) examine the differences in assessment method practices based upon evaluator assessment preferences. Methods. This exploratory case study used a forty-six-item online survey which was distributed to VRPs. Results. One hundred and nine VRPs accessed the survey. Of these, 74 completed the survey. A majority of respondents were female (79.7%), Caucasian (71.6%), and holding a master's degree (74.3%), and more than half (56.8%) were employed as state vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs). In addition, over two-thirds (67.6%) were certified rehabilitation counselors (CRCs). Respondents reported using several specific tools and assessments during the VE process. Conclusions. Study findings reveal differences in use of and rationales for specific assessments amongst VRPs. Understanding VRP assessment practices and use of an evidence-based framework for VE following TBI may inform and improve VE practice. PMID:26494945

Design of a trial-based economic evaluation on the cost-effectiveness of employability interventions among work disabled employees or employees at risk of work disability: The CASE-study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the Netherlands, absenteeism and reduced productivity due to work disability lead to high yearly costs reaching almost 5% of the gross national product. To reduce the economic burden of sick leave and reduced productivity, different employability interventions for work-disabled employees or employees at risk of work disability have been developed. Within this study, called 'CASE-study' (Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Sustainable Employability), five different employability interventions directed at work disabled employees with divergent health complaints will be analysed on their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. This paper describes a consistent and transparent methodological design to do so. Methods/design Per employability intervention 142 participants are needed whereof approximately 66 participants receiving the intervention will be compared with 66 participants receiving usual care. Based on the intervention-specific characteristics, a randomized control trial or a quasi-experiment with match-criteria will be conducted. Notwithstanding the study design, eligible participants will be employees aged 18 to 63, working at least 12 h per week, and at risk of work disability, or already work-disabled due to medical restrictions. The primary outcome will be the duration of sick leave. Secondary outcomes are health status and quality of life. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and then 6, 12 and 18 months later. Economic costs will consist of healthcare costs and cost of lost production due to work disability, and will be evaluated from a societal perspective. Discussion The CASE-study is the first to conduct economic evaluations of multiple different employability interventions based on a similar methodological framework. The cost-effectiveness results for every employability intervention will be published in 2014, but the methods, strengths and weaknesses of the study protocol are discussed in this paper. To contribute to treatment options in occupational health practice and enable the development of guidelines on how to conduct economic evaluation better suited to this field; this paper provides an important first step. Trial registration Four trials involved in the CASE-study are registered with the Netherlands Trial Registry: Care for Work (NTR2886), Health and Motion (NTR3111), Guidance to Excel in Return to Work (NTR3151), Care for Companies/Second Care (NTR3136). PMID:22257557

Cost-Effectiveness of Social Work Services in Aging: An Updated Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizzo, Victoria M.; Rowe, Jeannine M.

2016-01-01

Objectives: This study examines the impact of social work interventions in aging on quality of life (QOL) and cost outcomes in four categories (health, mental health, geriatric evaluation and management, and caregiving). Methods: Systematic review methods are employed. Databases were searched for articles published in English between 2004 and 2012…

Evaluation of Short-Term Bioassays to Predict Functional Impairment. Selected Short-Term Renal Toxicity Tests.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

reported using the method of Gentzkow (1942), which involves conversion of urea to ammonia with urease and measurement of the ammonia by...Nesslerization. Methods employing urease are not well suited for automated analysis since an incubation time of about 20 minutes is required for the conversion of

An evaluation of the performance and suitability of R × C methods for ecological inference with known true values.

PubMed

Plescia, Carolina; De Sio, Lorenzo

2018-01-01

Ecological inference refers to the study of individuals using aggregate data and it is used in an impressive number of studies; it is well known, however, that the study of individuals using group data suffers from an ecological fallacy problem (Robinson in Am Sociol Rev 15:351-357, 1950). This paper evaluates the accuracy of two recent methods, the Rosen et al. (Stat Neerl 55:134-156, 2001) and the Greiner and Quinn (J R Stat Soc Ser A (Statistics in Society) 172:67-81, 2009) and the long-standing Goodman's (Am Sociol Rev 18:663-664, 1953; Am J Sociol 64:610-625, 1959) method designed to estimate all cells of R × C tables simultaneously by employing exclusively aggregate data. To conduct these tests we leverage on extensive electoral data for which the true quantities of interest are known. In particular, we focus on examining the extent to which the confidence intervals provided by the three methods contain the true values. The paper also provides important guidelines regarding the appropriate contexts for employing these models.

Chapter 17: Residential Behavior Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

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

Kurnik, Charles W.; Stewart, James; Todd, Annika

Residential behavior-based (BB) programs use strategies grounded in the behavioral and social sciences to influence household energy use. These may include providing households with real-time or delayed feedback about their energy use; supplying energy efficiency education and tips; rewarding households for reducing their energy use; comparing households to their peers; and establishing games, tournaments, and competitions. BB programs often target multiple energy end uses and encourage energy savings, demand savings, or both. Savings from BB programs are usually a small percentage of energy use, typically less than 5 percent. Utilities will continue to implement residential BB programs as large-scale, randomizedmore » control trials (RCTs); however, some are now experimenting with alternative program designs that are smaller scale; involve new communication channels such as the web, social media, and text messaging; or that employ novel strategies for encouraging behavior change (for example, Facebook competitions). These programs will create new evaluation challenges and may require different evaluation methods than those currently employed to verify any savings they generate. Quasi-experimental methods, however, require stronger assumptions to yield valid savings estimates and may not measure savings with the same degree of validity and accuracy as randomized experiments.« less

Evaluation and optimisation of preparative semi-automated electrophoresis systems for Illumina library preparation.

PubMed

Quail, Michael A; Gu, Yong; Swerdlow, Harold; Mayho, Matthew

2012-12-01

Size selection can be a critical step in preparation of next-generation sequencing libraries. Traditional methods employing gel electrophoresis lack reproducibility, are labour intensive, do not scale well and employ hazardous interchelating dyes. In a high-throughput setting, solid-phase reversible immobilisation beads are commonly used for size-selection, but result in quite a broad fragment size range. We have evaluated and optimised the use of two semi-automated preparative DNA electrophoresis systems, the Caliper Labchip XT and the Sage Science Pippin Prep, for size selection of Illumina sequencing libraries. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development and evaluation of a gas chromatographic method for the determination of triazine herbicides in natural water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinheimer, T.R.; Brooks, M.G.

1984-01-01

A multi-residue method is described for the determination of triazine herbicides in natural water samples. The technique uses solvent extraction followed by gas chromatographic separation and detection employing nitrogen-selective devices. Seven compounds can be determined simultaneously at a nominal detection limit of 0.1 ??g/L in a 1-litre sample. Three different natural water samples were used for error analysis via evaluation of recovery efficiencies and estimation of overall method precision. As an alternative to liquid-liquid partition (solvent extraction) for removal of compounds of interest from water, solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques employing chromatographic grade silicas with chemically modified surfaces have been examined. SPE is found to provide rapid and efficient concentration with quantitative recovery of some triazine herbicides from natural water samples. Concentration factors of 500 to 1000 times are obtained readily by the SPE technique.A multi-residue method is described for the determination of triazine herbicides in natural water samples. The technique uses solvent extraction followed by gas chromatographic separation and detection employing nitrogen-selective devices. Seven compounds can be determined simultaneously at a nominal detection limit of 0. 1 mu g/L in a 1-litre sample. As an alternative to liquid-liquid partition (solvent extraction) for removal of compounds of interest from water, solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques employing chromatographic grade silicas with chemically modified surfaces have been examined. SPE is found to provide rapid and efficient concentration with quantitative recovery of some triazine herbicides from natural water samples. Concentration factors of 500 to 1000 times are obtained readily by the SPE technique.

A survey of analytical methods employed for monitoring of Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Processes for decomposition of selected perfluorinated environmental pollutants.

PubMed

Trojanowicz, Marek; Bobrowski, Krzysztof; Szostek, Bogdan; Bojanowska-Czajka, Anna; Szreder, Tomasz; Bartoszewicz, Iwona; Kulisa, Krzysztof

2018-01-15

The monitoring of Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Processes (AO/RPs) for the evaluation of the yield and mechanisms of decomposition of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) is often a more difficult task than their determination in the environmental, biological or food samples with complex matrices. This is mostly due to the formation of hundreds, or even thousands, of both intermediate and final products. The considered AO/RPs, involving free radical reactions, include photolytic and photocatalytic processes, Fenton reactions, sonolysis, ozonation, application of ionizing radiation and several wet oxidation processes. The main attention is paid to the most commonly occurring PFCs in the environment, namely PFOA and PFOS. The most powerful and widely exploited method for this purpose is without a doubt LC/MS/MS, which allows the identification and trace quantitation of all species with detectability and resolution power depending on the particular instrumental configurations. The GC/MS is often employed for the monitoring of volatile fluorocarbons, confirming the formation of radicals in the processes of C‒C and C‒S bonds cleavage. For the direct monitoring of radicals participating in the reactions of PFCs decomposition, the molecular spectrophotometry is employed, especially electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The UV/Vis spectrophotometry as a detection method is of special importance in the evaluation of kinetics of radical reactions with the use of pulse radiolysis methods. The most commonly employed for the determination of the yield of mineralization of PFCs is ion-chromatography, but there is also potentiometry with ion-selective electrode and the measurements of general parameters such as Total Organic Carbon and Total Organic Fluoride. The presented review is based on about 100 original papers published in both analytical and environmental journals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Information for patients with cancer. Does personalization make a difference? Pilot study results and randomised trial in progress.

PubMed Central

Jones, R.; Pearson, J.; Cawsey, A.; Barrett, A.

1996-01-01

Although there are a number of groups working on the provision of personalized patient information there has been little evaluation. We have developed and piloted a method of giving patients on-line access to their own medical records with associated explanations. We are comparing, in a randomised trial, personalized with general computer based information for patients undergoing radiotherapy for cancer. We present results from the pilot study and the evaluation methods to be employed. PMID:8947701

Developing job-related preplacement medical examinations.

PubMed

Hogan, J C; Bernacki, E J

1981-07-01

Federal regulations prohibiting discrimination in hiring require that employment selection procedures to evaluate applicants be based on job-related criteria. The preplacement physical examination used in employment, particularly in the placement of handicapped persons, must also be conducted in a job-related manner. This paper discusses the development and use of the physical examination in selecting and placing applicants for jobs in the workplace with special reference to handicapped persons and disabled veterans. It presents and justifies a method of performing these examinations in a manner consistent with humanistic and business goals as well as the goals of federal regulatory agencies prohibiting employment discrimination.

Development and Evaluation of a Hydrostatic Dynamical Core Using the Spectral Element/Discontinuous Galerkin Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

The CG and DG horizontal discretization employs high-order nodal basis functions associated with Lagrange polynomials based on Gauss-Lobatto- Legendre ...and DG horizontal discretization employs high-order nodal basis functions 29 associated with Lagrange polynomials based on Gauss-Lobatto- Legendre ...Inside 235 each element we build ( 1)N + Gauss-Lobatto- Legendre (GLL) quadrature points, where N 236 indicate the polynomial order of the basis

Quasi-experimental evaluation without regression analysis.

PubMed

Rohrer, James E

2009-01-01

Evaluators of public health programs in field settings cannot always randomize subjects into experimental or control groups. By default, they may choose to employ the weakest study design available: the pretest, posttest approach without a comparison group. This essay argues that natural experiments involving comparison groups are within reach of public health program managers. Methods for analyzing natural experiments are discussed.

The Role of Peer-Assisted Learning in Building Evaluative Judgement: Opportunities in Clinical Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tai, Joanna Hong-Meng; Canny, Benedict J.; Haines, Terry P.; Molloy, Elizabeth K.

2016-01-01

This study explored the contribution of peer-assisted learning (PAL) in the development of evaluative judgement capacity; the ability to understand work quality and apply those standards to appraising performance. The study employed a mixed methods approach, collecting self-reported survey data, observations of, and reflective interviews with, the…

Rate My Stake: Interpretation of Ordinal Stake Ratings

Treesearch

Patricia Lebow; Grant Kirker

2014-01-01

Ordinal rating systems are commonly employed to evaluate biodeterioration of wood exposed outdoors over long periods of time. The purpose of these ratings is to compare the durability of test systems to nondurable wood products or known durable wood products. There are many reasons why these systems have evolved as the chosen method of evaluation, including having an...

The Craft of Student Evaluation in Canada: A Report to the CEA on Policies, Practices and Uses of Assessments of Student Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Leslie D.

The Canadian Education Association sponsored a study to review and synthesize the literature on student evaluation; investigate changes in goals and methods; and make recommendations for improvement. Interviews were conducted in six provinces with administrative personnel, principals, and teachers. Employers and post-secondary institutions, as…

Evaluation of Two Instruction Methods to Increase Employment Options for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Raymond V.; Andersen, Melissa N.; Bowen, Scott L.; Howard, Monica R.; Allen, Keith D.

2010-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of a vocational training program including behavioral skills training, and a "performance cue system" (i.e., a proprietary iPhone application adapted for the study) to teach targeted social-vocational skills to six young adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In two separate studies, participants were employed…

A Study on Evaluation of the Biology Projects Submitted to the TUBITAK Secondary Education Research Projects Contest from the Bursa Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeren Özer, Dilek; Güngör, Sema Nur; Özkan, Muhlis

2015-01-01

This study evaluates, through the employment of scientific methods and techniques, a total of 107 Biology projects submitted by secondary education students to the Bursa Region Coordinatorship of TUBITAK (a region which encompasses the municipalities of Afyonkarahisar, Balikesir, Bilecik, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Kutahya, and Yalova). The projects…

The Use of Workforce Assessment as a Component of Career and Technical Education Program Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Kenneth R.; Schleif, Nicole L.; Bowen, Mauvalyn M.

2011-01-01

This research project examined the extent to which Career and Technical Education (CTE)-related programs use workforce needs assessment as a component of their evaluation activities. An employer perspective was used to develop a conceptual framework drawing on strategic human resource management theory. The extent and methods utilized for…

Attracting Mature Students into Higher Education: The Impact of Approaches to Learning and Social Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Chris; Davies, Peter

2013-01-01

This paper reports on data collected during an evaluation of two higher education courses designed to attract mature entrants aged between 21 and 60 to undergraduate degree programmes. Employing an evaluation design informed by a critical realist approach, the study utilised a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the outcomes…

Promoted combustion of nine structural metals in high-pressure gaseous oxygen - A comparison of ranking methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, Theodore A.; Rucker, Michelle A.; Beeson, Harold D.

1989-01-01

The 316, 321, 440C, and 17-4 PH stainless steels, as well as Inconel 600, Inconel 718, Waspaloy, Monel 400, and Al 2219, have been evaluated for relative nonflammability in a high-pressure oxygen environment with a view to the comparative advantages of four different flammability-ranking methods. The effects of changes in test pressure, sample diameter, promoter type, and sample configuration on ranking method results are evaluated; ranking methods employing velocity as the primary ranking criterion are limited by diameter effects, while those which use extinguishing pressure are nonselective for metals with similar flammabilities.

Night Sky Weather Monitoring System Using Fish-Eye CCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomida, Takayuki; Saito, Yasunori; Nakamura, Ryo; Yamazaki, Katsuya

Telescope Array (TA) is international joint experiment observing ultra-high energy cosmic rays. TA employs fluorescence detection technique to observe cosmic rays. In this technique, tho existence of cloud significantly affects quality of data. Therefore, cloud monitoring provides important information. We are developing two new methods for evaluating night sky weather with pictures taken by charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. One is evaluating the amount of cloud with pixels brightness. The other is counting the number of stars with contour detection technique. The results of these methods show clear correlation, and we concluded both the analyses are reasonable methods for weather monitoring. We discuss reliability of the star counting method.

Quality assessment of internet pharmaceutical products using traditional and non-traditional analytical techniques.

PubMed

Westenberger, Benjamin J; Ellison, Christopher D; Fussner, Andrew S; Jenney, Susan; Kolinski, Richard E; Lipe, Terra G; Lyon, Robbe C; Moore, Terry W; Revelle, Larry K; Smith, Anjanette P; Spencer, John A; Story, Kimberly D; Toler, Duckhee Y; Wokovich, Anna M; Buhse, Lucinda F

2005-12-08

This work investigated the use of non-traditional analytical methods to evaluate the quality of a variety of pharmaceutical products purchased via internet sites from foreign sources and compared the results with those obtained from conventional quality assurance methods. Traditional analytical techniques employing HPLC for potency, content uniformity, chromatographic purity and drug release profiles were used to evaluate the quality of five selected drug products (fluoxetine hydrochloride, levothyroxine sodium, metformin hydrochloride, phenytoin sodium, and warfarin sodium). Non-traditional techniques, such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), NIR imaging and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were employed to verify the results and investigate their potential as alternative testing methods. Two of 20 samples failed USP monographs for quality attributes. The additional analytical methods found 11 of 20 samples had different formulations when compared to the U.S. product. Seven of the 20 samples arrived in questionable containers, and 19 of 20 had incomplete labeling. Only 1 of the 20 samples had final packaging similar to the U.S. products. The non-traditional techniques complemented the traditional techniques used and highlighted additional quality issues for the products tested. For example, these methods detected suspect manufacturing issues (such as blending), which were not evident from traditional testing alone.

Friction-term response to boundary-condition type in flow models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaffranek, R.W.; Lai, C.

1996-01-01

The friction-slope term in the unsteady open-channel flow equations is examined using two numerical models based on different formulations of the governing equations and employing different solution methods. The purposes of the study are to analyze, evaluate, and demonstrate the behavior of the term in a set of controlled numerical experiments using varied types and combinations of boundary conditions. Results of numerical experiments illustrate that a given model can respond inconsistently for the identical resistance-coefficient value under different types and combinations of boundary conditions. Findings also demonstrate that two models employing different dependent variables and solution methods can respond similarly for the identical resistance-coefficient value under similar types and combinations of boundary conditions. Discussion of qualitative considerations and quantitative experimental results provides insight into the proper treatment, evaluation, and significance of the friction-slope term, thereby offering practical guidelines for model implementation and calibration.

An accurate boundary element method for the exterior elastic scattering problem in two dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Gang; Xu, Liwei; Yin, Tao

2017-11-01

This paper is concerned with a Galerkin boundary element method solving the two dimensional exterior elastic wave scattering problem. The original problem is first reduced to the so-called Burton-Miller [1] boundary integral formulation, and essential mathematical features of its variational form are discussed. In numerical implementations, a newly-derived and analytically accurate regularization formula [2] is employed for the numerical evaluation of hyper-singular boundary integral operator. A new computational approach is employed based on the series expansions of Hankel functions for the computation of weakly-singular boundary integral operators during the reduction of corresponding Galerkin equations into a discrete linear system. The effectiveness of proposed numerical methods is demonstrated using several numerical examples.

RCT of a Promising Vocational/Employment Program for High-Risk Juvenile Offenders

PubMed Central

Schaeffer, Cindy M.; Henggeler, Scott W.; Ford, Julian D.; Mann, Marc; Chang, Rocio; Chapman, Jason E.

2013-01-01

Juvenile offenders with substance use problems are at high risk for deleterious long-term outcomes. This study evaluated the capacity of a promising vocational and employment training program in the building sector (i.e., Community Restitution Apprenticeship-Focused Training, CRAFT) to mitigate such outcomes through enhanced employment and education. Participants were 97 high-risk juvenile offenders (mean age = 15.8 years) randomized to CRAFT versus education as usual (EAU) intervention conditions. Multi-method procedures measured employment, education, substance use, mental health, and criminal outcomes through a 30-month post-baseline follow-up. CRAFT was significantly more effective than EAU at increasing rates of youth employment and GED attendance. Intervention effects were not observed, however, for months employed, hours worked, or hourly wage. Measures of youth substance use, mental health symptoms, and criminal activity showed no favorable or iatrogenic effects. The potential of CRAFT was modestly supported, and suggestions were made for future research. PMID:23958035

Critique of Sikkink and Keane's comparison of surface fuel sampling techniques

Treesearch

Clinton S. Wright; Roger D. Ottmar; Robert E. Vihnanek

2010-01-01

The 2008 paper of Sikkink and Keane compared several methods to estimate surface fuel loading in western Montana: two widely used inventory techniques (planar intersect and fixed-area plot) and three methods that employ photographs as visual guides (photo load, photoload macroplot and photo series). We feel, however, that their study design was inadequate to evaluate...

Evaluation of Learning Environments for Object-Oriented Programming: Measuring Cognitive Load with a Novel Measurement Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uysal, Murat Pasa

2016-01-01

Various methods and tools have been proposed to overcome the learning obstacles for Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). However, it remains difficult especially for novice learners. The problem may be not only adopting an instructional method, but also an Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Learners employ IDEs as a means to solve programming…

Use of a New Set of Linguistic Features to Improve Automatic Assessment of Text Readability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoshimi, Takehiko; Kotani, Katsunori; Isahara, Hitoshi

2012-01-01

The present paper proposes and evaluates a readability assessment method designed for Japanese learners of EFL (English as a foreign language). The proposed readability assessment method is constructed by a regression algorithm using a new set of linguistic features that were employed separately in previous studies. The results showed that the…

An analysis of burn-off impact on the structure microporous of activated carbons formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiatkowski, Mirosław; Kopac, Türkan

2017-12-01

The paper presents the results on the application of the LBET numerical method as a tool for analysis of the microporous structure of activated carbons obtained from a bituminous coal. The LBET method was employed particularly to evaluate the impact of the burn-off on the obtained microporous structure parameters of activated carbons.

The Lecture: A Teaching Strategy through the Looking Glass

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perrin, Ronald William; Laing, Gregory Kenneth

2014-01-01

This paper explores the viability of the lecture as a teaching strategy for large groups in light of the various elements that influence the choice of method for teaching large groups. The method employed in this paper draws on the Brunswick Lens Model and Foucauldian discourse to evaluate the dominant pedagogical perspective of the past to…

A case–control study of mesothelioma in Minnesota iron ore (taconite) miners

PubMed Central

Lambert, Christine S; Alexander, Bruce H; Ramachandran, Gurumurthy; MacLehose, Richard F; Nelson, Heather H; Ryan, Andrew D; Mandel, Jeffrey H

2018-01-01

Objectives An excess of mesothelioma has been observed in iron ore miners in Northeastern Minnesota. Mining and processing of taconite iron ore generate exposures that include elongate mineral particles (EMPs) of amphibole and non-amphibole origin. We conducted a nested case–control study of mesothelioma in a cohort of 68 737 iron ore miners (haematite and taconite ore miners) to evaluate the association between mesothelioma, employment and EMP exposures from taconite mining. Methods Mesothelioma cases (N=80) were identified through the Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System (MCSS) and death certificates. Four controls of similar age were selected for each case with 315 controls ultimately eligible for inclusion. Mesothelioma risk was evaluated by estimating rate ratios and 95% CIs with conditional logistic regression in relation to duration of taconite industry employment and cumulative EMP exposure [(EMP/cc)×years], defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 7400 method. Models were adjusted for employment in haematite mining and potential exposure to commercial asbestos products used in the industry. Results All mesothelioma cases were male and 57 of the cases had work experience in the taconite industry. Mesothelioma was associated with the number of years employed in the taconite industry (RR=1.03, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.06) and cumulative EMP exposure (RR=1.10, 95% CI 0.97 to –1.24). No association was observed with employment in haematite mining. Conclusions These results support an association between mesothelioma and employment duration and possibly EMP exposure in taconite mining and processing. The type of EMP was not determined. The potential role of commercial asbestos cannot be entirely ruled out. PMID:26655961

Providing a Science Base for the Evaluation of Tobacco Products

PubMed Central

Berman, Micah L.; Connolly, Greg; Cummings, K. Michael; Djordjevic, Mirjana V.; Hatsukami, Dorothy K.; Henningfield, Jack E.; Myers, Matthew; O'Connor, Richard J.; Parascandola, Mark; Rees, Vaughan; Rice, Jerry M.

2015-01-01

Objective Evidence-based tobacco regulation requires a comprehensive scientific framework to guide the evaluation of new tobacco products and health-related claims made by product manufacturers. Methods The Tobacco Product Assessment Consortium (TobPRAC) employed an iterative process involving consortia investigators, consultants, a workshop of independent scientists and public health experts, and written reviews in order to develop a conceptual framework for evaluating tobacco products. Results The consortium developed a four-phased framework for the scientific evaluation of tobacco products. The four phases addressed by the framework are: (1) pre-market evaluation, (2) pre-claims evaluation, (3) post-market activities, and (4) monitoring and re-evaluation. For each phase, the framework proposes the use of validated testing procedures that will evaluate potential harms at both the individual and population level. Conclusions While the validation of methods for evaluating tobacco products is an ongoing and necessary process, the proposed framework need not wait for fully validated methods to be used in guiding tobacco product regulation today. PMID:26665160

Attitudes of affiliate faculty members toward medical student summative evaluation for clinical clerkships: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Karen E; Fitzpatrick, Caroline; George, David; Lane, Lindsey

2012-01-01

Summative evaluation of medical students is a critical component of the educational process. Despite extensive literature on evaluation, few studies have centered on affiliate faculty members' attitudes toward summative evaluation of students, though it has been suggested that these attitudes influence their effectiveness as evaluators. The objective is to examine affiliate faculty members' attitudes toward clinical clerkship evaluation using primarily qualitative research methods. The study used a nonexperimental research design and employed mixed methods. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and a questionnaire from 11 affiliate faculty members. Themes emerging from the data fell into three broad categories: (a) factors that influence grading, (b) consequences of negative evaluations, and (c) disconnections in the grading process. The quantitative portion of the study revealed important discrepancies supporting the use of qualitative methods. The study highlights faculty members' struggles with the evaluative process and emphasizes the need for improvements in evaluation tools and faculty development.

Invited commentary: Evaluating epidemiologic research methods--the importance of response rate calculation.

PubMed

Harris, M Anne

2010-09-15

Epidemiologic research that uses administrative records (rather than registries or clinical surveys) to identify cases for study has been increasingly restricted because of concerns about privacy, making unbiased population-based research less practicable. In their article, Nattinger et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(6):637-644) present a method for using administrative data to contact participants that has been well received. However, the methods employed for calculating and reporting response rates require further consideration, particularly the classification of untraceable cases as ineligible. Depending on whether response rates are used to evaluate the potential for bias to influence study results or to evaluate the acceptability of the method of contact, different fractions may be considered. To improve the future study of epidemiologic research methods, a consensus on the calculation and reporting of study response rates should be sought.

Spatial resolution measurements by Radia diagnostic software with SEDENTEXCT image quality phantom in cone beam CT for dental use.

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroshi; Nomura, Yoshikazu; Kuribayashi, Ami; Kurabayashi, Tohru

2018-02-01

We aimed to employ the Radia diagnostic software with the safety and efficacy of a new emerging dental X-ray modality (SEDENTEXCT) image quality (IQ) phantom in CT, and to evaluate its validity. The SEDENTEXCT IQ phantom and Radia diagnostic software were employed. The phantom was scanned using one medical full-body CT and two dentomaxillofacial cone beam CTs. The obtained images were imported to the Radia software, and the spatial resolution outputs were evaluated. The oversampling method was employed using our original wire phantom as a reference. The resultant modulation transfer function (MTF) curves were compared. The null hypothesis was that MTF curves generated using both methods would be in agreement. One-way analysis of variance tests were applied to the f50 and f10 values from the MTF curves. The f10 values were subjectively confirmed by observing the line pair modules. The Radia software reported the MTF curves on the xy-plane of the CT scans, but could not return f50 and f10 values on the z-axis. The null hypothesis concerning the reported MTF curves on the xy-plane was rejected. There were significant differences between the results of the Radia software and our reference method, except for f10 values in CS9300. These findings were consistent with our line pair observations. We evaluated the validity of the Radia software with the SEDENTEXCT IQ phantom. The data provided were semi-automatic, albeit with problems and statistically different from our reference. We hope the manufacturer will overcome these limitations.

Usability in telemedicine systems-A literature survey.

PubMed

Klaassen, B; van Beijnum, B J F; Hermens, H J

2016-09-01

The rapid development of sensors and communication technologies enable the growth of new innovative services in healthcare, such as Telemedicine. An essential ingredient in the development of a telemedicine system and its final acceptance by end users are usability studies. The principles of usability engineering, evaluations and telemedicine are well established, and it may contribute to the adoption and eventually deployment of such systems and services. An in-depth usability analysis, including performance and attitude measures, requires knowledge about available usability techniques, and is depending on the amount of resources. Therefore it is worth investigating how usability methods are applied in developing telemedicine systems. Our hypothesis is: with increasing research and development of telemedicine systems, we expect that various usability methods are more equally employed for different end-user groups and applications. A literature survey was conducted to find telemedicine systems that have been evaluated for usability or ease of use. The elements of the PICO framework were used as a basis for the selection criteria in the literature search. The search was not limited by year. Two independent reviewers screened all search results first by title, and then by abstract for inclusion. Articles were included up to May 2015. In total, 127 publications were included in this survey. The number of publications on telemedicine systems significantly increased after 2008. Older adults and end-users with cardiovascular conditions were among largest target end-user groups. Remote monitoring systems were found the most, in 90 publications. Questionnaires are the most common means for evaluating telemedicine systems, and were found in 88 publications. Questionnaires are used frequently in studies focusing on cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson's disease and older adult conditions. Interviews are found the most in publications related to stroke. In total 71% of the publications were trial-orientated and the remaining process orientated. An increase in telemedicine research, development and applications is found worldwide, with the majority of publications conducted in America. Monitoring patients in their homes can lead to better healthcare at lower costs which implies an increased demand of new healthcare strategies like telemedicine. We expected that with the increase in telemedicine research and development, a greater range of usability methods would also be employed in the included publications. This is not the case. Researchers employed questionnaires as a preferred usability method for each type of telemedicine system and most end-users. However, in process-orientated studies a greater range of usability evaluations were applied, with fewer differences found in the amount of publications for each evaluation method. Questionnaires enable researchers to evaluate a system quickly on end users, as it requires less expertise on the evaluation method compared to the other methods. They are easily distributed and are customizable. The use of questionnaires is therefore an evaluation method of choice for a variety of telemedicine systems and end-users. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring and evaluation of patient involvement in clinical practice guideline development: lessons from the Multidisciplinary Guideline for Employment and Severe Mental Illness, the Netherlands.

PubMed

van der Ham, Alida J; van Erp, Nicole; Broerse, Jacqueline E W

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to gain better insight into the quality of patient participation in the development of clinical practice guidelines and to contribute to approaches for the monitoring and evaluation of such initiatives. In addition, we explore the potential of a dialogue-based approach for reconciliation of preferences of patients and professionals in the guideline development processes. The development of the Multidisciplinary Guideline for Employment and Severe Mental Illness in the Netherlands served as a case study. Methods for patient involvement in guideline development included the following: four patient representatives in the development group and advisory committee, two focus group discussions with patients, a dialogue session and eight case studies. To evaluate the quality of patient involvement, we developed a monitoring and evaluation framework including both process and outcome criteria. Data collection included observations, document analysis and semi-structured interviews (n = 26). The quality of patient involvement was enhanced using different methods, reflection of patient input in the guideline text, a supportive attitude among professionals and attention to patient involvement throughout the process. The quality was lower with respect to representing the diversity of the target group, articulation of the patient perspective in the GDG, and clarity and transparency concerning methods of involvement. The monitoring and evaluation framework was useful in providing detailed insights into patient involvement in guideline development. Patient involvement was evaluated as being of good quality. The dialogue-based approach appears to be a promising method for obtaining integrated stakeholder input in a multidisciplinary setting. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Coatings, sealants and filters to address bridge concrete deterioration and aesthetics : Phase I.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-06-01

The study addresses experimental evaluation and testing of concrete coatings for maintenance purposes on structural (steel reinforced) concrete. The test methods employed are intended to identify coatings and sealers for eventual incorporation into a...

Economic evaluations of influenza vaccination in healthy working-age adults. Employer and society perspective.

PubMed

Wood, S C; Nguyen, V H; Schmidt, C

2000-08-01

To determine what benefits to the employer and to society are associated with influenza (flu) vaccination in healthy adults. We performed a literature review concerning cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness evaluations of influenza vaccination in healthy, working-age adults. Up to the end of 1999, we found 6 published economic evaluations on the use of influenza vaccine in healthy, working-age adults: 3 prospective studies, 1 retrospective evaluation and 2 model-based simulations. Evaluations were performed from the perspective of an employer or society. Costs were reported in the local currency used in the published evaluation, with conversions into US dollars (when not provided in the article), for comparative purposes only, according to the exchange rates of June 8 1998. Estimations of the cost-benefit of vaccination, compared with a no vaccination strategy, varied widely from a net loss of $US106.59 per infection averted in one study to savings of varying sizes in the 5 others (savings ranged from $US2.58 per dollar invested to $US46.85 per vaccinee). Studies differed in the definition of illness and the measurement of costs associated with vaccination or illness. Decision makers have not yet extended existing vaccine recommendations to cover healthy, working-age adults, partly because of the disparity among economic studies in their methods of estimating costs and measuring effects. However, the published studies seem to suggest that influenza vaccination in the healthy, working adult would be a cost-effective health intervention, at least from the perspective of an employer.

Evaluation of the Course of the Flight Simulators from the Perspective of Students and University Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaysi, Feyzi; Bavli, Bünyamin; Gürol, Aysun

2016-01-01

The study evaluates the flight simulators course which was opened to fulfill the intermediate staff need of the sector. To collect data, Qualitative techniques were applied. Within this scope, the case study method was employed in the study. The study group consisted of students and instructors. In-depth and focus group interviews were conducted…

Implications of cost-effectiveness analysis of medical technology. background paper number 5. four common x-ray procedures: problems and prospects for economic evaluation

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

Wagner, J.L.; Krieger, M.J.

This paper is about the economic evaluation of diagnostic procedures. The issue of economic evaluation is explored in the context of four common diagnostic X-ray procedures: the chest X-ray, the skull X-ray, the barium enema study, and the excretory urogram. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part summarizes the different evaluative models underlying studies of the four diagnostic X-ray procedures and to lay out the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The second part contains four separate chapters summarizing what is known about the utilization, costs, risks, and benefits of each procedure, with particular emphasis on themore » evaluative methods employed.« less

Exploring Vocational Evaluation Practices following Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Dillahunt-Aspillaga, Christina; Jorgensen Smith, Tammy; Hanson, Ardis; Ehlke, Sarah; Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Dixon, Charlotte G; Quichocho, Davina

2015-01-01

Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) face many challenges when attempting to return to work (RTW). Vocational evaluation (VE) is a systematic process that involves assessment and appraisal of an individual's current work-related characteristics and abilities. The aims of this study are to (1) examine demographic and employment characteristics of vocational rehabilitation providers (VRPs), (2) identify the specific evaluation methods that are used in the VE of individuals with TBI, and (3) examine the differences in assessment method practices based upon evaluator assessment preferences. This exploratory case study used a forty-six-item online survey which was distributed to VRPs. One hundred and nine VRPs accessed the survey. Of these, 74 completed the survey. A majority of respondents were female (79.7%), Caucasian (71.6%), and holding a master's degree (74.3%), and more than half (56.8%) were employed as state vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs). In addition, over two-thirds (67.6%) were certified rehabilitation counselors (CRCs). Respondents reported using several specific tools and assessments during the VE process. Study findings reveal differences in use of and rationales for specific assessments amongst VRPs. Understanding VRP assessment practices and use of an evidence-based framework for VE following TBI may inform and improve VE practice.

Employment Barriers Among Welfare Recipients and Applicants With Chronically Ill Children

PubMed Central

Smith, Lauren A.; Romero, Diana; Wood, Pamela R.; Wampler, Nina S.; Chavkin, Wendy; Wise, Paul H.

2002-01-01

Objectives. This study evaluated the association of chronic child illness with parental employment among individuals who have had contact with the welfare system. Methods. Parents of children with chronic illnesses were interviewed. Results. Current and former welfare recipients and welfare applicants were more likely than those with no contact with the welfare system to report that their children’s illnesses adversely affected their employment. Logistic regression analyses showed that current and former receipt of welfare, pending welfare application, and high rates of child health care use were predictors of unemployment. Conclusions. Welfare recipients and applicants with chronically ill children face substantial barriers to employment, including high child health care use rates and missed work. The welfare reform reauthorization scheduled to occur later in 2002 should address the implications of chronic child illness for parental employment. PMID:12197972

Determining similarity in histological images using graph-theoretic description and matching methods for content-based image retrieval in medical diagnostics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Computer-based analysis of digitalized histological images has been gaining increasing attention, due to their extensive use in research and routine practice. The article aims to contribute towards the description and retrieval of histological images by employing a structural method using graphs. Due to their expressive ability, graphs are considered as a powerful and versatile representation formalism and have obtained a growing consideration especially by the image processing and computer vision community. Methods The article describes a novel method for determining similarity between histological images through graph-theoretic description and matching, for the purpose of content-based retrieval. A higher order (region-based) graph-based representation of breast biopsy images has been attained and a tree-search based inexact graph matching technique has been employed that facilitates the automatic retrieval of images structurally similar to a given image from large databases. Results The results obtained and evaluation performed demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of graph-based image retrieval over a common histogram-based technique. The employed graph matching complexity has been reduced compared to the state-of-the-art optimal inexact matching methods by applying a pre-requisite criterion for matching of nodes and a sophisticated design of the estimation function, especially the prognosis function. Conclusion The proposed method is suitable for the retrieval of similar histological images, as suggested by the experimental and evaluation results obtained in the study. It is intended for the use in Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR)-requiring applications in the areas of medical diagnostics and research, and can also be generalized for retrieval of different types of complex images. Virtual Slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1224798882787923. PMID:23035717

Application of optical interferometric techniques for non-destructive evaluation of novel "green" composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagliarulo, Vito; Russo, Pietro; Bianco, Vittorio; Ferraro, Pietro; Simeoli, Giorgio; Cimino, Francesca; Ruggiero, Berardo

2018-04-01

Nowadays the use of advanced composite materials in aeronautics, both civil and military, in automotive and in sport applications, citing some, is well established. The characteristics of composite materials in terms of weight, fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance make them competitive with respect to conventional ones. On the other side, the fabrication process of the most employed composites reinforced by carbon fibers or glass fibers, needs of complex steps that not always are environmental complaisant. Moreover, such fibers are not themselves "green". For these reasons, in the last decades, the use of natural reinforcing fibers has gained an increasing attention allowing the development of new materials with the same advantages of composite systems but respecting the environment. Furthermore, such materials for their structural complexity are not always compatible with the use of standard non-destructive evaluation as the ultrasounds methods. In this work the efficiency of the employment of optical interferometric techniques as nondestructive evaluation methods in full field modality is proved on novel "green" composite materials. In particular, Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry has been tested on different kinds of specimens after flexural tests.

Resonant power processors. II - Methods of control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oruganti, R.; Lee, F. C.

1984-01-01

The nature of resonant converter control is discussed. Employing the state-portrait, different control methods for series resonant converter are identified and their performance evaluated based on their stability, response to control and load changes and range of operation. A new control method, optimal-trajectory control, is proposed which, by utilizing the state trajectories as control laws, continuously monitors the energy level of the resonant tank. The method is shown to have superior control properties especially under transient operation.

Multimodel Ensemble Methods for Prediction of Wake-Vortex Transport and Decay Originating NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korner, Stephan; Ahmad, Nashat N.; Holzapfel, Frank; VanValkenburg, Randal L.

2017-01-01

Several multimodel ensemble methods are selected and further developed to improve the deterministic and probabilistic prediction skills of individual wake-vortex transport and decay models. The different multimodel ensemble methods are introduced, and their suitability for wake applications is demonstrated. The selected methods include direct ensemble averaging, Bayesian model averaging, and Monte Carlo simulation. The different methodologies are evaluated employing data from wake-vortex field measurement campaigns conducted in the United States and Germany.

Methods for evaluating a mature substance abuse prevention/early intervention program.

PubMed

Becker, L R; Hall, M; Fisher, D A; Miller, T R

2000-05-01

The authors describe methods for work in progress to evaluate four workplace prevention and/or early intervention programs designed to change occupational norms and reduce substance abuse at a major U.S. transportation company. The four programs are an employee assistance program, random drug testing, managed behavioral health care, and a peer-led intervention program. An elaborate mixed-methods evaluation combines data collection and analysis techniques from several traditions. A process-improvement evaluation focuses on the peer-led component to describe its evolution, document the implementation process for those interested in replicating it, and provide information for program improvement. An outcome-assessment evaluation examines impacts of the four programs on job performance measures (e.g., absenteeism, turnover, injury, and disability rates) and includes a cost-offset and employer cost-savings analysis. Issues related to using archival data, combining qualitative and quantitative designs, and working in a corporate environment are discussed.

Quantitative evaluation of dental abfraction and attrition using a swept-source optical coherence tomography system.

PubMed

Marcauteanu, Corina; Bradu, Adrian; Sinescu, Cosmin; Topala, Florin Ionel; Negrutiu, Meda Lavinia; Podoleanu, Adrian Gh

2014-02-01

A fast swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) system is employed to acquire volumes of dental tissue, in order to monitor the temporal evolution of dental wear. An imaging method is developed to evaluate the volume of tissue lost in ex vivo artificially induced abfractions and attritions. The minimal volume (measured in air) that our system could measure is 2352 μm3. A volume of 25,000 A-scans is collected in 2.5 s. All these recommend the SS-OCT method as a valuable tool for dynamic evaluation of the abfraction and attrition with remarkable potential for clinical use.

Employer evaluations of nurse graduates: a critical program assessment element.

PubMed

Ryan, M E; Hodson, K E

1992-05-01

Accountability in higher education dictates implementation of a comprehensive evaluation plan. Employer evaluation of graduates is an important component of program evaluation and contributes a different view that is rarely reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to establish a database by surveying employers of baccalaureate-prepared nurses, postgraduation, over a five-year period. Employer surveys measured perceptions of graduates' functioning. Findings indicated that graduates function above expected levels for leadership skills, nursing skills, communication skills, and professionalism. Systematic program evaluation by employers is recommended at one and five years after graduation. A tool for employer evaluation of baccalaureate graduates is discussed.

Home Economics Education, Research Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Research Coordinating Unit.

Annotations on selected home economics research studies published since 1963 are presented. Program development studies summarize data on such topics as teacher and supervisor involvement in curriculum planning, comparison of instructional methods, curriculum evaluation, preparation for gainful employment, family finance, and attitudes toward the…

Calibration and evaluation of a nuclear density and moisture measuring apparatus.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1963-11-01

The research objectives of this project were to investigate a new : method of in-place determination of soils densities and moisture levels : employing a nuclear physics principle of the gamma radiation function as : the measurement technique, with s...

Initial Assessment of a Rapid Method of Calculating CEV Environmental Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pickney, John T.; Milliken, Andrew H.

2010-01-01

An innovative method for rapidly calculating spacecraft environmental absorbed heats in planetary orbit is described. The method employs reading a database of pre-calculated orbital absorbed heats and adjusting those heats for desired orbit parameters. The approach differs from traditional Monte Carlo methods that are orbit based with a planet centered coordinate system. The database is based on a spacecraft centered coordinated system where the range of all possible sun and planet look angles are evaluated. In an example case 37,044 orbit configurations were analyzed for average orbital heats on selected spacecraft surfaces. Calculation time was under 2 minutes while a comparable Monte Carlo evaluation would have taken an estimated 26 hours

Mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures, appendix 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, W. K.

1982-01-01

Mixed time integration methods for transient thermal analysis of structures are studied. An efficient solution procedure for predicting the thermal behavior of aerospace vehicle structures was developed. A 2D finite element computer program incorporating these methodologies is being implemented. The performance of these mixed time finite element algorithms can then be evaluated employing the proposed example problem.

Performance evaluation of thermally treated graphite felt electrodes for vanadium redox flow battery and their four-point single cell characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazúr, P.; Mrlík, J.; Beneš, J.; Pocedič, J.; Vrána, J.; Dundálek, J.; Kosek, J.

2018-03-01

In our contribution we study the electrocatalytic effect of oxygen functionalization of thermally treated graphite felt on kinetics of electrode reactions of vanadium redox flow battery. Chemical and morphological changes of the felts are analysed by standard physico-chemical characterization techniques. A complex method four-point method is developed and employed for characterization of the felts in a laboratory single-cell. The method is based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and load curves measurements of positive and negative half-cells using platinum wire pseudo-reference electrodes. The distribution of ohmic and faradaic losses within a single-cell is evaluated for both symmetric and asymmetric electrode set-up with respect to the treatment conditions. Positive effect of oxygen functionalization is observed only for negative electrode, whereas kinetics of positive electrode reaction is almost unaffected by the treatment. This is in a contradiction to the results of typically employed cyclovoltammetric characterization which indicate that both electrodes are enhanced by the treatment to a similar extent. The developed four-point characterization method can be further used e.g., for the component screening and in-situ durability studies on single-cell scale redox flow batteries of various chemistries.

An innovative approach to the analysis of 3-[4-(2-methylpropyl)phenyl]propanoic acid as an impurity of ibuprofen on a carbon-coated zirconia stationary phase.

PubMed

Kalafut, P; Kucera, R; Klimes, J; Sochor, J

2009-07-12

3-[4-(2-Methylpropyl)phenyl]propanoic acid has been introduced as impurity F to the European Pharmacopoeia in its Supplement 4.2. In contrast to other impurities, which are evaluated by HPLC, the content of impurity F is determined by gas chromatography after previous derivatization. Thus a novel reversed-phase HPLC method was developed to simplify the evaluation of pharmacopoeial impurity F of ibuprofen. Favourable properties of zirconia stationary phases were employed for this purpose. The HPLC separation was achieved on a Zr-CARB column (150 mm x 4.6mm i.d., 5 microm) using the mobile phase acetonitrile-phosphate buffer (pH 3.5, 25 mM) (38:62, v/v), temperature 80 degrees C and the flow rate 1.2 ml min(-1). The fluorescence detection was employed to enhance the sensitivity of the method. Optimal detection parameters were chosen on the basis of fluorescence spectra of the analytes. The excitation and emission wavelengths were 220 nm and 285 nm, respectively. The analysis was completed within 25 min. The subsequent validation of the method confirmed the applicability of method for the analytical assay of impurity F.

Asteroid Redirection Mission Evaluation Using Multiple Landers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazzocchi, Michael C. F.; Emami, M. Reza

2018-06-01

In this paper, a low-thrust tugboat redirection method is assessed using multiple spacecraft for a target range of small near-Earth asteroids. The benefits of a landed configuration of tugboat spacecraft in formation are examined for the redirection of a near-Earth asteroid. The tugboat method uses a gimballed thruster with a highly collimated ion beam to generate a thrust on the asteroid. The target asteroid range focuses on near-Earth asteroids smaller than 150 m in diameter, and carbonaceous (C-type) asteroids, due to the volatiles available for in-situ utilization. The assessment focuses primarily on the three key parameters, i.e., the asteroid mass redirected, the timeframe for redirection, and the overall system cost. An evaluation methodology for each parameter is discussed in detail, and the parameters are employed to determine the expected return and feasibility of the redirection mission. The number of spacecraft employed is optimized along with the electrical power needed for each spacecraft to ensure the highest possible return on investment. A discussion of the optimization results and the benefits of spacecraft formation for the tugboat method are presented.

Asteroid Redirection Mission Evaluation Using Multiple Landers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazzocchi, Michael C. F.; Emami, M. Reza

2018-01-01

In this paper, a low-thrust tugboat redirection method is assessed using multiple spacecraft for a target range of small near-Earth asteroids. The benefits of a landed configuration of tugboat spacecraft in formation are examined for the redirection of a near-Earth asteroid. The tugboat method uses a gimballed thruster with a highly collimated ion beam to generate a thrust on the asteroid. The target asteroid range focuses on near-Earth asteroids smaller than 150 m in diameter, and carbonaceous (C-type) asteroids, due to the volatiles available for in-situ utilization. The assessment focuses primarily on the three key parameters, i.e., the asteroid mass redirected, the timeframe for redirection, and the overall system cost. An evaluation methodology for each parameter is discussed in detail, and the parameters are employed to determine the expected return and feasibility of the redirection mission. The number of spacecraft employed is optimized along with the electrical power needed for each spacecraft to ensure the highest possible return on investment. A discussion of the optimization results and the benefits of spacecraft formation for the tugboat method are presented.

Graphical method for comparative statistical study of vaccine potency tests.

PubMed

Pay, T W; Hingley, P J

1984-03-01

Producers and consumers are interested in some of the intrinsic characteristics of vaccine potency assays for the comparative evaluation of suitable experimental design. A graphical method is developed which represents the precision of test results, the sensitivity of such results to changes in dosage, and the relevance of the results in the way they reflect the protection afforded in the host species. The graphs can be constructed from Producer's scores and Consumer's scores on each of the scales of test score, antigen dose and probability of protection against disease. A method for calculating these scores is suggested and illustrated for single and multiple component vaccines, for tests which do or do not employ a standard reference preparation, and for tests which employ quantitative or quantal systems of scoring.

[Forensic medical diagnostics of intra-vitality of the strangulation mark by morphological methods].

PubMed

Bogomolov, D V; Zbrueva, Yu V; Putintsev, V A; Denisova, O P

2016-01-01

The objective of the present study WaS to overview the current domestic and foreign literature concerning the up-to-date methods employed for the expert evaluation of intra-vitality of the strangulation mark. The secondary objective was to propose the new approaches for addressing this problem. The methods of expert diagnostics with a view to determining the time of infliction of injuries as exemplified by mechanical asphyxia are discussed. It is concluded that immunohistochemical and morphometric studies provide the most promising tools for the evaluation of intra-vitality of the strangulation mark for the purpose of forensic medical expertise.

Optical surface evaluation by soft X-ray scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, James C.; Finley, David S.; Bowyer, Stuart; Malina, Roger F.

1986-01-01

During the fabrication of the mirrors for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE), methods for evaluating the surface quality of the optics have been developed. Measurement of soft X-ray scattering profiles allows for the determination of the surface roughness and correlation lengths for highly polished metal surfaces. With this method, the surface parameters for one of the Wolter Schwarzschild type I mirrors that had been fabricated for the EUVE mission have been determined. The techniques employed, the theoretical basis for the method, and the data that had been taken are presented. The measurements show that the best mirrors have a surface roughness of 20A rms or less.

Evaluation of shrinkage and cracking in concrete of ring test by acoustic emission method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Takeshi; Hashimoto, Chikanori

2015-03-01

Drying shrinkage of concrete is one of the typical problems related to reduce durability and defilation of concrete structures. Lime stone, expansive additive and low-heat Portland cement are used to reduce drying shrinkage in Japan. Drying shrinkage is commonly evaluated by methods of measurement for length change of mortar and concrete. In these methods, there is detected strain due to drying shrinkage of free body, although visible cracking does not occur. In this study, the ring test was employed to detect strain and age cracking of concrete. The acoustic emission (AE) method was adopted to detect micro cracking due to shrinkage. It was recognized that in concrete using lime stone, expansive additive and low-heat Portland cement are effective to decrease drying shrinkage and visible cracking. Micro cracking due to shrinkage of this concrete was detected and evaluated by the AE method.

Implementation of a disability management policy in a large healthcare employer: a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods evaluation.

PubMed

Mustard, Cameron A; Skivington, Kathryn; Lay, Morgan; Lifshen, Marni; Etches, Jacob; Chambers, Andrea

2017-06-17

This study describes the process and outcomes of the implementation of a strengthened disability management policy in a large Canadian healthcare employer. Key elements of the strengthened policy included an emphasis on early contact, the training of supervisors and the integration of union representatives in return-to-work (RTW) planning. The study applied mixed methods, combining a process evaluation within the employer and a quasi-experimental outcome evaluation between employers for a 3-year period prior to and following policy implementation in January 2012. Staff in the implementation organisation (n=4000) and staff in a peer group of 29 large hospitals (n=1 19 000). Work disability episode incidence and duration. Both qualitative and quantitative measures of the implementation process were predominantly positive. Over the 6-year observation period, there were 624 work disability episodes in the organisation and 8604 in the comparison group of 29 large hospitals. The annual per cent change in episode incidence in the organisation was -5.6 (95% CI -9.9 to -1.1) comparable to the annual per cent change in the comparison group: -6.2 (-7.2 to -5.3). Disability episode durations also declined in the organisation, from a mean of 19.4 days (16.5, 22.3) in the preintervention period to 10.9 days (8.7, 13.2) in the postintervention period. Reductions in disability durations were also observed in the comparison group: from a mean of 13.5 days (12.9, 14.1) in the 2009-2011 period to 10.5 days (9.9, 11.1) in the 2012-2014 period. The incidence of work disability episodes and the durations of work disability declined strongly in this hospital sector over the 6-year observation period. The implementation of the organisation's RTW policy was associated with larger reductions in disability durations than observed in the comparison group. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Pre-Service Teachers' Evaluations of Practices in Teaching English to Young Learners in Terms of 21st Century Teacher Qualifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çakir, Abdulvahit; Güngör, Müzeyyen Nazli

2017-01-01

This study investigates the 3rd year and 4th year pre-service teachers' evaluations of the practices in teaching English to young learners in terms of 21st century teacher qualifications. Employing a mixed methods design, this study includes the qualitative data that come from semi-structured interviewed questions administered to pre-service…

An Evaluation of the National Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Policy at the University of Namibia in the Faculty of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaacs, Albert; Kazembe, Lawrence; Kazondovi, Collins

2018-01-01

The purpose of this evaluation study was to determine the extent to which the teacher educators in the Faculty of Education at the University of Namibia implemented the national Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy for Education. This study employed both the quantitative method in the form of questionnaires and the qualitative…

Determination of copper by isotopic dilution.

PubMed

Faquim, E S; Munita, C S

1994-01-01

A rapid and selective method was used for the determination of copper by isotopic dilution employing substoichiometric extraction with dithizone in carbon tetrachloride. The appropriate pH range for the substoichiometric extraction was 2-7. In the analysis, even a large excess of elements forming extractable complexes with dithizone does not interfere. The accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated. The method has been applied to analysis of reference materials, wheat flour, wine, and beer.

Gender counts: A systematic review of evaluations of gender-integrated health interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Schriver, Brittany; Mandal, Mahua; Muralidharan, Arundati; Nwosu, Anthony; Dayal, Radhika; Das, Madhumita; Fehringer, Jessica

2017-11-01

As a result of new global priorities, there is a growing need for high-quality evaluations of gender-integrated health programmes. This systematic review examined 99 peer-reviewed articles on evaluations of gender-integrated (accommodating and transformative) health programmes with regard to their theory of change (ToC), study design, gender integration in data collection, analysis, and gender measures used. Half of the evaluations explicitly described a ToC or conceptual framework (n = 50) that guided strategies for their interventions. Over half (61%) of the evaluations used quantitative methods exclusively; 11% used qualitative methods exclusively; and 28% used mixed methods. Qualitative methods were not commonly detailed. Evaluations of transformative interventions were less likely than those of accommodating interventions to employ randomised control trials. Two-thirds of the reviewed evaluations reported including at least one specific gender-related outcome (n = 18 accommodating, n = 44 transformative). To strengthen evaluations of gender-integrated programmes, we recommend use of ToCs, explicitly including gender in the ToC, use of gender-sensitive measures, mixed-method designs, in-depth descriptions of qualitative methods, and attention to gender-related factors in data collection logistics. We also recommend further research to develop valid and reliable gender measures that are globally relevant.

Similarity based false-positive reduction for breast cancer using radiographic and pathologic imaging features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, Akshay; Samala, Ravi K.; Zhang, Jianying; Qian, Wei

2010-03-01

Mammography reading by radiologists and breast tissue image interpretation by pathologists often leads to high False Positive (FP) Rates. Similarly, current Computer Aided Diagnosis (CADx) methods tend to concentrate more on sensitivity, thus increasing the FP rates. A novel method is introduced here which employs similarity based method to decrease the FP rate in the diagnosis of microcalcifications. This method employs the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the similarity metrics in order to achieve the proposed goal. The training and testing set is divided into generalized (Normal and Abnormal) and more specific (Abnormal, Normal, Benign) classes. The performance of this method as a standalone classification system is evaluated in both the cases (general and specific). In another approach the probability of each case belonging to a particular class is calculated. If the probabilities are too close to classify, the augmented CADx system can be instructed to have a detailed analysis of such cases. In case of normal cases with high probability, no further processing is necessary, thus reducing the computation time. Hence, this novel method can be employed in cascade with CADx to reduce the FP rate and also avoid unnecessary computational time. Using this methodology, a false positive rate of 8% and 11% is achieved for mammography and cellular images respectively.

29 CFR 1910.1001 - Asbestos.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... regulated areas. Building/facility owner is the legal entity, including a lessee, which exercises control... education, training, and experience to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and develop controls for occupational... appendix A to this section, or by an equivalent method. (2) Excursion limit. The employer shall ensure that...

29 CFR 1910.1001 - Asbestos.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... regulated areas. Building/facility owner is the legal entity, including a lessee, which exercises control... education, training, and experience to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and develop controls for occupational... appendix A to this section, or by an equivalent method. (2) Excursion limit. The employer shall ensure that...

NASA software specification and evaluation system design, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

A survey and analysis of the existing methods, tools and techniques employed in the development of software are presented along with recommendations for the construction of reliable software. Functional designs for software specification language, and the data base verifier are presented.

Effect of Michigan multi-axle trucks on pavement distress and profile: volume 2.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

With the adoption of the new mechanistic-empirical pavement design method and the employment of axle load spectra, the question of evaluating the pavement damage resulting from different axle and truck configurations has become more relevant. In part...

Trends in methodological differences

Treesearch

Daniel J. Stynes; Malcolm I. Bevins; Tommy L. Brown

1980-01-01

Inconsistency in data collection has confounded attempts to identify and forecast outdoor recreation trends. Problems are highlighted through an evaluation of the methods employed in national outdoor recreation participation surveys and projections. Recommendations are advanced for improving data collection, trend measurement, and forecasting within outdoor recreation...

Automatic design of optical systems by digital computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casad, T. A.; Schmidt, L. F.

1967-01-01

Computer program uses geometrical optical techniques and a least squares optimization method employing computing equipment for the automatic design of optical systems. It evaluates changes in various optical parameters, provides comprehensive ray-tracing, and generally determines the acceptability of the optical system characteristics.

Effect of Michigan multi-axle trucks on pavement distress and profile: volume 3.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

With the adoption of the new mechanistic-empirical pavement design method and the employment of axle load : spectra, the question of evaluating the pavement damage resulting from different axle and truck configurations has : become more relevant. In ...

Effect of Michigan multi-axle trucks on pavement distress and profile : volume 1.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

With the adoption of the new mechanistic-empirical pavement design method and the employment of axle load : spectra, the question of evaluating the pavement damage resulting from different axle and truck configurations has : become more relevant. In ...

A study of education and KSAOs on career entry for product engineers: What employers really want

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornburgh, James

The purpose of the study was to investigate the ways that employers of product engineers evaluate potential employees' job readiness, and which theories related to the education-work transaction are supported by practice. This study used a mixed methods approach and consisted of a state-wide survey (N=106) and local interviews (N=8). The results of the research indicate that attributes of both the Theory of Individual Differences and Credentialing Theory are present in the hiring practices of product engineers. Consistent with the Theory of Individual Differences, employers indicate they look for evidence of various job-related Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other attributes (KSAOs) and they indicate they are willing to hire applicants who have less than a bachelor's degree. Consistent with Credentialing Theory, employers advertise a formal education minimum which represents only one way that individuals may learn to be an engineer. This study also confirmed prior research that most employers use primarily non-evidence based predictors to evaluate applicants. The primary initial screening predictors were experience, GPA, and major, while the primary finalist selection predictors were unstructured interviews, and applications, followed by structured interviews, job knowledge tests, and work sample test. Contrary to previous findings, this study did not find any major differences between what HR professionals, engineering managers, or other manager look for in terms of qualifications or what predictors they use when evaluating applicants for product engineer positions.

Collocation and Galerkin Time-Stepping Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huynh, H. T.

2011-01-01

We study the numerical solutions of ordinary differential equations by one-step methods where the solution at tn is known and that at t(sub n+1) is to be calculated. The approaches employed are collocation, continuous Galerkin (CG) and discontinuous Galerkin (DG). Relations among these three approaches are established. A quadrature formula using s evaluation points is employed for the Galerkin formulations. We show that with such a quadrature, the CG method is identical to the collocation method using quadrature points as collocation points. Furthermore, if the quadrature formula is the right Radau one (including t(sub n+1)), then the DG and CG methods also become identical, and they reduce to the Radau IIA collocation method. In addition, we present a generalization of DG that yields a method identical to CG and collocation with arbitrary collocation points. Thus, the collocation, CG, and generalized DG methods are equivalent, and the latter two methods can be formulated using the differential instead of integral equation. Finally, all schemes discussed can be cast as s-stage implicit Runge-Kutta methods.

Assessing coastal reclamation suitability based on a fuzzy-AHP comprehensive evaluation framework: A case study of Lianyungang, China.

PubMed

Feng, Lan; Zhu, Xiaodong; Sun, Xiang

2014-12-15

Coastal reclamation suitability evaluation (CRSE) is a difficult, complex and protracted process requiring the evaluation of many different criteria. In this paper, an integrated framework employing a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to the suitability evaluation for coastal reclamation for future sustainable development in the coastal area of Lianyungang, China. The evaluation results classified 6.63%, 22.99%, 31.59% and 38.79% of the coastline as suitable, weakly suitable, unsuitable and forbidden, respectively. The evaluation results were verified by the marine pollution data and highly consistent with the water quality status. The fuzzy-AHP comprehensive evaluation method (FACEM) was found to be suitable for the CRSE. This CRSE can also be applied to other coastal areas in China and thereby be used for the better management of coastal reclamation and coastline protection projects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing and using a rubric for evaluating evidence-based medicine point-of-care tools

PubMed Central

Foster, Margaret J

2011-01-01

Objective: The research sought to establish a rubric for evaluating evidence-based medicine (EBM) point-of-care tools in a health sciences library. Methods: The authors searched the literature for EBM tool evaluations and found that most previous reviews were designed to evaluate the ability of an EBM tool to answer a clinical question. The researchers' goal was to develop and complete rubrics for assessing these tools based on criteria for a general evaluation of tools (reviewing content, search options, quality control, and grading) and criteria for an evaluation of clinical summaries (searching tools for treatments of common diagnoses and evaluating summaries for quality control). Results: Differences between EBM tools' options, content coverage, and usability were minimal. However, the products' methods for locating and grading evidence varied widely in transparency and process. Conclusions: As EBM tools are constantly updating and evolving, evaluation of these tools needs to be conducted frequently. Standards for evaluating EBM tools need to be established, with one method being the use of objective rubrics. In addition, EBM tools need to provide more information about authorship, reviewers, methods for evidence collection, and grading system employed. PMID:21753917

Nano-sized Contrast Agents to Non-Invasively Detect Renal Inflammation by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Thurman, Joshua M.; Serkova, Natalie J.

2013-01-01

Several molecular imaging methods have been developed that employ nano-sized contrast agents to detect markers of inflammation within tissues. Renal inflammation contributes to disease progression in a wide range of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and a biopsy is currently the only method of definitively diagnosing active renal inflammation. However, the development of new molecular imaging methods that employ contrast agents capable of detecting particular immune cells or protein biomarkers will allow clinicians to evaluate inflammation throughout the kidneys, and to assess a patient's response to immunomodulatory drugs. These imaging tools will improve our ability to validate new therapies and to optimize the treatment of individual patients with existing therapies. This review describes the clinical need for new methods of monitoring renal inflammation, and recent advances in the development of nano-sized contrast agents for detection of inflammatory markers of renal disease. PMID:24206601

Investigation on microfluidic particles manipulation by holographic 3D tracking strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cacace, Teresa; Paturzo, Melania; Memmolo, Pasquale; Vassalli, Massimo; Fraldi, Massimiliano; Mensitieri, Giuseppe; Ferraro, Pietro

2017-06-01

We demonstrate a 3D holographic tracking method to investigate particles motion in a microfluidic channel while unperturbed while inducing their migration through microfluidic manipulation. Digital holography (DH) in microscopy is a full-field, label-free imaging technique able to provide quantitative phase-contrast. The employed 3D tracking method is articulated in steps. First, the displacements along the optical axis are assessed by numerical refocusing criteria. In particular, an automatic refocusing method to recover the particles axial position is implemented employing a contrast-based refocusing criterion. Then, the transverse position of the in-focus object is evaluated through quantitative phase map segmentation methods and centroid-based 2D tracking strategy. The introduction of DH is thus suggested as a powerful approach for control of particles and biological samples manipulation, as well as a possible aid to precise design and implementation of advanced lab-on-chip microfluidic devices.

"Heart-cut" bidimensional achiral-chiral liquid chromatography applied to the evaluation of stereoselective metabolism, in vivo biological activity and brain response to chiral drug candidates targeting the central nervous system.

PubMed

Battisti, Umberto M; Citti, Cinzia; Larini, Martina; Ciccarella, Giuseppe; Stasiak, Natalia; Troisi, Luigino; Braghiroli, Daniela; Parenti, Carlo; Zoli, Michele; Cannazza, Giuseppe

2016-04-22

A "heart-cut" two-dimensional achiral-chiral liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry method (LC-LC-MS/MS) was developed and coupled to in vivo cerebral microdialysis to evaluate the brain response to the chiral compound (±)-7-chloro-5-(3-furanyl)-3-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide ((±)-1), a potent positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of AMPA receptor. The method was successfully employed to evaluate also its stereoselective metabolism and in vitro biological activity. In particular, the LC achiral method developed, employs a pentafluorinated silica based column (Discovery HS-F5) to separate dopamine, acetylcholine, serotonin, (±)-1 and its two hepatic metabolites. In the "heart-cut" two-dimension achiral-chiral configuration, (±)-1 and (±)-1-d4 eluted from the achiral column (1st dimension), were transferred to a polysaccharide-based chiral column (2nd dimension, Chiralcel OD-RH) by using an automatic six-port valve. Single enantiomers of (±)-1 were separated and detected using electrospray positive ionization mode and quantified in selected reaction monitoring mode. The method was validated and showed good performance in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision. The new method employed showed several possible applications in the evaluation of: (a) brain response to neuroactive compounds by measuring variations in the brain extracellular levels of selected neurotransmitters and other biomarkers; (b) blood brain barrier penetration of drug candidates by measuring the free concentration of the drug in selected brain areas; (c) the presence of drug metabolites in the brain extracellular fluid that could prove very useful during drug discovery; (d) a possible stereoselective metabolization or blood brain barrier stereoselective crossing of chiral drugs. Finally, compared to the methods reported in the literature, this technique avoids the necessity of euthanizing an animal at each time point to measure drug concentration in whole brain tissue and provides continuous monitoring of extracellular concentrations of single chiral drug enantiomers along with its metabolites in specific brain regions at each selected time point for a desired period by using a single animal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Probability techniques for reliability analysis of composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetherhold, Robert C.; Ucci, Anthony M.

1994-01-01

Traditional design approaches for composite materials have employed deterministic criteria for failure analysis. New approaches are required to predict the reliability of composite structures since strengths and stresses may be random variables. This report will examine and compare methods used to evaluate the reliability of composite laminae. The two types of methods that will be evaluated are fast probability integration (FPI) methods and Monte Carlo methods. In these methods, reliability is formulated as the probability that an explicit function of random variables is less than a given constant. Using failure criteria developed for composite materials, a function of design variables can be generated which defines a 'failure surface' in probability space. A number of methods are available to evaluate the integration over the probability space bounded by this surface; this integration delivers the required reliability. The methods which will be evaluated are: the first order, second moment FPI methods; second order, second moment FPI methods; the simple Monte Carlo; and an advanced Monte Carlo technique which utilizes importance sampling. The methods are compared for accuracy, efficiency, and for the conservativism of the reliability estimation. The methodology involved in determining the sensitivity of the reliability estimate to the design variables (strength distributions) and importance factors is also presented.

Determining similarity in histological images using graph-theoretic description and matching methods for content-based image retrieval in medical diagnostics.

PubMed

Sharma, Harshita; Alekseychuk, Alexander; Leskovsky, Peter; Hellwich, Olaf; Anand, R S; Zerbe, Norman; Hufnagl, Peter

2012-10-04

Computer-based analysis of digitalized histological images has been gaining increasing attention, due to their extensive use in research and routine practice. The article aims to contribute towards the description and retrieval of histological images by employing a structural method using graphs. Due to their expressive ability, graphs are considered as a powerful and versatile representation formalism and have obtained a growing consideration especially by the image processing and computer vision community. The article describes a novel method for determining similarity between histological images through graph-theoretic description and matching, for the purpose of content-based retrieval. A higher order (region-based) graph-based representation of breast biopsy images has been attained and a tree-search based inexact graph matching technique has been employed that facilitates the automatic retrieval of images structurally similar to a given image from large databases. The results obtained and evaluation performed demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of graph-based image retrieval over a common histogram-based technique. The employed graph matching complexity has been reduced compared to the state-of-the-art optimal inexact matching methods by applying a pre-requisite criterion for matching of nodes and a sophisticated design of the estimation function, especially the prognosis function. The proposed method is suitable for the retrieval of similar histological images, as suggested by the experimental and evaluation results obtained in the study. It is intended for the use in Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR)-requiring applications in the areas of medical diagnostics and research, and can also be generalized for retrieval of different types of complex images. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1224798882787923.

Employment Condition, Economic Deprivation and Self-Evaluated Health in Europe: Evidence from EU-SILC 2009-2012.

PubMed

Bacci, Silvia; Pigini, Claudia; Seracini, Marco; Minelli, Liliana

2017-02-03

Background : The mixed empirical evidence about employment conditions (i.e., permanent vs. temporary job, full-time vs. part-time job) as well as unemployment has motivated the development of conceptual models with the aim of assessing the pathways leading to effects of employment status on health. Alongside physically and psychologically riskier working conditions, one channel stems in the possibly severe economic deprivation faced by temporary workers. We investigate whether economic deprivation is able to partly capture the effect of employment status on Self-evaluated Health Status (SHS). Methods : Our analysis is based on the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey, for a balanced sample from 26 countries from 2009 to 2012. We estimate a correlated random-effects logit model for the SHS that accounts for the ordered nature of the dependent variable and the longitudinal structure of the data. Results and Discussion : Material deprivation and economic strain are able to partly account for the negative effects on SHS from precarious and part-time employment as well as from unemployment that, however, exhibits a significant independent negative association with SHS. Conclusions : Some of the indicators used to proxy economic deprivation are significant predictors of SHS and their correlation with the employment condition is such that it should not be neglected in empirical analysis, when available and further to the monetary income.

Employment Condition, Economic Deprivation and Self-Evaluated Health in Europe: Evidence from EU-SILC 2009–2012

PubMed Central

Bacci, Silvia; Pigini, Claudia; Seracini, Marco; Minelli, Liliana

2017-01-01

Background: The mixed empirical evidence about employment conditions (i.e., permanent vs. temporary job, full-time vs. part-time job) as well as unemployment has motivated the development of conceptual models with the aim of assessing the pathways leading to effects of employment status on health. Alongside physically and psychologically riskier working conditions, one channel stems in the possibly severe economic deprivation faced by temporary workers. We investigate whether economic deprivation is able to partly capture the effect of employment status on Self-evaluated Health Status (SHS). Methods: Our analysis is based on the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey, for a balanced sample from 26 countries from 2009 to 2012. We estimate a correlated random-effects logit model for the SHS that accounts for the ordered nature of the dependent variable and the longitudinal structure of the data. Results and Discussion: Material deprivation and economic strain are able to partly account for the negative effects on SHS from precarious and part-time employment as well as from unemployment that, however, exhibits a significant independent negative association with SHS. Conclusions: Some of the indicators used to proxy economic deprivation are significant predictors of SHS and their correlation with the employment condition is such that it should not be neglected in empirical analysis, when available and further to the monetary income. PMID:28165375

Developing and using a rubric for evaluating evidence-based medicine point-of-care tools.

PubMed

Shurtz, Suzanne; Foster, Margaret J

2011-07-01

The research sought to establish a rubric for evaluating evidence-based medicine (EBM) point-of-care tools in a health sciences library. The authors searched the literature for EBM tool evaluations and found that most previous reviews were designed to evaluate the ability of an EBM tool to answer a clinical question. The researchers' goal was to develop and complete rubrics for assessing these tools based on criteria for a general evaluation of tools (reviewing content, search options, quality control, and grading) and criteria for an evaluation of clinical summaries (searching tools for treatments of common diagnoses and evaluating summaries for quality control). Differences between EBM tools' options, content coverage, and usability were minimal. However, the products' methods for locating and grading evidence varied widely in transparency and process. As EBM tools are constantly updating and evolving, evaluation of these tools needs to be conducted frequently. Standards for evaluating EBM tools need to be established, with one method being the use of objective rubrics. In addition, EBM tools need to provide more information about authorship, reviewers, methods for evidence collection, and grading system employed.

HPLC method development for evolving applications in the pharmaceutical industry and nanoscale chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castiglione, Steven Louis

As scientific research trends towards trace levels and smaller architectures, the analytical chemist is often faced with the challenge of quantitating said species in a variety of matricies. The challenge is heightened when the analytes prove to be potentially toxic or possess physical or chemical properties that make traditional analytical methods problematic. In such cases, the successful development of an acceptable quantitative method plays a critical role in the ability to further develop the species under study. This is particularly true for pharmaceutical impurities and nanoparticles (NP). The first portion of the research focuses on the development of a part-per-billion level HPLC method for a substituted phenazine-class pharmaceutical impurity. The development of this method was required due to the need for a rapid methodology to quantitatively determine levels of a potentially toxic phenazine moiety in order to ensure patient safety. As the synthetic pathway for the active ingredient was continuously refined to produce progressively lower amounts of the phenazine impurity, the approach for increasingly sensitive quantitative methods was required. The approaches evolved across four discrete methods, each employing a unique scheme for analyte detection. All developed methods were evaluated with regards to accuracy, precision and linear adherence as well as ancillary benefits and detriments -- e.g., one method in this evolution demonstrated the ability to resolve and detect other species from the phenazine class. The second portion of the research focuses on the development of an HPLC method for the quantitative determination of NP size distributions. The current methodology for the determination of NP sizes employs tunneling electron microscopy (TEM), which requires sample drying without particle size alteration and which, in many cases, may prove infeasible due to cost or availability. The feasibility of an HPLC method for NP size characterizations evolved across three methods, each employing a different approach for size resolution. These methods were evaluated primarily for sensitivity, which proved to be a substantial hurdle to further development, but does not appear to deter future research efforts.

Health Information Technology Knowledge and Skills Needed by HIT Employers

PubMed Central

Fenton, S.H.; Gongora-Ferraez, M.J.; Joost, E.

2012-01-01

Objective To evaluate the health information technology (HIT) workforce knowledge and skills needed by HIT employers. Methods Statewide face-to-face and online focus groups of identified HIT employer groups in Austin, Brownsville, College Station, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio, and webinars for rural health and nursing informatics. Results HIT employers reported needing an HIT workforce with diverse knowledge and skills ranging from basic to advanced, while covering information technology, privacy and security, clinical practice, needs assessment, contract negotiation, and many other areas. Consistent themes were that employees needed to be able to learn on the job and must possess the ability to think critically and problem solve. Many employers wanted persons with technical skills, yet also the knowledge and understanding of healthcare operations. Conclusion The HIT employer focus groups provided valuable insight into employee skills needed in this fast-growing field. Additionally, this information will be utilized to develop a statewide HIT workforce needs assessment survey. PMID:23646090

Study of polymer molecules and conformations with a nanopore

DOEpatents

Golovchenko, Jene A.; Li, Jiali; Stein, Derek; Gershow, Marc H.

2013-03-12

The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

Study of polymer molecules and conformations with a nanopore

DOEpatents

Golovchenko, Jene A.; Li, Jiali; Stein, Derek; Gershow, Marc H.

2010-12-07

The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

Study of polymer molecules and conformations with a nanopore

DOEpatents

Golovchenko, Jene A; Li, Jiali; Stein, Derek; Gershow, Marc H

2015-03-03

The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

A Mixed-Method Evaluation of the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telehealth-Based Parent-Mediated Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pickard, Katherine E.; Wainer, Allison L.; Bailey, Kathryn M.; Ingersoll, Brooke R.

2016-01-01

Research within the autism spectrum disorder field has called for the use of service delivery models that are able to more efficiently disseminate evidence-based practices into community settings. This study employed telehealth methods in order to deliver an Internet-based, parent training intervention for autism spectrum disorder, ImPACT Online.…

"Can't We Just Have Some Sazón?" Student, Family, and Staff Perspectives on a New School Food Program at a Boston High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatterjee, Avik; Daftary, Genevieve; Campbell, Meg; Gatison, Lenward; Day, Liam; Ramsey, Kibret; Goldman, Roberta; Gillman, Matthew W.

2016-01-01

Background: In September 2013, a Massachusetts high school launched a nutrition program in line with 2013 United States Department of Agriculture requirements. We sought to understand attitudes of stakeholders toward the new program. Methods: We employed community-based participatory research methods in a qualitative evaluation of the food program…

The determination of the stacking fault energy in copper-nickel alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leighly, H. P., Jr.

1982-01-01

Methods for determining the stacking fault energies of a series of nickel-copper alloys to gain an insight into the embrittling effect of hydrogen are evaluated. Plans for employing weak beam dark field electron microscopy to determine stacking fault energies are outlined.

Impact fuze testing at 3000 m/sec employing explosively accelerating plates

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

Gill, W.

1981-01-01

The Explosives Testing Division at Sandia has developed a method of simulating a re-entry vehicle impacting the ground. The purpose of the simulation is to evaluate different fusing concepts. The design and operation of this impact testing facility are described.

Assessing Creative Problem-Solving with Automated Text Grading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Hao-Chuan; Chang, Chun-Yen; Li, Tsai-Yen

2008-01-01

The work aims to improve the assessment of creative problem-solving in science education by employing language technologies and computational-statistical machine learning methods to grade students' natural language responses automatically. To evaluate constructs like creative problem-solving with validity, open-ended questions that elicit…

Interagency comparison of iodometric methods for ozone determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demore, W. B.; Romanovsky, J. C.; Feldstein, M.; Mueller, P. K.; Hamming, W. J.

1976-01-01

The California Air Resources Board appointed an Oxidant Calibration Committee for the purpose of evaluating the accuracy of the different agency calibration procedures. The committee chose UV absorption photometry as the reference method for ozone measurement. Interagency comparisons of the various iodometric methods were conducted relative to the ultraviolet standard. The tests included versions of the iodometric methods as employed by the Air Resources Board, the Los Angeles Air Pollution Control District, and the EPA. An alternative candidate reference method for ozone measurement, gas phase titration, was also included in the test series.

Off-the-job training for VATS employing anatomically correct lung models.

PubMed

Obuchi, Toshiro; Imakiire, Takayuki; Miyahara, Sou; Nakashima, Hiroyasu; Hamanaka, Wakako; Yanagisawa, Jun; Hamatake, Daisuke; Shiraishi, Takeshi; Moriyama, Shigeharu; Iwasaki, Akinori

2012-02-01

We evaluated our simulated major lung resection employing anatomically correct lung models as "off-the-job training" for video-assisted thoracic surgery trainees. A total of 76 surgeons voluntarily participated in our study. They performed video-assisted thoracic surgical lobectomy employing anatomically correct lung models, which are made of sponges so that vessels and bronchi can be cut using usual surgical techniques with typical forceps. After the simulation surgery, participants answered questionnaires on a visual analogue scale, in terms of their level of interest and the reality of our training method as off-the-job training for trainees. We considered that the closer a score was to 10, the more useful our method would be for training new surgeons. Regarding the appeal or level of interest in this simulation surgery, the mean score was 8.3 of 10, and regarding reality, it was 7.0. The participants could feel some of the real sensations of the surgery and seemed to be satisfied to perform the simulation lobectomy. Our training method is considered to be suitable as an appropriate type of surgical off-the-job training.

Building a Consensus on Community Health Workers’ Scope of Practice: Lessons From New York

PubMed Central

Matos, Sergio; Hicks, April L.; Campbell, Ayanna; Moore, Addison; Diaz, Diurka

2012-01-01

Objectives. We evaluated efforts in New York to build a consensus between community health workers (CHWs) and employers on CHWs’ scope of practice, training standards, and certification procedures. Methods. We conducted multiple-choice surveys in 2008 and 2010 with 226 CHWs and 44 employers. We compared CHWs’ and employers’ recommendations regarding 28 scope of practice elements. The participatory ranking method was used to identify consensus scope of practice recommendations. Results. There was consensus on 5 scope of practice elements: outreach and community organizing, case management and care coordination, home visits, health education and coaching, and system navigation. For each element, 3 to 4 essential skills were identified, giving a total of 27 skills. These included all skills recommended in national CHW studies, along with 3 unique to New York: computer skills, participatory research methods, and time management. Conclusions. CHWs and employers in New York were in consensus on CHWs’ scope of practice on virtually all of the detailed core competency skills. The CHW scope of practice recommendations of these groups can help other states refine their scope of practice elements. PMID:22897548

Evaluation of angiogram visualization methods for fast and reliable aneurysm diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesar, Žiga; Bohak, Ciril; Marolt, Matija

2015-03-01

In this paper we present the results of an evaluation of different visualization methods for angiogram volumetric data-ray casting, marching cubes, and multi-level partition of unity implicits. There are several options available with ray-casting: isosurface extraction, maximum intensity projection and alpha compositing, each producing fundamentally different results. Different visualization methods are suitable for different needs, so this choice is crucial in diagnosis and decision making processes. We also evaluate visual effects such as ambient occlusion, screen space ambient occlusion, and depth of field. Some visualization methods include transparency, so we address the question of relevancy of this additional visual information. We employ transfer functions to map data values to color and transparency, allowing us to view or hide particular tissues. All the methods presented in this paper were developed using OpenCL, striving for real-time rendering and quality interaction. An evaluation has been conducted to assess the suitability of the visualization methods. Results show superiority of isosurface extraction with ambient occlusion effects. Visual effects may positively or negatively affect perception of depth, motion, and relative positions in space.

Evaluation of the application of ERTS-1 data to the regional land use planning process. [Northeast Wisconsin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clapp, J. L. (Principal Investigator); Green, T., III; Hanson, G. F.; Kiefer, R. W.; Niemann, B. J., Jr.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Employing simple and economical extraction methods, ERTS can provide valuable data to the planners at the state or regional level with a frequency never before possible. Interactive computer methods of working directly with ERTS digital information show much promise for providing land use information at a more specific level, since the data format production rate of ERTS justifies improved methods of analysis.

Nondestructive evaluation of the preservation state of stone columns in the Hospital Real of Granada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno de Jong van Coevorden, C.; Cobos Sánchez, C.; Rubio Bretones, A.; Fernández Pantoja, M.; García, Salvador G.; Gómez Martín, R.

2012-12-01

This paper describes the results of the employment of two nondestructive evaluation methods for the diagnostic of the preservation state of stone elements. The first method is based on ultrasonic (US) pulses while the second method uses short electromagnetic pulses. Specifically, these methods were applied to some columns, some of them previously restored. These columns are part of the architectonic heritage of the University of Granada, in particular they are located at the patio de la capilla del Hospital Real of Granada. The objective of this work was the application of systems based on US pulses (in transmission mode) and the ground-penetrating radar systems (electromagnetic tomography) in the diagnosis and detection of possible faults in the interior of columns.

Evaluation of the molecular polarizability using the IPPP-CLOPPA-INDO/S method. Application to molecules of biological interest.

PubMed

Botek, Edith; Giribet, Claudia; Ruiz de Azúa, Martín; Martín Negri, Ricardo; Bernik, Delia

2008-07-31

The IPPP-CLOPPA-INDO/S method is introduced to investigate the static molecular polarizability in macromolecules. As an example of application, the polarizability of phospholipidic compounds, with and without the presence of water molecules has been estimated. The IPPP technique was employed to calculate the polarizability of the polar head and the hydrocarbon chains separately to analyze the feasibility of evaluating the total polarizability of the molecule by addition of these two projected results. INDO/S dipole moments of different fragments of the complex molecule were obtained by means of localized molecular orbitals in order to evaluate the charge transfer in the system.

Project SEARCH UK - Evaluating Its Employment Outcomes.

PubMed

Kaehne, Axel

2016-11-01

The study reports the findings of an evaluation of Project SEARCH UK. The programme develops internships for young people with intellectual disabilities who are about to leave school or college. The aim of the evaluation was to investigate at what rate Project SEARCH provided employment opportunities to participants. The evaluation obtained data from all sites operational in the UK at the time of evaluation (n = 17) and analysed employment outcomes. Data were available for 315 young people (n = 315) in the programme and pay and other employment related data were available for a subsample. The results of the analysis suggest that Project SEARCH achieves on average employment rates of around 50 per cent. Project SEARCH UK represents a valuable addition to the supported employment provision in the UK. Its unique model should inform discussions around best practice in supported employment. Implications for other supported employment programmes are discussed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exact kinetic energy enables accurate evaluation of weak interactions by the FDE-vdW method.

PubMed

Sinha, Debalina; Pavanello, Michele

2015-08-28

The correlation energy of interaction is an elusive and sought-after interaction between molecular systems. By partitioning the response function of the system into subsystem contributions, the Frozen Density Embedding (FDE)-vdW method provides a computationally amenable nonlocal correlation functional based on the adiabatic connection fluctuation dissipation theorem applied to subsystem density functional theory. In reproducing potential energy surfaces of weakly interacting dimers, we show that FDE-vdW, either employing semilocal or exact nonadditive kinetic energy functionals, is in quantitative agreement with high-accuracy coupled cluster calculations (overall mean unsigned error of 0.5 kcal/mol). When employing the exact kinetic energy (which we term the Kohn-Sham (KS)-vdW method), the binding energies are generally closer to the benchmark, and the energy surfaces are also smoother.

Exact kinetic energy enables accurate evaluation of weak interactions by the FDE-vdW method

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

Sinha, Debalina; Pavanello, Michele, E-mail: m.pavanello@rutgers.edu

2015-08-28

The correlation energy of interaction is an elusive and sought-after interaction between molecular systems. By partitioning the response function of the system into subsystem contributions, the Frozen Density Embedding (FDE)-vdW method provides a computationally amenable nonlocal correlation functional based on the adiabatic connection fluctuation dissipation theorem applied to subsystem density functional theory. In reproducing potential energy surfaces of weakly interacting dimers, we show that FDE-vdW, either employing semilocal or exact nonadditive kinetic energy functionals, is in quantitative agreement with high-accuracy coupled cluster calculations (overall mean unsigned error of 0.5 kcal/mol). When employing the exact kinetic energy (which we term themore » Kohn-Sham (KS)-vdW method), the binding energies are generally closer to the benchmark, and the energy surfaces are also smoother.« less

Economic Evaluation of Occupational Safety and Health Interventions From the Employer Perspective

PubMed Central

Grimani, Aikaterini; Bergström, Gunnar; Casallas, Martha Isabel Riaño; Aboagye, Emmanuel; Jensen, Irene; Lohela-Karlsson, Malin

2018-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of occupational safety and health interventions from the employer perspective. Methods: A comprehensive literature search (2005 to 2016) in five electronic databases was conducted. Pre-2005 studies were identified from the reference lists of previous studies and systematic reviews, which have similar objective to those of this search. Results: A total of 19 randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies were included, targeting diverse health problems in a number of settings. Few studies included organizational-level interventions. When viewed in relation to the methodological quality and the sufficiency of economic evidence, five of 11 cost-effective occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions appear to be promising. Conclusion: The present systematic review highlights the need for high-quality economic evidence to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of OSH interventions, especially at organizational-level, in all areas of worker health. PMID:29112631

Hydrogen production via reforming of biogas over nanostructured Ni/Y catalyst: Effect of ultrasound irradiation and Ni-content on catalyst properties and performance

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

Sharifi, Mahdi; Reactor and Catalysis Research Center; Haghighi, Mohammad, E-mail: haghighi@sut.ac.ir

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Synthesis of nanostructured Ni/Y catalyst by sonochemical and impregnation methods. • Enhancement of size distribution and active phase dispersion by employing sonochemical method. • Evaluation of biogas reforming over Ni/Y catalyst with different Ni-loadings. • Preparation of highly active and stable catalyst with low Ni content for biogas reforming. • Getting H{sub 2}/CO very close to equilibrium ratio by employing sonochemical method. - Abstract: The effect of ultrasound irradiation and various Ni-loadings on dispersion of active phase over zeolite Y were evaluated in biogas reforming for hydrogen production. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray,more » Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, Fourier transform infrared analysis and TEM analysis were employed to observe the characteristics of nanostructured catalysts. The characterizations implied that utilization of ultrasound irradiation enhanced catalyst physicochemical properties including high dispersion of Ni on support, smallest particles size and high catalyst surface area. The reforming reactions were carried out at GHSV = 24 l/g.h, P = 1 atm, CH{sub 4}/CO{sub 2} = 1 and temperature range of 550–850 °C. Activity test displayed that ultrasound irradiated Ni(5 wt.%)/Y had the best performance and the activity remained stable during 600 min. Furthermore, the proposed reaction mechanism showed that there are three major reaction channels in biogas reforming.« less

[Reliability of HOMA-IR for evaluation of insulin resistance during perioperative period].

PubMed

Fujino, Hiroko; Itoda, Shoko; Sako, Saori; Matsuo, Kazuki; Sakamoto, Eiji; Yokoyama, Takeshi

2013-02-01

Hyperglycemia due to increase in insulin resistance (IR) is often observed after surgery in spite of normal insulin secretion. To evaluate the degree of IR, the golden standard method is the normoglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique (glucose clamp: GC). The GC using the artificial pancreas, STG-22 (Nikkiso, Tokyo, Japan), was established as a more reliable method, since it was evaluated during steady-state period under constant insulin infusion. Homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), however, is frequently employed in daily practice because of its convenience. We, therefore, investigated the reliability of HOMA-IR in comparison with the glucose clamp using the STG-22. Eight healthy patients undergoing maxillofacial surgery were employed in this study after obtaining written informed consent. Their insulin resistance was evaluated by HOMA-IR and the GC using the STG-22 before and after surgery. HOMA-IR increased from 0.81 +/- 0.48 to 1.17 +/- 0.50, although there were no significant differences between before and after surgery. On the other hand, M-value by GC significantly decreased after surgery from 8.82 +/- 2.49 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) to 3.84 +/- 0.79 mg x kg(-1) x min(-1) (P = 0.0003). In addition, no significant correlation was found between the values of HOMA-IR and the M-value by GC. HOMA-IR may not be reliable to evaluate IR for perioperative period.

Health state evaluation of shield tunnel SHM using fuzzy cluster method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Fa; Zhang, Wei; Sun, Ke; Shi, Bin

2015-04-01

Shield tunnel SHM is in the path of rapid development currently while massive monitoring data processing and quantitative health grading remain a real challenge, since multiple sensors belonging to different types are employed in SHM system. This paper addressed the fuzzy cluster method based on fuzzy equivalence relationship for the health evaluation of shield tunnel SHM. The method was optimized by exporting the FSV map to automatically generate the threshold value. A new holistic health score(HHS) was proposed and its effectiveness was validated by conducting a pilot test. A case study on Nanjing Yangtze River Tunnel was presented to apply this method. Three types of indicators, namely soil pressure, pore pressure and steel strain, were used to develop the evaluation set U. The clustering results were verified by analyzing the engineering geological conditions; the applicability and validity of the proposed method was also demonstrated. Besides, the advantage of multi-factor evaluation over single-factor model was discussed by using the proposed HHS. This investigation indicated the fuzzy cluster method and HHS is capable of characterizing the fuzziness of tunnel health, and it is beneficial to clarify the tunnel health evaluation uncertainties.

Evaluation of the pulse-contour method of determining stroke volume in man.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alderman, E. L.; Branzi, A.; Sanders, W.; Brown, B. W.; Harrison, D. C.

1972-01-01

The pulse-contour method for determining stroke volume has been employed as a continuous rapid method of monitoring the cardiovascular status of patients. Twenty-one patients with ischemic heart disease and 21 patients with mitral valve disease were subjected to a variety of hemodynamic interventions. The pulse-contour estimations, using three different formulas derived by Warner, Kouchoukos, and Herd, were compared with indicator-dilution outputs. A comparison of the results of the two methods for determining stroke volume yielded correlation coefficients ranging from 0.59 to 0.84. The better performing Warner formula yielded a coefficient of variation of about 20%. The type of hemodynamic interventions employed did not significantly affect the results using the pulse-contour method. Although the correlation of the pulse-contour and indicator-dilution stroke volumes is high, the coefficient of variation is such that small changes in stroke volume cannot be accurately assessed by the pulse-contour method. However, the simplicity and rapidity of this method compared to determination of cardiac output by Fick or indicator-dilution methods makes it a potentially useful adjunct for monitoring critically ill patients.

Oxygen Measurements in Liposome Encapsulated Hemoglobin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phiri, Joshua Benjamin

Liposome encapsulated hemoglobins (LEH's) are of current interest as blood substitutes. An analytical methodology for rapid non-invasive measurements of oxygen in artificial oxygen carriers is examined. High resolution optical absorption spectra are calculated by means of a one dimensional diffusion approximation. The encapsulated hemoglobin is prepared from fresh defibrinated bovine blood. Liposomes are prepared from hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), cholesterol and dicetylphosphate using a bath sonication method. An integrating sphere spectrophotometer is employed for diffuse optics measurements. Data is collected using an automated data acquisition system employing lock-in -amplifiers. The concentrations of hemoglobin derivatives are evaluated from the corresponding extinction coefficients using a numerical technique of singular value decomposition, and verification of the results is done using Monte Carlo simulations. In situ measurements are required for the determination of hemoglobin derivatives because most encapsulation methods invariably lead to the formation of methemoglobin, a nonfunctional form of hemoglobin. The methods employed in this work lead to high resolution absorption spectra of oxyhemoglobin and other derivatives in red blood cells and liposome encapsulated hemoglobin (LEH). The analysis using singular value decomposition method offers a quantitative means of calculating the fractions of oxyhemoglobin and other hemoglobin derivatives in LEH samples. The analytical methods developed in this work will become even more useful when production of LEH as a blood substitute is scaled up to large volumes.

Modified complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition and intrinsic mode functions evaluation index for high-speed train gearbox fault diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dongyue; Lin, Jianhui; Li, Yanping

2018-06-01

Complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) has been developed for the mode-mixing problem in Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method. Compared to the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD), the CEEMD method reduces residue noise in the signal reconstruction. Both CEEMD and EEMD need enough ensemble number to reduce the residue noise, and hence it would be too much computation cost. Moreover, the selection of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) for further analysis usually depends on experience. A modified CEEMD method and IMFs evaluation index are proposed with the aim of reducing the computational cost and select IMFs automatically. A simulated signal and in-service high-speed train gearbox vibration signals are employed to validate the proposed method in this paper. The results demonstrate that the modified CEEMD can decompose the signal efficiently with less computation cost, and the IMFs evaluation index can select the meaningful IMFs automatically.

Outcomes of home-based employment service programs for people with disabilities and their related factors--a preliminary study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Yi-Jiun; Huang, I-Chun; Wang, Yun-Tung

2014-01-01

The aim of this exploratory study is to gain an understanding of the outcomes of home-based employment service programs for people with disabilities and their related factors in Taiwan. This study used survey method to collect 132 questionnaires. Descriptive and two-variable statistics including chi-square (χ(2)), independent sample t-test and analysis of variance were employed. The results found that 36.5% of the subjects improved their employment status and 75.8% of them improved in employability. Educational level and and vocational categories including "web page production", "e-commerce", "internet marketing", "on-line store" and "website set-up and management" were significantly "positively" associated with either of the two outcome indicators - change of employment status and employability. This study is the first evidence-based study about the outcomes of home-based employment service programs and their related factors for people with disabilities in Taiwan. The outcomes of the home-based employment service programs for people with disabilities were presented. Implications for Rehabilitation Home-based rehabilitation for people with disabilities can be effective. A programme of this kind supports participants in improving or gaining employment status as well as developing employability skills. Further consideration should be given to developing cost-effective home-based programmes and evaluating their effectiveness.

In vivo evaluation of drug delivery after ultrasound application: A new use for the photoacoustic technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barja, P. R.; Acosta-Avalos, D.; Rompe, P. C. B.; Dos Anjos, F. H.; Marciano, F. R.; da Silva, M. D.

2005-06-01

Ultrasound application is a therapeutical resource widely employed in physiotherapy. One of its applications is the phonophoresis, a technique in which the ultrasound radiation is utilized to deliver drugs through the skin to soft tissues. The proposal of our study was to employ the Photoacoustic Technique to evaluate the efficacy of such treatment, analyzing if phonophoresis could enhance drug delivery through skin when compared to the more traditional method of manual massage. The configuration of the system employed was such that it was possible to perform in vivo measurements, which is a pre-requisite for this kind of study. The changes observed in the photoacoustic signal amplitude after each form of drug application were attributed to changes in the thermal effusivity of the system, due to penetration of the drug. The technique was able to detect differences in drug delivery between the specified physiotherapy treatments, indicating that phonophoresis enhances drug absorption by tissue.

The Effectiveness of Insurer-Supported Safety and Health Engineering Controls in Reducing Workers’ Compensation Claims and Costs

PubMed Central

Wurzelbacher, Steven J.; Bertke, Stephen J.; Lampl, Michael P.; Bushnell, P. Timothy; Meyers, Alysha R.; Robins, David C.; Al-Tarawneh, Ibraheem S.

2015-01-01

Background This study evaluated the effectiveness of a program in which a workers’ compensation (WC) insurer provided matching funds to insured employers to implement safety/health engineering controls. Methods Pre- and post-intervention WC metrics were compiled for the employees designated as affected by the interventions within 468 employers for interventions occurring from 2003 to 2009. Poisson, two-part, and linear regression models with repeated measures were used to evaluate differences in pre- and post-data, controlling for time trends independent of the interventions. Results For affected employees, total WC claim frequency rates (both medical-only and lost-time claims) decreased 66%, lost-time WC claim frequency rates decreased 78%, WC paid cost per employee decreased 81%, and WC geometric mean paid claim cost decreased 30% post-intervention. Reductions varied by employer size, specific industry, and intervention type. Conclusions The insurer-supported safety/health engineering control program was effective in reducing WC claims and costs for affected employees. PMID:25223846

Transport Coefficients from Large Deviation Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Chloe; Limmer, David

2017-10-01

We describe a method for computing transport coefficients from the direct evaluation of large deviation function. This method is general, relying on only equilibrium fluctuations, and is statistically efficient, employing trajectory based importance sampling. Equilibrium fluctuations of molecular currents are characterized by their large deviation functions, which is a scaled cumulant generating function analogous to the free energy. A diffusion Monte Carlo algorithm is used to evaluate the large deviation functions, from which arbitrary transport coefficients are derivable. We find significant statistical improvement over traditional Green-Kubo based calculations. The systematic and statistical errors of this method are analyzed in the context of specific transport coefficient calculations, including the shear viscosity, interfacial friction coefficient, and thermal conductivity.

Evaluating Employability Skills: Employer and Student Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saunders, Venetia; Zuzel, Katherine

2010-01-01

Graduate employability is a key issue for Higher Education. In this two-part study student employability skills have been evaluated from the perspective of sandwich students and graduates in biomolecular science, and their employers. A strong correlation was found between employer and sandwich student/graduate perceptions of the relative…

TESOL Newsletter, Vol. 18, 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TESOL Newsletter, 1984

1984-01-01

The 1984 volume of the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) newsletter includes articles on language competence and cultural awareness in the United States; interest in English in Peru; employment trends; the case method in adult English as a second language (ESL); evaluating computer assisted instruction; the…

Employing broadband spectra and cluster analysis to assess thermal defoliation of cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Growers and field scouts need assistance in surveying cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fields subjected to thermal defoliation to reap the benefits provided by this nonchemical defoliation method. A study was conducted to evaluate broadband spectral data and unsupervised classification as tools for s...

An Investigation of Technological Innovation: Interactive Television.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Rhonda S.

A 5-year case study was implemented to evaluate the two-way Carroll Instructional Television Consortium, which utilizes a cable television network serving four school districts in Illinois. This network permits simultaneous video and audio interactive communication among four high schools. The naturalistic inquiry method employed included…

Defining Leadership: Collegiate Women's Learning Circles: A Qualitative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston-Cunningham, Tammie; Elbert, Chanda D.; Dooley, Kim E.

2017-01-01

The researchers employed qualitative methods to evaluate first-year female students' definition of "leadership" through involvement in the Women's Learning Circle. The findings revealed that students defined leadership in two dimensions: traits and behaviors. The qualitative findings explore a multidimensional approach to the voices of…

Characterizing the bioactivity of complex environmental samples using high throughput toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Bioassays can be employed to evaluate the integrated effects of complex mixtures of both known and unidentified contaminants present in environmental samples. However, such methods have typically focused on one or a few bioactivities despite the fact that the chemicals in a mixtu...

Insights about Psychotherapy Training and Curricular Sequencing: Portal of Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowen, K. Ramsey; Miller, Merry Noel; Floyd, Michael; Miller, Barney; Coyle, Brent

2009-01-01

Objective: The authors discuss the curricular implications of a research project originally designed to evaluate the instructional strategy of using standardized patients in a psychotherapy training seminar. Methods: The original project included second-year residents enrolled in an introductory psychotherapy seminar that employed sequential…

Utilizing high throughput bioassays to characterize the bioactivity of complex environmental samples

EPA Science Inventory

Bioassays can be employed to evaluate the integrated effects of complex mixtures of both known and unidentified contaminants present in environmental samples. However, such methods have typically focused on one or a few bioactivities despite the fact that the chemicals in a mixtu...

Overview of methods in economic analyses of behavioral interventions to promote oral health

PubMed Central

O’Connell, Joan M.; Griffin, Susan

2016-01-01

Background Broad adoption of interventions that prove effective in randomized clinical trials or comparative effectiveness research may depend to a great extent on their costs and cost-effectiveness (CE). Many studies of behavioral health interventions for oral health promotion and disease prevention lack robust economic assessments of costs and CE. Objective To describe methodologies employed to assess intervention costs, potential savings, net costs, CE, and the financial sustainability of behavioral health interventions to promote oral health. Methods We provide an overview of terminology and strategies for conducting economic evaluations of behavioral interventions to improve oral health based on the recommendations of the Panel of Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. To illustrate these approaches, we summarize methodologies and findings from a limited number of published studies. The strategies include methods for assessing intervention costs, potential savings, net costs, CE, and financial sustainability from various perspectives (e.g., health-care provider, health system, health payer, employer, society). Statistical methods for estimating short-term and long-term economic outcomes and for examining the sensitivity of economic outcomes to cost parameters are described. Discussion Through the use of established protocols for evaluating costs and savings, it is possible to assess and compare intervention costs, net costs, CE, and financial sustainability. The addition of economic outcomes to outcomes reflecting effectiveness, appropriateness, acceptability, and organizational sustainability strengthens evaluations of oral health interventions and increases the potential that those found to be successful in research settings will be disseminated more broadly. PMID:21656966

Evaluation of hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis methods for discrimination of primary biological aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, I.; Ruske, S.; Topping, D. O.; Gallagher, M. W.

2015-07-01

In this paper we present improved methods for discriminating and quantifying Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAP) by applying hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis to multi-parameter ultra violet-light induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) spectrometer data. The methods employed in this study can be applied to data sets in excess of 1×106 points on a desktop computer, allowing for each fluorescent particle in a dataset to be explicitly clustered. This reduces the potential for misattribution found in subsampling and comparative attribution methods used in previous approaches, improving our capacity to discriminate and quantify PBAP meta-classes. We evaluate the performance of several hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis linkages and data normalisation methods using laboratory samples of known particle types and an ambient dataset. Fluorescent and non-fluorescent polystyrene latex spheres were sampled with a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Spectrometer (WIBS-4) where the optical size, asymmetry factor and fluorescent measurements were used as inputs to the analysis package. It was found that the Ward linkage with z-score or range normalisation performed best, correctly attributing 98 and 98.1 % of the data points respectively. The best performing methods were applied to the BEACHON-RoMBAS ambient dataset where it was found that the z-score and range normalisation methods yield similar results with each method producing clusters representative of fungal spores and bacterial aerosol, consistent with previous results. The z-score result was compared to clusters generated with previous approaches (WIBS AnalysiS Program, WASP) where we observe that the subsampling and comparative attribution method employed by WASP results in the overestimation of the fungal spore concentration by a factor of 1.5 and the underestimation of bacterial aerosol concentration by a factor of 5. We suggest that this likely due to errors arising from misatrribution due to poor centroid definition and failure to assign particles to a cluster as a result of the subsampling and comparative attribution method employed by WASP. The methods used here allow for the entire fluorescent population of particles to be analysed yielding an explict cluster attribution for each particle, improving cluster centroid definition and our capacity to discriminate and quantify PBAP meta-classes compared to previous approaches.

Discontinuous Spectral Difference Method for Conservation Laws on Unstructured Grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Yen; Vinokur, Marcel

2004-01-01

A new, high-order, conservative, and efficient discontinuous spectral finite difference (SD) method for conservation laws on unstructured grids is developed. The concept of discontinuous and high-order local representations to achieve conservation and high accuracy is utilized in a manner similar to the Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) and the Spectral Volume (SV) methods, but while these methods are based on the integrated forms of the equations, the new method is based on the differential form to attain a simpler formulation and higher efficiency. Conventional unstructured finite-difference and finite-volume methods require data reconstruction based on the least-squares formulation using neighboring point or cell data. Since each unknown employs a different stencil, one must repeat the least-squares inversion for every point or cell at each time step, or to store the inversion coefficients. In a high-order, three-dimensional computation, the former would involve impractically large CPU time, while for the latter the memory requirement becomes prohibitive. In addition, the finite-difference method does not satisfy the integral conservation in general. By contrast, the DG and SV methods employ a local, universal reconstruction of a given order of accuracy in each cell in terms of internally defined conservative unknowns. Since the solution is discontinuous across cell boundaries, a Riemann solver is necessary to evaluate boundary flux terms and maintain conservation. In the DG method, a Galerkin finite-element method is employed to update the nodal unknowns within each cell. This requires the inversion of a mass matrix, and the use of quadratures of twice the order of accuracy of the reconstruction to evaluate the surface integrals and additional volume integrals for nonlinear flux functions. In the SV method, the integral conservation law is used to update volume averages over subcells defined by a geometrically similar partition of each grid cell. As the order of accuracy increases, the partitioning for 3D requires the introduction of a large number of parameters, whose optimization to achieve convergence becomes increasingly more difficult. Also, the number of interior facets required to subdivide non-planar faces, and the additional increase in the number of quadrature points for each facet, increases the computational cost greatly.

Carpool incentives and opportunities. Report of the United States Congress pursuant to Section 3(e) Public Law 93-239. Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act

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

Not Available

1975-02-01

The report includes (1) a description of methods and programs used to promote carpooling, (2) a discussion of the success of these methods, (3) an evaluation of a broad range of incentives to promote carpooling, and (4) recommendations on government actions to encourage carpooling. The report recommended that the Federal Government broaden its efforts to encourage carpooling to set an example as a major employer. The report also recommends that State and local governments expand efforts to encourage carpooling through (1) the development of highway projects providing preferential treatment for carpools, and (2) assistance to employers in promoting carpooling amongmore » their employees.« less

Ensemble Space-Time Correlation of Plasma Turbulence in the Solar Wind.

PubMed

Matthaeus, W H; Weygand, J M; Dasso, S

2016-06-17

Single point measurement turbulence cannot distinguish variations in space and time. We employ an ensemble of one- and two-point measurements in the solar wind to estimate the space-time correlation function in the comoving plasma frame. The method is illustrated using near Earth spacecraft observations, employing ACE, Geotail, IMP-8, and Wind data sets. New results include an evaluation of both correlation time and correlation length from a single method, and a new assessment of the accuracy of the familiar frozen-in flow approximation. This novel view of the space-time structure of turbulence may prove essential in exploratory space missions such as Solar Probe Plus and Solar Orbiter for which the frozen-in flow hypothesis may not be a useful approximation.

Employee to employer communication skills: balancing cancer treatment and employment.

PubMed

Brown, Richard F; Owens, Myra; Bradley, Cathy

2013-02-01

Cancer patients face difficulties in accessing legally mandated benefits and accommodations when they return to the workplace. Poor employer-employee communication inflates these difficulties. Although proven methods to facilitate physician-patient communication exist, these have not been applied to the workplace. Thus, we aimed to assess the feasibility and utility of applying these methods to educate patients about their workplace rights and provide them with communication skills training to aid their conversations with their employers. A DVD was produced to educate patients and facilitate workplace communication. Participants consisted of 28 solid tumor cancer patients (14 women and 14 men) who completed primary cancer treatment in the past 12 months and were employed at the time of diagnosis. Participants watched a communication skills training DVD and completed a telephone interview. The interview elicited information about workplace experiences and evaluation of the DVD training program. The physician-patient communication skills training model utilized was successfully translated to the employer-employee setting. All but one participant found the DVD useful and easy to understand and indicated a high degree of confidence in using the communication skills to help them ask for workplace accommodations. All participants agreed that it would help newly diagnosed patients in discussions with their employers. Our data provides promising preliminary evidence that patient communication skills training can be applied to the workplace setting and is a welcomed aid to newly diagnosed cancer patients in their discussions with employers regarding the impact of treatment on their work performance and needs for accommodations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Recruitment methods in a clinical trial of provoked vulvodynia: Predictors of enrollment.

PubMed

Bachour, Candi C; Bachmann, Gloria A; Foster, David C; Wan, Jim Y; Rawlinson, Leslie A; Brown, Candace S

2017-02-01

Successful recruitment in clinical trials for chronic pain conditions is challenging, especially in women with provoked vulvodynia due to reluctance in discussing pain associated with sexual intercourse. The most successful recruitment methods and the characteristics of women reached with these methods are unknown. To compare the effectiveness and efficiency of four recruitment methods and to determine socioeconomic predictors for successful enrollment in a National Institutes of Health-sponsored multicenter clinical trial evaluating a gabapentin intervention in women with provoked vulvodynia. Recruitment methods utilized mass mailing, media, clinician referrals and community outreach. Effectiveness (number of participants enrolled) and efficiency (proportion screened who enrolled) were determined. Socioeconomic variables including race, educational level, annual household income, relationship status, age, menopausal status and employment status were also evaluated regarding which recruitment strategies were best at targeting specific cohorts. Of 868 potential study participants, 219 were enrolled. The most effective recruitment method in enrolling participants was mass mailing ( p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in efficiency between recruitment methods ( p = 0.11). Relative to clinician referral, black women were 13 times as likely to be enrolled through mass mailing (adjusted odds ratio 12.5, 95% confidence interval, 3.6-43.1) as white women. There were no differences in enrollment according to educational level, annual income, relationship status, age, menopausal status, or employment status and recruitment method. In this clinical trial, mass mailing was the most effective recruitment method. Race of participants enrolled in a provoked vulvodynia trial was related to the recruitment method.

A numerical assessment of rough surface scattering theories. I - Horizontal polarization. II - Vertical polarization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Ernesto; Kim, Yunjin; Durden, Stephen L.

1992-01-01

A numerical evaluation is presented of the regime of validity for various rough surface scattering theories against numerical results obtained by employing the method of moments. The contribution of each theory is considered up to second order in the perturbation expansion for the surface current. Considering both vertical and horizontal polarizations, the unified perturbation method provides best results among all theories weighed.

Le Dilemme du professeur de langue: theorie ou pratique? Essai d'un bilan (The Foreign Language Teacher's Dilemma: Theory or Practice? An Attempt at an Assessment)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebuffo, Jacques

1977-01-01

A discussion of the crisis in foreign language methodology and a short evaluation of methods employed at present. The pivotal position of the language teacher in choosing a combination of methods to respond to student needs and the importance of foreign languages in education are discussed. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

Eco-Doppler evaluation of intestinal peristalsis in normal and in some pathological conditions: preliminary data.

PubMed

La Bella, A; Gimondo, P; Camboni, M

1993-01-01

Duplex-Doppler sonography could be employed in the quantitative investigation of intestinal motility. Preliminary data indicate reproductivity of the method in normal subjects and possible clinical applications in some pathological conditions affecting intestinal transit. Particularly, the possibility to discriminate between segments at different peristaltic activity seems to be very useful in intestinal obstruction. Further studies are necessary to validate this method.

Process service quality evaluation based on Dempster-Shafer theory and support vector machine.

PubMed

Pei, Feng-Que; Li, Dong-Bo; Tong, Yi-Fei; He, Fei

2017-01-01

Human involvement influences traditional service quality evaluations, which triggers an evaluation's low accuracy, poor reliability and less impressive predictability. This paper proposes a method by employing a support vector machine (SVM) and Dempster-Shafer evidence theory to evaluate the service quality of a production process by handling a high number of input features with a low sampling data set, which is called SVMs-DS. Features that can affect production quality are extracted by a large number of sensors. Preprocessing steps such as feature simplification and normalization are reduced. Based on three individual SVM models, the basic probability assignments (BPAs) are constructed, which can help the evaluation in a qualitative and quantitative way. The process service quality evaluation results are validated by the Dempster rules; the decision threshold to resolve conflicting results is generated from three SVM models. A case study is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SVMs-DS method.

An investigation of new methods for estimating parameter sensitivities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beltracchi, Todd J.; Gabriele, Gary A.

1989-01-01

The method proposed for estimating sensitivity derivatives is based on the Recursive Quadratic Programming (RQP) method and in conjunction a differencing formula to produce estimates of the sensitivities. This method is compared to existing methods and is shown to be very competitive in terms of the number of function evaluations required. In terms of accuracy, the method is shown to be equivalent to a modified version of the Kuhn-Tucker method, where the Hessian of the Lagrangian is estimated using the BFS method employed by the RQP algorithm. Initial testing on a test set with known sensitivities demonstrates that the method can accurately calculate the parameter sensitivity.

Evaluation of methods for rapid determination of freezing point of aviation fuels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathiprakasam, B.

1982-01-01

Methods for identification of the more promising concepts for the development of a portable instrument to rapidly determine the freezing point of aviation fuels are described. The evaluation process consisted of: (1) collection of information on techniques previously used for the determination of the freezing point, (2) screening and selection of these techniques for further evaluation of their suitability in a portable unit for rapid measurement, and (3) an extensive experimental evaluation of the selected techniques and a final selection of the most promising technique. Test apparatuses employing differential thermal analysis and the change in optical transparency during phase change were evaluated and tested. A technique similar to differential thermal analysis using no reference fuel was investigated. In this method, the freezing point was obtained by digitizing the data and locating the point of inflection. Results obtained using this technique compare well with those obtained elsewhere using different techniques. A conceptual design of a portable instrument incorporating this technique is presented.

A new method for determining the acid number of biodiesel based on coulometric titration.

PubMed

Barbieri Gonzaga, Fabiano; Pereira Sobral, Sidney

2012-08-15

A new method is proposed for determining the acid number (AN) of biodiesel using coulometric titration with potentiometric detection, basically employing a potentiostat/galvanostat and an electrochemical cell containing a platinum electrode, a silver electrode, and a combination pH electrode. The method involves a sequential application of a constant current between the platinum (cathode) and silver (anode) electrodes, followed by measuring the potential of the combination pH electrode, using an isopropanol/water mixture as solvent and LiCl as the supporting electrolyte. A preliminary evaluation of the new method, using acetic acid for doping a biodiesel sample, showed an average recovery of 100.1%. Compared to a volumetric titration-based method for determining the AN of several biodiesel samples (ranging from about 0.18 to 0.95 mg g(-1)), the new method produced statistically similar results with better repeatability. Compared to other works reported in the literature, the new method presented an average repeatability up to 3.2 times better and employed a sample size up to 20 times smaller. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation of biodiesel with the help of ultrasonic and hydrodynamic cavitation.

PubMed

Ji, Jianbing; Wang, Jianli; Li, Yongchao; Yu, Yunliang; Xu, Zhichao

2006-12-22

An alkali-catalyzed biodiesel production method with power ultrasonic (19.7 kHz) has been developed that allows a short reaction time and high yield because of emulsification and cavitation of the liquid-liquid immiscible system. Orthogonality experiments were employed to evaluate the effects of synthesis parameters. Furthermore, hydrodynamic cavitation was used for biodiesel production in comparison to ultrasonic method. Both methods were proved to be efficient, and time and energy saving for the preparation of biodiesel by transesterification of soybean oil.

Establishment of a new method to quantitatively evaluate hyphal fusion ability in Aspergillus oryzae.

PubMed

Tsukasaki, Wakako; Maruyama, Jun-Ichi; Kitamoto, Katsuhiko

2014-01-01

Hyphal fusion is involved in the formation of an interconnected colony in filamentous fungi, and it is the first process in sexual/parasexual reproduction. However, it was difficult to evaluate hyphal fusion efficiency due to the low frequency in Aspergillus oryzae in spite of its industrial significance. Here, we established a method to quantitatively evaluate the hyphal fusion ability of A. oryzae with mixed culture of two different auxotrophic strains, where the ratio of heterokaryotic conidia growing without the auxotrophic requirements reflects the hyphal fusion efficiency. By employing this method, it was demonstrated that AoSO and AoFus3 are required for hyphal fusion, and that hyphal fusion efficiency of A. oryzae was increased by depleting nitrogen source, including large amounts of carbon source, and adjusting pH to 7.0.

Quantitative Evaluation Method of Each Generation Margin for Power System Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Su; Tanaka, Kazuyuki

As the power system deregulation advances, the competition among the power companies becomes heated, and they seek more efficient system planning using existing facilities. Therefore, an efficient system planning method has been expected. This paper proposes a quantitative evaluation method for the (N-1) generation margin considering the overload and the voltage stability restriction. Concerning the generation margin related with the overload, a fast solution method without the recalculation of the (N-1) Y-matrix is proposed. Referred to the voltage stability, this paper proposes an efficient method to search the stability limit. The IEEE30 model system which is composed of 6 generators and 14 load nodes is employed to validate the proposed method. According to the results, the proposed method can reduce the computational cost for the generation margin related with the overload under the (N-1) condition, and specify the value quantitatively.

Analysis of Publications and Citations from a Geophysics Research Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frohlich, Cliff; Resler, Lynn

2001-01-01

Performs an analysis of all 1128 publications produced by scientists during their employment at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, thus assessing research performance using as bibliometric indicators such statistics as publications per year, citations per paper, and cited half-lives. Evaluates five different methods for determining…

Enhancement of Educational Effect Through Extensive and Intensive Intervention--The Gulfport Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goolsby, Thomas M., Jr.; Frary, Robert B.

Two hundred first grade children participated in an experimental program involving innovative curricula and instructional techniques. A pretest-posttest method of instruction, employing sequenced and structured learning activities, enabled each child to progress at an individual rate and was supplemented by a readiness program. Evaluation of the…

Evaluating Coverage and Efficacy of Insecticides to Control Navel Orangeworm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel method employing eggs was designed to assess insecticide coverage in pistachio clusters. Strips of paper towel with known numbers of eggs were pinned into pistachio clusters immediately before insecticide application. The eggs were removed 24-48 hours after application and placed on diet, re...

Validating a Lifestyle Physical Activity Measure for People with Serious Mental Illness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bezyak, Jill L.; Chan, Fong; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Kaya, Cahit; Huck, Garrett

2014-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the measurement structure of the "Physical Activity Scale for Individuals With Physical Disabilities" (PASIPD) as an assessment tool of lifestyle physical activities for people with severe mental illness. Method: A quantitative descriptive research design using factor analysis was employed. A sample of 72 individuals…

Investigating the Effectiveness of Group Work in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sofroniou, Anastasia; Poutos, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

Group work permits students to develop a range of critical thinking, analytical and communication skills; effective team work; appreciation and respect for other views, techniques and problem-solving methods, all of which promote active learning and enhance student learning. This paper presents an evaluation of employing the didactic and…

Examining Multidimensional Middle Grade Outcomes after Early Elementary School Grade Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Sophia; Cappella, Elise; Schwartz, Kate

2016-01-01

Recently, researchers have begun to employ rigorous statistical methods and developmentally-informed theories to evaluate outcomes for students retained in non-kindergarten early elementary school. However, the majority of this research focuses on academic outcomes. Gaps remain regarding retention's effects on psychosocial outcomes important to…

Evidence-Based Practices Project for Suicide Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers, Philip L.; Sudak, Howard S.; Silverman, Morton M.; Litts, David A.

2007-01-01

Suicide continues to be a serious public health problem. In response to this problem, a myriad of suicide prevention programs have been developed and employed across the United States. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of many of these programs is unknown because they have not been evaluated using rigorous methods. The Evidence-Based Practices…

Ecological Development and Validation of a Music Performance Rating Scale for Five Instrument Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wrigley, William J.; Emmerson, Stephen B.

2013-01-01

This study investigated ways to improve the quality of music performance evaluation in an effort to address the accountability imperative in tertiary music education. An enhanced scientific methodology was employed incorporating ecological validity and using recognized qualitative methods involving grounded theory and quantitative methods…

Comparing Accessibility Auditing Methods for Ebooks: Crowdsourced, Functionality-Led Versus Web Content Methodologies.

PubMed

James, Abi; Draffan, E A; Wald, Mike

2017-01-01

This paper presents a gap analysis between crowdsourced functional accessibility evaluations of ebooks conducted by non-experts and the technical accessibility standards employed by developers. It also illustrates how combining these approaches can provide more appropriate information for a wider group of users with print impairments.

Group Therapy for Children after Homicide and Violence: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salloum, Alison

2008-01-01

Objective: This pilot study evaluated a group intervention designed to reduce posttraumatic stress among children after homicide and/or violence. Method: Employing a secondary data analysis of 117 participants in 21 group interventions, pretest and posttest differences in posttraumatic stress levels and between child witnesses and nonwitnesses,…

The Levels of Visual Framing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Lulu; Dimitrova, Daniela V.

2011-01-01

While framing research has centered mostly on the evaluations of media texts, visual news discourse has remained relatively unexamined. This study surveys the visual framing techniques and methods employed in previous studies and proposes a four-tiered model of identifying and analyzing visual frames: (1) visuals as denotative systems, (2) visuals…

Variables Related to MDTA Trainee Employment Success in Minnesota.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pucel, David J.

To predict a person's use of his Manpower Development and Training Act (MDTA) training, this study attempted to supplement existing methods of evaluation, using personal descriptive data about trainees and General Aptitude Test Battery Scores. The sample under study included all students enrolled in ten MDTA projects, representing a geographical…

28 CFR 42.303 - Evaluation of employment opportunities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... opportunities for minorities and women. (b) In many cases an effective equal employment opportunity program may... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Evaluation of employment opportunities... EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY; POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Equal Employment Opportunity Program Guidelines § 42.303...

28 CFR 42.303 - Evaluation of employment opportunities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... opportunities for minorities and women. (b) In many cases an effective equal employment opportunity program may... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Evaluation of employment opportunities... EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY; POLICIES AND PROCEDURES Equal Employment Opportunity Program Guidelines § 42.303...

Semi-automated segmentation of a glioblastoma multiforme on brain MR images for radiotherapy planning.

PubMed

Hori, Daisuke; Katsuragawa, Shigehiko; Murakami, Ryuuji; Hirai, Toshinori

2010-04-20

We propose a computerized method for semi-automated segmentation of the gross tumor volume (GTV) of a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) on brain MR images for radiotherapy planning (RTP). Three-dimensional (3D) MR images of 28 cases with a GBM were used in this study. First, a sphere volume of interest (VOI) including the GBM was selected by clicking a part of the GBM region in the 3D image. Then, the sphere VOI was transformed to a two-dimensional (2D) image by use of a spiral-scanning technique. We employed active contour models (ACM) to delineate an optimal outline of the GBM in the transformed 2D image. After inverse transform of the optimal outline to the 3D space, a morphological filter was applied to smooth the shape of the 3D segmented region. For evaluation of our computerized method, we compared the computer output with manually segmented regions, which were obtained by a therapeutic radiologist using a manual tracking method. In evaluating our segmentation method, we employed the Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC) and the true segmentation coefficient (TSC) in volumes between the computer output and the manually segmented region. The mean and standard deviation of JSC and TSC were 74.2+/-9.8% and 84.1+/-7.1%, respectively. Our segmentation method provided a relatively accurate outline for GBM and would be useful for radiotherapy planning.

Working Alliance and Stages of Change for Employment: The Intermediary Role of Autonomous Motivation, Outcome Expectancy and Vocational Rehabilitation Engagement.

PubMed

Iwanaga, Kanako; Chan, Fong; Tansey, Timothy N; Strauser, David; Ritter, Ellen; Bishop, Malachy; Brooks, Jessica

2018-05-30

Purpose Working alliance is one of the most important common factors for successful counseling/psychotherapy outcomes. Based on the empirical literature about working alliance, it seems that self-determination and self-efficacy theory (SDT/SET) can potentially be used as a motivational model to explain the relationship between working alliance and vocational rehabilitation (VR) outcomes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate three primary SDT/SET constructs, autonomous motivation, expectancy and engagement, as mediators for the relationship between working alliance and stages of change (SOC) for employment. Methods A serial multiple mediation analysis (SMMA) was computed to evaluate autonomy, outcome expectancy, and VR engagement as mediators of the relationship between working alliance and SOC for employment in a sample of 277 people with chronic illness and disability (CID) receiving services from state VR agencies in the United States. Results The SMMA results indicated that working alliance was positively associated with SOC for employment (total effect), while the direct effect between working alliance and SOC for employment was not significant after controlling for the effects of the mediators, indicating significant mediation effects. The mediation effects were estimates of the indirect effects for working alliance on SOC for employment through (a) autonomous motivation, (b) outcome expectancy, (c) VR engagement, and (d) autonomous motivation, outcome expectancy and VR engagement together. Conclusions The results indicated that a strong working alliance has the benefit of helping consumers develop autonomous motivation to work and increasing their vocational outcome expectancy and engagement in VR services, leading to employment.

Antioxidant capacity of human blood plasma and human urine: simultaneous evaluation of the ORAC index and ascorbic acid concentration employing pyrogallol red as probe.

PubMed

Torres, P; Galleguillos, P; Lissi, E; López-Alarcón, C

2008-10-15

The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) methodology has been employed to estimate the antioxidant capacity of human blood plasma and human urine using pyrogallol red (ORAC-PGR) as target molecule. Uric acid, reduced glutathione, human serum albumin, and ascorbic acid (ASC) inhibited the consumption of pyrogallol red, but only ASC generated an induction time. Human blood plasma and human urine protected efficiently pyrogallol red. In these assays, both biological fluids generated neat induction times that were removed by ascorbate oxidase. From these results, ORAC-PGR method could be proposed as a simple alternative to evaluate an ORAC index and, simultaneously, to estimate the concentration of ascorbic acid in human blood plasma or human urine.

Reliability of Craniofacial Superimposition Using Three-Dimension Skull Model.

PubMed

Gaudio, Daniel; Olivieri, Lara; De Angelis, Danilo; Poppa, Pasquale; Galassi, Andrea; Cattaneo, Cristina

2016-01-01

Craniofacial superimposition is a technique potentially useful for the identification of unidentified human remains if a photo of the missing person is available. We have tested the reliability of the 2D-3D computer-aided nonautomatic superimposition techniques. Three-dimension laser scans of five skulls and ten photographs were overlaid with an imaging software. The resulting superimpositions were evaluated using three methods: craniofacial landmarks, morphological features, and a combination of the two. A 3D model of each skull without its mandible was tested for superimposition; we also evaluated whether separating skulls by sex would increase correct identifications. Results show that the landmark method employing the entire skull is the more reliable one (5/5 correct identifications, 40% false positives [FP]), regardless of sex. However, the persistence of a high percentage of FP in all the methods evaluated indicates that these methods are unreliable for positive identification although the landmark-only method could be useful for exclusion. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Limb muscle sound speed estimation by ultrasound computed tomography excluding receivers in bone shadow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Xiaolei; Azuma, Takashi; Lin, Hongxiang; Takeuchi, Hideki; Itani, Kazunori; Tamano, Satoshi; Takagi, Shu; Sakuma, Ichiro

2017-03-01

Sarcopenia is the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle ability associated with aging. One reason is the increasing of adipose ratio of muscle, which can be estimated by the speed of sound (SOS), since SOSs of muscle and adipose are different (about 7%). For SOS imaging, the conventional bent-ray method iteratively finds ray paths and corrects SOS along them by travel-time. However, the iteration is difficult to converge for soft tissue with bone inside, because of large speed variation. In this study, the bent-ray method is modified to produce SOS images for limb muscle with bone inside. The modified method includes three steps. First, travel-time is picked up by a proposed Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) with energy term (AICE) method. The energy term is employed for detecting and abandoning the transmissive wave through bone (low energy wave). It results in failed reconstruction for bone, but makes iteration convergence and gives correct SOS for skeletal muscle. Second, ray paths are traced using Fermat's principle. Finally, simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART) is employed to correct SOS along ray paths, but excluding paths with low energy wave which may pass through bone. The simulation evaluation was implemented by k-wave toolbox using a model of upper arm. As the result, SOS of muscle was 1572.0+/-7.3 m/s, closing to 1567.0 m/s in the model. For vivo evaluation, a ring transducer prototype was employed to scan the cross sections of lower arm and leg of a healthy volunteer. And the skeletal muscle SOSs were 1564.0+/-14.8 m/s and 1564.1±18.0 m/s, respectively.

Youth Employment Strategy (YES) 1997-2002: Summary of Recent Summative Evaluation Results. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2004

2004-01-01

This report provides a summary of six summative evaluation studies that were implemented and completed between 1999 and 2002. The evaluations were conducted on three different streams of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). The Youth Employment Strategy was introduced by the federal government in 1997 to address employment related challenges…

Detecting Water Bodies in LANDSAT8 Oli Image Using Deep Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, W.; He, G.; Long, T.; Ni, Y.

2018-04-01

Water body identifying is critical to climate change, water resources, ecosystem service and hydrological cycle. Multi-layer perceptron(MLP) is the popular and classic method under deep learning framework to detect target and classify image. Therefore, this study adopts this method to identify the water body of Landsat8. To compare the performance of classification, the maximum likelihood and water index are employed for each study area. The classification results are evaluated from accuracy indices and local comparison. Evaluation result shows that multi-layer perceptron(MLP) can achieve better performance than the other two methods. Moreover, the thin water also can be clearly identified by the multi-layer perceptron. The proposed method has the application potential in mapping global scale surface water with multi-source medium-high resolution satellite data.

Choerosponins A and B, Two New Cytotoxic Bridged-Ring Ketones and the Determination of Their Absolute Configurations.

PubMed

Li, Chang-Wei; Han, Bing; Cai, Bing; Cui, Cheng-Bin

2017-03-27

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of antitumor compounds from the stem barks of Choerospondias axillaries (Roxb.) Burtt et Hill (Anacardiaceae) afforded two new cytotoxic bridged-ring ketones, choerosponins A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods; their stereochemistry was determined by NOE difference experiments, CD spectra and the modified Mosher's method. Compound 1 has a rare dioxatricyclo skeleton. Flow cytometry and SRB methods were employed to evaluate the antitumor activity of the two compounds against tsFT210, HCT-15, HeLa, A2780 and MCF-7 cell lines, and both of them showed strong cytotoxicity. MTT and paper disc methods were also used to evaluate their anti-hypoxia and antibacterial activities, and both of them showed no apparent activities.

An Iterative Solver in the Presence and Absence of Multiplicity for Nonlinear Equations

PubMed Central

Özkum, Gülcan

2013-01-01

We develop a high-order fixed point type method to approximate a multiple root. By using three functional evaluations per full cycle, a new class of fourth-order methods for this purpose is suggested and established. The methods from the class require the knowledge of the multiplicity. We also present a method in the absence of multiplicity for nonlinear equations. In order to attest the efficiency of the obtained methods, we employ numerical comparisons alongside obtaining basins of attraction to compare them in the complex plane according to their convergence speed and chaotic behavior. PMID:24453914

FBI fingerprint identification automation study: AIDS 3 evaluation report. Volume 5: Current system evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulhall, B. D. L.

1980-01-01

The performance, costs, organization and other characteristics of both the manual system and AIDS 2 were used to establish a baseline case. The results of the evaluation are to be used to determine the feasibility of the AIDS 3 System, as well as provide a basis for ranking alternative systems during the second phase of the JPL study. The results of the study were tabulated by subject, scope and methods, providing a descriptive, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the current operating systems employed by the FBI Identification Division.

Use of graphene supported on aminopropyl silica for microextraction of parabens from water samples.

PubMed

Fumes, Bruno Henrique; Lanças, Fernando Mauro

2017-03-03

This paper describes the synthesis, characterization and use of graphene supported on aminopropyl silica through covalent bonds (Si-G) as a sorbent for microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS). Five parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and benzyl) present in water matrices were used as model compounds for this evaluation. The Si-G phase was compared to other sorbents used in MEPS (C18 and Strata™-X) and also with graphene supported on primary-secondary amine (PSA) silica, where Si-G showed better results. After this, the MEPS experimental parameters were optimized using the Si-G sorbent. The following variables were optimized through univariate experiments: pH (4,7 and 10), desorption solvent (ACN:MeOH (50:50), ACN:H 2 O (40:60), MeOH and ACN) and ionic strength (0, 10 and 20% of NaCl). A factorial design 2 6-2 was then employed to evaluate other variables, such as the sample volume, desorption volume, sampling cycles, wash cycles and desorption cycles, as well as the influence of NaCl% on the extraction performance. The optimized method achieved a linear range of 0.2-20μg/L for most parabens; weighted calibration models were employed during the linearity evaluation to reduce the absolute sum of the residue values and improve R 2 , which ranged from 0.9753 to 0.9849. The method's accuracy was 82.3-119.2%; precision, evaluated as the coefficient of variance for intraday and interday analysis, ranged from 1.5 to 19.2%. After evaluation of the figures of merit, the method was applied to the determination of parabens in water samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Findings From The National Healthy Worksite Program

PubMed Central

Lang, Jason; Cluff, Laurie; Payne, Julianne; Matson-Koffman, Dyann; Hampton, Joel

2017-01-01

Objective To evaluate employers’ implementation of evidence-based interventions, and changes in employees’ behaviors associated with participating in the national healthy worksite program (NHWP). Methods NHWP recruited 100 small and mid-sized employers and provided training and support for 18 months. Outcome measures were collected with an employer questionnaire, an employee survey, and biometric data at baseline and 18 months later. Results The 41 employers who completed the NHWP implemented significantly more evidence-based interventions and had more comprehensive worksite health promotion programs after participating. Employees made significant improvements in physical activity and nutritional behaviors, but did not significantly improve employee weight. Conclusions Training and technical support can help small and mid-sized employers implement evidence-based health interventions to promote positive employee behavior changes. A longer follow up period may be needed to assess whether NHWP led to improvements in clinical outcomes. PMID:28594703

Reliability of the individual components of the Canadian Armed Forces Physical Employment Standard.

PubMed

Stockbrugger, Barry G; Reilly, Tara J; Blacklock, Rachel E; Gagnon, Patrick J

2018-01-29

This investigation recruited 24 participants from both the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and civilian populations to complete 4 separate trials at "best effort" of each of the 4 components in the CAF Physical Employment Standard named the FORCE Evaluation: Fitness for Operational Requirements of CAF Employment. Analyses were performed to examine the level of variability and reliability within each component. The results demonstrate that candidates should be provided with at least 1 retest if they have recently completed at least 2 previous best effort attempts as per the protocol. In addition, the minimal detectable difference is given for each of the 4 components in seconds which identifies the threshold for subsequent action, either retest or remedial training, for those unable to meet the minimum standard. These results will educate the delivery of this employment standard, function as a method of accommodation, in addition to providing direction for physical training programs.

Analytical Solutions for Rumor Spreading Dynamical Model in a Social Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fallahpour, R.; Chakouvari, S.; Askari, H.

2015-03-01

In this paper, Laplace Adomian decomposition method is utilized for evaluating of spreading model of rumor. Firstly, a succinct review is constructed on the subject of using analytical methods such as Adomian decomposion method, Variational iteration method and Homotopy Analysis method for epidemic models and biomathematics. In continue a spreading model of rumor with consideration of forgetting mechanism is assumed and subsequently LADM is exerted for solving of it. By means of the aforementioned method, a general solution is achieved for this problem which can be readily employed for assessing of rumor model without exerting any computer program. In addition, obtained consequences for this problem are discussed for different cases and parameters. Furthermore, it is shown the method is so straightforward and fruitful for analyzing equations which have complicated terms same as rumor model. By employing numerical methods, it is revealed LADM is so powerful and accurate for eliciting solutions of this model. Eventually, it is concluded that this method is so appropriate for this problem and it can provide researchers a very powerful vehicle for scrutinizing rumor models in diverse kinds of social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, LinkedIn and Tuitor.

Fluorometric Method for Determining the Efficiency of Spun-Glass Air Filtration Media

PubMed Central

Sullivan, James F.; Songer, Joseph R.; Mathis, Raymond G.

1967-01-01

The procedures and equipment needed to measure filtration efficiency by means of fluorescent aerosols are described. The filtration efficiency of individual lots of spun-glass air filtration medium or of entire air filtration systems employing such media was determined. Data relating to the comparative evaluation of spun-glass filter media by means of the fluorometric method described, as well as by conventional biological procedures, are presented. PMID:6031433

A combined deep-learning and deformable-model approach to fully automatic segmentation of the left ventricle in cardiac MRI.

PubMed

Avendi, M R; Kheradvar, Arash; Jafarkhani, Hamid

2016-05-01

Segmentation of the left ventricle (LV) from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) datasets is an essential step for calculation of clinical indices such as ventricular volume and ejection fraction. In this work, we employ deep learning algorithms combined with deformable models to develop and evaluate a fully automatic LV segmentation tool from short-axis cardiac MRI datasets. The method employs deep learning algorithms to learn the segmentation task from the ground true data. Convolutional networks are employed to automatically detect the LV chamber in MRI dataset. Stacked autoencoders are used to infer the LV shape. The inferred shape is incorporated into deformable models to improve the accuracy and robustness of the segmentation. We validated our method using 45 cardiac MR datasets from the MICCAI 2009 LV segmentation challenge and showed that it outperforms the state-of-the art methods. Excellent agreement with the ground truth was achieved. Validation metrics, percentage of good contours, Dice metric, average perpendicular distance and conformity, were computed as 96.69%, 0.94, 1.81 mm and 0.86, versus those of 79.2-95.62%, 0.87-0.9, 1.76-2.97 mm and 0.67-0.78, obtained by other methods, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

At-Risk Youth Appearance and Job Performance Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeburg, Beth Winfrey; Workman, Jane E.

2008-01-01

The goal of this study was to identify the relationship of at-risk youth workplace appearance to other job performance criteria. Employers (n = 30; each employing from 1 to 17 youths) evaluated 178 at-risk high school youths who completed a paid summer employment experience. Appearance evaluations were significantly correlated with evaluations of…

Testing an Impedance Non-destructive Method to Evaluate Steel-Fiber Concrete Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komarkova, Tereza; Fiala, Pavel; Steinbauer, Miloslav; Roubal, Zdenek

2018-02-01

Steel-fiber reinforced concrete is a composite material characterized by outstanding tensile properties and resistance to the development of cracks. The concrete, however, exhibits such characteristics only on the condition that the steel fibers in the final, hardened composite have been distributed evenly. The current methods to evaluate the distribution and concentration of a fiber composite are either destructive or exhibit a limited capability of evaluating the concentration and orientation of the fibers. In this context, the paper discusses tests related to the evaluation of the density and orientation of fibers in a composite material. Compared to the approaches used to date, the proposed technique is based on the evaluation of the electrical impedance Z in the band close to the resonance of the sensor-sample configuration. Using analytically expressed equations, we can evaluate the monitored part of the composite and its density at various depths of the tested sample. The method employs test blocks of composites, utilizing the resonance of the measuring device and the measured sample set; the desired state occurs within the interval of between f=3 kHz and 400 kHz.

Color image definition evaluation method based on deep learning method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Di; Li, YingChun

2018-01-01

In order to evaluate different blurring levels of color image and improve the method of image definition evaluation, this paper proposed a method based on the depth learning framework and BP neural network classification model, and presents a non-reference color image clarity evaluation method. Firstly, using VGG16 net as the feature extractor to extract 4,096 dimensions features of the images, then the extracted features and labeled images are employed in BP neural network to train. And finally achieve the color image definition evaluation. The method in this paper are experimented by using images from the CSIQ database. The images are blurred at different levels. There are 4,000 images after the processing. Dividing the 4,000 images into three categories, each category represents a blur level. 300 out of 400 high-dimensional features are trained in VGG16 net and BP neural network, and the rest of 100 samples are tested. The experimental results show that the method can take full advantage of the learning and characterization capability of deep learning. Referring to the current shortcomings of the major existing image clarity evaluation methods, which manually design and extract features. The method in this paper can extract the images features automatically, and has got excellent image quality classification accuracy for the test data set. The accuracy rate is 96%. Moreover, the predicted quality levels of original color images are similar to the perception of the human visual system.

A novel application of artificial neural network for wind speed estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Da; Wang, Jianzhou

2017-05-01

Providing accurate multi-steps wind speed estimation models has increasing significance, because of the important technical and economic impacts of wind speed on power grid security and environment benefits. In this study, the combined strategies for wind speed forecasting are proposed based on an intelligent data processing system using artificial neural network (ANN). Generalized regression neural network and Elman neural network are employed to form two hybrid models. The approach employs one of ANN to model the samples achieving data denoising and assimilation and apply the other to predict wind speed using the pre-processed samples. The proposed method is demonstrated in terms of the predicting improvements of the hybrid models compared with single ANN and the typical forecasting method. To give sufficient cases for the study, four observation sites with monthly average wind speed of four given years in Western China were used to test the models. Multiple evaluation methods demonstrated that the proposed method provides a promising alternative technique in monthly average wind speed estimation.

Experimental and evaluated photoneutron cross sections for 197Au

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varlamov, V.; Ishkhanov, B.; Orlin, V.

2017-10-01

There is a serious well-known problem of noticeable disagreements between the partial photoneutron cross sections obtained in various experiments. Such data were mainly determined using quasimonoenergetic annihilation photon beams and the method of neutron multiplicity sorting at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA) and Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires of Saclay (France). The analysis of experimental cross sections employing new objective physical data reliability criteria has shown that many of those are not reliable. The IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on photonuclear data evaluation was approved. The experimental and previously evaluated cross sections of the partial photoneutron reactions (γ ,1 n ) and (γ ,2 n ) on 197Au were analyzed using the new data reliability criteria. The data evaluated using the new experimental-theoretical method noticeably differ from both experimental data and data previously evaluated using nuclear modeling codes gnash, gunf, alice-f, and others. These discrepancies needed to be resolved.

Implementation of a disability management policy in a large healthcare employer: a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods evaluation

PubMed Central

Mustard, Cameron A; Skivington, Kathryn; Lay, Morgan; Lifshen, Marni; Etches, Jacob; Chambers, Andrea

2017-01-01

Objective This study describes the process and outcomes of the implementation of a strengthened disability management policy in a large Canadian healthcare employer. Key elements of the strengthened policy included an emphasis on early contact, the training of supervisors and the integration of union representatives in return-to-work (RTW) planning. Design The study applied mixed methods, combining a process evaluation within the employer and a quasi-experimental outcome evaluation between employers for a 3-year period prior to and following policy implementation in January 2012. Participants Staff in the implementation organisation (n=4000) and staff in a peer group of 29 large hospitals (n=1 19 000). Outcomes Work disability episode incidence and duration. Results Both qualitative and quantitative measures of the implementation process were predominantly positive. Over the 6-year observation period, there were 624 work disability episodes in the organisation and 8604 in the comparison group of 29 large hospitals. The annual per cent change in episode incidence in the organisation was −5.6 (95% CI −9.9 to −1.1) comparable to the annual per cent change in the comparison group: −6.2 (-7.2 to –5.3). Disability episode durations also declined in the organisation, from a mean of 19.4 days (16.5, 22.3) in the preintervention period to 10.9 days (8.7, 13.2) in the postintervention period. Reductions in disability durations were also observed in the comparison group: from a mean of 13.5 days (12.9, 14.1) in the 2009–2011 period to 10.5 days (9.9, 11.1) in the 2012–2014 period. Conclusion The incidence of work disability episodes and the durations of work disability declined strongly in this hospital sector over the 6-year observation period. The implementation of the organisation’s RTW policy was associated with larger reductions in disability durations than observed in the comparison group. PMID:28624757

Damage methodology approach on a composite panel based on a combination of Fringe Projection and 2D Digital Image Correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felipe-Sesé, Luis; Díaz, Francisco A.

2018-02-01

The recent improvement in accessibility to high speed digital cameras has enabled three dimensional (3D) vibration measurements employing full-field optical techniques. Moreover, there is a need to develop a cost-effective and non-destructive testing method to quantify the severity of damages arising from impacts and thus, enhance the service life. This effect is more interesting in composite structures since possible internal damage has low external manifestation. Those possible damages have been previously studied experimentally by using vibration testing. Namely, those analyses were focused on variations in the modal frequencies or, more recently, mode shapes variations employing punctual accelerometers or vibrometers. In this paper it is presented an alternative method to investigate the severity of damage on a composite structure and how the damage affects to its integrity through the analysis of the full field modal behaviour. In this case, instead of punctual measurements, displacement maps are analysed by employing a combination of FP + 2D-DIC during vibration experiments in an industrial component. In addition, to analyse possible mode shape changes, differences between damaged and undamaged specimens are studied by employing a recent methodology based on Adaptive Image Decomposition (AGMD) procedure. It will be demonstrated that AGMD Image decomposition procedure, which decompose the displacement field into shape descriptors, is capable to detect and quantify the differences between mode shapes. As an application example, the proposed approach has been evaluated on two large industrial components (car bonnets) made of short-fibre reinforced composite. Specifically, the evolution of normalized AGMD shape descriptors has been evaluated for three different components with different damage levels. Results demonstrate the potential of the presented approach making it possible to measure the severity of a structural damage by evaluating the mode shape based in the analysis of its shape descriptors.

Mathematical Modeling and Evaluation of Human Motions in Physical Therapy Using Mixture Density Neural Networks

PubMed Central

Vakanski, A; Ferguson, JM; Lee, S

2016-01-01

Objective The objective of the proposed research is to develop a methodology for modeling and evaluation of human motions, which will potentially benefit patients undertaking a physical rehabilitation therapy (e.g., following a stroke or due to other medical conditions). The ultimate aim is to allow patients to perform home-based rehabilitation exercises using a sensory system for capturing the motions, where an algorithm will retrieve the trajectories of a patient’s exercises, will perform data analysis by comparing the performed motions to a reference model of prescribed motions, and will send the analysis results to the patient’s physician with recommendations for improvement. Methods The modeling approach employs an artificial neural network, consisting of layers of recurrent neuron units and layers of neuron units for estimating a mixture density function over the spatio-temporal dependencies within the human motion sequences. Input data are sequences of motions related to a prescribed exercise by a physiotherapist to a patient, and recorded with a motion capture system. An autoencoder subnet is employed for reducing the dimensionality of captured sequences of human motions, complemented with a mixture density subnet for probabilistic modeling of the motion data using a mixture of Gaussian distributions. Results The proposed neural network architecture produced a model for sets of human motions represented with a mixture of Gaussian density functions. The mean log-likelihood of observed sequences was employed as a performance metric in evaluating the consistency of a subject’s performance relative to the reference dataset of motions. A publically available dataset of human motions captured with Microsoft Kinect was used for validation of the proposed method. Conclusion The article presents a novel approach for modeling and evaluation of human motions with a potential application in home-based physical therapy and rehabilitation. The described approach employs the recent progress in the field of machine learning and neural networks in developing a parametric model of human motions, by exploiting the representational power of these algorithms to encode nonlinear input-output dependencies over long temporal horizons. PMID:28111643

Community reporting of ambient air polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations near a Superfund site.

PubMed

Tomsho, Kathryn S; Basra, Komal; Rubin, Staci M; Miller, Claire B; Juang, Richard; Broude, Sylvia; Martinez, Andres; Hornbuckle, Keri C; Heiger-Bernays, Wendy; Scammell, Madeleine K

2017-10-27

In this manuscript, we describe the process of establishing partnerships for community-based environmental exposure research, the tools and methods implemented for data report-back to community members, and the results of evaluations of these efforts. Data discovery and report-back materials developed by Statistics for Action (SFA) were employed as the framework to communicate the environmental data to community members and workshops. These data communication and research translation efforts are described in detail and evaluated for effectiveness based on feedback provided from community members who attended the workshops. Overall, the methods were mostly effective for the intended data communication.

The Preliminary Design of a Standardized Spacecraft Bus for Small Tactical Satellites (Volume 1)

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-11-01

characteristics, and not detailed design recommendations, the team decided to avoid modeling the interaction among the objective attributes. 47 5.6 Flexibility of...in the Modsat computer model are necessarily "generic" in nature to provide both flexibility in design evaluation and a foundation on which more...the methods employed during the study, the scope of the problem, the value system used to evaluate alternatives, tradeoff studies performed, modeling

The Preliminary Design of a Standardized Spacecraft Bus for Small Tactical Satellites (Volume 2)

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-11-01

this requirement, conditions of the model need to be modified to provide some flexibility to the original solution set. In the business world this...time The mission modules modeled in the Modsat computer model are necessarily "generic" in nature to provide both flexibility in design evaluation and...methods employed during the study, the scope of the problem, the value system used to evaluate alternatives, tradeoff studies performed, modeling tools

Hybrid optimization and Bayesian inference techniques for a non-smooth radiation detection problem

DOE PAGES

Stefanescu, Razvan; Schmidt, Kathleen; Hite, Jason; ...

2016-12-12

In this paper, we propose several algorithms to recover the location and intensity of a radiation source located in a simulated 250 × 180 m block of an urban center based on synthetic measurements. Radioactive decay and detection are Poisson random processes, so we employ likelihood functions based on this distribution. Owing to the domain geometry and the proposed response model, the negative logarithm of the likelihood is only piecewise continuous differentiable, and it has multiple local minima. To address these difficulties, we investigate three hybrid algorithms composed of mixed optimization techniques. For global optimization, we consider simulated annealing, particlemore » swarm, and genetic algorithm, which rely solely on objective function evaluations; that is, they do not evaluate the gradient in the objective function. By employing early stopping criteria for the global optimization methods, a pseudo-optimum point is obtained. This is subsequently utilized as the initial value by the deterministic implicit filtering method, which is able to find local extrema in non-smooth functions, to finish the search in a narrow domain. These new hybrid techniques, combining global optimization and implicit filtering address, difficulties associated with the non-smooth response, and their performances, are shown to significantly decrease the computational time over the global optimization methods. To quantify uncertainties associated with the source location and intensity, we employ the delayed rejection adaptive Metropolis and DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis algorithms. Finally, marginal densities of the source properties are obtained, and the means of the chains compare accurately with the estimates produced by the hybrid algorithms.« less

Life cycle cost assessment of future low heat rejection engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, D. R.

1986-01-01

The Adiabatic Diesel Engine Component Development (ADECD) represents a project which has the objective to accelerate the development of highway truck engines with advanced technology aimed at reduced fuel consumption. The project comprises three steps, including the synthesis of a number of engine candidate designs, the coupling of each with a number of systems for utilizing exhaust gas energy, and the evaluation of each combination in terms of desirability. Particular attention is given to the employed evaluation method and the development of this method. The objective of Life Cycle Cost (LCC) evaluation in the ADECD program was to select the best from among 42 different low heat rejection engine (LHRE)/exhaust energy recovery system configurations. The LCC model is discussed along with a maintenance cost model, the evaluation strategy, the selection of parameter ranges, and a full factorial analysis.

Materials testing protocol for small joint prostheses.

PubMed

Savory, K M; Hutchinson, D T; Bloebaum, R

1994-10-01

In this article, a protocol for the evaluation of new materials for small joint prostheses is introduced. The testing methods employed in the protocol were developed by reviewing reported clinical failure modes and conditions found in vivo. The methods developed quantitatively evaluates the fatigue, fatigue crack propagation, and wear resistance properties of materials. For this study, a silicone elastomer similar to Dow Corning Silastic HP100, a radiation stable polypropylene, and a copolymer of polypropylene and ethylene propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) are evaluated. None of the materials tested demonstrated the ideal properties that are sought in a self-hinging joint prostheses. The silicone elastomer had excellent wear properties; however, cracks quickly propagated, causing catastrophic failure when fatigued. Conversely, the copolymer showed excellent fatigue crack propagation resistance and less than favorable wear properties. The polypropylene did not perform well in any evaluation.

Influence of an Interdisciplinary Re-employment Programme Among Unemployed Persons with Mental Health Problems on Health, Social Participation and Paid Employment.

PubMed

Carlier, Bouwine E; Schuring, Merel; Burdorf, Alex

2018-03-01

Purpose To evaluate the influence of an interdisciplinary re-employment programme on labour force participation and perceived health among unemployed persons with common mental health problems. In addition, the influence of entering paid employment on self-rated physical health and mental health was investigated. Methods In this quasi-experimental study with 2 years follow up, 869 persons were enrolled after referral to an interdisciplinary re-employment programme (n = 380) or regular re-employment programme (n = 489). The propensity score technique was used to account for observed differences between the intervention and control group. The intervention programme was provided by an interdisciplinary team, consisting of mental health care professionals as well as employment specialists. Mental health problems were addressed through cognitive counselling and individual tailored job-search support was provided by an employment professional. Primary outcome measures were paid employment and voluntary work. Secondary outcome measures were self-rated mental and physical health, measured by the Short Form 12 Health Survey, and anxiety and depressive symptoms, measured by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Changes in labour force participation and health were examined with repeated-measures logistic regression analyses by the generalized estimating equations method. Results The interdisciplinary re-employment programme did not have a positive influence on entering employment or physical or mental health among unemployed persons with mental health problems. After 2 years, 10% of the participants of the intervention programme worked fulltime, compared to 4% of the participants of the usual programmes (adjusted OR 1.65). The observed differences in labour force participation were not statistically significant. However, among persons who entered paid employment, physical health improved (+16%) and anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased (-15%), whereas health remained unchanged among persons who continued to be unemployed. Conclusions Policies to improve population health should take into account that promoting paid employment may be an effective intervention to improve health. It is recommended to invest in interdisciplinary re-employment programmes with a first place and train approach.

Fractional modeling of viscoelasticity in 3D cerebral arteries and aneurysms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yue; Perdikaris, Paris; Karniadakis, George Em

2016-10-01

We develop efficient numerical methods for fractional order PDEs, and employ them to investigate viscoelastic constitutive laws for arterial wall mechanics. Recent simulations using one-dimensional models [1] have indicated that fractional order models may offer a more powerful alternative for modeling the arterial wall response, exhibiting reduced sensitivity to parametric uncertainties compared with the integer-calculus-based models. Here, we study three-dimensional (3D) fractional PDEs that naturally model the continuous relaxation properties of soft tissue, and for the first time employ them to simulate flow structure interactions for patient-specific brain aneurysms. To deal with the high memory requirements and in order to accelerate the numerical evaluation of hereditary integrals, we employ a fast convolution method [2] that reduces the memory cost to O (log ⁡ (N)) and the computational complexity to O (Nlog ⁡ (N)). Furthermore, we combine the fast convolution with high-order backward differentiation to achieve third-order time integration accuracy. We confirm that in 3D viscoelastic simulations, the integer order models strongly depends on the relaxation parameters, while the fractional order models are less sensitive. As an application to long-time simulations in complex geometries, we also apply the method to modeling fluid-structure interaction of a 3D patient-specific compliant cerebral artery with an aneurysm. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that fractional calculus can be employed effectively in modeling complex behavior of materials in realistic 3D time-dependent problems if properly designed efficient algorithms are employed to overcome the extra memory requirements and computational complexity associated with the non-local character of fractional derivatives.

Fractional modeling of viscoelasticity in 3D cerebral arteries and aneurysms

PubMed Central

Perdikaris, Paris; Karniadakis, George Em

2017-01-01

We develop efficient numerical methods for fractional order PDEs, and employ them to investigate viscoelastic constitutive laws for arterial wall mechanics. Recent simulations using one-dimensional models [1] have indicated that fractional order models may offer a more powerful alternative for modeling the arterial wall response, exhibiting reduced sensitivity to parametric uncertainties compared with the integer-calculus-based models. Here, we study three-dimensional (3D) fractional PDEs that naturally model the continuous relaxation properties of soft tissue, and for the first time employ them to simulate flow structure interactions for patient-specific brain aneurysms. To deal with the high memory requirements and in order to accelerate the numerical evaluation of hereditary integrals, we employ a fast convolution method [2] that reduces the memory cost to O(log(N)) and the computational complexity to O(N log(N)). Furthermore, we combine the fast convolution with high-order backward differentiation to achieve third-order time integration accuracy. We confirm that in 3D viscoelastic simulations, the integer order models strongly depends on the relaxation parameters, while the fractional order models are less sensitive. As an application to long-time simulations in complex geometries, we also apply the method to modeling fluid–structure interaction of a 3D patient-specific compliant cerebral artery with an aneurysm. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that fractional calculus can be employed effectively in modeling complex behavior of materials in realistic 3D time-dependent problems if properly designed efficient algorithms are employed to overcome the extra memory requirements and computational complexity associated with the non-local character of fractional derivatives. PMID:29104310

A Curved, Elastostatic Boundary Element for Plane Anisotropic Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smeltzer, Stanley S.; Klang, Eric C.

2001-01-01

The plane-stress equations of linear elasticity are used in conjunction with those of the boundary element method to develop a novel curved, quadratic boundary element applicable to structures composed of anisotropic materials in a state of plane stress or plane strain. The curved boundary element is developed to solve two-dimensional, elastostatic problems of arbitrary shape, connectivity, and material type. As a result of the anisotropy, complex variables are employed in the fundamental solution derivations for a concentrated unit-magnitude force in an infinite elastic anisotropic medium. Once known, the fundamental solutions are evaluated numerically by using the known displacement and traction boundary values in an integral formulation with Gaussian quadrature. All the integral equations of the boundary element method are evaluated using one of two methods: either regular Gaussian quadrature or a combination of regular and logarithmic Gaussian quadrature. The regular Gaussian quadrature is used to evaluate most of the integrals along the boundary, and the combined scheme is employed for integrals that are singular. Individual element contributions are assembled into the global matrices of the standard boundary element method, manipulated to form a system of linear equations, and the resulting system is solved. The interior displacements and stresses are found through a separate set of auxiliary equations that are derived using an Airy-type stress function in terms of complex variables. The capabilities and accuracy of this method are demonstrated for a laminated-composite plate with a central, elliptical cutout that is subjected to uniform tension along one of the straight edges of the plate. Comparison of the boundary element results for this problem with corresponding results from an analytical model show a difference of less than 1%.

THE UNIQUE VALUE OF BREATH BIOMARKERS FOR ESTIMATING PHAMACOKINETIC RATE CONSTANTS AND BODY BURDEN FROM RANDOM/INTERMITTENT DOSE

EPA Science Inventory

Biomarker measurements are used in three ways: 1) evaluating the time course and distribution of a chemical in the body, 2) estimating previous exposure or dose, and 3) assessing disease state. Blood and urine measurements are the primary methods employed. Of late, it has been ...

Application of the high throughput Attagene Factorial TM platform to environmental monitoring: Characterizing complex, environmental mixtures

EPA Science Inventory

Bioassays can be employed to evaluate the integrated effects of complex mixtures of both known and unidentified contaminants present in environmental samples. However, such methods have typically focused on one or a few pathways despite the fact that the chemicals in a mixture ma...

Restoration and economics: A union waiting to happen?

Treesearch

Alicia S.T. Robbins; Jean M. Daniels

2012-01-01

In this article, our objective is to introduce economics as a tool for the planning, prioritization, and evaluation of restoration projects. Studies that develop economic estimates of public values for ecological restoration employ methods that may be unfamiliar to practitioners. We hope to address this knowledge gap by describing economic concepts in the context of...

Computer Games Application within Alternative Classroom Goal Structures: Cognitive, Metacognitive, and Affective Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ke, Fengfeng

2008-01-01

This article reports findings on a study of educational computer games used within various classroom situations. Employing an across-stage, mixed method model, the study examined whether educational computer games, in comparison to traditional paper-and-pencil drills, would be more effective in facilitating comprehensive math learning outcomes,…

Educational Networking as Key Factor of Specialist Training in Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safargaliev, Ernst Raisovich; Vinogradov, Vladislav Lvovich

2015-01-01

The paper considers the problems of science and education space and network formation between business and education. The productive form of integration between the parties is revealed. The authors address employment as an evaluation criterion for networking between university and business. Special emphasis is on active training methods as a way…

Private Agricultural Extension System in Kenya: Practice and Policy Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muyanga, Milu; Jayne, T. S.

2008-01-01

Private extension system has been at the centre of a debate triggered by inefficient public agricultural extension. The debate is anchored on the premise that the private sector is more efficient in extension service delivery. This study evaluates the private extension system in Kenya. It employs qualitative and quantitative methods. The results…

Practical Problems of Schoolbook Selection for Disadvantaged Pupils.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whipple, Gertrude

Every year the purchase of unsuitable books for disadvantaged children wastes millions of dollars. The use of these unsuitable books results in extensive reading failure. In order to overcome this waste of money and human resources, book committees need to employ standards and methods of evaluation to identify books appropriate for disadvantaged…

Evaluation of hyperspectral reflectance for estimating dry matter and sugar concentration in processing potatoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The measurement of sugar concentration and dry matter in processing potatoes is a time and resource intensive activity, cannot be performed in the field, and does not easily measure within tuber variation. A proposed method to improve the phenotyping of processing potatoes is to employ hyperspectral...

Teacher Development in First-Year Physical Educators: A Comparison of Effectiveness among Different Physical Education Teacher Education Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensign, Julene; Woods, Amelia Mays; Kulinna, Pamela Hodges

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study evaluated the teaching effectiveness of six first-year physical educators, three Southwestern and three Midwestern graduates, employing different curricular approaches. Method: Utilizing surveys, interviews, questionnaires, and systematic observations, data were analyzed through a framework of seven essential teaching tasks…

Ethnography of Novices' First Use of Web Search Engines: Affective Control in Cognitive Processing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nahl, Diane

1998-01-01

This study of 18 novice Internet users employed a structured self-report method to investigate affective and cognitive operations in the following phases of World Wide Web searching: presearch formulation, search statement formulation, search strategy, and evaluation of results. Users also rated their self-confidence as searchers and satisfaction…

Training Entrepreneurship at a French Grande Ecole: The Projet Entreprendre at the ESC Rouen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klapper, Rita

2005-01-01

Purpose: In response to an identified information need about entrepreneurial teaching methods employed in the European higher education system, aims to investigate whether this type of experimentation could make a difference--an activity traditionally considered individualistic within a collectivist society--and, second, to evaluate the project in…

Development of a Questionnaire to Assess University Students' Intentions to Use Behavioral Alcohol-Reduction Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonar, Erin E.; Hoffmann, Erica; Rosenberg, Harold; Kryszak, Elizabeth; Young, Kathleen M.; Ashrafioun, Lisham; Kraus, Shane W.; Bannon, Erin E.

2012-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a new self-report questionnaire designed to assess college students' intentions to employ 31 specific alcohol-reduction strategies. Method: Students attending a large public university were recruited to complete alcohol-reduction, drinking history, and personality questionnaires online.…

Comparing Inference Approaches for RD Designs: A Reexamination of the Effect of Head Start on Child Mortality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cattaneo, Matias D.; Titiunik, Rocío; Vazquez-Bare, Gonzalo

2017-01-01

The regression discontinuity (RD) design is a popular quasi-experimental design for causal inference and policy evaluation. The most common inference approaches in RD designs employ "flexible" parametric and nonparametric local polynomial methods, which rely on extrapolation and large-sample approximations of conditional expectations…

A Critical Look at Methodologies Used to Evaluate Charter School Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ackerman, Matthew; Egalite, Anna J.

2017-01-01

There is no consensus among researchers on charter school effectiveness in the USA, in part because of discrepancies in the research methods employed across various studies. Causal impact estimates from experimental studies demonstrate large positive impacts, but concerns about the generalizability of these results have prompted the development of…

Integrating Wikis as Educational Tools for the Development of a Community of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eteokleous, Nikleia; Ktoridou, Despo; Orphanou, Maria

2014-01-01

This article describes a study that attempted to evaluate the integration of wikis as an educational tool in successfully achieving the learning objectives of a fifth-grade linguistics and literature course. A mixed-method approach was employed--data were collected via questionnaires, reflective journals, observations, and interviews. The results…

Assessing socioeconomic resiliency in Washington counties.

Treesearch

Jean M. Daniels

2004-01-01

The link between forest management and the well-being of communities in forested areas has traditionally been defined by forest sector employment opportunities. Attempts to redefine this relationship have produced methods that use a more comprehensive approach by combining both economic and social indicators to evaluate community well-being. The goal of this study is...

Evaluating the Use of Metaphor in Online Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falconer, Liz

2008-01-01

Metaphor appears to be an innate tendency in human communication and can be shown to have significant potential when applied to the design of online learning environments. This paper describes and discusses an example of an online research methods learning resource that employs metaphoric navigation. Feedback from the tutors who design and…

Effect of various fire retardants on surface roughness of plywood

Treesearch

Nadir Ayrilmis; Suleyman Korkut; Ercan Tanritanir; Jerrold E. Winandy; Salim Hiziroglu

2006-01-01

In this study the surface roughness of plywood treated with various fire retardants was investigated. Commercially manufactured veneer of Akaba wood (Tetraberlinia bifoliolata) was treated with borax, boric acid, monoammonium phosphate and diammonium phosphate, then experimental plywood panels were made from these veneer sheets. A stylus method was employed to evaluate...

Data Input, Processing and Presentation. [helicopter rotor balance measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, H. J.

1984-01-01

The problems of data acquisition, processing and display are investigated in the case of a helicopter rotor balance. The types of sensors to be employed are discussed in addition to their placement and application in wind tunnel trials. Finally, the equipment for data processing, evaluation and storage are presented with a description of methods.

A Competency Model for Higher Education: An Assessment Based on Placements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gómez, Mar; Aranda, Evangelina; Santos, Jesús

2017-01-01

The European Higher Education Area, which is based on competency acquisition, has led to changes in teaching methods and student evaluations. In this new context, placements represent the best university-business connection for the development of competencies and integration of students into the employment market. Therefore, the primary objective…

Assessing Fidelity of Implementation of an Unprescribed, Diagnostic Mathematics Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munter, Charles; Wilhelm, Anne Garrison; Cobb, Paul; Cordray, David S.

2014-01-01

This article draws on previously employed methods for conducting fidelity studies and applies them to an evaluation of an unprescribed intervention. We document the process of assessing the fidelity of implementation of the Math Recovery first-grade tutoring program, an unprescribed, diagnostic intervention. We describe how we drew on recent…

Assessing Ethiopian Primary School Second Cycle Social Studies Textbooks for Adequate Reflections of Multiculturalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dejene, Wondifraw

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate Ethiopian second cycle primary level Social Studies textbooks from multicultural perspectives. To this end, a content analysis research method was employed. The findings revealed that Ethiopian second cycle primary level Social Studies textbooks reflect multiculturalism. However, females were found…

Rapid purification of fluorescent enzymes by ultrafiltration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benjaminson, M. A.; Satyanarayana, T.

1983-01-01

In order to expedite the preparation of fluorescently tagged enzymes for histo-cyctochemistry, a previously developed method employing gel column purification was compared with a more rapid modern technique using the Millipore Immersible CX-ultrafilter. Microscopic evaluation of the resulting conjugates showed comparable products. Much time and effort is saved using the new technique.

Rapid purification of fluorescent enzymes by ultrafiltration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benjaminson, M. A.; Satyanarayana, T.

1983-01-01

In order to expedite the preparation of fluorescently tagged enzymes for histo/cytochemistry, a previously developed method employing gel column purification was compared with a more rapid modern technique using the Millipore Immersible CX-ultrafilter. Microscopic evaluation of the resulting conjugates showed comparable products. Much time and effort is saved using the new technique.

What Works with Worked Examples: Extending Self-Explanation and Analogical Comparison to Synthesis Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badeau, Ryan; White, Daniel R.; Ibrahim, Bashirah; Ding, Lin; Heckler, Andrew F.

2017-01-01

The ability to solve physics problems that require multiple concepts from across the physics curriculum--"synthesis" problems--is often a goal of physics instruction. Three experiments were designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two instructional methods employing worked examples on student performance with synthesis problems; these…

Evaluation of a Web-Based Malaria Risk Reduction Game for Study Abroad Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartjes, Laurie B.; Baumann, Linda C.

2012-01-01

Objective: Compare feedback strategies in 3 versions of an educational game. Participants: Study abroad students (N = 482) participated by playing the game and completing pregame/postgame surveys January-March 2010. Methods: This study employed an experimental design. Primary outcome measures were knowledge gain, player satisfaction, and risk…

Reducing Covert Self-Injurious Behavior Maintained by Automatic Reinforcement through a Variable Momentary DRO Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toussaint, Karen A.; Tiger, Jeffrey H.

2012-01-01

Covert self-injurious behavior (i.e., behavior that occurs in the absence of other people) can be difficult to treat. Traditional treatments typically have involved sophisticated methods of observation and often have employed positive punishment procedures. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a variable momentary differential…

Interviewing Youthful Suspects in Alleged Sex Crimes: A Descriptive Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hershkowitz, Irit; Horowitz, Dvora; Lamb, Michael E.; Orbach, Yael; Sternberg, Kathleen J.

2004-01-01

Objective: To introduce and evaluate a structured interview protocol designed for investigative interviews of youthful alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Method: Seventy-two alleged perpetrators ranging from 9 to 14 years of age (M=12 years) were interviewed by 1 of 13 experienced youth investigators, employed by the Israeli Ministry of…

School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCurdy, Barry L.; Thomas, Lisa; Truckenmiller, Adrea; Rich, Sara House; Hillis-Clark, Patricia; Lopez, Juan Carlos

2016-01-01

This investigation employed a participatory action research method involving school psychology consultants and educators to design and evaluate the impact of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports in a self-contained school serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The traditional practices of a universal…

How to use… lymph node biopsy in paediatrics.

PubMed

Farndon, Sarah; Behjati, Sam; Jonas, Nico; Messahel, Boo

2017-10-01

Lymphadenopathy is a common finding in children. It often causes anxiety among parents and healthcare professionals because it can be a sign of cancer. There is limited high-quality evidence to guide clinicians as to which children should be referred for lymph node biopsy. The gold standard method for evaluating lymphadenopathy of unknown cause is an excision biopsy. In this Interpretation, we discuss the use of lymph node biopsy in children. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Continuous Human Action Recognition Using Depth-MHI-HOG and a Spotter Model

PubMed Central

Eum, Hyukmin; Yoon, Changyong; Lee, Heejin; Park, Mignon

2015-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new method for spotting and recognizing continuous human actions using a vision sensor. The method is comprised of depth-MHI-HOG (DMH), action modeling, action spotting, and recognition. First, to effectively separate the foreground from background, we propose a method called DMH. It includes a standard structure for segmenting images and extracting features by using depth information, MHI, and HOG. Second, action modeling is performed to model various actions using extracted features. The modeling of actions is performed by creating sequences of actions through k-means clustering; these sequences constitute HMM input. Third, a method of action spotting is proposed to filter meaningless actions from continuous actions and to identify precise start and end points of actions. By employing the spotter model, the proposed method improves action recognition performance. Finally, the proposed method recognizes actions based on start and end points. We evaluate recognition performance by employing the proposed method to obtain and compare probabilities by applying input sequences in action models and the spotter model. Through various experiments, we demonstrate that the proposed method is efficient for recognizing continuous human actions in real environments. PMID:25742172

Pansharpening on the Narrow Vnir and SWIR Spectral Bands of SENTINEL-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaiopoulos, A. D.; Karantzalos, K.

2016-06-01

In this paper results from the evaluation of several state-of-the-art pansharpening techniques are presented for the VNIR and SWIR bands of Sentinel-2. A procedure for the pansharpening is also proposed which aims at respecting the closest spectral similarities between the higher and lower resolution bands. The evaluation included 21 different fusion algorithms and three evaluation frameworks based both on standard quantitative image similarity indexes and qualitative evaluation from remote sensing experts. The overall analysis of the evaluation results indicated that remote sensing experts disagreed with the outcomes and method ranking from the quantitative assessment. The employed image quality similarity indexes and quantitative evaluation framework based on both high and reduced resolution data from the literature didn't manage to highlight/evaluate mainly the spatial information that was injected to the lower resolution images. Regarding the SWIR bands none of the methods managed to deliver significantly better results than a standard bicubic interpolation on the original low resolution bands.

A novel hybrid MCDM model for performance evaluation of research and technology organizations based on BSC approach.

PubMed

Varmazyar, Mohsen; Dehghanbaghi, Maryam; Afkhami, Mehdi

2016-10-01

Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a strategic evaluation tool using both financial and non-financial indicators to determine the business performance of organizations or companies. In this paper, a new integrated approach based on the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are proposed to evaluate the performance of research centers of research and technology organization (RTO) in Iran. Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) are employed to reflect the interdependencies among BSC perspectives. Then, Analytic Network Process (ANP) is utilized to weight the indices influencing the considered problem. In the next step, we apply four MCDM methods including Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS), Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS), Multi-Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis (MOORA), and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for ranking of alternatives. Finally, the utility interval technique is applied to combine the ranking results of MCDM methods. Weighted utility intervals are computed by constructing a correlation matrix between the ranking methods. A real case is presented to show the efficacy of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Qualitative evaluation of employer requirements associated with occupational health and safety as good practice in small-scale enterprises].

PubMed

Kuroki, Naomi; Miyashita, Nana; Hino, Yoshiyuki; Kayashima, Kotaro; Fujino, Yoshihisa; Takada, Mikio; Nagata, Tomohisa; Yamataki, Hajime; Sakuragi, Sonoko; Kan, Hirohiko; Morita, Tetsuya; Ito, Akiyoshi; Mori, Koji

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study was to identify what motivates employers to promote good occupational health and safety practices in small-scale enterprises. Previous studies have shown that small-scale enterprises generally pay insufficient attention to issues of occupational health and safety. These findings were mainly derived from questionnaire based surveys. Nevertheless, some small-scale enterprises in which employers exercise good leadership do take a progressive approach to occupational health and safety. Although good practices can be identified in small-scale enterprises, it remains unclear what motivates employers in small-scale enterprises to actively implement occupational health and safety practices. We speculated that identifying employer motivations in promoting occupational health would help to spread good practices among small-scale enterprises. Using a qualitative approach based on the KJ methods, we interviewed ten employers who actively promote occupational health and safety in the workplace. The employers were asked to discuss their views of occupational health and safety in their own words. A semi-structured interview format was used, and transcripts were made of the interviews. Each transcript was independently coded by two or more researchers. These transcripts and codes were integrated and then the research group members discussed the heading titles and structural relationships between them according to the KJ method. Qualitative analysis revealed that all the employers expressed a strong interest in a "good company" and "good management". They emphasized four elements of "good management", namely "securing human resources", "trust of business partners", "social responsibility" and "employer's health condition itself", and considered that addressing occupational health and safety was essential to the achievement of these four elements. Consistent with previous findings, the results showed that implementation of occupational health and safety activities depended on "cost", "human resources", "time to perform", and "advisory organization". These results suggest that employer awareness of the relationship between good management and occupational health is essential to the implementation of occupational health and safety practices in small-scale enterprises.

29 CFR 1908.6 - Conduct of a visit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... evaluate the employer's safety and health program. The consultant shall explain the necessity for this... health hazards may be provided to employers during and after the onsite consultative visit. Descriptive..., evaluate the employer's program for ensuring safe and healthful employment and provide recommendations for...

29 CFR 1908.6 - Conduct of a visit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... evaluate the employer's safety and health program. The consultant shall explain the necessity for this... health hazards may be provided to employers during and after the onsite consultative visit. Descriptive..., evaluate the employer's program for ensuring safe and healthful employment and provide recommendations for...

29 CFR 1908.6 - Conduct of a visit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... evaluate the employer's safety and health program. The consultant shall explain the necessity for this... health hazards may be provided to employers during and after the onsite consultative visit. Descriptive..., evaluate the employer's program for ensuring safe and healthful employment and provide recommendations for...

29 CFR 1908.6 - Conduct of a visit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... evaluate the employer's safety and health program. The consultant shall explain the necessity for this... health hazards may be provided to employers during and after the onsite consultative visit. Descriptive..., evaluate the employer's program for ensuring safe and healthful employment and provide recommendations for...

29 CFR 1908.6 - Conduct of a visit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... evaluate the employer's safety and health program. The consultant shall explain the necessity for this... health hazards may be provided to employers during and after the onsite consultative visit. Descriptive..., evaluate the employer's program for ensuring safe and healthful employment and provide recommendations for...

Passive moment about the hip in straight leg raising.

PubMed

Lee, R Y; Munn, J

2000-06-01

The purpose of this examine is to study the load-deformation characteristics of the hip in straight leg raising. An experimental study in which passive moment about the hip was determined as a function of hip angle. Straight leg raising is widely employed in clinical examination, and there is little information on its mechanical characteristics. Fourteen healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. Three trials of straight leg raise tests were performed while subjects lay supine on a plinth that was fitted with load cells. An electrogoniometer was employed to measure hip flexion during the test. Resistive moment at the hip was determined using a dynamic biomechanical model. The present experimental method was shown to be highly reliable. The moment-angle curves of all subjects were shown to follow an exponential function. Stiffness and strain energy of posterior hip tissues could be derived from the moment-angle curves. Evaluation of such elastic properties is clinically important as they may be altered with injuries of the tissues. Clinically, contracture of hamstring muscles and other posterior hip tissues is evaluated by measuring the available range of hip flexion in straight leg raising. However, this does not provide any information on the elastic properties of the tissues. The present study reports a reliable method of evaluating such properties.

Mineral composition, nutritional properties, total phenolics and flavonoids compounds of the atemoya fruit (Annona squamosa L. x Annona cherimola Mill.) and evaluation using multivariate analysis techniques.

PubMed

Santos, Walter N L Dos; Sauthier, Maria Celeste S; Cavalcante, Dannuza D; Benevides, Clícia M J; Dias, Fábio S; Santos, Daniele C M B

2016-09-01

The atemoya is a hybrid fruit obtained by crossing of cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) with sweet sop (Annona squamosa L.). The information about chemical composition of atemoya is scarce. The mineral composition was evaluated employing Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP OES) and the centesimal composition and the physico-chemical parameters were assessed employing procedures described in the AOAC methods. The total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total flavonoids (TF) were determined using spectroanalytical methods. Considering the Reference Daily Intake (RDI), the concentrations of K, Cu and Vitamin C found in atemoya were the highest, representing about 32, 23 and 37% of the RDI, respectively. The total carbohydrates were 32 g 100g-1 and the soluble solids was equivalent to (32.50 ± 0.03) °Brix. The result for TPC was 540.47 ± 2.32 mgGAE 100 g-1 and the TF was 11.56 ± 1.36 mgQE 100 g-1. The exploratory evaluation of 42 atemoya samples was performed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which discriminated green and ripe fruits according to their mineral composition. The elements that contributed most for the variability between green and ripe fruits were: Ba, Ca, Cu, K, Mg and P.

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

Chhiber, R; Usmanov, AV; Matthaeus, WH

Simple estimates of the number of Coulomb collisions experienced by the interplanetary plasma to the point of observation, i.e., the “collisional age”, can be usefully employed in the study of non-thermal features of the solar wind. Usually these estimates are based on local plasma properties at the point of observation. Here we improve the method of estimation of the collisional age by employing solutions obtained from global three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulations. This enables evaluation of the complete analytical expression for the collisional age without using approximations. The improved estimation of the collisional timescale is compared with turbulence and expansion timescales tomore » assess the relative importance of collisions. The collisional age computed using the approximate formula employed in previous work is compared with the improved simulation-based calculations to examine the validity of the simplified formula. We also develop an analytical expression for the evaluation of the collisional age and we find good agreement between the numerical and analytical results. Finally, we briefly discuss the implications for an improved estimation of collisionality along spacecraft trajectories, including Solar Probe Plus.« less

Substance Use, Education, Employment, and Criminal Activity Outcomes of Adolescents in Outpatient Chemical Dependency Programs

PubMed Central

Balsa, Ana I.; Homer, Jenny F.; French, Michael T.; Weisner, Constance M.

2010-01-01

Although the primary outcome of interest in clinical evaluations of addiction treatment programs is usually abstinence, participation in these programs can have a wide range of consequences. This study evaluated the effects of treatment initiation on substance use, school attendance, employment, and involvement in criminal activity at 12 months post-admission for 419 adolescents (aged 12 to 18) enrolled in chemical dependency recovery programs in a large managed care health plan. Instrumental variables estimation methods were used to account for unobserved selection into treatment by jointly modeling the likelihood of participation in treatment and the odds of attaining a certain outcome or level of an outcome. Treatment initiation significantly increased the likelihood of attending school, promoted abstinence, and decreased the probability of adolescent employment, but it did not significantly affect participation in criminal activity at the 12-month follow-up. These findings highlight the need to address selection in a non-experimental study and demonstrate the importance of considering multiple outcomes when assessing the effectiveness of adolescent treatment. PMID:18064572

Advanced reliability methods for structural evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wirsching, P. H.; Wu, Y.-T.

1985-01-01

Fast probability integration (FPI) methods, which can yield approximate solutions to such general structural reliability problems as the computation of the probabilities of complicated functions of random variables, are known to require one-tenth the computer time of Monte Carlo methods for a probability level of 0.001; lower probabilities yield even more dramatic differences. A strategy is presented in which a computer routine is run k times with selected perturbed values of the variables to obtain k solutions for a response variable Y. An approximating polynomial is fit to the k 'data' sets, and FPI methods are employed for this explicit form.

Implementation Science and Employer Disability Practices: Embedding Implementation Factors in Research Designs.

PubMed

Main, Chris J; Nicholas, Michael K; Shaw, William S; Tetrick, Lois E; Ehrhart, Mark G; Pransky, Glenn

2016-12-01

Purpose For work disability research to have an impact on employer policies and practices it is important for such research to acknowledge and incorporate relevant aspects of the workplace. The goal of this article is to summarize recent theoretical and methodological advances in the field of Implementation Science, relate these to research of employer disability management practices, and recommend future research priorities. Methods The authors participated in a year-long collaboration culminating in an invited 3-day conference, "Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability", held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, MA, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the literature, group conference calls to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, review of industry publications, and a conference presentation that included feedback from peer researchers and a question/answer session with a special panel of knowledge experts with direct employer experience. Results A 4-phase implementation model including both outer and inner contexts was adopted as the most appropriate conceptual framework, and aligned well with the set of process evaluation factors described in both the work disability prevention literature and the grey literature. Innovative interventions involving disability risk screening and psychologically-based interventions have been slow to gain traction among employers and insurers. Research recommendations to address this are : (1) to assess organizational culture and readiness for change in addition to individual factors; (2) to conduct process evaluations alongside controlled trials; (3) to analyze decision-making factors among stakeholders; and (4 ) to solicit input from employers and insurers during early phases of study design. Conclusions Future research interventions involving workplace support and involvement to prevent disability may be more feasible for implementation if organizational decision-making factors are imbedded in research designs and interventions are developed to take account of these influences.

Ergonomic Evaluation of Dental Professionals as Determined by Rapid Entire Body Assessment Method in 2014

PubMed Central

Jahanimoghadam, Fatemeh; Horri, Azadeh; Hasheminejad, Naimeh; Hashemi Nejad, Naser; Baneshi, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

Statement of the Problem: In dentistry, incorrect working posture is the most important cause of musculoskeletal disorders. Purpose: The aim of this research was to evaluate the work postures of general dentists and specialists using rapid entire body assessment (REBA) method. Materials and Method: In this cross-sectional study, work postures were assessed in 90 dentists by employing REBA method. Stratified sampling method was used. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA), Independent t-test and Pearson’s correlation test in SPSS 19. Results: The results showed that work postures of 90% of dentists were at moderate- to high-risk levels. Among the specialists, periodontists, pedodontists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons had the worst body postures. Conclusion: In general, dentists’ working postures need improvement and consequently, a more comprehensive ergonomic training and promotion is required in dentistry curriculum at Universities. PMID:29854890

Regional frequency analysis of extreme rainfalls using partial L moments method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Zahrahtul Amani; Shabri, Ani

2013-07-01

An approach based on regional frequency analysis using L moments and LH moments are revisited in this study. Subsequently, an alternative regional frequency analysis using the partial L moments (PL moments) method is employed, and a new relationship for homogeneity analysis is developed. The results were then compared with those obtained using the method of L moments and LH moments of order two. The Selangor catchment, consisting of 37 sites and located on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is chosen as a case study. PL moments for the generalized extreme value (GEV), generalized logistic (GLO), and generalized Pareto distributions were derived and used to develop the regional frequency analysis procedure. PL moment ratio diagram and Z test were employed in determining the best-fit distribution. Comparison between the three approaches showed that GLO and GEV distributions were identified as the suitable distributions for representing the statistical properties of extreme rainfall in Selangor. Monte Carlo simulation used for performance evaluation shows that the method of PL moments would outperform L and LH moments methods for estimation of large return period events.

High order Nyström method for elastodynamic scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kun; Gurrala, Praveen; Song, Jiming; Roberts, Ron

2016-02-01

Elastic waves in solids find important applications in ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation. The scattering of elastic waves has been treated using many approaches like the finite element method, boundary element method and Kirchhoff approximation. In this work, we propose a novel accurate and efficient high order Nyström method to solve the boundary integral equations for elastodynamic scattering problems. This approach employs high order geometry description for the element, and high order interpolation for fields inside each element. Compared with the boundary element method, this approach makes the choice of the nodes for interpolation based on the Gaussian quadrature, which renders matrix elements for far field interaction free from integration, and also greatly simplifies the process for singularity and near singularity treatment. The proposed approach employs a novel efficient near singularity treatment that makes the solver able to handle extreme geometries like very thin penny-shaped crack. Numerical results are presented to validate the approach. By using the frequency domain response and performing the inverse Fourier transform, we also report the time domain response of flaw scattering.

Employing the Hilbert-Huang Transform to analyze observed natural complex signals: Calm wind meandering cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martins, Luis Gustavo Nogueira; Stefanello, Michel Baptistella; Degrazia, Gervásio Annes; Acevedo, Otávio Costa; Puhales, Franciano Scremin; Demarco, Giuliano; Mortarini, Luca; Anfossi, Domenico; Roberti, Débora Regina; Costa, Felipe Denardin; Maldaner, Silvana

2016-11-01

In this study we analyze natural complex signals employing the Hilbert-Huang spectral analysis. Specifically, low wind meandering meteorological data are decomposed into turbulent and non turbulent components. These non turbulent movements, responsible for the absence of a preferential direction of the horizontal wind, provoke negative lobes in the meandering autocorrelation functions. The meandering characteristic time scales (meandering periods) are determined from the spectral peak provided by the Hilbert-Huang marginal spectrum. The magnitudes of the temperature and horizontal wind meandering period obtained agree with the results found from the best fit of the heuristic meandering autocorrelation functions. Therefore, the new method represents a new procedure to evaluate meandering periods that does not employ mathematical expressions to represent observed meandering autocorrelation functions.

(125)I-Tetrazines and Inverse-Electron-Demand Diels-Alder Chemistry: A Convenient Radioiodination Strategy for Biomolecule Labeling, Screening, and Biodistribution Studies.

PubMed

Albu, Silvia A; Al-Karmi, Salma A; Vito, Alyssa; Dzandzi, James P K; Zlitni, Aimen; Beckford-Vera, Denis; Blacker, Megan; Janzen, Nancy; Patel, Ramesh M; Capretta, Alfredo; Valliant, John F

2016-01-20

A convenient method to prepare radioiodinated tetrazines was developed, such that a bioorthogonal inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction can be used to label biomolecules with iodine-125 for in vitro screening and in vivo biodistribution studies. The tetrazine was prepared by employing a high-yielding oxidative halo destannylation reaction that concomitantly oxidized the dihydrotetrazine precursor. The product reacts quickly and efficiently with trans-cyclooctene derivatives. Utility was demonstrated through antibody and hormone labeling experiments and by evaluating products using standard analytical methods, in vitro assays, and quantitative biodistribution studies where the latter was performed in direct comparison to Bolton-Hunter and direct iodination methods. The approach described provides a convenient and advantageous alternative to conventional protein iodination methods that can expedite preclinical development and evaluation of biotherapeutics.

Dynamic analysis environment for nuclear forensic analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stork, C. L.; Ummel, C. C.; Stuart, D. S.; Bodily, S.; Goldblum, B. L.

2017-01-01

A Dynamic Analysis Environment (DAE) software package is introduced to facilitate group inclusion/exclusion method testing, evaluation and comparison for pre-detonation nuclear forensics applications. Employing DAE, the multivariate signatures of a questioned material can be compared to the signatures for different, known groups, enabling the linking of the questioned material to its potential process, location, or fabrication facility. Advantages of using DAE for group inclusion/exclusion include built-in query tools for retrieving data of interest from a database, the recording and documentation of all analysis steps, a clear visualization of the analysis steps intelligible to a non-expert, and the ability to integrate analysis tools developed in different programming languages. Two group inclusion/exclusion methods are implemented in DAE: principal component analysis, a parametric feature extraction method, and k nearest neighbors, a nonparametric pattern recognition method. Spent Fuel Isotopic Composition (SFCOMPO), an open source international database of isotopic compositions for spent nuclear fuels (SNF) from 14 reactors, is used to construct PCA and KNN models for known reactor groups, and 20 simulated SNF samples are utilized in evaluating the performance of these group inclusion/exclusion models. For all 20 simulated samples, PCA in conjunction with the Q statistic correctly excludes a large percentage of reactor groups and correctly includes the true reactor of origination. Employing KNN, 14 of the 20 simulated samples are classified to their true reactor of origination.

An accurate segmentation method for volumetry of brain tumor in 3D MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiahui; Li, Qiang; Hirai, Toshinori; Katsuragawa, Shigehiko; Li, Feng; Doi, Kunio

2008-03-01

Accurate volumetry of brain tumors in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is important for evaluating the interval changes in tumor volumes during and after treatment, and also for planning of radiation therapy. In this study, an automated volumetry method for brain tumors in MRI was developed by use of a new three-dimensional (3-D) image segmentation technique. First, the central location of a tumor was identified by a radiologist, and then a volume of interest (VOI) was determined automatically. To substantially simplify tumor segmentation, we transformed the 3-D image of the tumor into a two-dimensional (2-D) image by use of a "spiral-scanning" technique, in which a radial line originating from the center of the tumor scanned the 3-D image spirally from the "north pole" to the "south pole". The voxels scanned by the radial line provided a transformed 2-D image. We employed dynamic programming to delineate an "optimal" outline of the tumor in the transformed 2-D image. We then transformed the optimal outline back into 3-D image space to determine the volume of the tumor. The volumetry method was trained and evaluated by use of 16 cases with 35 brain tumors. The agreement between tumor volumes provided by computer and a radiologist was employed as a performance metric. Our method provided relatively accurate results with a mean agreement value of 88%.

Inception Cohort Study of Workers Exposed to Toluene Diisocyanate at a Polyurethane Foam Factory: Initial One-Year Follow-up

PubMed Central

Gui, Wei; Wisnewski, Adam V.; Neamtiu, Iulia; Gurzau, Eugen; Sparer, Judith A.; Stowe, Meredith H.; Liu, Jian; Slade, Martin D.; Rusu, Olivia A.; Redlich, Carrie A.

2014-01-01

Background Isocyanates are one of the most commonly reported causes of occupational asthma; however, the risks of developing isocyanate asthma in modern production facilities remain poorly defined. We evaluated TDI exposure and respiratory health among an inception cohort of workers during their first year of employment at a new polyurethane foam production factory. Methods Forty-nine newly hired workers were evaluated pre-employment, 6-months, and 12-months post-employment through questionnaire, spirometry and TDI-specific serology. Airborne TDI levels were monitored by fixed-point air sampling and limited personal sampling. Qualitative surface SWYPE™ tests were performed to evaluate potential sources of skin exposure. Results Airborne TDI levels overall were low; over 90% of fixed-point air measurements were below the limit of detection (0.1 ppb). Over the first year of employment,12 of the 49 original workers (24.5%) were lost to follow-up, no additional workers were enrolled, and seven of the 49 original workers (14.2%) developed either new asthma symptoms (N=3), TDI-specific IgG (N=1), new airflow obstruction (N=1) and/or a decline in FEV1≥ 15% (N=3), findings that could indicate TDI-related health effects.The prevalence of current asthma symptoms was significantly higher in the workers lost to follow-up compared to those who completed the 12 month follow-up (25% vs.2.7%; p=0.04). Conclusions The findings suggest possible early TDI-related health effects in a modern polyurethane production plant. These findings also highlight the need for further longitudinal evaluation of these workers and the challenges of studying workers at risk for isocyanate asthma. PMID:25266741

[Old, sick, unemployed, without a chance? Results of a randomised controlled trial of the effects of a combined health and employment promotion program for the older long-term unemployed (AmigA-M)].

PubMed

Herbig, B; Glaser, J; Angerer, P

2012-08-01

Illness can be the cause and consequence of unemployment. These relationships are well documented but only few data on the effectiveness of interventions are available. The study examines the effectiveness of a combined health and employment promotion intervention (AmigA - currently projected in several sites in Germany) for the older long-term unemployed with the main goals of an improvement of health and integrability as well as sustainable reintegration into the labour market. The evaluation design is a randomised controlled trial with a multi-method approach. A total of 71 participants could be included in the evaluation. Initial results confirm earlier findings on health and unemployment and show a psychologically and physically highly burdened sample. The intervention tended to improve depression, self-efficacy and quality of life. No effects were found for physical health, integrability and sustainable reintegration. It is discussed whether a longer duration and a higher intensity of the intervention might produce better results. The necessity of help and interventions for this highly burdened group of persons is evident but further studies are necessary to decide if the evaluated intervention is adequate to reach the goals of health and employment promotion as a standard measure.

An evaluation of an attendance monitoring system for undergraduate nursing students.

PubMed

Doyle, Louise; O'Brien, Frances; Timmins, Fiona; Tobin, Gerard; O'Rourke, Frank; Doherty, Lena

2008-03-01

Internationally the preparation and ongoing education of nurses continues to evolve in response the changing nature of both nursing and health care. The move into third level structures that has taken place in countries such as the UK and the Republic of Ireland, results in new challenges to the historical fabric of nurse education. One such challenge is monitoring of nursing students' attendance. Viewed by students as a patriarchal and draconian measure, the nursing profession historically value their ability to ensure the public and professional bodies that nursing students fully engage with educational programmes. University class sizes and the increased perception of student autonomy can negate against formalised monitoring systems. This paper reports on an evaluation of one such monitoring system. The findings revealed that attendance was recognised implicitly by nurse educators as an important learning activity within these programmes results and that current methods employed were less than reliable and so did little to appropriately control the phenomenon. Subsequent to the evaluation; a standardised approach to the measurement of absenteeism was employed. Deliberate short-term absence was a feature of this group. Reasons cited included travelling long distances, dissatisfaction with programme timetables and personal reasons. Preventative measures employed included improvement in student timetable delivery.

Overview of methods in economic analyses of behavioral interventions to promote oral health.

PubMed

O'Connell, Joan M; Griffin, Susan

2011-01-01

Broad adoption of interventions that prove effective in randomized clinical trials or comparative effectiveness research may depend to a great extent on their costs and cost-effectiveness (CE). Many studies of behavioral health interventions for oral health promotion and disease prevention lack robust economic assessments of costs and CE. To describe methodologies employed to assess intervention costs, potential savings, net costs, CE, and the financial sustainability of behavioral health interventions to promote oral health. We provide an overview of terminology and strategies for conducting economic evaluations of behavioral interventions to improve oral health based on the recommendations of the Panel of Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. To illustrate these approaches, we summarize methodologies and findings from a limited number of published studies. The strategies include methods for assessing intervention costs, potential savings, net costs, CE, and financial sustainability from various perspectives (e.g., health-care provider, health system, health payer, employer, society). Statistical methods for estimating short-term and long-term economic outcomes and for examining the sensitivity of economic outcomes to cost parameters are described. Through the use of established protocols for evaluating costs and savings, it is possible to assess and compare intervention costs, net costs, CE, and financial sustainability. The addition of economic outcomes to outcomes reflecting effectiveness, appropriateness, acceptability, and organizational sustainability strengthens evaluations of oral health interventions and increases the potential that those found to be successful in research settings will be disseminated more broadly.

20 CFR 220.100 - Evaluation of disability for any regular employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Railroad Retirement Act based on disability for any regular employment. Regular employment means... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Evaluation of disability for any regular employment. 220.100 Section 220.100 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE...

20 CFR 220.100 - Evaluation of disability for any regular employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Railroad Retirement Act based on disability for any regular employment. Regular employment means... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Evaluation of disability for any regular employment. 220.100 Section 220.100 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE...

20 CFR 220.100 - Evaluation of disability for any regular employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... Railroad Retirement Act based on disability for any regular employment. Regular employment means... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Evaluation of disability for any regular employment. 220.100 Section 220.100 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE...

20 CFR 220.100 - Evaluation of disability for any regular employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Railroad Retirement Act based on disability for any regular employment. Regular employment means... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Evaluation of disability for any regular employment. 220.100 Section 220.100 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE...

20 CFR 220.100 - Evaluation of disability for any regular employment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Railroad Retirement Act based on disability for any regular employment. Regular employment means... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2014-04-01 2012-04-01 true Evaluation of disability for any regular employment. 220.100 Section 220.100 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE...

Evaluating the Good Ontology Design Guideline (GoodOD) with the Ontology Quality Requirements and Evaluation Method and Metrics (OQuaRE)

PubMed Central

Duque-Ramos, Astrid; Boeker, Martin; Jansen, Ludger; Schulz, Stefan; Iniesta, Miguela; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás

2014-01-01

Objective To (1) evaluate the GoodOD guideline for ontology development by applying the OQuaRE evaluation method and metrics to the ontology artefacts that were produced by students in a randomized controlled trial, and (2) informally compare the OQuaRE evaluation method with gold standard and competency questions based evaluation methods, respectively. Background In the last decades many methods for ontology construction and ontology evaluation have been proposed. However, none of them has become a standard and there is no empirical evidence of comparative evaluation of such methods. This paper brings together GoodOD and OQuaRE. GoodOD is a guideline for developing robust ontologies. It was previously evaluated in a randomized controlled trial employing metrics based on gold standard ontologies and competency questions as outcome parameters. OQuaRE is a method for ontology quality evaluation which adapts the SQuaRE standard for software product quality to ontologies and has been successfully used for evaluating the quality of ontologies. Methods In this paper, we evaluate the effect of training in ontology construction based on the GoodOD guideline within the OQuaRE quality evaluation framework and compare the results with those obtained for the previous studies based on the same data. Results Our results show a significant effect of the GoodOD training over developed ontologies by topics: (a) a highly significant effect was detected in three topics from the analysis of the ontologies of untrained and trained students; (b) both positive and negative training effects with respect to the gold standard were found for five topics. Conclusion The GoodOD guideline had a significant effect over the quality of the ontologies developed. Our results show that GoodOD ontologies can be effectively evaluated using OQuaRE and that OQuaRE is able to provide additional useful information about the quality of the GoodOD ontologies. PMID:25148262

Screening of the key volatile organic compounds of Tuber melanosporum fermentation by aroma sensory evaluation combination with principle component analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Rui-Sang; Jin, Guang-Huai; Xiao, Deng-Rong; Li, Hong-Mei; Bai, Feng-Wu; Tang, Ya-Jie

2015-01-01

Aroma results from the interplay of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the attributes of microbial-producing aromas are significantly affected by fermentation conditions. Among the VOCs, only a few of them contribute to aroma. Thus, screening and identification of the key VOCs is critical for microbial-producing aroma. The traditional method is based on gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O), which is time-consuming and laborious. Considering the Tuber melanosporum fermentation system as an example, a new method to screen and identify the key VOCs by combining the aroma evaluation method with principle component analysis (PCA) was developed in this work. First, an aroma sensory evaluation method was developed to screen 34 potential favorite aroma samples from 504 fermentation samples. Second, PCA was employed to screen nine common key VOCs from these 34 samples. Third, seven key VOCs were identified by the traditional method. Finally, all of the seven key VOCs identified by the traditional method were also identified, along with four others, by the new strategy. These results indicate the reliability of the new method and demonstrate it to be a viable alternative to the traditional method. PMID:26655663

Characterization and microstructure of HPMC/Gly:AgNO3 polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananda, H. T.; Urs, G. Thejas; Somashekar, R.

2018-04-01

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of AgNo3 doped HPMC/Glycerol blend films. The microstructural parameters of these composites were evaluated employing whole powder pattern fitting method (WPPF) and the results obtained are related with other physical properties. AC conductivity results and optical band gap evaluated from UV/Vis studies are focused to establish structure property relations. These composite films are bio-degradable in nature and non-hazardous, this makes them very suitable candidates for applications in appropriate fields.

An agent based simulation tool for scheduling emergency department physicians.

PubMed

Jones, Spencer S; Evans, R Scott

2008-11-06

Emergency department overcrowding is a problem that threatens the public health of communities and compromises the quality of care given to individual patients. The Institute of Medicine recommends that hospitals employ information technology and operations research methods to reduce overcrowding. This paper describes the development of an agent based simulation tool that has been designed to evaluate the impact of various physician staffing configurations on patient waiting times in the emergency department. We evaluate the feasibility of this tool at a single hospital emergency department.

Developing tools for identifying employer and employee satisfaction of nursing new graduates in China.

PubMed

Fan, Yuying; Li, Qiujie; Yang, Shufen; Guo, Ying; Yang, Libin; Zhao, Shibin

2014-01-01

Researchers developed evaluation tools measuring employment relevant satisfaction for nursing new graduates. The evaluation tools were designed to be relevant to nursing managers who make employment decisions and nursing new graduates who were just employed. In-depth interviews and an expert panel were established to review the activities that evaluate the employee and employer satisfaction of nursing new graduates. Based on individual interviews and literature review, evaluation items were selected. A two-round Delphi study was then conducted from September 2008 to May 2009 with a panel of experts from a range of nursing colleges in China. The response rate was 100% and Kendall's W was 0.73 in the second round of Delphi study. After two rounds of Delphi surveys, a list of 5 employee satisfaction items and 4 employer satisfaction items was identified for nursing new graduates. The findings of this study identified a different but multidimensional set of factors for employment relevant satisfaction, which confirmed the importance of certain fundamental aspects of practice. We developed the evaluation tools to assess the employer and employee satisfaction of nursing new graduates, which provided a database for further study.

Adaptability and stability of soybean cultivars for grain yield and seed quality.

PubMed

Silva, K B; Bruzi, A T; Zambiazzi, E V; Soares, I O; Pereira, J L A R; Carvalho, M L M

2017-05-10

This study aimed at verifying the adaptability and stability of soybean cultivars, considering the grain yield and quality of seeds, adopting univariate and multivariate approaches. The experiments were conducted in two crops, three environments, in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 crop seasons, in the county of Inconfidentes, Lavras, and Patos de Minas, in the Minas Gerais State, Brazil. We evaluated 17 commercial soybean cultivars. For adaptability and stability evaluations, the Graphic and GGE biplot methods were employed. Previously, a selection index was estimated based on the sum of the standardized variables (Z index). The data relative to grain yield, mass of one thousand grain, uniformity test (sieve retention), and germination test were standardized (Z ij ) per cultivar. With the sum of Z ij , we obtained the selection index for the four traits evaluated together. In the Graphic method evaluation, cultivars NA 7200 RR and CD 2737 RR presented the highest values for selection index Z. By the GGE biplot method, we verified that cultivar NA 7200 RR presented greater stability in both univariate evaluations, for grain yield, and for selection index Z.

Evaluation of Aution Max AX-4030 and 9UB Uriflet, 10PA Aution Sticks urine dipsticks in the automated urine test strip analysis.

PubMed

Rota, Cristina; Biondi, Marco; Trenti, Tommaso

2011-09-26

Aution Max AX-4030, a test strip analyzer recently introduced to the market, represents an upgrade of the Aution Max AX-4280 widely employed for urinalysis. This new instrument model can allocate two different test strips at the same time. In the present study the two instruments have been compared together with the usage of Uriflet 9UB and the recently produced Aution Sticks 10PA urine strips, the latter presenting an additional test area for the measurement of urinary creatinine. Imprecision and correlation between instruments and strips have been evaluated for chemical-physical parameters. Accuracy was evaluated for protein, glucose and creatinine by comparing the semi-quantitative results to those obtained by quantitative methods. The well-known interference effect of high ascorbic acid levels on urine glucose test strip determination was evaluated, ascorbic acid influence was also evaluated on protein and creatinine determination. The two instruments have demonstrated comparable performances: precision and correlation between instruments and strips, evaluated for chemical-physical parameters, were always good. Furthermore, accuracy was always very good: results of protein and glucose semi-quantitative measurements resulted to be highly correlated with those obtained by quantitative methods. Moreover, the semi-quantitative measurements of creatinine, employing Aution Sticks 10PA urine strips, were highly comparable with quantitative results. 10PA urine strips are eligible for urine creatinine determination with the possibility of correcting urinalysis results for urinary creatinine concentration, whenever necessary and calculating the protein creatinine ratio. Further studies should be carried out to evaluate effectiveness and appropriateness of the usage of creatinine semi-quantitative analysis.

Standards for UNiversal reporting of patient Decision Aid Evaluation studies: the development of SUNDAE Checklist.

PubMed

Sepucha, Karen R; Abhyankar, Purva; Hoffman, Aubri S; Bekker, Hilary L; LeBlanc, Annie; Levin, Carrie A; Ropka, Mary; Shaffer, Victoria A; Sheridan, Stacey L; Stacey, Dawn; Stalmeier, Peep; Vo, Ha; Wills, Celia E; Thomson, Richard

2018-05-01

Patient decision aids (PDAs) are evidence-based tools designed to help patients make specific and deliberated choices among healthcare options. The International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) Collaboration review papers and Cochrane systematic review of PDAs have found significant gaps in the reporting of evaluations of PDAs, including poor or limited reporting of PDA content, development methods and delivery. This study sought to develop and reach consensus on reporting guidelines to improve the quality of publications evaluating PDAs. An international workgroup, consisting of members from IPDAS Collaboration, followed established methods to develop reporting guidelines for PDA evaluation studies. This paper describes the results from three completed phases: (1) planning, (2) drafting and (3) consensus, which included a modified, two-stage, online international Delphi process. The work was conducted over 2 years with bimonthly conference calls and three in-person meetings. The workgroup used input from these phases to produce a final set of recommended items in the form of a checklist. The SUNDAE Checklist (Standards for UNiversal reporting of patient Decision Aid Evaluations) includes 26 items recommended for studies reporting evaluations of PDAs. In the two-stage Delphi process, 117/143 (82%) experts from 14 countries completed round 1 and 96/117 (82%) completed round 2. Respondents reached a high level of consensus on the importance of the items and indicated strong willingness to use the items when reporting PDA studies. The SUNDAE Checklist will help ensure that reports of PDA evaluation studies are understandable, transparent and of high quality. A separate Explanation and Elaboration publication provides additional details to support use of the checklist. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Evaluation of hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis methods for discrimination of primary biological aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, I.; Ruske, S.; Topping, D. O.; Gallagher, M. W.

2015-11-01

In this paper we present improved methods for discriminating and quantifying primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs) by applying hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis to multi-parameter ultraviolet-light-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) spectrometer data. The methods employed in this study can be applied to data sets in excess of 1 × 106 points on a desktop computer, allowing for each fluorescent particle in a data set to be explicitly clustered. This reduces the potential for misattribution found in subsampling and comparative attribution methods used in previous approaches, improving our capacity to discriminate and quantify PBAP meta-classes. We evaluate the performance of several hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis linkages and data normalisation methods using laboratory samples of known particle types and an ambient data set. Fluorescent and non-fluorescent polystyrene latex spheres were sampled with a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Spectrometer (WIBS-4) where the optical size, asymmetry factor and fluorescent measurements were used as inputs to the analysis package. It was found that the Ward linkage with z-score or range normalisation performed best, correctly attributing 98 and 98.1 % of the data points respectively. The best-performing methods were applied to the BEACHON-RoMBAS (Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, Organics and Nitrogen-Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study) ambient data set, where it was found that the z-score and range normalisation methods yield similar results, with each method producing clusters representative of fungal spores and bacterial aerosol, consistent with previous results. The z-score result was compared to clusters generated with previous approaches (WIBS AnalysiS Program, WASP) where we observe that the subsampling and comparative attribution method employed by WASP results in the overestimation of the fungal spore concentration by a factor of 1.5 and the underestimation of bacterial aerosol concentration by a factor of 5. We suggest that this likely due to errors arising from misattribution due to poor centroid definition and failure to assign particles to a cluster as a result of the subsampling and comparative attribution method employed by WASP. The methods used here allow for the entire fluorescent population of particles to be analysed, yielding an explicit cluster attribution for each particle and improving cluster centroid definition and our capacity to discriminate and quantify PBAP meta-classes compared to previous approaches.

Assessment of uncertainty in discrete fracture network modeling using probabilistic distribution method.

PubMed

Wei, Yaqiang; Dong, Yanhui; Yeh, Tian-Chyi J; Li, Xiao; Wang, Liheng; Zha, Yuanyuan

2017-11-01

There have been widespread concerns about solute transport problems in fractured media, e.g. the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in geological fractured rocks. Numerical simulation of particle tracking is gradually being employed to address these issues. Traditional predictions of radioactive waste transport using discrete fracture network (DFN) models often consider one particular realization of the fracture distribution based on fracture statistic features. This significantly underestimates the uncertainty of the risk of radioactive waste deposit evaluation. To adequately assess the uncertainty during the DFN modeling in a potential site for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste, this paper utilized the probabilistic distribution method (PDM). The method was applied to evaluate the risk of nuclear waste deposit in Beishan, China. Moreover, the impact of the number of realizations on the simulation results was analyzed. In particular, the differences between the modeling results of one realization and multiple realizations were demonstrated. Probabilistic distributions of 20 realizations at different times were also obtained. The results showed that the employed PDM can be used to describe the ranges of the contaminant particle transport. The high-possibility contaminated areas near the release point were more concentrated than the farther areas after 5E6 days, which was 25,400 m 2 .

Evaluation of the use of a singularity element in finite element analysis of center-cracked plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendelson, A.; Gross, B.; Srawley, J., E.

1972-01-01

Two different methods are applied to the analyses of finite width linear elastic plates with central cracks. Both methods give displacements as a primary part of the solution. One method makes use of Fourier transforms. The second method employs a coarse mesh of triangular second-order finite elements in conjunction with a single singularity element subjected to appropriate additional constraints. The displacements obtained by these two methods are in very good agreement. The results suggest considerable potential for the use of a cracked element for related crack problems, particularly in connection with the extension to nonlinear material behavior.

An analysis of initial acquisition and maintenance of sight words following picture matching and copy cover, and compare teaching methods.

PubMed

Conley, Colleen M; Derby, K Mark; Roberts-Gwinn, Michelle; Weber, Kimberly P; McLaughlin, T E

2004-01-01

This study compared the copy, cover, and compare method to a picture-word matching method for teaching sight word recognition. Participants were 5 kindergarten students with less than preprimer sight word vocabularies who were enrolled in a public school in the Pacific Northwest. A multielement design was used to evaluate the effects of the two interventions. Outcomes suggested that sight words taught using the copy, cover, and compare method resulted in better maintenance of word recognition when compared to the picture-matching intervention. Benefits to students and the practicality of employing the word-level teaching methods are discussed.

Advancing student nurse knowledge of the biomedical sciences: A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Craft, Judy; Christensen, Martin; Bakon, Shannon; Wirihana, Lisa

2017-01-01

Nursing students' ability to learn, integrate and apply bioscience knowledge to their clinical practice remains a concern. To evaluate the implementation, influence, and student perspective of a team-teaching workshop to integrate bioscience theory with clinical nursing practice. The team-teaching workshop was offered prior to commencement of the university semester as a refresher course at an Australian university. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed methods design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative items. An evaluation survey with quantitative and qualitative items and a focus group were employed. The qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach. The quantitative data was combined with the emergent themes in the qualitative data. Participants were final year nursing students. Nine students attended the workshop. All students completed the evaluation (N=9) and 44.4% (N=4) attended the focus group. The results revealed six themes: (1) lectures are an inadequate teaching strategy for bioscience; (2) teaching strategies which incorporate active learning engage students; (3) the team-teaching workshop provides an effective learning environment; (4) the workshop content should be expanded; (5) pharmacology should relate to bioscience, and bioscience should relate to nursing; and (6) team-teaching was effective in integrating pharmacology with bioscience, and then translating this into nursing practice. Students had felt there was disjointedness between pharmacology and bioscience, and between bioscience and nursing care within their undergraduate studies. The workshop that was based on team-teaching bridged those gaps, utilised active learning strategies and provided an effective learning environment. Team-teaching that employs active learning strategies is an effective approach to assist nursing students to integrate bioscience knowledge into their nursing practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimum hospice at home services for end-of-life care: protocol of a mixed-methods study employing realist evaluation.

PubMed

Butler, Claire; Brigden, Charlotte; Gage, Heather; Williams, Peter; Holdsworth, Laura; Greene, Kay; Wee, Bee; Barclay, Stephen; Wilson, Patricia

2018-05-16

Hospice at home (HAH) services aim to enable patients to be cared for and die in their place of choice, if that is at home, and to achieve a 'good death'. There is a considerable range of HAH services operating in England. The published evidence focuses on evaluations of individual services which vary considerably, and there is a lack of consistency in terms of the outcome measures reported. The evidence, therefore, does not provide generalisable information, so the question 'What are the features of hospice at home service models that work, for whom, and under what circumstances?' remains unanswered. The study aims to answer this question. This is a mixed-methods study in three phases informed by realist evaluation methodology. All HAH services in England will be invited to participate in a telephone survey to enable the development of a typology of services. In the second phase, case study sites representing the different service types will collect patient data and recruit carers, service managers and commissioners to gather quantitative and qualitative data about service provision and outcomes. A third phase will synthesise and refine the results through consensus workshops. The first survey phase has university ethics approval and the second phase, Integrated Research Application System (IRAS) and Health Research Authority (HRA) approval (IRAS ID:205986, REC:17/LO/0880); the third phase does not require ethics approval. Dissemination will be facilitated by project coapplicants with established connections to national policy-making forums, in addition to publications, conference presentations and reports targeted to service providers and commissioners. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Matrix interference evaluation employing GC and LC coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Uclés, S; Lozano, A; Sosa, A; Parrilla Vázquez, P; Valverde, A; Fernández-Alba, A R

2017-11-01

Gas and liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry are currently the most powerful tools employed for the routine analysis of pesticide residues in food control laboratories. However, whatever the multiresidue extraction method, there will be a residual matrix effect making it difficult to identify/quantify some specific compounds in certain cases. Two main effects stand out: (i) co-elution with isobaric matrix interferents, which can be a major drawback for unequivocal identification, and therefore false negative detections, and (ii) signal suppression/enhancement, commonly called the "matrix effect", which may cause serious problems including inaccurate quantitation, low analyte detectability and increased method uncertainty. The aim of this analytical study is to provide a framework for evaluating the maximum expected errors associated with the matrix effects. The worst-case study contrived to give an estimation of the extreme errors caused by matrix effects when extraction/determination protocols are applied in routine multiresidue analysis. Twenty-five different blank matrices extracted with the four most common extraction methods used in routine analysis (citrate QuEChERS with/without PSA clean-up, ethyl acetate and the Dutch mini-Luke "NL" methods) were evaluated by both GC-QqQ-MS/MS and LC-QqQ-MS/MS. The results showed that the presence of matrix compounds with isobaric transitions to target pesticides was higher in GC than under LC in the experimental conditions tested. In a second study, the number of "potential" false negatives was evaluated. For that, ten matrices with higher percentages of natural interfering components were checked. Additionally, the results showed that for more than 90% of the cases, pesticide quantification was not affected by matrix-matched standard calibration when an interferent was kept constant along the calibration curve. The error in quantification depended on the concentration level. In a third study, the "matrix effect" was evaluated for each commodity/extraction method. Results showed 44% of cases with suppression/enhancement for LC and 93% of cases with enhancement for GC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Employment among Patients with Multiple Sclerosis-A Population Study

PubMed Central

Bøe Lunde, Hanne Marie; Telstad, Wenche; Grytten, Nina; Kyte, Lars; Aarseth, Jan; Myhr, Kjell-Morten; Bø, Lars

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate demographic and clinical factors associated with employment in MS. Methods The study included 213 (89.9%) of all MS patients in Sogn and Fjordane County, Western Norway at December 31st 2010. The patients underwent clinical evaluation, structured interviews and completed self-reported questionnaires. Demographic and clinical factors were compared between patients being employed versus patients being unemployed and according to disease course of MS. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors independently associated with current employment. Results After a mean disease duration of almost 19 years, 45% of the population was currently full-time or part- time employed. Patients with relapsing –remitting MS (RRMS) had higher employment rate than patients with secondary (SPMS) and primary progressive (PPMS). Higher educated MS patients with lower age at onset, shorter disease duration, less severe disability and less fatigue were most likely to be employed. Conclusions Nearly half of all MS patients were still employed after almost two decades of having MS. Lower age at onset, shorter disease duration, higher education, less fatigue and less disability were independently associated with current employment. These key clinical and demographic factors are important to understand the reasons to work ability in MS. The findings highlight the need for environmental adjustments at the workplace to accommodate individual ’s needs in order to improve working ability among MS patients. PMID:25054972

Development and evaluation of an acoustic device to estimate size distribution of channel catfish in commercial ponds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As one step in the continued effort to utilize acoustic methods and techniques to the betterment of catfish aquaculture, an acoustic “catfish sizer” was designed to determine the size distribution of Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus in commercial ponds. The catfish sizer employed a custom-built 4...

Design and Effects of an Academic Development Programme on Leadership for Educational Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grunefeld, Hetty; van Tartwijk, Jan; Jongen, Havva; Wubbels, Theo

2015-01-01

This article describes and assesses the design and effects of one of the first academic development programmes on Leadership for Educational Change. The participants are senior academics, involved in leadership of teaching and learning. We report on an evaluation using a mixed-method approach employing a self-report questionnaire administered to…

The Effect of Portfolio Assessments on Metacognitive Skills and on Attitudes toward a Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gencel, Ilke Evin

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine through teacher candidates' thoughts the effects of a portfolio assessment implementation on their metacognitive skills and attitudes towards a course on measurement and evaluation. Exploratory sequential mixed-methods design is employed within the study. The pretest/posttest control group design was used in…

Classroom Interaction Strategies Employed by English Teachers at Lower Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suryati, Nunung

2015-01-01

This article reports a study on teachers' use of interaction strategies in English Language Teaching (ELT) in lower secondary level of education. The study involved eighteen teachers from Lower Secondary Schools in Malang, East Java. Classroom observation was selected as a method in this study by utilizing Self Evaluation Teacher Talk (SETT) as…

A Comparison of Three Approaches to Correct for Direct and Indirect Range Restrictions: A Simulation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfaffel, Andreas; Schober, Barbara; Spiel, Christiane

2016-01-01

A common methodological problem in the evaluation of the predictive validity of selection methods, e.g. in educational and employment selection, is that the correlation between predictor and criterion is biased. Thorndike's (1949) formulas are commonly used to correct for this biased correlation. An alternative approach is to view the selection…

A Nurse-Led Smoking Cessation Clinic--Quit Rate Results and Views of Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, K. A.; Parahoo, A. K.; Blair, N.

2007-01-01

This study evaluated the success of a community nurse-led smoking cessation clinic, based in one trust in Northern Ireland. The clinic operated a group therapy approach. The study employed quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection to measure smoking behaviour and to gain the views of participants. Smoking behaviour was measured by…

The New Jersey Department of Higher Education's Health Manpower Planning Contract. Final Comprehensive Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomson, Jon; Vasilenko, Patricia

This report of the New Jersey Department of Higher Education's Health Manpower Planning Contract describes project activities and assessment methods and models, presents data on employment supply and demand, and provides samples of questionnaires and forms that were used. The department was required under contract to: survey and evaluate pertinent…

Can a "Psychosocial Model" Help Explain Violence Perpetrated by Female Batterers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferreira, Regardt J.; Buttell, Frederick P.

2016-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the psychosocial predictors of propensity for abusiveness among a large sample of women ordered into a 26-week batterer intervention program (BIP). Method: The study employed a nonequivalent, control group design (comparing program completers to dropouts) in a secondary analysis of 485 women.…

Online Learning Era: Exploring the Most Decisive Determinants of MOOCs in Taiwanese Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Ming-Yuan

2016-01-01

Because the development of Taiwanese Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) websites is at this moment full of vitality, this research employs a series of analytical cross-measurements of Quality Function Deployment method of House of Quality (QFD-HOQ) model and Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methodology to cross-evaluate the weighted…

Formative Feedback Using Pseudo Peer Diagrams: Evaluating System Equilibrium of Buoyancy Forces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Sensen

2013-01-01

This study introduces an innovative instructional method, called "pseudo peer diagram" (PPD), where students employ executive skills to compare and contrast their work with others' as a formative feedback mechanism. The focus of this study is how students compare and contrast their own diagrams with the pseudo peer diagrams as a stimulus…

Performance Evaluation of Technical Institutions: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debnath, Roma Mitra; Shankar, Ravi; Kumar, Surender

2008-01-01

Technical institutions (TIs) are playing an important role in making India a knowledge hub of this century. There is still great diversity in their relative performance, which is a matter of concern to the education planner. This article employs the method of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to compare the relative efficiency of TIs in India. The…

Teachers Helping Teachers: A Professional Development Model That Promotes Teacher Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghamrawi, Norma

2013-01-01

This mixed methods study reports on the outcomes of a professional development model (PDM) developed by a K-12 private school in Beirut, Lebanon, after 3 years of its employment. Specifically, an evaluation of this PDM is provided with special emphasis on its potential of developing teacher leaders at school. The PDM embraces a constructivist…

Gender and Batterer Intervention: Implications of a Program Evaluation for Policy and Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamel, John; Ferreira, Regardt J.; Buttell, Fred

2017-01-01

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of gender and other variables commonly associated with intimate partner abuse perpetration on program completion and pretreatment abusiveness profiles among a sample of men and women ordered into a 52-week batterer intervention program (BIP). Method: The study employed a…

Classical Item Analysis Using Latent Variable Modeling: A Note on a Direct Evaluation Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Marcoulides, George A.

2011-01-01

A directly applicable latent variable modeling procedure for classical item analysis is outlined. The method allows one to point and interval estimate item difficulty, item correlations, and item-total correlations for composites consisting of categorical items. The approach is readily employed in empirical research and as a by-product permits…

Analysis of protein oxidation in serum of fetal and newborn piglets and the influence of iron dextran on induction of protein carbonyls.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Methods were employed to evaluate serum biomarkers associated with protein oxidative stress and damage, to determine potential sources of metabolic stress in baby pigs. Protein carbonyls in serum were converted to dinitrophenyl (DNP) derivatives with DNP-hydrazine, precipitated with TCA, extracted i...

Employer Expectations of Sport Managers and Evaluation of Sport Management Programs in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeSensi, Joy T.; And Others

The report consists of a series of studies designed to assess the needs of sport management positions and evaluate sport management programs/curricula in institutions of higher education. Three surveys were conducted to determine: (1) employer expectations of sport managers; (2) employer evaluation of educational sport management…

A method for fast determination of psoralens in oral solutions of phytomedicines using liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Pires, Adriana Elias; Honda, Neli Kiko; Cardoso, Cláudia Andréa Lima

2004-10-29

A method for sample preparation and analysis by high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV) has been developed for routine analysis of psoralen and bergapten, photosensitizing compounds, in oral solutions of phytomedicines employed in Brazil for some illnesses. The linearity, accuracy, the inter- and intra-day precision of the procedure were evaluated. Calibration curves for psoralen and bergapten were linear in the range of 1.0-600.0 microg ml(-1) and 1.0-400.0 microg ml(-1) respectively. The recoveries of the psoralens in the oral solutions analysed were 94.43-99.97%. The percentage coefficient of variation (CV) of the quantitative analysis of the psoralens in the products analysis was within 5%. In inter-equipment study was employed gas chromatography-flame ionization (CG-FID) detection.

Systematic evaluation of implementation fidelity of complex interventions in health and social care

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Evaluation of an implementation process and its fidelity can give insight into the 'black box' of interventions. However, a lack of standardized methods for studying fidelity and implementation process have been reported, which might be one reason for the fact that few prior studies in the field of health service research have systematically evaluated interventions' implementation processes. The aim of this project is to systematically evaluate implementation fidelity and possible factors influencing fidelity of complex interventions in health and social care. Methods A modified version of The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity will be used as a conceptual model for the evaluation. The modification implies two additional moderating factors: context and recruitment. A systematic evaluation process was developed. Multiple case study method is used to investigate implementation of three complex health service interventions. Each case will be investigated in depth and longitudinally, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Discussion This study is the first attempt to empirically test The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity. The study can highlight mechanism and factors of importance when implementing complex interventions. Especially the role of the moderating factors on implementation fidelity can be clarified. Trial Registration Supported Employment, SE, among people with severe mental illness -- a randomized controlled trial: NCT00960024. PMID:20815872

Research on simulated infrared image utility evaluation using deep representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruiheng; Mu, Chengpo; Yang, Yu; Xu, Lixin

2018-01-01

Infrared (IR) image simulation is an important data source for various target recognition systems. However, whether simulated IR images could be used as training data for classifiers depends on the features of fidelity and authenticity of simulated IR images. For evaluation of IR image features, a deep-representation-based algorithm is proposed. Being different from conventional methods, which usually adopt a priori knowledge or manually designed feature, the proposed method can extract essential features and quantitatively evaluate the utility of simulated IR images. First, for data preparation, we employ our IR image simulation system to generate large amounts of IR images. Then, we present the evaluation model of simulated IR image, for which an end-to-end IR feature extraction and target detection model based on deep convolutional neural network is designed. At last, the experiments illustrate that our proposed method outperforms other verification algorithms in evaluating simulated IR images. Cross-validation, variable proportion mixed data validation, and simulation process contrast experiments are carried out to evaluate the utility and objectivity of the images generated by our simulation system. The optimum mixing ratio between simulated and real data is 0.2≤γ≤0.3, which is an effective data augmentation method for real IR images.

An improved swarm optimization for parameter estimation and biological model selection.

PubMed

Abdullah, Afnizanfaizal; Deris, Safaai; Mohamad, Mohd Saberi; Anwar, Sohail

2013-01-01

One of the key aspects of computational systems biology is the investigation on the dynamic biological processes within cells. Computational models are often required to elucidate the mechanisms and principles driving the processes because of the nonlinearity and complexity. The models usually incorporate a set of parameters that signify the physical properties of the actual biological systems. In most cases, these parameters are estimated by fitting the model outputs with the corresponding experimental data. However, this is a challenging task because the available experimental data are frequently noisy and incomplete. In this paper, a new hybrid optimization method is proposed to estimate these parameters from the noisy and incomplete experimental data. The proposed method, called Swarm-based Chemical Reaction Optimization, integrates the evolutionary searching strategy employed by the Chemical Reaction Optimization, into the neighbouring searching strategy of the Firefly Algorithm method. The effectiveness of the method was evaluated using a simulated nonlinear model and two biological models: synthetic transcriptional oscillators, and extracellular protease production models. The results showed that the accuracy and computational speed of the proposed method were better than the existing Differential Evolution, Firefly Algorithm and Chemical Reaction Optimization methods. The reliability of the estimated parameters was statistically validated, which suggests that the model outputs produced by these parameters were valid even when noisy and incomplete experimental data were used. Additionally, Akaike Information Criterion was employed to evaluate the model selection, which highlighted the capability of the proposed method in choosing a plausible model based on the experimental data. In conclusion, this paper presents the effectiveness of the proposed method for parameter estimation and model selection problems using noisy and incomplete experimental data. This study is hoped to provide a new insight in developing more accurate and reliable biological models based on limited and low quality experimental data.

A strategy for evaluating pathway analysis methods.

PubMed

Yu, Chenggang; Woo, Hyung Jun; Yu, Xueping; Oyama, Tatsuya; Wallqvist, Anders; Reifman, Jaques

2017-10-13

Researchers have previously developed a multitude of methods designed to identify biological pathways associated with specific clinical or experimental conditions of interest, with the aim of facilitating biological interpretation of high-throughput data. Before practically applying such pathway analysis (PA) methods, we must first evaluate their performance and reliability, using datasets where the pathways perturbed by the conditions of interest have been well characterized in advance. However, such 'ground truths' (or gold standards) are often unavailable. Furthermore, previous evaluation strategies that have focused on defining 'true answers' are unable to systematically and objectively assess PA methods under a wide range of conditions. In this work, we propose a novel strategy for evaluating PA methods independently of any gold standard, either established or assumed. The strategy involves the use of two mutually complementary metrics, recall and discrimination. Recall measures the consistency of the perturbed pathways identified by applying a particular analysis method to an original large dataset and those identified by the same method to a sub-dataset of the original dataset. In contrast, discrimination measures specificity-the degree to which the perturbed pathways identified by a particular method to a dataset from one experiment differ from those identifying by the same method to a dataset from a different experiment. We used these metrics and 24 datasets to evaluate six widely used PA methods. The results highlighted the common challenge in reliably identifying significant pathways from small datasets. Importantly, we confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed dual-metric strategy by showing that previous comparative studies corroborate the performance evaluations of the six methods obtained by our strategy. Unlike any previously proposed strategy for evaluating the performance of PA methods, our dual-metric strategy does not rely on any ground truth, either established or assumed, of the pathways perturbed by a specific clinical or experimental condition. As such, our strategy allows researchers to systematically and objectively evaluate pathway analysis methods by employing any number of datasets for a variety of conditions.

Development of methods for using workers' compensation data for surveillance and prevention of occupational injuries among State-insured private employers in Ohio.

PubMed

Wurzelbacher, Steven J; Al-Tarawneh, Ibraheem S; Meyers, Alysha R; Bushnell, P Timothy; Lampl, Michael P; Robins, David C; Tseng, Chih-Yu; Wei, Chia; Bertke, Stephen J; Raudabaugh, Jill A; Haviland, Thomas M; Schnorr, Teresa M

2016-12-01

Workers' compensation (WC) claims data may be useful for identifying high-risk industries and developing prevention strategies. WC claims data from private-industry employers insured by the Ohio state-based workers' compensation carrier from 2001 to 2011 were linked with the state's unemployment insurance (UI) data on the employer's industry and number of employees. National Labor Productivity and Costs survey data were used to adjust UI data and estimate full-time equivalents (FTE). Rates of WC claims per 100 FTE were computed and Poisson regression was used to evaluate differences in rates. Most industries showed substantial claim count and rate reductions from 2001 to 2008, followed by a leveling or slight increase in claim count and rate from 2009 to 2011. Despite reductions, there were industry groups that had consistently higher rates. WC claims data linked to employment data could be used to prioritize industries for injury research and prevention activities among State-insured private employers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:1087-1104, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluating the Good Ontology Design Guideline (GoodOD) with the ontology quality requirements and evaluation method and metrics (OQuaRE).

PubMed

Duque-Ramos, Astrid; Boeker, Martin; Jansen, Ludger; Schulz, Stefan; Iniesta, Miguela; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás

2014-01-01

To (1) evaluate the GoodOD guideline for ontology development by applying the OQuaRE evaluation method and metrics to the ontology artefacts that were produced by students in a randomized controlled trial, and (2) informally compare the OQuaRE evaluation method with gold standard and competency questions based evaluation methods, respectively. In the last decades many methods for ontology construction and ontology evaluation have been proposed. However, none of them has become a standard and there is no empirical evidence of comparative evaluation of such methods. This paper brings together GoodOD and OQuaRE. GoodOD is a guideline for developing robust ontologies. It was previously evaluated in a randomized controlled trial employing metrics based on gold standard ontologies and competency questions as outcome parameters. OQuaRE is a method for ontology quality evaluation which adapts the SQuaRE standard for software product quality to ontologies and has been successfully used for evaluating the quality of ontologies. In this paper, we evaluate the effect of training in ontology construction based on the GoodOD guideline within the OQuaRE quality evaluation framework and compare the results with those obtained for the previous studies based on the same data. Our results show a significant effect of the GoodOD training over developed ontologies by topics: (a) a highly significant effect was detected in three topics from the analysis of the ontologies of untrained and trained students; (b) both positive and negative training effects with respect to the gold standard were found for five topics. The GoodOD guideline had a significant effect over the quality of the ontologies developed. Our results show that GoodOD ontologies can be effectively evaluated using OQuaRE and that OQuaRE is able to provide additional useful information about the quality of the GoodOD ontologies.

Implementation of Evidence-Based Employment Services in Specialty Mental Health

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Alison B; Cohen, Amy N; Glover, Dawn L; Whelan, Fiona; Chemerinski, Eran; McNagny, Kirk P; Mullins, Deborah; Reist, Christopher; Schubert, Max; Young, Alexander S

2013-01-01

Objective. Study a quality improvement approach for implementing evidence-based employment services at specialty mental health clinics. Data Sources/Study Setting. Semistructured interviews with clinicians and administrators before, during, and after implementation. Qualitative field notes, structured baseline and follow-up interviews with patients, semistructured interviews with patients after implementation, and administrative data. Study Design. Site-level controlled trial at four implementation and four control sites. Hybrid implementation–effectiveness study with mixed methods intervention evaluation design. Data Collection/Extraction Methods. Site visits, in-person and telephone interviews, patient surveys, patient self-assessment. A total of 801 patients completed baseline surveys and 53 clinicians and other clinical key stakeholders completed longitudinal qualitative interviews. Principal Findings. At baseline, sites varied in the availability, utilization, and quality of supported employment. Each site needed quality improvement for this service, though for differing reasons, with some needing development of the service itself and others needing increased service capacity. Improvements in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and referral behaviors were evident in mid- and postimplementation interviews, though some barriers persisted. Half of patients expressed an interest in working at baseline. Patients at implementation sites were 2.3 times more likely to receive employment services during the study year. Those who had a service visit were more likely to be employed at follow-up than those who did not. Conclusions. Studies of implementation and effectiveness require mixed methods to both enhance implementation in real time and provide context for interpretation of complex results. In this study, a quality improvement approach resulted in superior patient-level outcomes and improved clinician knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, in the context of substantial variation among sites. PMID:24138608

IMPROVED EXPERIMENTAL MODEL TO EVALUATE SUBMUCOSAL INJECTION SOLUTIONS FOR ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION

PubMed Central

YAMAZAKI, Kendi; MALUF-FILHO, Fauze; da COSTA, Vitor Alves Pessoa; PESSORRUSSO, Fernanda Cristina Simões; HONDO, Fabio Yuji; SAKAI, Paulo; de FIGUEIREDO, Luis Francisco Poli

2015-01-01

Background : Endoscopic submucosal dissection carries an increased risk of bleeding and perforation. The creation of a long lasting submucosal cushion is essential for the safe and complete removal of the lesion. There is not a suitable experimental model for evaluation of the durability of the cushioning effect of different solutions. Aim : To describe an improved experimental model to evaluate submucosal injection solutions. Methods : A total of four domestic pigs were employed to evaluate two different submucosal fluid solutions in the gastric submucosa. After midline laparotomy, the anterior gastric wall was incised from the gastric body to the antrum and its mucosal surface was exposed by flipping inside out the incised gastric wall. Two different solutions (10% mannitol and normal saline) were injected in the submucosa of the anterior wall of the distal gastric body. All submucosal cushions were injected until they reach the same size, standardized as 1.0 cm in height and 2.0 cm in diameter. A caliper and a ruler were employed to guarantee accuracy of the measurements. Results : All four animal experiments were completed. All submucosal cushions had the exact same size measured with caliper and a ruler. By using the mannitol solution, the mean duration of the submucosal cushion was longer than the saline solution: 20 and 22 min (mean, 21 min) vs 5 and 6 min (mean, 5.5 min) Conclusions : This experimental model is simple and evaluate the duration, size, and effect of the submucosal cushion, making it more reliable than other models that employ resected porcine stomachs or endoscopic images in live porcine models. PMID:26734797

Construction of the descriptive system for the assessment of quality of life AQoL-6D utility instrument

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Multi attribute utility (MAU) instruments are used to include the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in economic evaluations of health programs. Comparative studies suggest different MAU instruments measure related but different constructs. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods employed to achieve content validity in the descriptive system of the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-6D, MAU instrument. Methods The AQoL program introduced the use of psychometric methods in the construction of health related MAU instruments. To develop the AQoL-6D we selected 112 items from previous research, focus groups and expert judgment and administered them to 316 members of the public and 302 hospital patients. The search for content validity across a broad spectrum of health states required both formative and reflective modelling. We employed Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to meet these dual requirements. Results and Discussion The resulting instrument employs 20 items in a multi-tier descriptive system. Latent dimension variables achieve sensitive descriptions of 6 dimensions which, in turn, combine to form a single latent QoL variable. Diagnostic statistics from the SEM analysis are exceptionally good and confirm the hypothesised structure of the model. Conclusions The AQoL-6D descriptive system has good psychometric properties. They imply that the instrument has achieved construct validity and provides a sensitive description of HRQoL. This means that it may be used with confidence for measuring health related quality of life and that it is a suitable basis for modelling utilities for inclusion in the economic evaluation of health programs. PMID:22507254

A comparison of four porewater sampling methods for metal mixtures and dissolved organic carbon and the implications for sediment toxicity evaluations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cleveland, Danielle; Brumbaugh, William G.; MacDonald, Donald D.

2017-01-01

Evaluations of sediment quality conditions are commonly conducted using whole-sediment chemistry analyses but can be enhanced by evaluating multiple lines of evidence, including measures of the bioavailable forms of contaminants. In particular, porewater chemistry data provide information that is directly relevant for interpreting sediment toxicity data. Various methods for sampling porewater for trace metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is an important moderator of metal bioavailability, have been employed. The present study compares the peeper, push point, centrifugation, and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) methods for the quantification of 6 metals and DOC. The methods were evaluated at low and high concentrations of metals in 3 sediments having different concentrations of total organic carbon and acid volatile sulfide and different particle-size distributions. At low metal concentrations, centrifugation and push point sampling resulted in up to 100 times higher concentrations of metals and DOC in porewater compared with peepers and DGTs. At elevated metal levels, the measured concentrations were in better agreement among the 4 sampling techniques. The results indicate that there can be marked differences among operationally different porewater sampling methods, and it is unclear if there is a definitive best method for sampling metals and DOC in porewater.

Effectiveness of the Stewart Method in the Evaluation of Blood Gas Parameters.

PubMed

Gezer, Mustafa; Bulucu, Fatih; Ozturk, Kadir; Kilic, Selim; Kaldirim, Umit; Eyi, Yusuf Emrah

2015-03-01

In 1981, Peter A. Stewart published a paper describing his concept for employing Strong Ion Difference. In this study we compared the HCO3 levels and Anion Gap (AG) calculated using the classic method and the Stewart method. Four hundred nine (409) arterial blood gases of 90 patients were collected retrospectively. Some were obtained from the same patients in different times and conditions. All blood samples were evaluated using the same device (ABL 800 Blood Gas Analyzer). HCO3 level and AG were calculated using the Stewart method via the website AcidBase.org. HCO3 levels, AG and strong ion difference (SID) were calculated using the Stewart method, incorporating the parameters of age, serum lactate, glucose, sodium, and pH, etc. According to classic method, the levels of HCO3 and AG were 22.4±7.2 mEq/L and 20.1±4.1 mEq/L respectively. According to Stewart method, the levels of HCO3 and AG were 22.6±7.4 and 19.9±4.5 mEq/L respectively. There was strong correlation between the classic method and the Stewart method for calculating HCO3 and AG. The Stewart method may be more effective in the evaluation of complex metabolic acidosis.

Usability evaluation techniques in mobile commerce applications: A systematic review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.

2016-08-01

Obviously, there are a number of literatures concerning the usability of mobile commerce (m-commerce) applications and related areas, but they do not adequately provide knowledge about usability techniques used in most of the empirical usability evaluation for m-commerce application. Therefore, this paper is aimed at producing the usability techniques frequently used in the aspect of usability evaluation for m-commerce applications. To achieve the stated objective, systematic literature review was employed. Sixty seven papers were downloaded in usability evaluation for m-commerce and related areas; twenty one most relevant studies were selected for review in order to extract the appropriate information. The results from the review shows that heuristic evaluation, formal test and think aloud methods are the most commonly used methods in m-commerce application in comparison to cognitive walkthrough and the informal test methods. Moreover, most of the studies applied control experiment (33.3% of the total studies); other studies that applied case study for usability evaluation are 14.28%. The results from this paper provide additional knowledge to the usability practitioners and research community for the current state and use of usability techniques in m-commerce application.

Application of Adaptive Autopilot Designs for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shin, Yoonghyun; Calise, Anthony J.; Motter, Mark A.

2005-01-01

This paper summarizes the application of two adaptive approaches to autopilot design, and presents an evaluation and comparison of the two approaches in simulation for an unmanned aerial vehicle. One approach employs two-stage dynamic inversion and the other employs feedback dynamic inversions based on a command augmentation system. Both are augmented with neural network based adaptive elements. The approaches permit adaptation to both parametric uncertainty and unmodeled dynamics, and incorporate a method that permits adaptation during periods of control saturation. Simulation results for an FQM-117B radio controlled miniature aerial vehicle are presented to illustrate the performance of the neural network based adaptation.

Value of Landsat in urban water resources planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, T. J.; Ragan, R. M.

1977-01-01

The reported investigation had the objective to evaluate the utility of satellite multispectral remote sensing in urban water resources planning. The results are presented of a study which was conducted to determine the economic impact of Landsat data. The use of Landsat data to estimate hydrologic model parameters employed in urban water resources planning is discussed. A decision regarding an employment of the Landsat data has to consider the tradeoff between data accuracy and cost. Bayesian decision theory is used in this connection. It is concluded that computer-aided interpretation of Landsat data is a highly cost-effective method of estimating the percentage of impervious area.

Theoretical and numerical investigations towards a new geoid model for the Mediterranean Sea - The GEOMED2 project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barzaghi, Riccardo; Vergos, Georgios S.; Albertella, Alberta; Carrion, Daniela; Cazzaniga, Noemi; Tziavos, Ilias N.; Grigoriadis, Vassilios N.; Natsiopoulos, Dimitrios A.; Bruinsma, Sean; Bonvalot, Sylvain; Lequentrec-Lalancette, Marie-Françoise; Bonnefond, Pascal; Knudsen, Per; Andersen, Ole; Simav, Mehmet; Yildiz, Hasan; Basic, Tomislav; Gil, Antonio J.

2016-04-01

The unique features of the Mediterranean Sea, with its large gravity variations, complex circulation, and geodynamic peculiarities have always constituted this semi-enclosed sea area as a unique geodetic, geodynamics and ocean laboratory. The main scope of the GEOMED 2 project is the collection of all available gravity, topography/bathymetry and satellite altimetry data in order to improve the representation of the marine geoid and estimate the Mean Dynamic sea surface Topography (MDT) and the circulation with higher accuracy and resolution. Within GEOMED2, the data employed are land and marine gravity data, GOCE/GRACE based Global Geopotential Models and a combination after proper validation of MISTRAL, HOMONIM and SRTM/bathymetry terrain models. In this work we present the results achieved for an inner test region spanning the Adriatic Sea area, bounded between 36o < φ < 48o and 10o < λ < 22o. Within this test region, the available terrain/bathymetry models have been evaluated in terms of their contribution to geoid modeling, the processing methodologies have been tested in terms of the provided geoid accuracy and finally some preliminary results on the MDT determination have been compiled. The aforementioned will server as the guide for the Mediterranean-wide marine geoid estimation. The processing methodology was based on the well-known remove-compute-restore method following both stochastic and spectral methods. Classic least-squares collocation (LSC) with errors has been employed, along with fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based techniques, the Least-Squares Modification of Stokes' Formula (KTH) method and windowed LSC. All methods have been evaluated against in-situ collocated GPS/Levelling geoid heights, using EGM2008 as a reference, in order to conclude on the one(s) to be used for the basin-wide geoid evaluation.

[Work-related stress and psychological distress assessment in urban and suburban public transportation companies].

PubMed

Romeo, L; Lazzarini, G; Farisè, E; Quintarelli, E; Riolfi, A; Perbellini, L

2012-01-01

The risk of work-related stress has been determined in bus drivers and workers employed in the service department of two urban and suburban public transportation companies. The INAIL evaluation method (Check list and HSE indicator tool) was used. The GHQ-12 questionnaire, which is widely used to assess the level of psychological distress, was also employed. 81.9% of workers involved in the survey answered both the HSE indicator tool and the GHQ-12 questionnaire. The Check list evaluation showed an increase in quantifiable company stress indicators while close examination using the HSE indicator tool demonstrated critical situations for all the subscales, with the control subscales more problematic in bus drivers. The demand, manager's support, relationships and change subscales were most associated with psychological distress in bus drivers, while relationships, role, change and demand subscales were negatively related in workers of the service department.

Accuracy Evaluation of the Unified P-Value from Combining Correlated P-Values

PubMed Central

Alves, Gelio; Yu, Yi-Kuo

2014-01-01

Meta-analysis methods that combine -values into a single unified -value are frequently employed to improve confidence in hypothesis testing. An assumption made by most meta-analysis methods is that the -values to be combined are independent, which may not always be true. To investigate the accuracy of the unified -value from combining correlated -values, we have evaluated a family of statistical methods that combine: independent, weighted independent, correlated, and weighted correlated -values. Statistical accuracy evaluation by combining simulated correlated -values showed that correlation among -values can have a significant effect on the accuracy of the combined -value obtained. Among the statistical methods evaluated those that weight -values compute more accurate combined -values than those that do not. Also, statistical methods that utilize the correlation information have the best performance, producing significantly more accurate combined -values. In our study we have demonstrated that statistical methods that combine -values based on the assumption of independence can produce inaccurate -values when combining correlated -values, even when the -values are only weakly correlated. Therefore, to prevent from drawing false conclusions during hypothesis testing, our study advises caution be used when interpreting the -value obtained from combining -values of unknown correlation. However, when the correlation information is available, the weighting-capable statistical method, first introduced by Brown and recently modified by Hou, seems to perform the best amongst the methods investigated. PMID:24663491

Precipitation forecast using artificial neural networks. An application to the Guadalupe Valley, Baja California, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera-Oliva, C. S.

2013-05-01

In this work we design and implement a method for the determination of precipitation forecast through the application of an elementary neuronal network (perceptron) to the statistical analysis of the precipitation reported in catalogues. The method is limited mainly by the catalogue length (and, in a smaller degree, by its accuracy). The method performance is measured using grading functions that evaluate a tradeoff between positive and negative aspects of performance. The method is applied to the Guadalupe Valley, Baja California, Mexico. Using consecutive intervals of dt=0.1 year, employing the data of several climatological stations situated in and surrounding this important wine industries zone. We evaluated the performance of different models of ANN, whose variables of entrance are the heights of precipitation. The results obtained were satisfactory, except for exceptional values of rain. Key words: precipitation forecast, artificial neural networks, statistical analysis

Lesion Border Detection in Dermoscopy Images

PubMed Central

Celebi, M. Emre; Schaefer, Gerald; Iyatomi, Hitoshi; Stoecker, William V.

2009-01-01

Background Dermoscopy is one of the major imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of melanoma and other pigmented skin lesions. Due to the difficulty and subjectivity of human interpretation, computerized analysis of dermoscopy images has become an important research area. One of the most important steps in dermoscopy image analysis is the automated detection of lesion borders. Methods In this article, we present a systematic overview of the recent border detection methods in the literature paying particular attention to computational issues and evaluation aspects. Conclusion Common problems with the existing approaches include the acquisition, size, and diagnostic distribution of the test image set, the evaluation of the results, and the inadequate description of the employed methods. Border determination by dermatologists appears to depend upon higher-level knowledge, therefore it is likely that the incorporation of domain knowledge in automated methods will enable them to perform better, especially in sets of images with a variety of diagnoses. PMID:19121917

A machine learning approach for efficient uncertainty quantification using multiscale methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Shing; Elsheikh, Ahmed H.

2018-02-01

Several multiscale methods account for sub-grid scale features using coarse scale basis functions. For example, in the Multiscale Finite Volume method the coarse scale basis functions are obtained by solving a set of local problems over dual-grid cells. We introduce a data-driven approach for the estimation of these coarse scale basis functions. Specifically, we employ a neural network predictor fitted using a set of solution samples from which it learns to generate subsequent basis functions at a lower computational cost than solving the local problems. The computational advantage of this approach is realized for uncertainty quantification tasks where a large number of realizations has to be evaluated. We attribute the ability to learn these basis functions to the modularity of the local problems and the redundancy of the permeability patches between samples. The proposed method is evaluated on elliptic problems yielding very promising results.

Numerical Approximation of Elasticity Tensor Associated With Green-Naghdi Rate.

PubMed

Liu, Haofei; Sun, Wei

2017-08-01

Objective stress rates are often used in commercial finite element (FE) programs. However, deriving a consistent tangent modulus tensor (also known as elasticity tensor or material Jacobian) associated with the objective stress rates is challenging when complex material models are utilized. In this paper, an approximation method for the tangent modulus tensor associated with the Green-Naghdi rate of the Kirchhoff stress is employed to simplify the evaluation process. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated through the implementation of two user-defined fiber-reinforced hyperelastic material models. Comparisons between the approximation method and the closed-form analytical method demonstrate that the former can simplify the material Jacobian evaluation with satisfactory accuracy while retaining its computational efficiency. Moreover, since the approximation method is independent of material models, it can facilitate the implementation of complex material models in FE analysis using shell/membrane elements in abaqus.

A Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probe for Evaluation of Hidden Material Degradation in Conductive Structures Based on Lift-Off Invariance

PubMed Central

Li, Yong; Jing, Haoqing; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Yan, Bei

2017-01-01

Coated conductive structures are widely adopted in such engineering fields as aerospace, nuclear energy, etc. The hostile and corrosive environment leaves in-service coated conductive structures vulnerable to Hidden Material Degradation (HMD) occurring under the protection coating. It is highly demanded that HMD can be non-intrusively assessed using non-destructive evaluation techniques. In light of the advantages of Gradient-field Pulsed Eddy Current technique (GPEC) over other non-destructive evaluation methods in corrosion evaluation, in this paper the GPEC probe for quantitative evaluation of HMD is intensively investigated. Closed-form expressions of GPEC responses to HMD are formulated via analytical modeling. The Lift-off Invariance (LOI) in GPEC signals, which makes the HMD evaluation immune to the variation in thickness of the protection coating, is introduced and analyzed through simulations involving HMD with variable depths and conductivities. A fast inverse method employing magnitude and time of the LOI point in GPEC signals for simultaneously evaluating the conductivity and thickness of HMD region is proposed, and subsequently verified by finite element modeling and experiments. It has been found from the results that along with the proposed inverse method the GPEC probe is applicable to evaluation of HMD in coated conductive structures without much loss in accuracy. PMID:28441328

A Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probe for Evaluation of Hidden Material Degradation in Conductive Structures Based on Lift-Off Invariance.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Jing, Haoqing; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Yan, Bei

2017-04-25

Coated conductive structures are widely adopted in such engineering fields as aerospace, nuclear energy, etc. The hostile and corrosive environment leaves in-service coated conductive structures vulnerable to Hidden Material Degradation (HMD) occurring under the protection coating. It is highly demanded that HMD can be non-intrusively assessed using non-destructive evaluation techniques. In light of the advantages of Gradient-field Pulsed Eddy Current technique (GPEC) over other non-destructive evaluation methods in corrosion evaluation, in this paper the GPEC probe for quantitative evaluation of HMD is intensively investigated. Closed-form expressions of GPEC responses to HMD are formulated via analytical modeling. The Lift-off Invariance (LOI) in GPEC signals, which makes the HMD evaluation immune to the variation in thickness of the protection coating, is introduced and analyzed through simulations involving HMD with variable depths and conductivities. A fast inverse method employing magnitude and time of the LOI point in GPEC signals for simultaneously evaluating the conductivity and thickness of HMD region is proposed, and subsequently verified by finite element modeling and experiments. It has been found from the results that along with the proposed inverse method the GPEC probe is applicable to evaluation of HMD in coated conductive structures without much loss in accuracy.

Small acid soluble proteins for rapid spore identification.

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

Branda, Steven S.; Lane, Todd W.; VanderNoot, Victoria A.

2006-12-01

This one year LDRD addressed the problem of rapid characterization of bacterial spores such as those from the genus Bacillus, the group that contains pathogenic spores such as B. anthracis. In this effort we addressed the feasibility of using a proteomics based approach to spore characterization using a subset of conserved spore proteins known as the small acid soluble proteins or SASPs. We proposed developing techniques that built on our previous expertise in microseparations to rapidly characterize or identify spores. An alternative SASP extraction method was developed that was amenable to both the subsequent fluorescent labeling required for laser-induced fluorescencemore » detection and the low ionic strength requirements for isoelectric focusing. For the microseparations, both capillary isoelectric focusing and chip gel electrophoresis were employed. A variety of methods were evaluated to improve the molecular weight resolution for the SASPs, which are in a molecular weight range that is not well resolved by the current methods. Isoelectric focusing was optimized and employed to resolve the SASPs using UV absorbance detection. Proteomic signatures of native wild type Bacillus spores and clones genetically engineered to produce altered SASP patterns were assessed by slab gel electrophoresis, capillary isoelectric focusing with absorbance detection as well as microchip based gel electrophoresis employing sensitive laser-induced fluorescence detection.« less

Efficacy Evaluation of Different Wavelet Feature Extraction Methods on Brain MRI Tumor Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabizadeh, Nooshin; John, Nigel; Kubat, Miroslav

2014-03-01

Automated Magnetic Resonance Imaging brain tumor detection and segmentation is a challenging task. Among different available methods, feature-based methods are very dominant. While many feature extraction techniques have been employed, it is still not quite clear which of feature extraction methods should be preferred. To help improve the situation, we present the results of a study in which we evaluate the efficiency of using different wavelet transform features extraction methods in brain MRI abnormality detection. Applying T1-weighted brain image, Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), Discrete Wavelet Packet Transform (DWPT), Dual Tree Complex Wavelet Transform (DTCWT), and Complex Morlet Wavelet Transform (CMWT) methods are applied to construct the feature pool. Three various classifiers as Support Vector Machine, K Nearest Neighborhood, and Sparse Representation-Based Classifier are applied and compared for classifying the selected features. The results show that DTCWT and CMWT features classified with SVM, result in the highest classification accuracy, proving of capability of wavelet transform features to be informative in this application.

An Accurate Projector Calibration Method Based on Polynomial Distortion Representation

PubMed Central

Liu, Miao; Sun, Changku; Huang, Shujun; Zhang, Zonghua

2015-01-01

In structure light measurement systems or 3D printing systems, the errors caused by optical distortion of a digital projector always affect the precision performance and cannot be ignored. Existing methods to calibrate the projection distortion rely on calibration plate and photogrammetry, so the calibration performance is largely affected by the quality of the plate and the imaging system. This paper proposes a new projector calibration approach that makes use of photodiodes to directly detect the light emitted from a digital projector. By analyzing the output sequence of the photoelectric module, the pixel coordinates can be accurately obtained by the curve fitting method. A polynomial distortion representation is employed to reduce the residuals of the traditional distortion representation model. Experimental results and performance evaluation show that the proposed calibration method is able to avoid most of the disadvantages in traditional methods and achieves a higher accuracy. This proposed method is also practically applicable to evaluate the geometric optical performance of other optical projection system. PMID:26492247

Manual of Scaling Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bond, Thomas H. (Technical Monitor); Anderson, David N.

2004-01-01

This manual reviews the derivation of the similitude relationships believed to be important to ice accretion and examines ice-accretion data to evaluate their importance. Both size scaling and test-condition scaling methods employing the resulting similarity parameters are described, and experimental icing tests performed to evaluate scaling methods are reviewed with results. The material included applies primarily to unprotected, unswept geometries, but some discussion of how to approach other situations is included as well. The studies given here and scaling methods considered are applicable only to Appendix-C icing conditions. Nearly all of the experimental results presented have been obtained in sea-level tunnels. Recommendations are given regarding which scaling methods to use for both size scaling and test-condition scaling, and icing test results are described to support those recommendations. Facility limitations and size-scaling restrictions are discussed. Finally, appendices summarize the air, water and ice properties used in NASA scaling studies, give expressions for each of the similarity parameters used and provide sample calculations for the size-scaling and test-condition scaling methods advocated.

Curriculum Design and Evaluation: An Employer-Centered Action Approach. AIR Forum 1980 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehallis, Mantha Vlahos

The development and validation of an employer-centered action system for curriculum development and evaluation are described. The system used a descriptive/action research design whereby a research team interviewed all major employers in Broward County Florida in a two-year period. Results of an employer needs assessment and task analyses were…

Employment Assistance Planning Programs for Welfare Recipients: An Evaluation and the Development of a Screening Measure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Gary W.; And Others

A project was conducted to develop an assessment instrument for use in identifying welfare recipients who are potentially employable and to evaluate the effectiveness of Florida's three existing pilot employment assistance planning programs (termed PAPAs after the Public Assistance Productivity Act). Data on the employment status of 98 individuals…

Evaluation of a Noise Reduction Procedure for Chest Radiography

PubMed Central

Fukui, Ryohei; Ishii, Rie; Kodani, Kazuhiko; Kanasaki, Yoshiko; Suyama, Hisashi; Watanabe, Masanari; Nakamoto, Masaki; Fukuoka, Yasushi

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of noise reduction procedure (NRP), a function in the new image processing for chest radiography. Methods A CXDI-50G Portable Digital Radiography System (Canon) was used for X-ray detection. Image noise was analyzed with a noise power spectrum (NPS) and a burger phantom was used for evaluation of density resolution. The usefulness of NRP was evaluated by chest phantom images and clinical chest radiography. We employed the Bureau of Radiological Health Method for scoring chest images while carrying out our observations. Results NPS through the use of NRP was improved compared with conventional image processing (CIP). The results in image quality showed high-density resolution through the use of NRP, so that chest radiography examination can be performed with a low dose of radiation. Scores were significantly higher than for CIP. Conclusion In this study, use of NRP led to a high evaluation in these so we are able to confirm the usefulness of NRP for clinical chest radiography. PMID:24574577

Recruitment methods employed in the prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer screening trial

PubMed Central

Gren, Lisa; Broski, Karen; Childs, Jeffery; Cordes, Jill; Engelhard, Deborah; Gahagan, Betsy; Gamito, Eduard; Gardner, Vivien; Geisser, Mindy; Higgins, Darlene; Jenkins, Victoria; Lamerato, Lois; Lappe, Karen; Lowery, Heidi; McGuire, Colleen; Miedzinski, Mollie; Ogden, Sheryl; Tenorio, Sally; Watt, Gavin; Wohlers, Bonita; Marcus, Pamela

2015-01-01

Background The Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO) is a US National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate whether certain screening tests reduce mortality from prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer. To obtain adequate statistical power, it was necessary to enroll over 150,000 healthy volunteers. Recruitment began in 1993 and ended in 2001. Purpose Our goal is to evaluate the success of recruitment methods employed by the 10 PLCO screening centers. We also provide estimates of recruitment yield and cost for our most successful strategy, direct mail. Methods Each screening center selected its own methods of recruitment. Methods changed throughout the recruitment period as needed. For this manuscript, representatives from each screening center provided information on methods utilized and their success. Results In the United States between 1993 and 2001, ten screening centers enrolled 154,934 study participants. Based on participant self-report, an estimated 95% of individuals were recruited by direct mail. Overall, enrollment yield for direct mail was 1.0%. Individual center enrollment yield ranged from 0.7% to 3.8%. Cost per enrolled participant was $9.64–35.38 for direct mail, excluding personnel costs. Limitations Numeric data on recruitment processes were not kept consistently at individual screening centers. Numeric data in this manuscript are based on the experiences of 5 of the 10 centers. Conclusions Direct mail, using rosters of names and addresses from profit and not-for-profit (including government) organizations, was the most successful and most often used recruitment method. Other recruitment strategies, such as community outreach and use of mass media, can be an important adjunct to direct mail in recruiting minority populations. PMID:19254935

A hybrid fault diagnosis approach based on mixed-domain state features for rotating machinery.

PubMed

Xue, Xiaoming; Zhou, Jianzhong

2017-01-01

To make further improvement in the diagnosis accuracy and efficiency, a mixed-domain state features data based hybrid fault diagnosis approach, which systematically blends both the statistical analysis approach and the artificial intelligence technology, is proposed in this work for rolling element bearings. For simplifying the fault diagnosis problems, the execution of the proposed method is divided into three steps, i.e., fault preliminary detection, fault type recognition and fault degree identification. In the first step, a preliminary judgment about the health status of the equipment can be evaluated by the statistical analysis method based on the permutation entropy theory. If fault exists, the following two processes based on the artificial intelligence approach are performed to further recognize the fault type and then identify the fault degree. For the two subsequent steps, mixed-domain state features containing time-domain, frequency-domain and multi-scale features are extracted to represent the fault peculiarity under different working conditions. As a powerful time-frequency analysis method, the fast EEMD method was employed to obtain multi-scale features. Furthermore, due to the information redundancy and the submergence of original feature space, a novel manifold learning method (modified LGPCA) is introduced to realize the low-dimensional representations for high-dimensional feature space. Finally, two cases with 12 working conditions respectively have been employed to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, where vibration signals were measured from an experimental bench of rolling element bearing. The analysis results showed the effectiveness and the superiority of the proposed method of which the diagnosis thought is more suitable for practical application. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel test method to determine the filter material service life of decentralized systems treating runoff from traffic areas.

PubMed

Huber, Maximilian; Welker, Antje; Dierschke, Martina; Drewes, Jörg E; Helmreich, Brigitte

2016-09-01

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the development and application of technical decentralized filter systems for the treatment of runoff from traffic areas. However, there are still many uncertainties regarding the service life and the performance of filter materials that are employed in decentralized treatment systems. These filter media are designed to prevent the transport of pollutants into the environment. A novel pilot-scale test method was developed to determine - within a few days - the service lives and long-term removal efficiencies for dissolved heavy metals in stormwater treatment systems. The proposed method consists of several steps including preloading the filter media in a pilot-scale model with copper and zinc by a load of n-1 years of the estimated service life (n). Subsequently, three representative rain events are simulated to evaluate the long-term performance by dissolved copper and zinc during the last year of application. The presented results, which verified the applicability of this method, were obtained for three filter channel systems and six filter shaft systems. The performance of the evaluated systems varied largely for both tested heavy metals and during all three simulated rain events. A validation of the pilot-scale assessment method with field measurements was also performed for two systems. Findings of this study suggest that this novel method does provide a standardized and accurate estimation of service intervals of decentralized treatment systems employing various filter materials. The method also provides regulatory authorities, designers, and operators with an objective basis for performance assessment and supports stormwater managers to make decisions for the installation of such decentralized treatment systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Quantitative Performance of Sequential Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatographic Enrichment for Phosphopeptides

PubMed Central

Sun, Zeyu; Hamilton, Karyn L.; Reardon, Kenneth F.

2014-01-01

We evaluated a sequential elution protocol from immobilized metal affinity chromatography (SIMAC) employing gallium-based immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) in conjunction with titanium-dioxide-based metal oxide affinity chromatography (MOAC). The quantitative performance of this SIMAC enrichment approach, assessed in terms of repeatability, dynamic range, and linearity, was evaluated using a mixture composed of tryptic peptides from caseins, bovine serum albumin, and phosphopeptide standards. While our data demonstrate the overall consistent performance of the SIMAC approach under various loading conditions, the results also revealed that the method had limited repeatability and linearity for most phosphopeptides tested, and different phosphopeptides were found to have different linear ranges. These data suggest that, unless additional strategies are used, SIMAC should be regarded as a semi-quantitative method when used in large-scale phosphoproteomics studies in complex backgrounds. PMID:24096195

Optical vs. electronic enhancement of remote sensing imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colwell, R. N.; Katibah, E. F.

1976-01-01

Basic aspects of remote sensing are considered and a description is provided of the methods which are employed in connection with the optical or electronic enhancement of remote sensing imagery. The advantages and limitations of various image enhancement methods and techniques are evaluated. It is pointed out that optical enhancement methods and techniques are currently superior to electronic ones with respect to spatial resolution and equipment cost considerations. Advantages of electronic procedures, on the other hand, are related to a greater flexibility regarding the presentation of the information as an aid for the interpretation by the image analyst.

A case-control study of mesothelioma in Minnesota iron ore (taconite) miners.

PubMed

Lambert, Christine S; Alexander, Bruce H; Ramachandran, Gurumurthy; MacLehose, Richard F; Nelson, Heather H; Ryan, Andrew D; Mandel, Jeffrey H

2016-02-01

An excess of mesothelioma has been observed in iron ore miners in Northeastern Minnesota. Mining and processing of taconite iron ore generate exposures that include elongate mineral particles (EMPs) of amphibole and non-amphibole origin. We conducted a nested case-control study of mesothelioma in a cohort of 68,737 iron ore miners (haematite and taconite ore miners) to evaluate the association between mesothelioma, employment and EMP exposures from taconite mining. Mesothelioma cases (N=80) were identified through the Minnesota Cancer Surveillance System (MCSS) and death certificates. Four controls of similar age were selected for each case with 315 controls ultimately eligible for inclusion. Mesothelioma risk was evaluated by estimating rate ratios and 95% CIs with conditional logistic regression in relation to duration of taconite industry employment and cumulative EMP exposure [(EMP/cc)×years], defined by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 7400 method. Models were adjusted for employment in haematite mining and potential exposure to commercial asbestos products used in the industry. All mesothelioma cases were male and 57 of the cases had work experience in the taconite industry. Mesothelioma was associated with the number of years employed in the taconite industry (RR=1.03, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.06) and cumulative EMP exposure (RR=1.10, 95% CI 0.97 to -1.24). No association was observed with employment in haematite mining. These results support an association between mesothelioma and employment duration and possibly EMP exposure in taconite mining and processing. The type of EMP was not determined. The potential role of commercial asbestos cannot be entirely ruled out. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Evaluation of the Family Climate Created by the Management of Behavioral Problems, from the Perspective of the Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantero-García, María; Alonso-Tapia, Jesús

2017-01-01

Introduction: Though different intervention patterns that parents use to employ for managing children behavior problems are known, it is not known whether they interact and how, configuring what can be considered as the family climate generated by the way in which children's behavior is managed (FCBM). Method: In this study, we developed a…

Site disturbances associated with alternative prescriptions in an upland hardwood forest of northern Alabama

Treesearch

Emily Carter; Robert B. Rummer; Bryce Stokes

1997-01-01

A study was installed in an upland hardwood forest to evaluate the site impacts associated with three alternative prescriptions --- clearcut, deferment cut, and strip cut. Two methods of site impact assessment were employed: 1) assignment of disturbance classes to selected points within each treatment area; and 2) measurement of soil bulk density, gravimetric water...

A novel strategy for rapid detection of NT-proBNP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Qiyao; Sun, Honghao; Zhu, Hui

2017-09-01

In order to establish a simple, rapid, sensitive, and specific quantitative assay to detect the biomarkers of heart failure, in this study, biotin-streptavidin technology was employed with fluorescence immunochromatographic assay to detect the concentration of the biomarkers in serum, and this method was applied to detect NT-proBNP, which is valuable for diagnostic evaluation of heart failure.

How to Improve the Peer Review Method: Free-Selection vs Assigned-Pair Protocol Evaluated in a Computer Networking Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadopoulos, Pantelis M.; Lagkas, Thomas D.; Demetriadis, Stavros N.

2012-01-01

This study provides field research evidence on the efficiency of a "free-selection" peer review assignment protocol as compared to the typically implemented "assigned-pair" protocol. The study employed 54 sophomore students who were randomly assigned into three groups: Assigned-Pair (AP) (the teacher assigns student works for review to student…

Bias in Terms of Culture and a Method for Reducing It: An Eight-Country "Explanations of Unemployment Scale" Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mylonas, Kostas; Furnham, Adrian; Divale, William; Leblebici, Cigdem; Gondim, Sonia; Moniz, Angela; Grad, Hector; Alvaro, Jose Luis; Cretu, Romeo Zeno; Filus, Ania; Boski, Pawel

2014-01-01

Several sources of bias can plague research data and individual assessment. When cultural groups are considered, across or even within countries, it is essential that the constructs assessed and evaluated are as free as possible from any source of bias and specifically from bias caused due to culturally specific characteristics. Employing the…

Influence of Classroom Practice of Home Science on Employability among the Youth in Kakamega County, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuya, Abwao Linet

2017-01-01

Tackling unemployment through vocationalisation of education is a strategy that has worked in countries such as United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Mozambique among others. It is in the light of this that the study sought to evaluate the methods of teaching Home Science in secondary schools for the purpose of informing policy…

Population estimation with sparse data: The role of estimators versus indices revisited

Treesearch

Kevin S. McKelvey; Dean E. Pearson

2001-01-01

The use of indices to evaluate small-mammal populations has been heavily criticized, yet a review of small-mammal studies published from 1996 through 2000 indicated that indices are still the primary methods employed for measuring populations. The literature review also found that 98% of the samples collected in these studies were too small for reliable...

The Current State of Arts Education in Iran: A Case Study in Two Elementary Schools Using Educational Criticism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nouri, Ali; Farsi, Soheila

2018-01-01

The central aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the recently revised elementary curriculum for arts education in Iran. The study employed an educational criticism method and was conducted in two elementary schools. Data were collected by observation, semi-structured interviews and curriculum documents over a four-month period.…

Evaluating ICT Integration in Turkish K-12 Schools through Teachers' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydin, Mehmet Kemal; Gürol, Mehmet; Vanderlinde, Ruben

2016-01-01

The current study aims to explore ICT integration in Turkish K-12 schools purposively selected as a representation of F@tih and non-F@tih public schools together with a private school. A convergent mixed methods design was employed with a multiple case strategy as such it will enable to make casewise comparisons. The quantitative data was…

Microcomputer software for calculating an elk habitat effectiveness index on Blue Mountain winter ranges.

Treesearch

Mark Hitchcock; Alan Ager

1992-01-01

National Forests in the Pacific Northwest Region have incorporated elk habitat standards into Forest plans to ensure that elk habitat objectives are met on multiple use land allocations. Many Forests have employed versions of the habitat effectiveness index (HEI) as a standard method to evaluate habitat. Field application of the HEI model unfortunately is a formidable...

Method for the evaluation 3D noncontact inspection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, Kevin

2011-08-01

Three dimensional, optical measurement systems are becoming more widely used in applications ranging from aerospace to automotive. These systems offer the potential for high speed, good accuracy, and more complete information than older contact based technology. However, the primary standards employed by many to evaluate these systems were specifically designed around touch probe based coordinate measurement machines (CMMs). These standards were designed to work with the limitations of touch probes, and in many cases cannot measure the types of features and errors associated with non-contact systems. This paper will discuss the deficiencies of employing contact based characterization tests to non-contact systems, and suggest a new set of tests specifically to cover the many aspects pertinent to non-contact, optical 3D measurement systems. Some of the performance aspects addressed in this characterization method include: sensitivity to surface reflectivity and roughness, the effect of angle of incidence of measurements, means to characterize volumetric variations that may fit complex functions, and considerations of both spatial and depth resolutions. Specific application areas will be discussed as well as the use of artifacts to provide practical functional data that can predict system performance on real world parts.

Video-based noncooperative iris image segmentation.

PubMed

Du, Yingzi; Arslanturk, Emrah; Zhou, Zhi; Belcher, Craig

2011-02-01

In this paper, we propose a video-based noncooperative iris image segmentation scheme that incorporates a quality filter to quickly eliminate images without an eye, employs a coarse-to-fine segmentation scheme to improve the overall efficiency, uses a direct least squares fitting of ellipses method to model the deformed pupil and limbic boundaries, and develops a window gradient-based method to remove noise in the iris region. A remote iris acquisition system is set up to collect noncooperative iris video images. An objective method is used to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of the segmentation results. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method. The proposed method would make noncooperative iris recognition or iris surveillance possible.

An Agent-Based Model of Farmer Decision Making in Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selby, Philip; Medellin-Azuara, Josue; Harou, Julien; Klassert, Christian; Yoon, Jim

2016-04-01

We describe an agent based hydro-economic model of groundwater irrigated agriculture in the Jordan Highlands. The model employs a Multi-Agent-Simulation (MAS) framework and is designed to evaluate direct and indirect outcomes of climate change scenarios and policy interventions on farmer decision making, including annual land use, groundwater use for irrigation, and water sales to a water tanker market. Land use and water use decisions are simulated for groups of farms grouped by location and their behavioural and economic similarities. Decreasing groundwater levels, and the associated increase in pumping costs, are important drivers for change within Jordan'S agricultural sector. We describe how this is considered by coupling of agricultural and groundwater models. The agricultural production model employs Positive Mathematical Programming (PMP), a method for calibrating agricultural production functions to observed planted areas. PMP has successfully been used with disaggregate models for policy analysis. We adapt the PMP approach to allow explicit evaluation of the impact of pumping costs, groundwater purchase fees and a water tanker market. The work demonstrates the applicability of agent-based agricultural decision making assessment in the Jordan Highlands and its integration with agricultural model calibration methods. The proposed approach is designed and implemented with software such that it could be used to evaluate a variety of physical and human influences on decision making in agricultural water management.

Quest for a Realistic In Vivo Test Method for Antimicrobial Hand-Rub Agents: Introduction of a Low-Volume Hand Contamination Procedure▿

PubMed Central

Macinga, David R.; Beausoleil, Christopher M.; Campbell, Esther; Mulberry, Gayle; Brady, Ann; Edmonds, Sarah L.; Arbogast, James W.

2011-01-01

A novel method has been developed for the evaluation of alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHR) that employs a hand contamination procedure that more closely simulates the in-use conditions of ABHR. Hands of human subjects were contaminated with 0.2 ml of a concentrated suspension of Serratia marcescens (ATCC 14756) to achieve baseline contamination between 8 and 9 log10 CFU/hand while allowing product to be applied to dry hands with minimal soil load. Evaluation of 1.5 ml of an ABHR gel containing 62% ethanol produced log10 reductions of 2.66 ± 0.96, 2.40 ± 0.50, 2.41 ± 0.61, and 2.33 ± 0.49 (means ± standard deviations) after 1, 3, 7, and 10 successive contamination/product application cycles. In a study comparing this low-volume contamination (LVC) method to ASTM E1174, product dry times were more realistic and log10 reductions achieved by the ABHR were significantly greater when LVC was employed (P < 0.05). These results indicate that a novel low-volume hand contamination procedure, which more closely represents ABHR use conditions, provides more realistic estimates of in-use ABHR efficacies. Based on the LVC method, log10 reductions produced by ABHR were strongly dependent on the test product application volume (P < 0.0001) but were not influenced by the alcohol concentration when it was within the range of 62 to 85% (P = 0.378). PMID:22003004

Assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using fuzzy multiple-attribute decision making techniques.

PubMed

Singh, Ajit Pratap; Chakrabarti, Sumanta; Kumar, Sumit; Singh, Anjaney

2017-08-01

This paper deals with assessment of air quality in Haora River basin using two techniques. Initially, air quality indices were evaluated using a modified EPA method. The indices were also evaluated using a fuzzy comprehensive assessment (FCA) method. The results obtained from the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method were compared to that obtained from the modified EPA method. To illustrate the applicability of the methodology proposed herein, a case study has been presented. Air samples have been collected at 10 sampling sites located along Haora River. Six important air pollutants, namely, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, suspended particulate matter (SPM), PM 10 , and lead, were monitored continuously, and air quality maps were generated on the GIS platform. Comparison of the methodologies has clearly highlighted superiority and robustness of the fuzzy comprehensive assessment method in determining air quality indices under study. It has effectively addressed the inherent uncertainties involved in the evaluation, modeling, and interpretation of sampling data, which was beyond the scope of the traditional weighted approaches employed otherwise. The FCA method is robust and prepares a credible platform of air quality evaluation and identification, in face of the uncertainties that remain eclipsed in the traditional approaches like the modified EPA method. The insights gained through the present study are believed to be of pivotal significance in guiding the development and implementation of effective environmental remedial action plans in the study area.

Green material selection for sustainability: A hybrid MCDM approach.

PubMed

Zhang, Honghao; Peng, Yong; Tian, Guangdong; Wang, Danqi; Xie, Pengpeng

2017-01-01

Green material selection is a crucial step for the material industry to comprehensively improve material properties and promote sustainable development. However, because of the subjectivity and conflicting evaluation criteria in its process, green material selection, as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem, has been a widespread concern to the relevant experts. Thus, this study proposes a hybrid MCDM approach that combines decision making and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL), analytical network process (ANP), grey relational analysis (GRA) and technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) to select the optimal green material for sustainability based on the product's needs. A nonlinear programming model with constraints was proposed to obtain the integrated closeness index. Subsequently, an empirical application of rubbish bins was used to illustrate the proposed method. In addition, a sensitivity analysis and a comparison with existing methods were employed to validate the accuracy and stability of the obtained final results. We found that this method provides a more accurate and effective decision support tool for alternative evaluation or strategy selection.

Green material selection for sustainability: A hybrid MCDM approach

PubMed Central

Zhang, Honghao; Peng, Yong; Tian, Guangdong; Wang, Danqi; Xie, Pengpeng

2017-01-01

Green material selection is a crucial step for the material industry to comprehensively improve material properties and promote sustainable development. However, because of the subjectivity and conflicting evaluation criteria in its process, green material selection, as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem, has been a widespread concern to the relevant experts. Thus, this study proposes a hybrid MCDM approach that combines decision making and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL), analytical network process (ANP), grey relational analysis (GRA) and technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) to select the optimal green material for sustainability based on the product's needs. A nonlinear programming model with constraints was proposed to obtain the integrated closeness index. Subsequently, an empirical application of rubbish bins was used to illustrate the proposed method. In addition, a sensitivity analysis and a comparison with existing methods were employed to validate the accuracy and stability of the obtained final results. We found that this method provides a more accurate and effective decision support tool for alternative evaluation or strategy selection. PMID:28498864

Evaluation of the antioxidant power of honey, propolis and royal jelly by amperometric flow injection analysis.

PubMed

Buratti, S; Benedetti, S; Cosio, M S

2007-02-28

In this paper is described the applicability of a flow injection system, operating with an amperometric detector, for measurement in rapid and simple way the antioxidant power of honey, propolis and royal jelly. The proposed method evaluates the reducing power of selected antioxidant compounds and does not require the use of free radicals or oxidants. Twelve honey, 12 propolis and 4 royal jelly samples of different botanical and geographical origin were evaluated by the electrochemical method and the data were compared with those obtained by the DPPH assay. Since a good correlation was found (R(2)=0.92) the proposed electrochemical method can be successfully employed for the direct, rapid and simple monitoring of the antioxidant power of honeybee products. Furthermore, the total phenolic content of samples was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau procedure and the characteristic antioxidant activities showed a good correlation with phenolics (R(2)=0.96 for propolis and 0.90 for honey).

Subatmospheric vapor pressures evaluated from internal-energy measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duarte-Garza, H. A.; Magee, J. W.

1997-01-01

Vapor pressures were evaluated from measured internal-energy changes in the vapor+liquid two-phase region, Δ U (2). The method employed a thermodynamic relationship between the derivative quantity (ϖ U (2)/ϖ V) T and the vapor pressure ( p σ) and its temperature derivative (ϖ p/ϖ T)σ. This method was applied at temperatures between the triple point and the normal boiling point of three substances: 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a), pentafluoroethane (R125), and difluoromethane (R32). Agreement with experimentally measured vapor pressures near the normal boiling point (101.325 kPa) was within the experimental uncertainty of approximately ±0.04 kPa (±0.04%). The method was applied to R134a to test the thermodynamic consistency of a published p-p-T equation of state with an equation for p σ for this substance. It was also applied to evaluate published p σ data which are in disagreement by more than their claimed uncertainty.

Single well tracer method to evaluate enhanced recovery

DOEpatents

Sheely, Jr., Clyde Q.; Baldwin, Jr., David E.

1978-01-01

Data useful to evaluate the effectiveness of or to design an enhanced recovery process (the recovery process involving mobilizing and moving hydrocarbons through a hydrocarbon-bearing subterranean formation from an injection well to a production well by injecting a mobilizing fluid into the injection well) are obtained by a process which comprises sequentially: determining hydrocarbon saturation in the formation in a volume in the formation near a well bore penetrating the formation, injecting sufficient of the mobilizing fluid to mobilize and move hydrocarbons from a volume in the formation near the well bore penetrating the formation, and determining by the single well tracer method a hydrocarbon saturation profile in a volume from which hydrocarbons are moved. The single well tracer method employed is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,842. The process is useful to evaluate surfactant floods, water floods, polymer floods, CO.sub.2 floods, caustic floods, micellar floods, and the like in the reservoir in much less time at greatly reduced costs, compared to conventional multi-well pilot test.

Data Transfer Advisor with Transport Profiling Optimization

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

Rao, Nageswara S.; Liu, Qiang; Yun, Daqing

The network infrastructures have been rapidly upgraded in many high-performance networks (HPNs). However, such infrastructure investment has not led to corresponding performance improvement in big data transfer, especially at the application layer, largely due to the complexity of optimizing transport control on end hosts. We design and implement ProbData, a PRofiling Optimization Based DAta Transfer Advisor, to help users determine the most effective data transfer method with the most appropriate control parameter values to achieve the best data transfer performance. ProbData employs a profiling optimization based approach to exploit the optimal operational zone of various data transfer methods in supportmore » of big data transfer in extreme scale scientific applications. We present a theoretical framework of the optimized profiling approach employed in ProbData as wellas its detailed design and implementation. The advising procedure and performance benefits of ProbData are illustrated and evaluated by proof-of-concept experiments in real-life networks.« less

Unbiased estimation of oceanic mean rainfall from satellite borne radiometer measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittal, M. C.

1981-01-01

The statistical properties of the radar derived rainfall obtained during the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) are used to derive quantitative estimates of the spatial and temporal sampling errors associated with estimating rainfall from brightness temperature measurements such as would be obtained from a satelliteborne microwave radiometer employing a practical size antenna aperture. A basis for a method of correcting the so called beam filling problem, i.e., for the effect of nonuniformity of rainfall over the radiometer beamwidth is provided. The method presented employs the statistical properties of the observations themselves without need for physical assumptions beyond those associated with the radiative transfer model. The simulation results presented offer a validation of the estimated accuracy that can be achieved and the graphs included permit evaluation of the effect of the antenna resolution on both the temporal and spatial sampling errors.

Application of cell and biomaterial-based tissue engineering methods in the treatment of cartilage, menisci and ligament injuries.

PubMed

Trzeciak, Tomasz; Richter, Magdalena; Suchorska, Wiktoria; Augustyniak, Ewelina; Lach, Michał; Kaczmarek, Małgorzata; Kaczmarczyk, Jacek

2016-03-01

Over 20 years ago it was realized that the traditional methods of the treatment of injuries to joint components: cartilage, menisci and ligaments, did not give satisfactory results and so there is a need of employing novel, more effective therapeutic techniques. Recent advances in molecular biology, biotechnology and polymer science have led to both the experimental and clinical application of various cell types, adapting their culture conditions in order to ensure a directed differentiation of the cells into a desired cell type, and employing non-toxic and non-immunogenic biomaterial in the treatment of knee joint injuries. In the present review the current state of knowledge regarding novel cell sources, in vitro conditions of cell culture and major important biomaterials, both natural and synthetic, used in cartilage, meniscus and ligament repair by tissue engineering techniques are described, and the assets and drawbacks of their clinical application are critically evaluated.

A gas kinetic scheme for hybrid simulation of partially rarefied flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colonia, S.; Steijl, R.; Barakos, G.

2017-06-01

Approaches to predict flow fields that display rarefaction effects incur a cost in computational time and memory considerably higher than methods commonly employed for continuum flows. For this reason, to simulate flow fields where continuum and rarefied regimes coexist, hybrid techniques have been introduced. In the present work, analytically defined gas-kinetic schemes based on the Shakhov and Rykov models for monoatomic and diatomic gas flows, respectively, are proposed and evaluated with the aim to be used in the context of hybrid simulations. This should reduce the region where more expensive methods are needed by extending the validity of the continuum formulation. Moreover, since for high-speed rare¦ed gas flows it is necessary to take into account the nonequilibrium among the internal degrees of freedom, the extension of the approach to employ diatomic gas models including rotational relaxation process is a mandatory first step towards realistic simulations. Compared to previous works of Xu and coworkers, the presented scheme is de¦ned directly on the basis of kinetic models which involve a Prandtl number correction. Moreover, the methods are defined fully analytically instead of making use of Taylor expansion for the evaluation of the required derivatives. The scheme has been tested for various test cases and Mach numbers proving to produce reliable predictions in agreement with other approaches for near-continuum flows. Finally, the performance of the scheme, in terms of memory and computational time, compared to discrete velocity methods makes it a compelling alternative in place of more complex methods for hybrid simulations of weakly rarefied flows.

What does it mean to "employ" the RE-AIM model?

PubMed

Kessler, Rodger S; Purcell, E Peyton; Glasgow, Russell E; Klesges, Lisa M; Benkeser, Rachel M; Peek, C J

2013-03-01

Many grant proposals identify the use of a given evaluation model or framework but offer little about how such models are implemented. The authors discuss what it means to employ a specific model, RE-AIM, and key dimensions from this model for program planning, implementation, evaluation, and reporting. The authors report both conceptual and content specifications for the use of the RE-AIM model and a content review of 42 recent dissemination and implementation grant applications to National Institutes of Health that proposed the use of this model. Outcomes include the extent to which proposals addressed the overall RE-AIM model and specific items within the five dimensions in their methods or evaluation plans. The majority of grants used only some elements of the model (less than 10% contained thorough measures across all RE-AIM dimensions). Few met criteria for "fully developed use" of RE-AIM and the percentage of key issues addressed varied from, on average, 45% to 78% across the RE-AIM dimensions. The results and discussion of key criteria should help investigators in their use of RE-AIM and illuminate the broader issue of comprehensive use of evaluation models.

Comparison of an Ultrasonic Phased Array Evaluation with Destructive Analysis of a Documented Leak Path in a Nozzle Removed from Service

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

Cinson, Anthony D.; Crawford, Susan L.; MacFarlan, Paul J.

2012-09-24

Non-destructive and destructive testing methods were employed to evaluate a documented boric acid leakage path through an Alloy 600 control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) penetration from the North Anna Unit 2 reactor pressure vessel head that was removed from service in 2002. A previous ultrasonic in-service-inspection (ISI) conducted by industry prior to the head removal, identified a probable leakage path in Nozzle 63 located in the interference fit between the penetration tube and the vessel head. In this current examination, Nozzle 63 was examined using phased array (PA) ultrasonic testing with a 5.0-MHz, eight-element annular array; immersion data were acquiredmore » from the nozzle inner diameter (ID) surface. A variety of focal laws were employed to evaluate the signal responses from the interference fit region. These responses were compared to responses obtained from a mockup specimen that was used to determine detection limits and characterization capabilities for wastage and boric acid presence in the interference fit region. Nozzle 63 was destructively examined after the completion of the ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) to visually assess the leak paths. These destructive and nondestructive results compared favorably« less

Evaluation of the performance of three elastomers for non-lethal projectile applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thota, N.; Epaarachchi, J.; Lau, K. T.

2015-09-01

Less lethal kinetic ammunitions with soft noses such as eXact iMpact 1006, National Sports Spartan and B&T have been commonly used by military and law enforcement officers in the situations where lethal force is not warranted. In order to explore new materials to be used as nose in such ammunitions, a scholastic study using finite element simulations has been carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of two rubber like elastomers and a polyolefinic foam (low density, highly compressible, stiff and closed cell type of thermos plastic elastomer). State-of-the art thorax surrogate MTHOTA has been employed for the evaluation of blunt thoracic trauma. Force-rigid wall method was employed for the evaluation of head damage curves for each material. XM 1006 has been used as the benchmark projectile for the purpose of comparison. Both blunt thoracic trauma and head damage criterion point of view, both rubbers (R1 and R2) have yielded high values of VCmax and peak impact force. Polyolefinic foam (F1) considered in the study has yielded very promising VCmax values and very less peak impact force when compared with those of bench mark projectile XM 1006.

Comparative evaluation of performance measures for shading correction in time-lapse fluorescence microscopy.

PubMed

Liu, L; Kan, A; Leckie, C; Hodgkin, P D

2017-04-01

Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy is a valuable technology in cell biology, but it suffers from the inherent problem of intensity inhomogeneity due to uneven illumination or camera nonlinearity, known as shading artefacts. This will lead to inaccurate estimates of single-cell features such as average and total intensity. Numerous shading correction methods have been proposed to remove this effect. In order to compare the performance of different methods, many quantitative performance measures have been developed. However, there is little discussion about which performance measure should be generally applied for evaluation on real data, where the ground truth is absent. In this paper, the state-of-the-art shading correction methods and performance evaluation methods are reviewed. We implement 10 popular shading correction methods on two artificial datasets and four real ones. In order to make an objective comparison between those methods, we employ a number of quantitative performance measures. Extensive validation demonstrates that the coefficient of joint variation (CJV) is the most applicable measure in time-lapse fluorescence images. Based on this measure, we have proposed a novel shading correction method that performs better compared to well-established methods for a range of real data tested. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

FILTER PACK TECHNIQUE FOR CLASSIFYING RADIOACTIVE AEROSOLS BY PARTICLE SIZE. PART 1 PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.

DTIC Science & Technology

radon daughters is associated have greater ability to penetrate the variousfilter media than has the fission product debris in the atmosphere; therefore the former is associated with aerosols of smaller size. A preliminary evaluation of the techniques of employing packs of filters of different retentivity characteristics to determine the particle size and/or particle size distribution of radioactive aerosols has been made which indicates the feasibility of the method. It is recommended that a series of measurements be undertaken to determine the relative particle size

Photoacoustic evaluation of the penetration of piroxicam gel applied with phonophoresis into human skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silveira, F. L. F. D.; Barja, P. R.; Acosta-Avalos, D.

2010-03-01

The photoacoustic (PA) technique has been increasingly employed in biomedical studies, allowing in vivo skin measurements not easily performed with other techniques. It is possible to use PA measurements to evaluate transdermal delivery of products topically applied through manual massage or phonophoresis, that is the utilization of ultrasound waves to enhance drug absorption. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the period of phonophoresis application in the transdermal penetration of piroxicam gel. In vivo PA measurements employed a tungsten lamp as light source and a thin aluminum foil closing the PA chamber. The PA signals of the arm (i) clean; and (ii) after phonophoresis were utilized to estimate the concentration of piroxicam into skin. For all (4) volunteers, drug concentration in skin after phonophoresis application was the same for the different application times employed; in this way, phonophoresis for one minute seemed to be sufficient to enhance piroxicam penetration into skin. The actual amount of drug delivered into tissue depends on the person, suggesting a dependency with the skin type, which affects the PA signal level [2]. We conclude that drug delivery depends not only on the application method, but also on the specific skin type.

Recognition and defect detection of dot-matrix text via variation-model based learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohyama, Wataru; Suzuki, Koushi; Wakabayashi, Tetsushi

2017-03-01

An algorithm for recognition and defect detection of dot-matrix text printed on products is proposed. Extraction and recognition of dot-matrix text contains several difficulties, which are not involved in standard camera-based OCR, that the appearance of dot-matrix characters is corrupted and broken by illumination, complex texture in the background and other standard characters printed on product packages. We propose a dot-matrix text extraction and recognition method which does not require any user interaction. The method employs detected location of corner points and classification score. The result of evaluation experiment using 250 images shows that recall and precision of extraction are 78.60% and 76.03%, respectively. Recognition accuracy of correctly extracted characters is 94.43%. Detecting printing defect of dot-matrix text is also important in the production scene to avoid illegal productions. We also propose a detection method for printing defect of dot-matrix characters. The method constructs a feature vector of which elements are classification scores of each character class and employs support vector machine to classify four types of printing defect. The detection accuracy of the proposed method is 96.68 %.

Event time analysis of longitudinal neuroimage data.

PubMed

Sabuncu, Mert R; Bernal-Rusiel, Jorge L; Reuter, Martin; Greve, Douglas N; Fischl, Bruce

2014-08-15

This paper presents a method for the statistical analysis of the associations between longitudinal neuroimaging measurements, e.g., of cortical thickness, and the timing of a clinical event of interest, e.g., disease onset. The proposed approach consists of two steps, the first of which employs a linear mixed effects (LME) model to capture temporal variation in serial imaging data. The second step utilizes the extended Cox regression model to examine the relationship between time-dependent imaging measurements and the timing of the event of interest. We demonstrate the proposed method both for the univariate analysis of image-derived biomarkers, e.g., the volume of a structure of interest, and the exploratory mass-univariate analysis of measurements contained in maps, such as cortical thickness and gray matter density. The mass-univariate method employs a recently developed spatial extension of the LME model. We applied our method to analyze structural measurements computed using FreeSurfer, a widely used brain Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) analysis software package. We provide a quantitative and objective empirical evaluation of the statistical performance of the proposed method on longitudinal data from subjects suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) at baseline. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved quality-by-design compliant methodology for method development in reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Debrus, Benjamin; Guillarme, Davy; Rudaz, Serge

2013-10-01

A complete strategy dedicated to quality-by-design (QbD) compliant method development using design of experiments (DOE), multiple linear regressions responses modelling and Monte Carlo simulations for error propagation was evaluated for liquid chromatography (LC). The proposed approach includes four main steps: (i) the initial screening of column chemistry, mobile phase pH and organic modifier, (ii) the selectivity optimization through changes in gradient time and mobile phase temperature, (iii) the adaptation of column geometry to reach sufficient resolution, and (iv) the robust resolution optimization and identification of the method design space. This procedure was employed to obtain a complex chromatographic separation of 15 antipsychotic basic drugs, widely prescribed. To fully automate and expedite the QbD method development procedure, short columns packed with sub-2 μm particles were employed, together with a UHPLC system possessing columns and solvents selection valves. Through this example, the possibilities of the proposed QbD method development workflow were exposed and the different steps of the automated strategy were critically discussed. A baseline separation of the mixture of antipsychotic drugs was achieved with an analysis time of less than 15 min and the robustness of the method was demonstrated simultaneously with the method development phase. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct growth inhibition assay of total airborne fungi with application of biocide-treated malt extract agar.

PubMed

Er, Chin Ming; Sunar, N M; Leman, A M; Othman, N

2015-01-01

Indoor air pollution by airborne fungi has risen to become a common issue all over the world and it is hazardous to indoor occupants' health as it is associated with a series of respiratory-related and skin-related diseases. Selected bioactive compounds from the food industry have been suggested to be effective against individual fungus isolated from indoor environment. However, the techniques used to evaluate these compounds were lengthy and unsuitable against total airborne fungi. Therefore, this paper describes an assay to assess the effectiveness of a bioactive compound to inhibit growth of total airborne fungi.•A combination and modification of previous methods and the NIOSH Manual Analytical Standard Method (NMAM 0800) is proposed.•This method concurrently samples the total airborne fungi and evaluates the ability of bioactive compounds (potassium sorbate in this paper), as a biocide, to treat these indoor airborne fungi.•The current method shortens the time of evaluation from 30 days to only 5 days and employs the counting of colony forming units (CFUs) to ease the measurement of the growth of fungi.

A novel method for the accurate evaluation of Poisson's ratio of soft polymer materials.

PubMed

Lee, Jae-Hoon; Lee, Sang-Soo; Chang, Jun-Dong; Thompson, Mark S; Kang, Dong-Joong; Park, Sungchan; Park, Seonghun

2013-01-01

A new method with a simple algorithm was developed to accurately measure Poisson's ratio of soft materials such as polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (PVA-H) with a custom experimental apparatus consisting of a tension device, a micro X-Y stage, an optical microscope, and a charge-coupled device camera. In the proposed method, the initial positions of the four vertices of an arbitrarily selected quadrilateral from the sample surface were first measured to generate a 2D 1st-order 4-node quadrilateral element for finite element numerical analysis. Next, minimum and maximum principal strains were calculated from differences between the initial and deformed shapes of the quadrilateral under tension. Finally, Poisson's ratio of PVA-H was determined by the ratio of minimum principal strain to maximum principal strain. This novel method has an advantage in the accurate evaluation of Poisson's ratio despite misalignment between specimens and experimental devices. In this study, Poisson's ratio of PVA-H was 0.44 ± 0.025 (n = 6) for 2.6-47.0% elongations with a tendency to decrease with increasing elongation. The current evaluation method of Poisson's ratio with a simple measurement system can be employed to a real-time automated vision-tracking system which is used to accurately evaluate the material properties of various soft materials.

Dynamic Transmission Economic Evaluation of Infectious Disease Interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Drake, Tom L; Devine, Angela; Yeung, Shunmay; Day, Nicholas P J; White, Lisa J; Lubell, Yoel

2016-02-01

Economic evaluation using dynamic transmission models is important for capturing the indirect effects of infectious disease interventions. We examine the use of these methods in low- and middle-income countries, where infectious diseases constitute a major burden. This review is comprised of two parts: (1) a summary of dynamic transmission economic evaluations across all disease areas published between 2011 and mid-2014 and (2) an in-depth review of mosquito-borne disease studies focusing on health economic methods and reporting. Studies were identified through a systematic search of the MEDLINE database and supplemented by reference list screening. Fifty-seven studies were eligible for inclusion in the all-disease review. The most common subject disease was HIV/AIDS, followed by malaria. A diverse range of modelling methods, outcome metrics and sensitivity analyses were used, indicating little standardisation. Seventeen studies were included in the mosquito-borne disease review. With notable exceptions, most studies did not employ economic evaluation methods beyond calculating a cost-effectiveness ratio or net benefit. Many did not adhere to health care economic evaluations reporting guidelines, particularly with respect to full model reporting and uncertainty analysis. We present a summary of the state-of-the-art and offer recommendations for improved implementation and reporting of health economic methods in this crossover discipline. © 2016 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Lagrangian methods for blood damage estimation in cardiovascular devices--How numerical implementation affects the results.

PubMed

Marom, Gil; Bluestein, Danny

2016-01-01

This paper evaluated the influence of various numerical implementation assumptions on predicting blood damage in cardiovascular devices using Lagrangian methods with Eulerian computational fluid dynamics. The implementation assumptions that were tested included various seeding patterns, stochastic walk model, and simplified trajectory calculations with pathlines. Post processing implementation options that were evaluated included single passage and repeated passages stress accumulation and time averaging. This study demonstrated that the implementation assumptions can significantly affect the resulting stress accumulation, i.e., the blood damage model predictions. Careful considerations should be taken in the use of Lagrangian models. Ultimately, the appropriate assumptions should be considered based the physics of the specific case and sensitivity analysis, similar to the ones presented here, should be employed.

Using Innovative Technologies for Manufacturing and Evaluating Rocket Engine Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Betts, Erin M.; Hardin, Andy

2011-01-01

Many of the manufacturing and evaluation techniques that are currently used for rocket engine component production are traditional methods that have been proven through years of experience and historical precedence. As we enter into a new space age where new launch vehicles are being designed and propulsion systems are being improved upon, it is sometimes necessary to adopt new and innovative techniques for manufacturing and evaluating hardware. With a heavy emphasis on cost reduction and improvements in manufacturing time, manufacturing techniques such as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and white light scanning are being adopted and evaluated for their use on J-2X, with hopes of employing both technologies on a wide variety of future projects. DMLS has the potential to significantly reduce the processing time and cost of engine hardware, while achieving desirable material properties by using a layered powdered metal manufacturing process in order to produce complex part geometries. The white light technique is a non-invasive method that can be used to inspect for geometric feature alignment. Both the DMLS manufacturing method and the white light scanning technique have proven to be viable options for manufacturing and evaluating rocket engine hardware, and further development and use of these techniques is recommended.

Evaluation of hybrid polymers for high-precision manufacturing of 3D optical interconnects by two-photon absorption lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schleunitz, A.; Klein, J. J.; Krupp, A.; Stender, B.; Houbertz, R.; Gruetzner, G.

2017-02-01

The fabrication of optical interconnects has been widely investigated for the generation of optical circuit boards. Twophoton absorption (TPA) lithography (or high-precision 3D printing) as an innovative production method for direct manufacture of individual 3D photonic structures gains more and more attention when optical polymers are employed. In this regard, we have evaluated novel ORMOCER-based hybrid polymers tailored for the manufacture of optical waveguides by means of high-precision 3D printing. In order to facilitate future industrial implementation, the processability was evaluated and the optical performance of embedded waveguides was assessed. The results illustrate that hybrid polymers are not only viable consumables for industrial manufacture of polymeric micro-optics using generic processes such as UV molding. They also are potential candidates to fabricate optical waveguide systems down to the chip level where TPA-based emerging manufacturing techniques are engaged. Hence, it is shown that hybrid polymers continue to meet the increasing expectations of dynamically growing markets of micro-optics and optical interconnects due to the flexibility of the employed polymer material concept.

Investigating Choice Experiments for Preferences of Older People (ICEPOP): evaluative spaces in health economics.

PubMed

Coast, Joanna; Flynn, Terry; Sutton, Eileen; Al-Janabi, Hareth; Vosper, Jane; Lavender, Sarita; Louviere, Jordan; Peters, Tim

2008-10-01

This paper deals with three concerns about the evaluative framework that is currently dominant within health economics. These concerns are: that the evaluative framework is concerned entirely with health; that the evaluative framework has an individualistic focus on patients alone; and that the methods used to estimate 'health' within the current evaluative framework could be improved both in terms of the generation of descriptive systems and in using valuation methods that rely less on people's ability to express their preferences on a cardinal scale. In exploring these issues the Investigating Choice Experiments for Preferences of Older People (ICEPOP) programme has explicitly focused on both the topic of older people and the methods of discrete choice experiments. A capability index has been developed and attributes for an economic measure of end-of-life care are currently being generated, providing the possibility of extending the evaluative framework beyond health alone. A measure of carer's experience and a framework for extending measurement in end-of-life care to loved ones are both also in development, thus extending the evaluative framework beyond the patient alone. Rigorous qualitative methods employing an iterative approach have been developed for use in constructing attributes, and best-worst scaling has been utilized to reduce task complexity and provide insights into heterogeneity. There are a number of avenues for further research in all these areas, but in particular there is need for greater attention to be paid to the theory underlying the evaluative framework within health economics.

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

PubMed

Reichel, David; Morales, Laura

2017-01-01

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

Study of the use of axial viewed inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with ultrasonic nebulization for the determination of select elemental impurities in oral drug products.

PubMed

Menoutis, James; Parisi, Angela; Verma, Natasha

2018-04-15

In efforts to control the potential presence of heavy metals in pharmaceuticals, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) have put forth new requirements and guidelines for their control. The new requirements and guidelines establish specific daily exposures (PDE) for 24 heavy metals/elemental impurities (EI) based upon their toxicological properties. USP General Chapter 〈233〉 provides a general reference procedure for preparing pharmaceutical samples for analysis employing microwave assisted digestion (MWAD). It also provides two Compendial Procedures, Procedure 1 employing ICP-AES, and Procedure 2 employing ICP-MS. Given the extremely low detection limits afforded by ICP-MS, much work has been done in developing and evaluating analytical methods to support the analysis of elemental impurities in finished pharmaceutical products, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and excipients by this analytical technique. In this study, we have evaluated the use of axial ICP-AES. This employs ultrasonic nebulization (UN) for the determination of Class 1 and 2 EI, instead of traditional pneumatic nebulization. The study also employed closed vessel MWAD to prepare samples for analysis. Limits of quantitation were element specific and significantly lower than the PDEs for oral drugs. Spike recoveries for the elements studied ranged between 89.3% and 109.25%, except for Os, which was subject to OsO4 formation during MWAD. The use of axial ICP-AES UN provides an alternative to ICP-MS in the analysis of EI requiring low detection limits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast Fourier transform-based solution of 2D and 3D magnetization problems in type-II superconductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prigozhin, Leonid; Sokolovsky, Vladimir

2018-05-01

We consider the fast Fourier transform (FFT) based numerical method for thin film magnetization problems (Vestgården and Johansen 2012 Supercond. Sci. Technol. 25 104001), compare it with the finite element methods, and evaluate its accuracy. Proposed modifications of this method implementation ensure stable convergence of iterations and enhance its efficiency. A new method, also based on the FFT, is developed for 3D bulk magnetization problems. This method is based on a magnetic field formulation, different from the popular h-formulation of eddy current problems typically employed with the edge finite elements. The method is simple, easy to implement, and can be used with a general current–voltage relation; its efficiency is illustrated by numerical simulations.

Direct determination of sorbitol and sodium glutamate by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) in the thermostabilizer employed in the production of yellow-fever vaccine.

PubMed

de Castro, Eduardo da S G; Cassella, Ricardo J

2016-05-15

Reference methods for quality control of vaccines usually require treatment of the samples before analysis. These procedures are expensive, time-consuming, unhealthy and require careful manipulation of the sample, making them a potential source of analytical errors. This work proposes a novel method for the quality control of thermostabilizer samples of the yellow fever vaccine employing attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR). The main advantage of the proposed method is the possibility of direct determination of the analytes (sodium glutamate and sorbitol) without any pretreatment of the samples. Operational parameters of the FTIR technique, such as the number of accumulated scans and nominal resolution, were evaluated. The best conditions for sodium glutamate were achieved when 64 scans were accumulated using a nominal resolution of 4 cm(-1). The measurements for sodium glutamate were performed at 1347 cm(-1) (baseline correction between 1322 and 1369 cm(-1)). In the case of sorbitol, the measurements were done at 890cm(-1) (baseline correction between 825 and 910 cm(-1)) using a nominal resolution of 2 cm(-1) with 32 accumulated scans. In both cases, the quantitative variable was the band height. Recovery tests were performed in order to evaluate the accuracy of the method and recovery percentages in the range 93-106% were obtained. Also, the methods were compared with reference methods and no statistical differences were observed. The limits of detection and quantification for sodium glutamate were 0.20 and 0.62% (m/v), respectively, whereas for sorbitol they were 1 and 3.3% (m/v), respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the impact of field-scale management strategies on sediment transport to the watershed outlet.

PubMed

Sommerlot, Andrew R; Pouyan Nejadhashemi, A; Woznicki, Sean A; Prohaska, Michael D

2013-10-15

Non-point source pollution from agricultural lands is a significant contributor of sediment pollution in United States lakes and streams. Therefore, quantifying the impact of individual field management strategies at the watershed-scale provides valuable information to watershed managers and conservation agencies to enhance decision-making. In this study, four methods employing some of the most cited models in field and watershed scale analysis were compared to find a practical yet accurate method for evaluating field management strategies at the watershed outlet. The models used in this study including field-scale model (the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation 2 - RUSLE2), spatially explicit overland sediment delivery models (SEDMOD), and a watershed-scale model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool - SWAT). These models were used to develop four modeling strategies (methods) for the River Raisin watershed: Method 1) predefined field-scale subbasin and reach layers were used in SWAT model; Method 2) subbasin-scale sediment delivery ratio was employed; Method 3) results obtained from the field-scale RUSLE2 model were incorporated as point source inputs to the SWAT watershed model; and Method 4) a hybrid solution combining analyses from the RUSLE2, SEDMOD, and SWAT models. Method 4 was selected as the most accurate among the studied methods. In addition, the effectiveness of six best management practices (BMPs) in terms of the water quality improvement and associated cost were assessed. Economic analysis was performed using Method 4, and producer requested prices for BMPs were compared with prices defined by the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). On a per unit area basis, producers requested higher prices than EQIP in four out of six BMP categories. Meanwhile, the true cost of sediment reduction at the field and watershed scales was greater than EQIP in five of six BMP categories according to producer requested prices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biometric health screening for employers: consensus statement of the health enhancement research organization, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and care continuum alliance.

PubMed

2013-10-01

Employer wellness programs have grown rapidly in recent years with the interest in making an impact on employees' health. Successful programs are delivered through comprehensive solutions that are linked to an organization's business strategy and championed by senior leadership. Successful employee health management programs vary in the services, yet typically include the core components of health risk identification tools, behavior modification programs, educational programs, as well as changes to the workplace environment and culture. This article focuses on biometric screenings and was intended to provide employers and other stakeholders with information and guidance to help implement a successful screening program as part of an overall employee health management approach. The article is organized into four sections: goals and key success factors; methods and oversight; operations and delivery; and engagement and evaluation.

Model-Invariant Hybrid Computations of Separated Flows for RCA Standard Test Cases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodruff, Stephen

2016-01-01

NASA's Revolutionary Computational Aerosciences (RCA) subproject has identified several smooth-body separated flows as standard test cases to emphasize the challenge these flows present for computational methods and their importance to the aerospace community. Results of computations of two of these test cases, the NASA hump and the FAITH experiment, are presented. The computations were performed with the model-invariant hybrid LES-RANS formulation, implemented in the NASA code VULCAN-CFD. The model- invariant formulation employs gradual LES-RANS transitions and compensation for model variation to provide more accurate and efficient hybrid computations. Comparisons revealed that the LES-RANS transitions employed in these computations were sufficiently gradual that the compensating terms were unnecessary. Agreement with experiment was achieved only after reducing the turbulent viscosity to mitigate the effect of numerical dissipation. The stream-wise evolution of peak Reynolds shear stress was employed as a measure of turbulence dynamics in separated flows useful for evaluating computations.

Screw-Wire Osteo-Traction: An Adjunctive or Alternative Method of Anatomical Reduction of Multisegment Midfacial Fractures? A Description of Technique and Prospective Study of 40 Patients

PubMed Central

O'Regan, Barry; Devine, Maria; Bhopal, Sats

2013-01-01

Stable anatomical fracture reduction and segment control before miniplate fixation can be difficult to achieve in comminuted midfacial fractures. Fracture mobilization and reduction methods include Gillies elevation, malar hook, and Dingman elevators. No single method is used universally. Disadvantages include imprecise segment alignment and poor segment stability/control. We have employed screw-wire osteo-traction (SWOT) to address this problem. A literature review revealed two published reports. The aims were to evaluate the SWOT technique effectiveness as a fracture reduction method and to examine rates of revision fixation and plate removal. We recruited 40 consecutive patients requiring open reduction and internal fixation of multisegment midfacial fractures (2009–2012) and employed miniplate osteosynthesis in all patients. SWOT was used as a default reduction method in all patients. The rates of successful fracture reduction achieved by SWOT alone or in combination and of revision fixation and plate removal, were used as outcome indices of the reduction method effectiveness. The SWOT technique achieved satisfactory anatomical reduction in 27/40 patients when used alone. Other reduction methods were also used in 13/40 patients. No patient required revision fixation and three patients required late plate removal. SWOT can be used across the midface fracture pattern in conjunction with other methods or as a sole reduction method before miniplate fixation. PMID:24436763

[Evaluation of postoperative pain comparing manual and ultrasonic endodontic instrumentation in patients with cleft lip and palate].

PubMed

Brosco, H B; Pimentel, P A; Lacerda, A G; Nishiyama, C K; de Moraes, I G

1989-01-01

Our purpose was to compare incidence of post-surgical pain associated to the endodontic therapy where the instrumentation on the root canal was performed by the method of Marshall & Pappin and the method of Marshall & Pappin complemented by the ultrasonic. Seventy patients with only one tooth needing endodontic treatment were treated by one of the methods and, posteriorly, evaluated. The endodontic treatment was performed at one time and from the seventy teeth, thirty have been instrumented by the manual method complemented by the ultrasonic and forty by the manual instrumentation. The patients were clinically controlled after the endodontic treatment was finished during periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours to evaluate their post-surgical condition. The results suggest that were no statistically significant differences (p less than 0.05) in the incidence of pain between the employed methods or according to the pulpar semiologic condition in any of the observed periods. However, we have realized that there was a tendency for a smaller percentage of a postoperative pain in those cases of necropulpectamy treated by the endosonic ultrasonic synergistic system. In those cases of biopulpectomy this has been not observed.

Validity and reliability of a method for assessment of cervical vertebral maturation.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiao-Guang; Lin, Jiuxiang; Jiang, Jiu-Hui; Wang, Qingzhu; Ng, Sut Hong

2012-03-01

To evaluate the validity and reliability of the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method with a longitudinal sample. Eighty-six cephalograms from 18 subjects (5 males and 13 females) were selected from the longitudinal database. Total mandibular length was measured on each film; an increased rate served as the gold standard in examination of the validity of the CVM method. Eleven orthodontists, after receiving intensive training in the CVM method, evaluated all films twice. Kendall's W and the weighted kappa statistic were employed. Kendall's W values were higher than 0.8 at both times, indicating strong interobserver reproducibility, but interobserver agreement was documented twice at less than 50%. A wide range of intraobserver agreement was noted (40.7%-79.1%), and substantial intraobserver reproducibility was proved by kappa values (0.53-0.86). With regard to validity, moderate agreement was reported between the gold standard and observer staging at the initial time (kappa values 0.44-0.61). However, agreement seemed to be unacceptable for clinical use, especially in cervical stage 3 (26.8%). Even though the validity and reliability of the CVM method proved statistically acceptable, we suggest that many other growth indicators should be taken into consideration in evaluating adolescent skeletal maturation.

Evaluation of the QuEChERS method for the extraction of pharmaceuticals and personal care products from drinking-water treatment sludge with determination by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

PubMed

Cerqueira, Maristela B R; Guilherme, Juliana R; Caldas, Sergiane S; Martins, Manoel L; Zanella, Renato; Primel, Ednei G

2014-07-01

A modified version of the QuEChERS method has been evaluated for the determination of 21 pharmaceuticals and 6 personal care products (PPCPs) in drinking-water sludge samples by employing ultra high liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The performance of the method was evaluated through linearity, recovery, precision (intra-day), method detection and quantification limits (MDL and MQL) and matrix effect. The calibration curves prepared in acetonitrile and in the matrix extract showed a correlation coefficient ranging from 0.98 to 0.99. MQLs values were on the ng g(-1) order of magnitude for most compounds. Recoveries between 50% and 93% were reached with RSDs lower than 10% for most compounds. Matrix effect was almost absent with values lower than 16% for 93% of the compounds. By coupling a quick and simple extraction called QuEChERS with the UPLC-MS/MS analysis, a method that is both selective and sensitive was obtained. This methodology was successfully applied to real samples and caffeine and benzophenone-3 were detected in ng g(-1) levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ordered fast Fourier transforms on a massively parallel hypercube multiprocessor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tong, Charles; Swarztrauber, Paul N.

1991-01-01

The present evaluation of alternative, massively parallel hypercube processor-applicable designs for ordered radix-2 decimation-in-frequency FFT algorithms gives attention to the reduction of computation time-dominating communication. A combination of the order and computational phases of the FFT is accordingly employed, in conjunction with sequence-to-processor maps which reduce communication. Two orderings, 'standard' and 'cyclic', in which the order of the transform is the same as that of the input sequence, can be implemented with ease on the Connection Machine (where orderings are determined by geometries and priorities. A parallel method for trigonometric coefficient computation is presented which does not employ trigonometric functions or interprocessor communication.

Beam shape coefficients calculation for an elliptical Gaussian beam with 1-dimensional quadrature and localized approximation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Shen, Jianqi

2018-06-01

The use of a shaped beam for applications relying on light scattering depends much on the ability to evaluate the beam shape coefficients (BSC) effectively. Numerical techniques for evaluating the BSCs of a shaped beam, such as the quadrature, the localized approximation (LA), the integral localized approximation (ILA) methods, have been developed within the framework of generalized Lorenz-Mie theory (GLMT). The quadrature methods usually employ the 2-/3-dimensional integrations. In this work, the expressions of the BSCs for an elliptical Gaussian beam (EGB) are simplified into the 1-dimensional integral so as to speed up the numerical computation. Numerical results of BSCs are used to reconstruct the beam field and the fidelity of the reconstructed field to the given beam field is estimated. It is demonstrated that the proposed method is much faster than the 2-dimensional integrations and it can acquire more accurate results than the LA method. Limitations of the quadrature method and also the LA method in the numerical calculation are analyzed in detail.

On the modified grain-size-distribution method to evaluate the dynamic recrystallisation fraction in AISI 304 stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, D. H.; Park, J. K.

2018-04-01

The purpose of the present work was to verify the grain size distribution (GSD) method, which was recently proposed by one of the present authors as a method for evaluating the fraction of dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) in a microalloyed medium carbon steel. To verify the GSD-method, we have selected a 304 stainless steel as a model system and have measured the evolution of the overall grain size distribution (including both the recrystallised and unrecrystallised grains) during hot compression at 1,000 °C in a Gleeble machine; the DRX fraction estimated using the GSD method is compared with the experimentally measured value via EBSD. The results show that the previous GSD method tends to overestimate the DRX fraction due to the utilisation of a plain lognormal distribution function (LDF). To overcome this shortcoming, we propose a modified GSD-method wherein an area-weighted LDF, in place of a plain LDF, is employed to model the evolution of GSD during hot deformation. Direct measurement of the DRX fraction using EBSD confirms that the modified GSD-method provides a reliable method for evaluating the DRX fraction from the experimentally measured GSDs. Reasonable agreement between the DRX fraction and softening fraction suggests that the Kocks-Mecking method utilising the Voce equation can be satisfactorily used to model the work hardening and dynamic recovery behaviour of steels during hot deformation.

A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of the Research Literature in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schram, Asta B.

2014-10-01

In recent years, more and more researchers in science education have been turning to the practice of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. This approach of using mixed methods creates possibilities to study the various issues that science educators encounter in more depth. In this content analysis, I evaluated 18 studies from science education journals as they relate to the definition, design, and overall practice of using mixed methods. I scrutinized a purposeful sample, derived from 3 journals (the International Journal of Science Education, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and the Research in Science Education) in terms of the type of data collected, timing, priority, design, the mixing of the 2 data strands in the studies, and the justifications authors provide for using mixed methods. Furthermore, the articles were evaluated in terms of how well they met contemporary definitions for mixed methods research. The studies varied considerably in the use and understanding of mixed methods. A systematic evaluation of the employment of mixed methods methodology was used to identify the studies that best reflected contemporary definitions. A comparison to earlier content analyses of mixed methods research indicates that researchers' knowledge of mixed methods methodology may be increasing. The use of this strategy in science education research calls, however, for an improved methodology, especially concerning the practice of mixing. Suggestions are given on how to best use this approach.

Multidisciplinary design of a rocket-based combined cycle SSTO launch vehicle using Taguchi methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olds, John R.; Walberg, Gerald D.

1993-01-01

Results are presented from the optimization process of a winged-cone configuration SSTO launch vehicle that employs a rocket-based ejector/ramjet/scramjet/rocket operational mode variable-cycle engine. The Taguchi multidisciplinary parametric-design method was used to evaluate the effects of simultaneously changing a total of eight design variables, rather than changing them one at a time as in conventional tradeoff studies. A combination of design variables was in this way identified which yields very attractive vehicle dry and gross weights.

Influence of cardiac motion on stent lumen visualization in third generation dual-source CT employing a pulsatile heart model.

PubMed

Petri, Nils; Gassenmaier, Tobias; Allmendinger, Thomas; Flohr, Thomas; Voelker, Wolfram; Bley, Thorsten A

2017-02-01

To detect an in-stent restenosis, an invasive coronary angiography is commonly performed. Owing to the risk associated with this procedure, a non-invasive method to detect or exclude an in-stent restenosis is desirable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of cardiac motion on stent lumen visibility in a third-generation dual-source CT scanner (SOMATOM Force; Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany), employing a pulsatile heart model (CoroSim ® ; Mecora, Aachen, Germany). 13 coronary stents with a diameter of 3.0 mm were implanted in plastic tubes filled with a contrast medium and then fixed onto the pulsatile phantom heart model. The scans were performed while the heart model mimicked the heartbeat. Coronary stents were scanned in an orientation parallel to the scanner z-axis. The evaluation of the stents was performed by employing a medium sharp convolution kernel optimized for vascular imaging. The mean visible stent lumen was reduced from 65.6 ± 5.7% for the stents at rest to 60.8 ± 4.4% for the stents in motion (p-value: <0.001). While the difference in lumen visibility between stents in motion and at rest was significant, the use of this third-generation dual-source CT scanner enabled a high stent lumen visibility under the influence of cardiac motion. Whether this translates into a clinical setting has to be evaluated in further patient studies. Advances in knowledge: The employed modern CT scanner enables a high stent lumen visibility even under the influence of cardiac motion, which is important to detect or exclude an in-stent restenosis.

Temperature distributions measurement of high intensity focused ultrasound using a thin-film thermocouple array and estimation of thermal error caused by viscous heating.

PubMed

Matsuki, Kosuke; Narumi, Ryuta; Azuma, Takashi; Yoshinaka, Kiyoshi; Sasaki, Akira; Okita, Kohei; Takagi, Shu; Matsumoto, Yoichiro

2013-01-01

To improve the throughput of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, we have considered a focus switching method at two points. For this method, it is necessary to evaluate the thermal distribution under exposure to ultrasound. The thermal distribution was measured using a prototype thin-film thermocouple array, which has the advantage of minimizing the influence of the thermocouple on the acoustic and temperature fields. Focus switching was employed to enlarge the area of temperature increase and evaluate the proposed evaluation parameters with respect to safety and uniformity. The results indicate that focus switching can effectively expand the thermal lesion while maintaining a steep thermal boundary. In addition, the influence caused by the thin-film thermocouple array was estimated experimentally. This thermocouple was demonstrated to be an effective tool for the measurement of temperature distributions induced by HIFU.

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Depth of Surface Cracks Using Ultrasonic Frequency Analysis

PubMed Central

Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Lin, Sheng-Tung

2014-01-01

Ultrasonic is one of the most common uses of a non-destructive evaluation method for crack detection and characterization. The effectiveness of the acoustic-ultrasound Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) technique for the determination of the depth of the surface crack was presented. A method for ultrasonic sizing of surface cracks combined with the time domain and frequency spectrum was adopted. The ultrasonic frequency spectrum was obtained by Fourier transform technique. A series of test specimens with various depths of surface crack ranging from 1 mm to 8 mm was fabricated. The depth of the surface crack was evaluated using the pulse-echo technique. In this work, three different longitudinal waves with frequencies of 2.25 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz were employed to investigate the effect of frequency on the sizing detection of surface cracks. Reasonable accuracies were achieved with measurement errors less than 7%. PMID:25225875

A Clinic-Based Assessment for Evaluating Job-Related Social Skills in Adolescents and Adults with Autism.

PubMed

Lerman, Dorothea C; White, Bridgette; Grob, Carolyn; Laudont, Courtney

2017-12-01

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties obtaining and maintaining employment, yet little research has evaluated methods for assessing and improving critical vocational skills. In this study, we evaluated an assessment of job-related social skills for individuals with ASD by arranging conditions that simulated on-the-job experiences in a clinic setting. The experimenter contrived situations to assess a variety of social skills, including asking for help, asking for more materials, and responding to corrective feedback. A total of eight individuals, aged 16 to 32 years, participated. Results suggested that the assessment was useful for identifying specific social skills that could be targeted for intervention to increase success in the work environment. These findings add to the current literature by demonstrating an objective method for assessing a variety of job-related social skills under controlled, naturalistic conditions.

Increasing the Sight Vocabulary and Reading Fluency of Children Requiring Reading Support: The Use of a Precision Teaching Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Claire P.; Murtagh, Lelia

2015-01-01

This article outlines the impact of an eight-week Precision Teaching (PT) intervention on the sight vocabulary, reading fluency and reading attainment scores of a group of Irish primary school pupils. This study also sought to evaluate the role of PT in facilitating formative assessment of pupils' progress. Employing a mixed-method approach, this…

A Question-Answer System for Mobile Devices in Lecture-Based Instruction: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Engagement and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatun Atas, Amine; Delialioglu, Ömer

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the opinions, perceptions and evaluations of students about their experiences with a question-answer system used on mobile devices in a lecture-based course. Basic qualitative research method was employed in this study to understand how students made sense of their experiences during the instruction. The…

Preparing Refugees for Skilled Employment: Methods and Materials for Coordinated Instruction in Vocational Skills, English as a Second Language, Mathematics, Work Orientation and Independent Job Search.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewish Employment and Vocational Service, Philadelphia, PA. Center for Career Services.

This manual serves as a guide for the evaluation, design, administration, and teaching of vocational training programs for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students, based on a coordinated vocational skills curriculum developed for refugee clients. The vocational focus of the program is woodworking and skilled assembly, but the principles of…

The Development, Diffusion and Evaluation of a Fall Hazard Safety Training Program for Residential Construction Workers Utilizing Instructor Led and New Media Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fullen, Mark D.

2009-01-01

The numbers of workers in the residential construction industry are on the rise. Falls have continually been the largest contributor to residential construction worker deaths and injuries. These workers are largely self-employed or working for small companies. These individuals are difficult to reach through traditional methods. This research…

Evaluation of Linking Methods for Placing Three-Parameter Logistic Item Parameter Estimates onto a One-Parameter Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karkee, Thakur B.; Wright, Karen R.

2004-01-01

Different item response theory (IRT) models may be employed for item calibration. Change of testing vendors, for example, may result in the adoption of a different model than that previously used with a testing program. To provide scale continuity and preserve cut score integrity, item parameter estimates from the new model must be linked to the…

Self-Observation and Self-Analysis in Teacher Training. Teacher Materials and Curriculum Together with Preliminary Findings on Their Use. Research Bulletin No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brusling, Christer; Tingsell, Jan-Gunnar

This new model for the supervision of student teachers utilizes videotaping hardware which allows the student teacher and his supervisor to evaluate teaching methods and behavior. Thus, the student teacher is better able to supervise himself. Employing Flanders Interaction Analysis, the student is able to interpret his teaching on closed-circuit…

Methodological Hurdles in Capturing CMC Data: The Case of the Missing Self-Repair

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Bryan

2008-01-01

This paper reports on a study of the use of self-repair among learners of German in a task-based CMC environment. The purpose of the study was two-fold. The first goal sought to establish how potential interpretations of CMC data may be very different depending on the method of data collection and evaluation employed. The second goal was to…

28 CFR 42.303 - Evaluation of employment opportunities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...'s employment phases (e.g., recruitment, selection, and promotion) and the evaluation of employment... recruitment and selection of entrance candidates and selection of candidates for promotion. (c) In making the... requirements of this section should be cross classified by sex to ascertain the extent to which minority women...

28 CFR 42.303 - Evaluation of employment opportunities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...'s employment phases (e.g., recruitment, selection, and promotion) and the evaluation of employment... recruitment and selection of entrance candidates and selection of candidates for promotion. (c) In making the... requirements of this section should be cross classified by sex to ascertain the extent to which minority women...

28 CFR 42.303 - Evaluation of employment opportunities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...'s employment phases (e.g., recruitment, selection, and promotion) and the evaluation of employment... recruitment and selection of entrance candidates and selection of candidates for promotion. (c) In making the... requirements of this section should be cross classified by sex to ascertain the extent to which minority women...

Re-Employment Training: Evaluation of the Oakland University RECAP/JETS Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramey, Luellen

This document provides a description and evaluation of the RECAP (Re-employment Career Planning)/JETS (Job, Education/Training, Selection) program, a cooperative re-employment training program for displaced automobile industry workers in Michigan. Following the brief introduction, program development and pre-training preparation are discussed,…

Full-field chromatic confocal surface profilometry employing digital micromirror device correspondence for minimizing lateral cross talks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Liang-Chia; Chang, Yi-Wei; Li, Hau-Wei

2012-08-01

Full-field chromatic confocal surface profilometry employing a digital micromirror device (DMD) for spatial correspondence is proposed to minimize lateral cross-talks between individual detection sensors. Although full-field chromatic confocal profilometry is capable of enhancing measurement efficiency by completely removing time-consuming vertical scanning operation, its vertical measurement resolution and accuracy are still severely affected by the potential sensor lateral cross-talk problem. To overcome this critical bottleneck, a DMD-based chromatic confocal method is developed by employing a specially-designed objective for chromatic light dispersion, and a DMD for lateral pixel correspondence and scanning, thereby reducing the lateral cross-talk influence. Using the chromatic objective, the incident light is dispersed according to a pre-designed detection range of several hundred micrometers, and a full-field reflected light is captured by a three-chip color camera for multi color detection. Using this method, the full width half maximum of the depth response curve can be significantly sharpened, thus improving the vertical measurement resolution and repeatability of the depth detection. From our preliminary experimental evaluation, it is verified that the ±3σ repeatability of the height measurement can be kept within 2% of the overall measurement range.

Automatic luminous reflections detector using global threshold with increased luminosity contrast in images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Ricardo Petri; Naozuka, Gustavo Taiji; Mastelini, Saulo Martiello; Felinto, Alan Salvany

2018-01-01

The incidence of luminous reflections (LR) in captured images can interfere with the color of the affected regions. These regions tend to oversaturate, becoming whitish and, consequently, losing the original color information of the scene. Decision processes that employ images acquired from digital cameras can be impaired by the LR incidence. Such applications include real-time video surgeries, facial, and ocular recognition. This work proposes an algorithm called contrast enhancement of potential LR regions, which is a preprocessing to increase the contrast of potential LR regions, in order to improve the performance of automatic LR detectors. In addition, three automatic detectors were compared with and without the employment of our preprocessing method. The first one is a technique already consolidated in the literature called the Chang-Tseng threshold. We propose two automatic detectors called adapted histogram peak and global threshold. We employed four performance metrics to evaluate the detectors, namely, accuracy, precision, exactitude, and root mean square error. The exactitude metric is developed by this work. Thus, a manually defined reference model was created. The global threshold detector combined with our preprocessing method presented the best results, with an average exactitude rate of 82.47%.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Internet Addiction Among Employed Adults in Japan

PubMed Central

Sugaya, Nagisa; Tsuboi, Satoshi; Takahashi, Kenzo

2018-01-01

Background The prevalence of Internet addiction (IA) among employed adults has not been reported using a large sample. To clarify the actual status of addictive Internet use among employed adults, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the risk factors of IA and at-risk IA among employed adults in Japan. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed all junior and senior high school personnel in Shimane Prefecture, a rural area in Japan. Eligible participants included 3,211 junior and senior high school personnel (1,259 men and 1,952 women). Participants completed a questionnaire on their activities and factors related to Internet use. Results The prevalence of IA and at-risk IA was 0.03% and 4.82%, respectively. Furthermore, game playing was shown to be the Internet activity most closely associated with at-risk IA. Conclusions This study showed that around 5% of school personnel in a rural area in Japan are at risk for developing addiction to the Internet and that using the Internet for game playing is related to at-risk IA. Our results suggest that employed adults should be instructed to use the Internet properly. PMID:29151474

Trying to find the quickest way: employed mothers' constructions of time for food.

PubMed

Jabs, Jennifer; Devine, Carol M; Bisogni, Carole A; Farrell, Tracy J; Jastran, Margaret; Wethington, Elaine

2007-01-01

The study sought to develop an understanding of how employed mothers constructed time for food provisioning for themselves and their families. A grounded theory approach and semistructured, in-depth interviews. A metropolitan area of approximately 1 million people in the northeastern United States. Thirty-five low-wage employed mothers were purposively recruited to vary in occupation, race/ethnicity, education, household composition, and age using workplace, community, convenience, and snowball sampling. Low-wage employed mothers' constructions of time for food. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Most mothers expressed feelings of time scarcity. Mothers described 3 timestyles that reflected how they constructed time. Timestyles reflected mothers' experiences of strain and time scarcity, usual time management strategies, and sense of control over time. Mothers prioritized feeding their children but wanted to complete meals quickly in order to move on to other tasks. Recognizing issues of time scarcity and individual differences of timestyles and time management strategies can help researchers better understand food choice practices and assist practitioners in identifying practical food provisioning strategies for low-wage employed mothers. Food policies and recommendations should be evaluated for their relevance to the time scarcity and work strain issues that these mothers faced.

Performance assessment of geospatial simulation models of land-use change--a landscape metric-based approach.

PubMed

Sakieh, Yousef; Salmanmahiny, Abdolrassoul

2016-03-01

Performance evaluation is a critical step when developing land-use and cover change (LUCC) models. The present study proposes a spatially explicit model performance evaluation method, adopting a landscape metric-based approach. To quantify GEOMOD model performance, a set of composition- and configuration-based landscape metrics including number of patches, edge density, mean Euclidean nearest neighbor distance, largest patch index, class area, landscape shape index, and splitting index were employed. The model takes advantage of three decision rules including neighborhood effect, persistence of change direction, and urbanization suitability values. According to the results, while class area, largest patch index, and splitting indices demonstrated insignificant differences between spatial pattern of ground truth and simulated layers, there was a considerable inconsistency between simulation results and real dataset in terms of the remaining metrics. Specifically, simulation outputs were simplistic and the model tended to underestimate number of developed patches by producing a more compact landscape. Landscape-metric-based performance evaluation produces more detailed information (compared to conventional indices such as the Kappa index and overall accuracy) on the model's behavior in replicating spatial heterogeneity features of a landscape such as frequency, fragmentation, isolation, and density. Finally, as the main characteristic of the proposed method, landscape metrics employ the maximum potential of observed and simulated layers for a performance evaluation procedure, provide a basis for more robust interpretation of a calibration process, and also deepen modeler insight into the main strengths and pitfalls of a specific land-use change model when simulating a spatiotemporal phenomenon.

The Employers' Perspective on Barriers and Facilitators to Employment of People with Intellectual Disability: A Differential Mixed-Method Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocman, Andreas; Fischer, Linda; Weber, Germain

2018-01-01

Background: Obtaining employment is among the most important ambitions of people with intellectual disability. Progress towards comprehensive inclusive employment is hampered by numerous barriers. Limited research is available on these barriers and strategies to overcome them. Method: A mixed method approach in a sample of 30 HR-managers was used…

Evaluation of an employment program for people with mental illness using the Supported Employment Fidelity Scale.

PubMed

Cocks, Errol; Boaden, Ross

2009-10-01

The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model aims to achieve open employment for people with mental illness. The Supported Employment Fidelity Scale (SEFS) is a 15-item instrument that evaluates the extent to which a service follows the IPS principles of best practice. This paper describes the IPS model and an evaluation of a specialist employment program for people with mental illness using the SEFS. The SEFS enabled a quantitative assessment of service provision against the criteria of evidence-based practice principles. Data were collected from multiple sources. In addition, a literature review was conducted, and personnel engaged in implementation of the IPS model at other Australian employment programs were consulted. The program achieved a score of 59 of a possible 75 on the SEFS, which is described as fair supported employment. Analysis of the 15-scale items resulted in the identification of strengths, areas for further development, and a set of recommendations. The program was operating substantially in line with evidence-based practice principles and had considerable scope for further development. Issues arising from the evaluation, areas of applicability of the SEFS and the underlying literature, and implications for occupational therapy are highlighted.

Problems and challenges of nursing students’ clinical evaluation: A qualitative study

PubMed Central

Rafiee, Ghazanfar; Moattari, Marzieh; Nikbakht, Alireza N; Kojuri, Javad; Mousavinasab, Masoud

2014-01-01

Background: The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was to explore the views of nursing trainers and students about nursing students’ clinical evaluation problems and drawbacks in Shiraz Nursing and Midwifery School. Materials and Methods: A qualitative exploratory approach was used in this study at Shiraz Nursing and Midwifery School in 2012. A purposeful sample of 8 nursing instructors and 40 nursing students was interviewed and the data on their opinions about the problems of the clinical evaluation were collected through semi-structured deep interviews. Initially, four open-ended questions, which were related to the clinical evaluation status, problems, were used to stimulate discussions in the interview sessions. Content analysis was employed in order to analyze the transcribed data. The recorded interviews were initially transcribed, read, and reread on a number of occasions to get an overall feeling of what the participants were saying. Each line or incident was described, and then a code, which reflected the essence of the participants’ comments, was given. Results: The codes were compared for similarity and differences, merged together, and categorized. Finally, five themes emerged: In appropriate clinical evaluation method, problems of clinical evaluation Process, problems related to clinical instructors, unsuitable programming of clinical education, and organizational shortcomings. Conclusion: Besides focusing on upgrading the current clinical evaluation forms, nursing trainers should improve their knowledge about a complete and comprehensive clinical evaluation. They should also apply other appropriate and objective clinical evaluation methods and tools, and perform a formative and summative clinical evaluation. Also, workload adjustment of the nursing trainers needs revision. Therefore, despite using traditional and sometimes limited evaluation methods for assessing nursing students, a co mprehensive and appropriate evaluation of nursing students’ clinical competencies seems necessary. PMID:24554959

Economic Impacts of Wind Turbine Development in U.S. Counties

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

J., Brown; B., Hoen; E., Lantz

2011-07-25

The objective is to address the research question using post-project construction, county-level data, and econometric evaluation methods. Wind energy is expanding rapidly in the United States: Over the last 4 years, wind power has contributed approximately 35 percent of all new electric power capacity. Wind power plants are often developed in rural areas where local economic development impacts from the installation are projected, including land lease and property tax payments and employment growth during plant construction and operation. Wind energy represented 2.3 percent of the U.S. electricity supply in 2010, but studies show that penetrations of at least 20 percentmore » are feasible. Several studies have used input-output models to predict direct, indirect, and induced economic development impacts. These analyses have often been completed prior to project construction. Available studies have not yet investigated the economic development impacts of wind development at the county level using post-construction econometric evaluation methods. Analysis of county-level impacts is limited. However, previous county-level analyses have estimated operation-period employment at 0.2 to 0.6 jobs per megawatt (MW) of power installed and earnings at $9,000/MW to $50,000/MW. We find statistically significant evidence of positive impacts of wind development on county-level per capita income from the OLS and spatial lag models when they are applied to the full set of wind and non-wind counties. The total impact on annual per capita income of wind turbine development (measured in MW per capita) in the spatial lag model was $21,604 per MW. This estimate is within the range of values estimated in the literature using input-output models. OLS results for the wind-only counties and matched samples are similar in magnitude, but are not statistically significant at the 10-percent level. We find a statistically significant impact of wind development on employment in the OLS analysis for wind counties only, but not in the other models. Our estimates of employment impacts are not precise enough to assess the validity of employment impacts from input-output models applied in advance of wind energy project construction. The analysis provides empirical evidence of positive income effects at the county level from cumulative wind turbine development, consistent with the range of impacts estimated using input-output models. Employment impacts are less clear.« less

Assessment of In vitro Sun Protection Factor of Calendula Officinalis L. (Asteraceae) Essential Oil Formulation.

PubMed

Mishra, Ak; Mishra, A; Chattopadhyay, P

2012-01-01

The present study was undertaken to study the sunscreen activity of herbal formulation. There is no evidence of the sun protection factor (SPF) studies on essential oil of Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis L., Asteraceae). The study investigates the in vitro SPF by ultraviolet specrtophotometry method of Calendula flower oil in a cream formulation. Calendula oil was isolated by Clavenger's apparatus, compositions were identified by GC-MS and the cream of calendula flower oil was prepared by homogenization method followed by evaluation for physical parameters. The sun protection factor of cream was evaluated by in vitro method employing UV-visible spectrophotometer (Shimazdu-1600). The SPF of Calendula oil in cream formulation exhibited good activity (SPF = 14.84 ± 0.16). Finding of this study suggested that calendula oil cream can be used to protect the skin from UV radiations in form of sunscreen cream and to maintain the natural pigmentation of the skin.

Gaussian mixture clustering and imputation of microarray data.

PubMed

Ouyang, Ming; Welsh, William J; Georgopoulos, Panos

2004-04-12

In microarray experiments, missing entries arise from blemishes on the chips. In large-scale studies, virtually every chip contains some missing entries and more than 90% of the genes are affected. Many analysis methods require a full set of data. Either those genes with missing entries are excluded, or the missing entries are filled with estimates prior to the analyses. This study compares methods of missing value estimation. Two evaluation metrics of imputation accuracy are employed. First, the root mean squared error measures the difference between the true values and the imputed values. Second, the number of mis-clustered genes measures the difference between clustering with true values and that with imputed values; it examines the bias introduced by imputation to clustering. The Gaussian mixture clustering with model averaging imputation is superior to all other imputation methods, according to both evaluation metrics, on both time-series (correlated) and non-time series (uncorrelated) data sets.

Simulation of electric double-layer capacitors: evaluation of constant potential method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenxing; Laird, Brian; Yang, Yang; Olmsted, David; Asta, Mark

2014-03-01

Atomistic simulations can play an important role in understanding electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) at a molecular level. In such simulations, typically the electrode surface is modeled using fixed surface charges, which ignores the charge fluctuation induced by local fluctuations in the electrolyte solution. In this work we evaluate an explicit treatment of charges, namely constant potential method (CPM)[1], in which the electrode charges are dynamically updated to maintain constant electrode potential. We employ a model system with a graphite electrode and a LiClO4/acetonitrile electrolyte, examined as a function of electrode potential differences. Using various molecular and macroscopic properties as metrics, we compare CPM simulations on this system to results using fixed surface charges. Specifically, results for predicted capacity, electric potential gradient and solvent density profile are identical between the two methods; However, ion density profiles and solvation structure yield significantly different results.

A subjective scheduler for subjective dedicated networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suherman; Fakhrizal, Said Reza; Al-Akaidi, Marwan

2017-09-01

Multiple access technique is one of important techniques within medium access layer in TCP/IP protocol stack. Each network technology implements the selected access method. Priority can be implemented in those methods to differentiate services. Some internet networks are dedicated for specific purpose. Education browsing or tutorial video accesses are preferred in a library hotspot, while entertainment and sport contents could be subjects of limitation. Current solution may use IP address filter or access list. This paper proposes subjective properties of users or applications are used for priority determination in multiple access techniques. The NS-2 simulator is employed to evaluate the method. A video surveillance network using WiMAX is chosen as the object. Subjective priority is implemented on WiMAX scheduler based on traffic properties. Three different traffic sources from monitoring video: palace, park, and market are evaluated. The proposed subjective scheduler prioritizes palace monitoring video that results better quality, xx dB than the later monitoring spots.

[Impact of water pollution risk in water transfer project based on fault tree analysis].

PubMed

Liu, Jian-Chang; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Li-Min; Li, Dai-Qing; Fan, Xiu-Ying; Deng, Hong-Bing

2009-09-15

The methods to assess water pollution risk for medium water transfer are gradually being explored. The event-nature-proportion method was developed to evaluate the probability of the single event. Fault tree analysis on the basis of calculation on single event was employed to evaluate the extent of whole water pollution risk for the channel water body. The result indicates, that the risk of pollutants from towns and villages along the line of water transfer project to the channel water body is at high level with the probability of 0.373, which will increase pollution to the channel water body at the rate of 64.53 mg/L COD, 4.57 mg/L NH4(+) -N and 0.066 mg/L volatilization hydroxybenzene, respectively. The measurement of fault probability on the basis of proportion method is proved to be useful in assessing water pollution risk under much uncertainty.