Comparison between Procedures using Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate for Shotgun Proteomic Analyses of Complex Samples

PubMed Central

Bereman, Michael S.; Egertson, Jarrett D.; MacCoss, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Filter aided sample preparation (FASP) and a new sample preparation method using a modified commercial SDS removal spin column are quantitatively compared in terms of their performance for shotgun proteomic experiments in three complex proteomic samples: a Saccharomyces cerevisiae lysate (insoluble fraction), a Caenorhabditis elegans lysate (soluble fraction), and a human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293T). The characteristics and total number of peptides and proteins identified are compared between the two procedures. The SDS spin column procedure affords a conservative 4-fold improvement in throughput, is more reproducible, less expensive (i.e., requires less materials), and identifies between 30–107% more peptides at a q≤0.01, than the FASP procedure. The peptides identified by SDS spin column are more hydrophobic than species identified by the FASP procedure as indicated by the distribution of GRAVY scores. Ultimately, these improvements correlate to as great as a 50% increase in protein identifications with 2 or more peptides. PMID:21656683

Robust alignment of chromatograms by statistically analyzing the shifts matrix generated by moving window fast Fourier transform cross-correlation.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingjing; Wen, Ming; Zhang, Zhi-Min; Lu, Hongmei; Liang, Yizeng; Zhan, Dejian

2015-03-01

Retention time shift is one of the most challenging problems during the preprocessing of massive chromatographic datasets. Here, an improved version of the moving window fast Fourier transform cross-correlation algorithm is presented to perform nonlinear and robust alignment of chromatograms by analyzing the shifts matrix generated by moving window procedure. The shifts matrix in retention time can be estimated by fast Fourier transform cross-correlation with a moving window procedure. The refined shift of each scan point can be obtained by calculating the mode of corresponding column of the shifts matrix. This version is simple, but more effective and robust than the previously published moving window fast Fourier transform cross-correlation method. It can handle nonlinear retention time shift robustly if proper window size has been selected. The window size is the only one parameter needed to adjust and optimize. The properties of the proposed method are investigated by comparison with the previous moving window fast Fourier transform cross-correlation and recursive alignment by fast Fourier transform using chromatographic datasets. The pattern recognition results of a gas chromatography mass spectrometry dataset of metabolic syndrome can be improved significantly after preprocessing by this method. Furthermore, the proposed method is available as an open source package at https://github.com/zmzhang/MWFFT2. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

On dealing with multiple correlation peaks in PIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masullo, A.; Theunissen, R.

2018-05-01

A novel algorithm to analyse PIV images in the presence of strong in-plane displacement gradients and reduce sub-grid filtering is proposed in this paper. Interrogation windows subjected to strong in-plane displacement gradients often produce correlation maps presenting multiple peaks. Standard multi-grid procedures discard such ambiguous correlation windows using a signal to noise (SNR) filter. The proposed algorithm improves the standard multi-grid algorithm allowing the detection of splintered peaks in a correlation map through an automatic threshold, producing multiple displacement vectors for each correlation area. Vector locations are chosen by translating images according to the peak displacements and by selecting the areas with the strongest match. The method is assessed on synthetic images of a boundary layer of varying intensity and a sinusoidal displacement field of changing wavelength. An experimental case of a flow exhibiting strong velocity gradients is also provided to show the improvements brought by this technique.

Relationship between changes in rat behavior and integral biochemical indexes determined by laser correlation spectroscopy after photothrombosis of the prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Romanova, G A; Shakova, F M; Kovaleva, O I; Pivovarov, V V; Khlebnikova, N N; Karganov, M Yu

2004-02-01

Experiments on rats showed that Noopept improved retention and retrieval of conditioned passive avoidance response after phototrombosis of the prefrontal cortex (a procedure impairing retention of memory traces). The impairment of mnesic functions was accompanied by changes in integral biochemical indexes of the plasma determined by laser correlation spectroscopy. Treatment of behavioral disorders with Noopepet normalized biochemical indexes.

[Examination of diagnosis procedure combination survey data that influence function evaluation coefficient II].

PubMed

Nakajima, Hisato; Yano, Kouya; Nagasawa, Kaoko; Kobayashi, Eiji; Yokota, Kuninobu

2015-01-01

On the basis of Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) survey data, the factors that increase the value of function evaluation coefficient II were considered. A total of 1,505 hospitals were divided into groups I, II, and III, and the following items were considered. 1. Significant differences in function evaluation coefficient II and DPC survey data. 2. Examination of using the Mahalanobis-Taguchi (MT) method. 3. Correlation between function evaluation coefficient II and each DPC survey data item. 1. Function evaluation coefficient II was highest in group II. Group I hospitals showed the highest bed capacity, and numbers of hospitalization days, operations, chemotherapies, radiotherapies and general anesthesia procedures. 2. Using the MT method, we found that the number of ambulance conveyances was effective factor in group I hospitals, the number of general anesthesia procedures was effective factor in group II hospitals, and the bed capacity was effective factor in group III hospitals. 3. In group I hospitals, function evaluation coefficient II significantly correlated to the numbers of ambulance conveyances and chemotherapies. In group II hospitals, function evaluation coefficient II significantly correlated to bed capacity, the numbers of ambulance conveyances, hospitalization days, operations, general anesthesia procedures, and mean hospitalization days. In group III hospitals, function evaluation coefficient II significantly correlated to all items. The factors that improve the value of function evaluation coefficient II were the increases in the numbers of ambulance conveyances, chemotherapies and radiotherapies in group I hospitals, increases in the numbers of hospitalization days, operations, ambulance conveyances and general anesthesia procedures in group II hospitals, and increases in the numbers of hospitalization days, operations and ambulance conveyances. These results indicate that the profit of a hospital will increase, which will lead to medical services of good quality.

Investigations in adaptive processing of multispectral data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kriegler, F. J.; Horwitz, H. M.

1973-01-01

Adaptive data processing procedures are applied to the problem of classifying objects in a scene scanned by multispectral sensor. These procedures show a performance improvement over standard nonadaptive techniques. Some sources of error in classification are identified and those correctable by adaptive processing are discussed. Experiments in adaptation of signature means by decision-directed methods are described. Some of these methods assume correlation between the trajectories of different signature means; for others this assumption is not made.

RE-PERG, a new procedure for electrophysiologic diagnosis of glaucoma that may improve PERG specificity.

PubMed

Mavilio, Alberto; Sisto, Dario; Ferreri, Paolo; Cardascia, Nicola; Alessio, Giovanni

2017-01-01

A significant variability of the second harmonic (2ndH) phase of steady-state pattern electroretinogram (SS-PERG) in intrasession retest has been recently described in glaucoma patients (GP), which has not been found in healthy subjects. To evaluate the reliability of phase variability in retest (a procedure called RE-PERG or REPERG) in the presence of cataract, which is known to affect standard PERG, we tested this procedure in GP, normal controls (NC), and cataract patients (CP). The procedure was performed on 50 GP, 35 NC, and 27 CP. All subjects were examined with RE-PERG and SS-PERG and also with spectral domain optical coherence tomography and standard automated perimetry. Standard deviation of phase and amplitude value of 2ndH were correlated by means of one-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation, with the mean deviation and pattern standard deviation assessed by standard automated perimetry and retinal nerve fiber layer and the ganglion cell complex thickness assessed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Receiver operating characteristics were calculated in cohort populations with and without cataract. Standard deviation of phase of 2ndH was significantly higher in GP with respect to NC ( P <0.001) and CP ( P <0.001), and it correlated with retinal nerve fiber layer ( r =-0.5, P <0.001) and ganglion cell complex ( r =-0.6, P <0.001) defects in GP. Receiver operating characteristic evaluation showed higher specificity of RE-PERG (86.4%; area under the curve 0.93) with respect to SS-PERG (54.5%; area under the curve 0.68) in CP. RE-PERG may improve the specificity of SS-PERG in clinical practice in the discrimination of GP.

Complexity, Training Paradigm Design, and the Contribution of Memory Subsystems to Grammar Learning

PubMed Central

Ettlinger, Marc; Wong, Patrick C. M.

2016-01-01

Although there is variability in nonnative grammar learning outcomes, the contributions of training paradigm design and memory subsystems are not well understood. To examine this, we presented learners with an artificial grammar that formed words via simple and complex morphophonological rules. Across three experiments, we manipulated training paradigm design and measured subjects' declarative, procedural, and working memory subsystems. Experiment 1 demonstrated that passive, exposure-based training boosted learning of both simple and complex grammatical rules, relative to no training. Additionally, procedural memory correlated with simple rule learning, whereas declarative memory correlated with complex rule learning. Experiment 2 showed that presenting corrective feedback during the test phase did not improve learning. Experiment 3 revealed that structuring the order of training so that subjects are first exposed to the simple rule and then the complex improved learning. The cumulative findings shed light on the contributions of grammatical complexity, training paradigm design, and domain-general memory subsystems in determining grammar learning success. PMID:27391085

Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: tests for correlation and regression analyses.

PubMed

Faul, Franz; Erdfelder, Edgar; Buchner, Axel; Lang, Albert-Georg

2009-11-01

G*Power is a free power analysis program for a variety of statistical tests. We present extensions and improvements of the version introduced by Faul, Erdfelder, Lang, and Buchner (2007) in the domain of correlation and regression analyses. In the new version, we have added procedures to analyze the power of tests based on (1) single-sample tetrachoric correlations, (2) comparisons of dependent correlations, (3) bivariate linear regression, (4) multiple linear regression based on the random predictor model, (5) logistic regression, and (6) Poisson regression. We describe these new features and provide a brief introduction to their scope and handling.

A new phase-correlation-based iris matching for degraded images.

PubMed

Krichen, Emine; Garcia-Salicetti, Sonia; Dorizzi, Bernadette

2009-08-01

In this paper, we present a new phase-correlation-based iris matching approach in order to deal with degradations in iris images due to unconstrained acquisition procedures. Our matching system is a fusion of global and local Gabor phase-correlation schemes. The main originality of our local approach is that we do not only consider the correlation peak amplitudes but also their locations in different regions of the images. Results on several degraded databases, namely, the CASIA-BIOSECURE and Iris Challenge Evaluation 2005 databases, show the improvement of our method compared to two available reference systems, Masek and Open Source for Iris (OSRIS), in verification mode.

Model Update of a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) Flexible Wing Frame with Uncertainty Quantification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reaves, Mercedes C.; Horta, Lucas G.; Waszak, Martin R.; Morgan, Benjamin G.

2004-01-01

This paper describes a procedure to update parameters in the finite element model of a Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) to improve displacement predictions under aerodynamics loads. Because of fabrication, materials, and geometric uncertainties, a statistical approach combined with Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) is used to modify key model parameters. Static test data collected using photogrammetry are used to correlate with model predictions. Results show significant improvements in model predictions after parameters are updated; however, computed probabilities values indicate low confidence in updated values and/or model structure errors. Lessons learned in the areas of wing design, test procedures, modeling approaches with geometric nonlinearities, and uncertainties quantification are all documented.

Statistical analysis and digital processing of the Mössbauer spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochazka, Roman; Tucek, Pavel; Tucek, Jiri; Marek, Jaroslav; Mashlan, Miroslav; Pechousek, Jiri

2010-02-01

This work is focused on using the statistical methods and development of the filtration procedures for signal processing in Mössbauer spectroscopy. Statistical tools for noise filtering in the measured spectra are used in many scientific areas. The use of a pure statistical approach in accumulated Mössbauer spectra filtration is described. In Mössbauer spectroscopy, the noise can be considered as a Poisson statistical process with a Gaussian distribution for high numbers of observations. This noise is a superposition of the non-resonant photons counting with electronic noise (from γ-ray detection and discrimination units), and the velocity system quality that can be characterized by the velocity nonlinearities. The possibility of a noise-reducing process using a new design of statistical filter procedure is described. This mathematical procedure improves the signal-to-noise ratio and thus makes it easier to determine the hyperfine parameters of the given Mössbauer spectra. The filter procedure is based on a periodogram method that makes it possible to assign the statistically important components in the spectral domain. The significance level for these components is then feedback-controlled using the correlation coefficient test results. The estimation of the theoretical correlation coefficient level which corresponds to the spectrum resolution is performed. Correlation coefficient test is based on comparison of the theoretical and the experimental correlation coefficients given by the Spearman method. The correctness of this solution was analyzed by a series of statistical tests and confirmed by many spectra measured with increasing statistical quality for a given sample (absorber). The effect of this filter procedure depends on the signal-to-noise ratio and the applicability of this method has binding conditions.

An enhanced methodology for spacecraft correlation activity using virtual testing tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remedia, Marcello; Aglietti, Guglielmo S.; Appolloni, Matteo; Cozzani, Alessandro; Kiley, Andrew

2017-11-01

Test planning and post-test correlation activity have been issues of growing importance in the last few decades and many methodologies have been developed to either quantify or improve the correlation between computational and experimental results. In this article the methodologies established so far are enhanced with the implementation of a recently developed procedure called Virtual Testing. In the context of fixed-base sinusoidal tests (commonly used in the space sector for correlation), there are several factors in the test campaign that affect the behaviour of the satellite and are not normally taken into account when performing analyses: different boundary conditions created by the shaker's own dynamics, non-perfect control system, signal delays etc. All these factors are the core of the Virtual Testing implementation, which will be thoroughly explained in this article and applied to the specific case of Bepi-Colombo spacecraft tested on the ESA QUAD Shaker. Correlation activity will be performed in the various stages of the process, showing important improvements observed after applying the final complete methodology.

Surgical resident technical skill self-evaluation: increased precision with training progression.

PubMed

Quick, Jacob A; Kudav, Vishal; Doty, Jennifer; Crane, Megan; Bukoski, Alex D; Bennett, Bethany J; Barnes, Stephen L

2017-10-01

Surgical resident ability to accurately evaluate one's own skill level is an important part of educational growth. We aimed to determine if differences exist between self and observer technical skill evaluation of surgical residents performing a single procedure. We prospectively enrolled 14 categorical general surgery residents (six post-graduate year [PGY] 1-2, three PGY 3, and five PGY 4-5). Over a 6-month period, following each laparoscopic cholecystectomy, residents and seven faculty each completed the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS). Spearman's coefficient was calculated for three groups: senior (PGY 4-5), PGY3, and junior (PGY 1-2). Rho (ρ) values greater than 0.8 were considered well correlated. Of the 125 paired assessments (resident-faculty each evaluating the same case), 58 were completed for senior residents, 54 for PGY3 residents, and 13 for junior residents. Using the mean from all OSATS categories, trainee self-evaluations correlated well to faculty (senior ρ 0.97, PGY3 ρ 0.9, junior ρ 0.9). When specific OSATS categories were analyzed, junior residents exhibited poor correlation in categories of respect for tissue (ρ -0.5), instrument handling (ρ 0.71), operative flow (ρ 0.41), use of assistants (ρ 0.05), procedural knowledge (ρ 0.32), and overall comfort with the procedure (ρ 0.73). PGY3 residents lacked correlation in two OSATS categories, operative flow (ρ 0.7) and procedural knowledge (ρ 0.2). Senior resident self-evaluations exhibited strong correlations to observers in all areas. Surgical residents improve technical skill self-awareness with progressive training. Less-experienced trainees have a tendency to over-or-underestimate technical skill. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of systemic hemodynamics and oxygen transport on cerebral oxygen saturation in neonates after the Norwood procedure.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Zhang, Gencheng; Holtby, Helen; Guerguerian, Anne-Marie; Cai, Sally; Humpl, Tilman; Caldarone, Christopher A; Redington, Andrew N; Van Arsdell, Glen S

2008-01-01

Ischemic brain injury is an important morbidity in neonates after the Norwood procedure. Its relationship to systemic hemodynamic oxygen transport is poorly understood. Sixteen neonates undergoing the Norwood procedure were studied. Continuous cerebral oxygen saturation was measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. Continuous oxygen consumption was measured by respiratory mass spectrometry. Pulmonary and systemic blood flow, systemic vascular resistance, oxygen delivery, and oxygen extraction ratio were derived with measurements of arterial, and superior vena cava and pulmonary venous gases and pressures at 2- to 4-hour intervals during the first 72 hours in the intensive care unit. Mean cerebral oxygen saturation was 66% +/- 12% before the operation, reduced to 51% +/- 13% on arrival in the intensive care unit, and remained low during the first 8 hours; it increased to 56% +/- 9% at 72 hours, still significantly lower than the preoperative level (P < .05). Postoperatively, cerebral oxygen saturation was closely and positively correlated with systemic arterial pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and arterial oxygen tension and negatively with oxygen extraction ratio (P < .0001 for all). Cerebral oxygen saturation was moderately and positively correlated with systemic blood flow and oxygen delivery (P < .0001 for both). It was weakly and positively correlated with pulmonary blood flow (P = .001) and hemoglobin (P = .02) and negatively correlated with systemic vascular resistance (P = .003). It was not correlated with oxygen consumption (P > .05). Cerebral oxygen saturation decreased significantly in neonates during the early postoperative period after the Norwood procedure and was significantly influenced by systemic hemodynamic and metabolic events. As such, hemodynamic interventions to modify systemic oxygen transport may provide further opportunities to reduce the risk of cerebral ischemia and improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Pulmonary edema predictive scoring index (PEPSI), a new index to predict risk of reperfusion pulmonary edema and improvement of hemodynamics in percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty.

PubMed

Inami, Takumi; Kataoka, Masaharu; Shimura, Nobuhiko; Ishiguro, Haruhisa; Yanagisawa, Ryoji; Taguchi, Hiroki; Fukuda, Keiichi; Yoshino, Hideaki; Satoh, Toru

2013-07-01

This study sought to identify useful predictors for hemodynamic improvement and risk of reperfusion pulmonary edema (RPE), a major complication of this procedure. Percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA) has been reported to be effective for the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). PTPA has not been widespread because RPE has not been well predicted. We included 140 consecutive procedures in 54 patients with CTEPH. The flow appearance of the target vessels was graded into 4 groups (Pulmonary Flow Grade), and we proposed PEPSI (Pulmonary Edema Predictive Scoring Index) = (sum total change of Pulmonary Flow Grade scores) × (baseline pulmonary vascular resistance). Correlations between occurrence of RPE and 11 variables, including hemodynamic parameters, number of target vessels, and PEPSI, were analyzed. Hemodynamic parameters significantly improved after median observation period of 6.4 months, and the sum total changes in Pulmonary Flow Grade scores were significantly correlated with the improvement in hemodynamics. Multivariate analysis revealed that PEPSI was the strongest factor correlated with the occurrence of RPE (p < 0.0001). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated PEPSI to be a useful marker of the risk of RPE (cutoff value 35.4, negative predictive value 92.3%). Pulmonary Flow Grade score is useful in determining therapeutic efficacy, and PEPSI is highly supportive to reduce the risk of RPE after PTPA. Using these 2 indexes, PTPA could become a safe and common therapeutic strategy for CTEPH. Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

2D-3D rigid registration to compensate for prostate motion during 3D TRUS-guided biopsy.

PubMed

De Silva, Tharindu; Fenster, Aaron; Cool, Derek W; Gardi, Lori; Romagnoli, Cesare; Samarabandu, Jagath; Ward, Aaron D

2013-02-01

Three-dimensional (3D) transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided systems have been developed to improve targeting accuracy during prostate biopsy. However, prostate motion during the procedure is a potential source of error that can cause target misalignments. The authors present an image-based registration technique to compensate for prostate motion by registering the live two-dimensional (2D) TRUS images acquired during the biopsy procedure to a preacquired 3D TRUS image. The registration must be performed both accurately and quickly in order to be useful during the clinical procedure. The authors implemented an intensity-based 2D-3D rigid registration algorithm optimizing the normalized cross-correlation (NCC) metric using Powell's method. The 2D TRUS images acquired during the procedure prior to biopsy gun firing were registered to the baseline 3D TRUS image acquired at the beginning of the procedure. The accuracy was measured by calculating the target registration error (TRE) using manually identified fiducials within the prostate; these fiducials were used for validation only and were not provided as inputs to the registration algorithm. They also evaluated the accuracy when the registrations were performed continuously throughout the biopsy by acquiring and registering live 2D TRUS images every second. This measured the improvement in accuracy resulting from performing the registration, continuously compensating for motion during the procedure. To further validate the method using a more challenging data set, registrations were performed using 3D TRUS images acquired by intentionally exerting different levels of ultrasound probe pressures in order to measure the performance of our algorithm when the prostate tissue was intentionally deformed. In this data set, biopsy scenarios were simulated by extracting 2D frames from the 3D TRUS images and registering them to the baseline 3D image. A graphics processing unit (GPU)-based implementation was used to improve the registration speed. They also studied the correlation between NCC and TREs. The root-mean-square (RMS) TRE of registrations performed prior to biopsy gun firing was found to be 1.87 ± 0.81 mm. This was an improvement over 4.75 ± 2.62 mm before registration. When the registrations were performed every second during the biopsy, the RMS TRE was reduced to 1.63 ± 0.51 mm. For 3D data sets acquired under different probe pressures, the RMS TRE was found to be 3.18 ± 1.6 mm. This was an improvement from 6.89 ± 4.1 mm before registration. With the GPU based implementation, the registrations were performed with a mean time of 1.1 s. The TRE showed a weak correlation with the similarity metric. However, the authors measured a generally convex shape of the metric around the ground truth, which may explain the rapid convergence of their algorithm to accurate results. Registration to compensate for prostate motion during 3D TRUS-guided biopsy can be performed with a measured accuracy of less than 2 mm and a speed of 1.1 s, which is an important step toward improving the targeting accuracy of a 3D TRUS-guided biopsy system.

Development of Test-Analysis Models (TAM) for correlation of dynamic test and analysis results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angelucci, Filippo; Javeed, Mehzad; Mcgowan, Paul

1992-01-01

The primary objective of structural analysis of aerospace applications is to obtain a verified finite element model (FEM). The verified FEM can be used for loads analysis, evaluate structural modifications, or design control systems. Verification of the FEM is generally obtained as the result of correlating test and FEM models. A test analysis model (TAM) is very useful in the correlation process. A TAM is essentially a FEM reduced to the size of the test model, which attempts to preserve the dynamic characteristics of the original FEM in the analysis range of interest. Numerous methods for generating TAMs have been developed in the literature. The major emphasis of this paper is a description of the procedures necessary for creation of the TAM and the correlation of the reduced models with the FEM or the test results. Herein, three methods are discussed, namely Guyan, Improved Reduced System (IRS), and Hybrid. Also included are the procedures for performing these analyses using MSC/NASTRAN. Finally, application of the TAM process is demonstrated with an experimental test configuration of a ten bay cantilevered truss structure.

Continuous detection of weak sensory signals in afferent spike trains: the role of anti-correlated interspike intervals in detection performance.

PubMed

Goense, J B M; Ratnam, R

2003-10-01

An important problem in sensory processing is deciding whether fluctuating neural activity encodes a stimulus or is due to variability in baseline activity. Neurons that subserve detection must examine incoming spike trains continuously, and quickly and reliably differentiate signals from baseline activity. Here we demonstrate that a neural integrator can perform continuous signal detection, with performance exceeding that of trial-based procedures, where spike counts in signal- and baseline windows are compared. The procedure was applied to data from electrosensory afferents of weakly electric fish (Apteronotus leptorhynchus), where weak perturbations generated by small prey add approximately 1 spike to a baseline of approximately 300 spikes s(-1). The hypothetical postsynaptic neuron, modeling an electrosensory lateral line lobe cell, could detect an added spike within 10-15 ms, achieving near ideal detection performance (80-95%) at false alarm rates of 1-2 Hz, while trial-based testing resulted in only 30-35% correct detections at that false alarm rate. The performance improvement was due to anti-correlations in the afferent spike train, which reduced both the amplitude and duration of fluctuations in postsynaptic membrane activity, and so decreased the number of false alarms. Anti-correlations can be exploited to improve detection performance only if there is memory of prior decisions.

Right Brodmann area 18 predicts tremor arrest after Vim radiosurgery: a voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Tuleasca, Constantin; Witjas, Tatiana; Van de Ville, Dimitri; Najdenovska, Elena; Verger, Antoine; Girard, Nadine; Champoudry, Jerome; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Cuadra, Meritxell Bach; Levivier, Marc; Guedj, Eric; Régis, Jean

2018-03-01

Drug-resistant essential tremor (ET) can benefit from open standard stereotactic procedures, such as deep-brain stimulation or radiofrequency thalamotomy. Non-surgical candidates can be offered either high-focused ultrasound (HIFU) or radiosurgery (RS). All procedures aim to target the same thalamic site, the ventro-intermediate nucleus (e.g., Vim). The mechanisms by which tremor stops after Vim RS or HIFU remain unknown. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) on pretherapeutic neuroimaging data and assessed which anatomical site would best correlate with tremor arrest 1 year after Vim RS. Fifty-two patients (30 male, 22 female; mean age 71.6 years, range 49-82) with right-sided ET benefited from left unilateral Vim RS in Marseille, France. Targeting was performed in a uniform manner, using 130 Gy and a single 4-mm collimator. Neurological (pretherapeutic and 1 year after) and neuroimaging (baseline) assessments were completed. Tremor score on the treated hand (TSTH) at 1 year after Vim RS was included in a statistical parametric mapping analysis of variance (ANOVA) model as a continuous variable with pretherapeutic neuroimaging data. Pretherapeutic gray matter density (GMD) was further correlated with TSTH improvement. No a priori hypothesis was used in the statistical model. The only statistically significant region was right Brodmann area (BA) 18 (visual association area V2, p = 0.05, cluster size K c  = 71). Higher baseline GMD correlated with better TSTH improvement at 1 year after Vim RS (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient = 0.002). Routine baseline structural neuroimaging predicts TSTH improvement 1 year after Vim RS. The relevant anatomical area is the right visual association cortex (BA 18, V2). The question whether visual areas should be included in the targeting remains open.

Graphical correlation of gaging-station records

USGS Publications Warehouse

Searcy, James K.

1960-01-01

A gaging-station record is a sample of the rate of flow of a stream at a given site. This sample can be used to estimate the magnitude and distribution of future flows if the record is long enough to be representative of the long-term flow of the stream. The reliability of a short-term record for estimating future flow characteristics can be improved through correlation with a long-term record. Correlation can be either numerical or graphical, but graphical correlation of gaging-station records has several advantages. The graphical correlation method is described in a step-by-step procedure with an illustrative problem of simple correlation, illustrative problems of three examples of multiple correlation--removing seasonal effect--and two examples of correlation of one record with two other records. Except in the problem on removal of seasonal effect, the same group of stations is used in the illustrative problems. The purpose of the problems is to illustrate the method--not to show the improvement that can result from multiple correlation as compared with simple correlation. Hydrologic factors determine whether a usable relation exists between gaging-station records. Statistics is only a tool for evaluating and using an existing relation, and the investigator must be guided by a knowledge of hydrology.

Evaluative and Behavioral Correlates to Intrarehearsal Achievement in High School Bands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montemayor, Mark

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships of teaching effectiveness, ensemble performance quality, and selected rehearsal procedures to various measures of intrarehearsal achievement (i.e., musical improvement exhibited by an ensemble during the course of a single rehearsal). Twenty-nine high school bands were observed in two…

Using Mood Ratings and Mood Induction in Assessment and Intervention for Severe Problem Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Edward G.; McLaughlin, Darlene Magito; Giacobbe-Grieco, Theresa; Smith, Christopher E.

2003-01-01

A study examined whether a correlation existed between mood ratings and subsequent display of problem behavior in eight adults with mental retardation. Results indicated that bad mood ratings were highly predictive of problem behavior. When an induction procedure to improve mood ratings was implemented, dramatic decreases in problem behaviors…

Improved mitral valve coaptation and reduced mitral valve annular size after percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) using the MitraClip system.

PubMed

Patzelt, Johannes; Zhang, Yingying; Magunia, Harry; Ulrich, Miriam; Jorbenadze, Rezo; Droppa, Michal; Zhang, Wenzhong; Lausberg, Henning; Walker, Tobias; Rosenberger, Peter; Seizer, Peter; Gawaz, Meinrad; Langer, Harald F

2017-08-01

Improved mitral valve leaflet coaptation with consecutive reduction of mitral regurgitation (MR) is a central goal of percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) with the MitraClip® system. As influences of PMVR on mitral valve geometry have been suggested before, we examined the effect of the procedure on mitral annular size in relation to procedural outcome. Geometry of the mitral valve annulus was evaluated in 183 patients undergoing PMVR using echocardiography before and after the procedure and at follow-up. Mitral valve annular anterior-posterior (ap) diameter decreased from 34.0 ± 4.3 to 31.3 ± 4.9 mm (P < 0.001), and medio-lateral (ml) diameter from 33.2 ± 4.8 to 32.4 ± 4.9 mm (P < 0.001). Accordingly, we observed an increase in MV leaflet coaptation after PMVR. The reduction of mitral valve ap diameter showed a significant inverse correlation with residual MR. Importantly, the reduction of mitral valve ap diameter persisted at follow-up (31.3 ± 4.9 mm post PMVR, 28.4 ± 5.3 mm at follow-up). This study demonstrates mechanical approximation of both mitral valve annulus edges with improved mitral valve annular coaptation by PMVR using the MitraClip® system, which correlates with residual MR in patients with MR. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Communication: importance sampling including path correlation in semiclassical initial value representation calculations for time correlation functions.

PubMed

Pan, Feng; Tao, Guohua

2013-03-07

Full semiclassical (SC) initial value representation (IVR) for time correlation functions involves a double phase space average over a set of two phase points, each of which evolves along a classical path. Conventionally, the two initial phase points are sampled independently for all degrees of freedom (DOF) in the Monte Carlo procedure. Here, we present an efficient importance sampling scheme by including the path correlation between the two initial phase points for the bath DOF, which greatly improves the performance of the SC-IVR calculations for large molecular systems. Satisfactory convergence in the study of quantum coherence in vibrational relaxation has been achieved for a benchmark system-bath model with up to 21 DOF.

Small Schools Language Arts Curriculum, K-3: Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts that do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains language arts curriculum materials for grades K-3. Learning objectives are correlated to the Goals…

Calibration of groundwater vulnerability mapping using the generalized reduced gradient method.

PubMed

Elçi, Alper

2017-12-01

Groundwater vulnerability assessment studies are essential in water resources management. Overlay-and-index methods such as DRASTIC are widely used for mapping of groundwater vulnerability, however, these methods mainly suffer from a subjective selection of model parameters. The objective of this study is to introduce a calibration procedure that results in a more accurate assessment of groundwater vulnerability. The improvement of the assessment is formulated as a parameter optimization problem using an objective function that is based on the correlation between actual groundwater contamination and vulnerability index values. The non-linear optimization problem is solved with the generalized-reduced-gradient (GRG) method, which is numerical algorithm based optimization method. To demonstrate the applicability of the procedure, a vulnerability map for the Tahtali stream basin is calibrated using nitrate concentration data. The calibration procedure is easy to implement and aims the maximization of correlation between observed pollutant concentrations and groundwater vulnerability index values. The influence of each vulnerability parameter in the calculation of the vulnerability index is assessed by performing a single-parameter sensitivity analysis. Results of the sensitivity analysis show that all factors are effective on the final vulnerability index. Calibration of the vulnerability map improves the correlation between index values and measured nitrate concentrations by 19%. The regression coefficient increases from 0.280 to 0.485. It is evident that the spatial distribution and the proportions of vulnerability class areas are significantly altered with the calibration process. Although the applicability of the calibration method is demonstrated on the DRASTIC model, the applicability of the approach is not specific to a certain model and can also be easily applied to other overlay-and-index methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Calibration of groundwater vulnerability mapping using the generalized reduced gradient method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elçi, Alper

2017-12-01

Groundwater vulnerability assessment studies are essential in water resources management. Overlay-and-index methods such as DRASTIC are widely used for mapping of groundwater vulnerability, however, these methods mainly suffer from a subjective selection of model parameters. The objective of this study is to introduce a calibration procedure that results in a more accurate assessment of groundwater vulnerability. The improvement of the assessment is formulated as a parameter optimization problem using an objective function that is based on the correlation between actual groundwater contamination and vulnerability index values. The non-linear optimization problem is solved with the generalized-reduced-gradient (GRG) method, which is numerical algorithm based optimization method. To demonstrate the applicability of the procedure, a vulnerability map for the Tahtali stream basin is calibrated using nitrate concentration data. The calibration procedure is easy to implement and aims the maximization of correlation between observed pollutant concentrations and groundwater vulnerability index values. The influence of each vulnerability parameter in the calculation of the vulnerability index is assessed by performing a single-parameter sensitivity analysis. Results of the sensitivity analysis show that all factors are effective on the final vulnerability index. Calibration of the vulnerability map improves the correlation between index values and measured nitrate concentrations by 19%. The regression coefficient increases from 0.280 to 0.485. It is evident that the spatial distribution and the proportions of vulnerability class areas are significantly altered with the calibration process. Although the applicability of the calibration method is demonstrated on the DRASTIC model, the applicability of the approach is not specific to a certain model and can also be easily applied to other overlay-and-index methods.

The role of spurious correlation in the development of a komatiite alteration model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, John C.

1986-11-01

Procedures for detecting alterations in komatiites are described. The research of Pearson (1897) on spurious correlation and of Chayes (1949, 1971) on ratio correlation is reviewed. The equations for the ratio correlation procedure are provided. The ratio correlation procedure is applied to the komatiites from Gorgona Island and the Barberton suite. Plots of the molecular proportion ratios of (FeO + MgO)/TiO2 versus SiO2/TiO2, and correlation coefficients for the komatiites are presented and analyzed.

Development and validation of trauma surgical skills metrics: Preliminary assessment of performance after training.

PubMed

Shackelford, Stacy; Garofalo, Evan; Shalin, Valerie; Pugh, Kristy; Chen, Hegang; Pasley, Jason; Sarani, Babak; Henry, Sharon; Bowyer, Mark; Mackenzie, Colin F

2015-07-01

Maintaining trauma-specific surgical skills is an ongoing challenge for surgical training programs. An objective assessment of surgical skills is needed. We hypothesized that a validated surgical performance assessment tool could detect differences following a training intervention. We developed surgical performance assessment metrics based on discussion with expert trauma surgeons, video review of 10 experts and 10 novice surgeons performing three vascular exposure procedures and lower extremity fasciotomy on cadavers, and validated the metrics with interrater reliability testing by five reviewers blinded to level of expertise and a consensus conference. We tested these performance metrics in 12 surgical residents (Year 3-7) before and 2 weeks after vascular exposure skills training in the Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET) course. Performance was assessed in three areas as follows: knowledge (anatomic, management), procedure steps, and technical skills. Time to completion of procedures was recorded, and these metrics were combined into a single performance score, the Trauma Readiness Index (TRI). Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test compared pretraining/posttraining effects. Mean time to complete procedures decreased by 4.3 minutes (from 13.4 minutes to 9.1 minutes). The performance component most improved by the 1-day skills training was procedure steps, completion of which increased by 21%. Technical skill scores improved by 12%. Overall knowledge improved by 3%, with 18% improvement in anatomic knowledge. TRI increased significantly from 50% to 64% with ASSET training. Interrater reliability of the surgical performance assessment metrics was validated with single intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.7 to 0.98. A trauma-relevant surgical performance assessment detected improvements in specific procedure steps and anatomic knowledge taught during a 1-day course, quantified by the TRI. ASSET training reduced time to complete vascular control by one third. Future applications include assessing specific skills in a larger surgeon cohort, assessing military surgical readiness, and quantifying skill degradation with time since training.

Establishing powder-handling workflow practices and standard operating procedures: compounding pharmacy and safety.

PubMed

Prince, Bryan; Lundevall, Jeremy

2014-01-01

This is an ongoing discussion and analysis of powder-handling safety in the compounding pharmacy laboratory that started in the November/December 2013 issue of the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding. In the previous technical article, we established that most chemical powders handled during compounding procedures have an established occupational exposure limits and that powders are micronized during manipulation. All micronized powders handled on an open bench create health hazards to the technicians and create a potential for cross-contamination to the lab environment. Proper identification of the chemical hazard and established standard operating procedures in direct correlation to Good Lab Practices when working inside a powder hood will positively improve the compounding pharmacy's work environment.

Tooth color: effects on judgments of attractiveness and age.

PubMed

Grosofsky, Alexis; Adkins, Sarah; Bastholm, Robert; Meyer, Leif; Krueger, Lisa; Meyer, Joshua; Torma, Peter

2003-02-01

Tooth whitening has become a very popular procedure. Advertisements for whitening products imply that whiter teeth are more attractive than yellower teeth. We tested this idea empirically by manipulating the tooth color of pictures of male and female targets. Participants' ratings of attractiveness were not influenced by tooth color. Exp. 2 yielded a negative correlation between attractiveness and age ratings: targets judged to be older were rated as less attractive. Unless whiter teeth help in some other way, e.g., improved self-esteem or confidence, it seems that tooth whitening procedures or products are not associated with increased attractiveness to others.

The effect of surgeon and hospital volume on shoulder arthroplasty perioperative quality metrics.

PubMed

Singh, Anshu; Yian, Edward H; Dillon, Mark T; Takayanagi, Miwa; Burke, Mary F; Navarro, Ronald A

2014-08-01

There has been a significant increase in both the incidence of shoulder arthroplasty and the number of surgeons performing these procedures. Literature regarding the relationship between surgeon or hospital volume and the performance of modern shoulder arthroplasty is limited. This study examines the effect of surgeon or hospital shoulder arthroplasty volume on perioperative metrics related to shoulder hemiarthroplasty, total shoulder arthroplasty, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Blood loss, length of stay, and operative time were the main endpoints analyzed. Prospective data were analyzed from a multicenter shoulder arthroplasty registry; 1176 primary shoulder arthroplasty cases were analyzed. Correlation and analysis of covariance were used to examine the association between surgeon and hospital volume and perioperative metrics adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. Surgeon volume is inversely correlated with length of stay for hemiarthroplasty and total shoulder arthroplasty and with blood loss and operative time for all 3 procedures. Hospital volume is inversely correlated with length of stay for hemiarthroplasty, with blood loss for total and reverse shoulder arthroplasty, and with operative time for all 3 procedures. High-volume surgeons performed shoulder arthroplasty 30 to 50 minutes faster than low-volume surgeons did. Higher surgeon and hospital case volumes led to improved perioperative metrics with all shoulder arthroplasty procedures, including reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, which has not been previously described in the literature. Surgeon volume had a larger effect on metrics than hospital volume did. This study supports the concept that complex shoulder procedures are, on average, performed more efficiently by higher volume surgeons in higher volume centers. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Predictors of outcome after manipulation under anaesthesia in patients with a stiff total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Vanlommel, L; Luyckx, T; Vercruysse, G; Bellemans, J; Vandenneucker, H

2017-11-01

Flexion in a stiff total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be improved by manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA). Although this intervention usually results in an improvement in range of motion, the expected result is not always achieved. The purpose of this study is to determine which factors affect range of motion after manipulation in patients with a stiff total knee. After exclusion (n = 22), the data of 158 patients (138 knees) with a stiff knee after TKA who received a manipulation under anaesthesia between 2004 and 2014 were retrospectively analysed. Pre-, peri- and post-operative variables were identified and examined for their influence on flexion after the manipulation using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman correlations. After MUA, a mean improvement in flexion of 30.3° was observed at the final follow-up. Preoperative TKA flexion, design of TKA and interval between TKA procedure and MUA were positive associated with an increase in flexion after MUA. MUA performed 12 weeks or more after TKA procedure deteriorated the outcome. Three factors, pre-TKA flexion type of prosthesis and interval between TKA procedure and manipulation under anaesthesia, were found to have impact on flexion after TKA and MUA were identified. Results are expected to be inferior in patients with low flexion before TKA procedure or with a long interval (>12 weeks) between the TKA procedure and the manipulation under anaesthesia. IV.

Randomized controlled trial of benzocaine versus placebo spray for pain relief at hysterosalpingogram

PubMed Central

Bachman, Emelia Argyropoulos; Senapati, Suneeta; Sammel, Mary D.; Kalra, Suleena Kansal

2016-01-01

Many women experience pain during hysterosalpingogram (HSG). This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study assessed whether the use of benzocaine spray during HSG is associated with reduced pain as compared with placebo. Thirty women presenting for HSG were enrolled and randomized to either benzocaine or saline spray. Treatment groups were similar in age, race, parity, pre-procedure oral analgesic use and history of dysmenorrhoea and/or chronic pelvic pain. Median change in pain score from baseline to procedure was 50.6 mm (−7.4 to 98.8 mm) in the benzocaine group and 70.4 mm (19.8 to 100 mm) in the placebo group. There was no difference between groups after adjusting for history of dysmenorrhoea. There was no difference in resolution of pain in benzocaine versus placebo groups at 5 min post procedure – median pain score difference – 11.1 (−90.1 to 18.5) versus −37.0 (−100 to 1.2) – or at 30 min post procedure. Satisfaction scores did not differ by treatment and did not correlate with pain score during the procedure (rho = 0.005). The use of benzocaine spray does not significantly improve pain relief during HSG nor does it hasten resolution of pain post HSG. Of interest, patient satisfaction was not correlated with pain. PMID:24745839

Estimating Surgical Procedure Times Using Anesthesia Billing Data and Operating Room Records.

PubMed

Burgette, Lane F; Mulcahy, Andrew W; Mehrotra, Ateev; Ruder, Teague; Wynn, Barbara O

2017-02-01

The median time required to perform a surgical procedure is important in determining payment under Medicare's physician fee schedule. Prior studies have demonstrated that the current methodology of using physician surveys to determine surgical times results in overstated times. To measure surgical times more accurately, we developed and validated a methodology using available data from anesthesia billing data and operating room (OR) records. We estimated surgical times using Medicare 2011 anesthesia claims and New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System 2011 OR times. Estimated times were validated using data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. We compared our time estimates to those used by Medicare in the fee schedule. We estimate surgical times via piecewise linear median regression models. Using 3.0 million observations of anesthesia and OR times, we estimated surgical time for 921 procedures. Correlation between these time estimates and directly measured surgical time from the validation database was 0.98. Our estimates of surgical time were shorter than the Medicare fee schedule estimates for 78 percent of procedures. Anesthesia and OR times can be used to measure surgical time and thereby improve the payment for surgical procedures in the Medicare fee schedule. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Mechanism of failure of the Cabrol procedure: A computational fluid dynamic analysis.

PubMed

Poullis, M; Pullan, M

2015-12-01

Sudden failure of the Cabrol graft is common and frequently fatal. We utilised the technique of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis to evaluate the mechanism of failure and potentially improve on the design of the Cabrol procedure. CFD analysis of the classic Cabrol procedure and a number of its variants was performed. Results from this analysis was utilised to generate further improved geometric options for the Cabrol procedure. These were also subjected to CFD analysis. All current Cabrol and variations of the Cabrol procedure are predicated by CFD analysis to be prone to graft thrombosis, secondary to stasis around the right coronary artery button. The right coronary artery flow characteristics were found to be the dominant reason for Cabrol graft failure. A simple modification of the Cabrol geometry is predicated to virtually eliminate any areas of blood stasis, and graft failure. Modification of the Cabrol graft geometry, due to CFD analysis may help reduce the incidence of graft thrombosis. A C shaped Cabrol graft with the right coronary button anastomosed to its side along its course from the aorta to the left coronary button is predicted to have the least thrombotic tendency. Clinical correlation is needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Procedural justice and quality of life in compensation processes.

PubMed

Elbers, Nieke A; Akkermans, Arno J; Cuijpers, Pim; Bruinvels, David J

2013-11-01

There is considerable evidence that being involved in compensation processes has a negative impact on claimants' health. Previous studies suggested that this negative effect is caused by a stressful compensation process: claimants suffered from a lack of communication, a lack of information, and feelings of distrust. However, these rather qualitative findings have not been quantitatively investigated yet. This observational study aimed to fill this gap of knowledge, investigating the claimants' perceived fairness of the compensation process, the provided information, and the interaction with lawyers and insurance companies, in relation to the claimants' quality of life. Participants were individuals injured in traffic accidents, older than 18 years, who were involved in a compensation process in the Netherlands. They were recruited by three claims settlement offices. Outcome measures were procedural, interactional, and informational justice, and quality of life. Participants (n=176) perceived the interaction with lawyers to be fairer than the interaction with insurance companies (p<.001). The length of hospital stay was positively associated with procedural justice (β=.31, p<.001). Having trunk/back injury was negatively related to procedural justice (β=-.25, p=.001). Whiplash injury and length of time involved in the claim process were not associated with any of the justice scales. Finally, procedural justice was found to be positively correlated with quality of life (rs=.22, p=.004). The finding that the interaction with insurance companies was considered less fair than the interaction with lawyers may imply that insurers could improve their interaction with claimants, e.g. by communicating more directly. The result that claimants with mild injuries and with trunk/back injuries considered the compensation process to be less fair than those with respectively severe injuries and injuries to other body parts suggests that especially the former two require an attentive treatment. Finally, the fact that procedural justice was positively correlated with quality of life could implicate that it is possible to improve claimants' health in compensation processes by enhancing procedural justice, e.g. by increasing the ability for claimants to express their views and feelings and by involving claimants in the decision-making process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhanced brainstem and cortical evoked response amplitudes: single-trial covariance analysis.

PubMed

Galbraith, G C

2001-06-01

The purpose of the present study was to develop analytic procedures that improve the definition of sensory evoked response components. Such procedures could benefit all recordings but would especially benefit difficult recordings where many trials are contaminated by muscle and movement artifacts. First, cross-correlation and latency adjustment analyses were applied to the human brainstem frequency-following response and cortical auditory evoked response recorded on the same trials. Lagged cross-correlation functions were computed, for each of 17 subjects, between single-trial data and templates consisting of the sinusoid stimulus waveform for the brainstem response and the subject's own smoothed averaged evoked response P2 component for the cortical response. Trials were considered in the analysis only if the maximum correlation-squared (r2) exceeded .5 (negatively correlated trials were thus included). Identical correlation coefficients may be based on signals with quite different amplitudes, but it is possible to assess amplitude by the nonnormalized covariance function. Next, an algorithm is applied in which each trial with negative covariance is matched to a trial with similar, but positive, covariance and these matched-trial pairs are deleted. When an evoked response signal is present in the data, the majority of trials positively correlate with the template. Thus, a residual of positively correlated trials remains after matched covariance trials are deleted. When these residual trials are averaged, the resulting brainstem and cortical responses show greatly enhanced amplitudes. This result supports the utility of this analysis technique in clarifying and assessing evoked response signals.

Small Schools Reading Curriculum, 7-8: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts which do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains reading curriculum materials for grades 7 and 8. The objectives listed are correlated to the…

Small Schools Reading Curriculum, 4-6: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts which do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains reading curriculum materials for grades 4-6. The objectives listed are correlated to the Goals…

Small Schools Reading Curriculum, K-3: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts which do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains reading curriculum materials for grades K-3. The objectives listed are correlated to the Goals…

Procedural justice and layoff survivors' commitment: a quantitative review.

PubMed

Grubb, W Lee

2006-10-01

Layoffs are common in today's organizations. Most studies that have examined the correlation between procedural justice and the organizational commitment of layoff survivors have yielded positive correlations, but the magnitude of the correlations varies widely. This study is the first to estimate the population correlation and to identify the primary sources that cause variation in the correlation across studies. The results indicated that justice and commitment correlations can always be expected to be positive. Based on a total sample size of 9080 individuals, the estimated mean population correlation was .34. Variation was primarily explained by attributes of the justice measure where multiple items scales and scales composed of both interactional and procedural justice items yielded higher correlations than single item measures. Therefore, it is important that employers recognize the substantial assuaging affect that procedural and interactional justice can have on survivors' organizational commitment.

Multi-Object Tracking with Correlation Filter for Autonomous Vehicle.

PubMed

Zhao, Dawei; Fu, Hao; Xiao, Liang; Wu, Tao; Dai, Bin

2018-06-22

Multi-object tracking is a crucial problem for autonomous vehicle. Most state-of-the-art approaches adopt the tracking-by-detection strategy, which is a two-step procedure consisting of the detection module and the tracking module. In this paper, we improve both steps. We improve the detection module by incorporating the temporal information, which is beneficial for detecting small objects. For the tracking module, we propose a novel compressed deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) feature based Correlation Filter tracker. By carefully integrating these two modules, the proposed multi-object tracking approach has the ability of re-identification (ReID) once the tracked object gets lost. Extensive experiments were performed on the KITTI and MOT2015 tracking benchmarks. Results indicate that our approach outperforms most state-of-the-art tracking approaches.

Use of Key Performance Indicators to Improve Milestone Assessment in Semi-Annual Clinical Competency Committee Meetings.

PubMed

Chen, Fei; Arora, Harendra; Martinelli, Susan M

2017-01-01

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Next Accreditation System requires residency programs to semiannually submit composite milestone data on each resident's performance. This report describes and evaluates a new assessment review procedure piloted in our departmental Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) semi-annual meeting in June 2016. A modified Delphi technique was utilized to develop key performance indicators (KPI) linking milestone descriptors to clinical practice. In addition, the CCC identified six specific milestone sub-competencies that would be prescored with objective data prior to the meeting. Each resident was independently placed on the milestones by 3 different CCC faculty members. Milestone placement data of the same cohort of 42 residents (Clinical Anesthesia Years 1-3) were collected to calculate inter-rater reliability of the assessment procedures before and after the implemented changes. A survey was administrated to collect CCC feedback on the new procedure. The procedure assisted in reducing meeting time from 8 to 3.5 hours. Survey of the CCC members revealed positive perception of the procedure. Higher inter-rater reliability of the milestone placement was obtained using the implemented KPIs (Intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] single measure range: before=.53-.94, after=.74-.98). We found the new assessment procedure beneficial to the efficiency and transparency of the assessment process. Further improvement of the procedure involves refinement of KPIs and additional faculty development on KPIs to allow non-CCC faculty to provide more accurate resident evaluations.

Use of Key Performance Indicators to Improve Milestone Assessment in Semi-Annual Clinical Competency Committee Meetings

PubMed Central

Arora, Harendra; Martinelli, Susan M.

2017-01-01

Background: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Next Accreditation System requires residency programs to semiannually submit composite milestone data on each resident's performance. This report describes and evaluates a new assessment review procedure piloted in our departmental Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) semi-annual meeting in June 2016. Methods: A modified Delphi technique was utilized to develop key performance indicators (KPI) linking milestone descriptors to clinical practice. In addition, the CCC identified six specific milestone sub-competencies that would be prescored with objective data prior to the meeting. Each resident was independently placed on the milestones by 3 different CCC faculty members. Milestone placement data of the same cohort of 42 residents (Clinical Anesthesia Years 1–3) were collected to calculate inter-rater reliability of the assessment procedures before and after the implemented changes. A survey was administrated to collect CCC feedback on the new procedure. Results: The procedure assisted in reducing meeting time from 8 to 3.5 hours. Survey of the CCC members revealed positive perception of the procedure. Higher inter-rater reliability of the milestone placement was obtained using the implemented KPIs (Intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] single measure range: before=.53–.94, after=.74–.98). Conclusion: We found the new assessment procedure beneficial to the efficiency and transparency of the assessment process. Further improvement of the procedure involves refinement of KPIs and additional faculty development on KPIs to allow non-CCC faculty to provide more accurate resident evaluations. PMID:29766033

Acquisition of Motor and Cognitive Skills through Repetition in Typically Developing Children

PubMed Central

Magallón, Sara; Narbona, Juan; Crespo-Eguílaz, Nerea

2016-01-01

Background Procedural memory allows acquisition, consolidation and use of motor skills and cognitive routines. Automation of procedures is achieved through repeated practice. In children, improvement in procedural skills is a consequence of natural neurobiological development and experience. Methods The aim of the present research was to make a preliminary evaluation and description of repetition-based improvement of procedures in typically developing children (TDC). Ninety TDC children aged 6–12 years were asked to perform two procedural learning tasks. In an assembly learning task, which requires predominantly motor skills, we measured the number of assembled pieces in 60 seconds. In a mirror drawing learning task, which requires more cognitive functions, we measured time spent and efficiency. Participants were tested four times for each task: three trials were consecutive and the fourth trial was performed after a 10-minute nonverbal interference task. The influence of repeated practice on performance was evaluated by means of the analysis of variance with repeated measures and the paired-sample test. Correlation coefficients and simple linear regression test were used to examine the relationship between age and performance. Results TDC achieved higher scores in both tasks through repetition. Older children fitted more pieces than younger ones in assembling learning and they were faster and more efficient at the mirror drawing learning task. Conclusions These findings indicate that three consecutive trials at a procedural task increased speed and efficiency, and that age affected basal performance in motor-cognitive procedures. PMID:27384671

Acquisition of Motor and Cognitive Skills through Repetition in Typically Developing Children.

PubMed

Magallón, Sara; Narbona, Juan; Crespo-Eguílaz, Nerea

2016-01-01

Procedural memory allows acquisition, consolidation and use of motor skills and cognitive routines. Automation of procedures is achieved through repeated practice. In children, improvement in procedural skills is a consequence of natural neurobiological development and experience. The aim of the present research was to make a preliminary evaluation and description of repetition-based improvement of procedures in typically developing children (TDC). Ninety TDC children aged 6-12 years were asked to perform two procedural learning tasks. In an assembly learning task, which requires predominantly motor skills, we measured the number of assembled pieces in 60 seconds. In a mirror drawing learning task, which requires more cognitive functions, we measured time spent and efficiency. Participants were tested four times for each task: three trials were consecutive and the fourth trial was performed after a 10-minute nonverbal interference task. The influence of repeated practice on performance was evaluated by means of the analysis of variance with repeated measures and the paired-sample test. Correlation coefficients and simple linear regression test were used to examine the relationship between age and performance. TDC achieved higher scores in both tasks through repetition. Older children fitted more pieces than younger ones in assembling learning and they were faster and more efficient at the mirror drawing learning task. These findings indicate that three consecutive trials at a procedural task increased speed and efficiency, and that age affected basal performance in motor-cognitive procedures.

Management of gingival recession associated with orthodontic treatment: a case report.

PubMed

Rana, Tarun Kumar; Phogat, Megha; Sharma, Tarun; Prasad, Narayana; Singh, Shailendra

2014-07-01

Many patients undergo orthodontic treatment for aesthetic improvement. It is well established that the patients who undergo orthodontic treatment have a high susceptibility to present plaque accumulation on their teeth because of the presence of brackets, wires and/or other orthodontic elements on the teeth surfaces with which the oral hygiene procedures might be more difficult. The orthodontic treatment is a double-action procedure regarding the periodontal tissues which may be very meaningful in increasing the periodontal health status and may be a harmful procedure which can be followed by several types of periodontal complications. There is a strong correlation between the severity and extent of gingival recessions and the orthodontic treatment suggesting that orthodontic tooth movement may lead to gingival recession. The principal objective in the treatment of gingival recession is to cover the exposed root surfaces to improve aesthetics and to reduce hypersensitivity. Different soft tissue grafting procedures have been proposed in the treatment of gingival recessions. Subepithelial connective tissue graft is a reliable method for treatment of gingival recession. The purpose of this case report was to illustrate the relationship between orthodontic therapy and gingival recession and to describe the management of this case.

Development of simulation-based learning programme for improving adherence to time-out protocol on high-risk invasive procedures outside of operating room.

PubMed

Jeong, Eun Ju; Chung, Hyun Soo; Choi, Jeong Yun; Kim, In Sook; Hong, Seong Hee; Yoo, Kyung Sook; Kim, Mi Kyoung; Won, Mi Yeol; Eum, So Yeon; Cho, Young Soon

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop a simulation-based time-out learning programme targeted to nurses participating in high-risk invasive procedures and to figure out the effects of application of the new programme on acceptance of nurses. This study was performed using a simulation-based learning predesign and postdesign to figure out the effects of implementation of this programme. It was targeted to 48 registered nurses working in the general ward and the emergency department in a tertiary teaching hospital. Difference between acceptance and performance rates has been figured out by using mean, standard deviation, and Wilcoxon-signed rank test. The perception survey and score sheet have been validated through content validation index, and the reliability of evaluator has been verified by using intraclass correlation coefficient. Results showed high level of acceptance of high-risk invasive procedure (P<.01). Further, improvement was consistent regardless of clinical experience, workplace, or experience in simulation-based learning. The face validity of the programme showed over 4.0 out of 5.0. This simulation-based learning programme was effective in improving the recognition of time-out protocol and has given the participants the opportunity to become proactive in cases of high-risk invasive procedures performed outside of operating room. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Does the emergency surgery score accurately predict outcomes in emergent laparotomies?

PubMed

Peponis, Thomas; Bohnen, Jordan D; Sangji, Naveen F; Nandan, Anirudh R; Han, Kelsey; Lee, Jarone; Yeh, D Dante; de Moya, Marc A; Velmahos, George C; Chang, David C; Kaafarani, Haytham M A

2017-08-01

The emergency surgery score is a mortality-risk calculator for emergency general operation patients. We sought to examine whether the emergency surgery score predicts 30-day morbidity and mortality in a high-risk group of patients undergoing emergent laparotomy. Using the 2011-2012 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified all patients who underwent emergent laparotomy using (1) the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program definition of "emergent," and (2) all Current Procedural Terminology codes denoting a laparotomy, excluding aortic aneurysm rupture. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to measure the correlation (c-statistic) between the emergency surgery score and (1) 30-day mortality, and (2) 30-day morbidity after emergent laparotomy. As sensitivity analyses, the correlation between the emergency surgery score and 30-day mortality was also evaluated in prespecified subgroups based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. A total of 26,410 emergent laparotomy patients were included. Thirty-day mortality and morbidity were 10.2% and 43.8%, respectively. The emergency surgery score correlated well with mortality (c-statistic = 0.84); scores of 1, 11, and 22 correlated with mortalities of 0.4%, 39%, and 100%, respectively. Similarly, the emergency surgery score correlated well with morbidity (c-statistic = 0.74); scores of 0, 7, and 11 correlated with complication rates of 13%, 58%, and 79%, respectively. The morbidity rates plateaued for scores higher than 11. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the emergency surgery score effectively predicts mortality in patients undergoing emergent (1) splenic, (2) gastroduodenal, (3) intestinal, (4) hepatobiliary, or (5) incarcerated ventral hernia operation. The emergency surgery score accurately predicts outcomes in all types of emergent laparotomy patients and may prove valuable as a bedside decision-making tool for patient and family counseling, as well as for adequate risk-adjustment in emergent laparotomy quality benchmarking efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimizing correlation techniques for improved earthquake location

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaff, D.P.; Bokelmann, G.H.R.; Ellsworth, W.L.; Zanzerkia, E.; Waldhauser, F.; Beroza, G.C.

2004-01-01

Earthquake location using relative arrival time measurements can lead to dramatically reduced location errors and a view of fault-zone processes with unprecedented detail. There are two principal reasons why this approach reduces location errors. The first is that the use of differenced arrival times to solve for the vector separation of earthquakes removes from the earthquake location problem much of the error due to unmodeled velocity structure. The second reason, on which we focus in this article, is that waveform cross correlation can substantially reduce measurement error. While cross correlation has long been used to determine relative arrival times with subsample precision, we extend correlation measurements to less similar waveforms, and we introduce a general quantitative means to assess when correlation data provide an improvement over catalog phase picks. We apply the technique to local earthquake data from the Calaveras Fault in northern California. Tests for an example streak of 243 earthquakes demonstrate that relative arrival times with normalized cross correlation coefficients as low as ???70%, interevent separation distances as large as to 2 km, and magnitudes up to 3.5 as recorded on the Northern California Seismic Network are more precise than relative arrival times determined from catalog phase data. Also discussed are improvements made to the correlation technique itself. We find that for large time offsets, our implementation of time-domain cross correlation is often more robust and that it recovers more observations than the cross spectral approach. Longer time windows give better results than shorter ones. Finally, we explain how thresholds and empirical weighting functions may be derived to optimize the location procedure for any given region of interest, taking advantage of the respective strengths of diverse correlation and catalog phase data on different length scales.

Toward Worldwide Hepcidin Assay Harmonization: Identification of a Commutable Secondary Reference Material.

PubMed

van der Vorm, Lisa N; Hendriks, Jan C M; Laarakkers, Coby M; Klaver, Siem; Armitage, Andrew E; Bamberg, Alison; Geurts-Moespot, Anneke J; Girelli, Domenico; Herkert, Matthias; Itkonen, Outi; Konrad, Robert J; Tomosugi, Naohisa; Westerman, Mark; Bansal, Sukhvinder S; Campostrini, Natascia; Drakesmith, Hal; Fillet, Marianne; Olbina, Gordana; Pasricha, Sant-Rayn; Pitts, Kelly R; Sloan, John H; Tagliaro, Franco; Weykamp, Cas W; Swinkels, Dorine W

2016-07-01

Absolute plasma hepcidin concentrations measured by various procedures differ substantially, complicating interpretation of results and rendering reference intervals method dependent. We investigated the degree of equivalence achievable by harmonization and the identification of a commutable secondary reference material to accomplish this goal. We applied technical procedures to achieve harmonization developed by the Consortium for Harmonization of Clinical Laboratory Results. Eleven plasma hepcidin measurement procedures (5 mass spectrometry based and 6 immunochemical based) quantified native individual plasma samples (n = 32) and native plasma pools (n = 8) to assess analytical performance and current and achievable equivalence. In addition, 8 types of candidate reference materials (3 concentrations each, n = 24) were assessed for their suitability, most notably in terms of commutability, to serve as secondary reference material. Absolute hepcidin values and reproducibility (intrameasurement procedure CVs 2.9%-8.7%) differed substantially between measurement procedures, but all were linear and correlated well. The current equivalence (intermeasurement procedure CV 28.6%) between the methods was mainly attributable to differences in calibration and could thus be improved by harmonization with a common calibrator. Linear regression analysis and standardized residuals showed that a candidate reference material consisting of native lyophilized plasma with cryolyoprotectant was commutable for all measurement procedures. Mathematically simulated harmonization with this calibrator resulted in a maximum achievable equivalence of 7.7%. The secondary reference material identified in this study has the potential to substantially improve equivalence between hepcidin measurement procedures and contributes to the establishment of a traceability chain that will ultimately allow standardization of hepcidin measurement results. © 2016 American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

Evaluation of mathematical algorithms for automatic patient alignment in radiosurgery.

PubMed

Williams, Kenneth M; Schulte, Reinhard W; Schubert, Keith E; Wroe, Andrew J

2015-06-01

Image registration techniques based on anatomical features can serve to automate patient alignment for intracranial radiosurgery procedures in an effort to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the alignment process as well as potentially eliminate the need for implanted fiducial markers. To explore this option, four two-dimensional (2D) image registration algorithms were analyzed: the phase correlation technique, mutual information (MI) maximization, enhanced correlation coefficient (ECC) maximization, and the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm. Digitally reconstructed radiographs from the treatment planning computed tomography scan of a human skull were used as the reference images, while orthogonal digital x-ray images taken in the treatment room were used as the captured images to be aligned. The accuracy of aligning the skull with each algorithm was compared to the alignment of the currently practiced procedure, which is based on a manual process of selecting common landmarks, including implanted fiducials and anatomical skull features. Of the four algorithms, three (phase correlation, MI maximization, and ECC maximization) demonstrated clinically adequate (ie, comparable to the standard alignment technique) translational accuracy and improvements in speed compared to the interactive, user-guided technique; however, the ICP algorithm failed to give clinically acceptable results. The results of this work suggest that a combination of different algorithms may provide the best registration results. This research serves as the initial groundwork for the translation of automated, anatomy-based 2D algorithms into a real-world system for 2D-to-2D image registration and alignment for intracranial radiosurgery. This may obviate the need for invasive implantation of fiducial markers into the skull and may improve treatment room efficiency and accuracy. © The Author(s) 2014.

Computer based interpretation of infrared spectra-structure of the knowledge-base, automatic rule generation and interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrentreich, F.; Dietze, U.; Meyer, U.; Abbas, S.; Schulz, H.

1995-04-01

It is a main task within the SpecInfo-Project to develop interpretation tools that can handle a great deal more of the complicated, more specific spectrum-structure-correlations. In the first step the empirical knowledge about the assignment of structural groups and their characteristic IR-bands has been collected from literature and represented in a computer readable well-structured form. Vague, verbal rules are managed by introduction of linguistic variables. The next step was the development of automatic rule generating procedures. We had combined and enlarged the IDIOTS algorithm with the algorithm by Blaffert relying on set theory. The procedures were successfully applied to the SpecInfo database. The realization of the preceding items is a prerequisite for the improvement of the computerized structure elucidation procedure.

40 CFR 85.2208 - Alternative standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... higher than the tests they would replace; (ii) Such procedures show a correlation with the Federal Test... higher than the tests they would replace; (ii) Such procedures show a correlation with the Federal Test...

Effect of beta-cyclodextrin in improving the correlation between lycopene concentration and ORAC values.

PubMed

Bangalore, Dharmendra V; McGlynn, William; Scott, Darren D

2005-03-23

Lycopene, a lipophilic antioxidant, plays a crucial role in biological systems. It may play an important role in human biological systems by providing protection against cardiovascular disease and some cancers and by boosting the immune system. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) has been validated as an index of antioxidant activity for many hydrophilic antioxidants but not for lycopene. This study validates the ORAC assay for different concentrations of lycopene in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin, a water-solubility enhancer. Lyc-O-Mato 6% extract was used as a source of lycopene for these experiments. Lycopene was extracted according to a standard spectrophotometric assay procedure in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin at concentrations of 0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6%, and the antioxidant activity of lycopene was measured with the ORAC assay. Experiments were conducted in quadruplicate and statistical pooled correlations analyzed. Statistical analysis showed a very high correlation (R2 = 0.99) between ORAC and ascorbic acid concentrations, validating this method. Lycopene concentration correlated poorly with ORAC (R2 = 0.33) in the absence of beta-cyclodextrin. Correlations improved with increasing levels of beta-cyclodextrin (R2 = 0.58 and 0.91 for 0.4 and 0.8% beta-cyclodextrin, respectively). A very high beta-cyclodextrin concentration (1.6%) decreased the correlation between ORAC and lycopene concentration. Inclusion of beta-cyclodextrin in the ORAC assay improves correlation between ORAC and lycopene concentration, thus expanding the scope of the ORAC assay to include an additional fat-soluble antioxidant.

Underway Recovery Test 6 (URT-6) - Day 4 Afternoon Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-20

During Underway Recovery Test 6, NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen talks with sailors about the correlations between his Navy and NASA experiences. Bowen is aboard USS Anchorage as Kennedy Space Center’s NASA Recovery Team works with the U.S. Navy to improve recovery procedures and hardware ahead of Orion's next flight, Exploration Mission-1, when it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.

Surveillance system and method having an adaptive sequential probability fault detection test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herzog, James P. (Inventor); Bickford, Randall L. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

System and method providing surveillance of an asset such as a process and/or apparatus by providing training and surveillance procedures that numerically fit a probability density function to an observed residual error signal distribution that is correlative to normal asset operation and then utilizes the fitted probability density function in a dynamic statistical hypothesis test for providing improved asset surveillance.

Surveillance system and method having an adaptive sequential probability fault detection test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickford, Randall L. (Inventor); Herzog, James P. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

System and method providing surveillance of an asset such as a process and/or apparatus by providing training and surveillance procedures that numerically fit a probability density function to an observed residual error signal distribution that is correlative to normal asset operation and then utilizes the fitted probability density function in a dynamic statistical hypothesis test for providing improved asset surveillance.

Small Schools Language Arts Curriculum, 4-6: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts that do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains language arts curriculum materials for grades 4-6. Learning objectives are correlated to the Goals…

Small Schools Language Arts Curriculum, 7-8: Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. Scope, Objectives, Activities, Resources, Monitoring Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartl, David, Ed.; And Others

Designed to assist teachers in small schools with the improvement of curriculum and instruction and to help smaller districts that do not have curriculum personnel to comply with Washington's Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Law, this guide contains language arts curriculum materials for grades 7-8. Learning objectives are correlated to the Goals…

Surveillance System and Method having an Adaptive Sequential Probability Fault Detection Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickford, Randall L. (Inventor); Herzog, James P. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

System and method providing surveillance of an asset such as a process and/or apparatus by providing training and surveillance procedures that numerically fit a probability density function to an observed residual error signal distribution that is correlative to normal asset operation and then utilizes the fitted probability density function in a dynamic statistical hypothesis test for providing improved asset surveillance.

Financial auditing at enterprises for control of projects realized with credit fund-raising

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukmanova, Inessa

2017-10-01

The article analyzes methods of conducting financial audit under the construction control of projects implemented with raising credit funds in modern conditions. This work aims to improve the methodological toolkit of construction control when lending projects of the construction of transport infrastructure. The paper considers correlations of various procedures of construction control, financial audit and organizational and technical factors affecting investment and construction projects. The authors presented the logical scheme of the process of lending to legal entities and developed an algorithm of the procedure for conducting a financial audit, allowing to make possible adjustments and the right decision.

Statistical total correlation spectroscopy scaling for enhancement of metabolic information recovery in biological NMR spectra.

PubMed

Maher, Anthony D; Fonville, Judith M; Coen, Muireann; Lindon, John C; Rae, Caroline D; Nicholson, Jeremy K

2012-01-17

The high level of complexity in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolic spectroscopic data sets has fueled the development of experimental and mathematical techniques that enhance latent biomarker recovery and improve model interpretability. We previously showed that statistical total correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY) can be used to edit NMR spectra to remove drug metabolite signatures that obscure metabolic variation of diagnostic interest. Here, we extend this "STOCSY editing" concept to a generalized scaling procedure for NMR data that enhances recovery of latent biochemical information and improves biological classification and interpretation. We call this new procedure STOCSY-scaling (STOCSY(S)). STOCSY(S) exploits the fixed proportionality in a set of NMR spectra between resonances from the same molecule to suppress or enhance features correlated with a resonance of interest. We demonstrate this new approach using two exemplar data sets: (a) a streptozotocin rat model (n = 30) of type 1 diabetes and (b) a human epidemiological study utilizing plasma NMR spectra of patients with metabolic syndrome (n = 67). In both cases significant biomarker discovery improvement was observed by using STOCSY(S): the approach successfully suppressed interfering NMR signals from glucose and lactate that otherwise dominate the variation in the streptozotocin study, which then allowed recovery of biomarkers such as glycine, which were otherwise obscured. In the metabolic syndrome study, we used STOCSY(S) to enhance variation from the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol peak, improving the prediction of individuals with metabolic syndrome from controls in orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis models and facilitating the biological interpretation of the results. Thus, STOCSY(S) is a versatile technique that is applicable in any situation in which variation, either biological or otherwise, dominates a data set at the expense of more interesting or important features. This approach is generally appropriate for many types of NMR-based complex mixture analyses and hence for wider applications in bioanalytical science.

Multivariate Bias Correction Procedures for Improving Water Quality Predictions from the SWAT Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arumugam, S.; Libera, D.

2017-12-01

Water quality observations are usually not available on a continuous basis for longer than 1-2 years at a time over a decadal period given the labor requirements making calibrating and validating mechanistic models difficult. Further, any physical model predictions inherently have bias (i.e., under/over estimation) and require post-simulation techniques to preserve the long-term mean monthly attributes. This study suggests a multivariate bias-correction technique and compares to a common technique in improving the performance of the SWAT model in predicting daily streamflow and TN loads across the southeast based on split-sample validation. The approach is a dimension reduction technique, canonical correlation analysis (CCA) that regresses the observed multivariate attributes with the SWAT model simulated values. The common approach is a regression based technique that uses an ordinary least squares regression to adjust model values. The observed cross-correlation between loadings and streamflow is better preserved when using canonical correlation while simultaneously reducing individual biases. Additionally, canonical correlation analysis does a better job in preserving the observed joint likelihood of observed streamflow and loadings. These procedures were applied to 3 watersheds chosen from the Water Quality Network in the Southeast Region; specifically, watersheds with sufficiently large drainage areas and number of observed data points. The performance of these two approaches are compared for the observed period and over a multi-decadal period using loading estimates from the USGS LOADEST model. Lastly, the CCA technique is applied in a forecasting sense by using 1-month ahead forecasts of P & T from ECHAM4.5 as forcings in the SWAT model. Skill in using the SWAT model for forecasting loadings and streamflow at the monthly and seasonal timescale is also discussed.

Representation of spatial cross correlations in large stochastic seasonal streamflow models

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

Oliveira, G.C.; Kelman, J.; Pereira, M.V.F.

1988-05-01

Pereira et al. (1984) presented a special disaggregation procedure for generating cross-correlated monthly flows at many sites while using what are essentially univariate disaggregation models for the flows at each site. This was done by using a nonparametric procedure for constructing residual innovations or noise vectors with cross-correlated components. This note considers the theoretical underpinnings of that streamflow disaggregation procedure and a proposed variation and their ability to reproduce the observed historical cross correlations among concurrent monthly flows at nine Brazilian stations.

Correlating the EMC analysis and testing methods for space systems in MIL-STD-1541A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perez, Reinaldo J.

1990-01-01

A study was conducted to improve the correlation between the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) analysis models stated in MIL-STD-1541A and the suggested testing methods used for space systems. The test and analysis methods outlined in MIL-STD-1541A are described, and a comparative assessment of testing and analysis techniques as they relate to several EMC areas is presented. Suggestions on present analysis and test methods are introduced to harmonize and bring the analysis and testing tools in MIL-STD-1541A into closer agreement. It is suggested that test procedures in MIL-STD-1541A must be improved by providing alternatives to the present use of shielded enclosures as the primary site for such tests. In addition, the alternate use of anechoic chambers and open field test sites must be considered.

Unified theory for stochastic modelling of hydroclimatic processes: Preserving marginal distributions, correlation structures, and intermittency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papalexiou, Simon Michael

2018-05-01

Hydroclimatic processes come in all "shapes and sizes". They are characterized by different spatiotemporal correlation structures and probability distributions that can be continuous, mixed-type, discrete or even binary. Simulating such processes by reproducing precisely their marginal distribution and linear correlation structure, including features like intermittency, can greatly improve hydrological analysis and design. Traditionally, modelling schemes are case specific and typically attempt to preserve few statistical moments providing inadequate and potentially risky distribution approximations. Here, a single framework is proposed that unifies, extends, and improves a general-purpose modelling strategy, based on the assumption that any process can emerge by transforming a specific "parent" Gaussian process. A novel mathematical representation of this scheme, introducing parametric correlation transformation functions, enables straightforward estimation of the parent-Gaussian process yielding the target process after the marginal back transformation, while it provides a general description that supersedes previous specific parameterizations, offering a simple, fast and efficient simulation procedure for every stationary process at any spatiotemporal scale. This framework, also applicable for cyclostationary and multivariate modelling, is augmented with flexible parametric correlation structures that parsimoniously describe observed correlations. Real-world simulations of various hydroclimatic processes with different correlation structures and marginals, such as precipitation, river discharge, wind speed, humidity, extreme events per year, etc., as well as a multivariate example, highlight the flexibility, advantages, and complete generality of the method.

Relevance of antecedent venography in percutaneous vertebroplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures.

PubMed

Gaughen, John R; Jensen, Mary E; Schweickert, Patricia A; Kaufmann, Timothy J; Marx, William F; Kallmes, David F

2002-04-01

Controversy exists regarding the utility of antecedent venography in percutaneous vertebroplasty. Our purpose was to determine whether antecedent venography improves clinical outcomes and/or decreases extravertebral cement extravasation in these procedures. We retrospective reviewed outcomes of consecutive percutaneous vertebroplasty procedures performed at our institution to define two populations, each consisting of 24 patients treated at 42 vertebral levels. Group 1 included patients who underwent antecedent venography, and group 2 included patients treated without venography. Clinical outcomes were assessed with quantitative measurements of pain and mobility. Venograms and postprocedural radiographs were interpreted to evaluate the number of vertebrae with extravertebral cement extravasation, degree of extravasation at each level, and correlation between venography and vertebroplasty. Pain improved in 19 of 20 group 1 patients, compared with 21 of 22 group 2 patients; mean postoperative pain levels were 1.3 and 1.8, respectively (P =.50), on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). All 11 group 1 patients with impaired preoperative mobility reported postoperative improvement, as did all 12 group 2 patients; mean levels of postoperative impaired mobility for groups 1 and 2 were 0.35 and 0.27, respectively (P =.43). Twenty-two of 42 vertebrae treated in group 1 demonstrated extravasation, compared with 28 of 42 in group 2 (P =.266); amounts of extravasation did not differ. Among 22 levels of extravasation in group 1, venograms in 14 showed correlative extravasation. Antecedent venography does not significantly improve the effectiveness or safety of percutaneous vertebroplasty performed by qualified, experienced operators.

Correlating voice handicap index and quantitative videostroboscopy following injection laryngoplasty for unilateral vocal paralysis.

PubMed

Lau, David Pang Cheng; Zhang, Edward Zhiyong; Wong, Seng Mun; Lee, Gwyneth; Chan, Yiong Huak

2010-08-01

1) Determine the correlation between voice handicap index and quantitative videostroboscopy for patients undergoing injection laryngoplasty for unilateral vocal paralysis; 2) assess which videostroboscopy measurements correlate best with voice handicap index in patients demonstrating progressive improvement beyond six months following injection laryngoplasty. Case series with chart review. Patients undergoing outpatient injection laryngoplasty with hyaluronic acid between 2005 and 2007. Twenty-eight patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively using voice handicap index and videostroboscopy. Various videostroboscopy measurements were quantified: glottic open area (ratio of open to total glottic area during closed phase of phonation), glottic closed phase (frame ratio of closed phase to total glottic cycle), supraglottic compression (percent encroachment of supraglottis onto best-fit ellipse around glottis), wave amplitude (difference in glottic open area between open and closed phases), and wave duration (number of frames per glottic cycle). Correlation coefficients were calculated using Spearman's r. One hundred seventeen separate recordings were analyzed. Correlation coefficients between voice handicap index (normalized to preoperative values) and glottic closed phase showed moderate-strong correlation (r = -0.733, P < 0.001), while glottic open area and wave duration showed weak-moderate correlation (r = 0.465, P < 0.001 and r = -0.404, P < 0.001 respectively). Other parameters showed poor correlation. A subset of 25 recordings from eight patients with progressive voice handicap index improvement beyond six months showed highest correlation with supraglottic compression (r = 0.504, P < 0.05). Voice handicap index correlates best with glottic closed phase, suggesting duration of vocal fold closure during the glottic cycle best represents patients' subjective outcome post-procedure. Progressive improvement in voice handicap index beyond six months may relate to gradual reduction in compensatory supraglottic compression, with moderate correlation. Copyright (c) 2010 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of methods to produce an image library for automatic patient model localization for dose mapping during fluoroscopically guided procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilian-Meneghin, Josh; Xiong, Z.; Rudin, S.; Oines, A.; Bednarek, D. R.

2017-03-01

The purpose of this work is to evaluate methods for producing a library of 2D-radiographic images to be correlated to clinical images obtained during a fluoroscopically-guided procedure for automated patient-model localization. The localization algorithm will be used to improve the accuracy of the skin-dose map superimposed on the 3D patient- model of the real-time Dose-Tracking-System (DTS). For the library, 2D images were generated from CT datasets of the SK-150 anthropomorphic phantom using two methods: Schmid's 3D-visualization tool and Plastimatch's digitally-reconstructed-radiograph (DRR) code. Those images, as well as a standard 2D-radiographic image, were correlated to a 2D-fluoroscopic image of a phantom, which represented the clinical-fluoroscopic image, using the Corr2 function in Matlab. The Corr2 function takes two images and outputs the relative correlation between them, which is fed into the localization algorithm. Higher correlation means better alignment of the 3D patient-model with the patient image. In this instance, it was determined that the localization algorithm will succeed when Corr2 returns a correlation of at least 50%. The 3D-visualization tool images returned 55-80% correlation relative to the fluoroscopic-image, which was comparable to the correlation for the radiograph. The DRR images returned 61-90% correlation, again comparable to the radiograph. Both methods prove to be sufficient for the localization algorithm and can be produced quickly; however, the DRR method produces more accurate grey-levels. Using the DRR code, a library at varying angles can be produced for the localization algorithm.

Parameter identification of material constants in a composite shell structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martinez, David R.; Carne, Thomas G.

1988-01-01

One of the basic requirements in engineering analysis is the development of a mathematical model describing the system. Frequently comparisons with test data are used as a measurement of the adequacy of the model. An attempt is typically made to update or improve the model to provide a test verified analysis tool. System identification provides a systematic procedure for accomplishing this task. The terms system identification, parameter estimation, and model correlation all refer to techniques that use test information to update or verify mathematical models. The goal of system identification is to improve the correlation of model predictions with measured test data, and produce accurate, predictive models. For nonmetallic structures the modeling task is often difficult due to uncertainties in the elastic constants. A finite element model of the shell was created, which included uncertain orthotropic elastic constants. A modal survey test was then performed on the shell. The resulting modal data, along with the finite element model of the shell, were used in a Bayes estimation algorithm. This permitted the use of covariance matrices to weight the confidence in the initial parameter values as well as confidence in the measured test data. The estimation procedure also employed the concept of successive linearization to obtain an approximate solution to the original nonlinear estimation problem.

Improved global prediction of 300 nautical mile mean free air anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruz, J. Y.

1982-01-01

Current procedures used for the global prediction of 300nm mean anomalies starting from known values of 1 deg by 1 deg mean anomalies yield unreasonable prediction results when applied to 300nm blocks which have a rapidly varying gravity anomaly field and which contain relatively few observed 60nm blocks. Improvement of overall 300nm anomaly prediction is first achieved by using area-weighted as opposed to unweighted averaging of the 25 generated 60nm mean anomalies inside the 300nm block. Then, improvement of prediction over rough 300nm blocks is realized through the use of fully known 1 deg by 1 deg mean elevations, taking advantage of the correlation that locally exists between 60nm mean anomalies and 60nm mean elevations inside the 300nm block. An improved prediction model which adapts itself to the roughness of the local anomaly field is found to be the model of Least Squares Collocation with systematic parameters, the systematic parameter being the slope b which is a type of Bouguer slope expressing the correlation that locally exists between 60nm mean anomalies and 60nm mean elevations.

Slow sleep spindle and procedural memory consolidation in patients with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Nishida, Masaki; Nakashima, Yusaku; Nishikawa, Toru

2016-01-01

Evidence has accumulated, which indicates that, in healthy individuals, sleep enhances procedural memory consolidation, and that sleep spindle activity modulates this process. However, whether sleep-dependent procedural memory consolidation occurs in patients medicated for major depressive disorder remains unclear, as are the pharmacological and physiological mechanisms that underlie this process. Healthy control participants (n=17) and patients medicated for major depressive disorder (n=11) were recruited and subjected to a finger-tapping motor sequence test (MST; nondominant hand) paradigm to compare the averaged scores of different learning phases (presleep, postsleep, and overnight improvement). Participants' brain activity was recorded during sleep with 16 electroencephalography channels (between MSTs). Sleep scoring and frequency analyses were performed on the electroencephalography data. Additionally, we evaluated sleep spindle activity, which divided the spindles into fast-frequency spindle activity (12.5-16 Hz) and slow-frequency spindle activity (10.5-12.5 Hz). Sleep-dependent motor memory consolidation in patients with depression was impaired in comparison with that in control participants. In patients with depression, age correlated negatively with overnight improvement. The duration of slow-wave sleep correlated with the magnitude of motor memory consolidation in patients with depression, but not in healthy controls. Slow-frequency spindle activity was associated with reduction in the magnitude of motor memory consolidation in both groups. Because the changes in slow-frequency spindle activity affected the thalamocortical network dysfunction in patients medicated for depression, dysregulated spindle generation may impair sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Our findings may help to elucidate the cognitive deficits that occur in patients with major depression both in the waking state and during sleep.

Extension of latin hypercube samples with correlated variables.

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

Hora, Stephen Curtis; Helton, Jon Craig; Sallaberry, Cedric J. PhD.

2006-11-01

A procedure for extending the size of a Latin hypercube sample (LHS) with rank correlated variables is described and illustrated. The extension procedure starts with an LHS of size m and associated rank correlation matrix C and constructs a new LHS of size 2m that contains the elements of the original LHS and has a rank correlation matrix that is close to the original rank correlation matrix C. The procedure is intended for use in conjunction with uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of computationally demanding models in which it is important to make efficient use of a necessarily limited number ofmore » model evaluations.« less

Surface Operations Systems Improve Airport Efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

With Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from Ames Research Center, Mosaic ATM of Leesburg, Virginia created software to analyze surface operations at airports. Surface surveillance systems, which report locations every second for thousands of air and ground vehicles, generate massive amounts of data, making gathering and analyzing this information difficult. Mosaic?s Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation (SODAA) tool is an off-line support tool that can analyze how well the airport surface operation is working and can help redesign procedures to improve operations. SODAA helps researchers pinpoint trends and correlations in vast amounts of recorded airport operations data.

Abrasive wear of resin composites as related to finishing and polishing procedures.

PubMed

Turssi, Cecilia P; Ferracane, Jack L; Serra, Mônica C

2005-07-01

Finishing and polishing procedures may cause topographical changes and introduce subsurface microcracks in dental composite restoratives. Since both of these effects may contribute toward the kinetics of wear, the purpose of this study was to assess and correlate the wear and surface roughness of minifilled and nanofilled composites finished and polished by different methods. Specimens (n=10) made of a minifilled and a nanofilled composite were finished and polished with one of the four sequences: (1) tungsten carbide burs plus Al(2)O(3)-impregnated brush (CbBr) or (2) tungsten carbide burs plus diamond-impregnated cup (CbCp), (3) diamond burs plus brush (DmBr) or (4) diamond burs plus cup (DmCp). As a control, abrasive papers were used. After surface roughness had been quantified, three-body abrasion was simulated using the OHSU wear machine. The wear facets were then scanned to measure wear depth and post-testing roughness. All sets of data were subjected to ANOVA and Tukey's tests (alpha=0.05). Pearson's correlation test was applied to check for the existence of a relationship between pre-testing roughness and wear. Significantly smoother surfaces were attained with the sequences CbBr and CbCp, whereas DmCp yielded the roughest surface. Regardless of the finishing/polishing technique, the nanofilled composite exhibited the lowest pre-testing roughness and wear. There was no correlation between the surface roughness achieved after finishing/polishing procedures and wear (p=0.3899). Nano-sized materials may have improved abrasive wear resistance over minifilled composites. The absence of correlation between wear and surface roughness produced by different finishing/polishing methods suggests that the latter negligibly influences material loss due to three-body abrasion.

Three field tests of a gas filter correlation radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, S. A.; Casas, J. C.; Condon, E. P.

1977-01-01

Test flights to remotely measure nonurban carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations by gas filter correlation radiometry are discussed. The inferred CO concentrations obtained through use of the Gas Filter Correlation Radiometer (GFCR) agreed with independent measurements obtained by gas chromatography air sample bottle analysis to within 20 percent. The equipment flown on board the aircraft, the flight test procedure, the gas chromatograph direct air sampling procedure, and the GFCR data analysis procedure are reported.

The correlation between mothers' participation in infant care in the NICU and their anxiety and problem-solving skill levels in caregiving.

PubMed

Çakmak, Emine; Karaçam, Zekiye

2018-01-01

To examine the correlation between mothers' participation in infant care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and their anxiety and problem-solving skill levels in caregiving. The cross-sectional study was conducted with 340 mothers whose babies were in the NICU. Data were collected with a questionnaire, a Participation in Caregiving Observation Form, the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Problem-solving Skills Evaluation Form. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used in the evaluation of the data. The mothers were with their babies an average of 6.28 ± 2.43 (range: 1-20) times a day, participating in many basic procedures of care. A negative correlation was found between the mothers' scores on the Participation in Caregiving Observation Form and their State and Trait Anxiety Inventory scores (respectively, r = -0.48, p < 0.001 and r = -0.12, p < 0.05), but a positive correlation was observed between the Problem-solving Process (r = 0.41, p < 0.001) and the Baby Care Skills (r = 0.24, p < 0.001) Subscale scores. The study revealed that mothers participated in many basic caregiving procedures in the NICU and this participation resulted in reduced state and trait anxiety levels and an improvement in the mothers' problem-solving skills with respect to baby care and related problems.

Assessment of gait parameters and fatigue in MS patients during inpatient rehabilitation: a pilot trial.

PubMed

Sacco, Rosaria; Bussman, Rita; Oesch, Peter; Kesselring, Jürg; Beer, Serafin

2011-05-01

Gait impairment and fatigue are common and disabling problems in multiple sclerosis (MS). Characterisation of abnormal gait in MS patients has been done mainly using observational studies and simple walking tests providing only limited quantitative and no qualitative data, or using intricate and time-consuming assessment procedures. In addition, the correlation of gait impairments with fatigue is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to characterise spatio-temporal gait parameters by a simple and easy-to-use gait analysis system (GAITRite®) in MS patients compared with healthy controls, and to analyse changes and correlation with fatigue during inpatient rehabilitation. Twenty-four MS patients (EDSS <6.5) admitted for inpatient rehabilitation and 19 healthy subjects were evaluated using the GAITRite® Functional Ambulation System. Between-group differences and changes of gait parameters during inpatient rehabilitation were analysed, and correlation with fatigue, using the Wurzburg Fatigue Inventory for Multiple Sclerosis (WEIMuS), was determined. Compared to healthy controls MS patients showed significant impairments in different spatio-temporal gait parameters, which showed a significant improvement during inpatient rehabilitation. Different gait parameters were correlated with fatigue physical score, and change of gait parameters was correlated with improvement of fatigue. Spatio-temporal gait analysis is helpful to assess specific walking impairments in MS patients and subtle changes during rehabilitation. Correlation with fatigue may indicate a possible negative impact of fatigue on rehabilitation outcome.

A basic guide to overlay design using nondestructive testing equipment data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Vernon R.

1990-08-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide a basic and concise guide to designing asphalt concrete (AC) overlays over existing AC pavements. The basis for these designs is deflection data obtained from nondestructive testing (NDT) equipment. This data is used in design procedures which produce required overlay thickness or an estimate of remaining pavement life. This guide enables one to design overlays or better monitor the designs being performed by others. This paper will discuss three types of NDT equipment, the Asphalt Institute Overlay Designs by Deflection Analysis and by the effective thickness method as well as a method of estimating remaining pavement life, correlations between NDT equipment and recent correlations in Washington State. Asphalt overlays provide one of the most cost effective methods of improving existing pavements. Asphalt overlays can be used to strengthen existing pavements, to reduce maintenance costs, to increase pavement life, to provide a smoother ride, and to improve skid resistance.

iPcc: a novel feature extraction method for accurate disease class discovery and prediction

PubMed Central

Ren, Xianwen; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Xiang-Sun; Jin, Qi

2013-01-01

Gene expression profiling has gradually become a routine procedure for disease diagnosis and classification. In the past decade, many computational methods have been proposed, resulting in great improvements on various levels, including feature selection and algorithms for classification and clustering. In this study, we present iPcc, a novel method from the feature extraction perspective to further propel gene expression profiling technologies from bench to bedside. We define ‘correlation feature space’ for samples based on the gene expression profiles by iterative employment of Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Numerical experiments on both simulated and real gene expression data sets demonstrate that iPcc can greatly highlight the latent patterns underlying noisy gene expression data and thus greatly improve the robustness and accuracy of the algorithms currently available for disease diagnosis and classification based on gene expression profiles. PMID:23761440

Improving Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (STEM-EDX) Spectrum Images Using Single-Atomic-Column Cross-Correlation Averaging.

PubMed

Jeong, Jong Seok; Mkhoyan, K Andre

2016-06-01

Acquiring an atomic-resolution compositional map of crystalline specimens has become routine practice, thus opening possibilities for extracting subatomic information from such maps. A key challenge for achieving subatomic precision is the improvement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of compositional maps. Here, we report a simple and reliable solution for achieving high-SNR energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy spectrum images for individual atomic columns. The method is based on standard cross-correlation aided by averaging of single-column EDX maps with modifications in the reference image. It produces EDX maps with minimal specimen drift, beam drift, and scan distortions. Step-by-step procedures to determine a self-consistent reference map with a discussion on the reliability, stability, and limitations of the method are presented here.

Implant positioning in TKA: comparison between conventional and patient-specific instrumentation.

PubMed

Ferrara, Ferdinando; Cipriani, Antonio; Magarelli, Nicola; Rapisarda, Santi; De Santis, Vincenzo; Burrofato, Aaron; Leone, Antonio; Bonomo, Lorenzo

2015-04-01

The number of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures continuously increases, with good to excellent results. In the last few years, new surgical techniques have been developed to improve prosthesis positioning. In this context, patient-specific instrumentation is included. The goal of this study was to compare the perioperative parameters and the spatial positioning of prosthetic components in TKA procedures performed with patient-specific instrumentation vs traditional TKA. In this prospective comparative randomized study, 15 patients underwent TKA with 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) preoperative planning (patient-specific instrumentation group) and 15 patients underwent traditional TKA (non-patient-specific instrumentation group). All patients underwent postoperative computed tomography (CT) examination. In the patient-specific instrumentation group, preoperative data planning regarding femoral and tibial bone resection was correlated with intraoperative measurements. Surgical time, length of hospitalization, and intraoperative and postoperative bleeding were compared between the 2 groups. Positioning of implants on postoperative CT was assessed for both groups. Data planned with 3-dimensional MRI regarding the depth of bone cuts showed good to excellent correlation with intraoperative measurements. The patient-specific instrumentation group showed better perioperative outcomes and good correlation between the spatial positioning of prosthetic components planned preoperatively and that seen on postoperative CT. Less variability was found in the patient-specific instrumentation group than in the non-patient-specific instrumentation group in spatial orientation of prosthetic components. Preoperative planning with 3-dimensional MRI in TKA has a better perioperative outcome compared with the traditional method. Use of patient-specific instrumentation can also improve the spatial positioning of both prosthetic components. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

28 CFR 50.14 - Guidelines on employee selection procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... out are: Assumptions of validity based on a procedure's name or descriptive labels; all forms of... relationship (e.g., correlation coefficient) between performance on a selection procedure and one or more... upon a study involving a large number of subjects and has a low correlation coefficient will be subject...

28 CFR 50.14 - Guidelines on employee selection procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... out are: Assumptions of validity based on a procedure's name or descriptive labels; all forms of... relationship (e.g., correlation coefficient) between performance on a selection procedure and one or more... upon a study involving a large number of subjects and has a low correlation coefficient will be subject...

28 CFR 50.14 - Guidelines on employee selection procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... out are: Assumptions of validity based on a procedure's name or descriptive labels; all forms of... relationship (e.g., correlation coefficient) between performance on a selection procedure and one or more... upon a study involving a large number of subjects and has a low correlation coefficient will be subject...

28 CFR 50.14 - Guidelines on employee selection procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... out are: Assumptions of validity based on a procedure's name or descriptive labels; all forms of... relationship (e.g., correlation coefficient) between performance on a selection procedure and one or more... upon a study involving a large number of subjects and has a low correlation coefficient will be subject...

28 CFR 50.14 - Guidelines on employee selection procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... out are: Assumptions of validity based on a procedure's name or descriptive labels; all forms of... relationship (e.g., correlation coefficient) between performance on a selection procedure and one or more... upon a study involving a large number of subjects and has a low correlation coefficient will be subject...

Long-term behaviour and cross-correlation water quality analysis of the River Elbe, Germany.

PubMed

Lehmann, A; Rode, M

2001-06-01

This study analyses weekly data samples from the river Elbe at Magdeburg between 1984 and 1996 to investigate the changes in metabolism and water quality in the river Elbe since the German reunification in 1990. Modelling water quality variables by autoregressive component models and ARIMA models reveals the improvement of water quality due to the reduction of waste water emissions since 1990. The models are used to determine the long-term and seasonal behaviour of important water quality variables. Organic and heavy metal pollution parameters showed a significant decrease since 1990, however, no significant change of chlorophyll-a as a measure for primary production could be found. A new procedure for testing the significance of a sample correlation coefficient is discussed, which is able to detect spurious sample correlation coefficients without making use of time-consuming prewhitening. The cross-correlation analysis is applied to hydrophysical, biological, and chemical water quality variables of the river Elbe since 1984. Special emphasis is laid on the detection of spurious sample correlation coefficients.

Residency factors that influence pediatric in-training examination score improvement.

PubMed

Chase, Lindsay H; Highbaugh-Battle, Angela P; Buchter, Susie

2012-10-01

The goal of this study was to determine which measurable factors of resident training experience contribute to improvement of in-training examination (ITE) and certifying examination (CE) scores. This is a descriptive retrospective study analyzing data from July 2003 through June 2006 at a large academic pediatric training program. Pediatric categorical residents beginning residency in July 2003 were included. Regression analyses were used to determine if the number of admissions performed, core lectures attended, acute care topics heard, grand rounds attended, continuity clinic patients encountered, or procedures performed correlated with improvement of ITE scores. These factors were then analyzed in relation to CE scores. Seventeen residents were included in this study. The number of general pediatric admissions was the only factor found to correlate with an increase in ITE score (P = .04). Scores for the ITE at pediatric levels 1 and 3 were predictive of CE scores. No other factors measured were found to influence CE scores. Although all experiences of pediatric residents likely contribute to professional competence, some experiences may have more effect on ITE and CE scores. In this study, only general pediatric admissions correlated significantly with an improvement in ITE scores from year 1 to year 3. Further study is needed to identify which elements of the residency experience contribute most to CE success. This would be helpful in optimizing residency program structure and curriculum within the limitations of duty hour regulations.

Changes in corticospinal excitability during consolidation predict acute exercise-induced off-line gains in procedural memory.

PubMed

Ostadan, Fatemeh; Centeno, Carla; Daloze, Jean-Felix; Frenn, Mira; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Roig, Marc

2016-12-01

A single bout of cardiovascular exercise performed immediately after practicing a motor task improves the long-term retention of the skill through an optimization of memory consolidation. However, the specific brain mechanisms underlying the effects of acute cardiovascular exercise on procedural memory are poorly understood. We sought to determine if a single bout of exercise modifies corticospinal excitability (CSE) during the early stages of memory consolidation. In addition, we investigated if changes in CSE are associated with exercise-induced off-line gains in procedural memory. Participants practiced a serial reaction time task followed by either a short bout of acute exercise or a similar rest period. To monitor changes in CSE we used transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the primary motor cortex (M1) at baseline, 15, 35, 65 and 125min after exercise or rest. Participants in the exercise condition showed larger (∼24%) improvements in procedural memory through consolidation although differences between groups did not reach statistical significance. Exercise promoted an increase in CSE, which remained elevated 2h after exercise. More importantly, global increases in CSE following exercise correlated with the magnitude of off-line gains in skill level assessed in a retention test performed 8h after motor practice. A single bout of exercise modulates short-term neuroplasticity mechanisms subserving consolidation processes that predict off-line gains in procedural memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of Genomic Prediction in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Improved by Accounting for Linkage Disequilibrium

PubMed Central

Ramstein, Guillaume P.; Evans, Joseph; Kaeppler, Shawn M.; Mitchell, Robert B.; Vogel, Kenneth P.; Buell, C. Robin; Casler, Michael D.

2016-01-01

Switchgrass is a relatively high-yielding and environmentally sustainable biomass crop, but further genetic gains in biomass yield must be achieved to make it an economically viable bioenergy feedstock. Genomic selection (GS) is an attractive technology to generate rapid genetic gains in switchgrass, and meet the goals of a substantial displacement of petroleum use with biofuels in the near future. In this study, we empirically assessed prediction procedures for genomic selection in two different populations, consisting of 137 and 110 half-sib families of switchgrass, tested in two locations in the United States for three agronomic traits: dry matter yield, plant height, and heading date. Marker data were produced for the families’ parents by exome capture sequencing, generating up to 141,030 polymorphic markers with available genomic-location and annotation information. We evaluated prediction procedures that varied not only by learning schemes and prediction models, but also by the way the data were preprocessed to account for redundancy in marker information. More complex genomic prediction procedures were generally not significantly more accurate than the simplest procedure, likely due to limited population sizes. Nevertheless, a highly significant gain in prediction accuracy was achieved by transforming the marker data through a marker correlation matrix. Our results suggest that marker-data transformations and, more generally, the account of linkage disequilibrium among markers, offer valuable opportunities for improving prediction procedures in GS. Some of the achieved prediction accuracies should motivate implementation of GS in switchgrass breeding programs. PMID:26869619

RVUs poorly correlate with measures of surgical effort and complexity

PubMed Central

Shah, Dhruvil R.; Bold, Richard J.; Yang, Anthony D.; Khatri, Vijay P.; Martinez, Steve R.; Canter, Robert J.

2014-01-01

Background The relationship between procedural relative value units (RVUs) for surgical procedures and other measures of surgeon effort are poorly characterized. We hypothesized that RVUs would poorly correlate with quantifiable metrics of surgeon effort. Methods Using the 2010 ACS-NSQIP database, we selected 11 primary CPT codes associated with high volume surgical procedures. We then identified all patients with a single reported procedural RVU who underwent non-emergent, inpatient general surgical operations. We used linear regression to correlate length of stay, operative time, overall morbidity, frequency of serious adverse events (SAEs), and mortality with RVUs. We used multivariable logistic regression using all pre-operative NSQIP variables to determine other significant predictors of our outcome measures. Results Among 14,481 patients, RVUs poorly correlated with individual length of stay (R2=0.05), operative time (R2=0.10), and mortality (R2=0.35). There was a moderate correlation between RVUs and SAEs (R2 =0.79), and RVUs and overall morbidity (R2=0.75). However, among low to mid-level RVU procedures (11 to 35) there was a poor correlation between SAEs (R2=0.15), overall morbidity (R2=0.05), and RVUs. On multivariable analysis, RVUs were significant predictors of operative time, length of stay, and SAEs (OR 1.06, 95%CI: 1.05–1.07), but RVUs were not a significant predictor of mortality (OR 1.02, 95%CI: 0.99–1.05) Conclusion For common, index general surgery procedures, the current RVU assignments poorly correlate with certain metrics of surgeon work, while moderately correlating with others. Given the increasing emphasis on measuring and tracking surgeon productivity, more objective measures of surgeon work and productivity should be developed. PMID:24953983

High-Dimensional Intrinsic Interpolation Using Gaussian Process Regression and Diffusion Maps

DOE PAGES

Thimmisetty, Charanraj A.; Ghanem, Roger G.; White, Joshua A.; ...

2017-10-10

This article considers the challenging task of estimating geologic properties of interest using a suite of proxy measurements. The current work recast this task as a manifold learning problem. In this process, this article introduces a novel regression procedure for intrinsic variables constrained onto a manifold embedded in an ambient space. The procedure is meant to sharpen high-dimensional interpolation by inferring non-linear correlations from the data being interpolated. The proposed approach augments manifold learning procedures with a Gaussian process regression. It first identifies, using diffusion maps, a low-dimensional manifold embedded in an ambient high-dimensional space associated with the data. Itmore » relies on the diffusion distance associated with this construction to define a distance function with which the data model is equipped. This distance metric function is then used to compute the correlation structure of a Gaussian process that describes the statistical dependence of quantities of interest in the high-dimensional ambient space. The proposed method is applicable to arbitrarily high-dimensional data sets. Here, it is applied to subsurface characterization using a suite of well log measurements. The predictions obtained in original, principal component, and diffusion space are compared using both qualitative and quantitative metrics. Considerable improvement in the prediction of the geological structural properties is observed with the proposed method.« less

High-Dimensional Intrinsic Interpolation Using Gaussian Process Regression and Diffusion Maps

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

Thimmisetty, Charanraj A.; Ghanem, Roger G.; White, Joshua A.

This article considers the challenging task of estimating geologic properties of interest using a suite of proxy measurements. The current work recast this task as a manifold learning problem. In this process, this article introduces a novel regression procedure for intrinsic variables constrained onto a manifold embedded in an ambient space. The procedure is meant to sharpen high-dimensional interpolation by inferring non-linear correlations from the data being interpolated. The proposed approach augments manifold learning procedures with a Gaussian process regression. It first identifies, using diffusion maps, a low-dimensional manifold embedded in an ambient high-dimensional space associated with the data. Itmore » relies on the diffusion distance associated with this construction to define a distance function with which the data model is equipped. This distance metric function is then used to compute the correlation structure of a Gaussian process that describes the statistical dependence of quantities of interest in the high-dimensional ambient space. The proposed method is applicable to arbitrarily high-dimensional data sets. Here, it is applied to subsurface characterization using a suite of well log measurements. The predictions obtained in original, principal component, and diffusion space are compared using both qualitative and quantitative metrics. Considerable improvement in the prediction of the geological structural properties is observed with the proposed method.« less

Class of near-perfect coded apertures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cannon, T. M.; Fenimore, E. E.

1977-01-01

Coded aperture imaging of gamma ray sources has long promised an improvement in the sensitivity of various detector systems. The promise has remained largely unfulfilled, however, for either one of two reasons. First, the encoding/decoding method produces artifacts, which even in the absence of quantum noise, restrict the quality of the reconstructed image. This is true of most correlation-type methods. Second, if the decoding procedure is of the deconvolution variety, small terms in the transfer function of the aperture can lead to excessive noise in the reconstructed image. It is proposed to circumvent both of these problems by use of a uniformly redundant array (URA) as the coded aperture in conjunction with a special correlation decoding method.

Does rhinoplasty improve nasal breathing?

PubMed

Xavier, Rui

2010-08-01

Rhinoplasty is a surgical procedure that aims to improve nasal aesthetics and nasal breathing. The aesthetic improvement of the nose is usually judged subjectively by the patient and the surgeon, but the degree of improvement of nasal obstruction is difficult to assess by clinical examination only. The measurement of peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) is a reliable tool that has been shown to correlate with other objective methods of assessing nasal breathing and with patients' symptoms of nasal obstruction. Twenty-three consecutive patients undergoing rhinoplasty have been evaluated by measurement of PNIF before and after surgery. All but three patients had an increase in PNIF after surgery. The mean preoperative PNIF was 86.5 L/min and the mean postoperative PNIF was 123.0 L/min ( P < 0.001). Not surprisingly, the greatest improvement in PNIF was achieved when bilateral spreader grafts were used. This study suggests that rhinoplasty does improve nasal breathing. (c) Thieme Medical Publishers

Using functional neuroimaging combined with a think-aloud protocol to explore clinical reasoning expertise in internal medicine.

PubMed

Durning, Steven J; Graner, John; Artino, Anthony R; Pangaro, Louis N; Beckman, Thomas; Holmboe, Eric; Oakes, Terrance; Roy, Michael; Riedy, Gerard; Capaldi, Vincent; Walter, Robert; van der Vleuten, Cees; Schuwirth, Lambert

2012-09-01

Clinical reasoning is essential to medical practice, but because it entails internal mental processes, it is difficult to assess. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and think-aloud protocols may improve understanding of clinical reasoning as these methods can more directly assess these processes. The objective of our study was to use a combination of fMRI and think-aloud procedures to examine fMRI correlates of a leading theoretical model in clinical reasoning based on experimental findings to date: analytic (i.e., actively comparing and contrasting diagnostic entities) and nonanalytic (i.e., pattern recognition) reasoning. We hypothesized that there would be functional neuroimaging differences between analytic and nonanalytic reasoning theory. 17 board-certified experts in internal medicine answered and reflected on validated U.S. Medical Licensing Exam and American Board of Internal Medicine multiple-choice questions (easy and difficult) during an fMRI scan. This procedure was followed by completion of a formal think-aloud procedure. fMRI findings provide some support for the presence of analytic and nonanalytic reasoning systems. Statistically significant activation of prefrontal cortex distinguished answering incorrectly versus correctly (p < 0.01), whereas activation of precuneus and midtemporal gyrus distinguished not guessing from guessing (p < 0.01). We found limited fMRI evidence to support analytic and nonanalytic reasoning theory, as our results indicate functional differences with correct vs. incorrect answers and guessing vs. not guessing. However, our findings did not suggest one consistent fMRI activation pattern of internal medicine expertise. This model of employing fMRI correlates offers opportunities to enhance our understanding of theory, as well as improve our teaching and assessment of clinical reasoning, a key outcome of medical education.

Slow sleep spindle and procedural memory consolidation in patients with major depressive disorder

PubMed Central

Nishida, Masaki; Nakashima, Yusaku; Nishikawa, Toru

2016-01-01

Introduction Evidence has accumulated, which indicates that, in healthy individuals, sleep enhances procedural memory consolidation, and that sleep spindle activity modulates this process. However, whether sleep-dependent procedural memory consolidation occurs in patients medicated for major depressive disorder remains unclear, as are the pharmacological and physiological mechanisms that underlie this process. Methods Healthy control participants (n=17) and patients medicated for major depressive disorder (n=11) were recruited and subjected to a finger-tapping motor sequence test (MST; nondominant hand) paradigm to compare the averaged scores of different learning phases (presleep, postsleep, and overnight improvement). Participants’ brain activity was recorded during sleep with 16 electroencephalography channels (between MSTs). Sleep scoring and frequency analyses were performed on the electroencephalography data. Additionally, we evaluated sleep spindle activity, which divided the spindles into fast-frequency spindle activity (12.5–16 Hz) and slow-frequency spindle activity (10.5–12.5 Hz). Result Sleep-dependent motor memory consolidation in patients with depression was impaired in comparison with that in control participants. In patients with depression, age correlated negatively with overnight improvement. The duration of slow-wave sleep correlated with the magnitude of motor memory consolidation in patients with depression, but not in healthy controls. Slow-frequency spindle activity was associated with reduction in the magnitude of motor memory consolidation in both groups. Conclusion Because the changes in slow-frequency spindle activity affected the thalamocortical network dysfunction in patients medicated for depression, dysregulated spindle generation may impair sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Our findings may help to elucidate the cognitive deficits that occur in patients with major depression both in the waking state and during sleep. PMID:26869818

Structural Analysis of Correlated Factors: Lessons from the Verbal-Performance Dichotomy of the Wechsler Scales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macmann, Gregg M.; Barnett, David W.

1994-01-01

Describes exploratory and confirmatory analyses of verbal-performance procedures to illustrate concepts and procedures for analysis of correlated factors. Argues that, based on convergent and discriminant validity criteria, factors should have higher correlations with variables that they purport to measure than with other variables. Discusses…

Application and Evaluation of an Expert Judgment Elicitation Procedure for Correlations.

PubMed

Zondervan-Zwijnenburg, Mariëlle; van de Schoot-Hubeek, Wenneke; Lek, Kimberley; Hoijtink, Herbert; van de Schoot, Rens

2017-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to apply and evaluate a procedure to elicit expert judgments about correlations, and to update this information with empirical data. The result is a face-to-face group elicitation procedure with as its central element a trial roulette question that elicits experts' judgments expressed as distributions. During the elicitation procedure, a concordance probability question was used to provide feedback to the experts on their judgments. We evaluated the elicitation procedure in terms of validity and reliability by means of an application with a small sample of experts. Validity means that the elicited distributions accurately represent the experts' judgments. Reliability concerns the consistency of the elicited judgments over time. Four behavioral scientists provided their judgments with respect to the correlation between cognitive potential and academic performance for two separate populations enrolled at a specific school in the Netherlands that provides special education to youth with severe behavioral problems: youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and youth with diagnoses other than ASD. Measures of face-validity, feasibility, convergent validity, coherence, and intra-rater reliability showed promising results. Furthermore, the current study illustrates the use of the elicitation procedure and elicited distributions in a social science application. The elicited distributions were used as a prior for the correlation, and updated with data for both populations collected at the school of interest. The current study shows that the newly developed elicitation procedure combining the trial roulette method with the elicitation of correlations is a promising tool, and that the results of the procedure are useful as prior information in a Bayesian analysis.

Nonglobal correlations in collider physics

DOE PAGES

Moult, Ian; Larkoski, Andrew J.

2016-01-13

Despite their importance for precision QCD calculations, correlations between in- and out-of-jet regions of phase space have never directly been observed. These so-called non-global effects are present generically whenever a collider physics measurement is not explicitly dependent on radiation throughout the entire phase space. In this paper, we introduce a novel procedure based on mutual information, which allows us to isolate these non-global correlations between measurements made in different regions of phase space. We study this procedure both analytically and in Monte Carlo simulations in the context of observables measured on hadronic final states produced in e+e- collisions, though itmore » is more widely applicable.The procedure exploits the sensitivity of soft radiation at large angles to non-global correlations, and we calculate these correlations through next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy. The bulk of these non-global correlations are found to be described in Monte Carlo simulation. They increase by the inclusion of non-perturbative effects, which we show can be incorporated in our calculation through the use of a model shape function. As a result, this procedure illuminates the source of non-global correlations and has connections more broadly to fundamental quantities in quantum field theory.« less

Distinct patterns in the gut microbiota after surgical or medical therapy in obese patients.

PubMed

Medina, Daniel A; Pedreros, Juan P; Turiel, Dannae; Quezada, Nicolas; Pimentel, Fernando; Escalona, Alex; Garrido, Daniel

2017-01-01

Bariatric surgery is highly successful in improving health compared to conventional dietary treatments. It has been suggested that the gut microbiota is a relevant factor in weight loss after bariatric surgery. Considering that bariatric procedures cause different rearrangements of the digestive tract, they probably have different effects on the gut microbiota. In this study, we compared the impact of medical treatment, sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on the gut microbiota from obese subjects. Anthropometric and clinical parameters were registered before, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Fecal samples were collected and microbiota composition was studied before and six months post treatment using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR. In comparison to dietary treatment, changes in intestinal microbiota were more pronounced in patients subjected to surgery, observing a bloom in Proteobacteria . Interestingly, Bacteroidetes abundance was largely different after six months of each surgical procedure. Furthermore, changes in weight and BMI, or glucose metabolism, correlated positively with changes in these two phyla in these surgical procedures. These results indicate that distinct surgical procedures alter the gut microbiota differently, and changes in gut microbiota might contribute to health improvement. This study contributes to our understanding of the impact of weight loss surgery on the gut microbiota, and could be used to replicate this effect using targeted therapies.

Domestic estimated breeding values and genomic enhanced breeding values of bulls in comparison with their foreign genomic enhanced breeding values.

PubMed

Přibyl, J; Bauer, J; Čermák, V; Pešek, P; Přibylová, J; Šplíchal, J; Vostrá-Vydrová, H; Vostrý, L; Zavadilová, L

2015-10-01

Estimated breeding values (EBVs) and genomic enhanced breeding values (GEBVs) for milk production of young genotyped Holstein bulls were predicted using a conventional BLUP - Animal Model, a method fitting regression coefficients for loci (RRBLUP), a method utilizing the realized genomic relationship matrix (GBLUP), by a single-step procedure (ssGBLUP) and by a one-step blending procedure. Information sources for prediction were the nation-wide database of domestic Czech production records in the first lactation combined with deregressed proofs (DRP) from Interbull files (August 2013) and domestic test-day (TD) records for the first three lactations. Data from 2627 genotyped bulls were used, of which 2189 were already proven under domestic conditions. Analyses were run that used Interbull values for genotyped bulls only or that used Interbull values for all available sires. Resultant predictions were compared with GEBV of 96 young foreign bulls evaluated abroad and whose proofs were from Interbull method GMACE (August 2013) on the Czech scale. Correlations of predictions with GMACE values of foreign bulls ranged from 0.33 to 0.75. Combining domestic data with Interbull EBVs improved prediction of both EBV and GEBV. Predictions by Animal Model (traditional EBV) using only domestic first lactation records and GMACE values were correlated by only 0.33. Combining the nation-wide domestic database with all available DRP for genotyped and un-genotyped sires from Interbull resulted in an EBV correlation of 0.60, compared with 0.47 when only Interbull data were used. In all cases, GEBVs had higher correlations than traditional EBVs, and the highest correlations were for predictions from the ssGBLUP procedure using combined data (0.75), or with all available DRP from Interbull records only (one-step blending approach, 0.69). The ssGBLUP predictions using the first three domestic lactation records in the TD model were correlated with GMACE predictions by 0.69, 0.64 and 0.61 for milk yield, protein yield and fat yield, respectively.

DIC-CAM recipe for reverse engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero-Carrillo, P.; Lopez-Alba, E.; Dorado, R.; Diaz-Garrido, F. A.

2012-04-01

Reverse engineering (RE) tries to model and manufacture an object from measurements one of a reference object. Modern optical measurement systems and computer aided engineering software have improved reverse engineering procedures. We detail the main RE steps from 3D digitalization by Digital Image Correlation to manufacturing. The previous description is complemented with an application example, which portrays the performance of RE. The differences between original and manufactured objects are less than 2 mm (close to the tool radius).

Characteristics and management of mirror syndrome: a systematic review (1956-2016).

PubMed

Allarakia, Sabah; Khayat, Hassan A; Karami, Moyassar M; Aldakhil, Abdulaziz M; Kashi, Ahmed M; Algain, Abdulrahman H; Khan, Mohammad A; Alghifees, Loai S; Alsulami, Raed E

2017-12-20

To describe the clinical features of mirror syndrome and to correlate the effects of different treatments with the fetal outcomes. Online search up to May 2016 was conducted in the PubMed, Embase (Ovid platform) and clinicalTrials.gov without restrictions of language, date or journal. Only papers providing both fetal and maternal presentations and outcomes were included. The study included 74 papers (n=111), with an additional two patients diagnosed at our center (n=113). The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 27 weeks±30 days (16-39 weeks). Whether early or late gestational age at diagnosis, and whether mother and fetus show symptoms simultaneously or on different dates, has insignificant impact on fetal outcome (P=0.06 and P=0.46, respectively). Edema (84%) followed by hypertension (60.1%) were the leading maternal findings. Fetal hydrops (94.7%) and placental edema (62.8%) were the commonest sonographic features. Procedures correcting fetal hydrops/anemia in utero as well as labor induction were the only treatment options correlated with improved fetal survival (χ2 analysis, P=0.01 and Fisher's exact test, P=0.02; respectively). The overall rate of fetal/neonatal mortality was 67.26%. The gestational age at diagnosis and sequence of presentation have insignificant impact on fetal outcome. Improved fetal survival was associated with procedural interventions that correct fetal hydrops as well as labor induction.

[Minimally invasive bone anchor in therapy of female stress incontinence. A good concept?].

PubMed

Schostak, M; Heicappell, R; Müller, M; Sauter, T; Steiner, U; Miller, K

2001-03-01

Transvaginal pubic bone anchoring represents a minimally invasive technique for cystourethropexy or urethral sling suspension. This study assesses the results of this procedure. Cystourethropexy was performed in 4 and a sling procedure in 13 of 17 patients. The stress incontinence showed a median improvement from grade 2 to 1.35 (p = 0.01). Nine patients had impaired vaginal wound healing with urge symptoms. Revision was necessary in eight of them. An unfavorable outcome could not be significantly correlated with the surgical technique, the surgeon, the patient's age or the number of previous operations. The technique of minimally invasive bone anchoring must be regarded as unsuitable in view of the largely poor wound healing associated with irritation symptoms.

Innovative approach for in-vivo ablation validation on multimodal images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahin, O.; Karagkounis, G.; Carnegie, D.; Schlaefer, A.; Boctor, E.

2014-03-01

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an important therapeutic procedure for small hepatic tumors. To make sure that the target tumor is effectively treated, RFA monitoring is essential. While several imaging modalities can observe the ablation procedure, it is not clear how ablated lesions on the images correspond to actual necroses. This uncertainty contributes to the high local recurrence rates (up to 55%) after radiofrequency ablative therapy. This study investigates a novel approach to correlate images of ablated lesions with actual necroses. We mapped both intraoperative images of the lesion and a slice through the actual necrosis in a common reference frame. An electromagnetic tracking system was used to accurately match lesion slices from different imaging modalities. To minimize the liver deformation effect, the tracking reference frame was defined inside the tissue by anchoring an electromagnetic sensor adjacent to the lesion. A validation test was performed using a phantom and proved that the end-to-end accuracy of the approach was within 2mm. In an in-vivo experiment, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) ablation images were correlated to gross and histopathology. The results indicate that the proposed method can accurately correlate invivo ablations on different modalities. Ultimately, this will improve the interpretation of the ablation monitoring and reduce the recurrence rates associated with RFA.

[Factors affecting the DAPI fluorescence direct count in the tidal river sediment].

PubMed

Chen, Chen; Huang, Shan; Wu, Qun-he; Li, Rui-yi; Zhang, Ren-duo

2010-08-01

The factors affecting the DAPI (4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylidole) fluorescence direct count in the tidal river sediment were examined. Sediment samples were collected from the Guangzhou section of the Pearl River. Besides sediment texture and organic matter, an improved staining procedure and the involved parameters were analyzed. Results showed that the procedure with the sediment with 2000 fold dilution and ultrasonic water bath for 10 min, and with a final DAPI concentration of 10 microg x mL(-1) and staining time for more than 30 min produced the optimum results of DAPI direct count in the sediment. The total bacterial number was correlated to the proportion of the non-nucleoid-containing cells to the total bacterial number (r = 0.587, p = 0.004). The organic matter content also correlated to the ration. The clay content had a strong correlation with the organic matter, through which the clay content also affected the ratio. A multiple regression analysis between the ration versus the organic matter, the total bacterial number, and the clay content showed that the regression equation fit the measure values satisfactorily (r = 0.694). These results indicated that the above factors needed to be considered in the applications of the DAPI fluorescence direct counting method to the tidal river sediment.

Improving the Organoleptic Properties of a Craft Mezcal Beverage by Increasing Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester Contents through ATF1 Expression in an Engineered Kluyveromyces marxianus UMPe-1 Yeast.

PubMed

Campos-García, Jesús; Vargas, Alejandra; Farías-Rosales, Lorena; Miranda, Ana L; Meza-Carmen, Víctor; Díaz-Pérez, Alma L

2018-05-02

Mezcal, a traditional beverage that originated in Mexico, is produced from species of the Agavaceae family. The esters associated with the yeasts utilized during fermentation are important for improving the organoleptic properties of the beverage. We improved the ester contents in a mezcal beverage by using the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus, which was engineered with the ATF1 gene. ATF1 expression in the recombinant yeast significantly increased compared with that in the parental yeast, but its fermentative parameters were unchanged. Volatile-organic-compound-content analysis showed that esters had significantly increased in the mezcal produced with the engineered yeast. In a sensory-panel test, 48% of the panelists preferred the mezcal produced from the engineered yeast, 30% preferred the mezcal produced from the wild type, and 15 and 7% preferred the two mezcal types produced following the routine procedure. Correlation analysis showed that the fruitiness/sweetness description of the mezcal produced using the ATF1-engineered K. marxianus yeast correlated with the content of the esters, whose presence improved the organoleptic properties of the craft mezcal beverage.

Within-Hospital Variation in 30-Day Adverse Events: Implications for Measuring Quality.

PubMed

Burke, Robert E; Glorioso, Thomas; Barón, Anna K; Kaboli, Peter J; Ho, P Michael

Novel measures of hospital quality are needed. Because quality improvement efforts seek to reduce variability in processes and outcomes, hospitals with higher variability in adverse events may be delivering poorer quality care. We sought to evaluate whether within-hospital variability in adverse events after a procedure might function as a quality metric that is correlated with facility-level mortality rates. We analyzed all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system from 2007 to 2013 to evaluate the correlation between within-hospital variability in 30-day postdischarge adverse events (readmission, emergency department visit, and repeat revascularization), and facility-level mortality rates, after adjustment for patient demographics, comorbidities, PCI indication, and PCI urgency. The study cohort included 47,567 patients at 48 VHA hospitals. The overall 30-day adverse event rate was 22.0% and 1-year mortality rate was 4.9%. The most variable sites had relative changes of 20% in 30-day rates of adverse events period-to-period. However, within-hospital variability in 30-day events was not correlated with 1-year mortality rates (correlation coefficient = .06; p = .66). Thus, measuring within-hospital variability in postdischarge adverse events may not improve identification of low-performing hospitals. Evaluation in other conditions, populations, and in relationship with other quality metrics may reveal stronger correlations with care quality.

49 CFR 213.234 - Automated inspection of track constructed with concrete crossties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... procedure that ensures correlation between measurements made on the ground and those recorded by the... procedure that ensures correlation between measurements made on the ground and those recorded by the...

Correction of phase velocity bias caused by strong directional noise sources in high-frequency ambient noise tomography: a case study in Karamay, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, K.; Luo, Y.; Yang, Y.

2016-12-01

We collect two months of ambient noise data recorded by 35 broadband seismic stations in a 9×11 km area near Karamay, China, and do cross-correlation of noise data between all station pairs. Array beamforming analysis of the ambient noise data shows that ambient noise sources are unevenly distributed and the most energetic ambient noise mainly comes from azimuths of 40o-70o. As a consequence of the strong directional noise sources, surface wave waveforms of the cross-correlations at 1-5 Hz show clearly azimuthal dependence, and direct dispersion measurements from cross-correlations are strongly biased by the dominant noise energy. This bias renders that the dispersion measurements from cross-correlations do not accurately reflect the interstation velocities of surface waves propagating directly from one station to the other, that is, the cross-correlation functions do not retrieve Empirical Green's Functions accurately. To correct the bias caused by unevenly distributed noise sources, we adopt an iterative inversion procedure. The iterative inversion procedure, based on plane-wave modeling, includes three steps: (1) surface wave tomography, (2) estimation of ambient noise energy and (3) phase velocities correction. First, we use synthesized data to test efficiency and stability of the iterative procedure for both homogeneous and heterogeneous media. The testing results show that: (1) the amplitudes of phase velocity bias caused by directional noise sources are significant, reaching 2% and 10% for homogeneous and heterogeneous media, respectively; (2) phase velocity bias can be corrected by the iterative inversion procedure and the convergences of inversion depend on the starting phase velocity map and the complexity of the media. By applying the iterative approach to the real data in Karamay, we further show that phase velocity maps converge after ten iterations and the phase velocity map based on corrected interstation dispersion measurements are more consistent with results from geology surveys than those based on uncorrected ones. As ambient noise in high frequency band (>1Hz) is mostly related to human activities or climate events, both of which have strong directivity, the iterative approach demonstrated here helps improve the accuracy and resolution of ANT in imaging shallow earth structures.

New Models for Velocity/Pressure-Gradient Correlations in Turbulent Boundary Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poroseva, Svetlana; Murman, Scott

2014-11-01

To improve the performance of Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence models, one has to improve the accuracy of models for three physical processes: turbulent diffusion, interaction of turbulent pressure and velocity fluctuation fields, and dissipative processes. The accuracy of modeling the turbulent diffusion depends on the order of a statistical closure chosen as a basis for a RANS model. When the Gram-Charlier series expansions for the velocity correlations are used to close the set of RANS equations, no assumption on Gaussian turbulence is invoked and no unknown model coefficients are introduced into the modeled equations. In such a way, this closure procedure reduces the modeling uncertainty of fourth-order RANS (FORANS) closures. Experimental and direct numerical simulation data confirmed the validity of using the Gram-Charlier series expansions in various flows including boundary layers. We will address modeling the velocity/pressure-gradient correlations. New linear models will be introduced for the second- and higher-order correlations applicable to two-dimensional incompressible wall-bounded flows. Results of models' validation with DNS data in a channel flow and in a zero-pressure gradient boundary layer over a flat plate will be demonstrated. A part of the material is based upon work supported by NASA under award NNX12AJ61A.

Rapid bedside coagulometry prior to urgent neurosurgical procedures in anticoagulated patients.

PubMed

Beynon, Christopher; Jakobs, Martin; Rizos, Timolaos; Unterberg, Andreas W; Sakowitz, Oliver W

2014-01-01

With the increased use of oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists, emergency physicians encounter a growing number of patients requiring a rapid reversal of anticoagulant effects in order to perform urgent surgical procedures. Initiation of these procedures can be delayed because the coagulation status has to be assessed through examination of blood samples in central laboratories (CL). This delay may lead to negative effects, especially in potentially life-threatening conditions such as intracranial haemorrhage. Point-of-care (POC) devices for assessment of international normalized ratio (POC INR) have improved the management of anticoagulation therapy in the outpatient setting. The use of these devices may also have beneficial effects in the treatment of anticoagulated patients requiring urgent neurosurgical procedures. The primary aim of this study was to analyse the potential of POC-guided assessment of INR to reduce time to potentially life-saving neurosurgery in this setting. Feasibility and accuracy as well as the gain of time through the use of this device were analysed. The POC coagulometer CoaguChek XS(®) was used in 17 patients with a history of anticoagulant use and a condition requiring urgent anticoagulant reversal prior to neurosurgical procedures (burr-hole trepanation: n = 8, craniotomy: n = 7, laminectomy: n = 2). No technical difficulties occurred and rapid assessment of INR was achieved in all cases within 2 min. POC INR values correlated well with CL INR assessment with a mean INR deviation of 0.036 ± 0.12. The mean gain of time through the use of the POC INR device compared with CL assessment of INR was 47 ± 6 min (range: 37-61 min). Our initial experiences with a POC INR device in anticoagulated patients undergoing urgent neurosurgical procedures demonstrate that its use may contribute to an improved management of these patients.

Performance of Density Functional Theory Procedures for the Calculation of Proton-Exchange Barriers: Unusual Behavior of M06-Type Functionals.

PubMed

Chan, Bun; Gilbert, Andrew T B; Gill, Peter M W; Radom, Leo

2014-09-09

We have examined the performance of a variety of density functional theory procedures for the calculation of complexation energies and proton-exchange barriers, with a focus on the Minnesota-class of functionals that are generally highly robust and generally show good accuracy. A curious observation is that M05-type and M06-type methods show an atypical decrease in calculated barriers with increasing proportion of Hartree-Fock exchange. To obtain a clearer picture of the performance of the underlying components of M05-type and M06-type functionals, we have investigated the combination of MPW-type and PBE-type exchange and B95-type and PBE-type correlation procedures. We find that, for the extensive E3 test set, the general performance of the various hybrid-DFT procedures improves in the following order: PBE1-B95 → PBE1-PBE → MPW1-PBE → PW6-B95. As M05-type and M06-type procedures are related to PBE1-B95, it would be of interest to formulate and examine the general performance of an alternative Minnesota DFT method related to PW6-B95.

Procedural justice, supervisor autonomy support, work satisfaction, organizational identification and job performance: the mediating role of need satisfaction and perceived organizational support.

PubMed

Gillet, Nicolas; Colombat, Philippe; Michinov, Estelle; Pronost, Anne-Marie; Fouquereau, Evelyne

2013-11-01

To test a model linking procedural justice, supervisor autonomy support, need satisfaction, organizational support, work satisfaction, organizational identification and job performance. Research in industrial and organizational psychology has shown that procedural justice and supervisor autonomy support lead to positive outcomes. However, very little research related to this subject has been conducted in healthcare settings. Moreover, few studies have examined mechanisms that could account for these positive relationships. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Convenience sampling was used and a sample of 500 nurses working in haematology, oncology and haematology/oncology units in France was surveyed in 2011. The final sample consisted of 323 nurses (64.6% response rate). The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modelling. Procedural justice and supervisor autonomy support significantly and positively influenced need satisfaction and perceived organizational support, which in turn positively predicted work satisfaction, organizational identification and job performance. Organizations could deliver training programmes for their managers aimed at enhancing the use of fair procedures in allocating outcomes and developing their autonomy-supportive behaviours to improve nurses' work satisfaction, organizational identification and job performance. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Inference for High-dimensional Differential Correlation Matrices.

PubMed

Cai, T Tony; Zhang, Anru

2016-01-01

Motivated by differential co-expression analysis in genomics, we consider in this paper estimation and testing of high-dimensional differential correlation matrices. An adaptive thresholding procedure is introduced and theoretical guarantees are given. Minimax rate of convergence is established and the proposed estimator is shown to be adaptively rate-optimal over collections of paired correlation matrices with approximately sparse differences. Simulation results show that the procedure significantly outperforms two other natural methods that are based on separate estimation of the individual correlation matrices. The procedure is also illustrated through an analysis of a breast cancer dataset, which provides evidence at the gene co-expression level that several genes, of which a subset has been previously verified, are associated with the breast cancer. Hypothesis testing on the differential correlation matrices is also considered. A test, which is particularly well suited for testing against sparse alternatives, is introduced. In addition, other related problems, including estimation of a single sparse correlation matrix, estimation of the differential covariance matrices, and estimation of the differential cross-correlation matrices, are also discussed.

Investigation on bending failure to characterize crashworthiness of 6xxx-series aluminium sheet alloys with bending-tension test procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henn, Philipp; Liewald, Mathias; Sindel, Manfred

2018-05-01

As lightweight design as well as crash performance are crucial to future car body design, exact material characterisation is important to use materials at their full potential and reach maximum efficiency. Within the scope of this paper, the potential of newly established bending-tension test procedure to characterise material crashworthiness is investigated. In this test setup for the determination of material failure, a buckling-bending test is coupled with a subsequent tensile test. If prior bending load is critical, tensile strength and elongation in the subsequent tensile test are dramatically reduced. The new test procedure therefore offers an applicable definition of failure as the incapacity of energy consumption in subsequent phases of the crash represents failure of a component. In addition to that, the correlation of loading condition with actual crash scenarios (buckling and free bending) is improved compared to three- point bending test. The potential of newly established bending-tension test procedure to characterise material crashworthiness is investigated in this experimental studys on two aluminium sheet alloys. Experimental results are validated with existing ductility characterisation from edge compression test.

A Procedure for Calculating the Vertical Space Height of the Sacrum When Determining Skeletal Height for Use in the Anatomical Method of Adult Stature Estimation.

PubMed

Hayashi, Atsuko; Emanovsky, Paul D; Pietrusewsky, Michael; Holland, Thomas D

2016-03-01

Estimating stature from skeletonized remains is one of the essential parameters in the development of a biological profile. A new procedure for determining skeletal height (SKH) incorporating the vertical space height (VSH) from the anterior margin of the sacral promontory to the superior margins of the acetabulae for use in the anatomical method of stature estimation is introduced. Regression equations for stature estimation were generated from measurements of 38 American males of European ancestry from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection. The modification to the procedure results in a SKH that is highly correlated with stature (r = 0.925-0.948). Stature estimates have low standard errors of the estimate ranging from 21.79 to 25.95 mm, biases from to 0.50 to 0.94 mm, and accuracy rates from 17.71 mm to 19.45 mm. The procedure for determining the VSH, which replaces "S1 height" in traditional anatomical method models, is a key improvement to the method. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Accuracy of genomic prediction in switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) improved by accounting for linkage disequilibrium

DOE PAGES

Ramstein, Guillaume P.; Evans, Joseph; Kaeppler, Shawn M.; ...

2016-02-11

Switchgrass is a relatively high-yielding and environmentally sustainable biomass crop, but further genetic gains in biomass yield must be achieved to make it an economically viable bioenergy feedstock. Genomic selection (GS) is an attractive technology to generate rapid genetic gains in switchgrass, and meet the goals of a substantial displacement of petroleum use with biofuels in the near future. In this study, we empirically assessed prediction procedures for genomic selection in two different populations, consisting of 137 and 110 half-sib families of switchgrass, tested in two locations in the United States for three agronomic traits: dry matter yield, plant height,more » and heading date. Marker data were produced for the families’ parents by exome capture sequencing, generating up to 141,030 polymorphic markers with available genomic-location and annotation information. We evaluated prediction procedures that varied not only by learning schemes and prediction models, but also by the way the data were preprocessed to account for redundancy in marker information. More complex genomic prediction procedures were generally not significantly more accurate than the simplest procedure, likely due to limited population sizes. Nevertheless, a highly significant gain in prediction accuracy was achieved by transforming the marker data through a marker correlation matrix. Our results suggest that marker-data transformations and, more generally, the account of linkage disequilibrium among markers, offer valuable opportunities for improving prediction procedures in GS. Furthermore, some of the achieved prediction accuracies should motivate implementation of GS in switchgrass breeding programs.« less

Age-related differences in perceptuomotor procedural learning in children.

PubMed

Lejeune, Caroline; Catale, Corinne; Schmitz, Xavier; Quertemont, Etienne; Meulemans, Thierry

2013-10-01

Procedural learning is generally considered to proceed in a series of phases, with cognitive resources playing an important role during the initial step. From a developmental perspective, little is known about the development of procedural learning or the role played by explicit cognitive processes during learning. The main objectives of this study were (a) to determine whether procedural learning performance improves with age by comparing groups of 7-year-old children, 10-year-old children, and adults and (b) to investigate the role played by executive functions during the acquisition in these three age groups. The 76 participants were assessed on a computerized adaptation of the mirror tracing paradigm. Results revealed that the youngest children had more difficulty in adapting to the task (they were slower and committed more errors at the beginning of the learning process) than 10-year-olds, but despite this age effect observed at the outset, all children improved performance across trials and transferred their skill to a different figure as well as adults. Correlational analyses showed that inhibition abilities play a key role in the performance of 10-year-olds and adults at the beginning of the learning but not in that of 7-year-olds. Overall, our results suggest that the age-related differences observed in our procedural learning task are at least partly due to the differential involvement of inhibition abilities, which may facilitate learning (so long as they are sufficiently developed) during the initial steps of the learning process; however, they would not be a necessary condition for skill learning to occur. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of genomic prediction in switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) improved by accounting for linkage disequilibrium

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

Ramstein, Guillaume P.; Evans, Joseph; Kaeppler, Shawn M.

Switchgrass is a relatively high-yielding and environmentally sustainable biomass crop, but further genetic gains in biomass yield must be achieved to make it an economically viable bioenergy feedstock. Genomic selection (GS) is an attractive technology to generate rapid genetic gains in switchgrass, and meet the goals of a substantial displacement of petroleum use with biofuels in the near future. In this study, we empirically assessed prediction procedures for genomic selection in two different populations, consisting of 137 and 110 half-sib families of switchgrass, tested in two locations in the United States for three agronomic traits: dry matter yield, plant height,more » and heading date. Marker data were produced for the families’ parents by exome capture sequencing, generating up to 141,030 polymorphic markers with available genomic-location and annotation information. We evaluated prediction procedures that varied not only by learning schemes and prediction models, but also by the way the data were preprocessed to account for redundancy in marker information. More complex genomic prediction procedures were generally not significantly more accurate than the simplest procedure, likely due to limited population sizes. Nevertheless, a highly significant gain in prediction accuracy was achieved by transforming the marker data through a marker correlation matrix. Our results suggest that marker-data transformations and, more generally, the account of linkage disequilibrium among markers, offer valuable opportunities for improving prediction procedures in GS. Furthermore, some of the achieved prediction accuracies should motivate implementation of GS in switchgrass breeding programs.« less

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation modulates conscious perception of sensory function in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Cury, Rubens G; Galhardoni, Ricardo; Teixeira, Manoel J; Dos Santos Ghilardi, Maria G; Silva, Valquiria; Myczkowski, Martin L; Marcolin, Marco A; Barbosa, Egberto R; Fonoff, Erich T; Ciampi de Andrade, Daniel

2016-12-01

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is used to treat refractory motor complications in Parkinson disease (PD), but its effects on nonmotor symptoms remain uncertain. Up to 80% of patients with PD may have pain relief after STN-DBS, but it is unknown whether its analgesic properties are related to potential effects on sensory thresholds or secondary to motor improvement. We have previously reported significant and long-lasting pain relief after DBS, which did not correlate with motor symptomatic control. Here we present secondary data exploring the effects of DBS on sensory thresholds in a controlled way and have explored the relationship between these changes and clinical pain and motor improvement after surgery. Thirty-seven patients were prospectively evaluated before STN-DBS and 12 months after the procedure compared with healthy controls. Compared with baseline, patients with PD showed lower thermal and mechanical detection and higher cold pain thresholds after surgery. There were no changes in heat and mechanical pain thresholds. Compared with baseline values in healthy controls, patients with PD had higher thermal and mechanical detection thresholds, which decreased after surgery toward normalization. These sensory changes had no correlation with motor or clinical pain improvement after surgery. These data confirm the existence of sensory abnormalities in PD and suggest that STN-DBS mainly influenced the detection thresholds rather than painful sensations. However, these changes may depend on the specific effects of DBS on somatosensory loops with no correlation to motor or clinical pain improvement.

Contrast-enhanced cardiac C-arm CT evaluation of radiofrequency ablation lesions in the left ventricle

PubMed Central

Girard, Erin E; Al-Ahmad, Amin A; Rosenberg, Jarrett; Luong, Richard; Moore, Teri; Lauritsch, Günter; Boese, Jan; Fahrig, Rebecca

2011-01-01

Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate use of cardiac C-arm computed tomography (CT) in the assessment of the dimensions and temporal characteristics of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) lesions. This imaging modality uses a standard C-arm fluoroscopy system rotating around the patient, providing CT-like images during the RFA procedure. Background Both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CT can be used to assess myocardial necrotic tissue. Several studies have reported visualizing cardiac RF ablation lesions with MRI, however obtaining MR images during interventional procedures is not common practice. Direct visualization of RFA lesions using C-arm CT during the procedure may improve outcomes and circumvent complications associated with cardiac ablation procedures. Methods RFA lesions were created on the endocardial surface of the left ventricle of 9 swine using a 7-F RF ablation catheter. An ECG-gated C-arm CT imaging protocol was used to acquire projection images during iodine contrast injection and following the injection every 5 min for up to 30 min, with no additional contrast. Reconstructed images were analyzed offline. The mean and standard deviation of the signal intensity of the lesion and normal myocardium were measured in all images in each time series. Lesion dimensions and area were measured and compared in pathologic specimens and C-arm CT images. Results All ablation lesions (n=29) were visualized and lesion dimensions, as measured on C-arm CT, correlated well with postmortem tissue measurements (1D dimensions : concordance correlation = 0.87; area : concordance correlation = 0.90). Lesions were visualized as a perfusion defect on first-pass C-arm CT images with a signal intensity 95 HU lower than normal myocardium (95% confidence interval: -111 to -79 HU). Images acquired at 1 and 5 minutes exhibited an enhancing ring surrounding the perfusion defect in 24 (83%) lesions. Conclusions RFA lesion size, including transmurality, can be assessed using ECG-gated cardiac C-arm CT in the interventional suite. Visualization of RFA lesions using cardiac C-arm CT may facilitate the assessment of adequate lesion delivery and provide valuable feedback during cardiac ablation procedures. PMID:21414574

Radiologists' Variation of Time to Read Across Different Procedure Types.

PubMed

Forsberg, Daniel; Rosipko, Beverly; Sunshine, Jeffrey L

2017-02-01

The workload of US radiologists has increased over the past two decades as measured through total annual relative value units (RVUs). This increase in RVUs generated suggests that radiologists' productivity has increased. However, true productivity (output unit per input unit; RVU per time) is at large unknown since actual time required to interpret and report a case is rarely recorded. In this study, we analyzed how the time to read a case varies between radiologists over a set of different procedure types by retrospectively extracting reading times from PACS usage logs. Specifically, we tested two hypotheses that; i) relative variation in time to read per procedure type increases as the median time to read a procedure type increases, and ii) relative rankings in terms of median reading speed for individual radiologists are consistent across different procedure types. The results that, i) a correlation of -0.25 between the coefficient of variation and median time to read and ii) that only 12 out of 46 radiologists had consistent rankings in terms of time to read across different procedure types, show both hypotheses to be without support. The results show that workload distribution will not follow any general rule for a radiologist across all procedures or a general rule for a specific procedure across many readers. Rather the findings suggest that improved overall practice efficiency can be achieved only by taking into account radiologists' individual productivity per procedure type when distributing unread cases.

A systematic correlation analysis of carotenoids, chlorophyll, non-pigmented cell mass, and cell number for the blueprint of Dunaliella salina culture in a photobioreactor.

PubMed

Song, Hyeon Gi; Byeon, Seon Yeong; Chung, Goo Yong; Jung, Sang-Myung; Choi, Jung Il; Shin, Hwa Sung

2018-05-28

Microalgal carotenoids are attractive health ingredients, but their production should be optimized to improve cost-effectiveness. Understanding cellular physiology centered on carotenoid synthesis is the prerequisite for this work. Therefore, systematic correlation analyses were conducted among chlorophyll, carotenoids, non-pigmented cell mass, and cell number of Dunaliella salina in a specified condition over a relatively long culture time. First, an integrated correlation was performed: a temporal profile of the carotenoids was correlated with those of other factors, including chlorophyll, non-pigmented cell mass, and cell number. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were performed to identify linearity and monotonicity of the correlation, respectively, and then cross-correlation was executed to determine if the correlation had a time lag. Second, to understand the cellular potential of metabolism, the procedure was repeated to provide a data set composed of the specific synthesis rates of the factors or growth rate, which additionally provided kinetic correlations among the constituting components of the cell, excluding the effect of cell number. This systematic approach could generate a blueprint model that is composed of only what it needs, which could make it possible to efficiently control and optimize the process.

Patient Expectations and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Surgery: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Waljee, Jennifer; McGlinn, Evan P.; Sears, Erika Davis; Chung, Kevin C.

2014-01-01

Background Recent events in healthcare reform have brought national attention to integrating patient experiences and expectations into quality metrics. Few studies have comprehensively evaluated the effect of patient expectations on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following surgery. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the available literature describing the relationship between patient expectations and postoperative PROs. Methods We performed a search of the literature published prior to November 1, 2012. Articles were included in the review if 1) primary data were presented 2) patient expectations regarding a surgical procedure were measured 3) PROs were measured, and 4) the relationship between patient expectations and PROs was specifically examined. PROs were categorized into five subgroups: satisfaction, quality of life (QOL), disability, mood disorder, and pain. We examined each study to determine the relationship between patient expectations and PROs as well as study quality. Results From the initial literature search yielding 1,708 studies, 60 articles were included. Fulfillment of expectations was associated with improved PROs among 24 studies. Positive expectations were correlated with improved PROs for 28 (47%) studies, and poorer PROs for 9 (15%) studies. Eighteen studies reported that fulfillment of expectations was correlated with improved patient satisfaction, and 10 studies identified that positive expectations were correlated with improved postoperative QOL. Finally, patients with positive preoperative expectations reported less pain (8 studies) and disability (15 studies) compared with patients with negative preoperative expectations. Conclusions Patient expectations are inconsistently correlated with PROs following surgery, and there is no accepted method to capture perioperative expectations. Future efforts to rigorously measure expectations and explore their influence on postoperative outcomes can inform clinicians and policy-makers seeking to integrate PROs into measures of surgical quality. PMID:24787107

2-Point microstructure archetypes for improved elastic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Brent L.; Gao, Xiang

2004-01-01

Rectangular models of material microstructure are described by their 1- and 2-point (spatial) correlation statistics of placement of local state. In the procedure described here the local state space is described in discrete form; and the focus is on placement of local state within a finite number of cells comprising rectangular models. It is illustrated that effective elastic properties (generalized Hashin Shtrikman bounds) can be obtained that are linear in components of the correlation statistics. Within this framework the concept of an eigen-microstructure within the microstructure hull is useful. Given the practical innumerability of the microstructure hull, however, we introduce a method for generating a sequence of archetypes of eigen-microstructure, from the 2-point correlation statistics of local state, assuming that the 1-point statistics are stationary. The method is illustrated by obtaining an archetype for an imaginary two-phase material where the objective is to maximize the combination C_{xxxx}^{*} + C_{xyxy}^{*}

Relating regional characteristics of left atrial shape to presence of scar in patients with atrial fibrillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanatkhani, Soroosh; Oladosu, Michael; Chera, Karandeep; Nedios, Sotirios; Menon, Prahlad G.

2018-03-01

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an established procedure for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Pre-procedural screening is necessary prior to PVI in order to reduce the likelihood of AF recurrence and improve overall success rate of the procedure. However, current reliable methods to determine AF triggers are invasive. In this paper, we present an approach to relate the regional characteristics of left atrial (LA) shape to existence of low-voltage areas (LVA) which indicate the presence of scar in invasive exams. A cohort of 29 AF patient-specific clinical images were each segmented into 3D surface bodies representing the LA. Iterative closest point based similarity transformation was used to find the best fit sphere to each patient-specific LA and the mean deviation of LA wall to this sphere of best fit was determined using a signed point-to-surface regional distance metric. Regional departure from the best-fit sphere was reduced into a metric of global LA sphericity. Next, the LA was divided into six regions to perform an analysis of regional sphericity. Regional sphericity analysis revealed that sphericity of the inferior-posterior LA region was found to be related to several clinical variables, including a direct correlation with body mass index (BMI) and an inverse correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), which presents a diseased heart that has been asymmetrically inflated. Our observations therefore demonstrate promise in being leveraged as a non-invasive patient selection tool to increase the success rate of PVI procedures.

Failure mode analysis in adrenal vein sampling: a single-center experience.

PubMed

Trerotola, Scott O; Asmar, Melissa; Yan, Yan; Fraker, Douglas L; Cohen, Debbie L

2014-10-01

To analyze failure modes in a high-volume adrenal vein sampling (AVS) practice in an effort to identify preventable causes of nondiagnostic sampling. A retrospective database was constructed containing 343 AVS procedures performed over a 10-year period. Each nondiagnostic AVS procedure was reviewed for failure mode and correlated with results of any repeat AVS. Data collected included selectivity index, lateralization index, adrenalectomy outcomes if performed, and details of AVS procedure. All AVS procedures were performed after cosyntropin stimulation, using sequential technique. AVS was nondiagnostic in 12 of 343 (3.5%) primary procedures and 2 secondary procedures. Failure was right-sided in 8 (57%) procedures, left-sided in 4 (29%) procedures, bilateral in 1 procedure, and neither in 1 procedure (laboratory error). Failure modes included diluted sample from correctly identified vein (n = 7 [50%]; 3 right and 4 left), vessel misidentified as adrenal vein (n = 3 [21%]; all right), failure to locate an adrenal vein (n = 2 [14%]; both right), cosyntropin stimulation failure (n = 1 [7%]; diagnostic by nonstimulated criteria), and laboratory error (n = 1 [7%]; specimen loss). A second AVS procedure was diagnostic in three of five cases (60%), and a third AVS procedure was diagnostic in one of one case (100%). Among the eight patients in whom AVS ultimately was not diagnostic, four underwent adrenalectomy based on diluted AVS samples, and one underwent adrenalectomy based on imaging; all five experienced improvement in aldosteronism. A substantial percentage of AVS failures occur on the left, all related to dilution. Even when technically nondiagnostic per strict criteria, some "failed" AVS procedures may be sufficient to guide therapy. Repeat AVS has a good yield. Copyright © 2014 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevention of post procedural acute kidney injury in the catheterization laboratory in a real-world population.

PubMed

Chorin, Ehud; Ben-Assa, Eyal; Konigstein, Maayan; Rofe, May-Tal; Hochstadt, Aviram; Galli, Naama; Schnapper, Michael; Arbel, Yaron; Rabey, Ilan; Shoshan, Jeremy Ben; Halkin, Amir; Herz, Itzhak; Finkelstein, Ariel; Bazan, Samuel; Keren, Gad; Banai, Shmuel

2017-01-01

Radiologists and cardiologists have a remarkably different approach to the clinical importance and to the need for prophylactic treatment of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). To evaluate the efficacy of forced diuresis with matched controlled hydration (FMH) in a real-world, high risk population. This is an investigator-driven, single-center, retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. A total of 150 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography, angioplasty or TAVR who were treated with FMH were compared to a matched historical control cohort. In the FMH treated patients, eGFR improved following the procedure from 37ml/min per 1.73m 2 at baseline to 39ml/min per 1.73m 2 (p<0.001); the net creatinine decreased from 1.85mg/dl to 1.78mg/dl (p<0.001). Among the matched control group, eGFR deteriorated from a baseline value of 36.7ml/min per 1.73m 2 to 33.2ml/min per 1.73m 2 post procedurally (p<0.001); the net creatinine increased from 1.88mg/dl to 2.14mg/dl (p<0.001). The incidence of post procedural AKI was substantially lower in the FMH treated group (2.7%) compared to the control group (26.7%). By multivariable analysis FMH treatment was independently correlated with reduced incidence of post procedural AKI compared with the control group (OR 0.06, p<0.001). Contrast volume did not correlate with AKI in neither univariate nor multivariate analyses. In patients undergoing coronary angiography, angioplasty or TAVR, who are considered high risk to develop post procedural AKI, forced diuresis with matched controlled hydration resulted in a significant net creatinine decrease, eGFR increase and a decrease in the incidence of AKI. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel Real-time Alignment and Calibration of the LHCb detector in Run2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinelli, Maurizio; LHCb Collaboration

2017-10-01

LHCb has introduced a novel real-time detector alignment and calibration strategy for LHC Run2. Data collected at the start of the fill are processed in a few minutes and used to update the alignment parameters, while the calibration constants are evaluated for each run. This procedure improves the quality of the online reconstruction. For example, the vertex locator is retracted and reinserted for stable beam conditions in each fill to be centred on the primary vertex position in the transverse plane. Consequently its position changes on a fill-by-fill basis. Critically, this new real-time alignment and calibration procedure allows identical constants to be used in the online and offline reconstruction, thus improving the correlation between triggered and offline-selected events. This offers the opportunity to optimise the event selection in the trigger by applying stronger constraints. The required computing time constraints are met thanks to a new dedicated framework using the multi-core farm infrastructure for the trigger. The motivation for a real-time alignment and calibration of the LHCb detector is discussed from both the operational and physics performance points of view. Specific challenges of this novel configuration are discussed, as well as the working procedures of the framework and its performance.

Video-assisted structured teaching to improve aseptic technique during neuraxial block.

PubMed

Friedman, Z; Siddiqui, N; Mahmoud, S; Davies, S

2013-09-01

Teaching epidural catheter insertion tends to focus on developing manual dexterity rather than improving aseptic technique which usually remains poor despite increasing experience. The aim of this study was to compare epidural aseptic technique performance, by novice operators after a targeted teaching intervention, with operators taught aseptic technique before the intervention was initiated. Starting July 2008, two groups of second-year anaesthesia residents (pre- and post-teaching intervention) performing their 4-month obstetric anaesthesia rotation in a university affiliated centre were videotaped three to four times while performing epidural procedures. Trained blinded independent examiners reviewed the procedures. The primary outcome was a comparison of aseptic technique performance scores (0-30 points) graded on a scale task-specific checklist. A total of 86 sessions by 29 residents were included in the study analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient for inter-rater reliability for the aseptic technique was 0.90. The median aseptic technique scores for the rotation period were significantly higher in the post-intervention group [27.58, inter-quartile range (IQR) 22.33-29.50 vs 16.56, IQR 13.33-22.00]. Similar results were demonstrated when scores were analysed for low, moderate, and high levels of experience throughout the rotation. Procedure-specific aseptic technique teaching, aided by video assessment and video demonstration, helped significantly improve aseptic practice by novice trainees. Future studies should consider looking at retention over longer periods of time in more senior residents.

Real-time eye lens dose monitoring during cerebral angiography procedures.

PubMed

Safari, M J; Wong, J H D; Kadir, K A A; Thorpe, N K; Cutajar, D L; Petasecca, M; Lerch, M L F; Rosenfeld, A B; Ng, K H

2016-01-01

To develop a real-time dose-monitoring system to measure the patient's eye lens dose during neuro-interventional procedures. Radiation dose received at left outer canthus (LOC) and left eyelid (LE) were measured using Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor dosimeters on 35 patients who underwent diagnostic or cerebral embolization procedures. The radiation dose received at the LOC region was significantly higher than the dose received by the LE. The maximum eye lens dose of 1492 mGy was measured at LOC region for an AVM case, followed by 907 mGy for an aneurysm case and 665 mGy for a diagnostic angiography procedure. Strong correlations (shown as R(2)) were observed between kerma-area-product and measured eye doses (LOC: 0.78, LE: 0.68). Lateral and frontal air-kerma showed strong correlations with measured dose at LOC (AKL: 0.93, AKF: 0.78) and a weak correlation with measured dose at LE. A moderate correlation was observed between fluoroscopic time and dose measured at LE and LOC regions. The MOSkin dose-monitoring system represents a new tool enabling real-time monitoring of eye lens dose during neuro-interventional procedures. This system can provide interventionalists with information needed to adjust the clinical procedure to control the patient's dose. Real-time patient dose monitoring helps interventionalists to monitor doses. Strong correlation was observed between kerma-area-product and measured eye doses. Radiation dose at left outer canthus was higher than at left eyelid.

Managing incidentally diagnosed isolated factor VII deficiency perioperatively: a brief expert consensus report.

PubMed

Sheth, Sujit; Soff, Gerald; Mitchell, Beau; Green, David; Kaicker, Shipra; Fireman, Fernando; Tugal, Oya; Guarini, Ludovico; Giardina, Patricia; Aledort, Louis

2012-02-01

While isolated factor VII (FVII) deficiency is being more frequently diagnosed owing to improved preoperative screening procedures, there is no specific guideline for perioperative management of such patients. To complicate the issue, FVII activity levels seem to correlate less well with the risk of hemorrhage than the patient's past and family bleeding history do. We have devised expert consensus recommendations for managing such patients perioperatively, taking into consideration the personal and family bleeding history, the FVII activity level and the inherent bleeding risk of the procedure itself. We hope that clinicians will find this a useful tool in the decision-making process, thereby limiting the use of recombinant factor VIIa to those who need it most, and preventing possible thrombotic complications in those without a strong indication for its use.

Robotic assistance and general anaesthesia improve catheter stability and increase signal attenuation during atrial fibrillation ablation.

PubMed

Malcolme-Lawes, Louisa C; Lim, Phang Boon; Koa-Wing, Michael; Whinnett, Zachary I; Jamil-Copley, Shahnaz; Hayat, Sajad; Francis, Darrel P; Kojodjojo, Pipin; Davies, D Wyn; Peters, Nicholas S; Kanagaratnam, Prapa

2013-01-01

Recurrent arrhythmias after ablation procedures are often caused by recovery of ablated tissue. Robotic catheter manipulation systems increase catheter tip stability which improves energy delivery and could produce more transmural lesions. We tested this assertion using bipolar voltage attenuation as a marker of lesion quality comparing robotic and manual circumferential pulmonary vein ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Twenty patients were randomly assigned to robotic or manual AF ablation at standard radiofrequency (RF) settings for our institution (30 W 60 s manual, 25 W 30 s robotic, R30). A separate group of 10 consecutive patients underwent robotic ablation at increased RF duration, 25 W for 60 s (R60). Lesions were marked on an electroanatomic map before and after ablation to measure distance moved and change in bipolar electrogram amplitude during RF. A total of 1108 lesions were studied (761 robotic, 347 manual). A correlation was identified between voltage attenuation and catheter movement during RF (Spearman's rho -0.929, P < 0.001). The ablation catheter was more stable during robotic RF; 2.9 ± 2.3 mm (R30) and 2.6 ± 2.2 mm (R60), both significantly less than the manual group (4.3 ± 3.0 mm, P < 0.001). Despite improved stability, there was no difference in signal attenuation between the manual and R30 group. However, there was increased signal attenuation in the R60 group (52.4 ± 19.4%) compared with manual (47.7 ± 25.4%, P = 0.01). When procedures under general anaesthesia (GA) and conscious sedation were analysed separately, the improvement in signal attenuation in the R60 group was only significant in the procedures under GA. Robotically assisted ablation has the capability to deliver greater bipolar voltage attenuation compared with manual ablation with appropriate selection of RF parameters. General anaesthesia confers additional benefits of catheter stability and greater signal attenuation. These findings may have a significant impact on outcomes from AF ablation procedures.

Implementation of DSC model and application for analysis of field pile tests under cyclic loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Changming; Desai, Chandra S.

2000-05-01

The disturbed state concept (DSC) model, and a new and simplified procedure for unloading and reloading behavior are implemented in a nonlinear finite element procedure for dynamic analysis for coupled response of saturated porous materials. The DSC model is used to characterize the cyclic behavior of saturated clays and clay-steel interfaces. In the DSC, the relative intact (RI) behavior is characterized by using the hierarchical single surface (HISS) plasticity model; and the fully adjusted (FA) behavior is modeled by using the critical state concept. The DSC model is validated with respect to laboratory triaxial tests for clay and shear tests for clay-steel interfaces. The computer procedure is used to predict field behavior of an instrumented pile subjected to cyclic loading. The predictions provide very good correlation with the field data. They also yield improved results compared to those from a HISS model with anisotropic hardening, partly because the DSC model allows for degradation or softening and interface response.

A diagnostic for determining the quality of single-reference electron correlation methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Timothy J.; Taylor, Peter R.

1989-01-01

It was recently proposed that the Euclidian norm of the t(sub 1) vector of the coupled cluster wave function (normalized by the number of electrons included in the correlation procedure) could be used to determine whether a single-reference-based electron correlation procedure is appopriate. This diagnostic, T(sub 1) is defined for use with self-consistent-field molecular orbitals and is invariant to the same orbital rotations as the coupled cluster energy. T(sub 1) is investigated for several different chemical systems which exhibit a range of multireference behavior, and is shown to be an excellent measure of the importance of non-dynamical electron correlation and is far superior to C(sub 0) from a singles and doubles configuration interaction wave function. It is further suggested that when the aim is to recover a large fraction of the dynamical electron correlation energy, a large T(sub 1) (i.e., greater than 0.02) probably indicates the need for a multireference electron correlation procedure.

A diagnostic for determining the quality of single-reference electron correlation methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Timothy J.; Taylor, Peter R.

1989-01-01

It was recently proposed that the Euclidian norm of the t sub 1 vector of the coupled cluster wave function (normalized by the number of electrons included in the correlation procedure) could be used to determine whether a single-reference-based electron correlation procedure is appropriate. This diagnostic, T sub 1, is defined for use with self consistent field molecular orbitals and is invariant to the same orbital rotations as the coupled cluster energy. T sub 1 is investigated for several different chemical systems which exhibit a range of multireference behavior, and is shown to be an excellent measure of the importance of nondynamical electron correlation and is far superior to C sub 0 from a singles and doubles configuration interaction wave function. It is further suggested that when the aim is to recover a large fraction of the dynamical electron correlation energy, a large T sub 1 (i.e., greater than 0.02) probably indicates the need for a multireference electron correlation procedure.

Locating Microseism Sources Using Spurious Arrivals in Intercontinental Noise Correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Retailleau, Lise; Boué, Pierre; Stehly, Laurent; Campillo, Michel

2017-10-01

The accuracy of Green's functions retrieved from seismic noise correlations in the microseism frequency band is limited by the uneven distribution of microseism sources at the surface of the Earth. As a result, correlation functions are often biased as compared to the expected Green's functions, and they can include spurious arrivals. These spurious arrivals are seismic arrivals that are visible on the correlation and do not belong to the theoretical impulse response. In this article, we propose to use Rayleigh wave spurious arrivals detected on correlation functions computed between European and United States seismic stations to locate microseism sources in the Atlantic Ocean. We perform a slant stack on a time distance gather of correlations obtained from an array of stations that comprises a regional deployment and a distant station. The arrival times and the apparent slowness of the spurious arrivals lead to the location of their source, which is obtained through a grid search procedure. We discuss improvements in the location through this methodology as compared to classical back projection of microseism energy. This method is interesting because it only requires an array and a distant station on each side of an ocean, conditions that can be met relatively easily.

Effects on pain and anxiety of patients viewing their cystoscopy in addition to a detailed explanation: a controlled study.

PubMed

Kesari, D; Kovisman, V; Cytron, S; Benjamin, J

2003-11-01

To compare the effect of allowing patients to watch their cystoscopy on closed-circuit television and with an explanation during the procedure, with an explanation alone, as involving patients in the process of minimally invasive procedures like colonoscopy or colposcopy has been reported to alleviate pain and anxiety, but these effects may differ in patients who desire participation and those who do not. Of 51 patients undergoing cystoscopy for the first time, 27 watched the procedure and received explanations, and 24 received explanations alone. They completed an anxiety questionnaire and visual analogue scales (VAS) of anxiety before and after the procedure. Before the procedure they also completed an assessment of desire to be involved in medical decisions and procedures (Kranz Health Opinion Survey, KHOS), and afterwards recorded the pain they had experienced on a scale of 1-10. Anxiety (assessed by VAS) declined after the procedure (P < 0.001) but the anxiety questionnaire showed no change. There was a positive correlation between the KHOS and VAS after the procedure; the more the patient was an 'information seeker' the higher the anxiety. Neither pain nor anxiety were affected by watching the monitor, whether or not KHOS scores were entered as a cofactor. Age and sex had no effect on the results. There were no complications. There was no effect of watching the cystoscopy on anxiety and pain. Possibly the explanation received by both groups left no room for further improvement in the intervention group.

Investigation to advance prediction techniques of the low-speed aerodynamics of V/STOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maskew, B.; Strash, D.; Nathman, J.; Dvorak, F. A.

1985-01-01

A computer program, VSAERO, has been applied to a number of V/STOL configurations with a view to advancing prediction techniques for the low-speed aerodynamic characteristics. The program couples a low-order panel method with surface streamline calculation and integral boundary layer procedures. The panel method--which uses piecewise constant source and doublet panels-includes an iterative procedure for wake shape and models boundary layer displacement effect using the source transpiration technique. Certain improvements to a basic vortex tube jet model were installed in the code prior to evaluation. Very promising results were obtained for surface pressures near a jet issuing at 90 deg from a flat plate. A solid core model was used in the initial part of the jet with a simple entrainment model. Preliminary representation of the downstream separation zone significantly improve the correlation. The program accurately predicted the pressure distribution inside the inlet on the Grumman 698-411 design at a range of flight conditions. Furthermore, coupled viscous/potential flow calculations gave very close correlation with experimentally determined operational boundaries dictated by the onset of separation inside the inlet. Experimentally observed degradation of these operational boundaries between nacelle-alone tests and tests on the full configuration were also indicated by the calculation. Application of the program to the General Dynamics STOL fighter design were equally encouraging. Very close agreement was observed between experiment and calculation for the effects of power on pressure distribution, lift and lift curve slope.

Inference for High-dimensional Differential Correlation Matrices *

PubMed Central

Cai, T. Tony; Zhang, Anru

2015-01-01

Motivated by differential co-expression analysis in genomics, we consider in this paper estimation and testing of high-dimensional differential correlation matrices. An adaptive thresholding procedure is introduced and theoretical guarantees are given. Minimax rate of convergence is established and the proposed estimator is shown to be adaptively rate-optimal over collections of paired correlation matrices with approximately sparse differences. Simulation results show that the procedure significantly outperforms two other natural methods that are based on separate estimation of the individual correlation matrices. The procedure is also illustrated through an analysis of a breast cancer dataset, which provides evidence at the gene co-expression level that several genes, of which a subset has been previously verified, are associated with the breast cancer. Hypothesis testing on the differential correlation matrices is also considered. A test, which is particularly well suited for testing against sparse alternatives, is introduced. In addition, other related problems, including estimation of a single sparse correlation matrix, estimation of the differential covariance matrices, and estimation of the differential cross-correlation matrices, are also discussed. PMID:26500380

Experimental determination of the correlation properties of plasma turbulence using 2D BES systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, M. F. J.; Field, A. R.; van Wyk, F.; Ghim, Y.-c.; Schekochihin, A. A.; the MAST Team

2017-04-01

A procedure is presented to map from the spatial correlation parameters of a turbulent density field (the radial and binormal correlation lengths and wavenumbers, and the fluctuation amplitude) to correlation parameters that would be measured by a beam emission spectroscopy (BES) diagnostic. The inverse mapping is also derived, which results in resolution criteria for recovering correct correlation parameters, depending on the spatial response of the instrument quantified in terms of point-spread functions (PSFs). Thus, a procedure is presented that allows for a systematic comparison between theoretical predictions and experimental observations. This procedure is illustrated using the Mega-Ampere Spherical Tokamak BES system and the validity of the underlying assumptions is tested on fluctuating density fields generated by direct numerical simulations using the gyrokinetic code GS2. The measurement of the correlation time, by means of the cross-correlation time-delay method, is also investigated and is shown to be sensitive to the fluctuating radial component of velocity, as well as to small variations in the spatial properties of the PSFs.

Cosmetic surgery volume and its correlation with the major US stock market indices.

PubMed

Gordon, Chad R; Pryor, Landon; Afifi, Ahmed M; Benedetto, Paul X; Langevin, C J; Papay, Francis; Yetman, Randall; Zins, James E

2010-01-01

As a consumer-driven industry, cosmetic plastic surgery is subject to ebbs and flows as the economy changes. There have been many predictions about the short, intermediate, and long-term impact on cosmetic plastic surgery as a result of difficulties in the current economic climate, but no studies published in the literature have quantified a direct correlation. The authors investigate a possible correlation between cosmetic surgery volume and the economic trends of the three major US stock market indices. A volume analysis for the time period from January 1992 to October 2008 was performed (n = 7360 patients, n = 8205 procedures). Four cosmetic procedures-forehead lift (FL), rhytidectomy (Rh), breast augmentation (BA), and liposuction (Li)-were chosen; breast reduction (BRd), breast reconstruction (BRc), and carpal tunnel release (CTR) were selected for comparison. Case volumes for each procedure and fiscal quarter were compared to the trends of the S&P 500, Dow Jones (DOW), and NASDAQ (NASD) indices. Pearson correlation statistics were used to evaluate a relationship between the market index trends and surgical volume. P values <.05 were considered statistically significant. Three of the four cosmetic surgery procedures investigated (Rh, n = 1540; Li, n = 1291; BA, n = 1959) demonstrated a direct (ie, positive) statistical correlation to all three major market indices. FL (n =312) only correlated to the NASD (P = .021) and did not reach significance with the S&P 500 (P = .077) or DOW (P = .14). BRd and BRc demonstrated a direct correlation to two of the three stock market indices, whereas CTR showed an inverse (ie, negative) correlation to two of the three indices. This study, to our knowledge, is the first to suggest a direct correlation of four cosmetic and two reconstructive plastic surgery procedures to the three major US stock market indices and further emphasizes the importance of a broad-based plastic surgery practice in times of economic recession.

The importance of improving the quality of emergency surgery for a regional quality collaborative.

PubMed

Smith, Margaret; Hussain, Adnan; Xiao, Jane; Scheidler, William; Reddy, Haritha; Olugbade, Kola; Cummings, Dustin; Terjimanian, Michael; Krapohl, Greta; Waits, Seth A; Campbell, Darrell; Englesbe, Michael J

2013-04-01

Within a large, statewide collaborative, significant improvement in surgical quality has been appreciated (9.0% reduction in morbidity for elective general and vascular surgery). Our group has not noted such quality improvement in the care of patients who had emergency operations. With this work, we aim to describe the scope of emergency surgical care within the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative, variations in outcomes among hospitals, and variations in adherence to evidence-based process measures. Overall, these data will form a basis for a broad-based quality improvement initiative within Michigan. We report morbidity, mortality, and costs of emergency and elective general and vascular surgery cases (N = 190,826) within 34 hospitals participating in the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative from 2005 to 2010. Adjusted hospital-specific outcomes were calculated using a stepwise multivariable logistic regression model. Adjustment covariates included patient specific comorbidities and case complexity. Hospitals were also compared on the basis of their adherence to evidence-based process measures [measures at the patient level for each case-Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP)-1 and SCIP-2 compliance]. Emergency procedures account for approximately 11% of total cases, yet they represented 47% of mortalities and 28% of surgical complications. The complication-specific cost to payers was $126 million for emergency cases and $329 million for elective cases. Adjusted patient outcomes varied widely within Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative hospitals; morbidity and mortality rates ranged from 16.3% to 33.9% and 4.0% to 12.4%, respectively. The variation among hospitals was not correlated with volume of emergency cases and case complexity. Hospital performance in emergency surgery was found to not depend on its share of emergent cases but rather was found to directly correlate with its performance in elective surgery. For emergency colectomies, there was a wide variation in compliance with SCIP-1 and SCIP-2 measures and overall compliance (42.0%) was markedly lower than that for elective colon surgery (81.7%). Emergency surgical procedures are an important target for future quality improvement efforts within Michigan. Future work will identify best practices within high-performing hospitals and disseminate these practices within the collaborative.

POLYMAT-C: a comprehensive SPSS program for computing the polychoric correlation matrix.

PubMed

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Ferrando, Pere J

2015-09-01

We provide a free noncommercial SPSS program that implements procedures for (a) obtaining the polychoric correlation matrix between a set of ordered categorical measures, so that it can be used as input for the SPSS factor analysis (FA) program; (b) testing the null hypothesis of zero population correlation for each element of the matrix by using appropriate simulation procedures; (c) obtaining valid and accurate confidence intervals via bootstrap resampling for those correlations found to be significant; and (d) performing, if necessary, a smoothing procedure that makes the matrix amenable to any FA estimation procedure. For the main purpose (a), the program uses a robust unified procedure that allows four different types of estimates to be obtained at the user's choice. Overall, we hope the program will be a very useful tool for the applied researcher, not only because it provides an appropriate input matrix for FA, but also because it allows the researcher to carefully check the appropriateness of the matrix for this purpose. The SPSS syntax, a short manual, and data files related to this article are available as Supplemental materials that are available for download with this article.

Significant correlation of comprehensive Aristotle score with total cardiac output during the early postoperative period after the Norwood procedure.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Zhang, Gencheng; Holtby, Helen; Cai, Sally; Walsh, Mark; Caldarone, Christopher A; Van Arsdell, Glen S

2008-07-01

The comprehensive Aristotle score has been proposed as an individualized measure of the complexity of a given surgical procedure and has been reported to significantly correlate with postoperative morbidity and mortality after the Norwood procedure. An important factor leading to postoperative morbidity and mortality is low cardiac output. We studied the correlation between the comprehensive Aristotle score and cardiac output (CO) in infants after the Norwood procedure. Respiratory mass spectrometry was used to continuously measure systemic oxygen consumption (VO(2)) in 22 infants for 72 hours postoperatively. Arterial, superior vena caval and pulmonary venous blood gases were measured at 2 to 4 hour intervals to calculate CO. The comprehensive Aristotle score was collected. Hospital mortality was 4.5%. The comprehensive Aristotle score ranged from 14.5 to 23.5 and negatively correlated with CO (P = 0.027). Among the patient-adjusted factors, myocardial dysfunction (n = 10), mechanical ventilation to treat cardiorespiratory failure (n = 9) and atrioventricular valve regurgitation (n = 4) (P = 0.01) negatively correlated with CO (P = 0.06 to 0.07). Aortic atresia (n = 9) was associated with a lower CO (P = 0.01) for the first 24 hours which linearly increased overtime (P = 0.0001). No correlation was found between CO and other factors (P > 0.3 for all). Comprehensive Aristotle score significantly negatively correlates with CO after the Norwood procedure. A preoperative estimation of the comprehensive Aristotle score, particularly in association with myocardial dysfunction, mechanical ventilation to treat cardiorespiratory failure, atrioventricular valve regurgitation and aortic atresia may help to anticipate a high postoperative morbidity with low cardiac output syndrome.

Changing character: A narrative review of personality change in psychotherapies for personality disorder.

PubMed

Keefe, John R; DeRubeis, Robert J

2018-01-19

Personality disorder (PD) is a negative prognostic indicator for treatment, and absolute improvements in functioning among these patients are often modest. This may be because personality features that give rise to dysfunction in PD are not targeted optimally during most treatments. Attachment, mentalization, core beliefs, and personality organization/defense use were identified as personality constructs that have been pursued in treatment studies and that are proposed to underlie PD. All constructs correlate with psychiatric symptoms, PD diagnosis, and functioning. Defense mechanisms and core beliefs further distinguish specific PDs, whereas personality organization separates more versus less severe PDs. Evidence from treatment and naturalistic studies indicate that maturation of defense mechanisms temporally precedes improvements in symptoms and functioning. Changes in attachment and mentalization correlate with some outcomes, but mediation of improvement has not been established. In psychodynamic therapy, transference interpretations may promote amelioration of personality dysfunction. With the exception of attachment, the experimental literature is lacking that could explicate the mechanisms by which these personality constructs maintain psychosocial dysfunction. Future research should aim to identify changes in these mechanisms that mediate positive outcomes in PD, as well as the specific therapeutic procedures that best promote positive change in PD.

Improving emissions inventories in North America through systematic analysis of model performance during ICARTT and MILAGRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mena, Marcelo Andres

During 2004 and 2006 the University of Iowa provided air quality forecast support for flight planning of the ICARTT and MILAGRO field campaigns. A method for improvement of model performance in comparison to observations is showed. The method allows identifying sources of model error from boundary conditions and emissions inventories. Simultaneous analysis of horizontal interpolation of model error and error covariance showed that error in ozone modeling is highly correlated to the error of its precursors, and that there is geographical correlation also. During ICARTT ozone modeling error was improved by updating from the National Emissions Inventory from 1999 and 2001, and furthermore by updating large point source emissions from continuous monitoring data. Further improvements were achieved by reducing area emissions of NOx y 60% for states in the Southeast United States. Ozone error was highly correlated to NOy error during this campaign. Also ozone production in the United States was most sensitive to NOx emissions. During MILAGRO model performance in terms of correlation coefficients was higher, but model error in ozone modeling was high due overestimation of NOx and VOC emissions in Mexico City during forecasting. Large model improvements were shown by decreasing NOx emissions in Mexico City by 50% and VOC by 60%. Recurring ozone error is spatially correlated to CO and NOy error. Sensitivity studies show that Mexico City aerosol can reduce regional photolysis rates by 40% and ozone formation by 5-10%. Mexico City emissions can enhance NOy and O3 concentrations over the Gulf of Mexico in up to 10-20%. Mexico City emissions can convert regional ozone production regimes from VOC to NOx limited. A method of interpolation of observations along flight tracks is shown, which can be used to infer on the direction of outflow plumes. The use of ratios such as O3/NOy and NOx/NOy can be used to provide information on chemical characteristics of the plume, such as age, and ozone production regime. Interpolated MTBE observations can be used as a tracer of urban mobile source emissions. Finally procedures for estimating and gridding emissions inventories in Brazil and Mexico are presented.

Polyoma virus JC DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction in CSF of HIV infected patients with suspected progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

PubMed

Giri, J A; Gregoresky, J; Silguero, P; García Messina, O; Planes, N

2001-01-01

Several studies had previously demonstrated the high sensitivity and specificity of JCV DNA detection in CSF by PCR. This paper reported the implementation of a simple PCR procedure to detect JCV in the CSF in a cohort of HIV-1 infected patients from Argentina. Years ago, the confirmatory diagnosis of this disease was made by in-situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry techniques on brain biopsies. The PCR procedure described here improves the diagnosis of PML because it is simple and noninvasive, and allows the differential diagnosis of PML from other neurological syndromes associated with AIDS. Many recent studies report a significant benefit of combined antiretroviral therapy on the survival of HIV patients without clear neurological improvements. A negative correlation has been described between the concentration of JCV in the CSF and survival time in HIV-1 infected patients, and the level of immune depression may influence JCV replication. This suggests that a single CSF JCV viral load determination during the course of PML disease progression may be of prognostic value for managing HIV patients.

Recurrent Neural Network Applications for Astronomical Time Series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Protopapas, Pavlos

2017-06-01

The benefits of good predictive models in astronomy lie in early event prediction systems and effective resource allocation. Current time series methods applicable to regular time series have not evolved to generalize for irregular time series. In this talk, I will describe two Recurrent Neural Network methods, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Echo State Networks (ESNs) for predicting irregular time series. Feature engineering along with a non-linear modeling proved to be an effective predictor. For noisy time series, the prediction is improved by training the network on error realizations using the error estimates from astronomical light curves. In addition to this, we propose a new neural network architecture to remove correlation from the residuals in order to improve prediction and compensate for the noisy data. Finally, I show how to set hyperparameters for a stable and performant solution correctly. In this work, we circumvent this obstacle by optimizing ESN hyperparameters using Bayesian optimization with Gaussian Process priors. This automates the tuning procedure, enabling users to employ the power of RNN without needing an in-depth understanding of the tuning procedure.

Cut-and-paste restoration of entanglement transmission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuevas, Álvaro; Mari, Andrea; De Pasquale, Antonella; Orieux, Adeline; Massaro, Marcello; Sciarrino, Fabio; Mataloni, Paolo; Giovannetti, Vittorio

2017-07-01

The distribution of entangled quantum systems among two or more nodes of a network is a key task at the basis of quantum communication, quantum computation, and quantum cryptography. Unfortunately, the transmission lines used in this procedure can introduce so many perturbations and so much noise in the transmitted signal that they prevent the possibility of restoring quantum correlations in the received messages either by means of encoding optimization or by exploiting local operations and classical communication. In this work we present a procedure which allows one to improve the performance of some of these channels. The mechanism underpinning this result is a protocol which we dub cut and paste, as it consists in extracting and reshuffling the subcomponents of these communication lines, which finally succeed in correcting each other. The proof of this counterintuitive phenomenon, while improving our theoretical understanding of quantum entanglement, also has a direct application in the realization of quantum information networks based on imperfect and highly noisy communication lines. A quantum optics experiment, based on the transmission of single-photon polarization states, is also presented which provides a proof-of-principle test of the proposed protocol.

Differential prioritization between relevance and redundancy in correlation-based feature selection techniques for multiclass gene expression data.

PubMed

Ooi, Chia Huey; Chetty, Madhu; Teng, Shyh Wei

2006-06-23

Due to the large number of genes in a typical microarray dataset, feature selection looks set to play an important role in reducing noise and computational cost in gene expression-based tissue classification while improving accuracy at the same time. Surprisingly, this does not appear to be the case for all multiclass microarray datasets. The reason is that many feature selection techniques applied on microarray datasets are either rank-based and hence do not take into account correlations between genes, or are wrapper-based, which require high computational cost, and often yield difficult-to-reproduce results. In studies where correlations between genes are considered, attempts to establish the merit of the proposed techniques are hampered by evaluation procedures which are less than meticulous, resulting in overly optimistic estimates of accuracy. We present two realistically evaluated correlation-based feature selection techniques which incorporate, in addition to the two existing criteria involved in forming a predictor set (relevance and redundancy), a third criterion called the degree of differential prioritization (DDP). DDP functions as a parameter to strike the balance between relevance and redundancy, providing our techniques with the novel ability to differentially prioritize the optimization of relevance against redundancy (and vice versa). This ability proves useful in producing optimal classification accuracy while using reasonably small predictor set sizes for nine well-known multiclass microarray datasets. For multiclass microarray datasets, especially the GCM and NCI60 datasets, DDP enables our filter-based techniques to produce accuracies better than those reported in previous studies which employed similarly realistic evaluation procedures.

Inferential Procedures for Correlation Coefficients Corrected for Attenuation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakstian, A. Ralph; And Others

1988-01-01

A model and computation procedure based on classical test score theory are presented for determination of a correlation coefficient corrected for attenuation due to unreliability. Delta and Monte Carlo method applications are discussed. A power analysis revealed no serious loss in efficiency resulting from correction for attentuation. (TJH)

EYE LENS EXPOSURE TO MEDICAL STAFF PERFORMING ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY PROCEDURES: DOSE ASSESSMENT AND CORRELATION TO PATIENT DOSE.

PubMed

Ciraj-Bjelac, Olivera; Antic, Vojislav; Selakovic, Jovana; Bozovic, Predrag; Arandjic, Danijela; Pavlovic, Sinisa

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the patient exposure and staff eye dose levels during implantation procedures for all types of pacemaker therapy devices performed under fluoroscopic guidance and to investigate potential correlation between patients and staff dose levels. The mean eye dose during pacemaker/defibrillator implementation was 12 µSv for the first operator, 8.7 µSv for the second operator/nurse and 0.50 µSv for radiographer. Corresponding values for cardiac resynchronisation therapy procedures were 30, 26 and 2.0 µSv, respectively. Significant (p < 0.01) correlation between the eye dose and the kerma-area product was found for the first operator and radiographers, but not for other staff categories. The study revealed eye dose per procedure and eye dose normalised to patient dose indices for different staff categories and provided an input for radiation protection in electrophysiology procedures. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Patient-specific simulation in carotid artery stenting.

PubMed

Willaert, Willem; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Bicknell, Colin; Hamady, Mo; Darzi, Ara; Vermassen, Frank; Cheshire, Nicholas

2010-12-01

Patient-specific virtual reality (VR) simulation is a technologic advancement that allows planning and practice of the carotid artery stenting (CAS) procedure before it is performed on the patient. The initial findings are reported, using this novel VR technique as a tool to optimize technical and nontechnical aspects of this complex endovascular procedure. In the angiography suite, the same interventional team performed the VR rehearsal and the actual CAS on the patient. All proceedings were recorded to allow for video analysis of team, technical, and nontechnical skills. Analysis of both procedures showed identical use of endovascular tools, similar access strategy, and a high degree of similarity between the angiography images. The total procedure time (24.04 vs 60.44 minutes), fluoroscopy time (11.19 vs 21.04 minutes), and cannulation of the common carotid artery (1.35 vs 9.34) took considerably longer in reality. An extensive questionnaire revealed that all team members found that the rehearsal increased the subjective sense of teamwork (4/5), communication (4/5), and patient safety (4/5). A VR procedure rehearsal is a practical and feasible preparatory tool for CAS and shows a high correlation with the real procedure. It has the potential to enhance the technical, nontechnical, and team performance. Further research is needed to evaluate if this technology can lead to improved outcomes for patients. Copyright © 2010 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Polymeric film application for phase change heat transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bart, Hans-Jörg; Dreiser, Christian

2018-06-01

The paper gives a concise review on polymer film heat exchangers (PFHX) with a focus on polyether ether ketone (PEEK) foil as heat transfer element, mechanically supported by a grid structure. In order to promote PFHX applications, heat transfer performance and wetting behavior are studied in detail. Surface modifications to improve wetting are discussed and correlations are presented for critical Reynolds numbers to sustain a stable liquid film. Scaling phenomena related to surface properties and easily adaptable cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedures are further content. The contribution of the foil thickness and material selection on thermal performance is quantified and a correlation for enhanced aqueous film heat transfer for the grid supported PFHX is given. The basic research results and the design criteria enable early stage material selection and conceptual apparatus design.

Polymeric film application for phase change heat transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bart, Hans-Jörg; Dreiser, Christian

2018-01-01

The paper gives a concise review on polymer film heat exchangers (PFHX) with a focus on polyether ether ketone (PEEK) foil as heat transfer element, mechanically supported by a grid structure. In order to promote PFHX applications, heat transfer performance and wetting behavior are studied in detail. Surface modifications to improve wetting are discussed and correlations are presented for critical Reynolds numbers to sustain a stable liquid film. Scaling phenomena related to surface properties and easily adaptable cleaning-in-place (CIP) procedures are further content. The contribution of the foil thickness and material selection on thermal performance is quantified and a correlation for enhanced aqueous film heat transfer for the grid supported PFHX is given. The basic research results and the design criteria enable early stage material selection and conceptual apparatus design.

Meta-analyzing dependent correlations: an SPSS macro and an R script.

PubMed

Cheung, Shu Fai; Chan, Darius K-S

2014-06-01

The presence of dependent correlation is a common problem in meta-analysis. Cheung and Chan (2004, 2008) have shown that samplewise-adjusted procedures perform better than the more commonly adopted simple within-sample mean procedures. However, samplewise-adjusted procedures have rarely been applied in meta-analytic reviews, probably due to the lack of suitable ready-to-use programs. In this article, we compare the samplewise-adjusted procedures with existing procedures to handle dependent effect sizes, and present the samplewise-adjusted procedures in a way that will make them more accessible to researchers conducting meta-analysis. We also introduce two tools, an SPSS macro and an R script, that researchers can apply to their meta-analyses; these tools are compatible with existing meta-analysis software packages.

Comparison of bioavailable vanadium in alfalfa rhizosphere soil extracted by an improved BCR procedure and EDTA, HCl, and NaNO₃ single extractions in a pot experiment with V-Cd treatments.

PubMed

Yang, Jie; Teng, Yanguo; Zuo, Rui; Song, Liuting

2015-06-01

The BCR sequential extraction procedure was compared with EDTA, HCl, and NaNO3 single extractions for evaluating vanadium bioavailability in alfalfa rhizosphere soil. The amounts of vanadium extracted by these methods were in the following order: BCR (bioavailable V) > EDTA ≈ HCl > NaNO3. Both correlation analysis and stepwise regression were adopted to illustrate the extractable vanadium between different reagents. The correlation coefficients between extracted vanadium and the vanadium contents in alfalfa roots were R NaNO3 = 0.948, R HCl = 0.902, R EDTA = 0.816, and R bioavailable V = 0.819. The stepwise multiple regression equation of the NaNO3 extraction was the most significant at a 95 % confidence interval. The influence of pH, total organic carbon, and cadmium content of soil to vanadium bioavailability were not definite. In summary, both the BCR sequential extraction and the single extraction methods were valid approaches for predicting vanadium bioavailability in alfalfa rhizosphere soil, especially the single extractions.

Approximation of reliabilities for multiple-trait model with maternal effects.

PubMed

Strabel, T; Misztal, I; Bertrand, J K

2001-04-01

Reliabilities for a multiple-trait maternal model were obtained by combining reliabilities obtained from single-trait models. Single-trait reliabilities were obtained using an approximation that supported models with additive and permanent environmental effects. For the direct effect, the maternal and permanent environmental variances were assigned to the residual. For the maternal effect, variance of the direct effect was assigned to the residual. Data included 10,550 birth weight, 11,819 weaning weight, and 3,617 postweaning gain records of Senepol cattle. Reliabilities were obtained by generalized inversion and by using single-trait and multiple-trait approximation methods. Some reliabilities obtained by inversion were negative because inbreeding was ignored in calculating the inverse of the relationship matrix. The multiple-trait approximation method reduced the bias of approximation when compared with the single-trait method. The correlations between reliabilities obtained by inversion and by multiple-trait procedures for the direct effect were 0.85 for birth weight, 0.94 for weaning weight, and 0.96 for postweaning gain. Correlations for maternal effects for birth weight and weaning weight were 0.96 to 0.98 for both approximations. Further improvements can be achieved by refining the single-trait procedures.

Fan and pump noise control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Misoda, J.; Magliozzi, B.

1973-01-01

The development is described of improved, low noise level fan and pump concepts for the space shuttle. In addition, a set of noise design criteria for small fans and pumps was derived. The concepts and criteria were created by obtaining Apollo hardware test data to correlate and modify existing noise estimating procedures. A set of space shuttle selection criteria was used to determine preliminary fan and pump concepts. These concepts were tested and modified to obtain noise sources and characteristics which yield the design criteria and quiet, efficient space shuttle fan and pump concepts.

Application of Rapid Prototyping Pelvic Model for Patients with DDH to Facilitate Arthroplasty Planning: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Li, Deng; Ma, Ruo-fan; Barden, Bertram; Ding, Yue

2015-11-01

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is challenging in cases of osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Acetabular deficiency makes the positioning of the acetabular component difficult. Computer tomography based, patient-individual three dimensional (3-D) rapid prototype technology (RPT)-models were used to plan the placement of acetabular cup so that a surgeon was able to identify pelvic structures, assess the ideal extent of reaming and determine the size of cup after a reconstructive procedure. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to analyze the agreement between the sizes of chosen components on the basis of preoperative planning and the actual sizes used in the operation. The use of the 3-D RPT-model facilitates the surgical procedures due to better planning and improved orientation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electric vehicle chassis dynamometer test methods at JPL and their correlation to track tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marte, J.; Bryant, J.

1983-01-01

Early in its electric vehicle (EV) test program, JPL recognized that EV test procedures were too vague and too loosely defined to permit much meaningful data to be obtained from the testing. Therefore, JPL adopted more stringent test procedures and chose the chassis dynamometer rather than the track as its principal test technique. Through the years, test procedures continued to evolve towards a methodology based on chassis dynamometers which would exhibit good correlation with track testing. Based on comparative dynamometer and track test results on the ETV-1 vehicle, the test methods discussed in this report demonstrate a means by which excellent track-to-dynamometer correlation can be obtained.

Duration of hospital stay following orthognathic surgery at the jordan university hospital.

PubMed

Jarab, Fadi; Omar, Esam; Bhayat, Ahmed; Mansuri, Samir; Ahmed, Sami

2012-09-01

Major oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures have been routinely performed on an inpatient basis in order to manage both, the recovery from anesthesia and any unpredictable morbidity that may be associated with the surgery. The use of inpatient beds is extremely expensive and if the surgical procedures could be done on an outpatient setting, it would reduce the costs and the need for inpatient care. The aim was to determine the length of hospital stay (LHS) and the factors which influence the LHS following orthognathic surgery at the Jordan University Hospital over 5 years (2005-2009). This was a retrospective record review of patients who underwent orthognathic surgery at Jordan University Hospital between 2005 and 2009. The variables were recorded on a data capture form which was adapted and developed from previous studies. Descriptive and analytical statistical methods were used to correlate these variables to the LHS. Ninety two patients were included in the study and 74% of them were females. The mean age was 23.7 years and the mean LHS was 4 days. The complexity of the procedure, length of operation time, intensive care unit (ICU) stay and year of operation were significantly correlated with a positive LHS (P < 0.05). Patients' hospital stay was directly related to the complexity of the orthognathic procedure, the operation time, time spent in ICU and the year in which the operation was done. There was a significant reduction in the LHS over the progressing years and this could be due to an increase in experience and knowledge of the operators and an improvement in the hospital facilities.

Relative and absolute reliability of the clinical version of the Narrow Path Walking Test (NPWT) under single and dual task conditions.

PubMed

Gimmon, Yoav; Jacob, Grinshpon; Lenoble-Hoskovec, Constanze; Büla, Christophe; Melzer, Itshak

2013-01-01

Decline in gait stability has been associated with increased fall risk in older adults. Reliable and clinically feasible methods of gait instability assessment are needed. This study evaluated the relative and absolute reliability and concurrent validity of the testing procedure of the clinical version of the Narrow Path Walking Test (NPWT) under single task (ST) and dual task (DT) conditions. Thirty independent community-dwelling older adults (65-87 years) were tested twice. Participants were instructed to walk within the 6-m narrow path without stepping out. Trial time, number of steps, trial velocity, number of step errors, and number of cognitive task errors were determined. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated as indices of agreement, and a graphic approach called "mountain plot" was applied to help interpret the direction and magnitude of disagreements between testing procedures. Smallest detectable change and smallest real difference (SRD) were computed to determine clinically relevant improvement at group and individual levels, respectively. Concurrent validity was assessed using Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment Tool (POMA) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Test-retest agreement (ICC1,2) varied from 0.77 to 0.92 in ST and from 0.78 to 0.92 in DT conditions, with no apparent systematic differences between testing procedures demonstrated by the mountain plot graphs. Smallest detectable change and smallest real change were small for motor task performance and larger for cognitive errors. Significant correlations were observed for trial velocity and trial time with POMA and SPPB. The present results indicate that the NPWT testing procedure is highly reliable and reproducible. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Permutation tests for goodness-of-fit testing of mathematical models to experimental data.

PubMed

Fişek, M Hamit; Barlas, Zeynep

2013-03-01

This paper presents statistical procedures for improving the goodness-of-fit testing of theoretical models to data obtained from laboratory experiments. We use an experimental study in the expectation states research tradition which has been carried out in the "standardized experimental situation" associated with the program to illustrate the application of our procedures. We briefly review the expectation states research program and the fundamentals of resampling statistics as we develop our procedures in the resampling context. The first procedure we develop is a modification of the chi-square test which has been the primary statistical tool for assessing goodness of fit in the EST research program, but has problems associated with its use. We discuss these problems and suggest a procedure to overcome them. The second procedure we present, the "Average Absolute Deviation" test, is a new test and is proposed as an alternative to the chi square test, as being simpler and more informative. The third and fourth procedures are permutation versions of Jonckheere's test for ordered alternatives, and Kendall's tau(b), a rank order correlation coefficient. The fifth procedure is a new rank order goodness-of-fit test, which we call the "Deviation from Ideal Ranking" index, which we believe may be more useful than other rank order tests for assessing goodness-of-fit of models to experimental data. The application of these procedures to the sample data is illustrated in detail. We then present another laboratory study from an experimental paradigm different from the expectation states paradigm - the "network exchange" paradigm, and describe how our procedures may be applied to this data set. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antecedents of organizational citizenship behavior among Iranian nurses: a multicenter study.

PubMed

Taghinezhad, Fakhredin; Safavi, Mahboobe; Raiesifar, Afsaneh; Yahyavi, Sayed Hossein

2015-10-08

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) improves efficiency and employees' participation and generally provides a good ambiance. This study was conducted to determine the role of job satisfaction (JS), organizational commitment (OC) and procedural justice (PJ) in explaining OCB among nurses working in fifteen educational-treatment centers in Tehran-Iran, to provide guidelines for health care managers' further understanding of how to encourage citizenship behavior among nurses. In this multi-center descriptive-correlational study 373 nurses were evaluated through a Multi-stage cluster sampling method after obtaining approval from the Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch and Tehran University of Medical Sciences Research Deputy. Nurses who signed the informed consent and holding a bachelor or master degree, having a minimum one year of job experience and not having organizational management position during the questionnaire distribution were included in the study. In order to collect data, Demographic questionnaire, Podsakoff et al. (Leadersh Q 1(2):107-142, 1990) OCB questionnaire, OC questionnaire, Aelterman et al. (Educ Stud 33(3):285-297, 2007) JS questionnaire and PJ questionnaire were used. These questionnaires were translated into Persian and content validity was confirmed by an expert group; their reliability was calculated by the internal consistency Cronbach alpha coefficient and it was satisfied. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Comparative mean tests, correlation coefficient and multiple-regression in the SPSS software version 11. The general mean and all five aspects of OCB that ranked higher than 3 were evaluated in a "quite desired" state. The mean for perceived procedural justice, the general mean for JS and the mean of general grade for OC from the nurses' was in "quite desired" state. Finding from multiple regression indicated that OC and PJ exhibit about 19 % of OCB variance totally which is statistically significant (P < 0.01). JS had no significant impact on explaining OCB. OC was the strongest predictor of nurses' OCB followed by perceived procedural justice. So, improving these factors can initiate better citizenship behavior among nurses.

Correlation functional in screened-exchange density functional theory procedures.

PubMed

Chan, Bun; Kawashima, Yukio; Hirao, Kimihiko

2017-10-15

In the present study, we have explored several prospects for the further development of screened-exchange density functional theory (SX-DFT) procedures. Using the performance of HSE06 as our measure, we find that the use of alternative correlation functionals (as oppose to PBEc in HSE06) also yields adequate results for a diverse set of thermochemical properties. We have further examined the performance of new SX-DFT procedures (termed HSEB-type methods) that comprise the HSEx exchange and a (near-optimal) reparametrized B97c (c OS,0  = c SS,0  = 1, c OS,1  = -1.5, c OS,2  = -0.644, c SS,1  = -0.5, and c SS,2  = 1.10) correlation functionals. The different variants of HSEB all perform comparably to or slightly better than the original HSE-type procedures. These results, together with our fundamental analysis of correlation functionals, point toward various directions for advancing SX-DFT methods. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

PubMed

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Ferrando, Pere J

2012-12-01

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

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Electrocautery Smoke during Peritonectomy Procedures

PubMed Central

Näslund Andréasson, Sara; Mahteme, Haile; Sahlberg, Bo; Anundi, Helena

2012-01-01

Objective. This study identified and quantified polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in electrocautery smoke during 40 peritonectomy procedures and investigated any correlations and/or differences between levels of PAHs and perioperative variables. Methods. PAHs were measured in personal and stationary sampling by 40 mm Millipore cassettes, for adsorption of both gaseous and particle-bound PAHs. Results. All 16 USEPA priority pollutant PAHs were detected during peritonectomy procedures, naphthalene being the most abundant. For the only two PAHs with Swedish occupational exposure limits (OELs), benzo[a]pyrene and naphthalene, limits were never exceeded. Amount of bleeding was the only perioperative variable that correlated with levels of PAHs. Conclusions. Low levels of PAHs were detected in electrocautery smoke during peritonectomy procedures, and an increased amount of bleeding correlated with higher levels of PAHs. For evaluation of long-term health effects, more studies are needed. PMID:22685482

CORRELATION PURSUIT: FORWARD STEPWISE VARIABLE SELECTION FOR INDEX MODELS

PubMed Central

Zhong, Wenxuan; Zhang, Tingting; Zhu, Yu; Liu, Jun S.

2012-01-01

In this article, a stepwise procedure, correlation pursuit (COP), is developed for variable selection under the sufficient dimension reduction framework, in which the response variable Y is influenced by the predictors X1, X2, …, Xp through an unknown function of a few linear combinations of them. Unlike linear stepwise regression, COP does not impose a special form of relationship (such as linear) between the response variable and the predictor variables. The COP procedure selects variables that attain the maximum correlation between the transformed response and the linear combination of the variables. Various asymptotic properties of the COP procedure are established, and in particular, its variable selection performance under diverging number of predictors and sample size has been investigated. The excellent empirical performance of the COP procedure in comparison with existing methods are demonstrated by both extensive simulation studies and a real example in functional genomics. PMID:23243388

Airway bypass treatment of severe homogeneous emphysema: taking advantage of collateral ventilation.

PubMed

Choong, Cliff K; Cardoso, Paulo F G; Sybrecht, Gerhard W; Cooper, Joel D

2009-05-01

Airway bypass is being investigated as a new form of minimally invasive therapy for the treatment of homogeneous emphysema. It is a bronchoscopic catheter-based procedure that creates transbronchial extra-anatomic passages at the bronchial segmental level. The passages are expanded, supported with the expectation that the patency is maintained by paclitaxel drug-eluting airway bypass stents. The concept of airway bypass has been demonstrated in two separate experimental studies. These studies have shown that airway bypass takes advantage of collateral ventilation present in homogeneous emphysema to allow trapped gas to escape and reduce hyperinflation. It improves lung mechanics, expiratory flow, and volume. Airway bypass stent placements have been shown to be feasible and safe in both animal and human studies. Paclitaxel-eluting airway bypass stents were found to prolong stent patency and were adopted for clinical studies. A study evaluating the early results of the clinical application of airway bypass with paclitaxel-eluting stents found that airway bypass procedures reduced hyperinflation and improved pulmonary function and dyspnea in selected subjects who have severe emphysema. The duration of benefit appeared to correlate with the degree of pretreatment hyperinflation. These preliminary clinical results supported further evaluation of the procedure and led to the EASE Trial. The EASE Trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study. The trial aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the airway bypass to improve pulmonary function and reduce dyspnea in homogeneous emphysema subjects who have severe hyperinflation. The trial is presently ongoing worldwide, though enrollment was completed.

An Autologous Anti-Inflammatory Protein Solution Yielded a Favorable Safety Profile and Significant Pain Relief in an Open-Label Pilot Study of Patients with Osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Hix, Jason; Klaassen, Mark; Foreman, Ryan; Cullen, Edith; Toler, Krista; King, William; Woodell-May, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive and degenerative disease, which may result in significant pain and decreased quality of life. Recent updates in our understanding of OA have demonstrated that it is a whole joint disease that has many similarities to an unhealed wound containing inflammatory cytokines. The nSTRIDE Autologous Protein Solution (APS) Kit is a medical device under development for the treatment of OA. The APS Kit processes a patient's own blood at the point of care to contain high concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines and anabolic growth factors. This study assessed the safety and treatment effects of a single intra-articular injection of APS. Eleven patients were enrolled in this study. Sufficient blood could not be drawn from one patient who was subsequently withdrawn, leaving 10 patients treated. Minor adverse events (AEs) were experienced by seven subjects (63.6%). There was one serious AE (diverticulitis) unrelated to the device or procedure. One subject experienced AEs that were judged “likely” to be procedure related (arthralgia/musculoskeletal discomfort) and all resolved within 6 days of injection. All other AEs were unrelated to the device or procedure. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain scores improved significantly over time (ANOVA, p < 0.0001, 12.0 ± 1.2 preinjection, 3.3 ± 2.9 one year postinjection, and 72.5% WOMAC pain improvement). There was significant positive correlation between white blood cell concentration in APS and improvement in WOMAC pain scores. PMID:29279807

Pricing of common cosmetic surgery procedures: local economic factors trump supply and demand.

PubMed

Richardson, Clare; Mattison, Gennaya; Workman, Adrienne; Gupta, Subhas

2015-02-01

The pricing of cosmetic surgery procedures has long been thought to coincide with laws of basic economics, including the model of supply and demand. However, the highly variable prices of these procedures indicate that additional economic contributors are probable. The authors sought to reassess the fit of cosmetic surgery costs to the model of supply and demand and to determine the driving forces behind the pricing of cosmetic surgery procedures. Ten plastic surgery practices were randomly selected from each of 15 US cities of various population sizes. Average prices of breast augmentation, mastopexy, abdominoplasty, blepharoplasty, and rhytidectomy in each city were compared with economic and demographic statistics. The average price of cosmetic surgery procedures correlated substantially with population size (r = 0.767), cost-of-living index (r = 0.784), cost to own real estate (r = 0.714), and cost to rent real estate (r = 0.695) across the 15 US cities. Cosmetic surgery pricing also was found to correlate (albeit weakly) with household income (r = 0.436) and per capita income (r = 0.576). Virtually no correlations existed between pricing and the density of plastic surgeons (r = 0.185) or the average age of residents (r = 0.076). Results of this study demonstrate a correlation between costs of cosmetic surgery procedures and local economic factors. Cosmetic surgery pricing cannot be completely explained by the supply-and-demand model because no association was found between procedure cost and the density of plastic surgeons. © 2015 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Numerical Correlation of Levator Advancement in Preoperative Planning.

PubMed

Makeeva, Valeria; Collawn, Sherry S; Pierce, Evelina N; Mousa, Mina S; Yang, Jennifer H; Davison, Peter N; Jospitre, Elodie C

2017-06-01

Several procedures have been proposed for the treatment of eyelid ptosis, and both levator advancement and levator plication are widely used to shorten the levator palpebrae superioris. The purpose of this study was to quantify perioperative lid measurements in patients undergoing bilateral levator aponeurosis advancements to aid in preoperative planning. Between July 2014 and June 2016, the authors performed a retrospective analysis of all bilateral upper eyelid levator advancement procedures for ptosis performed by the senior surgeon. There are a total of 21 patients (6 men and 15 women) with a mean age of 63 years (range, 48-79 years). The average time at follow-up was 5.3 months, with a range of 1 to 26 months. In this retrospective study, we collected data on presurgical measurements including marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1), surgical technique used (symmetrical/asymmetrical levator advancement) with millimeters of advancement used, and postsurgical measurements. We found that on average, an advancement of 4 mm led to an improvement in MRD1 of 2.26 mm (n = 14), and advancement of 5 mm led to an improvement in MRD1 of 2.74 mm (n = 15). Patients also reported improvements in their quality of life. Our results may be used to guide clinicians in preoperative planning.

A tool and index to assess surgical capacity in low income countries: an initial implementation in Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Groen, Reinou S; Kamara, Thaim B; Dixon-Cole, Richmond; Kwon, Steven; Kingham, T Peter; Kushner, Adam L

2012-08-01

A first step toward improving surgical care in many low and middle income countries is to document the need. To facilitate the collection and analysis of surgical capacity data and measure changes over time, Surgeons OverSeas (SOS) developed a tool and index based on personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies (PIPES). A follow-up assessment of 10 government hospitals in Sierra Leone was completed 42 months after an initial survey in 2008 using the PIPES tool. An index based on number of operating rooms, personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies was calculated. An index was also calculated, using the 2008 data for comparison. Most hospitals demonstrated an increased index that correlated with site visits that verified improved conditions. Connaught Hospital in Sierra Leone had the highest score (9.2), consistent with its being the best equipped and staffed Ministry of Health and Sanitation facility. Makeni District Hospital had the greatest increase, from 3.8 to 7.5, consistent with a newly constructed facility. The PIPES tool was easily administered at hospitals in Sierra Leone and an index was found useful. Surgical capacity in Sierra Leone improved between 2008 and 2011, as demonstrated by an increase in the overall PIPES indices.

How do laboratory technicians perceive their role in the tuberculosis diagnostic process? A cross-sectional study among laboratory technicians in health centers of Central Java Province, Indonesia.

PubMed

Widjanarko, Bagoes; Widyastari, Dyah Anantalia; Martini, Martini; Ginandjar, Praba

2016-01-01

Detection of acid-fast bacilli in respiratory specimens serves as an initial pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Laboratories are the essential and fundamental part of all health systems. This study aimed to describe how laboratory technicians perceived their own self and work. This included perceived self-efficacy, perceived role, perceived equipment availability, perceived procedures, perceived reward and job, and perceived benefit of health education, as well as level of knowledge and attitudes related to work performance of laboratory technicians. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 120 laboratory technicians conducted in Central Java. Interviews and observation were conducted to measure performance and work-related variables. Among 120 laboratory technicians, 43.3% showed fairly good performance. They complied with 50%-75% of all procedures, including sputum collection, laboratory tools utilization, sputum smearing, staining, smear examination, grading of results, and universal precaution practice. Perceived role, perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of laboratory procedures were significantly correlated to performance, besides education and years of working as a laboratory technician. Perceived equipment availability was also significantly correlated to performance after the education variable was controlled. Most of the laboratory technicians believed that they have an important role in TB patients' treatment and should display proper self-efficacy in performing laboratory activities. The result may serve as a basic consideration to develop a policy for enhancing motivation of laboratory technicians in order to improve the TB control program.

Predictive value of 3-month lumbar discectomy outcomes in the NeuroPoint-SD Registry.

PubMed

Whitmore, Robert G; Curran, Jill N; Ali, Zarina S; Mummaneni, Praveen V; Shaffrey, Christopher I; Heary, Robert F; Kaiser, Michael G; Asher, Anthony L; Malhotra, Neil R; Cheng, Joseph S; Hurlbert, John; Smith, Justin S; Magge, Subu N; Steinmetz, Michael P; Resnick, Daniel K; Ghogawala, Zoher

2015-10-01

The authors have established a multicenter registry to assess the efficacy and costs of common lumbar spinal procedures using prospectively collected outcomes. Collection of these data requires an extensive commitment of resources from each site. The aim of this study was to determine whether outcomes data from shorter-interval follow-up could be used to accurately estimate long-term outcome following lumbar discectomy. An observational prospective cohort study was completed at 13 academic and community sites. Patients undergoing single-level lumbar discectomy for treatment of disc herniation were included. SF-36 and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) data were obtained preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Quality-adjusted life year (QALY) data were calculated using SF-6D utility scores. Correlations among outcomes at each follow-up time point were tested using the Spearman rank correlation test. One hundred forty-eight patients were enrolled over 1 year. Their mean age was 46 years (49% female). Eleven patients (7.4%) required a reoperation by 1 year postoperatively. The overall 1-year follow-up rate was 80.4%. Lumbar discectomy was associated with significant improvements in ODI and SF-36 scores (p < 0.0001) and with a gain of 0.246 QALYs over the 1-year study period. The greatest gain occurred between baseline and 3-month follow-up and was significantly greater than improvements obtained between 3 and 6 months or 6 months and 1 year(p < 0.001). Correlations between 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year outcomes were similar, suggesting that 3-month data may be used to accurately estimate 1-year outcomes for patients who do not require a reoperation. Patients who underwent reoperation had worse outcomes scores and nonsignificant correlations at all time points. This national spine registry demonstrated successful collection of high-quality outcomes data for spinal procedures in actual practice. Three-month outcome data may be used to accurately estimate outcome at future time points and may lower costs associated with registry data collection. This registry effort provides a practical foundation for the acquisition of outcome data following lumbar discectomy.

Validity, reliability and support for implementation of independence-scaled procedural assessment in laparoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Kramp, Kelvin H; van Det, Marc J; Veeger, Nic J G M; Pierie, Jean-Pierre E N

2016-06-01

There is no widely used method to evaluate procedure-specific laparoscopic skills. The first aim of this study was to develop a procedure-based assessment method. The second aim was to compare its validity, reliability and feasibility with currently available global rating scales (GRSs). An independence-scaled procedural assessment was created by linking the procedural key steps of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy to an independence scale. Subtitled and blinded videos of a novice, an intermediate and an almost competent trainee, were evaluated with GRSs (OSATS and GOALS) and the independence-scaled procedural assessment by seven surgeons, three senior trainees and six scrub nurses. Participants received a short introduction to the GRSs and independence-scaled procedural assessment before assessment. The validity was estimated with the Friedman and Wilcoxon test and the reliability with the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). A questionnaire was used to evaluate user opinion. Independence-scaled procedural assessment and GRS scores improved significantly with surgical experience (OSATS p = 0.001, GOALS p < 0.001, independence-scaled procedural assessment p < 0.001). The ICCs of the OSATS, GOALS and independence-scaled procedural assessment were 0.78, 0.74 and 0.84, respectively, among surgeons. The ICCs increased when the ratings of scrub nurses were added to those of the surgeons. The independence-scaled procedural assessment was not considered more of an administrative burden than the GRSs (p = 0.692). A procedural assessment created by combining procedural key steps to an independence scale is a valid, reliable and acceptable assessment instrument in surgery. In contrast to the GRSs, the reliability of the independence-scaled procedural assessment exceeded the threshold of 0.8, indicating that it can also be used for summative assessment. It furthermore seems that scrub nurses can assess the operative competence of surgical trainees.

On the problem of nonsense correlations in allergological tests after routine extraction.

PubMed

Rijckaert, G

1981-01-01

The influence of extraction procedures and culturing methods of material used for the preparation of allergenic extracts on correlation patterns found in allergological testing (skin test and RAST) was investigated. In our laboratory a short extraction procedure performed at O degrees C was used for Aspergillus repens. A. penicilloides, Wallemia sebi, their rearing media and non-inoculated medium. For the commercially available extracts from house dust, house-dust mite, pollen of Dactylus glomerata and A. penicilloides a longer procedure (several days) performed at room temperature was used. Statistical analysis showed a separation of all test results into two clusters, each cluster being composed of correlations between extracts from only one the manufacturers did not show any correlation. The correlations found between the short time incubated extracts of the xerophilic fungi and their rearing media could be explained by genetical and biochemical relationships between these fungi depending on ecological conditions. However, while the correlation found between house dust and house-dust mite is understandable, correlations found between long time incubated extracts from house-dust mite and D. glomerata or A. penicilloides may be nonsense correlations, that do not adequately describe the in vivo situation. The similarity of these extracts is presumably artificially created during extraction.

Prioritizing quality improvement in general surgery.

PubMed

Schilling, Peter L; Dimick, Justin B; Birkmeyer, John D

2008-11-01

Despite growing interest in quality improvement, uncertainty remains about which procedures offer the most room for improvement in general surgery. In this context, we sought to describe the relative contribution of different procedures to overall morbidity, mortality, and excess length of stay in general surgery. Using data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP), we identified all patients undergoing a general surgery procedure in 2005 and 2006 (n=129,233). Patients were placed in 36 distinct procedure groups based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. We first examined procedure groups according to their relative contribution to overall morbidity and mortality. We then assessed procedure groups according to their contribution to overall excess length of stay. Ten procedure groups alone accounted for 62% of complications and 54% of excess hospital days. Colectomy accounted for the greatest share of adverse events, followed by small intestine resection, inpatient cholecystectomy, and ventral hernia repair. In contrast, several common procedures contributed little to overall morbidity and mortality. For example, outpatient cholecystectomy, breast procedures, thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy, and outpatient inguinal hernia repair together accounted for 34% of procedures, but only 6% of complications (and only 4% of major complications). These same procedures accounted for < 1% of excess hospital days. A relatively small number of procedures account for a disproportionate share of the morbidity, mortality, and excess hospital days in general surgery. Focusing quality improvement efforts on these procedures may be an effective strategy for improving patient care and reducing cost.

An open-chain imaginary-time path-integral sampling approach to the calculation of approximate symmetrized quantum time correlation functions.

PubMed

Cendagorta, Joseph R; Bačić, Zlatko; Tuckerman, Mark E

2018-03-14

We introduce a scheme for approximating quantum time correlation functions numerically within the Feynman path integral formulation. Starting with the symmetrized version of the correlation function expressed as a discretized path integral, we introduce a change of integration variables often used in the derivation of trajectory-based semiclassical methods. In particular, we transform to sum and difference variables between forward and backward complex-time propagation paths. Once the transformation is performed, the potential energy is expanded in powers of the difference variables, which allows us to perform the integrals over these variables analytically. The manner in which this procedure is carried out results in an open-chain path integral (in the remaining sum variables) with a modified potential that is evaluated using imaginary-time path-integral sampling rather than requiring the generation of a large ensemble of trajectories. Consequently, any number of path integral sampling schemes can be employed to compute the remaining path integral, including Monte Carlo, path-integral molecular dynamics, or enhanced path-integral molecular dynamics. We believe that this approach constitutes a different perspective in semiclassical-type approximations to quantum time correlation functions. Importantly, we argue that our approximation can be systematically improved within a cumulant expansion formalism. We test this approximation on a set of one-dimensional problems that are commonly used to benchmark approximate quantum dynamical schemes. We show that the method is at least as accurate as the popular ring-polymer molecular dynamics technique and linearized semiclassical initial value representation for correlation functions of linear operators in most of these examples and improves the accuracy of correlation functions of nonlinear operators.

An open-chain imaginary-time path-integral sampling approach to the calculation of approximate symmetrized quantum time correlation functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cendagorta, Joseph R.; Bačić, Zlatko; Tuckerman, Mark E.

2018-03-01

We introduce a scheme for approximating quantum time correlation functions numerically within the Feynman path integral formulation. Starting with the symmetrized version of the correlation function expressed as a discretized path integral, we introduce a change of integration variables often used in the derivation of trajectory-based semiclassical methods. In particular, we transform to sum and difference variables between forward and backward complex-time propagation paths. Once the transformation is performed, the potential energy is expanded in powers of the difference variables, which allows us to perform the integrals over these variables analytically. The manner in which this procedure is carried out results in an open-chain path integral (in the remaining sum variables) with a modified potential that is evaluated using imaginary-time path-integral sampling rather than requiring the generation of a large ensemble of trajectories. Consequently, any number of path integral sampling schemes can be employed to compute the remaining path integral, including Monte Carlo, path-integral molecular dynamics, or enhanced path-integral molecular dynamics. We believe that this approach constitutes a different perspective in semiclassical-type approximations to quantum time correlation functions. Importantly, we argue that our approximation can be systematically improved within a cumulant expansion formalism. We test this approximation on a set of one-dimensional problems that are commonly used to benchmark approximate quantum dynamical schemes. We show that the method is at least as accurate as the popular ring-polymer molecular dynamics technique and linearized semiclassical initial value representation for correlation functions of linear operators in most of these examples and improves the accuracy of correlation functions of nonlinear operators.

An intervention to improve the reliability of manuscript reviews for the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

PubMed

Strayhorn, J; McDermott, J F; Tanguay, P

1993-06-01

The effects of methods used to improve the interrater reliability of reviewers' ratings of manuscripts submitted to the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry were studied. Reviewers' ratings of consecutive manuscripts submitted over approximately 1 year were first analyzed; 296 pairs of ratings were studied. Intraclass correlations and confidence intervals for the correlations were computed for the two main ratings by which reviewers quantified the quality of the article: a 1-10 overall quality rating and a recommendation for acceptance or rejection with four possibilities along that continuum. Modifications were then introduced, including a multi-item rating scale and two training manuals to accompany it. Over the next year, 272 more articles were rated, and reliabilities were computed for the new scale and for the scales previously used. The intraclass correlation of the most reliable rating before the intervention was 0.27; the reliability of the new rating procedure was 0.43. The difference between these two was significant. The reliability for the new rating scale was in the fair to good range, and it became even better when the ratings of the two reviewers were averaged and the reliability stepped up by the Spearman-Brown formula. The new rating scale had excellent internal consistency and correlated highly with other quality ratings. The data confirm that the reliability of ratings of scientific articles may be improved by increasing the number of rating scale points, eliciting ratings of separate, concrete items rather than a global judgment, using training manuals, and averaging the scores of multiple reviewers.

Evaluation of the SEDline to improve the safety and efficiency of conscious sedation

PubMed Central

Caputo, Thomas D.; Rossmann, Jeffrey A.; Beach, M. Miles; Griffiths, Garth R.; Meyrat, Benjamin; Barnes, James B.; Kerns, David G.; Crump, Brad; Bookatz, Barnett; Ezzo, Paul

2011-01-01

Brain function monitors have improved safety and efficiency in general anesthesia; however, they have not been adequately tested for guiding conscious sedation for periodontal surgical procedures. This study evaluated the patient state index (PSI) obtained from the SEDline monitor (Sedline Inc., San Diego, CA) to determine its capacity to improve the safety and efficiency of intravenous conscious sedation during outpatient periodontal surgery. Twenty-one patients at the periodontics clinic of Baylor College of Dentistry were admitted to the study in 2009 and sedated to a moderate level using midazolam and fentanyl during periodontal surgery. The PSI monitoring was blinded from the clinician, and the following data were collected: vital signs, Ramsay sedation scale (RSS), medications administered, adverse events, PSI, electroencephalography, and the patients' perspective through visual analogue scales. The data were correlated to evaluate the PSI's ability to assess the level of sedation. Results showed that the RSS and PSI did not correlate (r = −0.25) unless high values associated with electromyographical (EMG) activity were corrected (r = −0.47). Oxygen desaturation did not correlate with the PSI (r = −0.08). Satisfaction (r = −0.57) and amnesia (r = −0.55) both increased as the average PSI decreased. In conclusion, within the limits of this study, PSI appears to correlate with amnesia, allowing a practitioner to titrate medications to that effect. It did not provide advance warning of adverse events and had inherent inaccuracies due to EMG activity during oral surgery. The PSI has the potential to increase safety and efficiency in conscious sedation but requires further development to eliminate EMG activity from confounding the score. PMID:21738291

Effortless assignment with 4D covariance sequential correlation maps.

PubMed

Harden, Bradley J; Mishra, Subrata H; Frueh, Dominique P

2015-11-01

Traditional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) assignment procedures for proteins rely on preliminary peak-picking to identify and label NMR signals. However, such an approach has severe limitations when signals are erroneously labeled or completely neglected. The consequences are especially grave for proteins with substantial peak overlap, and mistakes can often thwart entire projects. To overcome these limitations, we previously introduced an assignment technique that bypasses traditional pick peaking altogether. Covariance Sequential Correlation Maps (COSCOMs) transform the indirect connectivity information provided by multiple 3D backbone spectra into direct (H, N) to (H, N) correlations. Here, we present an updated method that utilizes a single four-dimensional spectrum rather than a suite of three-dimensional spectra. We demonstrate the advantages of 4D-COSCOMs relative to their 3D counterparts. We introduce improvements accelerating their calculation. We discuss practical considerations affecting their quality. And finally we showcase their utility in the context of a 52 kDa cyclization domain from a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effortless assignment with 4D covariance sequential correlation maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harden, Bradley J.; Mishra, Subrata H.; Frueh, Dominique P.

2015-11-01

Traditional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) assignment procedures for proteins rely on preliminary peak-picking to identify and label NMR signals. However, such an approach has severe limitations when signals are erroneously labeled or completely neglected. The consequences are especially grave for proteins with substantial peak overlap, and mistakes can often thwart entire projects. To overcome these limitations, we previously introduced an assignment technique that bypasses traditional pick peaking altogether. Covariance Sequential Correlation Maps (COSCOMs) transform the indirect connectivity information provided by multiple 3D backbone spectra into direct (H, N) to (H, N) correlations. Here, we present an updated method that utilizes a single four-dimensional spectrum rather than a suite of three-dimensional spectra. We demonstrate the advantages of 4D-COSCOMs relative to their 3D counterparts. We introduce improvements accelerating their calculation. We discuss practical considerations affecting their quality. And finally we showcase their utility in the context of a 52 kDa cyclization domain from a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase.

Spatial and temporal analysis of Air Pollution Index and its timescale-dependent relationship with meteorological factors in Guangzhou, China, 2001-2011.

PubMed

Li, Li; Qian, Jun; Ou, Chun-Quan; Zhou, Ying-Xue; Guo, Cui; Guo, Yuming

2014-07-01

There is an increasing interest in spatial and temporal variation of air pollution and its association with weather conditions. We presented the spatial and temporal variation of Air Pollution Index (API) and examined the associations between API and meteorological factors during 2001-2011 in Guangzhou, China. A Seasonal-Trend Decomposition Procedure Based on Loess (STL) was used to decompose API. Wavelet analyses were performed to examine the relationships between API and several meteorological factors. Air quality has improved since 2005. APIs were highly correlated among five monitoring stations, and there were substantial temporal variations. Timescale-dependent relationships were found between API and a variety of meteorological factors. Temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and wind speed were negatively correlated with API, while diurnal temperature range and atmospheric pressure were positively correlated with API in the annual cycle. Our findings should be taken into account when determining air quality forecasts and pollution control measures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Efficient Local Correlation Matrix Decomposition Approach for the Localization Implementation of Ensemble-Based Assimilation Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongqin; Tian, Xiangjun

2018-04-01

Ensemble-based data assimilation methods often use the so-called localization scheme to improve the representation of the ensemble background error covariance (Be). Extensive research has been undertaken to reduce the computational cost of these methods by using the localized ensemble samples to localize Be by means of a direct decomposition of the local correlation matrix C. However, the computational costs of the direct decomposition of the local correlation matrix C are still extremely high due to its high dimension. In this paper, we propose an efficient local correlation matrix decomposition approach based on the concept of alternating directions. This approach is intended to avoid direct decomposition of the correlation matrix. Instead, we first decompose the correlation matrix into 1-D correlation matrices in the three coordinate directions, then construct their empirical orthogonal function decomposition at low resolution. This procedure is followed by the 1-D spline interpolation process to transform the above decompositions to the high-resolution grid. Finally, an efficient correlation matrix decomposition is achieved by computing the very similar Kronecker product. We conducted a series of comparison experiments to illustrate the validity and accuracy of the proposed local correlation matrix decomposition approach. The effectiveness of the proposed correlation matrix decomposition approach and its efficient localization implementation of the nonlinear least-squares four-dimensional variational assimilation are further demonstrated by several groups of numerical experiments based on the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model.

Genetic parameters for sensory traits in longissimus muscle and their associations with tenderness, marbling score, and intramuscular fat in Angus cattle.

PubMed

Mateescu, R G; Garrick, D J; Garmyn, A J; VanOverbeke, D L; Mafi, G G; Reecy, J M

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities for sensory traits and genetic correlations among sensory traits and with marbling score (MS), Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and intramuscular fat content (IMFC). Samples of LM from 2,285 Angus cattle were obtained and fabricated into steaks for laboratory analysis and 1,720 steaks were analyzed by a trained sensory panel. Restricted maximum likelihood procedures were used to obtain estimates of variance and covariance components under a multitrait animal model. Estimates of heritability for MS, IMFC, WBSF, tenderness, juiciness, and connective tissue traits were 0.67, 0.38, 0.19, 0.18, 0.06, and 0.25, respectively. The genetic correlations of MS with tenderness, juiciness, and connective tissue were estimated to be 0.57 ± 0.14, 1.00 ± 0.17, and 0.49 ± 0.13, all positive and strong. Estimated genetic correlations of IMFC with tenderness, juiciness, and connective tissue were 0.56 ± 0.16, 1.00 ± 0.21, and 0.50 ± 0.15, respectively. The genetic correlations of WBSF with tenderness, juiciness, and connective tissue were all favorable and estimated to be -0.99 ± 0.08, -0.33 ± 0.30 and -0.99 ± 0.07, respectively. Strong and positive genetic correlations were estimated between tenderness and juiciness (0.54 ± 0.28) and between connective tissue and juiciness (0.58 ± 0.26). In general, genetic correlations were large and favorable, which indicated that strong relationships exist and similar gene and gene networks may control MS, IMFC, and juiciness or WBSF, panel tenderness, and connective tissue. The results from this study confirm that MS currently used in selection breeding programs has positive genetic correlations with tenderness and juiciness and, therefore, is an effective indicator trait for the improvement of tenderness and juiciness in beef. This study also indicated that a more objective measure, particularly WBSF, a trait not easy to improve through phenotypic selection, is an excellent candidate trait for genomic selection aimed at improving eating satisfaction.

Thinking it through: mental rehearsal and performance on 2 types of laparoscopic cholecystectomy simulators.

PubMed

Paige, John T; Yu, Qingzhao; Hunt, John P; Marr, Alan B; Stuke, Lance E

2015-01-01

Simulation-based training (SBT) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LCCY) provides an opportunity for junior residents to learn the procedure in a safe, nonthreatening environment. Mental rehearsal (MR) has the potential of augmenting skill acquisition. This project investigated the correlation between MR of LCCY with performance on 2 different types of simulators: a procedural task (PT) training model and virtual reality (VR) machine. Prospective, quasi-experimental design with purposeful sampling. Postgraduate years (PGYs) 1 through 3 general surgical residents underwent standardized, distributed SBT in LCCY on either a PT trainer or a VR machine with group-based MR undertaken before 2 SBT sessions. Participants completed a pre-MR and post-MR session mental imagery questionnaire (MIQ) containing 8-items using a 7-point Likert-type scale. Data related to VR objective measures and PT video-based performances were also collected. Total scale mean scores were calculated for the first MR session and the second MR session and were compared using the t test. Pearson correlation analysis of MIQ scores with performance scores was determined. Louisiana State University Health New Orleans Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. This health sciences center is a tertiary care, academic state institution located in the Southeastern United States. A total of 21 PGYs 1 through 3 general surgery residents participated. They were purposefully divided into the PT and VR training groups to allow for even PGY distribution. Of the 21 participants, 19 completed both training sessions (n = 10 for PT [PGY1 = 4, PGY2 = 4, PGY3 = 2] and n = 9 for VR [PGY1 = 4, PGY2 = 3, PGY3 = 2]). After the Bonferroni adjustment, significant gains in the MIQ items related to confidence, visual imagery, and knowledge of the procedure were found. VR performance data demonstrated some statistically significant improvements. A significant negative correlation was present between the two-handed clip-and-cut VR task and MIQ gains. Group MR in LCCY before SBT on a VR machine is related to improved performance time for the VR two-handed clip-and-cut task. MR may be a useful adjunct to SBT LCCY. Future work will look at the translation of these skills to clinical practice. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing the Benefits of Neurofeedback on Selective Attention Measured Through Dichotic Listening.

PubMed

Gadea, Marien; Aliño, Marta; Garijo, Evelio; Espert, Raul; Salvador, Alicia

2016-06-01

The electrophysiological changes after a single session of neurofeedback training (↑SMR/↓Theta) and its effects on executive attention during a dichotic listening test with forced attentional procedures were measured in a sample of 20 healthy women. A pre-post moment test double blind design, with the inclusion of a group receiving sham neurofeedback, allowed for minimization of alien influences. The interaction of Moment × Group was significant, indicating an enhancement of SMR band after the real neurofeedback. The dichotic listening scores were correlated with the amplitude of Beta band in baseline conditions. The performance on the forced left attentional condition in dichotic listening was significantly improved and correlated positively with the post-training enhancement of the SMR band. The sham neurofeedback group also improved DL scores, so a clear affirmation about the benefits of neurofeedback training over cognitive performance could not be unambiguously established. It is concluded that the protocol showed a good independence and acceptable trainability in modifying the EEG results, but there was limited interpretability regarding cognitive outcomes.

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…

The impact of histones linked to sperm chromatin on embryo development and ART outcome.

PubMed

Fournier, C; Labrune, E; Lornage, J; Soignon, G; Giscard d'Estaing, S; Guérin, J-F; Benchaib, M

2018-03-02

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the proportion of sperm chromatin linked to remaining histone and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcome. A prospective cohort study was performed on couples undergoing ART process at the Department of Reproduction Medicine (HFME, Bron, France). The histone-to-protamine ratio (HPR) was measured using the method described by Wykes & Krawetz (2003) J Biol Chem 278, 29471. The correlations with sperm DFI, blastocyst formation, pregnancy rate, and delivery rate were investigated. A total of 291 ART cycles were included (42 c-IVF and 249 ICSI procedures): 3870 oocytes were punctured and 2211 embryos were obtained, among which 507 were transferred and 336 frozen. The mean HPR was 18.9%. A significant negative correlation was found between HPR and DFI (r = -0.12, p < 0.05). Regarding the type of ART procedure (c-IVF or ICSI), the same kind of relationship between HPR and ART parameters was observed. Regardless of the type of ART procedure used, when the HPR was within the range [6%; 26%], the blastocyst formation rate was higher: 87.8% vs. 71.2% (HPR<6%; p < 0.01) and 74.6% (HPR >26%; p < 0.01). The highest delivery rate (DR; 24.5%) was obtained for HPR within the range [6%; 26%]; DR was 21.9% for HPR<6% and 18.3% for HPR>26%; however, the differences were not statistically significant. The procedure described in this study seems to be a reliable evaluation of the HPR. The HPR parameter seems to be correlated to embryonic development up to the blastocyst stage, but its involvement in clinical pregnancy/delivery could not be confirmed. HPR should be further investigated for confirming the relationship with blastocyst formation. After this, the next step will be to investigate the etiologies of HPR alterations for improving the sperm nucleus quality for increasing the chance of pregnancy. © 2018 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Testing homogeneity of proportion ratios for stratified correlated bilateral data in two-arm randomized clinical trials.

PubMed

Pei, Yanbo; Tian, Guo-Liang; Tang, Man-Lai

2014-11-10

Stratified data analysis is an important research topic in many biomedical studies and clinical trials. In this article, we develop five test statistics for testing the homogeneity of proportion ratios for stratified correlated bilateral binary data based on an equal correlation model assumption. Bootstrap procedures based on these test statistics are also considered. To evaluate the performance of these statistics and procedures, we conduct Monte Carlo simulations to study their empirical sizes and powers under various scenarios. Our results suggest that the procedure based on score statistic performs well generally and is highly recommended. When the sample size is large, procedures based on the commonly used weighted least square estimate and logarithmic transformation with Mantel-Haenszel estimate are recommended as they do not involve any computation of maximum likelihood estimates requiring iterative algorithms. We also derive approximate sample size formulas based on the recommended test procedures. Finally, we apply the proposed methods to analyze a multi-center randomized clinical trial for scleroderma patients. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evidence-based support for the all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background During the last decade there has been a need to respond and recover from various types of emergencies including mass casualty events (MCEs), mass toxicological/chemical events (MTEs), and biological events (pandemics and bio-terror agents). Effective emergency preparedness is more likely to be achieved if an all-hazards response plan is adopted. Objectives To investigate if there is a relationship among hospitals' preparedness for various emergency scenarios, and whether components of one emergency scenario correlate with preparedness for other emergency scenarios. Methods Emergency preparedness levels of all acute-care hospitals for MCEs, MTEs, and biological events were evaluated, utilizing a structured evaluation tool based on measurable parameters. Evaluations were made by professional experts in two phases: evaluation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) followed by a site visit. Relationships among total preparedness and different components' scores for various types of emergencies were analyzed. Results Significant relationships were found among preparedness for different emergencies. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for biological events correlated with preparedness for all investigated emergency scenarios. Strong correlations were found between training and drills with preparedness for all investigated emergency scenarios. Conclusions Fundamental critical building blocks such as SOPs, training, and drill programs improve preparedness for different emergencies including MCEs, MTEs, and biological events, more than other building blocks, such as equipment or knowledge of personnel. SOPs are especially important in unfamiliar emergency scenarios. The findings support the adoption of an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness. PMID:23098065

Femoral pseudoarthrosis and knee stiffness: long-term results of a one-stage surgical approach.

PubMed

Gomes, João L Ellera; Ruthner, Roberto P; Moreira, Luiz

2010-02-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the surgical results of the simultaneous treatment of femoral pseudoarthrosis and knee stiffness using a combined one-stage approach (quadricepsplasty + osteoperiosteal decortications + bone autografting + fracture stabilization). Twelve patients (six men) followed up for a minimum of 10 years and who had undergone surgery for these combined procedures were contacted for evaluation. Their mean age at the time of the surgery was 30 years (standard deviation, SD 15; range 22-65 years), and mean time from initial trauma was 16 months (SD 6, range 10-32 months). Mean range of motion improved from 10 degrees (SD 9) to 112 degrees (SD 13) postoperatively. Fractures healed in all patients, and improvement in their range of motion was statistically significant (Student's t-test = 31; P

A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Examining Psychological Interventions for Needle-related Procedural Pain and Distress in Children and Adolescents: An Abbreviated Cochrane Review*

PubMed Central

Chambers, Christine T.; McGrath, Patrick J.; Kisely, Stephen

2008-01-01

Objective To report the results of a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological interventions for children and adolescents undergoing needle-related procedures. Methods A variety of cognitive-behavioral psychological interventions for managing procedural pain and distress in children and adolescents between 2 and 19 years of age were examined. Outcome measures included pain and distress as assessed by self-report, observer report, behavioral/observational measures, and physiological correlates. Results Twenty-eight trials met the criteria for inclusion in the review and provided the data necessary for pooling the results. Together, the trials included 1,039 participants in treatment conditions and 951 in control conditions. The largest effect sizes for treatment improvement over control conditions were found for distraction, combined cognitive-behavioral interventions, and hypnosis, with promising but limited evidence for several other psychological interventions. Conclusions Recommendations for conducting future RCTs are provided, and particular attention to the quality of trial design and reporting is highlighted. PMID:18387963

Influence of tooth profile on the noncircular gear tooth contact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristescu, A.; Andrei, L.; Cristescu, B.

2017-02-01

With noncircular gears, the continuous modification of the tooth meshing, in terms of variation of the tooth profiles and the line of action position and inclination, makes difficult the implementation of a general standard procedure for the analysis of the noncircular gears tooth contact. In this paper, the authors present a graphical approach that enables the tooth contact static pattern to be produced and evaluated in case of a noncircular gear with complex geometry of the pitch curve. The study is virtually developed, in AutoCAD environment, by animating and investigating the gear solid models in mesh. The tooth static contact analysis enables the path of contact area and distribution to be evaluated in correlation with the following variable initial data: gear pitch curve geometry, tooth profile geometry, as a consequence of different generating procedures, and the gear pressure angle. It was found out that the noncircular gear tooth contact could be improved by choosing different procedures for the tooth flank generation in concave and convex zones and by increasing the gear pressure angle.

Parent and Teacher Concordance on the Social Responsiveness Scale for Children with Autism.

PubMed

Azad, Gazi; Reisinger, Erica; Xie, Ming; Mandell, David S

2016-09-01

There are inconsistent findings regarding parent and teacher agreement on behavioral ratings of their children with autism. One possible reason for this inconsistency is that studies have not taken autism severity into account. This study examined parent and teacher concordance of social behavior based on symptom severity for children with autism. Participants were 123 parent-teacher dyads who completed the Social Responsiveness Scale. Symptom severity was assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Results indicated that parent and teacher ratings were statistically significantly correlated at the beginning and end of the academic year, but only for severely affected children. Teacher report of social deficits was correlated with symptom severity as measured by the ADOS; parent report was not. These findings have implications for improving assessment procedures and parent-teacher collaboration.

A competency based selection procedure for Dutch postgraduate GP training: a pilot study on validity and reliability.

PubMed

Vermeulen, Margit I; Tromp, Fred; Zuithoff, Nicolaas P A; Pieters, Ron H M; Damoiseaux, Roger A M J; Kuyvenhoven, Marijke M

2014-12-01

Abstract Background: Historically, semi-structured interviews (SSI) have been the core of the Dutch selection for postgraduate general practice (GP) training. This paper describes a pilot study on a newly designed competency-based selection procedure that assesses whether candidates have the competencies that are required to complete GP training. The objective was to explore reliability and validity aspects of the instruments developed. The new selection procedure comprising the National GP Knowledge Test (LHK), a situational judgement tests (SJT), a patterned behaviour descriptive interview (PBDI) and a simulated encounter (SIM) was piloted alongside the current procedure. Forty-seven candidates volunteered in both procedures. Admission decision was based on the results of the current procedure. Study participants did hardly differ from the other candidates. The mean scores of the candidates on the LHK and SJT were 21.9 % (SD 8.7) and 83.8% (SD 3.1), respectively. The mean self-reported competency scores (PBDI) were higher than the observed competencies (SIM): 3.7(SD 0.5) and 2.9(SD 0.6), respectively. Content-related competencies showed low correlations with one another when measured with different instruments, whereas more diverse competencies measured by a single instrument showed strong to moderate correlations. Moreover, a moderate correlation between LHK and SJT was found. The internal consistencies (intraclass correlation, ICC) of LHK and SJT were poor while the ICC of PBDI and SIM showed acceptable levels of reliability. Findings on content validity and reliability of these new instruments are promising to realize a competency based procedure. Further development of the instruments and research on predictive validity should be pursued.

Correlation of a Novel Noninvasive Tissue Oxygen Saturation Monitor to Serum Central Venous Oxygen Saturation in Pediatric Patients with Postoperative Congenital Cyanotic Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Yadlapati, Ajay; Grogan, Tristan; Elashoff, David; Kelly, Robert B.

2013-01-01

Abstract: Using a novel noninvasive, visible-light optical diffusion oximeter (T-Stat VLS Tissue Oximeter; Spectros Corporation, Portola Valley, CA) to measure the tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) of the buccal mucosa, the correlation between StO2 and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) was examined in children with congenital cyanotic heart disease undergoing a cardiac surgical procedure. Paired StO2 and serum ScvO2 measurements were obtained postoperatively and statistically analyzed for agreement and association. Thirteen children (nine male) participated in the study (age range, 4 days to 18 months). Surgeries included Glenn shunt procedures, Norwood procedures, unifocalization procedures with Blalock-Taussig shunt placement, a Kawashima/Glenn shunt procedure, a Blalock-Taussig shunt placement, and a modified Norwood procedure. A total of 45 paired StO2-ScvO2 measurements was obtained. Linear regression demonstrated a Pearson’s correlation of .58 (95% confidence interval [CI], .35–.75; p < .0001). The regression slope coefficient estimate was .95 (95% CI, .54–1.36) with an interclass correlation coefficient of .48 (95% CI, .22–.68). Below a clinically relevant average ScvO2 value, a receiver operator characteristic analysis yielded an area under the curve of .78. Statistical methods to control for repeatedly measuring the same subjects produced similar results. This study shows a moderate relationship and agreement between StO2 and ScvO2 measurements in pediatric patients with a history of congenital cyanotic heart disease undergoing a cardiac surgical procedure. This real-time monitoring device can act as a valuable adjunct to standard noninvasive monitoring in which serum ScvO2 sampling currently assists in the diagnosis of low cardiac output after pediatric cardiac surgery. PMID:23691783

Cardiomyopathy in children: Can we rely on echocardiographic tricuspid regurgitation gradient estimates of right ventricular and pulmonary arterial pressure?

PubMed

Lee, Simon; Lytrivi, Irene D; Roytman, Zhanna; Ko, Hyun-Sook Helen; Vinograd, Cheryl; Srivastava, Shubhika

2016-10-01

Introduction Agreement between echocardiography and right heart catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure is modest in the adult heart failure population, but is unknown in the paediatric cardiomyopathy population. All patients at a single centre from 2001 to 2012 with a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy who underwent echocardiography and catheterisation within 30 days were included in this study. The correlation between tricuspid regurgitation gradient and catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure and mean pulmonary artery pressure was determined. Agreement between echocardiography and catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. Analysis was repeated for patients who underwent both procedures within 7 days. Haemodynamic data from those with poor agreement and good agreement between echocardiography and catheterisation were compared. A total of 37 patients who underwent 48 catheterisation procedures were included in our study. The median age was 11.8 (0.1-20.6 years) with 22 males (58% total). There was a modest correlation (r=0.65) between echocardiography and catheterisation-derived right ventricular systolic pressure, but agreement was poor. Agreement between tricuspid regurgitation gradient and right ventricular systolic pressure showed wide 95% limits of agreement. There was a modest correlation between the tricuspid regurgitation gradient and mean pulmonary artery pressure (r=0.6). Shorter time interval between the two studies did not improve agreement. Those with poor agreement between echocardiography and catheterisation had higher right heart pressures, but this difference became insignificant after accounting for right atrial pressure. Transthoracic echocardiography estimation of right ventricular systolic pressure shows modest correlation with right heart pressures, but has limited agreement and may underestimate the degree of pulmonary hypertension in paediatric cardiomyopathy patients.

Contrast-Enhanced C-arm Computed Tomography Imaging of Myocardial Infarction in the Interventional Suite

PubMed Central

Girard, Erin E; Al-Ahmad, Amin; Rosenberg, Jarrett; Luong, Richard; Moore, Teri; Lauritsch, Günter; Chan, Frandics; Lee, David P.; Fahrig, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Objectives Cardiac C-arm CT uses a standard C-arm fluoroscopy system rotating around the patient to provide CT-like images during interventional procedures without moving the patient to a conventional CT scanner. We hypothesize that C-arm computed tomography (CT) can be used to visualize and quantify the size of perfusion defects and late enhancement resulting from a myocardial infarction (MI) using contrast enhanced techniques similar to previous CT and magnetic resonance imaging studies. Materials and Methods A balloon occlusion followed by reperfusion in a coronary artery was used to study acute and subacute MI in 12 swine. ECG-gated C-arm CT images were acquired the day of infarct creation (n=6) or 4 weeks after infarct creation (n = 6). Images were acquired immediately following contrast injection, then at 1 minute, and every 5 minutes up to 30 minutes with no additional contrast. The volume of the infarct as measured on C-arm CT was compared against pathology. Results The volume of acute MI, visualized as a combined region of hyperenhancement with a hypoenhanced core, correlated well with pathologic staining (concordance correlation = 0.89, p<0.0001, mean difference = 0.67±2.98 cm3). The volume of subacute MI, visualized as a region of hyperenhancement, correlated well with pathologic staining at imaging times 5–15 minutes following contrast injection (concordance correlation = 0.82, p<.001, mean difference = −0.64±1.94 cm3). Conclusions C-arm CT visualization of acute and subacute myocardial infarction is possible in a porcine model but improvement in the imaging technique is important before clinical use. Visualization of MI in the catheterization lab may be possible and could provide 3D images for guidance during interventional procedures. PMID:25635589

Volume of Subclinical Embolic Infarct Correlates to Long-term Cognitive Changes following Carotid Revascularization

PubMed Central

Zhou, Wei; Baughman, Brittanie D; Soman, Salil; Wintermark, Max; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Hitchner, Elizabeth; Bhat, Jyoti; Rosen, Allyson

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE Carotid intervention is safe and effective in stroke prevention in appropriately selected patients. Despite minimal neurologic complications, procedure-related subclinical microemboli are common and their cognitive effects are largely unknown. In this prospective longitudinal study, we sought to determine long-term cognitive effects of embolic infarcts. METHODS 119 patients including 46% symptomatic patients who underwent carotid revascularization were recruited. Neuropsychological testing was administered preoperatively and at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Rey Auditory Learning Test (RAVLT) was the primary cognitive measure with parallel forms to avoid practice effort. All patients also received 3T brain MRIs with a diffusion-weighted sequence (DWI) preoperatively and within 48 hours postoperatively to identify procedure-related new embolic lesions. Each DWI lesion was manually traced and input into a neuroimaging program to define volume. Embolic infarct volumes were correlated with cognitive measures. Regression models were used to identify relationships between infarct volumes and cognitive measures. RESULTS A total 587 DWI lesions were identified on 3T MRI in 81.7% of CAS and 36.4% of CEA patients with a total volume of 29327mm3. Among them, 54 DWI lesions were found in CEA patients and 533 in the CAS patients. Four patients had transient postoperative neurologic symptoms and one had a stroke. CAS was an independent predictor of embolic infarct (OR: 6.6 [2.1–20.4], p<.01) and infarct volume (P=.004). Diabetes and contralateral carotid severe stenosis/occlusion had a trend of positive association with infarct volume, while systolic blood pressure more or equal to 140mmHg had a negative association (P=.1, .09, and .1, respectively). There was a trend of improved RAVLT scores overall following carotid revascularization. Significantly higher infarct volumes were observed among those with RAVLT decline. Within the CAS cohort, infarct volume was negatively correlated with short and long-term RAVLT changes (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Cognitive assessment of procedure-related subclinical microemboli is challenging. Volumes of embolic infarct correlates with long-term cognitive changes, suggesting that micro-embolization should be considered as a surrogate measure for carotid disease management. PMID:28024850

Maximization of DRAM yield by control of surface charge and particle addition during high dose implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, J.; Moffatt, S.

1991-04-01

Ion implantation processing exposes semiconductor devices to an energetic ion beam in order to deposit dopant ions in shallow layers. In addition to this primary process, foreign materials are deposited as particles and surface films. The deposition of particles is a major cause of IC yield loss and becomes even more significant as device dimensions are decreased. Control of particle addition in a high-volume production environment requires procedures to limit beamline and endstation sources, control of particle transport, cleaning procedures and a well grounded preventative maintenance philosophy. Control of surface charge by optimization of the ion beam and electron shower conditions and measurement with a real-time charge sensor has been effective in improving the yield of NMOS and CMOS DRAMs. Control of surface voltages to a range between 0 and -20 V was correlated with good implant yield with PI9200 implanters for p + and n + source-drain implants.

A manual for addressing ineffectiveness within a Corrective Action System and driving on-time dispositions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallari, Lawrence Anthony Castro

This project proposes a manual specifically for remedying an ineffective Corrective Action Request System for Company ABC by providing dispositions within the company's quality procedure. A Corrective Action Request System is a corrective action tool that provides a means for employees to engage in the process improvement, problem elimination cycle. At Company ABC, Corrective Action Recommendations (CARs) are not provided with timely dispositions; CARs are being ignored due to a lack of training and awareness of Company ABC's personnel and quality procedures. In this project, Company ABC's quality management software database is scrutinized to identify the number of delinquent, non-dispositioned CARs in 2014. These CARs are correlated with the number of nonconformances generated for the same issue while the CAR is still open. Using secondary data, the primary investigator finds that nonconformances are being remediated at the operational level. However, at the administrative level, CARS are being ignored and forgotten.

Laparoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Uterine Fibroids

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

Milic, Andrea; Asch, Murray R.; Hawrylyshyn, Peter A.

Four patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids measuring less than 6 cm underwent laparoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using multiprobe-array electrodes. Follow-up of the treated fibroids was performed with gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and patients' symptoms were assessed by telephone interviews. The procedure was initially technically successful in 3 of the 4 patients and MRI studies at 1 month demonstrated complete fibroid ablation. Symptom improvement, including a decrease in menstrual bleeding and pain, was achieved in 2 patients at 3 months. At 7 months, 1 of these 2 patients experienced symptom worsening which correlated with recurrent fibroid on MRI. Themore » third, initially technically successfully treated patient did not experience any symptom relief after the procedure and was ultimately diagnosed with adenomyosis. Our preliminary results suggest that RFA is a technically feasible treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids in appropriately selected patients.« less

Biomarkers and echocardiography for evaluating the improvement of the ventricular diastolic function after surgical relief of hydronephrosis

PubMed Central

Yeh, Huei-Ming; Lin, Ting-Tse; Yeh, Chih-Fan; Huang, Ho-Shiang; Chang, Sheng-Nan; Lin, Jou-Wei; Tsai, Chia-Ti; Lai, Ling-Ping; Huang, Yi-You

2017-01-01

The pathophysiology of cardio-renal syndrome (CRS) is complex. Hydronephrosis caused by urolithiasis may cause cytokine release and lead to cardiac dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiac function changes observed in patients who received double J placement using feasible biomarkers and echocardiography. This was a prospective, single-center study. Eighty-seven patients who presented with acute unilateral hydronephrosis and received ureteroscope stone manipulation were enrolled. Echocardiography and cytokines were measured on the day of the operation and 24 hours after the procedure. Changes before and after surgery were assessed by the paired t-test and Wilcoxon test. Correlation analyses between echocardiographic diastolic indices and cytokine levels were performed using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Patients with hydronephrosis showed a higher left atrium volume index (LAVI), decreased E', and increased E/ E' ratio, which indicated diastolic dysfunction. Patients with hydronephrosis also exhibited decreased global strain rates during isovolumetric relaxation (SRIVR) and E/ SRIVR, which confirmed the diastolic dysfunction. Significant reductions in LAVI, increases in SRIVR and decreases in E/ SRIVR were observed after the operation. Biomarkers, such as TGF-β and serum NT-proBNP, were significantly decreased after surgery. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between the post-surgical decrease in TGF-β1 and increase in SRIVR. Unilateral hydronephrosis causes cardiac diastolic dysfunction, and relieving hydronephrosis could improve diastolic function. Improvements in cardiac dysfunction can be evaluated by echocardiography and measuring cytokine levels. The results of this study will inform efforts to improve the early diagnosis of CRS and prevent further deterioration of cardiac function when treating patients with hydronephrosis. PMID:29161313

Biomarkers and echocardiography for evaluating the improvement of the ventricular diastolic function after surgical relief of hydronephrosis.

PubMed

Yeh, Huei-Ming; Lin, Ting-Tse; Yeh, Chih-Fan; Huang, Ho-Shiang; Chang, Sheng-Nan; Lin, Jou-Wei; Tsai, Chia-Ti; Lai, Ling-Ping; Huang, Yi-You; Chu, Chun-Lin

2017-01-01

The pathophysiology of cardio-renal syndrome (CRS) is complex. Hydronephrosis caused by urolithiasis may cause cytokine release and lead to cardiac dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiac function changes observed in patients who received double J placement using feasible biomarkers and echocardiography. This was a prospective, single-center study. Eighty-seven patients who presented with acute unilateral hydronephrosis and received ureteroscope stone manipulation were enrolled. Echocardiography and cytokines were measured on the day of the operation and 24 hours after the procedure. Changes before and after surgery were assessed by the paired t-test and Wilcoxon test. Correlation analyses between echocardiographic diastolic indices and cytokine levels were performed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Patients with hydronephrosis showed a higher left atrium volume index (LAVI), decreased E', and increased E/ E' ratio, which indicated diastolic dysfunction. Patients with hydronephrosis also exhibited decreased global strain rates during isovolumetric relaxation (SRIVR) and E/ SRIVR, which confirmed the diastolic dysfunction. Significant reductions in LAVI, increases in SRIVR and decreases in E/ SRIVR were observed after the operation. Biomarkers, such as TGF-β and serum NT-proBNP, were significantly decreased after surgery. In addition, a significant correlation was observed between the post-surgical decrease in TGF-β1 and increase in SRIVR. Unilateral hydronephrosis causes cardiac diastolic dysfunction, and relieving hydronephrosis could improve diastolic function. Improvements in cardiac dysfunction can be evaluated by echocardiography and measuring cytokine levels. The results of this study will inform efforts to improve the early diagnosis of CRS and prevent further deterioration of cardiac function when treating patients with hydronephrosis.

Electromagnetic information transfer through aqueous system.

PubMed

Foletti, Alberto; Ledda, Mario; Lolli, Maria Grazia; Grimaldi, Settimio; Lisi, Antonella

2017-01-01

Several beneficial effects of the electromagnetic information transfer through aqueous system (EMITTAS) procedure have previously been reported in vitro. The clinical potential of this procedure has also started to be evaluated. Information flow in biological systems can be investigated through chemical and molecular approaches or by a biophysical approach focused on endogenous electrodynamic activities. Electromagnetic signals are endogenously generated at different levels of the biological organization and, likely, play an active role in synchronizing internal cell function or local/systemic adaptive response. Consequently, each adaptive response can be described by its specific electromagnetic pattern and, therefore, correlates with a unique and specific electromagnetic signature. A biophysical procedure synchronously integrating the EMITTAS procedure has already been applied for the treatment of articular pain, low-back pain, neck pain and mobility, fluctuating asymmetry, early-stage chronic kidney disease, refractory gynecological infections, minor anxiety and depression disorders. This clinical strategy involves a single treatment, since the EMITTAS procedure allows the patient to continue his/her own personal treatment at home by means of self-administration of the recorded aqueous system. A significant and long-lasting improvement has been reported, showing a potential beneficial use of this biophysical procedure in the management of common illnesses in an efficient, effective and personalized way. Data from recent studies suggest that aqueous systems may play a key role in providing the basis for recording, storing, transferring and retrieving clinically effective quanta of biological information. These features likely enable to trigger local and systemic self-regulation and self-regeneration potential of the organism.

Using Gagne's theory to teach procedural skills.

PubMed

Buscombe, Charlotte

2013-10-01

Many key medical procedures are performed every day in clinical practice to yield important diagnostic information and to help determine the disease response to intensive treatments. Training clinicians to perform procedures competently and confidently thus carries considerable weight, helping to assure patient safety, the obtainment of adequate samples and minimising patient discomfort. This article considers how Robert Gagne's instructional design model may be effectively used to design lesson plans and teach procedural skills in small group settings. Gagne's model is based upon the information-processing model of mental events that occur when adults are presented with various stimuli. It highlights nine specific instructional events, which correlate with crucial conditions of learning, and are arranged to maximally enhance the learning process, improve session flow and, ultimately, ensure lesson objectives are comprehensively addressed. This article uses the nine points described by Gagne to outline a comprehensive lesson guide for teaching psychomotor skills, using a bone-marrow aspirate procedure as an example. Each of Gagne's instructional events is considered with specific activities for each, and with the variety of activities delineated to meet diverse learning styles. Gagne's instructional events can produce an effective and comprehensive lesson plan for teaching procedural skills, preparing learners with various preferred learning styles to perform psychomotor skills competently in clinical practice. This lesson plan can be of use for both teachers and students across clinical specialties, encouragingly outlining how Gagne's systematic and widely referenced theory can be creatively and practically used. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trends and drivers of the aesthetic market during a turbulent economy.

PubMed

Wilson, Stelios C; Soares, Marc A; Reavey, Patrick L; Saadeh, Pierre B

2014-06-01

Aesthetic procedures are significant sources of revenue for plastic surgeons. With the popularity of nonsurgical aesthetic procedures, many plastic surgeons question how to best tailor their aesthetic practice. Revenue generated from surgical and minimally invasive aesthetic procedures performed in the United States between 2000 and 2011 was calculated from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' annual reports. Regression analysis was performed against six commonly cited economic indicators. In 2011, revenue from minimally invasive procedures increased from $3.0 billion to $5.7 billion (90 percent growth), whereas revenue from surgical procedures decreased from $6.6 billion to $6.0 billion (10 percent decline). Between 2000 and 2011, minimally invasive procedure market share grew from 30 percent to nearly 50 percent. Linear regression analysis revealed significant correlations between surgical procedure revenue and indicators of macroeconomic climate: Dow Jones Industrial Average (R = 0.72; p < 0.01), Standard & Poor's 500 Index (R = 0.64, p < 0.05), and unemployment rate (R = -0.81; p < 0.001). Minimally invasive procedure revenue was significantly correlated with indicators related to microeconomic decision trends: disposable income per capita (R = 0.93; p < 0.001), real gross domestic product per capita (R = 0.88; p < 0.001), and home price index (R = 0.63; p < 0.05). No economic indicator in this study was found to be significantly correlated with both surgical and minimally invasive revenue. Despite economic turbulence, minimally invasive procedures are the most rapidly growing source of revenue and are poised to be the dominant source of revenue in the aesthetic market.

Intraclass Correlation Coefficients in Hierarchical Design Studies with Discrete Response Variables: A Note on a Direct Interval Estimation Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Marcoulides, George A.

2015-01-01

A latent variable modeling procedure that can be used to evaluate intraclass correlation coefficients in two-level settings with discrete response variables is discussed. The approach is readily applied when the purpose is to furnish confidence intervals at prespecified confidence levels for these coefficients in setups with binary or ordinal…

High-speed technique based on a parallel projection correlation procedure for digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaripov, D. I.; Renfu, Li

2018-05-01

The implementation of high-efficiency digital image correlation methods based on a zero-normalized cross-correlation (ZNCC) procedure for high-speed, time-resolved measurements using a high-resolution digital camera is associated with big data processing and is often time consuming. In order to speed-up ZNCC computation, a high-speed technique based on a parallel projection correlation procedure is proposed. The proposed technique involves the use of interrogation window projections instead of its two-dimensional field of luminous intensity. This simplification allows acceleration of ZNCC computation up to 28.8 times compared to ZNCC calculated directly, depending on the size of interrogation window and region of interest. The results of three synthetic test cases, such as a one-dimensional uniform flow, a linear shear flow and a turbulent boundary-layer flow, are discussed in terms of accuracy. In the latter case, the proposed technique is implemented together with an iterative window-deformation technique. On the basis of the results of the present work, the proposed technique is recommended to be used for initial velocity field calculation, with further correction using more accurate techniques.

Effects of dialectical behaviour therapy-mindfulness training on emotional reactivity in borderline personality disorder: preliminary results.

PubMed

Feliu-Soler, Albert; Pascual, Juan C; Borràs, Xavier; Portella, Maria J; Martín-Blanco, Ana; Armario, Antonio; Alvarez, Enric; Pérez, Víctor; Soler, Joaquim

2014-01-01

Emotional dysregulation has been proposed as a hallmark of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Mindfulness techniques taught in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) appear to be effective in reducing affective symptoms and may enhance emotion regulation in BPD patients. In the present study, we assessed whether 10 weeks of DBT-mindfulness (DBT-M) training added to general psychiatric management (GPM) could improve emotion regulation in BPD patients. A total of 35 patients with BPD were included and sequentially assigned to GPM (n = 17) or GPM plus DBT-M (n = 18). Participants underwent a negative emotion induction procedure (presentation of standardized unpleasant images) both pre-intervention and post-intervention. Clinical evaluation was also performed before and after treatment. No differences were observed in emotional response at the post-treatment session. However, patients in the DBT-M group showed greater improvement in clinical symptoms. Formal mindfulness practice was positively correlated with clinical improvements and lower self-reported emotional reactivity. Our preliminary results suggest that mindfulness training reduces some psychiatric symptoms but may not have a clear effect on how patients respond to emotional stimuli in an experimental setting. No clear effect of mindfulness training was observed on emotional response to a negative emotion induction procedure. Application of the DBT-M module jointly to GPM induced better clinical outcomes than GPM alone. Formal mindfulness practice showed a positive impact on emotion regulation and clinical improvement. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Working memory training may increase working memory capacity but not fluid intelligence.

PubMed

Harrison, Tyler L; Shipstead, Zach; Hicks, Kenny L; Hambrick, David Z; Redick, Thomas S; Engle, Randall W

2013-12-01

Working memory is a critical element of complex cognition, particularly under conditions of distraction and interference. Measures of working memory capacity correlate positively with many measures of real-world cognition, including fluid intelligence. There have been numerous attempts to use training procedures to increase working memory capacity and thereby performance on the real-world tasks that rely on working memory capacity. In the study reported here, we demonstrated that training on complex working memory span tasks leads to improvement on similar tasks with different materials but that such training does not generalize to measures of fluid intelligence.

Retrospective analysis of technical success rate and procedure-related complications of 867 percutaneous CT-guided needle biopsies of lung lesions.

PubMed

Mills, M; Choi, J; El-Haddad, G; Sweeney, J; Biebel, B; Robinson, L; Antonia, S; Kumar, A; Kis, B

2017-12-01

To investigate the technical success rate and procedure-related complications of computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy of lung lesions and to identify the factors that are correlated with the occurrence of procedure-related complications. This was a single- institution retrospective study of 867 consecutive CT-guided needle biopsies of lung lesions performed on 772 patients in a tertiary cancer centre. The technical success rate and complications were correlated with patient, lung lesion, and procedure-related variables. The technical success rate was 87.2% and the mortality rate was 0.12%. Of the 867 total biopsies 25.7% were associated with pneumothorax, and 6.5% required chest tube drainage. The haemothorax rate was 1.8%. There was positive correlation between the development of pneumothorax and smaller lesion diameter (p<0.001), longer transparenchymal distance (p<0.001), and prone position (p=0.027). There was positive correlation between the need for chest tube placement and longer transparenchymal distance (p=0.007) and smaller lesion diameter (p=0.018). Lesions in the left lower lobe had the lowest rates of pneumothorax (p=0.008) and chest tube drainage (p=0.018). Patients whose pneumothoraces were diagnosed on the follow-up chest X-ray, but not on the immediate post-procedural CT scan had significantly higher requirement for chest tube drainage (p=0.039). CT-guided lung biopsy has a high rate of technical success and a low rate of major complications. The present study has revealed several variables that can be used to identify high-risk procedures. A post-procedural chest X-ray within hours after the procedure is highly recommended to identify high-risk patients who require chest tube placement. Copyright © 2017 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of a simplified titration method for monitoring volatile fatty acids in anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Sun, Hao; Guo, Jianbin; Wu, Shubiao; Liu, Fang; Dong, Renjie

2017-09-01

The volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration has been considered as one of the most sensitive process performance indicators in anaerobic digestion (AD) process. However, the accurate determination of VFAs concentration in AD processes normally requires advanced equipment and complex pretreatment procedures. A simplified method with fewer sample pretreatment procedures and improved accuracy is greatly needed, particularly for on-site application. This report outlines improvements to the Nordmann method, one of the most popular titrations used for VFA monitoring. The influence of ion and solid interfering subsystems in titrated samples on results accuracy was discussed. The total solid content in titrated samples was the main factor affecting accuracy in VFA monitoring. Moreover, a high linear correlation was established between the total solids contents and VFA measurement differences between the traditional Nordmann equation and gas chromatography (GC). Accordingly, a simplified titration method was developed and validated using a semi-continuous experiment of chicken manure anaerobic digestion with various organic loading rates. The good fitting of the results obtained by this method in comparison with GC results strongly supported the potential application of this method to VFA monitoring. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Treatment of hyperplastic inferior nasal turbinates by means of a Ho:YAG laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sroka, Ronald; Leunig, Andreas; Janda, P.; Rosler, P.; Grevers, G.; Baumgartner, Reinhold

1999-06-01

Although the successful use of the Ho:YAG laser in nasal turbinate surgery had been reported no clinical study had been performed to assess the clinical outcome in longterm. By means of a pulsed Ho:YAG laser emitting at λ=2080nm (1J/pulse, 3-8 Hz) 57 patients suffering from nasal obstruction due to allergic rhinitis and vasomotoric rhinitis were treated under local anesthesia. The study was conducted by standardized questionnaire, photo documentation, allergy test, mucocilliar test, rhinomanometry, radiology and histology. Within 2 weeks after laser treatment a significant improvement of nasal airflow correlating to the extent of the ablated turbinate tissue could be determined. This effect lasted up until 1 year post treatment resulting in an improved quality of life in more than 80 percent of the patients. Side effects like nasal dryness and pain were rare (<4%), no immediate complications were observed. The total treatment time takes 3-8 min and nasal packing was not necessary after the laser procedure. In conclusion Ho:YAG laser treatment can be performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with excellent ablation of soft tissue in a short treatment time with promising results.

Gctf: Real-time CTF determination and correction

PubMed Central

Zhang, Kai

2016-01-01

Accurate estimation of the contrast transfer function (CTF) is critical for a near-atomic resolution cryo electron microscopy (cryoEM) reconstruction. Here, a GPU-accelerated computer program, Gctf, for accurate and robust, real-time CTF determination is presented. The main target of Gctf is to maximize the cross-correlation of a simulated CTF with the logarithmic amplitude spectra (LAS) of observed micrographs after background subtraction. Novel approaches in Gctf improve both speed and accuracy. In addition to GPU acceleration (e.g. 10–50×), a fast ‘1-dimensional search plus 2-dimensional refinement (1S2R)’ procedure further speeds up Gctf. Based on the global CTF determination, the local defocus for each particle and for single frames of movies is accurately refined, which improves CTF parameters of all particles for subsequent image processing. Novel diagnosis method using equiphase averaging (EPA) and self-consistency verification procedures have also been implemented in the program for practical use, especially for aims of near-atomic reconstruction. Gctf is an independent program and the outputs can be easily imported into other cryoEM software such as Relion (Scheres, 2012) and Frealign (Grigorieff, 2007). The results from several representative datasets are shown and discussed in this paper. PMID:26592709

Medical students' clerkship experiences and self-perceived competence in clinical skills.

PubMed

Katowa-Mukwato, P; Andrews, B; Maimbolwa, M; Lakhi, S; Michelo, C; Mulla, Y; Banda, S S

2014-01-01

In a traditional curriculum, medical students are expected to acquire clinical competence through the apprenticeship model using the Halstedian "see one, do one, and teach one, approach". The University of Zambia School of Medicine used a traditional curriculum model from 1966 until 2011 when a competence-based curriculum was implemented. To explore medical students' clerkships experiences and self-perceived competence in clinical skills. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 5th, 6 th , and 7 th year medical students of the University of Zambia, School of Medicine two months prior to final examinations. Students were asked to rate their clerkship experiences with respect to specific skills on a scale of 1 to 4 and their level of self-perceived competence on a scale of 1 to 3. Skills evaluated were in four main domains: history taking and communication, physical examination, procedural, and professionalism, team work and medical decision making. Using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS), correlations were performed between experiences and self-perceived competence on specific skills, within domains and overall. Out of 197 clinical students 138 (70%) participated in the survey. The results showed significant increase in the proportion of students performing different skills and reporting feeling very competent with each additional clinical year. Overall correlations between experience and self-perceived competence were moderate (0.55). On individual skills, the highest correlation between experience and self-perceived competence were observed on mainly medical and surgical related procedural skills with the highest at 0.82 for nasal gastric tube insertion and 0.76 for endotracheal intubation. Despite the general improvement in skills experiences and self-perceived competence, some deficiencies were noted as significant numbers of final year students had never attempted common important procedures especially those performed in emergency situations. Deficiencies in certain skills may call for incorporation of teaching/learning methods that broaden students' exposure to such skills.

Predicting the Best Fit: A Comparison of Response Surface Models for Midazolam and Alfentanil Sedation in Procedures With Varying Stimulation.

PubMed

Liou, Jing-Yang; Ting, Chien-Kun; Mandell, M Susan; Chang, Kuang-Yi; Teng, Wei-Nung; Huang, Yu-Yin; Tsou, Mei-Yung

2016-08-01

Selecting an effective dose of sedative drugs in combined upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy is complicated by varying degrees of pain stimulation. We tested the ability of 5 response surface models to predict depth of sedation after administration of midazolam and alfentanil in this complex model. The procedure was divided into 3 phases: esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), colonoscopy, and the time interval between the 2 (intersession). The depth of sedation in 33 adult patients was monitored by Observer Assessment of Alertness/Scores. A total of 218 combinations of midazolam and alfentanil effect-site concentrations derived from pharmacokinetic models were used to test 5 response surface models in each of the 3 phases of endoscopy. Model fit was evaluated with objective function value, corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc), and Spearman ranked correlation. A model was arbitrarily defined as accurate if the predicted probability is <0.5 from the observed response. The effect-site concentrations tested ranged from 1 to 76 ng/mL and from 5 to 80 ng/mL for midazolam and alfentanil, respectively. Midazolam and alfentanil had synergistic effects in colonoscopy and EGD, but additivity was observed in the intersession group. Adequate prediction rates were 84% to 85% in the intersession group, 84% to 88% during colonoscopy, and 82% to 87% during EGD. The reduced Greco and Fixed alfentanil concentration required for 50% of the patients to achieve targeted response Hierarchy models performed better with comparable predictive strength. The reduced Greco model had the lowest AICc with strong correlation in all 3 phases of endoscopy. Dynamic, rather than fixed, γ and γalf in the Hierarchy model improved model fit. The reduced Greco model had the lowest objective function value and AICc and thus the best fit. This model was reliable with acceptable predictive ability based on adequate clinical correlation. We suggest that this model has practical clinical value for patients undergoing procedures with varying degrees of stimulation.

Quantized correlation coefficient for measuring reproducibility of ChIP-chip data.

PubMed

Peng, Shouyong; Kuroda, Mitzi I; Park, Peter J

2010-07-27

Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by microarray hybridization (ChIP-chip) is used to study protein-DNA interactions and histone modifications on a genome-scale. To ensure data quality, these experiments are usually performed in replicates, and a correlation coefficient between replicates is used often to assess reproducibility. However, the correlation coefficient can be misleading because it is affected not only by the reproducibility of the signal but also by the amount of binding signal present in the data. We develop the Quantized correlation coefficient (QCC) that is much less dependent on the amount of signal. This involves discretization of data into set of quantiles (quantization), a merging procedure to group the background probes, and recalculation of the Pearson correlation coefficient. This procedure reduces the influence of the background noise on the statistic, which then properly focuses more on the reproducibility of the signal. The performance of this procedure is tested in both simulated and real ChIP-chip data. For replicates with different levels of enrichment over background and coverage, we find that QCC reflects reproducibility more accurately and is more robust than the standard Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients. The quantization and the merging procedure can also suggest a proper quantile threshold for separating signal from background for further analysis. To measure reproducibility of ChIP-chip data correctly, a correlation coefficient that is robust to the amount of signal present should be used. QCC is one such measure. The QCC statistic can also be applied in a variety of other contexts for measuring reproducibility, including analysis of array CGH data for DNA copy number and gene expression data.

UNO DMRG CASCI calculations of effective exchange integrals for m-phenylene-bis-methylene spin clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawakami, Takashi; Sano, Shinsuke; Saito, Toru; Sharma, Sandeep; Shoji, Mitsuo; Yamada, Satoru; Takano, Yu; Yamanaka, Shusuke; Okumura, Mitsutaka; Nakajima, Takahito; Yamaguchi, Kizashi

2017-09-01

Theoretical examinations of the ferromagnetic coupling in the m-phenylene-bis-methylene molecule and its oligomer were carried out. These systems are good candidates for exchange-coupled systems to investigate strong electronic correlations. We studied effective exchange integrals (J), which indicated magnetic coupling between interacting spins in these species. First, theoretical calculations based on a broken-symmetry single-reference procedure, i.e. the UHF, UMP2, UMP4, UCCSD(T) and UB3LYP methods, were carried out with a GAUSSIAN program code under an SR wave function. From these results, the J value by the UHF method was largely positive because of the strong ferromagnetic spin polarisation effect. The J value by the UCCSD(T) and UB3LYP methods improved an overestimation problem by correcting the dynamical electronic correlation. Next, magnetic coupling among these spins was studied using the CAS-based method of the symmetry-adapted multireference methods procedure. Thus, the UNO DMRG CASCI (UNO, unrestricted natural orbital; DMRG, density matrix renormalised group; CASCI, complete active space configuration interaction) method was mainly employed with a combination of ORCA and BLOCK program codes. DMRG CASCI calculations in valence electron counting, which included all orbitals to full valence CI, provided the most reliable result, and support the UB3LYP method for extended systems.

Assessment of anxiety in open field and elevated plus maze using infrared thermography.

PubMed

Lecorps, Benjamin; Rödel, Heiko G; Féron, Christophe

2016-04-01

Due to their direct inaccessibility, affective states are classically assessed by gathering concomitant physiological and behavioral measures. Although such a dual approach to assess emotional states is frequently used in different species including humans, the invasiveness of procedures for physiological recordings particularly in smaller-sized animals strongly restricts their application. We used infrared thermography, a non-invasive method, to assess physiological arousal during open field and elevated plus maze tests in mice. By measuring changes in surface temperature indicative of the animals' emotional response, we aimed to improve the inherently limited and still controversial information provided by behavioral parameters commonly used in these tests. Our results showed significant and consistent thermal responses during both tests, in accordance with classical physiological responses occurring in stressful situations. Besides, we found correlations between these thermal responses and the occurrence of anxiety-related behaviors. Furthermore, initial temperatures measured at the start of each procedure (open field, elevated plus maze), which can be interpreted as a measure of the animals' initial physiological arousal, predicted the levels of activity and of anxiety-related behaviors displayed during the tests. Our results stress the strong link between physiological correlates of emotions and behaviors expressed during unconditioned fear tests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optoelectronic and photonic sensors of mastitis in cow milk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borecki, M.; Niemiec, T.; Korwin-Pawlowski, M. L.; Kuczyńska, B.; Doroz, P.; Urbańska, K.; Szmidt, M.; Szmidt, J.

2013-07-01

Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland in animals under the influence of micro-organisms causing functional disorder of udder. Mastitis causes a variety of qualitative changes in the milk, which classified as mastitis milk, has a reduced value. A number of chemical procedures and lab instruments were developed to test for mastitis, of which the widest used are the California mastitis test and the somatic cell counter. This work presents the progress in development of new photonic sensors of mastitis using a conductometer, a spectrometer and a capillary head with local heating with improved measuring procedures. We showed that the significant increase in mastitis detection sensitivity is achieved by measuring the whey acidic instead of milk. The whey can be obtained from milk in a relatively simple and inexpensive chemical process. We correlated the conductivity measurement and the measurement of the number of somatic cells in the milk. The application of the measurement of optical transmission absorption in whey instead of the classic milk measurement increases the resolution of resistance measuring more than 3 times. However, the application of the method of capillary phase-transition to whey examination increases the resolution of measurement 15 times. The changes in resistance and time of the phase transitions are linearly correlated with the number of somatic cells.

A stand-alone lateral condyle-elevating trochlear osteotomy leads to high residual instability but no excessive increase in patellofemoral osteoarthritis at 12-year follow-up.

PubMed

Tigchelaar, S; van Sambeeck, J; Koeter, S; van Kampen, A

2018-04-01

Trochlear osteotomy is a rarely performed procedure, only indicated in selected cases. Due to its nature, it can potentially lead to cartilage damage and subsequent early osteoarthritis. Satisfactory short-term results from lateral condyle-elevating osteotomy have previously been reported. The long-term effects of this procedure on clinical outcomes, patellar stability and radiological osteoarthritis are reported here. Sixteen patients (19 knees) with patellar instability due to trochlear dysplasia were included. An isolated lateral condyle-elevating trochlear osteotomy was performed between 1995 and 2002. All patients were re-examined at a minimum of 12-year follow-up. Three patients were lost to follow-up, and one patient underwent a patellofemoral arthroplasty 3 years post-operatively due to progressive osteoarthritis. Complete follow-up was therefore available in 12 patients (15 knees). Recurrent instability, VAS pain, WOMAC, Lysholm and Kujala scores were used as outcome measures. Radiological osteoarthritis was recorded using the Iwano and the Kellgren-Lawrence classifications. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to test for repeated measures (pre-operative, 2-year and final follow-up), and Spearman's correlation coefficient for relationships between osteoarthritis and functional scores. At final follow-up, VAS pain showed a non-significant improvement from 52 to 25, and the median Kujala score was 78. Median Lysholm (54-71, p = 0.021) and WOMAC (78-96, p = 0.021) scores improved from the pre-operative assessment to final follow-up. There was no significant difference observed between clinical scores at the 2-year and final follow-up. Residual patellar instability was reported in four out of 15 knees. Three knees showed no patellofemoral osteoarthritis, eight knees had grade 1 and four knees grade 2. No correlation between VAS pain, Lysholm, WOMAC or Kujala scores and osteoarthritis could be identified (n.s.). A stand-alone lateral condyle-elevating trochleoplasty results in the significant improvement of most clinical scores; however, when performed as a stand-alone procedure, it leads to a high percentage of residual instability. In contrast to general belief, the development of patellofemoral osteoarthritis at 12-year follow-up did not exceed the findings from other trochleoplasty case series. Case series with no comparison group, Level IV.

Attenuation of harmonic noise in vibroseis data using Simulated Annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, S. P.; Tildy, Peter; Iranpour, Kambiz; Scholtz, Peter

2009-04-01

Processing of high productivity vibroseis seismic data (such as slip-sweep acquisition records) suffers from the well known disadvantage of harmonic distortion. Harmonic distortions are observed after cross-correlation of the recorded seismic signal with the pilot sweep and affect the signals in negative time (before the actual strong reflection event). Weak reflection events of the earlier sweeps falling in the negative time window of the cross-correlation sequence are being masked by harmonic distortions. Though the amplitude of the harmonic distortion is small (up to 10-20 %) compared to the fundamental amplitude of the reflection events, but it is significant enough to mask weak reflected signals. Elimination of harmonic noise due to source signal distortion from the cross-correlated seismic trace is a challenging task since the application of vibratory sources started and it still needs improvement. An approach has been worked out that minimizes the level of harmonic distortion by designing the signal similar to the harmonic distortion. An arbitrary length filter is optimized using the Simulated Annealing global optimization approach to design a harmonic signal. The approach deals with the convolution of a ratio trace (ratio of the harmonics with respect to the fundamental sweep) with the correlated "positive time" recorded signal and an arbitrary filter. Synthetic data study has revealed that this procedure of designing a signal similar to the desired harmonics using convolution of a suitable filter with theoretical ratio of harmonics with fundamental sweep helps in reducing the problem of harmonic distortion. Once we generate a similar signal for a vibroseis source using an optimized filter, then, this filter could be used to generate harmonics, which can be subtracted from the main cross-correlated trace to get the better, undistorted image of the subsurface. Designing the predicted harmonics to reduce the energy in the trace by considering weak reflection and observed harmonics together yields the desired result (resolution of weak reflected signal from the harmonic distortion). As optimization steps proceeds forward it is possible to observe from the difference plots of desired and predicted harmonics how weak reflections evolved from the harmonic distortion gradually during later iterations of global optimization. The procedure is applied in resolving weak reflections from a number of traces considered together. For a more precise design of harmonics SA procedure needs longer computation time which is impractical to deal with voluminous seismic data. However, the objective of resolving weak reflection signal in the strong harmonic noise can be achieved with fast computation using faster cooling schedule and less number of iterations and number of moves in simulated annealing procedure. This process could help in reducing the harmonics distortion and achieving the objective of resolving the lost weak reflection events in the cross-correlated seismic traces. Acknowledgements: The research was supported under the European Marie Curie Host Fellowships for Transfer of Knowledge (TOK) Development Host Scheme (contract no. MTKD-CT-2006-042537).

A comparison of Google Glass and traditional video vantage points for bedside procedural skill assessment.

PubMed

Evans, Heather L; O'Shea, Dylan J; Morris, Amy E; Keys, Kari A; Wright, Andrew S; Schaad, Douglas C; Ilgen, Jonathan S

2016-02-01

This pilot study assessed the feasibility of using first person (1P) video recording with Google Glass (GG) to assess procedural skills, as compared with traditional third person (3P) video. We hypothesized that raters reviewing 1P videos would visualize more procedural steps with greater inter-rater reliability than 3P rating vantages. Seven subjects performed simulated internal jugular catheter insertions. Procedures were recorded by both Google Glass and an observer's head-mounted camera. Videos were assessed by 3 expert raters using a task-specific checklist (CL) and both an additive- and summative-global rating scale (GRS). Mean scores were compared by t-tests. Inter-rater reliabilities were calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients. The 1P vantage was associated with a significantly higher mean CL score than the 3P vantage (7.9 vs 6.9, P = .02). Mean GRS scores were not significantly different. Mean inter-rater reliabilities for the CL, additive-GRS, and summative-GRS were similar between vantages. 1P vantage recordings may improve visualization of tasks for behaviorally anchored instruments (eg, CLs), whereas maintaining similar global ratings and inter-rater reliability when compared with conventional 3P vantage recordings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analytic tests and their relation to jet fuel thermal stability

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

Heneghan, S.P.; Kauffman, R.E.

1995-05-01

The evaluation of jet fuel thermal stability (TS) by simple analytic procedures has long been a goal of fuels chemists. The reason is obvious: if the analytic chemist can determine which types of material cause his test to respond, the refiners will know which materials to remove to improve stability. Complicating this quest is the lack of an acceptable quantitative TS test with which to compare any analytic procedures. To circumvent this problem, we recently compiled the results of TS tests for 12 fuels using six separate test procedures. The results covering a range of flow and temperature conditions showmore » that TS is not as dependent on test conditions as previously thought. Also, comparing the results from these tests with several analytic procedures shows that either a measure of the number of phenols or the total sulfur present in jet fuels is strongly indicative of the TS. The phenols have been measured using a cyclic voltammetry technique and the polar material by gas chromatography (atomic emission detection) following a solid phase extraction on silica gel. The polar material has been identified as mainly phenols (by mass spectrometry identification). Measures of the total acid number or peroxide concentration have little correlation with TS.« less

How do laboratory technicians perceive their role in the tuberculosis diagnostic process? A cross-sectional study among laboratory technicians in health centers of Central Java Province, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Widjanarko, Bagoes; Widyastari, Dyah Anantalia; Martini, Martini; Ginandjar, Praba

2016-01-01

Purpose Detection of acid-fast bacilli in respiratory specimens serves as an initial pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Laboratories are the essential and fundamental part of all health systems. This study aimed to describe how laboratory technicians perceived their own self and work. This included perceived self-efficacy, perceived role, perceived equipment availability, perceived procedures, perceived reward and job, and perceived benefit of health education, as well as level of knowledge and attitudes related to work performance of laboratory technicians. Methods This was a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 120 laboratory technicians conducted in Central Java. Interviews and observation were conducted to measure performance and work-related variables. Results Among 120 laboratory technicians, 43.3% showed fairly good performance. They complied with 50%–75% of all procedures, including sputum collection, laboratory tools utilization, sputum smearing, staining, smear examination, grading of results, and universal precaution practice. Perceived role, perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of laboratory procedures were significantly correlated to performance, besides education and years of working as a laboratory technician. Perceived equipment availability was also significantly correlated to performance after the education variable was controlled. Conclusion Most of the laboratory technicians believed that they have an important role in TB patients’ treatment and should display proper self-efficacy in performing laboratory activities. The result may serve as a basic consideration to develop a policy for enhancing motivation of laboratory technicians in order to improve the TB control program. PMID:27660502

Alternative Method for Creating Fine Hairs with Hair Removal Laser in Hair Transplantation for Hairline Correction

PubMed Central

Park, Hyun Sun; Kim, Jin Yong; Choe, Yun Seon; Han, Wonseok; An, Jee Soo

2015-01-01

Background Foremost fine hairs in the frontal hairline region are critical in hair transplantation for hairline correction (HTHC) in women. However, there are few studies on a nonsurgical revisionary method for improving an unnatural foremost hairline with thick donor hairs resulting from a previous HTHC. Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of using a hair removal laser (HRL) system to create fine hairs in Asian women with thick donor hairs. Methods Through a retrospective chart review, the HRL parameters, hair diameter (measured with a micrometer before and after the procedures), subjective results after the procedures, adverse effects, and the number of procedures were investigated. The reduction rate of the hair diameter was calculated. Results Twenty-four women who received long-pulse Neodymium-Doped:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet therapy after HTHC were included. The parameters were as follows: delivered laser energy, 35~36 J/cm2; pulse duration, 6 ms; and spot size, 10 mm. The mean number of laser sessions was 2.6. The mean hair diameter significantly decreased from 80.0±11.5 µm to 58.4±13.2 µm (p=0.00). The mean rate of hair diameter reduction was -25.7% (range, -44.6% to 5.7%). The number of laser sessions and the hair diameter after the procedures showed a negative correlation (r=-0.410, p=0.046). Most of the patients (87.5%) reported subjective improvement of their hairlines. Most complications were transient and mild. Conclusion HRL can be an alternative method for creating fine hairs and revising foremost hairline in Asian women with thick donor hairs. PMID:25673927

An improved method for bivariate meta-analysis when within-study correlations are unknown.

PubMed

Hong, Chuan; D Riley, Richard; Chen, Yong

2018-03-01

Multivariate meta-analysis, which jointly analyzes multiple and possibly correlated outcomes in a single analysis, is becoming increasingly popular in recent years. An attractive feature of the multivariate meta-analysis is its ability to account for the dependence between multiple estimates from the same study. However, standard inference procedures for multivariate meta-analysis require the knowledge of within-study correlations, which are usually unavailable. This limits standard inference approaches in practice. Riley et al proposed a working model and an overall synthesis correlation parameter to account for the marginal correlation between outcomes, where the only data needed are those required for a separate univariate random-effects meta-analysis. As within-study correlations are not required, the Riley method is applicable to a wide variety of evidence synthesis situations. However, the standard variance estimator of the Riley method is not entirely correct under many important settings. As a consequence, the coverage of a function of pooled estimates may not reach the nominal level even when the number of studies in the multivariate meta-analysis is large. In this paper, we improve the Riley method by proposing a robust variance estimator, which is asymptotically correct even when the model is misspecified (ie, when the likelihood function is incorrect). Simulation studies of a bivariate meta-analysis, in a variety of settings, show a function of pooled estimates has improved performance when using the proposed robust variance estimator. In terms of individual pooled estimates themselves, the standard variance estimator and robust variance estimator give similar results to the original method, with appropriate coverage. The proposed robust variance estimator performs well when the number of studies is relatively large. Therefore, we recommend the use of the robust method for meta-analyses with a relatively large number of studies (eg, m≥50). When the sample size is relatively small, we recommend the use of the robust method under the working independence assumption. We illustrate the proposed method through 2 meta-analyses. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reanalysis, compatibility and correlation in analysis of modified antenna structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, R.

1989-01-01

A simple computational procedure is synthesized to process changes in the microwave-antenna pathlength-error measure when there are changes in the antenna structure model. The procedure employs structural modification reanalysis methods combined with new extensions of correlation analysis to provide the revised rms pathlength error. Mainframe finite-element-method processing of the structure model is required only for the initial unmodified structure, and elementary postprocessor computations develop and deal with the effects of the changes. Several illustrative computational examples are included. The procedure adapts readily to processing spectra of changes for parameter studies or sensitivity analyses.

Assessment of satisfaction and Quality of Life using self - reported questionnaires after urethroplasty: a prospective analysis

PubMed Central

Lucas, Eduardo Terra; Koff, Walter José; Rosito, Tiago Elias; Berger, Milton; Bortolini, Tiago; Silva, Brasil

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives To assess patient satisfaction and quality of life after urethroplasty using two different self-reported outcome measures and to compare it with objective clinical data. Materials and Methods We prospectively collected data from 35 consecutive patients who underwent urethroplasty from January 2013 to September 2014. Patient demographics, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life score, urethral stricture surgery patient-reported outcome measure (USS-PROM), maximum flow rate (Qmax) and post-void residual urine were collected before, two and eight months after surgery. Failure occurred when any postoperative instrumentation was performed. General estimation equation was used to compare the results and linear regression analysis to correlate both questionnaires with objective data. Results Mean age was 61 years. Urethroplasties were equally divided between anastomotic and buccal mucosa grafts and 19 patients (59.3%) had a previous urethral procedure. Overall success rate was 87.5%. IPSS improved from a mean 19 at baseline to 5.32 at 8 months (p <0.001). The mean USS-PROM score also improved from 13.21 preoperatively to 3.36 after surgery (p <0.001) and 84.3% of patients were satisfied or very satisfied with surgical results. Mean Qmax increased from 4.64mL/s to 11mL/s (p <0.001). Strong negative correlation was found respectively between flow rate and USS-PROM (r=-0.531, p <0.001) and with IPSS (r=-0.512, p <0.001). Conclusions Significant improvements in urinary symptoms and in quality of life are expected after urethroplasty and they are correlated with objective measures. PMID:28128915

Standardization of the capillary electrophoresis procedures Capillarys® CDT and Minicap® CDT in comparison to the IFCC reference measurement procedure.

PubMed

Schellenberg, François; Humeau, Camille

2017-06-01

CDT is at present the most relevant routinely available biological marker of alcohol use and is widely used for screening and monitoring of patients. The lack of standardization leads to specific reference intervals for each procedure. The IFCC working group devoted to CDT demonstrated that the standardization is possible using calibrators assigned to the reference measurement procedure. In this study, we compare the capillary electrophoresis (CE) techniques Capillarys® CDT and Minicap® CDT (Sebia, Lisses, France) to the reference procedure before and after standardization in 126 samples covering the range of CDT measurement. Both capillary electrophoresis procedures show a high correlation (r=0,997) with the reference procedure and the concordance correlation coefficient evaluated according to Mc Bride is "almost perfect" (>0.997 for both CE procedures). The number of results with a relative difference higher than the acceptable difference limit is only 1 for Capillarys® CDT and 5 for Minicap® CDT. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the standardization of CDT measurements for both CE techniques from Sebia, achieved using calibrators assigned to the reference measurement procedure.

No effect of glucose administration in a novel contextual fear generalization protocol in rats

PubMed Central

Luyten, L; Schroyens, N; Luyck, K; Fanselow, M S; Beckers, T

2016-01-01

The excessive transfer of fear acquired for one particular context to similar situations has been implicated in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Recent evidence suggests that glucose ingestion improves the retention of context conditioning. It has been speculated that glucose might exert that effect by ameliorating hippocampal functioning, and may hold promise as a therapeutic add-on in traumatized patients because improved retention of contextual fear could help to restrict its generalization. However, direct data regarding the effect of glucose on contextual generalization are lacking. Here, we introduce a new behavioral protocol to study such contextual fear generalization in rats. In adult Wistar rats, our procedure yields a gradient of generalization, with progressively less freezing when going from the original training context, over a perceptually similar generalization context, to a markedly dissimilar context. Moreover, we find a flattening of the gradient when the training-test interval is prolonged with 1 week. We next examine the effect of systemic glucose administration on contextual generalization with this novel procedure. Our data do not sustain generalization-reducing effects of glucose and question its applicability in traumatic situations. In summary, we have developed a replicable contextual generalization procedure for rats and demonstrate how it is a valuable tool to examine the neurobiological correlates and test pharmacological interventions pertaining to an important mechanism in the etiology of pathological anxiety. PMID:27676444

Measuring the quality of structure and process in end-of-life care from the bereaved family perspective.

PubMed

Morita, Tatsuya; Hirai, Kei; Sakaguchi, Yukihiro; Maeyama, Etsuko; Tsuneto, Satoru; Shima, Yasuo

2004-06-01

Measurement of the structure/process of care is the first step in improving end-of-life care. The primary aim of this study was to psychometrically validate an instrument for directly measuring the bereaved family's perception of the necessity for improvement in structural/procedural aspects of palliative care. Different sets of questionnaires were sent to 800 and 425 families who lost family members at one of 70 certified palliative care units in Japan in the development and validation phases, respectively, and 281 families of the latter group in the follow-up phase. The participants were requested to fill out a newly-developed Care Evaluation Scale (CES), along with outcome measures (the perceived experience and satisfaction levels) and potential covariates (the degree of expectation, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Social Desirability Scale). We obtained 485, 310, and 202 responses in the development, validation, and follow-up phases (response rates: 64%, 75%, and 72%, respectively). The 28-item CES had an overall Cronbach's coefficient alpha of 0.98; the intra-class correlation coefficient in the test-retest examination was 0.57. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed 10 subscales: physical care (by physicians, by nurses), psycho-existential care, help with decision-making (for patients, for family), environment, family burden, cost, availability, and coordination/consistency. The CES subscales were only moderately correlated with the perceived-experience and satisfaction levels of corresponding areas (r=0.36-0.52 and 0.39-0.60, respectively). The CES score was not significantly associated with the degree of expectation, the changes of depression, or the Social Desirability Scale. The CES is a useful tool to measure the bereaved family's perception of the necessity for improvement in structural/procedural aspects of palliative care. The advantages of the CES are: 1) it specifically evaluates the structure and process of care, 2) it directly identifies needed improvements, 3) it is not affected by the degree of expectation, depression, or social desirability, and 4) it has satisfactory psychometric properties.

Disease-specific quality of life after septoplasty and bilateral inferior turbinate outfracture in patients with nasal obstruction.

PubMed

Resende, Lucas; Carmo, Carolina do; Mocellin, Leão; Pasinato, Rogério; Mocellin, Marcos

2017-07-29

Septal deviations might cause nasal obstruction and negative impact on the quality of life of individuals. The efficacy of septoplasty for treatment of septal deviation and the predictors of satisfactory surgical outcomes remain controversial. Technical variability, heterogeneity of research samples and absence of a solid tool for clinical evaluation are the main hindrances to the establishment of reliable statistical data regarding the procedure. To evaluate the clinical improvements in the disease-specific quality-of-life between patients submitted to septoplasty with bilateral outfracture of the inferior turbinate under sedation and local anesthesia in a tertiary hospital and to assess possible clinical-epidemiological variables associated with functional outcome. Fifty-two patients consecutively submitted to septoplasty with bilateral outfracture of the inferior turbinate for treatment of nasal obstruction filled in forms regarding clinical and epidemiological information during enrollment and had their symptom objectively quantified using the Nose Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale preoperatively and one and three months after the procedure. Statistical analysis aimed to determine overall and stratified surgical outcomes and to investigate correlations between the clinical-epidemiological variables with the scores obtained. Statistically significant improvement in the preoperative NOSE questionnaire compared to the scores obtained three months after surgery was demonstrated (p<0.001, T-Wilcoxon), with strong correlation between the preoperative score and the postoperative improvement during this period (r=-0.614, p<0.001, Spearman). After one month, patients reached in average 87.15% of the result obtained at the study termination. Smokers and patients with rhinitis and/or pulmonary comorbidity showed increased average preoperative NOSE scores, although without statistical significance (p>0.05). Gender, age, history of rhinitis and presence of pulmonary comorbidity did not influence significantly surgical outcomes (p>0.05). Smokers presented greater reduction in NOSE scores during the study (p=0.043, U-Mann-Whitney). Septoplasty with bilateral outfracture of the inferior turbinate has proven to significantly improve disease-specific quality-of-life and this favorable outcome seems to occur precociously. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Text messaging improves preoperative exercise in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

PubMed

Lemanu, Daniel P; Singh, Primal P; Shao, Robert Y; Pollock, Terina T; MacCormick, Andrew D; Arroll, Bruce; Hill, Andrew G

2018-06-25

To investigate whether a text message intervention improves adherence to preoperative exercise advice prior to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). A single-blinded parallel design 1:1 ratio randomized controlled trial was performed in patients undergoing LSG as a single-stage bariatric procedure for morbid obesity. The intervention group received preoperative daily text messages. The primary outcome was adherence to preoperative exercise advice as assessed by the number of participants partaking in ≥450 metabolic equivalent minutes (METmin -1 ) exercise activity per week preoperatively. Eighty-eight patients were included in the analysis with 44 allocated to each arm. Adherence and exercise activity increased significantly from baseline in the exposure group (EG) but not in the control group (CG). Adherence was significantly higher in the EG at the end of the intervention period compared to the CG. Despite increased exercise activity, there was no improvement in 6-min walk test or surgical recovery. A daily text message intervention improved adherence to preoperative exercise advice, but this did not correlate with improved surgical recovery. © 2018 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Comparison of methods applied in photoinduced transient spectroscopy to determining the defect center parameters: The correlation procedure and the signal analysis based on inverse Laplace transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suproniuk, M.; Pawłowski, M.; Wierzbowski, M.; Majda-Zdancewicz, E.; Pawłowski, Ma.

2018-04-01

The procedure for determination of trap parameters by photo-induced transient spectroscopy is based on the Arrhenius plot that illustrates a thermal dependence of the emission rate. In this paper, we show that the Arrhenius plot obtained by the correlation method is shifted toward lower temperatures as compared to the one obtained with the inverse Laplace transformation. This shift is caused by the model adequacy error of the correlation method and introduces errors to a calculation procedure of defect center parameters. The effect is exemplified by comparing the results of the determination of trap parameters with both methods based on photocurrent transients for defect centers observed in tin-doped neutron-irradiated silicon crystals and in gallium arsenide grown with the Vertical Gradient Freeze method.

Short- and long-term effects of clinical audits on compliance with procedures in CT scanning.

PubMed

Oliveri, Antonio; Howarth, Nigel; Gevenois, Pierre Alain; Tack, Denis

2016-08-01

To test the hypothesis that quality clinical audits improve compliance with the procedures in computed tomography (CT) scanning. This retrospective study was conducted in two hospitals, based on 6950 examinations and four procedures, focusing on the acquisition length in lumbar spine CT, the default tube current applied in abdominal un-enhanced CT, the tube potential selection for portal phase abdominal CT and the use of a specific "paediatric brain CT" procedure. The first clinical audit reported compliance with these procedures. After presenting the results to the stakeholders, a second audit was conducted to measure the impact of this information on compliance and was repeated the next year. Comparisons of proportions were performed using the Chi-square Pearson test. Depending on the procedure, the compliance rate ranged from 27 to 88 % during the first audit. After presentation of the audit results to the stakeholders, the compliance rate ranged from 68 to 93 % and was significantly improved for all procedures (P ranging from <0.001 to 0.031) in both hospitals and remained unchanged during the third audit (P ranging from 0.114 to 0.999). Quality improvement through repeated compliance audits with CT procedures durably improves this compliance. • Compliance with CT procedures is operator-dependent and not perfect. • Compliance differs between procedures and hospitals, even within a unified department. • Compliance is improved through audits followed by communication to the stakeholders. • This improvement is sustainable over a one-year period.

Kerr Reservoir LANDSAT experiment analysis for March 1981

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lecroy, S. R. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

LANDSAT radiance data were used in an experiment conducted on the waters of Kerr Reservoir to determine if reliable algorithms could be developed that relate water quality parameters to remotely sensed data. A mix of different types of algorithms using the LANDSAT bands was generated to provide a thorough understanding of the relationships among the data involved. Except for secchi depth, the study demonstrated that for the ranges measured, the algorithms that satisfactorily represented the data encompass a mix of linear and nonlinear forms using only one LANDSAT band. Ratioing techniques did not improve the results since the initial design of the experiment minimized the errors against which this procedure is effective. Good correlations were found for total suspended solids, iron, turbidity, and secchi depth. Marginal correlations were discovered for nitrate and tannin + lignin. Quantification maps of Kerr Reservoir are presented for many of the water quality parameters using the developed algorithms.

A Simple Method for Causal Analysis of Return on IT Investment

PubMed Central

Alemi, Farrokh; Zargoush, Manaf; Oakes, James L.; Edrees, Hanan

2011-01-01

This paper proposes a method for examining the causal relationship among investment in information technology (IT) and the organization's productivity. In this method, first a strong relationship among (1) investment in IT, (2) use of IT and (3) organization's productivity is verified using correlations. Second, the assumption that IT investment preceded improved productivity is tested using partial correlation. Finally, the assumption of what may have happened in the absence of IT investment, the so called counterfactual, is tested through forecasting productivity at different levels of investment. The paper applies the proposed method to investment in the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VISTA) system. Result show that the causal analysis can be done, even with limited data. Furthermore, because the procedure relies on overall organization's productivity, it might be more objective than when the analyst picks and chooses which costs and benefits should be included in the analysis. PMID:23019515

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of human haemoglobins. Simultaneous quantitation of foetal and glycated haemoglobins.

PubMed

Bisse, E; Wieland, H

1988-12-29

A high-performance liquid chromatographic system, which uses a weak cation exchanger (PolyCATA) together with Bis-Tris buffer (pH 6.47-7.0) and sodium acetate gradients, is described. Samples from adults and newborns were analysed and a clean separation of many minor and major normal and abnormal haemoglobin (Hb) variants was greatly improved. The method allows the separation of minor foetal haemoglobin (HbF) variants and the simultaneous quantitation of HbF and glycated HbA. HbF values correlated well with those obtained by the alkali denaturation method (r = 0.997). The glycated haemoglobin (HbAIc) levels measured in patients with high HbF concentrations correlated with the total glycated haemoglobin determined by bioaffinity chromatography (r = 0.973). The procedure is useful for diagnostic applications and affords an effective and sensitive way of examining blood samples for haemoglobin abnormalities.

A new approach to correct for absorbing aerosols in OMI UV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arola, A.; Kazadzis, S.; Lindfors, A.; Krotkov, N.; Kujanpää, J.; Tamminen, J.; Bais, A.; di Sarra, A.; Villaplana, J. M.; Brogniez, C.; Siani, A. M.; Janouch, M.; Weihs, P.; Webb, A.; Koskela, T.; Kouremeti, N.; Meloni, D.; Buchard, V.; Auriol, F.; Ialongo, I.; Staneck, M.; Simic, S.; Smedley, A.; Kinne, S.

2009-11-01

Several validation studies of surface UV irradiance based on the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite data have shown a high correlation with ground-based measurements but a positive bias in many locations. The main part of the bias can be attributed to the boundary layer aerosol absorption that is not accounted for in the current satellite UV algorithms. To correct for this shortfall, a post-correction procedure was applied, based on global climatological fields of aerosol absorption optical depth. These fields were obtained by using global aerosol optical depth and aerosol single scattering albedo data assembled by combining global aerosol model data and ground-based aerosol measurements from AERONET. The resulting improvements in the satellite-based surface UV irradiance were evaluated by comparing satellite and ground-based spectral irradiances at various European UV monitoring sites. The results generally showed a significantly reduced bias by 5-20%, a lower variability, and an unchanged, high correlation coefficient.

Continuous, Large-Scale Processing of Seismic Archives for High-Resolution Monitoring of Seismic Activity and Seismogenic Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldhauser, F.; Schaff, D. P.

2012-12-01

Archives of digital seismic data recorded by seismometer networks around the world have grown tremendously over the last several decades helped by the deployment of seismic stations and their continued operation within the framework of monitoring earthquake activity and verification of the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. We show results from our continuing effort in developing efficient waveform cross-correlation and double-difference analysis methods for the large-scale processing of regional and global seismic archives to improve existing earthquake parameter estimates, detect seismic events with magnitudes below current detection thresholds, and improve real-time monitoring procedures. We demonstrate the performance of these algorithms as applied to the 28-year long seismic archive of the Northern California Seismic Network. The tools enable the computation of periodic updates of a high-resolution earthquake catalog of currently over 500,000 earthquakes using simultaneous double-difference inversions, achieving up to three orders of magnitude resolution improvement over existing hypocenter locations. This catalog, together with associated metadata, form the underlying relational database for a real-time double-difference scheme, DDRT, which rapidly computes high-precision correlation times and hypocenter locations of new events with respect to the background archive (http://ddrt.ldeo.columbia.edu). The DDRT system facilitates near-real-time seismicity analysis, including the ability to search at an unprecedented resolution for spatio-temporal changes in seismogenic properties. In areas with continuously recording stations, we show that a detector built around a scaled cross-correlation function can lower the detection threshold by one magnitude unit compared to the STA/LTA based detector employed at the network. This leads to increased event density, which in turn pushes the resolution capability of our location algorithms. On a global scale, we are currently building the computational framework for double-difference processing the combined parametric and waveform archives of the ISC, NEIC, and IRIS with over three million recorded earthquakes worldwide. Since our methods are scalable and run on inexpensive Beowulf clusters, periodic re-analysis of such archives may thus become a routine procedure to continuously improve resolution in existing global earthquake catalogs. Results from subduction zones and aftershock sequences of recent great earthquakes demonstrate the considerable social and economic impact that high-resolution images of active faults, when available in real-time, will have in the prompt evaluation and mitigation of seismic hazards. These results also highlight the need for consistent long-term seismic monitoring and archiving of records.

40 CFR 53.34 - Test procedure for methods for PM10 and Class I methods for PM2.5.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... linear regression parameters (slope, intercept, and correlation coefficient) describing the relationship... correlation coefficient. (2) To pass the test for comparability, the slope, intercept, and correlation...

An Improved Correction for Range Restricted Correlations Under Extreme, Monotonic Quadratic Nonlinearity and Heteroscedasticity.

PubMed

Culpepper, Steven Andrew

2016-06-01

Standardized tests are frequently used for selection decisions, and the validation of test scores remains an important area of research. This paper builds upon prior literature about the effect of nonlinearity and heteroscedasticity on the accuracy of standard formulas for correcting correlations in restricted samples. Existing formulas for direct range restriction require three assumptions: (1) the criterion variable is missing at random; (2) a linear relationship between independent and dependent variables; and (3) constant error variance or homoscedasticity. The results in this paper demonstrate that the standard approach for correcting restricted correlations is severely biased in cases of extreme monotone quadratic nonlinearity and heteroscedasticity. This paper offers at least three significant contributions to the existing literature. First, a method from the econometrics literature is adapted to provide more accurate estimates of unrestricted correlations. Second, derivations establish bounds on the degree of bias attributed to quadratic functions under the assumption of a monotonic relationship between test scores and criterion measurements. New results are presented on the bias associated with using the standard range restriction correction formula, and the results show that the standard correction formula yields estimates of unrestricted correlations that deviate by as much as 0.2 for high to moderate selectivity. Third, Monte Carlo simulation results demonstrate that the new procedure for correcting restricted correlations provides more accurate estimates in the presence of quadratic and heteroscedastic test score and criterion relationships.

Analyses and assessments of span wise gust gradient data from NASA B-57B aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, Walter; Chang, Ho-Pen; Ringnes, Erik A.

1987-01-01

Analysis of turbulence measured across the airfoil of a Cambera B-57 aircraft is reported. The aircraft is instrumented with probes for measuring wind at both wing tips and at the nose. Statistical properties of the turbulence are reported. These consist of the standard deviations of turbulence measured by each individual probe, standard deviations and probability distribution of differences in turbulence measured between probes and auto- and two-point spatial correlations and spectra. Procedures associated with calculations of two-point spatial correlations and spectra utilizing data were addressed. Methods and correction procedures for assuring the accuracy of aircraft measured winds are also described. Results are found, in general, to agree with correlations existing in the literature. The velocity spatial differences fit a Gaussian/Bessel type probability distribution. The turbulence agrees with the von Karman turbulence correlation and with two-point spatial correlations developed from the von Karman correlation.

Optimal mapping of terrestrial gamma dose rates using geological parent material and aerogeophysical survey data.

PubMed

Rawlins, B G; Scheib, C; Tyler, A N; Beamish, D

2012-12-01

Regulatory authorities need ways to estimate natural terrestrial gamma radiation dose rates (nGy h⁻¹) across the landscape accurately, to assess its potential deleterious health effects. The primary method for estimating outdoor dose rate is to use an in situ detector supported 1 m above the ground, but such measurements are costly and cannot capture the landscape-scale variation in dose rates which are associated with changes in soil and parent material mineralogy. We investigate the potential for improving estimates of terrestrial gamma dose rates across Northern Ireland (13,542 km²) using measurements from 168 sites and two sources of ancillary data: (i) a map based on a simplified classification of soil parent material, and (ii) dose estimates from a national-scale, airborne radiometric survey. We used the linear mixed modelling framework in which the two ancillary variables were included in separate models as fixed effects, plus a correlation structure which captures the spatially correlated variance component. We used a cross-validation procedure to determine the magnitude of the prediction errors for the different models. We removed a random subset of 10 terrestrial measurements and formed the model from the remainder (n = 158), and then used the model to predict values at the other 10 sites. We repeated this procedure 50 times. The measurements of terrestrial dose vary between 1 and 103 (nGy h⁻¹). The median absolute model prediction errors (nGy h⁻¹) for the three models declined in the following order: no ancillary data (10.8) > simple geological classification (8.3) > airborne radiometric dose (5.4) as a single fixed effect. Estimates of airborne radiometric gamma dose rate can significantly improve the spatial prediction of terrestrial dose rate.

Identifying the Intersection of Alcohol, Adherence and Sex in HIV Positive Men on ART Treatment in India Using an Adapted Timeline Followback Procedure.

PubMed

Schensul, Jean J; Ha, Toan; Schensul, Stephen; Sarna, Avina; Bryant, Kendall

2017-11-01

People living with HIV (PLHIV) on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) who drink are less adherent and more likely to engage in unprotected sex but the connections among these events are correlational. Using an adapted Timeline Follow-Back (A-TLFB) procedure, this paper examines the day by day interface of alcohol, medication adherence and sex to provide a fine grained understanding of how multiple behavioral risks coincide in time and space, explores concordance/discordance of measures with survey data and identifies potential recall bias. Data are drawn from a survey of behavior, knowledge and attitudes, and a 30 day TLFB assessment of multiple risk behaviors adapted for the Indian PLHIV context, administered to 940 alcohol-consuming, HIV positive men on ART at the baseline evaluation stage of a multilevel, multi-centric intervention study. On days participants drank they were significantly more likely to be medication non-adherent and to have unprotected sex. In the first day after their alcohol consuming day, the pattern of nonadherence persisted. Binge and regular drinking days were associated with nonadherence but only binge drinking co-occurred with unprotected sex. Asking about specific "drinking days" improved recall for drinking days and number of drinks consumed. Recall declined for both drinking days and nonadherence from the first week to subsequent weeks but varied randomly for sex risk. There was high concordance and low discordance between A-TLFB drinking and nonadherence but these results were reversed for unprotected sex. Moving beyond simple drinking-adherence correlational analysis, the A-TLFB offers improved recall probes and provides researchers and interventionists with the opportunity to identify types of risky days and tailor behavioral modification to reduce alcohol consumption, nonadherence and risky sex on those days.

Relationship of procedural numbers with meaningful procedural autonomy in general surgery residents.

PubMed

Stride, Herbert P; George, Brian C; Williams, Reed G; Bohnen, Jordan D; Eaton, Megan J; Schuller, Mary C; Zhao, Lihui; Yang, Amy; Meyerson, Shari L; Scully, Rebecca; Dunnington, Gary L; Torbeck, Laura; Mullen, John T; Mandell, Samuel P; Choti, Michael; Foley, Eugene; Are, Chandrakanth; Auyang, Edward; Chipman, Jeffrey; Choi, Jennifer; Meier, Andreas; Smink, Douglas; Terhune, Kyla P; Wise, Paul; DaRosa, Debra; Soper, Nathaniel; Zwischenberger, Jay B; Lillemoe, Keith; Fryer, Jonathan P

2018-03-01

Concerns exist regarding the competency of general surgery graduates with performing core general surgery procedures. Current competence assessment incorporates minimal procedural numbers requirements. Based on the Zwisch scale we evaluated the level of autonomy achieved by categorical PGY1-5 general surgery residents at 14 U.S. general surgery resident training programs between September 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. With 5 of the most commonly performed core general surgery procedures, we correlated the level of autonomy achieved by each resident with the number of procedures they had performed before the evaluation period, with the intent of identifying specific target numbers that would correlate with the achievement of meaningful autonomy for each procedure with most residents. Whereas a definitive target number was identified for laparoscopic appendectomy (i.e. 25), for the other 4 procedures studied (i.e. laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 52; open inguinal hernia repair, 42; ventral hernia repair, 35; and partial colectomy, 60), target numbers identified were less definitive and/or were higher than many residents will experience during their surgical residency training. We conclude that procedural target numbers are generally not effective in predicting procedural competence and should not be used as the basis for determining residents' readiness for independent practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Covariance Adjustment Approaches for Combining Incomparable Cox Regressions Caused by Unbalanced Covariates Adjustment: A Multivariate Meta-Analysis Study.

PubMed

Dehesh, Tania; Zare, Najaf; Ayatollahi, Seyyed Mohammad Taghi

2015-01-01

Univariate meta-analysis (UM) procedure, as a technique that provides a single overall result, has become increasingly popular. Neglecting the existence of other concomitant covariates in the models leads to loss of treatment efficiency. Our aim was proposing four new approximation approaches for the covariance matrix of the coefficients, which is not readily available for the multivariate generalized least square (MGLS) method as a multivariate meta-analysis approach. We evaluated the efficiency of four new approaches including zero correlation (ZC), common correlation (CC), estimated correlation (EC), and multivariate multilevel correlation (MMC) on the estimation bias, mean square error (MSE), and 95% probability coverage of the confidence interval (CI) in the synthesis of Cox proportional hazard models coefficients in a simulation study. Comparing the results of the simulation study on the MSE, bias, and CI of the estimated coefficients indicated that MMC approach was the most accurate procedure compared to EC, CC, and ZC procedures. The precision ranking of the four approaches according to all above settings was MMC ≥ EC ≥ CC ≥ ZC. This study highlights advantages of MGLS meta-analysis on UM approach. The results suggested the use of MMC procedure to overcome the lack of information for having a complete covariance matrix of the coefficients.

Linearized semiclassical initial value time correlation functions with maximum entropy analytic continuation.

PubMed

Liu, Jian; Miller, William H

2008-09-28

The maximum entropy analytic continuation (MEAC) method is used to extend the range of accuracy of the linearized semiclassical initial value representation (LSC-IVR)/classical Wigner approximation for real time correlation functions. LSC-IVR provides a very effective "prior" for the MEAC procedure since it is very good for short times, exact for all time and temperature for harmonic potentials (even for correlation functions of nonlinear operators), and becomes exact in the classical high temperature limit. This combined MEAC+LSC/IVR approach is applied here to two highly nonlinear dynamical systems, a pure quartic potential in one dimensional and liquid para-hydrogen at two thermal state points (25 and 14 K under nearly zero external pressure). The former example shows the MEAC procedure to be a very significant enhancement of the LSC-IVR for correlation functions of both linear and nonlinear operators, and especially at low temperature where semiclassical approximations are least accurate. For liquid para-hydrogen, the LSC-IVR is seen already to be excellent at T=25 K, but the MEAC procedure produces a significant correction at the lower temperature (T=14 K). Comparisons are also made as to how the MEAC procedure is able to provide corrections for other trajectory-based dynamical approximations when used as priors.

Using tablet technology and instructional videos to enhance preclinical dental laboratory learning.

PubMed

Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C; Purk, John H; Williams, Brian Joseph; Van Ness, Christopher J

2014-02-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine if tablet technology with accompanying instructional videos enhanced the teaching and learning outcomes in a preclinical dental laboratory setting. Two procedures deemed most challenging in Operative Dentistry II were chosen for the development of instructional videos. A random sample of thirty students was chosen to participate in the pilot. Comparison of faculty evaluations of the procedures between the experimental (tablet) and control (no tablet) groups resulted in no significant differences; however, there was a trend toward fewer failures in the experimental group. Examination of the ability to accurately self-assess was compared by exploring correlations between faculty and student evaluations. While correlations were stronger in the experimental group, the control group had significant correlations for all three procedures, while the experimental group had significant correlations on only two of the procedures. Students strongly perceived that the tablets and videos helped them perform better and more accurately self-assess their work products. Students did not support requiring that they purchase/obtain a specific brand of technology. As a result of this pilot study, further development of ideal and non-ideal videos are in progress, and the school will be implementing a "Bring Your Own Device" policy with incoming students.

Cosmetic surgery growth and correlations with financial indices: a comparative study of the United Kingdom and United States from 2002-2011.

PubMed

Nassab, Reza; Harris, Paul

2013-05-01

Over the past 10 years, there has been significant fluctuation in the yearly growth rates for cosmetic surgery procedures in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The authors compare cosmetic surgical procedure rates in the United Kingdom and United States with the macroeconomic climate of each region to determine whether there is a direct relationship between cosmetic surgery rates and economic health. The authors analyzed annual cosmetic surgery statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for 2002-2011 against economic indices from both regions, including the gross domestic product (GDP), consumer prices indices (CPI), and stock market reports. There was a 285.9% increase in the United Kingdom and a 1.1% increase in the United States in the number of procedures performed between 2002 and 2011. There were significant positive correlations between the number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United Kingdom and both the GDP (r = 0.986, P < .01) and CPI (r = 0.955, P < .01). Analysis of the US growth rates failed to show a significant relationship with any indices. UK interest rates showed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.668, P < .05) with procedures performed, whereas US interest rates showed a significant positive correlation. Data from the United States and United Kingdom suggest 2 very different growth patterns in the number of cosmetic surgeries being performed as compared with the economy in each region. Economic indices are accurate indicators of numbers of procedures being performed in the United Kingdom, whereas rates in the United States seem independent of those factors.

Transient Evoked and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in a Group of Neonates

PubMed Central

Silva, Giovanna Cesar; Delecrode, Camila Ribas; Kemp, Adriana Tahara; Martins, Fabiana; Cardoso, Ana Claudia Vieira

2015-01-01

Introduction The most commonly used method in neonatal hearing screening programs is transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in the first stage of the process. There are few studies comparing transient evoked otoacoustic emissions with distortion product, but some authors have investigated the issue. Objective To correlate the results of transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions in a Brazilian maternity hospital. Methods This is a cross-sectional, comparative, and prospective study. The study included 579 newborns, ranging from 6 to 54 days of age, born in a low-risk maternity hospital and assessed for hearing loss. All neonates underwent hearing screening by transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions. The results were analyzed using the Spearman correlation test to relate the two procedures. Results The pass index on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions was 95% and on distortion product otoacoustic emissions was 91%. The comparison of the two procedures showed that 91% of neonates passed on both procedures, 4.5% passed only on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, 0.5% passed only on distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and 4% failed on both procedures. The inferential analysis showed a significant strong positive relationship between the two procedures. Conclusion The failure rate was higher in distortion product otoacoustic emissions when compared with transient evoked; however, there was correlation between the results of the procedures. PMID:26157501

An improved correlation procedure for subsize and full-size Charpy impact specimen data

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

Sokolov, M.A.; Alexander, D.J.

1997-03-01

The possibility of using subsize specimens to monitor the properties of reactor pressure vessel steels is receiving increasing attention for light-water reactor plant life extension. This potential results from the possibility of cutting samples of small volume form the internal surface of the pressure vessel for determination of the actual properties of the operating pressure vessel. In addition, plant life extension will require supplemental data that cannot be provided by existing surveillance programs. Testing of subsize specimens manufactured from broken halves of previously tested surveillance Charpy specimens offers an attractive means of extending existing surveillance programs. Using subsize Charpy V-notch-typemore » specimens requires the establishment of a specimen geometry that is adequate to obtain a ductile-to-brittle transition curve similar to that obtained from full-size specimens, and the development of correlations for transition temperature and upper-shelf energy (USE) level between subsize and full-size specimens. Five different geometries of subsize specimens were selected for testing and evaluation. The specimens were made from several types of pressure vessel steels with a wide range of yield strengths, transition temperatures, and USEs. The effects of specimen dimensions, including notch depth, angle, and radius, have been studied. The correlations of transition temperatures determined from different types of subsize specimens and the full-size specimens are presented. A new procedure for transforming data from subsize specimens is developed. The transformed data are in good agreement with data from full-size specimens for materials that have USE levels less than 200 J.« less

Finite element model correlation of a composite UAV wing using modal frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver, Joseph A.; Kosmatka, John B.; Hemez, François M.; Farrar, Charles R.

2007-04-01

The current work details the implementation of a meta-model based correlation technique on a composite UAV wing test piece and associated finite element (FE) model. This method involves training polynomial models to emulate the FE input-output behavior and then using numerical optimization to produce a set of correlated parameters which can be returned to the FE model. After discussions about the practical implementation, the technique is validated on a composite plate structure and then applied to the UAV wing structure, where it is furthermore compared to a more traditional Newton-Raphson technique which iteratively uses first-order Taylor-series sensitivity. The experimental testpiece wing comprises two graphite/epoxy prepreg and Nomex honeycomb co-cured skins and two prepreg spars bonded together in a secondary process. MSC.Nastran FE models of the four structural components are correlated independently, using modal frequencies as correlation features, before being joined together into the assembled structure and compared to experimentally measured frequencies from the assembled wing in a cantilever configuration. Results show that significant improvements can be made to the assembled model fidelity, with the meta-model procedure producing slightly superior results to Newton-Raphson iteration. Final evaluation of component correlation using the assembled wing comparison showed worse results for each correlation technique, with the meta-model technique worse overall. This can be most likely be attributed to difficultly in correlating the open-section spars; however, there is also some question about non-unique update variable combinations in the current configuration, which lead correlation away from physically probably values.

Proposal for an Evaluation Method for the Performance of Work Procedures.

PubMed

Mohammed, Mouda; Mébarek, Djebabra; Wafa, Boulagouas; Makhlouf, Chati

2016-12-01

Noncompliance of operators with work procedures is a recurrent problem. This human behavior has been said to be situational and studied by many different approaches (ergonomic and others), which consider the noncompliance with work procedures to be obvious and seek to analyze its causes as well as consequences. The object of the proposed method is to solve this problem by focusing on the performance of work procedures and ensuring improved performance on a continuous basis. This study has multiple results: (1) assessment of the work procedures' performance by a multicriteria approach; (2) the use of a continuous improvement approach as a framework for the sustainability of the assessment method of work procedures' performance; and (3) adaptation of the Stop-Card as a facilitator support for continuous improvement of work procedures. The proposed method emphasizes to put in value the inputs of continuous improvement of the work procedures in relation with the conventional approaches which adopt the obvious evidence of the noncompliance to the working procedures and seek to analyze the cause-effect relationships related to this unacceptable phenomenon, especially in strategic industry.

A procedure for the significance testing of unmodeled errors in GNSS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bofeng; Zhang, Zhetao; Shen, Yunzhong; Yang, Ling

2018-01-01

It is a crucial task to establish a precise mathematical model for global navigation satellite system (GNSS) observations in precise positioning. Due to the spatiotemporal complexity of, and limited knowledge on, systematic errors in GNSS observations, some residual systematic errors would inevitably remain even after corrected with empirical model and parameterization. These residual systematic errors are referred to as unmodeled errors. However, most of the existing studies mainly focus on handling the systematic errors that can be properly modeled and then simply ignore the unmodeled errors that may actually exist. To further improve the accuracy and reliability of GNSS applications, such unmodeled errors must be handled especially when they are significant. Therefore, a very first question is how to statistically validate the significance of unmodeled errors. In this research, we will propose a procedure to examine the significance of these unmodeled errors by the combined use of the hypothesis tests. With this testing procedure, three components of unmodeled errors, i.e., the nonstationary signal, stationary signal and white noise, are identified. The procedure is tested by using simulated data and real BeiDou datasets with varying error sources. The results show that the unmodeled errors can be discriminated by our procedure with approximately 90% confidence. The efficiency of the proposed procedure is further reassured by applying the time-domain Allan variance analysis and frequency-domain fast Fourier transform. In summary, the spatiotemporally correlated unmodeled errors are commonly existent in GNSS observations and mainly governed by the residual atmospheric biases and multipath. Their patterns may also be impacted by the receiver.

The Association of Unfavorable Outcomes with the Intensity of Neurosurgical Care in the United States

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Object There is wide regional variability in the volume of procedures performed for similar surgical patients throughout the United States. We investigated the association of the intensity of neurosurgical care (defined as the average annual number of neurosurgical procedures per capita) with mortality, length of stay (LOS), and rate of unfavorable discharge for inpatients after neurosurgical procedures. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study involving the 202,518 patients who underwent cranial neurosurgical procedures from 2005–2010 and were registered in the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Regression techniques were used to investigate the association of the average intensity of neurosurgical care with the average mortality, LOS, and rate of unfavorable discharge. Results The inpatient neurosurgical mortality, rate of unfavorable discharge, and average LOS varied significantly among several states. In a multivariate analysis male gender, coverage by Medicaid, and minority racial status were associated with increased mortality, rate of unfavorable discharge, and LOS. The opposite was true for coverage by private insurance, higher income, fewer comorbidities and small hospital size. There was no correlation of the intensity of neurosurgical care with the mortality (Pearson's ρ = −0.18, P = 0.29), rate of unfavorable discharge (Pearson's ρ = 0.08, P = 0.62), and LOS of cranial neurosurgical procedures (Pearson's ρ = −0.21, P = 0.22). Conclusions We observed significant disparities in mortality, LOS, and rate of unfavorable discharge for cranial neurosurgical procedures in the United States. Increased intensity of neurosurgical care was not associated with improved outcomes. PMID:24647225

Organizational correlates of implementation of colocation of mental health and primary care in the Veterans Health Administration.

PubMed

Guerrero, Erick G; Heslin, Kevin C; Chang, Evelyn; Fenwick, Karissa; Yano, Elizabeth

2015-07-01

This study explored the role of organizational factors in the ability of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinics to implement colocated mental health care in primary care settings (PC-MH). The study used data from the VHA Clinical Practice Organizational Survey collected in 2007 from 225 clinic administrators across the United States. Clinic degree of implementation of PC-MH was the dependent variable, whereas independent variables included policies and procedures, organizational context, and leaders' perceptions of barriers to change. Pearson bivariate correlations and multivariable linear regression were used to test hypotheses. Results show that depression care training for primary care providers and clinics' flexibility and participation were both positively correlated with implementation of PC-MH. However, after accounting for other factors, regressions show that only training primary care providers in depression care was marginally associated with degree of implementation of PC-MH (p = 0.051). Given the importance of this topic for implementing integrated care as part of health care reform, these null findings underscore the need to improve theory and testing of more proximal measures of colocation in future work.

Asthma control in general practice -- GP and patient perspectives compared.

PubMed

Henderson, Joan; Hancock, Kerry L; Armour, Carol; Harrison, Christopher; Miller, Graeme

2013-10-01

How general practitioners (GPs) and patients perceive asthma control, and concordance between these perceptions, may influence asthma management and medication adherence. The aims of this study were to determine asthma prevalence in adult patients, measure patient asthma control and the correlation between GP and patient perceptions of asthma control or impact. A Supplementary Analysis of Nominated Data (SAND) sub-study of the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) program surveyed 2563 patients from 103 GPs. Asthma control was measured using the Asthma Control Questionnaire 5-item version (ACQ-5), and medication adherence by patient self-report. Survey procedures in SAS software and Pearson's correlation statistics were used. Asthma prevalence was 12.7% (95% confidence interval: 10.9-14.5), with good correlation between GP and patient perceptions of asthma control/impact, and with raw ACQ-5 scores. Grouped ACQ-5 scores showed higher levels of uncontrolled asthma. Medication adherence was sub-optimal. The ACQ-5 questions are useful for assessing asthma control, for prompting medication reviews, and for reinforcing benefits of medication compliance to improve long-term asthma control.

Organizational Correlates of Implementation of Colocation of Mental Health and Primary Care in the Veterans Health Administration

PubMed Central

Guerrero, Erick G.; Heslin, Kevin C.; Chang, Evelyn; Fenwick, Karissa; Yano, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

This study explored the role of organizational factors in the ability of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinics to implement colocated mental health care in primary care settings (PC-MH). The study used data from the VHA Clinical Practice Organizational Survey collected in 2007 from 225 clinic administrators across the United States. Clinic degree of implementation of PC-MH was the dependent variable, whereas independent variables included policies and procedures, organizational context, and leaders’ perceptions of barriers to change. Pearson bivariate correlations and multivariable linear regression were used to test hypotheses. Results show that depression care training for primary care providers and clinics’ flexibility and participation were both positively correlated with implementation of PC-MH. However, after accounting for other factors, regressions show that only training primary care providers in depression care was marginally associated with degree of implementation of PC-MH (p = 0.051). Given the importance of this topic for implementing integrated care as part of health care reform, these null findings underscore the need to improve theory and testing of more proximal measures of colocation in future work. PMID:25096986

Factors associated with participant and provider pain rating during office-based first-trimester vacuum aspiration.

PubMed

Oviedo, Johana D; Ohly, N Tanya; Guerrero, Jacqueline M; Castaño, Paula M

2018-06-01

The objective was to describe factors associated with reported pain and assess correlations between participant and provider pain assessments during first-trimester vacuum aspiration. Participants and providers in a trial evaluating music for pain reduction reported procedure-related pain using a 100-mm visual analog scale. The mean participant-reported maximum pain was 65.9±23.0 compared to 41.3±22.0 by provider assessment. Provider-reported scores correlated poorly with participant maximum pain (r=0.28) and participant maximum pain adjusted for baseline (r=0.27). Previous abortion (60.5 versus 71.4, p=.02) and immediate intrauterine device insertion (46.1 versus 68.6, p=.03) were associated with lower participant-reported pain. Providers underestimate pain reported during vacuum aspiration; provider estimates correlate poorly with participant self-report. To improve management of pain during first-trimester vacuum aspiration, we need to better understand factors that influence patient and provider pain rating. When assessing patient pain in this setting, providers should not assume a baseline of zero pain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does compliance to patient safety tasks improve and sustain when radiotherapy treatment processes are standardized?

PubMed

Simons, Pascale A M; Houben, Ruud; Benders, Jos; Pijls-Johannesma, Madelon; Vandijck, Dominique; Marneffe, Wim; Backes, Huub; Groothuis, Siebren

2014-10-01

To realize safe radiotherapy treatment, processes must be stabilized. Standard operating procedures (SOP's) were expected to stabilize the treatment process and perceived task importance would increase sustainability in compliance. This paper presents the effects on compliance to safety related tasks of a process redesign based on lean principles. Compliance to patient safety tasks was measured by video recording of actual radiation treatment, before (T0), directly after (T1) and 1.5 years after (T2) a process redesign. Additionally, technologists were surveyed on perceived task importance and reported incidents were collected for three half-year periods between 2007 and 2009. Compliance to four out of eleven tasks increased at T1, of which improvements on three sustained (T2). Perceived importance of tasks strongly correlated (0.82) to compliance rates at T2. The two tasks, perceived as least important, presented low base-line compliance, improved (T1), but relapsed at T2. The reported near misses (patient-level not reached) on accelerators increased (P < 0.001) from 144 (2007) to 535 (2009), while the reported misses (patient-level reached) remained constant. Compliance to specific tasks increased after introducing SOP's and improvements sustained after 1.5 years, indicating increased stability. Perceived importance of tasks correlated positively to compliance and sustainability. Raising the perception of task importance is thus crucial to increase compliance. The redesign resulted in increased willingness to report incidents, creating opportunities for patient safety improvement in radiotherapy treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual-modality imaging of function and physiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, Bruce H.; Iwata, Koji; Wong, Kenneth H.; Wu, Max C.; Da Silva, Angela; Tang, Hamilton R.; Barber, William C.; Hwang, Andrew B.; Sakdinawat, Anne E.

2002-04-01

Dual-modality imaging is a technique where computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is combined with positron emission tomography or single-photon computed tomography to acquire structural and functional images with an integrated system. The data are acquired during a single procedure with the patient on a table viewed by both detectors to facilitate correlation between the structural and function images. The resulting data can be useful for localization for more specific diagnosis of disease. In addition, the anatomical information can be used to compensate the correlated radionuclide data for physical perturbations such as photon attenuation, scatter radiation, and partial volume errors. Thus, dual-modality imaging provides a priori information that can be used to improve both the visual quality and the quantitative accuracy of the radionuclide images. Dual-modality imaging systems also are being developed for biological research that involves small animals. The small-animal dual-modality systems offer advantages for measurements that currently are performed invasively using autoradiography and tissue sampling. By acquiring the required data noninvasively, dual-modality imaging has the potential to allow serial studies in a single animal, to perform measurements with fewer animals, and to improve the statistical quality of the data.

Computation of physiological human vocal fold parameters by mathematical optimization of a biomechanical model

PubMed Central

Yang, Anxiong; Stingl, Michael; Berry, David A.; Lohscheller, Jörg; Voigt, Daniel; Eysholdt, Ulrich; Döllinger, Michael

2011-01-01

With the use of an endoscopic, high-speed camera, vocal fold dynamics may be observed clinically during phonation. However, observation and subjective judgment alone may be insufficient for clinical diagnosis and documentation of improved vocal function, especially when the laryngeal disease lacks any clear morphological presentation. In this study, biomechanical parameters of the vocal folds are computed by adjusting the corresponding parameters of a three-dimensional model until the dynamics of both systems are similar. First, a mathematical optimization method is presented. Next, model parameters (such as pressure, tension and masses) are adjusted to reproduce vocal fold dynamics, and the deduced parameters are physiologically interpreted. Various combinations of global and local optimization techniques are attempted. Evaluation of the optimization procedure is performed using 50 synthetically generated data sets. The results show sufficient reliability, including 0.07 normalized error, 96% correlation, and 91% accuracy. The technique is also demonstrated on data from human hemilarynx experiments, in which a low normalized error (0.16) and high correlation (84%) values were achieved. In the future, this technique may be applied to clinical high-speed images, yielding objective measures with which to document improved vocal function of patients with voice disorders. PMID:21877808

Perceptions on the Impact of a Just-in-Time Room on Trainees and Supervising Physicians in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

PubMed

Thomas, Anita A; Uspal, Neil G; Oron, Assaf P; Klein, Eileen J

2016-12-01

Just-in-time (JIT) training refers to education occurring immediately prior to clinical encounters. An in situ JIT room in a pediatric emergency department (ED) was created for procedural education. We examined trainee self-reported JIT room use, its impact on trainee self-perception of procedural competence/confidence, and the effect its usage has on the need for intervention by supervising physicians during procedures. Cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of residents rotating through the ED and supervising pediatric emergency medicine physicians. Outcomes included JIT room use, trainee procedural confidence, and frequency of supervisor intervention during procedures. Thirty-one of 32 supervising physicians (97%) and 122 of 186 residents (66%) completed the survey, with 71% of trainees reporting improved confidence, and 68% reporting improved procedural skills ( P  < .05, +1.4-point average skills improvement on a 5-point Likert scale). Trainees perceived no difference among supervising physicians intervening in procedures with or without JIT room use ( P  = .30, paired difference -0.0 points). Nearly all supervisors reported improved trainee procedural confidence, and 77% reported improved trainee procedural skills after JIT room use ( P  < .05, paired difference +1.8 points); 58% of supervisors stated they intervene in procedures without trainee JIT room use, compared with 42% with JIT room use ( P  < .05, paired difference -0.4 points). Use of the JIT room led to improved trainee confidence and supervisor reports of less procedural intervention. Although it carries financial and time costs, an in situ JIT room may be important for convenient JIT training.

Perceptions on the Impact of a Just-in-Time Room on Trainees and Supervising Physicians in a Pediatric Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Thomas, Anita A.; Uspal, Neil G.; Oron, Assaf P.; Klein, Eileen J.

2016-01-01

Background  Just-in-time (JIT) training refers to education occurring immediately prior to clinical encounters. An in situ JIT room in a pediatric emergency department (ED) was created for procedural education. Objective  We examined trainee self-reported JIT room use, its impact on trainee self-perception of procedural competence/confidence, and the effect its usage has on the need for intervention by supervising physicians during procedures. Methods  Cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of residents rotating through the ED and supervising pediatric emergency medicine physicians. Outcomes included JIT room use, trainee procedural confidence, and frequency of supervisor intervention during procedures. Results  Thirty-one of 32 supervising physicians (97%) and 122 of 186 residents (66%) completed the survey, with 71% of trainees reporting improved confidence, and 68% reporting improved procedural skills (P < .05, +1.4-point average skills improvement on a 5-point Likert scale). Trainees perceived no difference among supervising physicians intervening in procedures with or without JIT room use (P = .30, paired difference −0.0 points). Nearly all supervisors reported improved trainee procedural confidence, and 77% reported improved trainee procedural skills after JIT room use (P < .05, paired difference +1.8 points); 58% of supervisors stated they intervene in procedures without trainee JIT room use, compared with 42% with JIT room use (P < .05, paired difference −0.4 points). Conclusions  Use of the JIT room led to improved trainee confidence and supervisor reports of less procedural intervention. Although it carries financial and time costs, an in situ JIT room may be important for convenient JIT training. PMID:28018542

Improved pump turbine transient behaviour prediction using a Thoma number-dependent hillchart model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manderla, M.; Kiniger, K.; Koutnik, J.

2014-03-01

Water hammer phenomena are important issues for high head hydro power plants. Especially, if several reversible pump-turbines are connected to the same waterways there may be strong interactions between the hydraulic machines. The prediction and coverage of all relevant load cases is challenging and difficult using classical simulation models. On the basis of a recent pump-storage project, dynamic measurements motivate an improved modeling approach making use of the Thoma number dependency of the actual turbine behaviour. The proposed approach is validated for several transient scenarios and turns out to increase correlation between measurement and simulation results significantly. By applying a fully automated simulation procedure broad operating ranges can be covered which provides a consistent insight into critical load case scenarios. This finally allows the optimization of the closing strategy and hence the overall power plant performance.

Resampling procedures to identify important SNPs using a consensus approach.

PubMed

Pardy, Christopher; Motyer, Allan; Wilson, Susan

2011-11-29

Our goal is to identify common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (minor allele frequency > 1%) that add predictive accuracy above that gained by knowledge of easily measured clinical variables. We take an algorithmic approach to predict each phenotypic variable using a combination of phenotypic and genotypic predictors. We perform our procedure on the first simulated replicate and then validate against the others. Our procedure performs well when predicting Q1 but is less successful for the other outcomes. We use resampling procedures where possible to guard against false positives and to improve generalizability. The approach is based on finding a consensus regarding important SNPs by applying random forests and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) on multiple subsamples. Random forests are used first to discard unimportant predictors, narrowing our focus to roughly 100 important SNPs. A cross-validation LASSO is then used to further select variables. We combine these procedures to guarantee that cross-validation can be used to choose a shrinkage parameter for the LASSO. If the clinical variables were unavailable, this prefiltering step would be essential. We perform the SNP-based analyses simultaneously rather than one at a time to estimate SNP effects in the presence of other causal variants. We analyzed the first simulated replicate of Genetic Analysis Workshop 17 without knowledge of the true model. Post-conference knowledge of the simulation parameters allowed us to investigate the limitations of our approach. We found that many of the false positives we identified were substantially correlated with genuine causal SNPs.

Endodontic interappointment flare-ups: a prospective study of incidence and related factors.

PubMed

Walton, R; Fouad, A

1992-04-01

Severe pain and/or swelling following a root canal treatment appointment are serious sequelae. Information varies or is incomplete as to the incidence of these conditions and related factors. In this study, data were collected at root canal treatment appointments on demographics, pulp/periapical diagnoses, presenting symptoms, treatment procedures, and number of appointments. Patients that then experienced a flare-up (a severe problem requiring an unscheduled visit and treatment) had the correlating factors examined. Statistical determinations were by chi-square analysis with significance at 0.05 or less. Nine hundred forty-six visits resulted in an incidence of 3.17% flare-ups. Flare-ups were positively correlated with more severe presenting symptoms, pulp necrosis with painful apical pathosis, and patients on analgesics. Fewer flare-ups occurred in undergraduate patients and following obturation procedures. There was no correlation between patient demographics or systemic conditions, number of appointments, treatment procedures, or taking antibiotics.

[Catheter-related bladder discomfort after urological surgery: importance of the type of surgery and efficiency of treatment by clonazepam].

PubMed

Maro, S; Zarattin, D; Baron, T; Bourez, S; de la Taille, A; Salomon, L

2014-09-01

Bladder catheter can induce a Catheter-Related Bladder Discomfort (CRBD). Antagonist of muscarinic receptor is the gold standard treatment. Clonazepam is an antimuscarinic, muscle relaxing oral drug. The aim of this study is to look for a correlation between the type of surgical procedure and the existence of CRBD and to evaluate the efficiency of clonazepam. One hundred patients needing bladder catheter were evaluated. Sexe, age, BMI, presence of diabetes, surgical procedure and existence of CRBD were noted. Pain was evaluated with analogic visual scale. Timing of pain, need for specific treatment by clonazepam and its efficiency were noted. Correlation between preoperative data, type of surgical procedure, existence of CRBD and efficiency of treatment were evaluated. There were 79 men and 21 women (age: 65.9 years, BMI: 25.4). Twelve patients presented diabetes. Surgical procedure concerned prostate in 39 cases, bladder in 19 cases (tumor resections), endo-urology in 20 cases, upper urinary tract in 12 cases (nephrectomy…) and lower urinary tract in 10 cases (sphincter, sub-uretral tape). Forty patients presented CRBD, (pain 4.5 using VAS). This pain occurred 0.6 days after surgery. No correlation was found between preoperative data and CRBD. Bladder resection and endo-urological procedures were surgical procedures which procured CRBD. Clonazepam was efficient in 30 (75 %) out of 40 patients with CRBD. However, it was less efficient in case of bladder tumor resection. CRBD is frequent and occurred immediately after surgery. Bladder resection and endo-urology were the main surgical procedures which induced CRBD. Clonazepam is efficient in 75 %. Bladder resection is the surgical procedure which is the most refractory to treatment. 5. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Application of Six Sigma Techniques in the Evaluation of Enzyme Measurement Procedures in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuanbao; Zhao, Haijian; Wang, Jing; Zeng, Jie; Wang, Zhiguo

2015-01-01

Recently, Six Sigma techniques have been adopted by clinical laboratories to evaluate laboratory performance. Measurement procedures in laboratories can be categorized as "excellent", "good", and "improvement needed" based on sigma (σ) metrics of σ ≥ 6, 3 ≤ σ < 6, and σ < 3, respectively. The quality goal index (QGI) was further investigated for measurement procedures with σ ≤ 3. Improvements of the procedures were recommended based on QGI: QGI < 0.8 indicates that the precision of the procedure needs to be improved; QGI > 1.2 indicates that the trueness of the procedure needs to be improved; 0.8 ≤ QGI ≤ 1.2 indicates that both the precision and trueness of the procedure need to be improved. Fresh frozen sera containing seven enzymes (ALT, ALP, AMY, AST, CK, GGT, and LDH) were sent to 78 clinical laboratories in China. The biases for measurement procedures in each laboratory (Bias) were calculated based on the target values assigned by 18 laboratories performing IFCC (International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory medicine) recommended reference methods. The imprecision of each measurement procedure was represented by coefficient variations (CV) calculated based on internal quality control (IQC) data. The σ and QGI values were calculated as follows: σ = (TEa-Bias)/CV; QGI = Bias/(1.5 x CV). TEa is allowable total error for each enzyme derived from biological variation. Our study indicated that 7.9% (6/76, ALP) to 31.0% (18/58, AMY) of the participating laboratories were scored as "excellent" (σ ≥ 6), 21.1% (16/76, ALP) to 41.3% (31/75, CK) of the laboratories were scored as "good" (3 ≤ σ < 6), and 31.0% (18/58, AMY) to 71.1% (54/76, ALP) of the laboratories need to improve their enzyme measurement procedures (σ < 3). For those with σ < 3, QGIs were further calculated. Based on QGI values, 8.6% (5/58, AMY) to 35.9% (28/78, LDH) of the laboratories (QGI < 0.8) need to improve the precision of the procedures, 8.0% (6/75, CK) to 52.6% (40/76, ALP) of the laboratories (QGI ≤ 1.2) need to improve the trueness of the procedures; and 2.7% (2/75, AST) to 16.3% (8/49, GGT) of the laboratories (0.8 ≤ QGI ≤ 1.2) need to improve both the precision and trueness of the procedures. Even though rapid progress has been made to standardize serum enzyme measurements in China in recent years, our study using Six Sigma techniques still suggested that approximately 31.1% to 71.0% of the laboratories need to improve their enzyme measurement procedures, either in terms of precision, trueness, or both.

CRISP: Catheterization RISk score for Pediatrics: A Report from the Congenital Cardiac Interventional Study Consortium (CCISC).

PubMed

Nykanen, David G; Forbes, Thomas J; Du, Wei; Divekar, Abhay A; Reeves, Jaxk H; Hagler, Donald J; Fagan, Thomas E; Pedra, Carlos A C; Fleming, Gregory A; Khan, Danyal M; Javois, Alexander J; Gruenstein, Daniel H; Qureshi, Shakeel A; Moore, Phillip M; Wax, David H

2016-02-01

We sought to develop a scoring system that predicts the risk of serious adverse events (SAE's) for individual pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization procedures. Systematic assessment of risk of SAE in pediatric catheterization can be challenging in view of a wide variation in procedure and patient complexity as well as rapidly evolving technology. A 10 component scoring system was originally developed based on expert consensus and review of the existing literature. Data from an international multi-institutional catheterization registry (CCISC) between 2008 and 2013 were used to validate this scoring system. In addition we used multivariate methods to further refine the original risk score to improve its predictive power of SAE's. Univariate analysis confirmed the strong correlation of each of the 10 components of the original risk score with SAE attributed to a pediatric cardiac catheterization (P < 0.001 for all variables). Multivariate analysis resulted in a modified risk score (CRISP) that corresponds to an increase in value of area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) from 0.715 to 0.741. The CRISP score predicts risk of occurrence of an SAE for individual patients undergoing pediatric cardiac catheterization procedures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The art of providing resuscitation in Greek mythology.

PubMed

Siempos, Ilias I; Ntaidou, Theodora K; Samonis, George

2014-12-01

We reviewed Greek mythology to accumulate tales of resuscitation and we explored whether these tales could be viewed as indirect evidence that ancient Greeks considered resuscitation strategies similar to those currently used. Three compendia of Greek mythology: The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology, The Greek Myths by Robert Graves, and Greek Mythology by Ioannis Kakridis were used to find potentially relevant narratives. Thirteen myths that may suggest resuscitation (including 1 case of autoresuscitation) were identified. Methods to attempt mythological resuscitation included use of hands (which may correlate with basic life support procedures), a kiss on the mouth (similar to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation), application of burning torches (which might recall contemporary use of external defibrillators), and administration of drugs (a possible analogy to advanced life support procedures). A careful assessment of relevant myths demonstrated that interpretations other than medical might be more credible. Although several narratives of Greek mythology might suggest modern resuscitation techniques, they do not clearly indicate that ancient Greeks presaged scientific methods of resuscitation. Nevertheless, these elegant tales reflect humankind's optimism that a dying human might be restored to life if the appropriate procedures were implemented. Without this optimism, scientific improvement in the field of resuscitation might not have been achieved.

Confocal endomicroscopy: Is it time to move on?

PubMed

Robles-Medranda, Carlos

2016-01-10

Confocal laser endomicroscopy permits in-vivo microscopy evaluation during endoscopy procedures. It can be used in all the parts of the gastrointestinal tract and includes: Esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, biliary tract through and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and pancreas through needles during endoscopic ultrasound procedures. Many researches demonstrated a high correlation of results between confocal laser endomicroscopy and histopathology in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal lesions; with accuracy in about 86% to 96%. Moreover, in spite that histopathology remains the gold-standard technique for final diagnosis of any diseases; a considerable number of misdiagnosis rate could be present due to many factors such as interpretation mistakes, biopsy site inaccuracy, or number of biopsies. Theoretically; with the diagnostic accuracy rates of confocal laser endomicroscopy could help in a daily practice to improve diagnosis and treatment management of the patients. However, it is still not routinely used in the clinical practice due to many factors such as cost of the procedure, lack of codification and reimbursement in some countries, absence of standard of care indications, availability, physician image-interpretation training, medico-legal problems, and the role of the pathologist. These limitations are relative, and solutions could be found based on new researches focused to solve these barriers.

A Standardized Procedure for a Pre-evaluation of the IED Instance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panepinto, Deborah; Ruffino, Barbara; Zanetti, Mariachiara; Genon, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

This study presents a procedure, called EICS (Enterprise IPPC Compatibility Study) aimed at evaluating, by means of the calculation of three indexes, the compliance of the processes performed in an industrial plant with the guidelines provided by BREFs (BAT References) Documents. In fact, according to European Directive 2010/75/EU (concerning the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control and repealing European Directive 2008/01/EC), industrial plants must require authorizations to the competent authority stating the conformity of their activity, in order to obtain this conformity they are advised to Best Available Technologies (BAT). The aim of the BATs is to avoid or minimize the impact of an industrial activity on the environment through the prevention of the atmospheric emissions, wastewater discharge and energetic consumption, and the correct waste management thus improving the efficiency of the plant. The procedure shown in the present paper has been tested on several types of industrial plant (cement plants, secondary smelt foundries, paper-mill, and automotive industries as regards their paint lines). In this paper, the application of EICS method to a cement plant is presented: the obtained results highlight a good correlation between the index values and the real situation of the plant.

Effect of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty on Color Vision in Patients With Fuchs Dystrophy.

PubMed

Price, David A; Price, Marianne O; Lopez, Amanda; Price, Francis W

2016-08-01

To assess changes in color discernment after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) in patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). In this prospective, single-center study, the study group was composed of 26 patients with FECD, aged 46 to 85 years, who underwent DMEK as a single surgical procedure; 24 (92%) had pseudophakic and 2 (8%) had phakic eyes. The patients completed a computerized Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue color vision test before and 1 month after DMEK. A control group of 14 subjects, aged 57 to 85 years, was tested 1 month after cataract surgery. The median number of errors made by patients who had undergone DMEK on the color vision test improved from 64 (range 24-124) before surgery to 48 (range 10-120) after surgery (P = 0.0053). The post-DMEK scores in the 24 patients with pseudophakic eyes (median = 48, range = 10-120) were comparable to those of an age-matched control group of patients with cataract without corneal abnormalities (median = 53, range = 4-104, P = 0.88). The improvement in color vision was not correlated with the amount of improvement in best corrected visual acuity (r = -0.02, P = 0.91) or with the reduction in central pachymetry (r = -0.08, P = 0.71) after DMEK. Consistent with spontaneous comments from some patients with FECD that colors appear more vivid after DMEK, a comparison of pre- and postoperative color vision scores showed that color discernment usually improved after DMEK (81%). The lack of correlation between color vision improvement and pachymetry reduction leads us to hypothesize that color vision improvement may relate to removal of the guttae associated with FECD.

Perspectives of Cross-Correlation in Seismic Monitoring at the International Data Centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrov, Dmitry; Kitov, Ivan; Zerbo, Lassina

2014-03-01

We demonstrate that several techniques based on waveform cross-correlation are able to significantly reduce the detection threshold of seismic sources worldwide and to improve the reliability of arrivals by a more accurate estimation of their defining parameters. A master event and the events it can find using waveform cross-correlation at array stations of the International Monitoring System (IMS) have to be close. For the purposes of the International Data Centre (IDC), one can use the spatial closeness of the master and slave events in order to construct a new automatic processing pipeline: all qualified arrivals detected using cross-correlation are associated with events matching the current IDC event definition criteria (EDC) in a local association procedure. Considering the repeating character of global seismicity, more than 90 % of events in the reviewed event bulletin (REB) can be built in this automatic processing. Due to the reduced detection threshold, waveform cross-correlation may increase the number of valid REB events by a factor of 1.5-2.0. Therefore, the new pipeline may produce a more comprehensive bulletin than the current pipeline—the goal of seismic monitoring. The analysts' experience with the cross correlation event list (XSEL) shows that the workload of interactive processing might be reduced by a factor of two or even more. Since cross-correlation produces a comprehensive list of detections for a given master event, no additional arrivals from primary stations are expected to be associated with the XSEL events. The number of false alarms, relative to the number of events rejected from the standard event list 3 (SEL3) in the current interactive processing—can also be reduced by the use of several powerful filters. The principal filter is the difference between the arrival times of the master and newly built events at three or more primary stations, which should lie in a narrow range of a few seconds. In this study, one event at a distance of about 2,000 km from the main shock was formed by three stations, with the stations and both events on the same great circle. Such spurious events are rejected by checking consistency between detections at stations at different back azimuths from the source region. Two additional effective pre-filters are f-k analysis and F prob based on correlation traces instead of original waveforms. Overall, waveform cross-correlation is able to improve the REB completeness, to reduce the workload related to IDC interactive analysis, and to provide a precise tool for quality check for both arrivals and events. Some major improvements in automatic and interactive processing achieved by cross-correlation are illustrated using an aftershock sequence from a large continental earthquake. Exploring this sequence, we describe schematically the next steps for the development of a processing pipeline parallel to the existing IDC one in order to improve the quality of the REB together with the reduction of the magnitude threshold.

Benchmarking Outcomes in the Critically Injured Trauma Patient and the Effect of Implementing Standard Operating Procedures

PubMed Central

Cuschieri, Joseph; Johnson, Jeffrey L.; Sperry, Jason; West, Michael A.; Moore, Ernest E.; Minei, Joseph P.; Bankey, Paul E.; Nathens, Avery B.; Cuenca, Alex G.; Efron, Philip A.; Hennessy, Laura; Xiao, Wenzhong; Mindrinos, Michael N.; McDonald-Smith, Grace P.; Mason, Philip H.; Billiar, Timothy R.; Schoenfeld, David A.; Warren, H. Shaw; Cobb, J. Perren; Moldawer, Lyle L.; Davis, Ronald W.; Maier, Ronald V.; Tompkins, Ronald G.

2012-01-01

Objective To determine and compare outcomes with accepted benchmarks in trauma care at seven academic Level I trauma centers in which patients were treated based on a series of standard operating procedures (SOPs). Background Injury remains the leading cause of death for those under 45 years of age. We describe the baseline patient characteristics and well-defined outcomes of persons hospitalized in the United States for severe blunt trauma. Methods We followed 1,637 trauma patients from 2003–2009 up to 28 hospital days using SOPs developed at the onset of the study. An extensive database on patient and injury characteristics, clinical treatment, and outcomes was created. These data were compared with existing trauma benchmarks. Results The study patients were critically injured and in shock. SOP compliance improved 10–40% during the study period. Multiple organ failure and mortality rates were 34.8% and 16.7% respectively. Time to recovery, defined as the time until the patient was free of organ failure for at least two consecutive days, was developed as a new outcome measure. There was a reduction in mortality rate in the cohort during the study that cannot be explained by changes in the patient population. Conclusions This study provides the current benchmark and the overall positive effect of implementing SOPs for severely injured patients. Over the course of the study, there were improvements in morbidity and mortality and increasing compliance with SOPs. Mortality was surprisingly low, given the degree of injury, and improved over the duration of the study, which correlated with improved SOP compliance. PMID:22470077

Benchmarking outcomes in the critically injured trauma patient and the effect of implementing standard operating procedures.

PubMed

Cuschieri, Joseph; Johnson, Jeffrey L; Sperry, Jason; West, Michael A; Moore, Ernest E; Minei, Joseph P; Bankey, Paul E; Nathens, Avery B; Cuenca, Alex G; Efron, Philip A; Hennessy, Laura; Xiao, Wenzhong; Mindrinos, Michael N; McDonald-Smith, Grace P; Mason, Philip H; Billiar, Timothy R; Schoenfeld, David A; Warren, H Shaw; Cobb, J Perren; Moldawer, Lyle L; Davis, Ronald W; Maier, Ronald V; Tompkins, Ronald G

2012-05-01

To determine and compare outcomes with accepted benchmarks in trauma care at 7 academic level I trauma centers in which patients were treated on the basis of a series of standard operating procedures (SOPs). Injury remains the leading cause of death for those younger than 45 years. This study describes the baseline patient characteristics and well-defined outcomes of persons hospitalized in the United States for severe blunt trauma. We followed 1637 trauma patients from 2003 to 2009 up to 28 hospital days using SOPs developed at the onset of the study. An extensive database on patient and injury characteristics, clinical treatment, and outcomes was created. These data were compared with existing trauma benchmarks. The study patients were critically injured and were in shock. SOP compliance improved 10% to 40% during the study period. Multiple organ failure and mortality rates were 34.8% and 16.7%, respectively. Time to recovery, defined as the time until the patient was free of organ failure for at least 2 consecutive days, was developed as a new outcome measure. There was a reduction in mortality rate in the cohort during the study that cannot be explained by changes in the patient population. This study provides the current benchmark and the overall positive effect of implementing SOPs for severely injured patients. Over the course of the study, there were improvements in morbidity and mortality rates and increasing compliance with SOPs. Mortality was surprisingly low, given the degree of injury, and improved over the duration of the study, which correlated with improved SOP compliance.

Estimating Antarctic Near-Surface Magnetic Anomalies from Oersted and CHAMP Satellite Magnetometer Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

vonFrese, Ralph R. B.; Kim, Hyung Rae; Gaya-Pique, Luis R.; Taylor, Patrick T.; Golynsky, Alexander V.; Kim, Jeong Woo

2004-01-01

Significant improvement in predicting near-surface magnetic anomalies can result from the highly accurate magnetic observations of the CHAMP satellite that is orbiting at about 400 km altitude. In general, regional magnetic signals of the crust are strongly masked by the core field and its secular variations due to wavelength coupling in the spherical harmonic representation and thus are difficult to isolate in the satellite measurements. However, efforts to isolate the regional lithospheric from core field components can exploit the correlations between the CHAMP magnetic anomalies and the pseudo magnetic effects inferred from gravity-derived crustal thickness variations. In addition, we can use spectral correlation theory to filter the static lithospheric field components from the dynamic external field effects. Employing these procedures, we processed the CHAMP magnetic conservations for an improved magnetic anomaly map of the Antarctic crust. Relative to the much higher altitude Oersted and noisier Magsat observations, CHAMP magnetic anomalies at 400 km altitude reveal new details on the effects of intra-crustal magnetic features and crustal thickness variations of the Antarctic. Moreover, these results greatly facilitate predicting magnetic anomalies in the regional coverage gaps of the ADMAP compilation of Antarctic magnetic anomalies from shipborne, airborne and ground surveys. Our analysis suggests that considerable new insights on the magnetic properties of the lithosphere may be revealed by a further order-of-magnitude improvement in the accuracy of the magnetometer.

Cost variation in a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the association with outcomes across a single health system: implications for standardization and improved resource utilization.

PubMed

Brauer, David G; Hawkins, William G; Strasberg, Steven M; Brunt, L Michael; Jaques, David P; Mercurio, Nicholas R; Hall, Bruce L; Fields, Ryan C

2015-12-01

Payers and regulatory bodies are increasingly placing emphasis on cost containment, quality/outcome measurement and transparent reporting. Significant cost variation occurs in many operative procedures without a clear relationship with outcomes. Clear cost-benefit associations will be necessary to justify expenditures in the era of bundled payment structures. All laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCCKs) performed within a single health system over a 1-year period were analysed for operating room (OR) supply cost. The cost was correlated with American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) outcomes. From July 2013 to June 2014, 2178 LCCKs were performed by 55 surgeons at seven hospitals. The median case OR supply cost was $513 ± 156. There was variation in cost between individual surgeons and within an individual surgeon's practice. There was no correlation between cost and ACS NSQIP outcomes. The majority of cost variation was explained by selection of trocar and clip applier constructs. Significant case OR cost variation is present in LCCK across a single health system, and there is no clear association between increased cost and NSQIP outcomes. Placed within the larger context of overall cost, the opportunity exists for improved resource utilization with no obvious risk for a reduction in the quality of care. © 2015 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Cost variation in a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the association with outcomes across a single health system: implications for standardization and improved resource utilization

PubMed Central

Brauer, David G; Hawkins, William G; Strasberg, Steven M; Brunt, L Michael; Jaques, David P; Mercurio, Nicholas R; Hall, Bruce L; Fields, Ryan C

2015-01-01

Background Payers and regulatory bodies are increasingly placing emphasis on cost containment, quality/outcome measurement and transparent reporting. Significant cost variation occurs in many operative procedures without a clear relationship with outcomes. Clear cost-benefit associations will be necessary to justify expenditures in the era of bundled payment structures. Methods All laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCCKs) performed within a single health system over a 1-year period were analysed for operating room (OR) supply cost. The cost was correlated with American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) outcomes. Results From July 2013 to June 2014, 2178 LCCKs were performed by 55 surgeons at seven hospitals. The median case OR supply cost was $513 ± 156. There was variation in cost between individual surgeons and within an individual surgeon's practice. There was no correlation between cost and ACS NSQIP outcomes. The majority of cost variation was explained by selection of trocar and clip applier constructs. Conclusions Significant case OR cost variation is present in LCCK across a single health system, and there is no clear association between increased cost and NSQIP outcomes. Placed within the larger context of overall cost, the opportunity exists for improved resource utilization with no obvious risk for a reduction in the quality of care. PMID:26345351

Multi-wavelengths digital holography: reconstruction, synthesis and display of holograms using adaptive transformation.

PubMed

Memmolo, P; Finizio, A; Paturzo, M; Ferraro, P; Javidi, B

2012-05-01

A method based on spatial transformations of multiwavelength digital holograms and the correlation matching of their numerical reconstructions is proposed, with the aim to improve superimposition of different color reconstructed images. This method is based on an adaptive affine transform of the hologram that permits management of the physical parameters of numerical reconstruction. In addition, we present a procedure to synthesize a single digital hologram in which three different colors are multiplexed. The optical reconstruction of the synthetic hologram by a spatial light modulator at one wavelength allows us to display all color features of the object, avoiding loss of details.

Use abstracted patient-specific features to assist an information-theoretic measurement to assess similarity between medical cases

PubMed Central

Cao, Hui; Melton, Genevieve B.; Markatou, Marianthi; Hripcsak, George

2008-01-01

Inter-case similarity metrics can potentially help find similar cases from a case base for evidence-based practice. While several methods to measure similarity between cases have been proposed, developing an effective means for measuring patient case similarity remains a challenging problem. We were interested in examining how abstracting could potentially assist computing case similarity. In this study, abstracted patient-specific features from medical records were used to improve an existing information-theoretic measurement. The developed metric, using a combination of abstracted disease, finding, procedure and medication features, achieved a correlation between 0.6012 and 0.6940 to experts. PMID:18487093

Self-reported "worth it" rating of aesthetic surgery in social media.

PubMed

Domanski, Mark C; Cavale, Naveen

2012-12-01

A wide variety of surveys have been used to validate the satisfaction of patients who underwent aesthetic surgery. However, such studies are often limited by patient number and number of surgeons. Social media now allows patients, on a large scale, to discuss and rate their satisfaction with procedures. The views of aesthetic procedures patients expressed in social media provide unique insight into patient satisfaction. The "worth it" percentage, average cost, and number of respondents were recorded on October 16, 2011, for all topics evaluated on the aesthetic procedure social media site www.realself.com . Procedures were divided into categories: surgical, liposuction, nonsurgical, and dental. For each group, procedures with the most respondents were chosen and ordered by "worth it" score. A literature search was performed for the most commonly rated surgical procedures and the satisfaction rates were compared. A total of 16,949 evaluations of 159 aesthetic surgery topics were recorded. A correlation between cost of the procedure and percentage of respondents indicating that the procedure was "worth it" was not found. The highest-rated surgical procedure was abdominoplasty, with 93 % of the 1,589 self-selected respondents expressing that abdominoplasty was "worth it." The average self-reported cost was $8,400. The highest-rated nonsurgical product was Latisse, with 85 % of 231 respondents reporting it was "worth it" for an average cost of $200. The satisfaction scores in the literature for commonly rated surgical procedures ranged from 62 to 97.6 %. No statistically significant correlations between literature satisfaction scores and realself.com "worth it" scores were found. Abdominoplasty had the highest "worth it" rating among aesthetic surgical procedures. Aesthetic surgeons should be wary that satisfaction scores reported in the literature might not correlate with commonly achieved results. Social media has opened a new door into how procedures are evaluated and perceived. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the table of contents or the online instructions to authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Testing for time-based correlates of perceived gender discrimination.

PubMed

Blau, Gary; Tatum, Donna Surges; Ward-Cook, Kory; Dobria, Lidia; McCoy, Keith

2005-01-01

Using a sample of 201 medical technologists (MTs) over a five-year period, this study extends initial findings on perceived gender discrimination (PGD) by Blau and Tatum (2000) by applying organizational justice variables and internal-external locus of control as hypothesized correlates of PGD. Three types of organizational justice were measured: distributive, procedural, and interactional. General relationships found include locus of control being related to PGD such that internals perceived lower PGD. Also, distributive, procedural, and interactional justice were negatively related to PGD. However, increasing the time interval between these correlates weakened their relationships. The relationship of interactional justice to PGD remained the most "resistant" to attenuation over time.

Preharvest Application of Methyl Jasmonate as an Elicitor Improves the Yield and Phenolic Content of Artichoke.

PubMed

Martínez-Esplá, Alejandra; Valero, Daniel; Martínez-Romero, Domingo; Castillo, Salvador; Giménez, María José; García-Pastor, Maria Emma; Serrano, María; Zapata, Pedro Javier

2017-10-25

The effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJa) treatment as an elicitor of artichoke plants [Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (L.) Fiori] on the yield and quality attributes of artichokes, especially those related to individual phenolic content and antioxidant activity, at two harvest dates and along storage were analyzed in this research. Plants treated gave a higher yield of artichokes in comparison to control plants, with 0.55 kg more per plant. MeJa treatment also increased artichoke quality and phenolic content in the edible fraction at harvest and during storage at 2 °C for 28 days as a result of the accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acids and luteolin derivatives. In addition, antioxidant activity was enhanced by MeJa treatment and correlated with the total phenolic content. Results suggest that MeJa foliar application could be a simple and practical tool to improve the yield and phytochemical content on artichokes, with elicitation being a cheap and environmentally friendly procedure to improve the health-beneficial effects of artichoke consumption.

Improved moving window cross-spectral analysis for resolving large temporal seismic velocity changes in permafrost

DOE PAGES

James, S. R.; Knox, H. A.; Abbott, R. E.; ...

2017-04-13

Cross correlations of seismic noise can potentially record large changes in subsurface velocity due to permafrost dynamics and be valuable for long-term Arctic monitoring. We applied seismic interferometry, using moving window cross-spectral analysis (MWCS), to 2 years of ambient noise data recorded in central Alaska to investigate whether seismic noise could be used to quantify relative velocity changes due to seasonal active-layer dynamics. The large velocity changes (>75%) between frozen and thawed soil caused prevalent cycle-skipping which made the method unusable in this setting. We developed an improved MWCS procedure which uses a moving reference to measure daily velocity variationsmore » that are then accumulated to recover the full seasonal change. This approach reduced cycle-skipping and recovered a seasonal trend that corresponded well with the timing of active-layer freeze and thaw. Lastly, this improvement opens the possibility of measuring large velocity changes by using MWCS and permafrost monitoring by using ambient noise.« less

Incongruity, incongruity resolution, and mental states: The measure and modification of situational awareness and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Derks, Peter L.; Gillikin, Lynn S.

1993-01-01

The research reported here describes the process of induction of various mental states. Our goals were to measure and to manipulate both the behavioral and the neurological correlates of particular mental states that have previously been demonstrated to be either beneficial or deleterious to in-flight performance situations. The experimental paradigm involved developing a context of which the participants were aware, followed by the introduction of an incongruity into that context. The empirical questions involved how the incongruity was resolved and the consequent effects on mental state. The dependent variables were measures of both the short-term ERP changes and the longer-term brain mapping indications of predominant mental states. The mission of NASA Flight Management Division and Human/Automation Integration Branch centers on the understanding and improvement of interaction between a complex system and a human operator. Specifically, the goal is improved efficiency through better operative procedures and control strategies. More efficient performance in demanding flight environments depends on improved situational awareness and replanning for fault management.

Comprehensive Aristotle score: implications for the Norwood procedure.

PubMed

Sinzobahamvya, Nicodème; Photiadis, Joachim; Kumpikaite, Daiva; Fink, Christoph; Blaschczok, Hedwig C; Brecher, Anne Marie; Asfour, Boulos

2006-05-01

Aristotle score is emerging as a reliable tool to measure surgical performance. We estimated the comprehensive Aristotle score for the Norwood procedure, correlated it with survival, and considered its impact on surgical management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Comprehensive Aristotle score was retrospectively calculated for 39 consecutive Norwood procedures performed from 2001 to 2004. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The Aristotle scores ranged from 14.5 to 23.5 (mean, 19.12 +/- 2.52; median, 19.5). The score was 20 or greater in 44% (17 of 39) of cases. The most frequent patient-adjusted factors were aortic atresia (n = 16), interrupted aortic arch (n = 9), mechanical ventilation to treat cardiorespiratory failure (n = 19) and shock resolved at time of surgery (n = 13). Hospital mortality was 58.8% (10 of 17) in case of score of 20 or more and 9.1% (2 of 22) for score less than 20 (p = 0.0014). From 2003 on, all patients with a score less than 20 survived. Actuarial estimate of survival at 1 year is 56.2% +/- 7.9% and there have been no late deaths after 1 year. One-year survival is much lower (p = 0.001) for patients with scores of 20 or greater (29.4% +/- 11.05%) compared with those whose scores were less than 20 (77.3% +/- 8.9%). This study shows significant correlation of comprehensive Aristotle score with hospital mortality and late survival after Norwood palliation. It suggests that operative survival on the order of 90% may be achieved in patients with comprehensive complexity scores of less than 20. Efforts should be devoted to improve survival of high-risk patients (score > or = 20).

Analysis of health professional security behaviors in a real clinical setting: an empirical study.

PubMed

Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Sánchez-Henarejos, Ana; Toval, Ambrosio; Sánchez-García, Ana Belén; Hernández-Hernández, Isabel; Fernandez-Luque, Luis

2015-06-01

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the security behavior of healthcare professionals in a real clinical setting. Standards, guidelines and recommendations on security and privacy best practices for staff personnel were identified using a systematic literature review. After a revision process, a questionnaire consisting of 27 questions was created and responded to by 180 health professionals from a public hospital. Weak passwords were reported by 62.2% of the respondents, 31.7% were unaware of the organization's procedures for discarding confidential information, and 19.4% did not carry out these procedures. Half of the respondents (51.7%) did not take measures to ensure that the personal health information on the computer monitor could not be seen by unauthorized individuals, and 57.8% were unaware of the procedure established to report a security violation. The correlation between the number of years in the position and good security practices was not significant (Pearson's r=0.085, P=0.254). Age was weakly correlated with good security practices (Pearson's r=-0.169, P=0.028). A Mann-Whitney test showed no significant difference between the respondents' security behavior as regards gender (U=2536, P=0.792, n=178). The results of the study suggest that more efforts are required to improve security education for health personnel. It was found that both preventive and corrective actions are needed to prevent health staff from causing security incidents. Healthcare organizations should: identify the types of information that require protection, clearly communicate the penalties that will be imposed, promote security training courses, and define what the organization considers improper behavior to be and communicate this to all personnel. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incidence and Cause of Hypertension During Adrenal Radiofrequency Ablation

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

Yamakado, Koichiro, E-mail: yama@clin.medic.mie-u.ac.jp; Takaki, Haruyuki; Yamada, Tomomi

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and cause of hypertension prospectively during adrenal radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: For this study, approved by our institutional review board, written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Patients who received RFA for adrenal tumors (adrenal ablation) and other abdominal tumors (nonadrenal ablation) were included in this prospective study. Blood pressure was monitored during RFA. Serum adrenal hormone levels including epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and cortisol levels were measured before and during RFA. The respective incidences of procedural hypertension (systolic blood pressure >200 mmHg) of the two patient groups were compared. Factors correlating with procedural systolicmore » blood pressure were evaluated by regression analysis.ResultsNine patients underwent adrenal RFA and another 9 patients liver (n = 5) and renal (n = 4) RFA. Asymptomatic procedural hypertension that returned to the baseline by injecting calcium blocker was found in 7 (38.9%) of 18 patients. The incidence of procedural hypertension was significantly higher in the adrenal ablation group (66.7%, 6/9) than in the nonadrenal ablation group (11.1%, 1/9, P < 0.0498). Procedural systolic blood pressure was significantly correlated with serum epinephrine (R{sup 2} = 0.68, P < 0.0001) and norepinephrine (R{sup 2} = 0.72, P < 0.0001) levels during RFA. The other adrenal hormones did not show correlation with procedural systolic blood pressure. Conclusion: Hypertension occurs frequently during adrenal RFA because of the release of catecholamine.« less

CBP for Field Workers – Results and Insights from Three Usability and Interface Design Evaluations

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

Oxstrand, Johanna Helene; Le Blanc, Katya Lee; Bly, Aaron Douglas

2015-09-01

Nearly all activities that involve human interaction with the systems in a nuclear power plant are guided by procedures. Even though the paper-based procedures (PBPs) currently used by industry have a demonstrated history of ensuring safety, improving procedure use could yield significant savings in increased efficiency as well as improved nuclear safety through human performance gains. The nuclear industry is constantly trying to find ways to decrease the human error rate, especially the human errors associated with procedure use. As a step toward the goal of improving procedure use and adherence, researchers in the Light-Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program, togethermore » with the nuclear industry, have been investigating the possibility and feasibility of replacing the current paper-based procedure process with a computer-based procedure (CBP) system. This report describes a field evaluation of new design concepts of a prototype computer-based procedure system.« less

Simulation center training as a means to improve resident performance in percutaneous noncontinuous CT-guided fluoroscopic procedures with dose reduction.

PubMed

Mendiratta-Lala, Mishal; Williams, Todd R; Mendiratta, Vivek; Ahmed, Hafeez; Bonnett, John W

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multifaceted simulation-based resident training for CT-guided fluoroscopic procedures by measuring procedural and technical skills, radiation dose, and procedure times before and after simulation training. A prospective analysis included 40 radiology residents and eight staff radiologists. Residents took an online pretest to assess baseline procedural knowledge. Second-through fourth-year residents' baseline technical skills with a procedural phantom were evaluated. First-through third-year residents then underwent formal didactic and simulation-based procedural and technical training with one of two interventional radiologists and followed the training with 1 month of supervised phantom-based practice. Thereafter, residents underwent final written and practical examinations. The practical examination included essential items from a 20-point checklist, including site and side marking, consent, time-out, and sterile technique along with a technical skills portion assessing pedal steps, radiation dose, needle redirects, and procedure time. The results indicated statistically significant improvement in procedural and technical skills after simulation training. For residents, the median number of pedal steps decreased by three (p=0.001), median dose decreased by 15.4 mGy (p<0.001), median procedure time decreased by 4.0 minutes (p<0.001), median number of needle redirects decreased by 1.0 (p=0.005), and median number of 20-point checklist items successfully completed increased by three (p<0.001). The results suggest that procedural skills can be acquired and improved by simulation-based training of residents, regardless of experience. CT simulation training decreases procedural time, decreases radiation dose, and improves resident efficiency and confidence, which may transfer to clinical practice with improved patient care and safety.

Hierarchical Factoring Based On Image Analysis And Orthoblique Rotations.

PubMed

Stankov, L

1979-07-01

The procedure for hierarchical factoring suggested by Schmid and Leiman (1957) is applied within the framework of image analysis and orthoblique rotational procedures. It is shown that this approach necessarily leads to correlated higher order factors. Also, one can obtain a smaller number of factors than produced by typical hierarchical procedures.

Premixed Digestion Salts for Kjeldahl Determination of Total Nitrogen in Selected Forest Soils

Treesearch

B. G. Blackmon

1971-01-01

Estimates of total soil nitrogen by a standard Kjeldahl procedure and a modified procedure employing packets of premixed digestion salts were closely correlated. (r2 = 0.983). The modified procedure appears to be as reliable all the standard method for determining total nitrogen in southern alluvial forest soils.

Formulation of improved basis sets for the study of polymer dynamics through diffusion theory methods.

PubMed

Gaspari, Roberto; Rapallo, Arnaldo

2008-06-28

In this work a new method is proposed for the choice of basis functions in diffusion theory (DT) calculations. This method, named hybrid basis approach (HBA), combines the two previously adopted long time sorting procedure (LTSP) and maximum correlation approximation (MCA) techniques; the first emphasizing contributions from the long time dynamics, the latter being based on the local correlations along the chain. In order to fulfill this task, the HBA procedure employs a first order basis set corresponding to a high order MCA one and generates upper order approximations according to LTSP. A test of the method is made first on a melt of cis-1,4-polyisoprene decamers where HBA and LTSP are compared in terms of efficiency. Both convergence properties and numerical stability are improved by the use of the HBA basis set whose performance is evaluated on local dynamics, by computing the correlation times of selected bond vectors along the chain, and on global ones, through the eigenvalues of the diffusion operator L. Further use of the DT with a HBA basis set has been made on a 71-mer of syndiotactic trans-1,2-polypentadiene in toluene solution, whose dynamical properties have been computed with a high order calculation and compared to the "numerical experiment" provided by the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation in explicit solvent. The necessary equilibrium averages have been obtained by a vacuum trajectory of the chain where solvent effects on conformational properties have been reproduced with a proper screening of the nonbonded interactions, corresponding to a definite value of the mean radius of gyration of the polymer in vacuum. Results show a very good agreement between DT calculations and the MD numerical experiment. This suggests a further use of DT methods with the necessary input quantities obtained by the only knowledge of some experimental values, i.e., the mean radius of gyration of the chain and the viscosity of the solution, and by a suitable vacuum trajectory, with great savings in computational time required. This offers a theoretical bridge between the experimental static and dynamical properties of polymers.

Estimating acreage by double sampling using LANDSAT data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pont, F.; Horwitz, H.; Kauth, R. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Double sampling techniques employing LANDSAT data for estimating the acreage of corn and soybeans was investigated and evaluated. The evaluation was based on estimated costs and correlations between two existing procedures having differing cost/variance characteristics, and included consideration of their individual merits when coupled with a fictional 'perfect' procedure of zero bias and variance. Two features of the analysis are: (1) the simultaneous estimation of two or more crops; and (2) the imposition of linear cost constraints among two or more types of resource. A reasonably realistic operational scenario was postulated. The costs were estimated from current experience with the measurement procedures involved, and the correlations were estimated from a set of 39 LACIE-type sample segments located in the U.S. Corn Belt. For a fixed variance of the estimate, double sampling with the two existing LANDSAT measurement procedures can result in a 25% or 50% cost reduction. Double sampling which included the fictional perfect procedure results in a more cost effective combination when it is used with the lower cost/higher variance representative of the existing procedures.

Reduction of patient anxiety in PET/CT imaging by improving communication between patient and technologist.

PubMed

Acuff, Shelley N; Bradley, Yong C; Barlow, Patrick; Osborne, Dustin R

2014-09-01

Patients experience anxiety during imaging procedures because of the confined space, uncertainty about the procedure, worry about the results, and other concerns. When a patient experiences anxiety during PET/CT imaging, the quality of the scan can be affected in several ways. Current patient-technologist communication is limited in PET/CT because the technologist must be separated from the patient during the course of the imaging workflow. This study investigated the use of a call device enabling rapid communication to reduce patient anxiety. Clinical patients with various oncologic indications and undergoing (18)F-FDG PET/CT imaging were asked to participate in anxiety surveys under several conditions. Metrics were tracked regarding the survey results for comparison between groups and survey conditions. During the course of this study, 2 patient surveys were used. One of the patient populations was asked to fill out a survey on personal perceptions of the use of such a device, with questions related to their comfort with the device and the degree to which they perceived the device to reduce their anxiety. The 2 remaining populations were given a standard Spielberger State Anxiety survey for anxiety assessments against control populations. Perception survey results indicated that 75% of the respondents experienced a reduction in anxiety and that 84% would request this type of device for other procedures. A correlation was observed between improved patient-technologist communication and perceived feelings of safety, with identical percentages of positive responses. Although responses were mostly positive, 18.8% did not perceive any reduction in anxiety, and the same number indicated they would not use the system in the future. For those patients given the standard Spielberger State Anxiety survey, a statistically significant reduction in anxiety was observed (P < 0.05) in those patients given a call device. Reductions in anxiety were observed for all patient populations, including first-time and repeated-imaging patients. Patient anxiety can be reduced through the use of a tangible device that improves communication between the patient and the imaging staff. Reducing anxiety may have a positive effect on imaging, because involuntary motion may be reduced and there may be improvement in the patients' comfort and in their overall experience with the imaging procedure. © 2014 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

The University of Texas Houston Stroke Registry (UTHSR): implementation of enhanced data quality assurance procedures improves data quality

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Limited information has been published regarding standard quality assurance (QA) procedures for stroke registries. We share our experience regarding the establishment of enhanced QA procedures for the University of Texas Houston Stroke Registry (UTHSR) and evaluate whether these QA procedures have improved data quality in UTHSR. Methods All 5093 patient records that were abstracted and entered in UTHSR, between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011, were considered in this study. We conducted reliability and validity studies. For reliability and validity of data captured by abstractors, a random subset of 30 records was used for re-abstraction of select key variables by two abstractors. These 30 records were re-abstracted by a team of experts that included a vascular neurologist clinician as the “gold standard”. We assessed inter-rater reliability (IRR) between the two abstractors as well as validity of each abstractor with the “gold standard”. Depending on the scale of variables, IRR was assessed with Kappa or intra-class correlations (ICC) using a 2-way, random effects ANOVA. For assessment of validity of data in UTHSR we re-abstracted another set of 85 patient records for which all discrepant entries were adjudicated by a vascular neurology fellow clinician and added to the set of our “gold standard”. We assessed level of agreement between the registry data and the “gold standard” as well as sensitivity and specificity. We used logistic regression to compare error rates for different years to assess whether a significant improvement in data quality has been achieved during 2008–2011. Results The error rate dropped significantly, from 4.8% in 2008 to 2.2% in 2011 (P < 0.001). The two abstractors had an excellent IRR (Kappa or ICC ≥ 0.75) on almost all key variables checked. Agreement between data in UTHSR and the “gold standard” was excellent for almost all categorical and continuous variables. Conclusions Establishment of a rigorous data quality assurance for our UTHSR has helped to improve the validity of data. We observed an excellent IRR between the two abstractors. We recommend training of chart abstractors and systematic assessment of IRR between abstractors and validity of the abstracted data in stroke registries. PMID:23767957

Simplified procedures for correlation of experimentally measured and predicted thrust chamber performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, W. B.

1973-01-01

Thrust chamber performance is evaluated in terms of an analytical model incorporating all the loss processes that occur in a real rocket motor. The important loss processes in the real thrust chamber were identified, and a methodology and recommended procedure for predicting real thrust chamber vacuum specific impulse were developed. Simplified equations for the calculation of vacuum specific impulse are developed to relate the delivered performance (both vacuum specific impulse and characteristic velocity) to the ideal performance as degraded by the losses corresponding to a specified list of loss processes. These simplified equations enable the various performance loss components, and the corresponding efficiencies, to be quantified separately (except that interaction effects are arbitrarily assigned in the process). The loss and efficiency expressions presented can be used to evaluate experimentally measured thrust chamber performance, to direct development effort into the areas most likely to yield improvements in performance, and as a basis to predict performance of related thrust chamber configurations.

Sleep spindles: a physiological marker of age-related changes in gray matter in brain regions supporting motor skill memory consolidation.

PubMed

Fogel, Stuart; Vien, Catherine; Karni, Avi; Benali, Habib; Carrier, Julie; Doyon, Julien

2017-01-01

Sleep is necessary for the optimal consolidation of procedural learning, and in particular, for motor sequential skills. Motor sequence learning remains intact with age, but sleep-dependent consolidation is impaired, suggesting that memory deficits for procedural skills are specifically impacted by age-related changes in sleep. Age-related changes in spindles may be responsible for impaired motor sequence learning consolidation, but the morphological basis for this deficit is unknown. Here, we found that gray matter in the hippocampus and cerebellum was positively correlated with both sleep spindles and offline improvements in performance in young participants but not in older participants. These results suggest that age-related changes in gray matter in the hippocampus relate to spindles and may underlie age-related deficits in sleep-related motor sequence memory consolidation. In this way, spindles can serve as a biological marker for structural brain changes and the related memory deficits in older adults. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examination of the Chayes-Kruskal procedure for testing correlations between proportions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kork, J.O.

1977-01-01

The Chayes-Kruskal procedure for testing correlations between proportions uses a linear approximation to the actual closure transformation to provide a null value, pij, against which an observed closed correlation coefficient, rij, can be tested. It has been suggested that a significant difference between pij and rij would indicate a nonzero covariance relationship between the ith and jth open variables. In this paper, the linear approximation to the closure transformation is described in terms of a matrix equation. Examination of the solution set of this equation shows that estimation of, or even the identification of, significant nonzero open correlations is essentially impossible even if the number of variables and the sample size are large. The method of solving the matrix equation is described in the appendix. ?? 1977 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

A Brief Critique of the TATES Procedure.

PubMed

Aliev, Fazil; Salvatore, Jessica E; Agrawal, Arpana; Almasy, Laura; Chan, Grace; Edenberg, Howard J; Hesselbrock, Victor; Kuperman, Samuel; Meyers, Jacquelyn; Dick, Danielle M

2018-03-01

The Trait-based test that uses the Extended Simes procedure (TATES) was developed as a method for conducting multivariate GWAS for correlated phenotypes whose underlying genetic architecture is complex. In this paper, we provide a brief methodological critique of the TATES method using simulated examples and a mathematical proof. Our simulated examples using correlated phenotypes show that the Type I error rate is higher than expected, and that more TATES p values fall outside of the confidence interval relative to expectation. Thus the method may result in systematic inflation when used with correlated phenotypes. In a mathematical proof we further demonstrate that the distribution of TATES p values deviates from expectation in a manner indicative of inflation. Our findings indicate the need for caution when using TATES for multivariate GWAS of correlated phenotypes.

Understanding safety climate in small automobile collision repair shops.

PubMed

Parker, David L; Brosseau, Lisa M; Bejan, Anca; Skan, Maryellen; Xi, Min

2014-01-01

In the United States, approximately 236,000 people work in 37,600 auto collision-repair businesses. Workers in the collision-repair industry may be exposed to a wide range of physical and chemical hazards. This manuscript examines the relationship of safety climate as reported by collision repair shop workers and owners to: (1) an independent business safety assessment, and (2) employee self-reported work practices. The study was conducted in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A total of 199 workers from 49 collision shops completed a survey of self-reported work practices and safety climate. Surveys were completed by an owner or manager in all but three shops. In general, self-reported work practices were poor. Workers' scores on safety climate were uniformly lower than those of owners. For workers, there was no correlation between how well the business scored on an independent audit of business safety practices and the safety climate measures they reported. For owners, however, there was a positive correlation between safety climate scores and the business safety assessment. For workers, safety rules and procedures were associated with improved work practices for those engaged in both painting-related and body technician-related activities. The enforcement of safety rules and procedures emerged as a strong factor positively affecting self-reported work practices. These findings identify a simple, cost effective path to reducing hazards in small workplaces. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

Toro, Javier, E-mail: jjtoroca@unal.edu.co; Requena, Ignacio, E-mail: requena@decsai.ugr.es; Duarte, Oscar, E-mail: ogduartev@unal.edu.co

In environmental impact assessment, qualitative methods are used because they are versatile and easy to apply. This methodology is based on the evaluation of the strength of the impact by grading a series of qualitative attributes that can be manipulated by the evaluator. The results thus obtained are not objective, and all too often impacts are eliminated that should be mitigated with corrective measures. However, qualitative methodology can be improved if the calculation of Impact Importance is based on the characteristics of environmental factors and project activities instead on indicators assessed by evaluators. In this sense, this paper proposes themore » inclusion of the vulnerability of environmental factors and the potential environmental impact of project activities. For this purpose, the study described in this paper defined Total Impact Importance and specified a quantification procedure. The results obtained in the case study of oil drilling in Colombia reflect greater objectivity in the evaluation of impacts as well as a positive correlation between impact values, the environmental characteristics at and near the project location, and the technical characteristics of project activities. -- Highlights: • Concept of vulnerability has been used to calculate the importance impact assessment. • This paper defined Total Impact Importance and specified a quantification procedure. • The method includes the characteristics of environmental and project activities. • The application has shown greater objectivity in the evaluation of impacts. • Better correlation between impact values, environment and the project has been shown.« less

Point-based warping with optimized weighting factors of displacement vectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pielot, Ranier; Scholz, Michael; Obermayer, Klaus; Gundelfinger, Eckart D.; Hess, Andreas

2000-06-01

The accurate comparison of inter-individual 3D image brain datasets requires non-affine transformation techniques (warping) to reduce geometric variations. Constrained by the biological prerequisites we use in this study a landmark-based warping method with weighted sums of displacement vectors, which is enhanced by an optimization process. Furthermore, we investigate fast automatic procedures for determining landmarks to improve the practicability of 3D warping. This combined approach was tested on 3D autoradiographs of Gerbil brains. The autoradiographs were obtained after injecting a non-metabolized radioactive glucose derivative into the Gerbil thereby visualizing neuronal activity in the brain. Afterwards the brain was processed with standard autoradiographical methods. The landmark-generator computes corresponding reference points simultaneously within a given number of datasets by Monte-Carlo-techniques. The warping function is a distance weighted exponential function with a landmark- specific weighting factor. These weighting factors are optimized by a computational evolution strategy. The warping quality is quantified by several coefficients (correlation coefficient, overlap-index, and registration error). The described approach combines a highly suitable procedure to automatically detect landmarks in autoradiographical brain images and an enhanced point-based warping technique, optimizing the local weighting factors. This optimization process significantly improves the similarity between the warped and the target dataset.

Improved method for roadside barrier length of need modeling using real-world trajectories.

PubMed

Johnson, Nicholas S; Thomson, Robert; Gabler, Hampton C

2015-07-01

The 2011 AASHTO Roadside Design Guide (RDG) contains perhaps the most widely used procedure for choosing an appropriate length of need (LON) for roadside barriers. However, this procedure has several limitations. The procedure uses a highly simplified model of vehicle departure, and the procedure does not allow designers to specify an explicit level of protection. A new procedure for choosing LON that addresses these limitations is presented in this paper. This new procedure is based on recent, real-world road departure trajectories and uses this departure data in a more realistic way. The new procedure also allows LON to be specified for a precisely known level of protection - a level which can be based on number of crashes, injury outcomes or even estimated crash cost - while still remaining straightforward and quick to use like the 2011 RDG procedure. In this analysis, the improved procedure was used to explore the effects of the RDG procedure's assumptions. LON recommendations given by the 2011 RDG procedure were compared with recommendations given by this improved procedure. For 55 mph roads, the 2011 RDG procedure appears to lead to a LON sufficient to intercept between 80% and 90% of right-side departures that would otherwise strike a hazard located 10 m from the roadway. For hazards closer than 10 m, the 2011 RDG procedure intercepts progressively higher percentages of real-world departures. This suggests the protection level provided by the 2011 RDG procedure varies with the hazard offset, becoming more conservative as the hazard moves closer to the roadway. The improved procedure, by comparison, gives a consistent protection level regardless of hazard location. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A powerful nonparametric method for detecting differentially co-expressed genes: distance correlation screening and edge-count test.

PubMed

Zhang, Qingyang

2018-05-16

Differential co-expression analysis, as a complement of differential expression analysis, offers significant insights into the changes in molecular mechanism of different phenotypes. A prevailing approach to detecting differentially co-expressed genes is to compare Pearson's correlation coefficients in two phenotypes. However, due to the limitations of Pearson's correlation measure, this approach lacks the power to detect nonlinear changes in gene co-expression which is common in gene regulatory networks. In this work, a new nonparametric procedure is proposed to search differentially co-expressed gene pairs in different phenotypes from large-scale data. Our computational pipeline consisted of two main steps, a screening step and a testing step. The screening step is to reduce the search space by filtering out all the independent gene pairs using distance correlation measure. In the testing step, we compare the gene co-expression patterns in different phenotypes by a recently developed edge-count test. Both steps are distribution-free and targeting nonlinear relations. We illustrate the promise of the new approach by analyzing the Cancer Genome Atlas data and the METABRIC data for breast cancer subtypes. Compared with some existing methods, the new method is more powerful in detecting nonlinear type of differential co-expressions. The distance correlation screening can greatly improve computational efficiency, facilitating its application to large data sets.

Head-camera video recordings of trauma core competency procedures can evaluate surgical resident's technical performance as well as colocated evaluators.

PubMed

Mackenzie, Colin F; Pasley, Jason; Garofalo, Evan; Shackelford, Stacy; Chen, Hegang; Longinaker, Nyaradzo; Granite, Guinevere; Pugh, Kristy; Hagegeorge, George; Tisherman, Samuel A

2017-07-01

Unbiased evaluation of trauma core competency procedures is necessary to determine if residency and predeployment training courses are useful. We tested whether a previously validated individual procedure score (IPS) for individual procedure vascular exposure and fasciotomy (FAS) performance skills could discriminate training status by comparing IPS of evaluators colocated with surgeons to blind video evaluations. Performance of axillary artery (AA), brachial artery (BA), and femoral artery (FA) vascular exposures and lower extremity FAS on fresh cadavers by 40 PGY-2 to PGY-6 residents was video-recorded from head-mounted cameras. Two colocated trained evaluators assessed IPS before and after training. One surgeon in each pretraining tertile of IPS for each procedure was randomly identified for blind video review. The same 12 surgeons were video-recorded repeating the procedures less than 4 weeks after training. Five evaluators independently reviewed all 96 randomly arranged deidentified videos. Inter-rater reliability/consistency, intraclass correlation coefficients were compared by colocated versus video review of IPS, and errors. Study methodology and bias were judged by Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies criteria. There were no differences (p ≥ 0.5) in IPS for AA, FA, FAS, whether evaluators were colocated or reviewed video recordings. Evaluator consistency was 0.29 (BA) - 0.77 (FA). Video and colocated evaluators were in total agreement (p = 1.0) for error recognition. Intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.73 to 0.92, dependent on procedure. Correlations video versus colocated evaluations were 0.5 to 0.9. Except for BA, blinded video evaluators discriminated (p < 0.002) whether procedures were performed before training versus after training. Study methodology by Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument criteria scored 15.5/19, Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 showed low bias risk. Video evaluations of AA, FA, and FAS procedures with IPS are unbiased, valid, and have potential for formative assessments of competency. Prognostic study, level II.

A Review of the Relevant Embryology, Pathohistology, and Anatomy of the Left Atrial Appendage for the Invasive Cardiac Electrophysiologist

PubMed Central

DeSimone, Christopher V.; Gaba, Prakriti; Tri, Jason; Syed, Faisal; Noheria, Amit; Asirvatham, Samuel J.

2016-01-01

The three-dimensional morphology of the left atrial appendage provides the substrate for thrombus generation, and is a harbinger for embolic material due to its direct connection to the left-sided circulation. Appreciating the development of the appendage from mesodermal layer to its adult form provides the basis to improve exclusion from the atrial circulation, and thereby can lead to a significant reduction in stroke risk. This process also provides insight into the role of the left atrial appendage as an endocrine organ, its involvement in fluid homeostasis, and its connection to the autonomic nervous system. Knowledge of the surrounding structural arrangement is critical to identify landmarks from both an endocardial and epicardial perspective to improve targeted device placement. Furthermore, correlation of the left atrial appendage body, neck, and ostium to the surrounding anatomy can also improve both procedural efficacy and safety. In addition, a working knowledge of the regional anatomy adds a prudent degree of awareness for procedural complications, and allows for early identification and timely intervention as these situations arise. A detailed understanding of the left atrial appendage embryology, histology, and gross anatomy is imperative to identify the correct device and approach for each individual patient. In addition, this increased awareness can identify areas that are in need of further innovation, and thus provide the ability to adapt and refine existing technologies to overcome pitfalls currently facing catheter-based approaches. PMID:27087889

Review of a single surgeon's stapedotomy cases performed with a nickel titanium prosthesis over a 14-year period.

PubMed

Justicz, Natalie; Strickland, Kaitlyn F; Motamedi, Kevin K; Mattox, Douglas E

2017-04-01

Stapes surgery with a nickel titanium prosthesis is a safe and well-tolerated procedure that leads to a significant improvement in hearing outcomes. To identify the efficacy and safety of stapedotomy procedures performed with a nickel titanium prosthesis for patients with otosclerosis. A review of 431 unique stapedotomies performed over 14 years by a single surgeon at an academic tertiary care center yielded 312 cases with nickel titanium prosthesis that met inclusion criteria of otosclerosis diagnosis, initial surgery in operative ear, and presence of pre-operative and post-operative audiograms. Pure-tone averages (PTA) at baseline and 8 weeks after surgery were calculated over four frequencies; 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. Average air-bone gaps (ABG) were calculated from pre-operative and post-operative audiograms. Average pre-operative baseline PTA was 56.7 dB in the affected ear. Post-operative PTA was 30.1 dB, a 26.6 dB improvement. Initial average ABG was 29.7 dB, while post-operative ABG averaged 5.4 dB, a 24.2 dB improvement. Surgical success (closure of ABG within 10 dB) was achieved in 263 (84%) patients. Rate of surgical success was not correlated with age, gender, race, or affected ear. Complications included recurrent conductive hearing loss (14), progressive SNHL (4), and post-operative BPPV (3).

Are general surgeons able to accurately self-assess their level of technical skills?

PubMed

Rizan, C; Ansell, J; Tilston, T W; Warren, N; Torkington, J

2015-11-01

Self-assessment is a way of improving technical capabilities without the need for trainer feedback. It can identify areas for improvement and promote professional medical development. The aim of this review was to identify whether self-assessment is an accurate form of technical skills appraisal in general surgery. The PubMed, MEDLINE(®), Embase(™) and Cochrane databases were searched for studies assessing the reliability of self-assessment of technical skills in general surgery. For each study, we recorded the skills assessed and the evaluation methods used. Common endpoints between studies were compared to provide recommendations based on the levels of evidence. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria from 22,292 initial papers. There was no level 1 evidence published. All papers compared the correlation between self-appraisal versus an expert score but differed in the technical skills assessment and the evaluation tools used. The accuracy of self-assessment improved with increasing experience (level 2 recommendation), age (level 3 recommendation) and the use of video playback (level 3 recommendation). Accuracy was reduced by stressful learning environments (level 2 recommendation), lack of familiarity with assessment tools (level 3 recommendation) and in advanced surgical procedures (level 3 recommendation). Evidence exists to support the reliability of self-assessment of technical skills in general surgery. Several variables have been shown to affect the accuracy of self-assessment of technical skills. Future work should focus on evaluating the reliability of self-assessment during live operating procedures.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients report increased pain at five years compared with two years after surgical treatment.

PubMed

Upasani, Vidyadhar V; Caltoum, Christine; Petcharaporn, Maty; Bastrom, Tracey P; Pawelek, Jeff B; Betz, Randal R; Clements, David H; Lenke, Lawrence G; Lowe, Thomas G; Newton, Peter O

2008-05-01

A multicenter study of changes in Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) outcome measures after surgical treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). To evaluate changes in patient determined outcome measures between 2 and 5 years after AIS surgery. Current surgical procedures have been shown to improve subjective measures in patients with AIS. At 2-year follow-up, AIS patients reported significant improvement in all 4 preoperative domains of the SRS questionnaire. In addition, the major Cobb angle was shown to be negatively correlated with preoperative scores in the pain, general self-image, and general function domains. Five-year SRS scores have not been evaluated previously. A multicenter, prospectively generated database was used to obtain perioperative, radiographic, and SRS-24 outcomes data. The inclusion criteria were: a diagnosis of AIS, surgical treatment (anterior, posterior, or combined), a comprehensive set of radiographic measures, and completed preoperative, 2-year, and 5-year SRS questionnaires. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare changes in patient responses for each of the 7 outcome domains. Univariate analysis of variance was used to compare the change in pain score at 5 years to the level of the lowest instrumented vertebrae and surgical approach. A correlation analysis was used to determine the association between changes in any of the radiographic variables and changes in SRS scores. The data were checked for normality and equal variances, and the level of significance was set at P < 0.01. Forty-nine patients (42 women, 7 men; 14.2 +/- 2.1 year old; 5.4 +/- 0.6 years follow-up) met the inclusion criteria for this study. Thirty-seven of 49 (76%) of these patients underwent an open or thoracoscopic anterior procedure. SRS-24 scores improved significantly in 3 of the 4 preoperative domains at the 2-year visit. At 5 years postop, a statistically significant decrease in the pain score (4.2 +/- 0.6 to 3.9 +/- 0.9, P = 0.003) and a trend toward worsening scores in 4 other domains was observed; however, Patient Satisfaction scores remained unchanged. Lowest instrumented vertebrae and surgical approach could not be correlated to changes in the pain score. In addition, no correlation was found between changes in any of the 21 radiographic measures evaluated and changes in SRS scores. There was a statistically significant increase in reported pain from 2 to 5 years after surgical treatment; however, the etiology of worsening pain scores could not be elucidated. Given continued patient satisfaction, the clinical relevance of this small reduction remains unknown. Nevertheless, this observation deserves further evaluation and must be considered in relation to the natural history of this disease.

Recent Advances in Image Assisted Neurosurgical Procedures: Improved Navigational Accuracy and Patient Safety

ScienceCinema

Olivi, Alessandro, M.D.

2017-12-09

Neurosurgical procedures require precise planning and intraoperative support. Recent advances in image guided technology have provided neurosurgeons with improved navigational support for more effective and safer procedures. A number of exemplary cases will be presented.

Impact of the initialisation on the predictability of the Southern Ocean sea ice at interannual to multi-decadal timescales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zunz, Violette; Goosse, Hugues; Dubinkina, Svetlana

2014-05-01

In this study, we assess systematically the impact of different initialisation procedures on the predictability of the sea ice in the Southern Ocean. These initialisation strategies are based on three data assimilation methods: the nudging, the particle filter with sequential resampling and the nudging proposal particle filter. An Earth-system model of intermediate complexity has been used to perform hindcast simulations in a perfect model approach. The predictability of the Southern Ocean sea ice is estimated through two aspects: the spread of the hindcast ensemble, indicating the uncertainty on the ensemble, and the correlation between the ensemble mean and the pseudo-observations, used to assess the accuracy of the prediction. Our results show that, at decadal timescales, more sophisticated data assimilation methods as well as denser pseudo-observations used to initialise the hindcasts decrease the spread of the ensemble but improve only slightly the accuracy of the prediction of the sea ice in the Southern Ocean. Overall, the predictability at interannual timescales is limited, at most, to three years ahead. At multi-decadal timescales, there is a clear improvement of the correlation of the trend in sea ice extent between the hindcasts and the pseudo-observations if the initialisation takes into account the pseudo-observations. The correlation reaches values larger than 0.5 and is due to the inertia of the ocean, showing the importance of the quality of the initialisation below the sea ice.

Frey's procedure for chronic pancreatitis improves the nutritional status of these patients.

PubMed

Sato, Hideaki; Ishida, Masaharu; Motoi, Fuyuhiko; Sakata, Naoaki; Aoki, Takeshi; Kudoh, Katsuyoshi; Ohtsuka, Hideo; Mizuma, Masamichi; Morikawa, Takanori; Hayashi, Hiroki; Nakagawa, Kei; Naitoh, Takeshi; Egawa, Shinich; Unno, Michiaki

2018-01-01

The aim of surgical intervention for chronic pancreatitis (CP) is to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. However, the precise effect of surgery on the nutritional status of CP patients, which is often impaired by exocrine and endocrine pancreatic dysfunction, has not been elucidated. We conducted this study to evaluate whether Frey's procedure improves the nutritional status of CP patients. The nutritional status of 35 patients who underwent Frey's procedure for CP at our institute between April 2005 and December 2014, was assessed by the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) scoring before and 1 year after the surgery, and compared with that of seven CP patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy. The occurrence of postoperative hepatic steatosis was also monitored. The nutritional status improved after Frey's procedure, but not after pancreatoduodenectomy. The median postoperative CONUT score after Frey's procedure was significantly lower than the preoperative score (1.0 ± 0.5 vs. 4.0 ± 2.5; p < 0.001). Frey's procedure is superior to pancreatoduodenectomy for improving the nutritional status of CP patients.

Coupled-cluster based basis sets for valence correlation calculations

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

Claudino, Daniel; Bartlett, Rodney J., E-mail: bartlett@qtp.ufl.edu; Gargano, Ricardo

Novel basis sets are generated that target the description of valence correlation in atoms H through Ar. The new contraction coefficients are obtained according to the Atomic Natural Orbital (ANO) procedure from CCSD(T) (coupled-cluster singles and doubles with perturbative triples correction) density matrices starting from the primitive functions of Dunning et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 90, 1007 (1989); ibid. 98, 1358 (1993); ibid. 100, 2975 (1993)] (correlation consistent polarized valence X-tuple zeta, cc-pVXZ). The exponents of the primitive Gaussian functions are subject to uniform scaling in order to ensure satisfaction of the virial theorem for the corresponding atoms. These newmore » sets, named ANO-VT-XZ (Atomic Natural Orbital Virial Theorem X-tuple Zeta), have the same number of contracted functions as their cc-pVXZ counterparts in each subshell. The performance of these basis sets is assessed by the evaluation of the contraction errors in four distinct computations: correlation energies in atoms, probing the density in different regions of space via 〈r{sup n}〉 (−3 ≤ n ≤ 3) in atoms, correlation energies in diatomic molecules, and the quality of fitting potential energy curves as measured by spectroscopic constants. All energy calculations with ANO-VT-QZ have contraction errors within “chemical accuracy” of 1 kcal/mol, which is not true for cc-pVQZ, suggesting some improvement compared to the correlation consistent series of Dunning and co-workers.« less

Relationship between plethysmographic waveform changes and hemodynamic variables in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated patients undergoing continuous cardiac output monitoring.

PubMed

Thiele, Robert H; Colquhoun, Douglas A; Patrie, James; Nie, Sarah H; Huffmyer, Julie L

2011-12-01

To assess the relation between photoplethysmographically-derived parameters and invasively-determined hemodynamic variables. After induction of anesthesia and placement of a Swan-Ganz CCOmbo catheter, a Nonin OEM III probe was placed on each patient's earlobe. Photoplethysmographic signals were recorded in conjunction with cardiac output. Photoplethysmographic metrics (amplitude of absorbance waveform, maximal slope of absorbance waveform, area under the curve, and width) were calculated offline and compared with invasively determined hemodynamic variables. Subject-specific associations between each dependent and independent variable pair were summarized on a per-subject basis by the nonparametric Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The bias-corrected accelerated bootstrap resampling procedure of Efron and Tibshirani was used to obtain a 95% confidence interval for the median subject-specific correlation coefficient, and Wilcoxon sign-rank tests were conducted to test the null hypothesis that the median of the subject-specific correlation coefficients were equal to 0. University hospital. Eighteen patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Placement of a Swan-Ganz CCOmbo catheter and a Nonin OEM III pulse oximetry probe. There was a positive, statistically significant correlation between stroke volume and width (median correlation coefficient, 0.29; confidence interval, 0.01-0.46; p = 0.034). The concordance between changes in stroke volume and changes in width was 53%. No other correlations achieved statistical significance. This study was unable to reproduce the results of prior studies. Only stroke volume and photoplethysmographic width were correlated in this study; however, the correlation and concordance (based on analysis of a 4-quadrant plot) were too weak to be clinically useful. Future studies in patients undergoing low-to-moderate risk surgery may result in improved correlations and clinical utility. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selection of the NIR region for a regression model of the ethanol concentration in fermentation process by an online NIR and mid-IR dual-region spectrometer and 2D heterospectral correlation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Nishii, Takashi; Genkawa, Takuma; Watari, Masahiro; Ozaki, Yukihiro

2012-01-01

A new selection procedure of an informative near-infrared (NIR) region for regression model building is proposed that uses an online NIR/mid-infrared (mid-IR) dual-region spectrometer in conjunction with two-dimensional (2D) NIR/mid-IR heterospectral correlation spectroscopy. In this procedure, both NIR and mid-IR spectra of a liquid sample are acquired sequentially during a reaction process using the NIR/mid-IR dual-region spectrometer; the 2D NIR/mid-IR heterospectral correlation spectrum is subsequently calculated from the obtained spectral data set. From the calculated 2D spectrum, a NIR region is selected that includes bands of high positive correlation intensity with mid-IR bands assigned to the analyte, and used for the construction of a regression model. To evaluate the performance of this procedure, a partial least-squares (PLS) regression model of the ethanol concentration in a fermentation process was constructed. During fermentation, NIR/mid-IR spectra in the 10000 - 1200 cm(-1) region were acquired every 3 min, and a 2D NIR/mid-IR heterospectral correlation spectrum was calculated to investigate the correlation intensity between the NIR and mid-IR bands. NIR regions that include bands at 4343, 4416, 5778, 5904, and 5955 cm(-1), which result from the combinations and overtones of the C-H group of ethanol, were selected for use in the PLS regression models, by taking the correlation intensity of a mid-IR band at 2985 cm(-1) arising from the CH(3) asymmetric stretching vibration mode of ethanol as a reference. The predicted results indicate that the ethanol concentrations calculated from the PLS regression models fit well to those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography. Thus, it can be concluded that the selection procedure using the NIR/mid-IR dual-region spectrometer combined with 2D NIR/mid-IR heterospectral correlation spectroscopy is a powerful method for the construction of a reliable regression model.

Multispectral histogram normalization contrast enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soha, J. M.; Schwartz, A. A.

1979-01-01

A multispectral histogram normalization or decorrelation enhancement which achieves effective color composites by removing interband correlation is described. The enhancement procedure employs either linear or nonlinear transformations to equalize principal component variances. An additional rotation to any set of orthogonal coordinates is thus possible, while full histogram utilization is maintained by avoiding the reintroduction of correlation. For the three-dimensional case, the enhancement procedure may be implemented with a lookup table. An application of the enhancement to Landsat multispectral scanning imagery is presented.

Reciprocal effects of treatment-induced increases in exercise and improved eating, and their psychosocial correlates, in obese adults seeking weight loss: a field-based trial.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Porter, Kandice J

2013-12-05

A better understanding of interrelations of exercise and improved eating, and their psychosocial correlates of self-efficacy, mood, and self-regulation, may be useful for the architecture of improved weight loss treatments. Theory-based research within field settings, with samples possessing high probabilities of health risks, might enable rapid application of useful findings. Adult volunteers with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] 35-50 kg/m²; age = 43.0 ± 9.5 y; 83% female) were randomly assigned to six monthly cognitive-behavioral exercise support sessions paired with either group-based nutrition education (n = 145) or cognitive behavioral methods applied to improved eating (n = 149). After specification of mediation models using a bias-corrected bootstrapping procedure, a series of reciprocal effects analyses assessed: a) the reciprocal effects of changes in exercise and fruit and vegetable intake, resulting from the treatments, b) the reciprocal effects of changes in the three psychosocial variables tested (i.e. self-efficacy, mood, and self-regulation) and fruit and vegetable change, resulting from change in exercise volume, and c) the reciprocal effects of changes in the three psychosocial variables and exercise change, resulting from change in fruit and vegetable intake. Mediation analyses suggested a reciprocal effect between changes in exercise volume and fruit and vegetable intake. After inclusion of psychosocial variables, also found were reciprocal effects between change in fruit and vegetable intake and change in mood, self-efficacy for controlled eating, and self-regulation for eating; and change in exercise volume and change in mood and exercise-related self-regulation. Findings had implications for behavioral weight-loss theory and treatment. Specifically, results suggested that treatments should focus upon, and leverage, the transfer effects from each of the primary weight-loss behaviors (exercise and healthy eating) to the other. Findings on psychosocial correlates of these behavioral processes may also have practical applications.

The Sheep Grimace Scale as an indicator of post-operative distress and pain in laboratory sheep

PubMed Central

Buettner, M.; Glage, S.; Keubler, L. M.; Held, N.; Bleich, E. M.; Otto, K.; Müller, C. W.; Decker, S.; Talbot, S. R.; Bleich, A.

2017-01-01

The EU Directive 2010/63/EU changed the requirements regarding the use of laboratory animals and raised important issues related to assessing the severity of all procedures undertaken on laboratory animals. However, quantifiable parameters to assess severity are rare, and improved assessment strategies need to be developed. Hence, a Sheep Grimace Scale (SGS) was herein established by observing and interpreting sheep facial expressions as a consequence of pain and distress following unilateral tibia osteotomy. The animals were clinically investigated and scored five days before surgery and at 1, 3, 7, 10, 14 and 17 days afterwards. Additionally, cortisol levels in the saliva of the sheep were determined at the respective time points. For the SGS, video recording was performed, and pictures of the sheep were randomized and scored by blinded observers. Osteotomy in sheep resulted in an increased clinical severity score from days 1 to 17 post-surgery and elevated salivary cortisol levels one day post-surgery. An analysis of facial expressions revealed a significantly increased SGS on the day of surgery until day 3 post-surgery; this elevated level was sustained until day 17. Clinical severity and SGS scores correlated positively with a Pearson´s correlation coefficient of 0.47. Further investigations regarding the applicability of the SGS revealed a high inter-observer reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.92 and an accuracy of 68.2%. In conclusion, the SGS represents a valuable approach for severity assessment that may help support and refine a widely used welfare assessment for sheep during experimental procedures, thereby meeting legislation requirements and minimizing the occurrence of unrecognized distress in animal experimentation. PMID:28422994

The Sheep Grimace Scale as an indicator of post-operative distress and pain in laboratory sheep.

PubMed

Häger, C; Biernot, S; Buettner, M; Glage, S; Keubler, L M; Held, N; Bleich, E M; Otto, K; Müller, C W; Decker, S; Talbot, S R; Bleich, A

2017-01-01

The EU Directive 2010/63/EU changed the requirements regarding the use of laboratory animals and raised important issues related to assessing the severity of all procedures undertaken on laboratory animals. However, quantifiable parameters to assess severity are rare, and improved assessment strategies need to be developed. Hence, a Sheep Grimace Scale (SGS) was herein established by observing and interpreting sheep facial expressions as a consequence of pain and distress following unilateral tibia osteotomy. The animals were clinically investigated and scored five days before surgery and at 1, 3, 7, 10, 14 and 17 days afterwards. Additionally, cortisol levels in the saliva of the sheep were determined at the respective time points. For the SGS, video recording was performed, and pictures of the sheep were randomized and scored by blinded observers. Osteotomy in sheep resulted in an increased clinical severity score from days 1 to 17 post-surgery and elevated salivary cortisol levels one day post-surgery. An analysis of facial expressions revealed a significantly increased SGS on the day of surgery until day 3 post-surgery; this elevated level was sustained until day 17. Clinical severity and SGS scores correlated positively with a Pearson´s correlation coefficient of 0.47. Further investigations regarding the applicability of the SGS revealed a high inter-observer reliability with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.92 and an accuracy of 68.2%. In conclusion, the SGS represents a valuable approach for severity assessment that may help support and refine a widely used welfare assessment for sheep during experimental procedures, thereby meeting legislation requirements and minimizing the occurrence of unrecognized distress in animal experimentation.

Xenogenous Collagen Matrix and/or Enamel Matrix Derivative for Treatment of Localized Gingival Recessions: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Part II: Patient-Reported Outcomes.

PubMed

Rocha Dos Santos, Manuela; Sangiorgio, João Paulo Menck; Neves, Felipe Lucas da Silva; França-Grohmann, Isabela Lima; Nociti, Francisco Humberto; Silverio Ruiz, Karina Gonzales; Santamaria, Mauro Pedrine; Sallum, Enilson Antonio

2017-12-01

Gingival recession (GR) might be associated with patient discomfort due to cervical dentin hypersensitivity (CDH) and esthetic dissatisfaction. The aim is to evaluate the effect of root coverage procedure with a xenogenous collagen matrix (CM) and/or enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in combination with a coronally advanced flap (CAF) on CDH, esthetics, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients with GR. Sixty-eight participants with single Miller Class I/II GRs were treated with CAF (n = 17), CAF + CM (n = 17), CAF + EMD (n = 17), and CAF + CM + EMD (n = 17). CDH was assessed by evaporative stimuli using a visual analog scale (VAS) and a Schiff scale. Esthetics outcome was assessed with VAS and the Questionnaire of Oral Esthetic Satisfaction. Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire was used to assess OHRQoL. All parameters were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months. Intragroup analysis showed statistically significant reduction in CDH and esthetic dissatisfaction with no intergroup significant differences (P >0.05). The impact of oral health on QoL after 6 months was significant for CAF + CM, CAF + EMD, and CAF + CM + EMD (P <0.05). Total OHIP-14 score and psychologic discomfort, psychologic disability, social disability, and handicap dimensions showed negative correlation with esthetics. OHIP-14 physical pain dimension had positive correlation with CDH (P <0.05). OHIP-14 showed no correlation with percentage of root coverage, keratinized tissue width, or keratinized tissue thickness (P >0.05). Root coverage procedures improve patient OHRQoL by impacting on a wide range of dimensions, perceived after reduction of CDH and esthetic dissatisfaction of patients with GRs treated with CAF + CM, CAF + EMD, and CAF + CM + EMD.

Development of an improved overlay procedure for Oregon : volume III, field manual.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-12-01

This report is the third in a three-volume series dealing with the development of an improved overlay design procedure for Oregon. This report presents technical guidelines for using the proposed overlay design procedure. Four areas are described, in...

77 FR 31615 - Improving Mail Management Policies, Procedures, and Activities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-29

... Mail Management Policies, Procedures, and Activities AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General... Administration (GSA) has issued Federal Management Regulation (FMR) Bulletin G-03 which provides guidance to Executive Branch agencies for improving mail management policies, procedures, and activities. FMR Bulletin G...

Measurement of baryon acoustic oscillation correlations at z=2.3 with SDSS DR12 Lya-Forests [Measurements of BAO correlations at z = 2.3 with SDSS DR12 Lyα-Forests

DOE PAGES

Bautista, Julian E.; Busca, Nicolas G.; Guy, Julien; ...

2017-03-23

Here, we use flux-transmission correlations in Lyα forests to measure the imprint of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO). The study uses spectra of 157,783 quasars in the redshift range 2.1 ≤ z ≤ 3.5 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 12 (DR12). Besides the statistical improvements on our previous studies using SDSS DR9 and DR11, we have implemented numerous improvements in the analysis procedure, allowing us to construct a physical model of the correlation function and to investigate potential systematic errors in the determination of the BAO peak position. The Hubble distance, D H = c/H(z), relative tomore » the sound horizon is D H(z = 2.33)/r d = 9.07 ± 0.31. The best-determined combination of comoving angular-diameter distance, D M, and the Hubble distance is found to be D 0.7 HD 0.3 M/r d = 13.94 ± 0.35. This value is 1.028 ± 0.026 times the prediction of the flat- ΛCDM model consistent with the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy spectrum. The errors include marginalization over the effects of unidentified high-density absorption systems and fluctuations in ultraviolet ionizing radiation. Independently of the CMB measurements, the combination of our results and other BAO observations determine the open-ΛCDM density parameters to be Ω M = 0.296 ± 0.029, Ω Λ = 0.699 ± 0.100 and Ω k = –0.002 ± 0.119.« less

Navigational ultrasound imaging: A novel imaging tool for aiding interventional therapies of equine musculoskeletal injuries.

PubMed

Lustgarten, M; Redding, W R; Schnabel, L V; Prange, T; Seiler, G S

2016-03-01

Navigational ultrasound imaging, also known as fusion imaging, is a novel technology that allows real-time ultrasound imaging to be correlated with a previously acquired computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study. It has been used in man to aid interventional therapies and has been shown to be valuable for sampling and assessing lesions diagnosed with MRI or CT that are equivocal on ultrasonography. To date, there are no reports of the use of this modality in veterinary medicine. To assess whether navigational ultrasound imaging can be used to assist commonly performed interventional therapies for the treatment of equine musculoskeletal injuries diagnosed with MRI and determine the appropriateness of regional anatomical landmarks as registration sites. Retrospective, descriptive clinical study. Horses with musculoskeletal injuries of the distal limb diagnosed with MRI scheduled for ultrasound-guided interventional therapies were evaluated (n = 17 horses with a total of 29 lesions). Anatomical landmarks used for image registration for the navigational procedure were documented. Accuracy of lesion location and success of the procedure were assessed subjectively and described using a grading scale. All procedures were accurately registered using regional anatomical landmarks and considered successful based on our criteria. Anatomical landmarks were described for each lesion type. The addition of navigational imaging was considered to greatly aid the procedures in 59% of cases and added information to the remainder of the procedures. The technique was considered to improve the precision of these interventional procedures. Navigational ultrasound imaging is a complementary imaging modality that can be used for the treatment of equine soft tissue musculoskeletal injuries diagnosed with MRI. © 2015 EVJ Ltd.

Utilizing Commercial Real Estate Owner and Investor Data to Analyze the Financial Performance of Energy Efficient, High-Performance Office Buildings

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

Cloutier, Deborah; Hosseini, Farshid; White, Andrew

Evidence has shown that owning and operating energy-efficient, high-performance, “green” properties results in multiple benefits including lower utility bills, higher rents, improved occupancy, and greater net operating income. However, it is difficult to isolate and control moderating factors to identify the specific drivers behind improved financial performance and value to investors that results from sustainability in real estate. DOE is interested in facilitating deeper investigation of the correlation between energy efficiency and financial performance, reducing data acquisition and matching challenges, and developing a stronger understanding of how sustainable design and energy efficiency impact value. DOE commissioned this pilot study tomore » test the logistical and empirical procedures required to establish a Commercial Real Estate Data Aggregation & Trends Analysis lab, determine the potential benefits available through the lab, and contribute to the existing body of evidence in this field.« less

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

James, S. R.; Knox, H. A.; Abbott, R. E.

Cross correlations of seismic noise can potentially record large changes in subsurface velocity due to permafrost dynamics and be valuable for long-term Arctic monitoring. We applied seismic interferometry, using moving window cross-spectral analysis (MWCS), to 2 years of ambient noise data recorded in central Alaska to investigate whether seismic noise could be used to quantify relative velocity changes due to seasonal active-layer dynamics. The large velocity changes (>75%) between frozen and thawed soil caused prevalent cycle-skipping which made the method unusable in this setting. We developed an improved MWCS procedure which uses a moving reference to measure daily velocity variationsmore » that are then accumulated to recover the full seasonal change. This approach reduced cycle-skipping and recovered a seasonal trend that corresponded well with the timing of active-layer freeze and thaw. Lastly, this improvement opens the possibility of measuring large velocity changes by using MWCS and permafrost monitoring by using ambient noise.« less

Perovskite- and Heusler based materials for thermoelectric converters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weidenkaff, Anke

2015-03-01

The broad application of thermoelectric converters in future energy technologies requires the development of active, stable, low cost and sustainable materials. Semiconductors based on perovskite and heusler structures show substantial potential for thermoelectric energy conversion processes. Their good performance can be explained based on their suitable band structure, adjusted charge carrier density, mass and mobility, limited phonon transport, electron filtering possibilities, strongly correlated electronic systems, etc. These properties are widely tuneable by following theoretical concepts and a deep composition-structure-property understanding to change the composition, structure and size of the crystallites in innovative scalable synthesis procedures. Improved thermoelectric materials are developed, synthesised and tested in diverse high temperature applications to improve the efficiency and energy density of the thermoelectric conversion process. The lecture will provide a summary on the field of advanced perovskite-type ceramics and Heusler compounds gaining importance for a large number of future energy technologies.

40 CFR 63.2161 - What performance tests and other procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol? 63.2161 Section 63.2161 Protection of Environment... performance tests and other procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol? (a) You must conduct each... performance test simultaneously with brew ethanol monitoring to establish a brew-to-exhaust correlation...

40 CFR 63.2161 - What performance tests and other procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol? 63.2161 Section 63.2161 Protection of Environment... performance tests and other procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol? (a) You must conduct each... performance test simultaneously with brew ethanol monitoring to establish a brew-to-exhaust correlation...

40 CFR 63.2161 - What performance tests and other procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol? 63.2161 Section 63.2161 Protection of Environment... performance tests and other procedures must I use if I monitor brew ethanol? (a) You must conduct each... performance test simultaneously with brew ethanol monitoring to establish a brew-to-exhaust correlation...

Applications of the CAM Based on a New Decoupling Procedure of Correlation Functions in the One-Dimensional Contact Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konno, Norio; Katori, Makoto

The one-dimensional contact process (CP) is studied by a systematic series of approximations. A new decoupling procedure of correlation functions is proposed by combining the idea of Suzuki's correlation-identity-decoupling (CID) with a concept of window. Liggett's approximations are also considered. Applying Suzuki's coherent-anomaly method (CAM) to the mean-field-type solutions, the values of the critical point and the critical exponents are estimated as λc = 1.6490(±0.0008), β=0.280(±0.013), Δ(= Δ/δ)= 1.734(±O.OO1), β=0.627(±0.005). Finally a comparison with other estimates is shown.

Applications of the CAM Based on a New Decoupling Procedure of Correlation Functions in the One-Dimensional Contact Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konno, Norio; Katori, Makoto

1990-05-01

The one-dimensional contact process (CP) is studied by a systematic series of approximations. A new decoupling procedure of correlation functions is proposed by combining the idea of Suzuki’s correlation-identity-decoupling (CID) with a concept of window. Liggett’s approximations are also considered. Applying Suzuki’s coherent-anomaly method (CAM) to the mean-field-type solutions, the values of the critical point and the critical exponents are estimated as λc{=}1.6490(± 0.0008), β{=}0.280(± 0.013), \\varDelta({=}β/δ){=}1.734(± 0.001), \\hatβ{=}0.627(± 0.005). Finally a comparison with other estimates is shown.

Improved hurricane forecasting from a variational bogus and ozone data assimilation (BODA) scheme: case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yin; Zhang, Wei

2016-12-01

This study develops a proper way to incorporate Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) ozone data into the bogus data assimilation (BDA) initialization scheme for improving hurricane prediction. First, the observation operator at some model levels with the highest correlation coefficients is established to assimilate AIRS ozone data based on the correlation between total column ozone and potential vorticity (PV) ranging from 400 to 50 hPa level. Second, AIRS ozone data act as an augmentation to a BDA procedure using a four-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation system. Case studies of several hurricanes are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the bogus and ozone data assimilation (BODA) scheme. The statistical result indicates that assimilating AIRS ozone data at 4, 5, or 6 model levels can produce a significant improvement in hurricane track and intensity prediction, with reasonable computation time for the hurricane initialization. Moreover, a detailed analysis of how BODA scheme affects hurricane prediction is conducted for Hurricane Earl (2010). It is found that the new scheme developed in this study generates significant adjustments in the initial conditions (ICs) from the lower levels to the upper levels, compared with the BDA scheme. With the BODA scheme, hurricane development is found to be much more sensitive to the number of ozone data assimilation levels. In particular, the experiment with the assimilation of AIRS ozone data at proper number of model levels shows great capabilities in reproducing the intensity and intensity changes of Hurricane Earl, as well as improve the track prediction. These results suggest that AIRS ozone data convey valuable meteorological information in the upper troposphere, which can be assimilated into a numerical model to improve hurricane initialization when the low-level bogus data are included.

Feasibility of real-time MR thermal dose mapping for predicting radiofrequency ablation outcome in the myocardium in vivo.

PubMed

Toupin, Solenn; Bour, Pierre; Lepetit-Coiffé, Matthieu; Ozenne, Valéry; Denis de Senneville, Baudouin; Schneider, Rainer; Vaussy, Alexis; Chaumeil, Arnaud; Cochet, Hubert; Sacher, Frédéric; Jaïs, Pierre; Quesson, Bruno

2017-01-25

Clinical treatment of cardiac arrhythmia by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) currently lacks quantitative and precise visualization of lesion formation in the myocardium during the procedure. This study aims at evaluating thermal dose (TD) imaging obtained from real-time magnetic resonance (MR) thermometry on the heart as a relevant indicator of the thermal lesion extent. MR temperature mapping based on the Proton Resonance Frequency Shift (PRFS) method was performed at 1.5 T on the heart, with 4 to 5 slices acquired per heartbeat. Respiratory motion was compensated using navigator-based slice tracking. Residual in-plane motion and related magnetic susceptibility artifacts were corrected online. The standard deviation of temperature was measured on healthy volunteers (N = 5) in both ventricles. On animals, the MR-compatible catheter was positioned and visualized in the left ventricle (LV) using a bSSFP pulse sequence with active catheter tracking. Twelve MR-guided RFA were performed on three sheep in vivo at various locations in left ventricle (LV). The dimensions of the thermal lesions measured on thermal dose images, on 3D T1-weighted (T1-w) images acquired immediately after the ablation and at gross pathology were correlated. MR thermometry uncertainty was 1.5 °C on average over more than 96% of the pixels covering the left and right ventricles, on each volunteer. On animals, catheter repositioning in the LV with active slice tracking was successfully performed and each ablation could be monitored in real-time by MR thermometry and thermal dosimetry. Thermal lesion dimensions on TD maps were found to be highly correlated with those observed on post-ablation T1-w images (R = 0.87) that also correlated (R = 0.89) with measurements at gross pathology. Quantitative TD mapping from real-time rapid CMR thermometry during catheter-based RFA is feasible. It provides a direct assessment of the lesion extent in the myocardium with precision in the range of one millimeter. Real-time MR thermometry and thermal dosimetry may improve safety and efficacy of the RFA procedure by offering a reliable indicator of therapy outcome during the procedure.

Different results on tetrachorical correlations in Mplus and Stata--Stata announces modified procedure.

PubMed

Günther, Agnes; Höfler, Michael

2006-01-01

To identify the structure of mental disorders in large-scale epidemiological data sets, investigators frequently use tetrachoric correlations as a first step for subsequent application of latent class and factor analytic methods. It has been possible to do this with Stata since 2005, whereas the corresponding Mplus routine has been on the market for some years. Using an identical data set we observed considerable differences between the results of the packages. This paper illustrates the differences with several examples from the Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study data set, which consists of 3021 subjects, with diagnostic information assessed by the CIDI. Results reveal that tetrachoric correlations resulting from Mplus were often considerably smaller than those computed with Stata. The results were dramatically different, especially where there were few observation per cell or even empty cells. These findings were put to Mplus and Stata, whose responses clarified the discrepancies by describing the different mathematical assumptions and procedures used. Stata announced that it intended to launch a modified procedure.

Brain correlates of performance in a free/cued recall task with semantic encoding in Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Lekeu, Françoise; Van der Linden, Martial; Chicherio, Christian; Collette, Fabienne; Degueldre, Christian; Franck, Georges; Moonen, Gustave; Salmon, Eric

2003-01-01

The goal of this study was to explore in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) the brain correlates of free and cued recall performance using an adaptation of the procedure developed by Grober and Buschke (1987). This procedure, which ensures semantic processing and coordinates encoding and retrieval, has been shown to be very sensitive to an early diagnosis of AD. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM 99) was used to establish clinicometabolic correlations between performance at free and cued verbal recall and resting brain metabolism in 31 patients with AD. Results showed that patient's score on free recall correlated with metabolic activity in right frontal regions (BA 10 and BA 45), suggesting that performance reflected a strategic retrieval attempt. Poor retrieval performance was tentatively attributed to a loss of functional correlation between frontal and medial temporal regions in patients with AD compared with elderly controls. Performance on cued recall was correlated to residual metabolic activity in bilateral parahippocampal regions (BA 36), suggesting that performance reflected retrieval of semantic associations, without recollection in AD. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the diagnostic sensitivity for Alzheimer's disease of the cued recall performance in the Grober and Buschke procedure (1987) depends on the activity of parahippocampal regions, one of the earliest targets of the disease. Moreover, the results suggest that the poor performance of patients with AD during free and cued recall is related to a decreased connectivity between parahippocampal regions and frontal areas.

Does giving brief information keep patients calm during different oral surgical procedures?

PubMed

Cabbar, Fatih; Burdurlu, Muammer Çağrı; Tomruk, Ceyda Özçakır

2018-04-16

Dental anxiety may play a central role in the oral health status and treatment outcomes of oral surgical procedures. The study aimed to investigate the effect that brief written information has over patients undergoing oral surgical procedures and to evaluate factors that may cause anxiety. A prospective study was performed on 38 mandibular third molar surgery patients (mean age 26.74 ± 6.44 years) and 56 implant surgery patients (mean age 49.13 ± 15.11 years). Each group was divided into two subgroups, and written information, explaining what they could expect and details about the procedure, was provided to study groups. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to measure state (STAI-S) and trait anxiety (STAI-T). The visual analog scale (VAS) was used for pain scores preoperatively and on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Demographic data and intraoperative behaviors of patients were recorded. All groups had similar anxiety scores at baseline. Preoperative STAI-S and VAS scores were similar between study and control groups (P > .05). Study groups showed significantly lower mean intraoperative anxiety levels (P < .05). The implant group had a significantly lower VAS score (P < .05). STAI-T and preoperative STAI-S were not related to VAS. Postoperative STAI-S and VAS and recuperation were correlated (P < .05). Women showed significantly higher anxiety and VAS scores. The patients who received written information did not report lower anxiety scores. However, improved patient cooperation could be achieved with this method. Different surgical procedures may cause anxiety for different reasons.

Precursory signatures of protein folding/unfolding: From time series correlation analysis to atomistic mechanisms

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

Hsu, P. J.; Lai, S. K., E-mail: sklai@coll.phy.ncu.edu.tw; Molecular Science and Technology Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan

Folded conformations of proteins in thermodynamically stable states have long lifetimes. Before it folds into a stable conformation, or after unfolding from a stable conformation, the protein will generally stray from one random conformation to another leading thus to rapid fluctuations. Brief structural changes therefore occur before folding and unfolding events. These short-lived movements are easily overlooked in studies of folding/unfolding for they represent momentary excursions of the protein to explore conformations in the neighborhood of the stable conformation. The present study looks for precursory signatures of protein folding/unfolding within these rapid fluctuations through a combination of three techniques: (1)more » ultrafast shape recognition, (2) time series segmentation, and (3) time series correlation analysis. The first procedure measures the differences between statistical distance distributions of atoms in different conformations by calculating shape similarity indices from molecular dynamics simulation trajectories. The second procedure is used to discover the times at which the protein makes transitions from one conformation to another. Finally, we employ the third technique to exploit spatial fingerprints of the stable conformations; this procedure is to map out the sequences of changes preceding the actual folding and unfolding events, since strongly correlated atoms in different conformations are different due to bond and steric constraints. The aforementioned high-frequency fluctuations are therefore characterized by distinct correlational and structural changes that are associated with rate-limiting precursors that translate into brief segments. Guided by these technical procedures, we choose a model system, a fragment of the protein transthyretin, for identifying in this system not only the precursory signatures of transitions associated with α helix and β hairpin, but also the important role played by weaker correlations in such protein folding dynamics.« less

Precursory signatures of protein folding/unfolding: From time series correlation analysis to atomistic mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, P. J.; Cheong, S. A.; Lai, S. K.

2014-05-01

Folded conformations of proteins in thermodynamically stable states have long lifetimes. Before it folds into a stable conformation, or after unfolding from a stable conformation, the protein will generally stray from one random conformation to another leading thus to rapid fluctuations. Brief structural changes therefore occur before folding and unfolding events. These short-lived movements are easily overlooked in studies of folding/unfolding for they represent momentary excursions of the protein to explore conformations in the neighborhood of the stable conformation. The present study looks for precursory signatures of protein folding/unfolding within these rapid fluctuations through a combination of three techniques: (1) ultrafast shape recognition, (2) time series segmentation, and (3) time series correlation analysis. The first procedure measures the differences between statistical distance distributions of atoms in different conformations by calculating shape similarity indices from molecular dynamics simulation trajectories. The second procedure is used to discover the times at which the protein makes transitions from one conformation to another. Finally, we employ the third technique to exploit spatial fingerprints of the stable conformations; this procedure is to map out the sequences of changes preceding the actual folding and unfolding events, since strongly correlated atoms in different conformations are different due to bond and steric constraints. The aforementioned high-frequency fluctuations are therefore characterized by distinct correlational and structural changes that are associated with rate-limiting precursors that translate into brief segments. Guided by these technical procedures, we choose a model system, a fragment of the protein transthyretin, for identifying in this system not only the precursory signatures of transitions associated with α helix and β hairpin, but also the important role played by weaker correlations in such protein folding dynamics.

Physician control of needle and syringe during aspiration-injection procedures with the new reciprocating syringe.

PubMed

Sibbitt, Wilmer; Sibbitt, Randy R; Michael, Adrian A; Fu, Druce I; Draeger, Hilda T; Twining, Jon M; Bankhurst, Arthur D

2006-04-01

To evaluate physician control of needle and syringe during aspiration-injection syringe procedures by comparing the new reciprocating procedure syringe to a traditional conventional syringe. Twenty-six physicians were tested for their individual ability to control the reciprocating and conventional syringes in typical aspiration-injection procedures using a novel quantitative needle-based displacement procedure model. Subsequently, the physicians performed 48 clinical aspiration-injection (arthrocentesis) procedures on 32 subjects randomized to the reciprocating or conventional syringes. Clinical outcomes included procedure time, patient pain, and operator satisfaction. Multivariate modeling methods were used to determine the experimental variables in the syringe control model most predictive of clinical outcome measures. In the model system, the reciprocating syringe significantly improved physician control of the syringe and needle, with a 66% reduction in unintended forward penetration (p < 0.001) and a 68% reduction in unintended retraction (p < 0.001). In clinical arthrocentesis, improvements were also noted: 30% reduction in procedure time (p < 0.03), 57% reduction in patient pain (p < 0.001), and a 79% increase in physician satisfaction (p < 0.001). The variables in the experimental system--unintended forward penetration, unintended retraction, and operator satisfaction--independently predicted the outcomes of procedure time, patient pain, and physician satisfaction in the clinical study (p < or = 0.001). The reciprocating syringe reduces procedure time and patient pain and improves operator satisfaction with the procedure syringe. The reciprocating syringe improves physician performance in both the validated quantitative needle-based displacement model and in real aspiration-injection syringe procedures, including arthrocentesis.

Development of an improved overlay design procedure for Oregon : volume II, evaluation of procedure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-12-01

This report is the second in a three-volume series dealing with the development of an improved overlay design procedure for Oregon. This report presents the results of the second-year findings. Data from five projects were collected and analyzed usin...

Using Civilian Supply Chain Management Best Practices to Improve Army Supply Chain Management Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-09

USING CIVILIAN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES TO IMPROVE ARMY SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES A thesis presented to......Army Supply Chain Management Procedures 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Chief Warrant

Botulinum toxin injections for chronic sialorrhoea in children are effective regardless of the degree of neurological dysfunction: A single tertiary institution experience.

PubMed

Mahadevan, Murali; Gruber, Maayan; Bilish, Darin; Edwards, Kathryn; Davies-Payne, David; van der Meer, Graeme

2016-09-01

To determine the effectiveness of submandibular salivary gland Botulinum Toxin Type-A (BTX-A) injection in the treatment of drooling in children with varying degrees of neurological dysfunction. A retrospective review of pre- and post-procedure drooling frequency and severity scores of patients receiving BTX-A between January 2008 and January 2013. Stratification to different subgroups of neurological impairment was performed according to Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) score. Drooling severity was assessed using Thomas-Stonell and Greenberg symptom questionnaires administered at time of initial consultation and 3 months after treatment. 48 sets of BTX-A injections in 26 patients with an average age of 9.45 years (range 7 months-18 years) were included in the study. Marked improvement in drooling was seen in 60.4% of patients, a marginal or brief improvement was seen in 20.8% and there was no improvement in 18.8%. No adverse events were reported following any of the BTX-A injections. BTX-A was safe and effective in the eight patients with pre-existing swallowing dysfunction. Subsequent drooling surgery was performed in 15 (57.7%) of the cohort, all 15 patients responded to BTX-A injections. In patients with Cerebral Palsy, there was no correlation between the severity of the neurological dysfunction as measured by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) score and the response to BTX-A treatment. Injection of BTX-A to the submandibular glands of children with neurological disorders is a safe procedure and results in a reduction in drooling in the majority of patients. Children with severe neurological dysfunction respond to BTX-A injections as effectively as their less impaired peers and the degree of response does not appear to be associated with the severity of neurological disability. BTX-A injection is a good initial procedure when drooling surgery is being considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improvement of the air quality in student health centers with chlorine dioxide.

PubMed

Hsu, Ching-Shan; Huang, Da-Ji; Lu, Ming-Chun

2010-04-01

This study aims to monitor bioaerosol levels of a local campus of a student health center in Taiwan and then to perform disinfection by applying chlorine dioxide. First, air samples were taken and evaluated in the six areas of the center. The average background bioaerosol levels were 714 +/- 1706 CFU/m(3) for bacterium and 802 +/- 633 CFU/m(3) for fungi. Then, chlorine dioxide was applied through three different procedures: single, multiple and regular disinfections. The results indicated that both multiple and regular disinfections can achieve efficiency levels higher than 59.0%. The regression analysis on bioaerosol levels showed that the number of people present correlating to the number of persons entering the room per door-opening, had a correlation of p < 0.05. Utilizing this analysis result, an empirical model was developed to predict indoor bioaerosol concentrations. It can be inferred that for indoor human activity of health centers, regular disinfection is a very effective process.

Kappa statistic for clustered matched-pair data.

PubMed

Yang, Zhao; Zhou, Ming

2014-07-10

Kappa statistic is widely used to assess the agreement between two procedures in the independent matched-pair data. For matched-pair data collected in clusters, on the basis of the delta method and sampling techniques, we propose a nonparametric variance estimator for the kappa statistic without within-cluster correlation structure or distributional assumptions. The results of an extensive Monte Carlo simulation study demonstrate that the proposed kappa statistic provides consistent estimation and the proposed variance estimator behaves reasonably well for at least a moderately large number of clusters (e.g., K ≥50). Compared with the variance estimator ignoring dependence within a cluster, the proposed variance estimator performs better in maintaining the nominal coverage probability when the intra-cluster correlation is fair (ρ ≥0.3), with more pronounced improvement when ρ is further increased. To illustrate the practical application of the proposed estimator, we analyze two real data examples of clustered matched-pair data. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mission Life Thermal Analysis and Environment Correlation for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, Matthew B.; Peabody, Hume

2012-01-01

Standard thermal analysis practices include stacking worst-case conditions including environmental heat loads, thermo-optical properties and orbital beta angles. This results in the design being driven by a few bounding thermal cases, although those cases may only represent a very small portion of the actual mission life. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Thermal Branch developed a procedure to predict the flight temperatures over the entire mission life, assuming a known beta angle progression, variation in the thermal environment, and a degradation rate in the coatings. This was applied to the Global Precipitation Measurement core spacecraft. In order to assess the validity of this process, this work applies the similar process to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. A flight-correlated thermal model was exercised to give predictions of the thermal performance over the mission life. These results were then compared against flight data from the first two years of the spacecraft s use. This is used to validate the process and to suggest possible improvements for future analyses.

Improving the Spatial Prediction of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in a Complex Tropical Mountain Landscape by Methodological Specifications in Machine Learning Approaches

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Johannes; Glaser, Bruno

2016-01-01

Tropical forests are significant carbon sinks and their soils’ carbon storage potential is immense. However, little is known about the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of tropical mountain areas whose complex soil-landscape and difficult accessibility pose a challenge to spatial analysis. The choice of methodology for spatial prediction is of high importance to improve the expected poor model results in case of low predictor-response correlations. Four aspects were considered to improve model performance in predicting SOC stocks of the organic layer of a tropical mountain forest landscape: Different spatial predictor settings, predictor selection strategies, various machine learning algorithms and model tuning. Five machine learning algorithms: random forests, artificial neural networks, multivariate adaptive regression splines, boosted regression trees and support vector machines were trained and tuned to predict SOC stocks from predictors derived from a digital elevation model and satellite image. Topographical predictors were calculated with a GIS search radius of 45 to 615 m. Finally, three predictor selection strategies were applied to the total set of 236 predictors. All machine learning algorithms—including the model tuning and predictor selection—were compared via five repetitions of a tenfold cross-validation. The boosted regression tree algorithm resulted in the overall best model. SOC stocks ranged between 0.2 to 17.7 kg m-2, displaying a huge variability with diffuse insolation and curvatures of different scale guiding the spatial pattern. Predictor selection and model tuning improved the models’ predictive performance in all five machine learning algorithms. The rather low number of selected predictors favours forward compared to backward selection procedures. Choosing predictors due to their indiviual performance was vanquished by the two procedures which accounted for predictor interaction. PMID:27128736

Improving the Spatial Prediction of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in a Complex Tropical Mountain Landscape by Methodological Specifications in Machine Learning Approaches.

PubMed

Ließ, Mareike; Schmidt, Johannes; Glaser, Bruno

2016-01-01

Tropical forests are significant carbon sinks and their soils' carbon storage potential is immense. However, little is known about the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of tropical mountain areas whose complex soil-landscape and difficult accessibility pose a challenge to spatial analysis. The choice of methodology for spatial prediction is of high importance to improve the expected poor model results in case of low predictor-response correlations. Four aspects were considered to improve model performance in predicting SOC stocks of the organic layer of a tropical mountain forest landscape: Different spatial predictor settings, predictor selection strategies, various machine learning algorithms and model tuning. Five machine learning algorithms: random forests, artificial neural networks, multivariate adaptive regression splines, boosted regression trees and support vector machines were trained and tuned to predict SOC stocks from predictors derived from a digital elevation model and satellite image. Topographical predictors were calculated with a GIS search radius of 45 to 615 m. Finally, three predictor selection strategies were applied to the total set of 236 predictors. All machine learning algorithms-including the model tuning and predictor selection-were compared via five repetitions of a tenfold cross-validation. The boosted regression tree algorithm resulted in the overall best model. SOC stocks ranged between 0.2 to 17.7 kg m-2, displaying a huge variability with diffuse insolation and curvatures of different scale guiding the spatial pattern. Predictor selection and model tuning improved the models' predictive performance in all five machine learning algorithms. The rather low number of selected predictors favours forward compared to backward selection procedures. Choosing predictors due to their indiviual performance was vanquished by the two procedures which accounted for predictor interaction.

Effect of bariatric surgery-induced weight loss on renal and systemic inflammation and blood pressure: a 12-month prospective study.

PubMed

Fenske, Wiebke K; Dubb, Sukhpreet; Bueter, Marco; Seyfried, Florian; Patel, Karishma; Tam, Frederick W K; Frankel, Andrew H; le Roux, Carel W

2013-01-01

Bariatric surgery improves arterial hypertension and renal function; however, the underlying mechanisms and effect of different surgical procedures are unknown. In the present prospective study, we compared the 12-month follow-up results after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on weight loss, hypertension, renal function, and inflammatory status. A total of 34 morbidly obese patients were investigated before, one and 12 months after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 10), laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (n = 13), and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (n = 11) for hypertension, kidney function, urinary and serum cytokine levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and chemokine ligand-18. At 12 months after surgery, the patients in all 3 treatment arms showed a significant decrease in the mean body mass index, mean arterial pressure, and urinary and serum inflammatory markers (all P < .001). The reduction in urinary and serum cytokine levels correlated directly with body weight loss (P < .05). Patients with impaired renal function at baseline (corresponding to serum cystatin C >.8 mg/L) had a marked improvement in renal function 12 months after surgery (P < .05). Surgically induced weight loss is associated with a marked decrease in renal and systemic inflammation and arterial hypertension and improvement in renal function in patients with pre-existing renal impairment. These effects appear to be independent of surgical procedure. The improvement in renal inflammation could be 1 of the mechanisms contributing to the beneficial effects of bariatric surgery on arterial blood pressure, proteinuria, and renal function. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Video-augmented feedback for procedural performance.

PubMed

Wittler, Mary; Hartman, Nicholas; Manthey, David; Hiestand, Brian; Askew, Kim

2016-06-01

Resident programs must assess residents' achievement of core competencies for clinical and procedural skills. Video-augmented feedback may facilitate procedural skill acquisition and promote more accurate self-assessment. A randomized controlled study to investigate whether video-augmented verbal feedback leads to increased procedural skill and improved accuracy of self-assessment compared to verbal only feedback. Participants were evaluated during procedural training for ultrasound guided internal jugular central venous catheter (US IJ CVC) placement. All participants received feedback based on a validated 30-point checklist for US IJ CVC placement and validated 6-point procedural global rating scale. Scores in both groups improved by a mean of 9.6 points (95% CI: 7.8-11.4) on the 30-point checklist, with no difference between groups in mean score improvement on the global rating scale. In regards to self-assessment, participant self-rating diverged from faculty scoring, increasingly so after receiving feedback. Residents rated highly by faculty underestimated their skill, while those rated more poorly demonstrated increasing overestimation. Accuracy of self-assessment was not improved by addition of video. While feedback advanced the skill of the resident, video-augmented feedback did not enhance skill acquisition or improve accuracy of resident self-assessment compared to standard feedback.

A general panel sizing computer code and its application to composite structural panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, M. S.; Stroud, W. J.

1978-01-01

A computer code for obtaining the dimensions of optimum (least mass) stiffened composite structural panels is described. The procedure, which is based on nonlinear mathematical programming and a rigorous buckling analysis, is applicable to general cross sections under general loading conditions causing buckling. A simplified method of accounting for bow-type imperfections is also included. Design studies in the form of structural efficiency charts for axial compression loading are made with the code for blade and hat stiffened panels. The effects on panel mass of imperfections, material strength limitations, and panel stiffness requirements are also examined. Comparisons with previously published experimental data show that accounting for imperfections improves correlation between theory and experiment.

Imaging-Assisted Large-Format Breast Pathology: Program Rationale and Development in a Nonprofit Health System in the United States

PubMed Central

Tucker, F. Lee

2012-01-01

Modern breast imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging, provides an increasingly clear depiction of breast cancer extent, often with suboptimal pathologic confirmation. Pathologic findings guide management decisions, and small increments in reported tumor characteristics may rationalize significant changes in therapy and staging. Pathologic techniques to grossly examine resected breast tissue have changed little during this era of improved breast imaging and still rely primarily on the techniques of gross inspection and specimen palpation. Only limited imaging information is typically conveyed to pathologists, typically in the form of wire-localization images from breast-conserving procedures. Conventional techniques of specimen dissection and section submission destroy the three-dimensional integrity of the breast anatomy and tumor distribution. These traditional methods of breast specimen examination impose unnecessary limitations on correlation with imaging studies, measurement of cancer extent, multifocality, and margin distance. Improvements in pathologic diagnosis, reporting, and correlation of breast cancer characteristics can be achieved by integrating breast imagers into the specimen examination process and the use of large-format sections which preserve local anatomy. This paper describes the successful creation of a large-format pathology program to routinely serve all patients in a busy interdisciplinary breast center associated with a community-based nonprofit health system in the United States. PMID:23316372

Geopressure modeling from petrophysical data: An example from East Kalimantan

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

Herkommer, M.A.

1994-07-01

Localized models of abnormal formation pressure (geopressure) are important economic and safety tools frequently used for well planning and drilling operations. Simplified computer-based procedures have been developed that permit these models to be developed more rapidly and with greater accuracy. These techniques are broadly applicable to basins throughout the world where abnormal formation pressures occur. An example from the Attaka field of East Kalimantan, southeast Asia, shows how geopressure models are developed. Using petrophysical and engineering data, empirical correlations between observed pressure and petrophysical logs can be created by computer-assisted data-fitting techniques. These correlations serve as the basis for modelsmore » of the geopressure. By performing repeated analyses on wells at various locations, contour maps on the top of abnormal geopressure can be created. Methods that are simple in their development and application make the task of geopressure estimation less formidable to the geologist and petroleum engineer. Further, more accurate estimates can significantly improve drilling speeds while reducing the incidence of stuck pipe, kicks, and blowouts. In general, geopressure estimates are used in all phases of drilling operations: To develop mud plans and specify equipment ratings, to assist in the recognition of geopressured formations and determination of mud weights, and to improve predictions at offset locations and geologically comparable areas.« less

Procedural justice in mental health courts: Judicial practices, participant perceptions, and outcomes related to mental health recovery

PubMed Central

Kopelovich, Sarah; Yanos, Philip; Pratt, Christina; Koerner, Joshua

2015-01-01

Research on mental health courts (MHCs) to date has been disproportionately focused on the study of recidivism and reincarceration over the potential of these problem solving courts to facilitate the recovery process and affect the slope of recovery. This study attempts to shift the focal point of interest from well-established criminal justice outcomes to the experiences and perceptions of MHC participants. The authors hypothesize that the actions of MHC judges that are consistent with procedural justice theory will engender high perceptions of procedural justice among this sample of divertees with SMI. Defendant perceptions of procedural justice in 4 NYC-area MHCs were also compared to those of uninvolved observers. Results suggest that defendant perceptions are distinct from observer perceptions, which tended to be more sensitive to the differences in judges between the four courts. Overall, participants' perceptions of procedural justice were moderate and increased between baseline and 4-month follow-up. Procedural justice was negatively correlated with symptoms at baseline and was positively correlated with participant's attitudes toward their own recovery. Between baseline and 4-month follow-up, participants in our sample tended to increase in perceptions of procedural justice; interestingly, the increase in procedural justice was associated with a decrease in symptoms but not to an increase in attitudes toward the recovery. Implications and future directions are discussed. PMID:23415372

Procedural justice in mental health courts: judicial practices, participant perceptions, and outcomes related to mental health recovery.

PubMed

Kopelovich, Sarah; Yanos, Philip; Pratt, Christina; Koerner, Joshua

2013-01-01

Research on mental health courts (MHCs) to date has been disproportionately focused on the study of recidivism and reincarceration over the potential of these problem solving courts to facilitate the recovery process and affect the slope of recovery. This study attempts to shift the focal point of interest from well-established criminal justice outcomes to the experiences and perceptions of MHC participants. The authors hypothesize that the actions of MHC judges that are consistent with procedural justice theory will engender high perceptions of procedural justice among this sample of divertees with SMI. Defendant perceptions of procedural justice in 4 NYC-area MHCs were also compared to those of uninvolved observers. Results suggest that defendant perceptions are distinct from observer perceptions, which tended to be more sensitive to the differences in judges between the four courts. Overall, participants' perceptions of procedural justice were moderate and increased between baseline and 4-month follow-up. Procedural justice was negatively correlated with symptoms at baseline and was positively correlated with participant's attitudes toward their own recovery. Between baseline and 4-month follow-up, participants in our sample tended to increase in perceptions of procedural justice; interestingly, the increase in procedural justice was associated with a decrease in symptoms but not to an increase in attitudes toward the recovery. Implications and future directions are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overcoming multicollinearity in multiple regression using correlation coefficient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainodin, H. J.; Yap, S. J.

2013-09-01

Multicollinearity happens when there are high correlations among independent variables. In this case, it would be difficult to distinguish between the contributions of these independent variables to that of the dependent variable as they may compete to explain much of the similar variance. Besides, the problem of multicollinearity also violates the assumption of multiple regression: that there is no collinearity among the possible independent variables. Thus, an alternative approach is introduced in overcoming the multicollinearity problem in achieving a well represented model eventually. This approach is accomplished by removing the multicollinearity source variables on the basis of the correlation coefficient values based on full correlation matrix. Using the full correlation matrix can facilitate the implementation of Excel function in removing the multicollinearity source variables. It is found that this procedure is easier and time-saving especially when dealing with greater number of independent variables in a model and a large number of all possible models. Hence, in this paper detailed insight of the procedure is shown, compared and implemented.

Development of procedures for identifying high-crash locations and prioritizing safety improvements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-06-01

The objectives of this study were to review and analyze the current procedures for identifying high-crash locations and evaluating and prioritizing roadway safety improvements at high-crash locations, and to recommend improved methods. Several tasks ...

Development of procedures for identifying high-crash locations and prioritizing safety improvements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-06-01

The objectives of this study were to review and analyze the current procedures for identifying high-crash locations and evaluating and prioritizing roadway safety improvements at high-crash locations, and to recommend improved methods. Several tasks ...

Assessing the clinical outcome of Vim radiosurgery with voxel-based morphometry: visual areas are linked with tremor arrest!

PubMed

Tuleasca, Constantin; Witjas, Tatiana; Najdenovska, Elena; Verger, Antoine; Girard, Nadine; Champoudry, Jerome; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Van de Ville, Dimitri; Cuadra, Meritxell Bach; Levivier, Marc; Guedj, Eric; Régis, Jean

2017-11-01

Radiosurgery (RS) is an alternative to open standard stereotactic procedures (deep-brain stimulation or radiofrequency thalamotomy) for drug-resistant essential tremor (ET), aiming at the same target (ventro-intermediate nucleus, Vim). We investigated the Vim RS outcome using voxel-based morphometry by evaluating the interaction between clinical response and time. Thirty-eight patients with right-sided ET benefited from left unilateral Vim RS. Targeting was performed using 130 Gy and a single 4-mm collimator. Neurological and neuroimaging assessment was completed at baseline and 1 year. Clinical responders were considered those with at least 50% improvement in tremor score on the treated hand (TSTH). Interaction between clinical response and time showed the left temporal pole and occipital cortex (Brodmann area 19, including V4, V5 and the parahippocampal place area) as statistically significant. A decrease in gray matter density (GMD) 1 year after Vim RS correlated with higher TSTH improvement (Spearman = 0.01) for both anatomical areas. Higher baseline GMD within the left temporal pole correlated with better TSTH improvement (Spearman = 0.004). Statistically significant structural changes in the relationship to clinical response after Vim RS are present in remote areas, advocating a distant neurobiological effect. The former regions are mainly involved in locomotor monitoring toward the local and distant environment, suggesting the recruiting requirement in targeting of the specific visuomotor networks.

Significantly improved neurocognitive function in major depressive disorders 6 weeks after ECT.

PubMed

Mohn, Christine; Rund, Bjørn Rishovd

2016-09-15

Cognitive side effects may occur after electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) in depressive disorder patients. Previous studies have been limited by small numbers of cognitive functions assessed. The present study reports the first results from a prospective project monitoring cognitive effects of ECT using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery and subjective report of everyday cognitive function. Thirty-one patients with major depressive disorder were assessed with the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Subjective cognitive complaints were described with the Everyday Memory Questionnaire (EMQ). Severity of depression symptoms were assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). These assessments were performed prior to and 6 weeks after non-standardized ECT. Compared to baseline, the mean depression severity level was nearly halved and there were significant improvements in mean levels of Speed of Processing, Attention/Vigilance, and Visual Learning 6 weeks after ECT. The other cognitive domains were not altered from baseline. There was no significant change in subjective cognitive complaints. At baseline, there were several significant correlations between the MADRS and MCCB scores. There was no strong association between the EMQ and MCCB scores at either assessment point, but the post-ECT EMQ score was significantly correlated with depression severity. Major limitations were low N and lack of uniform ECT procedure. There was significant improvement in Speed of Processing, Attention/Vigilance, and Visual Learning 6 weeks after ECT. Cognitive tests scores were related to severity of depression, but not to subjective memory complaints. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors Predicting a Good Symptomatic Outcome After Prostate Artery Embolisation (PAE).

PubMed

Maclean, D; Harris, M; Drake, T; Maher, B; Modi, S; Dyer, J; Somani, B; Hacking, N; Bryant, T

2018-02-26

As prostate artery embolisation (PAE) becomes an established treatment for benign prostatic obstruction, factors predicting good symptomatic outcome remain unclear. Pre-embolisation prostate size as a predictor is controversial with a handful of papers coming to conflicting conclusions. We aimed to investigate if an association existed in our patient cohort between prostate size and clinical benefit, in addition to evaluating percentage volume reduction as a predictor of symptomatic outcome following PAE. Prospective follow-up of 86 PAE patients at a single institution between June 2012 and January 2016 was conducted (mean age 64.9 years, range 54-80 years). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess strength of association between clinical improvement (change in IPSS) and other variables, of any statistical correlation, through Pearson's bivariate analysis. No major procedural complications were identified and clinical success was achieved in 72.1% (n = 62) at 12 months. Initial prostate size and percentage reduction were found to have a significant association with clinical improvement. Multiple linear regression analysis (r 2  = 0.48) demonstrated that percentage volume reduction at 3 months (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) had the strongest correlation with good symptomatic improvement at 12 months after adjusting for confounding factors. Both the initial prostate size and percentage volume reduction at 3 months predict good symptomatic outcome at 12 months. These findings therefore aid patient selection and counselling to achieve optimal outcomes for men undergoing prostate artery embolisation.

Shadow detection and removal in RGB VHR images for land use unsupervised classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Movia, A.; Beinat, A.; Crosilla, F.

2016-09-01

Nowadays, high resolution aerial images are widely available thanks to the diffusion of advanced technologies such as UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and new satellite missions. Although these developments offer new opportunities for accurate land use analysis and change detection, cloud and terrain shadows actually limit benefits and possibilities of modern sensors. Focusing on the problem of shadow detection and removal in VHR color images, the paper proposes new solutions and analyses how they can enhance common unsupervised classification procedures for identifying land use classes related to the CO2 absorption. To this aim, an improved fully automatic procedure has been developed for detecting image shadows using exclusively RGB color information, and avoiding user interaction. Results show a significant accuracy enhancement with respect to similar methods using RGB based indexes. Furthermore, novel solutions derived from Procrustes analysis have been applied to remove shadows and restore brightness in the images. In particular, two methods implementing the so called "anisotropic Procrustes" and the "not-centered oblique Procrustes" algorithms have been developed and compared with the linear correlation correction method based on the Cholesky decomposition. To assess how shadow removal can enhance unsupervised classifications, results obtained with classical methods such as k-means, maximum likelihood, and self-organizing maps, have been compared to each other and with a supervised clustering procedure.

Contamination-Free Manufacturing: Tool Component Qualification, Verification and Correlation with Wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Samantha H.; Chen, Ning; Liu, Shi; Wang, Kefei

2003-09-01

As part of the semiconductor industry "contamination-free manufacturing" effort, significant emphasis has been placed on reducing potential sources of contamination from process equipment and process equipment components. Process tools contain process chambers and components that are exposed to the process environment or process chemistry and in some cases are in direct contact with production wafers. Any contamination from these sources must be controlled or eliminated in order to maintain high process yields, device performance, and device reliability. This paper discusses new nondestructive analytical methods for quantitative measurement of the cleanliness of metal, quartz, polysilicon and ceramic components that are used in process equipment tools. The goal of these new procedures is to measure the effectiveness of cleaning procedures and to verify whether a tool component part is sufficiently clean for installation and subsequent routine use in the manufacturing line. These procedures provide a reliable "qualification method" for tool component certification and also provide a routine quality control method for reliable operation of cleaning facilities. Cost advantages to wafer manufacturing include higher yields due to improved process cleanliness and elimination of yield loss and downtime resulting from the installation of "bad" components in process tools. We also discuss a representative example of wafer contamination having been linked to a specific process tool component.

Can evaluation of a dental procedure at the outset of learning predict later performance at the preclinical level? A pilot study.

PubMed

Polyzois, Ioannis; Claffey, Noel; McDonald, Albhe; Hussey, David; Quinn, Frank

2011-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of conventional pre-clinical training in dentistry and to determine if evaluation of a dental procedure at the beginning of dental training can be a predictor for future performance. A group of second year dental students with no previous experience in operative dentistry were asked to prepare a conventional class I cavity on a lower first molar typodont. Their first preparation was carried out after an introductory lecture and a demonstration and their second at the end of conventional training. The prepared typodonts were coded and blindly scored for the traditional assessment criteria of outline form, retention form, smoothness, cavity depth and cavity margin angulation. Once the codes were broken, a paired t-test was used to compare the difference between the means of before and after scores (P<0.0001) and a Pearson's linear correlation to test the association (r=0.4). From the results of this study, we could conclude that conventional preclinical training results in a significant improvement in the manual skills of the dental students and that the dental procedure used had only a limited predictive value for later performance at the preclinical level. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The role of surgical expertise with regard to chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) after Lichtenstein correction of inguinal hernia: a systematic review.

PubMed

Lange, J F M; Meyer, V M; Voropai, D A; Keus, E; Wijsmuller, A R; Ploeg, R J; Pierie, J P E N

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a relation exists between surgical expertise and incidence of chronic postoperative inguinal pain (CPIP) after inguinal hernia repair using the Lichtenstein procedure . CPIP after inguinal hernia repair remains a major clinical problem despite many efforts to address this problem. Recently, case volume and specialisation have been found correlated to significant improvement of outcomes in other fields of surgery; to date these important factors have not been reviewed extensively enough in the context of inguinal hernia surgery. A systematic literature review was performed to identify randomised controlled trials reporting on the incidence of CPIP after the Lichtenstein procedure and including the expertise of the surgeon. Surgical expertise was subdivided into expert and non-expert. In a total of 16 studies 3086 Lichtenstein procedures were included. In the expert group the incidence of CPIP varied between 6.9 and 11.7 % versus an incidence of 18.1 and 39.4 % in the non-expert group. Due to the heterogeneity between groups no statistical significance could be demonstrated. The results of this evaluation suggest that an association between surgical expertise and CPIP is highly likely warranting further analysis in a prospectively designed study.

Quantum wavepacket ab initio molecular dynamics: an approach for computing dynamically averaged vibrational spectra including critical nuclear quantum effects.

PubMed

Sumner, Isaiah; Iyengar, Srinivasan S

2007-10-18

We have introduced a computational methodology to study vibrational spectroscopy in clusters inclusive of critical nuclear quantum effects. This approach is based on the recently developed quantum wavepacket ab initio molecular dynamics method that combines quantum wavepacket dynamics with ab initio molecular dynamics. The computational efficiency of the dynamical procedure is drastically improved (by several orders of magnitude) through the utilization of wavelet-based techniques combined with the previously introduced time-dependent deterministic sampling procedure measure to achieve stable, picosecond length, quantum-classical dynamics of electrons and nuclei in clusters. The dynamical information is employed to construct a novel cumulative flux/velocity correlation function, where the wavepacket flux from the quantized particle is combined with classical nuclear velocities to obtain the vibrational density of states. The approach is demonstrated by computing the vibrational density of states of [Cl-H-Cl]-, inclusive of critical quantum nuclear effects, and our results are in good agreement with experiment. A general hierarchical procedure is also provided, based on electronic structure harmonic frequencies, classical ab initio molecular dynamics, computation of nuclear quantum-mechanical eigenstates, and employing quantum wavepacket ab initio dynamics to understand vibrational spectroscopy in hydrogen-bonded clusters that display large degrees of anharmonicities.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease in children.

PubMed

Barnhart, Douglas C

2016-08-01

Despite the frequency with which antireflux procedures are performed, decisions about gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment remain challenging. Several factors contribute to the difficulties in managing gastroesophageal reflux. First, the distinction between physiologic and pathologic gastroesophageal reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease-GERD) is not always clear. Second, measures of the extent of gastroesophageal reflux often poorly correlate to symptoms or other complications attributed to reflux in infants and children. A third challenge is that the outcome of antireflux procedures, predominately fundoplications, are relatively poorly characterized. All of these factors contribute to difficulty in knowing when to recommend antireflux surgery. One of the manifestations of the uncertainties surrounding GERD is the high degree of variability in the utilization of pediatric antireflux procedures throughout the United States. Pediatric surgeons are frequently consulted for GERD and fundoplication, uncertainties notwithstanding. Although retrospective series and anecdotal observations support fundoplication in some patients, there are many important questions for which sufficient high-quality data to provide a clear answer is lacking. In spite of this, surgeons need to provide guidance to patients and families while awaiting the development of improved evidence to aid in these recommendations. The purpose of this article is to define what is known and what is uncertain, with an emphasis on the most recent evidence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sequential Tests of Multiple Hypotheses Controlling Type I and II Familywise Error Rates

PubMed Central

Bartroff, Jay; Song, Jinlin

2014-01-01

This paper addresses the following general scenario: A scientist wishes to perform a battery of experiments, each generating a sequential stream of data, to investigate some phenomenon. The scientist would like to control the overall error rate in order to draw statistically-valid conclusions from each experiment, while being as efficient as possible. The between-stream data may differ in distribution and dimension but also may be highly correlated, even duplicated exactly in some cases. Treating each experiment as a hypothesis test and adopting the familywise error rate (FWER) metric, we give a procedure that sequentially tests each hypothesis while controlling both the type I and II FWERs regardless of the between-stream correlation, and only requires arbitrary sequential test statistics that control the error rates for a given stream in isolation. The proposed procedure, which we call the sequential Holm procedure because of its inspiration from Holm’s (1979) seminal fixed-sample procedure, shows simultaneous savings in expected sample size and less conservative error control relative to fixed sample, sequential Bonferroni, and other recently proposed sequential procedures in a simulation study. PMID:25092948

Abnormal response to methylphenidate across multiple fMRI procedures in cocaine use disorder: feasibility study.

PubMed

Moeller, Scott J; Konova, Anna B; Tomasi, Dardo; Parvaz, Muhammad A; Goldstein, Rita Z

2016-07-01

The indirect dopamine agonist methylphenidate remediates cognitive deficits in psychopathology, but the individual characteristics that determine its effects on the brain are not known. We aimed to determine whether targeted dopaminergically modulated traits and individual differences could predict neural response to methylphenidate across multiple functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) procedures. We combined neural measures from three separate procedures (two inhibitory control tasks differing in their degree of emotional salience and resting-state functional connectivity) during methylphenidate (20 mg oral, versus randomized and counterbalanced placebo) and correlated these aggregated responses with cocaine use disorder diagnosis (22 cocaine abusers, 21 controls), symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and working memory capacity. Cocaine abusers, relative to controls, had a lower response in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to methylphenidate across all three procedures, driven by responses to the two inhibitory control tasks; reduced methylphenidate fMRI response in this region further correlated with more frequent cocaine use. Cocaine abuse (and its frequency), associated with lower tonic dopamine levels, correlated with a reduction in activation to methylphenidate (versus placebo). These initial results provide feasibility to the idea that multimodal fMRI tasks can be meaningfully aggregated, and that these aggregated procedures show a common disruption in addiction in a highly anticipated region relevant to cognitive control. Results also suggest that drug use frequency may represent an important modulatory variable in interpreting the efficacy of pharmacologically enhanced cognitive interventions in addiction.

Measurement and validation of measures for impulsive food choice across obese and healthy-weight individuals.

PubMed

Hendrickson, Kelsie L; Rasmussen, Erin B; Lawyer, Steven R

2015-07-01

The present study established a brief measure of delay discounting for food, the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ), and compared it to another more established measure of food discounting that uses the adjusting amount (AA) procedure. One hundred forty-four undergraduate participants completed either two measures of hypothetical food discounting (a computerized food AA procedure or the FCQ) or two measures of hypothetical money discounting [a computerized monetary AA procedure or the Monetary Choice questionnaire (MCQ)]. The money condition was used as a replication of previous work. Results indicated that the FCQ yielded consistent data that strongly correlated with the AA food discounting task. Moreover, a magnitude effect was found with the FCQ, such that smaller amounts of food were discounted more steeply than larger amounts. In addition, individuals with higher percent body fat (PBF) discounted food more steeply than individuals with lower PBF. The MCQ, which also produced a magnitude effect, and the monetary adjusting amount procedure yielded data that were orderly, consistent, and correlated strongly with one another, replicating previous literature. This study is the first to show that a novel measure of food discounting (the FCQ) yields consistent data strongly correlated with an established measure of food discounting and is sensitive to PBF. Moreover, the FCQ is easier and quicker to administer than the AA procedure, which may interest researchers who use discounting tasks in food-related research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grindability determination of torrefied biomass materials using the Hybrid Work index

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

Van Essendelft, D.T.; Zhou, X.; Kang, B.S.-J.

2012-01-01

The grindability of torrefied biomass materials is a difficult parameter to evaluate due to its inhomogeneous character and non-uniform morphology. However, it is necessary to develop a grinding test that is representative of the wide ranging character of biomass and torrefied biomass materials. Previous research has shown that Resistance to Impact Milling (RIM) can be linearly correlated to thermally driven weight loss in biomass. In particular, the RIM equipment was found to supply the right energy level to physically break down structurally deficient biomass materials while leaving the un-touched material relatively intact [1–3]. However, the RIM procedure was not designedmore » to extract the comminution energy. Alternatively, the Bond Work Index (BWI) procedure was developed to accurately assess the grinding energy of brittle materials [4,5]. However, the milling energy is too low to be effective for biomass comminution. In this research, the BWI procedure was utilized with the ball–mill approach in the RIM test to evaluate torrefied biomass materials. The hybridized procedure has been shown to be both highly correlated to energy consumption and sensitive to degree of torrefaction. The proposed Hybrid Work Index (HWI) is certainly useful for assessing torrefaction in a laboratory environment, but it may also be correlated to grinding energy at industrial scales.« less

Costs of disposable material in the operating room do not show high correlation with surgical time: Implications for hospital payment.

PubMed

Delo, Caroline; Leclercq, Pol; Martins, Dimitri; Pirson, Magali

2015-08-01

The objectives of this study are to analyze the variation of the surgical time and of disposable costs per surgical procedure and to analyze the association between disposable costs and the surgical time. The registration of data was done in an operating room of a 419 bed general hospital, over a period of three months (n = 1556 surgical procedures). Disposable material per procedure used was recorded through a barcode scanning method. The average cost (standard deviation) of disposable material is €183.66 (€183.44). The mean surgical time (standard deviation) is 96 min (63). Results have shown that the homogeneity of operating time and DM costs was quite good per surgical procedure. The correlation between the surgical time and DM costs is not high (r = 0.65). In a context of Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) based hospital payment, it is important that costs information systems are able to precisely calculate costs per case. Our results show that the correlation between surgical time and costs of disposable materials is not good. Therefore, empirical data or itemized lists should be used instead of surgical time as a cost driver for the allocation of costs of disposable materials to patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pulmonary hypertension in hemodialysis patients without arteriovenous fistula: the effect of dialyzer composition.

PubMed

Kiykim, Ahmet Alper; Horoz, Mehmet; Ozcan, Turkay; Yildiz, Ibrahim; Sari, Sibel; Genctoy, Gultekin

2010-01-01

Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) increases mortality rate in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Numerous clinical, hemodynamic, and metabolic abnormalities have been suggested to be associated with the development of PHT in HD patients. We aimed to investigate the acute effects of two different dialyzer membranes on pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) throughout a HD session in maintenance HD patients. Seventy-four HD patients dialyzed through permanent tunneled jugular central venous catheter were enrolled. A first-use cellulose acetate and high-flux polysulfone dialysis membrane were tested using a crossover design. For each membrane, pre- and post-dialysis pulmonary artery pressures were measured echocardiographically. Elevated pulmonary artery pressure was observed in 68.8% of patients (n = 51), whereas mild PHT was observed in 28.3% of patients (n = 21) and moderate PHT in 40.5% (n = 30). Decrease in pulmonary artery pressure following HD procedure performed using high-flux polysulfone membrane was significantly higher than the decrease observed following HD procedure performed using cellulose acetate membrane (p < 0.05). Significant decrease in pulmonary artery pressures was observed only after HD procedures performed using high-flux polysulfone membrane (p < 0.05). Ultrafiltered volume was only significantly correlated with the decrease in pulmonary artery pressure observed after HD procedure performed through high-flux polysulfone membrane (β = 0.411, p < 0.05). PHT seems to be prevalent among HD patients even in the absence of AV fistula and abnormal cardiac functions. Membrane composition seems to be important, which may overwhelm the improving effects of ultrafiltration.

Understanding Preprocedure Patient Flow in IR.

PubMed

Zafar, Abdul Mueed; Suri, Rajeev; Nguyen, Tran Khanh; Petrash, Carson Cope; Fazal, Zanira

2016-08-01

To quantify preprocedural patient flow in interventional radiology (IR) and to identify potential contributors to preprocedural delays. An administrative dataset was used to compute time intervals required for various preprocedural patient-flow processes. These time intervals were compared across on-time/delayed cases and inpatient/outpatient cases by Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman ρ was used to assess any correlation of the rank of a procedure on a given day and the procedure duration to the preprocedure time. A linear-regression model of preprocedure time was used to further explore potential contributing factors. Any identified reason(s) for delay were collated. P < .05 was considered statistically significant. Of the total 1,091 cases, 65.8% (n = 718) were delayed. Significantly more outpatient cases started late compared with inpatient cases (81.4% vs 45.0%; P < .001, χ(2) test). The multivariate linear regression model showed outpatient status, length of delay in arrival, and longer procedure times to be significantly associated with longer preprocedure times. Late arrival of patients (65.9%), unavailability of physicians (18.4%), and unavailability of procedure room (13.0%) were the three most frequently identified reasons for delay. The delay was multifactorial in 29.6% of cases (n = 213). Objective measurement of preprocedural IR patient flow demonstrated considerable waste and highlighted high-yield areas of possible improvement. A data-driven approach may aid efficient delivery of IR care. Copyright © 2016 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reliable and valid assessment of Lichtenstein hernia repair skills.

PubMed

Carlsen, C G; Lindorff-Larsen, K; Funch-Jensen, P; Lund, L; Charles, P; Konge, L

2014-08-01

Lichtenstein hernia repair is a common surgical procedure and one of the first procedures performed by a surgical trainee. However, formal assessment tools developed for this procedure are few and sparsely validated. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of an assessment tool designed to measure surgical skills in Lichtenstein hernia repair. Key issues were identified through a focus group interview. On this basis, an assessment tool with eight items was designed. Ten surgeons and surgical trainees were video recorded while performing Lichtenstein hernia repair, (four experts, three intermediates, and three novices). The videos were blindly and individually assessed by three raters (surgical consultants) using the assessment tool. Based on these assessments, validity and reliability were explored. The internal consistency of the items was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97). The inter-rater reliability was very good with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.93. Generalizability analysis showed a coefficient above 0.8 even with one rater. The coefficient improved to 0.92 if three raters were used. One-way analysis of variance found a significant difference between the three groups which indicates construct validity, p < 0.001. Lichtenstein hernia repair skills can be assessed blindly by a single rater in a reliable and valid fashion with the new procedure-specific assessment tool. We recommend this tool for future assessment of trainees performing Lichtenstein hernia repair to ensure that the objectives of competency-based surgical training are met.

[Assessment of the announcement procedure in 29 cancer-accredited hospitals in the Aquitaine region: the EVADA project].

PubMed

Rongère-Casteigt, Julie; Pinon, Elodie; Domecq, Sandrine; Hoppe, Stéphanie; Bousser, Véronique; Vimard, Edwige; Saillour-Glenisson, Florence

2015-01-01

An announcement procedure is mandatory to obtain accreditation to treat cancer patients. Health care professionals in the Aquitaine region evaluated the organization of this announcement procedure in their institutions and the patients' perception, in order to initiate actions to improve the structure and traceability of this procedure. Self-assessment approach based on a retrospective study plan comprising three concomitant steps: organizational audit, medical records audit and patient experience survey. 29 institutions participated in the study. Heterogeneous organizations were observed, although progress had been made in the deployment of the announcement procedure in terms of personnel training,formal organization and the resources devoted to this procedure, but there remains considerable room for improvement in terms of traceability, coordination between doctors and nursing staff, and referral of patients to supportive care. This evaluation triggered active mobilization of hospital teams concerning the announcement procedure in the Aquitaine region and a better awareness of the patient's perception. The regional dynamic allowed exchanges between institutions, facilitating the implementation of improvement actions.

An Improved Qualitative Analysis Procedure for Aluminum Subgroup Cations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kistner, C. R.; Robinson, Patricia J.

1983-01-01

Describes a procedure for the qualitative analysis of aluminum subgroup cations designed to avoid failure to obtain lead or barium chromate precipitates or failure to report aluminum hydroxide when present (due to staining). Provides a flow chart and step-by-step explanation for the new procedure, indicating significantly improved student results.…

Effect of lower limb Sofield procedure on ambulation in osteogenesis imperfecta.

PubMed

Khoshhal, K I; Ellis, R D

2001-01-01

Ambulation status was evaluated in 34 patients pre- and post-Sofield procedure in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. Three percent had improved ambulation, 42.4% remained the same and 54.6% were worse. Only 41.2% were ambulating postoperatively compared to 73.5% preoperatively. The Sofield procedure did not improve ambulation status.

Future of operating rooms.

PubMed

Reijnen, Michel M P J; Zeebregts, Clark J; Meijerink, Wilhelmus J H J

2005-01-01

Operating-room design has not changed significantly since the modern era of surgery began. Minimal invasive, endoscopic, procedures, and evolution of technology will affect operating-room design in the near future. Poor ergonomics has always been one of the major drawbacks of endoscopic surgery. Use of retractable arms and monitors will improve ergonomics of the operating team. Developments in telecommunication will allow surgeons to communicate with colleagues and experts during the procedure in virtually any location around the world, which increases teaching possibilities and procedural safety. Introduction and further development of intraoperative imaging, including real-time, three-dimensional (3-D) reconstructions of patient, and computer-aided surgery offer surgeons the opportunity to train the planned surgical procedure. Moreover, they will improve control and supervision of the procedure in learning situations. The last decade's robotics have made their introduction into the operating rooms. They improve control over the operating-room environment and will facilitate the performance of more complex procedures. However, high costs and lack of force feedback remain its major drawbacks. Improvements of robotic techniques and its implementation into the operating rooms will further guide their design into highly specialized operating units.

Least Squares Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hester, Yvette

Least squares methods are sophisticated mathematical curve fitting procedures used in all classical parametric methods. The linear least squares approximation is most often associated with finding the "line of best fit" or the regression line. Since all statistical analyses are correlational and all classical parametric methods are least…

An Evaluation of Alternative Screening Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Carol; Romanoff, Brenda; Algozzine, Bob; Udall, Ann

2000-01-01

This study compared the Problem Solving Assessment (PSA) procedure, an application based on Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, with more traditional criteria for the identification of minority students for gifted education programs. Although positive correlations among approaches and intelligences were observed, different groups of…

Incorporating scale into digital terrain analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dragut, L. D.; Eisank, C.; Strasser, T.

2009-04-01

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and their derived terrain attributes are commonly used in soil-landscape modeling. Process-based terrain attributes meaningful to the soil properties of interest are sought to be produced through digital terrain analysis. Typically, the standard 3 X 3 window-based algorithms are used for this purpose, thus tying the scale of resulting layers to the spatial resolution of the available DEM. But this is likely to induce mismatches between scale domains of terrain information and soil properties of interest, which further propagate biases in soil-landscape modeling. We have started developing a procedure to incorporate scale into digital terrain analysis for terrain-based environmental modeling (Drăguţ et al., in press). The workflow was exemplified on crop yield data. Terrain information was generalized into successive scale levels with focal statistics on increasing neighborhood size. The degree of association between each terrain derivative and crop yield values was established iteratively for all scale levels through correlation analysis. The first peak of correlation indicated the scale level to be further retained. While in a standard 3 X 3 window-based analysis mean curvature was one of the poorest correlated terrain attribute, after generalization it turned into the best correlated variable. To illustrate the importance of scale, we compared the regression results of unfiltered and filtered mean curvature vs. crop yield. The comparison shows an improvement of R squared from a value of 0.01 when the curvature was not filtered, to 0.16 when the curvature was filtered within 55 X 55 m neighborhood size. This indicates the optimum size of curvature information (scale) that influences soil fertility. We further used these results in an object-based image analysis environment to create terrain objects containing aggregated values of both terrain derivatives and crop yield. Hence, we introduce terrain segmentation as an alternative method for generating scale levels in terrain-based environmental modeling. Based on segments, R squared improved up to a value of 0.47. Before integrating the procedure described above into a software application, thorough comparison between the results of different generalization techniques, on different datasets and terrain conditions is necessary. This is the subject of our ongoing research as part of the SCALA project (Scales and Hierarchies in Landform Classification). References: Drăguţ, L., Schauppenlehner, T., Muhar, A., Strobl, J. and Blaschke, T., in press. Optimization of scale and parametrization for terrain segmentation: an application to soil-landscape modeling, Computers & Geosciences.

Differential Acquisition of Lever Pressing in Inbred and Outbred Mice: Comparison of One-Lever and Two-Lever Procedures and Correlation with Differences in Locomotor Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKerchar, Todd L.; Zarcone, Troy J.; Fowler, Stephen C.

2005-01-01

Recent progress in mouse genetics has led to an increased interest in developing procedures for assessing mouse behavior, but relatively few of the behavioral procedures developed involve positively reinforced operant behavior. When operant methods are used, nose poking, not lever pressing, is the target response. In the current study differential…

Exploratory Procedures of Tactile Images in Visually Impaired and Blindfolded Sighted Children: How They Relate to Their Consequent Performance in Drawing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinter, Annie; Fernandes, Viviane; Orlandi, Oriana; Morgan, Pascal

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the types of exploratory procedures employed by children when exploring bidimensional tactile patterns and correlate the use of these procedures with the children's shape drawing performance. 18 early blind children, 20 children with low vision and 24 age-matched blindfolded sighted children aged…

The effect of intraoperative hypotension on the outcomes of initial hybrid palliation for single ventricle congenital heart disease: an historical cohort study.

PubMed

Koziol, James; Gertler, Ralph; Manlhiot, Cedric; McCrindle, Brian; Holtby, Helen; Caldarone, Christopher A; Taylor, Katherine

2013-05-01

The "hybrid procedure" is an alternative surgical palliation strategy for single ventricle congenital heart disease. The purported benefit is improved cognitive ability secondary to avoidance of cardiopulmonary bypass in the neonatal period when neuronal apoptosis is greater. It is unknown whether survival is improved after this procedure. Intraoperative hypotension is common in these patients, and we hypothesized that this hypotension was associated with mortality or morbidity. We reviewed the records of 58/58 patients undergoing a first-stage hybrid procedure from 2004 to 2010 in a tertiary pediatric academic centre. Risk factors for poor outcome and the association between intraoperative hypotension and morbidity or mortality were investigated. Average preoperative arterial blood pressure (ABP) [systolic/diastolic presented as mean (standard deviation)] were 68 (12.7) / 38 (9.4) mmHg. Post-induction ABP was 65 (15.2) / 37 (8.6) mmHg. The average intraoperative nadir of ABP was 45 (7.0) / 26 (4.8) mmHg. On return to the intensive care unit (ICU), the average ABP was 69 (13.7) / 38 (11.6) mmHg. The nadir lasted longer than ten minutes in 32/58 patients. The mortality at 48 hr, 60 days, and 12 months was 3/58 (5%), 10/58 (17%), and 15/58 (26%), respectively. Six patients returned to the ICU on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). There was a weak statistical correlation between the average mean and diastolic BP pre-induction and changes of > 20% in systolic and diastolic BP during the case. In this patient cohort, we can show an association between short periods of intraoperative hypotension and mortality or return to the ICU on ECMO, but the importance of this is not certain.

Clinical Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Rotational Atherectomy Followed by Drug-eluting Stent Implantation: A Single-center Real-world Experience

PubMed Central

Cuenza, Lucky R.; Jayme, Ada Cherryl; Khe Sui, James Ho

2017-01-01

Background: Rotational atherectomy (RA) is used to improve procedural success of percutaneous catheter interventions (PCIs) of complex and heavily calcified coronary lesions. We report the clinical experience and outcomes in our institution with the use of RA, followed by drug-eluting stent implantation. Materials and Methods: Data of 81 patients treated with PCI and adjunctive RA were analyzed. Clinical follow-up for the occurrence of major adverse events (MAEs) was obtained in all patients and correlated with significant variables using multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results: Mean age was 67.9 ± 9.2 years, 61.7% had diabetes, 20.9% had chronic kidney disease, and 48.1% had previous acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Mean SYNTAX score was 29.8 ± 12.2, with a 92.5% angiographic success rate achieved. In-hospital MAEs rate was 7.4% while mortality rate was 8.6%. On median follow-up of 12.2 months, incidence of MAEs of 13.5% with a 75% free incidence from MAEs at 34 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that a history of previous ACS, ejection fraction, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, SYNTAX score, burr to artery ratio, and attainment of angiographic success were significant predictors of MAEs. Conclusion: RA followed by drug-eluting stent implantation is a safe and effective method in improving procedural success as well as short- and long-term outcomes of PCI in our center. A combination of clinical and procedural factors is predictive for the occurrence of MAEs and should be taken into account in the application of this technique. PMID:29326773

Kyphoplasty for vertebral augmentation in the elderly with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: scenarios and review of recent studies.

PubMed

Bednar, Timothy; Heyde, Christoph E; Bednar, Grace; Nguyen, David; Volpi, Elena; Przkora, Rene

2013-11-01

Vertebral compression fractures caused by osteoporosis are among the most common fractures in the elderly. The treatment focuses on pain control, maintenance of independence, and management of the osteoporosis. Elderly patients often encounter adverse effects to pain medications, do not tolerate bed rest, and are not ideal candidates for invasive spinal reconstructive surgery. Percutaneous vertebral augmentation (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty) has become popular as a less-invasive alternative. However, studies have questioned the effectiveness of these procedures. The authors conducted a MEDLINE search using relevant search terms including osteoporosis, osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture, elderly, kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty. Two elderly patients presented with a fracture of their third and first lumbar vertebral body, respectively. One patient progressed well with conservative treatment, whereas the other patient was hospitalized secondary to pain after conservative measures failed to offer improvement. The hospitalized patient subsequently opted for a kyphoplasty and was able to resume his normal daily activities after the procedure. Selecting patients on an individual case-by-case basis can optimize the effectiveness and outcomes of a vertebral augmentation. This process includes the documentation of an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture with the aide of imaging studies, including the acuity of the fracture as well as the correlation with the physical examination findings. Patients who are functional and improving under a conservative regimen are not candidates for kyphoplasty. However, if the conservative management is not successful after 4 to 6 weeks and the patient is at risk to become bedridden, an augmentation should be considered. A kyphoplasty procedure may be preferred over vertebroplasty, given the lower risk profile and better outcomes regarding spinal alignment. Published by Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.

Endovascular treatment outcomes using the Stroke Triage Education, Procedure Standardization, and Technology (STEPS-T) program.

PubMed

Hassan, Ameer E; Sanchez, Christina; Johnson, Angela N

2018-02-01

Background "Door to treatment" time affects outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT). However, the correlation between staff education and accessible technology with stroke outcomes has not been demonstrated. Objective The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the five-year impact of the Stroke Triage Education, Procedure Standardization, and Technology (STEPS-T) program on time-to-treat and clinical outcomes. Methods The study analyzed a prospectively maintained database of AIS patients who benefited from EVT through implementation of STEPS-T. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and modified Rankin Score at three months were analyzed. Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) scale was used to grade pre- and post-procedure angiographic recanalization. Using electronic hemodynamic recording, stepwise workflow times were collected for door time (T D ), entering angiography suite (T A ), groin puncture (T G ), first DSA (T DSA ), microcatheter placement (T M ), and final recanalization (T R ). Median intervention time (T A to T R ) and recanalization time (T G to T R ) were compared through Year 1 to Year 5. Results A total of 230 individuals (age 74 ± 12, between 30 to 95) were enrolled. Median intervention and recanalization times were significantly reduced, from 121 minutes to 52 minutes and from 83 minutes to 36 minutes respectively from Year 1 to Year 5, ( p < 0.001). Across the study period, annual recruitment went up from 12 to 66 patients, and modified Rankin Score between 0 and 2 increased from 36% to 59% ( p = 0.024). Conclusions STEPS-T improved time-to-treat in patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for AIS. During the observation period, clinical outcomes significantly improved.

Vertical stratification of forest canopy for segmentation of understory trees within small-footprint airborne LiDAR point clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamraz, Hamid; Contreras, Marco A.; Zhang, Jun

2017-08-01

Airborne LiDAR point cloud representing a forest contains 3D data, from which vertical stand structure even of understory layers can be derived. This paper presents a tree segmentation approach for multi-story stands that stratifies the point cloud to canopy layers and segments individual tree crowns within each layer using a digital surface model based tree segmentation method. The novelty of the approach is the stratification procedure that separates the point cloud to an overstory and multiple understory tree canopy layers by analyzing vertical distributions of LiDAR points within overlapping locales. The procedure does not make a priori assumptions about the shape and size of the tree crowns and can, independent of the tree segmentation method, be utilized to vertically stratify tree crowns of forest canopies. We applied the proposed approach to the University of Kentucky Robinson Forest - a natural deciduous forest with complex and highly variable terrain and vegetation structure. The segmentation results showed that using the stratification procedure strongly improved detecting understory trees (from 46% to 68%) at the cost of introducing a fair number of over-segmented understory trees (increased from 1% to 16%), while barely affecting the overall segmentation quality of overstory trees. Results of vertical stratification of the canopy showed that the point density of understory canopy layers were suboptimal for performing a reasonable tree segmentation, suggesting that acquiring denser LiDAR point clouds would allow more improvements in segmenting understory trees. As shown by inspecting correlations of the results with forest structure, the segmentation approach is applicable to a variety of forest types.

Observation of behavioural markers of non-technical skills in the operating room and their relationship to intra-operative incidents.

PubMed

Siu, Joey; Maran, Nikki; Paterson-Brown, Simon

2016-06-01

The importance of non-technical skills in improving surgical safety and performance is now well recognised. Better understanding is needed of the impact that non-technical skills of the multi-disciplinary theatre team have on intra-operative incidents in the operating room (OR) using structured theatre-based assessment. The interaction of non-technical skills that influence surgical safety of the OR team will be explored and made more transparent. Between May-August 2013, a range of procedures in general and vascular surgery in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh were performed. Non-technical skills behavioural markers and associated intra-operative incidents were recorded using established behavioural marking systems (NOTSS, ANTS and SPLINTS). Adherence to the surgical safety checklist was also observed. A total of 51 procedures were observed, with 90 recorded incidents - 57 of which were considered avoidable. Poor situational awareness was a common area for surgeons and anaesthetists leading to most intra-operative incidents. Poor communication and teamwork across the whole OR team had a generally large impact on intra-operative incidents. Leadership was shown to be an essential set of skills for the surgeons as demonstrated by the high correlation of poor leadership with intra-operative incidents. Team-working and management skills appeared to be especially important for anaesthetists in the recovery from an intra-operative incident. A significant number of avoidable incidents occur during operative procedures. These can all be linked to failures in non-technical skills. Better training of both individual and team in non-technical skills is needed in order to improve patient safety in the operating room. Copyright © 2014 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Ankle Range of Motion (ROM) and Lower-Extremity Muscle Strength on Static Balance Control Ability in Young Adults: A Regression Analysis

PubMed Central

Kim, Seong-Gil

2018-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle ROM and lower-extremity muscle strength on static balance control ability in young adults. Material/Methods This study was conducted with 65 young adults, but 10 young adults dropped out during the measurement, so 55 young adults (male: 19, female: 36) completed the study. Postural sway (length and velocity) was measured with eyes open and closed, and ankle ROM (AROM and PROM of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion) and lower-extremity muscle strength (flexor and extensor of hip, knee, and ankle joint) were measured. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the correlation between variables and static balance ability. Simple linear regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to examine the effect of variables on static balance ability. Results In correlation analysis, plantarflexion ROM (AROM and PROM) and lower-extremity muscle strength (except hip extensor) were significantly correlated with postural sway (p<0.05). In simple correlation analysis, all variables that passed the correlation analysis procedure had significant influence (p<0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, plantar flexion PROM with eyes open significantly influenced sway length (B=0.681) and sway velocity (B=0.011). Conclusions Lower-extremity muscle strength and ankle plantarflexion ROM influenced static balance control ability, with ankle plantarflexion PROM showing the greatest influence. Therefore, both contractile structures and non-contractile structures should be of interest when considering static balance control ability improvement. PMID:29760375

Effect of Ankle Range of Motion (ROM) and Lower-Extremity Muscle Strength on Static Balance Control Ability in Young Adults: A Regression Analysis.

PubMed

Kim, Seong-Gil; Kim, Wan-Soo

2018-05-15

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ankle ROM and lower-extremity muscle strength on static balance control ability in young adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was conducted with 65 young adults, but 10 young adults dropped out during the measurement, so 55 young adults (male: 19, female: 36) completed the study. Postural sway (length and velocity) was measured with eyes open and closed, and ankle ROM (AROM and PROM of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion) and lower-extremity muscle strength (flexor and extensor of hip, knee, and ankle joint) were measured. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the correlation between variables and static balance ability. Simple linear regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to examine the effect of variables on static balance ability. RESULTS In correlation analysis, plantarflexion ROM (AROM and PROM) and lower-extremity muscle strength (except hip extensor) were significantly correlated with postural sway (p<0.05). In simple correlation analysis, all variables that passed the correlation analysis procedure had significant influence (p<0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, plantar flexion PROM with eyes open significantly influenced sway length (B=0.681) and sway velocity (B=0.011). CONCLUSIONS Lower-extremity muscle strength and ankle plantarflexion ROM influenced static balance control ability, with ankle plantarflexion PROM showing the greatest influence. Therefore, both contractile structures and non-contractile structures should be of interest when considering static balance control ability improvement.

The Case for Laboratory Developed Procedures

PubMed Central

Sabatini, Linda M.; Tsongalis, Gregory J.; Caliendo, Angela M.; Olsen, Randall J.; Ashwood, Edward R.; Bale, Sherri; Benirschke, Robert; Carlow, Dean; Funke, Birgit H.; Grody, Wayne W.; Hayden, Randall T.; Hegde, Madhuri; Lyon, Elaine; Pessin, Melissa; Press, Richard D.; Thomson, Richard B.

2017-01-01

An explosion of knowledge and technology is revolutionizing medicine and patient care. Novel testing must be brought to the clinic with safety and accuracy, but also in a timely and cost-effective manner, so that patients can benefit and laboratories can offer testing consistent with current guidelines. Under the oversight provided by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, laboratories have been able to develop and optimize laboratory procedures for use in-house. Quality improvement programs, interlaboratory comparisons, and the ability of laboratories to adjust assays as needed to improve results, utilize new sample types, or incorporate new mutations, information, or technologies are positive aspects of Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments oversight of laboratory-developed procedures. Laboratories have a long history of successful service to patients operating under Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. A series of detailed clinical examples illustrating the quality and positive impact of laboratory-developed procedures on patient care is provided. These examples also demonstrate how Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments oversight ensures accurate, reliable, and reproducible testing in clinical laboratories. PMID:28815200

Discrepancies Between Planned and Actual Operating Room Turnaround Times at a Large Rural Hospital in Germany

PubMed Central

Morgenegg, Regula; Heinze, Franziska; Wieferich, Katharina; Schiffer, Ralf; Stueber, Frank; Luedi, Markus M.; Doll, Dietrich

2017-01-01

Objectives While several factors have been shown to influence operating room (OR) turnaround times, few comparisons of planned and actual OR turnaround times have been performed. This study aimed to compare planned and actual OR turnaround times at a large rural hospital in Northern Germany. Methods This retrospective study examined the OR turnaround data of 875 elective surgery cases scheduled at the Marienhospital, Vechta, Germany, between July and October 2014. The frequency distributions of planned and actual OR turnaround times were compared and correlations between turnaround times and various factors were established, including the time of day of the procedure, patient age and the planned duration of the surgery. Results There was a significant difference between mean planned and actual OR turnaround times (0.32 versus 0.64 hours; P <0.001). In addition, significant correlations were noted between actual OR turnaround times and the time of day of the surgery, patient age, actual duration of the procedure and staffing changes affecting the surgeon or the medical specialty of the surgery (P <0.001 each). The quotient of actual/planned OR turnaround times ranged from 1.733–3.000. Conclusion Significant discrepancies between planned and actual OR turnaround times were noted during the study period. Such findings may be potentially used in future studies to establish a tool to improve OR planning, measure OR management performance and enable benchmarking. PMID:29372083

Layer-oriented total pelvic exenteration for locally advanced primary colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Koda, Keiji; Shuto, Kiyohiko; Matsuo, Kenichi; Kosugi, Chihiro; Mori, Mikito; Hirano, Atsushi; Hiroshima, Yukihiko; Tanaka, Kuniya

2016-01-01

The clinical outcomes of patients who have undergone total pelvic exenteration (TPE) for locally advanced primary colorectal cancer have not been satisfactory. For the last 13 years, we have performed layer-oriented, en bloc resection of tumor for which TPE is indicated, in the hope of improving postoperative outcomes. The clinical outcomes of these cases were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 54 patients who underwent TPE from 1986 to 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Since 2002, a layer-oriented removal for clinical T4 colorectal cancer, as in T3 or less invasive tumors removed by total mesorectal excision, was applied to 23 cases for which TPE was indicated. Postoperative mortality, morbidity, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated. On univariate analysis, good postoperative OS and DFS were associated with the layer-oriented operative maneuver, blood loss less than 2000 mL, negative nodal metastasis, and no preoperative radiation therapy. Male sex was the marginal determinant correlated with good OS and DFS. Depth of invasion to T3 was the marginal determinant correlated with good DFS. On multivariate analysis using the 4 factors identified on univariate analyses, the layer-oriented operative procedure was a significant determinant for both good OS and DFS, together with negative nodal metastases. Postoperative mortality and morbidity in the layer-oriented excision were acceptable. For primary colorectal cancers for which TPE is indicated, layer-oriented excision was a safe and effective procedure, and it may be recommended as one of the standard surgical approaches in TPE.

Problem-based learning through field investigation: Boosting questioning skill, biological literacy, and academic achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwono, Hadi; Wibowo, Agung

2018-01-01

Biology learning emphasizes problem-based learning as a learning strategy to develop students ability in identifying and solving problems in the surrounding environment. Problem identification skills are closely correlated with questioning skills. By holding this skill, students tend to deliver a procedural question instead of the descriptive one. Problem-based learning through field investigation is an instruction model which directly exposes the students to problems or phenomena that occur in the environment, and then the students design the field investigation activities to solve these problems. The purpose of this research was to describe the improvement of undergraduate biology students on questioning skills, biological literacy, and academic achievement through problem-based learning through field investigation (PBFI) compared with the lecture-based instruction (LBI). This research was a time series quasi-experimental design. The research was conducted on August - December 2015 and involved 26 undergraduate biology students at the State University of Malang on the Freshwater Ecology course. The data were collected during the learning with LBI and PBFI, in which questioning skills, biological literacy, and academic achievement were collected 3 times in each learning model. The data showed that the procedural correlative and causal types of questions are produced by the students to guide them in conducting investigations and problem-solving in PBFI. The biological literacy and academic achievement of the students at PBFI are significantly higher than those at LBI. The results show that PBFI increases the questioning skill, biological literacy, and the academic achievement of undergraduate biology students.

[A comparative study on treating femal stress urinary incontinence with TVT-Abbrevo and TVT-Obturator].

PubMed

Li, W L; Lu, Z W; Li, F P; Yu, H Y

2016-07-26

To compare the effectiveness and complications of TVT-Abbrevo (tension-free vaginal tape-Abbrevo) and TVT-Obturator (tension-free vaginal tape-obturator) for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). From Nov.2012 to Nov.2013, 117 patients suffering from SUI were treated with TVT-Abbrebo (n=79) or TVT-Obturator (n=38) procedure, the clinical efficacy and operation-correlated complications were observed. A total of 117 cases, 107 cases of urinary incontinence symptoms disappeared completely, 10 cases were improved. 72 cases (91.1%) were cured and 7 cases (8.9%) were improved in TVT-Abbrevo group; 35 cases (92.1%) were cured and 3 cases (7.9%) were improved in TVT-Obturator group. No significant differences could be found for the curing rates between two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the TVT-Obturator group, the TVT-Abbrevo group had less patients complaining of inner thigh pain at 24 h and 1 w after surgery (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed for the incidence of inner thigh pain at 1m and 1y after surgery between TVT-Abbrevo and TVT-Obturator group (P>0.05). No intraoperative complications such as blood vessel, nerve, bladder damage were recorded and no postoperative retropubic hematoma, tape adjustment and other complications occurred in two goups. No recurrence after 1 year follow-up. The study shows that TVT-Abbrevo procedure is safe and efficacy in treatment of SUI, and associated with low incidence of recent postoperative inner thigh pain.

Quantitative maps of genetic interactions in yeast - comparative evaluation and integrative analysis.

PubMed

Lindén, Rolf O; Eronen, Ville-Pekka; Aittokallio, Tero

2011-03-24

High-throughput genetic screening approaches have enabled systematic means to study how interactions among gene mutations contribute to quantitative fitness phenotypes, with the aim of providing insights into the functional wiring diagrams of genetic interaction networks on a global scale. However, it is poorly known how well these quantitative interaction measurements agree across the screening approaches, which hinders their integrated use toward improving the coverage and quality of the genetic interaction maps in yeast and other organisms. Using large-scale data matrices from epistatic miniarray profiling (E-MAP), genetic interaction mapping (GIM), and synthetic genetic array (SGA) approaches, we carried out here a systematic comparative evaluation among these quantitative maps of genetic interactions in yeast. The relatively low association between the original interaction measurements or their customized scores could be improved using a matrix-based modelling framework, which enables the use of single- and double-mutant fitness estimates and measurements, respectively, when scoring genetic interactions. Toward an integrative analysis, we show how the detections from the different screening approaches can be combined to suggest novel positive and negative interactions which are complementary to those obtained using any single screening approach alone. The matrix approximation procedure has been made available to support the design and analysis of the future screening studies. We have shown here that even if the correlation between the currently available quantitative genetic interaction maps in yeast is relatively low, their comparability can be improved by means of our computational matrix approximation procedure, which will enable integrative analysis and detection of a wider spectrum of genetic interactions using data from the complementary screening approaches.

Confocal microscopy evaluation of stromal fluorescence intensity after standard and accelerated iontophoresis-assisted corneal cross-linking.

PubMed

Lanzini, Manuela; Curcio, Claudia; Spoerl, Eberhard; Calienno, Roberta; Mastropasqua, Alessandra; Colasante, Martina; Mastropasqua, Rodolfo; Nubile, Mario; Mastropasqua, Leonardo

2017-02-01

The aim of this study is to determine modifications in stromal fluorescence intensity after different corneal cross-linking (CXL) procedures and to correlate stromal fluorescence to corneal biomechanical resistance. For confocal microscopy study, 15 human cadaver corneas were examined. Three served as control (group 1), three were just soaked with iontophoresis procedure (group 2), three were treated with standard epi-off technique (group 3), and six underwent iontophoresis imbibition. Three of later six were irradiated for 30 min with 3 mW/cm 2 UVA (group 4) and three for 9 min at 10 mW/cm 2 UVA (group 5). Confocal microscopy was performed to quantify the fluorescence intensity in the cornea at different stromal depths. For biomechanical study, 30 human cadaver corneas were randomly divided into five groups and treated as previously described. Static stress-strain measurements of the corneas were performed. Iontophoresis imbibition followed by 10mW/cm 2 irradiation proved to increase stromal fluorescence into the corneal stroma and significant differences were revealed between group 3 and 5 both at 100 (p = 0.0171) and 250 µm (p = 0.0024), respectively. Biomechanical analysis showed an improvement of corneal resistance in group 5. Iontophoresis imbibition followed by accelerated irradiation increased the stromal fluorescence and is related to an improvement of biomechanical resistance. This approach may represent a new strategy to achieve greater concentrations of riboflavin without removing corneal epithelium and improve clinical results while reducing the side effects of CXL.

Prospective memory performance of patients with Parkinson's disease depends on shifting aptitude: evidence from cognitive rehabilitation.

PubMed

Costa, Alberto; Peppe, Antonella; Serafini, Francesca; Zabberoni, Silvia; Barban, Francesco; Caltagirone, Carlo; Carlesimo, Giovanni Augusto

2014-08-01

This study investigated the effect of cognitive training aimed at improving shifting ability on Parkinson's disease (PD) patients' performance of prospective memory (PM) tasks. Using a double-blind protocol, 17 PD patients were randomly assigned to two experimental arms. In the first arm (n=9) shifting training was administered, and in the second (placebo) arm (n=8), language and respiratory exercises. Both treatments consisted of 12 sessions executed over 4 weeks. PM and shifting measures (i.e., Trail Making Test and Alternate Fluency Test) were administered at T0 (before treatment) and T1 (immediately after treatment). A mixed analysis of variance was applied to the data. To evaluate the effects of treatment, the key effect was the interaction between Group (experimental vs. placebo) and Time of Assessment (T0 vs. T1). This interaction was significant for the accuracy indices of the PM procedure (p<.05) and for the performance parameters of the shifting tasks (p ≤.05). Tukey's HSD tests showed that in all cases passing from T0 to T1 performance significantly improved in the experimental group (in all cases p ≤.02) but remained unchanged in the placebo group (all p consistently>.10). The performance change passing from T0 to T1 on the Alternate Fluency test and the PM procedure was significantly correlated (p<.05). Results show that the cognitive training significantly improved PD patients' event-based PM performance and suggest that their poor PM functioning might be related to reduced shifting abilities.

Pain affecting procedures in non-resectable pancreatic carcinoma.

PubMed

Plachkov, I; Chernopolski, P; Bozhkov, V; Madjov, R

2013-01-01

Pancreatic cancer is third most common cancer of the gastrointestinal tract in Bulgaria, accouting for 11, 6% in 2008. The leading symptom in patients with pancreatic cancer is the pain. The pain can be related with neoplasms and their metastasis. We should use all kind of resourses for pain relief: conventional drugs (according to the three steps strategy of WHO), interventional or surgical procedures. To present the interventional and surgical techniques in our practice and to share our experience for pain control in patients with nonresectable pancreatic cancer to improve their quality of life. In a seven year period (2004-2011) we performed 59 thoracoscopic splanhnicectomies/30--bilateral/ 4 intraoperative resections of celiac ganglion, 25 CT--control celiac plexus neurolysis and 90 cases pain relief with epidural analgesia. Concerning the quality of life we applied a questionnaire of a spannish medical center " City of Hope" adapted for patients with cancer and the level of pain with visual analogue scale VAS. The long-term duration of the pain relief technique depends on applied technic, of cancer invasion and of the technic itself. The technique with the longest effect are the intraoperative celiac ganglion removal and the bilateral thoracoscopic splanhnicectomy. On the other hand the shortest effect we report the celiac plexus neurolysis, and the epudural analgesia. These data are in correlation with the reduction of the pain shown using VAS thus improving the quality of life. The surgical and interventional methods for control of cancer pain have their own collocation improving the quality of life of these patients. New strategies for the pain control are need in the future.

Learning the facts in medical school is not enough: which factors predict successful application of procedural knowledge in a laboratory setting?

PubMed

Schmidmaier, Ralf; Eiber, Stephan; Ebersbach, Rene; Schiller, Miriam; Hege, Inga; Holzer, Matthias; Fischer, Martin R

2013-02-22

Medical knowledge encompasses both conceptual (facts or "what" information) and procedural knowledge ("how" and "why" information). Conceptual knowledge is known to be an essential prerequisite for clinical problem solving. Primarily, medical students learn from textbooks and often struggle with the process of applying their conceptual knowledge to clinical problems. Recent studies address the question of how to foster the acquisition of procedural knowledge and its application in medical education. However, little is known about the factors which predict performance in procedural knowledge tasks. Which additional factors of the learner predict performance in procedural knowledge? Domain specific conceptual knowledge (facts) in clinical nephrology was provided to 80 medical students (3rd to 5th year) using electronic flashcards in a laboratory setting. Learner characteristics were obtained by questionnaires. Procedural knowledge in clinical nephrology was assessed by key feature problems (KFP) and problem solving tasks (PST) reflecting strategic and conditional knowledge, respectively. Results in procedural knowledge tests (KFP and PST) correlated significantly with each other. In univariate analysis, performance in procedural knowledge (sum of KFP+PST) was significantly correlated with the results in (1) the conceptual knowledge test (CKT), (2) the intended future career as hospital based doctor, (3) the duration of clinical clerkships, and (4) the results in the written German National Medical Examination Part I on preclinical subjects (NME-I). After multiple regression analysis only clinical clerkship experience and NME-I performance remained independent influencing factors. Performance in procedural knowledge tests seems independent from the degree of domain specific conceptual knowledge above a certain level. Procedural knowledge may be fostered by clinical experience. More attention should be paid to the interplay of individual clinical clerkship experiences and structured teaching of procedural knowledge and its assessment in medical education curricula.

Correlation of Three Techniques for Determining Soil Permeability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winneberger, John T.

1974-01-01

Discusses problems of acquiring adequate results when measuring for soil permeability. Correlates three relatively simple techniques that could be helpful to the inexperienced technician dealing with septic tank practices. An appendix includes procedures for valid percolation tests. (MLB)

Choosing wisely: prevalence and correlates of low-value health care services in the United States.

PubMed

Colla, Carrie H; Morden, Nancy E; Sequist, Thomas D; Schpero, William L; Rosenthal, Meredith B

2015-02-01

Specialty societies in the United States identified low-value tests and procedures that contribute to waste and poor health care quality via implementation of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation's Choosing Wisely initiative. To develop claims-based algorithms, to use them to estimate the prevalence of select Choosing Wisely services and to examine the demographic, health and health care system correlates of low-value care at a regional level. Using Medicare data from 2006 to 2011, we created claims-based algorithms to measure the prevalence of 11 Choosing Wisely-identified low-value services and examined geographic variation across hospital referral regions (HRRs). We created a composite low-value care score for each HRR and used linear regression to identify regional characteristics associated with more intense use of low-value services. Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries over age 65. Prevalence of selected Choosing Wisely low-value services. The national average annual prevalence of the selected Choosing Wisely low-value services ranged from 1.2% (upper urinary tract imaging in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia) to 46.5% (preoperative cardiac testing for low-risk, non-cardiac procedures). Prevalence across HRRs varied significantly. Regional characteristics associated with higher use of low-value services included greater overall per capita spending, a higher specialist to primary care ratio and higher proportion of minority beneficiaries. Identifying and measuring low-value health services is a prerequisite for improving quality and eliminating waste. Our findings suggest that the delivery of wasteful and potentially harmful services may be a fruitful area for further research and policy intervention for HRRs with higher per-capita spending. These findings should inform action by physicians, health systems, policymakers, payers and consumer educators to improve the value of health care by targeting services and areas with greater use of potentially inappropriate care.

Effect of Alignment on Transport Properties of Carbon Nanotube/Metallic Junctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wincheski, Buzz; Namkung, Min; Smits, Jan; Williams, Phillip; Harvey, Robert

2003-01-01

Ballistic and spin coherent transport in single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) are predicted to enable high sensitivity single-nanotube devices for strain and magnetic field sensing. Based upon these phenomena, electron beam lithography procedures have been developed to study the transport properties of purified HiPCO single walled carbon nanotubes for development into sensory materials for nondestructive evaluation. Purified nanotubes are dispersed in solvent suspension and then deposited on the device substrate before metallic contacts are defined and deposited through electron beam lithography. This procedure produces randomly dispersed ropes, typically 2 - 20 nm in diameter, of single walled carbon nanotubes. Transport and scanning probe microscopy studies have shown a good correlation between the junction resistance and tube density, alignment, and contact quality. In order to improve transport properties of the junctions a technique has been developed to align and concentrate nanotubes at specific locations on the substrate surface. Lithographic techniques are used to define local areas where high frequency electric fields are to be concentrated. Application of the fields while the substrate is exposed to nanotube-containing solution results in nanotube arrays aligned with the electric field lines. A second electron beam lithography layer is then used to deposit metallic contacts across the aligned tubes. Experimental measurements are presented showing the increased tube alignment and improvement in the transport properties of the junctions.

Use of a national continuing medical education meeting to provide simulation-based training in temporary hemodialysis catheter insertion skills: a pre-test post-test study.

PubMed

Clark, Edward G; Paparello, James J; Wayne, Diane B; Edwards, Cedric; Hoar, Stephanie; McQuillan, Rory; Schachter, Michael E; Barsuk, Jeffrey H

2014-01-01

Simulation-based-mastery-learning (SBML) is an effective method to train nephrology fellows to competently insert temporary, non-tunneled hemodialysis catheters (NTHCs). Previous studies of SBML for NTHC-insertion have been conducted at a local level. Determine if SBML for NTHC-insertion can be effective when provided at a national continuing medical education (CME) meeting. Describe the correlation of demographic factors, prior experience with NTHC-insertion and procedural self-confidence with simulated performance of the procedure. Pre-test - post-test study. 2014 Canadian Society of Nephrology annual meeting. Nephrology fellows, internal medicine residents and medical students. Participants were surveyed regarding demographics, prior NTHC-insertion experience, procedural self-confidence and attitudes regarding the training they received. NTHC-insertion skills were assessed using a 28-item checklist. Participants underwent a pre-test of their NTHC-insertion skills at the internal jugular site using a realistic patient simulator and ultrasound machine. Participants then had a training session that included a didactic presentation and 2 hours of deliberate practice using the simulator. On the following day, trainees completed a post-test of their NTHC-insertion skills. All participants were required to meet or exceed a minimum passing score (MPS) previously set at 79%. Trainees who did not reach the MPS were required to perform more deliberate practice until the MPS was achieved. Twenty-two individuals participated in SBML training. None met or exceeded the MPS at baseline with a median checklist score of 20 (IQR, 7.25 to 21). Seventeen of 22 participants (77%) completed post-testing and improved their scores to a median of 27 (IQR, 26 to 28; p < 0.001). All met or exceeded the MPS on their first attempt. There were no significant correlations between demographics, prior experience or procedural self-confidence with pre-test performance. Small sample-size and self-selection of participants. Costs could limit the long-term feasibility of providing this type of training at a CME conference. Despite most participants reporting having previously inserted NTHCs in clinical practice, none met the MPS at baseline; this suggests their prior training may have been inadequate.

CT-guided sternoclavicular joint injections: description of the procedure, reliability of imaging diagnosis, and short-term patient responses.

PubMed

Peterson, Cynthia K; Saupe, Nadja; Buck, Florian; Pfirrmann, Christian W A; Zanetti, Marco; Hodler, Juerg

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate pain relief 20 to 30 minutes after diagnostic or therapeutic injections into the sternoclavicular joint and to compare patient outcomes based on the CT diagnosis. Informed consent was obtained from each patient. Ethics approval was not required. Fifty patients who had CT-guided injections of corticosteroid and local anesthetic into their sternoclavicular joints were included in the study. Preinjection and 20- to 30-minute postinjection visual analog scale data were recorded and compared with the imaging findings agreed by consensus. Kappa statistics were calculated for the reliability of imaging diagnosis. The percentage of patients improving after joint injection was calculated, and the risk ratio comparing the response of patients with osteoarthritis to those without osteoarthritis was completed. The correlation between the severity of each patient's osteoarthritis and the pain response was calculated using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Sixty-six percent of the patients reported clinically significant pain reduction at between 20 and 30 minutes after injection. The proportion of patients with osteoarthritis who had a clinically significant response was 67% compared with 64% for patients who did not have osteoarthritis. This difference was not statistically or clinically significant. There was no correlation between the severity of osteoarthritis and the amount of pain reduction (r = 0.03). The reliability of imaging diagnosis was substantial. Two thirds of patients having sternoclavicular joint injections of corticosteroids and local anesthetics report clinically significant improvement regardless of the abnormalities detected on their CT images.

Correlation Attenuation Due to Measurement Error: A New Approach Using the Bootstrap Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padilla, Miguel A.; Veprinsky, Anna

2012-01-01

Issues with correlation attenuation due to measurement error are well documented. More than a century ago, Spearman proposed a correction for attenuation. However, this correction has seen very little use since it can potentially inflate the true correlation beyond one. In addition, very little confidence interval (CI) research has been done for…

How Do Observational Scales Correlate the Ratings of Children's Behavior during Pediatric Procedural Sedation?

PubMed Central

Moura, Larissa da Silva

2016-01-01

Background. There is little information regarding the ability of observational scales to properly assess children's behavior during procedural sedation. Aim. To evaluate the characteristics of the Houpt scales, the Ohio State University Behavioral Rating Scale (OSUBRS) and the Venham Behavior Rating Scale when applied to preschool children undergoing conscious dental sedation. Design. This study included 27 children, 4–6 years old with early childhood caries that participated in a clinical trial (NCT02284204) that investigated two sedative regimes using oral midazolam/ketamine. Dental appointments were video-recorded; five calibrated observers assessed 1,209 minutes of video recording to score the children's behavior, following the instructions of the investigated scales. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and Spearman correlation tests (P < 0.05). Results. The Houpt overall behavior and the Venham scale were highly correlated (rho = −0.87; P < 0.001). OSUBRS scores were better correlated with Houpt overall behavior and Venham ratings, when compared to Houpt scores in the categories for movement and crying. Conclusions. The Houpt overall behavior and the Venham scores are global scales that properly measure children's behavior during dental sedation. Continuous assessment with OSUBRS through videos has a chance to give more precise data, while the Houpt categories can easily demonstrate children's behavior during procedures. PMID:28116299

Procedural learning: A developmental study of motor sequence learning and probabilistic classification learning in school-aged children.

PubMed

Mayor-Dubois, Claire; Zesiger, Pascal; Van der Linden, Martial; Roulet-Perez, Eliane

2016-01-01

In this study, we investigated motor and cognitive procedural learning in typically developing children aged 8-12 years with a serial reaction time (SRT) task and a probabilistic classification learning (PCL) task. The aims were to replicate and extend the results of previous SRT studies, to investigate PCL in school-aged children, to explore the contribution of declarative knowledge to SRT and PCL performance, to explore the strategies used by children in the PCL task via a mathematical model, and to see whether performances obtained in motor and cognitive tasks correlated. The results showed similar learning effects in the three age groups in the SRT and in the first half of the PCL tasks. Participants did not develop explicit knowledge in the SRT task whereas declarative knowledge of the cue-outcome associations correlated with the performances in the second half of the PCL task, suggesting a participation of explicit knowledge after some time of exposure in PCL. An increasing proportion of the optimal strategy use with increasing age was observed in the PCL task. Finally, no correlation appeared between cognitive and motor performance. In conclusion, we extended the hypothesis of age invariance from motor to cognitive procedural learning, which had not been done previously. The ability to adopt more efficient learning strategies with age may rely on the maturation of the fronto-striatal loops. The lack of correlation between performance in the SRT task and the first part of the PCL task suggests dissociable developmental trajectories within the procedural memory system.

Striatal volume predicts level of video game skill acquisition.

PubMed

Erickson, Kirk I; Boot, Walter R; Basak, Chandramallika; Neider, Mark B; Prakash, Ruchika S; Voss, Michelle W; Graybiel, Ann M; Simons, Daniel J; Fabiani, Monica; Gratton, Gabriele; Kramer, Arthur F

2010-11-01

Video game skills transfer to other tasks, but individual differences in performance and in learning and transfer rates make it difficult to identify the source of transfer benefits. We asked whether variability in initial acquisition and of improvement in performance on a demanding video game, the Space Fortress game, could be predicted by variations in the pretraining volume of either of 2 key brain regions implicated in learning and memory: the striatum, implicated in procedural learning and cognitive flexibility, and the hippocampus, implicated in declarative memory. We found that hippocampal volumes did not predict learning improvement but that striatal volumes did. Moreover, for the striatum, the volumes of the dorsal striatum predicted improvement in performance but the volumes of the ventral striatum did not. Both ventral and dorsal striatal volumes predicted early acquisition rates. Furthermore, this early-stage correlation between striatal volumes and learning held regardless of the cognitive flexibility demands of the game versions, whereas the predictive power of the dorsal striatal volumes held selectively for performance improvements in a game version emphasizing cognitive flexibility. These findings suggest a neuroanatomical basis for the superiority of training strategies that promote cognitive flexibility and transfer to untrained tasks.

Incremental social learning in particle swarms.

PubMed

de Oca, Marco A Montes; Stutzle, Thomas; Van den Enden, Ken; Dorigo, Marco

2011-04-01

Incremental social learning (ISL) was proposed as a way to improve the scalability of systems composed of multiple learning agents. In this paper, we show that ISL can be very useful to improve the performance of population-based optimization algorithms. Our study focuses on two particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms: a) the incremental particle swarm optimizer (IPSO), which is a PSO algorithm with a growing population size in which the initial position of new particles is biased toward the best-so-far solution, and b) the incremental particle swarm optimizer with local search (IPSOLS), in which solutions are further improved through a local search procedure. We first derive analytically the probability density function induced by the proposed initialization rule applied to new particles. Then, we compare the performance of IPSO and IPSOLS on a set of benchmark functions with that of other PSO algorithms (with and without local search) and a random restart local search algorithm. Finally, we measure the benefits of using incremental social learning on PSO algorithms by running IPSO and IPSOLS on problems with different fitness distance correlations.

Two hypothetical nystagmus procedures: augmented tenotomy and reattachment and augmented tendon suture (Sans tenotomy).

PubMed

Dell'Osso, Louis F; Tomsak, Robert L; Thurtell, Matthew J

2009-01-01

To review the hypothetical mechanism and therapeutic benefits of the four-muscle tenotomy and reattachment (T&R) procedure using knowledge accrued over the 10 years since its proposal; to describe an augmented tendon suture (ATS) technique to improve the procedure based on one of the originally suggested alternative methods (mechanical); and to hypothesize a new ATS procedure to achieve the same therapeutic benefits without extraocular muscle tenotomy or reattachment to the globe. Standard surgical methods were used. The T&R procedure damps and improves infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS) waveforms, improves eXtended Nystagmus Acuity Function (NAFX) values, broadens the NAFX peak versus gaze angle, and damps slow eye movements but not saccades. The T&R procedure also damps acquired pendular and downbeat nystagmus, decreasing the patients' oscillopsia, and lowers the target acquisition time in INS. The T&R procedure directly affects only the enthesis of the tendon; there is idiosyncratic variation in the distribution of afferent fibers in the tendons. The ATS technique consists of placing several additional sutures in the tendon proximal to the tenotomy. Based on the hypothetical proprioceptive mechanism for the beneficial effects of the T&R procedure, the authors hypothesize that the ATS technique will maximize the therapeutic benefits and that an ATS procedure, using only tendon sutures without tenotomy, will duplicate the therapeutic effects of T&R. Eliminating the tenotomy component results in a simpler procedure more suitable for single-session, multi-muscle surgery that may be required for improving the waveforms of multiplanar nystagmus and less prone to cause complications. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Correlation Between Timed Barium Esophagogram and Esophageal Transit Scintigraphy Results in Achalasia.

PubMed

Park, Yoo Mi; Jeon, Han Ho; Park, Jae Jun; Kim, Jie-Hyun; Youn, Young Hoon; Park, Hyojin

2015-08-01

Timed barium esophagogram (TBE) and esophageal transit scintigraphy (ETS) have been adopted as useful ways to evaluate achalasia patients. TBE has merit as a simple, non-invasive, and convenient method. The study sought to compare the results of these two tests and verify their usefulness in evaluating treatment response. In addition, we assessed whether TBE could effectively replace ETS through correlation analysis. The medical records of 50 achalasia patients treated between September 2011 and June 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The height and width of the barium column at 1, 2, and 5 min were measured by TBE. Half-life (T 1/2, min) and R 30 (percentage of remaining radioactivity 30 s after radioisotope ingestion) were measured by ETS. Both tests were performed before and after treatment, and the tests were carried out 1 and 2 days after procedures. And we analyzed the correlation between the parameters from the two tests. The parameters of TBE and ETS were improved after treatment (p < 0.05). Before treatment, the height and width results at 5 min from TBE positively correlated with the T 1/2 parameter from ETS (correlation coefficients of 0.59 and 0.75, respectively). After treatment, the correlation coefficients between the 5-min height and width of the barium column by TBE and T 1/2 by ETS were 0.55 and 0.46, respectively. Both TBE and ETS are useful modalities in assessing esophageal emptying and response to achalasia treatment. TBE and ETS results have a statistically significant correlation both pre- and post-treatment. We suggest that TBE could effectively replace ETS for the assessment of achalasia.

Universal Spatial Correlation Functions for Describing and Reconstructing Soil Microstructure

PubMed Central

Skvortsova, Elena B.; Mallants, Dirk

2015-01-01

Structural features of porous materials such as soil define the majority of its physical properties, including water infiltration and redistribution, multi-phase flow (e.g. simultaneous water/air flow, or gas exchange between biologically active soil root zone and atmosphere) and solute transport. To characterize soil microstructure, conventional soil science uses such metrics as pore size and pore-size distributions and thin section-derived morphological indicators. However, these descriptors provide only limited amount of information about the complex arrangement of soil structure and have limited capability to reconstruct structural features or predict physical properties. We introduce three different spatial correlation functions as a comprehensive tool to characterize soil microstructure: 1) two-point probability functions, 2) linear functions, and 3) two-point cluster functions. This novel approach was tested on thin-sections (2.21×2.21 cm2) representing eight soils with different pore space configurations. The two-point probability and linear correlation functions were subsequently used as a part of simulated annealing optimization procedures to reconstruct soil structure. Comparison of original and reconstructed images was based on morphological characteristics, cluster correlation functions, total number of pores and pore-size distribution. Results showed excellent agreement for soils with isolated pores, but relatively poor correspondence for soils exhibiting dual-porosity features (i.e. superposition of pores and micro-cracks). Insufficient information content in the correlation function sets used for reconstruction may have contributed to the observed discrepancies. Improved reconstructions may be obtained by adding cluster and other correlation functions into reconstruction sets. Correlation functions and the associated stochastic reconstruction algorithms introduced here are universally applicable in soil science, such as for soil classification, pore-scale modelling of soil properties, soil degradation monitoring, and description of spatial dynamics of soil microbial activity. PMID:26010779

Universal spatial correlation functions for describing and reconstructing soil microstructure.

PubMed

Karsanina, Marina V; Gerke, Kirill M; Skvortsova, Elena B; Mallants, Dirk

2015-01-01

Structural features of porous materials such as soil define the majority of its physical properties, including water infiltration and redistribution, multi-phase flow (e.g. simultaneous water/air flow, or gas exchange between biologically active soil root zone and atmosphere) and solute transport. To characterize soil microstructure, conventional soil science uses such metrics as pore size and pore-size distributions and thin section-derived morphological indicators. However, these descriptors provide only limited amount of information about the complex arrangement of soil structure and have limited capability to reconstruct structural features or predict physical properties. We introduce three different spatial correlation functions as a comprehensive tool to characterize soil microstructure: 1) two-point probability functions, 2) linear functions, and 3) two-point cluster functions. This novel approach was tested on thin-sections (2.21×2.21 cm2) representing eight soils with different pore space configurations. The two-point probability and linear correlation functions were subsequently used as a part of simulated annealing optimization procedures to reconstruct soil structure. Comparison of original and reconstructed images was based on morphological characteristics, cluster correlation functions, total number of pores and pore-size distribution. Results showed excellent agreement for soils with isolated pores, but relatively poor correspondence for soils exhibiting dual-porosity features (i.e. superposition of pores and micro-cracks). Insufficient information content in the correlation function sets used for reconstruction may have contributed to the observed discrepancies. Improved reconstructions may be obtained by adding cluster and other correlation functions into reconstruction sets. Correlation functions and the associated stochastic reconstruction algorithms introduced here are universally applicable in soil science, such as for soil classification, pore-scale modelling of soil properties, soil degradation monitoring, and description of spatial dynamics of soil microbial activity.

42 CFR 476.160 - General quality of care review procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false General quality of care review procedures. 476.160... SERVICES (CONTINUED) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION REVIEW Review Responsibilities of Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) Qio Review Functions § 476.160 General quality of care...

23 CFR 646.218 - Simplified procedure for accelerating grade crossing improvements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... preliminary engineering costs may include those incurred in selecting crossings to be improved, determining the type of improvement for each crossing, estimating the cost and preparing the required agreement... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS RAILROADS Railroad-Highway Projects § 646.218 Simplified procedure for...

23 CFR 646.218 - Simplified procedure for accelerating grade crossing improvements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... preliminary engineering costs may include those incurred in selecting crossings to be improved, determining the type of improvement for each crossing, estimating the cost and preparing the required agreement... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS RAILROADS Railroad-Highway Projects § 646.218 Simplified procedure for...

23 CFR 646.218 - Simplified procedure for accelerating grade crossing improvements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... preliminary engineering costs may include those incurred in selecting crossings to be improved, determining the type of improvement for each crossing, estimating the cost and preparing the required agreement... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS RAILROADS Railroad-Highway Projects § 646.218 Simplified procedure for...

23 CFR 646.218 - Simplified procedure for accelerating grade crossing improvements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... preliminary engineering costs may include those incurred in selecting crossings to be improved, determining the type of improvement for each crossing, estimating the cost and preparing the required agreement... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS RAILROADS Railroad-Highway Projects § 646.218 Simplified procedure for...

23 CFR 646.218 - Simplified procedure for accelerating grade crossing improvements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... preliminary engineering costs may include those incurred in selecting crossings to be improved, determining the type of improvement for each crossing, estimating the cost and preparing the required agreement... ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS RAILROADS Railroad-Highway Projects § 646.218 Simplified procedure for...

Refinement procedure for the image alignment in high-resolution electron tomography.

PubMed

Houben, L; Bar Sadan, M

2011-01-01

High-resolution electron tomography from a tilt series of transmission electron microscopy images requires an accurate image alignment procedure in order to maximise the resolution of the tomogram. This is the case in particular for ultra-high resolution where even very small misalignments between individual images can dramatically reduce the fidelity of the resultant reconstruction. A tomographic-reconstruction based and marker-free method is proposed, which uses an iterative optimisation of the tomogram resolution. The method utilises a search algorithm that maximises the contrast in tomogram sub-volumes. Unlike conventional cross-correlation analysis it provides the required correlation over a large tilt angle separation and guarantees a consistent alignment of images for the full range of object tilt angles. An assessment based on experimental reconstructions shows that the marker-free procedure is competitive to the reference of marker-based procedures at lower resolution and yields sub-pixel accuracy even for simulated high-resolution data. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iterating between Lessons on Concepts and Procedures Can Improve Mathematics Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Koedinger, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Background: Knowledge of concepts and procedures seems to develop in an iterative fashion, with increases in one type of knowledge leading to increases in the other type of knowledge. This suggests that iterating between lessons on concepts and procedures may improve learning. Aims: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the…

An Accurate ab initio Quartic Force Field and Vibrational Frequencies for CH4 and Isotopomers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Timothy J.; Martin, Jan M. L.; Taylor, Peter R.

1995-01-01

A very accurate ab initio quartic force field for CH4 and its isotopomers is presented. The quartic force field was determined with the singles and doubles coupled-cluster procedure that includes a quasiperturbative estimate of the effects of connected triple excitations, CCSD(T), using the correlation consistent polarized valence triple zeta, cc-pVTZ, basis set. Improved quadratic force constants were evaluated with the correlation consistent polarized valence quadruple zeta, cc-pVQZ, basis set. Fundamental vibrational frequencies are determined using second-order perturbation theory anharmonic analyses. All fundamentals of CH4 and isotopomers for which accurate experimental values exist and for which there is not a large Fermi resonance, are predicted to within +/- 6 cm(exp -1). It is thus concluded that our predictions for the harmonic frequencies and the anharmonic constants are the most accurate estimates available. It is also shown that using cubic and quartic force constants determined with the correlation consistent polarized double zeta, cc-pVDZ, basis set in conjunction with the cc-pVQZ quadratic force constants and equilibrium geometry leads to accurate predictions for the fundamental vibrational frequencies of methane, suggesting that this approach may be a viable alternative for larger molecules. Using CCSD(T), core correlation is found to reduce the CH4 r(e), by 0.0015 A. Our best estimate for r, is 1.0862 +/- 0.0005 A.

Correlation and Stacking of Relative Paleointensity and Oxygen Isotope Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lurcock, P. C.; Channell, J. E.; Lee, D.

2012-12-01

The transformation of a depth-series into a time-series is routinely implemented in the geological sciences. This transformation often involves correlation of a depth-series to an astronomically calibrated time-series. Eyeball tie-points with linear interpolation are still regularly used, although these have the disadvantages of being non-repeatable and not based on firm correlation criteria. Two automated correlation methods are compared: the simulated annealing algorithm (Huybers and Wunsch, 2004) and the Match protocol (Lisiecki and Lisiecki, 2002). Simulated annealing seeks to minimize energy (cross-correlation) as "temperature" is slowly decreased. The Match protocol divides records into intervals, applies penalty functions that constrain accumulation rates, and minimizes the sum of the squares of the differences between two series while maintaining the data sequence in each series. Paired relative paleointensity (RPI) and oxygen isotope records, such as those from IODP Site U1308 and/or reference stacks such as LR04 and PISO, are warped using known warping functions, and then the un-warped and warped time-series are correlated to evaluate the efficiency of the correlation methods. Correlations are performed in tandem to simultaneously optimize RPI and oxygen isotope data. Noise spectra are introduced at differing levels to determine correlation efficiency as noise levels change. A third potential method, known as dynamic time warping, involves minimizing the sum of distances between correlated point pairs across the whole series. A "cost matrix" between the two series is analyzed to find a least-cost path through the matrix. This least-cost path is used to nonlinearly map the time/depth of one record onto the depth/time of another. Dynamic time warping can be expanded to more than two dimensions and used to stack multiple time-series. This procedure can improve on arithmetic stacks, which often lose coherent high-frequency content during the stacking process.

Statistical correlation of structural mode shapes from test measurements and NASTRAN analytical values

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purves, L.; Strang, R. F.; Dube, M. P.; Alea, P.; Ferragut, N.; Hershfeld, D.

1983-01-01

The software and procedures of a system of programs used to generate a report of the statistical correlation between NASTRAN modal analysis results and physical tests results from modal surveys are described. Topics discussed include: a mathematical description of statistical correlation, a user's guide for generating a statistical correlation report, a programmer's guide describing the organization and functions of individual programs leading to a statistical correlation report, and a set of examples including complete listings of programs, and input and output data.

Residual tumor size and IGCCCG risk classification predict additional vascular procedures in patients with germ cell tumors and residual tumor resection: a multicenter analysis of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group.

PubMed

Winter, Christian; Pfister, David; Busch, Jonas; Bingöl, Cigdem; Ranft, Ulrich; Schrader, Mark; Dieckmann, Klaus-Peter; Heidenreich, Axel; Albers, Peter

2012-02-01

Residual tumor resection (RTR) after chemotherapy in patients with advanced germ cell tumors (GCT) is an important part of the multimodal treatment. To provide a complete resection of residual tumor, additional surgical procedures are sometimes necessary. In particular, additional vascular interventions are high-risk procedures that require multidisciplinary planning and adequate resources to optimize outcome. The aim was to identify parameters that predict additional vascular procedures during RTR in GCT patients. A retrospective analysis was performed in 402 GCT patients who underwent 414 RTRs in 9 German Testicular Cancer Study Group (GTCSG) centers. Overall, 339 of 414 RTRs were evaluable with complete perioperative data sets. The RTR database was queried for additional vascular procedures (inferior vena cava [IVC] interventions, aortic prosthesis) and correlated to International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) classification and residual tumor volume. In 40 RTRs, major vascular procedures (23 IVC resections with or without prosthesis, 11 partial IVC resections, and 6 aortic prostheses) were performed. In univariate analysis, the necessity of IVC intervention was significantly correlated with IGCCCG (14.1% intermediate/poor vs 4.8% good; p=0.0047) and residual tumor size (3.7% size < 5 cm vs 17.9% size ≥ 5 cm; p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, IVC intervention was significantly associated with residual tumor size ≥ 5 cm (odds ratio [OR]: 4.61; p=0.0007). In a predictive model combining residual tumor size and IGCCCG classification, every fifth patient (20.4%) with a residual tumor size ≥ 5 cm and intermediate or poor prognosis needed an IVC intervention during RTR. The need for an aortic prosthesis showed no correlation to either IGCCCG (p=0.1811) or tumor size (p=0.0651). The necessity for IVC intervention during RTR is correlated to residual tumor size and initial IGCCCG classification. Patients with high-volume residual tumors and intermediate or poor risk features must initially be identified as high-risk patients for vascular procedures and therefore should be referred to specialized surgical centers with the ad hoc possibility of vascular interventions. Copyright © 2011 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical vapor deposition growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruth, R. P.; Manasevit, H. M.; Johnson, R. E.; Kenty, J. L.; Moudy, L. A.; Simpson, W. I.; Yang, J. J.

1976-01-01

A laboratory type CVD reactor system with a vertical deposition chamber and sample pedestal heated by an external RF coil has been extensively modified by installation of mass flow controllers, automatic process sequence timers, and special bellows-sealed air-operated valves for overall improved performance. Various film characterization procedures, including classical metallography, SEM analyses, X ray diffraction analyses, surface profilometry, and electrical measurements (resistivity, carrier concentration, mobility, spreading resistance profiles, and minority-carrier lifetime by the C-V-t method) area used to correlate Si sheet properties with CVD parameters and substrate properties. Evaluation procedures and measurements are given. Experimental solar cell structures were made both in epitaxial Si sheet (on sapphire substrates) and in polycrystalline material on alumina substrates, the former to provide an indication of what might be an upper limit on performance of the latter. Preliminary results are given, as obtained in cell structures not specially designed to allow for the unique properties of the sheet material, and fabricated in material known to be far from optimum for photovoltaic performance. Low power conversion efficiencies have been obtained in the epitaxial as well as the polycrystalline Si sheet.

A set for relational reasoning: Facilitation of algebraic modeling by a fraction task.

PubMed

DeWolf, Melissa; Bassok, Miriam; Holyoak, Keith J

2016-12-01

Recent work has identified correlations between early mastery of fractions and later math achievement, especially in algebra. However, causal connections between aspects of reasoning with fractions and improved algebra performance have yet to be established. The current study investigated whether relational reasoning with fractions facilitates subsequent algebraic reasoning using both pre-algebra students and adult college students. Participants were first given either a relational reasoning fractions task or a fraction algebra procedures control task. Then, all participants solved word problems and constructed algebraic equations in either multiplication or division format. The word problems and the equation construction tasks involved simple multiplicative comparison statements such as "There are 4 times as many students as teachers in a classroom." Performance on the algebraic equation construction task was enhanced for participants who had previously completed the relational fractions task compared with those who completed the fraction algebra procedures task. This finding suggests that relational reasoning with fractions can establish a relational set that promotes students' tendency to model relations using algebraic expressions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors predictive of survival after stapler hepatectomy of hepatocellular carcinoma: a multivariate, single-center analysis.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Katrin; Müller-Bütow, Verena; Franz, Clemens; Hinz, Ulf; Longerich, Thomas; Büchler, Markus W; Schemmer, Peter

2014-02-01

New technical devices for hepatic parenchymal transection have improved perioperative safety and patient survival. The aim of the present study was to determine the oncological outcome after stapler hepatectomy in patients with HCC. Data of 95 patients who underwent stapler hepatectomy for HCC between 2001 and 2011 were analyzed retrospectively regarding clinical safety of the procedure and predictive factors for survial. Thirty-nine minor (≤2 segments) and 56 major (≥3 segments) hepatic resections were performed. The median survival was 47.5 months, after 36 months follow-up. Low grading, tumors ≥5 cm, multiple nodules and liver cirrhosis were predictors of decreased overall survival using multivariate analysis with hazard ratio(HR)=2.62, 2.41, 2.05, and 1.92 respectively. An estimated intra-operative blood loss of ≥1.2l was inversely correlated to disease free survival (HR=1.96). Stapler hepatectomy is a safe procedure in patients with HCC. Substantial intraoperative blood loss and the presence of cirrhosis independently predict the overall probability of patient survival. Intraoperative blood loss directly impacts HCC recurrence.

A rational approach to predict and modulate stereolability of chiral alpha substituted ketones.

PubMed

Cirilli, Roberto; Costi, Roberta; Di Santo, Roberto; Gasparrini, Francesco; La Torre, Francesco; Pierini, Marco; Siani, Gabriella

2009-01-01

An effective strategy to assess and modulate the stereolability of chiral alpha substituted ketones (C alpha SKs) is presented. The tendency of C alpha SKs to retain or change their configuration in water is analyzed as a function of thermodynamic proton-release attitude of alpha asymmetric atoms inside the structures by linear Brønsted correlations. A molecular modeling procedure was developed to analyze and suggest chemical modifications of C alpha SKs in view to obtain the desired grade of stereochemical stability. The approach was employed to predict the tendency to enantiomerize in water of two ketones (1 and 2) endowed with inhibitory activity against monoamine oxidases (MAOs) and the results were confirmed by experimental kinetics measurements performed in organic medium. As a demonstration of practical potentialities of the approach, four new structures, conceived as simple chemical modifications of 1 and 2, were designed to improve/reduce the stereostability grade of the starting anti-MAO ketones. The possibility to extend easily the procedure to other classes of C-H acids appears of interest.

Liquid chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry: a new perspective on honey adulteration detection.

PubMed

Cabañero, Ana I; Recio, Jose L; Rupérez, Mercedes

2006-12-27

A new procedure to determine individual sugar (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) 13C isotope ratios, using liquid chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (HPLC-IRMS), has been developed to improve isotopic methods devoted to the study of honey authenticity. For this purpose 79 commercial honey samples from various origins were analyzed. Values of delta13Choney ranged from -14.2 to -27.2", and delta13Cprotein ranged from -23.6 to -26.9". A very strong correlation is observed between the individual sugar 13C ratios, which are altered in the event of sugar addition, even at low levels. The use of Deltadelta13C [fruct-glu], Deltadelta13C [fruct-suc], and Deltadelta13C [gluc-suc] systematic differences as an authenticity criterion permits the sugar addition [C3, beet sugar; or C4, cane sugar, cane syrup, isoglucose syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)] to be reliably detected (DL = 1-10%). The new procedure has advantages over existing methods in terms of analysis time and sensitivity. In addition, it is the first isotopic method developed that allows beet sugar addition detection.

High-resolution rapid diagnostic imaging of whole prostate biopsies using video-rate fluorescence structured illumination microscopy

PubMed Central

Wang, Mei; Kimbrell, Hillary Z.; Sholl, Andrew B.; Tulman, David B.; Elfer, Katherine N.; Schlichenmeyer, Tyler C.; Lee, Benjamin R.; Lacey, Michelle; Brown, J. Quincy

2015-01-01

Rapid assessment of prostate core biopsy pathology at the point-of-procedure could provide benefit in a variety of clinical situations. Even with advanced trans-rectal ultrasound guidance and saturation biopsy protocols, prostate cancer can be missed in up to half of all initial biopsy procedures. In addition, collection of tumor specimens for downstream histological, molecular, and genetic analysis is hindered by low tumor yield due to inability to identify prostate cancer grossly. However, current point-of-procedure pathology protocols such as frozen section analysis (FSA) are destructive, and too time- and labor-intensive to be practical or economical. Ex vivo microscopy of the excised specimens, stained with fast-acting fluorescent histology dyes, could be an attractive non-destructive alternative to FSA. In this work, we report the first demonstration of video-rate structured illumination microscopy (VR-SIM) for rapid high-resolution diagnostic imaging of prostate biopsies in realistic point-of-procedure timeframes. Large mosaic images of prostate biopsies stained with acridine orange are rendered in seconds, and contain excellent contrast and detail, exhibiting close correlation with corresponding H&E histology. A clinically-relevant review of VR-SIM images of 34 unfixed and uncut prostate core biopsies by two independent pathologists resulted in an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.82–0.88, with a sensitivity ranging from 63–88% and a specificity ranging from 78–89%. When biopsies contained more than 5% tumor content, the sensitivity improved to 75–92%. The image quality, speed, minimal complexity, and ease of use of VR-SIM could prove to be features in favor of adoption as an alternative to destructive pathology at the point-of-procedure. PMID:26282168

Improving performances of suboptimal greedy iterative biclustering heuristics via localization.

PubMed

Erten, Cesim; Sözdinler, Melih

2010-10-15

Biclustering gene expression data is the problem of extracting submatrices of genes and conditions exhibiting significant correlation across both the rows and the columns of a data matrix of expression values. Even the simplest versions of the problem are computationally hard. Most of the proposed solutions therefore employ greedy iterative heuristics that locally optimize a suitably assigned scoring function. We provide a fast and simple pre-processing algorithm called localization that reorders the rows and columns of the input data matrix in such a way as to group correlated entries in small local neighborhoods within the matrix. The proposed localization algorithm takes its roots from effective use of graph-theoretical methods applied to problems exhibiting a similar structure to that of biclustering. In order to evaluate the effectivenesss of the localization pre-processing algorithm, we focus on three representative greedy iterative heuristic methods. We show how the localization pre-processing can be incorporated into each representative algorithm to improve biclustering performance. Furthermore, we propose a simple biclustering algorithm, Random Extraction After Localization (REAL) that randomly extracts submatrices from the localization pre-processed data matrix, eliminates those with low similarity scores, and provides the rest as correlated structures representing biclusters. We compare the proposed localization pre-processing with another pre-processing alternative, non-negative matrix factorization. We show that our fast and simple localization procedure provides similar or even better results than the computationally heavy matrix factorization pre-processing with regards to H-value tests. We next demonstrate that the performances of the three representative greedy iterative heuristic methods improve with localization pre-processing when biological correlations in the form of functional enrichment and PPI verification constitute the main performance criteria. The fact that the random extraction method based on localization REAL performs better than the representative greedy heuristic methods under same criteria also confirms the effectiveness of the suggested pre-processing method. Supplementary material including code implementations in LEDA C++ library, experimental data, and the results are available at http://code.google.com/p/biclustering/ cesim@khas.edu.tr; melihsozdinler@boun.edu.tr Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Classroom Justice: Student Aggression and Resistance as Reactions to Perceived Unfairness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chory-Assad, Rebecca; Paulsel, Michelle

2004-01-01

The present study examined the relations between students' perceptions of distributive and procedural justice in college classes and student aggression and hostility toward their instructors and resistance of their instructors' requests. Although perceptions of both distributive and procedural justice were negatively correlated with student…

Extension Procedures for Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagy, Gabriel; Brunner, Martin; Lüdtke, Oliver; Greiff, Samuel

2017-01-01

We present factor extension procedures for confirmatory factor analysis that provide estimates of the relations of common and unique factors with external variables that do not undergo factor analysis. We present identification strategies that build upon restrictions of the pattern of correlations between unique factors and external variables. The…

Volumetric Trends Associated with MR-guided Stereotactic Laser Amygdalohippocampectomy in Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

PubMed Central

Patel, Nitesh V; Sundararajan, Sri; Keller, Irwin; Danish, Shabbar

2018-01-01

Objective: Magnetic resonance (MR)-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampectomy is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of refractory epilepsy in patients with mesial temporal sclerosis. Limited data exist on post-ablation volumetric trends associated with the procedure. Methods: 10 patients with mesial temporal sclerosis underwent MR-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampectomy. Three independent raters computed ablation volumes at the following time points: pre-ablation (PreA), immediate post-ablation (IPA), 24 hours post-ablation (24PA), first follow-up post-ablation (FPA), and greater than three months follow-up post-ablation (>3MPA), using OsiriX DICOM Viewer (Pixmeo, Bernex, Switzerland). Statistical trends in post-ablation volumes were determined for the time points. Results: MR-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampectomy produces a rapid rise and distinct peak in post-ablation volume immediately following the procedure. IPA volumes are significantly higher than all other time points. Comparing individual time points within each raters dataset (intra-rater), a significant difference was seen between the IPA time point and all others. There was no statistical difference between the 24PA, FPA, and >3MPA time points. A correlation analysis demonstrated the strongest correlations at the 24PA (r=0.97), FPA (r=0.95), and 3MPA time points (r=0.99), with a weaker correlation at IPA (r=0.92). Conclusion: MR-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampectomy produces a maximal increase in post-ablation volume immediately following the procedure, which decreases and stabilizes at 24 hours post-procedure and beyond three months follow-up. Based on the correlation analysis, the lower inter-rater reliability at the IPA time point suggests it may be less accurate to assess volume at this time point. We recommend post-ablation volume assessments be made at least 24 hours post-selective ablation of the amygdalohippocampal complex (SLAH).

An improved procedure for El Nino forecasting: Implications for predictability

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

Chen, D.; Zebiak, S.E.; Cane, M.A.

A coupled ocean-atmosphere data assimilation procedure yields improved forecasts of El Nino for the 1980s compared with previous forecasting procedures. As in earlier forecasts with the same model, no oceanic data were used, and only wind information was assimilated. The improvement is attributed to the explicit consideration of air-sea interaction in the initialization. These results suggest that El Nino is more predictable than previously estimated, but that predictability may vary on decadal or longer time scales. This procedure also eliminates the well-known spring barrier to El Nino prediction, which implies that it may not be intrinsic to the real climatemore » system. 24 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.« less

Parallel runway requirement analysis study. Volume 1: The analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebrahimi, Yaghoob S.

1993-01-01

The correlation of increased flight delays with the level of aviation activity is well recognized. A main contributor to these flight delays has been the capacity of airports. Though new airport and runway construction would significantly increase airport capacity, few programs of this type are currently underway, let alone planned, because of the high cost associated with such endeavors. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve the most efficient and cost effective use of existing fixed airport resources through better planning and control of traffic flows. In fact, during the past few years the FAA has initiated such an airport capacity program designed to provide additional capacity at existing airports. Some of the improvements that that program has generated thus far have been based on new Air Traffic Control procedures, terminal automation, additional Instrument Landing Systems, improved controller display aids, and improved utilization of multiple runways/Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) approach procedures. A useful element to understanding potential operational capacity enhancements at high demand airports has been the development and use of an analysis tool called The PLAND_BLUNDER (PLB) Simulation Model. The objective for building this simulation was to develop a parametric model that could be used for analysis in determining the minimum safety level of parallel runway operations for various parameters representing the airplane, navigation, surveillance, and ATC system performance. This simulation is useful as: a quick and economical evaluation of existing environments that are experiencing IMC delays, an efficient way to study and validate proposed procedure modifications, an aid in evaluating requirements for new airports or new runways in old airports, a simple, parametric investigation of a wide range of issues and approaches, an ability to tradeoff air and ground technology and procedures contributions, and a way of considering probable blunder mechanisms and range of blunder scenarios. This study describes the steps of building the simulation and considers the input parameters, assumptions and limitations, and available outputs. Validation results and sensitivity analysis are addressed as well as outlining some IMC and Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) approaches to parallel runways. Also, present and future applicable technologies (e.g., Digital Autoland Systems, Traffic Collision and Avoidance System II, Enhanced Situational Awareness System, Global Positioning Systems for Landing, etc.) are assessed and recommendations made.

"Knife to skin" time is a poor marker of operating room utilization and efficiency in cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Luthra, Suvitesh; Ramady, Omar; Monge, Mary; Fitzsimons, Michael G; Kaleta, Terry R; Sundt, Thoralf M

2015-06-01

Markers of operation room (OR) efficiency in cardiac surgery are focused on "knife to skin" and "start time tardiness." These do not evaluate the middle and later parts of the cardiac surgical pathway. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate knife to skin time as an efficiency marker in cardiac surgery. We looked at knife to skin time, procedure time, and transfer times in the cardiac operational pathway for their correlation with predefined indices of operational efficiency (Index of Operation Efficiency - InOE, Surgical Index of Operational Efficiency - sInOE). A regression analysis was performed to test the goodness of fit of the regression curves estimated for InOE relative to the times on the operational pathway. The mean knife to skin time was 90.6 ± 13 minutes (23% of total OR time). The mean procedure time was 282 ± 123 minutes (71% of total OR time). Utilization efficiencies were highest for aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting and least for complex aortic procedures. There were no significant procedure-specific or team-specific differences for standard procedures. Procedure times correlated the strongest with InOE (r = -0.98, p < 0.01). Compared to procedure times, knife to skin is not as strong an indicator of efficiency. A statistically significant linear dependence on InOE was observed with "procedure times" only. Procedure times are a better marker of OR efficiency than knife to skin in cardiac cases. Strategies to increase OR utilization and efficiency should address procedure times in addition to knife to skin times. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Improving the Unsteady Aerodynamic Performance of Transonic Turbines using Neural Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rai, Man Mohan; Madavan, Nateri K.; Huber, Frank W.

1999-01-01

A recently developed neural net-based aerodynamic design procedure is used in the redesign of a transonic turbine stage to improve its unsteady aerodynamic performance. The redesign procedure used incorporates the advantages of both traditional response surface methodology and neural networks by employing a strategy called parameter-based partitioning of the design space. Starting from the reference design, a sequence of response surfaces based on both neural networks and polynomial fits are constructed to traverse the design space in search of an optimal solution that exhibits improved unsteady performance. The procedure combines the power of neural networks and the economy of low-order polynomials (in terms of number of simulations required and network training requirements). A time-accurate, two-dimensional, Navier-Stokes solver is used to evaluate the various intermediate designs and provide inputs to the optimization procedure. The procedure yielded a modified design that improves the aerodynamic performance through small changes to the reference design geometry. These results demonstrate the capabilities of the neural net-based design procedure, and also show the advantages of including high-fidelity unsteady simulations that capture the relevant flow physics in the design optimization process.

Neural Net-Based Redesign of Transonic Turbines for Improved Unsteady Aerodynamic Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madavan, Nateri K.; Rai, Man Mohan; Huber, Frank W.

1998-01-01

A recently developed neural net-based aerodynamic design procedure is used in the redesign of a transonic turbine stage to improve its unsteady aerodynamic performance. The redesign procedure used incorporates the advantages of both traditional response surface methodology (RSM) and neural networks by employing a strategy called parameter-based partitioning of the design space. Starting from the reference design, a sequence of response surfaces based on both neural networks and polynomial fits are constructed to traverse the design space in search of an optimal solution that exhibits improved unsteady performance. The procedure combines the power of neural networks and the economy of low-order polynomials (in terms of number of simulations required and network training requirements). A time-accurate, two-dimensional, Navier-Stokes solver is used to evaluate the various intermediate designs and provide inputs to the optimization procedure. The optimization procedure yields a modified design that improves the aerodynamic performance through small changes to the reference design geometry. The computed results demonstrate the capabilities of the neural net-based design procedure, and also show the tremendous advantages that can be gained by including high-fidelity unsteady simulations that capture the relevant flow physics in the design optimization process.

Correlation of hard X-ray and type 3 bursts in solar flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petrosian, V.; Leach, J.

1982-01-01

Correlations between X-ray and type 3 radio emission of solar bursts are described through a bivariate distribution function. Procedures for determining the form of this distribution are described. A model is constructed to explain the correlation between the X-ray spectral index and the ratio of X-ray to radio intensities. Implications of the model are discussed.

Health care transition in Germany – standardization of procedures and improvement actions

PubMed Central

Pieper, Claudia; Kolankowska, Izabela

2011-01-01

Previous studies have assessed an increase in the number of people in need and emphasized the advantages of structured discharge management and health care transition. Therefore, our study evaluated the status quo of transition in a major German city after standardization of procedures and implementation of standard forms. Satisfaction with handling of standard forms and improvement of procedures was evaluated. Additionally, patients who had recently been hospitalized were asked about the hospital discharge process. The results show that the recent efforts of standardization helped to improve interface management for health care workers and patients and showed further improvement options. PMID:21811388

Genetic analysis of Holstein cattle populations in Brazil and the United States.

PubMed

Costa, C N; Blake, R W; Pollak, E J; Oltenacu, P A; Quaas, R L; Searle, S R

2000-12-01

Genetic relationships between Brazilian and US Holstein cattle populations were studied using first-lactation records of 305-d mature equivalent (ME) yields of milk and fat of daughters of 705 sires in Brazil and 701 sires in the United States, 358 of which had progeny in both countries. Components of(co)variance and genetic parameters were estimated from all data and from within herd-year standard deviation for milk (HYSD) data files using bivariate and multivariate sire models and DFREML procedures distinguishing the two countries. Sire (residual) variances from all data for milk yield were 51 to 59% (58 to 101%) as large in Brazil as those obtained from half-sisters in the average US herd. Corresponding proportions of the US variance in fat yield that were found in Brazil were 30 to 41% for the sire component of variance and 48 to 80% for the residual. Heritabilities for milk and fat yields from multivariate analysis of all the data were 0.25 and 0.22 in Brazil, and 0.34 and 0.35 in the United States. Genetic correlations between milk and fat were 0.79 in Brazil and 0.62 in the United States. Genetic correlations between countries were 0.85 for milk, 0.88 for fat, 0.55 for milk in Brazil and fat in the US, and 0.67 for fat in Brazil and milk in the United States. Correlated responses in Brazil from sire selection based on the US information increased with average HYSD in Brazil. Largest daughter yield response was predicted from information from half-sisters in low HYSD US herds (0.75 kg/kg for milk; 0.63 kg/kg for fat), which was 14% to 17% greater than estimates from all US herds because the scaling effects were less severe from heterogeneous variances. Unequal daughter response from unequal genetic (co)variances under restrictive Brazilian conditions is evidence for the interaction of genotype and environment. The smaller and variable yield expectations of daughters of US sires in Brazilian environments suggest the need for specific genetic improvement strategies in Brazilian Holstein herds. A US data file restricting daughter information to low HYSD US environments would be a wise choice for across-country evaluation. Procedures to incorporate such foreign evaluations should be explored to improve the accuracy of genetic evaluations for the Brazilian Holstein population.

Field methods to measure surface displacement and strain with the Video Image Correlation method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddux, Gary A.; Horton, Charles M.; Mcneill, Stephen R.; Lansing, Matthew D.

1994-01-01

The objective of this project was to develop methods and application procedures to measure displacement and strain fields during the structural testing of aerospace components using paint speckle in conjunction with the Video Image Correlation (VIC) system.

[Pancreolauryl test, glucose tolerance test and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis and monitoring of chronic pancreatitis].

PubMed

Wójcik, Z; Switka, S

1995-01-01

Fifteen patients with chronic pancreatitis were qualified for surgical treatment on the basis of the results of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, pancreolauryl test and glucose tolerance test. Significant changes according to Cambridge scale correlated with exocrine-endocrine pancreatic failure. In patients with Wirsung duct of diameter above 6 mm Puestow operation was performed while in patients with narrow Wirsung duct resection procedures were carried out. Control examinations carried out one year after Puestow operation demonstrated in all 10 patients lack of improvement both in the exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function. In 70% of the patients after anastomotic operation and in 80% of the patients after resections, complete regression of preoperative pain was observed.

Spinal Meninges and Their Role in Spinal Cord Injury: A Neuroanatomical Review.

PubMed

Grassner, Lukas; Grillhösl, Andreas; Griessenauer, Christoph J; Thomé, Claudius; Bühren, Volker; Strowitzki, Martin; Winkler, Peter A

2018-02-01

Current recommendations support early surgical decompression and blood pressure augmentation after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Elevated intraspinal pressure (ISP), however, has probably been underestimated in the pathophysiology of SCI. Recent studies provide some evidence that ISP measurements and durotomy may be beneficial for individuals suffering from SCI. Compression of the spinal cord against the meninges in SCI patients causes a "compartment-like" syndrome. In such cases, intentional durotomy with augmentative duroplasty to reduce ISP and improve spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP) may be indicated. Prior to performing these procedures routinely, profound knowledge of the spinal meninges is essential. Here, we provide an in-depth review of relevant literature along with neuroanatomical illustrations and imaging correlates.

Statistical Analyses of Scatterplots to Identify Important Factors in Large-Scale Simulations

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

Kleijnen, J.P.C.; Helton, J.C.

1999-04-01

The robustness of procedures for identifying patterns in scatterplots generated in Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses is investigated. These procedures are based on attempts to detect increasingly complex patterns in the scatterplots under consideration and involve the identification of (1) linear relationships with correlation coefficients, (2) monotonic relationships with rank correlation coefficients, (3) trends in central tendency as defined by means, medians and the Kruskal-Wallis statistic, (4) trends in variability as defined by variances and interquartile ranges, and (5) deviations from randomness as defined by the chi-square statistic. The following two topics related to the robustness of these procedures are consideredmore » for a sequence of example analyses with a large model for two-phase fluid flow: the presence of Type I and Type II errors, and the stability of results obtained with independent Latin hypercube samples. Observations from analysis include: (1) Type I errors are unavoidable, (2) Type II errors can occur when inappropriate analysis procedures are used, (3) physical explanations should always be sought for why statistical procedures identify variables as being important, and (4) the identification of important variables tends to be stable for independent Latin hypercube samples.« less

3D topography measurements on correlation cells—a new approach to forensic ballistics identifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, John; Chu, Wei; Tong, Mingsi; Soons, Johannes

2014-06-01

Based on three-dimensional (3D) topography measurements on correlation cells, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed the ‘NIST Ballistics Identification System (NBIS)’ aimed at accurate ballistics identifications and fast ballistics evidence searches. The 3D topographies are divided into arrays of correlation cells to identify ‘valid correlation areas’ and eliminate ‘invalid correlation areas’ from the matching and identification procedure. A ‘congruent matching cells’ (CMC)’ method using three types of identification parameters of the paired correlation cells (cross correlation function maximum CCFmax, spatial registration position in x-y and registration angle θ) is used for high accuracy ballistics identifications. ‘Synchronous processing’ is proposed for correlating multiple cell pairs at the same time to increase the correlation speed. The proposed NBIS can be used for correlations of both geometrical topographies and optical intensity images. All the correlation parameters and algorithms are in the public domain and subject to open tests. An error rate reporting procedure has been developed that can greatly add to the scientific support for the firearm and toolmark identification specialty, and give confidence to the trier of fact in court proceedings. The NBIS is engineered to employ transparent identification parameters and criteria, statistical models and correlation algorithms. In this way, interoperability between different ballistics identification systems can be more easily achieved. This interoperability will make the NBIS suitable for ballistics identifications and evidence searches with large national databases, such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network in the United States.

Neural Correlates of Visual-Spatial Attention in Electrocorticographic Signals in Humans

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-23

PEST) procedure (Taylor and Creelman , 1967; Hammett and Snowden, 1995) that was run at the beginning of the session. The PEST procedure selected the...Medical Publishers, Inc. Taylor, M. M., and Creelman , C. D. (1967). PEST: efficient estimates on probabil- ity functions. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 41

Historical Precision of an Ozone Correction Procedure for AM0 Solar Cell Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, David B.; Jenkins, Phillip; Scheiman, David

2005-01-01

In an effort to improve the accuracy of the high altitude aircraft method for calibration of high band-gap solar cells, the ozone correction procedure has been revisited. The new procedure adjusts the measured short circuit current, Isc, according to satellite based ozone measurements and a model of the atmospheric ozone profile then extrapolates the measurements to air mass zero, AMO. The purpose of this paper is to assess the precision of the revised procedure by applying it to historical data sets. The average Isc of a silicon cell for a flying season increased 0.5% and the standard deviation improved from 0.5% to 0.3%. The 12 year average Isc of a GaAs cell increased 1% and the standard deviation improved from 0.8% to 0.5%. The slight increase in measured Isc and improvement in standard deviation suggests that the accuracy of the aircraft method may improve from 1% to nearly 0.5%.

Antegrade continence enemas improve quality of life in patients with medically-refractory encopresis.

PubMed

Church, Joseph T; Simha, Sidd; Wild, Laurie C; Teitelbaum, Daniel H; Ehrlich, Peter F

2017-05-01

Fecal incontinence is a socially debilitating problem for many children. We hypothesized that in selected patients with medically-refractory encopresis, placement of an appendicostomy or cecostomy tube for administration of antegrade continence enemas (ACE) would improve quality of life (QOL). We reviewed all patients with encopresis who underwent appendicostomy or cecostomy placement from 2003 to 2014 at our institution. We contacted subjects' parents by phone and administered 3 surveys: a survey reflecting current stooling habits, a disease-specific QOL survey, and the PedsQL™ QOL survey. QOL surveys were completed twice by parents, once reflecting pre-operative QOL, then again reflecting current QOL. Pre-procedure and post-procedure scores were compared by paired t-test. Ten patients underwent appendicostomy/cecostomy for encopresis. Eight completed phone surveys. All procedures were performed laparoscopically. All patients experienced fecal soiling pre-operatively, whereas 5/8 surveyed patients (63%) noted complete resolution of soiling post-procedure (p<0.01). General and disease-specific QOL improved from pre-procedure to post-procedure in the following domains: social habits, physical activity, ability to spend the night elsewhere, feeling, and overall QOL (p<0.05). PedsQL™ scores improved significantly in physical functioning, social functioning, and overall functioning (p<0.05). Antegrade continence enemas significantly improve quality of life in patients with medically-refractory encopresis, likely related to resolution of soiling. 4. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

75 FR 34734 - Improving Market and Planning Efficiency Through Improved Software; Notice of Agenda and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-18

... Market and Planning Efficiency Through Improved Software; Notice of Agenda and Procedures for Staff Technical Conference June 10, 2010. This notice establishes the agenda and procedures for the staff[email protected] . Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. Agenda for AD10-12 Staff Technical Conference on Enhanced Power...

MEASUREMENT OF CONTROLLED ATTENUATION PARAMETER: A SURROGATE MARKER OF HEPATIC STEATOSIS IN PATIENTS OF NONALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE ON LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION - A PROSPECTIVE FOLLOW-UP STUDY.

PubMed

Paul, Jayanta; Venugopal, Raj Vigna; Peter, Lorance; Shetty, Kula Naresh Kumar; Shetti, Mohit P

2018-01-01

Liver biopsy is a gold standard method for hepatic steatosis assessment. However, liver biopsy is an invasive and painful procedure and can cause severe complications therefore it cannot be frequently used in case of follow-up of patients. Non-invasive assessment of steatosis and fibrosis is of growing relevance in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To evaluate hepatic steatosis, transient elastography with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measurement is an option now days. Aim of this study is to evaluate role of measurement of controlled attenuation parameter, a surrogate marker of hepatic steatosis in patients of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on lifestyle modification. In this study, initially 37 participants were included who were followed up after 6 months with transient elastography, blood biochemical tests and anthropometric measurements. The results were analyzed by Multivariate linear regression analysis and paired samples t-test (Dependent t-test) with 95% confidence interval. Correlation is calculated by Pearson correlation coefficients. Mean CAP value for assessing hepatic steatosis during 1st consultation (278.57±49.13 dB/m) was significantly improved (P=0.03) after 6 months of lifestyle modification (252.91±62.02 dB/m). Only fasting blood sugar (P=0.008), weight (P=0.000), body mass index (BMI) (P=0.000) showed significant positive correlation with CAP. Only BMI (P=0.034) and weight (P=0.035) were the independent predictor of CAP value in NAFLD patients. Lifestyle modification improves the hepatic steatosis, and CAP can be used to detect the improvement of hepatic steatosis during follow-up in patients with NAFLD on lifestyle modification. There is no relation between CAP and Fibroscan score in NAFLD patients. Only BMI and weight can predict CAP value independently.

Interface healing and its correlation with visual recovery and quality of vision following small incision lenticule extraction

PubMed Central

Ganesh, Sri; Brar, Sheetal; Pandey, Rahul; Pawar, Archana

2018-01-01

Purpose: To study the time course of interface healing and its correlation with visual acuity, modulation transfer function (MTF), and aberrations after myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) correction. Methods: Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients (1 eye per patient) with a mean age of 25.7 years and mean spherical equivalent (SE) of −3.74D, undergoing bilateral SMILE procedure, were included in this study. On postoperative day 1, 2 weeks, and 3 months, dilated retroillumination photographs were taken and morphology of corneal interface was graded by comparing them with 5 standard templates representing 5 grades of interface roughness (IRG): IRG – 0 (clear), IRG – 1 (mild), IRG – 2 (moderate), IRG – 3 (severe), and IRG – 4 (severe IRG with Bowman's folds in visual axis). Pearson's correlations were computed to study correlation associations, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intragroup comparison of means. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: At 3 months, 90.70% eyes were Grade 0 while 9.30% eyes still had Grade 2 interface granularity. Mean IRG significantly improved from 2.47 ± 0.57 at day 1 to 0.62 ± 0.53 at 3 months (P = 0.00). At day 1, pre-SE showed a significant positive correlation with IRG; however, mean postoperative corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA, in decimal), corneal Strehl ratio (SR), and MTF showed weak but significant negative correlation with IRG (r2 = 0.28 for SE, −0.052 for CDVA, −0.017 for SR, and −0.39 for MTF, respectively, P < 0.05 for all correlations). At 2 weeks and 3 months, corneal MTF continued to show a significant negative correlation, whereas other parameters did not show any correlation with IRG. Conclusion: Visual quality and corneal MTF may be significantly affected by the IRG in the immediate postoperative period after SMILE and may take 3 months or more for complete recovery. PMID:29380760

Interface healing and its correlation with visual recovery and quality of vision following small incision lenticule extraction.

PubMed

Ganesh, Sri; Brar, Sheetal; Pandey, Rahul; Pawar, Archana

2018-02-01

To study the time course of interface healing and its correlation with visual acuity, modulation transfer function (MTF), and aberrations after myopic small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) correction. Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients (1 eye per patient) with a mean age of 25.7 years and mean spherical equivalent (SE) of -3.74D, undergoing bilateral SMILE procedure, were included in this study. On postoperative day 1, 2 weeks, and 3 months, dilated retroillumination photographs were taken and morphology of corneal interface was graded by comparing them with 5 standard templates representing 5 grades of interface roughness (IRG): IRG - 0 (clear), IRG - 1 (mild), IRG - 2 (moderate), IRG - 3 (severe), and IRG - 4 (severe IRG with Bowman's folds in visual axis). Pearson's correlations were computed to study correlation associations, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intragroup comparison of means. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. At 3 months, 90.70% eyes were Grade 0 while 9.30% eyes still had Grade 2 interface granularity. Mean IRG significantly improved from 2.47 ± 0.57 at day 1 to 0.62 ± 0.53 at 3 months (P = 0.00). At day 1, pre-SE showed a significant positive correlation with IRG; however, mean postoperative corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA, in decimal), corneal Strehl ratio (SR), and MTF showed weak but significant negative correlation with IRG (r2 = 0.28 for SE, -0.052 for CDVA, -0.017 for SR, and -0.39 for MTF, respectively, P < 0.05 for all correlations). At 2 weeks and 3 months, corneal MTF continued to show a significant negative correlation, whereas other parameters did not show any correlation with IRG. Visual quality and corneal MTF may be significantly affected by the IRG in the immediate postoperative period after SMILE and may take 3 months or more for complete recovery.

Improving the efficiency of the cardiac catheterization laboratories through understanding the stochastic behavior of the scheduled procedures.

PubMed

Stepaniak, Pieter S; Soliman Hamad, Mohamed A; Dekker, Lukas R C; Koolen, Jacques J

2014-01-01

In this study, we sought to analyze the stochastic behavior of Catherization Laboratories (Cath Labs) procedures in our institution. Statistical models may help to improve estimated case durations to support management in the cost-effective use of expensive surgical resources. We retrospectively analyzed all the procedures performed in the Cath Labs in 2012. The duration of procedures is strictly positive (larger than zero) and has mostly a large minimum duration. Because of the strictly positive character of the Cath Lab procedures, a fit of a lognormal model may be desirable. Having a minimum duration requires an estimate of the threshold (shift) parameter of the lognormal model. Therefore, the 3-parameter lognormal model is interesting. To avoid heterogeneous groups of observations, we tested every group-cardiologist-procedure combination for the normal, 2- and 3-parameter lognormal distribution. The total number of elective and emergency procedures performed was 6,393 (8,186 h). The final analysis included 6,135 procedures (7,779 h). Electrophysiology (intervention) procedures fit the 3-parameter lognormal model 86.1% (80.1%). Using Friedman test statistics, we conclude that the 3-parameter lognormal model is superior to the 2-parameter lognormal model. Furthermore, the 2-parameter lognormal is superior to the normal model. Cath Lab procedures are well-modelled by lognormal models. This information helps to improve and to refine Cath Lab schedules and hence their efficient use.

Speech coding at low to medium bit rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leblanc, Wilfred Paul

1992-09-01

Improved search techniques coupled with improved codebook design methodologies are proposed to improve the performance of conventional code-excited linear predictive coders for speech. Improved methods for quantizing the short term filter are developed by employing a tree search algorithm and joint codebook design to multistage vector quantization. Joint codebook design procedures are developed to design locally optimal multistage codebooks. Weighting during centroid computation is introduced to improve the outlier performance of the multistage vector quantizer. Multistage vector quantization is shown to be both robust against input characteristics and in the presence of channel errors. Spectral distortions of about 1 dB are obtained at rates of 22-28 bits/frame. Structured codebook design procedures for excitation in code-excited linear predictive coders are compared to general codebook design procedures. Little is lost using significant structure in the excitation codebooks while greatly reducing the search complexity. Sparse multistage configurations are proposed for reducing computational complexity and memory size. Improved search procedures are applied to code-excited linear prediction which attempt joint optimization of the short term filter, the adaptive codebook, and the excitation. Improvements in signal to noise ratio of 1-2 dB are realized in practice.

Identification of opportunities for quality improvement and outcome measurement in pediatric otolaryngology.

PubMed

Shah, Rahul K; Stey, Anne M; Jatana, Kris R; Rangel, Shawn J; Boss, Emily F

2014-11-01

Despite increased emphasis on measuring safety outcomes and quality indicators for surgical care, little is known regarding which operative procedures should be prioritized for quality-improvement initiatives in pediatric otolaryngology. To describe the 30-day adverse event rates and relative contributions to morbidity for procedures in pediatric otolaryngology surgery using data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric database (ACS-NSQIP-P). Analysis of records contained in the ACS-NSQIP-P 2011-2012 clinical database. The ACS-NSQIP-P is a nationwide risk-adjusted, clinical outcomes-based program aimed at measuring and improving pediatric surgical care. Fifty hospitals participated in the 2011-2012 ACS-NSQIP-P program. Medical records of patients who underwent tracked otolaryngologic procedures were accrued in the ACS-NSQIP-P database. These were inclusive of specific otolaryngologic surgical procedures and do not represent the entire spectrum of pediatric otolaryngology surgical procedures. Individual 30-day adverse events, composite morbidity, composite serious adverse events, and composite hospital-acquired infections were compiled. Clinically related procedure groups were used to broadly evaluate outcomes. Procedures and groups were evaluated according to their relative contribution to otolaryngologic morbidity and their incidence of major complications. A total of 8361 patients underwent 1 of 40 selected otolaryngology procedures; 90% were elective; 76% were performed on an outpatient or ambulatory basis; and 46% were American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 2 cases. Individual 30-day adverse event rates were highest for return to the operating room (4%), surgical site infection (2%), pneumonia (1%), sepsis (1%), and reintubation (1%). The highest rates of composite morbidity were seen for tracheostomy in patients younger than 2 years (23%), airway reconstruction (19%), and tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy (2%). Airway reconstruction procedures had the highest rates of composite serious adverse events (16%), followed by tracheostomy (13%) and abscess drainage (5%). Tracheostomy (31%) and airway reconstruction (16%) made the largest relative contributions to composite morbidity rate of the procedures studied. Tracheostomy in patients younger than 2 years had the highest composite hospital-acquired infection rate (14%), followed by airway reconstruction procedures (11%) and tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy (2%). While the overall rate of major postoperative morbidity in pediatric otolaryngology is low, areas for targeted quality-improvement interventions include tracheostomy, airway reconstruction, mastoidectomy, and abscess drainage. Measurement of outcomes specific to otolaryngologic procedures will be necessary to further identify and measure the impact of quality-improvement initiatives in pediatric otolaryngology.

Effects of laser procedure for female urodynamic stress incontinence on pad weight, urodynamics, and sexual function.

PubMed

Tien, Yi-Wen; Hsiao, Sheng-Mou; Lee, Chien-Nan; Lin, Ho-Hsiung

2017-03-01

The impact of the IncontiLase TM procedure on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) remains unclear. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of the IncontiLase TM procedure for urodynamic stress incontinence (USI). All consecutive women with USI prospectively underwent the IncontiLase TM procedure. Urodynamic studies, pad testing, LUTS, and sexual function questionnaires were assessed before and after treatment. Thirty-five women underwent the IncontiLase TM procedure. Among the 28 women with baseline pad weights >1 g, 11 (39.3 %) were objectively cured and 11 (39.3 %) improved. Among the 18 women with mild USI (i.e., baseline pad weight 1-10 g), nine (50 %) were cured and five (27.8 %) improved. Among ten women with baseline pad weight >10 g, two (20 %) were cured and six (60 %) improved. Among the 32 women with complete questionnaire data at 6 months, seven (21.9 %) were subjectively cured, and four (12.5 %) improved. Regarding LUTS, the majority of domains on the King's Health Questionnaire and female sexual desire and function exhibited significant improvements. Forty percent (12/30) of the partners of these patients felt their sexual function had improved at 6 months. Nonetheless, urodynamic values did not differ across the timeline. The effect of the IncontiLase TM procedure for mild USI was moderate at 6-month follow-up but was not effective for pad weight >10 g. Moreover, it improved LUTS, quality of life, QoL, and sexual function of both partners. Further studies should be performed to assess long-term sustained efficacy.

Studying seafloor bedforms using autonomous stationary imaging and profiling sonars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Montgomery, Ellyn T.; Sherwood, Christopher R.

2014-01-01

The Sediment Transport Group at the U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center uses downward looking sonars deployed on seafloor tripods to assess and measure the formation and migration of bedforms. The sonars have been used in three resolution-testing experiments, and deployed autonomously to observe changes in the seafloor for up to two months in seven field experiments since 2002. The sonar data are recorded concurrently with measurements of waves and currents to: a) relate bedform geometry to sediment and flow characteristics; b) assess hydrodynamic drag caused by bedforms; and c) estimate bedform sediment transport rates, all with the goal of evaluating and improving numerical models of these processes. Our hardware, data processing methods, and test and validation procedures have evolved since 2001. We now employ a standard sonar configuration that provides reliable data for correlating flow conditions with bedform morphology. Plans for the future are to sample more rapidly and improve the precision of our tripod orientation measurements.