Ideology Awareness Project: An Exercise in Item Unit Content Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, David R.

1981-01-01

Describes an exercise in the content analysis of political ideologies. Advantages of the exercise include that it teaches students to employ content analysis as a method of research and that it introduces them to the ideological statements of America's leading social critics. (DB)

A method comparison of photovoice and content analysis: research examining challenges and supports of family caregivers.

PubMed

Faucher, Mary Ann; Garner, Shelby L

2015-11-01

The purpose of this manuscript is to compare methods and thematic representations of the challenges and supports of family caregivers identified with photovoice methodology contrasted with content analysis, a more traditional qualitative approach. Results from a photovoice study utilizing a participatory action research framework was compared to an analysis of the audio-transcripts from that study utilizing content analysis methodology. Major similarities between the results are identified with some notable differences. Content analysis provides a more in-depth and abstract elucidation of the nature of the challenges and supports of the family caregiver. The comparison provides evidence to support the trustworthiness of photovoice methodology with limitations identified. The enhanced elaboration of theme and categories with content analysis may have some advantages relevant to the utilization of this knowledge by health care professionals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of research method type on stereotypes' content: A brief research report.

PubMed

David, Daniel; Bizo, Aurelian; Cimpean, Alina Ioana; Oltean, Horea; Cardos, Roxana; Soflau, Radu; Negut, Alexandra

2018-01-01

Stereotype Content Model (SCM) emphasizes the content rather than the underlying processes of the stereotypes and the content might be influenced by several cultural dimensions (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism). The main dimensions of SCM-namely warmth and competence-underlying various contents are assumed to be universal. However, from a cognitive science paradigm, we argue that different research methods (i.e., data collections and data analysis) might also yield different stereotype contents that might impact the universality versus specificity problem in the SCM. Indeed, using a sample from a collectivistic country (i.e., Romania), we found that using different methods in data collection (i.e., unstructured vs. semi-structured vs. structured interview) and different methods of data analysis (i.e., availability vs. accessibility scores) might be an important research strategy to counter artefacts and confusions in the universality versus specificity problem related to the SCM. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Use of deferiprone for the treatment of hepatic iron storage disease in three hornbills.

PubMed

Sandmeier, Peter; Clauss, Marcus; Donati, Olivio F; Chiers, Koen; Kienzle, Ellen; Hatt, Jean-Michel

2012-01-01

3 hornbills (2 Papua hornbills [Aceros plicatus] and 1 longtailed hornbill [Tockus albocristatus]) were evaluated because of general listlessness and loss of feather glossiness. Because hepatic iron storage disease was suspected, liver biopsy was performed and formalin-fixed liver samples were submitted for histologic examination and quantitative image analysis (QIA). Additional frozen liver samples were submitted for chemical analysis. Birds also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under general anesthesia for noninvasive measurement of liver iron content. Serum biochemical analysis and analysis of feed were also performed. Results of diagnostic testing indicated that all 3 hornbills were affected with hepatic iron storage disease. The iron chelator deferiprone was administered (75 mg/kg [34.1 mg/lb], PO, once daily for 90 days). During the treatment period, liver biopsy samples were obtained at regular intervals for QIA and chemical analysis of the liver iron content and follow-up MRI was performed. In all 3 hornbills, a rapid and large decrease in liver iron content was observed. All 3 methods for quantifying the liver iron content were able to verify the decrease in liver iron content. Orally administered deferiprone was found to effectively reduce the liver iron content in these 3 hornbills with iron storage disease. All 3 methods used to monitor the liver iron content (QIA, chemical analysis of liver biopsy samples, and MRI) had similar results, indicating that all of these methods should be considered for the diagnosis of iron storage disease and monitoring of liver iron content during treatment.

A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of the Research Literature in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schram, Asta B.

2014-01-01

In recent years, more and more researchers in science education have been turning to the practice of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. This approach of using mixed methods creates possibilities to study the various issues that science educators encounter in more depth. In this content analysis, I evaluated 18…

Field test and sensitivity analysis of a sensible heat balance method to determine ice contents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil ice content impacts winter vadose zone hydrology. It may be possible to estimate changes in soil ice content with a sensible heat balance (SHB) method, using measurements from heat pulse (HP) sensors. Feasibility of the SHB method is unknown because of difficulties in measuring soil thermal pro...

40 CFR 63.805 - Performance test methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Collection of Coating and Ink Samples for VOC Content Analysis by Reference Method 24 and Reference Method... determine the VHAP content of the liquid coating. Formulation data shall be used to identify VHAP present in... the solids content by weight and the density of coatings. If it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of...

Inclusion of Aging in Rehabilitation Counseling Journals 2000-2012: A Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kettaneh, Amani A.; Kinyanjui, Benson; Slevin, John R.; Slevin, Barbara; Harley, Debra A.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To conduct a content analysis of the rehabilitation counseling literature to identify articles published on aging. Method: To determine the number of articles that were published on aging in rehabilitation counseling journals, a content analysis of articles from 2000 through 2012 was performed. For purposes of this review, only…

Rapid method for the quantification of hydroquinone concentration: chemiluminescent analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Tung-Sheng; Liou, Show-Yih; Kuo, Wei-Wen; Wu, Hsi-Chin; Jong, Gwo-Ping; Wang, Hsueh-Fang; Shen, Chia-Yao; Padma, V Vijaya; Huang, Chih-Yang; Chang, Yen-Lin

2015-11-01

Topical hydroquinone serves as a skin whitener and is usually available in cosmetics or on prescription based on the hydroquinone concentration. Quantification of hydroquinone content therefore becomes an important issue in topical agents. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the commonest method for determining hydroquinone content in topical agents, but this method is time-consuming and uses many solvents that can become an environmental issue. We report a rapid method for quantifying hydroquinone content by chemiluminescent analysis. Hydroquinone induces the production of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of basic compounds. Hydrogen peroxide induced by hydroquinone oxidized light-emitting materials such as lucigenin, resulted in the production of ultra-weak chemiluminescence that was detected by a chemiluminescence analyzer. The intensity of the chemiluminescence was found to be proportional to the hydroquinone concentration. We suggest that the rapid (measurement time, 60 s) and virtually solvent-free (solvent volume, <2 mL) chemiluminescent method described here for quantifying hydroquinone content may be an alternative to HPLC analysis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Considerations on the quantitative analysis of apparent amorphicity of milled lactose by Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Pazesh, Samaneh; Lazorova, Lucia; Berggren, Jonas; Alderborn, Göran; Gråsjö, Johan

2016-09-10

The main purpose of the study was to evaluate various pre-processing and quantification approaches of Raman spectrum to quantify low level of amorphous content in milled lactose powder. To improve the quantification analysis, several spectral pre-processing methods were used to adjust background effects. The effects of spectral noise on the variation of determined amorphous content were also investigated theoretically by propagation of error analysis and were compared to the experimentally obtained values. Additionally, the applicability of calibration method with crystalline or amorphous domains in the estimation of amorphous content in milled lactose powder was discussed. Two straight baseline pre-processing methods gave the best and almost equal performance. By the succeeding quantification methods, PCA performed best, although the classical least square analysis (CLS) gave comparable results, while peak parameter analysis displayed to be inferior. The standard deviations of experimental determined percentage amorphous content were 0.94% and 0.25% for pure crystalline and pure amorphous samples respectively, which was very close to the standard deviation values from propagated spectral noise. The reasonable conformity between the milled samples spectra and synthesized spectra indicated representativeness of physical mixtures with crystalline or amorphous domains in the estimation of apparent amorphous content in milled lactose. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the direct and diffusion methods for the determination of fluoride content in table salt

PubMed Central

Martínez-Mier, E. Angeles; Soto-Rojas, Armando E.; Buckley, Christine M.; Margineda, Jorge; Zero, Domenick T.

2010-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to assess methods currently used for analyzing fluoridated salt in order to identify the most useful method for this type of analysis. Basic research design Seventy-five fluoridated salt samples were obtained. Samples were analyzed for fluoride content, with and without pretreatment, using direct and diffusion methods. Element analysis was also conducted in selected samples. Fluoride was added to ultra pure NaCl and non-fluoridated commercial salt samples and Ca and Mg were added to fluoride samples in order to assess fluoride recoveries using modifications to the methods. Results Larger amounts of fluoride were found and recovered using diffusion than direct methods (96%–100% for diffusion vs. 67%–90% for direct). Statistically significant differences were obtained between direct and diffusion methods using different ion strength adjusters. Pretreatment methods reduced the amount of recovered fluoride. Determination of fluoride content was influenced both by the presence of NaCl and other ions in the salt. Conclusion Direct and diffusion techniques for analysis of fluoridated salt are suitable methods for fluoride analysis. The choice of method should depend on the purpose of the analysis. PMID:20088217

Analysis of human serum and whole blood for mineral content by ICP-MS and ICP-OES: development of a mineralomics method.

PubMed

Harrington, James M; Young, Daniel J; Essader, Amal S; Sumner, Susan J; Levine, Keith E

2014-07-01

Minerals are inorganic compounds that are essential to the support of a variety of biological functions. Understanding the range and variability of the content of these minerals in biological samples can provide insight into the relationships between mineral content and the health of individuals. In particular, abnormal mineral content may serve as an indicator of illness. The development of robust, reliable analytical methods for the determination of the mineral content of biological samples is essential to developing biological models for understanding the relationship between minerals and illnesses. This paper describes a method for the analysis of the mineral content of small volumes of serum and whole blood samples from healthy individuals. Interday and intraday precision for the mineral content of the blood (250 μL) and serum (250 μL) samples was measured for eight essential minerals--sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se)--by plasma spectrometric methods and ranged from 0.635 to 10.1% relative standard deviation (RSD) for serum and 0.348-5.98% for whole blood. A comparison of the determined ranges for ten serum samples and six whole blood samples provided good agreement with literature reference ranges. The results demonstrate that the digestion and analysis methods can be used to reliably measure the content of these minerals and potentially of other minerals.

Analysis of Content Shared in Online Cancer Communities: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V; Krahmer, Emiel; Verberne, Suzan; Mols, Floortje

2018-01-01

Background The content that cancer patients and their relatives (ie, posters) share in online cancer communities has been researched in various ways. In the past decade, researchers have used automated analysis methods in addition to manual coding methods. Patients, providers, researchers, and health care professionals can learn from experienced patients, provided that their experience is findable. Objective The aim of this study was to systematically review all relevant literature that analyzes user-generated content shared within online cancer communities. We reviewed the quality of available research and the kind of content that posters share with each other on the internet. Methods A computerized literature search was performed via PubMed (MEDLINE), PsycINFO (5 and 4 stars), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ScienceDirect. The last search was conducted in July 2017. Papers were selected if they included the following terms: (cancer patient) and (support group or health communities) and (online or internet). We selected 27 papers and then subjected them to a 14-item quality checklist independently scored by 2 investigators. Results The methodological quality of the selected studies varied: 16 were of high quality and 11 were of adequate quality. Of those 27 studies, 15 were manually coded, 7 automated, and 5 used a combination of methods. The best results can be seen in the papers that combined both analytical methods. The number of analyzed posts ranged from 200 to 1,500,000; the number of analyzed posters ranged from 75 to 90,000. The studies analyzing large numbers of posts mainly related to breast cancer, whereas those analyzing small numbers were related to other types of cancers. A total of 12 studies involved some or entirely automatic analysis of the user-generated content. All the authors referred to two main content categories: informational support and emotional support. In all, 15 studies reported only on the content, 6 studies explicitly reported on content and social aspects, and 6 studies focused on emotional changes. Conclusions In the future, increasing amounts of user-generated content will become available on the internet. The results of content analysis, especially of the larger studies, give detailed insights into patients’ concerns and worries, which can then be used to improve cancer care. To make the results of such analyses as usable as possible, automatic content analysis methods will need to be improved through interdisciplinary collaboration. PMID:29615384

Optimization and validation of Folin-Ciocalteu method for the determination of total polyphenol content of Pu-erh tea.

PubMed

Musci, Marilena; Yao, Shicong

2017-12-01

Pu-erh tea is a post-fermented tea that has recently gained popularity worldwide, due to potential health benefits related to the antioxidant activity resulting from its high polyphenolic content. The Folin-Ciocalteu method is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive assay widely applied for the determination of total polyphenol content. Over the past years, it has been subjected to many modifications, often without any systematic optimization or validation. In our study, we sought to optimize the Folin-Ciocalteu method, evaluate quality parameters including linearity, precision and stability, and then apply the optimized model to determine the total polyphenol content of 57 Chinese teas, including green tea, aged and ripened Pu-erh tea. Our optimized Folin-Ciocalteu method reduced analysis time, allowed for the analysis of a large number of samples, to discriminate among the different teas, and to assess the effect of the post-fermentation process on polyphenol content.

Feasibility analysis of EDXRF method to detect heavy metal pollution in ecological environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Zhixu; Qin, Xulei

2018-02-01

The change of heavy metal content in water environment, soil and plant can reflect the change of heavy metal pollution in ecological environment, and it is important to monitor the trend of heavy metal pollution in eco-environment by using water environment, soil and heavy metal content in plant. However, the content of heavy metals in nature is very low, the background elements of water environment, soil and plant samples are complex, and there are many interfering factors in the EDXRF system that will affect the spectral analysis results and reduce the detection accuracy. Through the contrastive analysis of several heavy metal elements detection methods, it is concluded that the EDXRF method is superior to other chemical methods in testing accuracy and method feasibility when the heavy metal pollution in soil is tested in ecological environment.

40 CFR 63.805 - Performance test methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... alternative method for determining the VHAP content of the coating. In the event of any inconsistency between... Collection of Coating and Ink Samples for VOC Content Analysis by Reference Method 24 and Reference Method... (see § 63.801); (iii) Use any alternative protocol and test method provided they meet either the...

A Comparative Analysis of Method Books for Class Jazz Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Kevin E.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare instructional topics and teaching approaches included in selected class method books for jazz pedagogy through content analysis methodology. Frequency counts for the number of pages devoted to each defined instructional content category were compiled and percentages of pages allotted to each…

Text Analysis: Critical Component of Planning for Text-Based Discussion Focused on Comprehension of Informational Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucan, Linda; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan

2018-01-01

This investigation focuses on a tool used in a reading methods course to introduce reading specialist candidates to text analysis as a critical component of planning for text-based discussions. Unlike planning that focuses mainly on important text content or information, a text analysis approach focuses both on content and how that content is…

Prediction of sweetness and amino acid content in soybean crops from hyperspectral imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monteiro, Sildomar Takahashi; Minekawa, Yohei; Kosugi, Yukio; Akazawa, Tsuneya; Oda, Kunio

Hyperspectral image data provides a powerful tool for non-destructive crop analysis. This paper investigates a hyperspectral image data-processing method to predict the sweetness and amino acid content of soybean crops. Regression models based on artificial neural networks were developed in order to calculate the level of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and nitrogen concentrations, which can be related to the sweetness and amino acid content of vegetables. A performance analysis was conducted comparing regression models obtained using different preprocessing methods, namely, raw reflectance, second derivative, and principal components analysis. This method is demonstrated using high-resolution hyperspectral data of wavelengths ranging from the visible to the near infrared acquired from an experimental field of green vegetable soybeans. The best predictions were achieved using a nonlinear regression model of the second derivative transformed dataset. Glucose could be predicted with greater accuracy, followed by sucrose, fructose and nitrogen. The proposed method provides the possibility to provide relatively accurate maps predicting the chemical content of soybean crop fields.

Seniors' Online Communities: A Quantitative Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nimrod, Galit

2010-01-01

Purpose: To examine the contents and characteristics of seniors' online communities and to explore their potential benefits to older adults. Design and Methods: Quantitative content analysis of a full year's data from 14 leading online communities using a novel computerized system. The overall database included 686,283 messages. Results: There was…

Dynamic mapping of the structures of content in clinical settings (DMSC). A new coding system for analysing the patient's narratives.

PubMed

Salvatore, Sergio; Gennaro, Alessandro; Auletta, Andrea; Grassi, Rossano; Rocco, Diego

2012-12-01

The paper presents a method of content analysis framed within a semiotic and contextual model of the psychotherapy process as a situated dynamics of sensemaking: the Dynamic Mapping of the Structures of Content in Clinical Settings (DMSC). DMSC is a system of content analysis focused on a generalized level of meaning, concerning basic aspects of the patient's narrative (e.g., if the narrative concerns herself or other than herself). The paper presents the result of the application of DMSC to an intensive single-case analysis (Katja). The method has been applied by judges to the transcripts of sessions and is aimed at identifying patterns of combinations (defined: Patterns of content) of the categories characterizing the patient's narratives (pattern analysis approach) as well as at mapping the transition among these patterns (sequential analysis approach). These results provide evidence of its construct validity. In accordance with the theoretical model grounding the method, we have found that: (a) DMSC provides a meaningful representation of the patient's narratives in terms of Patterns of content; (b) the probability of transition among the Patterns of content have proved to be significantly associated with the clinical quality of the sessions. The DMSC has to be considered an attempt paving the way for further investigations aimed at developing a deeper understanding of the role played by the dynamics of sensemaking in the psychotherapy process. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Capturing Public Opinion on Public Health Topics: A Comparison of Experiences from a Systematic Review, Focus Group Study, and Analysis of Online, User-Generated Content.

PubMed

Giles, Emma Louise; Adams, Jean M

2015-01-01

Capturing public opinion toward public health topics is important to ensure that services, policy, and research are aligned with the beliefs and priorities of the general public. A number of approaches can be used to capture public opinion. We are conducting a program of work on the effectiveness and acceptability of health promoting financial incentive interventions. We have captured public opinion on financial incentive interventions using three methods: a systematic review, focus group study, and analysis of online user-generated comments to news media reports. In this short editorial-style piece, we compare and contrast our experiences with these three methods. Each of these methods had their advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include tailoring of the research question for systematic reviews, probing of answers during focus groups, and the ability to aggregate a large data set using online user-generated content. However, disadvantages include needing to update systematic reviews, participants conforming to a dominant perspective in focus groups, and being unable to collect respondent characteristics during analysis of user-generated online content. That said, analysis of user-generated online content offers additional time and resource advantages, and we found it elicited similar findings to those obtained via more traditional methods, such as systematic reviews and focus groups. A number of methods for capturing public opinions on public health topics are available. Public health researchers, policy makers, and practitioners should choose methods appropriate to their aims. Analysis of user-generated online content, especially in the context of news media reports, may be a quicker and cheaper alternative to more traditional methods, without compromising on the breadth of opinions captured.

Characterizing the structure and content of nurse handoffs: A Sequential Conversational Analysis approach.

PubMed

Abraham, Joanna; Kannampallil, Thomas; Brenner, Corinne; Lopez, Karen D; Almoosa, Khalid F; Patel, Bela; Patel, Vimla L

2016-02-01

Effective communication during nurse handoffs is instrumental in ensuring safe and quality patient care. Much of the prior research on nurse handoffs has utilized retrospective methods such as interviews, surveys and questionnaires. While extremely useful, an in-depth understanding of the structure and content of conversations, and the inherent relationships within the content is paramount to designing effective nurse handoff interventions. In this paper, we present a methodological framework-Sequential Conversational Analysis (SCA)-a mixed-method approach that integrates qualitative conversational analysis with quantitative sequential pattern analysis. We describe the SCA approach and provide a detailed example as a proof of concept of its use for the analysis of nurse handoff communication in a medical intensive care unit. This novel approach allows us to characterize the conversational structure, clinical content, disruptions in the conversation, and the inherently phasic nature of nurse handoff communication. The characterization of communication patterns highlights the relationships underlying the verbal content of nurse handoffs with specific emphasis on: the interactive nature of conversation, relevance of role-based (incoming, outgoing) communication requirements, clinical content focus on critical patient-related events, and discussion of pending patient management tasks. We also discuss the applicability of the SCA approach as a method for providing in-depth understanding of the dynamics of communication in other settings and domains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Qualitative Research in Career Development: Content Analysis from 1990 to 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stead, Graham B.; Perry, Justin C.; Munka, Linda M.; Bonnett, Heather R.; Shiban, Abbey P.; Care, Esther

2012-01-01

A content analysis of 11 journals that published career, vocational, and work-related articles from 1990 to 2009 was conducted. Of 3,279 articles analyzed, 55.9% used quantitative methods and 35.5% were theoretical/conceptual articles. Only 6.3% used qualitative research methods. Among the qualitative empirical studies, standards of academic rigor…

A Multidimensional Analysis Tool for Visualizing Online Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minjeong; Lee, Eunchul

2012-01-01

This study proposes and verifies the performance of an analysis tool for visualizing online interactions. A review of the most widely used methods for analyzing online interactions, including quantitative analysis, content analysis, and social network analysis methods, indicates these analysis methods have some limitations resulting from their…

Establishment of analysis method for methane detection by gas chromatography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xinyuan; Yang, Jie; Ye, Tianyi; Han, Zeyu

2018-02-01

The study focused on the establishment of analysis method for methane determination by gas chromatography. Methane was detected by hydrogen flame ionization detector, and the quantitative relationship was determined by working curve of y=2041.2x+2187 with correlation coefficient of 0.9979. The relative standard deviation of 2.60-6.33% and the recovery rate of 96.36%∼105.89% were obtained during the parallel determination of standard gas. This method was not quite suitable for biogas content analysis because methane content in biogas would be over the measurement range in this method.

Mapping Mathematics in Classroom Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbel-Eisenmann, Beth A.; Otten, Samuel

2011-01-01

This article offers a particular analytic method from systemic functional linguistics, "thematic analysis," which reveals the mathematical meaning potentials construed in discourse. Addressing concerns that discourse analysis is too often content-free, thematic analysis provides a way to represent semantic structures of mathematical content,…

21 CFR 163.5 - Methods of analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Methods of analysis. 163.5 Section 163.5 Food and... CONSUMPTION CACAO PRODUCTS General Provisions § 163.5 Methods of analysis. Shell and cacao fat content in cacao products shall be determined by the following methods of analysis prescribed in “Official Methods...

[Vegetation index estimation by chlorophyll content of grassland based on spectral analysis].

PubMed

Xiao, Han; Chen, Xiu-Wan; Yang, Zhen-Yu; Li, Huai-Yu; Zhu, Han

2014-11-01

Comparing the methods of existing remote sensing research on the estimation of chlorophyll content, the present paper confirms that the vegetation index is one of the most practical and popular research methods. In recent years, the increasingly serious problem of grassland degradation. This paper, firstly, analyzes the measured reflectance spectral curve and its first derivative curve in the grasslands of Songpan, Sichuan and Gongger, Inner Mongolia, conducts correlation analysis between these two spectral curves and chlorophyll content, and finds out the regulation between REP (red edge position) and grassland chlorophyll content, that is, the higher the chlorophyll content is, the higher the REIP (red-edge inflection point) value would be. Then, this paper constructs GCI (grassland chlorophyll index) and selects the most suitable band for retrieval. Finally, this paper calculates the GCI by the use of satellite hyperspectral image, conducts the verification and accuracy analysis of the calculation results compared with chlorophyll content data collected from field of twice experiments. The result shows that for grassland chlorophyll content, GCI has stronger sensitivity than other indices of chlorophyll, and has higher estimation accuracy. GCI is the first proposed to estimate the grassland chlorophyll content, and has wide application potential for the remote sensing retrieval of grassland chlorophyll content. In addition, the grassland chlorophyll content estimation method based on remote sensing retrieval in this paper provides new research ideas for other vegetation biochemical parameters' estimation, vegetation growth status' evaluation and grassland ecological environment change's monitoring.

Methodological challenges in qualitative content analysis: A discussion paper.

PubMed

Graneheim, Ulla H; Lindgren, Britt-Marie; Lundman, Berit

2017-09-01

This discussion paper is aimed to map content analysis in the qualitative paradigm and explore common methodological challenges. We discuss phenomenological descriptions of manifest content and hermeneutical interpretations of latent content. We demonstrate inductive, deductive, and abductive approaches to qualitative content analysis, and elaborate on the level of abstraction and degree of interpretation used in constructing categories, descriptive themes, and themes of meaning. With increased abstraction and interpretation comes an increased challenge to demonstrate the credibility and authenticity of the analysis. A key issue is to show the logic in how categories and themes are abstracted, interpreted, and connected to the aim and to each other. Qualitative content analysis is an autonomous method and can be used at varying levels of abstraction and interpretation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Compositional Analysis of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks. 1. Review and Description of Methods

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

As interest in lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks for conversion into transportation fuels grows, the summative compositional analysis of biomass, or plant-derived material, becomes ever more important. The sulfuric acid hydrolysis of biomass has been used to measure lignin and structural carbohydrate content for more than 100 years. Researchers have applied these methods to measure the lignin and structural carbohydrate contents of woody materials, estimate the nutritional value of animal feed, analyze the dietary fiber content of human food, compare potential biofuels feedstocks, and measure the efficiency of biomass-to-biofuels processes. The purpose of this paper is to review the history and lineage of biomass compositional analysis methods based on a sulfuric acid hydrolysis. These methods have become the de facto procedure for biomass compositional analysis. The paper traces changes to the biomass compositional analysis methods through time to the biomass methods currently used at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The current suite of laboratory analytical procedures (LAPs) offered by NREL is described, including an overview of the procedures and methodologies and some common pitfalls. Suggestions are made for continuing improvement to the suite of analyses. PMID:20669951

A System for the Semantic Multimodal Analysis of News Audio-Visual Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezaris, Vasileios; Gidaros, Spyros; Papadopoulos, GeorgiosTh; Kasper, Walter; Steffen, Jörg; Ordelman, Roeland; Huijbregts, Marijn; de Jong, Franciska; Kompatsiaris, Ioannis; Strintzis, MichaelG

2010-12-01

News-related content is nowadays among the most popular types of content for users in everyday applications. Although the generation and distribution of news content has become commonplace, due to the availability of inexpensive media capturing devices and the development of media sharing services targeting both professional and user-generated news content, the automatic analysis and annotation that is required for supporting intelligent search and delivery of this content remains an open issue. In this paper, a complete architecture for knowledge-assisted multimodal analysis of news-related multimedia content is presented, along with its constituent components. The proposed analysis architecture employs state-of-the-art methods for the analysis of each individual modality (visual, audio, text) separately and proposes a novel fusion technique based on the particular characteristics of news-related content for the combination of the individual modality analysis results. Experimental results on news broadcast video illustrate the usefulness of the proposed techniques in the automatic generation of semantic annotations.

Mathematical Practice in Textbooks Analysis: Praxeological Reference Models, the Case of Proportion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wijayanti, Dyana; Winsløw, Carl

2017-01-01

We present a new method in textbook analysis, based on so-called praxeological reference models focused on specific content at task level. This method implies that the mathematical contents of a textbook (or textbook part) is analyzed in terms of the tasks and techniques which are exposed to or demanded from readers; this can then be interpreted…

Using a Mixed Methods Content Analysis to Analyze Mission Statements from Colleges of Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creamer, Elizabeth G.; Ghoston, Michelle

2013-01-01

A mixed method design was used to conduct a content analysis of the mission statements of colleges of engineering to map inductively derived codes with the EC 2000 outcomes and to test if any of the codes were significantly associated with institutions with reasonably strong representation of women. Most institution's (25 of 48) mission statement…

Toward a Mixed-Methods Research Approach to Content Analysis in The Digital Age: The Combined Content-Analysis Model and its Applications to Health Care Twitter Feeds

PubMed Central

Hamad, Eradah O; Savundranayagam, Marie Y; Holmes, Jeffrey D; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne

2016-01-01

Background Twitter’s 140-character microblog posts are increasingly used to access information and facilitate discussions among health care professionals and between patients with chronic conditions and their caregivers. Recently, efforts have emerged to investigate the content of health care-related posts on Twitter. This marks a new area for researchers to investigate and apply content analysis (CA). In current infodemiology, infoveillance and digital disease detection research initiatives, quantitative and qualitative Twitter data are often combined, and there are no clear guidelines for researchers to follow when collecting and evaluating Twitter-driven content. Objective The aim of this study was to identify studies on health care and social media that used Twitter feeds as a primary data source and CA as an analysis technique. We evaluated the resulting 18 studies based on a narrative review of previous methodological studies and textbooks to determine the criteria and main features of quantitative and qualitative CA. We then used the key features of CA and mixed-methods research designs to propose the combined content-analysis (CCA) model as a solid research framework for designing, conducting, and evaluating investigations of Twitter-driven content. Methods We conducted a PubMed search to collect studies published between 2010 and 2014 that used CA to analyze health care-related tweets. The PubMed search and reference list checks of selected papers identified 21 papers. We excluded 3 papers and further analyzed 18. Results Results suggest that the methods used in these studies were not purely quantitative or qualitative, and the mixed-methods design was not explicitly chosen for data collection and analysis. A solid research framework is needed for researchers who intend to analyze Twitter data through the use of CA. Conclusions We propose the CCA model as a useful framework that provides a straightforward approach to guide Twitter-driven studies and that adds rigor to health care social media investigations. We provide suggestions for the use of the CCA model in elder care-related contexts. PMID:26957477

Resistant starch analysis of commonly consumed potatoes: Content varies by cooking method and service temperature but not by variety

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Resistant starch (RS) has properties which may provide health benefits. We conducted a study to determine the contributions of cultivar, cooking method and service temperature on the RS contents of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). We hypothesized that the RS content would vary by variety, cooking me...

A Comparative Analysis of Numbers and Biology Content Domains between Turkey and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Incikabi, Lutfi; Ozgelen, Sinan; Tjoe, Hartono

2012-01-01

This study aimed to compare Mathematics and Science programs focusing on TIMSS content domains of Numbers and Biology that produced the largest achievement gap among students from Turkey and the USA. Specifically, it utilized the content analysis method within Turkish and New York State (NYS) frameworks. The procedures of study included matching…

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Based Protein Assay for Cereal Samples.

PubMed

Sezer, Banu; Bilge, Gonca; Boyaci, Ismail Hakki

2016-12-14

Protein content is an important quality parameter in terms of price, nutritional value, and labeling of various cereal samples. However, conventional analysis methods, namely, Kjeldahl and Dumas, have major drawbacks such as long analysis time, titration mistakes, and carrier gas dependence with high purity. For this reason, there is an urgent need for rapid, reliable, and environmentally friendly technologies for protein analysis. The present study aims to develop a new method for protein analysis in wheat flour and whole meal by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which is a multielemental, fast, and simple spectroscopic method. Unlike the Kjeldahl and Dumas methods, it has potential to analyze a high number of samples in considerably short time. In the study, nitrogen peaks in LIBS spectra of wheat flour and whole meal samples with different protein contents were correlated with results of the standard Dumas method with the aid of chemometric methods. A calibration graph showed good linearity with the protein content between 7.9 and 20.9% and a 0.992 coefficient of determination (R 2 ). The limit of detection was calculated as 0.26%. The results indicated that LIBS is a promising and reliable method with its high sensitivity for routine protein analysis in wheat flour and whole meal samples.

Measuring content overlap during handoff communication using distributional semantics: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Abraham, Joanna; Kannampallil, Thomas G; Srinivasan, Vignesh; Galanter, William L; Tagney, Gail; Cohen, Trevor

2017-01-01

We develop and evaluate a methodological approach to measure the degree and nature of overlap in handoff communication content within and across clinical professions. This extensible, exploratory approach relies on combining techniques from conversational analysis and distributional semantics. We audio-recorded handoff communication of residents and nurses on the General Medicine floor of a large academic hospital (n=120 resident and n=120 nurse handoffs). We measured semantic similarity, a proxy for content overlap, between resident-resident and nurse-nurse communication using multiple steps: a qualitative conversational content analysis; an automated semantic similarity analysis using Reflective Random Indexing (RRI); and comparing semantic similarity generated by RRI analysis with human ratings of semantic similarity. There was significant association between the semantic similarity as computed by the RRI method and human rating (ρ=0.88). Based on the semantic similarity scores, content overlap was relatively higher for content related to patient active problems, assessment of active problems, patient-identifying information, past medical history, and medications/treatments. In contrast, content overlap was limited on content related to allergies, family-related information, code status, and anticipatory guidance. Our approach using RRI analysis provides new opportunities for characterizing the nature and degree of overlap in handoff communication. Although exploratory, this method provides a basis for identifying content that can be used for determining shared understanding across clinical professions. Additionally, this approach can inform the development of flexibly standardized handoff tools that reflect clinical content that are most appropriate for fostering shared understanding during transitions of care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of alpha-amylase reaction mechanisms on analysis of resistant-starch contents.

PubMed

Moore, Samuel A; Ai, Yongfeng; Chang, Fengdan; Jane, Jay-lin

2015-01-22

This study aimed to understand differences in the resistant starch (RS) contents of native and modified starches obtained using two standard methods of RS content analysis: AOAC Method 991.43 and 2002.02. The largest differences were observed in native potato starch, cross-linked wheat distarch phosphate, and high-amylose corn starch stearic-acid complex (RS5) between using AOAC Method 991.43 with Bacillus licheniformis α-amylase (BL) and AOAC Method 2002.02 with porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA). To determine possible reasons for these differences, we hydrolyzed raw-starch granules with BL and PPA with equal activity at pH 6.9 and 37°C for up to 84 h and observed the starch granules displayed distinct morphological differences after the hydrolysis. Starches hydrolyzed by BL showed erosion on the surface of the granules; those hydrolyzed by PPA showed pitting on granule surfaces. These results suggested that enzyme reaction mechanisms, including the sizes of the binding sites and the reaction patterns of the two enzymes, contributed to the differences in the RS contents obtained using different methods of RS analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of hard coal quality for narrow size fraction under 20 mm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedoba, Tomasz; Pięta, Paulina

2018-01-01

The paper presents the results of an analysis of hard coal quality diversion in narrow size fraction by using taxonomic methods. Raw material samples were collected in selected mines of Upper Silesian Industrial Region and they were classified according to the Polish classification as types 31, 34.2 and 35. Then, each size fraction was characterized in terms of the following properties: density, ash content, calorific content, volatile content, total sulfur content and analytical moisture. As a result of the analysis it can be stated that the best quality in the entire range of the tested size fractions was the 34.2 coking coal type. At the same time, in terms of price parameters, high quality of raw material characterised the following size fractions: 0-6.3 mm of 31 energetic coal type and 0-3.15 mm of 35 coking coal type. The methods of grouping (Ward's method) and agglomeration (k-means method) have shown that the size fraction below 10 mm was characterized by higher quality in all the analyzed hard coal types. However, the selected taxonomic methods do not make it possible to identify individual size fraction or hard coal types based on chosen parameters.

Analysis of Content Shared in Online Cancer Communities: Systematic Review.

PubMed

van Eenbergen, Mies C; van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V; Krahmer, Emiel; Verberne, Suzan; Mols, Floortje

2018-04-03

The content that cancer patients and their relatives (ie, posters) share in online cancer communities has been researched in various ways. In the past decade, researchers have used automated analysis methods in addition to manual coding methods. Patients, providers, researchers, and health care professionals can learn from experienced patients, provided that their experience is findable. The aim of this study was to systematically review all relevant literature that analyzes user-generated content shared within online cancer communities. We reviewed the quality of available research and the kind of content that posters share with each other on the internet. A computerized literature search was performed via PubMed (MEDLINE), PsycINFO (5 and 4 stars), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ScienceDirect. The last search was conducted in July 2017. Papers were selected if they included the following terms: (cancer patient) and (support group or health communities) and (online or internet). We selected 27 papers and then subjected them to a 14-item quality checklist independently scored by 2 investigators. The methodological quality of the selected studies varied: 16 were of high quality and 11 were of adequate quality. Of those 27 studies, 15 were manually coded, 7 automated, and 5 used a combination of methods. The best results can be seen in the papers that combined both analytical methods. The number of analyzed posts ranged from 200 to 1,500,000; the number of analyzed posters ranged from 75 to 90,000. The studies analyzing large numbers of posts mainly related to breast cancer, whereas those analyzing small numbers were related to other types of cancers. A total of 12 studies involved some or entirely automatic analysis of the user-generated content. All the authors referred to two main content categories: informational support and emotional support. In all, 15 studies reported only on the content, 6 studies explicitly reported on content and social aspects, and 6 studies focused on emotional changes. In the future, increasing amounts of user-generated content will become available on the internet. The results of content analysis, especially of the larger studies, give detailed insights into patients' concerns and worries, which can then be used to improve cancer care. To make the results of such analyses as usable as possible, automatic content analysis methods will need to be improved through interdisciplinary collaboration. ©Mies C van Eenbergen, Lonneke V van de Poll-Franse, Emiel Krahmer, Suzan Verberne, Floortje Mols. Originally published in JMIR Cancer (http://cancer.jmir.org), 03.04.2018.

Comparison of gravimetric, creamatocrit and esterified fatty acid methods for determination of total fat content in human milk.

PubMed

Du, Jian; Gay, Melvin C L; Lai, Ching Tat; Trengove, Robert D; Hartmann, Peter E; Geddes, Donna T

2017-02-15

The gravimetric method is considered the gold standard for measuring the fat content of human milk. However, it is labor intensive and requires large volumes of human milk. Other methods, such as creamatocrit and esterified fatty acid assay (EFA), have also been used widely in fat analysis. However, these methods have not been compared concurrently with the gravimetric method. Comparison of the three methods was conducted with human milk of varying fat content. Correlations between these methods were high (r(2)=0.99). Statistical differences (P<0.001) were observed in the overall fat measurements and within each group (low, medium and high fat milk) using the three methods. Overall, stronger correlation with lower mean (4.73g/L) and percentage differences (5.16%) was observed with the creamatocrit than the EFA method when compared to the gravimetric method. Furthermore, the ease of operation and real-time analysis make the creamatocrit method preferable. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Hearing the Signal in the Noise: A Software-Based Content Analysis of Patterns in Responses by Experts and Students to a New Venture Investment Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hostager, Todd J.; Voiovich, Jason; Hughes, Raymond K.

2013-01-01

The authors apply a software-based content analysis method to uncover differences in responses by expert entrepreneurs and undergraduate entrepreneur majors to a new venture investment proposal. Data analyzed via the Leximancer software package yielded conceptual maps highlighting key differences in the nature of these responses. Study methods and…

Insight into Evaluation Practice: A Content Analysis of Designs and Methods Used in Evaluation Studies Published in North American Evaluation-Focused Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christie, Christina A.; Fleischer, Dreolin Nesbitt

2010-01-01

To describe the recent practice of evaluation, specifically method and design choices, the authors performed a content analysis on 117 evaluation studies published in eight North American evaluation-focused journals for a 3-year period (2004-2006). The authors chose this time span because it follows the scientifically based research (SBR)…

Content Analysis of the Concept of Addiction in High School Textbooks of Iran.

PubMed

Mirzamohammadi, Mohammad Hasan; Mousavi, Sayedeh Zainab; Massah, Omid; Farhoudian, Ali

2017-01-01

This research sought to determine how well the causes of addiction, addiction harms, and prevention of addiction have been noticed in high school textbooks. We used descriptive method to select the main related components of the addiction concept and content analysis method for analyzing the content of textbooks. The study population comprised 61 secondary school curriculum textbooks and study sample consisted of 14 secondary school textbooks selected by purposeful sampling method. The tools for collecting data were "content analysis inventory" which its validity was confirmed by educational and social sciences experts and its reliability has been found to be 91%. About 67 components were prepared for content analysis and were divided to 3 categories of causes, harms, and prevention of addiction. The analysis units in this study comprised phrases, topics, examples, course topics, words, poems, images, questions, tables, and exercises. Results of the study showed that the components of the addiction concept have presented with 212 remarks in the textbooks. Also, the degree of attention given to any of the 3 main components of the addiction concept were presented as follows: causes with 52 (24.52%) remarks, harm with 89 (41.98%) remarks, and prevention with 71 (33.49%) remarks. In high school textbooks, little attention has been paid to the concept of addiction and mostly its biological dimension were addressed while social, personal, familial, and religious dimensions of addiction have been neglected.

Monitoring the Sodium Content of Restaurant Foods: Public Health Challenges and Opportunities

PubMed Central

Cogswell, Mary E.; Gunn, Janelle P.; Curtis, Christine J.; Rhodes, Donna; Hoy, Kathy; Pehrsson, Pamela; Nickle, Melissa; Merritt, Robert

2013-01-01

We reviewed methods of studies assessing restaurant foods’ sodium content and nutrition databases. We systematically searched the 1964–2012 literature and manually examined references in selected articles and studies. Twenty-six (5.2%) of the 499 articles we found met the inclusion criteria and were abstracted. Five were conducted nationally. Sodium content determination methods included laboratory analysis (n = 15), point-of-purchase nutrition information or restaurants’ Web sites (n = 8), and menu analysis with a nutrient database (n = 3). There is no comprehensive data system that provides all information needed to monitor changes in sodium or other nutrients among restaurant foods. Combining information from different sources and methods may help inform a comprehensive system to monitor sodium content reduction efforts in the US food supply and to develop future strategies. PMID:23865701

Analysis of different thermal processing methods of foodstuffs to optimize protein, calcium, and phosphorus content for dialysis patients.

PubMed

Vrdoljak, Ivica; Panjkota Krbavčić, Ines; Bituh, Martina; Vrdoljak, Tea; Dujmić, Zoran

2015-05-01

To analyze how different thermal processing methods affect the protein, calcium, and phosphorus content of hospital food served to dialysis patients and to generate recommendations for preparing menus that optimize nutritional content while minimizing the risk of hyperphosphatemia. Standard Official Methods of Analysis (AOAC) methods were used to determine dry matter, protein, calcium, and phosphorus content in potatoes, fresh and frozen carrots, frozen green beans, chicken, beef and pork, frozen hake, pasta, and rice. These levels were determined both before and after boiling in water, steaming, stewing in oil or water, or roasting. Most of the thermal processing methods did not significantly reduce protein content. Boiling increased calcium content in all foodstuffs because of calcium absorption from the hard water. In contrast, stewing in oil containing a small amount of water decreased the calcium content of vegetables by 8% to 35% and of chicken meat by 12% to 40% on a dry weight basis. Some types of thermal processing significantly reduced the phosphorus content of the various foodstuffs, with levels decreasing by 27% to 43% for fresh and frozen vegetables, 10% to 49% for meat, 7% for pasta, and 22.8% for rice on a dry weight basis. On the basis of these results, we modified the thermal processing methods used to prepare a standard hospital menu for dialysis patients. Foodstuffs prepared according to the optimized menu were similar in protein content, higher in calcium, and significantly lower in phosphorus than foodstuffs prepared according to the standard menu. Boiling in water and stewing in oil containing some water significantly reduced phosphorus content without affecting protein content. Soaking meat in cold water for 1 h before thermal processing reduced phosphorus content even more. These results may help optimize the design of menus for dialysis patients. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid analysis of sugars in honey by processing Raman spectrum using chemometric methods and artificial neural networks.

PubMed

Özbalci, Beril; Boyaci, İsmail Hakkı; Topcu, Ali; Kadılar, Cem; Tamer, Uğur

2013-02-15

The aim of this study was to quantify glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose contents of honey samples using Raman spectroscopy as a rapid method. By performing a single measurement, quantifications of sugar contents have been said to be unaffordable according to the molecular similarities between sugar molecules in honey matrix. This bottleneck was overcome by coupling Raman spectroscopy with chemometric methods (principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS)) and an artificial neural network (ANN). Model solutions of four sugars were processed with PCA and significant separation was observed. This operation, done with the spectral features by using PLS and ANN methods, led to the discriminant analysis of sugar contents. Models/trained networks were created using a calibration data set and evaluated using a validation data set. The correlation coefficient values between actual and predicted values of glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose were determined as 0.964, 0.965, 0.968 and 0.949 for PLS and 0.965, 0.965, 0.978 and 0.956 for ANN, respectively. The requirement of rapid analysis of sugar contents of commercial honeys has been met by the data processed within this article. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of grain elements and identification of best genotypes for Fe and P in Afghan wheat landraces

PubMed Central

Kondou, Youichi; Manickavelu, Alagu; Komatsu, Kenji; Arifi, Mujiburahman; Kawashima, Mika; Ishii, Takayoshi; Hattori, Tomohiro; Iwata, Hiroyoshi; Tsujimoto, Hisashi; Ban, Tomohiro; Matsui, Minami

2016-01-01

This study was carried out with the aim of developing the methodology to determine elemental composition in wheat and identify the best germplasm for further research. Orphan and genetically diverse Afghan wheat landraces were chosen and EDXRF was used to measure the content of some of the elements to establish elemental composition in grains of 266 landraces using 10 reference lines. Four elements, K, Mg, P, and Fe, were measured by standardizing sample preparation. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis using elemental composition data sets indicated that the Fe content has an opposite pattern to the other elements, especially that of K. By systematic analysis the best wheat germplasms for P content and Fe content were identified. In order to compare the sensitivity of EDXRF, the ICP method was also used and the similar results obtained confirmed the EDXRF methodology. The sampling method for measurement using EDXRF was optimized resulting in high-throughput profiling of elemental composition in wheat grains at low cost. Using this method, we have characterized the Afghan wheat landraces and isolated the best genotypes that have high-elemental content and have the potential to be used in crop improvement. PMID:28163583

Species classification and bioactive ingredients accumulation of BaiJiangCao based on characteristic inorganic elements analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and multivariate analysis

PubMed Central

Wen-Lan, Li; Xue, Zhang; Xin-Xin, Yang; Shuai, Wang; Lin, Zhao; Huan-Jun, Zhao; Yong-Rui, Bao; Chen-Feng, Ji; Ning, Chen; Zheng, Xiang

2015-01-01

Background: Patrinia scabiosaefolia Fisch and Patrinia villosa (Thunb.) Juss., two species herbs with the same Chinese name “BaiJiangCao”, are important ancient herbal medicines widely used for more than 2000 years. The clinical application of two species herb is confused due to the difficult identification. Objective: The objective was to authenticate the species of BaiJiangCao and analyze the accumulation of bioactive ingredients based on characteristic inorganic elements analysis. Materials and Methods: Content of 32 inorganic elements in BaiJiangCao from different habitats were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and the characteristic inorganic elements were picked to distinguish the species of the herb by principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Contents of two bioactive ingredients, luteoloside, and oleanolic acid, in the samples, were also analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography method. Relationship between accumulation of bioactive ingredients and content of macroelements in BaiJiangCao was established by statistics. Results: A 4 macroelements (Na, Mg, K, Fe) in 32 determined inorganic elements were picked for characteristic inorganic elements. Content of Na, Mg, K and Fe showed positive correlations with that of luteoloside, content of Na, Mg showed positive correlations with that of oleanolic acid, but content of K and Fe showed negative correlations with that of oleanolic acid. Conclusion: It is for the first time to utilize the characteristic inorganic elements as an index to classify the herb species by the method of ICP-MS and multivariate analysis. And it is also the first report to investigate the influence of inorganic elements in herb on the accumulation of bioactive components which could affect the pharmacological efficacy of the herb medicine. And this method could also be utilized in research of corresponding aspects. PMID:26600721

[Determination of multi-element contents in gypsum by ICP-AES].

PubMed

Guo, Zhong-bao; Bai, Yong-zhi; Cui, Jin-hua; Mei, Yi-fei; Ma, Zhen-zhu

2014-08-01

The content of multi-element in gypsum was determined by ICP-AES. The sample was pretreated by acid-soluble method or alkali-fusion method. Acid-soluble method is suitable for the determination of CaO, SOs, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, K2O, Na2O, TiO2, P2O5, MnO, SrO and BaO. Alkali-fusion method is suitable for the determination of CaO, SO3, SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, TiO2, P2O5, MnO, SrO, BaO and B2O3. Different series standard solutions were prepared considering the properties and content of elements and solution matrix. The limit of detection and quantification were confirmed for each element under their best analysis spectral lines. The recoveries of the two pretreatment methods were from 93% to 110%, besides that for TiO2 was 81%-87% as pretreated by acid-soluble method. All RSDs (n=6) of tests were from 0.70%-3.42%. The accuracies of CaO and SO3 with ICP-AES method were less than the chemical analysis method. The determination of CaO and SO3 with ICP-AES method is only suitable for the case of low accuracy requirement. The results showed that the method can be used for the determination of multi-element contents in gypsum, with simple operation, fast analysis and reliable results. Total elements can be analysed with both acid-soluble method and alkali-fusion method.

What Do You Think You Are Measuring? A Mixed-Methods Procedure for Assessing the Content Validity of Test Items and Theory-Based Scaling

PubMed Central

Koller, Ingrid; Levenson, Michael R.; Glück, Judith

2017-01-01

The valid measurement of latent constructs is crucial for psychological research. Here, we present a mixed-methods procedure for improving the precision of construct definitions, determining the content validity of items, evaluating the representativeness of items for the target construct, generating test items, and analyzing items on a theoretical basis. To illustrate the mixed-methods content-scaling-structure (CSS) procedure, we analyze the Adult Self-Transcendence Inventory, a self-report measure of wisdom (ASTI, Levenson et al., 2005). A content-validity analysis of the ASTI items was used as the basis of psychometric analyses using multidimensional item response models (N = 1215). We found that the new procedure produced important suggestions concerning five subdimensions of the ASTI that were not identifiable using exploratory methods. The study shows that the application of the suggested procedure leads to a deeper understanding of latent constructs. It also demonstrates the advantages of theory-based item analysis. PMID:28270777

An alternative potentiometric method for determining chloride content in concrete samples from reinforced-concrete bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

Analysis of chloride contents in ground concrete samples collected from reinforced concrete bridges and other structures exposed to deicing salts or seawater has become an important part of the inspection for such structures. Such an analysis provide...

Estimation of the oxalate content of foods and daily oxalate intake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmes, R. P.; Kennedy, M.

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: The amount of oxalate ingested may be an important risk factor in the development of idiopathic calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis. Reliable food tables listing the oxalate content of foods are currently not available. The aim of this research was to develop an accurate and reliable method to measure the food content of oxalate. METHODS: Capillary electrophoresis (CE) and ion chromatography (IC) were compared as direct techniques for the estimation of the oxalate content of foods. Foods were thoroughly homogenized in acid, heat extracted, and clarified by centrifugation and filtration before dilution in water for analysis. Five individuals consuming self-selected diets maintained food records for three days to determine their mean daily oxalate intakes. RESULTS: Both techniques were capable of adequately measuring the oxalate in foods with a significant oxalate content. With foods of very low oxalate content (<1.8 mg/100 g), IC was more reliable than CE. The mean daily intake of oxalate by the five individuals tested was 152 +/- 83 mg, ranging from 44 to 352 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS: CE appears to be the method of choice over IC for estimating the oxalate content of foods with a medium (>10 mg/100 g) to high oxalate content due to a faster analysis time and lower running costs, whereas IC may be better suited for the analysis of foods with a low oxalate content. Accurate estimates of the oxalate content of foods should permit the role of dietary oxalate in urinary oxalate excretion and stone formation to be clarified. Other factors, apart from the amount of oxalate ingested, appear to exert a major influence over the amount of oxalate excreted in the urine.

Toward a Mixed-Methods Research Approach to Content Analysis in The Digital Age: The Combined Content-Analysis Model and its Applications to Health Care Twitter Feeds.

PubMed

Hamad, Eradah O; Savundranayagam, Marie Y; Holmes, Jeffrey D; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne; Johnson, Andrew M

2016-03-08

Twitter's 140-character microblog posts are increasingly used to access information and facilitate discussions among health care professionals and between patients with chronic conditions and their caregivers. Recently, efforts have emerged to investigate the content of health care-related posts on Twitter. This marks a new area for researchers to investigate and apply content analysis (CA). In current infodemiology, infoveillance and digital disease detection research initiatives, quantitative and qualitative Twitter data are often combined, and there are no clear guidelines for researchers to follow when collecting and evaluating Twitter-driven content. The aim of this study was to identify studies on health care and social media that used Twitter feeds as a primary data source and CA as an analysis technique. We evaluated the resulting 18 studies based on a narrative review of previous methodological studies and textbooks to determine the criteria and main features of quantitative and qualitative CA. We then used the key features of CA and mixed-methods research designs to propose the combined content-analysis (CCA) model as a solid research framework for designing, conducting, and evaluating investigations of Twitter-driven content. We conducted a PubMed search to collect studies published between 2010 and 2014 that used CA to analyze health care-related tweets. The PubMed search and reference list checks of selected papers identified 21 papers. We excluded 3 papers and further analyzed 18. Results suggest that the methods used in these studies were not purely quantitative or qualitative, and the mixed-methods design was not explicitly chosen for data collection and analysis. A solid research framework is needed for researchers who intend to analyze Twitter data through the use of CA. We propose the CCA model as a useful framework that provides a straightforward approach to guide Twitter-driven studies and that adds rigor to health care social media investigations. We provide suggestions for the use of the CCA model in elder care-related contexts.

National Standard Catalog (Selected Pages).

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-11

Sodium thiosulphate - Iodine content method for measuring copper B 223.19-82 Chemical analysis of 63. 12.31 82.7.9 e.4. 1 steel iron and alloy...82.6.21 83.3.1 st ibium; Using burning iodine content to determine sulphur GB 3253.7-82 Chemical analysis of 82.6.21 83.3.1 stibium; Using 3, 3’ - two...Standard ID Standard Name __ _ Year Month Day Using iodine content to determinate stibium oxide GB 3254.2-82 Chemical analysis of 82.6.21 83.3.1

Development and in house validation of a new thermogravimetric method for water content analysis in soft brown sugar.

PubMed

Ducat, Giseli; Felsner, Maria L; da Costa Neto, Pedro R; Quináia, Sueli P

2015-06-15

Recently the use of brown sugar has increased due to its nutritional characteristics, thus requiring a more rigid quality control. The development of a method for water content analysis in soft brown sugar is carried out for the first time by TG/DTA with application of different statistical tests. The results of the optimization study suggest that heating rates of 5°C min(-1) and an alumina sample holder improve the efficiency of the drying process. The validation study showed that thermo gravimetry presents good accuracy and precision for water content analysis in soft brown sugar samples. This technique offers advantages over other analytical methods as it does not use toxic and costly reagents or solvents, it does not need any sample preparation, and it allows the identification of the temperature at which water is completely eliminated in relation to other volatile degradation products. This is an important advantage over the official method (loss on drying). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Flavonoid in Medicinal Plant Extract Using Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

PubMed Central

Retnaningtyas, Yuni; Nuri; Lukman, Hilmia

2016-01-01

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics has been developed for simple analysis of flavonoid in the medicinal plant extract. Flavonoid was extracted from medicinal plant leaves by ultrasonication and maceration. IR spectra of selected medicinal plant extract were correlated with flavonoid content using chemometrics. The chemometric method used for calibration analysis was Partial Last Square (PLS) and the methods used for classification analysis were Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogies (SIMCA), and Support Vector Machines (SVM). In this study, the calibration of NIR model that showed best calibration with R 2 and RMSEC value was 0.9916499 and 2.1521897, respectively, while the accuracy of all classification models (LDA, SIMCA, and SVM) was 100%. R 2 and RMSEC of calibration of FTIR model were 0.8653689 and 8.8958149, respectively, while the accuracy of LDA, SIMCA, and SVM was 86.0%, 91.2%, and 77.3%, respectively. PLS and LDA of NIR models were further used to predict unknown flavonoid content in commercial samples. Using these models, the significance of flavonoid content that has been measured by NIR and UV-Vis spectrophotometry was evaluated with paired samples t-test. The flavonoid content that has been measured with both methods gave no significant difference. PMID:27529051

Advanced Cell Classifier: User-Friendly Machine-Learning-Based Software for Discovering Phenotypes in High-Content Imaging Data.

PubMed

Piccinini, Filippo; Balassa, Tamas; Szkalisity, Abel; Molnar, Csaba; Paavolainen, Lassi; Kujala, Kaisa; Buzas, Krisztina; Sarazova, Marie; Pietiainen, Vilja; Kutay, Ulrike; Smith, Kevin; Horvath, Peter

2017-06-28

High-content, imaging-based screens now routinely generate data on a scale that precludes manual verification and interrogation. Software applying machine learning has become an essential tool to automate analysis, but these methods require annotated examples to learn from. Efficiently exploring large datasets to find relevant examples remains a challenging bottleneck. Here, we present Advanced Cell Classifier (ACC), a graphical software package for phenotypic analysis that addresses these difficulties. ACC applies machine-learning and image-analysis methods to high-content data generated by large-scale, cell-based experiments. It features methods to mine microscopic image data, discover new phenotypes, and improve recognition performance. We demonstrate that these features substantially expedite the training process, successfully uncover rare phenotypes, and improve the accuracy of the analysis. ACC is extensively documented, designed to be user-friendly for researchers without machine-learning expertise, and distributed as a free open-source tool at www.cellclassifier.org. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lexicon generation methods, lexicon generation devices, and lexicon generation articles of manufacture

DOEpatents

Carter, Richard J [Richland, WA; McCall, Jonathon D [West Richland, WA; Whitney, Paul D [Richland, WA; Gregory, Michelle L [Richland, WA; Turner, Alan E [Kennewick, WA; Hetzler, Elizabeth G [Kennewick, WA; White, Amanda M [Kennewick, WA; Posse, Christian [Seattle, WA; Nakamura, Grant C [Kennewick, WA

2010-10-26

Lexicon generation methods, computer implemented lexicon editing methods, lexicon generation devices, lexicon editors, and articles of manufacture are described according to some aspects. In one aspect, a lexicon generation method includes providing a seed vector indicative of occurrences of a plurality of seed terms within a plurality of text items, providing a plurality of content vectors indicative of occurrences of respective ones of a plurality of content terms within the text items, comparing individual ones of the content vectors with respect to the seed vector, and responsive to the comparing, selecting at least one of the content terms as a term of a lexicon usable in sentiment analysis of text.

Proximate Composition Analysis.

PubMed

2016-01-01

The proximate composition of foods includes moisture, ash, lipid, protein and carbohydrate contents. These food components may be of interest in the food industry for product development, quality control (QC) or regulatory purposes. Analyses used may be rapid methods for QC or more accurate but time-consuming official methods. Sample collection and preparation must be considered carefully to ensure analysis of a homogeneous and representative sample, and to obtain accurate results. Estimation methods of moisture content, ash value, crude lipid, total carbohydrates, starch, total free amino acids and total proteins are put together in a lucid manner.

Removing external DNA contamination from arthropod predators destined for molecular gut-content analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular gut-content analysis enables detection of arthropod predation with minimal disruption of ecosystem processes. Field and laboratory experiments have demonstrated that mass-collection methods, such as sweep-netting, vacuum sampling, and foliage beating, can lead to contamination of fed pred...

Removing external DNA decontamination from arthropod predators destined for molecular gut-content analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular gut-content analysis enables detection of arthropod predation with minimal disruption of ecosystem processes. Field and laboratory experiments have demonstrated that mass-collection methods, such as sweep-netting, vacuum sampling, and foliage beating, can lead to contamination of fed pred...

Characterization analysis for leaves of Leucaena leucocephala by using phytochemical screening assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarina, Z.; Ghazali, C. M. R.; Sam, S. T.

2017-09-01

Leucaena Leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Petai Belalang) is a medium plant which belong in group of tropical breed that can survived in hot, dried and warm environment. In Malaysia, the plant is available abundantly. As there are still no commercial used, and no serious intention in finding the benefits of L. Leucocephala, this work come out with the idea to analyze the antioxidants contains in leaves of the plant by undergoes different extraction and chemical testing method. The phytochemical screening assay involved in this study are antioxidant activity by using free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, total phenolic content by using Folin-Ciocalteu method, total flavonoid content by using colorimetric assay with ascorbic acid and quercetin were used as reference standards while for phosphorus analysis, a molybdenum blue method or also known as ascorbic acid method was used. For antioxidant activity by using free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, higher concentration was recorded by extraction using methanol (dried sample) which is 8247.0 mg/L, for total phenolic content higher concentration was recorded by extraction using deionized water (dried sample) which is 4276.0 mg/L, for total flavonoid content by using colorimetric assay higher concentration was recorded by extraction using methanol (dried sample) which is 4439.0 mg/L, and for for phosphorus analysis higher concentration was recorded by extraction using methanol (dried sample) which is 71.057 mg/L.

Characterization analysis for leaves of Leucaena Leucocephala by using phytochemical screening assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarina, Z.; Ghazali, C. M. R.; Sam, S. T.

2017-09-01

Leucaena Leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Petai Belalang) is a medium plant which belong in group of tropical breed that can survived in hot, dried and warm environment. In Malaysia, the plant is available abundantly. As there are still no commercial used, and no serious intention in finding the benefits of L. Leucocephala, this work come out with the idea to analyze the antioxidants contains in leaves of the plant by undergoes different extraction and chemical testing method. The phytochemical screening assay involved in this study are antioxidant activity by using free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, total phenolic content by using Folin-Ciocalteu method, total flavonoid content by using colorimetric assay with ascorbic acid and quercetin were used as reference standards while for phosphorus analysis, a molybdenum blue method or also known as ascorbic acid method was used. For antioxidant activity by using free radical diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, higher concentration was recorded by extraction using methanol (dried sample) which is 8247.0 mg/L, for total phenolic content higher concentration was recorded by extraction using deionized water (dried sample) which is 4276.0 mg/L, for total flavonoid content by using colorimetric assay higher concentration was recorded by extraction using methanol (dried sample) which is 4439.0 mg/L, and for for phosphorus analysis higher concentration was recorded by extraction using methanol (dried sample) which is 71.057 mg/L.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Method for Monitoring Water Content in Epoxy Resins and Fiber-Reinforced Composites

PubMed Central

Gagani, Abedin I.; Echtermeyer, Andreas T.

2018-01-01

Monitoring water content and predicting the water-induced drop in strength of fiber-reinforced composites are of great importance for the oil and gas and marine industries. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic methods are broadly available and often used for process and quality control in industrial applications. A benefit of using such spectroscopic methods over the conventional gravimetric analysis is the possibility to deduce the mass of an absolutely dry material and subsequently the true water content, which is an important indicator of water content-dependent properties. The objective of this study is to develop an efficient and detailed method for estimating the water content in epoxy resins and fiber-reinforced composites. In this study, Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was applied to measure the water content of amine-epoxy neat resin. The method was developed and successfully extended to glass fiber-reinforced composite materials. Based on extensive measurements of neat resin and composite samples of varying water content and thickness, regression was performed, and the quantitative absorbance dependence on water content in the material was established. The mass of an absolutely dry resin was identified, and the true water content was obtained. The method was related to the Beer–Lambert law and explained in such terms. A detailed spectroscopic method for measuring water content in resins and fiber-reinforced composites was developed and described. PMID:29641451

Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Method for Monitoring Water Content in Epoxy Resins and Fiber-Reinforced Composites.

PubMed

Krauklis, Andrey E; Gagani, Abedin I; Echtermeyer, Andreas T

2018-04-11

Monitoring water content and predicting the water-induced drop in strength of fiber-reinforced composites are of great importance for the oil and gas and marine industries. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic methods are broadly available and often used for process and quality control in industrial applications. A benefit of using such spectroscopic methods over the conventional gravimetric analysis is the possibility to deduce the mass of an absolutely dry material and subsequently the true water content, which is an important indicator of water content-dependent properties. The objective of this study is to develop an efficient and detailed method for estimating the water content in epoxy resins and fiber-reinforced composites. In this study, Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy was applied to measure the water content of amine-epoxy neat resin. The method was developed and successfully extended to glass fiber-reinforced composite materials. Based on extensive measurements of neat resin and composite samples of varying water content and thickness, regression was performed, and the quantitative absorbance dependence on water content in the material was established. The mass of an absolutely dry resin was identified, and the true water content was obtained. The method was related to the Beer-Lambert law and explained in such terms. A detailed spectroscopic method for measuring water content in resins and fiber-reinforced composites was developed and described.

An Analysis of Social Studies Teachers' Perception Levels Regarding Web Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yesiltas, Erkan

2016-01-01

Web pedagogical content knowledge generally takes pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and Web knowledge as basis. It is a structure emerging through the interaction of these three components. Content knowledge refers to knowledge of subjects to be taught. Pedagogical knowledge involves knowledge of process, implementation, learning methods,…

The methods of geomorphometry and digital soil mapping for assessing spatial variability in the properties of agrogray soils on a slope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopp, N. V.; Nechaeva, T. V.; Savenkov, O. A.; Smirnova, N. V.; Smirnov, V. V.

2017-01-01

The relationships between the morphometric parameters (MPs) of topography calculated on the basis of digital elevation model (ASTER GDEM, 30 m) and the properties of the plow layer of agrogray soils on a slope were analyzed. The contribution of MPs to the spatial variability of the soil moisture reached 42%; to the content of physical clay (<0.01 mm particles), 59%; to the humus content, 46%; to the total nitrogen content, 31%; to the content of nitrate nitrogen, 28%; to the content of mobile phosphorus, 40%; to the content of exchangeable potassium, 45%; to the content of exchangeable calcium, 67%; to the content of exchangeable magnesium, 40%; and to the soil pH, 42%. A comparative analysis of the plow layer within the eluvial and transitional parts of the slope was performed with the use of geomorphometric methods and digital soil mapping. The regression analysis showed statistically significant correlations between the properties of the plow layer and the MPs describing surface runoff, geometric forms of surface, and the soil temperature regime.

A novel quantitative analysis method of three-dimensional fluorescence spectra for vegetable oils contents in edible blend oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jing; Wang, Yu-Tian; Liu, Xiao-Fei

2015-04-01

Edible blend oil is a mixture of vegetable oils. Eligible blend oil can meet the daily need of two essential fatty acids for human to achieve the balanced nutrition. Each vegetable oil has its different composition, so vegetable oils contents in edible blend oil determine nutritional components in blend oil. A high-precision quantitative analysis method to detect the vegetable oils contents in blend oil is necessary to ensure balanced nutrition for human being. Three-dimensional fluorescence technique is high selectivity, high sensitivity, and high-efficiency. Efficiency extraction and full use of information in tree-dimensional fluorescence spectra will improve the accuracy of the measurement. A novel quantitative analysis is proposed based on Quasi-Monte-Carlo integral to improve the measurement sensitivity and reduce the random error. Partial least squares method is used to solve nonlinear equations to avoid the effect of multicollinearity. The recovery rates of blend oil mixed by peanut oil, soybean oil and sunflower are calculated to verify the accuracy of the method, which are increased, compared the linear method used commonly for component concentration measurement.

The rapid determination of fat and protein content in fresh raw milk using the laser light scattering technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Qi; Zhi Ling, Hou; Jian Long, Tian; Zhu, Yu

2006-08-01

The aim was to develop a simple and rapid method for determination of fat and protein content in milk. Based on the laser light scattering theory, the ratio of the scattered light (at 90±0.05° scattering angles) intensity to the transmitted light intensity, which is called scattered-transmitted-ratio method, is adopted as the optical parameter representing the milk fat content and the protein content. In this way, the influence of the fluctuation of the power of the light source is eliminated and the accuracy of determination is improved accordingly. The system we use is real-time and can satisfy the challenging requirements of dairy farming. Results of this study indicate the feasibility of using this technology for fresh milk fat and protein analysis. The fat contents and protein contents of 50 milk samples determined by this method were consistent with the values obtained by the reference methods based on Rose-Gottlieb method and Kjeldahl determination of N method. In this paper, the operating principle of the instrument is introduced and the influence of the environmental conditions, such as the homogenization pressure and homogenization temperature, etc. on the result of the test is analyzed. Through data analysis, the concrete schemes for testing the fat using the curve fitting and testing the protein using the surface fitting technique are determined. Finally, the difference from the reference values of the test is discussed.

Mathematical evaluation of the amino acid and polyphenol content and antioxidant activities of fruits from different apricot cultivars.

PubMed

Sochor, Jiri; Skutkova, Helena; Babula, Petr; Zitka, Ondrej; Cernei, Natalia; Rop, Otakar; Krska, Boris; Adam, Vojtech; Provazník, Ivo; Kizek, Rene

2011-09-01

Functional foods are of interest because of their significant effects on human health, which can be connected with the presence of some biologically important compounds. In this study, we carried out complex analysis of 239 apricot cultivars (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivated in Lednice (climatic area T4), South Moravia, Czech Republic. Almost all previously published studies have focused only on analysis of certain parameters. However, we focused on detection both primary and secondary metabolites in a selection of apricot cultivars with respect to their biological activity. The contents of thirteen biogenic alpha-L-amino acids (arginine, asparagine, isoleucine, lysine, serine, threonine, valine, leucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, proline and alanine) were determined using ion exchange chromatography with UV-Vis spectrometry detection. Profile of polyphenols, measured as content of ten polyphenols with significant antioxidant properties (gallic acid, procatechinic acid, p-aminobenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, vanillin, p-coumaric acid, rutin, ferrulic acid and quercetrin), was determined by high performance liquid chromatography with spectrometric/electrochemical detection. Moreover, content of total phenolics was determined spectrophotometrically using the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity was determined using five independent spectrophotometric methods: DPPH assay, DMPD method, ABTS method, FRAP and Free Radicals methods. Considering the complexity of the obtained data, they were processed and correlated using bioinformatics techniques (cluster analysis, principal component analysis). The studied apricot cultivars were clustered according to their common biochemical properties, which has not been done before. The observed similarities and differences were discussed.

Child Custody Decisions: Content Analysis of a Judicial Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Settle, Shirley A; Lowery, Carol R.

1982-01-01

Surveyed judges and trial commissioners (N=80) regarding child custody decisions in divorce. The content analysis described the responents' comments which clarified their reasons for attaching greater or lesser importance to a particular consideration or the method using in assessing a particular consideration during a court proceeding. (JAC)

Familiarizing with Toy Food: Preliminary Research and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Meghan

2012-01-01

Objective: A qualitative content analysis of children and parents interacting with toy food in their homes in view of recommendations for developing healthful food preferences. Methods: YouTube videos (n = 101) of children and parents interacting in toy kitchen settings were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Toy food was categorized…

40 CFR 98.176 - Data reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., you must report the following information for each process: (1) The carbon content of each process input and output used to determine CO2 emissions. (2) Whether the carbon content was determined from information from the supplier or by laboratory analysis, and if by laboratory analysis, the method used. (3...

Analysis of the Effect a Student-Centred Mobile Learning Instructional Method Has on Language Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberg, Andrew; Daniels, Paul

2013-01-01

In this study a self-paced instructional method based on the use of Apple's iPod Touch personal mobile devices to deliver content was compared with a group-oriented instructional method of content delivery in terms of learner acquisition of course material. One hundred and twenty-two first-year Japanese university students in four classes were…

Remote sensing of atmospheric water content from Bhaskara SAMIR data. [using statistical linear regression analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gohil, B. S.; Hariharan, T. A.; Sharma, A. K.; Pandey, P. C.

1982-01-01

The 19.35 GHz and 22.235 GHz passive microwave radiometers (SAMIR) on board the Indian satellite Bhaskara have provided very useful data. From these data has been demonstrated the feasibility of deriving atmospheric and ocean surface parameters such as water vapor content, liquid water content, rainfall rate and ocean surface winds. Different approaches have been tried for deriving the atmospheric water content. The statistical and empirical methods have been used by others for the analysis of the Nimbus data. A simulation technique has been attempted for the first time for 19.35 GHz and 22.235 GHz radiometer data. The results obtained from three different methods are compared with radiosonde data. A case study of a tropical depression has been undertaken to demonstrate the capability of Bhaskara SAMIR data to show the variation of total water vapor and liquid water contents.

Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study.

PubMed

Vaismoradi, Mojtaba; Turunen, Hannele; Bondas, Terese

2013-09-01

Qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis are two commonly used approaches in data analysis of nursing research, but boundaries between the two have not been clearly specified. In other words, they are being used interchangeably and it seems difficult for the researcher to choose between them. In this respect, this paper describes and discusses the boundaries between qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis and presents implications to improve the consistency between the purpose of related studies and the method of data analyses. This is a discussion paper, comprising an analytical overview and discussion of the definitions, aims, philosophical background, data gathering, and analysis of content analysis and thematic analysis, and addressing their methodological subtleties. It is concluded that in spite of many similarities between the approaches, including cutting across data and searching for patterns and themes, their main difference lies in the opportunity for quantification of data. It means that measuring the frequency of different categories and themes is possible in content analysis with caution as a proxy for significance. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Quality Analysis of Chlorogenic Acid and Hyperoside in Crataegi fructus

PubMed Central

Weon, Jin Bae; Jung, Youn Sik; Ma, Choong Je

2016-01-01

Background: Crataegi fructus is a herbal medicine for strong stomach, sterilization, and alcohol detoxification. Chlorogenic acid and hyperoside are the major compounds in Crataegi fructus. Objective: In this study, we established novel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection analysis method of chlorogenic acid and hyperoside for quality control of Crataegi fructus. Materials and Methods: HPLC analysis was achieved on a reverse-phase C18 column (5 μm, 4.6 mm × 250 mm) using water and acetonitrile as mobile phase with gradient system. The method was validated for linearity, precision, and accuracy. About 31 batches of Crataegi fructus samples collected from Korea and China were analyzed by using HPLC fingerprint of developed HPLC method. Then, the contents of chlorogenic acid and hyperoside were compared for quality evaluation of Crataegi fructus. Results: The results have shown that the average contents (w/w %) of chlorogenic acid and hyperoside in Crataegi fructus collected from Korea were 0.0438% and 0.0416%, respectively, and the average contents (w/w %) of 0.0399% and 0.0325%, respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, established HPLC analysis method was stable and could provide efficient quality evaluation for monitoring of commercial Crataegi fructus. SUMMARY Quantitative analysis method of chlorogenic acid and hyperoside in Crataegi fructus is developed by high.performance liquid chromatography.(HPLC).diode array detectionEstablished HPLC analysis method is validated with linearity, precision, and accuracyThe developed method was successfully applied for quantitative analysis of Crataegi fructus sample collected from Korea and China. Abbreviations used: HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography, GC: Gas chromatography, MS: Mass spectrometer, LOD: Limits of detection, LOQ: Limits of quantification, RSD: Relative standard deviation, RRT: Relative retention time, RPA: Relation peak area. PMID:27076744

Content-based fused off-axis object illumination direct-to-digital holography

DOEpatents

Price, Jeffery R.

2006-05-02

Systems and methods are described for content-based fused off-axis illumination direct-to-digital holography. A method includes calculating an illumination angle with respect to an optical axis defined by a focusing lens as a function of data representing a Fourier analyzed spatially heterodyne hologram; reflecting a reference beam from a reference mirror at a non-normal angle; reflecting an object beam from an object the object beam incident upon the object at the illumination angle; focusing the reference beam and the object beam at a focal plane of a digital recorder to from the content-based off-axis illuminated spatially heterodyne hologram including spatially heterodyne fringes for Fourier analysis; and digitally recording the content based off-axis illuminated spatially heterodyne hologram including spatially heterodyne fringes for Fourier analysis.

21 CFR 163.5 - Methods of analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Methods of analysis. 163.5 Section 163.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CACAO PRODUCTS General Provisions § 163.5 Methods of analysis. Shell and cacao fat content in...

21 CFR 163.5 - Methods of analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Methods of analysis. 163.5 Section 163.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CACAO PRODUCTS General Provisions § 163.5 Methods of analysis. Shell and cacao fat content in...

21 CFR 163.5 - Methods of analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Methods of analysis. 163.5 Section 163.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CACAO PRODUCTS General Provisions § 163.5 Methods of analysis. Shell and cacao fat content in...

21 CFR 163.5 - Methods of analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Methods of analysis. 163.5 Section 163.5 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION CACAO PRODUCTS General Provisions § 163.5 Methods of analysis. Shell and cacao fat content in...

Extraction of composite visual objects from audiovisual materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand, Gwenael; Thienot, Cedric; Faudemay, Pascal

1999-08-01

An effective analysis of Visual Objects appearing in still images and video frames is required in order to offer fine grain access to multimedia and audiovisual contents. In previous papers, we showed how our method for segmenting still images into visual objects could improve content-based image retrieval and video analysis methods. Visual Objects are used in particular for extracting semantic knowledge about the contents. However, low-level segmentation methods for still images are not likely to extract a complex object as a whole but instead as a set of several sub-objects. For example, a person would be segmented into three visual objects: a face, hair, and a body. In this paper, we introduce the concept of Composite Visual Object. Such an object is hierarchically composed of sub-objects called Component Objects.

Parameter setting for peak fitting method in XPS analysis of nitrogen in sewage sludge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Z. J.; Fang, P.; Huang, J. H.; Zhong, P. Y.

2017-12-01

Thermal decomposition method is regarded as an important route to treat increasing sewage sludge, while the high content of N causes serious nitrogen related problems, then figuring out the existing form and content of nitrogen of sewage sludge become essential. In this study, XPSpeak 4.1 was used to investigate the functional forms of nitrogen in sewage sludge, peak fitting method was adopted and the best-optimized parameters were determined. According to the result, the N1s spectra curve can be resolved into 5 peaks: pyridine-N (398.7±0.4eV), pyrrole-N(400.5±0.3eV), protein-N(400.4eV), ammonium-N(401.1±0.3eV) and nitrogen oxide-N(403.5±0.5eV). Based on the the experimental data obtained from elemental analysis and spectrophotometry method, the optimum parameters of curve fitting method were decided: background type: Tougaard, FWHM 1.2, 50% Lorentzian-Gaussian. XPS methods can be used as a practical tool to analysis the nitrogen functional groups of sewage sludge, which can reflect the real content of nitrogen of different forms.

Mineral content prediction for unconventional oil and gas reservoirs based on logging data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maojin, Tan; Youlong, Zou; Guoyue

2012-09-01

Coal bed methane and shale oil &gas are both important unconventional oil and gas resources, whose reservoirs are typical non-linear with complex and various mineral components, and the logging data interpretation model are difficult to establish for calculate the mineral contents, and the empirical formula cannot be constructed due to various mineral. The radial basis function (RBF) network analysis is a new method developed in recent years; the technique can generate smooth continuous function of several variables to approximate the unknown forward model. Firstly, the basic principles of the RBF is discussed including net construct and base function, and the network training is given in detail the adjacent clustering algorithm specific process. Multi-mineral content for coal bed methane and shale oil &gas, using the RBF interpolation method to achieve a number of well logging data to predict the mineral component contents; then, for coal-bed methane reservoir parameters prediction, the RBF method is used to realized some mineral contents calculation such as ash, volatile matter, carbon content, which achieves a mapping from various logging data to multimineral. To shale gas reservoirs, the RBF method can be used to predict the clay content, quartz content, feldspar content, carbonate content and pyrite content. Various tests in coalbed and gas shale show the method is effective and applicable for mineral component contents prediction

Near Infrared Spectroscopy for On-line Monitoring of Alkali- Free Cloth/Phenolic Resin Prepreg During Manufacture

PubMed Central

Jiang, Bo; Huang, Yu Dong

2007-01-01

A NIR method was developed for the on-line monitoring of alkali-free cloth/phenolic resin prepreg during its manufacturing process. First, the sizing content of the alkali-free cloth was analyzed, and then the resin, soluble resin and volatiles content of the prepreg was analyzed simultaneously using the FT-NIR spectrometer. Partial least square (PLS) regression was used to develop the calibration models, which for the sizing content was preprocessed by 1stDER +MSC, for the volatile content by 1stDER +VN, for the soluble resin content by 1stDER +MSC and for the resin content by the VN spectral data preprocessing method. RMSEP of the prediction model for the sizing content was 0.732 %, for the resin content it was 0.605, for the soluble resin content it was 0.101 and for volatiles content it was 0.127. The results of the paired t-test revealed that there was no significant difference between the NIR method and the standard method. The NIR spectroscopy method could be used to predict the resin, soluble resin and the volatiles content of the prepreg simultaneously, as well as sizing content of alkali-free cloth. The processing parameters of the prepreg during manufacture could be adjusted quickly with the help of the NIR analysis results. The results indicated that the NIR spectroscopy method was sufficiently accurate and effective for the on-line monitoring of alkali-free cloth/phenolic resin prepreg.

Analysis of multi-layered films. [determining dye densities by applying a regression analysis to the spectral response of the composite transparency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scarpace, F. L.; Voss, A. W.

1973-01-01

Dye densities of multi-layered films are determined by applying a regression analysis to the spectral response of the composite transparency. The amount of dye in each layer is determined by fitting the sum of the individual dye layer densities to the measured dye densities. From this, dye content constants are calculated. Methods of calculating equivalent exposures are discussed. Equivalent exposures are a constant amount of energy over a limited band-width that will give the same dye content constants as the real incident energy. Methods of using these equivalent exposures for analysis of photographic data are presented.

Content-specific network analysis of peer-to-peer communication in an online community for smoking cessation.

PubMed

Myneni, Sahiti; Cobb, Nathan K; Cohen, Trevor

2016-01-01

Analysis of user interactions in online communities could improve our understanding of health-related behaviors and inform the design of technological solutions that support behavior change. However, to achieve this we would need methods that provide granular perspective, yet are scalable. In this paper, we present a methodology for high-throughput semantic and network analysis of large social media datasets, combining semi-automated text categorization with social network analytics. We apply this method to derive content-specific network visualizations of 16,492 user interactions in an online community for smoking cessation. Performance of the categorization system was reasonable (average F-measure of 0.74, with system-rater reliability approaching rater-rater reliability). The resulting semantically specific network analysis of user interactions reveals content- and behavior-specific network topologies. Implications for socio-behavioral health and wellness platforms are also discussed.

Effect of amylose content and nanoclay incorporation order in physicochemical properties of starch/montmorillonite composites.

PubMed

Romero-Bastida, C A; Tapia-Blácido, D R; Méndez-Montealvo, G; Bello-Pérez, L A; Velázquez, G; Alvarez-Ramirez, J

2016-11-05

The effects of the amylose content and the preparation sequence in physicochemical properties of starch/montmorillonite (MMT) composites were studied in this work. Native (30%) and high amylose Hylon VII (70%) starches were considered for assessing the effects of amylose content. Glycerol and MMT were used as additives to evaluate the effects of the former as plasticizer and the latter as reinforcer. The glycerol was incorporated before (Method M1) and after (Method M2) the addition of MMT. FTIR studies indicated that water bonding was affected by amylose content. Sorption isotherms indicated that method M2 favoured water adsorption and method M1 reduced water adsorption due to competition for active sites for interaction. TGA showed that method M1 induced a higher degradation rate than method M2. Wettability analysis by contact angle measurements showed that plasticizer promoted the hydrophilicity of the film, whereas MMT promoted a hydrophobic surface for both cases of amylose content. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Laboratory analytical methods for the determination of the hydrocarbon status of soils (a review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pikovskii, Yu. I.; Korotkov, L. A.; Smirnova, M. A.; Kovach, R. G.

2017-10-01

Laboratory analytical methods suitable for the determination of the hydrocarbon status of soils (a specific soil characteristic involving information on the total content and qualitative features of soluble (bitumoid) carbonaceous substances and individual hydrocarbons (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, etc.) in bitumoid, as well as the composition and content of hydrocarbon gases) have been considered. Among different physicochemical methods of study, attention is focused on the methods suitable for the wide use. Luminescence-bituminological analysis, low-temperature spectrofluorimetry (Shpolskii spectroscopy), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography, chromatography-mass spectrometry, and some other methods have been characterized, as well as sample preparation features. Advantages and limitations of each of these methods are described; their efficiency, instrumental complexity, analysis duration, and accuracy are assessed.

Defect Analysis Of Quality Palm Kernel Meal Using Statistical Quality Control In Kernels Factory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembiring, M. T.; Marbun, N. J.

2018-04-01

The production quality has an important impact retain the totality of characteristics of a product or service to pay attention to its capabilities to meet the needs that have been established. Quality criteria Palm Kernel Meal (PKM) set Factory kernel is as follows: oil content: max 8.50%, water content: max 12,00% and impurity content: max 4.00% While the average quality of the oil content of 8.94%, the water content of 5.51%, and 8.45% impurity content. To identify the defective product quality PKM produced, then used a method of analysis using Statistical Quality Control (SQC). PKM Plant Quality Kernel shows the oil content was 0.44% excess of a predetermined maximum value, and 4.50% impurity content. With excessive PKM content of oil and dirt cause disability content of production for oil, amounted to 854.6078 kg PKM and 8643.193 kg impurity content of PKM. Analysis of the results of cause and effect diagram and SQC, the factors that lead to poor quality of PKM is Ampere second press oil expeller and hours second press oil expeller.

Exploring ambivalence in motivational interviewing with obese African American adolescents and their caregivers: A mixed methods analysis

PubMed Central

Carcone, April Idalski; Barton, Ellen; Eggly, Susan; Brogan Hartlieb, Kathryn E.; Thominet, Luke; Naar, Sylvie

2016-01-01

Objective We conducted an exploratory mixed methods study to describe the ambivalence African-American adolescents and their caregivers expressed during motivational interviewing sessions targeting weight loss. Methods We extracted ambivalence statements from 37 previously coded counseling sessions. We used directed content analysis to categorize ambivalence related to the target behaviors of nutrition, activity, or weight. We compared adolescent-caregiver dyads’ ambivalence using the paired sample t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. We then used conventional content analysis to compare the specific content of adolescents’ and caregivers’ ambivalence statements. Results Adolescents and caregivers expressed the same number of ambivalence statements overall, related to activity and weight, but caregivers expressed more statements about nutrition. Content analysis revealed convergences and divergences in caregivers’ and adolescents’ ambivalence about weight loss. Conclusion Understanding divergences in adolescent-caregiver ambivalence about the specific behaviors to target may partially explain the limited success of family-based weight loss interventions targeting African American families and provides a unique opportunity for providers to enhance family communication, foster teamwork, and build self-efficacy to promote behavior change. Practice implications Clinicians working in family contexts should explore how adolescents and caregivers converge and diverge in their ambivalence in order to recommend weight loss strategies that best meet families’ needs. PMID:26916012

A validated near-infrared spectroscopic method for methanol detection in biodiesel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Andrea; Bräuer, Bastian; Nieuwenkamp, Gerard; Ent, Hugo; Bremser, Wolfram

2016-06-01

Biodiesel quality control is a relevant issue as biodiesel properties influence diesel engine performance and integrity. Within the European metrology research program (EMRP) ENG09 project ‘Metrology for Biofuels’, an on-line/at-site suitable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) method has been developed in parallel with an improved EN14110 headspace gas chromatography (GC) analysis method for methanol in biodiesel. Both methods have been optimized for a methanol content of 0.2 mass% as this represents the maximum limit of methanol content in FAME according to EN 14214:2009. The NIRS method is based on a mobile NIR spectrometer equipped with a fiber-optic coupled probe. Due to the high volatility of methanol, a tailored air-tight adaptor was constructed to prevent methanol evaporation during measurement. The methanol content of biodiesel was determined from evaluation of NIRS spectra by partial least squares regression (PLS). Both GC analysis and NIRS exhibited a significant dependence on biodiesel feedstock. The NIRS method is applicable to a content range of 0.1% (m/m) to 0.4% (m/m) of methanol with uncertainties at around 6% relative for the different feedstocks. A direct comparison of headspace GC and NIRS for samples of FAMEs yielded that the results of both methods are fully compatible within their stated uncertainties.

Temporal Methods to Detect Content-Based Anomalies in Social Media

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

Skryzalin, Jacek; Field, Jr., Richard; Fisher, Andrew N.

Here, we develop a method for time-dependent topic tracking and meme trending in social media. Our objective is to identify time periods whose content differs signifcantly from normal, and we utilize two techniques to do so. The first is an information-theoretic analysis of the distributions of terms emitted during different periods of time. In the second, we cluster documents from each time period and analyze the tightness of each clustering. We also discuss a method of combining the scores created by each technique, and we provide ample empirical analysis of our methodology on various Twitter datasets.

Sociocultural Meanings of Nanotechnology: Research Methodologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bainbridge, William Sims

2004-06-01

This article identifies six social-science research methodologies that will be useful for charting the sociocultural meaning of nanotechnology: web-based questionnaires, vignette experiments, analysis of web linkages, recommender systems, quantitative content analysis, and qualitative textual analysis. Data from a range of sources are used to illustrate how the methods can delineate the intellectual content and institutional structure of the emerging nanotechnology culture. Such methods will make it possible in future to test hypotheses such as that there are two competing definitions of nanotechnology - the technical-scientific and the science-fiction - that are influencing public perceptions by different routes and in different directions.

Chromatographic fingerprint analysis of yohimbe bark and related dietary supplements using UHPLC/UV/MS.

PubMed

Sun, Jianghao; Chen, Pei

2012-03-05

A practical ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method was developed for fingerprint analysis of and determination of yohimbine in yohimbe barks and related dietary supplements. Good separation was achieved using a Waters Acquity BEH C(18) column with gradient elution using 0.1% (v/v) aqueous ammonium hydroxide and 0.1% ammonium hydroxide in methanol as the mobile phases. The study is the first reported chromatographic method that separates corynanthine from yohimbine in yohimbe bark extract. The chromatographic fingerprint analysis was applied to the analysis of 18 yohimbe commercial dietary supplement samples. Quantitation of yohimbine, the traditional method for analysis of yohimbe barks, were also performed to evaluate the results of the fingerprint analysis. Wide variability was observed in fingerprints and yohimbine content among yohimbe dietary supplement samples. For most of the dietary supplements, the yohimbine content was not consistent with the label claims. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Trends of Science Education Research: An Automatic Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Yueh-Hsia; Chang, Chun-Yen; Tseng, Yuen-Hsien

2010-01-01

This study used scientometric methods to conduct an automatic content analysis on the development trends of science education research from the published articles in the four journals of "International Journal of Science Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Research in Science Education, and Science Education" from 1990 to 2007. The…

Comparing trophic position of stream fishes using stable isotope and gut contents analyses

EPA Science Inventory

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) and gut content analysis (GCA) are commonly used in food web studies, but few studies analyze these data in concert. We used SIA and GCA to identify diets and trophic position (TP) of six stream fishes and to compare TP estimates between methods. Ord...

Project Wild and the Dominant Western Paradigm: A Content Analysis Utilizing Deep Ecology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingraham, Blake

Environmental educators utilize activity guides as a primary method of diffusing environmental education material into educational settings. The most popular environmental education activity guide in use today is Project WILD. Project WILD has come under fire by various groups, especially animal rights groups. Accordingly, a content analysis study…

Disability Research in Counseling Psychology Journals: A 20-Year Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley-Nicpon, Megan; Lee, Sharon

2012-01-01

We conducted an exploratory content analysis of disability research in 5 major counseling psychology journals between 1990 and 2010. The goal was to review the counseling psychology literature to better understand the prevalence of disability research, identify research methods most often conducted, and elucidate the types of concerns most…

A Standards-Based Content Analysis of Selected Biological Science Websites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Joy E.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the biology content, instructional strategies, and assessment methods of 100 biological science websites that were appropriate for Grade 12 educational purposes. For the analysis of each website, an instrument, developed from the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for Grade 12 Life Science coupled…

A Content Analysis of Nine Literacy Journals, 2009-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parsons, Seth A.; Gallagher, Melissa A.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the topics being studied, theoretical perspectives being used, and methods being implemented in current literacy research. A research team completed a content analysis of nine journals from 2009 to 2014 to gather data. In the 1,238 articles analyzed, the topics, theoretical perspectives, research designs,…

Unnecessary roughness? Testing the hypothesis that predators destined for molecular gut-content analysis must be hand-collected to avoid cross-contamination

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular gut-content analysis enables direct detection of arthropod predation with minimal disruption of on-going ecosystem processes. Mass-collection methods, such as sweep-netting, vacuum sampling, and foliage beating, could lead to regurgitation or even rupturing of predators along with uneaten ...

Teaching Blended Content Analysis and Critically Vigilant Media Consumption

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Christopher S.

2015-01-01

The semester-long activity described herein uses an integrated instructional approach to media studies to introduce students to the research method of qualitative content analysis and help them become more critically vigilant media consumers. The goal is to increase students' media literacy by guiding them in the design of an exploratory…

Multimedia content analysis, management and retrieval: trends and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanjalic, Alan; Sebe, Nicu; Chang, Edward

2006-01-01

Recent advances in computing, communications and storage technology have made multimedia data become prevalent. Multimedia has gained enormous potential in improving the processes in a wide range of fields, such as advertising and marketing, education and training, entertainment, medicine, surveillance, wearable computing, biometrics, and remote sensing. Rich content of multimedia data, built through the synergies of the information contained in different modalities, calls for new and innovative methods for modeling, processing, mining, organizing, and indexing of this data for effective and efficient searching, retrieval, delivery, management and sharing of multimedia content, as required by the applications in the abovementioned fields. The objective of this paper is to present our views on the trends that should be followed when developing such methods, to elaborate on the related research challenges, and to introduce the new conference, Multimedia Content Analysis, Management and Retrieval, as a premium venue for presenting and discussing these methods with the scientific community. Starting from 2006, the conference will be held annually as a part of the IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging event.

Blackberry wines mineral and heavy metal content determination after dry ashing: multivariate data analysis as a tool for fruit wine quality control.

PubMed

Amidžić Klarić, Daniela; Klarić, Ilija; Mornar, Ana; Velić, Darko; Velić, Natalija

2015-08-01

This study brings out the data on the content of 21 mineral and heavy metal in 15 blackberry wines made of conventionally and organically grown blackberries. The objective of this study was to classify the blackberry wine samples based on their mineral composition and the applied cultivation method of the starting raw material by using chemometric analysis. The metal content of Croatian blackberry wine samples was determined by AAS after dry ashing. The comparison between an organic and conventional group of investigated blackberry wines showed statistically significant difference in concentrations of Si and Li, where the organic group contained higher concentrations of these compounds. According to multivariate data analysis, the model based on the original metal content data set finally included seven original variables (K, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ba, Cd and Cr) and gave a satisfactory separation of two applied cultivation methods of the starting raw material.

Trace element analysis of extraterrestrial metal samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: the standard solutions and digesting acids.

PubMed

Wang, Guiqin; Wu, Yangsiqian; Lin, Yangting

2016-02-28

Nearly 99% of the total content of extraterrestrial metals is composed of Fe and Ni, but with greatly variable trace element contents. The accuracy obtained in the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis of solutions of these samples can be significantly influenced by matrix contents, polyatomic ion interference, and the concentrations of external standard solutions. An ICP-MS instrument (X Series 2) was used to determine 30 standard solutions with different concentrations of trace elements, and different matrix contents. Based on these measurements, the matrix effects were determined. Three iron meteorites were dissolved separately in aqua regia and HNO3. Deviations due to variation of matrix contents in the external standard solutions were evaluated and the analysis results of the two digestion methods for iron meteorites were assessed. Our results show obvious deviations due to unmatched matrix contents in the external standard solutions. Furthermore, discrepancy in the measurement of some elements was found between the sample solutions prepared with aqua regia and HNO3, due to loss of chloride during sample preparation and/or incomplete digestion of highly siderophile elements in iron meteorites. An accurate ICP-MS analysis method for extraterrestrial metal samples has been established using external standard solutions with matched matrix contents and digesting the samples with HNO3 and aqua regia. Using the data from this work, the Mundrabilla iron meteorite previously classified as IAB-ung is reclassified as IAB-MG. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

40 CFR 98.286 - Data reporting requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... petroleum coke consumed). (7) Sampling analysis results for carbon content of consumed petroleum coke as... content factor of petroleum coke from the supplier or as measured by the applicable method in § 98.284(c) for each month (percent by weight expressed as a decimal fraction). (5) Whether carbon content of the...

Self-adaptive relevance feedback based on multilevel image content analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yongying; Zhang, Yujin; Fu, Yu

2001-01-01

In current content-based image retrieval systems, it is generally accepted that obtaining high-level image features is a key to improve the querying. Among the related techniques, relevance feedback has become a hot research aspect because it combines the information from the user to refine the querying results. In practice, many methods have been proposed to achieve the goal of relevance feedback. In this paper, a new scheme for relevance feedback is proposed. Unlike previous methods for relevance feedback, our scheme provides a self-adaptive operation. First, based on multi- level image content analysis, the relevant images from the user could be automatically analyzed in different levels and the querying could be modified in terms of different analysis results. Secondly, to make it more convenient to the user, the procedure of relevance feedback could be led with memory or without memory. To test the performance of the proposed method, a practical semantic-based image retrieval system has been established, and the querying results gained by our self-adaptive relevance feedback are given.

Self-adaptive relevance feedback based on multilevel image content analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yongying; Zhang, Yujin; Fu, Yu

2000-12-01

In current content-based image retrieval systems, it is generally accepted that obtaining high-level image features is a key to improve the querying. Among the related techniques, relevance feedback has become a hot research aspect because it combines the information from the user to refine the querying results. In practice, many methods have been proposed to achieve the goal of relevance feedback. In this paper, a new scheme for relevance feedback is proposed. Unlike previous methods for relevance feedback, our scheme provides a self-adaptive operation. First, based on multi- level image content analysis, the relevant images from the user could be automatically analyzed in different levels and the querying could be modified in terms of different analysis results. Secondly, to make it more convenient to the user, the procedure of relevance feedback could be led with memory or without memory. To test the performance of the proposed method, a practical semantic-based image retrieval system has been established, and the querying results gained by our self-adaptive relevance feedback are given.

Cytological study of DNA content and nuclear morphometric analysis for aid in the diagnosis of high-grade dysplasia within oral leukoplakia.

PubMed

Yang, Xi; Xiao, Xuan; Wu, Wenyan; Shen, Xuemin; Zhou, Zengtong; Liu, Wei; Shi, Linjun

2017-09-01

To quantitatively examine the DNA content and nuclear morphometric status of oral leukoplakia (OL) and investigate its association with the degree of dysplasia in a cytologic study. Oral cytobrush biopsy was carried out to obtain exfoliative epithelial cells from lesions before scalpel biopsy at the same location in a blinded series of 70 patients with OL. Analysis of nuclear morphometry and DNA content status using image cytometry was performed with oral smears stained with the Feulgen-thionin method. Nuclear morphometric analysis revealed significant differences in DNA content amount, DNA index, nuclear area, nuclear radius, nuclear intensity, sphericity, entropy, and fractal dimension (all P < .01) between low-grade and high-grade dysplasia. DNA content analysis identified 34 patients with OL (48.6%) with DNA content abnormality. Nonhomogeneous lesion (P = .018) and high-grade dysplasia (P = .008) were significantly associated with abnormal DNA content. Importantly, the positive correlation between the degree of oral dysplasia and DNA content status was significant (P = .004, correlation coefficient = 0.342). Cytology analysis of DNA content and nuclear morphometric status using image cytometry may support their use as a screening and monitoring tool for OL progression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AmO 2 Analysis for Analytical Method Testing and Assessment: Analysis Support for AmO 2 Production

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

Kuhn, Kevin John; Bland, Galey Jean; Fulwyler, James Brent

Americium oxide samples will be measured for various analytes to support AmO 2 production. The key analytes that are currently requested by the Am production customer at LANL include total Am content, Am isotopics, Pu assay, Pu isotopics, and trace element content including 237Np content. Multiple analytical methods will be utilized depending on the sensitivity, accuracy and precision needs of the Am matrix. Traceability to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will be achieved, where applicable, by running NIST traceable quality control materials. This given that there are no suitable AmO 2 reference materials currently available for requestedmore » analytes. The primary objective is to demonstrate the suitability of actinide analytical chemistry methods to support AmO 2 production operations.« less

Measurements of Soil Carbon by Neutron-Gamma Analysis in Static and Scanning Modes.

PubMed

Yakubova, Galina; Kavetskiy, Aleksandr; Prior, Stephen A; Torbert, H Allen

2017-08-24

The herein described application of the inelastic neutron scattering (INS) method for soil carbon analysis is based on the registration and analysis of gamma rays created when neutrons interact with soil elements. The main parts of the INS system are a pulsed neutron generator, NaI(Tl) gamma detectors, split electronics to separate gamma spectra due to INS and thermo-neutron capture (TNC) processes, and software for gamma spectra acquisition and data processing. This method has several advantages over other methods in that it is a non-destructive in situ method that measures the average carbon content in large soil volumes, is negligibly impacted by local sharp changes in soil carbon, and can be used in stationary or scanning modes. The result of the INS method is the carbon content from a site with a footprint of ~2.5 - 3 m 2 in the stationary regime, or the average carbon content of the traversed area in the scanning regime. The measurement range of the current INS system is >1.5 carbon weight % (standard deviation ± 0.3 w%) in the upper 10 cm soil layer for a 1 hmeasurement.

Integrated approach to multimodal media content analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tong; Kuo, C.-C. Jay

1999-12-01

In this work, we present a system for the automatic segmentation, indexing and retrieval of audiovisual data based on the combination of audio, visual and textural content analysis. The video stream is demultiplexed into audio, image and caption components. Then, a semantic segmentation of the audio signal based on audio content analysis is conducted, and each segment is indexed as one of the basic audio types. The image sequence is segmented into shots based on visual information analysis, and keyframes are extracted from each shot. Meanwhile, keywords are detected from the closed caption. Index tables are designed for both linear and non-linear access to the video. It is shown by experiments that the proposed methods for multimodal media content analysis are effective. And that the integrated framework achieves satisfactory results for video information filtering and retrieval.

Recent developments in nickel electrode analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiteley, Richard V.; Daman, M. E.; Kaiser, E. Q.

1991-01-01

Three aspects of nickel electrode analysis for Nickel-Hydrogen and Nickel-Cadmium battery cell applications are addressed: (1) the determination of active material; (2) charged state nickel (as NiOOH + CoOOH); and (3) potassium ion content in the electrode. Four deloading procedures are compared for completeness of active material removal, and deloading conditions for efficient active material analyses are established. Two methods for charged state nickel analysis are compared: the current NASA procedure and a new procedure based on the oxidation of sodium oxalate by the charged material. Finally, a method for determining potassium content in an electrode sample by flame photometry is presented along with analytical results illustrating differences in potassium levels from vendor to vendor and the effects of stress testing on potassium content in the electrode. The relevance of these analytical procedures to electrode performance is reviewed.

Reference-free spectroscopic determination of fat and protein in milk in the visible and near infrared region below 1000nm using spatially resolved diffuse reflectance fiber probe.

PubMed

Bogomolov, Andrey; Belikova, Valeria; Galyanin, Vladislav; Melenteva, Anastasiia; Meyer, Hans

2017-05-15

New technique of diffuse reflectance spectroscopic analysis of milk fat and total protein content in the visible (Vis) and adjacent near infrared (NIR) region (400-995nm) has been developed and tested. Sample analysis was performed through a probe having eight 200-µm fiber channels forming a linear array. One of the end fibers was used for the illumination and other seven - for the spectroscopic detection of diffusely reflected light. One of the detection channels was used as a reference to normalize the spectra and to convert them into absorbance-equivalent units. The method has been tested experimentally using a designed sample set prepared from industrial raw milk standards with widely varying fat and protein content. To increase the modelling robustness all milk samples were measured in three different homogenization degrees. Comprehensive data analysis has shown the advantage of combining both spectral and spatial resolution in the same measurement and revealed the most relevant channels and wavelength regions. The modelling accuracy was further improved using joint variable selection and preprocessing optimization method based on the genetic algorithm. The root mean-square errors of different validation methods were below 0.10% for fat and below 0.08% for total protein content. Based on the present experimental data, it was computationally shown that the full-spectrum analysis in this method can be replaced by a sensor measurement at several specific wavelengths, for instance, using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for illumination. Two optimal sensor configurations have been suggested: with nine LEDs for the analysis of fat and seven - for protein content. Both simulated sensors exhibit nearly the same component determination accuracy as corresponding full-spectrum analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resistant starch analysis of commonly consumed potatoes: Content varies by cooking method and service temperature but not by variety.

PubMed

Raatz, Susan K; Idso, Laura; Johnson, LuAnn K; Jackson, Matthew I; Combs, Gerald F

2016-10-01

Resistant starch (RS) has unique digestive and absorptive properties which may provide health benefits. We conducted a study to determine the contributions of cultivar, cooking method and service temperature on the RS contents of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). We hypothesized that the RS content would vary by variety, cooking method and service temperature. Potatoes of three common commercial varieties (Yukon Gold, Dark Red Norland, and Russet Burbank) were subjected to two methods of cooking (baking or boiling) and three service temperatures: hot (65°C), chilled (4°C) and reheated (4°C for 6d; reheated to 65°C) and analyzed the starch content by modification of a commercially available assay. Results showed that RS content (g/100g) varied by cooking method and service temperature but not variety. Baked potatoes had higher RS contents than boiled; chilled potatoes had more RS than either hot or reheated. These results may assist in dietary choices for reducing chronic disease risk. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A standardized method for preparation of potatoes and analysis of their resistant starch content: Variation by cooking method and service temperature

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Consumption of resistant starch (RS) may lead to reduced glycemia, improved satiety, and beneficial changes in gut microbiota due to its unique digestive and absorptive properties. We developed a standardized protocol for preparation of potatoes in order to assess their RS content and modified a com...

Supports for Vocabulary Instruction in Early Language and Literacy Methods Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Tanya S.; Peltier, Marliese R.

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which the content and recommendations in recently published early language and literacy methods textbooks may support early childhood teachers in learning to provide vocabulary instruction for young children. We completed a content analysis of 9 textbooks with coding at the sentence level.…

Use of neural image analysis methods in the process to determine the dry matter content in the compost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojcieszak, D.; Przybył, J.; Lewicki, A.; Ludwiczak, A.; Przybylak, A.; Boniecki, P.; Koszela, K.; Zaborowicz, M.; Przybył, K.; Witaszek, K.

2015-07-01

The aim of this research was investigate the possibility of using methods of computer image analysis and artificial neural networks for to assess the amount of dry matter in the tested compost samples. The research lead to the conclusion that the neural image analysis may be a useful tool in determining the quantity of dry matter in the compost. Generated neural model may be the beginning of research into the use of neural image analysis assess the content of dry matter and other constituents of compost. The presented model RBF 19:19-2-1:1 characterized by test error 0.092189 may be more efficient.

Experimental study on water content detection of traditional masonry based on infrared thermal image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baoqing; Lei, Zukang

2017-10-01

Based on infrared thermal imaging technology for seepage test of two kinds of brick masonry, find out the relationship between the distribution of one-dimensional two brick surface temperature distribution and one-dimensional surface moisture content were determined after seepage brick masonry minimum temperature zone and water content determination method of the highest point of the regression equation, the relationship between temperature and moisture content of the brick masonry reflected the quantitative and establish the initial wet masonry building disease analysis method, then the infrared technology is applied to the protection of historic buildings in.

Revealing representational content with pattern-information fMRI--an introductory guide.

PubMed

Mur, Marieke; Bandettini, Peter A; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2009-03-01

Conventional statistical analysis methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data are very successful at detecting brain regions that are activated as a whole during specific mental activities. The overall activation of a region is usually taken to indicate involvement of the region in the task. However, such activation analysis does not consider the multivoxel patterns of activity within a brain region. These patterns of activity, which are thought to reflect neuronal population codes, can be investigated by pattern-information analysis. In this framework, a region's multivariate pattern information is taken to indicate representational content. This tutorial introduction motivates pattern-information analysis, explains its underlying assumptions, introduces the most widespread methods in an intuitive way, and outlines the basic sequence of analysis steps.

Prevalence of Evaluation Method Courses in Education Leader Doctoral Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepperson, Tara L.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the prevalence of single evaluation methods courses in doctoral education leadership programs. Analysis of websites of 132 leading U.S. university programs found 62 evaluation methods courses in 54 programs. Content analysis of 49 course catalog descriptions resulted in five categories: survey, planning and…

An Analysis of Class II Supplies Requisitions in the Korean Army’s Organizational Supply

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-26

five methods for qualitative research : Case study , Ethnography , 45 Phenomenological study , Grounded theory , and...Approaches .. 42 Table 9 Five Qualitative Research Methods ..................................................................... 45 Table 10 Six...Content analysis. Table 9 provides a brief overview of the five methods . Table 9 Five Qualitative

A Content Analysis of the "Journal of Distance Education" 1986-2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rourke, Liam; Szabo, Michael

2002-01-01

Discusses results of a content analysis of the "Journal of Distance Education", 1986-2000, that focused on item type, topics, research method, and biographical information about first authors. Topics include a comparison of the information with the aims and purposes of the journal and with other analyses of similar publications; and trends in…

College Drinking: Content Analysis of 30 Years of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broughton, Elizabeth Ann; Molasso, William R.

2006-01-01

Researchers applied a content analysis method to evaluate the 119 articles about college drinking that appeared in "Journal of College Student Development" and "NASPA Journal" during the past 30 years. The data revealed that a greater proportion of articles on college drinking appeared in the last decade (5.82%) than in the first decade (1.60%).…

Trends in Studies on Virtual Learning Environments in Turkey between 1996-2014 Years: A Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demirer, Veysel; Erbas, Cagdas

2016-01-01

This study aims to review studies on virtual learning environments in Turkey through the content analysis method. 63 studies consisting of thesis, articles and proceedings published in Turkish and English between 1996-2014 years were analyzed. It was observed that "Second Life" was mostly preferred as the virtual learning environment.…

Voices of Hispanic College Students: A Content Analysis of Qualitative Research within the "Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storlie, Cassandra A.; Moreno, Luis S.; Portman, Tarrell Awe Agahe

2014-01-01

As Hispanic students continue to be an underrepresented cultural group in higher education, researchers are called to uncover the challenging and complex experience of this diverse group of students. Using the constant comparative method, these researchers conducted a content analysis of the qualitative research on the experiences of Hispanic…

Cultural Parallax and Content Analysis: Images of Black Women in High School History Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woyshner, Christine; Schocker, Jessica B.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the representation of Black women in high school history textbooks. To examine the extent to which Black women are represented visually and to explore how they are portrayed, the authors use a mixed-methods approach that draws on analytical techniques in content analysis and from visual culture studies. Their findings…

ELT Research in Turkey: A Content Analysis of Selected Features of Published Articles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yagiz, Oktay; Aydin, Burcu; Akdemir, Ahmet Selçuk

2016-01-01

This study reviews a selected sample of 274 research articles on ELT, published between 2005 and 2015 in Turkish contexts. In the study, 15 journals in ULAKBIM database and articles from national and international journals accessed according to convenience sampling method were surveyed and relevant articles were obtained. A content analysis was…

Perception of Spiritual Health: A Qualitative Content Analysis in Iranian Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zibad, Hosein Ajam; Foroughan, Mahshid; Shahboulaghi, Farahnaz Mohammadi; Rafiey, Hassan; Rassouli, Maryam

2017-01-01

The present study was performed with the aim to explain older people's perceptions of spiritual health. It was conducted using the conventional content analysis method. Twelve individuals aged 60 years or older with normal cognition participated in the study using purposive sampling. Data were collected by in-depth interviews. Data analysis…

Content Analysis of Curriculum-Related Studies in Turkey between 2000 and 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksan, Elif; Baki, Adnan

2017-01-01

This study aims to carry out a content analysis determining the general framework of studies related to curriculum. For this purpose, 154 curriculum-related studies carried out in Turkey between 2000 and 2014 were examined in terms of year, sample, method, data collection technique, purpose, and result. The most studies related to curriculum were…

Two Strategies for Qualitative Content Analysis: An Intramethod Approach to Triangulation.

PubMed

Renz, Susan M; Carrington, Jane M; Badger, Terry A

2018-04-01

The overarching aim of qualitative research is to gain an understanding of certain social phenomena. Qualitative research involves the studied use and collection of empirical materials, all to describe moments and meanings in individuals' lives. Data derived from these various materials require a form of analysis of the content, focusing on written or spoken language as communication, to provide context and understanding of the message. Qualitative research often involves the collection of data through extensive interviews, note taking, and tape recording. These methods are time- and labor-intensive. With the advances in computerized text analysis software, the practice of combining methods to analyze qualitative data can assist the researcher in making large data sets more manageable and enhance the trustworthiness of the results. This article will describe a novel process of combining two methods of qualitative data analysis, or Intramethod triangulation, as a means to provide a deeper analysis of text.

Activity and contents of polyphenolic antioxidants in the whole fruit, flesh and peel of three apple cultivars.

PubMed

Vieira, Francilene Gracieli Kunradi; Borges, Graciele da Silva Campelo; Copetti, Cristiane; Gonzaga, Luciano Valdemiro; Nunes, Eduardo da Costa; Fett, Roseane

2009-03-01

The concentration of polyphenolic compounds, such as flavanols and anthocyanins, and the antioxidant activity in apples (Malus domestica Borkh) seem to differ with cultivar, maturity stage, environmental conditions and the part of the fruit. In this work, the total phenolic, flavanol and anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity were measured in the flesh, whole fruit and peel from apple cultivars Fuji, Epagri COOP24 and Epagri F5P283 cultivated in Southern Brazil. Total phenolic content assayed by Folin-Ciocalteu method, flavanol by modified p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde method, anthocyanin content by pH differential method and antioxidant activity measured using ABTS assay. One-way analysis of variance, Tukey's test and correlation analysis were performed. Within each cultivar, the total phenolic, flavanol and anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity were highest in the peels, followed by the whole fruit and the flesh. In the peel, whole fruit and flesh the Epagri F5P283 apple had the highest total phenolic contents and the highest total antioxidant activity, while that Epagri COOP24 was highest in flavanols and anthocyanins. Total phenolic content was positively associated with total antioxidant activity in flesh, whole fruit and peel. These results demonstrate that phenolic compounds have a significant contribution to the total antioxidant activity which varies considerably depending of the part of the fruit and of the apple cultivar analyzed.

pyAudioAnalysis: An Open-Source Python Library for Audio Signal Analysis.

PubMed

Giannakopoulos, Theodoros

2015-01-01

Audio information plays a rather important role in the increasing digital content that is available today, resulting in a need for methodologies that automatically analyze such content: audio event recognition for home automations and surveillance systems, speech recognition, music information retrieval, multimodal analysis (e.g. audio-visual analysis of online videos for content-based recommendation), etc. This paper presents pyAudioAnalysis, an open-source Python library that provides a wide range of audio analysis procedures including: feature extraction, classification of audio signals, supervised and unsupervised segmentation and content visualization. pyAudioAnalysis is licensed under the Apache License and is available at GitHub (https://github.com/tyiannak/pyAudioAnalysis/). Here we present the theoretical background behind the wide range of the implemented methodologies, along with evaluation metrics for some of the methods. pyAudioAnalysis has been already used in several audio analysis research applications: smart-home functionalities through audio event detection, speech emotion recognition, depression classification based on audio-visual features, music segmentation, multimodal content-based movie recommendation and health applications (e.g. monitoring eating habits). The feedback provided from all these particular audio applications has led to practical enhancement of the library.

pyAudioAnalysis: An Open-Source Python Library for Audio Signal Analysis

PubMed Central

Giannakopoulos, Theodoros

2015-01-01

Audio information plays a rather important role in the increasing digital content that is available today, resulting in a need for methodologies that automatically analyze such content: audio event recognition for home automations and surveillance systems, speech recognition, music information retrieval, multimodal analysis (e.g. audio-visual analysis of online videos for content-based recommendation), etc. This paper presents pyAudioAnalysis, an open-source Python library that provides a wide range of audio analysis procedures including: feature extraction, classification of audio signals, supervised and unsupervised segmentation and content visualization. pyAudioAnalysis is licensed under the Apache License and is available at GitHub (https://github.com/tyiannak/pyAudioAnalysis/). Here we present the theoretical background behind the wide range of the implemented methodologies, along with evaluation metrics for some of the methods. pyAudioAnalysis has been already used in several audio analysis research applications: smart-home functionalities through audio event detection, speech emotion recognition, depression classification based on audio-visual features, music segmentation, multimodal content-based movie recommendation and health applications (e.g. monitoring eating habits). The feedback provided from all these particular audio applications has led to practical enhancement of the library. PMID:26656189

Analysis for nickel (3 and 4) in positive plates from nickel-cadmium cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Harlan L.

1994-01-01

The NASA-Goddard procedure for destructive physical analysis (DPA) of nickel-cadmium cells contains a method for analysis of residual charged nickel as NiOOH in the positive plates at complete cell discharge, also known as nickel precharge. In the method, the Ni(III) is treated with an excess of an Fe(II) reducing agent and then back titrated with permanganate. The Ni(III) content is the difference between Fe(II) equivalents and permanganate equivalents. Problems have arisen in analysis at NAVSURFWARCENDIV, Crane because for many types of cells, particularly AA-size and some 'space-qualified' cells, zero or negative Ni(III) contents are recorded for which the manufacturer claims 3-5 percent precharge. Our approach to this problem was to reexamine the procedure for the source of error, and correct it or develop an alternative method.

Impact of Sampling and Cellular Separation on Amino Acid Determinations in Drosophila Hemolymph.

PubMed

Cabay, Marissa R; Harris, Jasmine C; Shippy, Scott A

2018-04-03

The fruit fly is a frequently used model system with a high degree of human disease-related genetic homology. The quantitative chemical analysis of fruit fly tissues and hemolymph uniquely brings chemical signaling and compositional information to fly experimentation. The work here explores the impact of measured chemical content of hemolymph with three aspects of sample collection and preparation. Cellular content of hemolymph was quantitated and removed to determine hemolymph composition changes for seven primary amine analytes. Hemolymph sampling methods were adapted to determine differences in primary amine composition of hemolymph collected from the head, antenna, and abdomen. Also, three types of anesthesia were employed with hemolymph collection to quantitate effects on measured amino acid content. Cell content was found to be 45.4 ± 22.1 cells/nL of hemolymph collected from both adult and larvae flies. Cell-concentrated fractions of adult, but not larvae, hemolymph were found to have higher and more variable amine content. There were amino acid content differences found between all three areas indicating a robust method to characterize chemical markers from specific regions of a fly, and these appear related to physiological activity. Methods of anesthesia have an impact on hemolymph amino acid composition related to overall physiological impact to fly including higher amino acid content variability and oxygen deprivation effects. Together, these analyses identify potential complications with Drosophila hemolymph analysis and opportunities for future studies to relate hemolymph content with model physiological activity.

Determination of sulfur dioxide in wine using headspace gas chromatography and electron capture detection.

PubMed

Aberl, A; Coelhan, M

2013-01-01

Sulfites are routinely added as preservatives and antioxidants in wine production. By law, the total sulfur dioxide content in wine is restricted and therefore must be monitored. Currently, the method of choice for determining the total content of sulfur dioxide in wine is the optimised Monier-Williams method, which is time consuming and laborious. The headspace gas chromatographic method described in this study offers a fast and reliable alternative method for the detection and quantification of the sulfur dioxide content in wine. The analysis was performed using an automatic headspace injection sampler, coupled with a gas chromatograph and an electron capture detector. The method is based on the formation of gaseous sulfur dioxide subsequent to acidification and heating of the sample. In addition to free sulfur dioxide, reversibly bound sulfur dioxide in carbonyl compounds, such as acetaldehyde, was also measured with this method. A total of 20 wine samples produced using diverse grape varieties and vintages of varied provenance were analysed using the new method. For reference and comparison purposes, 10 of the results obtained by the proposed method were compared with those acquired by the optimised Monier-Williams method. Overall, the results from the headspace analysis showed good correlation (R = 0.9985) when compared with the conventional method. This new method requires minimal sample preparation and is simple to perform, and the analysis can also be completed within a short period of time.

The influence of soil pH and humus content on received by Mehlich 3 method nutrients analysis results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonutare, Tonu; Krebstein, Kadri; Rodima, Ako; Kõlli, Raimo; Künnapas, Allan; Rebane, Jaanus; Penu, Priit; Vennik, Kersti; Soobik, Liina

2015-04-01

Soils provide vital ecosystem functions, playing an important role in our economy and in healthy living environment. However, soils are increasingly degrading in Europe and at the global level. Knowledge about the content of major plant available nutrients, i.e. calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, plays an important role in the sustainable soil management. Mobility of nutrients depends directly on the environmental conditions, two of the most important factors are the pH and organic matter content. Therefore it is essential to have correct information about the content and behaviour of the above named elements in soil, both from the environmental and agronomical viewpoint. During the last decades several extracting solutions which are suitable for the evaluation of nutrient status of soils have been developed for this purpose. One of them is called Mehlich 3 which is widely used in USA, Canada and some European countries (e.g. Estonia, Czech Republic) because of its suitability to extract several major plant nutrients from the soil simultaneously. There are several different instrumental methods used for the analysis of nutrient elements in the soil extract. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are widely analysed by the AAS (atomic absorption spectroscopic) method or by the ICP (inductively coupled plasma) spectroscopic methods. Molecular spectroscopy and ICP spectroscopy were used for the phosphorus determination. In 2011 a new multielemental instrumental method MP-AES (microwave plasma atomic emission spectroscopy) was added to them. Due to its lower detection limits and multielemental character, compared with AAS, and lower exploitation costs, compared with ICP, the MP-AES has a good potential to achieve a leading position in soil nutrient analysis in the future. The objective of this study was to investigate: (i) the impact of soil pH and humus content and (ii) applicability of MP-AES instrumental method for the determination of soil nutrients extracted according to Mehlich 3. For the experiment 100 soil samples with different content of organic matter and pH were used. The determination of Ca, Mg, K and P was analysed by MP and ICP methods and additionally P was analysed molecular spectroscopically. Within the framework of the study the regressions between MP and ICP methods were created for all the analysed elements, i.e. Ca, Mg, K and P. According to MP and ICP, the relationships between the analysed soil major nutrient contents at different soil humus levels and at different pH ranges were determined for the evaluation of their impact. The optimal instrumental settings for calcium, magnesium and potassium analysis, according to Mehlich 3 using MP-AES method, are reported.

Supply of avocado starch (Persea americana mill) as bioplastic material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginting, M. H. S.; Hasibuan, R.; Lubis, M.; Alanjani, F.; Winoto, F. A.; Siregar, R. C.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of time precipitation of avocado slurry seed to yield of starch. Starch analysis included starch content, moisture content, amylose content, amylopectin content, ash content, protein content, fat content, Fourier transform infra red analysis and rapid visco analyzer. Supply of starch from avocado seeds was used by extraction method. Every one hundred grams of avocado slurry was precipitated by gravity with variations for 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 20 hours and 24 hours. The Starch yield was washed, and dried using oven at 70°C for 30 minutes. Starch yield was the highest as 24.20 gram at 24 hours. The result of starch characterization was 73.62%, water content 16.6%, amylose 0.07%, amylopectin 73.55%, ash content 0.23%, protein content 2.16%, fat content 1.09%. Rapid visco analyzer obtained at 91.33°C of gelatinization temperature. Scanning electron microscopy analyzes obtained 20 μm oval-shaped starch granules. Fourier Transform Infra Red analysis of starch obtained the peak spectrum of O-H group of alcohols, C-H alkanes and C-O ether.

Text-Content-Analysis based on the Syntactic Correlations between Ontologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenschert, Axel; Kotsiopoulos, Ioannis; Koller, Bastian

The work presented in this chapter is concerned with the analysis of semantic knowledge structures, represented in the form of Ontologies, through which Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are enriched with new semantic data. The objective of the enrichment process is to enable SLA negotiation in a way that is much more convenient for a Service Users. For this purpose the deployment of an SLA-Management-System as well as the development of an analyzing procedure for Ontologies is required. This chapter will refer to the BREIN, the FinGrid and the LarKC projects. The analyzing procedure examines the syntactic correlations of several Ontologies whose focus lies in the field of mechanical engineering. A method of analyzing text and content is developed as part of this procedure. In order to so, we introduce a formalism as well as a method for understanding content. The analysis and methods are integrated to an SLA Management System which enables a Service User to interact with the system as a service by negotiating the user requests and including the semantic knowledge. Through negotiation between Service User and Service Provider the analysis procedure considers the user requests by extending the SLAs with semantic knowledge. Through this the economic use of an SLA-Management-System is increased by the enhancement of SLAs with semantic knowledge structures. The main focus of this chapter is the analyzing procedure, respectively the Text-Content-Analysis, which provides the mentioned semantic knowledge structures.

Identification and annotation of erotic film based on content analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Donghui; Zhu, Miaoliang; Yuan, Xin; Qian, Hui

2005-02-01

The paper brings forward a new method for identifying and annotating erotic films based on content analysis. First, the film is decomposed to video and audio stream. Then, the video stream is segmented into shots and key frames are extracted from each shot. We filter the shots that include potential erotic content by finding the nude human body in key frames. A Gaussian model in YCbCr color space for detecting skin region is presented. An external polygon that covered the skin regions is used for the approximation of the human body. Last, we give the degree of the nudity by calculating the ratio of skin area to whole body area with weighted parameters. The result of the experiment shows the effectiveness of our method.

[The qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis of purification of salvianolic acids by macroreticular resin].

PubMed

Fang, Xin-sheng; Tan, Xiao-mei

2005-09-01

To purify salvianolic acids by macroreticular resin,then mensurate the contents of salvianolic acids and analyse the chromatogram with HPLC. Make salvianolic acids with macroreticular resin; mensurate the content of Salvianolic acids with UV spestrophotometry: the control compound is protocaechuic aldehyde, and the wavelength is 281 nm. Analysis the chromatogram with HPLC, and compare the chromatogram in different technics: zorbax ODS column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), mobilephase: 1% aceticacid-water and methanol in different proportions, the wavelength is 281 nm. The contents of salvianolic acids is 53.8%; HPLC chromatogram indicate that the method is reasonable to make salvianolic acids. Determination of contents and HPLC chromatogram can control the quality of Salvianolic acids more accurately.

Method for predicting dry mechanical properties from wet wood and standing trees

DOEpatents

Meglen, Robert R.; Kelley, Stephen S.

2003-08-12

A method for determining the dry mechanical strength for a green wood comprising: illuminating a surface of the wood to be determined with light between 350-2,500 nm, the wood having a green moisture content; analyzing the surface using a spectrometric method, the method generating a first spectral data, and using a multivariate analysis to predict the dry mechanical strength of green wood when dry by comparing the first spectral data with a calibration model, the calibration model comprising a second spectrometric method of spectral data obtained from a reference wood having a green moisture content, the second spectral data correlated with a known mechanical strength analytical result obtained from a reference wood when dried and having a dry moisture content.

Image analysis method for the measurement of water saturation in a two-dimensional experimental flow tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belfort, Benjamin; Weill, Sylvain; Lehmann, François

2017-07-01

A novel, non-invasive imaging technique is proposed that determines 2D maps of water content in unsaturated porous media. This method directly relates digitally measured intensities to the water content of the porous medium. This method requires the classical image analysis steps, i.e., normalization, filtering, background subtraction, scaling and calibration. The main advantages of this approach are that no calibration experiment is needed, because calibration curve relating water content and reflected light intensities is established during the main monitoring phase of each experiment and that no tracer or dye is injected into the flow tank. The procedure enables effective processing of a large number of photographs and thus produces 2D water content maps at high temporal resolution. A drainage/imbibition experiment in a 2D flow tank with inner dimensions of 40 cm × 14 cm × 6 cm (L × W × D) is carried out to validate the methodology. The accuracy of the proposed approach is assessed using a statistical framework to perform an error analysis and numerical simulations with a state-of-the-art computational code that solves the Richards' equation. Comparison of the cumulative mass leaving and entering the flow tank and water content maps produced by the photographic measurement technique and the numerical simulations demonstrate the efficiency and high accuracy of the proposed method for investigating vadose zone flow processes. Finally, the photometric procedure has been developed expressly for its extension to heterogeneous media. Other processes may be investigated through different laboratory experiments which will serve as benchmark for numerical codes validation.

The colorimetric analysis of anti-tuberculosis fixed-dose combination tablets and capsules.

PubMed

Ellard, G A

1999-11-01

The perceived need to demonstrate whether or not the actual amounts of rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide in fixed-dose combination tablets or capsules correspond to their stated drug contents. To adapt specific, robust and simple colorimetric methods that have been previously applied to measuring plasma and urinary rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol concentrations to estimate tablet and capsule drug contents. The methods were applied to the analysis of 14 commercially manufactured fixed-dose combinations: two capsule and three tablet formulations containing rifampicin and isoniazid; seven tablet formulations containing rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide; and two tablet formulations containing rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol. All the combined formulations contained near to their stated drug contents. Replicate analyses confirmed the excellent precision of the drug analyses. Such methods are not only rapid to perform but should be practical in many Third World situations with relatively modest laboratory facilities.

Research on Health Inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean: Bibliometric Analysis (1971–2000) and Descriptive Content Analysis (1971–1995)

PubMed Central

Almeida-Filho, Naomar; Kawachi, Ichiro; Filho, Alberto Pellegrini; Dachs, J. Norberto W.

2003-01-01

We conducted a bibliometric and content analysis of research on health inequalities produced in Latin American and Caribbean countries. In our bibliometric analysis (n = 576), we used indexed material published between 1971 and 2000. The content analysis (n = 269) covered the period 1971 to 1995 and included unpublished material. We found recent rapid growth in overall output. Brazil, Chile, and Mexico contributed mostly empirical research, while Ecuador and Argentina produced more conceptual studies. We found, in the literature reviewed, a relative neglect of gender, race, and ethnicity issues. We also found remarkable diversity in research designs, however, along with strong consideration of ecological and ethnographic methods absent in other research traditions. PMID:14652329

The Content Analysis of the Research Papers on Foreign Language Education in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solak, Ekrem

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the trends of recent research papers in foreign language teaching in Turkish context and to give ideas to researchers and policy makers for future studies. Content Analysis method was used in this study. The focus of the study was 189 research papers published between 2009-2013 years in journals indexed…

Alternative Methods for Calculating Intercoder Reliability in Content Analysis: Kappa, Weighted Kappa and Agreement Charts Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Namjun

If content analysis is to satisfy the requirement of objectivity, measures and procedures must be reliable. Reliability is usually measured by the proportion of agreement of all categories identically coded by different coders. For such data to be empirically meaningful, a high degree of inter-coder reliability must be demonstrated. Researchers in…

A Study of Geometry Content Knowledge of Elementary Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslan-Tutak, Fatma; Adams, Thomasenia Lott

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research is to examine preservice elementary school teachers' geometry learning as investigated by both qualitative and quantitative methods. For the qualitative investigation, narrative analysis and thematic analysis methods were used. The findings of narrative analysis indicated two main kinds of stories: as a learner and as…

Finding meaning in social media: content-based social network analysis of QuitNet to identify new opportunities for health promotion.

PubMed

Myneni, Sahiti; Cobb, Nathan K; Cohen, Trevor

2013-01-01

Unhealthy behaviors increase individual health risks and are a socioeconomic burden. Harnessing social influence is perceived as fundamental for interventions to influence health-related behaviors. However, the mechanisms through which social influence occurs are poorly understood. Online social networks provide the opportunity to understand these mechanisms as they digitally archive communication between members. In this paper, we present a methodology for content-based social network analysis, combining qualitative coding, automated text analysis, and formal network analysis such that network structure is determined by the content of messages exchanged between members. We apply this approach to characterize the communication between members of QuitNet, an online social network for smoking cessation. Results indicate that the method identifies meaningful theme-based social sub-networks. Modeling social network data using this method can provide us with theme-specific insights such as the identities of opinion leaders and sub-community clusters. Implications for design of targeted social interventions are discussed.

An automatic flow system for NIR screening analysis of liquefied petroleum gas with respect to propane content.

PubMed

Dantas, Hebertty V; Barbosa, Mayara F; Nascimento, Elaine C L; Moreira, Pablo N T; Galvão, Roberto K H; Araújo, Mário C U

2013-03-15

This paper proposes a NIR spectrometric method for screening analysis of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) samples. The proposed method is aimed at discriminating samples with low and high propane content, which can be useful for the adjustment of burn settings in industrial applications. A gas flow system was developed to introduce the LPG sample into a NIR flow cell at constant pressure. In addition, a gas chromatographer was employed to determine the propane content of the sample for reference purposes. The results of a principal component analysis, as well as a classification study using SIMCA (soft independent modeling of class analogies), revealed that the samples can be successfully discriminated with respect to propane content by using the NIR spectrum in the range 8100-8800 cm(-1). In addition, by using SPA-LDA (linear discriminant analysis with variables selected by the successive projections algorithm), it was found that perfect discrimination can also be achieved by using only two wavenumbers (8215 and 8324 cm(-1)). This finding may be of value for the design of a dedicated, low-cost instrument for routine analyses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct transesterification of fresh microalgal cells.

PubMed

Liu, Jiao; Liu, Yanan; Wang, Haitao; Xue, Song

2015-01-01

Transesterification of lipids is a vital step during the processes of both biodiesel production and fatty acid analysis. By comparing the yields and fatty acid profiles obtained from microalgal oil and dry microalgal cells, the reliability of method for the transesterification of micro-scale samples was tested. The minimum amount of microalgal cells needed for accurate analysis was found to be approximately 300μg dry cells. This direct transesterification method of fresh cells was applied to eight microalgal species, and the results indicate that the efficiency of the developed method is identical to that of conventional method, except for Spirulina whose lipid content is very low, which means the total lipid content should been considered. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermal deterioration of virgin olive oil monitored by ATR-FTIR analysis of trans content.

PubMed

Tena, Noelia; Aparicio, Ramón; García-González, Diego L

2009-11-11

The monitoring of frying oils by an effective and rapid method is one of the demands of food companies and small food retailers. In this work, a method based on ATR-FTIR has been developed for monitoring the oil degradation in frying procedures. The IR bands changing during frying in sunflower, soybean, and virgin olive oils have been examined in their linear relationship with the content of total polar compounds, which is a preferred parameter for frying control. The bands assigned to conjugated and isolated trans double bonds that are commonly used for the determination of trans content provided the best relationships. Then, the area covering 978-960 cm(-1) was chosen to build a model for predicting polar material content for the particular case of virgin olive oil. A virgin olive oil was heated up to 94 h, and samples collected every 2 h constituted the training set. These samples were analyzed to obtain their FTIR spectra and to determine the composition of fatty acids and the content of total polar compounds. The excellent results predicting the polar material content (adjusted R(2) 0.997) was successfully validated with an external set of samples. The analysis of the fatty acid composition confirmed the relationship between the trans content and the content of total polar compounds.

Comprehensive Profiling and Quantification of Ginsenosides in the Root, Stem, Leaf, and Berry of Panax ginseng by UPLC-QTOF/MS.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Won; Choi, Bo-Ram; Kim, Young-Chang; Choi, Doo Jin; Lee, Young-Seob; Kim, Geum-Soog; Baek, Nam-In; Kim, Seung-Yu; Lee, Dae Young

2017-12-04

The effective production and usage of ginsenosides, given their distinct pharmacological effects, are receiving increasing amounts of attention. As the ginsenosides content differs in different parts of Panax ginseng, we wanted to assess and compare the ginsenosides content in the ginseng roots, leave, stems, and berries. To extract the ginsenosides, 70% (v/v) methanol was used. The optimal ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) method was used to profile various ginsenosides from the different parts of P. ginseng. The datasets were then subjected to multivariate analysis including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). A UPLC-QTOF/MS method with an in-house library was constructed to profile 58 ginsenosides. With this method, a total of 39 ginsenosides were successfully identified and quantified in the ginseng roots, leave, stem, and berries. PCA and HCA characterized the different ginsenosides compositions from the different parts. The quantitative ginsenoside contents were also characterized from each plant part. The results of this study indicate that the UPLC-QTOF/MS method can be an effective tool to characterize various ginsenosides from the different parts of P. ginseng.

Analysis of residual monomers in dendritic methacrylate copolymers and composites by HPLC and headspace-GC/MS.

PubMed

Viljanen, Eeva K; Langer, Sarka; Skrifvars, Mikael; Vallittu, Pekka K

2006-09-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the residual monomer content of photopolymerized dendritic methacrylate copolymers and particulate filler composites. Headspace-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS) was compared with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The resin mixtures consisted of a dendritic methacrylate monomer, methyl methacrylate and acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate in varied proportions. In addition, one of the composites contained 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate. Camphorquinone and 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate were used as the light-activated initiator system. The content of residual methyl methacrylate and acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate after 40 s photopolymerization were analyzed with HPLC and HS-GC/MS. The content of residual methyl methacrylate decreased and residual acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate increased with increasing concentration of acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate in the resin mixture. The results with both methods had the same trend. The addition of acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate enhanced the copolymerization of methyl methacrylate, but did not decrease the total residual monomer content. The HS-GC/MS method was found to be a feasible method in the analysis of low-boiling residuals in dental polymers.

Indexing for the Growing Instructional Media Center.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbott, George L.

Since indexing systems concentrate upon the information content of materials and not upon their form, instructional media centers (IMC) can use one system for all media. Content descriptors can be selected from a thesaurus of accepted terms, from the title of the material, or from an analysis of the content. The first of these three methods is the…

[Study on ecological suitability regionalization of Eucommia ulmoides in Guizhou].

PubMed

Kang, Chuan-Zhi; Wang, Qing-Qing; Zhou, Tao; Jiang, Wei-Ke; Xiao, Cheng-Hong; Xie, Yu

2014-05-01

To study the ecological suitability regionalization of Eucommia ulmoides, for selecting artificial planting base and high-quality industrial raw material purchase area of the herb in Guizhou. Based on the investigation of 14 Eucommia ulmoides producing areas, pinoresinol diglucoside content and ecological factors were obtained. Using spatial analysis method to carry on ecological suitability regionalization. Meanwhile, combining pinoresinol diglucoside content, the correlation of major active components and environmental factors were analyzed by statistical analysis. The most suitability planting area of Eucommia ulmoides was the northwest of Guizhou. The distribution of Eucommia ulmoides was mainly affected by the type and pH value of soil, and monthly precipitation. The spatial structure of major active components in Eucommia ulmoides were randomly distributed in global space, but had only one aggregation point which had a high positive correlation in local space. The major active components of Eucommia ulmoides had no correlation with altitude, longitude or latitude. Using the spatial analysis method and statistical analysis method, based on environmental factor and pinoresinol diglucoside content, the ecological suitability regionalization of Eucommia ulmoides can provide reference for the selection of suitable planting area, artificial planting base and directing production layout.

A visual detection of protein content based on titration of moving reaction boundary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Wang, Hou-Yu; Guo, Cheng-Ye; Guo, Chen-Gang; Fan, Liu-Yin; Zhang, Lei; Cao, Cheng-Xi

2013-04-24

A visual electrophoretic titration method was firstly developed from the concept of moving reaction boundary (MRB) for protein content analysis. In the developed method, when the voltage was applied, the hydroxide ions in the cathodic vessel moved towards the anode, and neutralized the carboxyl groups of protein immobilized via highly cross-linked polyacrylamide gel (PAG), generating a MRB between the alkali and the immobilized protein. The boundary moving velocity (V(MRB)) was as a function of protein content, and an acid-base indicator was used to denote the boundary displacement. As a proof of concept, standard model proteins and biological samples were chosen for the experiments to study the feasibility of the developed method. The experiments revealed that good linear calibration functions between V(MRB) and protein content (correlation coefficients R>0.98). The experiments further demonstrated the following merits of developed method: (1) weak influence of non-protein nitrogen additives (e.g., melamine) adulterated in protein samples, (2) good agreement with the classic Kjeldahl method (R=0.9945), (3) fast measuring speed in total protein analysis of large samples from the same source, and (4) low limit of detection (0.02-0.15 mg mL(-1) for protein content), good precision (R.S.D. of intra-day less than 1.7% and inter-day less than 2.7%), and high recoveries (105-107%). Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel automatic quantification method for high-content screening analysis of DNA double strand-break response.

PubMed

Feng, Jingwen; Lin, Jie; Zhang, Pengquan; Yang, Songnan; Sa, Yu; Feng, Yuanming

2017-08-29

High-content screening is commonly used in studies of the DNA damage response. The double-strand break (DSB) is one of the most harmful types of DNA damage lesions. The conventional method used to quantify DSBs is γH2AX foci counting, which requires manual adjustment and preset parameters and is usually regarded as imprecise, time-consuming, poorly reproducible, and inaccurate. Therefore, a robust automatic alternative method is highly desired. In this manuscript, we present a new method for quantifying DSBs which involves automatic image cropping, automatic foci-segmentation and fluorescent intensity measurement. Furthermore, an additional function was added for standardizing the measurement of DSB response inhibition based on co-localization analysis. We tested the method with a well-known inhibitor of DSB response. The new method requires only one preset parameter, which effectively minimizes operator-dependent variations. Compared with conventional methods, the new method detected a higher percentage difference of foci formation between different cells, which can improve measurement accuracy. The effects of the inhibitor on DSB response were successfully quantified with the new method (p = 0.000). The advantages of this method in terms of reliability, automation and simplicity show its potential in quantitative fluorescence imaging studies and high-content screening for compounds and factors involved in DSB response.

Analysis of Information Content in High-Spectral Resolution Sounders using Subset Selection Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velez-Reyes, Miguel; Joiner, Joanna

1998-01-01

In this paper, we summarize the results of the sensitivity analysis and data reduction carried out to determine the information content of AIRS and IASI channels. The analysis and data reduction was based on the use of subset selection techniques developed in the linear algebra and statistical community to study linear dependencies in high dimensional data sets. We applied the subset selection method to study dependency among channels by studying the dependency among their weighting functions. Also, we applied the technique to study the information provided by the different levels in which the atmosphere is discretized for retrievals and analysis. Results from the method correlate well with intuition in many respects and point out to possible modifications for band selection in sensor design and number and location of levels in the analysis process.

Analysis of coke beverages by total-reflection X-ray fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Ruiz, Ramón; von Bohlen, Alex; Friedrich K, E. Josue; Redrejo, M. J.

2018-07-01

The influence of the organic content, sample preparation process and the morphology of the depositions of two types of Coke beverage, traditional and light Coke, have been investigated by mean of Total-reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometry. Strong distortions of the nominal concentration values, up to 128% for P, have been detected in the analysis of traditional Coke by different preparation methods. These differences have been correlated with the edge X-ray energies of the elements analyzed being more pronounced for the lighter elements. The influence of the organic content (mainly sugar) was evaluated comparing traditional and light Coke analytical TXRF results. Three sample preparation methods have been evaluated as follows: direct TXRF analysis of the sample only adding internal standard, TXRF analysis after open vessel acid digestion and TXRF analysis after high pressure and temperature microwave-assisted acid digestion. Strong correlations were detected between quantitative results, methods of preparation and energies of the X-ray absorption edges of quantified elements. In this way, a decay behavior for the concentration differences between preparation methods and the energies of the X-ray absorption edges of each element were observed. The observed behaviors were modeled with exponential decay functions obtaining R2 correlation coefficients from 0.989 to 0.992. The strong absorption effect observed, and even possible matrix effect, can be explained by the inherent high organic content of the evaluated samples and also by the morphology and average thickness of the TXRF depositions observed. As main conclusion of this work, the analysis of light elements in samples with high organic content by TXRF, i.e. medical, biological, food or any other organic matrixes should be taken carefully. In any case, the direct analysis is not recommended and a previous microwave-assisted acid digestion, or similar, is mandatory, for the correct elemental quantification by TXRF.

Componential distribution analysis of food using near infrared ray image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, Hiroki; Kato, Kunihito; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko; Ogawa, Noriko; Ohba, Kimie

2008-11-01

The components of the food related to the "deliciousness" are usually evaluated by componential analysis. The component content and type of components in the food are determined by this analysis. However, componential analysis is not able to analyze measurements in detail, and the measurement is time consuming. We propose a method to measure the two-dimensional distribution of the component in food using a near infrared ray (IR) image. The advantage of our method is to be able to visualize the invisible components. Many components in food have characteristics such as absorption and reflection of light in the IR range. The component content is measured using subtraction between two wavelengths of near IR light. In this paper, we describe a method to measure the component of food using near IR image processing, and we show an application to visualize the saccharose in the pumpkin.

[Determination of the content of sulfur of coal by the infrared absorption method with high acccuracy].

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Feng; Lu, Hai; Li, Jia; Sun, Guo-Hua; Wang, Jun; Dai, Xin-Hua

2014-02-01

The present paper reported the differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetry curves and the infrared (IR) absorption spectrometry under the temperature program analyzed by the combined simultaneous thermal analysis-IR spectrometer. The gas products of coal were identified by the IR spectrometry. This paper emphasized on the combustion at high temperature-IR absorption method, a convenient and accurate method, which measures the content of sulfur in coal indirectly through the determination of the content of sulfur dioxide in the mixed gas products by IR absorption. It was demonstrated, when the instrument was calibrated by varied pure compounds containing sulfur and certified reference materials (CRMs) for coal, that there was a large deviation in the measured sulfur contents. It indicates that the difference in chemical speciations of sulfur between CRMs and the analyte results in a systematic error. The time-IR absorption curve was utilized to analyze the composition of sulfur at low temperatures and high temperatures and then the sulfur content of coal sample was determined by using a CRM for coal with a close composition of sulfur. Therefore, the systematic error due to the difference in chemical speciations of sulfur between the CRM and analyte was eliminated. On the other hand, in this combustion at high temperature-IR absorption method, the mass of CRM and analyte were adjusted to assure the sulfur mass equal and then the CRM and the analyte were measured alternately. This single-point calibration method reduced the effect of the drift of the IR detector and improved the repeatability of results, compared with the conventional multi-point calibration method using the calibration curves of signal intensity vs sulfur mass. The sulfur content results and their standard deviations of an anthracite coal and a bituminous coal with a low sulfur content determined by this modified method were 0.345% (0.004%) and 0.372% (0.008%), respectively. The uncertainty (U, k =2) of sulfur contents of two coal samples was evaluated to be 0.019% and 0.021%, respectively. Two main modifications, namely the calibration using the coal CRM with a similar composition of low-temperature sulfur and high temperature sulfur, and the single-point calibration alternating CRM and analyte, endow the combustion at high temperature-IR absorption method with an accuracy obviously better than that of the ASTM method. Therefore, this modified method has a well potential in the analysis of sulfur content.

Determination of uronic acids in isolated hemicelluloses from kenaf using diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and the curve-fitting deconvolution method.

PubMed

Batsoulis, A N; Nacos, M K; Pappas, C S; Tarantilis, P A; Mavromoustakos, T; Polissiou, M G

2004-02-01

Hemicellulose samples were isolated from kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.). Hemicellulosic fractions usually contain a variable percentage of uronic acids. The uronic acid content (expressed in polygalacturonic acid) of the isolated hemicelluloses was determined by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and the curve-fitting deconvolution method. A linear relationship between uronic acids content and the sum of the peak areas at 1745, 1715, and 1600 cm(-1) was established with a high correlation coefficient (0.98). The deconvolution analysis using the curve-fitting method allowed the elimination of spectral interferences from other cell wall components. The above method was compared with an established spectrophotometric method and was found equivalent for accuracy and repeatability (t-test, F-test). This method is applicable in analysis of natural or synthetic mixtures and/or crude substances. The proposed method is simple, rapid, and nondestructive for the samples.

Analysis of Cellular DNA Content by Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew; Huang, Xuan; Zhao, Hong

2017-10-02

Cellular DNA content can be measured by flow cytometry with the aim of : (1) revealing cell distribution within the major phases of the cell cycle, (2) estimating frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content, and/or (3) disclosing DNA ploidy of the measured cell population. In this unit, simple and universally applicable methods for staining fixed cells are presented, as are methods that utilize detergents and/or proteolytic treatment to permeabilize cells and make DNA accessible to fluorochrome. Additionally, supravital cell staining with Hoechst 33342, which is primarily used for sorting live cells based on DNA-content differences for their subsequent culturing, is described. Also presented are methods for staining cell nuclei isolated from paraffin-embedded tissues. Available algorithms are listed for deconvolution of DNA-content-frequency histograms to estimate percentage of cells in major phases of the cell cycle and frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Analysis of Cellular DNA Content by Flow Cytometry.

PubMed

Darzynkiewicz, Zbigniew; Huang, Xuan; Zhao, Hong

2017-11-01

Cellular DNA content can be measured by flow cytometry with the aim of : (1) revealing cell distribution within the major phases of the cell cycle, (2) estimating frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content, and/or (3) disclosing DNA ploidy of the measured cell population. In this unit, simple and universally applicable methods for staining fixed cells are presented, as are methods that utilize detergents and/or proteolytic treatment to permeabilize cells and make DNA accessible to fluorochrome. Additionally, supravital cell staining with Hoechst 33342, which is primarily used for sorting live cells based on DNA-content differences for their subsequent culturing, is described. Also presented are methods for staining cell nuclei isolated from paraffin-embedded tissues. Available algorithms are listed for deconvolution of DNA-content-frequency histograms to estimate percentage of cells in major phases of the cell cycle and frequency of apoptotic cells with fractional DNA content. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Development of SSR Markers Linked to Low Hydrocyanic Acid Content in Sorghum-Sudan Grass Hybrid Based on BSA Method.

PubMed

Xiao-Xia, Yu; Zhi-Hua, Liu; Zhuo, Yu; Yue, Shi; Xiao-Yu, Li

2016-01-01

Sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid containing high hydrocyanic acid content can cause hydrocyanic acid poisoning to the livestock and limit the popularization of this forage crop. Molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content can speed up the process of identification of genotypes with low hydrocyanic acid content. In the present study, 11 polymorphic SSR primers were screened and used for bulked segregant analysis and single marker analysis. Three SSR markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375 and Bnlg667960 associated with low hydrocyanic acid content were rapidly identified by BSA. In single marker analysis, six markers Xtxp7230, Xtxp7375, Bnlg667960, Xtxp67-11, Xtxp295-7 and Xtxp12-9 were linked to low hydrocyanic acid content, which explained the proportion of phenotypic variation from 7.6 % to 41.2 %. The markers identified by BSA were also verified by single marker analysis. The three SSR marker bands were then cloned and sequenced for sequence homology analysis in NCBI. It is the first report on the development of molecular markers associated with low hydrocyanic acid content in sorghum- Sudan grass hybrid. These markers will be useful for genetic improvement of low hydrocyanic acid sorghum-Sudan grass hybrid by marker-assisted breeding.

Science on TeacherTube: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Teacher Produced Video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmiel, Margaret (Marjee)

Increased bandwidth, inexpensive video cameras and easy-to-use video editing software have made social media sites featuring user generated video (UGV) an increasingly popular vehicle for online communication. As such, UGV have come to play a role in education, both formal and informal, but there has been little research on this topic in scholarly literature. In this mixed-methods study, a content and discourse analysis are used to describe the most successful UGV in the science channel of an education-focused site called TeacherTube. The analysis finds that state achievement tests, and their focus on vocabulary and recall-level knowledge, drive much of the content found on TeacherTube.

A Comparison of the Essential Amino Acid Content and the Retention Rate by Chicken Part according to Different Cooking Methods.

PubMed

Kim, Honggyun; Do, Hyun Wook; Chung, Heajung

2017-01-01

This study set out to identify the changes in the nutrient contents during the chicken cooking process as basic data for the establishment of a national health nutrition policy. Samples were produced using 3 chicken parts (wing, breast, and leg) and 7 cooking methods (boiling, pancooking, pan-frying, deep-frying, steaming, roasting, and microwaving), and the essential amino acid contents, principal components, and retention rates were analyzed. Weight loss was observed in all chicken parts with all cooking methods. The protein and essential amino acid contents of the chicken samples differed significantly according to the part and the cooking method ( p <0.01). The protein and essential amino acid contents (g/100 g) of raw and cooked chicken parts showed ranges of 16.81-32.36 and 0.44-2.45, respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) clearly demonstrated that the cooking methods and chicken parts produced similar trends for the essential amino acid contents. The retention rates of the chicken parts varied with the cooking methods, yielding a minimum value of 83% for isoleucine in a roasted wing, 91% for protein in a steamed breast, and 77% for isoleucine and lysine in a roasted leg. Therefore, the protein and amino acid contents of the roasted breast were higher than those of the other cooked chicken parts.

A Comparison of the Essential Amino Acid Content and the Retention Rate by Chicken Part according to Different Cooking Methods

PubMed Central

Kim, Honggyun

2017-01-01

This study set out to identify the changes in the nutrient contents during the chicken cooking process as basic data for the establishment of a national health nutrition policy. Samples were produced using 3 chicken parts (wing, breast, and leg) and 7 cooking methods (boiling, pancooking, pan-frying, deep-frying, steaming, roasting, and microwaving), and the essential amino acid contents, principal components, and retention rates were analyzed. Weight loss was observed in all chicken parts with all cooking methods. The protein and essential amino acid contents of the chicken samples differed significantly according to the part and the cooking method (p<0.01). The protein and essential amino acid contents (g/100 g) of raw and cooked chicken parts showed ranges of 16.81-32.36 and 0.44-2.45, respectively. The principal component analysis (PCA) clearly demonstrated that the cooking methods and chicken parts produced similar trends for the essential amino acid contents. The retention rates of the chicken parts varied with the cooking methods, yielding a minimum value of 83% for isoleucine in a roasted wing, 91% for protein in a steamed breast, and 77% for isoleucine and lysine in a roasted leg. Therefore, the protein and amino acid contents of the roasted breast were higher than those of the other cooked chicken parts. PMID:29147085

In vivo automated quantification of quality of apples during storage using optical coherence tomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Vishal; Dalal, Devjyoti; Kumar, Anuj; Prakash, Surya; Dalal, Krishna

2018-06-01

Moisture content is an important feature of fruits and vegetables. As 80% of apple content is water, so decreasing the moisture content will degrade the quality of apples (Golden Delicious). The computational and texture features of the apples were extracted from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. A support vector machine with a Gaussian kernel model was used to perform automated classification. To evaluate the quality of wax coated apples during storage in vivo, our proposed method opens up the possibility of fully automated quantitative analysis based on the morphological features of apples. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of the computational and texture features of OCT images may be a good non-destructive method for the assessment of the quality of apples.

Optimization Method of a Low Cost, High Performance Ceramic Proppant by Orthogonal Experimental Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.; Tian, Y. M.; Wang, K. Y.; Li, G.; Zou, X. W.; Chai, Y. S.

2017-09-01

This study focused on optimization method of a ceramic proppant material with both low cost and high performance that met the requirements of Chinese Petroleum and Gas Industry Standard (SY/T 5108-2006). The orthogonal experimental design of L9(34) was employed to study the significance sequence of three factors, including weight ratio of white clay to bauxite, dolomite content and sintering temperature. For the crush resistance, both the range analysis and variance analysis reflected the optimally experimental condition was weight ratio of white clay to bauxite=3/7, dolomite content=3 wt.%, temperature=1350°C. For the bulk density, the most important factor was the sintering temperature, followed by the dolomite content, and then the ratio of white clay to bauxite.

Apps of Steel: Are Exercise Apps Providing Consumers with Realistic Expectations?: A Content Analysis of Exercise Apps for Presence of Behavior Change Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Logan T.; Van Wagenen, Sarah A.; Brown, Brittany A.; Hedin, Riley J.; Seino-Stephan, Yukiko; Hall, P. Cougar; West, Joshua H.

2013-01-01

Objective. To quantify the presence of health behavior theory constructs in iPhone apps targeting physical activity. Methods. This study used a content analysis of 127 apps from Apple's (App Store) "Health & Fitness" category. Coders downloaded the apps and then used an established theory-based instrument to rate each app's inclusion of…

An Objective Method of Measuring Psychological States Associated With Changes in Neural Function: Content Analysis of Verbal Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottschalk, Louis A.

This paper examines the use of content analysis of speech in the objective recording and measurement of changes in emotional and cognitive function of humans in whom natural or experimental changes in neural status have occurred. A brief description of the data gathering process, details of numerous physiological effects, an anxiety scale, and a…

Effectively Managing the Air Force Enterprise Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-18

infrastructure, systems development, and strategic data planning. Denzin and Lincoln suggests that a content analysis is an acceptable research...methodology for this type of data ( Denzin and Lincoln , 2000). Leedy and Ormrod agree that a content analysis is the systematic examination of written...2003). Advances in Mixed Method Design. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage. Denzin , N. K. and Y. S. Lincoln (2000). Handbook of Qualitative Research

Topics on Test Methods for Space Systems and Operations Safety: Applicability of Experimental Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirsch, David B.

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews topics on test methods for space systems and operations safety through experimentation and analysis. The contents include: 1) Perception of reality through experimentation and analysis; 2) Measurements, methods, and correlations with real life; and 3) Correlating laboratory aerospace materials flammability data with data in spacecraft environments.

Structure and Content Analysis for Vocational High School Website in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subagja, H.; Abdullah, A. G.; Trisno, B.; Nandiyanto, A. B. D.

2017-03-01

Statistics about the condition of the school’s website in Indonesia is still difficult. This study aims to determine website quality in terms of completeness of content’s criteria of Vocational High School (VHS) in West Java, Indonesia. The method used is the content analysis and survey. Content analysis is reviewing the documents comprising the general category, while the survey is a observation process to get the facts from 272 school websites. Aspects of the structure and content of school website are including institutional information, educators and education personnel, curriculum, student, infrastructure, school achievement, and public access. The results of this study showed the average quality of the VHS website in West Java is still low. The recommendations are needed to improve the quality of the school website.

Time-Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR) and Chemometrics for Determination of Fat Content in Commercial Products of Milk Powder.

PubMed

Nascimento, Paloma Andrade Martins; Barsanelli, Paulo Lopes; Rebellato, Ana Paula; Pallone, Juliana Azevedo Lima; Colnago, Luiz Alberto; Pereira, Fabíola Manhas Verbi

2017-03-01

This study shows the use of time-domain (TD)-NMR transverse relaxation (T2) data and chemometrics in the nondestructive determination of fat content for powdered food samples such as commercial dried milk products. Most proposed NMR spectroscopy methods for measuring fat content correlate free induction decay or echo intensities with the sample's mass. The need for the sample's mass limits the analytical frequency of NMR determination, because weighing the samples is an additional step in this procedure. Therefore, the method proposed here is based on a multivariate model of T2 decay, measured with Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill pulse sequence and reference values of fat content. The TD-NMR spectroscopy method shows high correlation (r = 0.95) with the lipid content, determined by the standard extraction method of Bligh and Dyer. For comparison, fat content determination was also performed using a multivariate model with near-IR (NIR) spectroscopy, which is also a nondestructive method. The advantages of the proposed TD-NMR method are that it (1) minimizes toxic residue generation, (2) performs measurements with high analytical frequency (a few seconds per analysis), and (3) does not require sample preparation (such as pelleting, needed for NIR spectroscopy analyses) or weighing the samples.

Gas occurrence property in shales of Tuha basin northwest china

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jinlong; Huang, Zhilong

2017-04-01

Pore of rock under formation condition must be fulfilled by gas, oil, or water, so the volume of water and gas is equation to porous volume in shale gas. The occurrences states of gas are free gas, solution gas, and absorbed gas. Field analysis is used to obtain total gas content by improved lost gas recover method. Free gas content acquired by pore proportion of gas, which use measured pore volume minus water and oil saturation, convert gas content of standard condition by state equation. Water saturation obtain from core water content, oil saturation obtain from extract carbohydrate. Solution gas need gas solubility in oil and water to calculate solution gas content in standard condition. Absorbed gas, introduce Absorbed Gas Saturation ɛ, which acquire from isothermal adsorption volume vs field analysis gas content in many basins of published paper, need isothermal adsorption and Absorbed Gas Saturation to obtain absorbed gas content. All of the data build connect with logging value by regression equation. The gas content is 0.92-1.53 m3/t from field analysis, evaluate gas content is 1.33 m3/t average, free gas proportion is about 47%, absorbed gas counter for 49%, and solution gas is average 4%.

Visible Light Image-Based Method for Sugar Content Classification of Citrus

PubMed Central

Wang, Xuefeng; Wu, Chunyan; Hirafuji, Masayuki

2016-01-01

Visible light imaging of citrus fruit from Mie Prefecture of Japan was performed to determine whether an algorithm could be developed to predict the sugar content. This nondestructive classification showed that the accurate segmentation of different images can be realized by a correlation analysis based on the threshold value of the coefficient of determination. There is an obvious correlation between the sugar content of citrus fruit and certain parameters of the color images. The selected image parameters were connected by addition algorithm. The sugar content of citrus fruit can be predicted by the dummy variable method. The results showed that the small but orange citrus fruits often have a high sugar content. The study shows that it is possible to predict the sugar content of citrus fruit and to perform a classification of the sugar content using light in the visible spectrum and without the need for an additional light source. PMID:26811935

Soil water content assessment: critical issues concerning the operational application of the triangle method.

PubMed

Maltese, Antonino; Capodici, Fulvio; Ciraolo, Giuseppe; La Loggia, Goffredo

2015-03-19

Knowledge of soil water content plays a key role in water management efforts to improve irrigation efficiency. Among the indirect estimation methods of soil water content via Earth Observation data is the triangle method, used to analyze optical and thermal features because these are primarily controlled by water content within the near-surface evaporation layer and root zone in bare and vegetated soils. Although the soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer theory describes the ongoing processes, theoretical models reveal limits for operational use. When applying simplified empirical formulations, meteorological forcing could be replaced with alternative variables when the above-canopy temperature is unknown, to mitigate the effects of calibration inaccuracies or to account for the temporal admittance of the soil. However, if applied over a limited area, a characterization of both dry and wet edges could not be properly achieved; thus, a multi-temporal analysis can be exploited to include outer extremes in soil water content. A diachronic empirical approach introduces the need to assume a constancy of other meteorological forcing variables that control thermal features. Airborne images were acquired on a Sicilian vineyard during most of an entire irrigation period (fruit-set to ripening stages, vintage 2008), during which in situ soil water content was measured to set up the triangle method. Within this framework, we tested the triangle method by employing alternative thermal forcing. The results were inaccurate when air temperature at airborne acquisition was employed. Sonic and aerodynamic air temperatures confirmed and partially explained the limits of simultaneous meteorological forcing, and the use of proxy variables improved model accuracy. The analysis indicates that high spatial resolution does not necessarily imply higher accuracies.

Soil Water Content Assessment: Critical Issues Concerning the Operational Application of the Triangle Method

PubMed Central

Maltese, Antonino; Capodici, Fulvio; Ciraolo, Giuseppe; La Loggia, Goffredo

2015-01-01

Knowledge of soil water content plays a key role in water management efforts to improve irrigation efficiency. Among the indirect estimation methods of soil water content via Earth Observation data is the triangle method, used to analyze optical and thermal features because these are primarily controlled by water content within the near-surface evaporation layer and root zone in bare and vegetated soils. Although the soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer theory describes the ongoing processes, theoretical models reveal limits for operational use. When applying simplified empirical formulations, meteorological forcing could be replaced with alternative variables when the above-canopy temperature is unknown, to mitigate the effects of calibration inaccuracies or to account for the temporal admittance of the soil. However, if applied over a limited area, a characterization of both dry and wet edges could not be properly achieved; thus, a multi-temporal analysis can be exploited to include outer extremes in soil water content. A diachronic empirical approach introduces the need to assume a constancy of other meteorological forcing variables that control thermal features. Airborne images were acquired on a Sicilian vineyard during most of an entire irrigation period (fruit-set to ripening stages, vintage 2008), during which in situ soil water content was measured to set up the triangle method. Within this framework, we tested the triangle method by employing alternative thermal forcing. The results were inaccurate when air temperature at airborne acquisition was employed. Sonic and aerodynamic air temperatures confirmed and partially explained the limits of simultaneous meteorological forcing, and the use of proxy variables improved model accuracy. The analysis indicates that high spatial resolution does not necessarily imply higher accuracies. PMID:25808771

Quantitative determination and classification of energy drinks using near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Rácz, Anita; Héberger, Károly; Fodor, Marietta

2016-09-01

Almost a hundred commercially available energy drink samples from Hungary, Slovakia, and Greece were collected for the quantitative determination of their caffeine and sugar content with FT-NIR spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Calibration models were built with partial least-squares regression (PLSR). An HPLC-UV method was used to measure the reference values for caffeine content, while sugar contents were measured with the Schoorl method. Both the nominal sugar content (as indicated on the cans) and the measured sugar concentration were used as references. Although the Schoorl method has larger error and bias, appropriate models could be developed using both references. The validation of the models was based on sevenfold cross-validation and external validation. FT-NIR analysis is a good candidate to replace the HPLC-UV method, because it is much cheaper than any chromatographic method, while it is also more time-efficient. The combination of FT-NIR with multidimensional chemometric techniques like PLSR can be a good option for the detection of low caffeine concentrations in energy drinks. Moreover, three types of energy drinks that contain (i) taurine, (ii) arginine, and (iii) none of these two components were classified correctly using principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis. Such classifications are important for the detection of adulterated samples and for quality control, as well. In this case, more than a hundred samples were used for the evaluation. The classification was validated with cross-validation and several randomization tests (X-scrambling). Graphical Abstract The way of energy drinks from cans to appropriate chemometric models.

Effect of Fruit Lemon Juice Addition to The Content of Protein, Fat, Lactose and Probiotic on Soy Yogurt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Supriyanti, F. M. T.; Zackiyah; Azizah, N.

2017-02-01

This research aimed to determine the effect of lemon juice to the content of protein, fat, lactose and probiotics, in beverages soy yogurt. Soy yogurt which produced was a multifunction yogurt drink high levels of antioxidants, contains probiotics and can be used by people with lactose intolerance. The research method includes the production of fortified soy yogurt with lemon juice, were made with the ratio between the lemon juice and soy yogurt were 0:10 (L0); 1:9 (L1); 2:8 (L2); and 3:7 (L3). Analysis of the results include the content of protein by Kjeldahl method, the content of fat by Soxhletasi method, lactose test by Luff Schoorls method and content of probiotics with total plate count enumeration techniques. The results showed fortified yogurt had a protein content greater than before fortification (L3 > L2 > L1 > L0); The fat content L0 > L1 > L2 > L3. Fortified yogurt lactose content is smaller than before fortification (L0 > L1 > L2 > L3). The content of probiotic yogurt fortified L1 > L3 > L2. From this research can be concluded that the yoghurt fortified (L3) is the best, with the highest protein content, low fat, low lactose than L1 and L2, and had probiotics content. It is advised to conduct further research on the expired time of fortified soy yogurt products

Effects of cooking methods on starch and sugar composition of sweetpotato storage roots

PubMed Central

Wei, Shuying; Lu, Guoquan; Cao, Heping

2017-01-01

Sweetpotato has rich nutrition, good ecological adaptability and high yield. There is a lack of knowledge about the effects of cooking methods on starch and sugar components in elite Chinese cultivars. In this study, sweetpotato storage roots from four cultivars “Xinxiang”, “Jinyu”, “Zimei” and “Yuzishu 263” were treated by baking, boiling and steaming and subsequently analyzed for starch content, amylase activity and sugar contents including glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose. Results indicated that cooking reduced starch content and final amylase activity and increased reducing sugar content especially maltose content, but did not have significant influence on non-reducing sugar content. These effects were different among the four cultivars and three cooking methods. Baking led to the least starch reduction. Storage roots of “Jinyu” contained the highest amount of sugar content and thus sweetest. Sugar composition analysis suggested that cultivars “Xinxiang” and “Jinyu” belong to high-maltose cultivars. This study may provide useful information for evaluating the cooking quality of sweetpotato cultivars. PMID:28827808

The modelling influence of water content to mechanical parameter of soil in analysis of slope stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusman, M.; Nazki, A.; Putra, R. R.

2018-04-01

One of the parameters in slope stability analysis is the shear strength of the soil. Changes in soil shear strength characteristics lead to a decrease in safety factors on the slopes. This study aims to see the effect of increased moisture content on soil mechanical parameters. The case study study was conducted on the slopes of Sitinjau Lauik Kota Padang. The research method was done by laboratory analysis and simple liniear regression analysis and multiple. Based on the test soil results show that the increase in soil water content causes a decrease in cohesion values and internal shear angle. The relationship of moisture content to cohesion is described in equation Y = 55.713-0,6X with R2 = 0.842. While the relationship of water content to shear angle in soil is described in the equation Y = 38.878-0.258X with R2 = 0.915. From several simulations of soil water level improvement, calculation of safety factor (SF) of slope. The calculation results show that the increase of groundwater content is very significant affect the safety factor (SF) slope. SF slope values are in safe condition when moisture content is 50% and when it reaches maximum water content 73.74% slope safety factor value potentially for landslide.

Measuring the content of 17 elements in the flesh of Prunus cerasifera and its cultivars by ICP-MS.

PubMed

Shen, Jing; Xue, Hai-Yan; Li, Gai-Ru; Lu, Yi; Yao, Jun

2014-09-01

The present study compared the contents of inorganic elements in the pulp of purple, red, and yellow Prunus cerasifera with its cultivars. A method was established for the analysis of 17 kinds of trace elements (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Be, Li, Se, Sr, Cr, Pb, Cd, As and Hg) in the flesh of Prunus cerasifera by microwave digestion-ICP-MS. The detection method is simple and quick, yet shoes high precision and high sensitivity. The recovery rate of 17 elements ranged, from 93.5% to 110.4%. The analysis results showed that the contents of 17 elements in the flesh of purple, red, and yellow Prunus cerasifera and its cultivars are similar, containing extremely rich K elements (as high as 1 per thousand) and higher contents of Ca, Mg, Na, Fe and Mn. The contents of Cu, Zn, Li, Se, Sr and Cr are also present. The contents of Pb, Cd, As, Hg and other harmful element are either very low or not detectable. The experimental results for the study of trace elements in pulp of Prunus cerasifera and its cultivars provide empirical data for. future research in this area.

Measurement of the distribution of non-structural carbohydrate composition in onion populations by a high-throughput microplate enzymatic assay.

PubMed

Revanna, Roopashree; Turnbull, Matthew H; Shaw, Martin L; Wright, Kathryn M; Butler, Ruth C; Jameson, Paula E; McCallum, John A

2013-08-15

Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC; glucose, fructose, sucrose and fructan) composition of onions (Allium cepa L.) varies widely and is a key determinant of market usage. To analyse the physiology and genetics of onion carbohydrate metabolism and to enable selective breeding, an inexpensive, reliable and practicable sugar assay is required to phenotype large numbers of samples. A rapid, reliable and cost-effective microplate-based assay was developed for NSC analysis in onions and used to characterise variation in tissue hexose, sucrose and fructan content in open-pollinated breeding populations and in mapping populations developed from a wide onion cross. Sucrose measured in microplates employing maltase as a hydrolytic enzyme was in agreement with HPLC-PAD results. The method revealed significant variation in bulb fructan content within open-pollinated 'Pukekohe Longkeeper' breeding populations over a threefold range. Very wide segregation from 80 to 600 g kg(-1) in fructan content was observed in bulbs of F2 genetic mapping populations from the wide onion cross 'Nasik Red × CUDH2150'. The microplate enzymatic assay is a reliable and practicable method for onion sugar analysis for genetics, breeding and food technology. Open-pollinated onion populations may harbour extensive within-population variability in carbohydrate content, which may be quantified and exploited using this method. The phenotypic data obtained from genetic mapping populations show that the method is well suited to detailed genetic and physiological analysis. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inhibitory effect of burdock leaves on elastase and tyrosinase activity.

PubMed

Horng, Chi-Ting; Wu, Hsing-Chen; Chiang, Ni-Na; Lee, Chiu-Fang; Huang, Yu-Syuan; Wang, Hui-Yun; Yang, Jai-Sing; Chen, Fu-An

2017-10-01

Burdock ( Arctium lappa L.) leaves generate a considerable amount of waste following burdock root harvest in Taiwan. To increase the use of burdock leaves, the present study investigated the optimal methods for producing burdock leaf extract (BLE) with high antioxidant polyphenolic content, including drying methods and solvent extraction concentration. In addition, the elastase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of BLE was examined. Burdock leaves were dried by four methods: Shadow drying, oven drying, sun drying and freeze-drying. The extract solution was then subjected to total polyphenol content analysis and the method that produced BLE with the highest amount of total antioxidant components was taken forward for further analysis. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl scavenging, antielastase and antityrosinase activity of the BLE were measured to enable the evaluation of the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activities of BLE. The results indicated that the total polyphenolic content following extraction with ethanol (EtOH) was highest using the freeze-drying method, followed by the oven drying, shadow drying and sun drying methods. BLE yielded a higher polyphenol content and stronger antioxidant activity as the ratio of the aqueous content of the extraction solvent used increased. BLE possesses marked tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activities, with its antielastase activity notably stronger compared with its antityrosinase activity. These results indicate that the concentration of the extraction solvent was associated with the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activity of BLE. The reactive oxygen species scavenging theory of skin aging may explain the tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activity of BLE. In conclusion, the optimal method for obtaining BLE with a high antioxidant polyphenolic content was freeze-drying followed by 30-50% EtOH extraction. In addition, the antielastase and antityrosinase activities of the BLE produced may be aid in the development of skincare products with antiwrinkle and skin-evening properties.

Inhibitory effect of burdock leaves on elastase and tyrosinase activity

PubMed Central

Horng, Chi-Ting; Wu, Hsing-Chen; Chiang, Ni-Na; Lee, Chiu-Fang; Huang, Yu-Syuan; Wang, Hui-Yun; Yang, Jai-Sing; Chen, Fu-An

2017-01-01

Burdock (Arctium lappa L.) leaves generate a considerable amount of waste following burdock root harvest in Taiwan. To increase the use of burdock leaves, the present study investigated the optimal methods for producing burdock leaf extract (BLE) with high antioxidant polyphenolic content, including drying methods and solvent extraction concentration. In addition, the elastase and tyrosinase inhibitory activity of BLE was examined. Burdock leaves were dried by four methods: Shadow drying, oven drying, sun drying and freeze-drying. The extract solution was then subjected to total polyphenol content analysis and the method that produced BLE with the highest amount of total antioxidant components was taken forward for further analysis. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl scavenging, antielastase and antityrosinase activity of the BLE were measured to enable the evaluation of the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activities of BLE. The results indicated that the total polyphenolic content following extraction with ethanol (EtOH) was highest using the freeze-drying method, followed by the oven drying, shadow drying and sun drying methods. BLE yielded a higher polyphenol content and stronger antioxidant activity as the ratio of the aqueous content of the extraction solvent used increased. BLE possesses marked tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activities, with its antielastase activity notably stronger compared with its antityrosinase activity. These results indicate that the concentration of the extraction solvent was associated with the antioxidant and skin aging-associated enzyme inhibitory activity of BLE. The reactive oxygen species scavenging theory of skin aging may explain the tyrosinase and elastase inhibitory activity of BLE. In conclusion, the optimal method for obtaining BLE with a high antioxidant polyphenolic content was freeze-drying followed by 30–50% EtOH extraction. In addition, the antielastase and antityrosinase activities of the BLE produced may be aid in the development of skincare products with antiwrinkle and skin-evening properties. PMID:28912875

The order and priority of research and design method application within an assistive technology new product development process: a summative content analysis of 20 case studies.

PubMed

Torrens, George Edward

2018-01-01

Summative content analysis was used to define methods and heuristics from each case study. The review process was in two parts: (1) A literature review to identify conventional research methods and (2) a summative content analysis of published case studies, based on the identified methods and heuristics to suggest an order and priority of where and when were used. Over 200 research and design methods and design heuristics were identified. From the review of the 20 case studies 42 were identified as being applied. The majority of methods and heuristics were applied in phase two, market choice. There appeared a disparity between the limited numbers of methods frequently used, under 10 within the 20 case studies, when hundreds were available. Implications for Rehabilitation The communication highlights a number of issues that have implication for those involved in assistive technology new product development: •The study defined over 200 well-established research and design methods and design heuristics that are available for use by those who specify and design assistive technology products, which provide a comprehensive reference list for practitioners in the field; •The review within the study suggests only a limited number of research and design methods are regularly used by industrial design focused assistive technology new product developers; and, •Debate is required within the practitioners working in this field to reflect on how a wider range of potentially more effective methods and heuristics may be incorporated into daily working practice.

Every document and picture tells a story: using internal corporate document reviews, semiotics, and content analysis to assess tobacco advertising.

PubMed

Anderson, S J; Dewhirst, T; Ling, P M

2006-06-01

In this article we present communication theory as a conceptual framework for conducting documents research on tobacco advertising strategies, and we discuss two methods for analysing advertisements: semiotics and content analysis. We provide concrete examples of how we have used tobacco industry documents archives and tobacco advertisement collections iteratively in our research to yield a synergistic analysis of these two complementary data sources. Tobacco promotion researchers should consider adopting these theoretical and methodological approaches.

Novel near-infrared sampling apparatus for single kernel analysis of oil content in maize.

PubMed

Janni, James; Weinstock, B André; Hagen, Lisa; Wright, Steve

2008-04-01

A method of rapid, nondestructive chemical and physical analysis of individual maize (Zea mays L.) kernels is needed for the development of high value food, feed, and fuel traits. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy offers a robust nondestructive method of trait determination. However, traditional NIR bulk sampling techniques cannot be applied successfully to individual kernels. Obtaining optimized single kernel NIR spectra for applied chemometric predictive analysis requires a novel sampling technique that can account for the heterogeneous forms, morphologies, and opacities exhibited in individual maize kernels. In this study such a novel technique is described and compared to less effective means of single kernel NIR analysis. Results of the application of a partial least squares (PLS) derived model for predictive determination of percent oil content per individual kernel are shown.

A rapid Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic method for direct quantification of paracetamol content in solid pharmaceutical formulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallah, Muhammad Ali; Sherazi, Syed Tufail Hussain; Bhanger, Muhammad Iqbal; Mahesar, Sarfaraz Ahmed; Bajeer, Muhammad Ashraf

2015-04-01

A transmission FTIR spectroscopic method was developed for direct, inexpensive and fast quantification of paracetamol content in solid pharmaceutical formulations. In this method paracetamol content is directly analyzed without solvent extraction. KBr pellets were formulated for the acquisition of FTIR spectra in transmission mode. Two chemometric models: simple Beer's law and partial least squares employed over the spectral region of 1800-1000 cm-1 for quantification of paracetamol content had a regression coefficient of (R2) of 0.999. The limits of detection and quantification using FTIR spectroscopy were 0.005 mg g-1 and 0.018 mg g-1, respectively. Study for interference was also done to check effect of the excipients. There was no significant interference from the sample matrix. The results obviously showed the sensitivity of transmission FTIR spectroscopic method for pharmaceutical analysis. This method is green in the sense that it does not require large volumes of hazardous solvents or long run times and avoids prior sample preparation.

Leadership in Doctoral Dissertations of Educational Sciences in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yardibi, Nursel

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study is to determine tendencies in educational sciences doctoral dissertations according to divisions, research methods and desings, data collection tools, data analysis techniques, and leadership levels in Turkey. This content analysis study has been desinged with qualitative research methods. This research has been limited by…

Evaluation of Yogurt Microstructure Using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and Image Analysis.

PubMed

Skytte, Jacob L; Ghita, Ovidiu; Whelan, Paul F; Andersen, Ulf; Møller, Flemming; Dahl, Anders B; Larsen, Rasmus

2015-06-01

The microstructure of protein networks in yogurts defines important physical properties of the yogurt and hereby partly its quality. Imaging this protein network using confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) has shown good results, and CSLM has become a standard measuring technique for fermented dairy products. When studying such networks, hundreds of images can be obtained, and here image analysis methods are essential for using the images in statistical analysis. Previously, methods including gray level co-occurrence matrix analysis and fractal analysis have been used with success. However, a range of other image texture characterization methods exists. These methods describe an image by a frequency distribution of predefined image features (denoted textons). Our contribution is an investigation of the choice of image analysis methods by performing a comparative study of 7 major approaches to image texture description. Here, CSLM images from a yogurt fermentation study are investigated, where production factors including fat content, protein content, heat treatment, and incubation temperature are varied. The descriptors are evaluated through nearest neighbor classification, variance analysis, and cluster analysis. Our investigation suggests that the texton-based descriptors provide a fuller description of the images compared to gray-level co-occurrence matrix descriptors and fractal analysis, while still being as applicable and in some cases as easy to tune. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

[Enzymatic analysis of the quality of foodstuffs].

PubMed

Kolesnov, A Iu

1997-01-01

Enzymatic analysis is an independent and separate branch of enzymology and analytical chemistry. It has become one of the most important methodologies used in food analysis. Enzymatic analysis allows the quick, reliable determination of many food ingredients. Often these contents cannot be determined by conventional methods, or if methods are available, they are determined only with limited accuracy. Today, methods of enzymatic analysis are being increasingly used in the investigation of foodstuffs. Enzymatic measurement techniques are used in industry, scientific and food inspection laboratories for quality analysis. This article describes the requirements of an optimal analytical method: specificity, sample preparation, assay performance, precision, sensitivity, time requirement, analysis cost, safety of reagents.

Web accessibility support for visually impaired users using link content analysis.

PubMed

Iwata, Hajime; Kobayashi, Naofumi; Tachibana, Kenji; Shirogane, Junko; Fukazawa, Yoshiaki

2013-12-01

Web pages are used for a variety of purposes. End users must understand dynamically changing content and sequentially follow page links to find desired material, requiring significant time and effort. However, for visually impaired users using screen readers, it can be difficult to find links to web pages when link text and alternative text descriptions are inappropriate. Our method supports the discovery of content by analyzing 8 categories of link types, and allows visually impaired users to be aware of the content represented by links in advance. This facilitates end users access to necessary information on web pages. Our method of classifying web page links is therefore effective as a means of evaluating accessibility.

Considerations of multicultural science and curriculum reform: A content analysis of state-adopted biology textbooks in Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgato, Margaret H.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the extent to which multicultural science education, including indigenous knowledge representations, had been infused within the content of high school biology textbooks. The study evaluated the textbook as an instructional tool and framework for multicultural science education instruction by comparing the mainstream content to indigenous knowledge perspectives portrayed in the student and teacher editions of 34 textbooks adopted in Florida within the last four adoption cycles occurring from 1990 to 2006. The investigation involved a content analysis framed from a mixed methods approach. Emphasis was placed, in consideration of the research questions and practicality of interpreting text with the potential for multiple meanings, within qualitative methods. The investigation incorporated five strategies to assess the extent of multicultural content: (1) calculation of frequency of indigenous representations through the use of a tally; (2) assessment of content in the teacher editions by coding the degree of incorporation of multicultural content; (3) development of an archaeology of statements to determine the ways in which indigenous representations were incorporated into the content; (4) use of the Evaluation Coefficient Analysis (ECO) to determine extent of multicultural terminologies within content; and (5) analysis of visuals and illustrations to gauge percentages of depictions of minority groups. Results indicated no solid trend in an increase of inclusion of multicultural content over the last four adoption cycles. Efforts at most reduced the inclusion of indigenous representations and other multicultural content to the level of the teacher edition distributed among the teacher-interleafed pages or as annotations in the margins. Degree of support of multicultural content to the specific goals and objectives remained limited across all four of the adoption cycles represented in the study. Emphasis on standardized testing appeared in the six textbooks representing the most recent adoption cycle. Recommendations included increased efforts to identify quality of content by including input from scholars in the field of multicultural education as well as indigenous peoples in the creation of textbook content. Recommendations also included further clarification of the definition of science within multicultural science education frameworks, indigenous knowledge as compared to Western science and pseudoscienc e, and scientific literacy as a central focus to a multicultural science education meant to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student population and prime-age workforce.

The study on biomass fraction estimate methodology of municipal solid waste incinerator in Korea.

PubMed

Kang, Seongmin; Kim, Seungjin; Lee, Jeongwoo; Yun, Hyunki; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Jeon, Eui-Chan

2016-10-01

In Korea, the amount of greenhouse gases released due to waste materials was 14,800,000 t CO2eq in 2012, which increased from 5,000,000 t CO2eq in 2010. This included the amount released due to incineration, which has gradually increased since 2010. Incineration was found to be the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases, with 7,400,000 t CO2eq released in 2012. Therefore, with regards to the trading of greenhouse gases emissions initiated in 2015 and the writing of the national inventory report, it is important to increase the reliability of the measurements related to the incineration of waste materials. This research explored methods for estimating the biomass fraction at Korean MSW incinerator facilities and compared the biomass fractions obtained with the different biomass fraction estimation methods. The biomass fraction was estimated by the method using default values of fossil carbon fraction suggested by IPCC, the method using the solid waste composition, and the method using incinerator flue gas. The highest biomass fractions in Korean municipal solid waste incinerator facilities were estimated by the IPCC Default method, followed by the MSW analysis method and the Flue gas analysis method. Therefore, the difference in the biomass fraction estimate was the greatest between the IPCC Default and the Flue gas analysis methods. The difference between the MSW analysis and the flue gas analysis methods was smaller than the difference with IPCC Default method. This suggested that the use of the IPCC default method cannot reflect the characteristics of Korean waste incinerator facilities and Korean MSW. Incineration is one of most effective methods for disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). This paper investigates the applicability of using biomass content to estimate the amount of CO2 released, and compares the biomass contents determined by different methods in order to establish a method for estimating biomass in the MSW incinerator facilities of Korea. After analyzing the biomass contents of the collected solid waste samples and the flue gas samples, the results were compared with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) method, and it seems that to calculate the biomass fraction it is better to use the flue gas analysis method than the IPCC method. It is valuable to design and operate a real new incineration power plant, especially for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions.

Balance Between Merit and Equity in Academic Hiring Decisions: Judgemental Content Analysis Applied to the Phraseology of Australian Tenure-Stream Advertisements in Comparison with Canadian Advertisements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, Gregory J.; Furedy, John J.; Neumann, David L.; Westbury, H. Rae; Reiestad, Magnus

2010-01-01

The wording of university academic job advertisements can reflect a commitment to equity (affirmative action) as opposed to academic merit in hiring decisions. The method of judgemental content analysis was applied by having three judges rate 810 Australian tenure-stream advertisements on seven-point magnitude scales of equity and merit. The…

Health Information Needs and Health Seeking Behavior During the 2014-2016 Ebola Outbreak: A Twitter Content Analysis

PubMed Central

Odlum, Michelle; Yoon, Sunmoo

2018-01-01

Introduction: For effective public communication during major disease outbreaks like the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, health information needs of the population must be adequately assessed. Through content analysis of social media data, like tweets, public health information needs can be effectively assessed and in turn provide appropriate health information to address such needs. The aim of the current study was to assess health information needs about Ebola, at distinct epidemic time points, through longitudinal tracking. Methods: Natural language processing was applied to explore public response to Ebola over time from July 2014 to March 2015. A total 155,647 tweets (unique 68,736, retweet 86,911) mentioning Ebola were analyzed and visualized with infographics. Results: Public fear, frustration, and health information seeking regarding Ebola-related global priorities were observed across time. Our longitudinal content analysis revealed that due to ongoing health information deficiencies, resulting in fear and frustration, social media was at times an impediment and not a vehicle to support health information needs.  Discussion: Content analysis of tweets effectively assessed Ebola information needs. Our study also demonstrates the use of Twitter as a method for capturing real-time data to assess ongoing information needs, fear, and frustration over time.  PMID:29707416

Quantitation of absorbed or deposited materials on a substrate that measures energy deposition

DOEpatents

Grant, Patrick G.; Bakajin, Olgica; Vogel, John S.; Bench, Graham

2005-01-18

This invention provides a system and method for measuring an energy differential that correlates to quantitative measurement of an amount mass of an applied localized material. Such a system and method remains compatible with other methods of analysis, such as, for example, quantitating the elemental or isotopic content, identifying the material, or using the material in biochemical analysis.

Analysis of sweet diterpene glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana: improved HPLC method.

PubMed

Kolb, N; Herrera, J L; Ferreyra, D J; Uliana, R F

2001-10-01

An improved analytical method was developed which may be applied to quality control of stevioside and rebaudioside A contents in dried leaves of Stevia rebaudiana before processing; in a selective sampling program searching for plants of higher yield in diterpene glycosides content; or when a large number of samples are sent to the laboratory for analysis. The procedure developed involves two steps: solvent extraction followed by an isocratic HPLC analysis. The sample, 1 g of dried leaves of S. rebaudiana, is ground and solvent-extracted with EtOH 70% (w/w) in Erlenmeyer flasks by shaking for 30 min in a 70 degrees C water bath. After the extract was cooled, it was filtered and analyzed by HPLC using an NH(2) column (250 x 4.6 mm) and a mixture of acetonitrile/water (80:20, v/v) as mobile phase, pH 5 adjusted with acetic acid. The detection was in the UV range at 210 nm (0.04 AUFS). Quantitation was performed by means of an external standard calibration curve for each analyte which had been obtained from standard solutions of pure stevioside and rebaudioside A. Working under these conditions there were no observed interference effects. The method saves time in sample preparation, and reduces sample handling and chromatographic analysis time, while having little loss of precision [coefficient of variation (CV%) between 1.8% and 3.0%] and recovery [between 98.5% and 100.5%]. The method was applied to 30 samples of S. rebaudiana from Misiones (Northeastern Argentina), and the stevioside content found ranged between 3.78 and 9.75% (weight) whereas Rebaudioside A content ranged between 1.62 and 7.27% (weight).

Tumor Content Chart-Assisted HER2/CEP17 Digital PCR Analysis of Gastric Cancer Biopsy Specimens.

PubMed

Matsusaka, Keisuke; Ishikawa, Shumpei; Nakayama, Atsuhito; Ushiku, Tetsuo; Nishimoto, Aiko; Urabe, Masayuki; Kaneko, Nobuyuki; Kunita, Akiko; Kaneda, Atsushi; Aburatani, Hiroyuki; Fujishiro, Mitsuhiro; Seto, Yasuyuki; Fukayama, Masashi

2016-01-01

Evaluating HER2 gene amplification is an essential component of therapeutic decision-making for advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. A simple method that is applicable to small, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens is desirable as an adjunct to or as a substitute for currently used HER2 immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization protocols. In this study, we developed a microfluidics-based digital PCR method for determining HER2 and chromosome 17 centromere (CEP17) copy numbers and estimating tumor content ratio (TCR). The HER2/CEP17 ratio is determined by three variables-TCR and absolute copy numbers of HER2 and CEP17-by examining tumor cells; only the ratio of the latter two can be obtained by digital PCR using the whole specimen without purifying tumor cells. TCR was determined by semi-automatic image analysis. We developed a Tumor Content chart, which is a plane of rectangular coordinates consisting of HER2/CEP17 digital PCR data and TCR that delineates amplified, non-amplified, and equivocal areas. By applying this method, 44 clinical gastric cancer biopsy samples were classified as amplified (n = 13), non-amplified (n = 25), or equivocal (n = 6). By comparison, 11 samples were positive, 11 were negative, and 22 were equivocally immunohistochemistry. Thus, our novel method reduced the number of equivocal samples from 22 to 6, thereby obviating the need for confirmation by fluorescence or dual-probe in situ hybridization to < 30% of cases. Tumor content chart-assisted digital PCR analysis is also applicable to multiple sites in surgically resected tissues. These results indicate that this analysis is a useful alternative to HER2 immunohistochemistry in gastric cancers that can serve as a basis for the automated evaluation of HER2 status.

Tumor Content Chart-Assisted HER2/CEP17 Digital PCR Analysis of Gastric Cancer Biopsy Specimens

PubMed Central

Matsusaka, Keisuke; Ishikawa, Shumpei; Nakayama, Atsuhito; Ushiku, Tetsuo; Nishimoto, Aiko; Urabe, Masayuki; Kaneko, Nobuyuki; Kunita, Akiko; Kaneda, Atsushi; Aburatani, Hiroyuki; Fujishiro, Mitsuhiro; Seto, Yasuyuki; Fukayama, Masashi

2016-01-01

Evaluating HER2 gene amplification is an essential component of therapeutic decision-making for advanced or metastatic gastric cancer. A simple method that is applicable to small, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens is desirable as an adjunct to or as a substitute for currently used HER2 immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization protocols. In this study, we developed a microfluidics-based digital PCR method for determining HER2 and chromosome 17 centromere (CEP17) copy numbers and estimating tumor content ratio (TCR). The HER2/CEP17 ratio is determined by three variables—TCR and absolute copy numbers of HER2 and CEP17—by examining tumor cells; only the ratio of the latter two can be obtained by digital PCR using the whole specimen without purifying tumor cells. TCR was determined by semi-automatic image analysis. We developed a Tumor Content chart, which is a plane of rectangular coordinates consisting of HER2/CEP17 digital PCR data and TCR that delineates amplified, non-amplified, and equivocal areas. By applying this method, 44 clinical gastric cancer biopsy samples were classified as amplified (n = 13), non-amplified (n = 25), or equivocal (n = 6). By comparison, 11 samples were positive, 11 were negative, and 22 were equivocally immunohistochemistry. Thus, our novel method reduced the number of equivocal samples from 22 to 6, thereby obviating the need for confirmation by fluorescence or dual-probe in situ hybridization to < 30% of cases. Tumor content chart-assisted digital PCR analysis is also applicable to multiple sites in surgically resected tissues. These results indicate that this analysis is a useful alternative to HER2 immunohistochemistry in gastric cancers that can serve as a basis for the automated evaluation of HER2 status. PMID:27119558

Use of Temperature and Humidity Sensors to Determine Moisture Content of Oolong Tea

PubMed Central

Chen, Andrew; Chen, Hsuan-Yu; Chen, Chiachung

2014-01-01

The measurement of tea moisture content is important for processing and storing tea. The moisture content of tea affects the quality and durability of the product. Some electrical devices have been proposed to measure the moisture content of tea leaves but are not practical. Their performance is influenced by material density and packing. The official oven method is time-consuming. In this study, the moisture content of Oolong tea was measured by the equilibrium relative humidity technique. The equilibrium relative humidity, and temperature, of tea materials were measured by using temperature and relative humidity sensors. Sensors were calibrated, and calibration equations were established to improve accuracy. The moisture content was calculated by using an equilibrium moisture content model. The error of the moisture content determined with this method was within 0.5% w.b. at moisture <15% w.b. Uncertainty analysis revealed that the performance of the humidity sensor had a significant effect on the accuracy of moisture determination. PMID:25153142

[Analysis of chondroitin sulfate content of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum with different processing methods and different parts].

PubMed

Gong, Rui-Ze; Wang, Yan-Hua; Sun, Yin-Shi

2018-02-01

The differences and the variations of chondroitin sulfate content in different parts of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(CCP) with different processing methods were investigated. The chondroitin sulfate from velvet was extracted by dilute alkali-concentrated salt method. Next， the chondroitin sulfate was digested by chondroitinase ABC.The contents of total chondroitin sulfate and chondroitin sulfate A， B and C in the samples were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).The content of chondroitin sulfate in wax，powder，gauze，bone slices of CCP with freeze-drying processing is 14.13，11.99，1.74，0.32 g·kg⁻¹， respectively. The content of chondroitin sulfate in wax，powder，gauze，bone slices of CCP with boiling processing is 10.71，8.97，2.21，1.40 g·kg⁻¹， respectively. The content of chondroitin sulfate in wax，powder，gauze，bone slices of CCP without blood is 12.47，9.47，2.64，0.07 g·kg⁻¹， respectively. And the content of chondroitin sulfate in wax，powder，gauze，bone slices of CCP with blood is 8.22，4.39，0.87，0.28 g·kg⁻¹ respectively. The results indicated that the chondroitin sulfate content in different processing methods was significantly different.The content of chondroitin sulfate in CCP with freeze-drying is higher than that in CCP with boiling processing.The content of chondroitin sulfate in CCP without blood is higher than that in CCP with blood. The chondroitin sulfate content in differerent paris of the velvet with the same processing methods was arranged from high to low as： wax slices， powder， gauze slices， bone slices. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Surfing for suicide methods and help: content analysis of websites retrieved with search engines in Austria and the United States.

PubMed

Till, Benedikt; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas

2014-08-01

The Internet provides a variety of resources for individuals searching for suicide-related information. Structured content-analytic approaches to assess intercultural differences in web contents retrieved with method-related and help-related searches are scarce. We used the 2 most popular search engines (Google and Yahoo/Bing) to retrieve US-American and Austrian search results for the term suicide, method-related search terms (e.g., suicide methods, how to kill yourself, painless suicide, how to hang yourself), and help-related terms (e.g., suicidal thoughts, suicide help) on February 11, 2013. In total, 396 websites retrieved with US search engines and 335 websites from Austrian searches were analyzed with content analysis on the basis of current media guidelines for suicide reporting. We assessed the quality of websites and compared findings across search terms and between the United States and Austria. In both countries, protective outweighed harmful website characteristics by approximately 2:1. Websites retrieved with method-related search terms (e.g., how to hang yourself) contained more harmful (United States: P < .001, Austria: P < .05) and fewer protective characteristics (United States: P < .001, Austria: P < .001) compared to the term suicide. Help-related search terms (e.g., suicidal thoughts) yielded more websites with protective characteristics (United States: P = .07, Austria: P < .01). Websites retrieved with U.S. search engines generally had more protective characteristics (P < .001) than searches with Austrian search engines. Resources with harmful characteristics were better ranked than those with protective characteristics (United States: P < .01, Austria: P < .05). The quality of suicide-related websites obtained depends on the search terms used. Preventive efforts to improve the ranking of preventive web content, particularly regarding method-related search terms, seem necessary. © Copyright 2014 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Quantification of polyhydroxyalkanoates in mixed and pure cultures biomass by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: comparison of different approaches.

PubMed

Isak, I; Patel, M; Riddell, M; West, M; Bowers, T; Wijeyekoon, S; Lloyd, J

2016-08-01

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used in this study for the rapid quantification of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in mixed and pure culture bacterial biomass. Three different statistical analysis methods (regression, partial least squares (PLS) and nonlinear) were applied to the FTIR data and the results were plotted against the PHA values measured with the reference gas chromatography technique. All methods predicted PHA content in mixed culture biomass with comparable efficiency, indicated by similar residuals values. The PHA in these cultures ranged from low to medium concentration (0-44 wt% of dried biomass content). However, for the analysis of the combined mixed and pure culture biomass with PHA concentration ranging from low to high (0-93% of dried biomass content), the PLS method was most efficient. This paper reports, for the first time, the use of a single calibration model constructed with a combination of mixed and pure cultures covering a wide PHA range, for predicting PHA content in biomass. Currently no one universal method exists for processing FTIR data for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) quantification. This study compares three different methods of analysing FTIR data for quantification of PHAs in biomass. A new data-processing approach was proposed and the results were compared against existing literature methods. Most publications report PHA quantification of medium range in pure culture. However, in our study we encompassed both mixed and pure culture biomass containing a broader range of PHA in the calibration curve. The resulting prediction model is useful for rapid quantification of a wider range of PHA content in biomass. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A Mixed Methods Content Analysis of the Research Literature in Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schram, Asta B.

2014-10-01

In recent years, more and more researchers in science education have been turning to the practice of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. This approach of using mixed methods creates possibilities to study the various issues that science educators encounter in more depth. In this content analysis, I evaluated 18 studies from science education journals as they relate to the definition, design, and overall practice of using mixed methods. I scrutinized a purposeful sample, derived from 3 journals (the International Journal of Science Education, the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and the Research in Science Education) in terms of the type of data collected, timing, priority, design, the mixing of the 2 data strands in the studies, and the justifications authors provide for using mixed methods. Furthermore, the articles were evaluated in terms of how well they met contemporary definitions for mixed methods research. The studies varied considerably in the use and understanding of mixed methods. A systematic evaluation of the employment of mixed methods methodology was used to identify the studies that best reflected contemporary definitions. A comparison to earlier content analyses of mixed methods research indicates that researchers' knowledge of mixed methods methodology may be increasing. The use of this strategy in science education research calls, however, for an improved methodology, especially concerning the practice of mixing. Suggestions are given on how to best use this approach.

Comparative measurements of stratospheric particulate content by aircraft and ground-based lidar. [aerosol sampling and scattering data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viezee, W.; Russell, P. B.; Hake, R. D., Jr.

1974-01-01

The matching method of lidar data analysis is explained, and the results from two flights studying the stratospheric aerosol using lidar techniques are summarized and interpreted. Support is lent to the matching method of lidar data analysis by the results, but it is not yet apparent that the analysis technique leads to acceptable results on all nights in all seasons.

HMF and diastase activity in honeys: A fully validated approach and a chemometric analysis for identification of honey freshness and adulteration.

PubMed

Pasias, Ioannis N; Kiriakou, Ioannis K; Proestos, Charalampos

2017-08-15

A fully validated approach for the determination of diastase activity and hydroxymethylfurfural content in honeys were presented in accordance with the official methods. Methods were performed in real honey sample analysis and due to the vast number of collected data sets reliable conclusions about the correlation between the composition and the quality criteria were exported. The limits of detection and quantification were calculated. Accuracy, precision and uncertainty were estimated for the first time in the kinetic and spectrometric techniques using the certified reference material and the determined values were in good accordance with the certified values. PCA and cluster analysis were performed in order to examine the correlation among the artificial feeding of honeybees with carbohydrate supplements and the chemical composition and properties of the honey. Diastase activity, sucrose content and hydroxymethylfurfural content were easily differentiated and these parameters were used for indication of the adulteration of the honey. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of EPA and DHA in fish oil nutritional capsules by GC-MS.

PubMed

Yi, Tao; Li, Shuk-Man; Fan, Jia-Yi; Fan, Lan-Lan; Zhang, Zhi-Feng; Luo, Pei; Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Wang, Jian-Gang; Zhu, Lin; Zhao, Zhong-Zhen; Chen, Hu-Biao

2014-12-13

Fish oil is a popular nutritional product consumed in Hong Kong. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are the two main bioactive components responsible for the health benefits of fish oil. Market survey in Hong Kong demonstrated that various fish oil capsules with different origins and prices are sold simultaneously. However, these capsules are labelled with same ingredient levels, namely EPA 180 mg/g and DHA 120 mg/g. This situation makes the consumers very confused. To evaluate the quality of various fish oil capsules, a comparative analysis of the contents of EPA and DHA in fish oil is crucial. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed for identification and determination of EPA and DHA in fish oil capsules. A comprehensive validation of the developed method was conducted. Ten batches of fish oil capsules samples purchased from drugstores of Hong Kong were analyzed by using the developed method. The present method presented good sensitivity, precision and accuracy. The limits of detection (LOD) for EPA and DHA were 0.08 ng and 0.21 ng, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of EPA and DHA for repeatability tests were both less than 1.05%; and the recovery for accuracy test of EPA and DHA were 100.50% and 103.83%, respectively. In ten fish oil samples, the contents of EPA ranged from 39.52 mg/g to 509.16 mg/g, and the contents of DHA ranged from 35.14 mg/g to 645.70 mg/g. The present method is suitable for the quantitative analysis of EPA and DHA in fish oil capsules. There is a significant variation in the contents of the quantified components in fish oil samples, and there is not a linear relationship between price and contents of EPA and DHA. Strict supervision of the labelling of the fish oil capsules is urgently needed.

Optical Method for Estimating the Chlorophyll Contents in Plant Leaves.

PubMed

Pérez-Patricio, Madaín; Camas-Anzueto, Jorge Luis; Sanchez-Alegría, Avisaí; Aguilar-González, Abiel; Gutiérrez-Miceli, Federico; Escobar-Gómez, Elías; Voisin, Yvon; Rios-Rojas, Carlos; Grajales-Coutiño, Ruben

2018-02-22

This work introduces a new vision-based approach for estimating chlorophyll contents in a plant leaf using reflectance and transmittance as base parameters. Images of the top and underside of the leaf are captured. To estimate the base parameters (reflectance/transmittance), a novel optical arrangement is proposed. The chlorophyll content is then estimated by using linear regression where the inputs are the reflectance and transmittance of the leaf. Performance of the proposed method for chlorophyll content estimation was compared with a spectrophotometer and a Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) meter. Chlorophyll content estimation was realized for Lactuca sativa L., Azadirachta indica , Canavalia ensiforme , and Lycopersicon esculentum . Experimental results showed that-in terms of accuracy and processing speed-the proposed algorithm outperformed many of the previous vision-based approach methods that have used SPAD as a reference device. On the other hand, the accuracy reached is 91% for crops such as Azadirachta indica , where the chlorophyll value was obtained using the spectrophotometer. Additionally, it was possible to achieve an estimation of the chlorophyll content in the leaf every 200 ms with a low-cost camera and a simple optical arrangement. This non-destructive method increased accuracy in the chlorophyll content estimation by using an optical arrangement that yielded both the reflectance and transmittance information, while the required hardware is cheap.

Error Analysis of Clay-Rock Water Content Estimation with Broadband High-Frequency Electromagnetic Sensors—Air Gap Effect

PubMed Central

Bore, Thierry; Wagner, Norman; Delepine Lesoille, Sylvie; Taillade, Frederic; Six, Gonzague; Daout, Franck; Placko, Dominique

2016-01-01

Broadband electromagnetic frequency or time domain sensor techniques present high potential for quantitative water content monitoring in porous media. Prior to in situ application, the impact of the relationship between the broadband electromagnetic properties of the porous material (clay-rock) and the water content on the frequency or time domain sensor response is required. For this purpose, dielectric properties of intact clay rock samples experimental determined in the frequency range from 1 MHz to 10 GHz were used as input data in 3-D numerical frequency domain finite element field calculations to model the one port broadband frequency or time domain transfer function for a three rods based sensor embedded in the clay-rock. The sensor response in terms of the reflection factor was analyzed in time domain with classical travel time analysis in combination with an empirical model according to Topp equation, as well as the theoretical Lichtenecker and Rother model (LRM) to estimate the volumetric water content. The mixture equation considering the appropriate porosity of the investigated material provide a practical and efficient approach for water content estimation based on classical travel time analysis with the onset-method. The inflection method is not recommended for water content estimation in electrical dispersive and absorptive material. Moreover, the results clearly indicate that effects due to coupling of the sensor to the material cannot be neglected. Coupling problems caused by an air gap lead to dramatic effects on water content estimation, even for submillimeter gaps. Thus, the quantitative determination of the in situ water content requires careful sensor installation in order to reach a perfect probe clay rock coupling. PMID:27096865

Error Analysis of Clay-Rock Water Content Estimation with Broadband High-Frequency Electromagnetic Sensors--Air Gap Effect.

PubMed

Bore, Thierry; Wagner, Norman; Lesoille, Sylvie Delepine; Taillade, Frederic; Six, Gonzague; Daout, Franck; Placko, Dominique

2016-04-18

Broadband electromagnetic frequency or time domain sensor techniques present high potential for quantitative water content monitoring in porous media. Prior to in situ application, the impact of the relationship between the broadband electromagnetic properties of the porous material (clay-rock) and the water content on the frequency or time domain sensor response is required. For this purpose, dielectric properties of intact clay rock samples experimental determined in the frequency range from 1 MHz to 10 GHz were used as input data in 3-D numerical frequency domain finite element field calculations to model the one port broadband frequency or time domain transfer function for a three rods based sensor embedded in the clay-rock. The sensor response in terms of the reflection factor was analyzed in time domain with classical travel time analysis in combination with an empirical model according to Topp equation, as well as the theoretical Lichtenecker and Rother model (LRM) to estimate the volumetric water content. The mixture equation considering the appropriate porosity of the investigated material provide a practical and efficient approach for water content estimation based on classical travel time analysis with the onset-method. The inflection method is not recommended for water content estimation in electrical dispersive and absorptive material. Moreover, the results clearly indicate that effects due to coupling of the sensor to the material cannot be neglected. Coupling problems caused by an air gap lead to dramatic effects on water content estimation, even for submillimeter gaps. Thus, the quantitative determination of the in situ water content requires careful sensor installation in order to reach a perfect probe clay rock coupling.

Digital dream analysis: a revised method.

PubMed

Bulkeley, Kelly

2014-10-01

This article demonstrates the use of a digital word search method designed to provide greater accuracy, objectivity, and speed in the study of dreams. A revised template of 40 word search categories, built into the website of the Sleep and Dream Database (SDDb), is applied to four "classic" sets of dreams: The male and female "Norm" dreams of Hall and Van de Castle (1966), the "Engine Man" dreams discussed by Hobson (1988), and the "Barb Sanders Baseline 250" dreams examined by Domhoff (2003). A word search analysis of these original dream reports shows that a digital approach can accurately identify many of the same distinctive patterns of content found by previous investigators using much more laborious and time-consuming methods. The results of this study emphasize the compatibility of word search technologies with traditional approaches to dream content analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS OF MERCURY IN CRUDE OIL

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling and analytical procedures used to determine total mercury content in crude oils were examined. Three analytical methods were compared with respect to accuracy, precision and detection limit. The combustion method and a commercial extraction method were found adequate to...

40 CFR 60.435 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of any affected facility using solvent-borne ink systems shall determine the VOC content of the raw inks and related coatings used at the affected facility by: (1) Analysis using Method 24A of routine weekly samples of raw ink and related coatings in each respective storage tank; or (2) Analysis using...

40 CFR 60.435 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of any affected facility using solvent-borne ink systems shall determine the VOC content of the raw inks and related coatings used at the affected facility by: (1) Analysis using Method 24A of routine weekly samples of raw ink and related coatings in each respective storage tank; or (2) Analysis using...

40 CFR 60.435 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of any affected facility using solvent-borne ink systems shall determine the VOC content of the raw inks and related coatings used at the affected facility by: (1) Analysis using Method 24A of routine weekly samples of raw ink and related coatings in each respective storage tank; or (2) Analysis using...

21 CFR 177.2450 - Polyamide-imide resins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Determination as set forth in the “Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical... chromatography method titled “Amide-Imide Polymer Analysis—Analysis of Monomer Content,” is incorporated by... of films of 1 mil uniform thickness after coating and heat curing at 600 °F for 15 minutes on...

College Students' Uses and Perceptions of Social Networking Sites for Health and Wellness Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yan

2012-01-01

Introduction: This study explores college students' use of social networking sites for health and wellness information and their perceptions of this use. Method: Thirty-eight college students were interviewed. Analysis: The interview transcripts were analysed using the qualitative content analysis method. Results: Those who had experience using…

Hydrogen concentration analysis in clinopyroxene using proton-proton scattering analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weis, Franz A.; Ros, Linus; Reichart, Patrick; Skogby, Henrik; Kristiansson, Per; Dollinger, Günther

2018-02-01

Traditional methods to measure water in nominally anhydrous minerals (NAMs) are, for example, Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy or secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Both well-established methods provide a low detection limit as well as high spatial resolution yet may require elaborate sample orientation or destructive sample preparation. Here we analyze the water content in erupted volcanic clinopyroxene phenocrysts by proton-proton scattering and reproduce water contents measured by FTIR spectroscopy. We show that this technique provides significant advantages over other methods as it can provide a three-dimensional distribution of hydrogen within a crystal, making the identification of potential inclusions possible as well as elimination of surface contamination. The sample analysis is also independent of crystal structure and orientation and independent of matrix effects other than sample density. The results are used to validate the accuracy of wavenumber-dependent vs. mineral-specific molar absorption coefficients in FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, we present a new method for the sample preparation of very thin crystals suitable for proton-proton scattering analysis using relatively low accelerator potentials.

Non-destructive evaluation of chlorophyll content in quinoa and amaranth leaves by simple and multiple regression analysis of RGB image components.

PubMed

Riccardi, M; Mele, G; Pulvento, C; Lavini, A; d'Andria, R; Jacobsen, S-E

2014-06-01

Leaf chlorophyll content provides valuable information about physiological status of plants; it is directly linked to photosynthetic potential and primary production. In vitro assessment by wet chemical extraction is the standard method for leaf chlorophyll determination. This measurement is expensive, laborious, and time consuming. Over the years alternative methods, rapid and non-destructive, have been explored. The aim of this work was to evaluate the applicability of a fast and non-invasive field method for estimation of chlorophyll content in quinoa and amaranth leaves based on RGB components analysis of digital images acquired with a standard SLR camera. Digital images of leaves from different genotypes of quinoa and amaranth were acquired directly in the field. Mean values of each RGB component were evaluated via image analysis software and correlated to leaf chlorophyll provided by standard laboratory procedure. Single and multiple regression models using RGB color components as independent variables have been tested and validated. The performance of the proposed method was compared to that of the widely used non-destructive SPAD method. Sensitivity of the best regression models for different genotypes of quinoa and amaranth was also checked. Color data acquisition of the leaves in the field with a digital camera was quick, more effective, and lower cost than SPAD. The proposed RGB models provided better correlation (highest R (2)) and prediction (lowest RMSEP) of the true value of foliar chlorophyll content and had a lower amount of noise in the whole range of chlorophyll studied compared with SPAD and other leaf image processing based models when applied to quinoa and amaranth.

Corrugated Waveguide Mode Content Analysis Using Irradiance Moments

PubMed Central

Jawla, Sudheer K.; Shapiro, Michael A.; Idei, Hiroshi; Temkin, Richard J.

2015-01-01

We present a novel, relatively simple method for determining the mode content of the linearly polarized modes of a corrugated waveguide using the moments of the intensity pattern of the field radiated from the end of the waveguide. This irradiance moment method is based on calculating the low-order irradiance moments, using measured intensity profiles only, of the radiated field from the waveguide aperture. Unlike the phase retrieval method, this method does not use or determine the phase distribution at the waveguide aperture. The new method was benchmarked numerically by comparison with sample mode mixtures. The results predict less than ±0.7% error bar in the retrieval of the mode content. The method was also tested using high-resolution experimental data from beams radiated from 63.5 mm and 19 mm corrugated waveguides at 170 and 250 GHz, respectively. The results showed a very good agreement of the mode content retrieved using the irradiance moment method versus the phase retrieval technique. The irradiance moment method is most suitable for cases where the modal power is primarily in the fundamental HE11 mode, with <8% of the power in high-order modes. PMID:25821260

A novel method for rapid determination of total solid content in viscous liquids by multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography.

PubMed

Xin, Li-Ping; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Hu, Hui-Chao; Barnes, Donald G

2014-09-05

This work demonstrates a novel method for rapid determination of total solid content in viscous liquid (polymer-enriched) samples. The method is based multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography (MHE-GC) on a headspace vial at a temperature above boiling point of water. Thus, the trend of water loss from the tested liquid due to evaporation can be followed. With the limited MHE-GC testing (e.g., 5 extractions) and a one-point calibration procedure (i.e., recording the weight difference before and after analysis), the total amount of water in the sample can be determined, from which the total solid contents in the liquid can be calculated. A number of black liquors were analyzed by the new method which yielded results that closely matched those of the reference method; i.e., the results of these two methods differed by no more than 2.3%. Compared with the reference method, the MHE-GC method is much simpler and more practical. Therefore, it is suitable for the rapid determination of the solid content in many polymer-containing liquid samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resistant starch: Variation among high amylose rice varieties and its relationship with apparent amylose content, pasting properties and cooking methods.

PubMed

Chen, Ming-Hsuan; Bergman, Christine J; McClung, Anna M; Everette, Jace D; Tabien, Rodante E

2017-11-01

Resistant starch (RS), which is not hydrolyzed in the small intestine, has proposed health benefits. We evaluated 40 high amylose rice varieties for RS content in cooked rice and a 1.9-fold difference was found. Some varieties had more than two-fold greater RS content than a US long-grain intermediate-amylose rice. The high amylose varieties were grouped into four classes according to paste viscosity and gelatinization temperature based on genetic variants of the Waxy and Starch Synthase IIa genes, respectively. RS content was not different between the four paste viscosity-gelatinization temperature classes. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that apparent amylose content and pasting temperature were strong predictors of RS within each class. Two cooking methods, fixed water-to-rice ratio/time and in excess-water/minimum-cook-time, were compared using six rice varieties that were extremes in RS in each of the genetic variant classes, no difference in RS content due to cooking method was observed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A new approach to monitoring the social environment for natural resource management and policy: The case of US national forest benefits and values

Treesearch

David N. Bengston; David P. Fan; D. N. Celarier

1999-01-01

This paper describes a new approach for monitoring the social environment for natural resource management and policy, based on content analysis of online news media stories. Content analysis of the media has repeatedly been shown to produce results that are closely correlated with attitude surveys and opinion polls. Computer methods were used to analyse almost 30,000...

Applications and benefits of technology in naturally fractured, low permeability reservoirs with special emphasis on results from GRI`s devonian shale and berea sand research in the appalachian basin

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

Jochen, J.E.; Hopkins, C.W.

1993-12-31

;Contents: Naturally fractured reservoir description; Geologic considerations; Shale-specific log model; Stress profiles; Berea reasearch; Benefits analysis; Summary of technologies; Novel well test methods; Natural fracture identification; Reverse drilling; Production data analysis; Fracture treatment quality control; Novel core analysis methods; and Shale well cleanouts.

Determination of Carbonyl Groups in Pyrolysis Bio-oils Using Potentiometric Titration: Review and Comparison of Methods

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

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R.

Carbonyl compounds present in bio-oils are known to be responsible for bio-oil property changes upon storage and during upgrading. As such, carbonyl content has previously been used as a method of tracking bio-oil aging and condensation reactions with less variability than viscosity measurements. Given the importance of carbonyls in bio-oils, accurate analytical methods for their quantification are very important for the bio-oil community. Potentiometric titration methods based on carbonyl oximation have long been used for the determination of carbonyl content in pyrolysis bio-oils. Here in this study, we present a modification of the traditional carbonyl oximation procedures that results inmore » less reaction time, smaller sample size, higher precision, and more accurate carbonyl determinations. Some compounds such as carbohydrates are not measured by the traditional method (modified Nicolaides method), resulting in low estimations of the carbonyl content. Furthermore, we have shown that reaction completion for the traditional method can take up to 300 hours. The new method presented here (the modified Faix method) reduces the reaction time to 2 hours, uses triethanolamine (TEA) in the place of pyridine, and requires a smaller sample size for the analysis. Carbonyl contents determined using this new method are consistently higher than when using the traditional titration methods.« less

Determination of Carbonyl Groups in Pyrolysis Bio-oils Using Potentiometric Titration: Review and Comparison of Methods

DOE PAGES

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R.

2016-01-06

Carbonyl compounds present in bio-oils are known to be responsible for bio-oil property changes upon storage and during upgrading. As such, carbonyl content has previously been used as a method of tracking bio-oil aging and condensation reactions with less variability than viscosity measurements. Given the importance of carbonyls in bio-oils, accurate analytical methods for their quantification are very important for the bio-oil community. Potentiometric titration methods based on carbonyl oximation have long been used for the determination of carbonyl content in pyrolysis bio-oils. Here in this study, we present a modification of the traditional carbonyl oximation procedures that results inmore » less reaction time, smaller sample size, higher precision, and more accurate carbonyl determinations. Some compounds such as carbohydrates are not measured by the traditional method (modified Nicolaides method), resulting in low estimations of the carbonyl content. Furthermore, we have shown that reaction completion for the traditional method can take up to 300 hours. The new method presented here (the modified Faix method) reduces the reaction time to 2 hours, uses triethanolamine (TEA) in the place of pyridine, and requires a smaller sample size for the analysis. Carbonyl contents determined using this new method are consistently higher than when using the traditional titration methods.« less

Solid fat content as a substitute for total polar compound analysis in edible oils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The solid fat contents (SFC) of heated edible oil samples were measured and found to correlate positively with total polar compounds (TPC) and inversely with triglyceride concentration. Traditional methods for determination of total polar compounds require a laboratory setting and are time intensiv...

Was the Driver Drunk? An Instrumental Methods Experiment for the Determination of Blood Alcohol Content.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zabzdyr, Jennifer L.; Lillard, Sheri J.

2001-01-01

Introduces a laboratory experiment for determining blood alcohol content using a combination of instrumental analysis and forensic science. Teaches the importance of careful laboratory technique and that experiments are conducted for a reason. Includes the procedure of the experiment. (Contains 17 references.) (YDS)

Educational Information Quantization for Improving Content Quality in Learning Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rybanov, Alexander Aleksandrovich

2014-01-01

The article offers the educational information quantization method for improving content quality in Learning Management Systems. The paper considers questions concerning analysis of quality of quantized presentation of educational information, based on quantitative text parameters: average frequencies of parts of speech, used in the text; formal…

What Medical Students Say about Psychiatry: Results of a Reflection Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brenner, Adam M.

2011-01-01

Objective: The author describes the results of a reflection exercise for psychiatry clerkship students. Method: The author performed a qualitative analysis on 100 "reflection" papers written by medical students in their psychiatry clerkship and identified the most prominent thematic content. Results: The most common thematic content involved…

Images of Nature in Greek Primary School Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korfiatis, Kostas J.; Stamou, Anastasia G.; Paraskevopoulos, Stephanos

2004-01-01

In this article, the environmental content of the textbooks used for the teaching of natural sciences in Greek primary schools was examined. Specifically, by employing the method of content analysis, both representational (metaphors, depictions, values, etc.) and cognitive ecological concepts) elements, building images of nature, and shaping our…

A Delphi Study and Initial Validation of Counselor Supervision Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuer Colburn, Anita A.; Grothaus, Tim; Hays, Danica G.; Milliken, Tammi

2016-01-01

The authors addressed the lack of supervision training standards for doctoral counseling graduates by developing and validating an initial list of supervision competencies. They used content analysis, Delphi polling, and content validity methods to generate a list, vetted by 2 different panels of supervision experts, of 33 competencies grouped…

[Optimization of cultivation conditions in se-enriched Spirulina platensis].

PubMed

Huang, Zhi; Zheng, Wen-Jie; Guo, Bao-Jiang

2002-05-01

Orthogonal combination design was adopted in examining the Spirulina platensis (S. platensis) yield and the influence of four factors (Se content, Se-adding method, S content and NaHCO3 content) on algae growth. The results showed that Se content, Se-adding method and NaHCO3 content were key factors in cultivation conditions of Se-enriched S. platensis with the optimal combination being Se at 300 mg/L, Se-adding amount equally divided into three times and NaHCO3 at 16.8 g/L. Algae yield had a remarkable correlation with OD560 and floating rate by linear regression analysis. There was a corresponding relationship between effects of the four factors on algae yield and on OD560, floating rate too. In conclusion, OD560 and floating rate could be served as yield-forming factors.

Electrical resistivity tomography to quantify in situ liquid content in a full-scale dry anaerobic digestion reactor.

PubMed

André, L; Lamy, E; Lutz, P; Pernier, M; Lespinard, O; Pauss, A; Ribeiro, T

2016-02-01

The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method is a non-intrusive method widely used in landfills to detect and locate liquid content. An experimental set-up was performed on a dry batch anaerobic digestion reactor to investigate liquid repartition in process and to map spatial distribution of inoculum. Two array electrodes were used: pole-dipole and gradient arrays. A technical adaptation of ERT method was necessary. Measured resistivity data were inverted and modeled by RES2DINV software to get resistivity sections. Continuous calibration along resistivity section was necessary to understand data involving sampling and physicochemical analysis. Samples were analyzed performing both biochemical methane potential and fiber quantification. Correlations were established between the protocol of reactor preparation, resistivity values, liquid content, methane potential and fiber content representing liquid repartition, high methane potential zones and degradations zones. ERT method showed a strong relevance to monitor and to optimize the dry batch anaerobic digestion process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative analysis of total starch content in wheat flour by reaction headspace gas chromatography.

PubMed

Xie, Wei-Qi; Gong, Yi-Xian; Yu, Kong-Xian

2017-09-01

This paper proposed a new reaction headspace gas chromatographic (HS-GC) method for efficiently quantifying the total starch content in wheat flours. A certain weight of wheat flour was oxidized by potassium dichromate in an acidic condition in a sealed headspace vial. The results show that the starch in wheat flour can be completely transferred to carbon dioxide at the given conditions (at 100 °C for 40 min) and the total starch content in wheat flour sample can be indirectly quantified by detecting the CO 2 formed from the oxidation reaction. The data showed that the relative standard deviation of the reaction HS-GC method in the precision test was less than 3.06%, and the relative differences between the new method and the reference method (titration method) were no more than 8.90%. The new reaction HS-GC method is automated, accurate, and can be a reliable tool for determining the total starch content in wheat flours in both laboratory and industrial applications. Graphical abstract The total starch content in wheat flour can be indirectly quantified by the GC detection of the CO 2 formed from the oxidation reaction between wheat flour and potassium dichromate in an acidic condition.

Every document and picture tells a story: using internal corporate document reviews, semiotics, and content analysis to assess tobacco advertising

PubMed Central

Anderson, S J; Dewhirst, T; Ling, P M

2006-01-01

In this article we present communication theory as a conceptual framework for conducting documents research on tobacco advertising strategies, and we discuss two methods for analysing advertisements: semiotics and content analysis. We provide concrete examples of how we have used tobacco industry documents archives and tobacco advertisement collections iteratively in our research to yield a synergistic analysis of these two complementary data sources. Tobacco promotion researchers should consider adopting these theoretical and methodological approaches. PMID:16728758

[Analysis of spectral features based on water content of desert vegetation].

PubMed

Zhao, Zhao; Li, Xia; Yin, Ye-biao; Tang, Jin; Zhou, Sheng-bin

2010-09-01

By using HR-768 field-portable spectroradiometer made by the Spectra Vista Corporation (SVC) of America, the hyper-spectral data of nine types of desert plants were measured, and the water content of corresponding vegetation was determined by roasting in lab. The continuum of measured hyperspectral data was removed by using ENVI, and the relationship between the water content of vegetation and the reflectance spectrum was analyzed by using correlation coefficient method. The result shows that the correlation between the bands from 978 to 1030 nm and water content of vegetation is weak while it is better for the bands from 1133 to 1266 nm. The bands from 1374 to 1534 nm are the characteristic bands because of the correlation between them and water content is the best. By using cluster analysis and according to the water content, the vegetation could be marked off into three grades: high (>70%), medium (50%-70%) and low (<50%). The research reveals the relationship between water content of desert vegetation and hyperspectral data, and provides basis for the analysis of area in desert and the monitoring of desert vegetation by using remote sensing data.

A Content Analysis of Electronic Cigarette Portrayal in Newspapers

PubMed Central

Yates, Katherine; Friedman, Katherine; Slater, Michael D.; Berman, Micah; Paskett, Electra D.; Ferketich, Amy K.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine how electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are portrayed in newspaper informative articles and opinion pieces. Methods A content analysis was conducted on 450 articles published in the United States from 1997 to mid-2014 and obtained by a Newsbank search. The articles were reliably coded for overall frame, type of article, first topic and main topics addressed. Results The article topics have changed over time and suggest significant differences between news articles and opinion pieces. Informative articles focused on e-cigarette regulation, while opinion pieces highlighted their increasing popularity and perceived health benefits. Conclusions This content analysis uncovered significant interest in e-cigarettes, particularly in their regulation. The FDA should consider public perceptions of e-cigarettes when developing regulations. PMID:26229974

International perspectives on social media guidance for nurses: a content analysis.

PubMed

Ryan, Gemma

2016-12-01

Aim This article reports the results of an analysis of the content of national and international professional guidance on social media for the nursing profession. The aim was to consolidate good practice examples of social media guidelines, and inform the development of comprehensive guidance. Method A scoping search of professional nursing bodies' and organisations' social media guidance documents was undertaken using google search. Results 34 guidance documents were located, and a content analysis of these was conducted. Conclusion The results, combined with a review of competency hearings and literature, indicate that guidance should cover the context of social media, and support nurses to navigate and negotiate the differences between the real and online domains to help them translate awareness into actions.

A content analysis of thinspiration, fitspiration, and bonespiration imagery on social media.

PubMed

Talbot, Catherine Victoria; Gavin, Jeffrey; van Steen, Tommy; Morey, Yvette

2017-01-01

On social media, images such as thinspiration, fitspiration, and bonespiration, are shared to inspire certain body ideals. Previous research has demonstrated that exposure to these groups of content is associated with increased body dissatisfaction and decreased self-esteem. It is therefore important that the bodies featured within these groups of content are more fully understood so that effective interventions and preventative measures can be informed, developed, and implemented. A content analysis was conducted on a sample of body-focussed images with the hashtags thinspiration, fitspiration, and bonespiration from three social media platforms. The analyses showed that thinspiration and bonespiration content contained more thin and objectified bodies, compared to fitspiration which featured a greater prevalence of muscles and muscular bodies. In addition, bonespiration content contained more bone protrusions and fewer muscles than thinspiration content. The findings suggest fitspiration may be a less unhealthy type of content; however, a subgroup of imagery was identified which idealised the extremely thin body type and as such this content should also be approached with caution. Future research should utilise qualitative methods to further develop understandings of the body ideals that are constructed within these groups of content and the motivations behind posting this content.

Foundation Analysis East Coast Air Combat Maneuvering Range Offshore Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-09-01

1976 86 2 3 025 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION TITLE PAGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 1.01 1.2 Methods of Analysis 1.01 1.3 Personnel Resumes 1.02...piling into the desired penetration. 1.2 METHODS OF ANALYSIS The method employed to perform the computation of pipe pile capacity curves, as presented...AD-A163 522 FOUNDATION ANALYSIS EAST COAST AIR COMBAT NANsUVERING 14S RANGE OFFSHORE KITT.. CU) CREST ENGINEERING INC TULSA OK SEP 76 27-M7-97 CNES

Comparison of mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy with biochemical methods for the determination of macronutrients in human milk.

PubMed

Silvestre, Dolores; Fraga, Miriam; Gormaz, María; Torres, Ester; Vento, Máximo

2014-07-01

The variability of human milk (HM) composition renders analysis of its components essential for optimal nutrition of preterm fed either with donor's or own mother's milk. To fulfil this requirement, various analytical instruments have been subjected to scientific and clinical evaluation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of a rapid method for the analysis of macronutrients in HM as compared with the analytical methods applied by cow's milk industry. Mature milk from 39 donors was analysed using an infrared human milk analyser (HMA) and compared with biochemical reference laboratory methods. The statistical analysis was based on the use of paired data tests. The use of an infrared HMA for the analysis of lipids, proteins and lactose in HM proved satisfactory as regards the rapidity, simplicity and the required sample volume. The instrument afforded good linearity and precision in application to all three nutrients. However, accuracy was not acceptable when compared with the reference methods, with overestimation of the lipid content and underestimation of the amount of proteins and lactose contents. The use of mid-infrared HMA might become the standard for rapid analysis of HM once standardisation and rigorous and systematic calibration is provided. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Novel Method for Analyzing Microbially Affiliated Volatile Organic Compounds in Soil Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruhs, C. V.; McNeal, K. S.

2010-12-01

A concerted, international effort by citizens, governments, industries and educational systems is necessary to address the myriad environmental issues that face us today. The authors of this paper concentrate on soil environments and, specifically, the methods currently used to characterize them. The ability to efficiently and effectively monitor and characterize various soils is desired, allows for the study, supervision, and protection of natural and cultivated ecosystems, and may assist stakeholders in meeting governmentally-imposed environmental standards. This research addresses soil characterization by a comparison of four methods that emphasize a combination of microbial community and metabolic measures: BIOLOG, fatty acid methyl-ester analysis (FAME), descriptive physical and chemical analysis (moisture content, pH, carbon content, nutrient content, and grain size), and the novel soil-microbe volatile organic compound analysis (SMVOC) presented in this work. In order to achieve the method comparison, soils were collected from three climatic regions (Bahamas, Michigan, and Mississippi), with three samples taken from niche ecosystems found at each climatic region (a total of nine sites). Of interest to the authors is whether or not an investigation of microbial communities and the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by microbial communities from nine separate soil ecosystems provides useful information about soil dynamics. In essence, is analysis of soil-derived VOCs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) an effective method for characterizing microbial communities and their metabolic activity of soils rapidly and accurately compared with the other three traditional characterization methods? Preliminary results suggest that VOCs in each of these locales differ with changes in soil types, soil moisture, and bacterial community. Each niche site shows distinct patterns in both VOCs and BIOLOG readings. Results will be presented to show the efficacy of the SMVOC approach and the statistical alignment of the VOC and community measures.

Development and validation of NIR-chemometric methods for chemical and pharmaceutical characterization of meloxicam tablets.

PubMed

Tomuta, Ioan; Iovanov, Rares; Bodoki, Ede; Vonica, Loredana

2014-04-01

Near-Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is an important component of a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) toolbox and is a key technology for enabling the rapid analysis of pharmaceutical tablets. The aim of this research work was to develop and validate NIR-chemometric methods not only for the determination of active pharmaceutical ingredients content but also pharmaceutical properties (crushing strength, disintegration time) of meloxicam tablets. The development of the method for active content assay was performed on samples corresponding to 80%, 90%, 100%, 110% and 120% of meloxicam content and the development of the methods for pharmaceutical characterization was performed on samples prepared at seven different compression forces (ranging from 7 to 45 kN) using NIR transmission spectra of intact tablets and PLS as a regression method. The results show that the developed methods have good trueness, precision and accuracy and are appropriate for direct active content assay in tablets (ranging from 12 to 18 mg/tablet) and also for predicting crushing strength and disintegration time of intact meloxicam tablets. The comparative data show that the proposed methods are in good agreement with the reference methods currently used for the characterization of meloxicam tablets (HPLC-UV methods for the assay and European Pharmacopeia methods for determining the crushing strength and disintegration time). The results show the possibility to predict both chemical properties (active content) and physical/pharmaceutical properties (crushing strength and disintegration time) directly, without any sample preparation, from the same NIR transmission spectrum of meloxicam tablets.

Model-based document categorization employing semantic pattern analysis and local structure clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fume, Kosei; Ishitani, Yasuto

2008-01-01

We propose a document categorization method based on a document model that can be defined externally for each task and that categorizes Web content or business documents into a target category in accordance with the similarity of the model. The main feature of the proposed method consists of two aspects of semantics extraction from an input document. The semantics of terms are extracted by the semantic pattern analysis and implicit meanings of document substructure are specified by a bottom-up text clustering technique focusing on the similarity of text line attributes. We have constructed a system based on the proposed method for trial purposes. The experimental results show that the system achieves more than 80% classification accuracy in categorizing Web content and business documents into 15 or 70 categories.

Image analysis method for the measurement of water saturation in a two-dimensional experimental flow tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belfort, Benjamin; Weill, Sylvain; Lehmann, François

2017-04-01

A novel, non-invasive imaging technique that determines 2D maps of water content in unsaturated porous media is presented. This method directly relates digitally measured intensities to the water content of the porous medium. This method requires the classical image analysis steps, i.e., normalization, filtering, background subtraction, scaling and calibration. The main advantages of this approach are that no calibration experiment is needed and that no tracer or dye is injected into the flow tank. The procedure enables effective processing of a large number of photographs and thus produces 2D water content maps at high temporal resolution. A drainage / imbibition experiment in a 2D flow tank with inner dimensions of 40 cm x 14 cm x 6 cm (L x W x D) is carried out to validate the methodology. The accuracy of the proposed approach is assessed using numerical simulations with a state-of-the-art computational code that solves the Richards. Comparison of the cumulative mass leaving and entering the flow tank and water content maps produced by the photographic measurement technique and the numerical simulations demonstrate the efficiency and high accuracy of the proposed method for investigating vadose zone flow processes. Application examples to a larger flow tank with various boundary conditions are finally presented to illustrate the potential of the methodology.

Solvent extraction of oil-sand components for determination of trace elements by neutron activation analysis

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

Jacobs, F.S.; Filby, R.H.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to measure the concentrations of 30 elements in Athabasca oil sands and oil-sand components. The oil sands were separated into solid residue, bitumen, and fines by Soxhlet extraction with toluene-bitumen extract. The mineral content of the extracted bitumen was dependent on the treatment of the oil sand prior to extraction. The geochemically important and organically associated trace element contents of the bitumen (and asphaltenes) were determined by subtracting the mineral contributions from the total measured concentrations. The method allows analysis of the bitumen without the necessity of ultracentrifugation or membrane filtration, which might removemore » geochemically important components of the bitumen. The method permits classification of trace elements into organic and inorganic combinations.« less

Raman structural study of melt-mixed blends of isotactic polypropylene with polyethylene of various densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prokhorov, K. A.; Nikolaeva, G. Yu; Sagitova, E. A.; Pashinin, P. P.; Guseva, M. A.; Shklyaruk, B. F.; Gerasin, V. A.

2018-04-01

We report a Raman structural study of melt-mixed blends of isotactic polypropylene with two grades of polyethylene: linear high-density and branched low-density polyethylenes. Raman methods, which had been suggested for the analysis of neat polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene, were modified in this study for quantitative analysis of polyethylene/polypropylene blends. We revealed the dependence of the degree of crystallinity and conformational composition of macromolecules in the blends on relative content of the blend components and preparation conditions (quenching or annealing). We suggested a simple Raman method for evaluation of the relative content of the components in polyethylene/polypropylene blends. The degree of crystallinity of our samples, evaluated by Raman spectroscopy, is in good agreement with the results of analysis by differential scanning calorimetry.

Accurate and simple method for quantification of hepatic fat content using magnetic resonance imaging: a prospective study in biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

PubMed

Hatta, Tomoko; Fujinaga, Yasunari; Kadoya, Masumi; Ueda, Hitoshi; Murayama, Hiroaki; Kurozumi, Masahiro; Ueda, Kazuhiko; Komatsu, Michiharu; Nagaya, Tadanobu; Joshita, Satoru; Kodama, Ryo; Tanaka, Eiji; Uehara, Tsuyoshi; Sano, Kenji; Tanaka, Naoki

2010-12-01

To assess the degree of hepatic fat content, simple and noninvasive methods with high objectivity and reproducibility are required. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one such candidate, although its accuracy remains unclear. We aimed to validate an MRI method for quantifying hepatic fat content by calibrating MRI reading with a phantom and comparing MRI measurements in human subjects with estimates of liver fat content in liver biopsy specimens. The MRI method was performed by a combination of MRI calibration using a phantom and double-echo chemical shift gradient-echo sequence (double-echo fast low-angle shot sequence) that has been widely used on a 1.5-T scanner. Liver fat content in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, n = 26) was derived from a calibration curve generated by scanning the phantom. Liver fat was also estimated by optical image analysis. The correlation between the MRI measurements and liver histology findings was examined prospectively. Magnetic resonance imaging measurements showed a strong correlation with liver fat content estimated from the results of light microscopic examination (correlation coefficient 0.91, P < 0.001) regardless of the degree of hepatic steatosis. Moreover, the severity of lobular inflammation or fibrosis did not influence the MRI measurements. This MRI method is simple and noninvasive, has excellent ability to quantify hepatic fat content even in NAFLD patients with mild steatosis or advanced fibrosis, and can be performed easily without special devices.

41 CFR 60-2.12 - Job group analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Job group analysis. 60-2... group analysis. (a) Purpose: A job group analysis is a method of combining job titles within the... employed. (b) In the job group analysis, jobs at the establishment with similar content, wage rates, and...

Formative Research on the Simplifying Conditions Method (SCM) for Task Analysis and Sequencing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, YoungHwan; Reigluth, Charles M.

The Simplifying Conditions Method (SCM) is a set of guidelines for task analysis and sequencing of instructional content under the Elaboration Theory (ET). This article introduces the fundamentals of SCM and presents the findings from a formative research study on SCM. It was conducted in two distinct phases: design and instruction. In the first…

Probing the oxidation kinetics of small permalloy particles

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

Dong, Xiaolei; Song, Xiao; Yin, Shiliu

2017-02-15

The oxidation of permalloys is important to apply in a wide range. The oxidation and diffusion mechanisms of small permalloy particles with different Fe content are studied by using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and microstructure characterizations. Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/(Ni, Fe){sub 3}O{sub 4} plays a key role in the morphology evolution and diffusion mechanisms of small NiFe particles upon oxidation. The activation energies of grain boundary diffusion for the NiFe alloys increase from 141 kJ/mol to 208 kJ/mol as the Fe content increases from 0 to ~50 wt%. We have developed a diffusion process resolved temperature programed oxidation (PR-TPO) analysis method.more » Three diffusion mechanisms have been recognized by using this method: In addition to the grain boundary diffusion and lattice diffusion, our TGA analysis suggests that the phase conversion from Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} to (Ni, Fe){sub 3}O{sub 4} induces diffusion change and affects the diffusion process at the intermediate temperature. Relevant oxidation kinetics and diffusion mechanisms are discussed. - Graphical abstract: The oxidation mechanisms of small Permalloy particles with different Fe content is studied by using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and microstructure characterizations. The activation energies of grain boundary diffusion for the NiFe alloys increases from 140 kJ/mol to 208 kJ/mol as the Fe content increases from 0 to 50 wt% as determined by TGA. We have developed a diffusion process resolved temperature programed oxidation (DPR-TPO) analysis method, and three diffusion mechanisms have been recognized by using this method: In addition to the well-known grain boundary diffusion and lattice diffusion, we found that the phase conversion from Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} to (Ni, Fe){sub 3}O{sub 4} will induce diffusion changes and affect the diffusion process at the intermediate temperature. The diffusion processes can be characterized by the corresponding characteristic peak temperatures in temperature programmed oxidation (TPO) analysis. This work not only give insight knowledge about the oxidation and diffusion processes of small permalloy particles, but also, provides a useful tool for analyzing solid-gas reactions of other materials. - Highlights: • The oxidation kinetics of small NiFe particles were studied by using thermoanalysis. • Grain boundary, lattice, and phase conversion induced diffusions were recognized. • The activation energy of oxidation increases with the Fe content in the alloy. • Each diffusion process corresponds to a characteristic temperature in TPO analysis. • NiFe alloys with ~5–10 wt% Fe content have the lowest oxidation rates.« less

Topical Interface between Managerial Finance and Managerial Accounting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Norman C.; Swanson, G. A.

1988-01-01

The authors present a method to examine the interfaces between business courses for redundancy. The method is demonstrated by examining the content in managerial finance and managerial accounting courses. A decision model application of analysis, expert judgment, and synthesis are incorporated in this method. (CH)

Analysis of poly-β-hydroxyalkonates (PHA) during the enhanced biological phosphorus removal process using FTIR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Li, Wei-hua; Mao, Qin-yan; Liu, Yi-xin; Sheng, Guo-ping; Yu, Han-qing; Huang, Xian-huai; Liu, Shao-geng; Ling, Qi; Yan, Guo-bing

2014-06-01

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) is the main phosphorus removal technique for wastewater treatment. During the anaerobic-aerobic alternative process, the activated sludge experienced the anaerobic storage of polyhydroxy-β-alkonates (PHA) and aerobic degradation, corresponding the infrared peak intensity of sludge at 1 740 cm(-1) increased in the aerobic phase and declined in the anaerobic phase. Compared with PHA standard, this peak was indentified to attribute the carbonyl of PHA. The overlapping peaks of PHA, protein I and II bands were separated using Gaussian peak fitting method. The infrared peak area ratios of PHA versus protein I had a good relationship with the PHA contents measured by gas chromatography, and the correlation coefficient was 0.873. Thus, the ratio of the peak area of PHA versus protein I can be considered as the indicator of the PHA content in the sludge. The infrared spectra of 1 480-1 780 cm(-1) was selected, normalized and transferred to the absorption data. Combined with the chromatography analysis of PHA content in the sludge sample, a model between the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ETIR) spectra of the sludge and PHA content was established, which could be used for the prediction of the PHA content in the unknown sample. The PHA content in the sludge sample could be acquired by the infrared spectra of the sludge sample and the established model, and the values fitted well with the results obtained from chromatograph. The results would provide a novel analysis method for the rapid characterization and quantitative determination of the intracellular PHA content in the activated sludge.

Comparison of physicochemical and functional properties of flour and starch extract in different methods from Africa locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seeds.

PubMed

Sankhon, Abdoulaye; Amadou, Issoufou; Yao, Wei-Rong; Wang, Heya; Qian, He; Sangare, Moustapha

2014-01-01

African locust bean tree is an important food tree for both human and livestock such as husks and pods. It plays a very vital role in the rural areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate some physicochemical, mineral characteristics and functional properties of flour and starch extract produced from Parkia biglobosa seeds, using different methods. Three different methods were used for starch extraction in other to get the Starch yield (%),composition analysis for; moisture, protein, fat, ash and fiber contents of flour and starch extracts from Parkia biglobosa were determined on dry basis (db), by AACC method, color and PH value measurements was carried out using color flex spectrocolorimeter, and the official method of AOAC respectively. Pasting properties was determined and X-ray powder starch diffraction was used to examine the crystalline property of flour and starch extract. Gelatinization characteristics and in vitro starch digestibility were also determined, test results were processed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Flour showed higher (P < 0.05), moisture content, fat, carbohydrate, amylopectine, and protein content than starch, while amylose content of this starch was higher (P<0.05). Phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, and potassium minerals content were higher in flour than starch. Pasting properties, gelatinisation, color, pH values, water and oil absorption capacity content of the flour were found to be higher than that of starch. The pasting characteristics showed a decrease of viscosity, final viscosity, set back value, breakdown, and pasting temperature of flour when compared to that of starch. From our results, we speculate that flour from native Parkia biglobosa grown in Guinea under controlled environmental conditions could be considered as an ideal RS material, whereas the extract Parkia starch could be an ideal SDS material. Therefore, these may offer an interesting alternative for food developers, depending on their characteristics and functional properties.

Modeling spatial patterns of soil respiration in maize fields from vegetation and soil property factors with the use of remote sensing and geographical information system.

PubMed

Huang, Ni; Wang, Li; Guo, Yiqiang; Hao, Pengyu; Niu, Zheng

2014-01-01

To examine the method for estimating the spatial patterns of soil respiration (Rs) in agricultural ecosystems using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS), Rs rates were measured at 53 sites during the peak growing season of maize in three counties in North China. Through Pearson's correlation analysis, leaf area index (LAI), canopy chlorophyll content, aboveground biomass, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, and soil total nitrogen content were selected as the factors that affected spatial variability in Rs during the peak growing season of maize. The use of a structural equation modeling approach revealed that only LAI and SOC content directly affected Rs. Meanwhile, other factors indirectly affected Rs through LAI and SOC content. When three greenness vegetation indices were extracted from an optical image of an environmental and disaster mitigation satellite in China, enhanced vegetation index (EVI) showed the best correlation with LAI and was thus used as a proxy for LAI to estimate Rs at the regional scale. The spatial distribution of SOC content was obtained by extrapolating the SOC content at the plot scale based on the kriging interpolation method in GIS. When data were pooled for 38 plots, a first-order exponential analysis indicated that approximately 73% of the spatial variability in Rs during the peak growing season of maize can be explained by EVI and SOC content. Further test analysis based on independent data from 15 plots showed that the simple exponential model had acceptable accuracy in estimating the spatial patterns of Rs in maize fields on the basis of remotely sensed EVI and GIS-interpolated SOC content, with R2 of 0.69 and root-mean-square error of 0.51 µmol CO2 m(-2) s(-1). The conclusions from this study provide valuable information for estimates of Rs during the peak growing season of maize in three counties in North China.

Modeling Spatial Patterns of Soil Respiration in Maize Fields from Vegetation and Soil Property Factors with the Use of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System

PubMed Central

Huang, Ni; Wang, Li; Guo, Yiqiang; Hao, Pengyu; Niu, Zheng

2014-01-01

To examine the method for estimating the spatial patterns of soil respiration (Rs) in agricultural ecosystems using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS), Rs rates were measured at 53 sites during the peak growing season of maize in three counties in North China. Through Pearson's correlation analysis, leaf area index (LAI), canopy chlorophyll content, aboveground biomass, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, and soil total nitrogen content were selected as the factors that affected spatial variability in Rs during the peak growing season of maize. The use of a structural equation modeling approach revealed that only LAI and SOC content directly affected Rs. Meanwhile, other factors indirectly affected Rs through LAI and SOC content. When three greenness vegetation indices were extracted from an optical image of an environmental and disaster mitigation satellite in China, enhanced vegetation index (EVI) showed the best correlation with LAI and was thus used as a proxy for LAI to estimate Rs at the regional scale. The spatial distribution of SOC content was obtained by extrapolating the SOC content at the plot scale based on the kriging interpolation method in GIS. When data were pooled for 38 plots, a first-order exponential analysis indicated that approximately 73% of the spatial variability in Rs during the peak growing season of maize can be explained by EVI and SOC content. Further test analysis based on independent data from 15 plots showed that the simple exponential model had acceptable accuracy in estimating the spatial patterns of Rs in maize fields on the basis of remotely sensed EVI and GIS-interpolated SOC content, with R2 of 0.69 and root-mean-square error of 0.51 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1. The conclusions from this study provide valuable information for estimates of Rs during the peak growing season of maize in three counties in North China. PMID:25157827

Analysis of Levodopa Content in Commercial Mucuna pruriens Products Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection.

PubMed

Soumyanath, Amala; Denne, Tanya; Hiller, Amie; Ramachandran, Shaila; Shinto, Lynne

2018-02-01

Mucuna pruriens (MP) seeds contain levodopa (up to 2% by weight) and have been used in traditional Indian medicine to treat an illness named "Kampavata," now understood to be Parkinson's disease (PD). Studies have shown MP to be beneficial, and even superior, to levodopa alone in treating PD symptoms. Commercial products containing MP are readily available from online and retail sources to patients and physicians. Products often contain extracts of MP seeds, with significantly higher levodopa content than the seeds. However, MP products have limited regulatory controls with respect to quality and content of active ingredient. The aim of this study was to apply a quantitative method to determine levodopa content in readily available MP products that might be used by patients or in research studies. Levodopa present in six commercial MP products was quantified by solvent extraction followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection (FD). Certificates of analysis (COA) were obtained, from manufacturers of MP products, to assess the existence and implementation of specifications for levodopa content. HPLC-FD analysis revealed that the levodopa content of the six commercial MP products varied from 6% to 141% of individual label claims. No product contained levodopa within normal pharmacopeial limits of 90%-110% label claim. The maximum daily dose of levodopa delivered by the products varied from 14.4 to 720 mg/day. COAs were inconsistent in specifications for and verification of levodopa content. The commercial products tested varied widely in levodopa content, sometimes deviating widely from the label claim. These deficiencies could impact efficacy and safety of MP products used by PD patients and compromise the results of scientific studies on MP products. The HPLC-FD method described in this study could be utilized by both manufacturers and scientific researchers to verify levodopa content of MP products.

Classification and statistical analysis of mine spoils chemical composition from Oliete basin (Teruel, NE Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meseguer, S.; Sanfeliu, T.; Jordán, M. M.

2009-02-01

The Oliete basin (Early Cretaceous, NE Teruel, Spain) is one of the most important areas for the supply of mine spoils used as ball clays for the production of white and red stoneware in the Spanish ceramic industry of wall and floor tiles. This study corresponds to the second part of the paper published recently by Meseguer et al. (Environ Geol 2008) about the use of mine spoils from Teruel coal mining district. The present study shows a statistical data analysis from chemical data (major, minor and trace elements). The performed statistical analysis of chemical data included descriptive statistics and cluster analysis (with ANOVA and Scheffé methods). The cluster analysis of chemical data provided three main groups: C3 with the highest mean SiO2 content (66%) and lowest mean Al2O3 content (20%); C2 with lower SiO2 content (48%) and higher mean Al2O3 content (28%); and C1 with medium values for the SiO2 and Al2O3 mean content. The main applications of these materials are refractory, white and red ceramics, stoneware, heavy ceramics (including red earthenware, bricks and roof tiles), and components of white Portland cement and aluminous cement. Clays from group 2 are used in refractories (with higher kaolinite content, and constrictions to CaO + MgO and K2O + Na2O contents). All materials can be used in fine ceramics (white or red, according to the Fe2O3 + TiO2 content).

Precision of dehydroascorbic acid quantitation with the use of the subtraction method--validation of HPLC-DAD method for determination of total vitamin C in food.

PubMed

Mazurek, Artur; Jamroz, Jerzy

2015-04-15

In food analysis, a method for determination of vitamin C should enable measuring of total content of ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) because both chemical forms exhibit biological activity. The aim of the work was to confirm applicability of HPLC-DAD method for analysis of total content of vitamin C (TC) and ascorbic acid in various types of food by determination of validation parameters such as: selectivity, precision, accuracy, linearity and limits of detection and quantitation. The results showed that the method applied for determination of TC and AA was selective, linear and precise. Precision of DHAA determination by the subtraction method was also evaluated. It was revealed that the results of DHAA determination obtained by the subtraction method were not precise which resulted directly from the assumption of this method and the principles of uncertainty propagation. The proposed chromatographic method should be recommended for routine determinations of total vitamin C in various food. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Content of Support of Persons with Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities: An Analysis of the Number and Content of Goals in the Educational Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Putten, Annette; Vlaskamp, Carla; Poppes, Petra

2009-01-01

Background: This study focuses on the support of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) by analysing the number and content of formulated goals in the educational programmes. Methods: The programmes of 145 persons with PIMD were analysed. The number of long- and short-term goals as well as the number of goals reached…

Harvesting Intelligence in Multimedia Social Tagging Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannakidou, Eirini; Kaklidou, Foteini; Chatzilari, Elisavet; Kompatsiaris, Ioannis; Vakali, Athena

As more people adopt tagging practices, social tagging systems tend to form rich knowledge repositories that enable the extraction of patterns reflecting the way content semantics is perceived by the web users. This is of particular importance, especially in the case of multimedia content, since the availability of such content in the web is very high and its efficient retrieval using textual annotations or content-based automatically extracted metadata still remains a challenge. It is argued that complementing multimedia analysis techniques with knowledge drawn from web social annotations may facilitate multimedia content management. This chapter focuses on analyzing tagging patterns and combining them with content feature extraction methods, generating, thus, intelligence from multimedia social tagging systems. Emphasis is placed on using all available "tracks" of knowledge, that is tag co-occurrence together with semantic relations among tags and low-level features of the content. Towards this direction, a survey on the theoretical background and the adopted practices for analysis of multimedia social content are presented. A case study from Flickr illustrates the efficiency of the proposed approach.

Big Data on a Smaller Scale: A Social Media Analytics Assignment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischbach, Sarah; Zarzosa, Jennifer

2018-01-01

It is truly important for students to understand how to monitor online marketing buzz. This assignment, social media analytics, utilizes the content analysis research method to build student's in-depth understanding on how to evaluate and interpret user-generated content (UGC) to create social media campaigns. The authors adapted Resnik and…

Assessing White Wine Viscosity Variation Using Polarized Laser Speckle: A Promising Alternative to Wine Sensory Analysis

PubMed Central

Abou Nader, Christelle; Loutfi, Hadi; Pellen, Fabrice; Le Jeune, Bernard; Le Brun, Guy; Lteif, Roger; Abboud, Marie

2017-01-01

In this paper, we report measurements of wine viscosity, correlated to polarized laser speckle results. Experiments were performed on white wine samples produced with a single grape variety. Effects of the wine making cellar, the grape variety, and the vintage on wine Brix degree, alcohol content, viscosity, and speckle parameters are considered. We show that speckle parameters, namely, spatial contrast and speckle decorrelation time, as well as the inertia moment extracted from the temporal history speckle pattern, are mainly affected by the alcohol and sugar content and hence the wine viscosity. Principal component analysis revealed a high correlation between laser speckle results on the one hand and viscosity and Brix degree values on the other. As speckle analysis proved to be an efficient method of measuring the variation of the viscosity of white mono-variety wine, one can therefore consider it as an alternative method to wine sensory analysis. PMID:29027936

Assessing White Wine Viscosity Variation Using Polarized Laser Speckle: A Promising Alternative to Wine Sensory Analysis.

PubMed

Nader, Christelle Abou; Loutfi, Hadi; Pellen, Fabrice; Jeune, Bernard Le; Le Brun, Guy; Lteif, Roger; Abboud, Marie

2017-10-13

In this paper, we report measurements of wine viscosity, correlated to polarized laser speckle results. Experiments were performed on white wine samples produced with a single grape variety. Effects of the wine making cellar, the grape variety, and the vintage on wine Brix degree, alcohol content, viscosity, and speckle parameters are considered. We show that speckle parameters, namely, spatial contrast and speckle decorrelation time, as well as the inertia moment extracted from the temporal history speckle pattern, are mainly affected by the alcohol and sugar content and hence the wine viscosity. Principal component analysis revealed a high correlation between laser speckle results on the one hand and viscosity and Brix degree values on the other. As speckle analysis proved to be an efficient method of measuring the variation of the viscosity of white mono-variety wine, one can therefore consider it as an alternative method to wine sensory analysis.

Synthesis and evaluation of L-cystathionine as a standard for amino acid analysis.

PubMed

Amino, Yusuke; Suzuki, Yumiko

2017-01-01

L-Cystathionine is a key nonprotein amino acid related to metabolic conditions. The quantitative determination of L-cystathionine in physiological fluids by amino acid analysis is important for clinical diagnosis; however, certified reference material for L-cystathionine with satisfactory purity, content, and quantity has been unavailable until recently. Consequently, a practical and simple method for the preparation of L-cystathionine was examined, which involves thioalkylation of N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-cysteine tert-butyl ester, derived from L-cystine, with (2S)-2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino-4-iodobutanoic acid tert-butyl ester, derived from L-aspartic acid, to obtain L-cystathionine with protecting groups, followed by single-step deprotection under mild conditions. This method produces L-cystathionine in high purity (99.4%) and having sufficient percentage content according to amino acid analysis, which could be used as a standard for the amino acid analysis of physiological fluids.

National network television news coverage of contraception - a content analysis.

PubMed

Patton, Elizabeth W; Moniz, Michelle H; Hughes, Lauren S; Buis, Lorraine; Howell, Joel

2017-01-01

The objective was to describe and analyze national network television news framing of contraception, recognizing that onscreen news can influence the public's knowledge and beliefs. We used the Vanderbilt Television News Archives and LexisNexis Database to obtain video and print transcripts of all relevant national network television news segments covering contraception from January 2010 to June 2014. We conducted a content analysis of 116 TV news segments covering contraception during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act. Segments were quantitatively coded for contraceptive methods covered, story sources used, and inclusion of medical and nonmedical content (intercoder reliability using Krippendorf's alpha ranged 0.6-1 for coded categories). Most (55%) news stories focused on contraception in general rather than specific methods. The most effective contraceptive methods were rarely discussed (implant, 1%; intrauterine device, 4%). The most frequently used sources were political figures (40%), advocates (25%), the general public (25%) and Catholic Church leaders (16%); medical professionals (11%) and health researchers (4%) appeared in a minority of stories. A minority of stories (31%) featured medical content. National network news coverage of contraception frequently focuses on contraception in political and social terms and uses nonmedical figures such as politicians and church leaders as sources. This focus deemphasizes the public health aspect of contraception, leading medical professionals and health content to be rarely featured. Media coverage of contraception may influence patients' views about contraception. Understanding the content, sources and medical accuracy of current media portrayals of contraception may enable health care professionals to dispel popular misperceptions. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Rapid quantitation of atorvastatin in process pharmaceutical powder sample using Raman spectroscopy and evaluation of parameters related to accuracy of analysis.

PubMed

Lim, Young-Il; Han, Janghee; Woo, Young-Ah; Kim, Jaejin; Kang, Myung Joo

2018-07-05

The purpose of this study was to determine the atorvastatin (ATV) content in process pharmaceutical powder sample using Raman spectroscopy. To establish the analysis method, the influence of the type of Raman measurements (back-scattering or transmission mode), preparation of calibration sample (simple admixing or granulation), sample pre-treatment (pelletization), and spectral pretreatment on the Raman spectra was investigated. The characteristic peak of the active compound was more distinctively detected in transmission Raman mode with a laser spot size of 4mm than in the back-scattering method. Preparation of calibration samples by wet granulation, identical to the actual manufacturing process, provided unchanged spectral patterns for the in process sample, with no changes and/or shifts in the spectrum. Pelletization before Raman analysis remarkably improved spectral reproducibility by decreasing the difference in density between the samples. Probabilistic quotient normalization led to accurate and consistent quantification of the ATV content in the calibration samples (standard error of cross validation: 1.21%). Moreover, the drug content in the granules obtained from five commercial batches were reliably quantified, with no statistical difference (p=0.09) with that obtained by HPLC assay. From these findings, we suggest that transmission Raman analysis may be a fast and non-invasive method for the quantification of ATV in actual manufacturing processes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid quantitation of atorvastatin in process pharmaceutical powder sample using Raman spectroscopy and evaluation of parameters related to accuracy of analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Young-Il; Han, Janghee; Woo, Young-Ah; Kim, Jaejin; Kang, Myung Joo

2018-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the atorvastatin (ATV) content in process pharmaceutical powder sample using Raman spectroscopy. To establish the analysis method, the influence of the type of Raman measurements (back-scattering or transmission mode), preparation of calibration sample (simple admixing or granulation), sample pre-treatment (pelletization), and spectral pretreatment on the Raman spectra was investigated. The characteristic peak of the active compound was more distinctively detected in transmission Raman mode with a laser spot size of 4 mm than in the back-scattering method. Preparation of calibration samples by wet granulation, identical to the actual manufacturing process, provided unchanged spectral patterns for the in process sample, with no changes and/or shifts in the spectrum. Pelletization before Raman analysis remarkably improved spectral reproducibility by decreasing the difference in density between the samples. Probabilistic quotient normalization led to accurate and consistent quantification of the ATV content in the calibration samples (standard error of cross validation: 1.21%). Moreover, the drug content in the granules obtained from five commercial batches were reliably quantified, with no statistical difference (p = 0.09) with that obtained by HPLC assay. From these findings, we suggest that transmission Raman analysis may be a fast and non-invasive method for the quantification of ATV in actual manufacturing processes.

Physico-chemical analysis and antimicrobial potential of Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera and Ziziphus jujube honey samples from Pakistan

PubMed Central

Fahim, Hira; Dasti, Javid Iqbal; Ali, Ihsan; Ahmed, Safia; Nadeem, Muhammad

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate physico-chemical properties and antimicrobial potential of indigenous honey samples against different reference strains including Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC 13048, Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC 9027, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Salmonella typhi ATCC 14028, Klebsiella pneumonia ATCC 13883, Aspergillus niger ATCC 16404, Rhizopus oligosporus PCSIR1, Candida albicans ATCC 14053 and Candida utilis ATCC 9950. Methods By using standard methods samples were evaluated for their antimicrobial properties including additive effect of starch and non-peroxidase activity, antioxidative properties (phenol contents, flavonoid contents, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity). Prior to this evaluation, complete physico-chemical properties including pH, color, ash contents, protein contents, moisture contents, hydroxymethyl furfural contents, total sugar contents, reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar contents were analyzed. Results Relatively higher ash contents were found in the Siddar honey i.e. (0.590 0±0.033 6)% and small honey showed relatively higher protein contents i.e. (777.598±9.880) mg/kg. The moisture contents of tested honey samples ranged between 13.8%-16.6%, total sugar contents from 61.672%-72.420% and non-reducing sugar contents from 1.95%-3.93%. Presences of phenolic contents indicate higher antioxidant potential of these honey samples. All bacteria showed clear inhibition zones in response to tested honey samples whereas fungi and yeast showed inhibition at higher concentrations of these honey samples. For Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeroginosa and Aspergillus niger, overall the small honey showed the higher activity than other honey samples. Conclusion Physico-chemical analysis of honey samples confirmed good quality of honey according to the standards set by European Union Commission and Codex Alimentarius Commission. Evaluation of these honey samples confirms antimicrobial potential of particular types of honeys indigenous to Pakistan. PMID:25183333

Morphometric Characterization of Rat and Human Alveolar Macrophage Cell Models and their Response to Amiodarone using High Content Image Analysis.

PubMed

Hoffman, Ewelina; Patel, Aateka; Ball, Doug; Klapwijk, Jan; Millar, Val; Kumar, Abhinav; Martin, Abigail; Mahendran, Rhamiya; Dailey, Lea Ann; Forbes, Ben; Hutter, Victoria

2017-12-01

Progress to the clinic may be delayed or prevented when vacuolated or "foamy" alveolar macrophages are observed during non-clinical inhalation toxicology assessment. The first step in developing methods to study this response in vitro is to characterize macrophage cell lines and their response to drug exposures. Human (U937) and rat (NR8383) cell lines and primary rat alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage were characterized using high content fluorescence imaging analysis quantification of cell viability, morphometry, and phospholipid and neutral lipid accumulation. Cell health, morphology and lipid content were comparable (p < 0.05) for both cell lines and the primary macrophages in terms of vacuole number, size and lipid content. Responses to amiodarone, a known inducer of phospholipidosis, required analysis of shifts in cell population profiles (the proportion of cells with elevated vacuolation or lipid content) rather than average population data which was insensitive to the changes observed. A high content image analysis assay was developed and used to provide detailed morphological characterization of rat and human alveolar-like macrophages and their response to a phospholipidosis-inducing agent. This provides a basis for development of assays to predict or understand macrophage vacuolation following inhaled drug exposure.

Evaluation of a High Throughput Starch Analysis Optimised for Wood

PubMed Central

Bellasio, Chandra; Fini, Alessio; Ferrini, Francesco

2014-01-01

Starch is the most important long-term reserve in trees, and the analysis of starch is therefore useful source of physiological information. Currently published protocols for wood starch analysis impose several limitations, such as long procedures and a neutralization step. The high-throughput standard protocols for starch analysis in food and feed represent a valuable alternative. However, they have not been optimised or tested with woody samples. These have particular chemical and structural characteristics, including the presence of interfering secondary metabolites, low reactivity of starch, and low starch content. In this study, a standard method for starch analysis used for food and feed (AOAC standard method 996.11) was optimised to improve precision and accuracy for the analysis of starch in wood. Key modifications were introduced in the digestion conditions and in the glucose assay. The optimised protocol was then evaluated through 430 starch analyses of standards at known starch content, matrix polysaccharides, and wood collected from three organs (roots, twigs, mature wood) of four species (coniferous and flowering plants). The optimised protocol proved to be remarkably precise and accurate (3%), suitable for a high throughput routine analysis (35 samples a day) of specimens with a starch content between 40 mg and 21 µg. Samples may include lignified organs of coniferous and flowering plants and non-lignified organs, such as leaves, fruits and rhizomes. PMID:24523863

A neotropical Miocene pollen database employing image-based search and semantic modeling1

PubMed Central

Han, Jing Ginger; Cao, Hongfei; Barb, Adrian; Punyasena, Surangi W.; Jaramillo, Carlos; Shyu, Chi-Ren

2014-01-01

• Premise of the study: Digital microscopic pollen images are being generated with increasing speed and volume, producing opportunities to develop new computational methods that increase the consistency and efficiency of pollen analysis and provide the palynological community a computational framework for information sharing and knowledge transfer. • Methods: Mathematical methods were used to assign trait semantics (abstract morphological representations) of the images of neotropical Miocene pollen and spores. Advanced database-indexing structures were built to compare and retrieve similar images based on their visual content. A Web-based system was developed to provide novel tools for automatic trait semantic annotation and image retrieval by trait semantics and visual content. • Results: Mathematical models that map visual features to trait semantics can be used to annotate images with morphology semantics and to search image databases with improved reliability and productivity. Images can also be searched by visual content, providing users with customized emphases on traits such as color, shape, and texture. • Discussion: Content- and semantic-based image searches provide a powerful computational platform for pollen and spore identification. The infrastructure outlined provides a framework for building a community-wide palynological resource, streamlining the process of manual identification, analysis, and species discovery. PMID:25202648

Clinical methods for the assessment of the effects of environmental stress on fish health

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedemeyer, Gary A.; Yasutake, William T.

1977-01-01

Clinical methods are presented for biological monitoring of hatchery and native fish populations to assess the effects of environmental stress on fish health. The choice of methods is based on the experience of the authors and the judgment of colleagues at fishery laboratories of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Detailed analysis methods, together with guidelines for sample collection and for the interpretation of results, are given for tests on blood (cell counts, chloride, cholesterol, clotting time, cortisol, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, lactic acid, methemoglobin, osmolality, and total protein); water (ammonia and nitrite content); and liver and muscle (glycogen content).

High content image analysis for human H4 neuroglioma cells exposed to CuO nanoparticles.

PubMed

Li, Fuhai; Zhou, Xiaobo; Zhu, Jinmin; Ma, Jinwen; Huang, Xudong; Wong, Stephen T C

2007-10-09

High content screening (HCS)-based image analysis is becoming an important and widely used research tool. Capitalizing this technology, ample cellular information can be extracted from the high content cellular images. In this study, an automated, reliable and quantitative cellular image analysis system developed in house has been employed to quantify the toxic responses of human H4 neuroglioma cells exposed to metal oxide nanoparticles. This system has been proved to be an essential tool in our study. The cellular images of H4 neuroglioma cells exposed to different concentrations of CuO nanoparticles were sampled using IN Cell Analyzer 1000. A fully automated cellular image analysis system has been developed to perform the image analysis for cell viability. A multiple adaptive thresholding method was used to classify the pixels of the nuclei image into three classes: bright nuclei, dark nuclei, and background. During the development of our image analysis methodology, we have achieved the followings: (1) The Gaussian filtering with proper scale has been applied to the cellular images for generation of a local intensity maximum inside each nucleus; (2) a novel local intensity maxima detection method based on the gradient vector field has been established; and (3) a statistical model based splitting method was proposed to overcome the under segmentation problem. Computational results indicate that 95.9% nuclei can be detected and segmented correctly by the proposed image analysis system. The proposed automated image analysis system can effectively segment the images of human H4 neuroglioma cells exposed to CuO nanoparticles. The computational results confirmed our biological finding that human H4 neuroglioma cells had a dose-dependent toxic response to the insult of CuO nanoparticles.

Finite Element Analysis of Simple Rectangular Microstrip Sensor for Determination Moisture Content of Hevea Rubber Latex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahaya, NZ; Ramli, MR; Razak, NNANA; Abbas, Z.

2018-04-01

The Finite Element Method, FEM has been successfully used to model a simple rectangular microstrip sensor to determine the moisture content of Hevea rubber latex. The FEM simulation of sensor and samples was implemented by using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The simulation includes the calculation of magnitude and phase of reflection coefficient and was compared to analytical method. The results show a good agreement in finding the magnitude and phase of reflection coefficient when compared with analytical results. Field distributions of both the unloaded sensor as well as the sensor loaded with different percentages of moisture content were visualized using FEM in conjunction with COMSOL software. The higher the amount of moisture content in the sample the more the electric loops were observed.

The development of a new method to detect the adulteration of commercial aloe gel powders.

PubMed

Kim, K H; Lee, J G; Kim, D G; Kim, M K; Park, J H; Shin, Y G; Lee, S K; Jo, T H; Oh, S T

1998-10-01

Simple and accurate methods to detect the adulteration of commercial aloe gel powder were developed. Crude polysaccharide in aloe gel powder was isolated by precipitating with excess ethyl alcohol and total hexose in isolated polysaccharide was determined by Dubois assay. After hydrolysis of non-dialysable polysaccharides, resultant free sugar was determined by gas chromatography for sugar recognition and ash contents was considered simultaneously. In some products, the content of ash was very low while the content of total hexose was very high. And polysaccharides of these products revealed typical dextran pattern, therefore, these products could be identified that adulterated with commercial maltodextrin. The content of maltodextrin in adulterated product was determined by HPLC and TLC analysis which could be adopted as a part of a certification process.

Scaling up semi-arid grassland biochemical content from the leaf to the canopy level: challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

He, Yuhong; Mui, Amy

2010-01-01

Remote sensing imagery is being used intensively to estimate the biochemical content of vegetation (e.g., chlorophyll, nitrogen, and lignin) at the leaf level. As a result of our need for vegetation biochemical information and our increasing ability to obtain canopy spectral data, a few techniques have been explored to scale leaf-level biochemical content to the canopy level for forests and crops. However, due to the contribution of non-green materials (i.e., standing dead litter, rock, and bare soil) from canopy spectra in semi-arid grasslands, it is difficult to obtain information about grassland biochemical content from remote sensing data at the canopy level. This paper summarizes available methods used to scale biochemical information from the leaf level to the canopy level and groups these methods into three categories: direct extrapolation, canopy-integrated approach, and inversion of physical models. As for semi-arid heterogeneous grasslands, we conclude that all methods are useful, but none are ideal. It is recommended that future research should explore a systematic upscaling framework which combines spatial pattern analysis, canopy-integrated approach, and modeling methods to retrieve vegetation biochemical content at the canopy level.

Measuring engagement in nurses: the psychometric properties of the Persian version of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale

PubMed Central

Torabinia, Mansour; Mahmoudi, Sara; Dolatshahi, Mojtaba; Abyaz, Mohamad Reza

2017-01-01

Background: Considering the overall tendency in psychology, researchers in the field of work and organizational psychology have become progressively interested in employees’ effective and optimistic experiments at work such as work engagement. This study was conducted to investigate 2 main purposes: assessing the psychometric properties of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, and finding any association between work engagement and burnout in nurses. Methods: The present methodological study was conducted in 2015 and included 248 females and 34 males with 6 months to 30 years of job experience. After the translation process, face and content validity were calculated by qualitative and quantitative methods. Moreover, content validation ratio, scale-level content validity index and item-level content validity index were measured for this scale. Construct validity was determined by factor analysis. Moreover, internal consistency and stability reliability were assessed. Factor analysis, test-retest, Cronbach’s alpha, and association analysis were used as statistical methods. Results: Face and content validity were acceptable. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a new 3- factor model. In this new model, some items from the construct model of the original version were dislocated with the same 17 items. The new model was confirmed by divergent Copenhagen Burnout Inventory as the Persian version of UWES. Internal consistency reliability for the total scale and the subscales was 0.76 to 0.89. Results from Pearson correlation test indicated a high degree of test-retest reliability (r = 0. 89). ICC was also 0.91. Engagement was negatively related to burnout and overtime per month, whereas it was positively related with age and job experiment. Conclusion: The Persian 3– factor model of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure work engagement in Iranian nurses as well as in other medical professionals. PMID:28955665

High leukocyte mitochondrial DNA content contributes to poor prognosis in glioma patients through its immunosuppressive effect

PubMed Central

Chen, Y; Zhang, J; Huang, X; Zhang, J; Zhou, X; Hu, J; Li, G; He, S; Xing, J

2015-01-01

Background: Epidemiological studies have indicated significant associations of leukocyte mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number with risk of several malignancies, including glioma. However, whether mtDNA content can predict the clinical outcome of glioma patients has not been investigated. Methods: The mtDNA content of peripheral blood leukocytes from 336 glioma patients was examined using a real-time PCR-based method. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to examine the association of mtDNA content with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients. To explore the potential mechanism, the immune phenotypes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma concentrations of several cytokines from another 20 glioma patients were detected by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Results: Patients with high mtDNA content showed both poorer OS and PFS than those with low mtDNA content. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that mtDNA content was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and PFS. Stratified analyses showed that high mtDNA content was significantly associated with poor prognosis of patients with younger age, high-grade glioma or adjuvant radiochemotherapy. Immunological analysis indicated that patients with high mtDNA content had significantly lower frequency of natural killer cells in PBMCs and higher plasma concentrations of interleukin-2 and tumour necrosis factor-α, suggesting an immunosuppression-related mechanism involved in mtDNA-mediated prognosis. Conclusions: Our study for the first time demonstrated that leukocyte mtDNA content could serve as an independent prognostic marker and an indicator of immune functions in glioma patients. PMID:26022928

The Research of Software Engineering Curriculum Reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuang, Li-Qun; Han, Xie

With the problem that software engineering training can't meet the needs of the community, this paper analysis some outstanding reasons in software engineering curriculum teaching, such as old teaching contents, weak in practice and low quality of teachers etc. We propose the methods of teaching reform as guided by market demand, update the teaching content, optimize the teaching methods, reform the teaching practice, strengthen the teacher-student exchange and promote teachers and students together. We carried out the reform and explore positive and achieved the desired results.

40 CFR 52.126 - Control strategy and regulations: Particulate matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... be determined by using method 2 and traversing according to method 1. Gas analysis shall be performed using the integrated sample technique of method 3, and moisture content shall be determined by the condenser technique of method 4. (iii) All tests shall be conducted while the source is operating at the...

Comparison of a specific HPLC determination of toxic aconite alkaloids in processed Radix aconiti with a titration method of total alkaloids.

PubMed

Csupor, Dezso; Borcsa, Botond; Heydel, Barbara; Hohmann, Judit; Zupkó, István; Ma, Yan; Widowitz, Ute; Bauer, Rudolf

2011-10-01

In traditional Chinese medicine, Aconitum (Ranunculaceae) roots are only applied after processing. Nevertheless, several cases of poisoning by improperly processed aconite roots have been reported. The aim of this study was to develop a reliable analytical method to assess the amount of toxic aconite alkaloids in commercial aconite roots, and to compare this method with the commonly used total alkaloid content determination by titration. The content of mesaconitine, aconitine, and hypaconitine in 16 commercial samples of processed aconite roots was determined by an HPLC method and the total alkaloid content by indirect titration. Five samples were selected for in vivo toxicological investigation. In most of the commercial samples, toxic alkaloids were not detectable, or only traces were found. In four samples, we could detect >0.04% toxic aconite alkaloids, the highest with a content of 0.16%. The results of HPLC analysis were compared with the results obtained by titration, and no correlation was found between the two methods. The in vivo results reassured the validity of the HPLC determination. Samples with mesaconitine, aconitine, and hypaconitine content below the HPLC detection limit still contained up to 0.2% alkaloids determined by titration. Since titration of alkaloids gives no information selectively on the aconitine-type alkaloid content and toxicity of aconite roots this method is not appropriate for safety assessment. The HPLC method developed by us provides a quick and reliable assessment of toxicity and should be considered as a purity test in pharmacopoeia monographs.

Unsaturated flow characterization utilizing water content data collected within the capillary fringe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baehr, Arthur; Reilly, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

An analysis is presented to determine unsaturated zone hydraulic parameters based on detailed water content profiles, which can be readily acquired during hydrological investigations. Core samples taken through the unsaturated zone allow for the acquisition of gravimetrically determined water content data as a function of elevation at 3 inch intervals. This dense spacing of data provides several measurements of the water content within the capillary fringe, which are utilized to determine capillary pressure function parameters via least-squares calibration. The water content data collected above the capillary fringe are used to calculate dimensionless flow as a function of elevation providing a snapshot characterization of flow through the unsaturated zone. The water content at a flow stagnation point provides an in situ estimate of specific yield. In situ determinations of capillary pressure function parameters utilizing this method, together with particle-size distributions, can provide a valuable supplement to data libraries of unsaturated zone hydraulic parameters. The method is illustrated using data collected from plots within an agricultural research facility in Wisconsin.

Durability Characteristics Analysis of Plastic Worm Wheel with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyamide.

PubMed

Kim, Gun-Hee; Lee, Jeong-Won; Seo, Tae-Il

2013-05-10

Plastic worm wheel is widely used in the vehicle manufacturing field because it is favorable for weight lightening, vibration and noise reduction, as well as corrosion resistance. However, it is very difficult for general plastics to secure the mechanical properties that are required for vehicle gears. If the plastic resin is reinforced by glass fiber in the fabrication process of plastic worm wheel, it is possible to achieve the mechanical properties of metallic material levels. In this study, the mechanical characteristic analysis of the glass-reinforced plastic worm wheel, according to the contents of glass fiber, is performed by analytic and experimental methods. In the case of the glass fiber-reinforced resin, the orientation and contents of glass fibers can influence the mechanical properties. For the characteristic prediction of plastic worm wheel, computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis processes such as structural and injection molding analysis were executed with the polyamide resin reinforcement glass fiber (25 wt %, 50 wt %). The injection mold for fabricating the prototype plastic worm wheel was designed and made to reflect the CAE analysis results. Finally, the durability of prototype plastic worm wheel fabricated by the injection molding process was evaluated by the experimental method and the characteristics according to the glass fiber contents.

Durability Characteristics Analysis of Plastic Worm Wheel with Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyamide

PubMed Central

Kim, Gun-Hee; Lee, Jeong-Won; Seo, Tae-Il

2013-01-01

Plastic worm wheel is widely used in the vehicle manufacturing field because it is favorable for weight lightening, vibration and noise reduction, as well as corrosion resistance. However, it is very difficult for general plastics to secure the mechanical properties that are required for vehicle gears. If the plastic resin is reinforced by glass fiber in the fabrication process of plastic worm wheel, it is possible to achieve the mechanical properties of metallic material levels. In this study, the mechanical characteristic analysis of the glass-reinforced plastic worm wheel, according to the contents of glass fiber, is performed by analytic and experimental methods. In the case of the glass fiber-reinforced resin, the orientation and contents of glass fibers can influence the mechanical properties. For the characteristic prediction of plastic worm wheel, computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis processes such as structural and injection molding analysis were executed with the polyamide resin reinforcement glass fiber (25 wt %, 50 wt %). The injection mold for fabricating the prototype plastic worm wheel was designed and made to reflect the CAE analysis results. Finally, the durability of prototype plastic worm wheel fabricated by the injection molding process was evaluated by the experimental method and the characteristics according to the glass fiber contents. PMID:28809248

Real time chemical exposure and risk monitor

DOEpatents

Thrall, Karla D.; Kenny, Donald V.; Endres, George W. R.; Sisk, Daniel R.

1997-01-01

The apparatus of the present invention is a combination of a breath interface and an external exposure dosimeter interface to a chemical analysis device, all controlled by an electronic processor for quantitatively analyzing chemical analysis data from both the breath interface and the external exposure dosimeter for determining internal tissue dose. The method of the present invention is a combination of steps of measuring an external dose, measuring breath content, then analyzing the external dose and breath content and determining internal tissue dose.

Real time chemical exposure and risk monitor

DOEpatents

Thrall, K.D.; Kenny, D.V.; Endres, G.W.R.; Sisk, D.R.

1997-07-08

The apparatus of the present invention is a combination of a breath interface and an external exposure dosimeter interface to a chemical analysis device, all controlled by an electronic processor for quantitatively analyzing chemical analysis data from both the breath interface and the external exposure dosimeter for determining internal tissue dose. The method of the present invention is a combination of steps of measuring an external dose, measuring breath content, then analyzing the external dose and breath content and determining internal tissue dose. 7 figs.

Dynamics of actual aggregation of petroleum products in snow cover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Begunova, L. A.; Kuznetsova, O. V.; Begunov, D. A.; Kuznetsova, A. N.

2017-11-01

The paper presents issues of snow cover pollution by petroleum products. Petroleum products content was determined using the fluorimetric method of analysis. The samples of snow were selected on the territory of Angarsk and Irkutsk cities. According to the obtained data, the content of petroleum products in the analyzed samples exceeds the background value up to 6 times. Analysis of the reference data for similar research confirms need for creation of an environmental monitoring centralized system to monitor atmospheric precipitation and, particularly, snow cover.

Computerized content analysis of some adolescent writings of Napoleon Bonaparte: a test of the validity of the method.

PubMed

Gottschalk, Louis A; DeFrancisco, Don; Bechtel, Robert J

2002-08-01

The aim of this study was to test the validity of a computer software program previously demonstrated to be capable of making DSM-IV neuropsychiatric diagnoses from the content analysis of speech or verbal texts. In this report, the computer program was applied to three personal writings of Napoleon Bonaparte when he was 12 to 16 years of age. The accuracy of the neuropsychiatric evaluations derived from the computerized content analysis of these writings of Napoleon was independently corroborated by two biographers who have described pertinent details concerning his life situations, moods, and other emotional reactions during this adolescent period of his life. The relevance of this type of computer technology to psychohistorical research and clinical psychiatry is suggested.

41 CFR 60-2.12 - Job group analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Job group analysis. 60-2... 2-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS Purpose and Contents of Affirmative Action Programs § 60-2.12 Job group analysis. (a) Purpose: A job group analysis is a method of combining job titles within the...

41 CFR 60-2.12 - Job group analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 1 2012-07-01 2009-07-01 true Job group analysis. 60-2... 2-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS Purpose and Contents of Affirmative Action Programs § 60-2.12 Job group analysis. (a) Purpose: A job group analysis is a method of combining job titles within the...

41 CFR 60-2.12 - Job group analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Job group analysis. 60-2... 2-AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAMS Purpose and Contents of Affirmative Action Programs § 60-2.12 Job group analysis. (a) Purpose: A job group analysis is a method of combining job titles within the...

How Social Network Position Relates to Knowledge Building in Online Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lu

2010-01-01

Social Network Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Content Analysis and other research methods were used to research online learning communities at Capital Normal University, Beijing. Analysis of the two online courses resulted in the following conclusions: (1) Social networks of the two online courses form typical core-periphery structures; (2)…

Shock and Vibration Symposium (59th) Held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on 18-20 October 1988. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

Partial contents: The Quest for Omega = sq root(K/M) -- Notes on the development of vibration analysis; An overview of Statistical Energy analysis ; Its...and inplane vibration transmission in statistical energy analysis ; Vibroacoustic response using the finite element method and statistical energy analysis ; Helium

Comparison of Chemical Constituents in Scrophulariae Radix Processed by Different Methods based on UFLC-MS Combined with Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Shengnan; Hua, Yujiao; Zou, Lisi; Liu, Xunhong; Yan, Ying; Zhao, Hui; Luo, Yiyuan; Liu, Juanxiu

2018-02-01

Scrophulariae Radix is one of the most popular traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Primary processing of Scrophulariae Radix is an important link which closely related to the quality of products in this TCM. The aim of this study is to explore the influence of different processing methods on chemical constituents in Scrophulariae Radix. The difference of chemical constituents in Scrophulariae Radix processed by different methods was analyzed by using ultra fast liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry coupled with principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. Furthermore, the contents of 12 index differential constituents in Scrophulariae Radix processed by different methods were simultaneously determined by using ultra fast liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometry. Gray relational analysis was performed to evaluate the different processed samples according to the contents of 12 constituents. All of the results demonstrated that the quality of Scrophulariae Radix processed by "sweating" method was better. This study will provide the basic information for revealing the change law of chemical constituents in Scrophulariae Radix processed by different methods and facilitating selection of the suitable processing method of this TCM. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Quantitative analysis of nucleotide mixtures with terahertz time domain spectroscopy].

PubMed

Zhang, Zeng-yan; Xiao, Ti-qiao; Zhao, Hong-wei; Yu, Xiao-han; Xi, Zai-jun; Xu, Hong-jie

2008-09-01

Adenosine, thymidine, guanosine, cytidine and uridine form the building blocks of ribose nucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA). Nucleosides and their derivants are all have biological activities. Some of them can be used as medicine directly or as materials to synthesize other medicines. It is meaningful to detect the component and content in nucleosides mixtures. In the present paper, components and contents of the mixtures of adenosine, thymidine, guanosine, cytidine and uridine were analyzed. THz absorption spectra of pure nucleosides were set as standard spectra. The mixture's absorption spectra were analyzed by linear regression with non-negative constraint to identify the components and their relative content in the mixtures. The experimental and analyzing results show that it is simple and effective to get the components and their relative percentage in the mixtures by terahertz time domain spectroscopy with a relative error less than 10%. Component which is absent could be excluded exactly by this method, and the error sources were also analyzed. All the experiments and analysis confirms that this method is of no damage or contamination to the sample. This means that it will be a simple, effective and new method in biochemical materials analysis, which extends the application field of THz-TDS.

Statistical evaluation of fatty acid profile and cholesterol content in fish (common carp) lipids obtained by different sample preparation procedures.

PubMed

Spiric, Aurelija; Trbovic, Dejana; Vranic, Danijela; Djinovic, Jasna; Petronijevic, Radivoj; Matekalo-Sverak, Vesna

2010-07-05

Studies performed on lipid extraction from animal and fish tissues do not provide information on its influence on fatty acid composition of the extracted lipids as well as on cholesterol content. Data presented in this paper indicate the impact of extraction procedures on fatty acid profile of fish lipids extracted by the modified Soxhlet and ASE (accelerated solvent extraction) procedure. Cholesterol was also determined by direct saponification method, too. Student's paired t-test used for comparison of the total fat content in carp fish population obtained by two extraction methods shows that differences between values of the total fat content determined by ASE and modified Soxhlet method are not statistically significant. Values obtained by three different methods (direct saponification, ASE and modified Soxhlet method), used for determination of cholesterol content in carp, were compared by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The obtained results show that modified Soxhlet method gives results which differ significantly from the results obtained by direct saponification and ASE method. However the results obtained by direct saponification and ASE method do not differ significantly from each other. The highest quantities for cholesterol (37.65 to 65.44 mg/100 g) in the analyzed fish muscle were obtained by applying direct saponification method, as less destructive one, followed by ASE (34.16 to 52.60 mg/100 g) and modified Soxhlet extraction method (10.73 to 30.83 mg/100 g). Modified Soxhlet method for extraction of fish lipids gives higher values for n-6 fatty acids than ASE method (t(paired)=3.22 t(c)=2.36), while there is no statistically significant difference in the n-3 content levels between the methods (t(paired)=1.31). The UNSFA/SFA ratio obtained by using modified Soxhlet method is also higher than the ratio obtained using ASE method (t(paired)=4.88 t(c)=2.36). Results of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the highest positive impact to the second principal component (PC2) is recorded by C18:3 n-3, and C20:3 n-6, being present in a higher amount in the samples treated by the modified Soxhlet extraction, while C22:5 n-3, C20:3 n-3, C22:1 and C20:4, C16 and C18 negatively influence the score values of the PC2, showing significantly increased level in the samples treated by ASE method. Hotelling's paired T-square test used on the first three principal components for confirmation of differences in individual fatty acid content obtained by ASE and Soxhlet method in carp muscle showed statistically significant difference between these two data sets (T(2)=161.308, p<0.001). Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Airborne environmental endotoxin: a cross-validation of sampling and analysis techniques.

PubMed Central

Walters, M; Milton, D; Larsson, L; Ford, T

1994-01-01

A standard method for measurement of airborne environmental endotoxin was developed and field tested in a fiberglass insulation-manufacturing facility. This method involved sampling with a capillary-pore membrane filter, extraction in buffer using a sonication bath, and analysis by the kinetic-Limulus assay with resistant-parallel-line estimation (KLARE). Cross-validation of the extraction and assay method was performed by comparison with methanolysis of samples followed by 3-hydroxy fatty acid (3-OHFA) analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Direct methanolysis of filter samples and methanolysis of buffer extracts of the filters yielded similar 3-OHFA content (P = 0.72); the average difference was 2.1%. Analysis of buffer extracts for endotoxin content by the KLARE method and by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for 3-OHFA content produced similar results (P = 0.23); the average difference was 0.88%. The source of endotoxin was gram-negative bacteria growing in recycled washwater used to clean the insulation-manufacturing equipment. The endotoxin and bacteria become airborne during spray cleaning operations. The types of 3-OHFAs in bacteria cultured from the washwater, present in the washwater and in the air, were similar. Virtually all of the bacteria cultured from air and water were gram negative composed mostly of two species, Deleya aesta and Acinetobacter johnsonii. Airborne countable bacteria correlated well with endotoxin (r2 = 0.64). Replicate sampling showed that results with the standard sampling, extraction, and Limulus assay by the KLARE method were highly reproducible (95% confidence interval for endotoxin measurement +/- 0.28 log10). These results demonstrate the accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of the standard procedure proposed for airborne environmental endotoxin. PMID:8161191

Quantitative Analysis and Comparison of Four Major Flavonol Glycosides in the Leaves of Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roemer (Chinese Toon) from Various Origins by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detector and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis

PubMed Central

Sun, Xiaoxiang; Zhang, Liting; Cao, Yaqi; Gu, Qinying; Yang, Huan; Tam, James P.

2016-01-01

Background: Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roemer is an endemic species of Toona genus native to Asian area. Its dried leaves are applied in the treatment of many diseases; however, few investigations have been reported for the quantitative analysis and comparison of major bioactive flavonol glycosides in the leaves harvested from various origins. Objective: To quantitatively analyze four major flavonol glycosides including rutinoside, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside, and kaempferol-3-O-α-L-rhamnoside in the leaves from different production sites and classify them according to the content of these glycosides. Materials and Methods: A high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method for their simultaneous determination was developed and validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, stability, and repeatability. Moreover, the method established was then employed to explore the difference in the content of these four glycosides in raw materials. Finally, a hierarchical clustering analysis was performed to classify 11 voucher specimens. Results: The separation was performed on a Waters XBridge Shield RP18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) kept at 35°C, and acetonitrile and H2O containing 0.30% trifluoroacetic acid as mobile phase was driven at 1.0 mL/min during the analysis. Ten microliters of solution were injected and 254 nm was selected to monitor the separation. A strong linear relationship between the peak area and concentration of four analytes was observed. And, the method was also validated to be repeatable, stable, precise, and accurate. Conclusion: An efficient and reliable HPLC-DAD method was established and applied in the assays for the samples from 11 origins successfully. Moreover, the content of those flavonol glycosides varied much among different batches, and the flavonoids could be considered as biomarkers to control the quality of Chinese Toon. SUMMARY Four major flavonol glycosides in the leaves of Toona sinensis were determined by HPLC-DAD and their contents were compared among various origins by HCA. Abbreviations used: HPLC-DAD: High-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector, HCA: Hierarchical clustering analysis, MS: Mass spectrometry, RSD: Relative standard deviation. PMID:27279719

Application of several methods for determining transfer functions and frequency response of aircraft from flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eggleston, John M; Mathews, Charles W

1954-01-01

In the process of analyzing the longitudinal frequency-response characteristics of aircraft, information on some of the methods of analysis has been obtained by the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. In the investigation of these methods, the practical applications and limitations were stressed. In general, the methods considered may be classed as: (1) analysis of sinusoidal response, (2) analysis of transient response as to harmonic content through determination of the Fourier integral by manual or machine methods, and (3) analysis of the transient through the use of least-squares solutions of the coefficients of an assumed equation for either the transient time response or frequency response (sometimes referred to as curve-fitting methods). (author)

Theory, Method, and Triangulation in the Study of Street Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucchini, Riccardo

1996-01-01

Describes how a comparative study of street children in Montevideo (Uruguay), Rio de Janeiro, and Mexico City contributes to a synergism between theory and method. Notes how theoretical approaches of symbolic interactionism, genetic structuralism, and habitus theory complement interview, participant observation, and content analysis methods;…

#fitspo on Instagram: A mixed-methods approach using Netlytic and photo analysis, uncovering the online discussion and author/image characteristics.

PubMed

Santarossa, Sara; Coyne, Paige; Lisinski, Carly; Woodruff, Sarah J

2016-11-01

The #fitspo 'tag' is a recent trend on Instagram, which is used on posts to motivate others towards a healthy lifestyle through exercise/eating habits. This study used a mixed-methods approach consisting of text and network analysis via the Netlytic program ( N = 10,000 #fitspo posts), and content analysis of #fitspo images ( N = 122) was used to examine author and image characteristics. Results suggest that #fitspo posts may motivate through appearance-mediated themes, as the largest content categories (based on the associated text) were 'feeling good' and 'appearance'. Furthermore, #fitspo posts may create peer influence/support as personal (opposed to non-personal) accounts were associated with higher popularity of images (i.e. number of likes/followers). Finally, most images contained posed individuals with some degree of objectification.

Paediatric Automatic Phonological Analysis Tools (APAT).

PubMed

Saraiva, Daniela; Lousada, Marisa; Hall, Andreia; Jesus, Luis M T

2017-12-01

To develop the pediatric Automatic Phonological Analysis Tools (APAT) and to estimate inter and intrajudge reliability, content validity, and concurrent validity. The APAT were constructed using Excel spreadsheets with formulas. The tools were presented to an expert panel for content validation. The corpus used in the Portuguese standardized test Teste Fonético-Fonológico - ALPE produced by 24 children with phonological delay or phonological disorder was recorded, transcribed, and then inserted into the APAT. Reliability and validity of APAT were analyzed. The APAT present strong inter- and intrajudge reliability (>97%). The content validity was also analyzed (ICC = 0.71), and concurrent validity revealed strong correlations between computerized and manual (traditional) methods. The development of these tools contributes to fill existing gaps in clinical practice and research, since previously there were no valid and reliable tools/instruments for automatic phonological analysis, which allowed the analysis of different corpora.

A high-throughput headspace gas chromatographic technique for the determination of nitrite content in water samples.

PubMed

Zhang, Shu-Xin; Peng, Rong; Jiang, Ran; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Barnes, Donald G

2018-02-23

This paper reports on a high-throughput headspace gas chromatographic method (HS-GC) for the determination of nitrite content in water sample, based on GC measurement of cyclohexene produced from the reaction between nitrite and cyclamate in a closed vial. The method has a relative standard deviation of <3.5%; The differences between the results of the nitrite measurements obtained by this method and those of a reference method were less than 5.8% and the recoveries of the method were in the range of 94.8-102% (for a spiked nitrite content range from 0.002 to 0.03 mg/L). The limit of detection of the method was 0.46 μg L -1 . Due to an overlapping mode in the headspace auto-sampler system, the method can provide an automated and high-throughput nitrite analysis for the surface water samples. In short, the present HS-GC method is simple, accurate, and sensitive, and it is very suitable to be used in the batch sample testing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Methodology for Assessing Aircrew Workloads.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

Workload Feasibility Study. .. ...... 52 Subjects. .. .............. ........ 53 Equipment .. ............... ....... 53 Date Analysis ... analysis ; simulation; standard time systems; switching synthetic time systems; task activities; task interference; time study; tracking; workload; work sampl...standard data systems, information content analysis , work sampling and job evaluation. Con- ventional methods were found to be deficient in accounting

The Information Professional's Profile: An Analysis of Brazilian Job Vacancies on the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Cunha, Miriam Vieira

2009-01-01

Introduction: Report of a study to discover and describe job vacancies for information professionals available online at specific sites and discussion lists between January 2005 and February 2008. Method: The study uses Bardin's content analysis technique and the following analysis criteria: information source, institutional type, professional…

TV News Analysis Project Motivates Broadcast Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, James R.

1980-01-01

Describes the use of content analysis by a journalism class in studying television news. Indicates that the method is flexible, generates familiarity with quantitative approaches to the analysis of broadcast journalism, can result in increased awareness of the complexity of the broadcast news medium, and increases student motivation. (TJ)

First Year Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematical Content Knowledge: Methods of Solution for a Ratio Question

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livy, Sharyn; Vale, Colleen

2011-01-01

In this article, pre-service teachers' mathematics content knowledge is explored through the analysis of two items about ratio from a Mathematical Competency, Skills and Knowledge Test. Pre-service teachers' thinking strategies, common errors and misconceptions in their responses are presented and discussed. Of particular interest was the range…

Integrated spectral and image analysis of hyperspectral scattering data for prediction of apple fruit firmness and soluble solids content

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spectral scattering is useful for assessing the firmness and soluble solids content (SSC) of apples. In previous research, mean reflectance extracted from the hyperspectral scattering profiles was used for this purpose since the method is simple and fast and also gives relatively good predictions. T...

Twenty Years of Social Studies Textbook Content Analysis: Still "Decidedly Disappointing"?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, Yiting

2017-01-01

In an article published in 1993, Rahima Wade reviewed the quality of social studies textbook content analyses published in three major social studies journals between 1982 and 1992. She concluded that the quality of this research was disappointing. Borrowing and refining Wade's methods, this article presents the findings of a review of all 29…

An Open Source Agenda for Research Linking Text and Image Content Features.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodrum, Abby A.; Rorvig, Mark E.; Jeong, Ki-Tai; Suresh, Chitturi

2001-01-01

Proposes methods to utilize image primitives to support term assignment for image classification. Proposes to release code for image analysis in a common tool set for other researchers to use. Of particular focus is the expansion of work by researchers in image indexing to include image content-based feature extraction capabilities in their work.…

Tell Me Your Story: Analysis of Script Topics Selected by Persons with Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, Audrey L.; Halper, Anita S.; Cherney, Leora R.

2010-01-01

Purpose: This study examined the content of 100 short scripts, co-constructed by persons with aphasia (PWA) and a clinician. The PWA subsequently learned the scripts by interacting with a computerized virtual therapist. The goal was to provide clinicians with ideas regarding content for treatment that is meaningful to PWAs. Method: Thirty-three…

Boron Content of Some Foods Consumed in Istanbul, Turkey.

PubMed

Kuru, Ruya; Yilmaz, Sahin; Tasli, Pakize Neslihan; Yarat, Aysen; Sahin, Fikrettin

2018-04-14

The boron content was determined in 42 different foods consumed in Istanbul, Turkey. Eleven species of fruit, ten species of vegetable, eight species of food of animal origin, four species of grain, two species of nuts, two species of legume, and five other kinds of foods were included to this study. They were analyzed by two methods: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique and carminic acid assay, and the results of two methods were also compared. Boron concentration in foods ranged between 0.06-37.2 mg/kg. Nuts had the highest boron content while foods of animal origin had the lowest. A strong correlation was found between the results of the carminic acid assay and the ICP-MS technique (p = 0.0001, Pearson correlation coefficient: r = 0.956). Bland Altman analysis also supported this correlation. ICP-MS is one of the most common, reliable, and powerful method for boron determination. The results of our study show that spectrophotometric carminic acid assay can provide similar results to ICP-MS, and the boron content in food materials can be also determined by spectrophotometric method.

Ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic attenuation rate for quantifying liver fat content.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Ding, Fang; Chen, Tian; Xia, Liang-Hua; Qian, Juan; Lv, Guo-Yi

2014-12-21

To establish and validate a simple quantitative assessment method for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) based on a combination of the ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic attenuation rate. A total of 170 subjects were enrolled in this study. All subjects were examined by ultrasound and (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) on the same day. The ultrasound hepatic/renal echo-intensity ratio and ultrasound hepatic echo-intensity attenuation rate were obtained from ordinary ultrasound images using the MATLAB program. Correlation analysis revealed that the ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic echo-intensity attenuation rate were significantly correlated with (1)H-MRS liver fat content (ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio: r = 0.952, P = 0.000; hepatic echo-intensity attenuation r = 0.850, P = 0.000). The equation for predicting liver fat content by ultrasound (quantitative ultrasound model) is: liver fat content (%) = 61.519 × ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio + 167.701 × hepatic echo-intensity attenuation rate -26.736. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the liver fat content ratio of the quantitative ultrasound model was positively correlated with serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and triglyceride, but negatively correlated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the optimal point for diagnosing fatty liver was 9.15% in the quantitative ultrasound model. Furthermore, in the quantitative ultrasound model, fatty liver diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 94.7% and 100.0%, respectively, showing that the quantitative ultrasound model was better than conventional ultrasound methods or the combined ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic echo-intensity attenuation rate. If the (1)H-MRS liver fat content had a value < 15%, the sensitivity and specificity of the ultrasound quantitative model would be 81.4% and 100%, which still shows that using the model is better than the other methods. The quantitative ultrasound model is a simple, low-cost, and sensitive tool that can accurately assess hepatic fat content in clinical practice. It provides an easy and effective parameter for the early diagnosis of mild hepatic steatosis and evaluation of the efficacy of NAFLD treatment.

Assessing Statistically Significant Heavy-Metal Concentrations in Abandoned Mine Areas via Hot Spot Analysis of Portable XRF Data

PubMed Central

Kim, Sung-Min; Choi, Yosoon

2017-01-01

To develop appropriate measures to prevent soil contamination in abandoned mining areas, an understanding of the spatial variation of the potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs) in the soil is necessary. For the purpose of effective soil sampling, this study uses hot spot analysis, which calculates a z-score based on the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to identify a statistically significant hot spot sample. To constitute a statistically significant hot spot, a feature with a high value should also be surrounded by other features with high values. Using relatively cost- and time-effective portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analysis, sufficient input data are acquired from the Busan abandoned mine and used for hot spot analysis. To calibrate the PXRF data, which have a relatively low accuracy, the PXRF analysis data are transformed using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) data. The transformed PXRF data of the Busan abandoned mine are classified into four groups according to their normalized content and z-scores: high content with a high z-score (HH), high content with a low z-score (HL), low content with a high z-score (LH), and low content with a low z-score (LL). The HL and LH cases may be due to measurement errors. Additional or complementary surveys are required for the areas surrounding these suspect samples or for significant hot spot areas. The soil sampling is conducted according to a four-phase procedure in which the hot spot analysis and proposed group classification method are employed to support the development of a sampling plan for the following phase. Overall, 30, 50, 80, and 100 samples are investigated and analyzed in phases 1–4, respectively. The method implemented in this case study may be utilized in the field for the assessment of statistically significant soil contamination and the identification of areas for which an additional survey is required. PMID:28629168

Assessing Statistically Significant Heavy-Metal Concentrations in Abandoned Mine Areas via Hot Spot Analysis of Portable XRF Data.

PubMed

Kim, Sung-Min; Choi, Yosoon

2017-06-18

To develop appropriate measures to prevent soil contamination in abandoned mining areas, an understanding of the spatial variation of the potentially toxic trace elements (PTEs) in the soil is necessary. For the purpose of effective soil sampling, this study uses hot spot analysis, which calculates a z -score based on the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to identify a statistically significant hot spot sample. To constitute a statistically significant hot spot, a feature with a high value should also be surrounded by other features with high values. Using relatively cost- and time-effective portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analysis, sufficient input data are acquired from the Busan abandoned mine and used for hot spot analysis. To calibrate the PXRF data, which have a relatively low accuracy, the PXRF analysis data are transformed using the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) data. The transformed PXRF data of the Busan abandoned mine are classified into four groups according to their normalized content and z -scores: high content with a high z -score (HH), high content with a low z -score (HL), low content with a high z -score (LH), and low content with a low z -score (LL). The HL and LH cases may be due to measurement errors. Additional or complementary surveys are required for the areas surrounding these suspect samples or for significant hot spot areas. The soil sampling is conducted according to a four-phase procedure in which the hot spot analysis and proposed group classification method are employed to support the development of a sampling plan for the following phase. Overall, 30, 50, 80, and 100 samples are investigated and analyzed in phases 1-4, respectively. The method implemented in this case study may be utilized in the field for the assessment of statistically significant soil contamination and the identification of areas for which an additional survey is required.

Application of a spectrum standardization method for carbon analysis in coal using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

PubMed

Li, Xiongwei; Wang, Zhe; Fu, Yangting; Li, Zheng; Liu, Jianmin; Ni, Weidou

2014-01-01

Measurement of coal carbon content using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is limited by its low precision and accuracy. A modified spectrum standardization method was proposed to achieve both reproducible and accurate results for the quantitative analysis of carbon content in coal using LIBS. The proposed method used the molecular emissions of diatomic carbon (C2) and cyanide (CN) to compensate for the diminution of atomic carbon emissions in high volatile content coal samples caused by matrix effect. The compensated carbon line intensities were further converted into an assumed standard state with standard plasma temperature, electron number density, and total number density of carbon, under which the carbon line intensity is proportional to its concentration in the coal samples. To obtain better compensation for fluctuations of total carbon number density, the segmental spectral area was used and an iterative algorithm was applied that is different from our previous spectrum standardization calculations. The modified spectrum standardization model was applied to the measurement of carbon content in 24 bituminous coal samples. The results demonstrate that the proposed method has superior performance over the generally applied normalization methods. The average relative standard deviation was 3.21%, the coefficient of determination was 0.90, the root mean square error of prediction was 2.24%, and the average maximum relative error for the modified model was 12.18%, showing an overall improvement over the corresponding values for the normalization with segmental spectrum area, 6.00%, 0.75, 3.77%, and 15.40%, respectively.

Study on grain quality forecasting method and indicators by using hyperspectral data in wheat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wenjiang; Wang, Jihua; Liu, Liangyun; Wang, Zhijie; Tan, Changwei; Song, Xiaoyu; Wang, Jingdi

2005-01-01

Field experiments were conducted to examine the influence factors of cultivar, nitrogen application and irrigation on grain protein content, gluten content and grain hardness in three winter wheat cultivars under four levels of nitrogen and irrigation treatments. Firstly, the influence of cultivars and environment factors on grain quality were studied, the effective factors were cultivars, irrigation, fertilization, et al. Secondly, total nitrogen content around winter wheat anthesis stage was proved to be significant correlative with grain protein content, and spectral vegetation index significantly correlated to total nitrogen content around anthesis stage were the potential indicators for grain protein content. Accumulation of total nitrogen content and its transfer to grain is the physical link to produce the final grain protein, and total nitrogen content at anthesis stage was proved to be an indicator of final grain protein content. The selected normalized photochemical reflectance index (NPRI) was proved to be able to predict of grain protein content on the close correlation between the ratio of total carotenoid to chlorophyll a and total nitrogen content. The method contributes towards developing optimal procedures for predicting wheat grain quality through analysis of their canopy reflected spectrum at anthesis stage. Regression equations were established for forecasting grain protein and dry gluten content by total nitrogen content at anthesis stage, so it is feasible for forecasting grain quality by establishing correlation equations between biochemical constitutes and canopy reflected spectrum.

Quantitative analysis of γ-oryzanol content in cold pressed rice bran oil by TLC-image analysis method

PubMed Central

Sakunpak, Apirak; Suksaeree, Jirapornchai; Monton, Chaowalit; Pathompak, Pathamaporn; Kraisintu, Krisana

2014-01-01

Objective To develop and validate an image analysis method for quantitative analysis of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. Methods TLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis methods were developed, validated, and used for quantitative analysis of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. The results obtained by these two different quantification methods were compared by paired t-test. Results Both assays provided good linearity, accuracy, reproducibility and selectivity for determination of γ-oryzanol. Conclusions The TLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis methods provided a similar reproducibility, accuracy and selectivity for the quantitative determination of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. A statistical comparison of the quantitative determinations of γ-oryzanol in samples did not show any statistically significant difference between TLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis methods. As both methods were found to be equal, they therefore can be used for the determination of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. PMID:25182282

Proximate biochemical composition and caloric content calculated from elemental CHN analysis: a stoichiometric concept.

PubMed

Gnaiger, E; Bitterlich, G

1984-06-01

Carbohydrate, lipid, and protein compositions are stoichiometrically related to organic CHN (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen) contents. Elemental CHN analyses of total biomass and ash, therefore, provide a basis for the calculation of proximate biochemical composition and bomb caloric value. The classical nitrogen to protein conversion factor (6.25) should be replaced by 5.8±0.13. A linear relation exists between the mass fraction of non-protein carbon and the carbohydrate and lipid content. Residual water in dry organic matter can be estimated with the additional information derived from hydrogen measurements.The stoichiometric CHN method and direct biochemical analysis agreed within 10% of ash-free dry biomass (for muscle, liver and fat tissue of silver carp; gut contents composed of detritus and algae; commercial fish food). The detrital material, however, had to be corrected for non-protein nitrogen.A linear relationship between bomb caloric value and organic carbon fractions was derived on the basis of thermodynamic and stoichiometric principles, in agreement with experimental data published for bacteria, algae, protozoa and invertebrates. The highly automatic stoichiometric CHN method for the separation of nutrient contents in biomass extends existing ecophysiological concepts for the construction of balanced carbon and nitrogen, as well as biochemical and energy budgets.

Analysis of the effect of waste's particle size variations on biodrying method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristanto, Gabriel Andari; Zikrina, Masayu Nadiya

2017-11-01

The use of municipal solid waste as energy source can be a solution for Indonesia's increasing energy demand. However, its high moisture content limits the use of solid waste as energy. Biodrying is a method of lowering wastes' moisture content using biological process. This study investigated the effect of wastes' particle size variations on biodrying method. The experiment was performed on 3 lab-scale reactors with the same specifications. Organic wastes with the composition of 50% vegetable wastes and 50% garden wastes were used as substrates. The feedstock was manually shredded into 3 size variations, which were 10 - 40 mm, 50 - 80 mm, and 100 - 300 mm. The experiment lasted for 21 days. After 21 days, it was shown that the waste with the size of 100 - 300 mm has the lowest moisture content, which is 50.99%, and the volatile solids content is still 74.3% TS. This may be caused by the higher free air space of the reactor with the bigger sized substrate.

[Effects of Tillage on Distribution of Heavy Metals and Organic Matter Within Purple Paddy Soil Aggregates].

PubMed

Shi, Qiong-bin; Zhao, Xiu-lan; Chang, Tong-ju; Lu, Ji-wen

2016-05-15

A long-term experiment was utilized to study the effects of tillage methods on the contents and distribution characteristics of organic matter and heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Fe and Mn) in aggregates with different sizes (including 1-2, 0.25-1, 0.05-0.25 mm and < 0.05 mm) in a purple paddy soil under two tillage methods including flooded paddy field (FPF) and paddy-upland rotation (PR). The relationship between heavy metals and organic matter in soil aggregates was also analyzed. The results showed that the aggregates of two tillage methods were dominated by 0.05-0.25 mm and < 0.05 mm particle size, respectively. The contents of organic matter in each aggregate decreased with the decrease of aggregate sizes, however, compared to PR, FPF could significantly increase the contents of organic matter in soils and aggregates. The tillage methods did not significantly affect the contents of heavy metals in soils, but FPF could enhance the accumulation and distribution of aggregate, organic matter and heavy metals in aggregates with diameters of 1-2 mm and 0.25-1 mm. Correlation analysis found that there was a negative correlation between the contents of heavy metals and organic matter in soil aggregates, but a positive correlation between the amounts of heavy metal and organic matter accumulated in soil aggregates. From the slope of the correlation analysis equations, we could found that the sensitivities of heavy metals to the changes of soil organic matters followed the order of Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu > Fe > Cd under the same tillage. When it came to the same heavy metal, it was more sensitive in PR than in FPF.

Factor analysis in optimization of formulation of high content uniformity tablets containing low dose active substance.

PubMed

Lukášová, Ivana; Muselík, Jan; Franc, Aleš; Goněc, Roman; Mika, Filip; Vetchý, David

2017-11-15

Warfarin is intensively discussed drug with narrow therapeutic range. There have been cases of bleeding attributed to varying content or altered quality of the active substance. Factor analysis is useful for finding suitable technological parameters leading to high content uniformity of tablets containing low amount of active substance. The composition of tabletting blend and technological procedure were set with respect to factor analysis of previously published results. The correctness of set parameters was checked by manufacturing and evaluation of tablets containing 1-10mg of warfarin sodium. The robustness of suggested technology was checked by using "worst case scenario" and statistical evaluation of European Pharmacopoeia (EP) content uniformity limits with respect to Bergum division and process capability index (Cpk). To evaluate the quality of active substance and tablets, dissolution method was developed (water; EP apparatus II; 25rpm), allowing for statistical comparison of dissolution profiles. Obtained results prove the suitability of factor analysis to optimize the composition with respect to batches manufactured previously and thus the use of metaanalysis under industrial conditions is feasible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of verbal communication during teaching in the operating room and the potentials for surgical training.

PubMed

Blom, E M; Verdaasdonk, E G G; Stassen, L P S; Stassen, H G; Wieringa, P A; Dankelman, J

2007-09-01

Verbal communication in the operating room during surgical procedures affects team performance, reflects individual skills, and is related to the complexity of the operation process. During the procedural training of surgeons (residents), feedback and guidance is given through verbal communication. A classification method based on structural analysis of the contents was developed to analyze verbal communication. This study aimed to evaluate whether a classification method for the contents of verbal communication in the operating room could provide insight into the teaching processes. Eight laparoscopic cholecystectomies were videotaped. Two entire cholecystectomies and the dissection phase of six additional procedures were analyzed by categorization of the communication in terms of type (4 categories: commanding, explaining, questioning, and miscellaneous) and content (9 categories: operation method, location, direction, instrument handling, visualization, anatomy and pathology, general, private, undefinable). The operation was divided into six phases: start, dissection, clipping, separating, control, closing. Classification of the communication during two entire procedures showed that each phase of the operation was dominated by different kinds of communication. A high percentage of explaining anatomy and pathology was found throughout the whole procedure except for the control and closing phases. In the dissection phases, 60% of verbal communication concerned explaining. These explaining communication events were divided as follows: 27% operation method, 19% anatomy and pathology, 25% location (positioning of the instrument-tissue interaction), 15% direction (direction of tissue manipulation), 11% instrument handling, and 3% other nonclassified instructions. The proposed classification method is feasible for analyzing verbal communication during surgical procedures. Communication content objectively reflects the interaction between surgeon and resident. This information can potentially be used to specify training needs, and may contribute to the evaluation of different training methods.

A Statistical Review of Alternative Zinc and Copper Extraction from Mineral Fertilizers and Industrial By-Products.

PubMed

Cenciani de Souza, Camila Prado; Aparecida de Abreu, Cleide; Coscione, Aline Renée; Alberto de Andrade, Cristiano; Teixeira, Luiz Antonio Junqueira; Consolini, Flavia

2018-01-01

Rapid, accurate, and low-cost alternative analytical methods for micronutrient quantification in fertilizers are fundamental in QC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) content in mineral fertilizers and industrial by-products determined by the alternative methods USEPA 3051a, 10% HCl, and 10% H2SO4 are statistically equivalent to the standard method, consisting of hot-plate digestion using concentrated HCl. The commercially marketed Zn and Cu sources in Brazil consisted of oxides, carbonate, and sulfate fertilizers and by-products consisting of galvanizing ash, galvanizing sludge, brass ash, and brass or scrap slag. The contents of sources ranged from 15 to 82% and 10 to 45%, respectively, for Zn and Cu. The Zn and Cu contents refer to the variation of the elements found in the different sources evaluated with the concentrated HCl method as shown in Table 1. A protocol based on the following criteria was used for the statistical analysis assessment of the methods: F-test modified by Graybill, t-test for the mean error, and linear correlation coefficient analysis. In terms of equivalents, 10% HCl extraction was equivalent to the standard method for Zn, and the results of the USEPA 3051a and 10% HCl methods indicated that these methods were equivalents for Cu. Therefore, these methods can be considered viable alternatives to the standard method of determination for Cu and Zn in mineral fertilizers and industrial by-products in future research for their complete validation.

The use of MP-AES for determination of plant available P in soil by DL method and distribution of soils into P status classes by DL, AL and Mehlich 3 methods.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toomsoo, Avo; Jürgens, Meit; Kõlli, Raimo; Künnapas, Allan; Albre, Imbi; Tõnutare, Tõnu; Rodima, Ako

2017-04-01

Only small percentage of soil total phosphorus is easily exchangeable between solid and solution phase. Plants are able to assimilate P from environment only in the form of orthophosphate ions (H2PO4- and HPO42-) from soil solution. Deficit of P in soil solution prevents plant normal growth and decreases yield quantity and quality. The excess of P in soil solution causes the pollution of environment and eutrophication of water bodies. Therefore it is important to give to the plant producers the correct fertilization recommendations. Lot of analytical methods are developed for the determination of plant available P in soils. In the Baltic Sea region seven different soils' P analysis methods in use. Each method has its own gradation and often there is more than one gradation for the same method depending from agroecological conditions. For agricultural soils in Estonia there are soil P status gradations according to Mehlich 3, DL and AL methods. Phosphate content in soil can be determined by molybdate method Vis-spectrometrically. Very often for analysis of soils' P content also ICP-OES, ICP-MS and also MP-AES instrumental methods are used The aim of our work was to investigate the possibility of using MP-AES for determination of plant available P in soil by DL method and also to compare how the analysed soils are distributed to M3, AL and DL fertilizer requirement groups according to the P content.

Analysis of titanium content in titanium tetrachloride solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Xiaoguo; Dong, Yingnan; Li, Shanshan; Guan, Duojiao; Wang, Jianyu; Tang, Meiling

2018-03-01

Strontium titanate, barium titan and lead titanate are new type of functional ceramic materials with good prospect, and titanium tetrachloride is a commonly in the production such products. Which excellent electrochemical performance of ferroelectric tempreature coefficient effect.In this article, three methods are used to calibrate the samples of titanium tetrachloride solution by back titration method, replacement titration method and gravimetric analysis method. The results show that the back titration method has many good points, for example, relatively simple operation, easy to judgment the titration end point, better accuracy and precision of analytical results, the relative standard deviation not less than 0.2%. So, it is the ideal of conventional analysis methods in the mass production.

Use of Bayesian Methods to Analyze and Visualize Content Uniformity Capability Versus United States Pharmacopeia and ASTM Standards.

PubMed

Hofer, Jeffrey D; Rauk, Adam P

2017-02-01

The purpose of this work was to develop a straightforward and robust approach to analyze and summarize the ability of content uniformity data to meet different criteria. A robust Bayesian statistical analysis methodology is presented which provides a concise and easily interpretable visual summary of the content uniformity analysis results. The visualization displays individual batch analysis results and shows whether there is high confidence that different content uniformity criteria could be met a high percentage of the time in the future. The 3 tests assessed are as follows: (a) United States Pharmacopeia Uniformity of Dosage Units <905>, (b) a specific ASTM E2810 Sampling Plan 1 criterion to potentially be used for routine release testing, and (c) another specific ASTM E2810 Sampling Plan 2 criterion to potentially be used for process validation. The approach shown here could readily be used to create similar result summaries for other potential criteria. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Method development and subsequent survey analysis of biological tissues for platinum, lead, and manganese content.

PubMed Central

Yoakum, A M; Stewart, P L; Sterrett, J E

1975-01-01

An emission spectrochemical method is described for the determination of trace quantities of platinum, lead, and manganese in biological tissues. Total energy burns in an argon-oxygen atmosphere are employed. Sample preparation, conditions of analysis, and preparation of standards are discussed. The precision of the method is consistently better than +/- 15%, and comparative analyses indicate comparable accuracies. Data obtained for experimental rat tissues and for selected autopsy tissues are presented. PMID:1157798

Analysis of experts' perception of the effectiveness of teaching methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kindra, Gurprit S.

1984-03-01

The present study attempts to shed light on the perceptions of business educators regarding the effectiveness of six methodologies in achieving Gagné's five learning outcomes. Results of this study empirically confirm the oft-stated contention that no one method is globally effective for the attainment of all objectives. Specifically, business games, traditional lecture, and case study methods are perceived to be most effective for the learning of application, knowledge acquisition, and analysis and application, respectively.

The Use of Radioactivation Analysis in Biology; APPLICAZIONI DELL'ANALISI PER RADIOATTIVAZIONE ALLA BIOLOGIA

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

Merlini, M.

1962-01-01

The principles of activation analysis and the methods of detection and measurement of radioactivity from neutron irradiated samples are described. The application of this method in different fields is mentioned. An example of the use of activation analysis in biology is given; and the results of a study on the manganese content in different parts of a lamellibranch, Unio mancus elongatus (Pfeiffer) of Lago Maggiore, are presented and discussed. (auth)

Comparative Analysis of the Volatile Components of Agrimonia eupatoria from Leaves and Roots by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Multivariate Curve Resolution

PubMed Central

Feng, Xiao-Liang; He, Yun-biao; Liang, Yi-Zeng; Wang, Yu-Lin; Huang, Lan-Fang; Xie, Jian-Wei

2013-01-01

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate curve resolution were applied to the differential analysis of the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria specimens from different plant parts. After extracted with water distillation method, the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria from leaves and roots were detected by GC-MS. Then the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the volatile components in the main root of Agrimonia eupatoria was completed with the help of subwindow factor analysis resolving two-dimensional original data into mass spectra and chromatograms. 68 of 87 separated constituents in the total ion chromatogram of the volatile components were identified and quantified, accounting for about 87.03% of the total content. Then, the common peaks in leaf were extracted with orthogonal projection resolution method. Among the components determined, there were 52 components coexisting in the studied samples although the relative content of each component showed difference to some extent. The results showed a fair consistency in their GC-MS fingerprint. It was the first time to apply orthogonal projection method to compare different plant parts of Agrimonia eupatoria, and it reduced the burden of qualitative analysis as well as the subjectivity. The obtained results proved the combined approach powerful for the analysis of complex Agrimonia eupatoria samples. The developed method can be used to further study and quality control of Agrimonia eupatoria. PMID:24286016

Comparative Analysis of the Volatile Components of Agrimonia eupatoria from Leaves and Roots by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Multivariate Curve Resolution.

PubMed

Feng, Xiao-Liang; He, Yun-Biao; Liang, Yi-Zeng; Wang, Yu-Lin; Huang, Lan-Fang; Xie, Jian-Wei

2013-01-01

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and multivariate curve resolution were applied to the differential analysis of the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria specimens from different plant parts. After extracted with water distillation method, the volatile components in Agrimonia eupatoria from leaves and roots were detected by GC-MS. Then the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the volatile components in the main root of Agrimonia eupatoria was completed with the help of subwindow factor analysis resolving two-dimensional original data into mass spectra and chromatograms. 68 of 87 separated constituents in the total ion chromatogram of the volatile components were identified and quantified, accounting for about 87.03% of the total content. Then, the common peaks in leaf were extracted with orthogonal projection resolution method. Among the components determined, there were 52 components coexisting in the studied samples although the relative content of each component showed difference to some extent. The results showed a fair consistency in their GC-MS fingerprint. It was the first time to apply orthogonal projection method to compare different plant parts of Agrimonia eupatoria, and it reduced the burden of qualitative analysis as well as the subjectivity. The obtained results proved the combined approach powerful for the analysis of complex Agrimonia eupatoria samples. The developed method can be used to further study and quality control of Agrimonia eupatoria.

Method and apparatus for determining fat content of tissue

DOEpatents

Weber, Thomas M.; Spletzer, Barry L.; Bryan, Jon R.; Dickey, Fred M.; Shagam, Richard N.; Gooris, Luc

2001-01-01

A method and apparatus for determining characteristics of tissue is disclosed. The method comprises supplying optical energy to a tissue and detecting at a plurality of locations consequent energy scattered by the tissue. Analysis of the scattered energy as taught herein provides information concerning the properties of the tissue, specifically information related to the fat and lean content and thickness of the tissue. The apparatus comprises a light source adapted to deliver optical energy to a tissue. A plurality of detectors can be mounted at different positions relative to the source to detect energy scattered by the tissue. A signal processor as taught herein can determine characteristics of the tissue from the signals from the detectors and locations of the detectors, specifically information related to the fat and lean content and thickness of the tissue.

Newspaper reporting and the emergence of charcoal burning suicide in Taiwan: A mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Yeh; Tsai, Chi-Wei; Biddle, Lucy; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas; Wu, Kevin Chien-Chang; Gunnell, David

2016-03-15

It has been suggested that extensive media reporting of charcoal burning suicide was a key factor in the rapid spread of this novel method in many East Asian countries. But very few empirical studies have explored the relationship between media reporting and the emergence of this new method of suicide. We investigated the changing pattern of media reporting of charcoal burning suicides in Taiwan during 1998-2002 when this method of suicide increased most rapidly, assessing whether the characteristics of media reporting were associated with the changing incidence of suicide using this method. A mixed method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis of newspaper content during 1998-2002 was used. We compared differences in reporting characteristics before and after the rapid increase in charcoal burning suicide. Point-biserial and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to quantify the associations between the media item content and changes in suicide rates. During the period when charcoal burning suicide increased rapidly, the number of reports per suicide was considerably higher than during the early stage (0.31 vs. 0.10). Detailed reporting of this new method was associated with a post-reporting increase in suicides using the method. Qualitative analysis of news items revealed that the content of reports of suicide by charcoal burning changed gradually; in the early stages of the epidemic (1999-2000) there was convergence in the terminology used to report charcoal burning deaths, later reports gave detailed descriptions of the setting in which the death occurred (2001) and finally the method was glamourized and widely publicized (2001-2002). Our analysis was restricted to newspaper reports and did not include TV or the Internet. Newspaper reporting was associated with the evolution and establishment of charcoal burning suicide. Working with media and close monitoring of changes in the incidence of suicide using a new method might help prevent a suicide epidemic such as charcoal burning suicide seen in Taiwan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Creamatocrit analysis of human milk overestimates fat and energy content when compared to a human milk analyzer using mid-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

O'Neill, Edward F; Radmacher, Paula G; Sparks, Blake; Adamkin, David H

2013-05-01

Human milk (HM) is the preferred feeding for human infants but may be inadequate to support the rapid growth of the very-low-birth-weight infant. The creamatocrit (CMCT) has been widely used to guide health care professionals as they analyze HM fortification; however, the CMCT method is based on an equation using assumptions for protein and carbohydrate with fat as the only measured variable. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that a human milk analyzer (HMA) would provide more accurate data for fat and energy content than analysis by CMCT. Fifty-one well-mixed samples of previously frozen expressed HM were obtained after thawing. Previously assayed "control" milk samples were thawed and also run with unknowns. All milk samples were prewarmed at 40°C and then analyzed by both CMCT and HMA. CMCT fat results were substituted in the CMCT equation to reach a value for energy (kcal/oz). Fat results from HMA were entered into a computer model to reach a value for energy (kcal/oz). Fat and energy results were compared by paired t test with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. An additional 10 samples were analyzed locally by both methods and then sent to a certified laboratory for quantitative analysis. Results for fat and energy were analyzed by 1-way analysis of variance with statistical significance set at P < 0.05. Mean fat content by CMCT (5.8 ± 1.9 g/dL) was significantly higher than by HMA (3.2 ± 1.1 g/dL, P < 0.001). Mean energy by CMCT (21.8 ± 3.4 kcal/oz) was also significantly higher than by HMA (17.1 ± 2.9, P < 0.001). Comparison of biochemical analysis with HMA of the subset of milk samples showed no statistical difference for fat and energy, whereas CMCT was significantly higher than for both fat (P < 0.001) and energy (P = 0.002). The CMCT method appears to overestimate fat and energy content of HM samples when compared with HMA and biochemical methods.

Metals and organic compounds in the biosynthesis of cannabinoids: a chemometric approach to the analysis of Cannabis sativa samples.

PubMed

Radosavljevic-Stevanovic, Natasa; Markovic, Jelena; Agatonovic-Kustrin, Snezana; Razic, Slavica

2014-01-01

Illicit production and trade of Cannabis sativa affect many societies. This drug is the most popular and easy to produce. Important information for the authorities is the production locality and the indicators of a particular production. This work is an attempt to recognise correlations between the metal content in the different parts of C. sativa L., in soils where plants were cultivated and the cannabinoids content, as a potential indicator. The organic fraction of the leaves of Cannabis plants was investigated by GC-FID analysis. In addition, the determination of Cu, Fe, Cr, Mn, Zn, Ca and Mg was realised by spectroscopic techniques (FAAS and GFAAS). In this study, numerous correlations between metal content in plants and soil, already confirmed in previous publications, were analysed applying chemometric unsupervised methods, that is, principal component analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis, in order to highlight their role in the biosynthesis of cannabinoids.

METAL SPECIATION IN SOIL, SEDIMENT, AND WATER SYSTEMS VIA SYNCHROTRON RADIATION RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

Metal contaminated environmental systems (soils, sediments, and water) have challenged researchers for many years. Traditional methods of analysis have employed extraction methods to determine total metal content and define risk based on the premise that as metal concentration in...

Neurolinguistics Programming: Method or Myth?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gumm, W. B.; And Others

1982-01-01

The preferred modality by which 50 right-handed female college students encoded experience was assessed by recordings of conjugate eye movements, content analysis of the subject's verbal report, and the subject's self-report. Kappa analyses failed to reveal any agreement of the three assessment methods. (Author)

Regulating Alcohol Advertising: Content Analysis of the Adequacy of Federal and Self-Regulation of Magazine Advertisements, 2008–2010

PubMed Central

Cukier, Samantha; Jernigan, David H.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We analyzed beer, spirits, and alcopop magazine advertisements to determine adherence to federal and voluntary advertising standards. We assessed the efficacy of these standards in curtailing potentially damaging content and protecting public health. Methods. We obtained data from a content analysis of a census of 1795 unique advertising creatives for beer, spirits, and alcopops placed in nationally available magazines between 2008 and 2010. We coded creatives for manifest content and adherence to federal regulations and industry codes. Results. Advertisements largely adhered to existing regulations and codes. We assessed only 23 ads as noncompliant with federal regulations and 38 with industry codes. Content consistent with the codes was, however, often culturally positive in terms of aspirational depictions. In addition, creatives included degrading and sexualized images, promoted risky behavior, and made health claims associated with low-calorie content. Conclusions. Existing codes and regulations are largely followed regarding content but do not adequately protect against content that promotes unhealthy and irresponsible consumption and degrades potentially vulnerable populations in its depictions. Our findings suggest further limitations and enhanced federal oversight may be necessary to protect public health. PMID:24228667

Health in All Social Work Programs: Findings From a US National Analysis

PubMed Central

Wachman, Madeline K.; Marshall, Jamie W.; Backman, Allison R.; Harrington, Calla B.; Schultz, Neena S.; Ouimet, Kaitlyn J.

2017-01-01

Objectives. To establish a baseline of health content in 4 domains of US social work education—baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and continuing education programs—and to introduce the Social Work Health Impact Model, illustrating social work’s multifaceted health services, from clinical to wide-lens population health approaches. Methods. We analyzed US social work programs’ Web site content to determine amount and types of health content in mission statements, courses, and specializations. Coding criterion determined if content was (1) health or health-related (HHR) and (2) had wide-lens health (WLH) emphasis. A second iteration categorized HHR and WLH courses into health topics. Results. We reviewed 4831 courses. We found broad HHR content in baccalaureate, master’s, and continuing education curricula; doctoral programs had limited health content. We identified minimal WLH content across all domains. Topical analysis indicated that more than 50% of courses concentrated on 3 areas: mental and behavioral health, abuse and violence, and substance use and addictions. Conclusions. As a core health profession, social work must strengthen its health and wide-lens content to better prepare graduates for integrated practice and collaboration in the changing health environment. PMID:29236538

Development and Validation of a Safety Climate Scale for Manufacturing Industry

PubMed Central

Ghahramani, Abolfazl; Khalkhali, Hamid R.

2015-01-01

Background This paper describes the development of a scale for measuring safety climate. Methods This study was conducted in six manufacturing companies in Iran. The scale developed through conducting a literature review about the safety climate and constructing a question pool. The number of items was reduced to 71 after performing a screening process. Results The result of content validity analysis showed that 59 items had excellent item content validity index (≥ 0.78) and content validity ratio (> 0.38). The exploratory factor analysis resulted in eight safety climate dimensions. The reliability value for the final 45-item scale was 0.96. The result of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the safety climate model is satisfactory. Conclusion This study produced a valid and reliable scale for measuring safety climate in manufacturing companies. PMID:26106508

Content relatedness in the social web based on social explicit semantic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ntalianis, Klimis; Otterbacher, Jahna; Mastorakis, Nikolaos

2017-06-01

In this paper a novel content relatedness algorithm for social media content is proposed, based on the Explicit Semantic Analysis (ESA) technique. The proposed scheme takes into consideration social interactions. In particular starting from the vector space representation model, similarity is expressed by a summation of term weight products. In this paper, term weights are estimated by a social computing method, where the strength of each term is calculated by the attention the terms receives. For this reason each post is split into two parts, title and comments area, while attention is defined by the number of social interactions such as likes and shares. The overall approach is named Social Explicit Semantic Analysis. Experimental results on real data show the advantages and limitations of the proposed approach, while an initial comparison between ESA and S-ESA is very promising.

The Effect of maceration period on contents and color brightness of phycoerythrin from Gracilaria sp.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lidiana, H.; Sulmartiwi, L.; Andriyono, S.

2018-04-01

Natural pigment from seaweed, is currently required by humans as one of active compounds that are usefull in the field of health, cosmetics and food. One of the pigments which potentially can be developed is red phycobilin pigment. The pigment can be obtained from Gracilaria sp. throught maceration method. This research aims to find out wheter there is influence from the long maceration time toward to the content and the phycoerytrin color brightness of Gracilaria sp. The reseach method used experimental experiment with complete randomized design (CRD) which was consisted of nine treatments of long time maceration period three replications. Data analysis was used the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and continued to Duncan’s Multiple Distance Test to. The result showed that treatments with the time of maceration for 30 hours was the best treatment on phycoerytrin content about 0.98 mg/g with the brightness value was 19.73 L*, reddish value was 7.23 a*, and yellowish value was 2.87 b* of Gracilaria sp.

Quantitative analysis of γ-oryzanol content in cold pressed rice bran oil by TLC-image analysis method.

PubMed

Sakunpak, Apirak; Suksaeree, Jirapornchai; Monton, Chaowalit; Pathompak, Pathamaporn; Kraisintu, Krisana

2014-02-01

To develop and validate an image analysis method for quantitative analysis of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. TLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis methods were developed, validated, and used for quantitative analysis of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. The results obtained by these two different quantification methods were compared by paired t-test. Both assays provided good linearity, accuracy, reproducibility and selectivity for determination of γ-oryzanol. The TLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis methods provided a similar reproducibility, accuracy and selectivity for the quantitative determination of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil. A statistical comparison of the quantitative determinations of γ-oryzanol in samples did not show any statistically significant difference between TLC-densitometric and TLC-image analysis methods. As both methods were found to be equal, they therefore can be used for the determination of γ-oryzanol in cold pressed rice bran oil.

Who do we think we are? Analysing the content and form of identity work in the English National Health Service.

PubMed

McDermott, Imelda; Checkland, Kath; Harrison, Stephen; Snow, Stephanie; Coleman, Anna

2013-01-01

The language used by National Health Service (NHS) "commissioning" managers when discussing their roles and responsibilities can be seen as a manifestation of "identity work", defined as a process of identifying. This paper aims to offer a novel approach to analysing "identity work" by triangulation of multiple analytical methods, combining analysis of the content of text with analysis of its form. Fairclough's discourse analytic methodology is used as a framework. Following Fairclough, the authors use analytical methods associated with Halliday's systemic functional linguistics. While analysis of the content of interviews provides some information about NHS Commissioners' perceptions of their roles and responsibilities, analysis of the form of discourse that they use provides a more detailed and nuanced view. Overall, the authors found that commissioning managers have a higher level of certainty about what commissioning is not rather than what commissioning is; GP managers have a high level of certainty of their identity as a GP rather than as a manager; and both GP managers and non-GP managers oscillate between multiple identities depending on the different situations they are in. This paper offers a novel approach to triangulation, based not on the usual comparison of multiple data sources, but rather based on the application of multiple analytical methods to a single source of data. This paper also shows the latent uncertainty about the nature of commissioning enterprise in the English NHS.

Fast and simultaneously determination of light and heavy rare earth elements in monazite using combination of ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry and multivariate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggraeni, Anni; Arianto, Fernando; Mutalib, Abdul; Pratomo, Uji; Bahti, Husein H.

2017-05-01

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are elements that a lot of function for life, such as metallurgy, optical devices, and manufacture of electronic devices. Sources of REE is present in the mineral, in which each element has similar properties. Currently, to determining the content of REE is used instruments such as ICP-OES, ICP-MS, XRF, and HPLC. But in each instruments, there are still have some weaknesses. Therefore we need an alternative analytical method for the determination of rare earth metal content, one of them is by a combination of UV-Visible spectrophotometry and multivariate analysis, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Principal Component Regression (PCR), and Partial Least Square Regression (PLS). The purpose of this experiment is to determine the content of light and medium rare earth elements in the mineral monazite without chemical separation by using a combination of multivariate analysis and UV-Visible spectrophotometric methods. Training set created 22 variations of concentration and absorbance was measured using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, then the data is processed by PCA, PCR, and PLSR. The results were compared and validated to obtain the mathematical equation with the smallest percent error. From this experiment, mathematical equation used PLS methods was better than PCR after validated, which has RMSE value for La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Sm, Eu, and Tb respectively 0.095; 0.573; 0.538; 0.440; 3.387; 1.240; 1.870; and 0.639.

Fingerprinting zein by IR analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Zein, the dominant protein in corn, is a coproduct of the ethanol production industry. The protein content and purity of commercially available zein can vary widely depending on the source and production method. Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis (IR) was used to differentiate between zein samples of ...

Rationale and Use of Content-Relevant Achievement Tests for the Evaluation of Instructional Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patalino, Marianne

Problems in current course evaluation methods are discussed and an alternative method is described for the construction, analysis, and interpretation of a test to evaluate instructional programs. The method presented represents a different approach to the traditional overreliance on standardized achievement tests and the total scores they provide.…

An effective protein extraction method for two-dimensional electrophoresis in the anticancer herb Andrographis paniculata Nees.

PubMed

Talei, Daryush; Valdiani, Alireza; Puad, Mohd Abdullah

2013-01-01

Proteomic analysis of plants relies on high yields of pure protein. In plants, protein extraction and purification present a great challenge due to accumulation of a large amount of interfering substances, including polysaccharides, polyphenols, and secondary metabolites. Therefore, it is necessary to modify the extraction protocols. A study was conducted to compare four protein extraction and precipitation methods for proteomic analysis. The results showed significant differences in protein content among the four methods. The chloroform-trichloroacetic acid-acetone method using 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer provided the best results in terms of protein content, pellets, spot resolution, and intensity of unique spots detected. An overall of 83 qualitative or quantitative significant differential spots were found among the four methods. Based on the 2-DE gel map, the method is expected to benefit the development of high-level proteomic and biochemical studies of Andrographis paniculata, which may also be applied to other recalcitrant medicinal plant tissues. © 2013 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

[Analysis of dynamic changes of flavonoids and alkaloids during different drying process of Morus alba leaves].

PubMed

Bai, Yong-liang; Duan, Jin-ao; Su, Shu-lan; Qian, Ye-fei; Qian, Da-wei; Ouyang, Zhen

2014-07-01

To find out dynamic changes of flavonoids and alkaloids in Morus alba leaves by analyzing influence of different drying method and drying degrees, in order to provide evidence for quality evaluation of Morus alba leaves. Different drying methods, programmed temperature methods and constant temperature methods were adopted to dry Morus alba leaves samples respectively. Contents of flavonoids and alkaloids were analyzed by HPLC-PDA and LC-TQ/MS respectively. It's shown obviously that the content of flavonoids were influenced heavily by different drying methods. Methods that suitable for flavonoids were freezing-dried > shade-dried > dried > sun-dried > microwave-dried > infrared-dried; Methods that suitable for alkaloids were freezing-dried > shade-dried > dried > sun-dried > infrared-dried > microwave-dried. The 55 -65 degrees C group was shown to be the lowest in both flavonoids and DNJ while the 85 - 95 degrees C group was shown to be the best for DNJ. For fagomine, the 45 degrees C group was shown to be the lowest concentrations while the 95 - 105 degrees C group was shown to be the highest. Samples with different moisture were shown to be different in content of flavonoids and alkaloids. And samples with 10% moisture contain highest flavonoids while those with 30% - 50% moisture contain lowest flavonoids. Content of DNJ and fagomine raised as moisture decreasing. In addition, the 55 - 65 degrees C group was better than the 95 -105 degrees C one in alkaloids content. The results provide optimal drying methods and condition for drying Morus alba leaves, and foundations for uncovering biochemical transform of Morus alba leaves.

[Analysis of variation of monoterpene glycosides and polyhydroxy compounds in paeoniae radix alba during preliminary processing].

PubMed

Xu, Yuan; Liu, Pei; Yan, Hui; Qian, Da-Wei; Duan, Jin-Ao

2014-05-01

To investigate variation of monoterpene glycosides and polyhydroxy compounds in Paeoniae Radix Alba dried by different processing methods. The crude drugs were processed sequentially as washed, removed the head, tail, fine roots and dried. The samples were divided into eight groups by whether peeled and decocted or not. Each group was dried by 35, 45, 60, 80,100, 120 degrees C, sun-dried and shade-dried. HPLC-PDA method was adopted to determine the content of monoterpene glycosides compounds (paeoniflorin alibiflorin, oxypaeoniflorin and benzoylpaeoniflorin), polyhydroxy compounds (catechin and gallic acid) and benzoic acid. Chromatographic conditions: Phecad C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm). A principal component analysis (PCA) method was used subsequently to get data processed. The retained content of seven constituents decreased in those peeled crude drug, and after cooked, monoterpene glycosides and polyhydroxy compounds increased while the benzoic acid decreased. It was believed that rele- vant enzymes were inactivated while being cooked so that drying temperature showed little influence on the biotransformation. Contents of effective ingredients in Paeoniae Radix Alba are influenced by drying processing. The preferable method shows to be that crude drug should be cooked before being peeled and dried. As a matter of processing convtence, it is suggested to be peeled and sliced before being dried.

Quantitative determination of wool in textile by near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate models.

PubMed

Chen, Hui; Tan, Chao; Lin, Zan

2018-08-05

The wool content in textiles is a key quality index and the corresponding quantitative analysis takes an important position due to common adulterations in both raw and finished textiles. Conventional methods are maybe complicated, destructive, time-consuming, environment-unfriendly. Developing a quick, easy-to-use and green alternative method is interesting. The work focuses on exploring the feasibility of combining near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and several partial least squares (PLS)-based algorithms and elastic component regression (ECR) algorithms for measuring wool content in textile. A total of 108 cloth samples with wool content ranging from 0% to 100% (w/w) were collected and all the compositions are really existent in the market. The dataset was divided equally into the training and test sets for developing and validating calibration models. When using local PLS, the original spectrum axis was split into 20 sub-intervals. No obvious difference of performance can be seen for the local PLS models. The ECR model is comparable or superior to the other models due its flexibility, i.e., being transition state from PCR to PLS. It seems that ECR combined with NIR technique may be a potential method for determining wool content in textile products. In addition, it might have regulatory advantages to avoid time-consuming and environmental-unfriendly chemical analysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structured Case Analysis: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in a Marketing Case Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klebba, Joanne M.; Hamilton, Janet G.

2007-01-01

Structured case analysis is a hybrid pedagogy that flexibly combines diverse instructional methods with comprehensive case analysis as a mechanism to develop critical thinking skills. An incremental learning framework is proposed that allows instructors to develop and monitor content-specific theory and the corresponding critical thinking skills.…

Demography of Principals' Work and School Improvement: Content Validity of Kentucky's Standards and Indicators for School Improvement (SISI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindle, Jane Clark; Stalion, Nancy; Young, Lu

2005-01-01

Kentucky's accountability system includes a school-processes audit known as Standards and Indicators for School Improvement (SISI), which is in a nascent stage of validation. Content validity methods include comparison to instruments measuring similar constructs as well as other techniques such as job analysis. This study used a two-phase process…

40 CFR 63.606 - Performance tests and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Where: Mp = total mass flow rate of phosphorus-bearing feed, metric ton/hr (ton/hr). Rp = P2O5 content... determine the mass flow rate (Mp) of the phosphorus-bearing feed. (ii) The P2O5 content (Rp) of the feed..., No. 1 Preparation of Sample. (B) Section IX, Methods of Analysis For Phosphate Rock, No. 3 Phosphorus...

40 CFR 63.606 - Performance tests and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Where: Mp = total mass flow rate of phosphorus-bearing feed, metric ton/hr (ton/hr). Rp = P2O5 content... determine the mass flow rate (Mp) of the phosphorus-bearing feed. (ii) The P2O5 content (Rp) of the feed..., No. 1 Preparation of Sample. (B) Section IX, Methods of Analysis For Phosphate Rock, No. 3 Phosphorus...

Teachers' Knowledge in Content, Pedagogy and Technology Integration: A Comparative Analysis between Teachers in Saudi Arabia and United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alqurashi, Emtinan; Gokbel, Elif N.; Carbonara, David

2017-01-01

Teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) involves an awareness of instructional approaches, methods, and knowledge of building on technology to enhance students' learning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the TPACK of teachers in Saudi Arabia and USA, and then describe the factors affecting teachers' TPACK through an…

Zirconium determination by cooling curve analysis during the pyroprocessing of used nuclear fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westphal, B. R.; Price, J. C.; Bateman, K. J.; Marsden, K. C.

2015-02-01

An alternative method to sampling and chemical analyses has been developed to monitor the concentration of zirconium in real-time during the casting of uranium products from the pyroprocessing of used nuclear fuel. The method utilizes the solidification characteristics of the uranium products to determine zirconium levels based on standard cooling curve analyses and established binary phase diagram data. Numerous uranium products have been analyzed for their zirconium content and compared against measured zirconium data. From this data, the following equation was derived for the zirconium content of uranium products:

[Evaluate drug interaction of multi-components in Morus alba leaves based on α-glucosidase inhibitory activity].

PubMed

Ji, Tao; Su, Shu-Lan; Guo, Sheng; Qian, Da-Wei; Ouyang, Zhen; Duan, Jin-Ao

2016-06-01

Column chromatography was used for enrichment and separation of flavonoids, alkaloids and polysaccharides from the extracts of Morus alba leaves; glucose oxidase method was used with sucrose as the substrate to evaluate the multi-components of M. alba leaves in α-glucosidase inhibitory models; isobole method, Chou-Talalay combination index analysis and isobolographic analysis were used to evaluate the interaction effects and dose-effect characteristics of two components, providing scientific basis for revealing the hpyerglycemic mechanism of M. alba leaves. The components analysis showed that flavonoid content was 5.3%; organic phenolic acids content was 10.8%; DNJ content was 39.4%; and polysaccharide content was 18.9%. Activity evaluation results demonstrated that flavonoids, alkaloids and polysaccharides of M. alba leaves had significant inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, and the inhibitory rate was increased with the increasing concentration. Alkaloids showed most significant inhibitory effects among these three components. Both compatibility of alkaloids and flavonoids, and the compatibility of alkaloids and polysaccharides demonstrated synergistic effects, but the compatibility of flavonoids and polysaccharides showed no obvious synergistic effects. The results have confirmed the interaction of multi-components from M. alba leaves to regulate blood sugar, and provided scientific basis for revealing hpyerglycemic effectiveness and mechanism of the multi-components from M. alba leaves. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

A neotropical Miocene pollen database employing image-based search and semantic modeling.

PubMed

Han, Jing Ginger; Cao, Hongfei; Barb, Adrian; Punyasena, Surangi W; Jaramillo, Carlos; Shyu, Chi-Ren

2014-08-01

Digital microscopic pollen images are being generated with increasing speed and volume, producing opportunities to develop new computational methods that increase the consistency and efficiency of pollen analysis and provide the palynological community a computational framework for information sharing and knowledge transfer. • Mathematical methods were used to assign trait semantics (abstract morphological representations) of the images of neotropical Miocene pollen and spores. Advanced database-indexing structures were built to compare and retrieve similar images based on their visual content. A Web-based system was developed to provide novel tools for automatic trait semantic annotation and image retrieval by trait semantics and visual content. • Mathematical models that map visual features to trait semantics can be used to annotate images with morphology semantics and to search image databases with improved reliability and productivity. Images can also be searched by visual content, providing users with customized emphases on traits such as color, shape, and texture. • Content- and semantic-based image searches provide a powerful computational platform for pollen and spore identification. The infrastructure outlined provides a framework for building a community-wide palynological resource, streamlining the process of manual identification, analysis, and species discovery.

Analysis of Organic Acids, Deacetyl Asperulosidic Acid and Polyphenolic Compounds as a Potential Tool for Characterization of Noni (Morinda citrifolia) Products.

PubMed

Bittová, Miroslava; Hladůkova, Dita; Roblová, Vendula; Krácmar, Stanislav; Kubán, Petr; Kubán, Vlastimil

2015-11-01

Organic acids, deacetyl asperulosidic acid (DAA) and polyphenolic compounds in various noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) products (4 juices, 4 dry fruit powders and 2 capsules with dry fruit powder) were analyzed. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with a variable wavelength detector (VWD) and electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ESI-TOF MS) was applied for simultaneous analysis of organic acids (malic, lactic, citric and succinic acid) and DAA. An RP-HPLC method with diode-array detector (DAD) was developed for the analysis of polyphenolic compound content (rutin, catechin, quercitrin, kaempferol, gallic acid, caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid). The developed methods can contribute to better characterization of available noni products that is required from the consumers. In our study, we discovered significant dissimilarities in the content of DAA, citric acid and several phenolic compounds in some samples.

Application of Scion image software to the simultaneous determination of curcuminoids in turmeric (Curcuma longa).

PubMed

Sotanaphun, Uthai; Phattanawasin, Panadda; Sriphong, Lawan

2009-01-01

Curcumin, desmethoxycurcumin and bisdesmethoxycurcumin are bioactive constituents of turmeric (Curcuma longa). Owing to their different potency, quality control of turmeric based on the content of each curcuminoid is more reliable than that based on total curcuminoids. However, to perform such an assay, high-cost instrument is needed. To develop a simple and low-cost method for the simultaneous quantification of three curcuminoids in turmeric using TLC and the public-domain software Scion Image. The image of a TLC chromatogram of turmeric extract was recorded using a digital scanner. The density of the TLC spot of each curcuminoid was analysed by the Scion Image software. The density value was transformed to concentration by comparison with the calibration curve of standard curcuminoids developed on the same TLC plate. The polynomial regression data for all curcuminoids showed good linear relationship with R(2) > 0.99 in the concentration range of 0.375-6 microg/spot. The limits of detection and quantitation were 43-73 and 143-242 ng/spot, respectively. The method gave adequate precision, accuracy and recovery. The contents of each curcuminoid determined using this method were not significantly different from those determined using the TLC densitometric method. TLC image analysis using Scion Image is shown to be a reliable method for the simultaneous analysis of the content of each curcuminoid in turmeric.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Simple Algorithm Analysis for Rapid and Non-Destructive Assessment of Developmental Cotton Fibers.

PubMed

Liu, Yongliang; Kim, Hee-Jin

2017-06-22

With cotton fiber growth or maturation, cellulose content in cotton fibers markedly increases. Traditional chemical methods have been developed to determine cellulose content, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive, mostly owing to the slow hydrolysis process of fiber cellulose components. As one approach, the attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy technique has also been utilized to monitor cotton cellulose formation, by implementing various spectral interpretation strategies of both multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) and 1-, 2- or 3-band/-variable intensity or intensity ratios. The main objective of this study was to compare the correlations between cellulose content determined by chemical analysis and ATR FT-IR spectral indices acquired by the reported procedures, among developmental Texas Marker-1 (TM-1) and immature fiber ( im ) mutant cotton fibers. It was observed that the R value, CI IR , and the integrated intensity of the 895 cm -1 band exhibited strong and linear relationships with cellulose content. The results have demonstrated the suitability and utility of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy, combined with a simple algorithm analysis, in assessing cotton fiber cellulose content, maturity, and crystallinity in a manner which is rapid, routine, and non-destructive.

Characteristics of caring self-efficacy in pediatric nurses: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Alavi, Azam; Bahrami, Masoud; Zargham-Boroujeni, Ali; Yousefy, Alireza

2015-07-01

The present study was conducted to clarify pediatric nurses' characteristics of caring self-efficacy. This study was conducted using a qualitative content analysis approach. The participants included 27 pediatric nurses and clinical instructors, selected purposively. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using the content analysis method. Data analysis generated four main themes as attributes of a self-efficient pediatric nurse including: (a) professional communications; (b) management of care; (c) altruism; and (d) proficiency. Nursing managers and instructors can use these results to help develop nurses' empowerment and self-efficacy, especially in pediatric care. © 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Total body nitrogen analysis. [neutron activation analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, H. E.

1975-01-01

Studies of two potential in vivo neutron activation methods for determining total and partial body nitrogen in animals and humans are described. A method using the CO-11 in the expired air as a measure of nitrogen content was found to be adequate for small animals such as rats, but inadequate for human measurements due to a slow excretion rate. Studies on the method of measuring the induced N-13 in the body show that with further development, this method should be adequate for measuring muscle mass changes occurring in animals or humans during space flight.

Exploring context and content links in social media: a latent space method.

PubMed

Qi, Guo-Jun; Aggarwal, Charu; Tian, Qi; Ji, Heng; Huang, Thomas S

2012-05-01

Social media networks contain both content and context-specific information. Most existing methods work with either of the two for the purpose of multimedia mining and retrieval. In reality, both content and context information are rich sources of information for mining, and the full power of mining and processing algorithms can be realized only with the use of a combination of the two. This paper proposes a new algorithm which mines both context and content links in social media networks to discover the underlying latent semantic space. This mapping of the multimedia objects into latent feature vectors enables the use of any off-the-shelf multimedia retrieval algorithms. Compared to the state-of-the-art latent methods in multimedia analysis, this algorithm effectively solves the problem of sparse context links by mining the geometric structure underlying the content links between multimedia objects. Specifically for multimedia annotation, we show that an effective algorithm can be developed to directly construct annotation models by simultaneously leveraging both context and content information based on latent structure between correlated semantic concepts. We conduct experiments on the Flickr data set, which contains user tags linked with images. We illustrate the advantages of our approach over the state-of-the-art multimedia retrieval techniques.

Analysis of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity in Wild Blackberry Fruits

PubMed Central

Oszmiański, Jan; Nowicka, Paulina; Teleszko, Mirosława; Wojdyło, Aneta; Cebulak, Tomasz; Oklejewicz, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

Twenty three different wild blackberry fruit samples were assessed regarding their phenolic profiles and contents (by LC/MS quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) and antioxidant activity (ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and 2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS)) by two different extraction methods. Thirty four phenolic compounds were detected (8 anthocyanins, 15 flavonols, 3 hydroxycinnamic acids, 6 ellagic acid derivatives and 2 flavones). In samples, where pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was used for extraction, a greater increase in yields of phenolic compounds was observed, especially in ellagic acid derivatives (max. 59%), flavonols (max. 44%) and anthocyanins (max. 29%), than after extraction by the ultrasonic technique extraction (UAE) method. The content of phenolic compounds was significantly correlated with the antioxidant activity of the analyzed samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the PLE method was more suitable for the quantitative extraction of flavonols, while the UAE method was for hydroxycinnamic acids. PMID:26132562

Simultaneous quantitative analysis of main components in linderae reflexae radix with one single marker.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Li; Zhang, Yun-Bin; Sun, Xiao-Ya; Chen, Sui-Qing

2016-05-08

Establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by the single marker (QAMS) method for quality evaluation and validate its feasibilities by the simultaneous quantitative assay of four main components in Linderae Reflexae Radix. Four main components of pinostrobin, pinosylvin, pinocembrin, and 3,5-dihydroxy-2-(1- p -mentheneyl)- trans -stilbene were selected as analytes to evaluate the quality by RP-HPLC coupled with a UV-detector. The method was evaluated by a comparison of the quantitative results between the external standard method and QAMS with a different HPLC system. The results showed that no significant differences were found in the quantitative results of the four contents of Linderae Reflexae Radix determined by the external standard method and QAMS (RSD <3%). The contents of four analytes (pinosylvin, pinocembrin, pinostrobin, and Reflexanbene I) in Linderae Reflexae Radix were determined by the single marker of pinosylvin. This fingerprint was the spectra determined by Shimadzu LC-20AT and Waters e2695 HPLC that were equipped with three different columns.

The content of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg and Mn and antioxidant activity of green coffee brews.

PubMed

Stelmach, Ewelina; Pohl, Pawel; Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna

2015-09-01

A simple and fast method of the analysis of green coffee infusions was developed to measure total concentrations of Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg and Mn by high resolution-continuum source flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The precision of the method was within 1-8%, while the accuracy was within -1% to 2%. The method was used to the analysis of infusions of twelve green coffees of different geographical origin. It was found that Ca and Mg were leached the easiest, i.e., on average 75% and 70%, respectively. As compared to the mug coffee preparation, the rate of the extraction of elements was increased when infusions were prepared using dripper or Turkish coffee preparation methods. Additionally, it was established that the antioxidant activity of green coffee infusions prepared using the mug coffee preparation was high, 75% on average, and positively correlated with the total content of phenolic compounds and the concentration of Ca in the brew. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phenolic content and antioxidant properties of seeds from different grape cultivars grown in Iran.

PubMed

Mirbagheri, Vasigheh Sadat; Alizadeh, Ebrahim; Yousef Elahi, Mostafa; Esmaeilzadeh Bahabadi, Sedigheh

2018-02-01

This study investigated the antioxidant activity and phenolic composition of seed extracts from three grape cultivars grown in Iran. Folin Ciocalteu method was used for the determination of the total phenolic contents and GC-MS was used for the analysis of phenolic compositions. 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method was used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. The highest and the lowest total phenolic contents of seed extract were found in the black and green grape, respectively. The content of individual phenols such as Frulic acid, Gentistic acid, Syringic acid, (+) Catechin, Chlorogenic acid and (-)- Epicatchin gallate was cultivars dependent. The antioxidant activity of the seed extracts ranged from 34.03% (Green) to 53.63% (Black). Generally, the Black grape seed extract with the total phenolic content (3 ± 0.01 mg tannic acid/g DM), DPPH (53.63 ± 0.34%), IC 50 and AEAC (7.41 and 16.92 mg/mL) showed the highest level of total antioxidant capacity.

African Primary Care Research: Qualitative data analysis and writing results

PubMed Central

Govender, Indiran; Ogunbanjo, Gboyega A.; Mash, Bob

2014-01-01

Abstract This article is part of a series on African primary care research and gives practical guidance on qualitative data analysis and the presentation of qualitative findings. After an overview of qualitative methods and analytical approaches, the article focuses particularly on content analysis, using the framework method as an example. The steps of familiarisation, creating a thematic index, indexing, charting, interpretation and confirmation are described. Key concepts with regard to establishing the quality and trustworthiness of data analysis are described. Finally, an approach to the presentation of qualitative findings is given. PMID:26245437

African Primary Care Research: qualitative data analysis and writing results.

PubMed

Mabuza, Langalibalele H; Govender, Indiran; Ogunbanjo, Gboyega A; Mash, Bob

2014-06-05

This article is part of a series on African primary care research and gives practical guidance on qualitative data analysis and the presentation of qualitative findings. After an overview of qualitative methods and analytical approaches, the article focuses particularly on content analysis, using the framework method as an example. The steps of familiarisation, creating a thematic index, indexing, charting, interpretation and confirmation are described. Key concepts with regard to establishing the quality and trustworthiness of data analysis are described. Finally, an approach to the presentation of qualitative findings is given.

Bacterial molecular networks: bridging the gap between functional genomics and dynamical modelling.

PubMed

van Helden, Jacques; Toussaint, Ariane; Thieffry, Denis

2012-01-01

This introductory review synthesizes the contents of the volume Bacterial Molecular Networks of the series Methods in Molecular Biology. This volume gathers 9 reviews and 16 method chapters describing computational protocols for the analysis of metabolic pathways, protein interaction networks, and regulatory networks. Each protocol is documented by concrete case studies dedicated to model bacteria or interacting populations. Altogether, the chapters provide a representative overview of state-of-the-art methods for data integration and retrieval, network visualization, graph analysis, and dynamical modelling.

Green Curriculum Analysis in Technological Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakraborty, Arpita; Singh, Manvendra Pratap; Roy, Mousumi

2018-01-01

With rapid industrialization and technological development, India is facing adverse affects of unsustainable pattern of production and consumption. Education for sustainable development has been widely recognized to reduce the threat of environmental degradation and resource depletion. This paper used the content analysis method to explore the…

Crescent Evaluation : appendix A : on-site analysis of HELP technologies and operations evaluation report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-02-01

This report describes the data collection procedures, the data analysis methods, and the results gained from the on-site evaluations. The content of the report is as follows: Chapter 2 - State Profiles. This chapter includes descriptions of the organ...

Differentiation of the root of Cultivated Ginseng, Mountain Cultivated Ginseng and Mountain Wild Ginseng using FT-IR and two-dimensional correlation IR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dan; Li, Yong-Guo; Xu, Hong; Sun, Su-Qin; Wang, Zheng-Tao

2008-07-01

Ginseng is one of the most widely used herbal medicines. Based on the grown environments and the cultivate method, three kinds of ginseng, Cultivated Ginseng (CG), Mountain Cultivated Ginseng (MCG) and Mountain Wild Ginseng (MWG) are classified. A novel and scientific-oriented method was developed and established to discriminate and identify three kinds of ginseng using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), secondary derivative IR spectra and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy (2D-IR). The findings indicated that the relative contents of starch in the CG were more than that in MCG and MWG, while the relative contents of calcium oxalate and lipids in MWG were more than that in CG and MCG, and the relative contents of fatty acid in MCG were more than that in CG and MWG. The hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to data analysis of MWG, CG and MWG, which could be classified successfully. The results demonstrated the macroscopic IR fingerprint method, including FT-IR, secondary derivative IR and 2D-IR, can be applied to discriminate different ginsengs rapidly, effectively and non-destructively.

Lipid and moisture content modeling of amphidromous Dolly Varden using bioelectrical impedance analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stolarski, J.T.; Margraf, F.J.; Carlson, J.G.; Sutton, T.M.

2014-01-01

The physiological well-being or condition of fish is most commonly estimated from aspects of individual morphology. However, these metrics may be only weakly correlated with nutritional reserves stored as lipid, the primary form of accumulated energy in fish. We constructed and evaluated bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) models as an alternative method of assessing condition in amphidromous Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma collected from nearshore estuarine and lotic habitats of the Alaskan Arctic. Data on electrical resistance and reactance were collected from the lateral and ventral surfaces of 192 fish, and whole-body percent lipid and moisture content were determined using standard laboratory methods. Significant inverse relationships between temperature and resistance and reactance prompted the standardization of these data to a constant temperature using corrective equations developed herein. No significant differences in resistance or reactance were detected among spawning and nonspawning females after accounting for covariates, suggesting that electrical pathways do not intersect the gonads. Best-fit BIA models incorporating electrical variables calculated from the lateral and ventral surfaces produced the strongest associations between observed and model-predicted estimates of proximate content. These models explained between 6% and 20% more of the variability in laboratory-derived estimates of proximate content than models developed from single-surface BIA data and 32% more than models containing only length and weight data. While additional research is required to address the potential effects of methodological variation, bioelectrical impedance analysis shows promise as a way to provide high-quality, minimally invasive estimates of Dolly Varden lipid or moisture content in the field with only small increases in handling time.

A study on real-time low-quality content detection on Twitter from the users' perspective.

PubMed

Chen, Weiling; Yeo, Chai Kiat; Lau, Chiew Tong; Lee, Bu Sung

2017-01-01

Detection techniques of malicious content such as spam and phishing on Online Social Networks (OSN) are common with little attention paid to other types of low-quality content which actually impacts users' content browsing experience most. The aim of our work is to detect low-quality content from the users' perspective in real time. To define low-quality content comprehensibly, Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is first used to coarsely classify low-quality tweets into four categories. Based on this preliminary study, a survey is carefully designed to gather users' opinions on different categories of low-quality content. Both direct and indirect features including newly proposed features are identified to characterize all types of low-quality content. We then further combine word level analysis with the identified features and build a keyword blacklist dictionary to improve the detection performance. We manually label an extensive Twitter dataset of 100,000 tweets and perform low-quality content detection in real time based on the characterized significant features and word level analysis. The results of our research show that our method has a high accuracy of 0.9711 and a good F1 of 0.8379 based on a random forest classifier with real time performance in the detection of low-quality content in tweets. Our work therefore achieves a positive impact in improving user experience in browsing social media content.

A study on real-time low-quality content detection on Twitter from the users’ perspective

PubMed Central

Yeo, Chai Kiat; Lau, Chiew Tong; Lee, Bu Sung

2017-01-01

Detection techniques of malicious content such as spam and phishing on Online Social Networks (OSN) are common with little attention paid to other types of low-quality content which actually impacts users’ content browsing experience most. The aim of our work is to detect low-quality content from the users’ perspective in real time. To define low-quality content comprehensibly, Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is first used to coarsely classify low-quality tweets into four categories. Based on this preliminary study, a survey is carefully designed to gather users’ opinions on different categories of low-quality content. Both direct and indirect features including newly proposed features are identified to characterize all types of low-quality content. We then further combine word level analysis with the identified features and build a keyword blacklist dictionary to improve the detection performance. We manually label an extensive Twitter dataset of 100,000 tweets and perform low-quality content detection in real time based on the characterized significant features and word level analysis. The results of our research show that our method has a high accuracy of 0.9711 and a good F1 of 0.8379 based on a random forest classifier with real time performance in the detection of low-quality content in tweets. Our work therefore achieves a positive impact in improving user experience in browsing social media content. PMID:28793347

[A semimicroquality evaluation method on Panax notoginseng and its application in analysis of continuous cropping obstacles research samples].

PubMed

Cao, Yi; Wang, Chao-Qun; Xu, Feng; Jia, Xiu-Hong; Liu, Guang-Xue; Yang, Sheng-Chao; Long, Guang-Qiang; Chen, Zhong-Jian; Wei, Fu-Zhou; Yang, Shao-Zhou; Fukuda, Kozo; Wang, Xuan; Cai, Shao-Qing

2016-10-01

Panax notoginseng is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with blood activating effect while has continuous cropping obstacle problem in planting process. In present study, a semimicroextraction method with water-saturated n-butanol on 0.1 g notoginseng sample was established with good repeatability (RSD<2.5%) and 9.6%-20.6% higher extraction efficiency of seven saponins than the conventional method. A total of 16 characteristic peaks were identified by LC-MS-IT-TOF, including eight 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) type saponins and eight 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) type saponins. The established method was utilized to evaluate the quality of notoginseng samples cultivated by manual intervened methods to overcome continuous cropping obstacles.As a result, HPLC fingerprint similarity, content of Fa and ratio of notoginsenoside K and notoginsenoside Fa (N-K/Fa) were found out to be as valuatable markers of the quality of samples in continuous cropping obstacle research, of which N-K/Fa could also be applied to the analysis of notoginseng samples with different growth years.Notoginseng samples with continuous cropping obstacle had HPLC fingerprint similarity lower than 0.87, in consistent with normal sample, and had significant lower content of notoginsenoside Fa and significant higher N-K/Fa (2.35-4.74) than normal group (0.45-1.33). All samples in the first group with manual intervention showed high similarity with normal group (>0.87), similar content of common peaks and N-K/Fa (0.42-2.06). The content of notoginsenoside K in the second group with manual intervention was higher than normal group. All samples except two displayed similarity higher than 0.87 and possessed content of 16 saponins close to normal group. The result showed that notoginseng samples with continuous cropping obstacle had lower quality than normal sample. And manual intervened methods could improve their quality in different levels.The method established in this study was simple, fast and accurate, and the markers may provide new guides for quality control in continuous cropping obstacle research of notoginseng. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Determination of selected trace elements in foodstuffs and biological materials by destructive neutron activation analysis.

PubMed

Bayat, I; Etehadiyan, M; Ansar, M

1995-01-01

Concentration of trace elements in Nescafé, Fariman sugar, and Sadaf turmeric and mercury content in cancerous blood were determined by radiochemical, neutron activation analysis. By this separation method levels of 110mAg, 198Au, 203Hg, 76Se, 51Cr, 24Na, 42K, 99Mo, 122Sb, 82Br, 59Fe, 60Co were measured without interference in the gamma spectroscopy. A nondestructive method has also been used for the analysis of sodium, potassium, and bromine.

[Determination of protopine in Corydalis racemose by HPLC].

PubMed

Jiang, Xiazhi; Ye, Jinxia; Zeng, Jianwei; Zou, Xiuhong; Wu, Jinzhong

2010-09-01

To develop a HPLC method for determining the content of protopine in Corydalis racemose. Analysis was performed on a Gemini C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with acetonitrile-water containing 0.8% triethylamine and 3% acetic acid acetum (20:80) as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was 289 nm. The average content of protopine in Herb of Racemose Corydalis was 0.905%. The calibration curve of protopine was linear between 0.124-1.36 microg (r = 0.9999). The average recovery was 98.49% with RSD 1.9%. This method is simple, reproducible and can be used to determine the content of protopine in C. racemose.

Content-related interactions and methods of reasoning within self-initiated organic chemistry study groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christian, Karen Jeanne

2011-12-01

Students often use study groups to prepare for class or exams; yet to date, we know very little about how these groups actually function. This study looked at the ways in which undergraduate organic chemistry students prepared for exams through self-initiated study groups. We sought to characterize the methods of social regulation, levels of content processing, and types of reasoning processes used by students within their groups. Our analysis showed that groups engaged in predominantly three types of interactions when discussing chemistry content: co-construction, teaching, and tutoring. Although each group engaged in each of these types of interactions at some point, their prevalence varied between groups and group members. Our analysis suggests that the types of interactions that were most common depended on the relative content knowledge of the group members as well as on the difficulty of the tasks in which they were engaged. Additionally, we were interested in characterizing the reasoning methods used by students within their study groups. We found that students used a combination of three content-relevant methods of reasoning: model-based reasoning, case-based reasoning, or rule-based reasoning, in conjunction with one chemically-irrelevant method of reasoning: symbol-based reasoning. The most common way for groups to reason was to use rules, whereas the least common way was for students to work from a model. In general, student reasoning correlated strongly to the subject matter to which students were paying attention, and was only weakly related to student interactions. Overall, results from this study may help instructors to construct appropriate tasks to guide what and how students study outside of the classroom. We found that students had a decidedly strategic approach in their study groups, relying heavily on material provided by their instructors, and using the reasoning strategies that resulted in the lowest levels of content processing. We suggest that instructors create more opportunities for students to explore model-based reasoning, and to create opportunities for students to be able to co-construct in a collaborative manner within the context of their organic chemistry course.

Elemental composition of edible nuts: fast optimization and validation procedure of an ICP-OES method.

PubMed

Tošić, Snežana B; Mitić, Snežana S; Velimirović, Dragan S; Stojanović, Gordana S; Pavlović, Aleksandra N; Pecev-Marinković, Emilija T

2015-08-30

An inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry method for the speedy simultaneous detection of 19 elements in edible nuts (walnuts: Juglans nigra; almonds: Prunus dulcis; hazelnuts: Corylus avellana; Brazil nuts: Bertholletia excelsa; cashews: Anacardium occidentalle; pistachios: Pistacia vera; and peanuts: Arachis hypogaea) available on the Serbian markets, was optimized and validated through the selection of instrumental parameters and analytical lines free from spectral interference and with the lowest matrix effects. The analysed macro-elements were present in the following descending order: Na > Mg > Ca > K. Of all the trace elements, the tested samples showed the highest content of Fe. The micro-element Se was detected in all the samples of nuts. The toxic elements As, Cd and Pb were either not detected or the contents were below the limit of detection. One-way analysis of variance, Student's t-test, Tukey's HSD post hoc test and hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis were applied in the statistical analysis of the results. Based on the detected content of analysed elements it can be concluded that nuts may be a good additional source of minerals as micronutrients. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Burnout: Interpreting the Perception of Iranian Primary Rural Health Care Providers from Working and Organizational Conditions

PubMed Central

Keshvari, Mahrokh; Mohammadi, Eesa; Boroujeni, Ali Zargham; Farajzadegan, Ziba

2012-01-01

Objectives: Health care providers in the rural centers offer the primary health services in the form of proficiencies and professions to the most required target population in the health system. These services are provided in certain condition and population with a verity of limitations. This study aimed to describe and interpret the experiences of the employees from their own working condition in the rural health centers. Methods: The present study conducted in a qualitative research approach and content analysis method through individual and group interviews with 26 employed primary health care providers (including 7 family physicians, 7 midwives, and 12 health workers) in the rural health centers in Isfahan in 2009. Sampling was done using purposive sampling method. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis as constant comparative basis. Results: During the content analysis process, six themes were obtained; “instability and frequent changes”, “involved in laws and regulations”, “pressure and stress due to unbalanced workload and manpower”, “helplessness in performing the tasks and duties”, “sense of identity threat and low self-concept”, and “deprivation of professional development”. The mentioned themes indicate a main and more important theme called “burnout”. Conclusions: Health services providers in the rural health centers are working in stressful and challenging work conditions and are suffered from deprivation of something for which are responsible to the community. PMID:22826774

Analysis of Trans Fat in Edible Oils with Cooking Process

PubMed Central

Song, Juhee; Park, Joohyeok; Jung, Jinyeong; Lee, Chankyu; Gim, Seo Yeoung; Ka, HyeJung; Yi, BoRa; Kim, Mi-Ja; Kim, Cho-il

2015-01-01

Trans fat is a unsaturated fatty acid with trans configuration and separated double bonds. Analytical methods have been introduced to analyze trans fat content in foods including infrared (IR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography (GC), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, reverses-phase silver ion high performance liquid chromatography, and silver nitrate thin layer chromatography. Currently, FT-IR spectroscopy and GC are mostly used methods. Trans fat content in 6 vegetable oils were analyzed and processing effects including baking, stir-frying, pan-frying, and frying on the formation of trans fat in corn oil was evaluated by GC. Among tested vegetable oils, corn oil has 0.25 g trans fat/100 g, whereas other oils including rapeseed, soybean, olive, perilla, and sesame oils did not have detectable amount of trans fat content. Among cooking methods, stir-frying increased trans fat in corn oil whereas baking, pan-frying, and frying procedures did not make changes in trans fat content compared to untreated corn oils. However, the trans fat content was so low and food label can be declared as ‘0’ trans based on the regulation of Ministry of Food ad Drug Safety (MFDS) (< 2 g/100 g edible oil). PMID:26483890

The Current State of Human Performance Technology: A Citation Network Analysis of "Performance Improvement Quarterly," 1988-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Yonjoo; Jo, Sung Jun; Park, Sunyoung; Kang, Ingu; Chen, Zengguan

2011-01-01

This study conducted a citation network analysis (CNA) of human performance technology (HPT) to examine its current state of the field. Previous reviews of the field have used traditional research methods, such as content analysis, survey, Delphi, and citation analysis. The distinctive features of CNA come from using a social network analysis…

A Look at Aircraft Accident Analysis in the Early Days: Do Early 20th Century Accident Investigation Techniques Have Any Lessons for Today?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holloway, C. M.; Johnson, C. W.

2007-01-01

In the early years of powered flight, the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics in the United States produced three reports describing a method of analysis of aircraft accidents. The first report was published in 1928; the second, which was a revision of the first, was published in 1930; and the third, which was a revision and update of the second, was published in 1936. This paper describes the contents of these reports, and compares the method of analysis proposed therein to the methods used today.

High and low frequency unfolded partial least squares regression based on empirical mode decomposition for quantitative analysis of fuel oil samples.

PubMed

Bian, Xihui; Li, Shujuan; Lin, Ligang; Tan, Xiaoyao; Fan, Qingjie; Li, Ming

2016-06-21

Accurate prediction of the model is fundamental to the successful analysis of complex samples. To utilize abundant information embedded over frequency and time domains, a novel regression model is presented for quantitative analysis of hydrocarbon contents in the fuel oil samples. The proposed method named as high and low frequency unfolded PLSR (HLUPLSR), which integrates empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and unfolded strategy with partial least squares regression (PLSR). In the proposed method, the original signals are firstly decomposed into a finite number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and a residue by EMD. Secondly, the former high frequency IMFs are summed as a high frequency matrix and the latter IMFs and residue are summed as a low frequency matrix. Finally, the two matrices are unfolded to an extended matrix in variable dimension, and then the PLSR model is built between the extended matrix and the target values. Coupled with Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, HLUPLSR has been applied to determine hydrocarbon contents of light gas oil and diesel fuels samples. Comparing with single PLSR and other signal processing techniques, the proposed method shows superiority in prediction ability and better model interpretation. Therefore, HLUPLSR method provides a promising tool for quantitative analysis of complex samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies

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

Root, M. A.; Menlove, H. O.; Lanza, R. C.

The uranium neutron coincidence collar uses thermal neutron interrogation to verify the 235U mass in low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel assemblies in fuel fabrication facilities. Burnable poisons are commonly added to nuclear fuel to increase the lifetime of the fuel. The high thermal neutron absorption by these poisons reduces the active neutron signal produced by the fuel. Burnable poison correction factors or fast-mode runs with Cd liners can help compensate for this effect, but the correction factors rely on operator declarations of burnable poison content, and fast-mode runs are time-consuming. Finally, this paper describes a new analysis method to measure themore » 235U mass and burnable poison content in LEU nuclear fuel simultaneously in a timely manner, without requiring additional hardware.« less

Using the Time-Correlated Induced Fission Method to Simultaneously Measure the 235U Content and the Burnable Poison Content in LWR Fuel Assemblies

DOE PAGES

Root, M. A.; Menlove, H. O.; Lanza, R. C.; ...

2018-03-21

The uranium neutron coincidence collar uses thermal neutron interrogation to verify the 235U mass in low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel assemblies in fuel fabrication facilities. Burnable poisons are commonly added to nuclear fuel to increase the lifetime of the fuel. The high thermal neutron absorption by these poisons reduces the active neutron signal produced by the fuel. Burnable poison correction factors or fast-mode runs with Cd liners can help compensate for this effect, but the correction factors rely on operator declarations of burnable poison content, and fast-mode runs are time-consuming. Finally, this paper describes a new analysis method to measure themore » 235U mass and burnable poison content in LEU nuclear fuel simultaneously in a timely manner, without requiring additional hardware.« less

Effect of water content on stability of landslides triggered by earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyabanaki, S.; Bagtzoglou, A. C.; Anagnostou, E. N.

2013-12-01

Earthquake- triggered landslides are one of the most important natural hazards that often result in serious structural damage and loss of life. They are widely studied by several researchers. However, less attention has been focused on soil water content. Although the effect of water content has been widely studied for rainfall- triggered landslides [1], much less attention has been given to it for stability analysis of earthquake- triggered landslides. We developed a combined hydrology and stability model to investigate effect of soil water content on earthquake-triggered landslides. For this purpose, Bishop's method is used to do the slope stability analysis and Richard's equation is employed to model infiltration. Bishop's method is one the most widely methods used for analyzing stability of slopes [2]. Earthquake acceleration coefficient (EAC) is also considered in the model to analyze the effect of earthquake on slope stability. Also, this model is able to automatically determine geometry of the potential landslide. In this study, slopes with different initial water contents are simulated. First, the simulation is performed in the case of earthquake only with different EACs and water contents. As shown in Fig. 1, initial water content has a significant effect on factor of safety (FS). Greater initial water contents lead to less FS. This impact is more significant when EAC is small. Also, when initial water content is high, landslides can happen even with small earthquake accelerations. Moreover, in this study, effect of water content on geometry of landslides is investigated. For this purpose, different cases of landslides triggered by earthquakes only and both rainfall and earthquake for different initial water contents are simulated. The results show that water content has more significant effect on geometry of landslides triggered by rainfall than those triggered by an earthquake. Finally, effect of water content on landslides triggered by earthquakes during rainfall is investigated. In this study, after different durations of rainfall, an earthquake is applied to the model and the elapsed time in which the FS gets less than one obtains by trial and error. The results for different initial water contents and earthquake acceleration coefficients show that landslides can happen after shorter rainfall duration when water content is greater. If water content is high enough, the landslide occurs even without rainfall. References [1] Ray RL, Jacobs JM, de Alba P. Impact of unsaturated zone soil moisture and groundwater table on slope instability. J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 2010, 136(10):1448-1458. [2] Das B. Principles of Foundation Engineering. Stanford, Cengage Learning, 2011. Fig. 1. Effect of initial water content on FS for different EACs

Pro-ana versus Pro-recovery: A Content Analytic Comparison of Social Media Users' Communication about Eating Disorders on Twitter and Tumblr.

PubMed

Branley, Dawn B; Covey, Judith

2017-01-01

Objectives: To compare how people communicate about eating disorders on two popular social media platforms - Twitter and Tumblr. Materials and Methods: Thematic analysis was conducted to characterize the types of communications posted, and a content analysis was undertaken of between-platform differences. Results: Three types of content (pro-ana, anti-ana, and pro-recovery) were posted on each platform. Overall, across both platforms, extreme pro-ana posts were in the minority compared to anti-ana and pro-recovery. Pro-ana posts (including 'thinspiration') were more common on Twitter than Tumblr, whereas anti-ana and pro-recovery posts were more common on Tumblr. Conclusion: The findings have implications for future research and health care relating to the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. Developers of future interventions targeting negative pro-ana content should remain aware of the need to avoid any detrimental impact on positive online support.

Multivariate analysis: A statistical approach for computations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michu, Sachin; Kaushik, Vandana

2014-10-01

Multivariate analysis is a type of multivariate statistical approach commonly used in, automotive diagnosis, education evaluating clusters in finance etc and more recently in the health-related professions. The objective of the paper is to provide a detailed exploratory discussion about factor analysis (FA) in image retrieval method and correlation analysis (CA) of network traffic. Image retrieval methods aim to retrieve relevant images from a collected database, based on their content. The problem is made more difficult due to the high dimension of the variable space in which the images are represented. Multivariate correlation analysis proposes an anomaly detection and analysis method based on the correlation coefficient matrix. Anomaly behaviors in the network include the various attacks on the network like DDOs attacks and network scanning.

Development and Validation of an Enzymatic Method To Determine Stevioside Content from Stevia rebaudiana.

PubMed

Udompaisarn, Somsiri; Arthan, Dumrongkiet; Somana, Jamorn

2017-04-19

An enzymatic method for specific determination of stevioside content was established. Recombinant β-glucosidase BT_3567 (rBT_3567) from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron HB-13 exhibited selective hydrolysis of stevioside at β-1,2-glycosidic bond to yield rubusoside and glucose. Coupling of this enzyme with glucose oxidase and peroxidase allowed for quantitation of stevioside content in Stevia samples by using a colorimetric-based approach. The series of reactions for stevioside determination can be completed within 1 h at 37 °C. Stevioside determination using the enzymatic assay strongly correlated with results obtained from HPLC quantitation (r 2 = 0.9629, n = 16). The percentages of coefficient variation (CV) of within day (n = 12) and between days (n = 12) assays were lower than 5%, and accuracy ranges were 95-105%. This analysis demonstrates that the enzymatic method developed in this study is specific, easy to perform, accurate, and yields reproducible results.

The Burden of Care: Mothers’ Experiences of Children with Congenital Heart Disease

PubMed Central

Sabzevari, Sakinne; Nematollahi, Monirsadat; Mirzaei, Tayebeh; Ravari, Ali

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Mothers play a key role in caring for their sick children. Their experiences of care were influenced by culture, rules, and the system of health and care services. There are few studies on maternal care of children with congenital heart disease. Also, each of them has studied a particular aspect of care. The present research aimed to understand care experiences of mothers of children with congenital heart disease. Methods: A conventional content analysis was used to obtain rich data. The goal of content analysis is “to provide knowledge and deeper understanding of the phenomenon under the study”. The study was conducted in Kerman, Iran in 2014, on mothers of children with CHD. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants. Participants were 14 mothers of children with CHD and one father and one nurse of open heart surgery unit, from two hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were constructed. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. MAXQDA 2007 software (VERBI GmbH, Berlin, Germany) was used to classify and manage the coding. Constant comparative method was done for data analysis. The reliability and validity of the findings, including the credibility, confirm ability, dependability, and transferability, were assessed. Results: According to the content analysis, the main theme was the catastrophic burden of child care on mothers that included three categories: 1) the tension resulting from the disease, 2) involvement with internal thoughts, and 3) difficulties of care process Conclusion: The results of this study may help health care professionals to provide supportive and educational packages to the patients, mothers and Family members until improving the management of patient’s care. PMID:27713900

40 CFR 60.435 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Section 60.435 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... of any affected facility using solvent-borne ink systems shall determine the VOC content of the raw inks and related coatings used at the affected facility by: (1) Analysis using Method 24A of routine...

40 CFR 60.435 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Section 60.435 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... of any affected facility using solvent-borne ink systems shall determine the VOC content of the raw inks and related coatings used at the affected facility by: (1) Analysis using Method 24A of routine...

Old document image segmentation using the autocorrelation function and multiresolution analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehri, Maroua; Gomez-Krämer, Petra; Héroux, Pierre; Mullot, Rémy

2013-01-01

Recent progress in the digitization of heterogeneous collections of ancient documents has rekindled new challenges in information retrieval in digital libraries and document layout analysis. Therefore, in order to control the quality of historical document image digitization and to meet the need of a characterization of their content using intermediate level metadata (between image and document structure), we propose a fast automatic layout segmentation of old document images based on five descriptors. Those descriptors, based on the autocorrelation function, are obtained by multiresolution analysis and used afterwards in a specific clustering method. The method proposed in this article has the advantage that it is performed without any hypothesis on the document structure, either about the document model (physical structure), or the typographical parameters (logical structure). It is also parameter-free since it automatically adapts to the image content. In this paper, firstly, we detail our proposal to characterize the content of old documents by extracting the autocorrelation features in the different areas of a page and at several resolutions. Then, we show that is possible to automatically find the homogeneous regions defined by similar indices of autocorrelation without knowledge about the number of clusters using adapted hierarchical ascendant classification and consensus clustering approaches. To assess our method, we apply our algorithm on 316 old document images, which encompass six centuries (1200-1900) of French history, in order to demonstrate the performance of our proposal in terms of segmentation and characterization of heterogeneous corpus content. Moreover, we define a new evaluation metric, the homogeneity measure, which aims at evaluating the segmentation and characterization accuracy of our methodology. We find a 85% of mean homogeneity accuracy. Those results help to represent a document by a hierarchy of layout structure and content, and to define one or more signatures for each page, on the basis of a hierarchical representation of homogeneous blocks and their topology.

Use of a region of the visible and near infrared spectrum to predict mechanical properties of wet wood and standing trees

DOEpatents

Meglen, Robert R.; Kelley, Stephen S.

2003-01-01

In a method for determining the dry mechanical strength for a green wood, the improvement comprising: (a) illuminating a surface of the wood to be determined with a reduced range of wavelengths in the VIS-NIR spectra 400 to 1150 nm, said wood having a green moisture content; (b) analyzing the surface of the wood using a spectrometric method, the method generating a first spectral data of a reduced range of wavelengths in VIS-NIR spectra; and (c) using a multivariate analysis technique to predict the mechanical strength of green wood when dry by comparing the first spectral data with a calibration model, the calibration model comprising a second spectrometric method of spectral data of a reduced range of wavelengths in VIS-NIR spectra obtained from a reference wood having a green moisture content, the second spectral being correlated with a known mechanical strength analytical result obtained from the reference wood when dried and a having a dry moisture content.

FT-IR imaging for quantitative determination of liver fat content in non-alcoholic fatty liver.

PubMed

Kochan, K; Maslak, E; Chlopicki, S; Baranska, M

2015-08-07

In this work we apply FT-IR imaging of large areas of liver tissue cross-section samples (∼5 cm × 5 cm) for quantitative assessment of steatosis in murine model of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFLD). We quantified the area of liver tissue occupied by lipid droplets (LDs) by FT-IR imaging and Oil Red O (ORO) staining for comparison. Two alternative FT-IR based approaches are presented. The first, straightforward method, was based on average spectra from tissues and provided values of the fat content by using a PLS regression model and the reference method. The second one – the chemometric-based method – enabled us to determine the values of the fat content, independently of the reference method by means of k-means cluster (KMC) analysis. In summary, FT-IR images of large size liver sections may prove to be useful for quantifying liver steatosis without the need of tissue staining.

What's the Harm? The Coverage of Ethics and Harm Avoidance in Research Methods Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Shane; Quirke, Linda

2018-01-01

Methods textbooks play a role in socializing a new generation of researchers about ethical research. How do undergraduate social research methods textbooks portray harm, its prevalence, and ways to mitigate harm to participants? We conducted a content analysis of ethics chapters in the 18 highest-selling undergraduate textbooks used in sociology…

Didactic Aspects of the Academic Discipline "History and Methodology of Mathematics"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Hai; Varankina, Vera I.; Sadovaya, Victoriya V.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to develop the content and methods, as well as the analysis of the approbation of the program of the academic discipline "History and methodology of mathematics" for graduate students of the Master's program of mathematical program tracks. The leading method in the study of this problem was the method of…

Analysis of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) ability of science teachers in planning and reflecting on environmental pollution content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purwianingsih, W.; Mardiyah, A.

2018-05-01

Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is a blend of content knowledge and pedagogy knowledge, which can illustrate the ability of teachers to design and to teach a content by accessing what they knows about the material, students, curriculum and how best to teach the content. Description of PCK ability of science teachers can be accessed through an analysis of their ability to plan and reflect on learning. This study aims to provide an overview of teachers’ PCK skills on environmental pollution materials through use of Content Representation (CoRe) and Pedagogical and Professional-experience Repertoires (PaP-eRs). Descriptive method used in this study with six of science teachers on 7th class from three different schools as subject. The results show that teachers’ PCK skills in planning through CoRe and reflecting through PaP-eRs are in fairly good category. The teacher’s ability in implementing environmental pollution learning materials is in good category. However, there is still a discrepancy between planning through CoRe and the implementation of classroom learning. The teacher’s PCK is influenced by teaching experience and educational background.

Narrative psychological content analysis as a tool for psychological status monitoring of crews in isolated, confined and extreme settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehmann, B.; Balázs, L.; Fülöp, É.; Hargitai, R.; Kabai, P.; Péley, B.; Pólya, T.; Vargha, A.; László, J.

2011-05-01

This paper is about a pilot application of narrative psychological content analysis in the psychological status monitoring of Crew 71 of a space analog simulation environment, the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). Both the method and its theoretical framework, Scientific Narrative Psychology, are original developments by Hungarian psychologists [5] (László, 2008). The software was NooJ, a multilingual linguistic development environment [11] (Silberztein, 2008). Three measures were conceptualized and assessed: emotional status, team spirit and subjective physical comfort. The results showed the patterns of these three measures on a daily basis at group level, and allowed for detecting individual differences as well. The method is adaptable to languages involved in space psychology, e.g. Russian, French and German in addition to English.

[Free crystalline silica: a comparison of methods for its determination in total dust].

PubMed

Maciejewska, Aleksandra; Szadkowska-Stańczyk, Irena; Kondratowicz, Grzegorz

2005-01-01

The major objective of the study was to compare and investigate the usefulness of quantitative analyses of free crystalline silica (FCS) in the assessment of dust exposure in samples of total dust of varied composition, using three methods: chemical method in common use in Poland; infrared spectrometry; and x-ray powder diffraction. Mineral composition and FCS contents were investigated in 9 laboratory samples of raw materials, materials, and industrial wastes, containing from about 2 to over 80% of crystalline silica and reduced to particles of size corresponding with that of total dust. Sample components were identified using XRD and FT-IR methods. Ten independent determinations of FCS with each of the three study methods were performed in dust samples. An analysis of linear correlation was applied to investigate interrelationship between mean FCS determinations. In analyzed dust samples, along with silica dust there were numerous minerals interfering with silica during the quantitative analysis. Comparison of mean results of FCS determinations showed that the results obtained using the FT-IR method were by 12-13% lower than those obtained with two other methods. However, the differences observed were within the limits of changeability of results associated with their precision and dependence on reference materials used. Assessment of occupational exposure to dusts containing crystalline silica can be performed on the basis of quantitative analysis of FCS in total dusts using each of the compared methods. The FT-IR method is most appropriate for the FCS determination in samples of small amount of silica or collected at low dust concentrations; the XRD method for the analysis of multicomponent samples; and the chemical method in the case of medium and high FCS contents in samples or high concentrations of dusts in the work environment.

Determination of fossil carbon content in Swedish waste fuel by four different methods.

PubMed

Jones, Frida C; Blomqvist, Evalena W; Bisaillon, Mattias; Lindberg, Daniel K; Hupa, Mikko

2013-10-01

This study aimed to determine the content of fossil carbon in waste combusted in Sweden by using four different methods at seven geographically spread combustion plants. In total, the measurement campaign included 42 solid samples, 21 flue gas samples, 3 sorting analyses and 2 investigations using the balance method. The fossil carbon content in the solid samples and in the flue gas samples was determined using (14)C-analysis. From the analyses it was concluded that about a third of the carbon in mixed Swedish waste (municipal solid waste and industrial waste collected at Swedish industry sites) is fossil. The two other methods (the balance method and calculations from sorting analyses), based on assumptions and calculations, gave similar results in the plants in which they were used. Furthermore, the results indicate that the difference between samples containing as much as 80% industrial waste and samples consisting of solely municipal solid waste was not as large as expected. Besides investigating the fossil content of the waste, the project was also established to investigate the usability of various methods. However, it is difficult to directly compare the different methods used in this project because besides the estimation of emitted fossil carbon the methods provide other information, which is valuable to the plant owner. Therefore, the choice of method can also be controlled by factors other than direct determination of the fossil fuel emissions when considering implementation in the combustion plants.

GC-Content Normalization for RNA-Seq Data

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) has become the assay of choice for high-throughput studies of gene expression. However, as is the case with microarrays, major technology-related artifacts and biases affect the resulting expression measures. Normalization is therefore essential to ensure accurate inference of expression levels and subsequent analyses thereof. Results We focus on biases related to GC-content and demonstrate the existence of strong sample-specific GC-content effects on RNA-Seq read counts, which can substantially bias differential expression analysis. We propose three simple within-lane gene-level GC-content normalization approaches and assess their performance on two different RNA-Seq datasets, involving different species and experimental designs. Our methods are compared to state-of-the-art normalization procedures in terms of bias and mean squared error for expression fold-change estimation and in terms of Type I error and p-value distributions for tests of differential expression. The exploratory data analysis and normalization methods proposed in this article are implemented in the open-source Bioconductor R package EDASeq. Conclusions Our within-lane normalization procedures, followed by between-lane normalization, reduce GC-content bias and lead to more accurate estimates of expression fold-changes and tests of differential expression. Such results are crucial for the biological interpretation of RNA-Seq experiments, where downstream analyses can be sensitive to the supplied lists of genes. PMID:22177264

Simple Modification of Karl-Fischer Titration Method for Determination of Water Content in Colored Samples

PubMed Central

Tavčar, Eva; Turk, Erika; Kreft, Samo

2012-01-01

The most commonly used technique for water content determination is Karl-Fischer titration with electrometric detection, requiring specialized equipment. When appropriate equipment is not available, the method can be performed through visual detection of a titration endpoint, which does not enable an analysis of colored samples. Here, we developed a method with spectrophotometric detection of a titration endpoint, appropriate for moisture determination of colored samples. The reaction takes place in a sealed 4 ml cuvette. Detection is performed at 520 nm. Titration endpoint is determined from the graph of absorbance plotted against titration volume. The method has appropriate reproducibility (RSD = 4.3%), accuracy, and linearity (R 2 = 0.997). PMID:22567558

Ecological content validation of the Information Assessment Method for parents (IAM-parent): A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Bujold, M; El Sherif, R; Bush, P L; Johnson-Lafleur, J; Doray, G; Pluye, P

2018-02-01

This mixed methods study content validated the Information Assessment Method for parents (IAM-parent) that allows users to systematically rate and comment on online parenting information. Quantitative data and results: 22,407 IAM ratings were collected; of the initial 32 items, descriptive statistics showed that 10 had low relevance. Qualitative data and results: IAM-based comments were collected, and 20 IAM users were interviewed (maximum variation sample); the qualitative data analysis assessed the representativeness of IAM items, and identified items with problematic wording. Researchers, the program director, and Web editors integrated quantitative and qualitative results, which led to a shorter and clearer IAM-parent. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Influence of abuse on condom negotiation among Mexican-American women involved in abusive relationships.

PubMed

Davila, Yolanda R

2002-01-01

This study explored cultural and gender perspectives of abuse on condom negotiation behaviors for AIDS prevention among Mexican-American women in abusive intimate relationships. A convenience sample of 20 abused women participated in the study. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire and audiotaped responses to a semistructured interview guide. Content analysis using QSR NUDIST was used to analyze the verbatim transcriptions of all participant interviews. The predominant category, "He always got his way," was developed in response to the content of the verbatim transcriptions. The category was further expanded to include the self-descriptive subcategories of "He beat me," "He made me feel bad," and "He forced me." Through content analysis, a relationship between abuse by male sexual partners and condom negotiation for AIDS prevention was identified. Trustworthiness of the data collection and analysis was established through methods suggested by Lincoln and Guba.

A Multifunctional Sensor in Ternary Solution Using Canonical Correlations for Variable Links Assessment

PubMed Central

Liu, Dan; Wang, Qisong; Liu, Xin; Niu, Ruixin; Zhang, Yan; Sun, Jinwei

2016-01-01

Accurately measuring the oil content and salt content of crude oil is very important for both estimating oil reserves and predicting the lifetime of an oil well. There are some problems with the current methods such as high cost, low precision, and difficulties in operation. To solve these problems, we present a multifunctional sensor, which applies, respectively, conductivity method and ultrasound method to measure the contents of oil, water, and salt. Based on cross sensitivity theory, these two transducers are ideally integrated for simplifying the structure. A concentration test of ternary solutions is carried out to testify its effectiveness, and then Canonical Correlation Analysis is applied to evaluate the data. From the perspective of statistics, the sensor inputs, for instance, oil concentration, salt concentration, and temperature, are closely related to its outputs including output voltage and time of flight of ultrasound wave, which further identify the correctness of the sensing theory and the feasibility of the integrated design. Combined with reconstruction algorithms, the sensor can realize the content measurement of the solution precisely. The potential development of the proposed sensor and method in the aspect of online test for crude oil is of important reference and practical value. PMID:27775640

Determination of lysine content based on an in situ pretreatment and headspace gas chromatographic measurement technique.

PubMed

Wan, Xiao-Fang; Liu, Bao-Lian; Yu, Teng; Yan, Ning; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Li, You-Ming; Chen, Guang-Xue

2018-05-01

This work reports on a simple method for the determination of lysine content by an in situ sample pretreatment and headspace gas chromatographic measurement (HS-GC) technique, based on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) formation from the pretreatment reaction (between lysine and ninhydrin solution) in a closed vial. It was observed that complete lysine conversion to CO 2 could be achieved within 60 min at 60 °C in a phosphate buffer medium (pH = 4.0), with a minimum molar ratio of ninhydrin/lysine of 16. The results showed that the method had a good precision (RSD < 5.23%) and accuracy (within 6.80%), compared to the results measured by a reference method (ninhydrin spectroscopic method). Due to the feature of in situ sample pretreatment and headspace measurement, the present method becomes very simple and particularly suitable to be used for batch sample analysis in lysine-related research and applications. Graphical abstract The flow path of the reaction and HS-GC measurement for the lysine analysis.

Application of relativistic electrons for the quantitative analysis of trace elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, D. H. H.; Brendel, C.; Genz, H.; Löw, W.; Richter, A.

1984-04-01

Particle induced X-ray emission methods (PIXE) have been extended to relativistic electrons to induce X-ray emission (REIXE) for quantitative trace-element analysis. The electron beam (20 ≤ E0≤ 70 MeV) was supplied by the Darmstadt electron linear accelerator DALINAC. Systematic measurements of absolute K-, L- and M-shell ionization cross sections revealed a scaling behaviour of inner-shell ionization cross sections from which X-ray production cross sections can be deduced for any element of interest for a quantitative sample investigation. Using a multielemental mineral monazite sample from Malaysia the sensitivity of REIXE is compared to well established methods of trace-element analysis like proton- and X-ray-induced X-ray fluorescence analysis. The achievable detection limit for very heavy elements amounts to about 100 ppm for the REIXE method. As an example of an application the investigation of a sample prepared from manganese nodules — picked up from the Pacific deep sea — is discussed, which showed the expected high mineral content of Fe, Ni, Cu and Ti, although the search for aliquots of Pt did not show any measurable content within an upper limit of 250 ppm.

Effects of growing location on the production of main active components and antioxidant activity of Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb. by chemometric methods.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Wang, Dongmei; Hou, Xiaogai; Yang, Yueqin; Xue, Xian; Jia, Qishi; Zhang, Lixia; Zhao, Wei; Yin, Dongxue

2018-05-17

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a very important role in the health system of China. The content and activity of active component are main indexes that evaluate the quality of TCM, however they may vary with environmental factors in their growing locations. In this study, effects of environmental factors on the contents of active components and antioxidant activity of Dasiphora fruticosa from the five main production areas of China were investigated. The contents of tannin, total flavonoid and rutin were determined and varied within the range of 7.65-10.69%, 2.30-5.39% and 0.18-0.81%, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH assay, with the DPPH IC 50 values ranged from 8.791 to 32.534μg mL -1 . In order to further explore the cause of these significant geographical variations, the chemometric methods including correlation analysis, principal component analysis, gray correlation analysis, and path analysis were conducted. The results showed environmental factors had significant effect on the active component contents and antioxidant activity. Rapidly available phosphorus (RAP) and rapidly available nitrogen (RAN) were common dominant factors, and a significant positive correlation was observed between RAP and active components and antioxidant activity (P<0.05). Contributed by their high active components and strong antioxidant activity, Bange in Tibet and Geermu in Qinghai Province was selected as a favorable growing location, respectively. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

High content analysis of phagocytic activity and cell morphology with PuntoMorph.

PubMed

Al-Ali, Hassan; Gao, Han; Dalby-Hansen, Camilla; Peters, Vanessa Ann; Shi, Yan; Brambilla, Roberta

2017-11-01

Phagocytosis is essential for maintenance of normal homeostasis and healthy tissue. As such, it is a therapeutic target for a wide range of clinical applications. The development of phenotypic screens targeting phagocytosis has lagged behind, however, due to the difficulties associated with image-based quantification of phagocytic activity. We present a robust algorithm and cell-based assay system for high content analysis of phagocytic activity. The method utilizes fluorescently labeled beads as a phagocytic substrate with defined physical properties. The algorithm employs statistical modeling to determine the mean fluorescence of individual beads within each image, and uses the information to conduct an accurate count of phagocytosed beads. In addition, the algorithm conducts detailed and sophisticated analysis of cellular morphology, making it a standalone tool for high content screening. We tested our assay system using microglial cultures. Our results recapitulated previous findings on the effects of microglial stimulation on cell morphology and phagocytic activity. Moreover, our cell-level analysis revealed that the two phenotypes associated with microglial activation, specifically cell body hypertrophy and increased phagocytic activity, are not highly correlated. This novel finding suggests the two phenotypes may be under the control of distinct signaling pathways. We demonstrate that our assay system outperforms preexisting methods for quantifying phagocytic activity in multiple dimensions including speed, accuracy, and resolution. We provide a framework to facilitate the development of high content assays suitable for drug screening. For convenience, we implemented our algorithm in a standalone software package, PuntoMorph. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of lipid and calorie loss from donor human milk among 3 methods of simulated gavage feeding: one-hour, 2-hour, and intermittent gravity feedings.

PubMed

Brooks, Christine; Vickers, Amy Manning; Aryal, Subhash

2013-04-01

The objective of this study was to compare the differences in lipid loss from 24 samples of banked donor human milk (DHM) among 3 feeding methods: DHM given by syringe pump over 1 hour, 2 hours, and by bolus/gravity gavage. Comparative, descriptive. There were no human subjects. Twenty-four samples of 8 oz of DHM were divided into four 60-mL aliquots. Timed feedings were given by Medfusion 2001 syringe pumps with syringes connected to narrow-lumened extension sets designed for enteral feedings and connected to standard silastic enteral feeding tubes. Gravity feedings were given using the identical syringes connected to the same silastic feeding tubes. All aliquots were analyzed with the York Dairy Analyzer. Univariate repeated-measures analyses of variance were used for the omnibus testing for overall differences between the feeding methods. Lipid content expressed as grams per deciliter at the end of each feeding method was compared with the prefed control samples using the Dunnett's test. The Tukey correction was used for other pairwise multiple comparisons. The univariate repeated-measures analysis of variance conducted to test for overall differences between feeding methods showed a significant difference between the methods (F = 58.57, df = 3, 69, P < .0001). Post hoc analysis using the Dunnett's approach revealed that there was a significant difference in fat content between the control sample and the 1-hour and 2-hours feeding methods (P < .0001), but we did not find any significant difference in fat content between the control and the gravity feeding methods (P = .3296). Pairwise comparison using the Tukey correction revealed a significant difference between both gravity and 1-hour feeding methods (P < .0001), and gravity and 2-hour feeding method (P < .0001). There was no significant difference in lipid content between the 1-hour and 2-hour feeding methods (P = .2729). Unlike gravity feedings, the timed feedings resulted in a statistically significant loss of fat as compared with their controls. These findings should raise questions about how those infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are routinely gavage fed.

Collection, handling and analysis of specimens for studies of mucosal immunity in animals of veterinary importance - Appendix III

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The validity of data in science depends on the reliability of the collection procedure and the methods used for data analysis. This becomes a major challenge in studies of mucosal immunology since samples for analysis come from various anatomical sources which differ remarkably in their content and ...

How Do We Know What Is Happening Online?: A Triangulated Approach to Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charalampidi, Marina; Hammond, Michael

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the process of analysing online discussion and argues for the merits of mixed methods. Much research of online participation and e-learning has been either message focused or person focused analysis. The former covers methodologies such as content and discourse analysis, the latter interviewing and surveys. The paper discusses…

The Role and Characteristics of Tactile Graphics in Secondary Mathematics and Science Textbooks in Braille

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Derrick W.; Smothers, Sinikka M.

2012-01-01

Introduction: The purpose of the study presented here was to determine how well tactile graphics (specifically data analysis graphs) in secondary mathematics and science braille textbooks correlated with the print graphics. Method: A content analysis was conducted on 598 separate data analysis graphics from 10 mathematics and science textbooks.…

Exploring Advertising in Higher Education: An Empirical Analysis in North America, Europe, and Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Antigoni; Blanco Ramírez, Gerardo

2015-01-01

This empirical study explores higher education advertising campaigns displayed in five world cities: Boston, New York, Oslo, Tokyo, and Toronto. The study follows a mixed-methods research design relying on content analysis and multimodal semiotic analysis and employs a conceptual framework based on the knowledge triangle of education, research,…

Mass Media Representation of Teaching: A Behaviour Analysis Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Sandy; Mackie, Stirling

Although psychological studies of the mass media have been dominated by cognitivist and psychodynamic concepts, a study of the mass media using a behavior analysis method may be used to analyze the content of the mass media. By applying that analysis to fictional teacher-learner interactions an interpretation of those relationships can be made and…

Experiential and Outdoor Education: The Participant Experience Shared through Mind Maps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jirásek, Ivo; Plevová, Irena; Jirásková, Miroslava; Dvorácková, Adéla

2016-01-01

This paper describes an analysis of mind maps capturing the experiences of the participants in an experiential and outdoor education course. The method of mind mapping is usually limited to a quantitative scoring analysis and comparative content analysis of concepts. As a consequence, the visual elements of the information are usually ignored, but…

Geotechnical approaches to coal ash content control in mining of complex structure deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batugin, SA; Gavrilov, VL; Khoyutanov, EA

2017-02-01

Coal deposits having complex structure and nonuniform quality coal reserves require improved processes of production quality control. The paper proposes a method to present coal ash content as components of natural and technological dilution. It is chosen to carry out studies on the western site of Elginsk coal deposit, composed of four coal beds of complex structure. The reported estimates of coal ash content in the beds with respect to five components point at the need to account for such data in confirmation exploration, mine planning and actual mining. Basic means of analysis and control of overall ash content and its components are discussed.

What Can We Learn about Mental Health Needs from Tweets Mentioning Dementia on World Alzheimer’s Day?

PubMed Central

Yoon, Sunmoo

2017-01-01

Background Twitter can address the mental health challenges of dementia care. The aims of this study is to explore the contents and user interactions of tweets mentioning dementia to gain insights for dementia care. Methods We collected 35,260 tweets mentioning Alzheimer’s or dementia on World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21st in 2015. Topic modeling and social network analysis were applied to uncover content and structure of user communication. Results Global users generated keywords related to mental health and care including #psychology and #mental health. There were similarities and differences between the UK and the US in tweet content. The macro-level analysis uncovered substantial public interest on dementia. The meso-level network analysis revealed that top leaders of communities were spiritual organizations and traditional media. Conclusions The application of topic modeling and multi-level network analysis while incorporating visualization techniques can promote a global level understanding regarding public attention, interests, and insights regarding dementia care and mental health. PMID:27803262

Characterization of Hatay honeys according to their multi-element analysis using ICP-OES combined with chemometrics.

PubMed

Yücel, Yasin; Sultanoğlu, Pınar

2013-09-01

Chemical characterisation has been carried out on 45 honey samples collected from Hatay region of Turkey. The concentrations of 17 elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Ca, K, Mg and Na were the most abundant elements, with mean contents of 219.38, 446.93, 49.06 and 95.91 mg kg(-1) respectively. The trace element mean contents ranged between 0.03 and 15.07 mg kg(-1). Chemometric methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) techniques were applied to classify honey according to mineral content. The first most important principal component (PC) was strongly associated with the value of Al, B, Cd and Co. CA showed eight clusters corresponding to the eight botanical origins of honey. PCA explained 75.69% of the variance with the first six PC variables. Chemometric analysis of the analytical data allowed the accurate classification of the honey samples according to origin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

To Identify the Important Soil Properties Affecting Dinoseb Adsorption with Statistical Analysis

PubMed Central

Guan, Yiqing; Wei, Jianhui; Zhang, Danrong; Zu, Mingjuan; Zhang, Liru

2013-01-01

Investigating the influences of soil characteristic factors on dinoseb adsorption parameter with different statistical methods would be valuable to explicitly figure out the extent of these influences. The correlation coefficients and the direct, indirect effects of soil characteristic factors on dinoseb adsorption parameter were analyzed through bivariate correlation analysis, and path analysis. With stepwise regression analysis the factors which had little influence on the adsorption parameter were excluded. Results indicate that pH and CEC had moderate relationship and lower direct effect on dinoseb adsorption parameter due to the multicollinearity with other soil factors, and organic carbon and clay contents were found to be the most significant soil factors which affect the dinoseb adsorption process. A regression is thereby set up to explore the relationship between the dinoseb adsorption parameter and the two soil factors: the soil organic carbon and clay contents. A 92% of the variation of dinoseb sorption coefficient could be attributed to the variation of the soil organic carbon and clay contents. PMID:23737715

Core Professionalism Education in Surgery: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Sarıoğlu Büke, Akile; Karabilgin Öztürkçü, Özlem Sürel; Yılmaz, Yusuf; Sayek, İskender

2018-03-15

Professionalism education is one of the major elements of surgical residency education. To evaluate the studies on core professionalism education programs in surgical professionalism education. Systematic review. This systematic literature review was performed to analyze core professionalism programs for surgical residency education published in English with at least three of the following features: program developmental model/instructional design method, aims and competencies, methods of teaching, methods of assessment, and program evaluation model or method. A total of 27083 articles were retrieved using EBSCOHOST, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and manual search. Eight articles met the selection criteria. The instructional design method was presented in only one article, which described the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model. Six articles were based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education criterion, although there was significant variability in content. The most common teaching method was role modeling with scenario- and case-based learning. A wide range of assessment methods for evaluating professionalism education were reported. The Kirkpatrick model was reported in one article as a method for program evaluation. It is suggested that for a core surgical professionalism education program, developmental/instructional design model, aims and competencies, content, teaching methods, assessment methods, and program evaluation methods/models should be well defined, and the content should be comparable.

Analysis of factors controlling sediment phosphorus flux potential of wetlands in Hulun Buir grassland by principal component and path analysis method.

PubMed

He, Jing; Su, Derong; Lv, Shihai; Diao, Zhaoyan; Ye, Shengxing; Zheng, Zhirong

2017-11-08

Phosphorus (P) flux potential can predict the trend of phosphorus release from wetland sediments to water and provide scientific parameters for further monitoring and management for phosphorus flux from wetland sediments to overlying water. Many studies have focused on factors affecting sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface, but rarely on the relationship among these factors. In the present study, experiment on sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface was conducted in six wetlands in Hulun Buir grassland, China and the relationships among sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface, sediment physical properties, and sediment chemical characteristics were examined. Principal component analysis and path analysis were used to discuss these data in correlation coefficient, direct, and indirect effects on sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface. Results indicated that the major factors affecting sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface were amount of organophosphate-degradation bacterium in sediment, Ca-P content, and total phosphorus concentrations. The factors of direct influence sediment P flux potential were sediment Ca-P content, Olsen-P content, SOC content, and sediment Al-P content. The indirect influence sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface was sediment Olsen-P content, sediment SOC content, sediment Ca-P content, and sediment Al-P content. And the standard multiple regression describing the relationship between sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface and its major effect factors was Y = 5.849 - 1.025X 1  - 1.995X 2  + 0.188X 3  - 0.282X 4 (r = 0.9298, p < 0.01, n = 96), where Y is sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface, X 1 is sediment Ca-P content, X 2 is sediment Olsen-P content, X 3 is sediment SOC content, and X 4 is sediment Al-P content. Therefore, future research will focus on these sediment properties to analyze the interrelation among sediment properties factors, main vegetable factors, and environment factors which influence the sediment P flux potential in sediment-water interface.

Health Information Needs and Health Seeking Behavior During the 2014-2016 Ebola Outbreak: A Twitter Content Analysis.

PubMed

Odlum, Michelle; Yoon, Sunmoo

2018-03-23

For effective public communication during major disease outbreaks like the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, health information needs of the population must be adequately assessed. Through content analysis of social media data, like tweets, public health information needs can be effectively assessed and in turn provide appropriate health information to address such needs. The aim of the current study was to assess health information needs about Ebola, at distinct epidemic time points, through longitudinal tracking. Natural language processing was applied to explore public response to Ebola over time from July 2014 to March 2015. A total 155,647 tweets (unique 68,736, retweet 86,911) mentioning Ebola were analyzed and visualized with infographics. Public fear, frustration, and health information seeking regarding Ebola-related global priorities were observed across time. Our longitudinal content analysis revealed that due to ongoing health information deficiencies, resulting in fear and frustration, social media was at times an impediment and not a vehicle to support health information needs. Content analysis of tweets effectively assessed Ebola information needs. Our study also demonstrates the use of Twitter as a method for capturing real-time data to assess ongoing information needs, fear, and frustration over time.

21 CFR 177.2450 - Polyamide-imide resins.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... than 500 parts per million. Residual monomers are determined by gas chromatography (the gas chromatography method titled “Amide-Imide Polymer Analysis—Analysis of Monomer Content,” is incorporated by...

Factors affecting knowledge transfer from continuing professional education to clinical practice: Development and psychometric properties of a new instrument.

PubMed

Vasli, Parvaneh; Dehghan-Nayeri, Nahid; Khosravi, Laleh

2018-01-01

Despite the emphasis placed on the implementation of continuing professional education programs in Iran, researchers or practitioners have not developed an instrument for assessing the factors that affect the knowledge transfer from such programs to clinical practice. The aim of this study was to design and validate such instrument for the Iranian context. The research used a three-stage mix method. In the first stage, in-depth interviews with nurses and content analysis were conducted, after which themes were extracted from the data. In the second stage, the findings of the content analysis and literature review were examined, and preliminary instrument options were developed. In the third stage, qualitative content validity, face validity, content validity ratio, content validity index, and construct validity using exploratory factor analysis was conducted. The reliability of the instrument was measured before and after the determination of construct validity. Primary tool instrument initially comprised 53 items, and its content validity index was 0.86. In the multi-stage factor analysis, eight questions were excluded, thereby reducing 11 factors to five and finally, to four. The final instrument with 43 items consists of the following dimensions: structure and organizational climate, personal characteristics, nature and status of professionals, and nature of educational programs. Managers can use the Iranian instrument to identify factors affecting knowledge transfer of continuing professional education to clinical practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Eulerian frequency analysis of structural vibrations from high-speed video

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

Venanzoni, Andrea; Siemens Industry Software NV, Interleuvenlaan 68, B-3001 Leuven; De Ryck, Laurent

An approach for the analysis of the frequency content of structural vibrations from high-speed video recordings is proposed. The techniques and tools proposed rely on an Eulerian approach, that is, using the time history of pixels independently to analyse structural motion, as opposed to Lagrangian approaches, where the motion of the structure is tracked in time. The starting point is an existing Eulerian motion magnification method, which consists in decomposing the video frames into a set of spatial scales through a so-called Laplacian pyramid [1]. Each scale — or level — can be amplified independently to reconstruct a magnified motionmore » of the observed structure. The approach proposed here provides two analysis tools or pre-amplification steps. The first tool provides a representation of the global frequency content of a video per pyramid level. This may be further enhanced by applying an angular filter in the spatial frequency domain to each frame of the video before the Laplacian pyramid decomposition, which allows for the identification of the frequency content of the structural vibrations in a particular direction of space. This proposed tool complements the existing Eulerian magnification method by amplifying selectively the levels containing relevant motion information with respect to their frequency content. This magnifies the displacement while limiting the noise contribution. The second tool is a holographic representation of the frequency content of a vibrating structure, yielding a map of the predominant frequency components across the structure. In contrast to the global frequency content representation of the video, this tool provides a local analysis of the periodic gray scale intensity changes of the frame in order to identify the vibrating parts of the structure and their main frequencies. Validation cases are provided and the advantages and limits of the approaches are discussed. The first validation case consists of the frequency content retrieval of the tip of a shaker, excited at selected fixed frequencies. The goal of this setup is to retrieve the frequencies at which the tip is excited. The second validation case consists of two thin metal beams connected to a randomly excited bar. It is shown that the holographic representation visually highlights the predominant frequency content of each pixel and locates the global frequencies of the motion, thus retrieving the natural frequencies for each beam.« less

Metacognition in speech and language therapy for children with social (pragmatic) communication disorders: implications for a theory of therapy.

PubMed

Gaile, Jacqueline; Adams, Catherine

2018-01-01

Metacognition is a significant component of complex interventions for children who have developmental language disorders. Research into how metacognition operates in the content or process of developmental language therapy delivery is limited. Identification and description of proposed active therapy components, such as metacognition, may contribute to our understanding of how to deliver complex communication interventions in an optimal manner. To analyse aspects of metacognition during therapy derived from a manualized speech and language intervention (the Social Communication Intervention Programme-SCIP) as delivered to children who have social (pragmatic) communication disorder (SPCD) and to examine the dynamic process of delivering therapy. A purposive sample of eight filmed therapy sessions was selected from the video data corpus of intervention-arm participants within a randomized controlled trial. The child-therapist interactions during therapy sessions from five children (aged between 5;11 and 10;3) in the SCIP trial were transcribed. Filmed sessions represented a variety of communication profiles and SCIP therapy content. Starting from existing theory on metacognition, cycles of iterative analysis were performed using a mixed inductive-deductive qualitative analysis. A preliminary list of metacognitive content embedded in the intervention was developed into a metacognitive coding framework (MCF). A thematic analysis of the identified metacognitive content of the intervention was then carried out across the whole sample. Thematic analysis revealed the presence of metacognition in the content and delivery of SCIP intervention. Four main themes of metacognitive person, task and strategy knowledge, and monitoring/control were identified. Metacognition was a feature of how children's ability to monitor language, pragmatic and social interaction skills, in themselves and other people, was developed. Task design and delivery methods were found to play a particular role in adjusting the metacognitive content of the therapy activities. This study makes explicit the metacognitive content and delivery within a complex developmental communication intervention. Discussion of the findings about metacognitive content provides an explanation of how the skilled speech and language therapist manipulates task demands, person knowledge and therapy methods towards the therapy goal. Clinical applications of the metacognitive framework are discussed. We suggest that the process of making the tacit knowledge of the therapist explicit can contribute to the implementation of complex evidence-based interventions. © 2017 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Innovative application of the moisture analyzer for determination of dry mass content of processed cheese

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalska, Małgorzata; Janas, Sławomir; Woźniak, Magdalena

2018-04-01

The aim of this work was the presentation of an alternative method of determination of the total dry mass content in processed cheese. The authors claim that the presented method can be used in industry's quality control laboratories for routine testing and for quick in-process control. For the test purposes both reference method of determination of dry mass in processed cheese and moisture analyzer method were used. The tests were carried out for three different kinds of processed cheese. In accordance with the reference method, the sample was placed on a layer of silica sand and dried at the temperature of 102 °C for about 4 h. The moisture analyzer test required method validation, with regard to drying temperature range and mass of the analyzed sample. Optimum drying temperature of 110 °C was determined experimentally. For Hochland cream processed cheese sample, the total dry mass content, obtained using the reference method, was 38.92%, whereas using the moisture analyzer method, it was 38.74%. An average analysis time in case of the moisture analyzer method was 9 min. For the sample of processed cheese with tomatoes, the reference method result was 40.37%, and the alternative method result was 40.67%. For the sample of cream processed cheese with garlic the reference method gave value of 36.88%, and the alternative method, of 37.02%. An average time of those determinations was 16 min. Obtained results confirmed that use of moisture analyzer is effective. Compliant values of dry mass content were obtained for both of the used methods. According to the authors, the fact that the measurement took incomparably less time for moisture analyzer method, is a key criterion of in-process control and final quality control method selection.

Solid fat content measurement as a substitute for total polar compound analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Monitoring of oxidative degradation in frying oils is essential for determining an appropriate discard time. The most reliable method for monitoring the extent of oxidation in edible oils is the determination of total polar compounds. However, this method is time-consuming and not practical to execu...

Solid fat content measurement as an alternative to total polar compound analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Monitoring of oxidative degradation in frying oils is essential for determining an appropriate discard time. The most reliable method for monitoring the extent of oxidation in edible oils is the determination of total polar compounds (TPC). However, this method is time-consuming and not practical ...

40 CFR 60.583 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) as follows: (1) Method 24 for analysis of inks. If nonphotochemically reactive solvents are used in the inks, standard gas chromatographic techniques may be used to identify and quantify these solvents... of an affected facility shall determine the weighted average VOC content of the inks according to the...

40 CFR 60.583 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) as follows: (1) Method 24 for analysis of inks. If nonphotochemically reactive solvents are used in the inks, standard gas chromatographic techniques may be used to identify and quantify these solvents... of an affected facility shall determine the weighted average VOC content of the inks according to the...

40 CFR 60.583 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) as follows: (1) Method 24 for analysis of inks. If nonphotochemically reactive solvents are used in the inks, standard gas chromatographic techniques may be used to identify and quantify these solvents... of an affected facility shall determine the weighted average VOC content of the inks according to the...

The Tracer Method of Curriculum Analysis in Cancer Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahan, J. Maurice; And Others

1976-01-01

To assist faculty involved in cancer education in various courses in the curriculum, rather than instituting a new course in oncology, a method was developed for identifying and assessing cancer-related content (a clinical clerk attended lectures, interviewed instructors, reviewed syllibi etc.) and a comprehensive description was produced and…

Witnessing Deconstruction in Education: Why Quasi-Transcendentalism Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biesta, Gert

2009-01-01

Deconstruction is often depicted as a method of critical analysis aimed at exposing unquestioned metaphysical assumptions and internal contradictions in philosophical and literary language. Starting from Derrida's contention that deconstruction is not a method and cannot be transformed into one, I make a case for a different attitude towards…

Study of strength kinetics of sand concrete system of accelerated hardening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharanova, A. V.; Lenkova, D. A.; Panfilova, A. D.

2018-04-01

Methods of calorimetric analysis are used to study the dynamics of the hydration processes of concretes with different accelerator contents. The efficiency of the isothermal calorimetry method is shown for study of strength kinetics of concrete mixtures of accelerated hardening, promising for additive technologies in civil engineering.

21 CFR 131.157 - Light whipping cream.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined by the method... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Light whipping cream. 131.157 Section 131.157 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR...

21 CFR 131.157 - Light whipping cream.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined by the method... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Light whipping cream. 131.157 Section 131.157 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR...

21 CFR 131.157 - Light whipping cream.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined by the method... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Light whipping cream. 131.157 Section 131.157 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR...

21 CFR 131.157 - Light whipping cream.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined by the method... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Light whipping cream. 131.157 Section 131.157 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR...

21 CFR 131.157 - Light whipping cream.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... artificial food flavoring. (c) Methods of analysis. The milkfat content is determined by the method... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Light whipping cream. 131.157 Section 131.157 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR...

Conventional steaming retains tocols and γ-oryzanol better than boiling and frying in the jasmine rice variety Khao dok mali 105.

PubMed

Srichamnong, Warangkana; Thiyajai, Parunya; Charoenkiatkul, Somsri

2016-01-15

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of various cooking methods on the white rice (WR), brown rice (BR) and parboiled geminated brown rice (PGBR) of the same variety, focusing on γ-oryzanol and tocols. The methods used for analysis of γ-oryzanol and tocols included solvent extraction and HPLC. The results indicated that PGBR had a higher content of γ-oryzanol and tocols compared to BR and WR, when different cooking methods (raw, steamed, boiled and fried) were used. Steaming method retained the higher γ-oryzanol content (53.6-62.2mg/100g) in both PGBR and BR, in comparison with boiling (53.0-60.6mg/100g) and frying (23.4-31.5mg/100g) methods. Frying reduced the γ-oryzanol content significantly regardless of the rice type. Regarding tocols, a similar trend was noticed in all the methods studied. Tocotrienol was the most abundant tocol found in PGBR and BR. Therefore, steaming is the best cooking method to preserved most of the bioactive compounds; however, a slight increase in total tocols was observed after frying. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-Contacting Compliant Foil Seal for Gas Turbine Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salehi, Mohsen; Heshmat, Hooshang

2002-01-01

The program is aimed at enhancing the existing analysis to include the turbulence effect. Several manufacturing methods are being investigated in order to apply our know-how in building the seal hardware. The contents include: 1) Test Facilities; 2) Analysis Enhancements; 3) Accomplishments/Status; and 4) Materials Study.

Analysis of castor by ELISAs that distinguish Ricin and Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To facilitate the analysis of castor (Ricinus communis L.) seed fractions and germplasm for ricin content, we investigated the use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods to differentiate between ricin toxin and the related Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA). Both proteins are based on ...

A Review of Research Ethics in Internet-Based Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Convery, Ian; Cox, Diane

2012-01-01

Internet-based research methods can include: online surveys, web page content analysis, videoconferencing for online focus groups and/or interviews, analysis of "e-conversations" through social networking sites, email, chat rooms, discussion boards and/or blogs. Over the last ten years, an upsurge in internet-based research (IBR) has led…

Evaluation of Educational Administration: A Decade Review of Research (2001-2010)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parylo, Oksana

2012-01-01

This sequential mixed methods study analyzed how program evaluation was used to assess educational administration and examined thematic trends in educational evaluation published over 10 years (2001-2010). First, qualitative content analysis examined the articles in eight peer-reviewed evaluation journals. This analysis revealed that numerous…

Slavery, the Civil War Era, and African American Representation in U.S. History: An Analysis of Four States' Academic Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Carl B.; Metzger, Scott Alan

2011-01-01

This study is a mixed-methods text analysis of African American representation within K-12 U.S. History content standards treating the revolutionary era, the early U.S. republic, the Civil War era, and Reconstruction. The states included in the analysis are Michigan, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Virginia. The analysis finds that the reviewed…

Effect of platelets on apparent leucocyte ascorbic acid content.

PubMed

Evans, R M; Currie, L; Campbell, A

1980-09-01

The leucocyte ascorbic acid content is widely used as a measure of tissue ascorbic acid status. Standard methods of analysis, however, isolate both leucocytes and platelets (buffy layer), with consequent overestimation, since platelet ascorbic acid is attributed to the leucocytes. Fourteen healthy individuals on ascorbic acid supplements and 11 patients on mega dose ascorbic acid therapy were studied. A significant correlation was demonstrated between the 'leucocyte' ascorbic acid content and the platelet: leucocyte ratio (r = 0.70, P < 0.001). It is suggested that changes in the relative distribution of platelets and leucocytes in the blood will result in an apparent change in the 'leucocyte' ascorbic acid content regardless of any actual change in the ascorbic acid content of the cells.

The Shock and Vibration Digest. Volume 1, Number 12, December 1969.

DTIC Science & Technology

Contents: Reviews of meetings; Short courses; Abstracts from the current literature (analysis and design methods, excitation, phenomenology, experimentation, components, systems); Book reviews; Calendar; Author index ; Subject index.

[The Use of FTIR Coupled with Partial Least Square for Quantitative Analysis of the Main Composition of Bamboo/Polypropylene Composites].

PubMed

Lao, Wan-li; He, Yu-chan; Li, Gai-yun; Zhou, Qun

2016-01-01

The biomass to plastic ratio in wood plastic composites (WPCs) greatly affects the physical and mechanical properties and price. Fast and accurate evaluation of the biomass to plastic ratio is important for the further development of WPCs. Quantitative analysis of the WPC main composition currently relies primarily on thermo-analytical methods. However, these methods have some inherent disadvantages, including time-consuming, high analytical errors and sophisticated, which severely limits the applications of these techniques. Therefore, in this study, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in combination with partial least square (PLS) has been used for rapid prediction of bamboo and polypropylene (PP) content in bamboo/PP composites. The bamboo powders were used as filler after being dried at 105 degrees C for 24 h. PP was used as matrix materials, and some chemical regents were used as additives. Then 42 WPC samples with different ratios of bamboo and PP were prepared by the methods of extrusion. FTIR spectral data of 42 WPC samples were collected by means of KBr pellets technique. The model for bamboo and PP content prediction was developed by PLS-2 and full cross validation. Results of internal cross validation showed that the first derivative spectra in the range of 1 800-800 cm(-1) corrected by standard normal variate (SNV) yielded the optimal model. For both bamboo and PP calibration, the coefficients of determination (R2) were 0.955. The standard errors of calibration (SEC) were 1.872 for bamboo content and 1.848 for PP content, respectively. For both bamboo and PP validation, the R2 values were 0.950. The standard errors of cross validation (SECV) were 1.927 for bamboo content and 1.950 for PP content, respectively. And the ratios of performance to deviation (RPD) were 4.45 for both biomass and PP examinations. The results of external validation showed that the relative prediction deviations for both biomass and PP contents were lower than ± 6%. FTIR combined with PLS can be used for rapid and accurate determination of bamboo and PP content in bamboo/PP composites.

Use of Multiscale Entropy to Facilitate Artifact Detection in Electroencephalographic Signals

PubMed Central

Mariani, Sara; Borges, Ana F. T.; Henriques, Teresa; Goldberger, Ary L.; Costa, Madalena D.

2016-01-01

Electroencephalographic (EEG) signals present a myriad of challenges to analysis, beginning with the detection of artifacts. Prior approaches to noise detection have utilized multiple techniques, including visual methods, independent component analysis and wavelets. However, no single method is broadly accepted, inviting alternative ways to address this problem. Here, we introduce a novel approach based on a statistical physics method, multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis, which quantifies the complexity of a signal. We postulate that noise corrupted EEG signals have lower information content, and, therefore, reduced complexity compared with their noise free counterparts. We test the new method on an open-access database of EEG signals with and without added artifacts due to electrode motion. PMID:26738116

Large scale intercomparison of aerosol trace element analysis by different analytical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bombelka, E.; Richter, F.-W.; Ries, H.; Wätjen, U.

1984-04-01

The general agreement of PIXE analysis with other methods (INAA, XRF, AAS, OES-ICP, and PhAA) is very good based on the analysis of filter pieces taken from 250 aerosol samples. It is better than 5% for Pb and Zn, better than 10% for V, Cr, and Mn, indicating that the accuracy of PIXE analysis can be within 10%. For elements such as Cd and Sb, difficult to analyze by PIXE because of their low mass content in the sample, the agreement is given mainly by the reproducibility of the method (20% to 30%). Similar agreement is found for sulfur, after taking account of the depth distribution of the aerosol in the filter.

Reliable Acquisition of RAM Dumps from Intel-Based Apple Mac Computers over FireWire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gladyshev, Pavel; Almansoori, Afrah

RAM content acquisition is an important step in live forensic analysis of computer systems. FireWire offers an attractive way to acquire RAM content of Apple Mac computers equipped with a FireWire connection. However, the existing techniques for doing so require substantial knowledge of the target computer configuration and cannot be used reliably on a previously unknown computer in a crime scene. This paper proposes a novel method for acquiring RAM content of Apple Mac computers over FireWire, which automatically discovers necessary information about the target computer and can be used in the crime scene setting. As an application of the developed method, the techniques for recovery of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) conversation fragments from RAM dumps are also discussed in this paper.

Estimation of melanin content in iris of human eye: prognosis for glaucoma diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashkatov, Alexey N.; Koblova, Ekaterina V.; Genina, Elina A.; Kamenskikh, Tatyana G.; Dolotov, Leonid E.; Sinichkin, Yury P.; Tuchin, Valery V.

2007-02-01

Based on the experimental data obtained in vivo from digital analysis of color images of human irises, the mean melanin content in human eye irises has been estimated. For registration of the color images a digital camera Olympus C-5060 has been used. The images have been obtained from irises of healthy volunteers as well as from irises of patients with open-angle glaucoma. The computer program has been developed for digital analysis of the images. The result has been useful for development of novel and optimization of already existing methods of non-invasive glaucoma diagnostics.

Nondestructive hydrogen analysis of steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 by wide-angle neutron scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Yong; Qian, Shuo; Garrison, Ben; Smith, Tyler; Kim, Peter

2018-04-01

A nondestructive neutron scattering method to precisely measure the hydrogen content in high-temperature steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding was developed. Zircaloy-4 cladding was used to produce hydrided specimens with hydrogen content up to ≈500 wppm. Following hydrogen charging, the hydrogen content of the hydrided specimens was measured using the vacuum hot extraction method, by which the samples with desired hydrogen concentrations were selected for the neutron study. The hydrided samples were then oxidized in steam up to ≈6.0 wt. % at 1100 °C. Optical microscopy shows that our hydriding procedure results in uniform distribution of circumferential hydrides across the wall thickness, and uniform oxide layers were formed on the sample surfaces by the steam oxidation. Small- and wide-angle neutron scattering were simultaneously performed to provide a quick (less than an hour per sample) measurement of the hydrogen content in various types of hydrided and oxidized Zircaloy-4. Our study demonstrates that the hydrogen in pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding can be measured very accurately by both small- and wide-angle neutron scattering. For steam-oxidized samples, the small-angle neutron scattering is contaminated with coherent scattering from additional structural features induced by the steam oxidation. However, the scattering intensity of the wide-angle neutron scattering increases proportionally with the hydrogen charged in the samples. The hydrogen content and wide-angle neutron scattering intensity are highly linearly correlated for the oxidized cladding samples examined in this work, and can be used to precisely determine the hydrogen content in steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 samples. Hydrogen contents determined by neutron scattering of oxidation samples were also found to be consistent with the results of chemical analysis within acceptable margins for error.

Dynamic Changes in Neutral and Acidic Ginsenosides with Different Cultivation Ages and Harvest Seasons: Identification of Chemical Characteristics for Panax ginseng Quality Control.

PubMed

Liu, Zhi; Wang, Chong-Zhi; Zhu, Xing-You; Wan, Jin-Yi; Zhang, Jing; Li, Wei; Ruan, Chang-Chun; Yuan, Chun-Su

2017-05-04

In this study, dynamic changes in ginsenoside content and ratios in the Panax ginseng root were investigated with different cultivation ages and different collection months, using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our data indicate that changes in ginsenoside Ro and malonyl ginsenosides content were dependent on the ginseng cultivation age ( p < 0.05); especially, the Ro content varied from 0.16 to 4.91 mg/g, with a difference about 30-fold. Further, we found that the samples of 5 and 6-year-old P. ginseng had high Ro/Re ratio, whereas two and three-year-old P. ginseng possessed low Ro/Re ratio. Thus, the Ro/Re ratio can be used as a characteristic marker for differentiating the age of the root. The relative content of ginsenosides Rg₁ and Re were affected by the ginseng's harvest season. The Re content was higher than the Rg₁ content in May and June, but lower than the Rg₁ content from August to October. Thus, the Rg₁/Re ratio can be used as a characteristic marker for differentiating the ginseng's harvest seasons. These results indicate that the chemical characteristics of P. ginseng at different cultivation ages and harvest seasons are clearly different, which may cause differences in pharmacological activities and therapeutic effects. In addition, we developed HPLC coupled with hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis methods to identify the cultivation age and harvest season of P. ginseng using characteristic ginsenosides. Our results showed that this method can be used to discriminate the cultivation age and harvest season of P. ginseng.

Nondestructive hydrogen analysis of steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 by wide-angle neutron scattering

DOE PAGES

Yan, Yong; Qian, Shuo; Garrison, Ben; ...

2018-04-15

In this study, a nondestructive neutron scattering method to precisely measure the hydrogen content in high-temperature steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding was developed. Zircaloy-4 cladding was used to produce hydrided specimens with hydrogen content up to ≈500 wppm. Following hydrogen charging, the hydrogen content of the hydrided specimens was measured using the vacuum hot extraction method, by which the samples with desired hydrogen concentrations were selected for the neutron study. The hydrided samples were then oxidized in steam up to ≈6.0wt. % at 1100°C. Optical microscopy shows that our hydriding procedure results in uniform distribution of circumferential hydrides across the wall thickness,more » and uniform oxide layers were formed on the sample surfaces by the steam oxidation. Small- and wide-angle neutron scattering were simultaneously performed to provide a quick (less than an hour per sample) measurement of the hydrogen content in various types of hydrided and oxidized Zircaloy-4. Our study demonstrates that the hydrogen in pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding can be measured very accurately by both small- and wide-angle neutron scattering. For steam-oxidized samples, the small-angle neutron scattering is contaminated with coherent scattering from additional structural features induced by the steam oxidation. However, the scattering intensity of the wide-angle neutron scattering increases proportionally with the hydrogen charged in the samples. The hydrogen content and wide-angle neutron scattering intensity are highly linearly correlated for the oxidized cladding samples examined in this work, and can be used to precisely determine the hydrogen content in steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 samples. Hydrogen contents determined by neutron scattering of oxidation samples were also found to be consistent with the results of chemical analysis within acceptable margins for error.« less

Nondestructive hydrogen analysis of steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 by wide-angle neutron scattering

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

Yan, Yong; Qian, Shuo; Garrison, Ben

In this study, a nondestructive neutron scattering method to precisely measure the hydrogen content in high-temperature steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding was developed. Zircaloy-4 cladding was used to produce hydrided specimens with hydrogen content up to ≈500 wppm. Following hydrogen charging, the hydrogen content of the hydrided specimens was measured using the vacuum hot extraction method, by which the samples with desired hydrogen concentrations were selected for the neutron study. The hydrided samples were then oxidized in steam up to ≈6.0wt. % at 1100°C. Optical microscopy shows that our hydriding procedure results in uniform distribution of circumferential hydrides across the wall thickness,more » and uniform oxide layers were formed on the sample surfaces by the steam oxidation. Small- and wide-angle neutron scattering were simultaneously performed to provide a quick (less than an hour per sample) measurement of the hydrogen content in various types of hydrided and oxidized Zircaloy-4. Our study demonstrates that the hydrogen in pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding can be measured very accurately by both small- and wide-angle neutron scattering. For steam-oxidized samples, the small-angle neutron scattering is contaminated with coherent scattering from additional structural features induced by the steam oxidation. However, the scattering intensity of the wide-angle neutron scattering increases proportionally with the hydrogen charged in the samples. The hydrogen content and wide-angle neutron scattering intensity are highly linearly correlated for the oxidized cladding samples examined in this work, and can be used to precisely determine the hydrogen content in steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 samples. Hydrogen contents determined by neutron scattering of oxidation samples were also found to be consistent with the results of chemical analysis within acceptable margins for error.« less

Plant leaf chlorophyll content retrieval based on a field imaging spectroscopy system.

PubMed

Liu, Bo; Yue, Yue-Min; Li, Ru; Shen, Wen-Jing; Wang, Ke-Lin

2014-10-23

A field imaging spectrometer system (FISS; 380-870 nm and 344 bands) was designed for agriculture applications. In this study, FISS was used to gather spectral information from soybean leaves. The chlorophyll content was retrieved using a multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least squares (PLS) regression and support vector machine (SVM) regression. Our objective was to verify the performance of FISS in a quantitative spectral analysis through the estimation of chlorophyll content and to determine a proper quantitative spectral analysis method for processing FISS data. The results revealed that the derivative reflectance was a more sensitive indicator of chlorophyll content and could extract content information more efficiently than the spectral reflectance, which is more significant for FISS data compared to ASD (analytical spectral devices) data, reducing the corresponding RMSE (root mean squared error) by 3.3%-35.6%. Compared with the spectral features, the regression methods had smaller effects on the retrieval accuracy. A multivariate linear model could be the ideal model to retrieve chlorophyll information with a small number of significant wavelengths used. The smallest RMSE of the chlorophyll content retrieved using FISS data was 0.201 mg/g, a relative reduction of more than 30% compared with the RMSE based on a non-imaging ASD spectrometer, which represents a high estimation accuracy compared with the mean chlorophyll content of the sampled leaves (4.05 mg/g). Our study indicates that FISS could obtain both spectral and spatial detailed information of high quality. Its image-spectrum-in-one merit promotes the good performance of FISS in quantitative spectral analyses, and it can potentially be widely used in the agricultural sector.