Assistant for Specifying Quality Software (ASQS) Mission Area Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

somewhat arbitrary, it was a reasonable and fast approach for partitioning the mission and software domains. The MAD builds on work done by Boeing Aerospace...Reliability ++ Reliability +++ Response 2: NO Discussion: A NO response implies intermittent burns -- most likely to perform attitude control functions...Propulsion Reliability +++ Reliability ++ 4-15 4.8.3 Query BT.3 Query: For intermittent thruster firing requirements, will the average burn time be less than

Can training improve the quality of inferences made by raters in competency modeling? A quasi-experiment.

PubMed

Lievens, Filip; Sanchez, Juan I

2007-05-01

A quasi-experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of frame-of-reference training on the quality of competency modeling ratings made by consultants. Human resources consultants from a large consulting firm were randomly assigned to either a training or a control condition. The discriminant validity, interrater reliability, and accuracy of the competency ratings were significantly higher in the training group than in the control group. Further, the discriminant validity and interrater reliability of competency inferences were highest among an additional group of trained consultants who also had competency modeling experience. Together, these results suggest that procedural interventions such as rater training can significantly enhance the quality of competency modeling. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

[Study of quality of a branch laboratory--an opinion of a laboratory manager].

PubMed

Yazawa, Naoyuki

2006-11-01

At the stage of establishing a branch laboratory, quality evaluation is extremely difficult. Even the results of a control survey by the headquarters of the branch laboratory are unhelpful. For a clinical laboratory, the most important function is to provide reliable data all the time, and to maintain the reliability of clinical doctors with informed responses. We mostly refer to control surveys and daily quality control data to evaluate a clinical laboratory, but we rarely check its fundamental abilities, such as planning events, preserving statistical data about the standard range, using the right method for quality control and others. This is generally disregarded and it is taken for granted that they will be correct the first time. From my six years of experience working with X's branch laboratory, I realized that there might be some relation between the quality of a branch laboratory and the fundamental abilities of the company itself. I would never argue that all branch laboratories are ineffective, but they should be conscious of fundamental activities. The referring laboratory, not the referral laboratory, should be responsible for ensuring that the referral laboratory's examination results and findings are correct.

Effects of side-stick controllers on rotorcraft handling qualities for terrain flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aiken, E. W.

1985-01-01

Pertinent fixed and rotary-wing feasibility studies and handling-qualities research programs are reviewed and the effects of certain controller characteristics on handling qualities for specific rotorcraft flight tasks are summarized. The effects of the controller force-deflection relationship and the number of controlled axes that are integrated in a single controller are examined. Simulation studies were conducted which provide a significant part of the available handling qualities data. The studies demonstrate the feasibility of using a single, properly designed, limited-displacement, multiaxis controller for certain relatively routine flight tasks in a two-crew rotorcraft with nominal levels of stability and control augmentation with a high degree of reliability are incorporated, separated three or two-axis controller configurations are required for acceptable handling qualities.

A Chip and Pixel Qualification Methodology on Imaging Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Yuan; Guertin, Steven M.; Petkov, Mihail; Nguyen, Duc N.; Novak, Frank

2004-01-01

This paper presents a qualification methodology on imaging sensors. In addition to overall chip reliability characterization based on sensor s overall figure of merit, such as Dark Rate, Linearity, Dark Current Non-Uniformity, Fixed Pattern Noise and Photon Response Non-Uniformity, a simulation technique is proposed and used to project pixel reliability. The projected pixel reliability is directly related to imaging quality and provides additional sensor reliability information and performance control.

Electronic Reliability Design Handbook. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-12

greater use of proven designs , more design attention to non -random failures, design sim- plicity, improved quality control , more effective development and...RELIABILITY ENGINEERING DESIGN GUIDELINES 7-1 7.1 INTRODUCTION 7-1 7.2 PART SELECTION AND CONTROL 7-1 7.3 DERATING 7-4 7.3.1 DERATING OF MECHANICAL STRUCTURAL...11-58 11.3.1 INTRODUCTION 11-58 11.3.2 MAINTAINABILITY DESIGN ATTRIBUTES 11-59 11.3.3 MAINTAINABILITY CONTROL PARAMETERS 11-59 11.3.4 MAINTAINABILITY

Measuring decision quality: psychometric evaluation of a new instrument for breast cancer surgery

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The purpose of this paper is to examine the acceptability, feasibility, reliability and validity of a new decision quality instrument that assesses the extent to which patients are informed and receive treatments that match their goals. Methods Cross-sectional mail survey of recent breast cancer survivors, providers and healthy controls and a retest survey of survivors. The decision quality instrument includes knowledge questions and a set of goals, and results in two scores: a breast cancer surgery knowledge score and a concordance score, which reflects the percentage of patients who received treatments that match their goals. Hypotheses related to acceptability, feasibility, discriminant validity, content validity, predictive validity and retest reliability of the survey instrument were examined. Results We had responses from 440 eligible patients, 88 providers and 35 healthy controls. The decision quality instrument was feasible to implement in this study, with low missing data. The knowledge score had good retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.70) and discriminated between providers and patients (mean difference 35%, p < 0.001). The majority of providers felt that the knowledge items covered content that was essential for the decision. Five of the 6 treatment goals met targets for content validity. The five goals had moderate to strong retest reliability (0.64 to 0.87). The concordance score was 89%, indicating that a majority had treatments concordant with that predicted by their goals. Patients who had concordant treatment had similar levels of confidence and regret as those who did not. Conclusions The decision quality instrument met the criteria of feasibility, reliability, discriminant and content validity in this sample. Additional research to examine performance of the instrument in prospective studies and more diverse populations is needed. PMID:22681763

The Toronto outcome measure for craniofacial prosthetics: reliability and validity of a condition-specific quality-of-life instrument.

PubMed

Anderson, James D; Johnston, Dennis A; Haugh, Gil S; Kiat-Amnuay, Sudarat; Gettleman, Lawrence

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to refine the Toronto Outcome Measure for Craniofacial Prosthetics (TOMCP), present evidence for its reliability and validity, and use the instrument to explore differences in quality of life between prostheses made with chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) (experimental) and silicone (control). As part of a multicenter prospective controlled randomized double-blind single-crossover clinical trial of the two materials, the TOMCP was administered at the start and end of two 4-month study arms, during which 42 patients wore prostheses made from one material then the other. Reliability was assessed at the crossover. To determine validity of the TOMCP, the Linear Analogue Self-Assessment (LASA-12) and the Short-Form 8 (SF-8) were also administered with the TOMCP. The TOMCP was reduced by removing items that were unreliable, had poorly distributed answers, showed increased internal consistency after their removal, or were too highly correlated with more than one other item. The tests of reliability and validity were then repeated. Finally, the reduced instrument was used to test for differences in quality of life between prostheses made of the two materials. The item reduction tactics pared the 52-item instrument down to 27 items. The correlations of both TOMCP versions with the LASA-12 and the SF-8 were found to be statistically significant, providing evidence of the validity of the TOMCP. The instrument revealed significantly better quality of life with silicone rather than CPE prostheses. Both versions of the TOMCP were found to be reliable and valid. The instrument was able to show differences in quality of life between two materials.

Recommendations of the DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG) on quality control of autosomal Short Tandem Repeat allele frequency databasing (STRidER).

PubMed

Bodner, Martin; Bastisch, Ingo; Butler, John M; Fimmers, Rolf; Gill, Peter; Gusmão, Leonor; Morling, Niels; Phillips, Christopher; Prinz, Mechthild; Schneider, Peter M; Parson, Walther

2016-09-01

The statistical evaluation of autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) genotypes is based on allele frequencies. These are empirically determined from sets of randomly selected human samples, compiled into STR databases that have been established in the course of population genetic studies. There is currently no agreed procedure of performing quality control of STR allele frequency databases, and the reliability and accuracy of the data are largely based on the responsibility of the individual contributing research groups. It has been demonstrated with databases of haploid markers (EMPOP for mitochondrial mtDNA, and YHRD for Y-chromosomal loci) that centralized quality control and data curation is essential to minimize error. The concepts employed for quality control involve software-aided likelihood-of-genotype, phylogenetic, and population genetic checks that allow the researchers to compare novel data to established datasets and, thus, maintain the high quality required in forensic genetics. Here, we present STRidER (http://strider.online), a publicly available, centrally curated online allele frequency database and quality control platform for autosomal STRs. STRidER expands on the previously established ENFSI DNA WG STRbASE and applies standard concepts established for haploid and autosomal markers as well as novel tools to reduce error and increase the quality of autosomal STR data. The platform constitutes a significant improvement and innovation for the scientific community, offering autosomal STR data quality control and reliable STR genotype estimates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessments of the quality of randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology from 1994 to 2011.

PubMed

Cho, Hee Ju; Chung, Jae Hoon; Jo, Jung Ki; Kang, Dong Hyuk; Cho, Jeong Man; Yoo, Tag Keun; Lee, Seung Wook

2013-12-01

Randomized controlled trials are one of the most reliable resources for assessing the effectiveness and safety of medical treatments. Low quality randomized controlled trials carry a large bias that can ultimately impair the reliability of their conclusions. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology by using multiple quality assessment tools. Randomized controlled trials articles published in International Journal of Urology were found using the PubMed MEDLINE database, and qualitative analysis was carried out with three distinct assessment tools: the Jadad scale, the van Tulder scale and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. The quality of randomized controlled trials was analyzed by publication year, type of subjects, intervention, presence of funding and whether an institutional review board reviewed the study. A total of 68 randomized controlled trial articles were published among a total of 1399 original articles in International Journal of Urology. Among these randomized controlled trials, 10 (2.70%) were from 1994 to 1999, 23 (4.10%) were from 2000 to 2005 and 35 (4.00%) were from 2006 to 2011 (P = 0.494). On the assessment with the Jadad and van Tulder scale, the numbers and percentage of high quality randomized controlled trials increased over time. The studies that had institutional review board reviews, funding resources or that were carried out in multiple institutions had an increased percentage of high quality articles. The numbers and percentage of high-quality randomized controlled trials published in International Journal of Urology have increased over time. Furthermore, randomized controlled trials with funding resources, institutional review board reviews or carried out in multiple institutions have been found to be of higher quality compared with others not presenting these features. © 2013 The Japanese Urological Association.

A reliable low cost integrated wireless sensor network for water quality monitoring and level control system in UAE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou-Elnour, Ali; Khaleeq, Hyder; Abou-Elnour, Ahmad

2016-04-01

In the present work, wireless sensor network and real-time controlling and monitoring system are integrated for efficient water quality monitoring for environmental and domestic applications. The proposed system has three main components (i) the sensor circuits, (ii) the wireless communication system, and (iii) the monitoring and controlling unit. LabView software has been used in the implementation of the monitoring and controlling system. On the other hand, ZigBee and myRIO wireless modules have been used to implement the wireless system. The water quality parameters are accurately measured by the present computer based monitoring system and the measurement results are instantaneously transmitted and published with minimum infrastructure costs and maximum flexibility in term of distance or location. The mobility and durability of the proposed system are further enhanced by fully powering via a photovoltaic system. The reliability and effectiveness of the system are evaluated under realistic operating conditions.

Honing process optimization algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadyrov, Ramil R.; Charikov, Pavel N.; Pryanichnikova, Valeria V.

2018-03-01

This article considers the relevance of honing processes for creating high-quality mechanical engineering products. The features of the honing process are revealed and such important concepts as the task for optimization of honing operations, the optimal structure of the honing working cycles, stepped and stepless honing cycles, simulation of processing and its purpose are emphasized. It is noted that the reliability of the mathematical model determines the quality parameters of the honing process control. An algorithm for continuous control of the honing process is proposed. The process model reliably describes the machining of a workpiece in a sufficiently wide area and can be used to operate the CNC machine CC743.

Reliability and Maintainability Analysis: A Conceptual Design Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-03-01

Elements For a System I. Research ane Development A. Preliminary design and engineering B. Fabrication of test equipment C. Test operations D...reliability racquiro:wents, little, if any, modu larzation and auto- matic test features would be incorporated in the subsystem design, limited reliability...niaintaina~ility testing and monitoring would be conducted turing dev!qopmcnt, and little Quality Control effort, in the rell ability/’uaintainalility

Control Chart on Semi Analytical Weighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, G. S.; Oliveira, C. C.; Silva, T. B. S. C.; Stellato, T. B.; Monteiro, L. R.; Marques, J. R.; Faustino, M. G.; Soares, S. M. V.; Ulrich, J. C.; Pires, M. A. F.; Cotrim, M. E. B.

2018-03-01

Semi-analytical balance verification intends to assess the balance performance using graphs that illustrate measurement dispersion, trough time, and to demonstrate measurements were performed in a reliable manner. This study presents internal quality control of a semi-analytical balance (GEHAKA BG400) using control charts. From 2013 to 2016, 2 weight standards were monitored before any balance operation. This work intended to evaluate if any significant difference or bias were presented on weighting procedure over time, to check the generated data reliability. This work also exemplifies how control intervals are established.

THE MAQC PROJECT: ESTABLISHING QC METRICS AND THRESHOLDS FOR MICROARRAY QUALITY CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

Microarrays represent a core technology in pharmacogenomics and toxicogenomics; however, before this technology can successfully and reliably be applied in clinical practice and regulatory decision-making, standards and quality measures need to be developed. The Microarray Qualit...

Performance Assessment of Internal Quality Control (IQC) Products in Blood Transfusion Compatibility Testing in China

PubMed Central

Li, Jing-Jing; Gao, Qi; Liu, Zhi-Dong; Kang, Qiong-Hua; Hou, Yi-Jun; Zhang, Luo-Chuan; Hu, Xiao-Mei; Li, Jie; Zhang, Juan

2015-01-01

Internal quality control (IQC) is a critical component of laboratory quality management, and IQC products can determine the reliability of testing results. In China, given the fact that most blood transfusion compatibility laboratories do not employ IQC products or do so minimally, there is a lack of uniform and standardized IQC methods. To explore the reliability of IQC products and methods, we studied 697 results from IQC samples in our laboratory from 2012 to 2014. The results showed that the sensitivity and specificity of the IQCs in anti-B testing were 100% and 99.7%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the IQCs in forward blood typing, anti-A testing, irregular antibody screening, and cross-matching were all 100%. The reliability analysis indicated that 97% of anti-B testing results were at a 99% confidence level, and 99.9% of forward blood typing, anti-A testing, irregular antibody screening, and cross-matching results were at a 99% confidence level. Therefore, our IQC products and methods are highly sensitive, specific, and reliable. Our study paves the way for the establishment of a uniform and standardized IQC method for pre-transfusion compatibility testing in China and other parts of the world. PMID:26488582

Quality evaluation and control of end cap welds in PHWR fuel elements by ultrasonic examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, M. S.; Yang, M. S.

1991-02-01

The current quality control procedure of nuclear fuel end cap weld is mainly dependent on the destructive metallographic examination. A nondestructive examination technique, i.e., ultrasonic examination, has been developed to identify and evaluate weld discontinuities. A few interesting results of the weld quality evaluation by applying the developed ultrasonic examination technique to PHWR fuel welds are presented. In addition, the feasibility of the weld quality control by the ultrasonic examination is discussed. This study shows that the ultrasonic examination is effective and reliable method for detecting abnormal weld contours and weld discontinuities such as micro-fissure, crack, upset split and expulsion, and can be used as a quality control tool for the end cap welding process.

The Status of the Quality Control in Acupuncture-Neuroimaging Studies

PubMed Central

Qiu, Ke; Jing, Miaomiao; Liu, Xiaoyan; Gao, Feifei; Liang, Fanrong; Zeng, Fang

2016-01-01

Using neuroimaging techniques to explore the central mechanism of acupuncture gains increasing attention, but the quality control of acupuncture-neuroimaging study remains to be improved. We searched the PubMed Database during 1995 to 2014. The original English articles with neuroimaging scan performed on human beings were included. The data involved quality control including the author, sample size, characteristics of the participant, neuroimaging technology, and acupuncture intervention were extracted and analyzed. The rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria are important guaranty for the participants' homogeneity. The standard operation process of acupuncture and the stricter requirement for acupuncturist play significant role in quality control. More attention should be paid to the quality control in future studies to improve the reproducibility and reliability of the acupuncture-neuroimaging studies. PMID:27242911

[Report quality of randomized controlled trials of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis based on CONSORT and STRICTOM].

PubMed

Xiong, Jun; Zhu, Daocheng; Chen, Rixin; Ye, Wenguo

2015-08-01

The report quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in China was evaluated by Consolidated Standards for Reporting of Trials (CONSORT) and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Moxibustion (STRICTOM). Computer and manual retrieval was used. Four databases of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKD, China Biomedicine (CBM), VIP and WNFANG were searched in combination with manual retrieval for relevant journals to screen the literature that: met the inclusive criteria, and CONSORT and STRICTOM were used to assess the report quality. A total of 52 RCTs were included. It was found that unclear description of random methods, low use of blind methods, no allocation concealment, no sample size calculation, no intention-to-treat analysis,inadequate report of moxibustion details and no mention of practitioners background existed in the majority of the RCTs. Although the quality of RCTs of moxibustion for KOA was generally low, reducing the reliability and homogeneous comparability of the reports ,the quality of heat-sensitive moxibustion RCTs was high. It was believed that in order to improve the reliability and quality of RCTs of moxibustion, CONSORT and STRICTOM should be introduced into the RCT design of moxibustion and be strictly performed.

Accuracy and reliability of Chile's National Air Quality Information System for measuring particulate matter: Beta attenuation monitoring issue.

PubMed

Toro A, Richard; Campos, Claudia; Molina, Carolina; Morales S, Raul G E; Leiva-Guzmán, Manuel A

2015-09-01

A critical analysis of Chile's National Air Quality Information System (NAQIS) is presented, focusing on particulate matter (PM) measurement. This paper examines the complexity, availability and reliability of monitoring station information, the implementation of control systems, the quality assurance protocols of the monitoring station data and the reliability of the measurement systems in areas highly polluted by particulate matter. From information available on the NAQIS website, it is possible to confirm that the PM2.5 (PM10) data available on the site correspond to 30.8% (69.2%) of the total information available from the monitoring stations. There is a lack of information regarding the measurement systems used to quantify air pollutants, most of the available data registers contain gaps, almost all of the information is categorized as "preliminary information" and neither standard operating procedures (operational and validation) nor assurance audits or quality control of the measurements are reported. In contrast, events that cause saturation of the monitoring detectors located in northern and southern Chile have been observed using beta attenuation monitoring. In these cases, it can only be concluded that the PM content is equal to or greater than the saturation concentration registered by the monitors and that the air quality indexes obtained from these measurements are underestimated. This occurrence has been observed in 12 (20) public and private stations where PM2.5 (PM10) is measured. The shortcomings of the NAQIS data have important repercussions for the conclusions obtained from the data and for how the data are used. However, these issues represent opportunities for improving the system to widen its use, incorporate comparison protocols between equipment, install new stations and standardize the control system and quality assurance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) parts management and control requirements for NASA space flight programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

This document establishes electrical, electronic, and electromechanical (EEE) parts management and control requirements for contractors providing and maintaining space flight and mission-essential or critical ground support equipment for NASA space flight programs. Although the text is worded 'the contractor shall,' the requirements are also to be used by NASA Headquarters and field installations for developing program/project parts management and control requirements for in-house and contracted efforts. This document places increased emphasis on parts programs to ensure that reliability and quality are considered through adequate consideration of the selection, control, and application of parts. It is the intent of this document to identify disciplines that can be implemented to obtain reliable parts which meet mission needs. The parts management and control requirements described in this document are to be selectively applied, based on equipment class and mission needs. Individual equipment needs should be evaluated to determine the extent to which each requirement should be implemented on a procurement. Utilization of this document does not preclude the usage of other documents. The entire process of developing and implementing requirements is referred to as 'tailoring' the program for a specific project. Some factors that should be considered in this tailoring process include program phase, equipment category and criticality, equipment complexity, and mission requirements. Parts management and control requirements advocated by this document directly support the concept of 'reliability by design' and are an integral part of system reliability and maintainability. Achieving the required availability and mission success objectives during operation depends on the attention given reliability and maintainability in the design phase. Consequently, it is intended that the requirements described in this document are consistent with those of NASA publications, 'Reliability Program Requirements for Aeronautical and Space System Contractors,' NHB 5300.4(1A-l); 'Maintainability Program Requirements for Space Systems,' NHB 5300.4(1E); and 'Quality Program Provisions for Aeronautical and Space System Contractors,' NHB 5300.4(1B).

Reliability of Task-Based fMRI for Preoperative Planning: A Test-Retest Study in Brain Tumor Patients and Healthy Controls

PubMed Central

Morrison, Melanie A.; Churchill, Nathan W.; Cusimano, Michael D.; Schweizer, Tom A.; Das, Sunit; Graham, Simon J.

2016-01-01

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) continues to develop as a clinical tool for patients with brain cancer, offering data that may directly influence surgical decisions. Unfortunately, routine integration of preoperative fMRI has been limited by concerns about reliability. Many pertinent studies have been undertaken involving healthy controls, but work involving brain tumor patients has been limited. To develop fMRI fully as a clinical tool, it will be critical to examine these reliability issues among patients with brain tumors. The present work is the first to extensively characterize differences in activation map quality between brain tumor patients and healthy controls, including the effects of tumor grade and the chosen behavioral testing paradigm on reliability outcomes. Method Test-retest data were collected for a group of low-grade (n = 6) and high-grade glioma (n = 6) patients, and for matched healthy controls (n = 12), who performed motor and language tasks during a single fMRI session. Reliability was characterized by the spatial overlap and displacement of brain activity clusters, BOLD signal stability, and the laterality index. Significance testing was performed to assess differences in reliability between the patients and controls, and low-grade and high-grade patients; as well as between different fMRI testing paradigms. Results There were few significant differences in fMRI reliability measures between patients and controls. Reliability was significantly lower when comparing high-grade tumor patients to controls, or to low-grade tumor patients. The motor task produced more reliable activation patterns than the language tasks, as did the rhyming task in comparison to the phonemic fluency task. Conclusion In low-grade glioma patients, fMRI data are as reliable as healthy control subjects. For high-grade glioma patients, further investigation is required to determine the underlying causes of reduced reliability. To maximize reliability outcomes, testing paradigms should be carefully selected to generate robust activation patterns. PMID:26894279

Appraising the quality of medical education research methods: the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale-Education.

PubMed

Cook, David A; Reed, Darcy A

2015-08-01

The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale-Education (NOS-E) were developed to appraise methodological quality in medical education research. The study objective was to evaluate the interrater reliability, normative scores, and between-instrument correlation for these two instruments. In 2014, the authors searched PubMed and Google for articles using the MERSQI or NOS-E. They obtained or extracted data for interrater reliability-using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)-and normative scores. They calculated between-scale correlation using Spearman rho. Each instrument contains items concerning sampling, controlling for confounders, and integrity of outcomes. Interrater reliability for overall scores ranged from 0.68 to 0.95. Interrater reliability was "substantial" or better (ICC > 0.60) for nearly all domain-specific items on both instruments. Most instances of low interrater reliability were associated with restriction of range, and raw agreement was usually good. Across 26 studies evaluating published research, the median overall MERSQI score was 11.3 (range 8.9-15.1, of possible 18). Across six studies, the median overall NOS-E score was 3.22 (range 2.08-3.82, of possible 6). Overall MERSQI and NOS-E scores correlated reasonably well (rho 0.49-0.72). The MERSQI and NOS-E are useful, reliable, complementary tools for appraising methodological quality of medical education research. Interpretation and use of their scores should focus on item-specific codes rather than overall scores. Normative scores should be used for relative rather than absolute judgments because different research questions require different study designs.

PEM-INST-001: Instructions for Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuit (PEM) Selection, Screening, and Qualification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander; Sahu, Kusum

2003-01-01

Potential users of plastic encapsulated microcircuits (PEMs) need to be reminded that unlike the military system of producing robust high-reliability microcircuits that are designed to perform acceptably in a variety of harsh environments, PEMs are primarily designed for use in benign environments where equipment is easily accessed for repair or replacement. The methods of analysis applied to military products to demonstrate high reliability cannot always be applied to PEMs. This makes it difficult for users to characterize PEMs for two reasons: 1. Due to the major differences in design and construction, the standard test practices used to ensure that military devices are robust and have high reliability often cannot be applied to PEMs that have a smaller operating temperature range and are typically more frail and susceptible to moisture absorption. In contrast, high-reliability military microcircuits usually utilize large, robust, high-temperature packages that are hermetically sealed. 2. Unlike the military high-reliability system, users of PEMs have little visibility into commercial manufacturers proprietary design, materials, die traceability, and production processes and procedures. There is no central authority that monitors PEM commercial product for quality, and there are no controls in place that can be imposed across all commercial manufacturers to provide confidence to high-reliability users that a common acceptable level of quality exists for all PEMs manufacturers. Consequently, there is no guaranteed control over the type of reliability that is built into commercial product, and there is no guarantee that different lots from the same manufacturer are equally acceptable. And regarding application, there is no guarantee that commercial products intended for use in benign environments will provide acceptable performance and reliability in harsh space environments. The qualification and screening processes contained in this document are intended to detect poor-quality lots and screen out early random failures from use in space flight hardware. However, since it cannot be guaranteed that quality was designed and built into PEMs that are appropriate for space applications, users cannot screen in quality that may not exist. It must be understood that due to the variety of materials, processes, and technologies used to design and produce PEMs, this test process may not accelerate and detect all failure mechanisms. While the tests herein will increase user confidence that PEMs with otherwise unknown reliability can be used in space environments, such testing may not guarantee the same level of reliability offered by military microcircuits. PEMs should only be used where due to performance needs there are no alternatives in the military high-reliability market, and projects are willing to accept higher risk.

30 CFR 250.302 - Definitions concerning air quality.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... any combination of agents for which the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established... by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by the Administrator of EPA to be reliable) not... control technology (BACT) means an emission limitation based on the maximum degree of reduction for each...

Markov chains for testing redundant software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Allan L.; Sjogren, Jon A.

1988-01-01

A preliminary design for a validation experiment has been developed that addresses several problems unique to assuring the extremely high quality of multiple-version programs in process-control software. The procedure uses Markov chains to model the error states of the multiple version programs. The programs are observed during simulated process-control testing, and estimates are obtained for the transition probabilities between the states of the Markov chain. The experimental Markov chain model is then expanded into a reliability model that takes into account the inertia of the system being controlled. The reliability of the multiple version software is computed from this reliability model at a given confidence level using confidence intervals obtained for the transition probabilities during the experiment. An example demonstrating the method is provided.

Control of Ga-oxide interlayer growth and Ga diffusion in SiO2/GaN stacks for high-quality GaN-based metal-oxide-semiconductor devices with improved gate dielectric reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Takahiro; Watanabe, Kenta; Nozaki, Mikito; Yamada, Hisashi; Takahashi, Tokio; Shimizu, Mitsuaki; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Hosoi, Takuji; Shimura, Takayoshi; Watanabe, Heiji

2018-01-01

A simple and feasible method for fabricating high-quality and highly reliable GaN-based metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices was developed. The direct chemical vapor deposition of SiO2 films on GaN substrates forming Ga-oxide interlayers was carried out to fabricate SiO2/GaO x /GaN stacked structures. Although well-behaved hysteresis-free GaN-MOS capacitors with extremely low interface state densities below 1010 cm-2 eV-1 were obtained by postdeposition annealing, Ga diffusion into overlying SiO2 layers severely degraded the dielectric breakdown characteristics. However, this problem was found to be solved by rapid thermal processing, leading to the superior performance of the GaN-MOS devices in terms of interface quality, insulating property, and gate dielectric reliability.

Low-Budget Instrumentation of a Conventional Leg Press to Measure Reliable Isometric-Strength Capacity.

PubMed

Baur, Heiner; Groppa, Alessia Severina; Limacher, Regula; Radlinger, Lorenz

2016-02-02

Maximum strength and rate of force development (RFD) are 2 important strength characteristics for everyday tasks and athletic performance. Measurements of both parameters must be reliable. Expensive isokinetic devices with isometric modes are often used. The possibility of cost-effective measurements in a practical setting would facilitate quality control. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of measurements of maximum isometric strength (Fmax) and RFD on a conventional leg press. Sixteen subjects (23 ± 2 y, 1.68 ± 0.05 m, 59 ± 5 kg) were tested twice within 1 session. After warm-up, subjects performed 2 times 5 trials eliciting maximum voluntary isometric contractions on an instrumented leg press (1- and 2-legged randomized). Fmax (N) and RFD (N/s) were extracted from force-time curves. Reliability was determined for Fmax and RFD by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the test-retest variability (TRV), and the bias and limits of agreement. Reliability measures revealed good to excellent ICCs of .80-.93. TRV showed mean differences between measurement sessions of 0.4-6.9%. The systematic error was low compared with the absolute mean values (Fmax 5-6%, RFD 1-4%). The implementation of a force transducer into a conventional leg press provides a viable procedure to assess Fmax and RFD. Both performance parameters can be assessed with good to excellent reliability allowing quality control of interventions.

Measuring health-related quality of life in children living in HIV/AIDS-affected families in rural areas in Yunnan, China: Preliminary reliability and validity of the Chinese version of PedsQL 4.0 generic core scales.

PubMed

Xu, Tao; Wu, Zunyou; Yan, Zhihua; Rou, Keming; Duan, Song

2010-02-01

To investigate the preliminary reliability and validity of the Chinese Mandarin version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales in a sample of general children and children living in HIV/AIDS-affected families. The PedsQL 4.0 was administered to 116 children aged 8-18 years from HIV/AIDS-affected families and 115 of their caregivers. The questionnaire was also administered to a control group of 109 children and 107 of their caregivers. Most of the self-report and proxy-report scales in both groups exceeded the reliability standard of 0.70, whereas the self-report emotional functioning and school functioning subscales were slightly less than 0.70. On average, children living in HIV/AIDS-affected families scored significantly lower than the control group. The level of agreement between self-reports and proxy reports was low. Correlations were higher on average for the younger age group than for the older age group. The Chinese Mandarin version of PedsQL 4.0 is a valid and reliable instrument for use with children living in HIV families. The health-related quality of life for children living in HIV families is lower than children from ordinary families.

Determinants of Quality of Interview and Impact on Risk Estimates in a Case-Control Study of Bladder Cancer

PubMed Central

Silverman, Debra T.; Malats, Núria; Tardon, Adonina; Garcia-Closas, Reina; Serra, Consol; Carrato, Alfredo; Fortuny, Joan; Rothman, Nathaniel; Dosemeci, Mustafa; Kogevinas, Manolis

2009-01-01

The authors evaluated potential determinants of the quality of the interview in a case-control study of bladder cancer and assessed the effect of the interview quality on the risk estimates. The analysis included 1,219 incident bladder cancer cases and 1,271 controls recruited in Spain in 1998–2001. Information on etiologic factors for bladder cancer was collected through personal interviews, which were scored as unsatisfactory, questionable, reliable, or high quality by the interviewers. Eight percent of the interviews were unsatisfactory or questionable. Increasing age, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer self-perceived health led to higher proportions of questionable or unreliable interviews. The odds ratio for cigarette smoking, the main risk factor for bladder cancer, was 6.18 (95% confidence interval: 4.56, 8.39) overall, 3.20 (95% confidence interval: 1.13, 9.04) among unsatisfactory or questionable interviews, 6.86 (95% confidence interval: 4.80, 9.82) among reliable interviews, and 7.70 (95% confidence interval: 3.64, 16.30) among high-quality interviews. Similar trends were observed for employment in high-risk occupations, drinking water containing elevated levels of trihalomethanes, and use of analgesics. Higher quality interviews led to stronger associations compared with risk estimation that did not take the quality of interview into account. The collection of quality of interview scores and the exclusion of unreliable interviews probably reduce misclassification of exposure in observational studies. PMID:19478234

Network-aware scalable video monitoring system for emergency situations with operator-managed fidelity control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Hadhrami, Tawfik; Nightingale, James M.; Wang, Qi; Grecos, Christos

2014-05-01

In emergency situations, the ability to remotely monitor unfolding events using high-quality video feeds will significantly improve the incident commander's understanding of the situation and thereby aids effective decision making. This paper presents a novel, adaptive video monitoring system for emergency situations where the normal communications network infrastructure has been severely impaired or is no longer operational. The proposed scheme, operating over a rapidly deployable wireless mesh network, supports real-time video feeds between first responders, forward operating bases and primary command and control centers. Video feeds captured on portable devices carried by first responders and by static visual sensors are encoded in H.264/SVC, the scalable extension to H.264/AVC, allowing efficient, standard-based temporal, spatial, and quality scalability of the video. A three-tier video delivery system is proposed, which balances the need to avoid overuse of mesh nodes with the operational requirements of the emergency management team. In the first tier, the video feeds are delivered at a low spatial and temporal resolution employing only the base layer of the H.264/SVC video stream. Routing in this mode is designed to employ all nodes across the entire mesh network. In the second tier, whenever operational considerations require that commanders or operators focus on a particular video feed, a `fidelity control' mechanism at the monitoring station sends control messages to the routing and scheduling agents in the mesh network, which increase the quality of the received picture using SNR scalability while conserving bandwidth by maintaining a low frame rate. In this mode, routing decisions are based on reliable packet delivery with the most reliable routes being used to deliver the base and lower enhancement layers; as fidelity is increased and more scalable layers are transmitted they will be assigned to routes in descending order of reliability. The third tier of video delivery transmits a high-quality video stream including all available scalable layers using the most reliable routes through the mesh network ensuring the highest possible video quality. The proposed scheme is implemented in a proven simulator, and the performance of the proposed system is numerically evaluated through extensive simulations. We further present an in-depth analysis of the proposed solutions and potential approaches towards supporting high-quality visual communications in such a demanding context.

Median of patient results as a tool for assessment of analytical stability.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Lars Mønster; Hansen, Steen Ingemann; Petersen, Per Hyltoft; Sölétormos, György

2015-06-15

In spite of the well-established external quality assessment and proficiency testing surveys of analytical quality performance in laboratory medicine, a simple tool to monitor the long-term analytical stability as a supplement to the internal control procedures is often needed. Patient data from daily internal control schemes was used for monthly appraisal of the analytical stability. This was accomplished by using the monthly medians of patient results to disclose deviations from analytical stability, and by comparing divergences with the quality specifications for allowable analytical bias based on biological variation. Seventy five percent of the twenty analytes achieved on two COBASs INTEGRA 800 instruments performed in accordance with the optimum and with the desirable specifications for bias. Patient results applied in analytical quality performance control procedures are the most reliable sources of material as they represent the genuine substance of the measurements and therefore circumvent the problems associated with non-commutable materials in external assessment. Patient medians in the monthly monitoring of analytical stability in laboratory medicine are an inexpensive, simple and reliable tool to monitor the steadiness of the analytical practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tracking reliability for space cabin-borne equipment in development by Crow model.

PubMed

Chen, J D; Jiao, S J; Sun, H L

2001-12-01

Objective. To study and track the reliability growth of manned spaceflight cabin-borne equipment in the course of its development. Method. A new technique of reliability growth estimation and prediction, which is composed of the Crow model and test data conversion (TDC) method was used. Result. The estimation and prediction value of the reliability growth conformed to its expectations. Conclusion. The method could dynamically estimate and predict the reliability of the equipment by making full use of various test information in the course of its development. It offered not only a possibility of tracking the equipment reliability growth, but also the reference for quality control in manned spaceflight cabin-borne equipment design and development process.

Quality control of test iodine in urine by spectrophotometry UV-Vis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huda, Thorikul; Nafisah, Durotun; Kumorowulan, Suryati; Lestari, Sri

2017-12-01

A quality control of iodine test in with UV-Vis spectrophotometry has been done. The purpose of this research is to find out whether the test results of samples conducted by Clinical Office of Research and Development Of GAKI (BP2GAKI) laboratory are still controlled, feasible and reliable, and still consistent over time, as indicated by the control chart. Quality control parameters are linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection, and limit of quantification. Based on the quality control that has been done, obtained linearity (r)= -0.9974, the detection limit and the limit of quantitation are respectively 2.26 µg/L and 7.54 µg/L, while the accuracy is calculated by %recovery and precision with value % RSD are 97.4161% and 1.7136% respectively. The quality control of iodine test in urine using the control chart shows excellent or stable results for 30 days and no variation of the results is very different for each day.

[Strategies and development of quality assurance and control in the ELSA-Brasil].

PubMed

Schmidt, Maria Inês; Griep, Rosane Härter; Passos, Valéria Maria; Luft, Vivian Cristine; Goulart, Alessandra Carvalho; Menezes, Greice Maria de Souza; Molina, Maria del Carmen Bisi; Vigo, Alvaro; Nunes, Maria Angélica

2013-06-01

The ELSA-Brasil (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto - Brazilian Longitudinal Study for Adult Health) is a cohort study composed of 15,105 adults followed up in order to assess the development of chronic diseases, especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Its size, multicenter nature and the diversity of measurements required effective and efficient mechanisms of quality assurance and control. The main quality assurance activities (those developed before data collection) were: careful selection of research instruments, centralized training and certification, pretesting and pilot studies, and preparation of operation manuals for the procedures. Quality control activities (developed during data collection and processing) were performed more intensively at the beginning, when routines had not been established yet. The main quality control activities were: periodic observation of technicians, test-retest studies, data monitoring, network of supervisors, and cross visits. Data that estimate the reliability of the obtained information attest that the quality goals have been achieved.

Reliability issues in PACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taira, Ricky K.; Chan, Kelby K.; Stewart, Brent K.; Weinberg, Wolfram S.

1991-07-01

Reliability is an increasing concern when moving PACS from the experimental laboratory to the clinical environment. Any system downtime may seriously affect patient care. The authors report on the several classes of errors encountered during the pre-clinical release of the PACS during the past several months and present the solutions implemented to handle them. The reliability issues discussed include: (1) environmental precautions, (2) database backups, (3) monitor routines of critical resources and processes, (4) hardware redundancy (networks, archives), and (5) development of a PACS quality control program.

High Electricity Demand in the Northeast U.S.: PJM Reliability Network and Peaking Unit Impacts on Air Quality.

PubMed

Farkas, Caroline M; Moeller, Michael D; Felder, Frank A; Henderson, Barron H; Carlton, Annmarie G

2016-08-02

On high electricity demand days, when air quality is often poor, regional transmission organizations (RTOs), such as PJM Interconnection, ensure reliability of the grid by employing peak-use electric generating units (EGUs). These "peaking units" are exempt from some federal and state air quality rules. We identify RTO assignment and peaking unit classification for EGUs in the Eastern U.S. and estimate air quality for four emission scenarios with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model during the July 2006 heat wave. Further, we population-weight ambient values as a surrogate for potential population exposure. Emissions from electricity reliability networks negatively impact air quality in their own region and in neighboring geographic areas. Monitored and controlled PJM peaking units are generally located in economically depressed areas and can contribute up to 87% of hourly maximum PM2.5 mass locally. Potential population exposure to peaking unit PM2.5 mass is highest in the model domain's most populated cities. Average daily temperature and national gross domestic product steer peaking unit heat input. Air quality planning that capitalizes on a priori knowledge of local electricity demand and economics may provide a more holistic approach to protect human health within the context of growing energy needs in a changing world.

Improvement of automatic control system for high-speed current collectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidorov, O. A.; Goryunov, V. N.; Golubkov, A. S.

2018-01-01

The article considers the ways of regulation of pantographs to provide quality and reliability of current collection at high speeds. To assess impact of regulation was proposed integral criterion of the quality of current collection, taking into account efficiency and reliability of operation of the pantograph. The study was carried out using mathematical model of interaction of pantograph and catenary system, allowing to assess contact force and intensity of arcing at the contact zone at different movement speeds. The simulation results allowed us to estimate the efficiency of different methods of regulation of pantographs and determine the best option.

Experience with modified aerospace reliability and quality assurance method for wind turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klein, W. E.

1982-01-01

The SR&QA approach assures that the machine is not hazardous to the public or operating personnel, can operate unattended on a utility grid, demonstrates reliability operation, and helps establish the quality assurance and maintainability requirements for future wind turbine projects. The approach consisted of modified failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) during the design phase, minimal hardware inspection during parts fabrication, and three simple documents to control activities during machine construction and operation. Five years experience shows that this low cost approach works well enough that it should be considered by others for similar projects.

Inspection criteria ensure quality control of parallel gap soldering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burka, J. A.

1968-01-01

Investigation of parallel gap soldering of electrical leads resulted in recommendation on material preparation, equipment, process control, and visual inspection criteria to ensure reliable solder joints. The recommendations will minimize problems in heat-dwell time, amount of solder, bridging conductors, and damage of circuitry.

Development of a low risk augmentation system for an energy efficient transport having relaxed static stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sizlo, T. R.; Berg, R. A.; Gilles, D. L.

1979-01-01

An augmentation system for a 230 passenger, twin engine aircraft designed with a relaxation of conventional longitudinal static stability was developed. The design criteria are established and candidate augmentation system control laws and hardware architectures are formulated and evaluated with respect to reliability, flying qualities, and flight path tracking performance. The selected systems are shown to satisfy the interpreted regulatory safety and reliability requirements while maintaining the present DC 10 (study baseline) level of maintainability and reliability for the total flight control system. The impact of certification of the relaxed static stability augmentation concept is also estimated with regard to affected federal regulations, system validation plan, and typical development/installation costs.

TURKISH VERSION QUALITY OF LIFE IN ESSENTIAL TREMOR QUESTIONNAIRE (QUEST): VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY STUDY.

PubMed

Güler, Sibel; Turan, F Nesrin

2015-09-30

Our aim was to translate the Quality of Life in Essential Tremor Questionnaire (QUEST) advanced by Troster (2005) and to analyse the validity and reliability of this questionnaire. Two hundred twelve consecutive patients with essential tremor (ET) and forty-three control subjects were included in the study. Permission for the translation and validation of the QUEST scale was obtained. The translation was performed according to the guidelines provided by the publisher. After the translation, the final version of the scale was administered to both groups to determine its reliability and validity. The QUEST Physical, Psychosocial, communication, Hobbies/leisure and Work/finance scores were 0.967, 0.968, 0.933, 0.964 and 0.925, respectively. There were good correlations between each of the QUEST scores that were indicative of good internal consistency. Additionally, we observed that all of the QUEST scores were most strongly related to the right and left arms (p=0.0001). However, we observed that all of the QUEST scores were weakly related to the voice, head and right leg (p=0.0001). These findings support the notion that the Turkish version of the Quality of Life in Essential Tremor (QUEST) questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of the quality of life of patients with ET.

Variability in baseline laboratory measurements of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Ladwig, R; Vigo, A; Fedeli, L M G; Chambless, L E; Bensenor, I; Schmidt, M I; Vidigal, P G; Castilhos, C D; Duncan, B B

2016-08-01

Multi-center epidemiological studies must ascertain that their measurements are accurate and reliable. For laboratory measurements, reliability can be assessed through investigation of reproducibility of measurements in the same individual. In this paper, we present results from the quality control analysis of the baseline laboratory measurements from the ELSA-Brasil study. The study enrolled 15,105 civil servants at 6 research centers in 3 regions of Brazil between 2008-2010, with multiple biochemical analytes being measured at a central laboratory. Quality control was ascertained through standard laboratory evaluation of intra- and inter-assay variability and test-retest analysis in a subset of randomly chosen participants. An additional sample of urine or blood was collected from these participants, and these samples were handled in the same manner as the original ones, locally and at the central laboratory. Reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), estimated through a random effects model. Coefficients of variation (CV) and Bland-Altman plots were additionally used to assess measurement variability. Laboratory intra and inter-assay CVs varied from 0.86% to 7.77%. From test-retest analyses, the ICCs were high for the majority of the analytes. Notably lower ICCs were observed for serum sodium (ICC=0.50; 95%CI=0.31-0.65) and serum potassium (ICC=0.73; 95%CI=0.60-0.83), due to the small biological range of these analytes. The CVs ranged from 1 to 14%. The Bland-Altman plots confirmed these results. The quality control analyses showed that the collection, processing and measurement protocols utilized in the ELSA-Brasil produced reliable biochemical measurements.

Improving fMRI reliability in presurgical mapping for brain tumours.

PubMed

Stevens, M Tynan R; Clarke, David B; Stroink, Gerhard; Beyea, Steven D; D'Arcy, Ryan Cn

2016-03-01

Functional MRI (fMRI) is becoming increasingly integrated into clinical practice for presurgical mapping. Current efforts are focused on validating data quality, with reliability being a major factor. In this paper, we demonstrate the utility of a recently developed approach that uses receiver operating characteristic-reliability (ROC-r) to: (1) identify reliable versus unreliable data sets; (2) automatically select processing options to enhance data quality; and (3) automatically select individualised thresholds for activation maps. Presurgical fMRI was conducted in 16 patients undergoing surgical treatment for brain tumours. Within-session test-retest fMRI was conducted, and ROC-reliability of the patient group was compared to a previous healthy control cohort. Individually optimised preprocessing pipelines were determined to improve reliability. Spatial correspondence was assessed by comparing the fMRI results to intraoperative cortical stimulation mapping, in terms of the distance to the nearest active fMRI voxel. The average ROC-r reliability for the patients was 0.58±0.03, as compared to 0.72±0.02 in healthy controls. For the patient group, this increased significantly to 0.65±0.02 by adopting optimised preprocessing pipelines. Co-localisation of the fMRI maps with cortical stimulation was significantly better for more reliable versus less reliable data sets (8.3±0.9 vs 29±3 mm, respectively). We demonstrated ROC-r analysis for identifying reliable fMRI data sets, choosing optimal postprocessing pipelines, and selecting patient-specific thresholds. Data sets with higher reliability also showed closer spatial correspondence to cortical stimulation. ROC-r can thus identify poor fMRI data at time of scanning, allowing for repeat scans when necessary. ROC-r analysis provides optimised and automated fMRI processing for improved presurgical mapping. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Measuring decision quality: psychometric evaluation of a new instrument for breast cancer chemotherapy.

PubMed

Lee, Clara N; Wetschler, Matthew H; Chang, Yuchiao; Belkora, Jeffrey K; Moy, Beverly; Partridge, Ann; Sepucha, Karen R

2014-08-20

Women diagnosed with early stage (I or II) breast cancer face a highly challenging decision - whether or not to undergo adjuvant chemotherapy. We developed a decision quality instrument for chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer and sought to evaluate its performance. Cross-sectional, mailed survey of recent breast cancer survivors, providers, and healthy controls and a retest survey of survivors. The decision quality instrument includes questions on knowledge and personal goals. It results in a knowledge score and concordance score, which reflects the percentage of patients who received treatments that match their goals. Hypotheses related to acceptability, feasibility, validity, and reliability of the survey instrument were examined. Responses were received from 352 patients, 89 providers and 35 healthy controls. The decision quality instrument was feasible to implement with few missing data. The knowledge scores had good retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) =0.75). Knowledge scores discriminated between providers and patients (mean difference 31.1%, 95% CI 26.9, 35.3) and between patients and healthy controls (mean difference 11.2, 95% CI 5.4, 17.1). Most providers reported that the knowledge items covered essential content. Two of the five goal items had a ceiling effect, and one goal had low content validity. The goal items had moderate retest reliability (ICC's 0.57 to 0.78). In the multivariable model of treatment, none of the patient goals was associated with receipt of chemotherapy. Age and hormone receptor status were the only variables independently associated with chemotherapy. Most patients (77.6%) had treatment concordant with that predicted by the model. Patients who had concordant treatment had similar levels of confidence and regret as those who did not. The Decision Quality Instrument is a reliable and valid measure of patient knowledge about chemotherapy, but its ability to measure concordance with patient goals is limited. In this sample, patient goals were not associated with treatment, and most patients reported they were not asked their preference, suggesting that goals were not adequately considered in decision making.

Mission definition study for Stanford relativity satellite. Volume 3: Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

An analysis is presented for the cost of the mission as a function of the following variables: amount of redundancy in the spacecraft, amount of care taken in building the spacecraft (functional and environmental tests, screening of components, quality control, etc), and the number of flights necessary to accomplish the mission. Thermal analysis and mathematical models for the experimental components are presented. The results of computer structural and stress analyses for support and cylinders are discussed. Reliability, quality control, and control system simulation by computer are also considered.

Towards an integrated quality control procedure for eddy-covariance data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitale, Domenico; Papale, Dario

2017-04-01

The eddy-covariance technique is nowadays the most reliable and direct way, allowing to calculate the main fluxes of Sensible and Latent Heat and of Net Ecosystem Exchange, this last being the result of the difference between the CO2 assimilated by photosynthetic activities and those released to the atmosphere through the ecosystem respiration processes. Despite the improvements in accuracy of measurement instruments and software development, the eddy-covariance technique is not suitable under non-ideal conditions respect to the instruments characteristics and the physical assumption behind the technique mainly related to the well-developed and stationary turbulence conditions. Under these conditions the calculated fluxes are not reliable and need to be flagged and discarded. In order to discover these unavoidable "bad" fluxes and build dataset with the highest quality, several tests applied both on high-frequency (10-20 Hz) raw data and on half-hourly times series have been developed in the past years. Nevertheless, there is an increasing need to develop a standardized quality control procedure suitable not only for the analysis of long-term data, but also for the near-real time data processing. In this paper, we review established quality assessment procedures and present an innovative quality control strategy with the purpose of integrating the existing consolidated procedures with robust and advanced statistical tests more suitable for the analysis of time series data. The performance of the proposed quality control strategy is evaluated both on simulated and EC data distributed by the ICOS research infrastructure. It is concluded that the proposed strategy is able to flag and exclude unrealistic fluxes while being reproducible and retaining the largest possible amount of high quality data.

caCORRECT2: Improving the accuracy and reliability of microarray data in the presence of artifacts

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In previous work, we reported the development of caCORRECT, a novel microarray quality control system built to identify and correct spatial artifacts commonly found on Affymetrix arrays. We have made recent improvements to caCORRECT, including the development of a model-based data-replacement strategy and integration with typical microarray workflows via caCORRECT's web portal and caBIG grid services. In this report, we demonstrate that caCORRECT improves the reproducibility and reliability of experimental results across several common Affymetrix microarray platforms. caCORRECT represents an advance over state-of-art quality control methods such as Harshlighting, and acts to improve gene expression calculation techniques such as PLIER, RMA and MAS5.0, because it incorporates spatial information into outlier detection as well as outlier information into probe normalization. The ability of caCORRECT to recover accurate gene expressions from low quality probe intensity data is assessed using a combination of real and synthetic artifacts with PCR follow-up confirmation and the affycomp spike in data. The caCORRECT tool can be accessed at the website: http://cacorrect.bme.gatech.edu. Results We demonstrate that (1) caCORRECT's artifact-aware normalization avoids the undesirable global data warping that happens when any damaged chips are processed without caCORRECT; (2) When used upstream of RMA, PLIER, or MAS5.0, the data imputation of caCORRECT generally improves the accuracy of microarray gene expression in the presence of artifacts more than using Harshlighting or not using any quality control; (3) Biomarkers selected from artifactual microarray data which have undergone the quality control procedures of caCORRECT are more likely to be reliable, as shown by both spike in and PCR validation experiments. Finally, we present a case study of the use of caCORRECT to reliably identify biomarkers for renal cell carcinoma, yielding two diagnostic biomarkers with potential clinical utility, PRKAB1 and NNMT. Conclusions caCORRECT is shown to improve the accuracy of gene expression, and the reproducibility of experimental results in clinical application. This study suggests that caCORRECT will be useful to clean up possible artifacts in new as well as archived microarray data. PMID:21957981

[Inter-and intra-operator variability in the analysis of semen parameters: results from a quality control program].

PubMed

Daoud, Salima; Chakroun-Feki, Nozha; Sellami, Afifa; Ammar-Keskes, Leila; Rebai, Tarek

2016-01-01

Semen analysis is a key part of male infertility investigation. The necessity of quality management implementation in the andrology laboratory has been recognized in order to ensure the reliability of its results. The aim of this study was to evaluate intra- and inter-individual variability in the assessment of semen parameters in our laboratory through a quality control programme. Four participants from the laboratory with different experience levels have participated in this study. Semen samples of varying quality were assessed for sperm motility, concentration and morphology and the results were used to evaluate inter-participant variability. In addition, replicates of each semen sample were analyzed to determine intra-individual variability for semen parameters analysis. The average values of inter-participant coefficients of variation for sperm motility, concentration and morphology were 12.8%, 19.8% and 48.9% respectively. The mean intra-participant coefficients of variation were, respectively, 6.9%, 12.3% and 42.7% for sperm motility, concentration and morphology. Despite some random errors of under- or overestimation, the overall results remained within the limits of acceptability for all participants. Sperm morphology assessment was particularly influenced by the participant's level of experience. The present data emphasize the need for appropriate training of the laboratory staff and for regular participation in internal quality control programmes in order to improve the reliability of laboratory results.

The lack of adequate quality assurance/quality control data hinders the assessment of potential forest degradation in a national forest inventory

Treesearch

Thomas Brandeis; Stanley Zarnoch; Christopher Oswalt; Jeffery Stringer

2017-01-01

Hardwood lumber harvested from the temperate broadleaf and mixed broadleaf/conifer forests of the east-central United States is an important economic resource. Forest industry stakeholders in this region have a growing need for accurate, reliable estimates of high-quality wood volume. While lower-graded timber has an increasingly wide array of uses, the forest products...

Routing UAVs to Co-Optimize Mission Effectiveness and Network Performance with Dynamic Programming

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Heuristics on Hexagonal Connected Dominating Sets to Model Routing Dissemination," in Communication Theory, Reliability, and Quality of Service (CTRQ...24] Matthew Capt. USAF Compton, Improving the Quality of Service and Security of Military Networks with a Network Tasking Order Process, 2010. [25...Wesley, 2006. [32] James Haught, "Adaptive Quality of Service Engine with Dynamic Queue Control," Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright

Design and validation of a comprehensive fecal incontinence questionnaire.

PubMed

Macmillan, Alexandra K; Merrie, Arend E H; Marshall, Roger J; Parry, Bryan R

2008-10-01

Fecal incontinence can have a profound effect on quality of life. Its prevalence remains uncertain because of stigma, lack of consistent definition, and dearth of validated measures. This study was designed to develop a valid clinical and epidemiologic questionnaire, building on current literature and expertise. Patients and experts undertook face validity testing. Construct validity, criterion validity, and test-retest reliability was undertaken. Construct validity comprised factor analysis and internal consistency of the quality of life scale. The validity of known groups was tested against 77 control subjects by using regression models. Questionnaire results were compared with a stool diary for criterion validity. Test-retest reliability was calculated from repeated questionnaire completion. The questionnaire achieved good face validity. It was completed by 104 patients. The quality of life scale had four underlying traits (factor analysis) and high internal consistency (overall Cronbach alpha = 0.97). Patients and control subjects answered the questionnaire significantly differently (P < 0.01) in known-groups validity testing. Criterion validity assessment found mean differences close to zero. Median reliability for the whole questionnaire was 0.79 (range, 0.35-1). This questionnaire compares favorably with other available instruments, although the interpretation of stool consistency requires further research. Its sensitivity to treatment still needs to be investigated.

Power quality improvement by using STATCOM control scheme in wind energy generation interface to grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirmani, Sheeraz; Kumar, Brijesh

2018-01-01

“Electric Power Quality (EPQ) is a term that refers to maintaining the near sinusoidal waveform of power distribution bus voltages and currents at rated magnitude and frequency”. Today customers are more aware of the seriousness that the power quality possesses, this prompt the utilities to assure good quality of power to their customer. The power quality is basically customer centric. Increased focus of utilities toward maintaining reliable power supply by employing power quality improvement tools has reduced the power outages and black out considerably. Good power quality is the characteristic of reliable power supply. Low power factor, harmonic pollution, load imbalance, fast voltage variations are some common parameters which are used to define the power quality. If the power quality issues are not checked i.e. the parameters that define power quality doesn't fall within the predefined standards than it will lead into high electricity bill, high running cost in industries, malfunctioning of equipments, challenges in connecting renewable. Capacitor banks, FACTS devices, harmonic filters, SVC’s (static voltage compensators), STATCOM (Static-Compensator) are the solutions to achieve the power quality. The performance of Wind turbine generators is affected by poor quality power, at the same time these wind power generating plant affects the power quality negatively. This paper presents the STATCOM-BESS (battery energy storage system) system and studies its impact on the power quality in a system which consists of wind turbine generator, non linear load, hysteresis controller for controlling the operation of STATCOM and grid. The model is simulated in the MATLAB/Simulink. This scheme mitigates the power quality issues, improves voltage profile and also reduces harmonic distortion of the waveforms. BESS level out the imbalances caused in real power due to intermittent nature of wind power available due to varying wind speeds.

Comprehensive Design Reliability Activities for Aerospace Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christenson, R. L.; Whitley, M. R.; Knight, K. C.

2000-01-01

This technical publication describes the methodology, model, software tool, input data, and analysis result that support aerospace design reliability studies. The focus of these activities is on propulsion systems mechanical design reliability. The goal of these activities is to support design from a reliability perspective. Paralleling performance analyses in schedule and method, this requires the proper use of metrics in a validated reliability model useful for design, sensitivity, and trade studies. Design reliability analysis in this view is one of several critical design functions. A design reliability method is detailed and two example analyses are provided-one qualitative and the other quantitative. The use of aerospace and commercial data sources for quantification is discussed and sources listed. A tool that was developed to support both types of analyses is presented. Finally, special topics discussed include the development of design criteria, issues of reliability quantification, quality control, and reliability verification.

The Challenges of Maintaining the Integrity of Public Examinations in Nigeria: The Ethical Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emiloju, Arijesuyo A.; Adeyoju, C. A.

2012-01-01

The qualitative merit of examination or test-taking for diagnostic, placement and quality control is usually measured in terms of its appropriateness and the quality assurance of its outcomes. Consequently, it becomes inevitable that for any examination to be credible, it must possess key elements which are validity and reliability. These key…

Integrating High-Reliability Principles to Transform Access and Throughput by Creating a Centralized Operations Center.

PubMed

Davenport, Paul B; Carter, Kimberly F; Echternach, Jeffrey M; Tuck, Christopher R

2018-02-01

High-reliability organizations (HROs) demonstrate unique and consistent characteristics, including operational sensitivity and control, situational awareness, hyperacute use of technology and data, and actionable process transformation. System complexity and reliance on information-based processes challenge healthcare organizations to replicate HRO processes. This article describes a healthcare organization's 3-year journey to achieve key HRO features to deliver high-quality, patient-centric care via an operations center powered by the principles of high-reliability data and software to impact patient throughput and flow.

Development and Validation of the User Version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS).

PubMed

Stoyanov, Stoyan R; Hides, Leanne; Kavanagh, David J; Wilson, Hollie

2016-06-10

The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) provides a reliable method to assess the quality of mobile health (mHealth) apps. However, training and expertise in mHealth and the relevant health field is required to administer it. This study describes the development and reliability testing of an end-user version of the MARS (uMARS). The MARS was simplified and piloted with 13 young people to create the uMARS. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the uMARS was then examined in a second sample of 164 young people participating in a randomized controlled trial of a mHealth app. App ratings were collected using the uMARS at 1-, 3,- and 6-month follow up. The uMARS had excellent internal consistency (alpha = .90), with high individual alphas for all subscales. The total score and subscales had good test-retest reliability over both 1-2 months and 3 months. The uMARS is a simple tool that can be reliably used by end-users to assess the quality of mHealth apps.

Role of Process Control in Improving Space Vehicle Safety A Space Shuttle External Tank Example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safie, Fayssal M.; Nguyen, Son C.; Burleson, Keith W.

2006-01-01

Developing a safe and reliable space vehicle requires good design and good manufacturing, or in other words "design it right and build it right". A great design can be hard to build or manufacture mainly due to difficulties related to quality. Specifically, process control can be a challenge. As a result, the system suffers from low quality which leads to low reliability and high system risk. The Space Shuttle has experienced some of those cases, but has overcome these difficulties through extensive redesign efforts and process enhancements. One example is the design of the hot gas temperature sensor on the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), which resulted in failure of the sensor in flight and led to a redesign of the sensor. The most recent example is the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) Thermal Protection System (TPS) reliability issues that contributed to the Columbia accident. As a result, extensive redesign and process enhancement activities have been performed over the last two years to minimize the sensitivities and difficulties of the manual TPS application process.

A case of the birth and death of a high reliability healthcare organisation.

PubMed

Roberts, K H; Madsen, P; Desai, V; Van Stralen, D

2005-06-01

High reliability organisations (HROs) are those in which errors rarely occur. To accomplish this they conduct relatively error free operations over long periods of time and make consistently good decisions resulting in high quality and reliability. Some organisational processes that characterise HROs are process auditing, implementing appropriate reward systems, avoiding quality degradation, appropriately perceiving that risk exists and developing strategies to deal with it, and command and control. Command and control processes include migrating decision making, redundancy in people or hardware, developing situational awareness, formal rules and procedures, and training. These processes must be tailored to the specific organisation implementing them. These processes were applied to a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) where care was derived from problem solving methodology rather than protocol. After a leadership change, the unit returned to the hierarchical medical model of care. Important outcome variables such as infant mortality, patient return to the PICU after discharge, days on the PICU, air transports, degraded. Implications for clinical practice include providing caregivers with sufficient flexibility to meet changing situations, encouraging teamwork, and avoiding shaming, naming, and blaming.

Implementing self sustained quality control procedures in a clinical laboratory.

PubMed

Khatri, Roshan; K C, Sanjay; Shrestha, Prabodh; Sinha, J N

2013-01-01

Quality control is an essential component in every clinical laboratory which maintains the excellence of laboratory standards, supplementing to proper disease diagnosis, patient care and resulting in overall strengthening of health care system. Numerous quality control schemes are available, with combinations of procedures, most of which are tedious, time consuming and can be "too technical" whereas commercially available quality control materials can be expensive especially for laboratories in developing nations like Nepal. Here, we present a procedure performed at our centre with self prepared control serum and use of simple statistical tools for quality assurance. The pooled serum was prepared as per guidelines for preparation of stabilized liquid quality control serum from human sera. Internal Quality Assessment was performed on this sample, on a daily basis which included measurement of 12 routine biochemical parameters. The results were plotted on Levey-Jennings charts and analysed with quality control rules, for a period of one month. The mean levels of biochemical analytes in self prepared control serum were within normal physiological range. This serum was evaluated every day along with patients' samples. The results obtained were plotted on control charts and analysed using common quality control rules to identify possible systematic and random errors. Immediate mitigation measures were taken and the dispatch of erroneous reports was avoided. In this study we try to highlight on a simple internal quality control procedure which can be performed by laboratories, with minimum technology, expenditure, and expertise and improve reliability and validity of the test reports.

Patient-Reported Outcomes for Quality of Life Assessment in Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties.

PubMed

Kotecha, Dipak; Ahmed, Amar; Calvert, Melanie; Lencioni, Mauro; Terwee, Caroline B; Lane, Deirdre A

2016-01-01

Atrial fibrillation is a large and growing burden across all types of healthcare. Both incidence and prevalence are expected to double in the next 20 years, with huge impact on hospital admissions, costs and patient quality of life. Patient wellbeing determines the management strategy for atrial fibrillation, including the use of rhythm control therapy and the clinical success of heart rate control. Hence, evaluation of quality of life is an emerging and important part of the assessment of patients with atrial fibrillation. Although a number of questionnaires to assess quality of life in atrial fibrillation are available, a comprehensive overview of their measurement properties is lacking. We performed a systematic review of the measurement properties of atrial fibrillation-specific health-related quality of life questionnaires. Methodological quality was assessed using the Consensus based Standards for selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist, with measurement properties rated for quality against optimal criteria and levels of evidence. We screened 2,216 articles, of which eight articles describing five questionnaires were eligible for inclusion: Atrial Fibrillation 6 (AF6), Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT), Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life Questionnaire (AFQLQ), Atrial Fibrillation Quality of Life (AFQoL), and Quality of Life in Atrial Fibrillation (QLAF). Good reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability) was demonstrated for AF6, AFEQT, AFQLQ and AFQoL. Content, construct and criterion validity were positively rated only in AFEQT. Responsiveness was positively rated only in AFEQT, but with limited evidence. Overall, AFEQT showed strong positive evidence for 2 of 9 measurement properties, compared to one for AFQoL and none for the remaining questionnaires. Given the low ratings for many measurement properties, no single questionnaire can be recommended, although AFEQT performed strongest. Further studies to robustly assess reliability, validity and responsiveness of AF-specific quality of life questionnaires are required. This review consolidates the current evidence for quality of life assessment in patients with atrial fibrillation and identifies priority areas for future research.

Quality of life as a cancer nursing outcome variable.

PubMed

Padilla, G V; Grant, M M

1985-10-01

A reliable and valid multidimensional instrument for measuring quality of life in cancer patients has been developed. Furthermore, a model has been offered that describes how quality of life works as an outcome variable. Using this model, predictions were made of how nursing interventions may directly or indirectly impact on quality of life. Initial testing of the model using data from 135 colostomy patients showed how satisfaction with nursing care and personal control act as cognitive mediators of self-worth, which then impacts on dimensions of quality of life.

The Quality Function Measure: reliability and discriminant validity of a new measure of quality of gross motor movement in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Wright, F Virginia; Rosenbaum, Peter; Fehlings, Darcy; Mesterman, Ronit; Breuer, Ute; Kim, Marie

2014-08-01

Optimizing movement quality is a common rehabilitation goal for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The new Quality Function Measure (QFM)--a revision of the Gross Motor Performance Measure (GMPM)--evaluates five attributes: Alignment, Co-ordination, Dissociated movement, Stability, and Weight-shift, for the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) Stand and Walk/Run/Jump items. This study evaluated the reliability and discriminant validity of the QFM. Thirty-three children with CP (17 females, 16 males; mean age 8y 11mo, SD 3y 1mo; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I [n=17], II [n=7], III [n=9]) participated in reliability testing. Each did a GMFM Stand/Walk assessment, repeated 2 weeks later. Both GMFM assessments were videotaped. A physiotherapist assessor pair independently scored the QFM from an assigned child's GMFM video. GMFM data from 112 children. That is, (GMFCS I [n=38], II [n=27], III [n=47]) were used for discriminant validity evaluation. QFM mean scores varied from 45.0% (SD 27.2; Stability) to 56.2% (SD 27.5; Alignment). Reliability was excellent across all attributes: intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ≥0.97 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.95-0.99), interrater ICCs ≥0.89 (95% CI 0.80-0.98), and test-retest ICCs ≥0.90 (95% CI 0.79-0.99). QFM discriminated qualitative attributes of motor function among GMFCS levels (maximum p<0.05). The QFM is reliable and valid, making it possible to assess how well young people with CP move and what areas of function to target to enhance quality of motor control. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Developing a consumer evaluation tool of weight control strategy advertisements on the Internet.

PubMed

Luevorasirikul, Kanokrat; Gray, Nicola J; Anderson, Claire W

2008-06-01

To develop two evaluation tools for weight loss and weight gain advertisements on the Internet in order to help consumers to evaluate the quality of information within these advertisements. One hundred websites identified by Internet search engines for weight loss and weight gain strategies (50 websites each) were evaluated using two specific scoring instruments, developed by adapting questions from the 'DISCERN' tool and reviewing all related weight control guidelines and advertising regulations. The validity and reliability of the adapted tools were tested. Our evaluation tools rated the information from most websites as poor quality (70%). In the case of weight loss strategies, statements about rapid (18%) and permanent (28%) weight loss caused concern as well as lack of sensible advice about dieting and a lack of product warnings (84%). Safety concerns relating to weight gain products were the lack of warnings about side effects in products containing steroids and creatine (92%). The adapted tools exhibited acceptable validity and reliability. Quality of information within weight control advertisements on the Internet was generally poor. Problems of false claims, little advice on healthy ways to modify weight and few warnings on side effects have been highlighted in this study.

Design criteria monograph on turbopump gears

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Turbopump power gears were brought to acceptable levels of usefulness and reliability through refinements in interdependent areas of design, materials, processing, and quality control combined with extensive development testing that explored problem areas and evaluated potential solutions.

Validity and Reliability of Accelerometers in Patients With COPD: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.

PubMed

Gore, Shweta; Blackwood, Jennifer; Guyette, Mary; Alsalaheen, Bara

2018-05-01

Reduced physical activity is associated with poor prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Accelerometers have greatly improved quantification of physical activity by providing information on step counts, body positions, energy expenditure, and magnitude of force. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the validity and reliability of accelerometers used in patients with COPD. An electronic database search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was performed. Study quality was assessed with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist while methodological quality was assessed using the modified Quality Appraisal Tool for Reliability Studies. The search yielded 5392 studies; 25 met inclusion criteria. The SenseWear Pro armband reported high criterion validity under controlled conditions (r = 0.75-0.93) and high reliability (ICC = 0.84-0.86) for step counts. The DynaPort MiniMod demonstrated highest concurrent validity for step count using both video and manual methods. Validity of the SenseWear Pro armband varied between studies especially in free-living conditions, slower walking speeds, and with addition of weights during gait. A high degree of variability was found in the outcomes used and statistical analyses performed between studies, indicating a need for further studies to measure reliability and validity of accelerometers in COPD. The SenseWear Pro armband is the most commonly used accelerometer in COPD, but measurement properties are limited by gait speed variability and assistive device use. DynaPort MiniMod and Stepwatch accelerometers demonstrated high validity in patients with COPD but lack reliability data.

On the matter of the reliability of the chemical monitoring system based on the modern control and monitoring devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriushin, A. V.; Dolbikova, N. S.; Kiet, S. V.; Merzlikina, E. I.; Nikitina, I. S.

2017-11-01

The reliability of the main equipment of any power station depends on the correct water chemistry. In order to provide it, it is necessary to monitor the heat carrier quality, which, in its turn, is provided by the chemical monitoring system. Thus, the monitoring system reliability plays an important part in providing reliability of the main equipment. The monitoring system reliability is determined by the reliability and structure of its hardware and software consisting of sensors, controllers, HMI and so on [1,2]. Workers of a power plant dealing with the measuring equipment must be informed promptly about any breakdowns in the monitoring system, in this case they are able to remove the fault quickly. A computer consultant system for personnel maintaining the sensors and other chemical monitoring equipment can help to notice faults quickly and identify their possible causes. Some technical solutions for such a system are considered in the present paper. The experimental results were obtained on the laboratory and experimental workbench representing a physical model of a part of the chemical monitoring system.

Standardized methods and quality control limits for agar and broth microdilution susceptibility testing of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum.

PubMed

Waites, Ken B; Duffy, Lynn B; Bébéar, Cécile M; Matlow, Anne; Talkington, Deborah F; Kenny, George E; Totten, Patricia A; Bade, Donald J; Zheng, Xiaotian; Davidson, Maureen K; Shortridge, Virginia D; Watts, Jeffrey L; Brown, Steven D

2012-11-01

An international multilaboratory collaborative study was conducted to develop standard media and consensus methods for the performance and quality control of antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum using broth microdilution and agar dilution techniques. A reference strain from the American Type Culture Collection was designated for each species, which was to be used for quality control purposes. Repeat testing of replicate samples of each reference strain by participating laboratories utilizing both methods and different lots of media enabled a 3- to 4-dilution MIC range to be established for drugs in several different classes, including tetracyclines, macrolides, ketolides, lincosamides, and fluoroquinolones. This represents the first multilaboratory collaboration to standardize susceptibility testing methods and to designate quality control parameters to ensure accurate and reliable assay results for mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas that infect humans.

A Strategy to Establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan for the Application of Biosensors for the Detection of E. coli in Water.

PubMed

Hesari, Nikou; Kıratlı Yılmazçoban, Nursel; Elzein, Mohamad; Alum, Absar; Abbaszadegan, Morteza

2017-01-03

Rapid bacterial detection using biosensors is a novel approach for microbiological testing applications. Validation of such methods is an obstacle in the adoption of new bio-sensing technologies for water testing. Therefore, establishing a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) plan is essential to demonstrate accuracy and reliability of the biosensor method for the detection of E. coli in drinking water samples. In this study, different reagents and assay conditions including temperatures, holding time, E. coli strains and concentrations, dissolving agents, salinity and pH effects, quality of substrates of various suppliers of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide (MUG), and environmental water samples were included in the QA/QC plan and used in the assay optimization and documentation. Furthermore, the procedural QA/QC for the monitoring of drinking water samples was established to validate the performance of the biosensor platform for the detection of E. coli using a culture-based standard technique. Implementing the developed QA/QC plan, the same level of precision and accuracy was achieved using both the standard and the biosensor methods. The established procedural QA/QC for the biosensor will provide a reliable tool for a near real-time monitoring of E. coli in drinking water samples to both industry and regulatory authorities.

A Strategy to Establish a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan for the Application of Biosensors for the Detection of E. coli in Water

PubMed Central

Hesari, Nikou; Kıratlı Yılmazçoban, Nursel; Elzein, Mohamad; Alum, Absar; Abbaszadegan, Morteza

2017-01-01

Rapid bacterial detection using biosensors is a novel approach for microbiological testing applications. Validation of such methods is an obstacle in the adoption of new bio-sensing technologies for water testing. Therefore, establishing a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) plan is essential to demonstrate accuracy and reliability of the biosensor method for the detection of E. coli in drinking water samples. In this study, different reagents and assay conditions including temperatures, holding time, E. coli strains and concentrations, dissolving agents, salinity and pH effects, quality of substrates of various suppliers of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucuronide (MUG), and environmental water samples were included in the QA/QC plan and used in the assay optimization and documentation. Furthermore, the procedural QA/QC for the monitoring of drinking water samples was established to validate the performance of the biosensor platform for the detection of E. coli using a culture-based standard technique. Implementing the developed QA/QC plan, the same level of precision and accuracy was achieved using both the standard and the biosensor methods. The established procedural QA/QC for the biosensor will provide a reliable tool for a near real-time monitoring of E. coli in drinking water samples to both industry and regulatory authorities. PMID:28054956

Convenient and Efficient Method for Quality Control Analysis of 18F-Fluorocholine: For a Small Scale GMP-based Radiopharmaceuticals Laboratory Set-up.

PubMed

Hassan, Hishar; Abu Bakar, Suharzelim; Halim, Khairul Najah Che A; Idris, Jaleezah; Nordin, Abdul Jalil

2016-01-01

Prostate cancer continues to be the most prevalent cancer in men in Malaysia. As time progresses, the prospect of PET imaging modality in diagnosis of prostate cancer is promising, with on-going improvement on novel tracers. Among all tracers, 18F-Fluorocholine is reported to be a reputable tracer and reliable diagnostic technique for prostate imaging. Nonetheless, only 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) is available and used in most oncology cases in Malaysia. With a small scale GMP-based radiopharmaceuticals laboratory set-up, initial efforts have been taken to put Malaysia on 18F-Fluorocholine map. This article presents a convenient, efficient and reliable method for quality control analysis of 18F-Fluorocholine. Besides, the aim of this research work is to assist local GMP radiopharmaceuticals laboratories and local authority in Malaysia for quality control analysis of 18F-Fluorocholine guideline. In this study, prior to synthesis, quality control analysis method for 18F-Fluorocholine was developed and validated, by adapting the equipment set-up used in 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18FFDG) routine production. Quality control on the 18F-Fluorocholine was performed by means of pH, radionuclidic identity, radio-high performance liquid chromatography equipped with ultraviolet, radio- thin layer chromatography, gas chromatography and filter integrity test. Post-synthesis; the pH of 18F-Fluorocholine was 6.42 ± 0.04, with half-life of 109.5 minutes (n = 12). The radiochemical purity was consistently higher than 99%, both in radio-high performance liquid chromatography equipped with ultraviolet (r-HPLC; SCX column, 0.25 M NaH2PO4: acetonitrile) and radio-thin layer chromatography method (r-TLC). The calculated relative retention time (RRT) in r-HPLC was 1.02, whereas the retention factor (Rf) in r-TLC was 0.64. Potential impurities from 18F-Fluorocholine synthesis such as ethanol, acetonitrile, dimethylethanolamine and dibromomethane were determined in gas chromatography. Using our parameters, (capillary column: DB-200, 30 m x 0.53 mm x 1 um) and oven temperature of 35°C (isothermal), all compounds were well resolved and eluted within 3 minutes. Level of ethanol and acetonitrile in 18F-Fluorocholine were detected below threshold limit; less than 5 mg/ml and 0.41 mg/ml respectively. Meanwhile, dimethylethanolamine and dibromomethane were undetectable. A convenient, efficient and reliable quality control analysis work-up procedure for 18FFluorocholine has been established and validated to comply all the release criteria. The convenient method of quality control analysis may provide a guideline to local GMP radiopharmaceutical laboratories to start producing 18F-Fluorocholine as a tracer for prostate cancer imaging.

The PEDro scale had acceptably high convergent validity, construct validity, and interrater reliability in evaluating methodological quality of pharmaceutical trials.

PubMed

Yamato, Tie Parma; Maher, Chris; Koes, Bart; Moseley, Anne

2017-06-01

The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale has been widely used to investigate methodological quality in physiotherapy randomized controlled trials; however, its validity has not been tested for pharmaceutical trials. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and interrater reliability of the PEDro scale for pharmaceutical trials. The reliability was also examined for the Cochrane Back and Neck (CBN) Group risk of bias tool. This is a secondary analysis of data from a previous study. We considered randomized placebo controlled trials evaluating any pain medication for chronic spinal pain or osteoarthritis. Convergent validity was evaluated by correlating the PEDro score with the summary score of the CBN risk of bias tool. The construct validity was tested using a linear regression analysis to determine the degree to which the total PEDro score is associated with treatment effect sizes, journal impact factor, and the summary score for the CBN risk of bias tool. The interrater reliability was estimated using the Prevalence and Bias Adjusted Kappa coefficient and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the PEDro scale and CBN risk of bias tool. Fifty-three trials were included, with 91 treatment effect sizes included in the analyses. The correlation between PEDro scale and CBN risk of bias tool was 0.83 (95% CI 0.76-0.88) after adjusting for reliability, indicating strong convergence. The PEDro score was inversely associated with effect sizes, significantly associated with the summary score for the CBN risk of bias tool, and not associated with the journal impact factor. The interrater reliability for each item of the PEDro scale and CBN risk of bias tool was at least substantial for most items (>0.60). The intraclass correlation coefficient for the PEDro score was 0.80 (95% CI 0.68-0.88), and for the CBN, risk of bias tool was 0.81 (95% CI 0.69-0.88). There was evidence for the convergent and construct validity for the PEDro scale when used to evaluate methodological quality of pharmacological trials. Both risk of bias tools have acceptably high interrater reliability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Importance of good manufacturing practices in microbiological monitoring in processing human tissues for transplant.

PubMed

Pianigiani, Elisa; Ierardi, Francesca; Fimiani, Michele

2013-12-01

Skin allografts represent an important therapeutic resource in the treatment of severe skin loss. The risk associated with application of processed tissues in humans is very low, however, human material always carries the risk of disease transmission. To minimise the risk of contamination of grafts, processing is carried out in clean rooms where air quality is monitored. Procedures and quality control tests are performed to standardise the production process and to guarantee the final product for human use. Since we only validate and distribute aseptic tissues, we conducted a study to determine what type of quality controls for skin processing are the most suitable for detecting processing errors and intercurrent contamination, and for faithfully mapping the process without unduly increasing production costs. Two different methods for quality control were statistically compared using the Fisher exact test. On the basis of the current study we selected our quality control procedure based on pre- and post-processing tissue controls, operator and environmental controls. Evaluation of the predictability of our control methods showed that tissue control was the most reliable method of revealing microbial contamination of grafts. We obtained 100 % sensitivity by doubling tissue controls, while maintaining high specificity (77 %).

Improving accuracy of unbound resilient modulus testing

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-07-01

The P46 Laboratory Startup and Quality Control Procedure was developed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the resilient modulus data produced while testing soil and aggregate materials using closed-loop servo-hydraulic systems. It was develope...

MERCURY MEASUREMENTS USING DIRECT-ANALYZER METHODOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Under EPA's Water Quality Research Program, exposure studies are needed to determine how well control strategies and guidance are working. Consequently, reliable and convenient techniques that minimize waste production are of special interest. While traditional methods for determ...

Keeping waived tests simple.

PubMed

2004-01-01

Laboratories performing waived testing must follow the manufacturer's instructions as well as good laboratory practices to ensure that test results are reliable. Four things to concentrate on to maximize the performance and reliability of waived tests are to: 1. Read and follow the information found in the package inserts. 2. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for running quality control. 3. Train staff members to perform tests correctly. 4. Follow established policies and procedures for patient testing in the practice.

High perfomance liquid chromatography fingerprint analysis for quality control of brotowali (Tinospora crispa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syarifah, V. B.; Rafi, M.; Wahyuni, W. T.

2017-05-01

Brotowali (Tinospora crispa) is widely used in Indonesia as ingredient of herbal medicine formulation. To ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal medicine products, its chemical constituents should be continuously evaluated. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint is one of powerful technique for this quality control process. In this study, HPLC fingerprint analysis method was developed for quality control of brotowali. HPLC analysis was performed in C18 column and detection was performed using photodiode array detector. The optimum mobile phase for brotowali fingerprint was acetonitrile (ACN) and 0.1% formic acid in gradient elution mode at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The number of peaks detected in HPLC fingerprint of brotowali was 32 peaks and 23 peaks for stems and leaves, respectively. Berberine as marker compound was detected at retention time of 20.525 minutes. Evaluation of analytical performance including precision, reproducibility, and stability prove that this HPLC fingerprint analysis was reliable and could be applied for quality control of brotowali.

[Quality by design approaches for pharmaceutical development and manufacturing of Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Xu, Bing; Shi, Xin-Yuan; Wu, Zhi-Sheng; Zhang, Yan-Ling; Wang, Yun; Qiao, Yan-Jiang

2017-03-01

The pharmaceutical quality was built by design, formed in the manufacturing process and improved during the product's lifecycle. Based on the comprehensive literature review of pharmaceutical quality by design (QbD), the essential ideas and implementation strategies of pharmaceutical QbD were interpreted. Considering the complex nature of Chinese medicine, the "4H" model was innovated and proposed for implementing QbD in pharmaceutical development and industrial manufacture of Chinese medicine product. "4H" corresponds to the acronym of holistic design, holistic information analysis, holistic quality control, and holistic process optimization, which is consistent with the holistic concept of Chinese medicine theory. The holistic design aims at constructing both the quality problem space from the patient requirement and the quality solution space from multidisciplinary knowledge. Holistic information analysis emphasizes understanding the quality pattern of Chinese medicine by integrating and mining multisource data and information at a relatively high level. The batch-to-batch quality consistence and manufacturing system reliability can be realized by comprehensive application of inspective quality control, statistical quality control, predictive quality control and intelligent quality control strategies. Holistic process optimization is to improve the product quality and process capability during the product lifecycle management. The implementation of QbD is useful to eliminate the ecosystem contradictions lying in the pharmaceutical development and manufacturing process of Chinese medicine product, and helps guarantee the cost effectiveness. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

The reliability of the Glasgow Coma Scale: a systematic review.

PubMed

Reith, Florence C M; Van den Brande, Ruben; Synnot, Anneliese; Gruen, Russell; Maas, Andrew I R

2016-01-01

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) provides a structured method for assessment of the level of consciousness. Its derived sum score is applied in research and adopted in intensive care unit scoring systems. Controversy exists on the reliability of the GCS. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize evidence on the reliability of the GCS. A literature search was undertaken in MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Observational studies that assessed the reliability of the GCS, expressed by a statistical measure, were included. Methodological quality was evaluated with the consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments checklist and its influence on results considered. Reliability estimates were synthesized narratively. We identified 52 relevant studies that showed significant heterogeneity in the type of reliability estimates used, patients studied, setting and characteristics of observers. Methodological quality was good (n = 7), fair (n = 18) or poor (n = 27). In good quality studies, kappa values were ≥0.6 in 85%, and all intraclass correlation coefficients indicated excellent reliability. Poor quality studies showed lower reliability estimates. Reliability for the GCS components was higher than for the sum score. Factors that may influence reliability include education and training, the level of consciousness and type of stimuli used. Only 13% of studies were of good quality and inconsistency in reported reliability estimates was found. Although the reliability was adequate in good quality studies, further improvement is desirable. From a methodological perspective, the quality of reliability studies needs to be improved. From a clinical perspective, a renewed focus on training/education and standardization of assessment is required.

Substation Reactive Power Regulation Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junfeng; Zhang, Chunwang; Ma, Daqing

2018-01-01

With the increasing requirements on the power supply quality and reliability of distribution network, voltage and reactive power regulation of substations has become one of the indispensable ways to ensure voltage quality and reactive power balance and to improve the economy and reliability of distribution network. Therefore, it is a general concern of the current power workers and operators that what kind of flexible and effective control method should be used to adjust the on-load tap-changer (OLTC) transformer and shunt compensation capacitor in a substation to achieve reactive power balance in situ, improve voltage pass rate, increase power factor and reduce active power loss. In this paper, based on the traditional nine-zone diagram and combining with the characteristics of substation, a fuzzy variable-center nine-zone diagram control method is proposed and used to make a comprehensive regulation of substation voltage and reactive power. Through the calculation and simulation of the example, this method is proved to have satisfactorily reconciled the contradiction between reactive power and voltage in real-time control and achieved the basic goal of real-time control of the substation, providing a reference value to the practical application of the substation real-time control method.

Reliable and Fault-Tolerant Software-Defined Network Operations Scheme for Remote 3D Printing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dongkyun; Gil, Joon-Min

2015-03-01

The recent wide expansion of applicable three-dimensional (3D) printing and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies has led to a great deal of attention being focused on efficient remote control of manufacturing processes. SDN is a renowned paradigm for network softwarization, which has helped facilitate remote manufacturing in association with high network performance, since SDN is designed to control network paths and traffic flows, guaranteeing improved quality of services by obtaining network requests from end-applications on demand through the separated SDN controller or control plane. However, current SDN approaches are generally focused on the controls and automation of the networks, which indicates that there is a lack of management plane development designed for a reliable and fault-tolerant SDN environment. Therefore, in addition to the inherent advantage of SDN, this paper proposes a new software-defined network operations center (SD-NOC) architecture to strengthen the reliability and fault-tolerance of SDN in terms of network operations and management in particular. The cooperation and orchestration between SDN and SD-NOC are also introduced for the SDN failover processes based on four principal SDN breakdown scenarios derived from the failures of the controller, SDN nodes, and connected links. The abovementioned SDN troubles significantly reduce the network reachability to remote devices (e.g., 3D printers, super high-definition cameras, etc.) and the reliability of relevant control processes. Our performance consideration and analysis results show that the proposed scheme can shrink operations and management overheads of SDN, which leads to the enhancement of responsiveness and reliability of SDN for remote 3D printing and control processes.

Inspection planning development: An evolutionary approach using reliability engineering as a tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graf, David A.; Huang, Zhaofeng

1994-01-01

This paper proposes an evolutionary approach for inspection planning which introduces various reliability engineering tools into the process and assess system trade-offs among reliability, engineering requirement, manufacturing capability and inspection cost to establish an optimal inspection plan. The examples presented in the paper illustrate some advantages and benefits of the new approach. Through the analysis, reliability and engineering impacts due to manufacturing process capability and inspection uncertainty are clearly understood; the most cost effective and efficient inspection plan can be established and associated risks are well controlled; some inspection reductions and relaxations are well justified; and design feedbacks and changes may be initiated from the analysis conclusion to further enhance reliability and reduce cost. The approach is particularly promising as global competitions and customer quality improvement expectations are rapidly increasing.

Modeling of liquid flow in surface discontinuities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobanova, I. S.; Meshcheryakov, V. A.; Kalinichenko, A. N.

2018-01-01

Polymer composite and metallic materials have found wide application in various industries such as aviation, rocket, car manufacturing, ship manufacturing, etc. Many design elements need permanent quality control. Ensuring high quality and reliability of products is impossible without effective nondestructive testing methods. One of these methods is penetrant testing using penetrating substances based on liquid penetration into defect cavities. In this paper, we propose a model of liquid flow to determine the rates of filling the defect cavities with various materials and, based on this, to choose optimal control modes.

Flat conductor cable design, manufacture, and installation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angele, W.; Hankins, J. D.

1973-01-01

Pertinent information for hardware selection, design, manufacture, and quality control necessary for flat conductor cable interconnecting harness application is presented. Comparisons are made between round wire cable and flat conductor cable. The flat conductor cable interconnecting harness systems show major cost, weight, and space savings, plus increased system performance and reliability. The design application section includes electrical characteristics, harness design and development, and a full treatise on EMC considerations. Manufacturing and quality control sections pertain primarily to the developed conductor-contact connector system and special flat conductor cable to round wire cable transitions.

Use of Soft Computing Technologies for a Qualitative and Reliable Engine Control System for Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trevino, Luis; Brown, Terry; Crumbley, R. T. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The problem to be addressed in this paper is to explore how the use of Soft Computing Technologies (SCT) could be employed to improve overall vehicle system safety, reliability, and rocket engine performance by development of a qualitative and reliable engine control system (QRECS). Specifically, this will be addressed by enhancing rocket engine control using SCT, innovative data mining tools, and sound software engineering practices used in Marshall's Flight Software Group (FSG). The principle goals for addressing the issue of quality are to improve software management, software development time, software maintenance, processor execution, fault tolerance and mitigation, and nonlinear control in power level transitions. The intent is not to discuss any shortcomings of existing engine control methodologies, but to provide alternative design choices for control, implementation, performance, and sustaining engineering, all relative to addressing the issue of reliability. The approaches outlined in this paper will require knowledge in the fields of rocket engine propulsion (system level), software engineering for embedded flight software systems, and soft computing technologies (i.e., neural networks, fuzzy logic, data mining, and Bayesian belief networks); some of which are briefed in this paper. For this effort, the targeted demonstration rocket engine testbed is the MC-1 engine (formerly FASTRAC) which is simulated with hardware and software in the Marshall Avionics & Software Testbed (MAST) laboratory that currently resides at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, building 4476, and is managed by the Avionics Department. A brief plan of action for design, development, implementation, and testing a Phase One effort for QRECS is given, along with expected results. Phase One will focus on development of a Smart Start Engine Module and a Mainstage Engine Module for proper engine start and mainstage engine operations. The overall intent is to demonstrate that by employing soft computing technologies, the quality and reliability of the overall scheme to engine controller development is further improved and vehicle safety is further insured. The final product that this paper proposes is an approach to development of an alternative low cost engine controller that would be capable of performing in unique vision spacecraft vehicles requiring low cost advanced avionics architectures for autonomous operations from engine pre-start to engine shutdown.

Quality assurance and reliability in the Japanese electronics industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecht, Michael; Boulton, William R.

1995-02-01

Quality and reliability are two attributes required for all Japanese products, although the JTEC panel found these attributes to be secondary to customer cost requirements. While our Japanese hosts gave presentations on the challenges of technology, cost, and miniaturization, quality and reliability were infrequently the focus of our discussions. Quality and reliability were assumed to be sufficient to meet customer needs. Fujitsu's slogan, 'quality built-in, with cost and performance as prime consideration,' illustrates this point. Sony's definition of a next-generation product is 'one that is going to be half the size and half the price at the same performance of the existing one'. Quality and reliability are so integral to Japan's electronics industry that they need no new emphasis.

Quality assurance and reliability in the Japanese electronics industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pecht, Michael; Boulton, William R.

1995-01-01

Quality and reliability are two attributes required for all Japanese products, although the JTEC panel found these attributes to be secondary to customer cost requirements. While our Japanese hosts gave presentations on the challenges of technology, cost, and miniaturization, quality and reliability were infrequently the focus of our discussions. Quality and reliability were assumed to be sufficient to meet customer needs. Fujitsu's slogan, 'quality built-in, with cost and performance as prime consideration,' illustrates this point. Sony's definition of a next-generation product is 'one that is going to be half the size and half the price at the same performance of the existing one'. Quality and reliability are so integral to Japan's electronics industry that they need no new emphasis.

Quality management in in vivo proton MRS.

PubMed

Pedrosa de Barros, Nuno; Slotboom, Johannes

2017-07-15

The quality of MR-Spectroscopy data can easily be affected in in vivo applications. Several factors may produce signal artefacts, and often these are not easily detected, not even by experienced spectroscopists. Reliable and reproducible in vivo MRS-data requires the definition of quality requirements and goals, implementation of measures to guarantee quality standards, regular control of data quality, and a continuous search for quality improvement. The first part of this review includes a general introduction to different aspects of quality management in MRS. It is followed by the description of a series of tests and phantoms that can be used to assure the quality of the MR system. In the third part, several methods and strategies used for quality control of the spectroscopy data are presented. This review concludes with a reference to a few interesting techniques and aspects that may help to further improve the quality of in vivo MR-spectra. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The development of a quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability (QAREL).

PubMed

Lucas, Nicholas P; Macaskill, Petra; Irwig, Les; Bogduk, Nikolai

2010-08-01

In systematic reviews of the reliability of diagnostic tests, no quality assessment tool has been used consistently. The aim of this study was to develop a specific quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability. Key principles for the quality of studies of diagnostic reliability were identified with reference to epidemiologic principles, existing quality appraisal checklists, and the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) and Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) resources. Specific items that encompassed each of the principles were developed. Experts in diagnostic research provided feedback on the items that were to form the appraisal tool. This process was iterative and continued until consensus among experts was reached. The Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) checklist includes 11 items that explore seven principles. Items cover the spectrum of subjects, spectrum of examiners, examiner blinding, order effects of examination, suitability of the time interval among repeated measurements, appropriate test application and interpretation, and appropriate statistical analysis. QAREL has been developed as a specific quality appraisal tool for studies of diagnostic reliability. The reliability of this tool in different contexts needs to be evaluated. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Standard care quality determines treatment outcomes in control groups of HAART-adherence intervention studies: implications for the interpretation and comparison of intervention effects.

PubMed

de Bruin, Marijn; Viechtbauer, Wolfgang; Hospers, Harm J; Schaalma, Herman P; Kok, Gerjo

2009-11-01

Clinical trials of behavioral interventions seek to enhance evidence-based health care. However, in case the quality of standard care provided to control conditions varies between studies and affects outcomes, intervention effects cannot be directly interpreted or compared. The objective of the present study was to examine whether standard care quality (SCQ) could be reliably assessed, varies between studies of highly active antiretroviral HIV-adherence interventions, and is related to the proportion of patients achieving an undetectable viral load ("success rate"). Databases were searched for relevant articles. Authors of selected studies retrospectively completed a checklist with standard care activities, which were coded to compute SCQ scores. The relationship between SCQ and the success rates was examined using meta-regression. Cronbach's alpha, variability in SCQ, and relation between SCQ and success rate. Reliability of the SCQ instrument was high (Cronbach's alpha = .91). SCQ scores ranged from 3.7 to 27.8 (total range = 0-30) and were highly predictive of success rate (p = .002). Variation in SCQ provided to control groups may substantially influence effect sizes of behavior change interventions. Future trials should therefore assess and report SCQ, and meta-analyses should control for variability in SCQ, thereby producing more accurate estimates of the effectiveness of behavior change interventions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

The development of 'Quality of Life Instrument for Indian Diabetes patients (QOLID): a validation and reliability study in middle and higher income groups.

PubMed

Nagpal, Jitender; Kumar, Arvind; Kakar, Sonia; Bhartia, Abhishek

2010-05-01

To develop a reliable and valid quality of life questionnaire for Indian patients with diabetes. A draft of 75 questions was prepared on the basis of expert opinion, focus group discussions, review of existing literature and detailed semi-structured interviews of patients with diabetes with the intention of including all aspects of diabetes-specific and quality of life considered relevant by patients and care providers to enable constrict validity. A Stage 2 questionnaire was then prepared with 13 domains and 54 items (questions) after expert panel review for obvious irrelevance and duplication of issues. It was administered to 150 participants visiting a diabetes center at New Delhi. Factor analysis was done using principal component method with varimax rotation. Reliability analysis was done by calculating Cronbach's Alpha. For evaluating concordant validity the questionnaire was co-administered with DQL-CTQ to 30 participants. The discriminant validity of the questionnaire was tested using 't' test for metabolic control, co-morbidities, insulin use and gender. Using principal component method 8 domains were identified on the basis of an apriori hypothesis and the scree plot. These 8 domains explained 49.9% of the total variation. 34 items (questions) were selected to represent these domains on the basis of extraction communality, factor loading, inter-item and item-total correlations. The final questionnaire has an Overall Cronbach's Alpha value of 0.894 (subscale- 0.55 to 0.85) showing high internal consistency. The questionnaire showed good concordance (product moment correlation 0.724; p = 0.001; subscale correlation - 0.457 to 0.779) with the DQL-CTQ. The overall standardized questionnaire score showed good responsiveness to metabolic control and co-morbidities establishing discriminant validity. The final version of questionnaire with 8 domains and 34 items is a reliable and valid tool for assessment of quality of life of Indian patients with diabetes.

[Validation and adhesion to GESIDA quality indicators in patients with HIV infection].

PubMed

Riera, Melchor; Esteban, Herminia; Suarez, Ignacio; Palacios, Rosario; Lozano, Fernando; Blanco, Jose R; Valencia, Eulalia; Ocampo, Antonio; Amador, Concha; Frontera, Guillem; vonWichmann-de Miguel, Miguel Angel

2016-01-01

The objective of the study is to validate the relevant GESIDA quality indicators for HIV infection, assessing the reliability, feasibility and adherence to them. The reliability was evaluated using the reproducibility of 6 indicators in peer review, with the second observer being an outsider. The feasibility and measurement of the level of adherence to the 22 indicators was conducted with annual fragmented retrospective collection of information from specific databases or the clinical charts of the nine participating hospitals. Reliability was very high, with interobserver agreement levels higher than 95% in 5 of the 6 indicators. The median time to achieve the indicators ranged between 5 and 600minutes, but could be achieved progressively from specific databases, enabling obtaining them automatically. As regards adherence to the indicators related with the initial evaluation of the patients, instructions and suitability of the guidelines for ART, adherence to ART, follow-up in clinics, and achieve an undetectable HIV by PCR at week 48 of the ART. Indicators of quality related to the prevention of opportunistic infections and control of comorbidities, the standards set were not achieved, and significant heterogeneity was observed between hospitals. The GESIDA quality indicators of HIV infection enabled the relevant indicators to be feasibly and reliably measured, and should be collected in all the units that care for patients with HIV infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

A Lean Six Sigma approach to the improvement of the selenium analysis method.

PubMed

Cloete, Bronwyn C; Bester, André

2012-11-02

Reliable results represent the pinnacle assessment of quality of an analytical laboratory, and therefore variability is considered to be a critical quality problem associated with the selenium analysis method executed at Western Cape Provincial Veterinary Laboratory (WCPVL). The elimination and control of variability is undoubtedly of significant importance because of the narrow margin of safety between toxic and deficient doses of the trace element for good animal health. A quality methodology known as Lean Six Sigma was believed to present the most feasible solution for overcoming the adverse effect of variation, through steps towards analytical process improvement. Lean Six Sigma represents a form of scientific method type, which is empirical, inductive and deductive, and systematic, which relies on data, and is fact-based. The Lean Six Sigma methodology comprises five macro-phases, namely Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control (DMAIC). Both qualitative and quantitative laboratory data were collected in terms of these phases. Qualitative data were collected by using quality-tools, namely an Ishikawa diagram, a Pareto chart, Kaizen analysis and a Failure Mode Effect analysis tool. Quantitative laboratory data, based on the analytical chemistry test method, were collected through a controlled experiment. The controlled experiment entailed 13 replicated runs of the selenium test method, whereby 11 samples were repetitively analysed, whilst Certified Reference Material (CRM) was also included in 6 of the runs. Laboratory results obtained from the controlled experiment was analysed by using statistical methods, commonly associated with quality validation of chemistry procedures. Analysis of both sets of data yielded an improved selenium analysis method, believed to provide greater reliability of results, in addition to a greatly reduced cycle time and superior control features. Lean Six Sigma may therefore be regarded as a valuable tool in any laboratory, and represents both a management discipline, and a standardised approach to problem solving and process optimisation.

The role of metadata and strategies to detect and control temporal data bias in environmental monitoring of soil contamination.

PubMed

Desaules, André

2012-11-01

It is crucial for environmental monitoring to fully control temporal bias, which is the distortion of real data evolution by varying bias through time. Temporal bias cannot be fully controlled by statistics alone but requires appropriate and sufficient metadata, which should be under rigorous and continuous quality assurance and control (QA/QC) to reliably document the degree of consistency of the monitoring system. All presented strategies to detect and control temporal data bias (QA/QC, harmonisation/homogenisation/standardisation, mass balance approach, use of tracers and analogues and control of changing boundary conditions) rely on metadata. The Will Rogers phenomenon, due to subsequent reclassification, is a particular source of temporal data bias introduced to environmental monitoring here. Sources and effects of temporal data bias are illustrated by examples from the Swiss soil monitoring network. The attempt to make a comprehensive compilation and assessment of required metadata for soil contamination monitoring reveals that most metadata are still far from being reliable. This leads to the conclusion that progress in environmental monitoring means further development of the concept of environmental metadata for the sake of temporal data bias control as a prerequisite for reliable interpretations and decisions.

HPLC fingerprint analysis combined with chemometrics for pattern recognition of ginger.

PubMed

Feng, Xu; Kong, Weijun; Wei, Jianhe; Ou-Yang, Zhen; Yang, Meihua

2014-03-01

Ginger, the fresh rhizome of Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Zingiberaceae), has been used worldwide; however, for a long time, there has been no standard approbated internationally for its quality control. To establish an efficacious and combinational method and pattern recognition technique for quality control of ginger. A simple, accurate and reliable method based on high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) detection was developed for establishing the chemical fingerprints of 10 batches of ginger from different markets in China. The method was validated in terms of precision, reproducibility and stability; and the relative standard deviations were all less than 1.57%. On the basis of this method, the fingerprints of 10 batches of ginger samples were obtained, which showed 16 common peaks. Coupled with similarity evaluation software, the similarities between each fingerprint of the sample and the simulative mean chromatogram were in the range of 0.998-1.000. Then, the chemometric techniques, including similarity analysis, hierarchical clustering analysis and principal component analysis were applied to classify the ginger samples. Consistent results were obtained to show that ginger samples could be successfully classified into two groups. This study revealed that HPLC-PDA method was simple, sensitive and reliable for fingerprint analysis, and moreover, for pattern recognition and quality control of ginger.

[Study of the relationship between human quality and reliability].

PubMed

Long, S; Wang, C; Wang, L i; Yuan, J; Liu, H; Jiao, X

1997-02-01

To clarify the relationship between human quality and reliability, 1925 experiments in 20 subjects were carried out to study the relationship between disposition character, digital memory, graphic memory, multi-reaction time and education level and simulated aircraft operation. Meanwhile, effects of task difficulty and enviromental factor on human reliability were also studied. The results showed that human quality can be predicted and evaluated through experimental methods. The better the human quality, the higher the human reliability.

[Study on quality standard of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis].

PubMed

Wu, Shi-Hong; Jiang, Wei-Zhe; Lv, Li; Wu, Ling-Ling; Lv, Cong; Shi, Xiao-Xia; Su, Gui-Liang

2009-03-01

To provide scientific basis for the utilization and development of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis by establishing its quality control standard. The bioactive constituents were analyzed by TLC and HPLC. Moisture, ash and the extracts of Mucuna pruriens var. utilis were all determined. The TLC spots of levodopa had similar color with the control group at the same position. The results of HPLC quantitative analysis showed that the linear range of levodopa was 26.45 to approximately 132.25 microg/mL, r = 0.9992, and the average recovery rate was 103.8%, RSD = 1.85%. This method is convenient, accurate, reliable with good reproducibility, so it can be used to establish quality standard for the medicinal material.

Teaching Quality in Math Class: The Development of a Scale and the Analysis of Its Relationship with Engagement and Achievement

PubMed Central

Leon, Jaime; Medina-Garrido, Elena; Núñez, Juan L.

2017-01-01

Math achievement and engagement declines in secondary education; therefore, educators are faced with the challenge of engaging students to avoid school failure. Within self-determination theory, we address the need to assess comprehensively student perceptions of teaching quality that predict engagement and achievement. In study one we tested, in a sample of 548 high school students, a preliminary version of a scale to assess nine factors: teaching for relevance, acknowledge negative feelings, participation encouragement, controlling language, optimal challenge, focus on the process, class structure, positive feedback, and caring. In the second study, we analyzed the scale’s reliability and validity in a sample of 1555 high school students. The scale showed evidence of reliability, and with regard to criterion validity, at the classroom level, teaching quality was a predictor of behavioral engagement, and higher grades were observed in classes where students, as a whole, displayed more behavioral engagement. At the within level, behavioral engagement was associated with achievement. We not only provide a reliable and valid method to assess teaching quality, but also a method to design interventions, these could be designed based on the scale items to encourage students to persist and display more engagement on school duties, which in turn bolsters student achievement. PMID:28701964

Teaching Quality in Math Class: The Development of a Scale and the Analysis of Its Relationship with Engagement and Achievement.

PubMed

Leon, Jaime; Medina-Garrido, Elena; Núñez, Juan L

2017-01-01

Math achievement and engagement declines in secondary education; therefore, educators are faced with the challenge of engaging students to avoid school failure. Within self-determination theory, we address the need to assess comprehensively student perceptions of teaching quality that predict engagement and achievement. In study one we tested, in a sample of 548 high school students, a preliminary version of a scale to assess nine factors: teaching for relevance, acknowledge negative feelings, participation encouragement, controlling language, optimal challenge, focus on the process, class structure, positive feedback, and caring. In the second study, we analyzed the scale's reliability and validity in a sample of 1555 high school students. The scale showed evidence of reliability, and with regard to criterion validity, at the classroom level, teaching quality was a predictor of behavioral engagement, and higher grades were observed in classes where students, as a whole, displayed more behavioral engagement. At the within level, behavioral engagement was associated with achievement. We not only provide a reliable and valid method to assess teaching quality, but also a method to design interventions, these could be designed based on the scale items to encourage students to persist and display more engagement on school duties, which in turn bolsters student achievement.

Parts Quality Management: Direct Part Marking via Data Matrix Symbols for Mission Assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moss, Chantrice

2013-01-01

A United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of twelve NASA programs found widespread parts quality problems contributing to significant cost overruns, schedule delays, and reduced system reliability. Direct part-marking with Data Matrix symbols could significantly improve the quality of inventory control and parts lifecycle management. This paper examines the feasibility of using 15 marking technologies for use in future NASA programs. A structural analysis is based on marked material type, operational environment (e.g., ground, suborbital, orbital), durability of marks, ease of operation, reliability, and affordability. A cost-benefits analysis considers marking technology (data plates, label printing, direct part marking) and marking types (two-dimensional machine-readable, human-readable). Previous NASA parts marking efforts and historical cost data are accounted for, including in-house vs. outsourced marking. Some marking methods are still under development. While this paper focuses on NASA programs, results may be applicable to a variety of industrial environments.

[Multisite validation of CDT measurement by the %CDT TIA and the Tina Quant %CDT kits].

PubMed

Boehrer, J L; Cano, Y; Capolaghi, B; Desch, G; Dosbaa, I; Estepa, L; Hennache, B; Schellenberg, F

2007-01-01

The measurement of CDT (Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin) is an essential biological tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of alcohol abuse. It is also employed as a marker of abstinence for the restitution of driving licences. However, the precision of measurement, and the between laboratory homogeneity of the results are still discussed. The ion exchange followed by immunodetermination of CDT is available in two products, the Tina Quant %CDT (Roche, Mannheim, Germany) and the %CDT TIA (Bio-Rad, Hercules, United States). This multicentre study was undertaken: 1) to evaluate the analytical characteristics of these kits and the homogeneity of the results from one laboratory to another, independently of the method used, 2) to validate the differences between the proposed normal values of both kits, 3) to study the possibility of using commercial control sera as external quality control. Four analytical systems were included in the study (Roche Modular/Hitachi 717, Beckman Coulter Immage and LX20, Dade Behring BNII). Determinations were carried out on pools of sera, commercial control sera, kit controls, and 30 serums of patients. These latter were also analyzed in capillary electrophoresis in order to establish correlations between the techniques. The calibrations were stable over one 2 weeks period. The repeatability of measurements spread out from 3,1% to 24,7%, for a mean value lower than 10%. The commercial control sera provided reliable results, with values adapted to a routine quality control use. The results of the Bio-Rad applications were lower by approximately 20% than those of the Roche application, which justifies the difference of the normal values (2,6% versus 3%), and an identical classification of the patients in at least 27 of the 30 samples. We conclude that the analytical quality of the compared techniques, even if it could be improved, is sufficient to guarantee a good reliability of the results. An external quality control could be proposed by using the control sera that we tested.

7 CFR 1755.522 - RUS general specification for digital, stored program controlled central office equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) shall be detected and the equivalent of a carrier group alarm shall be executed in 2.5 ±0.5 seconds.../federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. (b) Reliability. (1) Quality control and... designed such that the expected individual line downtime does not exceed 30 minutes per year. This is the...

Effective Software Engineering Leadership for Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cagle West, Marsha

2010-01-01

Software is a critical component of systems ranging from simple consumer appliances to complex health, nuclear, and flight control systems. The development of quality, reliable, and effective software solutions requires the incorporation of effective software engineering processes and leadership. Processes, approaches, and methodologies for…

Developing an economical and reliable test for measuring the resilient modulus and Poisson's ratio of subgrade.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-11-01

The resilient modulus and Poissons ratio of base and sublayers in highway use are : important parameters in design and quality control process. The currently used techniques : include CBR (California Bearing Ratio) test, resilient modulus test,...

Development of Process Control Methodology for Tracking the Quality and Safety of Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Management in Critical Care Units.

PubMed

Walsh, Timothy S; Kydonaki, Kalliopi; Lee, Robert J; Everingham, Kirsty; Antonelli, Jean; Harkness, Ronald T; Cole, Stephen; Quasim, Tara; Ruddy, James; McDougall, Marcia; Davidson, Alan; Rutherford, John; Richards, Jonathan; Weir, Christopher J

2016-03-01

To develop sedation, pain, and agitation quality measures using process control methodology and evaluate their properties in clinical practice. A Sedation Quality Assessment Tool was developed and validated to capture data for 12-hour periods of nursing care. Domains included pain/discomfort and sedation-agitation behaviors; sedative, analgesic, and neuromuscular blocking drug administration; ventilation status; and conditions potentially justifying deep sedation. Predefined sedation-related adverse events were recorded daily. Using an iterative process, algorithms were developed to describe the proportion of care periods with poor limb relaxation, poor ventilator synchronization, unnecessary deep sedation, agitation, and an overall optimum sedation metric. Proportion charts described processes over time (2 monthly intervals) for each ICU. The numbers of patients treated between sedation-related adverse events were described with G charts. Automated algorithms generated charts for 12 months of sequential data. Mean values for each process were calculated, and variation within and between ICUs explored qualitatively. Eight Scottish ICUs over a 12-month period. Mechanically ventilated patients. None. The Sedation Quality Assessment Tool agitation-sedation domains correlated with the Richmond Sedation Agitation Scale score (Spearman ρ = 0.75) and were reliable in clinician-clinician (weighted kappa; κ = 0.66) and clinician-researcher (κ = 0.82) comparisons. The limb movement domain had fair correlation with Behavioral Pain Scale (ρ = 0.24) and was reliable in clinician-clinician (κ = 0.58) and clinician-researcher (κ = 0.45) comparisons. Ventilator synchronization correlated with Behavioral Pain Scale (ρ = 0.54), and reliability in clinician-clinician (κ = 0.29) and clinician-researcher (κ = 0.42) comparisons was fair-moderate. Eight hundred twenty-five patients were enrolled (range, 59-235 across ICUs), providing 12,385 care periods for evaluation (range 655-3,481 across ICUs). The mean proportion of care periods with each quality metric varied between ICUs: excessive sedation 12-38%; agitation 4-17%; poor relaxation 13-21%; poor ventilator synchronization 8-17%; and overall optimum sedation 45-70%. Mean adverse event intervals ranged from 1.5 to 10.3 patients treated. The quality measures appeared relatively stable during the observation period. Process control methodology can be used to simultaneously monitor multiple aspects of pain-sedation-agitation management within ICUs. Variation within and between ICUs could be used as triggers to explore practice variation, improve quality, and monitor this over time.

Post-examination interpretation of objective test data: monitoring and improving the quality of high-stakes examinations--a commentary on two AMEE Guides.

PubMed

Tavakol, Mohsen; Dennick, Reg

2012-01-01

As great emphasis is rightly placed upon the importance of assessment to judge the quality of our future healthcare professionals, it is appropriate not only to choose the most appropriate assessment method, but to continually monitor the quality of the tests themselves, in a hope that we may continually improve the process. This article stresses the importance of quality control mechanisms in the exam cycle and briefly outlines some of the key psychometric concepts including reliability measures, factor analysis, generalisability theory and item response theory. The importance of such analyses for the standard setting procedures is emphasised. This article also accompanies two new AMEE Guides in Medical Education (Tavakol M, Dennick R. Post-examination Analysis of Objective Tests: AMEE Guide No. 54 and Tavakol M, Dennick R. 2012. Post examination analysis of objective test data: Monitoring and improving the quality of high stakes examinations: AMEE Guide No. 66) which provide the reader with practical examples of analysis and interpretation, in order to help develop valid and reliable tests.

Can a combination of average of normals and "real time" External Quality Assurance replace Internal Quality Control?

PubMed

Badrick, Tony; Graham, Peter

2018-03-28

Internal Quality Control and External Quality Assurance are separate but related processes that have developed independently in laboratory medicine over many years. They have different sample frequencies, statistical interpretations and immediacy. Both processes have evolved absorbing new understandings of the concept of laboratory error, sample material matrix and assay capability. However, we do not believe at the coalface that either process has led to much improvement in patient outcomes recently. It is the increasing reliability and automation of analytical platforms along with improved stability of reagents that has reduced systematic and random error, which in turn has minimised the risk of running less frequent IQC. We suggest that it is time to rethink the role of both these processes and unite them into a single approach using an Average of Normals model supported by more frequent External Quality Assurance samples. This new paradigm may lead to less confusion for laboratory staff and quicker responses to and identification of out of control situations.

Capacity and reliability analyses with applications to power quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azam, Mohammad; Tu, Fang; Shlapak, Yuri; Kirubarajan, Thiagalingam; Pattipati, Krishna R.; Karanam, Rajaiah

2001-07-01

The deregulation of energy markets, the ongoing advances in communication networks, the proliferation of intelligent metering and protective power devices, and the standardization of software/hardware interfaces are creating a dramatic shift in the way facilities acquire and utilize information about their power usage. The currently available power management systems gather a vast amount of information in the form of power usage, voltages, currents, and their time-dependent waveforms from a variety of devices (for example, circuit breakers, transformers, energy and power quality meters, protective relays, programmable logic controllers, motor control centers). What is lacking is an information processing and decision support infrastructure to harness this voluminous information into usable operational and management knowledge to handle the health of their equipment and power quality, minimize downtime and outages, and to optimize operations to improve productivity. This paper considers the problem of evaluating the capacity and reliability analyses of power systems with very high availability requirements (e.g., systems providing energy to data centers and communication networks with desired availability of up to 0.9999999). The real-time capacity and margin analysis helps operators to plan for additional loads and to schedule repair/replacement activities. The reliability analysis, based on computationally efficient sum of disjoint products, enables analysts to decide the optimum levels of redundancy, aids operators in prioritizing the maintenance options for a given budget and monitoring the system for capacity margin. The resulting analytical and software tool is demonstrated on a sample data center.

Cross-cultural application of the Korean version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire cervical cancer module.

PubMed

Shin, Dong Wook; Ahn, Eunmi; Kim, Yong-Man; Kang, Sokbom; Kim, Byoung-Gie; Seong, Seok Ju; Cha, Soon Do; Park, Chan-Yong; Yun, Young Ho

2009-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Quality of Life questionnaire cervical cancer module (QLQ-CX24), developed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). The EORTC QLQ-CX24 and the core questionnaire (the EORTC QLQ-C30) were administered to 860 Korean disease-free survivors of cervical cancer and 494 female control subjects from the general Korean population. The construct reliability and validity of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 questionnaire were assessed via factor analysis, multitrait scaling analyses and known group comparisons. Factor structure of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 questionnaire agreed with the originally hypothesized scale structure. Scale reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficients for internal consistency, which ranged from 0.78 to 0.87. Convergent and discriminant validity was confirmed by multitrait scaling analysis, which revealed scaling errors of 0.9. The clinical validity of the Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 was demonstrated by the ability to discriminate among controls and patient subgroups of different stages, treatments and overall health status. The Korean version of the EORTC QLQ-CX24 was found to be a reliable and a valid measure of quality of life among survivors of cervical cancer when administered in a large survey setting. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Methods to achieve high interrater reliability in data collection from primary care medical records.

PubMed

Liddy, Clare; Wiens, Miriam; Hogg, William

2011-01-01

We assessed interrater reliability (IRR) of chart abstractors within a randomized trial of cardiovascular care in primary care. We report our findings, and outline issues and provide recommendations related to determining sample size, frequency of verification, and minimum thresholds for 2 measures of IRR: the κ statistic and percent agreement. We designed a data quality monitoring procedure having 4 parts: use of standardized protocols and forms, extensive training, continuous monitoring of IRR, and a quality improvement feedback mechanism. Four abstractors checked a 5% sample of charts at 3 time points for a predefined set of indicators of the quality of care. We set our quality threshold for IRR at a κ of 0.75, a percent agreement of 95%, or both. Abstractors reabstracted a sample of charts in 16 of 27 primary care practices, checking a total of 132 charts with 38 indicators per chart. The overall κ across all items was 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.90-0.92) and the overall percent agreement was 94.3%, signifying excellent agreement between abstractors. We gave feedback to the abstractors to highlight items that had a κ of less than 0.70 or a percent agreement less than 95%. No practice had to have its charts abstracted again because of poor quality. A 5% sampling of charts for quality control using IRR analysis yielded κ and agreement levels that met or exceeded our quality thresholds. Using 3 time points during the chart audit phase allows for early quality control as well as ongoing quality monitoring. Our results can be used as a guide and benchmark for other medical chart review studies in primary care.

On-line welding quality inspection system for steel pipe based on machine vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yang

2017-05-01

In recent years, high frequency welding has been widely used in production because of its advantages of simplicity, reliability and high quality. In the production process, how to effectively control the weld penetration welding, ensure full penetration, weld uniform, so as to ensure the welding quality is to solve the problem of the present stage, it is an important research field in the field of welding technology. In this paper, based on the study of some methods of welding inspection, a set of on-line welding quality inspection system based on machine vision is designed.

Rating the methodological quality of single-subject designs and n-of-1 trials: introducing the Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) Scale.

PubMed

Tate, Robyn L; McDonald, Skye; Perdices, Michael; Togher, Leanne; Schultz, Regina; Savage, Sharon

2008-08-01

Rating scales that assess methodological quality of clinical trials provide a means to critically appraise the literature. Scales are currently available to rate randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, but there are none that assess single-subject designs. The Single-Case Experimental Design (SCED) Scale was developed for this purpose and evaluated for reliability. Six clinical researchers who were trained and experienced in rating methodological quality of clinical trials developed the scale and participated in reliability studies. The SCED Scale is an 11-item rating scale for single-subject designs, of which 10 items are used to assess methodological quality and use of statistical analysis. The scale was developed and refined over a 3-year period. Content validity was addressed by identifying items to reduce the main sources of bias in single-case methodology as stipulated by authorities in the field, which were empirically tested against 85 published reports. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using a random sample of 20/312 single-subject reports archived in the Psychological Database of Brain Impairment Treatment Efficacy (PsycBITE). Inter-rater reliability for the total score was excellent, both for individual raters (overall ICC = 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.92) and for consensus ratings between pairs of raters (overall ICC = 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.95). Item reliability was fair to excellent for consensus ratings between pairs of raters (range k = 0.48 to 1.00). The results were replicated with two independent novice raters who were trained in the use of the scale (ICC = 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.95). The SCED Scale thus provides a brief and valid evaluation of methodological quality of single-subject designs, with the total score demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability using both individual and consensus ratings. Items from the scale can also be used as a checklist in the design, reporting and critical appraisal of single-subject designs, thereby assisting to improve standards of single-case methodology.

A Quality Assurance Initiative for Commercial-Scale Production in High-Throughput Cryopreservation of Blue Catfish Sperm

PubMed Central

Hu, E; Liao, T. W.; Tiersch, T. R.

2013-01-01

Cryopreservation of fish sperm has been studied for decades at a laboratory (research) scale. However, high-throughput cryopreservation of fish sperm has recently been developed to enable industrial-scale production. This study treated blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) sperm high-throughput cryopreservation as a manufacturing production line and initiated quality assurance plan development. The main objectives were to identify: 1) the main production quality characteristics; 2) the process features for quality assurance; 3) the internal quality characteristics and their specification designs; 4) the quality control and process capability evaluation methods, and 5) the directions for further improvements and applications. The essential product quality characteristics were identified as fertility-related characteristics. Specification design which established the tolerance levels according to demand and process constraints was performed based on these quality characteristics. Meanwhile, to ensure integrity throughout the process, internal quality characteristics (characteristics at each quality control point within process) that could affect fertility-related quality characteristics were defined with specifications. Due to the process feature of 100% inspection (quality inspection of every fish), a specific calculation method, use of cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts, was applied to monitor each quality characteristic. An index of overall process evaluation, process capacity, was analyzed based on in-control process and the designed specifications, which further integrates the quality assurance plan. With the established quality assurance plan, the process could operate stably and quality of products would be reliable. PMID:23872356

High cortisol levels are associated with low quality food choice in type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Duong, Michelle; Cohen, Jessica I; Convit, Antonio

2012-02-01

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis control may be impaired in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Glucocorticoids increase consumption of low quality foods high in calories, sugar, and fat. We explored the relationship between cortisol levels, poor blood glucose control, and food quality choice in T2DM. Twenty-seven healthy controls were age-, gender- and education-matched to 27 T2DM participants. Standard clinical blood tests and cortisol values were measured from fasting blood samples. Participants recorded all consumed food and drink items in a consecutive 3-day food diary. Diaries were analyzed for "high quality" and "low quality" foods using a standardized method with high reliability (0.97 and 0.86, respectively). Controlling for education, body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), log-transformed cortisol (LogC) predicted the percent of low quality foods (R (2) = 0.092, β = 0.360, P < 0.05), but not the percent of high quality foods chosen. Controlling for education, BMI, and LogC, HbA1C significantly predicted both the percent of low quality foods (ΔR (2) = 0.079, β = 0.348, P = 0.024) and high quality foods chosen (ΔR (2) = 0.085, β = -0.362, P = 0.022). The relationship between HbA1C and low quality food choice may be mediated by cortisol, controlling for BMI and education (P < 0.01). HbA1C displayed both an indirect (cortisol-mediated) effect (P < 0.05) and direct effect on low quality food choice (P < 0.05). The relationship between HbA1C and low quality food choice may be partially mediated by cortisol. Poor blood glucose control may cause HPA axis disruption, increased consumption of low quality foods.

Power Extension Package (PEP) system definition extension, orbital service module systems analysis study. Volume 10: PEP project plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Contents: project plan summary; project and mission objectives; related studies and technology support activities; technical summary; management; procurement approach; project definition items and schedule; resources; management review; controlled items; and safety, reliability, and quality assurance.

Improvements of vacuum system in J-PARC 3 GeV synchrotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamiya, J.; Hikichi, Y.; Namekawa, Y.; Takeishi, K.; Yanagibashi, T.; Kinsho, M.; Yamamoto, K.; Sato, A.

2017-07-01

The RCS vacuum system has been upgraded since the completion of its construction towards the objectives of both better vacuum quality and higher reliability of the components. For the better vacuum quality, (1) pressure of the injection beam line was improved to prevent the H-beam from converting to H0; (2) leakage in the beam injection area due to the thermal expansion was eliminated by applying the adequate torque amount for the clamps; (3) new in-situ degassing method of the kicker magnet was developed. For the reliability increase of the components, (1) A considerable number of fluoroelastmer seal was exchanged to metal seal with the low spring constant bellows and the light clamps; (2) TMP controller for the long cable was developed to prevent the controller failure by the severe electrical noise; (3) A number of TMP were installed instead of ion pumps in the RF cavity section as an insurance for the case of pump trouble.

Validation and reliability of the Turkish Utian Quality-of-Life Scale in postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Abay, Halime; Kaplan, Sena

2016-04-01

There are a limited number of menopause-specific quality-of-life scales for the Turkish population. This study was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish Utian Quality-of-Life Scale in postmenopausal women. The study group was comprised of 250 postmenopausal women who applied to a training and research hospital's menopause clinic in Turkey. A survey form and the Turkish Utian quality-of-Life Scale were used to collect data, and the Turkish version of Short Form-36 was used to evaluate reliability with an equivalent form. Language-validity, content-validity, and construct-validity methods were used to assess the validity of the scale, and Cronbach's α coefficient calculation and the equivalent-form reliability methods were used to assess the reliability of the scale. The Turkish Utian Quality-of-Life Scale was determined to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrates that the instrument fits well with 23 items and a four-factor model. The Cronbach's α coefficient for the quality-of-life domains were as follows: 0.88 overall, 0.79 health, 0.78 emotional, 0.76 sexual, and 0.75 occupational. Reliability of the instrument was confirmed through significant correlations between scores on the Turkish version of the Utian Quality-of-Life Scale and the Turkish version of the Short Form-36 (r = 0.745, P < 0.001). This research emphasizes that the Turkish Utian Quality-of-Life Scale is reliable and valid in postmenopausal women-it is a useful instrument for measuring quality of life during menopause.

Revisiting sample size: are big trials the answer?

PubMed

Lurati Buse, Giovanna A L; Botto, Fernando; Devereaux, P J

2012-07-18

The superiority of the evidence generated in randomized controlled trials over observational data is not only conditional to randomization. Randomized controlled trials require proper design and implementation to provide a reliable effect estimate. Adequate random sequence generation, allocation implementation, analyses based on the intention-to-treat principle, and sufficient power are crucial to the quality of a randomized controlled trial. Power, or the probability of the trial to detect a difference when a real difference between treatments exists, strongly depends on sample size. The quality of orthopaedic randomized controlled trials is frequently threatened by a limited sample size. This paper reviews basic concepts and pitfalls in sample-size estimation and focuses on the importance of large trials in the generation of valid evidence.

A coupled stochastic inverse-management framework for dealing with nonpoint agriculture pollution under groundwater parameter uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llopis-Albert, Carlos; Palacios-Marqués, Daniel; Merigó, José M.

2014-04-01

In this paper a methodology for the stochastic management of groundwater quality problems is presented, which can be used to provide agricultural advisory services. A stochastic algorithm to solve the coupled flow and mass transport inverse problem is combined with a stochastic management approach to develop methods for integrating uncertainty; thus obtaining more reliable policies on groundwater nitrate pollution control from agriculture. The stochastic inverse model allows identifying non-Gaussian parameters and reducing uncertainty in heterogeneous aquifers by constraining stochastic simulations to data. The management model determines the spatial and temporal distribution of fertilizer application rates that maximizes net benefits in agriculture constrained by quality requirements in groundwater at various control sites. The quality constraints can be taken, for instance, by those given by water laws such as the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Furthermore, the methodology allows providing the trade-off between higher economic returns and reliability in meeting the environmental standards. Therefore, this new technology can help stakeholders in the decision-making process under an uncertainty environment. The methodology has been successfully applied to a 2D synthetic aquifer, where an uncertainty assessment has been carried out by means of Monte Carlo simulation techniques.

Implementation of Quality Assurance and Quality Control Measures in the National Phenology Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerst, K.; Rosemartin, A.; Denny, E. G.; Marsh, L.; Barnett, L.

2015-12-01

The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN; www.usanpn.org) serves science and society by promoting a broad understanding of plant and animal phenology and the relationships among phenological patterns and environmental change. The National Phenology Database has over 5.5 million observation records for plants and animals for the period 1954-2015. These data have been used in a number of science, conservation and resource management applications, including national assessments of historical and potential future trends in phenology, regional assessments of spatio-temporal variation in organismal activity, and local monitoring for invasive species detection. Customizable data downloads are freely available, and data are accompanied by FGDC-compliant metadata, data-use and data-attribution policies, and vetted documented methodologies and protocols. The USA-NPN has implemented a number of measures to ensure both quality assurance and quality control. Here we describe the resources that have been developed so that incoming data submitted by both citizen and professional scientists are reliable; these include training materials, such as a botanical primer and species profiles. We also describe a number of automated quality control processes applied to incoming data streams to optimize data output quality. Existing and planned quality control measures for output of raw and derived data include: (1) Validation of site locations, including latitude, longitude, and elevation; (2) Flagging of records that conflict for a given date for an individual plant; (3) Flagging where species occur outside known ranges; (4) Flagging of records when phenophases occur outside of the plausible order for a species; (5) Flagging of records when intensity measures do not follow a plausible progression for a phenophase; (6) Flagging of records when a phenophase occurs outside of the plausible season, and (7) Quantification of precision and uncertainty for estimation of phenological metrics. Finally, we will describe preliminary work to develop methods for outlier detection that will inform plausibility checks. Ultimately we aim to maximize data quality of USA-NPN data and data products to ensure that this database can continue to be reliably applied for science and decision-making for multiple scales and applications.

Quality Control and Nondestructive Evaluation Techniques for Composites. Part 1. Overview of Characterization Techniques for Composite Reliability

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT , 34 7.0 NONDESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION ( NDE ) 37 8. 0 SURFACE NDE 44 9.0 PERFORMANCE AND PROOF TESTING 46 10.0 SUMMARY AND...Chemical Quality Assurance Testing 2. Processability Testing 3. Cure Monitoring and Management 4. Nondestructive Evaluation ( NDE ) 5. Performance and...the management concept for implementing the specific tests. Chemical analysis, nondestructive evaluation ( NDE ) and environmental fatigue testing of

Investigation of Pearl River data collection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The reliability of employing NASA developed remote sensing for in situ near real time monitoring of water quality in the Pearl River is evaluated. The placement, operation and maintenance of a number of NASA developed data collection platforms (DCP's) on the Pearl River are described. The reception, processing, and retransmission of water quality data from an ERTS satellite to the Mississippi Air and Water Pollution Control Commission (MAWPCC) via computer linkup are assessed.

Research to Assembly Scheme for Satellite Deck Based on Robot Flexibility Control Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Tao; Hu, Ruiqin; Xiao, Zhengyi; Zhao, Jingjing; Fang, Zhikai

2018-03-01

Deck assembly is critical quality control point in final satellite assembly process, and cable extrusion and structure collision problems in assembly process will affect development quality and progress of satellite directly. Aimed at problems existing in deck assembly process, assembly project scheme for satellite deck based on robot flexibility control principle is proposed in this paper. Scheme is introduced firstly; secondly, key technologies on end force perception and flexible docking control in the scheme are studied; then, implementation process of assembly scheme for satellite deck is described in detail; finally, actual application case of assembly scheme is given. Result shows that compared with traditional assembly scheme, assembly scheme for satellite deck based on robot flexibility control principle has obvious advantages in work efficiency, reliability and universality aspects etc.

Parametric Optimization Of Gas Metal Arc Welding Process By Using Grey Based Taguchi Method On Aisi 409 Ferritic Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Nabendu; Kumar, Pradip; Nandi, Goutam

2016-10-01

Welding input process parameters play a very significant role in determining the quality of the welded joint. Only by properly controlling every element of the process can product quality be controlled. For better quality of MIG welding of Ferritic stainless steel AISI 409, precise control of process parameters, parametric optimization of the process parameters, prediction and control of the desired responses (quality indices) etc., continued and elaborate experiments, analysis and modeling are needed. A data of knowledge - base may thus be generated which may be utilized by the practicing engineers and technicians to produce good quality weld more precisely, reliably and predictively. In the present work, X-ray radiographic test has been conducted in order to detect surface and sub-surface defects of weld specimens made of Ferritic stainless steel. The quality of the weld has been evaluated in terms of yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and percentage of elongation of the welded specimens. The observed data have been interpreted, discussed and analyzed by considering ultimate tensile strength ,yield strength and percentage elongation combined with use of Grey-Taguchi methodology.

Quantification of GABA, glutamate and glutamine in a single measurement at 3 T using GABA‐edited MEGA‐PRESS

PubMed Central

Sanaei Nezhad, Faezeh; Anton, Adriana; Michou, Emilia; Jung, JeYoung; Parkes, Laura M.

2017-01-01

γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu), major neurotransmitters in the brain, are recycled through glutamine (Gln). All three metabolites can be measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy in vivo, although GABA measurement at 3 T requires an extra editing acquisition, such as Mescher–Garwood point‐resolved spectroscopy (MEGA‐PRESS). In a GABA‐edited MEGA‐PRESS spectrum, Glu and Gln co‐edit with GABA, providing the possibility to measure all three in one acquisition. In this study, we investigated the reliability of the composite Glu + Gln (Glx) peak estimation and the possibility of Glu and Gln separation in GABA‐edited MEGA‐PRESS spectra. The data acquired in vivo were used to develop a quality assessment framework which identified MEGA‐PRESS spectra in which Glu and Gln could be estimated reliably. Phantoms containing Glu, Gln, GABA and N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) at different concentrations were scanned using GABA‐edited MEGA‐PRESS at 3 T. Fifty‐six sets of spectra in five brain regions were acquired from 36 healthy volunteers. Based on the Glu/Gln ratio, data were classified as either within or outside the physiological range. A peak‐by‐peak quality assessment was performed on all data to investigate whether quality metrics can discriminate between these two classes of spectra. The quality metrics were as follows: the GABA signal‐to‐noise ratio, the NAA linewidth and the Glx Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB). The Glu and Gln concentrations were estimated with precision across all phantoms with a linear relationship between the measured and true concentrations: R 1 = 0.95 for Glu and R 1 = 0.91 for Gln. A quality assessment framework was set based on the criteria necessary for a good GABA‐edited MEGA‐PRESS spectrum. Simultaneous criteria of NAA linewidth <8 Hz and Glx CRLB <16% were defined as optimum features for reliable Glu and Gln quantification. Glu and Gln can be reliably quantified from GABA‐edited MEGA‐PRESS acquisitions. However, this reliability should be controlled using the quality assessment methods suggested in this work. PMID:29130590

Evaluation of thin-layer chromatography methods for quality control of commercial products containing Aesculus hippocastanum, Turnera diffusa, Matricaria recutita, Passiflora incarnata, and Tilia occidentalis.

PubMed

Ramírez-Durón, Rosalba; Ceniceros-Almaguer, Lucía; Salazar-Aranda, Ricardo; Salazar-Cavazos, Ma de la Luz; Waksman de Torres, Noemi

2007-01-01

In Mexico, plant-derived products with health claims are sold as herbal dietary supplements, and there are no rules for their legal quality control. Aesculus hippocastanum, Turnera diffusa, Matricaria recutita, Passiflora incarnata, and Tilia occidentalis are some of the major commercial products obtained from plants used in this region. In this paper, we describe the effectiveness of thin-layer chromatography methods to provide for the quality control of several commercial products containing these plants. Standardized extracts were used. Of the 49 commercial products analyzed, only 32.65% matched the chromatographic characteristic of standardized extracts. A significant number of commercial products did not match their label, indicating a problem resulting from the lack of regulation for these products. The proposed methods are simple, sensitive, and specific and can be used for routine quality control of raw herbals and formulations of the tested plants. The results obtained show the need to develop simple and reliable analytical methods that can be performed in any laboratory for the purpose of quality control of dietary supplements or commercial herbal products sold in Mexico.

An empirical evaluation of software quality assurance practices and challenges in a developing country: a comparison of Nigeria and Turkey.

PubMed

Sowunmi, Olaperi Yeside; Misra, Sanjay; Fernandez-Sanz, Luis; Crawford, Broderick; Soto, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The importance of quality assurance in the software development process cannot be overemphasized because its adoption results in high reliability and easy maintenance of the software system and other software products. Software quality assurance includes different activities such as quality control, quality management, quality standards, quality planning, process standardization and improvement amongst others. The aim of this work is to further investigate the software quality assurance practices of practitioners in Nigeria. While our previous work covered areas on quality planning, adherence to standardized processes and the inherent challenges, this work has been extended to include quality control, software process improvement and international quality standard organization membership. It also makes comparison based on a similar study carried out in Turkey. The goal is to generate more robust findings that can properly support decision making by the software community. The qualitative research approach, specifically, the use of questionnaire research instruments was applied to acquire data from software practitioners. In addition to the previous results, it was observed that quality assurance practices are quite neglected and this can be the cause of low patronage. Moreover, software practitioners are neither aware of international standards organizations or the required process improvement techniques; as such their claimed standards are not aligned to those of accredited bodies, and are only limited to their local experience and knowledge, which makes it questionable. The comparison with Turkey also yielded similar findings, making the results typical of developing countries. The research instrument used was tested for internal consistency using the Cronbach's alpha, and it was proved reliable. For the software industry in developing countries to grow strong and be a viable source of external revenue, software assurance practices have to be taken seriously because its effect is evident in the final product. Moreover, quality frameworks and tools which require minimum time and cost are highly needed in these countries.

A Design Basis for Spacecraft Cabin Trace Contaminant Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Jay L.

2009-01-01

Successful trace chemical contamination control is one of the components necessary for achieving good cabin atmospheric quality. While employing seemingly simple process technologies, sizing the active contamination control equipment must employ a reliable design basis for the trace chemical load in the cabin atmosphere. A simplified design basis that draws on experience gained from the International Space Station program is presented. The trace chemical contamination control design load refines generation source magnitudes and includes key chemical functional groups representing both engineering and toxicology challenges.

[Application of fingerprint chromatogram in quality control of Shen-Mai injection].

PubMed

Shi, Xian-zhe; Yang, Jun; Zhao, Chun-xia; Xiong, Jian-hui; Xu, Guo-wang

2002-07-01

The theory and practice of traditional Chinese medicine require some comprehensive methods to assess quality of the Chinese herbal medication. Fingerprint chromatogram is one of the feasible approaches to evaluate the quality of Chinese herbal medication. So the fingerprint chromatogram of Shen-Mai injection was established by using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The chromatographic conditions were as follows: a Hypersil C18 column was used; the mobile phase was composed of water (A) and acetontrile (B) with linear gradient elution (0-50 min, 5%-95% B, volume fraction); the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min and the UV absorbance detection was set at 202 nm. The peak-area ratios of twenty-three fingerprint peaks and internal standard (diphenyl) were taken as the criteria for quality control. The quality differences in various batches and various manufacturers of Shen-Mai injections were investigated by projection discriminance based on principal component analysis. The results show the method developed is convenient, reliable and applicable for the quality control analysis of Shen-Mai injection.

Safety, reliability, maintainability and quality provisions for the Space Shuttle program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This publication establishes common safety, reliability, maintainability and quality provisions for the Space Shuttle Program. NASA Centers shall use this publication both as the basis for negotiating safety, reliability, maintainability and quality requirements with Shuttle Program contractors and as the guideline for conduct of program safety, reliability, maintainability and quality activities at the Centers. Centers shall assure that applicable provisions of the publication are imposed in lower tier contracts. Centers shall give due regard to other Space Shuttle Program planning in order to provide an integrated total Space Shuttle Program activity. In the implementation of safety, reliability, maintainability and quality activities, consideration shall be given to hardware complexity, supplier experience, state of hardware development, unit cost, and hardware use. The approach and methods for contractor implementation shall be described in the contractors safety, reliability, maintainability and quality plans. This publication incorporates provisions of NASA documents: NHB 1700.1 'NASA Safety Manual, Vol. 1'; NHB 5300.4(IA), 'Reliability Program Provisions for Aeronautical and Space System Contractors'; and NHB 5300.4(1B), 'Quality Program Provisions for Aeronautical and Space System Contractors'. It has been tailored from the above documents based on experience in other programs. It is intended that this publication be reviewed and revised, as appropriate, to reflect new experience and to assure continuing viability.

Validity and reliability of a new tool to evaluate handwriting difficulties in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Nackaerts, Evelien; Heremans, Elke; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C M; Broeder, Sanne; Vandenberghe, Wim; Bergmans, Bruno; Nieuwboer, Alice

2017-01-01

Handwriting in Parkinson's disease (PD) features specific abnormalities which are difficult to assess in clinical practice since no specific tool for evaluation of spontaneous movement is currently available. This study aims to validate the 'Systematic Screening of Handwriting Difficulties' (SOS-test) in patients with PD. Handwriting performance of 87 patients and 26 healthy age-matched controls was examined using the SOS-test. Sixty-seven patients were tested a second time within a period of one month. Participants were asked to copy as much as possible of a text within 5 minutes with the instruction to write as neatly and quickly as in daily life. Writing speed (letters in 5 minutes), size (mm) and quality of handwriting were compared. Correlation analysis was performed between SOS outcomes and other fine motor skill measurements and disease characteristics. Intrarater, interrater and test-retest reliability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Spearman correlation coefficient. Patients with PD had a smaller (p = 0.043) and slower (p<0.001) handwriting and showed worse writing quality (p = 0.031) compared to controls. The outcomes of the SOS-test significantly correlated with fine motor skill performance and disease duration and severity. Furthermore, the test showed excellent intrarater, interrater and test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.769 for both groups). The SOS-test is a short and effective tool to detect handwriting problems in PD with excellent reliability. It can therefore be recommended as a clinical instrument for standardized screening of handwriting deficits in PD.

Management approach recommendations. Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study (EOS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Management analyses and tradeoffs were performed to determine the most cost effective management approach for the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) Phase C/D. The basic objectives of the management approach are identified. Some of the subjects considered are as follows: (1) contract startup phase, (2) project management control system, (3) configuration management, (4) quality control and reliability engineering requirements, and (5) the parts procurement program.

[Clinical applicability of evidence-based orthopedics--a cross-sectional study of the quality of orthopedic evidence].

PubMed

Vavken, P; Culen, G; Dorotka, R

2008-01-01

The demand to routinely apply evidence-based methods in orthopedic surgery increases steadily. In order to do so, however, the validity and reliability of the "evidence" has to be scrutinized. The object of this study was to assess the quality of the most recent orthopedic evidence and to determine variables that have an influence on quality. All 2006 controlled trials from orthopedic journals with high impact factors were analysed in a cross-sectional study. A score based on the CONSORT statement was used to assess study quality. Selected variables were tested for their influence on the quality of the study. Two independent blinded observers reviewed 126 studies. The overall quality was moderate to high. The most neglected parameters were power analysis, intention-to-treat, and concealment. The participation of a methodologically trained investigator increases study quality significantly. There was no difference in study quality irrespective of whether or not there was statistically significant result. Using our quality score we were able show fairly good results for recent orthopedic studies. The most frequently neglected issues in orthopedic research are blinding, power analysis, and intention-to-treat. This may distort the results of clinical investigations considerably and, especially, lack of concealment causes false-positive findings. Our data show furthermore that participation of a methodologist significantly increases quality of the study and consequently strengthens the reliability of results.

Good to Great: Quality-Improvement Initiative Increases and Sustains Pediatric Health Care Worker Hand Hygiene Compliance.

PubMed

McLean, Heather S; Carriker, Charlene; Bordley, William Clay

2017-04-01

The Joint Commission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization challenge hospitals to achieve and sustain compliance with effective hand hygiene (HH) practice; however, many inpatient units fail to achieve a high level of reliability. The aim of the project was to increase and sustain health care worker (HCW) compliance with HH protocols from 87% (level of reliability [LOR] 1) to ≥95% (LOR 2) within 9 months on 2 pediatric inpatient units in an academic children's hospital. This study was a time-series, quality-improvement project. Interventions were tested through multiple plan-do-study-act cycles on 2 pediatric inpatient units. HH compliance audits of HCWs on these units were performed randomly each week by the hospital infection prevention program. Control charts of percentages of HCW HH compliance were constructed with 3-σ (data within 3 SDs from a mean) control limits. These control limits were adjusted after achieving significant improvements in performance over time. Charts were annotated with interventions including (1) increasing awareness, (2) providing timely feedback, (3) empowering patients and families to participate in mitigation, (4) providing focused education, and (5) developing interdisciplinary HH champions. HH compliance rates improved from an average of 87% (LOR 1) to ≥95% (LOR 2) within 9 months, and this improvement has been sustained for >2 years on both pediatric inpatient units. Significant and sustained gains in HH compliance rates of ≥95% (LOR 2) can be achieved by applying high-reliability human-factor interventions. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A Model of Risk Analysis in Analytical Methodology for Biopharmaceutical Quality Control.

PubMed

Andrade, Cleyton Lage; Herrera, Miguel Angel De La O; Lemes, Elezer Monte Blanco

2018-01-01

One key quality control parameter for biopharmaceutical products is the analysis of residual cellular DNA. To determine small amounts of DNA (around 100 pg) that may be in a biologically derived drug substance, an analytical method should be sensitive, robust, reliable, and accurate. In principle, three techniques have the ability to measure residual cellular DNA: radioactive dot-blot, a type of hybridization; threshold analysis; and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Quality risk management is a systematic process for evaluating, controlling, and reporting of risks that may affects method capabilities and supports a scientific and practical approach to decision making. This paper evaluates, by quality risk management, an alternative approach to assessing the performance risks associated with quality control methods used with biopharmaceuticals, using the tool hazard analysis and critical control points. This tool provides the possibility to find the steps in an analytical procedure with higher impact on method performance. By applying these principles to DNA analysis methods, we conclude that the radioactive dot-blot assay has the largest number of critical control points, followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and threshold analysis. From the analysis of hazards (i.e., points of method failure) and the associated method procedure critical control points, we conclude that the analytical methodology with the lowest risk for performance failure for residual cellular DNA testing is quantitative polymerase chain reaction. LAY ABSTRACT: In order to mitigate the risk of adverse events by residual cellular DNA that is not completely cleared from downstream production processes, regulatory agencies have required the industry to guarantee a very low level of DNA in biologically derived pharmaceutical products. The technique historically used was radioactive blot hybridization. However, the technique is a challenging method to implement in a quality control laboratory: It is laborious, time consuming, semi-quantitative, and requires a radioisotope. Along with dot-blot hybridization, two alternatives techniques were evaluated: threshold analysis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Quality risk management tools were applied to compare the techniques, taking into account the uncertainties, the possibility of circumstances or future events, and their effects upon method performance. By illustrating the application of these tools with DNA methods, we provide an example of how they can be used to support a scientific and practical approach to decision making and can assess and manage method performance risk using such tools. This paper discusses, considering the principles of quality risk management, an additional approach to the development and selection of analytical quality control methods using the risk analysis tool hazard analysis and critical control points. This tool provides the possibility to find the method procedural steps with higher impact on method reliability (called critical control points). Our model concluded that the radioactive dot-blot assay has the larger number of critical control points, followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and threshold analysis. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction is shown to be the better alternative analytical methodology in residual cellular DNA analysis. © PDA, Inc. 2018.

[Utilization of Quality-of-life assessment Questionnaires for Intermittent Exotropia in China].

PubMed

Zhu, H; Xu, S; Leng, Z H; Fu, Z J; Xiao, Y H; Liu, H

2016-08-01

To evaluate the reliability and validity of Chinese version of Quality-of-life assessment Questionnaires for Intermittent Exotropia (CIXTQ). Cross-sectional study. The original English version of the IXTQ was translated into Chinese. The final Chinese version of the IXTQ (CIXTQ) consists of 3 parts: the 12-item child CIXTQ (for children ≥5 and<8 years old and ≥8 and<18 years old, respectively, to assess their health quality of life (HRQoL)), the 12-item proxy CIXTQ (for parents to assess children's HRQoL), and the 17-item parent CIXTQ (containing functional, psychosocial, and surgery subscales; for parents to assess their HRQoL). 175 IXT children and 151 control children along with one of their parents were recruited to answer the CIXTQ. Cronbach's α coefficient and split-half reliability were used to test the internal consistency reliability of the CIXTQ. Kappa coefficient was used to assess the test-retest reliability. Scale-level content validity index/average (S-CVI/Ave) was used to evaluate the content validity of the CIXTQ. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to verify the construct validity of the parent CIXTQ. Comparison of different CIXTQ scores in IXT patients with controls was conducted by independent-samples t test to evaluate the discriminate validity of the CIXTQ. For all scales and subscales of the CIXTQ in different age groups, the Cronbach's α ranged from 0.804 to 0.963; the split-half reliability ranged from 0.658 to 0.963 and was higher than 0.7 except for the proxy CIXTQ for children aged ≥5 and<8 years old; the test-retest reliability ranged from 0.569 to 0.944. The S-CVI/Ave of the child, proxy and parent CIXTQ was 0.988, 0.988 and 0.966, respectively. Principal factors identified by PCA for the parent CIXTQ could be regrouped into the originally described 3 subscales which was functional, social psychology and surgery in different age groups. The mean scores of all the scales and subscales among IXT children and their parents (8.0±12.5-81.6 ±15.1) were significantly lower than these among control children and their parents (83.1±11.3-99.6±1.2) (t values range from -50.36 to -6.93, P<0.001). The CIXTQ are useful tools to evaluate the influence of IXT on HRQoL among Chinese children and their parents. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2016, 52: 596-603).

Asthma Outcomes: Quality of Life

PubMed Central

Wilson, Sandra R.; Rand, Cynthia S.; Cabana, Michael D.; Foggs, Michael B.; Halterman, Jill S.; Olson, Lynn; Vollmer, William M.; Wright, Rosalind J.; Taggart, Virginia

2014-01-01

Background “Asthma-related quality of life” refers to the perceived impact that asthma has on the patient’s quality of life. Objective National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutes and other federal agencies convened an expert group to recommend standardized measures of the impact of asthma on quality of life for use in future asthma clinical research. Methods We reviewed published documentation regarding the development and psychometric evaluation; clinical research use since 2000; and extent to which the content of each existing quality of life instrument provides a unique, reliable, and valid assessment of the intended construct. We classified instruments as core (required in future studies), supplemental (used according to the study’s aims and standardized), or emerging (requiring validation and standardization). This work was discussed at an NIH-organized workshop convened in March 2010 and finalized in September 2011. Results Eleven instruments for adults and 6 for children were identified for review. None qualified as core instruments because they predominantly measured indicators of asthma control (symptoms and/or functional status); failed to provide a distinct, reliable score measuring all key dimensions of the intended construct; and/or lacked adequate psychometric data. Conclusions In the absence of existing instruments that meet the stated criteria, currently available instruments are classified as either supplemental or emerging. Research is strongly recommended to develop and evaluate instruments that provide a distinct, reliable measure of the patient’s perception of the impact of asthma on all of the key dimensions of quality of life, an important outcome that is not captured in other outcome measures. PMID:22386511

Commercialization of veterinary viral vaccines.

PubMed

Flore, P H

2004-12-01

If vaccines are to reliably prevent disease, they must be developed, produced and quality-controlled according to very strict regulations and procedures. Veterinary viral vaccine registrations are governed by different rules in different countries, but these rules all emphasize that the quality of the raw materials--the cells, eggs, animals or plants that are used in production--need to be carefully controlled. The veterinary vaccine business is also very cost-conscious. Emphasis over the last 5-10 years has therefore been to develop culture systems that minimize labor and sterility problems and thus provide for reliable and cost-effective production. Implementing these often more complex systems in a production environment takes considerable effort, first in scale-up trials and further down the line in convincing production personnel to change their familiar system for something new and possibly untried. To complete scale-up trials successfully, it is absolutely necessary to understand the biochemistry of the cells and the influence of the virus on the cells under scale-up and later production conditions. Once a viral product can be produced on a large scale, it is imperative that the quality of the end-product is controlled in an intelligent way. One needs to know whether the end-product performs in the animal as was intended during its conception in the research and development department. The development of the appropriate tests to demonstrate this plays an important role in the successful development of a vaccine.

Quality assurance program requirements, Amendment 5 (9-26-79) to August 1973 issue

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

Not Available

This standard sets forth general requirements for planning, managing, conducting, and evaluating quality assurance programs for reactor development and test facility projects and associated processes, structures, components, and systems. These quality assurance requirements are based on proven practices and provide the means of control and verification whereby those responsible fo poject management can assure that the quality required for safe, reliable, and economical operation will be achieved. The objective of the program of the programs covered by this standard is to assure that structures, components, systems, and facilities are designed, developed, manufactured, constructed, operated, and maintained in compliance with establishedmore » engineering criteria. To achieve this objective, controls are to be established and implemented at predetermined points, and necessary action taken to prevent, detect, and correct any deficiencies.« less

Standardized quality-assessment system to evaluate pressure ulcer care in the nursing home.

PubMed

Bates-Jensen, Barbara M; Cadogan, Mary; Jorge, Jennifer; Schnelle, John F

2003-09-01

To demonstrate reliability and feasibility of a standardized protocol to assess and score quality indicators relevant to pressure ulcer (PU) care processes in nursing homes (NHs). Descriptive. Eight NHs. One hundred ninety-one NH residents for whom the PU Resident Assessment Protocol of the Minimum Data Set was initiated. Nine quality indicators (two related to screening and prevention of PU, two focused on assessment, and five addressing management) were scored using medical record data, direct human observation, and wireless thigh monitor observation data. Feasibility and reliability of medical record, observation, and thigh monitor protocols were determined. The percentage of participants who passed each of the indicators, indicating care consistent with practice guidelines, ranged from 0% to 98% across all indicators. In general, participants in NHs passed fewer indicators and had more problems with medical record accuracy before a PU was detected (screening/prevention indicators) than they did once an ulcer was documented (assessment and management indicators). Reliability of the medical record protocol showed kappa statistics ranging from 0.689 to 1.00 and percentage agreement from 80% to 100%. Direct observation protocols yielded kappa statistics of 0.979 and 0.928. Thigh monitor protocols showed kappa statistics ranging from 0.609 to 0.842. Training was variable, with the observation protocol requiring 1 to 2 hours, medical records requiring joint review of 20 charts with average time to complete the review of 20 minutes, and the thigh monitor data requiring 1 week for training in data preparation and interpretation. The standardized quality assessment system generated scores for nine PU quality indicators with good reliability and provided explicit scoring rules that permit reproducible conclusions about PU care. The focus of the indicators on care processes that are under the control of NH staff made the protocol useful for external survey and internal quality improvement purposes, and the thigh monitor observational technology provided a method for monitoring repositioning care processes that were otherwise difficult to monitor and manage.

Regulatory observations in bioanalytical determinations.

PubMed

Viswanathan, C T

2010-07-01

The concept of measuring analytes in biological media is a long-established area of the quantitative sciences that is employed in many sectors. While academic research and R&D units of private firms have been in the forefront of developing complex methodologies, it is the regulatory environment that has brought the focus and rigor to the quality control of the quantitative determination of drug concentration in biological samples. In this article, the author examines the regulatory findings discovered during the course of several years of auditing bioanalytical work. The outcomes of these findings underscore the importance of quality method validation to ensure the reliability of the data generated. The failure to ensure the reliability of these data can lead to potential risks in the health management of millions of people in the USA.

[Evaluation of quality of HIV diagnostic procedures in Poland].

PubMed

Parczewski, Miłosz; Madaliński, Kazimierz; Leszczyszyn-Pynka, Magdalena; Boroń-Kaczmarska, Anna

2010-01-01

The aim of this work was quality assessment of HIV diagnostic procedures in Poland, including human and technical resources as well as laboratory practice. Sixty questionnaires were distributed among diagnostic centers to obtain qualitative data. Basing on the survey data serological control using coded panels of HIV-1/2 samples was performed. Thirty-one filled questionnaires were received (50.8%). Surveyed laboratories perform from 350 to 5500 serological screening tests per year. In most of laboratories fourth generation assays are available, while Blood Donation Centers screen the blood both with serological assays and by HIV-RNA detection. Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations and academic laboratories hold the ISO/IEC 17025 or IS0 9001:2001 accreditation, five of the surveyed centers participate in Labquality assurance and two in Quality Control in Molecular Diagnostics programs. Data of control serological testing were received from 21 centers. In the quality control assessment 194 analyses were performed with 91 true negative, 2 false negative, 96 true positive and 5 false positive results. False negative rate of % and false positive rate of 5.2% was noted for this study. Currently, virtually no guidelines related to the HIV-diagnostics quality assurance and control in Poland are in delineated. Development of the national unified quality control system, basing on the central institution is highly desirable. National certification within the frames of the quality control and assurance program should be mandatory for all the diagnostic labs, and aim at improvement of reliability of the result distributed among clinicians and patients.

A new approach to power quality and electricity reliability monitoring-case study illustrations of the capabilities of the I-GridTM system

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

Divan, Deepak; Brumsickle, William; Eto, Joseph

2003-04-01

This report describes a new approach for collecting information on power quality and reliability and making it available in the public domain. Making this information readily available in a form that is meaningful to electricity consumers is necessary for enabling more informed private and public decisions regarding electricity reliability. The system dramatically reduces the cost (and expertise) needed for customers to obtain information on the most significant power quality events, called voltage sags and interruptions. The system also offers widespread access to information on power quality collected from multiple sites and the potential for capturing information on the impacts ofmore » power quality problems, together enabling a wide variety of analysis and benchmarking to improve system reliability. Six case studies demonstrate selected functionality and capabilities of the system, including: Linking measured power quality events to process interruption and downtime; Demonstrating the ability to correlate events recorded by multiple monitors to narrow and confirm the causes of power quality events; and Benchmarking power quality and reliability on a firm and regional basis.« less

Reliability of physical examination tests for the diagnosis of knee disorders: Evidence from a systematic review.

PubMed

Décary, Simon; Ouellet, Philippe; Vendittoli, Pascal-André; Desmeules, François

2016-12-01

Clinicians often rely on physical examination tests to guide them in the diagnostic process of knee disorders. However, reliability of these tests is often overlooked and may influence the consistency of results and overall diagnostic validity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to systematically review evidence on the reliability of physical examination tests for the diagnosis of knee disorders. A structured literature search was conducted in databases up to January 2016. Included studies needed to report reliability measures of at least one physical test for any knee disorder. Methodological quality was evaluated using the QAREL checklist. A qualitative synthesis of the evidence was performed. Thirty-three studies were included with a mean QAREL score of 5.5 ± 0.5. Based on low to moderate quality evidence, the Thessaly test for meniscal injuries reached moderate inter-rater reliability (k = 0.54). Based on moderate to excellent quality evidence, the Lachman for anterior cruciate ligament injuries reached moderate to excellent inter-rater reliability (k = 0.42 to 0.81). Based on low to moderate quality evidence, the Tibiofemoral Crepitus, Joint Line and Patellofemoral Pain/Tenderness, Bony Enlargement and Joint Pain on Movement tests for knee osteoarthritis reached fair to excellent inter-rater reliability (k = 0.29 to 0.93). Based on low to moderate quality evidence, the Lateral Glide, Lateral Tilt, Lateral Pull and Quality of Movement tests for patellofemoral pain reached moderate to good inter-rater reliability (k = 0.49 to 0.73). Many physical tests appear to reach good inter-rater reliability, but this is based on low-quality and conflicting evidence. High-quality research is required to evaluate the reliability of knee physical examination tests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Control by quality: proposition of a typology.

PubMed

Pujo, P; Pillet, M

The application of Quality tools and methods in industrial management has always had a fundamental impact on the control of production. It influences the behavior of the actors concerned, while introducing the necessary notions and formalizations, especially for production systems with little or no automation, which constitute a large part of the industrial activity. Several quality approaches are applied in the workshop and are implemented at the level of the control. In this paper, the authors present a typology of the various approaches that have successively influenced control, such as statistical process control, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. First the authors present a parallel between production control and quality organizational structure. They note the duality between control, which is aimed at increasing productivity, and quality, which aims to satisfy the needs of the customer. They also note the hierarchical organizational structure of these two systems of management with, at each level, the notion of a feedback loop. This notion is fundamental to any kind of decision making. The paper is organized around the operational, tactical, and strategic levels, by describing for each level the main methods and tools for control by quality. The overview of these tools and methods starts at the operational level, with the Statistical Process Control, the Taguchi technique, and the "six sigma" approach. On the tactical level, we find a quality system approach, with a documented description of the procedures introduced in the firm. The management system can refer here to Quality Assurance, Total Productive Maintenance, or Management by Total Quality. The formalization through procedures of the rules of decision governing the process control enhances the validity of these rules. This leads to the enhancement of their reliability and to their consolidation. All this counterbalances the human, intrinsically fluctuating, behavior of the control operators. Strategic control by quality is then detailed, and the two main approaches, the continuous improvement approach and the proactive improvement approach, are introduced. Finally, the authors observe that at each of the three levels, the continuous process improvement, which is a component of Total Quality, becomes an essential preoccupation for the control. Ultimately, the recursive utilization of the Deming cycle remains the best practice for the control by quality.

Assessment of a novel multi-array normalization method based on spike-in control probes suitable for microRNA datasets with global decreases in expression.

PubMed

Sewer, Alain; Gubian, Sylvain; Kogel, Ulrike; Veljkovic, Emilija; Han, Wanjiang; Hengstermann, Arnd; Peitsch, Manuel C; Hoeng, Julia

2014-05-17

High-quality expression data are required to investigate the biological effects of microRNAs (miRNAs). The goal of this study was, first, to assess the quality of miRNA expression data based on microarray technologies and, second, to consolidate it by applying a novel normalization method. Indeed, because of significant differences in platform designs, miRNA raw data cannot be normalized blindly with standard methods developed for gene expression. This fundamental observation motivated the development of a novel multi-array normalization method based on controllable assumptions, which uses the spike-in control probes to adjust the measured intensities across arrays. Raw expression data were obtained with the Exiqon dual-channel miRCURY LNA™ platform in the "common reference design" and processed as "pseudo-single-channel". They were used to apply several quality metrics based on the coefficient of variation and to test the novel spike-in controls based normalization method. Most of the considerations presented here could be applied to raw data obtained with other platforms. To assess the normalization method, it was compared with 13 other available approaches from both data quality and biological outcome perspectives. The results showed that the novel multi-array normalization method reduced the data variability in the most consistent way. Further, the reliability of the obtained differential expression values was confirmed based on a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction experiment performed for a subset of miRNAs. The results reported here support the applicability of the novel normalization method, in particular to datasets that display global decreases in miRNA expression similarly to the cigarette smoke-exposed mouse lung dataset considered in this study. Quality metrics to assess between-array variability were used to confirm that the novel spike-in controls based normalization method provided high-quality miRNA expression data suitable for reliable downstream analysis. The multi-array miRNA raw data normalization method was implemented in an R software package called ExiMiR and deposited in the Bioconductor repository.

Assessment of a novel multi-array normalization method based on spike-in control probes suitable for microRNA datasets with global decreases in expression

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background High-quality expression data are required to investigate the biological effects of microRNAs (miRNAs). The goal of this study was, first, to assess the quality of miRNA expression data based on microarray technologies and, second, to consolidate it by applying a novel normalization method. Indeed, because of significant differences in platform designs, miRNA raw data cannot be normalized blindly with standard methods developed for gene expression. This fundamental observation motivated the development of a novel multi-array normalization method based on controllable assumptions, which uses the spike-in control probes to adjust the measured intensities across arrays. Results Raw expression data were obtained with the Exiqon dual-channel miRCURY LNA™ platform in the “common reference design” and processed as “pseudo-single-channel”. They were used to apply several quality metrics based on the coefficient of variation and to test the novel spike-in controls based normalization method. Most of the considerations presented here could be applied to raw data obtained with other platforms. To assess the normalization method, it was compared with 13 other available approaches from both data quality and biological outcome perspectives. The results showed that the novel multi-array normalization method reduced the data variability in the most consistent way. Further, the reliability of the obtained differential expression values was confirmed based on a quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction experiment performed for a subset of miRNAs. The results reported here support the applicability of the novel normalization method, in particular to datasets that display global decreases in miRNA expression similarly to the cigarette smoke-exposed mouse lung dataset considered in this study. Conclusions Quality metrics to assess between-array variability were used to confirm that the novel spike-in controls based normalization method provided high-quality miRNA expression data suitable for reliable downstream analysis. The multi-array miRNA raw data normalization method was implemented in an R software package called ExiMiR and deposited in the Bioconductor repository. PMID:24886675

[Compatibility of different quality control systems].

PubMed

Invernizzi, Enrico

2002-01-01

Management of the good laboratory practice (GLP) quality system presupposes its linking to a basic recognized and approved quality system, from which it can draw on management procedures common to all quality systems, such as the ISO 9000 set of norms. A quality system organized in this way can also be integrated with other dedicated quality systems, or parts of them, to obtain principles or management procedures for specific topics. The aim of this organization is to set up a reliable, recognized quality system compatible with the principles of GLP and other quality management systems, which provides users with a simplified set of easily accessible management tools and answers. The organization of this quality system is set out in the quality assurance programme, which is actually the document in which the test facility incorporates the GLP principles into its own quality organization.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Decisional Engagement Scale (DES-10): A patient-reported psychosocial survey for quality cancer care.

PubMed

Hoerger, Michael; Chapman, Benjamin P; Mohile, Supriya G; Duberstein, Paul R

2016-09-01

In light of recent health care reforms, we have provided an illustrative example of new opportunities available for psychologists to develop patient-reported measures related to health care quality. Patient engagement in health care decision making has been increasingly acknowledged as a vital component of quality cancer care. We developed the 10-item Decisional Engagement Scale (DES-10), a patient-reported measure of engagement in decision making in cancer care that assesses patients' awareness of their diagnosis, sense of empowerment and involvement, and level of information seeking and planning. The National Institutes of Health's ResearchMatch recruitment tool was used to facilitate Internet-mediated data collection from 376 patients with cancer. DES-10 scores demonstrated good internal consistency reliability (α = .80), and the hypothesized unidimensional factor structure fit the data well. The reliability and factor structure were supported across subgroups based on demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics. Higher DES-10 scores were associated with better health-related quality of life (r = .31). In concurrent validity analyses controlling for age, socioeconomic status, and health-related quality of life, higher DES-10 scores were associated with higher scores on quality-of-care indices, including greater awareness of one's treatments, greater preferences for shared decision making, and clearer preferences about end-of-life care. A mini-measure, the DES-3, also performed well psychometrically. In conclusion, DES-10 and DES-3 scores showed evidence of reliability and validity, and these brief patient-reported measures can be used by researchers, clinicians, nonprofits, hospitals, insurers, and policymakers interested in evaluating and improving the quality of cancer care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Can I Trust ORE Reports?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feedback, 1984

1984-01-01

This issue of FEEDBACK, a newsletter produced by the the Austin Independent School District Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE), illustrates the accuracy, validity, and fairness of ORE reports. The independence of the reports is explained. Internal and external quality controls are used to ensure reliability and accuracy of the reports.…

An Interaction-Based Approach to Enhancing Secondary School Instruction and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Joseph; Pianta, Robert; Gregory, Anne; Mikami, Amori; Lun, Janetta

2011-01-01

Improving teaching quality is widely recognized as critical to addressing deficiencies in secondary school education, yet the field has struggled to identify rigorously evaluated teacher-development approaches that can produce reliable gains in student achievement. A randomized controlled trial of My Teaching Partner-Secondary--a Web-mediated…

On Quality and Measures in Software Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucur, Ion I.

2006-01-01

Complexity measures are mainly used to estimate vital information about reliability and maintainability of software systems from regular analysis of the source code. Such measures also provide constant feedback during a software project to assist the control of the development procedure. There exist several models to classify a software product's…

Three on a Match: Gary A. Olson on Rigor, Reliability, and Quality Control in Digital Scholarship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Kyle

2009-01-01

This interview examines the relationship between digital scholarship and the politics of higher education. In doing so, it advances a series of recommendations that aim to help digital scholars and digital scholarship achieve an increased level of stature in the academic community.

Infrared interferometer spectrometer and radiometer (IRIS) instrument for Mariner/Jupiter/Saturn 1977 (MJS'77)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanous, D. D.

1974-01-01

The development and characteristics of the infrared interferometer spectrometer and radiometer (IRIS) instrument for use with the Mariner/Jupiter/Saturn space probe. The subjects discussed are: (1) the electronic design, (2) the opto-mechanical design, (3) reliability analysis, (4) quality control, and (5) program management.

Quality assessment and control of finite element solutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.; Babuska, Ivo

1987-01-01

Status and some recent developments in the techniques for assessing the reliability of finite element solutions are summarized. Discussion focuses on a number of aspects including: the major types of errors in the finite element solutions; techniques used for a posteriori error estimation and the reliability of these estimators; the feedback and adaptive strategies for improving the finite element solutions; and postprocessing approaches used for improving the accuracy of stresses and other important engineering data. Also, future directions for research needed to make error estimation and adaptive movement practical are identified.

Rolling Contact Fatigue Life and Spall Propagation Characteristics of AISI M50, M50 NiL, and AISI 52100. Part 1. Experimental Results (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

phase and factors which may cause accelerated growth rates is key to achieving a reliable and robust bearing design . The end goal is to identify...key to achieving a reliable and robust bearing design . The end goal is to identify control parameters for optimizing bearing materials for improved...25.0 nm and were each fabricated from same material heats respectively to a custom design print to ABEC 5 quality and had split inner rings. Each had

Isolated Power Generation System Using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator with Improved Power Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arya, Sabha Raj; Patel, Ashish; Giri, Ashutosh

2018-06-01

This paper deals wind energy based power generation system using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG). It is controlled using advanced enhanced phase-lock loop for power quality features using distribution static compensator to eliminate the harmonics and to provide KVAR compensation as well as load balancing. It also manages rated potential at the point of common interface under linear and non-linear loads. In order to have better efficiency and reliable operation of PMSG driven by wind turbine, it is necessary to analyze the governing equation of wind based turbine and PMSG under fixed and variable wind speed. For handling power quality problems, power electronics based shunt connected custom power device is used in three wire system. The simulations in MATLAB/Simulink environment have been carried out in order to demonstrate this model and control approach used for the power quality enhancement. The performance results show the adequate performance of PMSG based power generation system and control algorithm.

Isolated Power Generation System Using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator with Improved Power Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arya, Sabha Raj; Patel, Ashish; Giri, Ashutosh

2018-03-01

This paper deals wind energy based power generation system using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG). It is controlled using advanced enhanced phase-lock loop for power quality features using distribution static compensator to eliminate the harmonics and to provide KVAR compensation as well as load balancing. It also manages rated potential at the point of common interface under linear and non-linear loads. In order to have better efficiency and reliable operation of PMSG driven by wind turbine, it is necessary to analyze the governing equation of wind based turbine and PMSG under fixed and variable wind speed. For handling power quality problems, power electronics based shunt connected custom power device is used in three wire system. The simulations in MATLAB/Simulink environment have been carried out in order to demonstrate this model and control approach used for the power quality enhancement. The performance results show the adequate performance of PMSG based power generation system and control algorithm.

Reliability history of the Apollo guidance computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, E. C.

1972-01-01

The Apollo guidance computer was designed to provide the computation necessary for guidance, navigation and control of the command module and the lunar landing module of the Apollo spacecraft. The computer was designed using the technology of the early 1960's and the production was completed by 1969. During the development, production, and operational phase of the program, the computer has accumulated a very interesting history which is valuable for evaluating the technology, production methods, system integration, and the reliability of the hardware. The operational experience in the Apollo guidance systems includes 17 computers which flew missions and another 26 flight type computers which are still in various phases of prelaunch activity including storage, system checkout, prelaunch spacecraft checkout, etc. These computers were manufactured and maintained under very strict quality control procedures with requirements for reporting and analyzing all indications of failure. Probably no other computer or electronic equipment with equivalent complexity has been as well documented and monitored. Since it has demonstrated a unique reliability history, it is important to evaluate the techniques and methods which have contributed to the high reliability of this computer.

Implementation and Test of the Automatic Flight Dynamics Operations for Geostationary Satellite Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Sangwook; Lee, Young-Ran; Hwang, Yoola; Javier Santiago Noguero Galilea

2009-12-01

This paper describes the Flight Dynamics Automation (FDA) system for COMS Flight Dynamics System (FDS) and its test result in terms of the performance of the automation jobs. FDA controls the flight dynamics functions such as orbit determination, orbit prediction, event prediction, and fuel accounting. The designed FDA is independent from the specific characteristics which are defined by spacecraft manufacturer or specific satellite missions. Therefore, FDA could easily links its autonomous job control functions to any satellite mission control system with some interface modification. By adding autonomous system along with flight dynamics system, it decreases the operator’s tedious and repeated jobs but increase the usability and reliability of the system. Therefore, FDA is used to improve the completeness of whole mission control system’s quality. The FDA is applied to the real flight dynamics system of a geostationary satellite, COMS and the experimental test is performed. The experimental result shows the stability and reliability of the mission control operations through the automatic job control.

The CRAC cohort model: A computerized low cost registry of interventional cardiology with daily update and long-term follow-up.

PubMed

Rangé, G; Chassaing, S; Marcollet, P; Saint-Étienne, C; Dequenne, P; Goralski, M; Bardiére, P; Beverilli, F; Godillon, L; Sabine, B; Laure, C; Gautier, S; Hakim, R; Albert, F; Angoulvant, D; Grammatico-Guillon, L

2018-05-01

To assess the reliability and low cost of a computerized interventional cardiology (IC) registry to prospectively and systematically collect high-quality data for all consecutive coronary patients referred for coronary angiogram or/and coronary angioplasty. Rigorous clinical practice assessment is a key factor to improve prognosis in IC. A prospective and permanent registry could achieve this goal but, presumably, at high cost and low level of data quality. One multicentric IC registry (CRAC registry), fully integrated to usual coronary activity report software, started in the centre Val-de-Loire (CVL) French region in 2014. Quality assessment of CRAC registry was conducted on five IC CathLab of the CVL region, from January 1st to December 31st 2014. Quality of collected data was evaluated by measuring procedure exhaustivity (comparing with data from hospital information system), data completeness (quality controls) and data consistency (by checking complete medical charts as gold standard). Cost per procedure (global registry operating cost/number of collected procedures) was also estimated. CRAC model provided a high-quality level with 98.2% procedure completeness, 99.6% data completeness and 89% data consistency. The operating cost per procedure was €14.70 ($16.51) for data collection and quality control, including ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) preadmission information and one-year follow-up after angioplasty. This integrated computerized IC registry led to the construction of an exhaustive, reliable and costless database, including all coronary patients entering in participating IC centers in the CVL region. This solution will be developed in other French regions, setting up a national IC database for coronary patients in 2020: France PCI. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Quality Control Studies of Wavelength Shifting Fibers for a Scintillator-Based Tail Catcher Muon Tracker for Linear Collider Prototype Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyshkant, A.; Beznosko, D.; Blazey, G.; Fisk, E.; Hahn, E.; Rykalin, V.; Wayne, M.; Zutshi, V.

2006-12-01

Detailed measurements of the wavelength shifting fiber response to a stable and reliable light source are presented. Particulars about materials, a double reference method, and measurement technique are included. The fibers studied were several hundred Kuraray, Y-11, multiclad, 1.2-mm outer diameter wavelength shifting fibers, each cut from a reel to about one meter length. The fibers were polished, mirrored, and the mirrors were UV epoxy protected. Each fiber passed quality control requirements before installation. About 94% of the fibers tested have a response within 1% of the overall mean

Compliance with the CONSORT checklist in obstetric anaesthesia randomised controlled trials.

PubMed

Halpern, S H; Darani, R; Douglas, M J; Wight, W; Yee, J

2004-10-01

The Consolidated Standards for Reporting of Trials (CONSORT) checklist is an evidence-based approach to help improve the quality of reporting randomised controlled trials. The purpose of this study was to determine how closely randomised controlled trials in obstetric anaesthesia adhere to the CONSORT checklist. We retrieved all randomised controlled trials pertaining to the practice of obstetric anaesthesia and summarised in Obstetric Anesthesia Digest between March 2001 and December 2002 and compared the quality of reporting to the CONSORT checklist. The median number of correctly described CONSORT items was 65% (range 36% to 100%). Information pertaining to randomisation, blinding of the assessors, sample size calculation, reliability of measurements and reporting of the analysis were often omitted. It is difficult to determine the value and quality of many obstetric anaesthesia clinical trials because journal editors do not insist that this important information is made available to readers. Both clinicians and clinical researchers would benefit from uniform reporting of randomised trials in a manner that allows rapid data retrieval and easy assessment for relevance and quality.

ProSens: integrated production control by automated inspection planning and efficient multisensor metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, Ulf; Li, Zhichao; Bichmann, Stephan, II; Pfeifer, Tilo

2003-05-01

By China's entry into the WTO, Chinese as well as German companies are facing the question, how to minimize the risk of unfamiliar cooperation partners when developing products. The rise of customer demands concerning quality, product diversity and the reduction of expenses require flexibility and efficiency with reliable component suppliers. In order to build and strengthen sino-german cooperations, a manufacturing control using homogenized and efficient measures to assure high quality is of vital importance. Lack of unifications may cause identical measurements conducted at subcontractors or customers to be carried out with different measurement processes which leads to incomparable results. Rapidly growing company cooperations and simultaneously decreasing of manufacturing scope cause substantial difficulties when coordinating joint quality control activities. "ProSens," a sino-german project consortium consisting of industrial users, technology producers and research institutes, aims at improving selected production processes by: Creation of a homogeneous quality awareness in sino-german cooperations. Sensitization for process accompanying metrology at an early stage of product development. Increase of the process performance by the use of integrated metrology. Reduction of production time and cost. Unification of quality control of complex products by means of efficient measurement strategies and CAD-based inspection planning.

Methods Used to Streamline the CAHPS® Hospital Survey

PubMed Central

Keller, San; O'Malley, A James; Hays, Ron D; Matthew, Rebecca A; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Hepner, Kimberly A; Cleary, Paul D

2005-01-01

Objective To identify a parsimonious subset of reliable, valid, and consumer-salient items from 33 questions asking for patient reports about hospital care quality. Data Source CAHPS® Hospital Survey pilot data were collected during the summer of 2003 using mail and telephone from 19,720 patients who had been treated in 132 hospitals in three states and discharged from November 2002 to January 2003. Methods Standard psychometric methods were used to assess the reliability (internal consistency reliability and hospital-level reliability) and construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, strength of relationship to overall rating of hospital) of the 33 report items. The best subset of items from among the 33 was selected based on their statistical properties in conjunction with the importance assigned to each item by participants in 14 focus groups. Principal Findings Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indicated that a subset of 16 questions proposed to measure seven aspects of hospital care (communication with nurses, communication with doctors, responsiveness to patient needs, physical environment, pain control, communication about medication, and discharge information) demonstrated excellent fit to the data. Scales in each of these areas had acceptable levels of reliability to discriminate among hospitals and internal consistency reliability estimates comparable with previously developed CAHPS instruments. Conclusion Although half the length of the original, the shorter CAHPS hospital survey demonstrates promising measurement properties, identifies variations in care among hospitals, and deals with aspects of the hospital stay that are important to patients' evaluations of care quality. PMID:16316438

Parts quality management: Direct part marking of data matrix symbol for mission assurance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moss, Chantrice; Chakrabarti, Suman; Scott, David W.

A United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of twelve NASA programs found widespread parts quality problems contributing to significant cost overruns, schedule delays, and reduced system reliability. Direct part marking with Data Matrix symbols could significantly improve the quality of inventory control and parts lifecycle management. This paper examines the feasibility of using direct part marking technologies for use in future NASA programs. A structural analysis is based on marked material type, operational environment (e.g., ground, suborbital, Low Earth Orbit), durability of marks, ease of operation, reliability, and affordability. A cost-benefits analysis considers marking technology (label printing, data plates, and direct part marking) and marking types (two-dimensional machine-readable, human-readable). Previous NASA parts marking efforts and historical cost data are accounted for, including in-house vs. outsourced marking. Some marking methods are still under development. While this paper focuses on NASA programs, results may be applicable to a variety of industrial environments.

Product manufacturing, quality, and reliability initiatives to maintain a competitive advantage and meet customer expectations in the semiconductor industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capps, Gregory

Semiconductor products are manufactured and consumed across the world. The semiconductor industry is constantly striving to manufacture products with greater performance, improved efficiency, less energy consumption, smaller feature sizes, thinner gate oxides, and faster speeds. Customers have pushed towards zero defects and require a more reliable, higher quality product than ever before. Manufacturers are required to improve yields, reduce operating costs, and increase revenue to maintain a competitive advantage. Opportunities exist for integrated circuit (IC) customers and manufacturers to work together and independently to reduce costs, eliminate waste, reduce defects, reduce warranty returns, and improve quality. This project focuses on electrical over-stress (EOS) and re-test okay (RTOK), two top failure return mechanisms, which both make great defect reduction opportunities in customer-manufacturer relationship. Proactive continuous improvement initiatives and methodologies are addressed with emphasis on product life cycle, manufacturing processes, test, statistical process control (SPC), industry best practices, customer education, and customer-manufacturer interaction.

Parts Quality Management: Direct Part Marking of Data Matrix Symbol for Mission Assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moss, Chantrice; Chakrabarti, Suman; Scott, David W.

2013-01-01

A United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) review of twelve NASA programs found widespread parts quality problems contributing to significant cost overruns, schedule delays, and reduced system reliability. Direct part marking with Data Matrix symbols could significantly improve the quality of inventory control and parts lifecycle management. This paper examines the feasibility of using direct part marking technologies for use in future NASA programs. A structural analysis is based on marked material type, operational environment (e.g., ground, suborbital, Low Earth Orbit), durability of marks, ease of operation, reliability, and affordability. A cost-benefits analysis considers marking technology (label printing, data plates, and direct part marking) and marking types (two-dimensional machine-readable, human-readable). Previous NASA parts marking efforts and historical cost data are accounted for, including inhouse vs. outsourced marking. Some marking methods are still under development. While this paper focuses on NASA programs, results may be applicable to a variety of industrial environments.

Importance of implementing an analytical quality control system in a core laboratory.

PubMed

Marques-Garcia, F; Garcia-Codesal, M F; Caro-Narros, M R; Contreras-SanFeliciano, T

2015-01-01

The aim of the clinical laboratory is to provide useful information for screening, diagnosis and monitoring of disease. The laboratory should ensure the quality of extra-analytical and analytical process, based on set criteria. To do this, it develops and implements a system of internal quality control, designed to detect errors, and compare its data with other laboratories, through external quality control. In this way it has a tool to detect the fulfillment of the objectives set, and in case of errors, allowing corrective actions to be made, and ensure the reliability of the results. This article sets out to describe the design and implementation of an internal quality control protocol, as well as its periodical assessment intervals (6 months) to determine compliance with pre-determined specifications (Stockholm Consensus(1)). A total of 40 biochemical and 15 immunochemical methods were evaluated using three different control materials. Next, a standard operation procedure was planned to develop a system of internal quality control that included calculating the error of the analytical process, setting quality specifications, and verifying compliance. The quality control data were then statistically depicted as means, standard deviations, and coefficients of variation, as well as systematic, random, and total errors. The quality specifications were then fixed and the operational rules to apply in the analytical process were calculated. Finally, our data were compared with those of other laboratories through an external quality assurance program. The development of an analytical quality control system is a highly structured process. This should be designed to detect errors that compromise the stability of the analytical process. The laboratory should review its quality indicators, systematic, random and total error at regular intervals, in order to ensure that they are meeting pre-determined specifications, and if not, apply the appropriate corrective actions. Copyright © 2015 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

HPTLC Fingerprint Analysis: A Quality Control for Authentication of Herbal Phytochemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ram, Mauji; Abdin, M. Z.; Khan, M. A.; Jha, Prabhakar

Authentication and consistent quality are the basic requirement for Indian traditional medicine (TIM), Chinese traditional herbal medicine (TCHM), and their commercial products, regardless of the kind of research conducted to modernize the TIM and TCHM. The complexities of TIM and TCHM challenge the current official quality control mode, for which only a few biochemical markers were selected for identification and quantitative assay. Referring too many unknown factors existed in TIM and TCHM, it is impossible and unnecessary to pinpoint qualitatively and quantitatively every single component contained in the herbal drug. Chromatographic fingerprint is a rational option to meet the need for more effective and powerful quality assessment to TIM and TCHM. The optimized chromatographic fingerprint is not only an alternative analytical tool for authentication, but also an approach to express the various pattern of chemical ingredients distribution in the herbal drugs and preserve such "database" for further multifaced sustainable studies. Analytical separation techniques, for example, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) were among the most popular methods of choice used for quality control of raw material and finished herbal product. Fingerprint analysis approach using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) has become the most potent tool for quality control of herbal medicines because of its simplicity and reliability. It can serve as a tool for identification, authentication, and quality control of herbal drugs. In this chapter, attempts are being made to expand the use of HPTLC and at the same time create interest among prospective researcher in herbal analysis. The developed method can be used as a quality control tool for rapid authentication from a wide variety of herbal samples. Some examples demonstrated the role of fingerprinting in quality control and assessment.

The reliability of physical examination tests for the diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament rupture--A systematic review.

PubMed

Lange, Toni; Freiberg, Alice; Dröge, Patrik; Lützner, Jörg; Schmitt, Jochen; Kopkow, Christian

2015-06-01

Systematic literature review. Despite their frequent application in routine care, a systematic review on the reliability of clinical examination tests to evaluate the integrity of the ACL is missing. To summarize and evaluate intra- and interrater reliability research on physical examination tests used for the diagnosis of ACL tears. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and AMED until May 30th 2013. Studies were included if they assessed the intra- and/or interrater reliability of physical examination tests for the integrity of the ACL. Methodological quality was evaluated with the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) tool by two independent reviewers. 110 hits were achieved of which seven articles finally met the inclusion criteria. These studies examined the reliability of four physical examination tests. Intrarater reliability was assessed in three studies and ranged from fair to almost perfect (Cohen's k = 0.22-1.00). Interrater reliability was assessed in all included studies and ranged from slight to almost perfect (Cohen's k = 0.02-0.81). The Lachman test is the physical tests with the highest intrarater reliability (Cohen's k = 1.00), the Lachman test performed in prone position the test with the highest interrater reliability (Cohen's k = 0.81). Included studies were partly of low methodological quality. A meta-analysis could not be performed due to the heterogeneity in study populations, reliability measures and methodological quality of included studies. Systematic investigations on the reliability of physical examination tests to assess the integrity of the ACL are scarce and of varying methodological quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validity and reliability of a new tool to evaluate handwriting difficulties in Parkinson’s disease

PubMed Central

Nackaerts, Evelien; Heremans, Elke; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C. M.; Broeder, Sanne; Vandenberghe, Wim; Bergmans, Bruno; Nieuwboer, Alice

2017-01-01

Background Handwriting in Parkinson’s disease (PD) features specific abnormalities which are difficult to assess in clinical practice since no specific tool for evaluation of spontaneous movement is currently available. Objective This study aims to validate the ‘Systematic Screening of Handwriting Difficulties’ (SOS-test) in patients with PD. Methods Handwriting performance of 87 patients and 26 healthy age-matched controls was examined using the SOS-test. Sixty-seven patients were tested a second time within a period of one month. Participants were asked to copy as much as possible of a text within 5 minutes with the instruction to write as neatly and quickly as in daily life. Writing speed (letters in 5 minutes), size (mm) and quality of handwriting were compared. Correlation analysis was performed between SOS outcomes and other fine motor skill measurements and disease characteristics. Intrarater, interrater and test-retest reliability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Spearman correlation coefficient. Results Patients with PD had a smaller (p = 0.043) and slower (p<0.001) handwriting and showed worse writing quality (p = 0.031) compared to controls. The outcomes of the SOS-test significantly correlated with fine motor skill performance and disease duration and severity. Furthermore, the test showed excellent intrarater, interrater and test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.769 for both groups). Conclusion The SOS-test is a short and effective tool to detect handwriting problems in PD with excellent reliability. It can therefore be recommended as a clinical instrument for standardized screening of handwriting deficits in PD. PMID:28253374

High-resolution audiometry: an automated method for hearing threshold acquisition with quality control.

PubMed

Bian, Lin

2012-01-01

In clinical practice, hearing thresholds are measured at only five to six frequencies at octave intervals. Thus, the audiometric configuration cannot closely reflect the actual status of the auditory structures. In addition, differential diagnosis requires quantitative comparison of behavioral thresholds with physiological measures, such as otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) that are usually measured in higher resolution. The purpose of this research was to develop a method to improve the frequency resolution of the audiogram. A repeated-measure design was used in the study to evaluate the reliability of the threshold measurements. A total of 16 participants with clinically normal hearing and mild hearing loss were recruited from a population of university students. No intervention was involved in the study. Custom developed system and software were used for threshold acquisition with quality control (QC). With real-ear calibration and monitoring of test signals, the system provided accurate and individualized measure of hearing thresholds that were determined by an analysis based on signal detection theory (SDT). The reliability of the threshold measure was assessed by correlation and differences between the repeated measures. The audiometric configurations were diverse and unique to each individual ear. The accuracy, within-subject reliability, and between-test repeatability are relatively high. With QC, the high-resolution audiograms can be reliably and accurately measured. Hearing thresholds measured as ear canal sound pressures with higher frequency resolution can provide more customized hearing-aid fitting. The test system may be integrated with other physiological measures, such as OAEs, into a comprehensive evaluative tool. American Academy of Audiology.

The FDA's Experience with Emerging Genomics Technologies-Past, Present, and Future.

PubMed

Xu, Joshua; Thakkar, Shraddha; Gong, Binsheng; Tong, Weida

2016-07-01

The rapid advancement of emerging genomics technologies and their application for assessing safety and efficacy of FDA-regulated products require a high standard of reliability and robustness supporting regulatory decision-making in the FDA. To facilitate the regulatory application, the FDA implemented a novel data submission program, Voluntary Genomics Data Submission (VGDS), and also to engage the stakeholders. As part of the endeavor, for the past 10 years, the FDA has led an international consortium of regulatory agencies, academia, pharmaceutical companies, and genomics platform providers, which was named MicroArray Quality Control Consortium (MAQC), to address issues such as reproducibility, precision, specificity/sensitivity, and data interpretation. Three projects have been completed so far assessing these genomics technologies: gene expression microarrays, whole genome genotyping arrays, and whole transcriptome sequencing (i.e., RNA-seq). The resultant studies provide the basic parameters for fit-for-purpose application of these new data streams in regulatory environments, and the solutions have been made available to the public through peer-reviewed publications. The latest MAQC project is also called the SEquencing Quality Control (SEQC) project focused on next-generation sequencing. Using reference samples with built-in controls, SEQC studies have demonstrated that relative gene expression can be measured accurately and reliably across laboratories and RNA-seq platforms. Besides prediction performance comparable to microarrays in clinical settings and safety assessments, RNA-seq is shown to have better sensitivity for low expression and reveal novel transcriptomic features. Future effort of MAQC will be focused on quality control of whole genome sequencing and targeted sequencing.

The FDA’s Experience with Emerging Genomics Technologies—Past, Present, and Future

PubMed Central

Xu, Joshua; Thakkar, Shraddha; Gong, Binsheng; Tong, Weida

2016-01-01

The rapid advancement of emerging genomics technologies and their application for assessing safety and efficacy of FDA-regulated products require a high standard of reliability and robustness supporting regulatory decision-making in the FDA. To facilitate the regulatory application, the FDA implemented a novel data submission program, Voluntary Genomics Data Submission (VGDS), and also to engage the stakeholders. As part of the endeavor, for the past 10 years, the FDA has led an international consortium of regulatory agencies, academia, pharmaceutical companies, and genomics platform providers, which was named MicroArray Quality Control Consortium (MAQC), to address issues such as reproducibility, precision, specificity/sensitivity, and data interpretation. Three projects have been completed so far assessing these genomics technologies: gene expression microarrays, whole genome genotyping arrays, and whole transcriptome sequencing (i.e., RNA-seq). The resultant studies provide the basic parameters for fit-for-purpose application of these new data streams in regulatory environments, and the solutions have been made available to the public through peer-reviewed publications. The latest MAQC project is also called the SEquencing Quality Control (SEQC) project focused on next-generation sequencing. Using reference samples with built-in controls, SEQC studies have demonstrated that relative gene expression can be measured accurately and reliably across laboratories and RNA-seq platforms. Besides prediction performance comparable to microarrays in clinical settings and safety assessments, RNA-seq is shown to have better sensitivity for low expression and reveal novel transcriptomic features. Future effort of MAQC will be focused on quality control of whole genome sequencing and targeted sequencing. PMID:27116022

Measuring verbal and non-verbal communication in aphasia: reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the Scenario Test.

PubMed

van der Meulen, Ineke; van de Sandt-Koenderman, W Mieke E; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J; Ribbers, Gerard M

2010-01-01

This study explores the psychometric qualities of the Scenario Test, a new test to assess daily-life communication in severe aphasia. The test is innovative in that it: (1) examines the effectiveness of verbal and non-verbal communication; and (2) assesses patients' communication in an interactive setting, with a supportive communication partner. To determine the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the Scenario Test and discuss its clinical value. The Scenario Test was administered to 122 persons with aphasia after stroke and to 25 non-aphasic controls. Analyses were performed for the entire group of persons with aphasia, as well as for a subgroup of persons unable to communicate verbally (n = 43). Reliability (internal consistency, test-retest reliability, inter-judge, and intra-judge reliability) and validity (internal validity, convergent validity, known-groups validity) and sensitivity to change were examined using standard psychometric methods. The Scenario Test showed high levels of reliability. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96; item-rest correlations = 0.58-0.82) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.98) were high. Agreement between judges in total scores was good, as indicated by the high inter- and intra-judge reliability (ICC = 0.86-1.00). Agreement in scores on the individual items was also good (square-weighted kappa values 0.61-0.92). The test demonstrated good levels of validity. A principal component analysis for categorical data identified two dimensions, interpreted as general communication and communicative creativity. Correlations with three other instruments measuring communication in aphasia, that is, Spontaneous Speech interview from the Aachen Aphasia Test (AAT), Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language Test (ANELT), and Communicative Effectiveness Index (CETI), were moderate to strong (0.50-0.85) suggesting good convergent validity. Group differences were observed between persons with aphasia and non-aphasic controls, as well as between persons with aphasia unable to use speech to convey information and those able to communicate verbally; this indicates good known-groups validity. The test was sensitive to changes in performance, measured over a period of 6 months. The data support the reliability and validity of the Scenario Test as an instrument for examining daily-life communication in aphasia. The test focuses on multimodal communication; its psychometric qualities enable future studies on the effect of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) training in aphasia.

Evaluation of neural network modeing to calculate well-watered leaf temperature of wine grape

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mild to moderate water stress is desirable in wine grape for controlling vine vigor and optimizing fruit yield and quality, but precision irrigation management is hindered by the lack of a reliable method to easily quantify and monitor vine water status. The crop water stress index (CWSI) that effec...

Targeting Ovarian Cancer with Porphysome Nanotechnology

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

human administration; these specifications include requirements/restrictions on the volume, pH , appearance, sterility, bacterial endotoxins ...the translational success of nanomedicines is the ability to produce agents in accordance with quality control systems such as current Good...sufficiently robust and reliable for producing the same product time after time with the intended physicochemical characteristics, biological behaviors, and

Transfer of space technology to industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, J. T.

1974-01-01

Some of the most significant applications of the NASA aerospace technology transfer to industry and other government agencies are briefly outlined. The technology utilization program encompasses computer programs for structural problems, life support systems, fuel cell development, and rechargeable cardiac pacemakers as well as reliability and quality research for oil recovery operations and pollution control.

Surface electrical properties experiment study phase, volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The reliability and quality assurance system and procedures used in developing test equipment for the Lunar Experiment projects are described. The subjects discussed include the following: (1) documentation control, (2) design review, (3) parts and materials selection, (4) material procurement, (5) inspection procedures, (6) qualification and special testing, and failure modes and effects analysis.

Quality Control in Christian Higher Education: The Importance of Evaluating What We Do

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatia, Sukhwant S.

2009-01-01

In contrast to the long-standing history of assessment in secular higher education, religious institutions have not been at the cutting edge of assessment, evaluation, and research. However, external pressures on institutions have led to a self-examined life, use of reliable indicators of institutional performance, and development of comprehensive…

A new validated method for the simultaneous determination of benzocaine, propylparaben and benzyl alcohol in a bioadhesive gel by HPLC.

PubMed

Pérez-Lozano, P; García-Montoya, E; Orriols, A; Miñarro, M; Ticó, J R; Suñé-Negre, J M

2005-10-04

A new HPLC-RP method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of benzocaine, two preservatives (propylparaben (nipasol) and benzyl alcohol) and degradation products of benzocaine in a semisolid pharmaceutical dosage form (benzocaine gel). The method uses a Nucleosil 120 C18 column and gradient elution. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of methanol and glacial acetic acid (10%, v/v) at different proportion according to a time-schedule programme, pumped at a flow rate of 2.0 ml min(-1). The DAD detector was set at 258 nm. The validation study was carried out fulfilling the ICH guidelines in order to prove that the new analytical method, meets the reliability characteristics, and these characteristics showed the capacity of analytical method to keep, throughout the time, the fundamental criteria for validation: selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy and sensitivity. The method was applied during the quality control of benzocaine gel in order to quantify the drug (benzocaine), preservatives and degraded products and proved to be suitable for rapid and reliable quality control method.

Apollo experience report: Reliability and quality assurance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sperber, K. P.

1973-01-01

The reliability of the Apollo spacecraft resulted from the application of proven reliability and quality techniques and from sound management, engineering, and manufacturing practices. Continual assessment of these techniques and practices was made during the program, and, when deficiencies were detected, adjustments were made and the deficiencies were effectively corrected. The most significant practices, deficiencies, adjustments, and experiences during the Apollo Program are described in this report. These experiences can be helpful in establishing an effective base on which to structure an efficient reliability and quality assurance effort for future space-flight programs.

Measurement of the Inter-Rater Reliability Rate Is Mandatory for Improving the Quality of a Medical Database: Experience with the Paulista Lung Cancer Registry.

PubMed

Lauricella, Leticia L; Costa, Priscila B; Salati, Michele; Pego-Fernandes, Paulo M; Terra, Ricardo M

2018-06-01

Database quality measurement should be considered a mandatory step to ensure an adequate level of confidence in data used for research and quality improvement. Several metrics have been described in the literature, but no standardized approach has been established. We aimed to describe a methodological approach applied to measure the quality and inter-rater reliability of a regional multicentric thoracic surgical database (Paulista Lung Cancer Registry). Data from the first 3 years of the Paulista Lung Cancer Registry underwent an audit process with 3 metrics: completeness, consistency, and inter-rater reliability. The first 2 methods were applied to the whole data set, and the last method was calculated using 100 cases randomized for direct auditing. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated using percentage of agreement between the data collector and auditor and through calculation of Cohen's κ and intraclass correlation. The overall completeness per section ranged from 0.88 to 1.00, and the overall consistency was 0.96. Inter-rater reliability showed many variables with high disagreement (>10%). For numerical variables, intraclass correlation was a better metric than inter-rater reliability. Cohen's κ showed that most variables had moderate to substantial agreement. The methodological approach applied to the Paulista Lung Cancer Registry showed that completeness and consistency metrics did not sufficiently reflect the real quality status of a database. The inter-rater reliability associated with κ and intraclass correlation was a better quality metric than completeness and consistency metrics because it could determine the reliability of specific variables used in research or benchmark reports. This report can be a paradigm for future studies of data quality measurement. Copyright © 2018 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Astronomical Instrumentation Systems Quality Management Planning: AISQMP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldbaum, Jesse

2017-06-01

The capability of small aperture astronomical instrumentation systems (AIS) to make meaningful scientific contributions has never been better. The purpose of AIS quality management planning (AISQMP) is to ensure the quality of these contributions such that they are both valid and reliable. The first step involved with AISQMP is to specify objective quality measures not just for the AIS final product, but also for the instrumentation used in its production. The next step is to set up a process to track these measures and control for any unwanted variation. The final step is continual effort applied to reducing variation and obtaining measured values near optimal theoretical performance. This paper provides an overview of AISQMP while focusing on objective quality measures applied to astronomical imaging systems.

Astronomical Instrumentation Systems Quality Management Planning: AISQMP (Abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldbaum, J.

2017-12-01

(Abstract only) The capability of small aperture astronomical instrumentation systems (AIS) to make meaningful scientific contributions has never been better. The purpose of AIS quality management planning (AISQMP) is to ensure the quality of these contributions such that they are both valid and reliable. The first step involved with AISQMP is to specify objective quality measures not just for the AIS final product, but also for the instrumentation used in its production. The next step is to set up a process to track these measures and control for any unwanted variation. The final step is continual effort applied to reducing variation and obtaining measured values near optimal theoretical performance. This paper provides an overview of AISQMP while focusing on objective quality measures applied to astronomical imaging systems.

Bladder welding in rats using controlled temperature CO2 laser system.

PubMed

Lobik, L; Ravid, A; Nissenkorn, I; Kariv, N; Bernheim, J; Katzir, A

1999-05-01

Laser tissue welding has potential advantages over conventional suture closure of surgical wounds. It is a noncontact technique that introduces no foreign body and limits the possibility of infections and complications. The closure could be immediately watertight and the procedure may be less traumatic, faster and easier. In spite of these positives laser welding has not yet been approved for wide use. The problem in the clinical implementation of this technique arises from the difficulty in defining the conditions under which a highly reliable weld is formed. We have assumed that the successful welding of tissues depends on the ability to monitor and control the surface temperature during the procedure, thereby avoiding underheating or overheating. The purpose of this work was to develop a laser system for reliable welding of urinary tract tissues under good temperature control. We have developed a "smart" laser system that is capable of a dual role: transmitting CO2 laser power for tissue heating, and noncontact (radiometric) temperature monitoring and control. Bladder opening (cystotomy) was performed in 38 rats. Thirty-three animals underwent laser welding. In 5 rats (control group) the bladder wound was closed with one layer of continuous 6-0 dexon sutures. Reliable welding was obtained when the surface temperature was kept at 71 + 5C. Quality of weld was controlled immediately after operation. The rats were sacrificed on days 2, 10 and 30 for histological study. Bladder closure using the laser welding system was successful in 31/33 (94%) animals. Histological examination revealed an excellent welding and healing of the tissue. Efficiency of laser welding of urinary bladder in rats was confirmed by high survival rate and quality of scar that was demonstrated by clinical and histological examinations. In the future, optimal laser welding conditions will be studied in larger animals, using CO2 lasers and other lasers, with deeper radiation penetration into tissues.

Data quality control and tools in passive seismic experiments exemplified on the Czech broadband seismic pool MOBNET in the AlpArray collaborative project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vecsey, Luděk; Plomerová, Jaroslava; Jedlička, Petr; Munzarová, Helena; Babuška, Vladislav; AlpArray Working Group

2017-12-01

This paper focuses on major issues related to the data reliability and network performance of 20 broadband (BB) stations of the Czech (CZ) MOBNET (MOBile NETwork) seismic pool within the AlpArray seismic experiments. Currently used high-resolution seismological applications require high-quality data recorded for a sufficiently long time interval at seismological observatories and during the entire time of operation of the temporary stations. In this paper we present new hardware and software tools we have been developing during the last two decades while analysing data from several international passive experiments. The new tools help to assure the high-quality standard of broadband seismic data and eliminate potential errors before supplying data to seismological centres. Special attention is paid to crucial issues like the detection of sensor misorientation, timing problems, interchange of record components and/or their polarity reversal, sensor mass centring, or anomalous channel amplitudes due to, for example, imperfect gain. Thorough data quality control should represent an integral constituent of seismic data recording, preprocessing, and archiving, especially for data from temporary stations in passive seismic experiments. Large international seismic experiments require enormous efforts from scientists from different countries and institutions to gather hundreds of stations to be deployed in the field during a limited time period. In this paper, we demonstrate the beneficial effects of the procedures we have developed for acquiring a reliable large set of high-quality data from each group participating in field experiments. The presented tools can be applied manually or automatically on data from any seismic network.

Long-term quality assurance of [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) manufacturing.

PubMed

Gaspar, Ludovit; Reich, Michal; Kassai, Zoltan; Macasek, Fedor; Rodrigo, Luis; Kruzliak, Peter; Kovac, Peter

2016-01-01

Nine years of experience with 2286 commercial synthesis allowed us to deliver comprehensive information on the quality of (18)F-FDG production. Semi-automated FDG production line using Cyclone 18/9 machine (IBA Belgium), TRACERLab MXFDG synthesiser (GE Health, USA) using alkalic hydrolysis, grade "A" isolator with dispensing robotic unit (Tema Sinergie, Italy), and automatic control system under GAMP5 (minus2, Slovakia) was assessed by TQM tools as highly reliable aseptic production line, fully compliant with Good Manufacturing Practice and just-in-time delivery of FDG radiopharmaceutical. Fluoride-18 is received in steady yield and of very high radioactive purity. Synthesis yields exhibited high variance connected probably with quality of disposable cassettes and chemicals sets. Most performance non-conformities within the manufacturing cycle occur at mechanical nodes of dispensing unit. The long-term monitoring of 2286 commercial synthesis indicated high reliability of automatic synthesizers. Shewhart chart and ANOVA analysis showed that minor non-compliances occurred were mostly caused by the declinations of less experienced staff from standard operation procedures, and also by quality of automatic cassettes. Only 15 syntheses were found unfinished and in 4 cases the product was out-of-specification of European Pharmacopoeia. Most vulnerable step of manufacturing was dispensing and filling in grade "A" isolator. Its cleanliness and sterility was fully controlled under the investigated period by applying hydrogen peroxide vapours (VHP). Our experience with quality assurance in the production of [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) at production facility of BIONT based on TRACERlab MXFDG production module can be used for bench-marking of the emerging manufacturing and automated manufacturing systems.

Long-term quality assurance of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) manufacturing

PubMed Central

Gaspar, Ludovit; Reich, Michal; Kassai, Zoltan; Macasek, Fedor; Rodrigo, Luis; Kruzliak, Peter; Kovac, Peter

2016-01-01

Nine years of experience with 2286 commercial synthesis allowed us to deliver comprehensive information on the quality of 18F-FDG production. Semi-automated FDG production line using Cyclone 18/9 machine (IBA Belgium), TRACERLab MXFDG synthesiser (GE Health, USA) using alkalic hydrolysis, grade “A” isolator with dispensing robotic unit (Tema Sinergie, Italy), and automatic control system under GAMP5 (minus2, Slovakia) was assessed by TQM tools as highly reliable aseptic production line, fully compliant with Good Manufacturing Practice and just-in-time delivery of FDG radiopharmaceutical. Fluoride-18 is received in steady yield and of very high radioactive purity. Synthesis yields exhibited high variance connected probably with quality of disposable cassettes and chemicals sets. Most performance non-conformities within the manufacturing cycle occur at mechanical nodes of dispensing unit. The long-term monitoring of 2286 commercial synthesis indicated high reliability of automatic synthesizers. Shewhart chart and ANOVA analysis showed that minor non-compliances occurred were mostly caused by the declinations of less experienced staff from standard operation procedures, and also by quality of automatic cassettes. Only 15 syntheses were found unfinished and in 4 cases the product was out-of-specification of European Pharmacopoeia. Most vulnerable step of manufacturing was dispensing and filling in grade “A” isolator. Its cleanliness and sterility was fully controlled under the investigated period by applying hydrogen peroxide vapours (VHP). Our experience with quality assurance in the production of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) at production facility of BIONT based on TRACERlab MXFDG production module can be used for bench-marking of the emerging manufacturing and automated manufacturing systems. PMID:27508102

Measuring the quality of Hospital Food Services: Development and reliability of a Meal Quality Audit Tool.

PubMed

Banks, Merrilyn; Hannan-Jones, Mary; Ross, Lynda; Buckley, Ann; Ellick, Jennifer; Young, Adrienne

2017-04-01

To develop and test the reliability of a Meal Quality Audit Tool (MQAT) to audit the quality of hospital meals to assist food service managers and dietitians in identifying areas for improvement. The MQAT was developed using expert opinion and was modified over time with extensive use and feedback. A phased approach was used to assess content validity and test reliability: (i) trial with 60 dietetic students, (ii) trial with 12 food service dietitians in practice and (iii) interrater reliability study. Phases 1 and 2 confirmed content validity and informed minor revision of scoring, language and formatting of the MQAT. To assess reliability of the final MQAT, eight separate meal quality audits of five identical meals were conducted over several weeks in the hospital setting. Each audit comprised an 'expert' team and four 'test' teams (dietitians, food services and ward staff). Interrater reliability was determined using intra-class correlation analysis. There was statistically significant interrater reliability for dimensions of Temperature and Accuracy (P < 0.001) but not for Appearance or Sensory. Composition of the 'test' team appeared to influence results for Appearance and Sensory, with food service-led teams scoring higher on these dimensions. 'Test' teams reported that MQAT was clear and easy to use. MQAT was found to be reliable for Temperature and Accuracy domains, with further work required to improve the reliability of the Appearance and Sensory dimensions. The systematic use of the tool, used in conjunction with patient satisfaction, could provide pertinent and useful information regarding the quality of food services and areas for improvement. © 2017 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Reliability of Real-time Ultrasound Imaging for the Assessment of Trunk Stabilizer Muscles: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Taghipour, Morteza; Mohseni-Bandpei, Mohammad Ali; Behtash, Hamid; Abdollahi, Iraj; Rajabzadeh, Fatemeh; Pourahmadi, Mohammad Reza; Emami, Mahnaz

2018-04-24

Rehabilitative ultrasound (US) imaging is one of the popular methods for investigating muscle morphologic characteristics and dimensions in recent years. The reliability of this method has been investigated in different studies. As studies have been performed with different designs and quality, reported values of rehabilitative US have a wide range. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature conducted on the reliability of rehabilitative US imaging for the assessment of deep abdominal and lumbar trunk muscle dimensions. The PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Embase, Physiotherapy Evidence, Ovid, and CINAHL databases were searched to identify original research articles conducted on the reliability of rehabilitative US imaging published from June 2007 to August 2017. The articles were qualitatively assessed; reliability data were extracted; and the methodological quality was evaluated by 2 independent reviewers. Of the 26 included studies, 16 were considered of high methodological quality. Except for 2 studies, all high-quality studies reported intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for intra-rater reliability of 0.70 or greater. Also, ICCs reported for inter-rater reliability in high-quality studies were generally greater than 0.70. Among low-quality studies, reported ICCs ranged from 0.26 to 0.99 and 0.68 to 0.97 for intra- and inter-rater reliability, respectively. Also, the reported standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change for rehabilitative US were generally in an acceptable range. Generally, the results of the reviewed studies indicate that rehabilitative US imaging has good levels of both inter- and intra-rater reliability. © 2018 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Quality and productivity drive innovation and improvement at United Technologies Aerospace Operations, Inc.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jamar, L. G.

1986-01-01

Quality and innovation are the hallmarks of the national space program. In programs that preceded the Shuttle Program the emphasis was on meeting the risks and technical challenges of space with safety, quality, reliability, and success. At United Technologies Aerospace Operations, Inc. (UTAO), the battle has developed along four primary fronts. These fronts include programs to motivate and reward people, development and construction of optimized processes and facilities, implementation of specifically tailored management systems, and the application of appropriate measurement and control systems. Each of these initiatives is described. However, to put this quality and productivity program in perspective, UTAO and its role in the Shuttle Program are described first.

Watershed Reliability, Resilience And Vulnerability Analysis Under Uncertainty Using Water Quality Data

EPA Science Inventory

A method for assessment of watershed health is developed by employing measures of reliability, resilience and vulnerability (R-R-V) using stream water quality data. Observed water quality data are usually sparse, so that a water quality time series is often reconstructed using s...

Perceptual and Acoustic Analyses of Good Voice Quality in Male Radio Performers.

PubMed

Warhurst, Samantha; Madill, Catherine; McCabe, Patricia; Ternström, Sten; Yiu, Edwin; Heard, Robert

2017-03-01

Good voice quality is an asset to professional voice users, including radio performers. We examined whether (1) voices could be reliably categorized as good for the radio and (2) these categories could be predicted using acoustic measures. Male radio performers (n = 24) and age-matched male controls performed "The Rainbow Passage" as if presenting on the radio. Voice samples were rated using a three-stage paired-comparison paradigm by 51 naive listeners and perceptual categories were identified (Study 1), and then analyzed for fundamental frequency, long-term average spectrum, cepstral peak prominence, and pause or spoken-phrase duration (Study 2). Study 1: Good inter-judge reliability was found for perceptual judgments of the best 15 voices (good for radio category, 14/15 = radio performers), but agreement on the remaining 33 voices (unranked category) was poor. Study 2: Discriminant function analyses showed that the SD standard deviation of sounded portion duration, equivalent sound level, and smoothed cepstral peak prominence predicted membership of categories with moderate accuracy (R 2  = 0.328). Radio performers are heterogeneous for voice quality; good voice quality was judged reliably in only 14 out of 24 radio performers. Current acoustic analyses detected some of the relevant signal properties that were salient in these judgments. More refined perceptual analysis and the use of other perceptual methods might provide more information on the complex nature of judging good voices. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Touati, Said; Chennai, Salim; Souli, Aissa

The increased requirements on supervision, control, and performance in modern power systems make power quality monitoring a common practise for utilities. Large databases are created and automatic processing of the data is required for fast and effective use of the available information. Aim of the work presented in this paper is the development of tools for analysis of monitoring power quality data and in particular measurements of voltage and currents in various level of electrical power distribution. The study is extended to evaluate the reliability of the electrical system in nuclear plant. Power Quality is a measure of how wellmore » a system supports reliable operation of its loads. A power disturbance or event can involve voltage, current, or frequency. Power disturbances can originate in consumer power systems, consumer loads, or the utility. The effect of power quality problems is the loss power supply leading to severe damage to equipments. So, we try to track and improve system reliability. The assessment can be focused on the study of impact of short circuits on the system, harmonics distortion, power factor improvement and effects of transient disturbances on the Electrical System during motor starting and power system fault conditions. We focus also on the review of the Electrical System design against the Nuclear Directorate Safety Assessment principles, including those extended during the last Fukushima nuclear accident. The simplified configuration of the required system can be extended from this simple scheme. To achieve these studies, we have used a demo ETAP power station software for several simulations. (authors)« less

Legal issues concerning electronic health information: privacy, quality, and liability.

PubMed

Hodge, J G; Gostin, L O; Jacobson, P D

1999-10-20

Personally identifiable health information about individuals and general medical information is increasingly available in electronic form in health databases and through online networks. The proliferation of electronic data within the modern health information infrastructure presents significant benefits for medical providers and patients, including enhanced patient autonomy, improved clinical treatment, advances in health research and public health surveillance, and modern security techniques. However, it also presents new legal challenges in 3 interconnected areas: privacy of identifiable health information, reliability and quality of health data, and tortbased liability. Protecting health information privacy (by giving individuals control over health data without severely restricting warranted communal uses) directly improves the quality and reliability of health data (by encouraging individual uses of health services and communal uses of data), which diminishes tort-based liabilities (by reducing instances of medical malpractice or privacy invasions through improvements in the delivery of health care services resulting in part from better quality and reliability of clinical and research data). Following an analysis of the interconnectivity of these 3 areas and discussing existing and proposed health information privacy laws, recommendations for legal reform concerning health information privacy are presented. These include (1) recognizing identifiable health information as highly sensitive, (2) providing privacy safeguards based on fair information practices, (3) empowering patients with information and rights to consent to disclosure (4) limiting disclosures of health data absent consent, (5) incorporating industry-wide security protections, (6) establishing a national data protection authority, and (7) providing a national minimal level of privacy protections.

Automated standardization technique for an inductively-coupled plasma emission spectrometer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garbarino, John R.; Taylor, Howard E.

1982-01-01

The manifold assembly subsystem described permits real-time computer-controlled standardization and quality control of a commercial inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. The manifold assembly consists of a branch-structured glass manifold, a series of microcomputer-controlled solenoid valves, and a reservoir for each standard. Automated standardization involves selective actuation of each solenoid valve that permits a specific mixed standard solution to be pumped to the nebulizer of the spectrometer. Quality control is based on the evaluation of results obtained for a mixed standard containing 17 analytes, that is measured periodically with unknown samples. An inaccurate standard evaluation triggers restandardization of the instrument according to a predetermined protocol. Interaction of the computer-controlled manifold assembly hardware with the spectrometer system is outlined. Evaluation of the automated standardization system with respect to reliability, simplicity, flexibility, and efficiency is compared to the manual procedure. ?? 1982.

Reliability of large superconducting magnets through design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henning, C. D.

1981-01-01

Design and quality control of large superconducting magnets for reliability comparable to pressure vessels are discussed. The failure modes are analyzed including thermoelectric instabilities, electrical shorts, cryogenic/vacuum defects, and mechanical malfunctions. Design must take into consideration conductor stability, insulation based on the Paschen curves, and the possible burnout of cryogenic transition leads if the He flow is interrupted. The final stage of the metal drawing process should stress the superconductor material to a stress value higher than the magnet design stress, cabled conductors should be used to achieve mechanical redundancy, and ground-plane insulation must be multilayered for arc prevention.

Study of aircraft electrical power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The formulation of a philosophy for devising a reliable, efficient, lightweight, and cost effective electrical power system for advanced, large transport aircraft in the 1980 to 1985 time period is discussed. The determination and recommendation for improvements in subsystems and components are also considered. All aspects of the aircraft electrical power system including generation, conversion, distribution, and utilization equipment were considered. Significant research and technology problem areas associated with the development of future power systems are identified. The design categories involved are: (1) safety-reliability, (2) power type, voltage, frequency, quality, and efficiency, (3) power control, and (4) selection of utilization equipment.

Fast gas spectroscopy using pulsed quantum cascade lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, T.; Braun, M.; Lambrecht, A.

2003-03-01

Laser spectroscopy has found many industrial applications, e.g., control of automotive exhaust and process monitoring. The midinfrared region is of special interest because it has stronger absorption lines compared to the near infrared (NIR). However, in the NIR high quality reliable laser sources, detectors, and passive optical components are available. A quantum cascade laser could change this situation if fundamental advantages can be exploited with compact and reliable systems. It will be shown that, using pulsed lasers and available fast detectors, lower residual sensitivity levels than in corresponding NIR systems can be achieved. The stability is sufficient for industrial applications.

[The establishment and application of internal quality control system for real-time quantitative PCR detection of BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels].

PubMed

Zhong, C Q; He, N; Hua, M Q; Wei, X D; Ma, D X; Ji, C Y

2016-09-14

Objective: To set internal quality control system of BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels for real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR). Methods: Using K562 cells and HL-60 cells, we prepared high- and low-level BCR-ABL internal quality control substance. The BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels of internal quality control substance have been determined for 184 times together with clinical samples from August 2013 to October 2015. The slope rate, intercept and correlation coefficient of standard curve were calculated according to different reagent lots (lots number 20130303, 20131212, 20140411 and 20150327 are called R1、R2、R3 and R4 for short respectively), and the detection results of quality control substance were calculated according to different reagent lots and quality control substance lots (lots number 20130725, 20140611 are called Q1、Q2 for short respectively). Then the results were analyzed by Levey-Jennings quality control chart combined with Westgard multi-rules theory. Results: ①We analyzed the slope rate and intercept of standard curve. Fifty-three times of the R1 reagent detection, 80 times of the R3 reagent detection and 14 times of the R4 reagent detection were all under control. For 37 times detection of R2 reagent, the slope rate was out of control for 6 times. It was lower than x - s for the 2-8 tests and upper the average for the 12-37 tests. The intercept was out of control for 9 times, upper the x + s for the 1-8 tests and lower the average for the 12-37 tests. ② According to the detection results of quality control substance, for Q1 quality control substance, 49 tests by R1 reagent were under control, and 1 out of 23 tests by R2 reagent was out of control. For Q2 quality control substance, 14 tests by R2 reagent detection, 72 tests by R3 reagent detection and 14 tests by R4 reagent were all under control. Conclusion: The preparation of high- and low-level quality control substance using K562 and HL-60 cells was convenient and the detection results were reliable and stable. The application of quality control substance combined with slope rate and intercept in the internal quality control may contribute to quality assurance for quantitative detection of BCR-ABL (P210) transcript levels.

Robotic operation of the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanes-Díaz, A.; Antón, J. L.; Rueda-Teruel, S.; Guillén-Civera, L.; Bello, R.; Jiménez-Mejías, D.; Chueca, S.; Lasso-Cabrera, N. M.; Suárez, O.; Rueda-Teruel, F.; Cenarro, A. J.; Cristóbal-Hornillos, D.; Marín-Franch, A.; Luis-Simoes, R.; López-Alegre, G.; Rodríguez-Hernández, M. A. C.; Moles, M.; Ederoclite, A.; Varela, J.; Vázquez Ramió, H.; Díaz-Martí, M. C.; Iglesias-Marzoa, R.; Maicas, N.; Lamadrid, J. L.; López-Sainz, A.; Hernández-Fuertes, J.; Valdivielso, L.

2015-05-01

The Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre (OAJ) is a new astronomical facility located at the Sierra de Javalambre (Teruel, Spain) whose primary role will be to conduct all-sky astronomical surveys with two unprecedented telescopes of unusually large fields of view: the JST/T250, a 2.55 m telescope of 3 deg field of view, and the JAST/T80, an 83 cm telescope of 2 deg field of view. CEFCA engineering team has been designing the OAJ control system as a global concept to manage, monitor, control and maintain all the observatory systems including not only astronomical subsystems but also infrastructure and other facilities. Three main factors have been considered in the design of a global control system for the robotic OAJ: quality, reliability and efficiency. We propose CIA (Control Integrated Architecture) design and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) as a key performance indicator in order to improve operation processes, minimizing resources and obtain high cost reduction maintaining quality requirements. Here we present the OAJ robotic control strategy to achieve maximum quality efficiency for the observatory surveys, processes and operations, giving practical examples of our approach.

Design optimization for cost and quality: The robust design approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unal, Resit

1990-01-01

Designing reliable, low cost, and operable space systems has become the key to future space operations. Designing high quality space systems at low cost is an economic and technological challenge to the designer. A systematic and efficient way to meet this challenge is a new method of design optimization for performance, quality, and cost, called Robust Design. Robust Design is an approach for design optimization. It consists of: making system performance insensitive to material and subsystem variation, thus allowing the use of less costly materials and components; making designs less sensitive to the variations in the operating environment, thus improving reliability and reducing operating costs; and using a new structured development process so that engineering time is used most productively. The objective in Robust Design is to select the best combination of controllable design parameters so that the system is most robust to uncontrollable noise factors. The robust design methodology uses a mathematical tool called an orthogonal array, from design of experiments theory, to study a large number of decision variables with a significantly small number of experiments. Robust design also uses a statistical measure of performance, called a signal-to-noise ratio, from electrical control theory, to evaluate the level of performance and the effect of noise factors. The purpose is to investigate the Robust Design methodology for improving quality and cost, demonstrate its application by the use of an example, and suggest its use as an integral part of space system design process.

Quantitative Determination of Bioactive Constituents in Noni Juice by High-performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrospray Ionization Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Yan, Yongqiu; Lu, Yu; Jiang, Shiping; Jiang, Yu; Tong, Yingpeng; Zuo, Limin; Yang, Jun; Gong, Feng; Zhang, Ling; Wang, Ping

2018-01-01

Noni juice has been extensively used as folk medicine for the treatment of arthritis, infections, analgesic, colds, cancers, and diabetes by Polynesians for many years. Due to the lack of standard scientific evaluation methods, various kinds of commercial Noni juice with different quality and price were available on the market. To establish a sensitive, reliable, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for separation, identification, and simultaneous quantitative analysis of bioactive constituents in Noni juice. The analytes and eight batches of commercially available samples from different origins were separated and analyzed by the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C 18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm) column using a gradient elution of acetonitrile-methanol-0.05% glacial acetic acid in water (v/v) at a constant flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Seven components were identification and all of the assay parameters were within the required limits. Components were within the correlation coefficient values ( R 2 ≥ 0.9993) at the concentration ranges tested. The precision of the assay method was <0.91% and the repeatability between 1.36% and 3.31%. The accuracy varied from 96.40% to 103.02% and the relative standard deviations of stability were <3.91%. Samples from the same origin showed similar content while different origins showed significant different result. The developed methods would provide a reliable basis and be useful in the establishment of a rational quality control standard of Noni juice. Separation, identification, and simultaneous quantitative analysis method of seven bioactive constituents in Noni juice is originally developed by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometryThe presented method was successfully applied to the quality control of eight batches of commercially available samples of Noni juiceThis method is simple, sensitive, reliable, accurate, and efficient method with strong specificity, good precision, and high recovery rate and provides a reliable basis for quality control of Noni juice. Abbreviations used: HPLC-ESI-MS/MS: High-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantitation, S/N: Signal-to-noise ratio, RSD: Relative standard deviations, DP: Declustering potential, CE: Collision energy, MRM: Multiple reaction monitoring, RT: Retention time.

Quantitative Determination of Bioactive Constituents in Noni Juice by High-performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrospray Ionization Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

PubMed Central

Yan, Yongqiu; Lu, Yu; Jiang, Shiping; Jiang, Yu; Tong, Yingpeng; Zuo, Limin; Yang, Jun; Gong, Feng; Zhang, Ling; Wang, Ping

2018-01-01

Background: Noni juice has been extensively used as folk medicine for the treatment of arthritis, infections, analgesic, colds, cancers, and diabetes by Polynesians for many years. Due to the lack of standard scientific evaluation methods, various kinds of commercial Noni juice with different quality and price were available on the market. Objective: To establish a sensitive, reliable, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for separation, identification, and simultaneous quantitative analysis of bioactive constituents in Noni juice. Materials and Methods: The analytes and eight batches of commercially available samples from different origins were separated and analyzed by the HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method on an Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm) column using a gradient elution of acetonitrile-methanol-0.05% glacial acetic acid in water (v/v) at a constant flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. Results: Seven components were identification and all of the assay parameters were within the required limits. Components were within the correlation coefficient values (R2 ≥ 0.9993) at the concentration ranges tested. The precision of the assay method was <0.91% and the repeatability between 1.36% and 3.31%. The accuracy varied from 96.40% to 103.02% and the relative standard deviations of stability were <3.91%. Samples from the same origin showed similar content while different origins showed significant different result. Conclusions: The developed methods would provide a reliable basis and be useful in the establishment of a rational quality control standard of Noni juice. SUMMARY Separation, identification, and simultaneous quantitative analysis method of seven bioactive constituents in Noni juice is originally developed by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometryThe presented method was successfully applied to the quality control of eight batches of commercially available samples of Noni juiceThis method is simple, sensitive, reliable, accurate, and efficient method with strong specificity, good precision, and high recovery rate and provides a reliable basis for quality control of Noni juice. Abbreviations used: HPLC-ESI-MS/MS: High-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantitation, S/N: Signal-to-noise ratio, RSD: Relative standard deviations, DP: Declustering potential, CE: Collision energy, MRM: Multiple reaction monitoring, RT: Retention time. PMID:29576704

Statistical process control based chart for information systems security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Mansoor S.; Cui, Lirong

2015-07-01

Intrusion detection systems have a highly significant role in securing computer networks and information systems. To assure the reliability and quality of computer networks and information systems, it is highly desirable to develop techniques that detect intrusions into information systems. We put forward the concept of statistical process control (SPC) in computer networks and information systems intrusions. In this article we propose exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) type quality monitoring scheme. Our proposed scheme has only one parameter which differentiates it from the past versions. We construct the control limits for the proposed scheme and investigate their effectiveness. We provide an industrial example for the sake of clarity for practitioner. We give comparison of the proposed scheme with EWMA schemes and p chart; finally we provide some recommendations for the future work.

How reliable are Functional Movement Screening scores? A systematic review of rater reliability.

PubMed

Moran, Robert W; Schneiders, Anthony G; Major, Katherine M; Sullivan, S John

2016-05-01

Several physical assessment protocols to identify intrinsic risk factors for injury aetiology related to movement quality have been described. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a standardised, field-expedient test battery intended to assess movement quality and has been used clinically in preparticipation screening and in sports injury research. To critically appraise and summarise research investigating the reliability of scores obtained using the FMS battery. Systematic literature review. Systematic search of Google Scholar, Scopus (including ScienceDirect and PubMed), EBSCO (including Academic Search Complete, AMED, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition), MEDLINE and SPORTDiscus. Studies meeting eligibility criteria were assessed by 2 reviewers for risk of bias using the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies checklist. Overall quality of evidence was determined using van Tulder's levels of evidence approach. 12 studies were appraised. Overall, there was a 'moderate' level of evidence in favour of 'acceptable' (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥0.6) inter-rater and intra-rater reliability for composite scores derived from live scoring. For inter-rater reliability of composite scores derived from video recordings there was 'conflicting' evidence, and 'limited' evidence for intra-rater reliability. For inter-rater reliability based on live scoring of individual subtests there was 'moderate' evidence of 'acceptable' reliability (κ≥0.4) for 4 subtests (Deep Squat, Shoulder Mobility, Active Straight-leg Raise, Trunk Stability Push-up) and 'conflicting' evidence for the remaining 3 (Hurdle Step, In-line Lunge, Rotary Stability). This review found 'moderate' evidence that raters can achieve acceptable levels of inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of composite FMS scores when using live ratings. Overall, there were few high-quality studies, and the quality of several studies was impacted by poor study reporting particularly in relation to rater blinding. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The evaluation of temperament and quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Ozcan Dag, Zeynep; Alpua, Murat; Isik, Yuksel; Buturak, S Visal; Tulmac, Ozlem B; Turkel, Yakup

2017-03-01

To evaluate the temperament and quality of life (QoL) of patients with PCOS. Fifty-three adult patients with PCOS and 38 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics including age, education and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. Affective temperaments were assessed by the temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-autoquestionnaire version (TEMPS-A) scale. The general health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument used in this study was short Form 36. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were also performed. The patients with PCOS had significantly higher rates of depressive, anxious and hyperthymic scores compared to controls. The PCOS patients had significantly lower mean SF-36 health summary scores. TEMPS-A seems to be an easy and reliable test to evaluate temperament in PCOS patients.

[Proposed recommendations for the practical use of internal quality controls (IQC) in a medical biology laboratory].

PubMed

Giannoli, Jean-Marc; Szymanowicz, Anton

2011-01-01

We propose a set of recommendations and practices to optimize the use of quality control of medical biology examinations. The fundamentals are reviewed: definition of a series of analysis, IQC at one or more level, Westgard alert rules and rejection, practical remedial actions to take for the technician, corrective and preventive actions to be implemented by the biologist. We have also formalized three flowcharts to guide the technician in their daily practice to ensure analytical quality of investigations carried out. These decision trees are the result of the experience submitted by an accredited and professional laboratory attentive to the ongoing improvement of IQC. This article can provide useful assistance to biologists for accreditation but also aims to foster collaboration reliable medical biology laboratory at the appropriate management of patients.

A Reliable Wireless Control System for Tomato Hydroponics

PubMed Central

Ibayashi, Hirofumi; Kaneda, Yukimasa; Imahara, Jungo; Oishi, Naoki; Kuroda, Masahiro; Mineno, Hiroshi

2016-01-01

Agricultural systems using advanced information and communication (ICT) technology can produce high-quality crops in a stable environment while decreasing the need for manual labor. The system collects a wide variety of environmental data and provides the precise cultivation control needed to produce high value-added crops; however, there are the problems of packet transmission errors in wireless sensor networks or system failure due to having the equipment in a hot and humid environment. In this paper, we propose a reliable wireless control system for hydroponic tomato cultivation using the 400 MHz wireless band and the IEEE 802.15.6 standard. The 400 MHz band, which is lower than the 2.4 GHz band, has good obstacle diffraction, and zero-data-loss communication is realized using the guaranteed time-slot method supported by the IEEE 802.15.6 standard. In addition, this system has fault tolerance and a self-healing function to recover from faults such as packet transmission failures due to deterioration of the wireless communication quality. In our basic experiments, the 400 MHz band wireless communication was not affected by the plants’ growth, and the packet error rate was less than that of the 2.4 GHz band. In summary, we achieved a real-time hydroponic liquid supply control with no data loss by applying a 400 MHz band WSN to hydroponic tomato cultivation. PMID:27164105

A Reliable Wireless Control System for Tomato Hydroponics.

PubMed

Ibayashi, Hirofumi; Kaneda, Yukimasa; Imahara, Jungo; Oishi, Naoki; Kuroda, Masahiro; Mineno, Hiroshi

2016-05-05

Agricultural systems using advanced information and communication (ICT) technology can produce high-quality crops in a stable environment while decreasing the need for manual labor. The system collects a wide variety of environmental data and provides the precise cultivation control needed to produce high value-added crops; however, there are the problems of packet transmission errors in wireless sensor networks or system failure due to having the equipment in a hot and humid environment. In this paper, we propose a reliable wireless control system for hydroponic tomato cultivation using the 400 MHz wireless band and the IEEE 802.15.6 standard. The 400 MHz band, which is lower than the 2.4 GHz band, has good obstacle diffraction, and zero-data-loss communication is realized using the guaranteed time-slot method supported by the IEEE 802.15.6 standard. In addition, this system has fault tolerance and a self-healing function to recover from faults such as packet transmission failures due to deterioration of the wireless communication quality. In our basic experiments, the 400 MHz band wireless communication was not affected by the plants' growth, and the packet error rate was less than that of the 2.4 GHz band. In summary, we achieved a real-time hydroponic liquid supply control with no data loss by applying a 400 MHz band WSN to hydroponic tomato cultivation.

Reliability Analysis and Modeling of ZigBee Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Cheng-Min

The architecture of ZigBee networks focuses on developing low-cost, low-speed ubiquitous communication between devices. The ZigBee technique is based on IEEE 802.15.4, which specifies the physical layer and medium access control (MAC) for a low rate wireless personal area network (LR-WPAN). Currently, numerous wireless sensor networks have adapted the ZigBee open standard to develop various services to promote improved communication quality in our daily lives. The problem of system and network reliability in providing stable services has become more important because these services will be stopped if the system and network reliability is unstable. The ZigBee standard has three kinds of networks; star, tree and mesh. The paper models the ZigBee protocol stack from the physical layer to the application layer and analyzes these layer reliability and mean time to failure (MTTF). Channel resource usage, device role, network topology and application objects are used to evaluate reliability in the physical, medium access control, network, and application layers, respectively. In the star or tree networks, a series system and the reliability block diagram (RBD) technique can be used to solve their reliability problem. However, a division technology is applied here to overcome the problem because the network complexity is higher than that of the others. A mesh network using division technology is classified into several non-reducible series systems and edge parallel systems. Hence, the reliability of mesh networks is easily solved using series-parallel systems through our proposed scheme. The numerical results demonstrate that the reliability will increase for mesh networks when the number of edges in parallel systems increases while the reliability quickly drops when the number of edges and the number of nodes increase for all three networks. More use of resources is another factor impact on reliability decreasing. However, lower network reliability will occur due to network complexity, more resource usage and complex object relationship.

Metrology: Measurement Assurance Program Guidelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eicke, W. G.; Riley, J. P.; Riley, K. J.

1995-01-01

The 5300.4 series of NASA Handbooks for Reliability and Quality Assurance Programs have provisions for the establishment and utilization of a documented metrology system to control measurement processes and to provide objective evidence of quality conformance. The intent of these provisions is to assure consistency and conformance to specifications and tolerances of equipment, systems, materials, and processes procured and/or used by NASA, its international partners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. This Measurement Assurance Program (MAP) guideline has the specific objectives to: (1) ensure the quality of measurements made within NASA programs; (2) establish realistic measurement process uncertainties; (3) maintain continuous control over the measurement processes; and (4) ensure measurement compatibility among NASA facilities. The publication addresses MAP methods as applied within and among NASA installations and serves as a guide to: control measurement processes at the local level (one facility); conduct measurement assurance programs in which a number of field installations are joint participants; and conduct measurement integrity (round robin) experiments in which a number of field installations participate to assess the overall quality of particular measurement processes at a point in time.

Spatial Data Quality Control Procedure applied to the Okavango Basin Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butchart-Kuhlmann, Daniel

2014-05-01

Spatial data is a powerful form of information, capable of providing information of great interest and tremendous use to a variety of users. However, much like other data representing the 'real world', precision and accuracy must be high for the results of data analysis to be deemed reliable and thus applicable to real world projects and undertakings. The spatial data quality control (QC) procedure presented here was developed as the topic of a Master's thesis, in the sphere of and using data from the Okavango Basin Information System (OBIS), itself a part of The Future Okavango (TFO) project. The aim of the QC procedure was to form the basis of a method through which to determine the quality of spatial data relevant for application to hydrological, solute, and erosion transport modelling using the Jena Adaptable Modelling System (JAMS). As such, the quality of all data present in OBIS classified under the topics of elevation, geoscientific information, or inland waters, was evaluated. Since the initial data quality has been evaluated, efforts are underway to correct the errors found, thus improving the quality of the dataset.

Controlling Quality in CME/CPD by Measuring and Illuminating Bias

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, David; Takhar, Jatinder; Macnab, Jennifer; Eadie, Jason; Lockyer, Jocelyn; Stenerson, Heather; Francois, Jose; Bell, Mary; Monette, Celine; Campbell, Craig; Marlow, Bernie

2011-01-01

Introduction: There has been a surge of interest in the area of bias in industry-supported continuing medical education/continuing professional development (CME/CPD) activities. In 2007, we published our first study on measuring bias in CME, demonstrating that our assessment tool was valid and reliable. In light of the increasing interest in this…

Validation of the quality of life in childhood epilepsy questionnaire in American epilepsy patients.

PubMed

Sabaz, Mark; Lawson, John A; Cairns, David R; Duchowny, Michael S; Resnick, Trevor J; Dean, Patricia M; Bye, Ann M E

2003-12-01

The aim of this study was to adapt the Australian Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE) and determine its psychometric properties in a North American population. Participants were North American families with children diagnosed with epilepsy. Parents were asked to complete the American QOLCE (USQOLCE) and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ). Seventy-one families completed the USQOLCE. The internal consistency reliability of the subscales was good. USQOLCE subscales correlated highly with theoretically similar subscales contained in the CHQ. Theoretically dissimilar subscales on the two instruments did not correlate as well. USQOLCE correlated significantly with a parental rating of seizure severity and an independent measure of degree of postoperative seizure control. This study demonstrated that the USQOLCE is suitable for a North American population with evidence of its reliability and validity including its sensitivity to seizure burden.

High Available COTS Based Computer for Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, J.; Magistrati, Giorgio

2015-09-01

The availability and reliability factors of a system are central requirements of a target application. From a simple fuel injection system used in cars up to a flight control system of an autonomous navigating spacecraft, each application defines its specific availability factor under the target application boundary conditions. Increasing quality requirements on data processing systems used in space flight applications calling for new architectures to fulfill the availability, reliability as well as the increase of the required data processing power. Contrary to the increased quality request simplification and use of COTS components to decrease costs while keeping the interface compatibility to currently used system standards are clear customer needs. Data processing system design is mostly dominated by strict fulfillment of the customer requirements and reuse of available computer systems were not always possible caused by obsolescence of EEE-Parts, insufficient IO capabilities or the fact that available data processing systems did not provide the required scalability and performance.

Application of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for determination of cefixime in oral pharmaceutical formulations.

PubMed

Kandhro, Aftab A; Laghari, Abdul Hafeez; Mahesar, Sarfaraz A; Saleem, Rubina; Nelofar, Aisha; Khan, Salman Tariq; Sherazi, S T H

2013-11-01

A quick and reliable analytical method for the quantitative assessment of cefixime in orally administered pharmaceutical formulations is developed by using diamond cell attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as an easy procedure for quality control laboratories. The standards for calibration were prepared in aqueous medium ranging from 350 to 6000mg/kg. The calibration model was developed based on partial least square (PLS) using finger print region of FT-IR spectrum in the range from 1485 to 887cm(-1). Excellent coefficient of determination (R(2)) was achieved as high as 0.99976 with root mean square error of 44.8 for calibration. The application of diamond cell (smart accessory) ATR FT-IR proves a reliable determination of cefixime in pharmaceutical formulations to assess the quality of the final product. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical peer review program self-evaluation for US hospitals.

PubMed

Edwards, Marc T

2010-01-01

Prior research has shown wide variation in clinical peer review program structure, process, governance, and perceived effectiveness. This study sought to validate the utility of a Peer Review Program Self-Evaluation Tool as a potential guide to physician and hospital leaders seeking greater program value. Data from 330 hospitals show that the total score from the self-evaluation tool is strongly associated with perceived quality impact. Organizational culture also plays a significant role. When controlling for these factors, there was no evidence of benefit from a multispecialty review process. Physicians do not generally use reliable methods to measure clinical performance. A high rate of change since 2007 has not produced much improvement. The Peer Review Program Self-Evaluation Tool reliably differentiates hospitals along a continuum of perceived program performance. The full potential of peer review as a process to improve the quality and safety of care has yet to be realized.

Lognormal kriging for the assessment of reliability in groundwater quality control observation networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Candela, L.; Olea, R.A.; Custodio, E.

1988-01-01

Groundwater quality observation networks are examples of discontinuous sampling on variables presenting spatial continuity and highly skewed frequency distributions. Anywhere in the aquifer, lognormal kriging provides estimates of the variable being sampled and a standard error of the estimate. The average and the maximum standard error within the network can be used to dynamically improve the network sampling efficiency or find a design able to assure a given reliability level. The approach does not require the formulation of any physical model for the aquifer or any actual sampling of hypothetical configurations. A case study is presented using the network monitoring salty water intrusion into the Llobregat delta confined aquifer, Barcelona, Spain. The variable chloride concentration used to trace the intrusion exhibits sudden changes within short distances which make the standard error fairly invariable to changes in sampling pattern and to substantial fluctuations in the number of wells. ?? 1988.

Quality Control of RNA Preservation and Extraction from Paraffin-Embedded Tissue: Implications for RT-PCR and Microarray Analysis

PubMed Central

Pichler, Martin; Zatloukal, Kurt

2013-01-01

Analysis of RNA isolated from fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues is widely used in biomedical research and molecular pathological diagnostics. We have performed a comprehensive and systematic investigation of the impact of factors in the pre-analytical workflow, such as different fixatives, fixation time, RNA extraction method and storage of tissues in paraffin blocks, on several downstream reactions including complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and microarray hybridization. We compared the effects of routine formalin fixation with the non-crosslinking, alcohol-based Tissue Tek Xpress Molecular Fixative (TTXMF, Sakura Finetek), and cryopreservation as gold standard for molecular analyses. Formalin fixation introduced major changes into microarray gene expression data and led to marked gene-to-gene variations in delta-ct values of qRT-PCR. We found that qRT-PCR efficiency and gene-to-gene variations were mainly attributed to differences in the efficiency of cDNA synthesis as the most sensitive step. These differences could not be reliably detected by quality assessment of total RNA isolated from formalin-fixed tissues by electrophoresis or spectrophotometry. Although RNA from TTXMF fixed samples was as fragmented as RNA from formalin fixed samples, much higher cDNA yield and lower ct-values were obtained in qRT-PCR underlining the negative impact of crosslinking by formalin. In order to better estimate the impact of pre-analytical procedures such as fixation on the reliability of downstream analysis, we applied a qRT-PCR-based assay using amplicons of different length and an assay measuring the efficiency of cDNA generation. Together these two assays allowed better quality assessment of RNA extracted from fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues and should be used to supplement quality scores derived from automated electrophoresis. A better standardization of the pre-analytical workflow, application of additional quality controls and detailed sample information would markedly improve the comparability and reliability of molecular studies based on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue samples. PMID:23936242

"Reliability Of Fiber Optic Lans"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Code n, Michael; Scholl, Frederick; Hatfield, W. Bryan

1987-02-01

Fiber optic Local Area Network Systems are being used to interconnect increasing numbers of nodes. These nodes may include office computer peripherals and terminals, PBX switches, process control equipment and sensors, automated machine tools and robots, and military telemetry and communications equipment. The extensive shared base of capital resources in each system requires that the fiber optic LAN meet stringent reliability and maintainability requirements. These requirements are met by proper system design and by suitable manufacturing and quality procedures at all levels of a vertically integrated manufacturing operation. We will describe the reliability and maintainability of Codenoll's passive star based systems. These include LAN systems compatible with Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) and MAP (IEEE 802.4), and software compatible with IBM Token Ring (IEEE 802.5). No single point of failure exists in this system architecture.

Control and automation of the Pegasus multi-point Thomson scattering system

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

Bodner, G. M., E-mail: gbodner@wisc.edu; Bongard, M. W.; Fonck, R. J.

A new control system for the Pegasus Thomson scattering diagnostic has recently been deployed to automate the laser operation, data collection process, and interface with the system-wide Pegasus control code. Automation has been extended to areas outside of data collection, such as manipulation of beamline cameras and remotely controlled turning mirror actuators to enable intra-shot beam alignment. Additionally, the system has been upgraded with a set of fast (∼1 ms) mechanical shutters to mitigate contamination from background light. Modification and automation of the Thomson system have improved both data quality and diagnostic reliability.

Control and automation of the Pegasus multi-point Thomson scattering system

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

Bodner, Grant M.; Bongard, Michael W.; Fonck, Raymond J.

A new control system for the Pegasus Thomson scattering diagnostic has recently been deployed to automate the laser operation, data collection process, and interface with the system-wide Pegasus control code. Automation has been extended to areas outside of data collection, such as manipulation of beamline cameras and remotely controlled turning mirror actuators to enable intra-shot beam alignment. In addition, the system has been upgraded with a set of fast (~1 ms) mechanical shutters to mitigate contamination from background light. Modification and automation of the Thomson system have improved both data quality and diagnostic reliability.

Control and automation of the Pegasus multi-point Thomson scattering system

DOE PAGES

Bodner, Grant M.; Bongard, Michael W.; Fonck, Raymond J.; ...

2016-08-12

A new control system for the Pegasus Thomson scattering diagnostic has recently been deployed to automate the laser operation, data collection process, and interface with the system-wide Pegasus control code. Automation has been extended to areas outside of data collection, such as manipulation of beamline cameras and remotely controlled turning mirror actuators to enable intra-shot beam alignment. In addition, the system has been upgraded with a set of fast (~1 ms) mechanical shutters to mitigate contamination from background light. Modification and automation of the Thomson system have improved both data quality and diagnostic reliability.

ZigBee-based wireless intra-oral control system for quadriplegic patients.

PubMed

Peng, Qiyu; Budinger, Thomas F

2007-01-01

A human-to-computer system that includes a wireless intra-oral module, a wireless coordinator and distributed wireless controllers, is presented. The state-of-the-art ZigBee protocol is employed to achieve reliable, low-power and cost-efficient wireless communication between the tongue, computer and controllers. By manipulating five buttons on the wireless intra-oral module using the tongue, the subject can control cursors, computer menus, wheelchair, lights, TV, phone and robotic devices. The system is designed to improve the life quality of patients with stroke and patients with spinal cord injury.

Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI).

PubMed

Asadollahpour, Faezeh; Baghban, Kowsar; Asadi, Mozhgan

2015-05-01

The Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) is one of the instruments used for measuring a dysphagic patient's self-assessment. In some ways, it reflects the patient's quality of life. Although it has been recognized and widely applied in English speaking populations, it has not been used in its present forms in Persian speaking countries. The purpose of this study was to adapt a Persian version of the DHI and to evaluate its validity, consistency, and reliability in the Persian population with oropharyngeal dysphagia. Some stages for cross-cultural adaptation were performed, which consisted in translation, synthesis, back translation, review by an expert committee, and final proof reading. The generated Persian DHI was administered to 85 patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia and 89 control subjects at Zahedan city between May 2013 and August 2013. The patients and control subjects answered the same questionnaire 2 weeks later to verify the test-retest reliability. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated. The results of the patients and the control group were compared. The Persian DHI showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients range from 0.82 to 0.94). Also, good test-retest reliability was found for the total scores of the Persian DHI (r=0.89). There was a significant difference between the DHI scores of the control group and those of the oropharyngeal dysphagia group (P‹0.001). The Persian version of the DHI achieved Face and translation validity. This study demonstrated that the Persian DHI is a valid tool for self-assessment of the handicapping effects of dysphagia on the physical, functional, and emotional aspects of patient life and can be a useful tool for screening and treatment planning for the Persian-speaking dysphagic patients, regardless of the cause or the severity of the dysphagia.

[Designing and implementation of a web-based quality monitoring system for plasma glucose measurement in multicenter population study].

PubMed

Liu, Yong; Wang, Limin; Pang, Richard; Mo, Nanxun; Hu, Yan; Deng, Qian; Hu, Zhaohui

2015-05-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the designing and implementation of a web-based plasma glucose measurement quality monitoring system to assess the analytical quality of plasma glucose measurements in multicenter population study and provide evidence for the future studies. In the chronic non-communicable disease and related factor surveillance in China, a web based quality monitoring system for plasma glucose measurement was established to conduct evaluation on plasma glucose monitoring quality and effectiveness in 302 surveillance centers, including quality control data entry, transmission and feedback. The majority of the surveillance centers met the quality requirements and passed the evaluation of reproducibility and precision of plasma glucose measurement, only a few centers required intensive training and re-assessment. In order to ensure the completeness and reliability of plasma glucose measurement in the surveillance centers, the establishment of web-based plasma glucose measurement quality control system can facilitate the identification of the qualified surveillance centers and evaluation of plasma glucose measurement quality in different regions. Communication and training are important in ensuring plasma glucose measurement quality. It is necessary to further improve this web-based plasma glucose measurement quality monitoring system in the future to reduce the method specific plasma glucose measurement bias.

[Internal and external quality controls for Elisa techniques of aspergillosis serodiagnosis: proposals of the group "sérodiagnostic fongique" of the Société française de mycologie médicale].

PubMed

Persat, F; Lachaud, L; Rabérin, H; Poggi, B; Roques, C; Gangneux, J P

2013-03-01

In the end of May 2012, a meeting of the group "sérodiagnostic fongique" of the "Société française de mycologie médicale" had concerned quality controls to use, in particular, in the follow-up of Elisa techniques. A preliminary investigation showed that the internal quality controls (CIQ), according to the terms defined by the accreditation, were not systematically used. In June, was published the new guide of the COFRAC SH-GTA-06 on quality controls, this text being applicable on July 1st, 2012. It incited the working group to formulate proposals on the choice of the CIQ for antigen and antibody Elisa in the aspergillosis serodiagnosis. Informations on the external evaluations of the quality (EEQ) have also been given to better define for what we can expect from it. All these controls will allow every laboratory to better master the used techniques and their conditions of realization. A strengthened dialogue between the users and the manufacturers should incite these last actors to improve the supplied kits. It will drive later to an improvement of the reliability of the results obtained by these techniques and their interest in the aspergillosis diagnosis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Using software metrics and software reliability models to attain acceptable quality software for flight and ground support software for avionic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawrence, Stella

1992-01-01

This paper is concerned with methods of measuring and developing quality software. Reliable flight and ground support software is a highly important factor in the successful operation of the space shuttle program. Reliability is probably the most important of the characteristics inherent in the concept of 'software quality'. It is the probability of failure free operation of a computer program for a specified time and environment.

Measurement system with high accuracy for laser beam quality.

PubMed

Ke, Yi; Zeng, Ciling; Xie, Peiyuan; Jiang, Qingshan; Liang, Ke; Yang, Zhenyu; Zhao, Ming

2015-05-20

Presently, most of the laser beam quality measurement system collimates the optical path manually with low efficiency and low repeatability. To solve these problems, this paper proposed a new collimated method to improve the reliability and accuracy of the measurement results. The system accuracy controlled the position of the mirror to change laser beam propagation direction, which can realize the beam perpendicularly incident to the photosurface of camera. The experiment results show that the proposed system has good repeatability and the measuring deviation of M² factor is less than 0.6%.

Quantitative water quality with ERTS-1. [Kansas water resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yarger, H. L.; Mccauley, J. R.; James, G. W.; Magnuson, L. M.; Marzolf, G. R.

1974-01-01

Analyses of ERTS-1 MSS computer compatible tapes of reservoir scenes in Kansas along with ground truth show that MSS bands and band ratios can be used for reliable prediction of suspended loads up to at least 900 ppm. The major reservoirs in Kansas, as well as in other Great Plains states, are playing increasingly important roles in flood control, recreation, agriculture, and urban water supply. Satellite imagery is proving useful for acquiring timely low cost water quality data required for optimum management of these fresh water resources.

Performance characterization of water recovery and water quality from chemical/organic waste products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, W. M.; Rogers, T. D.; Chowdhury, H.; Cullingford, H. S.

1989-01-01

The water reclamation subsystems currently being evaluated for the Space Shuttle Freedom are briefly reviewed with emphasis on a waste water management system capable of processing wastes containing high concentrations of organic/inorganic materials. The process combines low temperature/pressure to vaporize water with high temperature catalytic oxidation to decompose volatile organics. The reclaimed water is of potable quality and has high potential for maintenance under sterile conditions. Results from preliminary experiments and modifications in process and equipment required to control reliability and repeatability of system operation are presented.

Electron tubes for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gellert, Bernd

1994-05-01

This report reviews research and development efforts within the last years for vacuum electron tubes, in particular power grid tubes for industrial applications. Physical and chemical effects are discussed that determine the performance of todays devices. Due to the progress made in the fundamental understanding of materials and newly developed processes the reliability and reproducibility of power grid tubes could be improved considerably. Modern computer controlled manufacturing methods ensure a high reproducibility of production and continuous quality certification according to ISO 9001 guarantees future high quality standards. Some typical applications of these tubes are given as an example.

Profile of a cell test database and a corresponding reliability database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brearley, George R.; Klein, Glenn C.

1992-01-01

The development of computerized control, and data retrieval for aerospace cell testing affords an excellent opportunity to incorporate three specific concepts to both manage the test area and to track product performance on a real-time basis. The adoption and incorporation of precepts fostered by this total quality management (TQM) initiative are critical to us for retaining control of our business while substantially reducing the separate quality control inspection activity. Test discrepancies are all 'equally bad' in cell acceptance testing because, for example, we presently do not discriminate between 1 or 25 mV for an overvoltage condition. We must take leadership in classifying such discrepancies in order to expedite their clearance and redirect our resources for prevention activities. The development and use of engineering alerts (or guardbanding) which more closely match our product capabilities and are toleranced tighter than the required customer specification are paramount to managing the test unit in order to remain both quality and cost effective.

MALDI-TOF MS for quality control of high protein content sport supplements.

PubMed

De Ceglie, Cristina; Calvano, Cosima D; Zambonin, Carlo G

2015-06-01

High protein content sport nutritional supplements are found as powder products containing, as ingredients, amino acids and proteins with important nutritional values as milk, soy and egg proteins. An EU Food Supplements Directive (2002) requires that supplements should be safe, both in dosages and in purity. It is important, then, to develop rapid and sensitive methods to be employed for the quality control of these substances. In this work, we apply, for the first time, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry as a fast, reproducible and sensitive method for the quality control of sport nutritional supplements based on proteins. To this aim, several commercial egg- and/or milk-based powder products have been processed by in gel or in solution digestion and analyzed in comparison to pure standard products. This strategy allowed to assess the reliability of the indications on proteins (as caseins, whey proteins and ovalbumin) declared in the label of several sport nutritional supplements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research of the Quality of Quarry Dumpers Engine Crankshafts Sliding Bearings of Various Manufacturers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korotkov, Alexander; Korotkova, Lidiya; Vidin, Denis

2017-11-01

Sliding bearings are an important part of many large and critical components. They are widely used in power equipment, high-capacity pumps, compressors, electric motors and internal combustion engines (ICE). As a rule, sliding bearings include an antifriction bushing, part of the shaft surface (bearing journal), and a layer of oil between them. These are complex and critical parts in which there may occur dangerous defects, and which directly affect the durability, accuracy and reliability of the entire unit. To ensure high reliability of the equipment with sliding bearings applied in complex equipment, it is necessary to provide the quality control and sufficient level of monitoring of the technical condition, as well as diagnosis of emerging defects. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the internal combustion engines sliding bearings quality of various manufacturing companies. It gives operational properties of bearings depending on the compositional composition. The results of chemical analysis of the base, the cover and intermediate layers of the ICE liners are presented here. We have also made recommendations to increase the operational performance of sliding bearings.

Fuel cells provide a revenue-generating solution to power quality problems

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

King, J.M. Jr.

Electric power quality and reliability are becoming increasingly important as computers and microprocessors assume a larger role in commercial, health care and industrial buildings and processes. At the same time, constraints on transmission and distribution of power from central stations are making local areas vulnerable to low voltage, load addition limitations, power quality and power reliability problems. Many customers currently utilize some form of premium power in the form of standby generators and/or UPS systems. These include customers where continuous power is required because of health and safety or security reasons (hospitals, nursing homes, places of public assembly, air trafficmore » control, military installations, telecommunications, etc.) These also include customers with industrial or commercial processes which can`t tolerance an interruption of power because of product loss or equipment damage. The paper discusses the use of the PC25 fuel cell power plant for backup and parallel power supplies for critical industrial applications. Several PC25 installations are described: the use of propane in a PC25; the use by rural cooperatives; and a demonstration of PC25 technology using landfill gas.« less

Effects of wireless packet loss in industrial process control systems.

PubMed

Liu, Yongkang; Candell, Richard; Moayeri, Nader

2017-05-01

Timely and reliable sensing and actuation control are essential in networked control. This depends on not only the precision/quality of the sensors and actuators used but also on how well the communications links between the field instruments and the controller have been designed. Wireless networking offers simple deployment, reconfigurability, scalability, and reduced operational expenditure, and is easier to upgrade than wired solutions. However, the adoption of wireless networking has been slow in industrial process control due to the stochastic and less than 100% reliable nature of wireless communications and lack of a model to evaluate the effects of such communications imperfections on the overall control performance. In this paper, we study how control performance is affected by wireless link quality, which in turn is adversely affected by severe propagation loss in harsh industrial environments, co-channel interference, and unintended interference from other devices. We select the Tennessee Eastman Challenge Model (TE) for our study. A decentralized process control system, first proposed by N. Ricker, is adopted that employs 41 sensors and 12 actuators to manage the production process in the TE plant. We consider the scenario where wireless links are used to periodically transmit essential sensor measurement data, such as pressure, temperature and chemical composition to the controller as well as control commands to manipulate the actuators according to predetermined setpoints. We consider two models for packet loss in the wireless links, namely, an independent and identically distributed (IID) packet loss model and the two-state Gilbert-Elliot (GE) channel model. While the former is a random loss model, the latter can model bursty losses. With each channel model, the performance of the simulated decentralized controller using wireless links is compared with the one using wired links providing instant and 100% reliable communications. The sensitivity of the controller to the burstiness of packet loss is also characterized in different process stages. The performance results indicate that wireless links with redundant bandwidth reservation can meet the requirements of the TE process model under normal operational conditions. When disturbances are introduced in the TE plant model, wireless packet loss during transitions between process stages need further protection in severely impaired links. Techniques such as retransmission scheduling, multipath routing and enhanced physical layer design are discussed and the latest industrial wireless protocols are compared. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of Wireless Packet Loss in Industrial Process Control Systems

PubMed Central

Liu, Yongkang; Candell, Richard; Moayeri, Nader

2017-01-01

Timely and reliable sensing and actuation control are essential in networked control. This depends on not only the precision/quality of the sensors and actuators used but also on how well the communications links between the field instruments and the controller have been designed. Wireless networking offers simple deployment, reconfigurability, scalability, and reduced operational expenditure, and is easier to upgrade than wired solutions. However, the adoption of wireless networking has been slow in industrial process control due to the stochastic and less than 100 % reliable nature of wireless communications and lack of a model to evaluate the effects of such communications imperfections on the overall control performance. In this paper, we study how control performance is affected by wireless link quality, which in turn is adversely affected by severe propagation loss in harsh industrial environments, co-channel interference, and unintended interference from other devices. We select the Tennessee Eastman Challenge Model (TE) for our study. A decentralized process control system, first proposed by N. Ricker, is adopted that employs 41 sensors and 12 actuators to manage the production process in the TE plant. We consider the scenario where wireless links are used to periodically transmit essential sensor measurement data, such as pressure, temperature and chemical composition to the controller as well as control commands to manipulate the actuators according to predetermined setpoints. We consider two models for packet loss in the wireless links, namely, an independent and identically distributed (IID) packet loss model and the two-state Gilbert-Elliot (GE) channel model. While the former is a random loss model, the latter can model bursty losses. With each channel model, the performance of the simulated decentralized controller using wireless links is compared with the one using wired links providing instant and 100 % reliable communications. The sensitivity of the controller to the burstiness of packet loss is also characterized in different process stages. The performance results indicate that wireless links with redundant bandwidth reservation can meet the requirements of the TE process model under normal operational conditions. When disturbances are introduced in the TE plant model, wireless packet loss during transitions between process stages need further protection in severely impaired links. Techniques such as retransmission scheduling, multipath routing and enhanced physical layer design are discussed and the latest industrial wireless protocols are compared. PMID:28190566

High reliability and implications for nursing leaders.

PubMed

Riley, William

2009-03-01

To review high reliability theory and discuss its implications for the nursing leader. A high reliability organization (HRO) is considered that which has measurable near perfect performance for quality and safety. The author has reviewed the literature, discussed research findings that contribute to improving reliability in health care organizations, and makes five recommendations for how nursing leaders can create high reliability organizations. Health care is not a safe industry and unintended patient harm occurs at epidemic levels. Health care can learn from high reliability theory and practice developed in other high-risk industries. Viewed by HRO standards, unintended patient injury in health care is excessively high and quality is distressingly low. HRO theory and practice can be successfully applied in health care using advanced interdisciplinary teamwork training and deliberate process design techniques. Nursing has a primary leadership function for ensuring patient safety and achieving high quality in health care organizations. Learning HRO theory and methods for achieving high reliability is a foremost opportunity for nursing leaders.

The remote supervisory and controlling experiment system of traditional Chinese medicine production based on Fieldbus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Jinliang; Lu, Pei

2006-11-01

Since the quality of traditional Chinese medicine products are affected by raw material, machining and many other factors, it is difficult for traditional Chinese medicine production process especially the extracting process to ensure the steady and homogeneous quality. At the same time, there exist some quality control blind spots due to lacking on-line quality detection means. But if infrared spectrum analysis technology was used in traditional Chinese medicine production process on the basis of off-line analysis to real-time detect the quality of semi-manufactured goods and to be assisted by advanced automatic control technique, the steady and homogeneous quality can be obtained. It can be seen that the on-line detection of extracting process plays an important role in the development of Chinese patent medicines industry. In this paper, the design and implement of a traditional Chinese medicine extracting process monitoring experiment system which is based on PROFIBUS-DP field bus, OPC, and Internet technology is introduced. The system integrates intelligence node which gathering data, superior sub-system which achieving figure configuration and remote supervisory, during the process of traditional Chinese medicine production, monitors the temperature parameter, pressure parameter, quality parameter etc. And it can be controlled by the remote nodes in the VPN (Visual Private Network). Experiment and application do have proved that the system can reach the anticipation effect fully, and with the merits of operational stability, real-time, reliable, convenient and simple manipulation and so on.

Mindcontrol: A web application for brain segmentation quality control.

PubMed

Keshavan, Anisha; Datta, Esha; M McDonough, Ian; Madan, Christopher R; Jordan, Kesshi; Henry, Roland G

2018-04-15

Tissue classification plays a crucial role in the investigation of normal neural development, brain-behavior relationships, and the disease mechanisms of many psychiatric and neurological illnesses. Ensuring the accuracy of tissue classification is important for quality research and, in particular, the translation of imaging biomarkers to clinical practice. Assessment with the human eye is vital to correct various errors inherent to all currently available segmentation algorithms. Manual quality assurance becomes methodologically difficult at a large scale - a problem of increasing importance as the number of data sets is on the rise. To make this process more efficient, we have developed Mindcontrol, an open-source web application for the collaborative quality control of neuroimaging processing outputs. The Mindcontrol platform consists of a dashboard to organize data, descriptive visualizations to explore the data, an imaging viewer, and an in-browser annotation and editing toolbox for data curation and quality control. Mindcontrol is flexible and can be configured for the outputs of any software package in any data organization structure. Example configurations for three large, open-source datasets are presented: the 1000 Functional Connectomes Project (FCP), the Consortium for Reliability and Reproducibility (CoRR), and the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) Collection. These demo applications link descriptive quality control metrics, regional brain volumes, and thickness scalars to a 3D imaging viewer and editing module, resulting in an easy-to-implement quality control protocol that can be scaled for any size and complexity of study. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linguistic validation and reliability properties are weak investigated of most dementia-specific quality of life measurements-a systematic review.

PubMed

Dichter, Martin Nikolaus; Schwab, Christian G G; Meyer, Gabriele; Bartholomeyczik, Sabine; Halek, Margareta

2016-02-01

For people with dementia, the concept of quality of life (Qol) reflects the disease's impact on the whole person. Thus, Qol is an increasingly used outcome measure in dementia research. This systematic review was performed to identify available dementia-specific Qol measurements and to assess the quality of linguistic validations and reliability studies of these measurements (PROSPERO 2013: CRD42014008725). The MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Methodology Register databases were systematically searched without any date restrictions. Forward and backward citation tracking were performed on the basis of selected articles. A total of 70 articles addressing 19 dementia-specific Qol measurements were identified; nine measurements were adapted to nonorigin countries. The quality of the linguistic validations varied from insufficient to good. Internal consistency was the most frequently tested reliability property. Most of the reliability studies lacked internal validity. Qol measurements for dementia are insufficiently linguistic validated and not well tested for reliability. None of the identified measurements can be recommended without further research. The application of international guidelines and quality criteria is strongly recommended for the performance of linguistic validations and reliability studies of dementia-specific Qol measurements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlling protein adsorption on graphene for cryo-EM using low-energy hydrogen plasmas

PubMed Central

Russo, Christopher J.; Passmore, Lori A.

2014-01-01

Despite its many favorable properties as a sample support for biological electron microscopy, graphene is not widely used because its hydrophobicity precludes reliable protein deposition. We describe a method to modify graphene using a low-energy hydrogen plasma, which reduces hydrophobicity without degrading the graphene lattice. We show that the use of plasma-treated graphene enables better control of protein distribution in ice for electron cryo-microscopy and improved image quality by reducing radiation-induced sample motion. PMID:24747813

Quality Control System using Simple Implementation of Seven Tools for Batik Textile Manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragil Suryoputro, Muhammad; Sugarindra, Muchamad; Erfaisalsyah, Hendy

2017-06-01

In order to produce better products and mitigate defect in products, every company must implement a quality control system. Company will find means to implement a quality control system that is capable and reliable. One of the methods is using the simple implementation of the seven tools in quality control defects. The case studied in this research was the level of disability xyz grey fabric on a shuttle loom 2 on the Batik manufacturing company. The seven tools that include: flowchart, check sheet, histogram, scatter diagram combined with control charts, Pareto diagrams and fishbone diagrams (causal diagram). Check sheet results obtained types of defects in the grey fabric was woven xyz is warp, double warp, the warp break, double warp, empty warp, warp tenuous, ugly edges, thick warp, and rust. Based on the analysis of control chart indicates that the process is out of control. This can be seen in the graph control where there is still a lot of outlier data. Based on a scatter diagram shows a positive correlation between the percentage of disability and the number of production. Based on Pareto diagram, repair needs priority is for the dominant type of defect is warp (44%) and based on double warp value histogram is also the highest with a value of 23635.11 m. In addition, based on the analysis of the factors causing defect by fishbone diagram double warp or other types of defects originating from the materials, methods, machines, measurements, man and environment. Thus the company can take to minimize the prevention and repair of defects and improve product quality.

Health-related quality of life in children with dysphonia and validation of the French Pediatric Voice Handicap Index.

PubMed

Oddon, P A; Boucekine, M; Boyer, L; Triglia, J M; Nicollas, R

2018-01-01

voice disorders are common in the pediatric population and can negatively affect children's quality of life. The pediatric voice handicap Index (pVHI) is a valid instrument to assess parental perception of their children voice but it is not translated into French language. The aim of the present study was to adapt a French version of the pVHI and to evaluate its psychometric properties including construct validity, reliability, and some aspects of external validity. we performed a cross sectional study including 32 dysphonic children and 60 children with no history of voice problems between 3 and 12 years of age. The original pVHI was translated into French language according to forward-backward rules and then administered to parents or caregivers. Construct validity and internal consistency were explored using confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. The questionnaire was filled twice to assess test-retest reliability using the intra-class correlation coefficient. The external validity was explored by comparing the French pVHI total and subscales scores between dysphonic and asymptomatic children. Correlations between the French pVHI and both the perceptual GRBAS scale and the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) survey "Vécu et Santé Perçu de l'Adolescent et de l'Enfant" (VSP-Ap) were also performed. the structure of the French pVHI showed a good fit with excellent reliability (α = 0.929) and high test-retest reliability. Significant differences were found between the group of dysphonic children and the control group (p < 0.001). The French pVHI scores were positively correlated to all parameters of the GRBAS scale (p < 0.05). Significant negative correlations were found between the Functional domain of the pVHI and various domains of the VSP-Ap as Leisure Activities, Schooling and Sentimental Relationship (p < 0.05). the French pVHI is considered to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess voice-related quality of life in children with voice disorder. We recommend its use in the multidimensional protocols for assessing voice disorder in the pediatric population. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Development of a Valid and Reliable Knee Articular Cartilage Condition-Specific Study Methodological Quality Score.

PubMed

Harris, Joshua D; Erickson, Brandon J; Cvetanovich, Gregory L; Abrams, Geoffrey D; McCormick, Frank M; Gupta, Anil K; Verma, Nikhil N; Bach, Bernard R; Cole, Brian J

2014-02-01

Condition-specific questionnaires are important components in evaluation of outcomes of surgical interventions. No condition-specific study methodological quality questionnaire exists for evaluation of outcomes of articular cartilage surgery in the knee. To develop a reliable and valid knee articular cartilage-specific study methodological quality questionnaire. Cross-sectional study. A stepwise, a priori-designed framework was created for development of a novel questionnaire. Relevant items to the topic were identified and extracted from a recent systematic review of 194 investigations of knee articular cartilage surgery. In addition, relevant items from existing generic study methodological quality questionnaires were identified. Items for a preliminary questionnaire were generated. Redundant and irrelevant items were eliminated, and acceptable items modified. The instrument was pretested and items weighed. The instrument, the MARK score (Methodological quality of ARticular cartilage studies of the Knee), was tested for validity (criterion validity) and reliability (inter- and intraobserver). A 19-item, 3-domain MARK score was developed. The 100-point scale score demonstrated face validity (focus group of 8 orthopaedic surgeons) and criterion validity (strong correlation to Cochrane Quality Assessment score and Modified Coleman Methodology Score). Interobserver reliability for the overall score was good (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.842), and for all individual items of the MARK score, acceptable to perfect (ICC, 0.70-1.000). Intraobserver reliability ICC assessed over a 3-week interval was strong for 2 reviewers (≥0.90). The MARK score is a valid and reliable knee articular cartilage condition-specific study methodological quality instrument. This condition-specific questionnaire may be used to evaluate the quality of studies reporting outcomes of articular cartilage surgery in the knee.

The assessment of cervical sensory motor control: a systematic review focusing on measuring methods and their clinimetric characteristics.

PubMed

Michiels, Sarah; De Hertogh, Willem; Truijen, Steven; November, Danny; Wuyts, Floris; Van de Heyning, Paul

2013-05-01

Cervical sensorimotor control (CSMC) becomes increasingly important in the assessment and treatment of patients with neck pain. This review aims to compare commonly used CSMC measuring methods in terms of required tasks, measuring device and clinimetric properties. A systematic review of two databases, followed by methodological quality assessment (CBO guidelines). The methodological quality of 34 included articles was generally good (five to seven out of eight), the inter-rater agreement was excellent (κw=0.966, p<0.01). Following tasks were found: head repositioning accuracy to the neutral head position (HRA-to-NHP) and to a target position (HRA-to-target), a virtual reality test, a continuous linear movement technique (CLMT) and an object following non-linear movement technique (NLMT) (The Fly™). Test-retest reliability was fair to excellent (ICC 0.35-0.87) for the HRA-to-NHP, very bad to excellent (ICC 0.01-0.90) for the HRA-to-target, fair to good (ICC 0.25-0.77) for the virtual reality test and moderate to excellent (ICC: 0.60-0.86) for The Fly™. The reliability of the CLMT was not documented. The HRA-to-NHP, The Fly™ and the CLMT can discriminate between patients with neck complaints and controls (discriminant validity). Currently, only The Fly™ can discriminate between different patient populations (post-traumatic and non-traumatic neck pain). The sensitivity, specificity and responsiveness of the methods have to be assessed in future research. The dynamic method The Fly™ appears to be more reliable than the HRA-to-NHP and is able to discriminate between different patient populations. The diagnostic potential is to be confirmed in future research. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Training and quality assurance with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I/P).

PubMed

Ventura, J; Liberman, R P; Green, M F; Shaner, A; Mintz, J

1998-06-15

Accuracy in psychiatric diagnosis is critical for evaluating the suitability of the subjects for entry into research protocols and for establishing comparability of findings across study sites. However, training programs in the use of diagnostic instruments for research projects are not well systematized. Furthermore, little information has been published on the maintenance of interrater reliability of diagnostic assessments. At the UCLA Research Center for Major Mental Illnesses, a Training and Quality Assurance Program for SCID interviewers was used to evaluate interrater reliability and diagnostic accuracy. Although clinically experienced interviewers achieved better interrater reliability and overall diagnostic accuracy than neophyte interviewers, both groups were able to achieve and maintain high levels of interrater reliability, diagnostic accuracy, and interviewer skill. At the first quality assurance check after training, there were no significant differences between experienced and neophyte interviewers in interrater reliability or diagnostic accuracy. Standardization of training and quality assurance procedures within and across research projects may make research findings from study sites more comparable.

Investigating output and energy variations and their relationship to delivery QA results using Statistical Process Control for helical tomotherapy.

PubMed

Binny, Diana; Mezzenga, Emilio; Lancaster, Craig M; Trapp, Jamie V; Kairn, Tanya; Crowe, Scott B

2017-06-01

The aims of this study were to investigate machine beam parameters using the TomoTherapy quality assurance (TQA) tool, establish a correlation to patient delivery quality assurance results and to evaluate the relationship between energy variations detected using different TQA modules. TQA daily measurement results from two treatment machines for periods of up to 4years were acquired. Analyses of beam quality, helical and static output variations were made. Variations from planned dose were also analysed using Statistical Process Control (SPC) technique and their relationship to output trends were studied. Energy variations appeared to be one of the contributing factors to delivery output dose seen in the analysis. Ion chamber measurements were reliable indicators of energy and output variations and were linear with patient dose verifications. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality control in the year 2000.

PubMed

Schade, B

1992-01-01

'Just-in-time' production is a prerequisite for a company to meet the challenges of competition. Manufacturing cycles have been so successfully optimized that release time now has become a significant factor. A vision for a major quality-control (QC) contribution to profitability in this decade seems to be the just-in-time release. Benefits will go beyond cost savings for lower inventory. The earlier detection of problems will reduce rejections and scrap. In addition, problem analysis and problem-solving will be easier. To achieve just-in-time release, advanced automated systems like robots will become the workhorses in QC for high volume pharmaceutical production. The requirements for these systems are extremely high in terms of quality, reliability and ruggedness. Crucial for the success might be advances in use of microelectronics for error checks, system recording, trouble shooting, etc. as well as creative new approaches (for example the use of redundant assay systems).

Quality control in the year 2000

PubMed Central

Schade, Bernd

1992-01-01

‘Just-in-time’ production is a prerequisite for a company to meet the challenges of competition. Manufacturing cycles have been so successfully optimized that release time now has become a significant factor. A vision for a major quality-control (QC) contribution to profitability in this decade seems to be the just-in-time release. Benefits will go beyond cost savings for lower inventory. The earlier detection of problems will reduce rejections and scrap. In addition, problem analysis and problem-solving will be easier. To achieve just-in-time release, advanced automated systems like robots will become the workhorses in QC for high volume pharmaceutical production. The requirements for these systems are extremely high in terms of quality, reliability and ruggedness. Crucial for the success might be advances in use of microelectronics for error checks, system recording, trouble shooting, etc. as well as creative new approaches (for example the use of redundant assay systems). PMID:18924930

Qualification Procedures for VHSIC/VLSI

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

alternative approach for qualification of complex microcircuits. To address the technical issues related to a process oriented qualification approach, the...methodology of microcircuit process control to promote the United States to a position of supplying the nighest quality and most reliable...available resources . o Coordinate document reviews with weekly and monthly status reviews on progress. o Summarize results and collate into four basic

Evaluation of neural network modeling to predict non-water-stressed leaf temperature in wine grape for calculation of crop water stress index

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Precision irrigation management in wine grape production is hindered by the lack of a reliable method to easily quantify and monitor vine water status. Mild to moderate water stress is desirable in wine grape for controlling vine vigor and optimizing fruit yield and quality. A crop water stress ind...

Visual and x-ray inspection characteristics of eutectic and lead free assemblies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghaffarian, R.

2003-01-01

For high reliability applications, visual inspection has been the key technique for most conventional electronic package assemblies. Now, the use of x-ray technique has become an additional inspection requirement for quality control and detection of unique defects due to manufacturing of advanced electronic array packages such as ball grid array (BGAs) and chip scale packages (CSPs).

Criteria for internal auditing.

PubMed

Holder, W W; Clay, R J

1979-01-01

An effective, inclusive internal auditing endeavor should help assure hospital managements that (1) an adequate system of internal control exists to assure the safeguarding of assets and the reliability of data produced by the financial information system, (2) uneconomic operating practices are detected promptly so they can be remedied, and (3) program results and effectiveness levels are of sufficiently high quality to demonstrate managerial competence.

Diagnostic accuracy and measurement sensitivity of digital models for orthodontic purposes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Rossini, Gabriele; Parrini, Simone; Castroflorio, Tommaso; Deregibus, Andrea; Debernardi, Cesare L

2016-02-01

Our objective was to assess the accuracy, validity, and reliability of measurements obtained from virtual dental study models compared with those obtained from plaster models. PubMed, PubMed Central, National Library of Medicine Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical trials, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Google Scholar, and LILACs were searched from January 2000 to November 2014. A grading system described by the Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care and the Cochrane tool for risk of bias assessment were used to rate the methodologic quality of the articles. Thirty-five relevant articles were selected. The methodologic quality was high. No significant differences were observed for most of the studies in all the measured parameters, with the exception of the American Board of Orthodontics Objective Grading System. Digital models are as reliable as traditional plaster models, with high accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility. Landmark identification, rather than the measuring device or the software, appears to be the greatest limitation. Furthermore, with their advantages in terms of cost, time, and space required, digital models could be considered the new gold standard in current practice. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental education curriculum evaluation questionnaire: A reliability and validity study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minner, Daphne Diane

The intention of this research project was to bridge the gap between social science research and application to the environmental domain through the development of a theoretically derived instrument designed to give educators a template by which to evaluate environmental education curricula. The theoretical base for instrument development was provided by several developmental theories such as Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Developmental Systems Theory, Life-span Perspective, as well as curriculum research within the area of environmental education. This theoretical base fueled the generation of a list of components which were then translated into a questionnaire with specific questions relevant to the environmental education domain. The specific research question for this project is: Can a valid assessment instrument based largely on human development and education theory be developed that reliably discriminates high, moderate, and low quality in environmental education curricula? The types of analyses conducted to answer this question were interrater reliability (percent agreement, Cohen's Kappa coefficient, Pearson's Product-Moment correlation coefficient), test-retest reliability (percent agreement, correlation), and criterion-related validity (correlation). Face validity and content validity were also assessed through thorough reviews. Overall results indicate that 29% of the questions on the questionnaire demonstrated a high level of interrater reliability and 43% of the questions demonstrated a moderate level of interrater reliability. Seventy-one percent of the questions demonstrated a high test-retest reliability and 5% a moderate level. Fifty-five percent of the questions on the questionnaire were reliable (high or moderate) both across time and raters. Only eight questions (8%) did not show either interrater or test-retest reliability. The global overall rating of high, medium, or low quality was reliable across both coders and time, indicating that the questionnaire can discriminate differences in quality of environmental education curricula. Of the 35 curricula evaluated, 6 were high quality, 14 were medium quality and 15 were low quality. The criterion-related validity of the instrument is at current time unable to be established due to the lack of comparable measures or a concretely usable set of multidisciplinary standards. Face and content validity were sufficiently demonstrated.

Health Service Quality Scale: Brazilian Portuguese translation, reliability and validity.

PubMed

Rocha, Luiz Roberto Martins; Veiga, Daniela Francescato; e Oliveira, Paulo Rocha; Song, Elaine Horibe; Ferreira, Lydia Masako

2013-01-17

The Health Service Quality Scale is a multidimensional hierarchical scale that is based on interdisciplinary approach. This instrument was specifically created for measuring health service quality based on marketing and health care concepts. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Health Service Quality Scale into Brazilian Portuguese and to assess the validity and reliability of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the instrument. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study, with public health system patients in a Brazilian university hospital. Validity was assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the strength of the association between the Brazilian Portuguese version of the instrument and the SERVQUAL scale. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient; the intraclass (ICC) and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used for test-retest reliability. One hundred and sixteen consecutive postoperative patients completed the questionnaire. Pearson's correlation coefficient for validity was 0.20. Cronbach's alpha for the first and second administrations of the final version of the instrument were 0.982 and 0.986, respectively. For test-retest reliability, Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.89 and ICC was 0.90. The culturally adapted, Brazilian Portuguese version of the Health Service Quality Scale is a valid and reliable instrument to measure health service quality.

[Reliability theory based on quality risk network analysis for Chinese medicine injection].

PubMed

Li, Zheng; Kang, Li-Yuan; Fan, Xiao-Hui

2014-08-01

A new risk analysis method based upon reliability theory was introduced in this paper for the quality risk management of Chinese medicine injection manufacturing plants. The risk events including both cause and effect ones were derived in the framework as nodes with a Bayesian network analysis approach. It thus transforms the risk analysis results from failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) into a Bayesian network platform. With its structure and parameters determined, the network can be used to evaluate the system reliability quantitatively with probabilistic analytical appraoches. Using network analysis tools such as GeNie and AgenaRisk, we are able to find the nodes that are most critical to influence the system reliability. The importance of each node to the system can be quantitatively evaluated by calculating the effect of the node on the overall risk, and minimization plan can be determined accordingly to reduce their influences and improve the system reliability. Using the Shengmai injection manufacturing plant of SZYY Ltd as a user case, we analyzed the quality risk with both static FMEA analysis and dynamic Bayesian Network analysis. The potential risk factors for the quality of Shengmai injection manufacturing were identified with the network analysis platform. Quality assurance actions were further defined to reduce the risk and improve the product quality.

The poor quality and reliability of information on periacetabular osteotomy on the internet in Japan.

PubMed

Takegami, Yasuhiko; Seki, Taisuke; Amano, Takafumi; Higuchi, Yoshitoshi; Komatsu, Daigo; Nishida, Yoshihiro; Ishiguro, Naoki

2017-08-01

Although many patients use the internet to access health-related information, the quality and the reliability of the information is highly inconsistent. Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is one of the surgical procedures for hip dysplasia. However, medical information on PAO is limited on the internet. This study aims to evaluate the quality and reliability of information available on PAO on the internet in Japan. A web search was conducted on two search engines for the following terms: "hip osteotomy," "pelvic osteotomy," and "osteotomy for hip preservation" in Japanese. In total, we found 120 websites. To determine the quality and reliability of information on each website, we used the Health on the Net Foundation (HON) score, the Brief DISCERN score, and an osteotomy-specific content (OSC) score. After eliminating duplicate websites, we reviewed 49 unique websites. Only three websites (6.1%) had good reliability, as indicated by their HON scores. Twelve websites (24.4%) had good-quality information, as measured by their Brief DISCERN scores. As evaluated by their OSC scores, physician websites were found to be biased toward etiology and surgical indication and did not provide information on the complications of procedures. Non-physician websites were generally insufficient. The information about PAO on the internet is, therefore, unreliable and of poor-quality for Japanese patients.

What Adherence Measures Should Be Used in Trials of Home-Based Rehabilitation Interventions? A Systematic Review of the Validity, Reliability, and Acceptability of Measures.

PubMed

Frost, Rachael; Levati, Sara; McClurg, Doreen; Brady, Marian; Williams, Brian

2017-06-01

To systematically review methods for measuring adherence used in home-based rehabilitation trials and to evaluate their validity, reliability, and acceptability. In phase 1 we searched the CENTRAL database, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, and Health Technology Assessment Database (January 2000 to April 2013) to identify adherence measures used in randomized controlled trials of allied health professional home-based rehabilitation interventions. In phase 2 we searched the databases of MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health, and Web of Science (inception to April 2015) for measurement property assessments for each measure. Studies assessing the validity, reliability, or acceptability of adherence measures. Two reviewers independently extracted data on participant and measure characteristics, measurement properties evaluated, evaluation methods, and outcome statistics and assessed study quality using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist. In phase 1 we included 8 adherence measures (56 trials). In phase 2, from the 222 measurement property assessments identified in 109 studies, 22 high-quality measurement property assessments were narratively synthesized. Low-quality studies were used as supporting data. StepWatch Activity Monitor validly and acceptably measured short-term step count adherence. The Problematic Experiences of Therapy Scale validly and reliably assessed adherence to vestibular rehabilitation exercises. Adherence diaries had moderately high validity and acceptability across limited populations. The Borg 6 to 20 scale, Bassett and Prapavessis scale, and Yamax CW series had insufficient validity. Low-quality evidence supported use of the Joint Protection Behaviour Assessment. Polar A1 series heart monitors were considered acceptable by 1 study. Current rehabilitation adherence measures are limited. Some possess promising validity and acceptability for certain parameters of adherence, situations, and populations and should be used in these situations. Rigorous evaluation of adherence measures in a broader range of populations is needed. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physical examination tests for screening and diagnosis of cervicogenic headache: A systematic review.

PubMed

Rubio-Ochoa, J; Benítez-Martínez, J; Lluch, E; Santacruz-Zaragozá, S; Gómez-Contreras, P; Cook, C E

2016-02-01

It has been suggested that differential diagnosis of headaches should consist of a robust subjective examination and a detailed physical examination of the cervical spine. Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is a form of headache that involves referred pain from the neck. To our knowledge, no studies have summarized the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests for CGH. The aim of this study was to summarize the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of physical examination tests used to diagnose CGH. A systematic review following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines was performed in four electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase and Scopus). Full text reports concerning physical tests for the diagnosis of CGH which reported the clinometric properties for assessment of CGH, were included and screened for methodological quality. Quality Appraisal for Reliability Studies (QAREL) and Quality Assessment of Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy (QUADAS-2) scores were completed to assess article quality. Eight articles were retrieved for quality assessment and data extraction. Studies investigating diagnostic reliability of physical examination tests for CGH scored poorer on methodological quality (higher risk of bias) than those of diagnostic accuracy. There is sufficient evidence showing high levels of reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the selected physical examination tests for the diagnosis of CGH. The cervical flexion-rotation test (CFRT) exhibited both the highest reliability and the strongest diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of CGH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of bow-type initial imperfection on reliability of minimum-weight, stiffened structural panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stroud, W. Jefferson; Krishnamurthy, Thiagaraja; Sykes, Nancy P.; Elishakoff, Isaac

1993-01-01

Computations were performed to determine the effect of an overall bow-type imperfection on the reliability of structural panels under combined compression and shear loadings. A panel's reliability is the probability that it will perform the intended function - in this case, carry a given load without buckling or exceeding in-plane strain allowables. For a panel loaded in compression, a small initial bow can cause large bending stresses that reduce both the buckling load and the load at which strain allowables are exceeded; hence, the bow reduces the reliability of the panel. In this report, analytical studies on two stiffened panels quantified that effect. The bow is in the shape of a half-sine wave along the length of the panel. The size e of the bow at panel midlength is taken to be the single random variable. Several probability density distributions for e are examined to determine the sensitivity of the reliability to details of the bow statistics. In addition, the effects of quality control are explored with truncated distributions.

Reliability and validity of two self-report measures of impairment and disability for MS. North American Research Consortium on Multiple Sclerosis Outcomes Study Group.

PubMed

Schwartz, C E; Vollmer, T; Lee, H

1999-01-01

To describe the results of a multicenter study that validated two new patient-reported measures of neurologic impairment and disability for use in MS clinical research. Self-reported data can provide a cost-effective means to assess patient functioning, and can be useful for screening patients who require additional evaluation. Thirteen MS centers from the United States and Canada implemented a cross-sectional validation study of two new measures of neurologic function. The Symptom Inventory is a measure of neurologic impairment with six subscales designed to correlate with localization of brain lesion. The Performance Scales measure disability in eight domains of function: mobility, hand function, vision, fatigue, cognition, bladder/bowel, sensory, and spasticity. Measures given for comparison included a neurologic examination (Expanded Disability Status Scale, Ambulation Index, Disease Steps) as well as the patient-reported Health Status Questionnaire and the Quality of Well-being Index. Participants included 274 MS patients and 296 healthy control subjects who were matched to patients on age, gender, and education. Both the Symptom Inventory and the Performance Scales showed high test-retest and internal consistency reliability. Correlational analyses supported the construct validity of both measures. Discriminant function analysis reduced the Symptom Inventory to 29 items without sacrificing reliability and increased its discriminant validity. The Performance Scales explained more variance in clinical outcomes and global quality of life than the Symptom Inventory, and there was some evidence that the two measures complemented each other in predicting Quality of Well-being Index scores. The Symptom Inventory and the Performance Scales are reliable and valid measures.

Software reliability models for fault-tolerant avionics computers and related topics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Douglas R.

1987-01-01

Software reliability research is briefly described. General research topics are reliability growth models, quality of software reliability prediction, the complete monotonicity property of reliability growth, conceptual modelling of software failure behavior, assurance of ultrahigh reliability, and analysis techniques for fault-tolerant systems.

Statistical tools for transgene copy number estimation based on real-time PCR.

PubMed

Yuan, Joshua S; Burris, Jason; Stewart, Nathan R; Mentewab, Ayalew; Stewart, C Neal

2007-11-01

As compared with traditional transgene copy number detection technologies such as Southern blot analysis, real-time PCR provides a fast, inexpensive and high-throughput alternative. However, the real-time PCR based transgene copy number estimation tends to be ambiguous and subjective stemming from the lack of proper statistical analysis and data quality control to render a reliable estimation of copy number with a prediction value. Despite the recent progresses in statistical analysis of real-time PCR, few publications have integrated these advancements in real-time PCR based transgene copy number determination. Three experimental designs and four data quality control integrated statistical models are presented. For the first method, external calibration curves are established for the transgene based on serially-diluted templates. The Ct number from a control transgenic event and putative transgenic event are compared to derive the transgene copy number or zygosity estimation. Simple linear regression and two group T-test procedures were combined to model the data from this design. For the second experimental design, standard curves were generated for both an internal reference gene and the transgene, and the copy number of transgene was compared with that of internal reference gene. Multiple regression models and ANOVA models can be employed to analyze the data and perform quality control for this approach. In the third experimental design, transgene copy number is compared with reference gene without a standard curve, but rather, is based directly on fluorescence data. Two different multiple regression models were proposed to analyze the data based on two different approaches of amplification efficiency integration. Our results highlight the importance of proper statistical treatment and quality control integration in real-time PCR-based transgene copy number determination. These statistical methods allow the real-time PCR-based transgene copy number estimation to be more reliable and precise with a proper statistical estimation. Proper confidence intervals are necessary for unambiguous prediction of trangene copy number. The four different statistical methods are compared for their advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, the statistical methods can also be applied for other real-time PCR-based quantification assays including transfection efficiency analysis and pathogen quantification.

An Evaluation of the Technical Adequacy of a Revised Measure of Quality Indicators of Transition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morningstar, Mary E.; Lee, Hyunjoo; Lattin, Dana L.; Murray, Angela K.

2016-01-01

This study confirmed the reliability and validity of the Quality Indicators of Exemplary Transition Programs Needs Assessment-2 (QI-2). Quality transition program indicators were identified through a systematic synthesis of transition research, policies, and program evaluation measures. To verify reliability and validity of the QI-2, we…

Breaking Barriers to Low-Cost Modular Inverter Production & Use

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

Bogdan Borowy; Leo Casey; Jerry Foshage

2005-05-31

The goal of this cost share contract is to advance key technologies to reduce size, weight and cost while enhancing performance and reliability of Modular Inverter Product for Distributed Energy Resources (DER). Efforts address technology development to meet technical needs of DER market protection, isolation, reliability, and quality. Program activities build on SatCon Technology Corporation inverter experience (e.g., AIPM, Starsine, PowerGate) for Photovoltaic, Fuel Cell, Energy Storage applications. Efforts focused four technical areas, Capacitors, Cooling, Voltage Sensing and Control of Parallel Inverters. Capacitor efforts developed a hybrid capacitor approach for conditioning SatCon's AIPM unit supply voltages by incorporating several typesmore » and sizes to store energy and filter at high, medium and low frequencies while minimizing parasitics (ESR and ESL). Cooling efforts converted the liquid cooled AIPM module to an air-cooled unit using augmented fin, impingement flow cooling. Voltage sensing efforts successfully modified the existing AIPM sensor board to allow several, application dependent configurations and enabling voltage sensor galvanic isolation. Parallel inverter control efforts realized a reliable technique to control individual inverters, connected in a parallel configuration, without a communication link. Individual inverter currents, AC and DC, were balanced in the paralleled modules by introducing a delay to the individual PWM gate pulses. The load current sharing is robust and independent of load types (i.e., linear and nonlinear, resistive and/or inductive). It is a simple yet powerful method for paralleling both individual devices dramatically improves reliability and fault tolerance of parallel inverter power systems. A patent application has been made based on this control technology.« less

A New Tool for Nutrition App Quality Evaluation (AQEL): Development, Validation, and Reliability Testing

PubMed Central

Huang, Wenhao; Chapman-Novakofski, Karen M

2017-01-01

Background The extensive availability and increasing use of mobile apps for nutrition-based health interventions makes evaluation of the quality of these apps crucial for integration of apps into nutritional counseling. Objective The goal of this research was the development, validation, and reliability testing of the app quality evaluation (AQEL) tool, an instrument for evaluating apps’ educational quality and technical functionality. Methods Items for evaluating app quality were adapted from website evaluations, with additional items added to evaluate the specific characteristics of apps, resulting in 79 initial items. Expert panels of nutrition and technology professionals and app users reviewed items for face and content validation. After recommended revisions, nutrition experts completed a second AQEL review to ensure clarity. On the basis of 150 sets of responses using the revised AQEL, principal component analysis was completed, reducing AQEL into 5 factors that underwent reliability testing, including internal consistency, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, and interrater reliability (IRR). Two additional modifiable constructs for evaluating apps based on the age and needs of the target audience as selected by the evaluator were also tested for construct reliability. IRR testing using intraclass correlations (ICC) with all 7 constructs was conducted, with 15 dietitians evaluating one app. Results Development and validation resulted in the 51-item AQEL. These were reduced to 25 items in 5 factors after principal component analysis, plus 9 modifiable items in two constructs that were not included in principal component analysis. Internal consistency and split-half reliability of the following constructs derived from principal components analysis was good (Cronbach alpha >.80, Spearman-Brown coefficient >.80): behavior change potential, support of knowledge acquisition, app function, and skill development. App purpose split half-reliability was .65. Test-retest reliability showed no significant change over time (P>.05) for all but skill development (P=.001). Construct reliability was good for items assessing age appropriateness of apps for children, teens, and a general audience. In addition, construct reliability was acceptable for assessing app appropriateness for various target audiences (Cronbach alpha >.70). For the 5 main factors, ICC (1,k) was >.80, with a P value of <.05. When 15 nutrition professionals evaluated one app, ICC (2,15) was .98, with a P value of <.001 for all 7 constructs when the modifiable items were specified for adults seeking weight loss support. Conclusions Our preliminary effort shows that AQEL is a valid, reliable instrument for evaluating nutrition apps’ qualities for clinical interventions by nutrition clinicians, educators, and researchers. Further efforts in validating AQEL in various contexts are needed. PMID:29079554

[Analytical quality in biological monitoring of workers exposed to chemicals: experience of the Prevention and Safety at the Workplace Service in Modena].

PubMed

Alpaca, R I Paredes; Migliore, A; Di Rico, R; Canali, Claudia; Rota, Cristina; Trenti, T; Cariani, Elisabetta

2010-01-01

The quality of laboratory data is one of the main factors in guaranteeing efficacy of biological monitoring. To analyze the quality of laboratory data used for biological monitoring of exposed workers. A survey involving 18 companies employing 945 workers in the area of Modena, Italy, was carried out in 2008. Most of the 9 private laboratories receiving biological samples did not perform directly part or all of the laboratory assessments requested, but this was not indicated in the final report. Major problems were observed in the application of internal quality control, and only one laboratory participated in external quality assessment for blood lead measurements. Our results raise major concerns on the traceability and reliability of laboratory assessments performed for biomonitoring of exposed workers. Systematic evaluation of the quality of analytical data would be highly recommendable.

Aerospace reliability applied to biomedicine.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lalli, V. R.; Vargo, D. J.

1972-01-01

An analysis is presented that indicates that the reliability and quality assurance methodology selected by NASA to minimize failures in aerospace equipment can be applied directly to biomedical devices to improve hospital equipment reliability. The Space Electric Rocket Test project is used as an example of NASA application of reliability and quality assurance (R&QA) methods. By analogy a comparison is made to show how these same methods can be used in the development of transducers, instrumentation, and complex systems for use in medicine.

Applications of optical sensing for laser cutting and drilling.

PubMed

Fox, Mahlen D T; French, Paul; Peters, Chris; Hand, Duncan P; Jones, Julian D C

2002-08-20

Any reliable automated production system must include process control and monitoring techniques. Two laser processing techniques potentially lending themselves to automation are percussion drilling and cutting. For drilling we investigate the performance of a modification of a nonintrusive optical focus control system we previously developed for laser welding, which exploits the chromatic aberrations of the processing optics to determine focal error. We further developed this focus control system for closed-loop control of laser cutting. We show that an extension of the technique can detect deterioration in cut quality, and we describe practical trials carried out on different materials using both oxygen and nitrogen assist gas. We base our techniques on monitoring the light generated by the process, captured nonintrusively by the effector optics and processed remotely from the workpiece. We describe the relationship between the temporal and the chromatic modulation of the detected light and process quality and show how the information can be used as the basis of a process control system.

The clinimetric qualities of patient-assessed instruments for measuring chronic ankle instability: a systematic review.

PubMed

Eechaute, Christophe; Vaes, Peter; Van Aerschot, Lieve; Asman, Sara; Duquet, William

2007-01-18

The assessment of outcomes from the patient's perspective becomes more recognized in health care. Also in patients with chronic ankle instability, the degree of present impairments, disabilities and participation problems should be documented from the perspective of the patient. The decision about which patient-assessed instrument is most appropriate for clinical practice should be based upon systematic reviews. Only rating scales constructed for patients with acute ligament injuries were systematically reviewed in the past. The aim of this study was to review systematically the clinimetric qualities of patient-assessed instruments designed for patients with chronic ankle instability. A computerized literature search of Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Web of Science, Sport Discus and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register was performed to identify eligible instruments. Two reviewers independently evaluated the clinimetric qualities of the selected instruments using a criteria list. The inter-observer reliability of both the selection procedure and the clinimetric evaluation was calculated using modified kappa coefficients. The inter-observer reliability of the selection procedure was excellent (k = .86). Four instruments met the eligibility criteria: the Ankle Joint Functional Assessment Tool (AJFAT), the Functional Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), the Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI) and the Functional Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). The inter-observer reliability of the quality assessment was substantial to excellent (k between .64 and .88). Test-retest reliability was demonstrated for the FAOS, the FADI and the FAAM but not for the AJFAT. The FAOS and the FAAM met the criteria for content validity and construct validity. For none of the studied instruments, the internal consistency was sufficiently demonstrated. The presence of floor- and ceiling effects was assessed for the FAOS but ceiling effects were present for all subscales. Responsiveness was demonstrated for the AJFAT, FADI and the FAAM. Only for the FAAM, a minimal clinical important difference (MCID) was presented. The FADI and the FAAM can be considered as the most appropriate, patient-assessed tools to quantify functional disabilities in patients with chronic ankle instability. The clinimetric qualities of the FAAM need to be further demonstrated in a specific population of patients with chronic ankle instability.

Cross-cultural equivalence and evaluation of psychometric properties of voice handicap index into Persian.

PubMed

Moradi, Negin; Pourshahbaz, Abbas; Soltani, Majid; Javadipour, Shiva; Hashemi, Hedieh; Soltaninejad, Nasibeh

2013-03-01

Quality of life is one of the important aspects in the assessment of health and treatment data output. The purpose of this study was to adapt and determine reliability and validity of Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in Persian. The subjects were 80 patients with voice disorders and 80 volunteers without any voice disorders as a control group. All subjects filled in the Persian version of VHI. The test was repeated 2 weeks later. The reliability and validity were studied. All items had significant discrimination coefficient. The internal consistency and reliability of test and retest in VHI total score and three subtests were achieved. It seems that the Persian version of VHI is a valid and reliable questionnaire, which voice therapists may use for completing their evaluation for patients with voice disorders, and it gives more information about the nature of voice disorder to specialists. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Intelligent Chemistry Management System (ICMS)--A new approach to steam generator chemistry control

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

Barto, R.J.; Farrell, D.M.; Noto, F.A.

1986-04-01

The Intelligent Chemistry Management System (ICMS) is a new tool which assists in steam generator chemistry control. Utilizing diagnostic capabilities, the ICMS will provide utility and industrial boiler operators, system chemists, and plant engineers with a tool for monitoring, diagnosing, and controlling steam generator system chemistry. By reducing the number of forced outages through early identification of potentially detrimental conditions, suggestion of possible causes, and execution of corrective actions, improvements in unit availability and reliability will result. The system monitors water and steam quality at a number of critical locations in the plant.

Chest CT in children: anesthesia and atelectasis.

PubMed

Newman, Beverley; Krane, Elliot J; Gawande, Rakhee; Holmes, Tyson H; Robinson, Terry E

2014-02-01

There has been an increasing tendency for anesthesiologists to be responsible for providing sedation or anesthesia during chest CT imaging in young children. Anesthesia-related atelectasis noted on chest CT imaging has proven to be a common and troublesome problem, affecting image quality and diagnostic sensitivity. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a standardized anesthesia, lung recruitment, controlled-ventilation technique developed at our institution to prevent atelectasis for chest CT imaging in young children. Fifty-six chest CT scans were obtained in 42 children using a research-based intubation, lung recruitment and controlled-ventilation CT scanning protocol. These studies were compared with 70 non-protocolized chest CT scans under anesthesia taken from 18 of the same children, who were tested at different times, without the specific lung recruitment and controlled-ventilation technique. Two radiology readers scored all inspiratory chest CT scans for overall CT quality and atelectasis. Detailed cardiorespiratory parameters were evaluated at baseline, and during recruitment and inspiratory imaging on 21 controlled-ventilation cases and 8 control cases. Significant differences were noted between groups for both quality and atelectasis scores with optimal scoring demonstrated in the controlled-ventilation cases where 70% were rated very good to excellent quality scans compared with only 24% of non-protocol cases. There was no or minimal atelectasis in 48% of the controlled ventilation cases compared to 51% of non-protocol cases with segmental, multisegmental or lobar atelectasis present. No significant difference in cardiorespiratory parameters was found between controlled ventilation and other chest CT cases and no procedure-related adverse events occurred. Controlled-ventilation infant CT scanning under general anesthesia, utilizing intubation and recruitment maneuvers followed by chest CT scans, appears to be a safe and effective method to obtain reliable and reproducible high-quality, motion-free chest CT images in children.

Applicability of strain measurements on a contra angle handpiece for the determination of alveolar bone quality during dental implant surgery.

PubMed

Krafft, Tim; Winter, Werner; Wichmann, Manfred; Karl, Matthias

2012-07-01

Alveolar bone quality is considered to be an important prognostic factor in dental implant stability. Although numerous methods have been described, no technique allows for reliable diagnostics. The purpose of this study was to determine if strain measurements on the shaft of a contra angle handpiece during implant bed preparation could be used for the determination of bone quality. Experiments in polyurethane foam and human cadaver bone were conducted to investigate whether strain measurements could be correlated with other diagnostic parameters, such as the surgeon's tactile sensation during drilling, implant insertion torque, implant stability, elastic modulus of bone and bone quality as assessed radiographically. Tests were also performed to determine if strain measurements could be used to distinguish various types of bone. As axial feed and contact pressure during the drilling process could not be standardized under simulated clinical conditions, substantial deviations in the time needed to complete the drilling occurred. Under controlled circumstances using polyurethane foam, this problem could be addressed by a normalization procedure, but great variations occurred in human cadaver bone. As bone quality could not be reliably determined, especially when a cortical layer was present, strain measurements on a contra angle handpiece appears to be inappropriate for this purpose. Copyright © 2011 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spirometry quality-control strategies in a multinational study of the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Pérez-Padilla, Rogelio; Vázquez-García, Juan Carlos; Márquez, María Nelly; Menezes, Ana Maria B

2008-08-01

We report the characteristics of a centralized spirometry quality-control program developed for a population-based survey of the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 5 cities: São Paulo, Brazil; México City, México; Montevideo, Uruguay; Santiago, Chile; and Caracas, Venezuela (the Latin American Project for the Investigation of Obstructive Lung Diseases [PLATINO]). We developed and used a 3-level quality-control system. Level 1: The spirometer used in the survey (EasyOne), gives quality-control messages to the user/clinician. All the spirometry technicians were trained by the same team, with the aim of meeting what became the 2005 spirometry quality criteria of the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS). Level 2: In each of the 5 cities a local supervisor identified poor-quality spirometries that needed to be repeated. Level 3: Once a week during the survey, all spirometry results were sent via e-mail to the study's quality-control center in México City for review and feedback. In the overall totals at the end of the study, 94% of the 5,315 subjects had spirometries that met the 1994 ATS quality criteria, and 89% met the 2005 ATS/ERS criteria. In their overall totals at the end of the study, 90% of the 64 spirometry technicians were successful in getting 86% of their subjects to meet the 1994 ATS criteria, and got 75% of their subjects to meet the 2005 ATS/ERS criteria. In the first 10 subjects they tested, 90% of the 64 spirometry technicians were successful in getting 70% of their subjects to meet the 1994 ATS criteria, and got 60% of their subjects to meet the 2005 ATS/ERS criteria. Standardization of equipment, training, and supervision of spirometry is essential in a multinational spirometry survey. Centralized quality control can be done via e-mail with good reliability and low cost.

External quality assessment programs in the context of ISO 15189 accreditation.

PubMed

Sciacovelli, Laura; Secchiero, Sandra; Padoan, Andrea; Plebani, Mario

2018-05-23

Effective management of clinical laboratories participating in external quality assessment schemes (EQAS) is of fundamental importance in ensuring reliable analytical results. The International Standard ISO 15189:2012 requires participation in interlaboratory comparison [e.g. external quality assessment (EQA)] for all tests provided by an individual laboratory. If EQAS is not commercially available, alternative approaches should be identified, although clinical laboratories may find it challenging to choose the EQAS that comply with the international standards and approved guidelines. Great competence is therefore required, as well as knowledge of the characteristics and key elements affecting the reliability of an EQAS, and the analytical quality specifications stated in approved documents. Another skill of fundamental importance is the ability to identify an alternative approach when the available EQAS are inadequate or missing. Yet the choice of the right EQA program alone does not guarantee its effectiveness. In fact, the fundamental steps of analysis of the information provided in EQA reports and the ability to identify improvement actions to be undertaken call for the involvement of all laboratory staff playing a role in the specific activity. The aim of this paper was to describe the critical aspects that EQA providers and laboratory professionals should control in order to guarantee effective EQAS management and compliance with ISO 15189 accreditation requirements.

Quality of laboratory studies assessing effects of Bt-proteins on non-target organisms: minimal criteria for acceptability.

PubMed

De Schrijver, Adinda; Devos, Yann; De Clercq, Patrick; Gathmann, Achim; Romeis, Jörg

2016-08-01

The potential risks that genetically modified plants may pose to non-target organisms and the ecosystem services they contribute to are assessed as part of pre-market risk assessments. This paper reviews the early tier studies testing the hypothesis whether exposure to plant-produced Cry34/35Ab1 proteins as a result of cultivation of maize 59122 is harmful to valued non-target organisms, in particular Arthropoda and Annelida. The available studies were assessed for their scientific quality by considering a set of criteria determining their relevance and reliability. As a case-study, this exercise revealed that when not all quality criteria are met, weighing the robustness of the study and its relevance for risk assessment is not obvious. Applying a worst-case expected environmental concentration of bioactive toxins equivalent to that present in the transgenic crop, confirming exposure of the test species to the test substance, and the use of a negative control were identified as minimum criteria to be met to guarantee sufficiently reliable data. This exercise stresses the importance of conducting studies meeting certain quality standards as this minimises the probability of erroneous or inconclusive results and increases confidence in the results and adds certainty to the conclusions drawn.

English-language videos on YouTube as a source of information on self-administer subcutaneous anti-tumour necrosis factor agent injections.

PubMed

Tolu, Sena; Yurdakul, Ozan Volkan; Basaran, Betul; Rezvani, Aylin

2018-05-14

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, content, and quality of videos for patients available on YouTube for learning how to self-administer subcutaneous anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) injections. We searched for the terms Humira injection, Enbrel injection, Simponi injection, and Cimzia injection. Videos were categorised as useful information, misleading information, useful patient opinion, and misleading patient opinion by two physicians. Videos were rated for quality on a 5-point global quality scale (GQS; 1 = poor quality, 5 = excellent quality) and reliability and content using the 5-point DISCERN scale (higher scores represent greater reliability and more comprehensive videos). Of the 142 English videos, 24 (16.9%) videos were classified as useful information, 6 (4.2%) as misleading information, 47 (33.1%) as useful patient opinion, and 65 (45.8%) as misleading patient opinion. Useful videos were the most comprehensive and had the highest reliability and quality scores. The useful information and useful patient opinion videos had the highest numbers of views per day (median 8.32, IQR: 3.40-14.28 and 5.46, IQR: 3.06-14.44), as compared with 2.32, IQR: 1.63-6.26 for misleading information videos and 2.15, IQR: 1.17-7.43 for misleading patient opinion videos (p = 0.001). Almost all (91.5%) misleading videos were uploaded by individual users. There are a substantial number of English-language YouTube videos, with high quality, and rich content and reliability that can be sources of information on proper technique of anti-TNF self-injections. Physicians should direct patients to the reliable resources of information and educate them in online resource assessment, thereby improving treatment outcomes.

Challenges in Routine Implementation and Quality Control of Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Malaria–Rufiji District, Tanzania

PubMed Central

McMorrow, Meredith L.; Masanja, M. Irene; Abdulla, Salim M. K.; Kahigwa, Elizeus; Kachur, S. Patrick

2018-01-01

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) represent an alternative to microscopy for malaria diagnosis and have shown high sensitivity and specificity in a variety of study settings. Current World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for quality control of RDTs provide detailed instructions on pre-field testing, but offer little guidance for quality assurance once RDTs are deployed in health facilities. From September 2006 to April 2007, we introduced a histidine-rich protein II (HRP2)-based RDT (Paracheck) for suspected malaria cases five years of age and older in nine health facilities in Rufiji District, Tanzania, to assess sensitivity and specificity of RDTs in routine use at rural health facilities. Thick blood smears were collected for all patients tested with RDTs and stained and read by laboratory personnel in each facility. Thick smears were subsequently reviewed by a reference microscopist to determine RDT sensitivity and specificity. In all nine health facilities, there were significant problems with the quality of staining and microscopy. Sensitivity and specificity of RDTs were difficult to assess given the poor quality of routine blood smear staining. Mean operational sensitivity of RDTs based on reference microscopy was 64.8%, but varied greatly by health facility, range 18.8–85.9%. Sensitivity of RDTs increased with increasing parasite density. Specificity remained high at 87.8% despite relatively poor slide quality. Institution of quality control of RDTs based on poor quality blood smear staining may impede reliable measurement of sensitivity and specificity and undermine confidence in the new diagnostic. There is an urgent need for the development of alternative quality control procedures for rapid diagnostic tests that can be performed at the facility level. PMID:18784230

The usefulness of Quality of Life Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire in evaluating the quality of life of children with epilepsy.

PubMed

Talarska, D

2007-01-01

Evaluation of quality of life has become a frequently used method in treatment effects supervision. Quality of Life Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire, which is completed by patients' parents, has been prepared for children with epilepsy. It enables to determine the quality of life in children aged 4-18 years. The aim of the study was to show the usefulness of QOLCE questionnaire in evaluating the quality of life of children with epilepsy. 160 epileptic children, aged 8-18 years and their parents were examined in the Chair and Department of Developmental Neurology, K. Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań. QOLCE questionnaire was completed by parents and "Young people and epilepsy" questionnaire was designed for children. Reliability index of the complete questionnaire in own research and in the original amounted to 0.93 Cronbach alpha coefficient. Epileptic, drug-resistant children constituted 28% of the examined group. Parents of children with controlled seizures evaluated children's functioning in analyzed areas of quality of life higher. 1. QOLCE questionnaire is a suitable tool to evaluate the quality of children's and adolescents' life. 2. The most significant differences in functioning of epileptic, drug-resistant patients and those with controlled seizures were observed in areas of cognitive processes and social activity.

Quality controls in cellular immunotherapies: rapid assessment of clinical grade dendritic cells by gene expression profiling.

PubMed

Castiello, Luciano; Sabatino, Marianna; Zhao, Yingdong; Tumaini, Barbara; Ren, Jiaqiang; Ping, Jin; Wang, Ena; Wood, Lauren V; Marincola, Francesco M; Puri, Raj K; Stroncek, David F

2013-02-01

Cell-based immunotherapies are among the most promising approaches for developing effective and targeted immune response. However, their clinical usefulness and the evaluation of their efficacy rely heavily on complex quality control assessment. Therefore, rapid systematic methods are urgently needed for the in-depth characterization of relevant factors affecting newly developed cell product consistency and the identification of reliable markers for quality control. Using dendritic cells (DCs) as a model, we present a strategy to comprehensively characterize manufactured cellular products in order to define factors affecting their variability, quality and function. After generating clinical grade human monocyte-derived mature DCs (mDCs), we tested by gene expression profiling the degrees of product consistency related to the manufacturing process and variability due to intra- and interdonor factors, and how each factor affects single gene variation. Then, by calculating for each gene an index of variation we selected candidate markers for identity testing, and defined a set of genes that may be useful comparability and potency markers. Subsequently, we confirmed the observed gene index of variation in a larger clinical data set. In conclusion, using high-throughput technology we developed a method for the characterization of cellular therapies and the discovery of novel candidate quality assurance markers.

Discussion and theoretical summarization of the experimental data. [psychophysiology in human factors engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mileryan, Y. A.

1975-01-01

A summary of research on psychological factors that cause substantial changes in the reliability indicators of an operators work is followed by a conclusion that strong moral-volitional qualities are the basic factors that make the human behavior under conditions of stress effective; emotional subcortical subdominants affect a person's conscious organization and self control in a man machine environment.

Risk/Requirements Trade-off Guidelines for Low Cost Satellite Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornford, Steven L.; Man, Kin F.

1996-01-01

The accelerating trend toward faster, better, cheaper missions places increasing emphasis on the trade-offs between requirements and risk to reduce cost and development times, while still improving quality and reliability. The Risk/Requirement Trade-off Guidelines discussed in this paper are part of an integrated approach to address the main issues by focusing on the sum of prevention, analysis, control, or test (PACT) processes.

Developments in Ultra-Stable Quartz Oscillators for Deep Space Reliability

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

langatate , and III-V compounds such as gallium orthophosphate) exhibit superior electromechanical coupling in a single material phase around room...higher figures of merit than quartz. Indeed, langatate , despite the infancy of its development, has already demonstrated a quality factor that is...Langasite, Langanite, and Langatate Bulk-Wave Y-cut Resonators,” IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control, UFFC-47, 355-360.

The vital role of manufacturing quality in the reliability of PV modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusch, Peter

2014-10-01

The influence of manufacturing quality on the reliability of PV modules coming out of today's factories has been, and is still, under estimated among investors and buyers. The main reason is perception. Contrary to popular belief, PV modules are not a commodity. Module quality does differ among module brands. Certification alone does not guarantee the quality or reliability of a module. Cost reductions in manufacturing have unequivocally affected module quality. And the use of new, cheaper materials has had a measureable impact on module reliability. The need for meaningful manufacturing quality standards has been understood by the leading technical institutions and important industry players. The fact that most leading PV panel manufacturers have been certified according to ISO 9001 has led to some level of improvement and higher effectiveness. The new ISO 9001 PV QMS standards will be a major step in providing a tool to assess PV manufacturers' quality management systems. The current lack of sufficient standards has still got a negative influence on the quality of modules being installed today. Today every manufacturer builds their modules in their own way with little standardization or adherence to quality processes and methods, which are commonplace in other manufacturing industries. Although photovoltaic technology is to a great extent mature, the way modules are being produced has changed significantly over the past few years and it continues to change at a rapid pace. Investors, financiers and lenders stand the most to gain from PV systems over the long-term, but also the most to lose. Investors, developers, EPC, O&M and solar asset management companies must all manage manufacturing quality more proactively or they will face unexpected risks and failures down the road. Manufacturing quality deserves more transparency and attention, as it is a major driver of module performance and reliability. This paper will explain the benefits of good manufacturing quality and the dangers in poor manufacturing quality. The paper also explains why buyers and long-term investors need to pay close attention to the day-to-day manufacturing quality of module manufacturers. We demonstrate how these quality risks can be assessed and mitigated by independent diligence, professional contracting and smart quality assurance processes that can be easily built into any module procurement process. We highlight the steps to ensure that every module used in a PV system is built to quality standards that support the long-term reliability of a PV system.

Did online publishers "get it right"? Using a naturalistic search strategy to review cognitive health promotion content on internet webpages.

PubMed

Hunter, P V; Delbaere, M; O'Connell, M E; Cammer, A; Seaton, J X; Friedrich, T; Fick, F

2017-06-15

One of the most common uses of the Internet is to search for health-related information. Although scientific evidence pertaining to cognitive health promotion has expanded rapidly in recent years, it is unclear how much of this information has been made available to Internet users. Thus, the purpose of our study was to assess the reliability and quality of information about cognitive health promotion encountered by typical Internet users. To generate a list of relevant search terms employed by Internet users, we entered seed search terms in Google Trends and recorded any terms consistently used in the prior 2 years. To further approximate the behaviour of typical Internet users, we entered each term in Google and sampled the first two relevant results. This search, completed in October 2014, resulted in a sample of 86 webpages, 48 of which had content related to cognitive health promotion. An interdisciplinary team rated the information reliability and quality of these webpages using a standardized measure. We found that information reliability and quality were moderate, on average. Just one retrieved page mentioned best practice, national recommendations, or consensus guidelines by name. Commercial content (i.e., product promotion, advertising content, or non-commercial) was associated with differences in reliability and quality, with product promoter webpages having the lowest mean reliability and quality ratings. As efforts to communicate the association between lifestyle and cognitive health continue to expand, we offer these results as a baseline assessment of the reliability and quality of cognitive health promotion on the Internet.

Quality control in diagnostic immunohistochemistry: integrated on-slide positive controls.

PubMed

Bragoni, A; Gambella, A; Pigozzi, S; Grigolini, M; Fiocca, R; Mastracci, L; Grillo, F

2017-11-01

Standardization in immunohistochemistry is a priority in modern pathology and requires strict quality control. Cost containment has also become fundamental and auditing of all procedures must take into account both these principles. Positive controls must be routinely performed so that their positivity guarantees the appropriateness of the immunohistochemical procedure. The aim of this study is to develop a low cost (utilizing a punch biopsy-PB-tool) procedure to construct positive controls which can be integrated in the patient's tissue slide. Sixteen frequently used control blocks were selected and multiple cylindrical samples were obtained using a 5-mm diameter punch biopsy tool, separately re-embedding them in single blocks. For each diagnostic immunoreaction requiring a positive control, an integrated PB-control section (cut from the appropriate PB-control block) was added to the top right corner of the diagnostic slide before immunostaining. This integrated control technique permitted a saving of 4.75% in total direct lab costs and proved to be technically feasible and reliable. Our proposal is easy to perform and within the reach of all pathology labs, requires easily available tools, its application costs is less than using external paired controls and ensures that a specific control for each slide is always available.

Integrity management of offshore structures and its implication on computation of structural action effects and resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moan, T.

2017-12-01

An overview of integrity management of offshore structures, with emphasis on the oil and gas energy sector, is given. Based on relevant accident experiences and means to control the associated risks, accidents are categorized from a technical-physical as well as human and organizational point of view. Structural risk relates to extreme actions as well as structural degradation. Risk mitigation measures, including adequate design criteria, inspection, repair and maintenance as well as quality assurance and control of engineering processes, are briefly outlined. The current status of risk and reliability methodology to aid decisions in the integrity management is briefly reviewed. Finally, the need to balance the uncertainties in data, methods and computational efforts and the cautious use and quality assurance and control in applying high fidelity methods to avoid human errors, is emphasized, and with a plea to develop both high fidelity as well as efficient, simplified methods for design.

Signal modulation as a mechanism for handicap disposal

PubMed Central

Gavassa, Sat; Silva, Ana C.; Gonzalez, Emmanuel; Stoddard, Philip K.

2012-01-01

Signal honesty may be compromised when heightened competition provides incentive for signal exaggeration. Some degree of honesty might be maintained by intrinsic handicap costs on signalling or through imposition of extrinsic costs, such as social punishment of low quality cheaters. Thus, theory predicts a delicate balance between signal enhancement and signal reliability that varies with degree of social competition, handicap cost, and social cost. We investigated whether male sexual signals of the electric fish Brachyhypopomus gauderio would become less reliable predictors of body length when competition provides incentives for males to boost electric signal amplitude. As expected, social competition under natural field conditions and in controlled lab experiments drove males to enhance their signals. However, signal enhancement improved the reliability of the information conveyed by the signal, as revealed in the tightening of the relationship between signal amplitude and body length. Signal augmentation in male B. gauderio was independent of body length, and thus appeared not to be curtailed through punishment of low quality (small) individuals. Rather, all individuals boosted their signals under high competition, but those whose signals were farthest from the predicted value under low competition boosted signal amplitude the most. By elimination, intrinsic handicap cost of signal production, rather than extrinsic social cost, appears to be the basis for the unexpected reinforcement of electric signal honesty under social competition. Signal modulation may provide its greatest advantage to the signaller as a mechanism for handicap disposal under low competition rather than as a mechanism for exaggeration of quality under high competition. PMID:22665940

Method and algorithm of ranking boiler plants at block electric power stations by the criterion of operation reliability and profitability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farhadzadeh, E. M.; Muradaliyev, A. Z.; Farzaliyev, Y. Z.

2015-10-01

A method and an algorithm of ranking of boiler installations based on their technical and economic indicators are proposed. One of the basic conditions for ranking is the independence of technical and economic indicators. The assessment of their interrelation was carried out with respect to the correlation rate. The analysis of calculation data has shown that the interrelation stability with respect to the value and sign persists only for those indicators that have an evident relationship between each other. One of the calculation steps is the normalization of quantitative estimates of technical and economic indicators, which makes it possible to eliminate differences in dimensions and indicator units. The analysis of the known methods of normalization has allowed one to recommend the relative deviation from the average value as a normalized value and to use the arithmetic mean of the normalized values of independent indicators of each boiler installation as an integrated index of performance reliability and profitability. The fundamental differences from the existing approach to assess the "weak components" of a boiler installation and the quality of monitoring of its operating regimes are that the given approach takes into account the reliability and profitability of the operation of all other analogous boiler installations of an electric power station; it also implements competing elements with respect to the quality of control among the operating personnel of separate boiler installations and is aimed at encouraging an increased quality of maintenance and repairs.

An E-health solution for automatic sleep classification according to Rechtschaffen and Kales: validation study of the Somnolyzer 24 x 7 utilizing the Siesta database.

PubMed

Anderer, Peter; Gruber, Georg; Parapatics, Silvia; Woertz, Michael; Miazhynskaia, Tatiana; Klosch, Gerhard; Saletu, Bernd; Zeitlhofer, Josef; Barbanoj, Manuel J; Danker-Hopfe, Heidi; Himanen, Sari-Leena; Kemp, Bob; Penzel, Thomas; Grozinger, Michael; Kunz, Dieter; Rappelsberger, Peter; Schlogl, Alois; Dorffner, Georg

2005-01-01

To date, the only standard for the classification of sleep-EEG recordings that has found worldwide acceptance are the rules published in 1968 by Rechtschaffen and Kales. Even though several attempts have been made to automate the classification process, so far no method has been published that has proven its validity in a study including a sufficiently large number of controls and patients of all adult age ranges. The present paper describes the development and optimization of an automatic classification system that is based on one central EEG channel, two EOG channels and one chin EMG channel. It adheres to the decision rules for visual scoring as closely as possible and includes a structured quality control procedure by a human expert. The final system (Somnolyzer 24 x 7) consists of a raw data quality check, a feature extraction algorithm (density and intensity of sleep/wake-related patterns such as sleep spindles, delta waves, SEMs and REMs), a feature matrix plausibility check, a classifier designed as an expert system, a rule-based smoothing procedure for the start and the end of stages REM, and finally a statistical comparison to age- and sex-matched normal healthy controls (Siesta Spot Report). The expert system considers different prior probabilities of stage changes depending on the preceding sleep stage, the occurrence of a movement arousal and the position of the epoch within the NREM/REM sleep cycles. Moreover, results obtained with and without using the chin EMG signal are combined. The Siesta polysomnographic database (590 recordings in both normal healthy subjects aged 20-95 years and patients suffering from organic or nonorganic sleep disorders) was split into two halves, which were randomly assigned to a training and a validation set, respectively. The final validation revealed an overall epoch-by-epoch agreement of 80% (Cohen's kappa: 0.72) between the Somnolyzer 24 x 7 and the human expert scoring, as compared with an inter-rater reliability of 77% (Cohen's kappa: 0.68) between two human experts scoring the same dataset. Two Somnolyzer 24 x 7 analyses (including a structured quality control by two human experts) revealed an inter-rater reliability close to 1 (Cohen's kappa: 0.991), which confirmed that the variability induced by the quality control procedure, whereby approximately 1% of the epochs (in 9.5% of the recordings) are changed, can definitely be neglected. Thus, the validation study proved the high reliability and validity of the Somnolyzer 24 x 7 and demonstrated its applicability in clinical routine and sleep studies.

Evaluation of droplet digital PCR for quantification of residual leucocytes in red blood cell concentrates.

PubMed

Doescher, A; Loges, U; Petershofen, E K; Müller, T H

2017-11-01

Enumeration of residual white blood cells in leucoreduced blood components is essential part of quality control. Digital PCR has substantially facilitated quantitative PCR and was thus evaluated for measurements of leucocytes. Target for quantification of leucocytes by digital droplet PCR was the blood group gene RHCE. The SPEF1 gene was added as internal control for the entire assay starting with automated DNA extraction. The sensitivity of the method was determined by serial dilutions of standard samples. Quality control samples were analysed within 24 h, 7 days and 6 months after collection. Routine samples from leucodepleted red blood cell concentrates (n = 150) were evaluated in parallel by flow-cytometry (LeucoCount) and by digital PCR. Digital PCR reliably detected at least 0·4 leucocytes per assay. The mean difference between PCR and flow-cytometric results from 150 units was -0·01 (±1·0). DNA samples were stable for up to at least six months. PCR measurement of leucocytes in samples from plasma and platelet concentrates also provided valid results in a pilot study. Droplet digital PCR to enumerate leucocytes offers an alternative for quality control of leucoreduced blood products. Sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility are comparable to flow-cytometry. The option to collect samples over an extended period of time and the automatization introduce attractive features for routine quality control. © 2017 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

The poor quality and reliability of information on periacetabular osteotomy on the internet in Japan

PubMed Central

Takegami, Yasuhiko; Seki, Taisuke; Amano, Takafumi; Higuchi, Yoshitoshi; Komatsu, Daigo; Nishida, Yoshihiro; Ishiguro, Naoki

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Although many patients use the internet to access health-related information, the quality and the reliability of the information is highly inconsistent. Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is one of the surgical procedures for hip dysplasia. However, medical information on PAO is limited on the internet. This study aims to evaluate the quality and reliability of information available on PAO on the internet in Japan. A web search was conducted on two search engines for the following terms: “hip osteotomy,” “pelvic osteotomy,” and “osteotomy for hip preservation” in Japanese. In total, we found 120 websites. To determine the quality and reliability of information on each website, we used the Health on the Net Foundation (HON) score, the Brief DISCERN score, and an osteotomy-specific content (OSC) score. After eliminating duplicate websites, we reviewed 49 unique websites. Only three websites (6.1%) had good reliability, as indicated by their HON scores. Twelve websites (24.4%) had good-quality information, as measured by their Brief DISCERN scores. As evaluated by their OSC scores, physician websites were found to be biased toward etiology and surgical indication and did not provide information on the complications of procedures. Non-physician websites were generally insufficient. The information about PAO on the internet is, therefore, unreliable and of poor-quality for Japanese patients. PMID:28878442

Validity and reliability of Internet-based physiotherapy assessment for musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mani, Suresh; Sharma, Shobha; Omar, Baharudin; Paungmali, Aatit; Joseph, Leonard

2017-04-01

Purpose The purpose of this review is to systematically explore and summarise the validity and reliability of telerehabilitation (TR)-based physiotherapy assessment for musculoskeletal disorders. Method A comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted using a number of electronic databases: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library and CINAHL, published between January 2000 and May 2015. The studies examined the validity, inter- and intra-rater reliabilities of TR-based physiotherapy assessment for musculoskeletal conditions were included. Two independent reviewers used the Quality Appraisal Tool for studies of diagnostic Reliability (QAREL) and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) tool to assess the methodological quality of reliability and validity studies respectively. Results A total of 898 hits were achieved, of which 11 articles based on inclusion criteria were reviewed. Nine studies explored the concurrent validity, inter- and intra-rater reliabilities, while two studies examined only the concurrent validity. Reviewed studies were moderate to good in methodological quality. The physiotherapy assessments such as pain, swelling, range of motion, muscle strength, balance, gait and functional assessment demonstrated good concurrent validity. However, the reported concurrent validity of lumbar spine posture, special orthopaedic tests, neurodynamic tests and scar assessments ranged from low to moderate. Conclusion TR-based physiotherapy assessment was technically feasible with overall good concurrent validity and excellent reliability, except for lumbar spine posture, orthopaedic special tests, neurodynamic testa and scar assessment.

Reliability and Validity of the Turkish Version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life Measure.

PubMed

Tezcaner, Zahide Çiler; Aksoy, Songül

2017-03-01

This study aims to test the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) questionnaire. This is a nonrandomized, prospective study with control group. The questionnaire was administered to 249 individuals-130 with vocal complaint and 119 without-with a mean age of 37.8 ± 12.3 years. The Turkish version of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and perceptual voice evaluation measures were also administered at 2-14 days for retest reliability. The instrument was submitted to validity and reliability evaluation. The V-RQOL measure showed a strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability; the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the overall V-RQOL was 0.969, the physical functioning domain was 0.949, and the social-emotional domain was 0.940. In the test-retest reliability test, the overall V-RQOL was found to be 0.989. The construct validity of the V-RQOL was determined based on the strength and direction of its relation to the VHI and the perceptual voice evaluation measure. The higher the VHI level, the lower the physical functioning, social-emotional, and overall score levels of the V-RQOL (r = -0.927, r = -0.912, r = -0.944, respectively; P < 0.001). Following the perceptual voice self-assessment, a statistically significant difference was found between the V-RQOL scores of individuals who defined their voices as good, very good, and perfect, and those who defined their voices as bad and very bad (P < 0.001). The results suggest that the Turkish version of the V-RQOL measure has reliability and validity and may play a crucial role in evaluating Turkish-speaking patients with voice disorders. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reliability and validity of play-based assessments of motor and cognitive skills for infants and young children: a systematic review.

PubMed

O'Grady, Michael G; Dusing, Stacey C

2015-01-01

Play is vital for development. Infants and children learn through play. Traditional standardized developmental tests measure whether a child performs individual skills within controlled environments. Play-based assessments can measure skill performance during natural, child-driven play. The purpose of this study was to systematically review reliability, validity, and responsiveness of all play-based assessments that quantify motor and cognitive skills in children from birth to 36 months of age. Studies were identified from a literature search using PubMed, ERIC, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases and the reference lists of included papers. Included studies investigated reliability, validity, or responsiveness of play-based assessments that measured motor and cognitive skills for children to 36 months of age. Two reviewers independently screened 40 studies for eligibility and inclusion. The reviewers independently extracted reliability, validity, and responsiveness data. They examined measurement properties and methodological quality of the included studies. Four current play-based assessment tools were identified in 8 included studies. Each play-based assessment tool measured motor and cognitive skills in a different way during play. Interrater reliability correlations ranged from .86 to .98 for motor development and from .23 to .90 for cognitive development. Test-retest reliability correlations ranged from .88 to .95 for motor development and from .45 to .91 for cognitive development. Structural validity correlations ranged from .62 to .90 for motor development and from .42 to .93 for cognitive development. One study assessed responsiveness to change in motor development. Most studies had small and poorly described samples. Lack of transparency in data management and statistical analysis was common. Play-based assessments have potential to be reliable and valid tools to assess cognitive and motor skills, but higher-quality research is needed. Psychometric properties should be considered for each play-based assessment before it is used in clinical and research practice. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

Guidance for laboratories performing molecular pathology for cancer patients

PubMed Central

Cree, Ian A; Deans, Zandra; Ligtenberg, Marjolijn J L; Normanno, Nicola; Edsjö, Anders; Rouleau, Etienne; Solé, Francesc; Thunnissen, Erik; Timens, Wim; Schuuring, Ed; Dequeker, Elisabeth; Murray, Samuel; Dietel, Manfred; Groenen, Patricia; Van Krieken, J Han

2014-01-01

Molecular testing is becoming an important part of the diagnosis of any patient with cancer. The challenge to laboratories is to meet this need, using reliable methods and processes to ensure that patients receive a timely and accurate report on which their treatment will be based. The aim of this paper is to provide minimum requirements for the management of molecular pathology laboratories. This general guidance should be augmented by the specific guidance available for different tumour types and tests. Preanalytical considerations are important, and careful consideration of the way in which specimens are obtained and reach the laboratory is necessary. Sample receipt and handling follow standard operating procedures, but some alterations may be necessary if molecular testing is to be performed, for instance to control tissue fixation. DNA and RNA extraction can be standardised and should be checked for quality and quantity of output on a regular basis. The choice of analytical method(s) depends on clinical requirements, desired turnaround time, and expertise available. Internal quality control, regular internal audit of the whole testing process, laboratory accreditation, and continual participation in external quality assessment schemes are prerequisites for delivery of a reliable service. A molecular pathology report should accurately convey the information the clinician needs to treat the patient with sufficient information to allow for correct interpretation of the result. Molecular pathology is developing rapidly, and further detailed evidence-based recommendations are required for many of the topics covered here. PMID:25012948

[HPLC fingerprint of Calendula officinalis flower].

PubMed

Xing, Zhan-Fen; Cheng, Hong-Da; Zhang, Ping-Ping; Gong, Lei; Ma, Li-Ya

2014-07-01

To establish an HPLC fingerprint of Calendula officinalis flower for its quality control. Hypersil ODS C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used with acetonitrile and water as mobile phase in a gradient mode at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection wavelength was 220 nm and the temperature of column was set at 35 degrees C. The similarity was analyzed with the Estimating System of Similarity on the Chinese Medicine Fingerprint Chromatogram. The HPLC fingerprint of Calendula officinalis flower containing eleven peaks was set up. The similarity of Calendula officinalis flower from different habitats was greater than 0.90. This method is easy and reliable, which can be used to judge the habitat and control the quality of Calendula officinalis flower.

Access to health information on the internet: a public health issue?

PubMed

Moretti, Felipe Azevedo; Oliveira, Vanessa Elias de; Silva, Edina Mariko Koga da

2012-01-01

To progress in the understanding of the user profile and of search trends for health information on the internet. Analyses were performed based on 1,828 individuals who completed an electronic questionnaire available on a very popular health website. At the same time, through the "elite survey" method, 20 specialists were interviewed, aiming at assessing quality control strategies regarding health information disseminated online. A predominance of female users who research information for themselves (= 90%), who consider the internet one of their main sources of health information (86%), and who spend from 5 to 35 hours online every week (62%) was verified. High reliability is assigned to information from specialists (76%), and low reliability to television, radio, or blogs (14%). It can be concluded that the internet is proving to be a major source of health information for the population, and that website certification is a strategy to be contemplated to improve the quality of information and to promote public health.

Automatic quality control in clinical (1)H MRSI of brain cancer.

PubMed

Pedrosa de Barros, Nuno; McKinley, Richard; Knecht, Urspeter; Wiest, Roland; Slotboom, Johannes

2016-05-01

MRSI grids frequently show spectra with poor quality, mainly because of the high sensitivity of MRS to field inhomogeneities. These poor quality spectra are prone to quantification and/or interpretation errors that can have a significant impact on the clinical use of spectroscopic data. Therefore, quality control of the spectra should always precede their clinical use. When performed manually, quality assessment of MRSI spectra is not only a tedious and time-consuming task, but is also affected by human subjectivity. Consequently, automatic, fast and reliable methods for spectral quality assessment are of utmost interest. In this article, we present a new random forest-based method for automatic quality assessment of (1)H MRSI brain spectra, which uses a new set of MRS signal features. The random forest classifier was trained on spectra from 40 MRSI grids that were classified as acceptable or non-acceptable by two expert spectroscopists. To account for the effects of intra-rater reliability, each spectrum was rated for quality three times by each rater. The automatic method classified these spectra with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.976. Furthermore, in the subset of spectra containing only the cases that were classified every time in the same way by the spectroscopists, an AUC of 0.998 was obtained. Feature importance for the classification was also evaluated. Frequency domain skewness and kurtosis, as well as time domain signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in the ranges 50-75 ms and 75-100 ms, were the most important features. Given that the method is able to assess a whole MRSI grid faster than a spectroscopist (approximately 3 s versus approximately 3 min), and without loss of accuracy (agreement between classifier trained with just one session and any of the other labelling sessions, 89.88%; agreement between any two labelling sessions, 89.03%), the authors suggest its implementation in the clinical routine. The method presented in this article was implemented in jMRUI's SpectrIm plugin. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Experimental application of OMA solutions on the model of industrial structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mironov, A.; Mironovs, D.

2017-10-01

It is very important and sometimes even vital to maintain reliability of industrial structures. High quality control during production and structural health monitoring (SHM) in exploitation provides reliable functioning of large, massive and remote structures, like wind generators, pipelines, power line posts, etc. This paper introduces a complex of technological and methodical solutions for SHM and diagnostics of industrial structures, including those that are actuated by periodic forces. Solutions were verified on a wind generator scaled model with integrated system of piezo-film deformation sensors. Simultaneous and multi-patch Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) approaches were implemented as methodical means for structural diagnostics and monitoring. Specially designed data processing algorithms provide objective evaluation of structural state modification.

Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) Testing Facility for Distributed Energy Storage (Poster)

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

Neubauer.J.; Lundstrom, B.; Simpson, M.

2014-06-01

The growing deployment of distributed, variable generation and evolving end-user load profiles presents a unique set of challenges to grid operators responsible for providing reliable and high quality electrical service. Mass deployment of distributed energy storage systems (DESS) has the potential to solve many of the associated integration issues while offering reliability and energy security benefits other solutions cannot. However, tools to develop, optimize, and validate DESS control strategies and hardware are in short supply. To fill this gap, NREL has constructed a power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) test facility that connects DESS, grid simulator, and load bank hardware to a distributionmore » feeder simulation.« less

Effect of steel structure and defects on reliability of parts of impact mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popelyukh, AI; Repin, AA; Alekseev, SE

2018-03-01

The paper discusses selection of materials suitable for manufacturing critical parts of impact mechanisms. It is shown that in order to extend life of parts exposed to high dynamic loading, it is expedient to use medium- and high-carbon alloy-treated steels featuring low impurity with nonmetallic inclusions and high hardening characteristics. Application of thermally untreated parts is undesirable as steel having ferrite–pearlite structure possesses low fatigue strength. Aimed to ensure high reliability of parts with a hardness of 42–55 HRC, steel should be reinforced by thermal treatement with the formation of multicomponent martensite–bainite structure. High-quality production should include defectoscopy and incoming material control.

Proteomics in food: Quality, safety, microbes, and allergens.

PubMed

Piras, Cristian; Roncada, Paola; Rodrigues, Pedro M; Bonizzi, Luigi; Soggiu, Alessio

2016-03-01

Food safety and quality and their associated risks pose a major concern worldwide regarding not only the relative economical losses but also the potential danger to consumer's health. Customer's confidence in the integrity of the food supply could be hampered by inappropriate food safety measures. A lack of measures and reliable assays to evaluate and maintain a good control of food characteristics may affect the food industry economy and shatter consumer confidence. It is imperative to create and to establish fast and reliable analytical methods that allow a good and rapid analysis of food products during the whole food chain. Proteomics can represent a powerful tool to address this issue, due to its proven excellent quantitative and qualitative drawbacks in protein analysis. This review illustrates the applications of proteomics in the past few years in food science focusing on food of animal origin with some brief hints on other types. Aim of this review is to highlight the importance of this science as a valuable tool to assess food quality and safety. Emphasis is also posed in food processing, allergies, and possible contaminants like bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Reliability of the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test for Children with Cerebral Palsy Aged 2 to 12 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorley, Megan; Lannin, Natasha; Cusick, Anne; Novak, Iona; Boyd, Roslyn

2012-01-01

Aim: To investigate reliability of the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST) scores for children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 2-12 years. Method: Thirty-one QUESTs from 24 children with CP were rated once by two raters and twice by one rater. Internal consistency of total scores, inter- and intra-rater reliability findings for total,…

Understanding Interrater Reliability and Validity of Risk Assessment Tools Used to Predict Adverse Clinical Events.

PubMed

Siedlecki, Sandra L; Albert, Nancy M

This article will describe how to assess interrater reliability and validity of risk assessment tools, using easy-to-follow formulas, and to provide calculations that demonstrate principles discussed. Clinical nurse specialists should be able to identify risk assessment tools that provide high-quality interrater reliability and the highest validity for predicting true events of importance to clinical settings. Making best practice recommendations for assessment tool use is critical to high-quality patient care and safe practices that impact patient outcomes and nursing resources. Optimal risk assessment tool selection requires knowledge about interrater reliability and tool validity. The clinical nurse specialist will understand the reliability and validity issues associated with risk assessment tools, and be able to evaluate tools using basic calculations. Risk assessment tools are developed to objectively predict quality and safety events and ultimately reduce the risk of event occurrence through preventive interventions. To ensure high-quality tool use, clinical nurse specialists must critically assess tool properties. The better the tool's ability to predict adverse events, the more likely that event risk is mediated. Interrater reliability and validity assessment is relatively an easy skill to master and will result in better decisions when selecting or making recommendations for risk assessment tool use.

Thermoelectric Outer Planets Spacecraft (TOPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The research and advanced development work is reported on a ballistic-mode, outer planet spacecraft using radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) power. The Thermoelectric Outer Planet Spacecraft (TOPS) project was established to provide the advanced systems technology that would allow the realistic estimates of performance, cost, reliability, and scheduling that are required for an actual flight mission. A system design of the complete RTG-powered outer planet spacecraft was made; major technical innovations of certain hardware elements were designed, developed, and tested; and reliability and quality assurance concepts were developed for long-life requirements. At the conclusion of its active phase, the TOPS Project reached its principal objectives: a development and experience base was established for project definition, and for estimating cost, performance, and reliability; an understanding of system and subsystem capabilities for successful outer planets missions was achieved. The system design answered long-life requirements with massive redundancy, controlled by on-board analysis of spacecraft performance data.

Instrument for assessing mobile technology acceptability in diabetes self-management: a validation and reliability study.

PubMed

Frandes, Mirela; Deiac, Anca V; Timar, Bogdan; Lungeanu, Diana

2017-01-01

Nowadays, mobile technologies are part of everyday life, but the lack of instruments to assess their acceptability for the management of chronic diseases makes their actual adoption for this purpose slow. The objective of this study was to develop a survey instrument for assessing patients' attitude toward and intention to use mobile technology for diabetes mellitus (DM) self-management, as well as to identify sociodemographic characteristics and quality of life factors that affect them. We first conducted the documentation and instrument design phases, which were subsequently followed by the pilot study and instrument validation. Afterward, the instrument was administered 103 patients (median age: 37 years; range: 18-65 years) diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 DM, who accepted to participate in the study. The reliability and construct validity were assessed by computing Cronbach's alpha and using factor analysis, respectively. The instrument included statements about the actual use of electronic devices for DM management, interaction between patient and physician, attitude toward using mobile technology, and quality of life evaluation. Cronbach's alpha was 0.9 for attitude toward using mobile technology and 0.97 for attitude toward using mobile device applications for DM self-management. Younger patients (Spearman's ρ =-0.429; P <0.001) with better glycemic control (Spearman's ρ =-0.322; P <0.001) and higher education level (Kendall's τ =0.51; P <0.001) had significantly more favorable attitude toward using mobile assistive applications for DM control. Moreover, patients with a higher quality of life presented a significantly more positive attitude toward using modern technology (Spearman's ρ =0.466; P <0.001). The instrument showed good reliability and internal consistency, making it suitable for measuring the acceptability of mobile technology for DM self-management. Additionally, we found that even if most of the patients showed positive attitude toward mobile applications, only a moderate level of intention to indeed use them was observed. Moreover, the study indicated that barriers were truthfulness and easiness to use.

Droplet digital PCR-based EGFR mutation detection with an internal quality control index to determine the quality of DNA.

PubMed

Kim, Sung-Su; Choi, Hyun-Jeung; Kim, Jin Ju; Kim, M Sun; Lee, In-Seon; Byun, Bohyun; Jia, Lina; Oh, Myung Ryurl; Moon, Youngho; Park, Sarah; Choi, Joon-Seok; Chae, Seoung Wan; Nam, Byung-Ho; Kim, Jin-Soo; Kim, Jihun; Min, Byung Soh; Lee, Jae Seok; Won, Jae-Kyung; Cho, Soo Youn; Choi, Yoon-La; Shin, Young Kee

2018-01-11

In clinical translational research and molecular in vitro diagnostics, a major challenge in the detection of genetic mutations is overcoming artefactual results caused by the low-quality of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET)-derived DNA (FFPET-DNA). Here, we propose the use of an 'internal quality control (iQC) index' as a criterion for judging the minimum quality of DNA for PCR-based analyses. In a pre-clinical study comparing the results from droplet digital PCR-based EGFR mutation test (ddEGFR test) and qPCR-based EGFR mutation test (cobas EGFR test), iQC index ≥ 0.5 (iQC copies ≥ 500, using 3.3 ng of FFPET-DNA [1,000 genome equivalents]) was established, indicating that more than half of the input DNA was amplifiable. Using this criterion, we conducted a retrospective comparative clinical study of the ddEGFR and cobas EGFR tests for the detection of EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) FFPET-DNA samples. Compared with the cobas EGFR test, the ddEGFR test exhibited superior analytical performance and equivalent or higher clinical performance. Furthermore, iQC index is a reliable indicator of the quality of FFPET-DNA and could be used to prevent incorrect diagnoses arising from low-quality samples.

A New Tool for Nutrition App Quality Evaluation (AQEL): Development, Validation, and Reliability Testing.

PubMed

DiFilippo, Kristen Nicole; Huang, Wenhao; Chapman-Novakofski, Karen M

2017-10-27

The extensive availability and increasing use of mobile apps for nutrition-based health interventions makes evaluation of the quality of these apps crucial for integration of apps into nutritional counseling. The goal of this research was the development, validation, and reliability testing of the app quality evaluation (AQEL) tool, an instrument for evaluating apps' educational quality and technical functionality. Items for evaluating app quality were adapted from website evaluations, with additional items added to evaluate the specific characteristics of apps, resulting in 79 initial items. Expert panels of nutrition and technology professionals and app users reviewed items for face and content validation. After recommended revisions, nutrition experts completed a second AQEL review to ensure clarity. On the basis of 150 sets of responses using the revised AQEL, principal component analysis was completed, reducing AQEL into 5 factors that underwent reliability testing, including internal consistency, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, and interrater reliability (IRR). Two additional modifiable constructs for evaluating apps based on the age and needs of the target audience as selected by the evaluator were also tested for construct reliability. IRR testing using intraclass correlations (ICC) with all 7 constructs was conducted, with 15 dietitians evaluating one app. Development and validation resulted in the 51-item AQEL. These were reduced to 25 items in 5 factors after principal component analysis, plus 9 modifiable items in two constructs that were not included in principal component analysis. Internal consistency and split-half reliability of the following constructs derived from principal components analysis was good (Cronbach alpha >.80, Spearman-Brown coefficient >.80): behavior change potential, support of knowledge acquisition, app function, and skill development. App purpose split half-reliability was .65. Test-retest reliability showed no significant change over time (P>.05) for all but skill development (P=.001). Construct reliability was good for items assessing age appropriateness of apps for children, teens, and a general audience. In addition, construct reliability was acceptable for assessing app appropriateness for various target audiences (Cronbach alpha >.70). For the 5 main factors, ICC (1,k) was >.80, with a P value of <.05. When 15 nutrition professionals evaluated one app, ICC (2,15) was .98, with a P value of <.001 for all 7 constructs when the modifiable items were specified for adults seeking weight loss support. Our preliminary effort shows that AQEL is a valid, reliable instrument for evaluating nutrition apps' qualities for clinical interventions by nutrition clinicians, educators, and researchers. Further efforts in validating AQEL in various contexts are needed. ©Kristen Nicole DiFilippo, Wenhao Huang, Karen M. Chapman-Novakofski. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 27.10.2017.

A Data Quality Filter for PMU Measurements: Description, Experience, and Examples

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

Follum, James D.; Amidan, Brett G.

Networks of phasor measurement units (PMUs) continue to grow, and along with them, the amount of data available for analysis. With so much data, it is impractical to identify and remove poor quality data manually. The data quality filter described in this paper was developed for use with the Data Integrity and Situation Awareness Tool (DISAT), which analyzes PMU data to identify anomalous system behavior. The filter operates based only on the information included in the data files, without supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data, state estimator values, or system topology information. Measurements are compared to preselected thresholds tomore » determine if they are reliable. Along with the filter's description, examples of data quality issues from application of the filter to nine months of archived PMU data are provided. The paper is intended to aid the reader in recognizing and properly addressing data quality issues in PMU data.« less

Systematic Assessment of the Hemolysis Index: Pros and Cons.

PubMed

Lippi, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

Preanalytical quality is as important as the analytical and postanalytical quality in laboratory diagnostics. After decades of visual inspection to establish whether or not a diagnostic sample may be suitable for testing, automated assessment of hemolysis index (HI) has now become available in a large number of laboratory analyzers. Although most national and international guidelines support systematic assessment of sample quality via HI, there is widespread perception that this indication has not been thoughtfully acknowledged. Potential explanations include concern of increased specimen rejection rate, poor harmonization of analytical techniques, lack of standardized units of measure, differences in instrument-specific cutoff, negative impact on throughput, organization and laboratory economics, and lack of a reliable quality control system. Many of these concerns have been addressed. Evidence now supports automated HI in improving quality and patient safety. These will be discussed. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An experimental evaluation of the Sternberg task as a workload metric for helicopter Flight Handling Qualities (FHQ) research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hemingway, J. C.

1984-01-01

The objective was to determine whether the Sternberg item-recognition task, employed as a secondary task measure of spare mental capacity for flight handling qualities (FHQ) simulation research, could help to differentiate between different flight-control conditions. FHQ evaluations were conducted on the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames Research Center to investigate different primary flight-control configurations, and selected stability and control augmentation levels for helicopters engaged in low-level flight regimes. The Sternberg task was superimposed upon the primary flight-control task in a balanced experimental design. The results of parametric statistical analysis of Sternberg secondary task data failed to support the continued use of this task as a measure of pilot workload. In addition to the secondary task, subjects provided Cooper-Harper pilot ratings (CHPR) and responded to workload questionnaire. The CHPR data also failed to provide reliable statistical discrimination between FHQ treatment conditions; some insight into the behavior of the secondary task was gained from the workload questionnaire data.

The Sternberg Task as a Workload Metric in Flight Handling Qualities Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hemingway, J. C.

1984-01-01

The objective of this research was to determine whether the Sternberg item-recognition task, employed as a secondary task measure of spare mental capacity for flight handling qualities (FHQ) simulation research, could help to differentiate between different flight-control conditions. FHQ evaluations were conducted on the Vertical Motion Simulator at Ames Research Center to investigate different primary flight-control configurations, and selected stability and control augmentation levels for helicopers engaged in low-level flight regimes. The Sternberg task was superimposed upon the primary flight-control task in a balanced experimental design. The results of parametric statistical analysis of Sternberg secondary task data failed to support the continued use of this task as a measure of pilot workload. In addition to the secondary task, subjects provided Cooper-Harper pilot ratings (CHPR) and responded to a workload questionnaire. The CHPR data also failed to provide reliable statistical discrimination between FHQ treatment conditions; some insight into the behavior of the secondary task was gained from the workload questionnaire data.

Vision-based real-time position control of a semi-automated system for robot-assisted joint fracture surgery.

PubMed

Dagnino, Giulio; Georgilas, Ioannis; Tarassoli, Payam; Atkins, Roger; Dogramadzi, Sanja

2016-03-01

Joint fracture surgery quality can be improved by robotic system with high-accuracy and high-repeatability fracture fragment manipulation. A new real-time vision-based system for fragment manipulation during robot-assisted fracture surgery was developed and tested. The control strategy was accomplished by merging fast open-loop control with vision-based control. This two-phase process is designed to eliminate the open-loop positioning errors by closing the control loop using visual feedback provided by an optical tracking system. Evaluation of the control system accuracy was performed using robot positioning trials, and fracture reduction accuracy was tested in trials on ex vivo porcine model. The system resulted in high fracture reduction reliability with a reduction accuracy of 0.09 mm (translations) and of [Formula: see text] (rotations), maximum observed errors in the order of 0.12 mm (translations) and of [Formula: see text] (rotations), and a reduction repeatability of 0.02 mm and [Formula: see text]. The proposed vision-based system was shown to be effective and suitable for real joint fracture surgical procedures, contributing a potential improvement of their quality.

Goals and strategies in the global control design of the OAJ Robotic Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanes-Díaz, A.; Rueda-Teruel, S.; Antón, J. L.; Rueda-Teruel, F.; Moles, M.; Cenarro, A. J.; Marín-Franch, A.; Ederoclite, A.; Gruel, N.; Varela, J.; Cristóbal-Hornillos, D.; Chueca, S.; Díaz-Martín, M. C.; Guillén, L.; Luis-Simoes, R.; Maícas, N.; Lamadrid, J. L.; López-Sainz, A.; Hernández-Fuertes, J.; Valdivielso, L.; Mendes de Oliveira, C.; Penteado, P.; Schoenell, W.; Kanaan, A.

2012-09-01

There are many ways to solve the challenging problem of making a high performance robotic observatory from scratch. The Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre (OAJ) is a new astronomical facility located in the Sierra de Javalambre (Teruel, Spain) whose primary role will be to conduct all-sky astronomical surveys. The OAJ control system has been designed from a global point of view including astronomical subsystems as well as infrastructures and other facilities. Three main factors have been considered in the design of a global control system for the robotic OAJ: quality, reliability and efficiency. We propose CIA (Control Integrated Architecture) design and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) as a key performance indicator in order to improve operation processes, minimizing resources and obtaining high cost reduction whilst maintaining quality requirements. The OAJ subsystems considered for the control integrated architecture are the following: two wide-field telescopes and their instrumentation, active optics subsystems, facilities for sky quality monitoring (seeing, extinction, sky background, sky brightness, cloud distribution, meteorological station), domes and several infrastructure facilities such as water supply, glycol water, water treatment plant, air conditioning, compressed air, LN2 plant, illumination, surveillance, access control, fire suppression, electrical generators, electrical distribution, electrical consumption, communication network, Uninterruptible Power Supply and two main control rooms, one at the OAJ and the other remotely located in Teruel, 40km from the observatory, connected through a microwave radio-link. This paper presents the OAJ strategy in control design to achieve maximum quality efficiency for the observatory processes and operations, giving practical examples of our approach.

Improving the quality of discrete-choice experiments in health: how can we assess validity and reliability?

PubMed

Janssen, Ellen M; Marshall, Deborah A; Hauber, A Brett; Bridges, John F P

2017-12-01

The recent endorsement of discrete-choice experiments (DCEs) and other stated-preference methods by regulatory and health technology assessment (HTA) agencies has placed a greater focus on demonstrating the validity and reliability of preference results. Areas covered: We present a practical overview of tests of validity and reliability that have been applied in the health DCE literature and explore other study qualities of DCEs. From the published literature, we identify a variety of methods to assess the validity and reliability of DCEs. We conceptualize these methods to create a conceptual model with four domains: measurement validity, measurement reliability, choice validity, and choice reliability. Each domain consists of three categories that can be assessed using one to four procedures (for a total of 24 tests). We present how these tests have been applied in the literature and direct readers to applications of these tests in the health DCE literature. Based on a stakeholder engagement exercise, we consider the importance of study characteristics beyond traditional concepts of validity and reliability. Expert commentary: We discuss study design considerations to assess the validity and reliability of a DCE, consider limitations to the current application of tests, and discuss future work to consider the quality of DCEs in healthcare.

[The Scope, Quality and Safety Requirements of Drug Abuse Testing].

PubMed

Küme, Tuncay; Karakükcü, Çiğdem; Pınar, Aslı; Coşkunol, Hakan

2017-01-01

The aim of this review is to inform about the scopes and requirements of drug abuse testing. Drug abuse testing is one of the tools for determination of drug use. It must fulfill the quality and safety requirements in judgmental legal and administrative decisions. Drug abuse testing must fulfill some requirements like selection of the appropriate test matrix, appropriate screening test panel, sampling in detection window, patient consent, identification of the donor, appropriate collection site, sample collection with observation, identification and control of the sample, specimen custody chain in preanalytical phase; analysis in authorized laboratories, specimen validity tests, reliable testing METHODS, strict quality control, two-step analysis in analytical phase; storage of the split specimen, confirmation of the split specimen in the objection, result custody chain, appropriate cut-off concentration, the appropriate interpretation of the result in postanalytical phase. The workflow and analytical processes of drug abuse testing are explained in last regulation of the Department of Medical Laboratory Services, Ministry of Health in Turkey. The clinical physicians have to know and apply the quality and safety requirements in drug abuse testing according to last regulations in Turkey.

Reliable cues and signals of fruit quality are contingent on the habitat in black elder (Sambucus nigra).

PubMed

Schaefer, H Martin; Braun, Julius

2009-06-01

Communication mediates interactions between organisms and can be based on signals or cues. Signals are selected for their signaling function, whereas cues evolve for reasons other than signaling. To be evolutionarily stable, communication needs to be reliable on average, but the mechanisms that enforce reliability are hotly debated in light of strong environmental influence on signals and cues. While fruit quality in black elder (Sambucus nigra) is unrelated to fruit color, it is indicated by alternative pedicel phenotypes. Information on fruit quality has thus been transferred from the fruit to the developmentally associated pedicels, which are environmentally determined cues. Within each phenotype, color variation indicates fruit quality. Communication by black elder is thus reliable, but the proximate mechanisms enforcing reliability are habitat specific. High irradiance increases both the contrasts of the visual cue and fruit quality in the anthocyanin-based red pedicel phenotype, while shaded plants of the chlorophyll-based green phenotype apparently use signals by forgoing photosynthesis. This is because lower chlorophyll content in green pedicels creates contrasting pedicels, and higher contrasts indicate higher sugar content in the fruits of green pedicels. Because anthocyanins are light-induced, plants use cues when exposed to high irradiance, whereas they apparently use costly signals in the shade by reducing chlorophyll content in the pedicels. In behavioral field and laboratory experiments we document that avian seed dispersers select among pedicel phenotypes that indicate different fruit quality. Plants can thus increase their reproductive success by sending highly informative cues. Our results indicate how reliable information transfer can be maintained both in cues and signals in spite of substantial environmental influence on visual traits.

The need for accurate total cholesterol measurement. Recommended analytical goals, current state of reliability, and guidelines for better determinations.

PubMed

Naito, H K

1989-03-01

We have approached a dawn of a new era in detection, evaluation, treatment, and monitoring of individuals with elevated blood cholesterol levels who are at increased risk for CHD. The NHLBI's National Cholesterol Education Program will be the major force underlying this national awareness program, which is dependent on the clinical laboratories providing reliable data. Precision or reproducibility of results is not a problem for most of the laboratories, but accuracy is a major concern. Both the manufacturers and laboratorians need to standardize the measurement for cholesterol so that the accuracy base is traceable to the NCCLS NRS/CHOL. The manufacturers need to adopt a uniform policy that will ensure that the values assigned to calibration, quality control, and quality assurance or survey materials are accurate and traceable to the NCCLS/CHOL. Since, at present, there are some limitations of these materials caused by matrix effects, laboratories are encouraged to use the CDC-NHLBI National Reference Laboratory Network to evaluate and monitor their ability to measure patient blood cholesterol levels accurately. Major areas of analytical problems are identified and general, as well as specific, recommendations are provided to help ensure reliable measurement of cholesterol in patient specimens.

Toward reliable biomarker signatures in the age of liquid biopsies - how to standardize the small RNA-Seq workflow

PubMed Central

Buschmann, Dominik; Haberberger, Anna; Kirchner, Benedikt; Spornraft, Melanie; Riedmaier, Irmgard; Schelling, Gustav; Pfaffl, Michael W.

2016-01-01

Small RNA-Seq has emerged as a powerful tool in transcriptomics, gene expression profiling and biomarker discovery. Sequencing cell-free nucleic acids, particularly microRNA (miRNA), from liquid biopsies additionally provides exciting possibilities for molecular diagnostics, and might help establish disease-specific biomarker signatures. The complexity of the small RNA-Seq workflow, however, bears challenges and biases that researchers need to be aware of in order to generate high-quality data. Rigorous standardization and extensive validation are required to guarantee reliability, reproducibility and comparability of research findings. Hypotheses based on flawed experimental conditions can be inconsistent and even misleading. Comparable to the well-established MIQE guidelines for qPCR experiments, this work aims at establishing guidelines for experimental design and pre-analytical sample processing, standardization of library preparation and sequencing reactions, as well as facilitating data analysis. We highlight bottlenecks in small RNA-Seq experiments, point out the importance of stringent quality control and validation, and provide a primer for differential expression analysis and biomarker discovery. Following our recommendations will encourage better sequencing practice, increase experimental transparency and lead to more reproducible small RNA-Seq results. This will ultimately enhance the validity of biomarker signatures, and allow reliable and robust clinical predictions. PMID:27317696

Optical and mechanical nondestructive tests for measuring tomato fruit firmness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manivel-Chávez, Ricardo A.; Garnica-Romo, M. G.; Arroyo-Correa, Gabriel; Aranda-Sánchez, Jorge I.

2011-08-01

Ripening is one of the most important processes to occur in fruits which involve changes in color, flavor, and texture. An important goal in quality control of fruits is to substitute traditional sensory testing methods with reliable nondestructive tests (NDT). In this work we study the firmness of tomato fruits by using optical and mechanical NDT. Optical and mechanical parameters, measured along the tomato shelf life, are shown.

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 4: Management approach recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A management approach for the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) which will meet the challenge of a constrained cost environment is presented. Areas of consideration are contracting techniques, test philosophy, reliability and quality assurance requirements, commonality options, and documentation and control requirements. The various functional areas which were examined for cost reduction possibilities are identified. The recommended management approach is developed to show the primary and alternative methods.

Reliability Study of Solder Paste Alloy for the Improvement of Solder Joint at Surface Mount Fine-Pitch Components.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohd Nizam Ab; Zubir, Noor Suhana Mohd; Leuveano, Raden Achmad Chairdino; Ghani, Jaharah A; Mahmood, Wan Mohd Faizal Wan

2014-12-02

The significant increase in metal costs has forced the electronics industry to provide new materials and methods to reduce costs, while maintaining customers' high-quality expectations. This paper considers the problem of most electronic industries in reducing costly materials, by introducing a solder paste with alloy composition tin 98.3%, silver 0.3%, and copper 0.7%, used for the construction of the surface mount fine-pitch component on a Printing Wiring Board (PWB). The reliability of the solder joint between electronic components and PWB is evaluated through the dynamic characteristic test, thermal shock test, and Taguchi method after the printing process. After experimenting with the dynamic characteristic test and thermal shock test with 20 boards, the solder paste was still able to provide a high-quality solder joint. In particular, the Taguchi method is used to determine the optimal control parameters and noise factors of the Solder Printer (SP) machine, that affects solder volume and solder height. The control parameters include table separation distance, squeegee speed, squeegee pressure, and table speed of the SP machine. The result shows that the most significant parameter for the solder volume is squeegee pressure (2.0 mm), and the solder height is the table speed of the SP machine (2.5 mm/s).

Reliability Study of Solder Paste Alloy for the Improvement of Solder Joint at Surface Mount Fine-Pitch Components

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mohd Nizam Ab.; Zubir, Noor Suhana Mohd; Leuveano, Raden Achmad Chairdino; Ghani, Jaharah A.; Mahmood, Wan Mohd Faizal Wan

2014-01-01

The significant increase in metal costs has forced the electronics industry to provide new materials and methods to reduce costs, while maintaining customers’ high-quality expectations. This paper considers the problem of most electronic industries in reducing costly materials, by introducing a solder paste with alloy composition tin 98.3%, silver 0.3%, and copper 0.7%, used for the construction of the surface mount fine-pitch component on a Printing Wiring Board (PWB). The reliability of the solder joint between electronic components and PWB is evaluated through the dynamic characteristic test, thermal shock test, and Taguchi method after the printing process. After experimenting with the dynamic characteristic test and thermal shock test with 20 boards, the solder paste was still able to provide a high-quality solder joint. In particular, the Taguchi method is used to determine the optimal control parameters and noise factors of the Solder Printer (SP) machine, that affects solder volume and solder height. The control parameters include table separation distance, squeegee speed, squeegee pressure, and table speed of the SP machine. The result shows that the most significant parameter for the solder volume is squeegee pressure (2.0 mm), and the solder height is the table speed of the SP machine (2.5 mm/s). PMID:28788270

Peptide Nucleic Acid Based Molecular Authentication for Identification of Four Medicinal Paeonia Species Using Melting Array Analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 Region.

PubMed

Kim, Wook Jin; Yang, Sungyu; Choi, Goya; Moon, Byeong Cheol

2017-11-07

Accurate taxonomic identification of plant materials in herbal medicines is important for product quality control. The genus Paeonia (Saxifragales) is the source of the herbal preparations Paeoniae Radix (Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra) and Moutan Radicis Cotex. However, confusion has arisen regarding their contents due to linguistic and taxonomic ambiguities, similar morphologies and different definitions of Paeoniae Radix in the Korean and Chinese national pharmacopoeias, leading to the distribution of adulterated products. To develop a method for identifying the four Paeonia species used in these medicines, three fluorescently-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes were designed against ITS2 sequences containing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and used in a real-time PCR melting curve assay. Each of the four Paeonia species was accurately identified using this analysis. The accuracy and analytical stability of the PNA melting curve assay was confirmed using commercially available samples of the four Paeonia species. This assay is a reliable genetic tool to distinguish between different Paeonia -derived herbal medicines and identify the botanical origins of Paeoniae Radix and Moutan Radicis Cortex. This technique may also contribute to quality control and standardization of herbal medicines by providing a reliable authentication tool and preventing the distribution of inauthentic adulterants.

A simple method to evaluate the number of bradyrhizobia on soybean seeds and its implication on inoculant quality control

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Soybean seeds are non-sterile and their bacterial population interferes with the enumeration of beneficial bacteria, making it difficult to assess survival under different conditions. Within this context, the principal aims of this work were: (1) to improve a selective media for the enumeration of B. japonicum recovered from inoculated soybean seeds; (2) to establish the most representative mathematical function for B. japonicum mortality on soybean seeds after inoculation; (3) to evaluate if environmental or physiological conditions modify B. japonicum mortality on soybean seeds; and (4) to create a new protocol for quality control of soybean inoculants. We successfully evaluated the combination of pentachloronitrobenzene and vancomycin added to the yeast-mannitol medium to inhibit most fungi and Gram-positive soybean microbiota, thus producing reliable counts of B. japonicum from inoculated soybean seeds. Percentages of recovery and survival factors were obtained and used to construct a two-phase exponential decay non-linear regression function. High temperature and desiccation decreased these parameters, while the optimization of temperature and the use of osmoprotective compounds with inoculants increased them. The use of this protocol minimized heterogeneity between experiments and may be considered more reliable than the simple expression of direct colony count of bacteria recovered from seeds. PMID:21906377

Cross-cultural validation of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™) generic core scale into Arabic language.

PubMed

Arabiat, Diana; Elliott, Barbara; Draper, Peter; Al Jabery, Mohammad

2011-12-01

A range of scales is available to measure health-related quality of life. Recently, established quality of life scales have been translated for use in a wide range of Western and non-Western cultures. One of the most widely used health-related quality of life scales for use with children is the PedsQL™ 4.0. In this paper, we describe the process of translating this scale into Arabic and establishing its reliability and validity. This paper has three aims: first, to explain the process of translating the PedsQL™ (4.0) self- and proxy-reports for the ages 8-12 and 13-18, from English into Arabic; second, to assess the reliability of the new Arabic version of the scale and third, to assess its validity. The scale was translated from English to Arabic and back-translated to ensure accuracy. The Arabic version was administered to healthy children and those with cancer and a range of chronic illnesses in Jordan. Statistical methods were used to test the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the Arabic version of the PedsQL™ (4.0) and its ability to discriminate between children in the above groups. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for child self- and parent proxy-reports exceeded 0.7 for the total scores, health summary scores and psychological health summary scores. Testing for discriminant validity showed that the healthy (control) group had a higher health-related quality of life than children and young people with cancer and chronic illness. The children with chronic illnesses had the lowest scores for physical, emotional and school functioning. Initial testing of the Arabic version of the PedsQL™ (4.0) suggests that the scale has satisfactory psychometric properties. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2011 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Validation of Medical Tourism Service Quality Questionnaire (MTSQQ) for Iranian Hospitals.

PubMed

Qolipour, Mohammad; Torabipour, Amin; Khiavi, Farzad Faraji; Malehi, Amal Saki

2017-03-01

Assessing service quality is one of the basic requirements to develop the medical tourism industry. There is no valid and reliable tool to measure service quality of medical tourism. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of a Persian version of medical tourism service quality questionnaire for Iranian hospitals. To validate the medical tourism service quality questionnaire (MTSQQ), a cross-sectional study was conducted on 250 Iraqi patients referred to hospitals in Ahvaz (Iran) from 2015. To design a questionnaire and determine its content validity, the Delphi Technique (3 rounds) with the participation of 20 medical tourism experts was used. Construct validity of the questionnaire was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data were analyzed by Excel 2007, SPSS version18, and Lisrel l8.0 software. The content validity of the questionnaire with CVI=0.775 was confirmed. According to exploratory factor analysis, the MTSQQ included 31 items and 8 dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, exchange and travel facilities, technical and infrastructure facilities and safety and security). Construct validity of the questionnaire was confirmed, based on the goodness of fit quantities of model (RMSEA=0.032, CFI= 0.98, GFI=0.88). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.837 and 0.919 for expectation and perception questionnaire. The results of the study showed that the medical tourism SERVQUAL questionnaire with 31 items and 8 dimensions was a valid and reliable tool to measure service quality of medical tourism in Iranian hospitals.

Applications of Intelligent Technology to Power System Supervisory Control and Protection Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagata, Takeshi

Power system supervisory control and protection systems provide utilities with capabilities that are key to a planning business function, i.e., delivering power in a reliable and safe manner. A quality system solution is central to effective operation of a utility's most critical and costly generation, transmission, and distribution assets. The challenging issues for these systems today are not the same as they were few years ago. Today, there is much more placed on integration, use of new IT technologies, and access to information for more purposes. This article presents the topics of intelligent technology to the power system supervisory control and protection systems.

Validity and reliability of Chinese version of Adult Carer Quality of Life questionnaire (AC-QoL) in family caregivers of stroke survivors

PubMed Central

Li, Yingshuang; Ding, Chunge

2017-01-01

The Adult Carer Quality of Life questionnaire (AC-QoL) is a reliable and valid instrument used to assess the quality of life (QoL) of adult family caregivers. We explored the psychometric properties and tested the reliability and validity of a Chinese version of the AC-QoL with reliability and validity testing in 409 Chinese stroke caregivers. We used item-total correlation and extreme group comparison to do item analysis. To evaluate its reliability, we used a test-retest reliability approach, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), together with Cronbach’s alpha and model-based internal consistency index; to evaluate its validity, we used scale content validity, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) via principal component analysis with varimax rotation. We found that the CFA did not in fact confirm the original factor model and our EFA yielded a 31-item measure with a five-factor model. In conclusions, although some items performed differently in our analysis of the original English language version and our Chinese language version, our translated AC-QoL is a reliable and valid tool which can be used to assess the quality of life of stroke caregivers in mainland China. Chinese version AC-QoL is a comprehensive and good measurement to understand caregivers and has the potential to be a screening tool to assess QoL of caregiver. PMID:29131845

A reliable sewage quality abnormal event monitoring system.

PubMed

Li, Tianling; Winnel, Melissa; Lin, Hao; Panther, Jared; Liu, Chang; O'Halloran, Roger; Wang, Kewen; An, Taicheng; Wong, Po Keung; Zhang, Shanqing; Zhao, Huijun

2017-09-15

With closing water loop through purified recycled water, wastewater becomes a part of source water, requiring reliable wastewater quality monitoring system (WQMS) to manage wastewater source and mitigate potential health risks. However, the development of reliable WQMS is fatally constrained by severe contamination and biofouling of sensors due to the hostile analytical environment of wastewaters, especially raw sewages, that challenges the limit of existing sensing technologies. In this work, we report a technological solution to enable the development of WQMS for real-time abnormal event detection with high reliability and practicality. A vectored high flow hydrodynamic self-cleaning approach and a dual-sensor self-diagnostic concept are adopted for WQMS to effectively encounter vital sensor failing issues caused by contamination and biofouling and ensure the integrity of sensing data. The performance of the WQMS has been evaluated over a 3-year trial period at different sewage catchment sites across three Australian states. It has demonstrated that the developed WQMS is capable of continuously operating in raw sewage for a prolonged period up to 24 months without maintenance and failure, signifying the high reliability and practicality. The demonstrated WQMS capability to reliably acquire real-time wastewater quality information leaps forward the development of effective wastewater source management system. The reported self-cleaning and self-diagnostic concepts should be applicable to other online water quality monitoring systems, opening a new way to encounter the common reliability and stability issues caused by sensor contamination and biofouling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument is a Valid and Reliable Measure of Nutrition Literacy in Adults with Chronic Disease.

PubMed

Gibbs, Heather D; Ellerbeck, Edward F; Gajewski, Byron; Zhang, Chuanwu; Sullivan, Debra K

2018-03-01

To test the reliability and validity of the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument (NLit) in adult primary care and identify the relationship between nutrition literacy and diet quality. This instrument validation study included a cross-sectional sample participating in up to 2 visits 1 month apart. A total of 429 adults with nutrition-related chronic disease were recruited from clinics and a patient registry affiliated with a Midwestern university medical center. Nutrition literacy was measured by the NLit, which was composed of 6 subscales: nutrition and health, energy sources in food, food label and numeracy, household food measurement, food groups, and consumer skills. Diet quality was measured by Healthy Eating Index-2010 with nutrient data from Diet History Questionnaire II surveys. The researchers measured factor validity and reliability by using binary confirmatory factor analysis; test-retest reliability was measured by Pearson r and the intraclass correlation coefficient, and relationships between nutrition literacy and diet quality were analyzed by linear regression. The NLit demonstrated substantial factor validity and reliability (0.97; confidence interval, 0.96-0.98) and test-retest reliability (0.88; confidence interval, 0.85-0.90). Nutrition literacy was the most significant predictor of diet quality (β = .17; multivariate coefficient = 0.10; P < .001). The NLit is a valid and reliable tool for measuring nutrition literacy in adult primary care patients. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward a TQM Paradigm: Using SERVQUAL to Measure Library Service Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Vicki; And Others

1997-01-01

Texas A&M University's Evans Library conducted a survey (SERVQUAL) to measure service quality in terms of tangibles (appearance of facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials), reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Discrepancies between expectations and perceptions were found in reliability, responsiveness,…

Monitoring of ovarian activity by measurement of urinary excretion rates of estrone glucuronide and pregnanediol glucuronide using the Ovarian Monitor, Part II: reliability of home testing.

PubMed

Blackwell, Leonard F; Vigil, Pilar; Gross, Barbara; d'Arcangues, Catherine; Cooke, Delwyn G; Brown, James B

2012-02-01

The UNDP/WHO/World Bank/Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (Geneva) set up a study to determine whether it is feasible for women to monitor their ovarian activity reliably by home testing. Daily self-monitoring of urinary hormone metabolites for menstrual cycle assessment was evaluated by comparison of results obtained with the Home Ovarian Monitor by untrained users both at home and in study centres. Women collected daily data for urinary estrone glucuronide (E1G) and pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG) for two cycles, then the procedure was repeated in the women's local centre (in Chile, Australia or New Zealand) giving a total of 113 duplicate cycles. The tests were performed without the benefit of replicates or quality controls. The home and centre cycles were normalized and compared to identify assay errors, and the resulting home and centre menstrual cycle profiles were averaged. Reliable mean cycle profiles were obtained with the home and centre excretion rates agreeing to within 36 ± 21 nmol/24 h for E1G and 0.77 ± 0.28 µmol/24 h for baseline PdG values (1-5 µmol/24 h). The cycles had a mean length of 28.1 ± 3.1 days (n = 112; 5th and 95th percentiles: 24 and 35 days, respectively), a mean follicular phase of 14.8 ± 3.1 days (n = 107; 5th and 95th percentiles: 11 and 21 days) and a mean luteal phase length of 13.3 ± 1.5 days (n = 106; 5th and 95th percentiles: 11 and 17 days), calculated from the day of the LH peak. The study confirmed that the Ovarian Monitor pre-coated assay tubes worked well even in the hands of lay users, without standard curves, quality controls or replicates. Point-of-care monitoring to give reliable fertility data is feasible.

Electronic adherence monitoring device performance and patient acceptability: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Chan, Amy Hai Yan; Stewart, Alistair William; Harrison, Jeff; Black, Peter Nigel; Mitchell, Edwin Arthur; Foster, Juliet Michelle

2017-05-01

To investigate the performance and patient acceptability of an inhaler electronic monitoring device in a real-world childhood asthma population. Children 6 to 15 years presenting with asthma to the hospital emergency department and prescribed inhaled corticosteroids were included. Participants were randomized to receive a device with reminder features enabled or disabled for use with their preventer. Device quality control tests were conducted. Questionnaires on device acceptability, utility and ergonomics were completed at six months. A total of 1306 quality control tests were conducted; 84% passed pre-issue and 87% return testing. The most common failure reason was actuation under-recording. Acceptability scores were high, with higher scores in the reminder than non-reminder group (median, 5 th -95 th percentile: 4.1, 3.1-5.0 versus 3.7, 2.3-4.8; p < 0.001). Most (>90%) rated the device easy to use. Feedback was positive across five themes: device acceptability, ringtone acceptability, suggestions for improvement, effect on medication use, and effect on asthma control. This study investigates electronic monitoring device performance and acceptability in children using quantitative and qualitative measures. Results indicate satisfactory reliability, although failure rates of 13-16% indicate the importance of quality control. Favorable acceptability ratings support the use of these devices in children.

The Dartmouth COOP Charts: a simple, reliable, valid and responsive quality of life tool for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Eaton, T; Young, P; Fergusson, W; Garrett, J E; Kolbe, J

2005-04-01

The negative impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on health-related quality of life (HRQL) is substantial. Measurement of HRQL is increasingly advocated in clinical practice; traditional outcome measures such as lung function are poorly responsive. However many HRQL tools are not user-friendly in the clinic setting. Hence HRQL is often neglected. The Dartmouth Cooperative Functional Assessment Charts (COOP) have the requisite attributes of a tool suitable for routine clinical practice: they are simple, reliable, quick and easy to perform and score and well accepted. We aimed to determine the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the COOP in patients with significant COPD. HRQL was assessed during a prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, 12 week cross-over interventional study of ambulatory oxygen in patients (n = 50) with COPD. Test-retest reliability of the COOP domains was only modest however it was measured over a 2 month period. Significant correlations ranging between 0.4 and 0.8 were observed between all comparable domains of the COOP and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-form Health Survey, Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. Following ambulatory oxygen significant improvements were noted in all CRQ and HAD domains. Several domains of the generic SF-36 (role emotional, social functioning, role-physical) showed significant improvements. Comparable domains of the COOP (social activities, feelings) also showed significant improvements. The COOP change in health domain improved very significantly. The COOP is a simple, reliable HRQL tool which proved valid and responsive in our study population of COPD patients and may have a valuable role in routine clinical practice.

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

Roach, Mack, E-mail: mroach@radonc.ucsf.edu; Ceron Lizarraga, Tania L.; Lazar, Ann A.

Purpose: The optimal treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer is controversial. Most studies focus on biochemical (PSA) failure when comparing radical prostatectomy (RP) with radiation therapy (RT), but this endpoint has not been validated as predictive of overall survival (OS) or cause-specific survival (CSS). We analyzed the available literature to determine whether reliable conclusions could be made concerning the effectiveness of RP compared with RT with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), assuming current treatment standards. Methods: Articles published between February 29, 2004, and March 1, 2015, that compared OS and CSS after RP or RT with or without ADTmore » were included. Because the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system emphasis is on randomized controlled clinical trials, a reliability score (RS) was explored to further understand the issues associated with the study quality of observational studies, including appropriateness of treatment, source of data, clinical characteristics, and comorbidity. Lower RS values indicated lower reliability. Results: Fourteen studies were identified, and 13 were completely evaluable. Thirteen of the 14 studies (93%) were observational studies with low-quality evidence. The median RS was 12 (range, 5-18); the median difference in 10-year OS and CSS favored RP over RT: 10% and 4%, respectively. In studies with a RS ≤12 (average RS 9) the 10-year OS and CSS median differences were 17% and 6%, respectively. For studies with a RS >12 (average RS 15.5), the 10-year OS and CSS median differences were 5.5% and 1%, respectively. Thus, we observed an association between low RS and a higher percentage difference in OS and CSS. Conclusions: Reliable evidence that RP provides a superior CSS to RT with ADT is lacking. The most reliable studies suggest that the differences in 10-year CSS between RP and RT are small, possibly <1%.« less

Reliability Quantification of the Flexure: A Critical Stirling Convertor Component

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shah, Ashwin R.; Korovaichuk, Igor; Zampino, Edward J.

2004-01-01

Uncertainties in the manufacturing, fabrication process, material behavior, loads, and boundary conditions results in the variation of the stresses and strains induced in the flexures and its fatigue life. Past experience and the test data at material coupon levels revealed a significant amount of scatter of the fatigue life. Owing to these facts, the design of the flexure, using conventional approaches based on safety factor or traditional reliability based on similar equipment considerations does not provide a direct measure of reliability. Additionally, it may not be feasible to run actual long term fatigue tests due to cost and time constraints. Therefore it is difficult to ascertain material fatigue strength limit. The objective of the paper is to present a methodology and quantified results of numerical simulation for the reliability of flexures used in the Stirling convertor for their structural performance. The proposed approach is based on application of finite element analysis method in combination with the random fatigue limit model, which includes uncertainties in material fatigue life. Additionally, sensitivity of fatigue life reliability to the design variables is quantified and its use to develop guidelines to improve design, manufacturing, quality control and inspection design process is described.

Evaluation of health benefit using BenMAP-CE with an integrated scheme of model and monitor data during Guangzhou Asian Games.

PubMed

Ding, Dian; Zhu, Yun; Jang, Carey; Lin, Che-Jen; Wang, Shuxiao; Fu, Joshua; Gao, Jian; Deng, Shuang; Xie, Junping; Qiu, Xuezhen

2016-04-01

Guangzhou is the capital and largest city (land area: 7287 km(2)) of Guangdong province in South China. The air quality in Guangzhou typically worsens in November due to unfavorable meteorological conditions for pollutant dispersion. During the Guangzhou Asian Games in November 2010, the Guangzhou government carried out a number of emission control measures that significantly improved the air quality. In this paper, we estimated the acute health outcome changes related to the air quality improvement during the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games using a next-generation, fully-integrated assessment system for air quality and health benefits. This advanced system generates air quality data by fusing model and monitoring data instead of using monitoring data alone, which provides more reliable results. The air quality estimates retain the spatial distribution of model results while calibrating the value with observations. The results show that the mean PM2.5 concentration in November 2010 decreased by 3.5 μg/m(3) compared to that in 2009 due to the emission control measures. From the analysis, we estimate that the air quality improvement avoided 106 premature deaths, 1869 cases of hospital admission, and 20,026 cases of outpatient visits. The overall cost benefit of the improved air quality is estimated to be 165 million CNY, with the avoided premature death contributing 90% of this figure. The research demonstrates that BenMAP-CE is capable of assessing the health and cost benefits of air pollution control for sound policy making. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Optimization of Casting Design Parameters on Fabrication of Reliable Semi-Solid Aluminum Suspension Control Arm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragab, Kh. A.; Bouaicha, A.; Bouazara, M.

2017-09-01

The semi-solid casting process has the advantage of providing reliable mechanical aluminum parts that work continuously in dynamic as control arm of the suspension system in automotive vehicles. The quality performance of dynamic control arm is related to casting mold and gating system designs that affect the fluidity of semi-solid metal during filling the mold. Therefore, this study focuses on improvement in mechanical performance, depending on material characterization, and casting design optimization, of suspension control arms made of A357 aluminum semi-solid alloys. Mechanical and design analyses, applied on the suspension arm, showed the occurrence of mechanical failures at unexpected weak points. Metallurgical analysis showed that the main reason lies in the difficult flow of semi-solid paste through the thin thicknesses of a complex geometry. A design modification procedure is applied to the geometry of the suspension arm to avoid this problem and to improve its quality performance. The design modification of parts was carried out by using SolidWorks design software, evaluation of constraints with ABAQUS, and simulation of flow with ProCast software. The proposed designs showed that the modified suspension arm, without ribs and with a central canvas designed as Z, is considered as a perfect casting design showing an increase in the structural strength of the component. In this case, maximum von Mises stress is 199 MPa that is below the yield strength of the material. The modified casting mold design shows a high uniformity and minim turbulence of molten metal flow during semi-solid casting process.

Feasibility study of using statistical process control to customized quality assurance in proton therapy.

PubMed

Rah, Jeong-Eun; Shin, Dongho; Oh, Do Hoon; Kim, Tae Hyun; Kim, Gwe-Ya

2014-09-01

To evaluate and improve the reliability of proton quality assurance (QA) processes and, to provide an optimal customized tolerance level using the statistical process control (SPC) methodology. The authors investigated the consistency check of dose per monitor unit (D/MU) and range in proton beams to see whether it was within the tolerance level of the daily QA process. This study analyzed the difference between the measured and calculated ranges along the central axis to improve the patient-specific QA process in proton beams by using process capability indices. The authors established a customized tolerance level of ±2% for D/MU and ±0.5 mm for beam range in the daily proton QA process. In the authors' analysis of the process capability indices, the patient-specific range measurements were capable of a specification limit of ±2% in clinical plans. SPC methodology is a useful tool for customizing the optimal QA tolerance levels and improving the quality of proton machine maintenance, treatment delivery, and ultimately patient safety.

[The Contribution of GMP-grade Hospital Preparation to Translational Research].

PubMed

Yonezawa, Atsushi; Kajiwara, Moto; Minami, Ikuko; Omura, Tomohiro; Nakagawa, Shunsaku; Matsubara, Kazuo

2015-01-01

Translational research is important for applying the outcomes of basic research studies to practical medical treatments. In exploratory early-phase clinical trials for an innovative therapy, researchers should generally manufacture investigational agents by themselves. To provide investigational agents with safety and high quality in clinical studies, appropriate production management and quality control are essential. In the Department of Pharmacy of Kyoto University Hospital, a manufacturing facility for sterile drugs was established, independent of existing manufacturing facilities. Manuals on production management and quality control were developed according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Investigational New Drugs (INDs). Advanced clinical research has been carried out using investigational agents manufactured in our facility. These achievements contribute to both the safety of patients and the reliability of clinical studies. In addition, we are able to do licensing-out of our technique for the manufacture of investigational drugs. In this symposium, we will introduce our GMP grade manufacturing facility for sterile drugs and discuss the role of GMP grade hospital preparation in translational research.

Multisite Reliability of Cognitive BOLD Data

PubMed Central

Brown, Gregory G.; Mathalon, Daniel H.; Stern, Hal; Ford, Judith; Mueller, Bryon; Greve, Douglas N.; McCarthy, Gregory; Voyvodic, Jim; Glover, Gary; Diaz, Michele; Yetter, Elizabeth; Burak Ozyurt, I.; Jorgensen, Kasper W.; Wible, Cynthia G.; Turner, Jessica A.; Thompson, Wesley K.; Potkin, Steven G.

2010-01-01

Investigators perform multi-site functional magnetic resonance imaging studies to increase statistical power, to enhance generalizability, and to improve the likelihood of sampling relevant subgroups. Yet undesired site variation in imaging methods could off-set these potential advantages. We used variance components analysis to investigate sources of variation in the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal across four 3T magnets in voxelwise and region of interest (ROI) analyses. Eighteen participants traveled to four magnet sites to complete eight runs of a working memory task involving emotional or neutral distraction. Person variance was more than 10 times larger than site variance for five of six ROIs studied. Person-by-site interactions, however, contributed sizable unwanted variance to the total. Averaging over runs increased between-site reliability, with many voxels showing good to excellent between-site reliability when eight runs were averaged and regions of interest showing fair to good reliability. Between-site reliability depended on the specific functional contrast analyzed in addition to the number of runs averaged. Although median effect size was correlated with between-site reliability, dissociations were observed for many voxels. Brain regions where the pooled effect size was large but between-site reliability was poor were associated with reduced individual differences. Brain regions where the pooled effect size was small but between-site reliability was excellent were associated with a balance of participants who displayed consistently positive or consistently negative BOLD responses. Although between-site reliability of BOLD data can be good to excellent, acquiring highly reliable data requires robust activation paradigms, ongoing quality assurance, and careful experimental control. PMID:20932915

Magnetic control systems for large spacecraft with applications to space telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dougherty, H.; Machnick, J.; Nakashima, A.; Henry, J.; Tompetrini, K.

1981-01-01

Magnetic control systems for large space vehicles offer the advantage of a simple, reliable, low cost augmentation to the primary control system. When used for momentum management, a magnetic torque source offers a long life and noncontaminant environment when compared to a mass expulsion torque source. These qualities make such systems suitable for employment with the Space Telescope, which is a long life, high performance vehicle with optics and scientific instruments which would be degraded by contamination due to mass expulsion products. The various applications of magnetic systems on the Space Telescope are considered. The future trend in magnetic control of large space vehicles lies in providing a known three axis reference for backup operations, such as recovery of the primary control mode.

Assessment of quality of prescribing in patients of hypertension at primary and secondary health care facilities using the Prescription Quality Index (PQI) tool.

PubMed

Suthar, Jalpa Vashishth; Patel, Varsha J

2014-01-01

To determine the quality of prescribing in hypertension in primary and secondary health care settings using the Prescription Quality Index (PQI) tool and to assess the reliability of this tool. An observational cross-sectional study was carried out for 6 months in order to assess quality of prescribing of antihypertensive drugs using Prescription Quality Index (PQI) at four primary (PHC) and two secondary (SHC) health care facilities. Patients attending these facilities for at least 3 months were included. Complete medical history and prescriptions received were noted. Total and criteria wise PQI scores were derived for each prescription. Prescriptions were categorized as poor (score of ≤31), medium (score 32-33) and high quality (score 34-43) based on PQI total score. Psychometric analysis using factor analysis was carried out to assess reliability and validity. Total 73 hypertensive patients were included. Mean age was 61.2 ± 11 years with 35 (48%) patients above 65 years of age. Total PQI score was 26 ± 11. There was a significant difference in PQI score between PHC and SHC (P < 0.05) Out of 73 prescriptions, 43 (59%) were of poor quality with PQI score <31. The value of Cronbach's α for the entire 22 criteria of PQI was 0.71 suggesting good reliability of PQI tool in our setting. Based on PQI scores, quality of prescribing in hypertensive patients was poor, somewhat better in primary as compared to secondary health care facility. PQI is reliable for measuring prescribing quality in hypertension in Indian set up.

Otoplasty Online Information: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Websites and Videos that Patients View Regarding Cosmetic Ear Surgery.

PubMed

Nissan, Michael E; Gupta, Amar; Rayess, Hani; Black, Kevin Z; Carron, Michael

2018-02-01

Physicians should be aware of both websites and videos available online regarding the otoplasty procedure to provide quality care. This study systematically analyzes the authorships, reliability, quality, and readability of the websites, as well as the authorships and primary objectives of the videos regarding otoplasty. Validated instruments were used to analyze the reliability, quality, and readability of websites, and videos were systematically categorized and analyzed. A Google search was conducted, and the first five pages of results were included in this study. After excluding unrelated websites, the remaining 44 websites were categorized by authorship (physician, patient, academic, or unaffiliated) and were analyzed using the validated DISCERN instrument for reliability and quality, as well as various other validated instruments to measure readability. A YouTube search was also conducted, and the first 50 relevant videos were included in the study. These videos were categorized by authorship and their primary objective. Website authorships were physician-dominated. Reliability, quality, and overall DISCERN score differ between the four authorship groups by a statistically significant margin (Kruskall-Wallis test, p  < 0.05). Unaffiliated websites were the most reliable, and physician websites were the least reliable. Academic websites were of the highest quality, and patient websites were of the lowest quality. Readability did not differ significantly between the groups, though the readability measurements made showed a general lack of material easily readable by the general public. YouTube was likewise dominated by physician-authored videos. While the physician-authored videos sought mainly to inform and to advertise, patient-authored videos sought mainly to provide the patient's perspective. Academic organizations showed very little representation on YouTube, and the YouTube views on otoplasty videos were dominated by the top 20 videos, which represented over 93% of the total views of videos included in this study. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the main meal quality index when applied in the UK population.

PubMed

Gorgulho, B M; Pot, G K; Marchioni, D M

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Main Meal Quality Index when applied on the UK population. The indicator was developed to assess meal quality in different populations, and is composed of 10 components: fruit, vegetables (excluding potatoes), ratio of animal protein to total protein, fiber, carbohydrate, total fat, saturated fat, processed meat, sugary beverages and desserts, and energy density, resulting in a score range of 0-100 points. The performance of the indicator was measured using strategies for assessing content validity, construct validity, discriminant validity and reliability, including principal component analysis, linear regression models and Cronbach's alpha. The indicator presented good reliability. The Main Meal Quality Index has been shown to be valid for use as an instrument to evaluate, monitor and compare the quality of meals consumed by adults in the United Kingdom.

Evaluating software development characteristics: Assessment of software measures in the Software Engineering Laboratory. [reliability engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basili, V. R.

1981-01-01

Work on metrics is discussed. Factors that affect software quality are reviewed. Metrics is discussed in terms of criteria achievements, reliability, and fault tolerance. Subjective and objective metrics are distinguished. Product/process and cost/quality metrics are characterized and discussed.

Time frequency analysis of olfactory induced EEG-power change.

PubMed

Schriever, Valentin Alexander; Han, Pengfei; Weise, Stefanie; Hösel, Franziska; Pellegrino, Robert; Hummel, Thomas

2017-01-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of time-frequency analysis (TFA) of olfactory-induced EEG change with a low-cost, portable olfactometer in the clinical investigation of smell function. A total of 78 volunteers participated. The study was composed of three parts where olfactory stimuli were presented using a custom-built olfactometer. Part I was designed to optimize the stimulus as well as the recording conditions. In part II EEG-power changes after olfactory/trigeminal stimulation were compared between healthy participants and patients with olfactory impairment. In Part III the test-retest reliability of the method was evaluated in healthy subjects. Part I indicated that the most effective paradigm for stimulus presentation was cued stimulus, with an interstimulus interval of 18-20s at a stimulus duration of 1000ms with each stimulus quality presented 60 times in blocks of 20 stimuli each. In Part II we found that central processing of olfactory stimuli analyzed by TFA differed significantly between healthy controls and patients even when controlling for age. It was possible to reliably distinguish patients with olfactory impairment from healthy individuals at a high degree of accuracy (healthy controls vs anosmic patients: sensitivity 75%; specificity 89%). In addition we could show a good test-retest reliability of TFA of chemosensory induced EEG-power changes in Part III. Central processing of olfactory stimuli analyzed by TFA reliably distinguishes patients with olfactory impairment from healthy individuals at a high degree of accuracy. Importantly this can be achieved with a simple olfactometer.

Intermediate quality control tests in the development of a superconducting RF cryomodule for CW operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattalwar, Shrikant; Jones, Thomas; Strachan, John; Bate, Robert; Davies, Phil; McIntosh, Peter

2012-06-01

Through an international cryomodule collaboration, ASTeC at Daresbury Laboratory has taken the primary responsibility in leading the development of an optimised Superconducting RF (SRF) cryomodule, operating in CW mode for energy recovery facilities and other high duty cycle accelerators. For high beam current operation, Higher Order Mode (HOM) absorbers are critical components of the SRF Cryomodule, ensuring excessive heating of the accelerating structures and beam instabilities are effectively managed. This paper describes some of the cold tests conducted on the HOM absorbers and other critical components during the construction phase, to ensure that the quality and reliable cryomodule performance is maintained.

Mission-oriented requirements for updating MIL-H-8501. Volume 1: STI proposed structure. [military rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clement, W. F.; Hoh, R. H.; Ferguson, S. W., III; Mitchell, D. G.; Ashkenas, I. L.; Mcruer, D. T.

1985-01-01

The structure of a new flying and ground handling qualities specification for military rotorcraft is presented. This preliminary specification structure is intended to evolve into a replacement for specification MIL-H-8501A. The new structure is designed to accommodate a variety of rotorcraft types, mission flight phases, flight envelopes, and flight environmental characteristics and to provide criteria for three levels of flying qualities, a systematic treatment of failures and reliability, both conventional and multiaxis controllers, and external vision aids which may also incorporate synthetic display content. Existing and new criteria were incorporated into the new structure wherever they could be substantiated.

Power Quality and Reliability Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Attia, John O.

2001-01-01

One area where universities and industry can link is in the area of power systems reliability and quality - key concepts in the commercial, industrial and public sector engineering environments. Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) has established a collaborative relationship with the University of'Texas at Arlington (UTA), NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC), and EP&C Engineering and Technology Group (EP&C) a small disadvantage business that specializes in power quality and engineering services. The primary goal of this collaboration is to facilitate the development and implementation of a Strategic Integrated power/Systems Reliability and Curriculum Enhancement Program. The objectives of first phase of this work are: (a) to develop a course in power quality and reliability, (b) to use the campus of Prairie View A&M University as a laboratory for the study of systems reliability and quality issues, (c) to provide students with NASA/EPC shadowing and Internship experience. In this work, a course, titled "Reliability Analysis of Electrical Facilities" was developed and taught for two semesters. About thirty seven has benefited directly from this course. A laboratory accompanying the course was also developed. Four facilities at Prairie View A&M University were surveyed. Some tests that were performed are (i) earth-ground testing, (ii) voltage, amperage and harmonics of various panels in the buildings, (iii) checking the wire sizes to see if they were the right size for the load that they were carrying, (iv) vibration tests to test the status of the engines or chillers and water pumps, (v) infrared testing to the test arcing or misfiring of electrical or mechanical systems.

Quality control in the recycling stream of PVC from window frames by hyperspectral imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luciani, Valentina; Serranti, Silvia; Bonifazi, Giuseppe; Di Maio, Francesco; Rem, Peter

2013-05-01

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most commonly used thermoplastic materials in respect to the worldwide polymer consumption. PVC is mainly used in the building and construction sector, products such as pipes, window frames, cable insulation, floors, coverings, roofing sheets, etc. are realised utilising this material. In recent years, the problem of PVC waste disposal gained increasing importance in the public discussion. The quantity of used PVC items entering the waste stream is gradually increased as progressively greater numbers of PVC products approach to the end of their useful economic lives. The quality of the recycled PVC depends on the characteristics of the recycling process and the quality of the input waste. Not all PVC-containing waste streams have the same economic value. A transparent relation between value and composition is required to decide if the recycling process is cost effective for a particular waste stream. An objective and reliable quality control technique is needed in the recycling industry for the monitoring of both recycled flow streams and final products in the plant. In this work hyperspectral imaging technique in the near infrared (NIR) range (1000-1700 nm) was applied to identify unwanted plastic contaminants and rubber present in PVC coming from windows frame waste in order to assess a quality control procedure during its recycling process. Results showed as PVC, PE and rubber can be identified adopting the NIR-HSI approach.

Reliability of specific physical examination tests for the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lange, Toni; Matthijs, Omer; Jain, Nitin B; Schmitt, Jochen; Lützner, Jörg; Kopkow, Christian

2017-03-01

Shoulder pain in the general population is common and to identify the aetiology of shoulder pain, history, motion and muscle testing, and physical examination tests are usually performed. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise and evaluate intrarater and inter-rater reliability of physical examination tests in the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) through 20 March 2015. Methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) tool by 2 independent reviewers. The search strategy revealed 3259 articles, of which 18 finally met the inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated the reliability of 62 test and test variations used for the specific physical examination tests for the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies. Methodological quality ranged from 2 to 7 positive criteria of the 11 items of the QAREL tool. This review identified a lack of high-quality studies evaluating inter-rater as well as intrarater reliability of specific physical examination tests for the diagnosis of shoulder pathologies. In addition, reliability measures differed between included studies hindering proper cross-study comparisons. PROSPERO CRD42014009018. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Face Recognition for Access Control Systems Combining Image-Difference Features Based on a Probabilistic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miwa, Shotaro; Kage, Hiroshi; Hirai, Takashi; Sumi, Kazuhiko

We propose a probabilistic face recognition algorithm for Access Control System(ACS)s. Comparing with existing ACSs using low cost IC-cards, face recognition has advantages in usability and security that it doesn't require people to hold cards over scanners and doesn't accept imposters with authorized cards. Therefore face recognition attracts more interests in security markets than IC-cards. But in security markets where low cost ACSs exist, price competition is important, and there is a limitation on the quality of available cameras and image control. Therefore ACSs using face recognition are required to handle much lower quality images, such as defocused and poor gain-controlled images than high security systems, such as immigration control. To tackle with such image quality problems we developed a face recognition algorithm based on a probabilistic model which combines a variety of image-difference features trained by Real AdaBoost with their prior probability distributions. It enables to evaluate and utilize only reliable features among trained ones during each authentication, and achieve high recognition performance rates. The field evaluation using a pseudo Access Control System installed in our office shows that the proposed system achieves a constant high recognition performance rate independent on face image qualities, that is about four times lower EER (Equal Error Rate) under a variety of image conditions than one without any prior probability distributions. On the other hand using image difference features without any prior probabilities are sensitive to image qualities. We also evaluated PCA, and it has worse, but constant performance rates because of its general optimization on overall data. Comparing with PCA, Real AdaBoost without any prior distribution performs twice better under good image conditions, but degrades to a performance as good as PCA under poor image conditions.

The Role of Reliability, Vulnerability and Resilience in the Management of Water Quality Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lence, B. J.; Maier, H. R.

2001-05-01

The risk based performance indicators reliability, vulnerability and resilience provide measures of the frequency, magnitude and duration of the failure of water resources systems, respectively. They have been applied primarily to water supply problems, including the assessment of the performance of reservoirs and water distribution systems. Applications to water quality case studies have been limited, although the need to consider the length and magnitude of violations of a particular water quality standard has been recognized for some time. In this research, the role of reliability, vulnerability and resilience in water quality management applications is investigated by examining their significance as performance measures for water quality systems and assessing their potential for assisting in decision making processes. The importance of each performance indicator is discussed and a framework for classifying such systems, based on the relative significance of each of these indicators, is introduced and illustrated qualitatively with various case studies. Quantitative examples drawn from both lake and river water quality modeling exercises are then provided.

Enhancement of the Automated Quality Control Procedures for the International Soil Moisture Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heer, Elsa; Xaver, Angelika; Dorigo, Wouter; Messner, Romina

2017-04-01

In-situ soil moisture observations are still trusted to be the most reliable data to validate remotely sensed soil moisture products. Thus, the quality of in-situ soil moisture observations is of high importance. The International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN; http://ismn.geo.tuwien.ac.at/) provides in-situ soil moisture data from all around the world. The data is collected from individual networks and data providers, measured by different sensors in various depths. The data sets which are delivered in different units, time zones and data formats are then transformed into homogeneous data sets. An erroneous behavior of soil moisture data is very difficult to detect, due to annual and daily changes and most significantly the high influence of precipitation and snow melting processes. Only few of the network providers have a quality assessment for their data sets. Therefore, advanced quality control procedures have been developed for the ISMN (Dorigo et al. 2013). Three categories of quality checks were introduced: exceeding boundary values, geophysical consistency checks and a spectrum based approach. The spectrum based quality control algorithms aim to detect erroneous measurements which occur within plausible geophysical ranges, e.g. a sudden drop in soil moisture caused by a sensor malfunction. By defining several conditions which have to be met by the original soil moisture time series and their first and second derivative, such error types can be detected. Since the development of these sophisticated methods many more data providers shared their data with the ISMN and new types of erroneous measurements were identified. Thus, an enhancement of the automated quality control procedures became necessary. In the present work, we introduce enhancements of the existing quality control algorithms. Additionally, six completely new quality checks have been developed, e.g. detection of suspicious values before or after NAN-values, constant values and values that lie in a spectrum where a high majority of values before and after is flagged and therefore a sensor malfunction is certain. For the evaluation of the enhanced automated quality control system many test data sets were chosen, and manually validated to be compared to the existing quality control procedures and the new algorithms. Improvements will be shown that assure an appropriate assessment of the ISMN data sets, which are used for validations of soil moisture data retrieved by satellite data and are the foundation many other scientific publications.

The Validity and Test-Retest Reliability of the Leeds Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Scale in Turkish Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akbiyik, Derya Iren; Sumbuloglu, Vildan; Guney, Zafer; Armutlu, Kadriye; Korkmaz, Nilufer; Keser, Ilke; Yuksel, Muazzez Merve; Karabudak, Rana

2009-01-01

The aim of the study was to translate and test the reliability and validity of the Leeds Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Scale (LMSQoL) in Turkish patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Demographic data of MS patients who had a registration in and followed up by a university hospital were recorded. The LMSQoL and Turkish Quality of Life…

Guidance and Control Software Project Data - Volume 4: Configuration Management and Quality Assurance Documents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayhurst, Kelly J. (Editor)

2008-01-01

The Guidance and Control Software (GCS) project was the last in a series of software reliability studies conducted at Langley Research Center between 1977 and 1994. The technical results of the GCS project were recorded after the experiment was completed. Some of the support documentation produced as part of the experiment, however, is serving an unexpected role far beyond its original project context. Some of the software used as part of the GCS project was developed to conform to the RTCA/DO-178B software standard, "Software Considerations in Airborne Systems and Equipment Certification," used in the civil aviation industry. That standard requires extensive documentation throughout the software development life cycle, including plans, software requirements, design and source code, verification cases and results, and configuration management and quality control data. The project documentation that includes this information is open for public scrutiny without the legal or safety implications associated with comparable data from an avionics manufacturer. This public availability has afforded an opportunity to use the GCS project documents for DO-178B training. This report provides a brief overview of the GCS project, describes the 4-volume set of documents and the role they are playing in training, and includes configuration management and quality assurance documents from the GCS project. Volume 4 contains six appendices: A. Software Accomplishment Summary for the Guidance and Control Software Project; B. Software Configuration Index for the Guidance and Control Software Project; C. Configuration Management Records for the Guidance and Control Software Project; D. Software Quality Assurance Records for the Guidance and Control Software Project; E. Problem Report for the Pluto Implementation of the Guidance and Control Software Project; and F. Support Documentation Change Reports for the Guidance and Control Software Project.

Cultural Adaptation Quality of Family Life Scale for the Brazilian Portuguese.

PubMed

Jorge, Bianca Miguel; Levy, Cilmara Cristina Alves da Costa; Granato, Lídio

2015-01-01

To culturally adapt the Family Quality of Life Scale to the Brazilian Portuguese version and evaluate the instrument reliability and family quality of life of those who have children with hearing loss. The process of cultural adaptation of the scale followed the steps of the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measure. It was conducted in three stages: translation, back translation, and application in a pilot sample, as a way to check the comprehension difficulties of the items. After it had been completed, it was administered to 41 families who have children with hearing loss and, with their results, the quality of life and reliability were analyzed based on the Cronbach's alpha statistical test. In the first version (translation), among the 25 items, there were differences between the translators only in four items; after the corrections, the second version was done (back translation), in which other four more differences were found. Finally, after the final corrections, the last version was developed and used in the pilot sample without differences. Thus, it was applied to families with deaf children, who believe to be satisfied as to their quality of life. The Cronbach's alpha test found that the scale shows a satisfactory reliability. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the Family Quality of Life Scale is a tool of easy use and satisfactory reliability. The families are satisfied with their family quality of life.

[HPLC fingerprint chromatogram of Polygonum multiflorum from Guizhou].

PubMed

Li, Yan; Wang, Hui-Juan; Lin, Bing; Zhao, Zhi; Zhou, Ying

2012-12-01

To establish the fingerprint of Polygonum multiflorum from Guizhou and provide a standard for its quality control. HPLC analysis was performed on Agillent ZABAX-C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm), gradient eluted composed of acetonitrile-0.4% water solution of phosphoric acid. Column temperature was set at 25 degrees C and the flow rate was 1 mL/min. The detection wavelength was 280 nm and the analysis time was 60 min. 9 common peaks were identified. The RSD of the relative retention time and the relative peak area were less than 3% in analyzing its precision, stability and repeatability of the common peaks, and the similarity of the 16 batches of sample was more than 0.9. The method is simple and reliable, and it can provide a standard and guidance for quality control of Polygonum multiflorum.

How Reliable Are Informal Reading Inventories?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spector, Janet E.

2005-01-01

Informal Reading Inventories (IRI) are often recommended as instructionally relevant measures of reading. However, they have also been criticized for inattention to technical quality. Examination of reliability evidence in nine recently revised IRIs revealed that fewer than half report reliability. Several appear to have sufficient reliability for…

76 FR 65504 - Proposed Agency Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

..., including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility... Reliability Standard, FAC- 008-3--Facility Ratings, developed by the North American Electric Reliability... Reliability Standard FAC- 008-3 is pending before the Commission. The proposed Reliability Standard modifies...

[Adaptation of the (18)FDG module for the preparation of a sodium fluoride [(18)F] injection solution in agreement with the United States (USP 32) and European Pharmacopeia (PhEur 6)].

PubMed

Martínez, T; Cordero, B; Medín, S; Sánchez Salmón, A

2011-01-01

To establish an automated procedure for the preparation of sodium fluoride (18)F injection using the resources available in our laboratory for the preparation of (18)FDG and to analyze the repercussion of the conditioning column of the fluoride ion entrapment on the characteristics of the final product. The sequence of an (18)FDG synthesis module prepared so that it traps the fluoride ion from the cyclotron in ion-exchange resin diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride. The final solution was dosified and sterilized in a final vial in an automatized dispensing module. Three different column conditioning protocols within the process were tested. Quality controls were run according to USP 32 and EurPh 6, adding control of ethanol levels of residual solvent and quality controls of the solution at 8 h post-preparation. Activation of the resin cartridges with ethanol and water was the chosen procedure, with fluoride ion trapping > 95% and pH around 7. Ethanol levels were < 5.000 ppm. Quality controls at 8 h indicated that the solution was in compliance with the USP 32 and EurPh 6 specifications. This is an easy, low-cost, reliable automated method for sodium fluoride preparation in PET facilities with existing equipment for (18)FDG synthesis and quality control. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

Demonstration of Essential Reliability Services by a 300-MW Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant

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

Loutan, Clyde; Klauer, Peter; Chowdhury, Sirajul

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO), First Solar, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a demonstration project on a large utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plant in California to test its ability to provide essential ancillary services to the electric grid. With increasing shares of solar- and wind-generated energy on the electric grid, traditional generation resources equipped with automatic governor control (AGC) and automatic voltage regulation controls -- specifically, fossil thermal -- are being displaced. The deployment of utility-scale, grid-friendly PV power plants that incorporate advanced capabilities to support grid stability and reliability is essential for the large-scale integrationmore » of PV generation into the electric power grid, among other technical requirements. A typical PV power plant consists of multiple power electronic inverters and can contribute to grid stability and reliability through sophisticated 'grid-friendly' controls. In this way, PV power plants can be used to mitigate the impact of variability on the grid, a role typically reserved for conventional generators. In August 2016, testing was completed on First Solar's 300-MW PV power plant, and a large amount of test data was produced and analyzed that demonstrates the ability of PV power plants to use grid-friendly controls to provide essential reliability services. These data showed how the development of advanced power controls can enable PV to become a provider of a wide range of grid services, including spinning reserves, load following, voltage support, ramping, frequency response, variability smoothing, and frequency regulation to power quality. Specifically, the tests conducted included various forms of active power control such as AGC and frequency regulation; droop response; and reactive power, voltage, and power factor controls. This project demonstrated that advanced power electronics and solar generation can be controlled to contribute to system-wide reliability. It was shown that the First Solar plant can provide essential reliability services related to different forms of active and reactive power controls, including plant participation in AGC, primary frequency control, ramp rate control, and voltage regulation. For AGC participation in particular, by comparing the PV plant testing results to the typical performance of individual conventional technologies, we showed that regulation accuracy by the PV plant is 24-30 points better than fast gas turbine technologies. The plant's ability to provide volt-ampere reactive control during periods of extremely low power generation was demonstrated as well. The project team developed a pioneering demonstration concept and test plan to show how various types of active and reactive power controls can leverage PV generation's value from being a simple variable energy resource to a resource that provides a wide range of ancillary services. With this project's approach to a holistic demonstration on an actual, large, utility-scale, operational PV power plant and dissemination of the obtained results, the team sought to close some gaps in perspectives that exist among various stakeholders in California and nationwide by providing real test data.« less

Reliability of stiffened structural panels: Two examples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stroud, W. Jefferson; Davis, D. Dale, Jr.; Maring, Lise D.; Krishnamurthy, Thiagaraja; Elishakoff, Isaac

1992-01-01

The reliability of two graphite-epoxy stiffened panels that contain uncertainties is examined. For one panel, the effect of an overall bow-type initial imperfection is studied. The size of the bow is assumed to be a random variable. The failure mode is buckling. The benefits of quality control are explored by using truncated distributions. For the other panel, the effect of uncertainties in a strain-based failure criterion is studied. The allowable strains are assumed to be random variables. A geometrically nonlinear analysis is used to calculate a detailed strain distribution near an elliptical access hole in a wing panel that was tested to failure. Calculated strains are used to predict failure. Results are compared with the experimental failure load of the panel.

Turkish validity and reliability of a pediatric quality of life cancer module for children aged 8-12 and parents.

PubMed

Tanir, Meltem Kurtuncu; Kuguoglu, Sema

2011-01-01

This descriptive study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability in Turkey of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Cancer Module (PedsQL 3.0) for children aged 8-12 in the hematology-oncology polyclinics of two university hospitals in Istanbul during the period 2006-2007. The data collection instruments were the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0), the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Cancer Module (PedsQL 3.0) and a socio-demographic questionnaire, applied for 146 children diagnosed with cancer and 146 parents. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the PedsQL 3.0 were found to be 0.602-0.982 for sub-groups with the children's form, 0.644-0.966 with the parents' form. The scale was found to give a significantly high level of reliability (0.60 ≤ ± < 0.80). Significant and directly proportional correlations were demonstrated between the forms for children and parents. It was concluded that the PedsQL 3.0 cancer module is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the quality of life of Turkish children, aged 8-12, diagnosed with cancer.

[Care quality: reliability and usefulness of observation data in bench marking nursing homes and homes for the aged in the Netherlands].

PubMed

Frijters, Dinnus; Gerritsen, Debby; Steverink, Nardi

2003-02-01

Before including quality of care indicators in the Benchmark of Nursing Homes and Homes for the Aged in the Netherlands the reliability of the patient data collection, and usefulness had to be established. The patient data items were derived from the Resident Assessment Instruments (RAI) and a questionnaire on social interaction in elderly people. Three nursing homes and three homes for the aged participated in the test with 550 patients. 279 x 2 assessments were collected by independent raters for an inter rater reliability test; 259 x 2 by the same rater for a reliability test-retest; and 24 by a single rater. The scores on paired assessment forms were compared with the weighted Kappa agreement test. The test results allowed 10 of the 13 quality indicators from RAI to be retained. In addition new quality indicators could be defined on 'giving attention' and 'unrespectful addressing'. We estimate on the basis of a questionnaire for the raters that on average 9 to 12 minutes per patient are needed to collect and enter data for the resulting 12 quality indicators.

Evaluation of the reliability, usability, and applicability of AMSTAR, AMSTAR 2, and ROBIS: protocol for a descriptive analytic study.

PubMed

Gates, Allison; Gates, Michelle; Duarte, Gonçalo; Cary, Maria; Becker, Monika; Prediger, Barbara; Vandermeer, Ben; Fernandes, Ricardo M; Pieper, Dawid; Hartling, Lisa

2018-06-13

Systematic reviews (SRs) of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) can provide the best evidence to inform decision-making, but their methodological and reporting quality varies. Tools exist to guide the critical appraisal of quality and risk of bias in SRs, but evaluations of their measurement properties are limited. We will investigate the interrater reliability (IRR), usability, and applicability of A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), AMSTAR 2, and Risk Of Bias In Systematic reviews (ROBIS) for SRs in the fields of biomedicine and public health. An international team of researchers at three collaborating centres will undertake the study. We will use a random sample of 30 SRs of RCTs investigating therapeutic interventions indexed in MEDLINE in February 2014. Two reviewers at each centre will appraise the quality and risk of bias in each SR using AMSTAR, AMSTAR 2, and ROBIS. We will record the time to complete each assessment and for the two reviewers to reach consensus for each SR. We will extract the descriptive characteristics of each SR, the included studies, participants, interventions, and comparators. We will also extract the direction and strength of the results and conclusions for the primary outcome. We will summarise the descriptive characteristics of the SRs using means and standard deviations, or frequencies and proportions. To test for interrater reliability between reviewers and between the consensus agreements of reviewer pairs, we will use Gwet's AC 1 statistic. For comparability to previous evaluations, we will also calculate weighted Cohen's kappa and Fleiss' kappa statistics. To estimate usability, we will calculate the mean time to complete the appraisal and to reach consensus for each tool. To inform applications of the tools, we will test for statistical associations between quality scores and risk of bias judgments, and the results and conclusions of the SRs. Appraising the methodological and reporting quality of SRs is necessary to determine the trustworthiness of their conclusions. Which tool may be most reliably applied and how the appraisals should be used is uncertain; the usability of newly developed tools is unknown. This investigation of common (AMSTAR) and newly developed (AMSTAR 2, ROBIS) tools will provide empiric data to inform their application, interpretation, and refinement.

The VA Ostomy Health-Related Quality of Life Study: objectives, methods, and patient sample.

PubMed

Krouse, Robert S; Mohler, M Jane; Wendel, Christopher S; Grant, Marcia; Baldwin, Carol M; Rawl, Susan M; McCorkle, Ruth; Rosenfeld, Kenneth E; Ko, Clifford Y; Schmidt, C Max; Coons, Stephen Joel

2006-04-01

To present the design and methods of a multisite study of health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in veterans living with ostomies. Veterans from Tucson, Indianapolis, and Los Angeles VA Medical Centers were surveyed using the validated City of Hope ostomy-specific tool (mCOH-QOL-Ostomy) and the SF-36V. Cases (ostomates) had a major gastrointestinal procedure that required an intestinal stoma, while controls had similar procedures for which an ostomy was not required. Ostomy subjects were recruited for four focus groups in each of two sites divided by ostomy type (colostomy versus ileostomy) and overall mCOH-QOL-Ostomy HR-QOL score (highest versus lowest quartile). The focus groups further evaluated barriers, concerns, and adaptation methods and skills. This report presents recruitment results, reliability of survey instruments, and demographic characteristics of the sample. The overall response (i.e., recruitment) rate across all sites was 48% and by site was 53%, 57%, and 37%, respectively (p < 0.001). Internal consistency reliability estimates indicated that both instruments remain reliable in this population (Cronbach's alpha for HR-QOL domains/scales: 0.71-0.96). Cases and controls were similar in demographic characteristics. Proportions of minority subjects matched projections from the site patient populations. Subjects with ostomies had significantly longer time since surgery than controls (p < 0.001). Focus groups were comprised of two to six subjects per group and demonstrated racial diversity at the Los Angeles site. The unique design of our study of VA patients with ostomies is an illustration of a successful mixed methods approach to HR-QOL research. We collected meaningful quantitative and qualitative data that will be used in the development of new approaches to care that will lead to improved functioning and well-being in persons living with ostomies. Subsequent reports will provide the results of this research project.

Implementation and results of an integrated data quality assurance protocol in a randomized controlled trial in Uttar Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Gass, Jonathon D; Misra, Anamika; Yadav, Mahendra Nath Singh; Sana, Fatima; Singh, Chetna; Mankar, Anup; Neal, Brandon J; Fisher-Bowman, Jennifer; Maisonneuve, Jenny; Delaney, Megan Marx; Kumar, Krishan; Singh, Vinay Pratap; Sharma, Narender; Gawande, Atul; Semrau, Katherine; Hirschhorn, Lisa R

2017-09-07

There are few published standards or methodological guidelines for integrating Data Quality Assurance (DQA) protocols into large-scale health systems research trials, especially in resource-limited settings. The BetterBirth Trial is a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the BetterBirth Program, which seeks to improve quality of facility-based deliveries and reduce 7-day maternal and neonatal mortality and maternal morbidity in Uttar Pradesh, India. In the trial, over 6300 deliveries were observed and over 153,000 mother-baby pairs across 120 study sites were followed to assess health outcomes. We designed and implemented a robust and integrated DQA system to sustain high-quality data throughout the trial. We designed the Data Quality Monitoring and Improvement System (DQMIS) to reinforce six dimensions of data quality: accuracy, reliability, timeliness, completeness, precision, and integrity. The DQMIS was comprised of five functional components: 1) a monitoring and evaluation team to support the system; 2) a DQA protocol, including data collection audits and targets, rapid data feedback, and supportive supervision; 3) training; 4) standard operating procedures for data collection; and 5) an electronic data collection and reporting system. Routine audits by supervisors included double data entry, simultaneous delivery observations, and review of recorded calls to patients. Data feedback reports identified errors automatically, facilitating supportive supervision through a continuous quality improvement model. The five functional components of the DQMIS successfully reinforced data reliability, timeliness, completeness, precision, and integrity. The DQMIS also resulted in 98.33% accuracy across all data collection activities in the trial. All data collection activities demonstrated improvement in accuracy throughout implementation. Data collectors demonstrated a statistically significant (p = 0.0004) increase in accuracy throughout consecutive audits. The DQMIS was successful, despite an increase from 20 to 130 data collectors. In the absence of widely disseminated data quality methods and standards for large RCT interventions in limited-resource settings, we developed an integrated DQA system, combining auditing, rapid data feedback, and supportive supervision, which ensured high-quality data and could serve as a model for future health systems research trials. Future efforts should focus on standardization of DQA processes for health systems research. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02148952 . Registered on 13 February 2014.

Fabrication and Improvement of Lmsc's All-silica RSI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beasley, R. M.; Izu, Y. D.; Nakano, H. N.; Ozolin, A. A.; Peachman, A.

1973-01-01

The LI-1500 and LI-900 all silica RSI materials have made the transition from laboratory to manufacturing operation. Improvements in both quality and reproducibility have been achieved. The LI-1500 material has displayed superior reliability in evaluations conducted at various facilities. The dependable performance of the material is attributed to the adherence to the stringent requirements of the numerous material, process, and product control evaluations and inspection points performed during manufacture.

Electron/proton spectrometer certification documentation analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gleeson, P.

1972-01-01

A compilation of analyses generated during the development of the electron-proton spectrometer for the Skylab program is presented. The data documents the analyses required by the electron-proton spectrometer verification plan. The verification plan was generated to satisfy the ancillary hardware requirements of the Apollo Applications program. The certification of the spectrometer requires that various tests, inspections, and analyses be documented, approved, and accepted by reliability and quality control personnel of the spectrometer development program.

Ulnar hammer syndrome: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Vartija, Larisa; Cheung, Kevin; Kaur, Manraj; Coroneos, Christopher James; Thoma, Achilleas

2013-11-01

Ulnar hammer syndrome is an uncommon form of arterial insufficiency. Many treatments have been described, and debate continues about the best option. The goal of this systematic review was to determine whether ulnar hammer syndrome has an occupational association, to identify the most reliable diagnostic test, and to determine the best treatment modality. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE. Data from articles meeting inclusion criteria were collected in duplicate. Methodological quality of studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies scale. Thirty studies were included in the systematic review. No randomized controlled trials were identified. There is low-quality evidence suggestive of an association between exposure to repetitive hand trauma and vibration and ulnar hammer syndrome. Various diagnostic investigations were used, but few were compared, making it difficult to determine the most reliable diagnostic test. Numerous nonoperative and operative treatments were reported. With nonoperative treatment, 12 percent had complete resolution and 70 percent had partial resolution of their symptoms. Of patients treated operatively, 42.5 percent had complete resolution and 42.5 percent had partial resolution of their symptoms. The heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures limits definitive conclusions about occupational association, best diagnostic test, and treatment for ulnar hammer syndrome. However, there is low-quality evidence that suggests that most patients with ulnar hammer syndrome will have partial relief of symptoms with nonoperative treatment, and operative treatment results in complete or partial resolution of symptoms in the majority of cases. Therapeutic, IV.

Guidance for laboratories performing molecular pathology for cancer patients.

PubMed

Cree, Ian A; Deans, Zandra; Ligtenberg, Marjolijn J L; Normanno, Nicola; Edsjö, Anders; Rouleau, Etienne; Solé, Francesc; Thunnissen, Erik; Timens, Wim; Schuuring, Ed; Dequeker, Elisabeth; Murray, Samuel; Dietel, Manfred; Groenen, Patricia; Van Krieken, J Han

2014-11-01

Molecular testing is becoming an important part of the diagnosis of any patient with cancer. The challenge to laboratories is to meet this need, using reliable methods and processes to ensure that patients receive a timely and accurate report on which their treatment will be based. The aim of this paper is to provide minimum requirements for the management of molecular pathology laboratories. This general guidance should be augmented by the specific guidance available for different tumour types and tests. Preanalytical considerations are important, and careful consideration of the way in which specimens are obtained and reach the laboratory is necessary. Sample receipt and handling follow standard operating procedures, but some alterations may be necessary if molecular testing is to be performed, for instance to control tissue fixation. DNA and RNA extraction can be standardised and should be checked for quality and quantity of output on a regular basis. The choice of analytical method(s) depends on clinical requirements, desired turnaround time, and expertise available. Internal quality control, regular internal audit of the whole testing process, laboratory accreditation, and continual participation in external quality assessment schemes are prerequisites for delivery of a reliable service. A molecular pathology report should accurately convey the information the clinician needs to treat the patient with sufficient information to allow for correct interpretation of the result. Molecular pathology is developing rapidly, and further detailed evidence-based recommendations are required for many of the topics covered here. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Optical Sensing of Polarization States Changes in Meat due to the Ageing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tománek, Pavel; Mikláš, Jan; Abubaker, Hamed Mohamed; Grmela, Lubomír

2010-11-01

Food materials or biological materials display large compositional variations, inhomogeneities, and anisotropic structures. The biological tissues consist of cells which dimensions are bigger than a wavelength of visible light, therefore Mie scattering of transmitted and reflected light occurs and different polarization states arise. The meat industry needs reliable meat quality information throughout the production process in order to guarantee high-quality meat products for consumers. The minor importance is still given to the food quality control and inspection during processing operations or storing conditions. The paper presents a quite simple optical method allowing measure the freshness or ageing of products. The principle is to study temporal characteristics of polarization states of forward or backward scattered laser light in the samples in function of meat ageing.

Validation of Medical Tourism Service Quality Questionnaire (MTSQQ) for Iranian Hospitals

PubMed Central

Qolipour, Mohammad; Torabipour, Amin; Khiavi, Farzad Faraji; Malehi, Amal Saki

2017-01-01

Introduction Assessing service quality is one of the basic requirements to develop the medical tourism industry. There is no valid and reliable tool to measure service quality of medical tourism. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of a Persian version of medical tourism service quality questionnaire for Iranian hospitals. Methods To validate the medical tourism service quality questionnaire (MTSQQ), a cross-sectional study was conducted on 250 Iraqi patients referred to hospitals in Ahvaz (Iran) from 2015. To design a questionnaire and determine its content validity, the Delphi Technique (3 rounds) with the participation of 20 medical tourism experts was used. Construct validity of the questionnaire was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data were analyzed by Excel 2007, SPSS version18, and Lisrel l8.0 software. Results The content validity of the questionnaire with CVI=0.775 was confirmed. According to exploratory factor analysis, the MTSQQ included 31 items and 8 dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, exchange and travel facilities, technical and infrastructure facilities and safety and security). Construct validity of the questionnaire was confirmed, based on the goodness of fit quantities of model (RMSEA=0.032, CFI= 0.98, GFI=0.88). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.837 and 0.919 for expectation and perception questionnaire. Conclusion The results of the study showed that the medical tourism SERVQUAL questionnaire with 31 items and 8 dimensions was a valid and reliable tool to measure service quality of medical tourism in Iranian hospitals. PMID:28461863

Establishment of quality, reliability and design standards for low, medium, and high power microwave hybrid microcircuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, E. A.

1973-01-01

Quality, reliability, and design standards for microwave hybrid microcircuits were established. The MSFC Standard 85M03926 for hybrid microcircuits was reviewed and modifications were generated for use with microwave hybrid microcircuits. The results for reliability tests of microwave thin film capacitors, transistors, and microwave circuits are presented. Twenty-two microwave receivers were tested for 13,500 unit hours. The result of 111,121 module burn-in and operating hours for an integrated solid state transceiver module is reported.

Automotive sensors: past, present and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prosser, S. J.

2007-07-01

This paper will provide a review of past, present and future automotive sensors. Today's vehicles have become highly complex sophisticated electronic control systems and the majority of innovations have been solely achieved through electronics and the use of advanced sensors. A range of technologies have been used over the past twenty years including silicon microengineering, thick film, capacitive, variable reluctance, optical and radar. The automotive sensor market continues to grow with respect to vehicle production level in recognition of the transition to electronically controlled electrically actuated systems. The environment for these sensors continues to be increasingly challenging with respect to robustness, reliability, quality and cost.

Health-related quality of life in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: validation of the German PCOSQ-G.

PubMed

Böttcher, B; Fessler, S; Friedl, F; Toth, B; Walter, M H; Wildt, L; Riedl, D

2018-04-01

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) report a decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and higher levels of psychological distress. Validated questionnaires are necessary to assess the impact of PCOS on patients' lives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the German "Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Questionnaire" (PCOSQ-G). The psychometric properties of the PCOSQ-G were investigated in PCOS patients with item-total correlation, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Correlations with the Short-Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) were calculated to evaluate the validity of the PCOSQ-G. Discriminatory validity was investigated through a receiver operating characteristic curve and independent sample t tests compared with healthy controls. Good psychometric properties were found for most items. Acceptable to high internal consistency was found for the total score (α = 0.94-0.95) and all subscales (α = 0.70-0.97). High test-retest reliability was found for the total score (0.86) and all subscales (0.81-0.90). The validity analyses showed that the PCOSQ-G total score was positively correlated with both SF-36 summary scales and was negatively correlated with both HADS subscales. Patients reported significantly lower values for the PCOSQ-G total score (p < 0.001) and all subscales, and the PCOSQ-G discriminated well between patients and healthy controls (AUC = 0.81, p < 0.001). PCOSQ-G is a reliable and valid tool to assess the HRQOL in patients with PCOS and can be used in future clinical research. Patients with PCOS exhibited an impaired HRQOL, which indicates the need for psychosomatic counseling.

Reliability of physical examination for diagnosis of myofascial trigger points: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Lucas, Nicholas; Macaskill, Petra; Irwig, Les; Moran, Robert; Bogduk, Nikolai

2009-01-01

Trigger points are promoted as an important cause of musculoskeletal pain. There is no accepted reference standard for the diagnosis of trigger points, and data on the reliability of physical examination for trigger points are conflicting. To systematically review the literature on the reliability of physical examination for the diagnosis of trigger points. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and other sources were searched for articles reporting the reliability of physical examination for trigger points. Included studies were evaluated for their quality and applicability, and reliability estimates were extracted and reported. Nine studies were eligible for inclusion. None satisfied all quality and applicability criteria. No study specifically reported reliability for the identification of the location of active trigger points in the muscles of symptomatic participants. Reliability estimates varied widely for each diagnostic sign, for each muscle, and across each study. Reliability estimates were generally higher for subjective signs such as tenderness (kappa range, 0.22-1.0) and pain reproduction (kappa range, 0.57-1.00), and lower for objective signs such as the taut band (kappa range, -0.08-0.75) and local twitch response (kappa range, -0.05-0.57). No study to date has reported the reliability of trigger point diagnosis according to the currently proposed criteria. On the basis of the limited number of studies available, and significant problems with their design, reporting, statistical integrity, and clinical applicability, physical examination cannot currently be recommended as a reliable test for the diagnosis of trigger points. The reliability of trigger point diagnosis needs to be further investigated with studies of high quality that use current diagnostic criteria in clinically relevant patients.

Assessment of a condition-specific quality-of-life measure for patients with developmentally absent teeth: validity and reliability testing.

PubMed

Akram, A J; Ireland, A J; Postlethwaite, K C; Sandy, J R; Jerreat, A S

2013-11-01

This article describes the process of validity and reliability testing of a condition-specific quality-of-life measure for patients with hypodontia presenting for orthodontic treatment. The development of the instrument is described in a previous article. Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust & Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton. The child perception questionnaire was used as a standard against which to test criterion validity. The Bland and Altman method was used to check agreement between the two questionnaires. Construct validity was tested using principal component analysis on the four sections of the questionnaire. Test-retest reliability was tested using intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland and Altman method. Cronbach's alpha was used to test internal consistency reliability. Overall the questionnaire showed good reliability, criterion and construct validity. This together with previous evidence of good face and content validity suggests that the instrument may prove useful in clinical practice and further research. This study has demonstrated that the newly developed condition-specific quality-of-life questionnaire is both valid and reliable for use in young patients with hypodontia. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Quality assurance and reliability sub-committee W88-0/Mk5 weapon assessment NSA lab test results (u)

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

Whitney, Earl M

2010-11-29

The purpose of this report is to gather appropriate level of relevant stockpile surveillance data to assess trends in the NEP quality, reliability, performance, and safety over the life of the system. The objectives are to gather relevant stockpile data to assess NEP quality and trends and to develop metrics to assess the suitability of the surveillance sampling regime to meet assessment process requirements.

Announcement—guidance document for acquiring reliable data in ecological restoration projects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stapanian, Martin A.; Rodriguez, Karen; Lewis, Timothy E.; Blume, Louis; Palmer, Craig J.; Walters, Lynn; Schofield, Judith; Amos, Molly M.; Bucher, Adam

2016-01-01

The Laurentian Great Lakes are undergoing intensive ecological restoration in Canada and the United States. In the United States, an interagency committee was formed to facilitate implementation of quality practices for federally funded restoration projects in the Great Lakes basin. The Committee's responsibilities include developing a guidance document that will provide a common approach to the application of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) practices for restoration projects. The document will serve as a “how-to” guide for ensuring data quality during each aspect of ecological restoration projects. In addition, the document will provide suggestions on linking QA/QC data with the routine project data and hints on creating detailed supporting documentation. Finally, the document will advocate integrating all components of the project, including QA/QC applications, into an overarching decision-support framework. The guidance document is expected to be released by the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office in 2017.

Quality assessment of Penthorum chinense Pursh through multicomponent qualification and fingerprint, chemometric, and antihepatocarcinoma analyses.

PubMed

Sun, Zong-Liang; Zhang, Yu-Zhen; Zhang, Feng; Zhang, Jia-Wei; Zheng, Guo-Can; Tan, Ling; Wang, Chong-Zhi; Zhou, Lian-Di; Zhang, Qi-Hui; Yuan, Chun-Su

2018-06-22

An efficient method combined with fingerprint and chemometric analyses was developed to evaluate the quality of the traditional Chinese medicine plant Penthorum chinense Pursh. Nine samples were collected from different regions during different harvest periods, and 17 components in the form of extracts were simultaneously examined to assess quality by using high-performance liquid chromatography. The hepatoprotective effects of components were investigated by assessing the inhibition of SMMC-7721 cell growth. The results indicated that the quality control method was accurate, stable, and reliable, and the hierarchical heat-map cluster and the principle component analyses confirmed that the classification of all nine samples was consistent. Quercetin and ellagitannins including pinocembrin-7-O-[3''-O-galloyl-4'',6''-hexahydroxydiphenoyl]-β-glucose (PGHG), thonningianin A, thonningianin B, and other flavonoids were abundant in the extracts, and significantly contributed to the hepatoprotective effects.

E-Service Quality Evaluation on E-Government Website: Case Study BPJS Kesehatan Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasyid, A.; Alfina, I.

2017-01-01

This research intends to develop a model to evaluate the quality of e-services on e-government. The proposed model consists of seven dimensions: web design, reliability, responsiveness, privacy and security, personalization, information, and ease of use. The model is used to measure the quality of the e-registration of BPJS Kesehatan, an Indonesian government health insurance program. The validation and reliability testing show that of the seven dimensions proposed, only four that suitable for the case study. The result shows that the BPJS Kesehatan e-registration service is good in reliability and responsiveness dimensions, while from web design and ease of use dimensions the e-service still needs to be optimized.

Comparison of Quantity Versus Quality Using Performance, Reliability, and Life Cycle Cost Data. A Case Study of the F-15, F-16, and A-10 Aircraft.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

CoC S~04 COMPARISON OF QUANTITY VERSUS QUALITY USING PERFORMANCE, RELIABILITY, AND LIFE CYCLE COST DATA. A CASE STUDY OF THE F-15, F-16, AND A-10...CYCLE COSTIATU.AT CAE AIR ORE HEO OG .- jAITR UIVERSITY W right.,Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio .! 5ൔ ,6 198 C.IT. U AF’IT/GSL,4/L3Q/65:S Ŗ J...COMPARISON OF QUANTITY VERSUS QUALITY USING PERFORMANCE, RELIABILITY, AND LIFE CYCLE COST DATA. A CASE STUDY OF THE F-15, F-16, AND A-10 AIRCRAFT THESIS David

Assessing health-related quality of life in children with recurrent headache: reliability and validity of the PedsQLTM 4.0 in a pediatric headache sample.

PubMed

Connelly, Mark; Rapoff, Michael A

2006-08-01

To evaluate the reliability and validity of a commonly used measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0), in a sample of children with a recurrent headache syndrome. Participants were 40 children aged 7-12 who completed measures of HRQOL, headache-related disability, and headache activity during a baseline period and following a self-directed cognitive-behavioral intervention. The data are supportive of the reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (criterion related, convergent, known-groups, and responsiveness to intervention) of the PedsQL 4.0 within a pediatric headache sample. We conclude that the PedsQL 4.0 is a reliable and valid measure of HRQOL in children with recurrent headache and captures important information not routinely evaluated in chronic pain populations.

The use of Minilabs to improve the testing capacity of regulatory authorities in resource limited settings: Tanzanian experience.

PubMed

Risha, Peter Gasper; Msuya, Zera; Clark, Malcolm; Johnson, Keith; Ndomondo-Sigonda, Margareth; Layloff, Thomas

2008-08-01

The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority piloted the use of Minilab kits, a thin-layer-chromatographic based drug quality testing technique, in a two-tier quality assurance program. The program is intended to improve testing capacity with timely screening of the quality of medicines as they enter the market. After 1 week training of inspectors on Minilab screening techniques, they were stationed at key Ports-of-Entry (POE) to screen the quality of imported medicines. In addition, three non-Ports-of-Entry centres were established to screen samples collected during Post-Marketing-Surveillance. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) were developed to structure and standardize the implementation process. Over 1200 samples were tested using the Minilab outside the central quality control laboratory (QCL), almost doubling the previous testing capacity. The program contributed to increased regulatory reach and visibility of the Authority throughout the country, serving as a deterrent against entry of substandard medicines into market. The use of Minilab for quality screening was inexpensive and provided a high sample throughput. However, it suffers from the limitation that it can reliably detect only grossly substandard or wrong drug samples and therefore, it should not be used as an independent testing resource but in conjunction with a full-service quality control laboratory capable of auditing reported substandard results.

How Reliable Are Students' Evaluations of Teaching Quality? A Variance Components Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feistauer, Daniela; Richter, Tobias

2017-01-01

The inter-rater reliability of university students' evaluations of teaching quality was examined with cross-classified multilevel models. Students (N = 480) evaluated lectures and seminars over three years with a standardised evaluation questionnaire, yielding 4224 data points. The total variance of these student evaluations was separated into the…

Electrical Characterization of Semiconductor Materials and Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deen, M.; Pascal, Fabien

Semiconductor materials and devices continue to occupy a preeminent technological position due to their importance when building integrated electronic systems used in a wide range of applications from computers, cell-phones, personal digital assistants, digital cameras and electronic entertainment systems, to electronic instrumentation for medical diagnositics and environmental monitoring. Key ingredients of this technological dominance have been the rapid advances made in the quality and processing of materials - semiconductors, conductors and dielectrics - which have given metal oxide semiconductor device technology its important characteristics of negligible standby power dissipation, good input-output isolation, surface potential control and reliable operation. However, when assessing material quality and device reliability, it is important to have fast, nondestructive, accurate and easy-to-use electrical characterization techniques available, so that important parameters such as carrier doping density, type and mobility of carriers, interface quality, oxide trap density, semiconductor bulk defect density, contact and other parasitic resistances and oxide electrical integrity can be determined. This chapter describes some of the more widely employed and popular techniques that are used to determine these important parameters. The techniques presented in this chapter range in both complexity and test structure requirements from simple current-voltage measurements to more sophisticated low-frequency noise, charge pumping and deep-level transient spectroscopy techniques.

[State of supply services for industrial hygiene and safety in Colombia].

PubMed

Varona, Marcela E; Torres, Carlos Humberto; Díaz, Sonia M; Palma, Ruth Marién; Checa, Diana Milena; Conde, Juan Vicente

2012-01-01

Institutions that supply occupational health services must offer services that are reliable and of high quality across the spectrum of industrial hygiene and safety needs. Services for occupational health were identified at several institutions, and the technical quality and reliability of these services were compared in different regions of Colombia. This descriptive study identified the services available for industrial hygiene and safety in 15 cities of Colombia. A survey was conducted in 192 institutions offering such services and a statistical analysis of these results was undertaken. This sample was taken from a nationwide list of institutions purportedly licensed for this activity. Thirty-two percent (61) of the evaluated institutions provided hygiene services, and 48% (93) provided safety services. The range of health services was provided on a subcontract basis both for professional personnel and the equipment. Six institutions in the area of industrial hygiene and 1 in the area of industrial security were supplying services with pending or suspended institutional licenses. Deficiencies in the quality, infrastructure and levels of automation were identified at institutions that supply services of hygiene and industrial security. The resulting recommendatios are that the Ministry of the Social Protection fortifies mechanisms for (1) the evaluation and control of the supplied services, and (2) verify that the institutional activity is in accordance with current and valid licensing.

A Chinese version of the City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire: validity and reliability assessment.

PubMed

Gao, Wenjun; Yuan, Changrong; Wang, Jichuan; Du, Jiarui; Wu, Huiqiao; Qian, Xiaojie; Hinds, Pamela S

2013-01-01

The City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire is a widely accepted scale to assess quality of life in ostomy patients. However, the validity and reliability of the Chinese version (C-COH) have not been studied. The objective of the study was to assess the validity and reliability of the C-COH among ostomy patients sampled from Shanghai from August 2010 to June 2011. Content validity was examined based on the reviews of a panel of 10 experts; test-retest was conducted to assess the item reliabilities of the scale; a pilot sample (n = 274) was selected to explore the factorial structure of the C-COH using exploratory factor analysis; a validation sample (n = 370) was selected to confirm the findings from the exploratory study using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Statistical package SPSS version 16.0 was used for the exploratory factor analysis, and Amos 17.0 was used for the CFA. The C-COH was developed by modifying 1 item and excluding 11 items from the original scale. Four factors/subscales (physical well-being, psychological well-being, social well-being, and spiritual well-being) were identified and confirmed in the C-COH The scale reliabilities estimated from the CFA results for the 4 subscales were 0.860, 0.885, 0.864, and 0.686, respectively. Findings support the reliability and validity of the C-COH. The C-COH could be a useful measure of the level of quality of life among Chinese patients with a stoma and may provide important intervention implications for healthcare providers to help improve the life quality of patients with a stoma.

The comparison of perceived health-related quality of life between Australian children with severe specific language impairment to age and gender-matched peers.

PubMed

Nicola, Kristy; Watter, Pauline

2018-02-14

Children with specific language impairment often present with multiple comorbidities, which may adversely affect both participation in play and academic performance, potentially impacting a child's health-related quality of life. This study 1) explored the suitability of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL™) for use with a typically developing Australian control group, and 2) compared the health-related quality of life between a control group and Australian children with severe specific language impairment. Health-related quality of life data collected as part of a broader study of 43 children with severe specific language impairment (males = 35, age range 5-16, mean age = 8.79+/- 2.92) enrolled at a special school were used to explore previously unreported findings. Typically developing gender and age matched (+/- 3 months) peers were recruited from local schools. The PedsQL™ child self-report and proxy-report were individually or interviewer-administered to the control group as required, and then compared to the group with specific language impairment. The PedsQL™ was reliable and feasible for use with the control group (N = 43, males = 35, age range = 5-16 years, mean age = 8.74+/- 2.94 years). Control group performance was as expected as per the manual. Parents of the control group scored their children significantly higher than did the children themselves on all scales except the emotional functioning scale. Both the control group children and their parents scored themselves significantly higher on all scales, compared to children with severe specific language impairment and their parents. The PedsQL™ was suitable for use with the control group. Further, the recruitment of a control group provided additional clarity on the extent a severe specific language impairment impacts on an Australian child's perceived health-related quality of life, compared to the manual cut-off scores. Severe specific language impairment significantly impacts negatively on the health-related quality of life of Australian children across all domains, particularly when compared to an age and gender-matched group of peers. These results warrant the inclusion of health-related quality of life evaluations in the assessment of these children along with a multidisciplinary approach.

Comparison of five Lonicera flowers by simultaneous determination of multi-components with single reference standard method and principal component analysis.

PubMed

Gao, Wen; Wang, Rui; Li, Dan; Liu, Ke; Chen, Jun; Li, Hui-Jun; Xu, Xiaojun; Li, Ping; Yang, Hua

2016-01-05

The flowers of Lonicera japonica Thunb. were extensively used to treat many diseases. As the demands for L. japonica increased, some related Lonicera plants were often confused or misused. Caffeoylquinic acids were always regarded as chemical markers in the quality control of L. japonica, but they could be found in all Lonicera species. Thus, a simple and reliable method for the evaluation of different Lonicera flowers is necessary to be established. In this work a method based on single standard to determine multi-components (SSDMC) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) for control and distinguish of Lonicera species flowers have been developed. Six components including three caffeoylquinic acids and three iridoid glycosides were assayed simultaneously using chlorogenic acid as the reference standard. The credibility and feasibility of the SSDMC method were carefully validated and the results demonstrated that there were no remarkable differences compared with external standard method. Finally, a total of fifty-one batches covering five Lonicera species were analyzed and PCA was successfully applied to distinguish the Lonicera species. This strategy simplifies the processes in the quality control of multiple-componential herbal medicine which effectively adapted for improving the quality control of those herbs belonging to closely related species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous integration and quality control for scientific software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neidhardt, A.; Ettl, M.; Brisken, W.; Dassing, R.

2013-08-01

Modern software has to be stable, portable, fast and reliable. This is going to be also more and more important for scientific software. But this requires a sophisticated way to inspect, check and evaluate the quality of source code with a suitable, automated infrastructure. A centralized server with a software repository and a version control system is one essential part, to manage the code basis and to control the different development versions. While each project can be compiled separately, the whole code basis can also be compiled with one central “Makefile”. This is used to create automated, nightly builds. Additionally all sources are inspected automatically with static code analysis and inspection tools, which check well-none error situations, memory and resource leaks, performance issues, or style issues. In combination with an automatic documentation generator it is possible to create the developer documentation directly from the code and the inline comments. All reports and generated information are presented as HTML page on a Web server. Because this environment increased the stability and quality of the software of the Geodetic Observatory Wettzell tremendously, it is now also available for scientific communities. One regular customer is already the developer group of the DiFX software correlator project.

A novel approach to rapidly explore analytical markers for quality control of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae extract granules by robust principal component analysis with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Song, Jing-Zheng; Li, Song-Lin; Zhou, Yan; Qiao, Chun-Feng; Chen, Shi-Lin; Xu, Hong-Xi

2010-11-02

In a well-controlled experiment, outliers discriminated by robust principal component analysis (RPCA) represent contents in samples which are of particular quality distinguishable from the rest of the others, therefore chemical constituents in a natural product causing discrimination between outliers and the majority of samples could be considered as analytical markers for quality control. Based on this strategy, a novel approach for rapidly exploring characteristic analytical markers was proposed for the quality control of extract granules of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (EGRSM). In this study, large sizes of samples were analyzed via high-throughput ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-UV-Q-Tof MS). RPCA was first performed on the three groups of samples: RSM (the raw material), the in-house prepared aqueous extract of Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (AERSM) and commercial product of EGRSM, to determine the variation of specific constituents between raw material and the final products as well as the effect of manufacturing process on the overall quality. Then RPCA was performed on the commercial products of EGRSM to explore the applicability of identified characteristic markers for the quality control of EGRSM. Candidate markers were extracted by RPCA, and their molecular formulae were determined by high resolution electrospray ionization-mass spectrometric (ESI-MS) analysis. The suitability of identified markers was then evaluated by determining the relationship between quantities of the identified markers with their antioxidant activities biologically, and further confirmed in a variety of samples. In conclusion, the combination of RPCA with UHPLC-UV-Q-Tof MS is a reliable means to identify chemical markers for evaluating quality of herbal medicines. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Signal verification can promote reliable signalling.

PubMed

Broom, Mark; Ruxton, Graeme D; Schaefer, H Martin

2013-11-22

The central question in communication theory is whether communication is reliable, and if so, which mechanisms select for reliability. The primary approach in the past has been to attribute reliability to strategic costs associated with signalling as predicted by the handicap principle. Yet, reliability can arise through other mechanisms, such as signal verification; but the theoretical understanding of such mechanisms has received relatively little attention. Here, we model whether verification can lead to reliability in repeated interactions that typically characterize mutualisms. Specifically, we model whether fruit consumers that discriminate among poor- and good-quality fruits within a population can select for reliable fruit signals. In our model, plants either signal or they do not; costs associated with signalling are fixed and independent of plant quality. We find parameter combinations where discriminating fruit consumers can select for signal reliability by abandoning unprofitable plants more quickly. This self-serving behaviour imposes costs upon plants as a by-product, rendering it unprofitable for unrewarding plants to signal. Thus, strategic costs to signalling are not a prerequisite for reliable communication. We expect verification to more generally explain signal reliability in repeated consumer-resource interactions that typify mutualisms but also in antagonistic interactions such as mimicry and aposematism.

The reliability and validity of cervical auscultation in the diagnosis of dysphagia: a systematic review.

PubMed

Lagarde, Marloes L J; Kamalski, Digna M A; van den Engel-Hoek, Lenie

2016-02-01

To systematically review the available evidence for the reliability and validity of cervical auscultation in diagnosing the several aspects of dysphagia in adults and children suffering from dysphagia. Medline (PubMed), Embase and the Cochrane Library databases. The systematic review was carried out applying the steps of the PRISMA-statement. The methodological quality of the included studies were evaluated using the Dutch 'Cochrane checklist for diagnostic accuracy studies'. A total of 90 articles were identified through the search strategy, and after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, six articles were included in this review. In the six studies, 197 patients were assessed with cervical auscultation. Two of the six articles were considered to be of 'good' quality and three studies were of 'moderate' quality. One article was excluded because of a 'poor' methodological quality. Sensitivity ranges from 23%-94% and specificity ranges from 50%-74%. Inter-rater reliability was 'poor' or 'fair' in all studies. The intra-rater reliability shows a wide variance among speech language therapists. In this systematic review, conflicting evidence is found for the validity of cervical auscultation. The reliability of cervical auscultation is insufficient when used as a stand-alone tool in the diagnosis of dysphagia in adults. There is no available evidence for the validity and reliability of cervical auscultation in children. Cervical auscultation should not be used as a stand-alone instrument to diagnose dysphagia. © The Author(s) 2015.

Validity evidence and reliability of a simulated patient feedback instrument.

PubMed

Schlegel, Claudia; Woermann, Ulrich; Rethans, Jan-Joost; van der Vleuten, Cees

2012-01-27

In the training of healthcare professionals, one of the advantages of communication training with simulated patients (SPs) is the SP's ability to provide direct feedback to students after a simulated clinical encounter. The quality of SP feedback must be monitored, especially because it is well known that feedback can have a profound effect on student performance. Due to the current lack of valid and reliable instruments to assess the quality of SP feedback, our study examined the validity and reliability of one potential instrument, the 'modified Quality of Simulated Patient Feedback Form' (mQSF). Content validity of the mQSF was assessed by inviting experts in the area of simulated clinical encounters to rate the importance of the mQSF items. Moreover, generalizability theory was used to examine the reliability of the mQSF. Our data came from videotapes of clinical encounters between six simulated patients and six students and the ensuing feedback from the SPs to the students. Ten faculty members judged the SP feedback according to the items on the mQSF. Three weeks later, this procedure was repeated with the same faculty members and recordings. All but two items of the mQSF received importance ratings of > 2.5 on a four-point rating scale. A generalizability coefficient of 0.77 was established with two judges observing one encounter. The findings for content validity and reliability with two judges suggest that the mQSF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the quality of feedback provided by simulated patients.

An intelligent remote control system for ECEI on EAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dongxu; Zhu, Yilun; Zhao, Zhenling; Qu, Chengming; Liao, Wang; Xie, Jinlin; Liu, Wandong

2017-08-01

An intelligent remote control system based on a power distribution unit (PDU) and Arduino has been designed for the electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) system on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). This intelligent system has three major functions: ECEI system reboot, measurement region adjustment and signal amplitude optimization. The observation region of ECEI can be modified for different physics proposals by remotely tuning the optical and electronics systems. Via the remote adjustment of the attenuation level, the ECEI intermediate frequency signal amplitude can be efficiently optimized. The remote control system provides a feasible and reliable solution for the improvement of signal quality and the efficiency of the ECEI diagnostic system, which is also valuable for other diagnostic systems.

Construct Validity and Reliability of the Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction in Adults With Hypertension.

PubMed

Hickman, Ronald L; Clochesy, John M; Hetland, Breanna; Alaamri, Marym

2017-04-01

There are limited reliable and valid measures of the patient- provider interaction among adults with hypertension. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to describe the construct validity and reliability of the Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction (QQPPI), in community-dwelling adults with hypertension. A convenience sample of 109 participants with hypertension was recruited and administered the QQPPI at baseline and 8 weeks later. The exploratory factor analysis established a 12-item, 2-factor structure for the QQPPI was valid in this sample. The modified QQPPI proved to have sufficient internal consistency and test- retest reliability. The modified QQPPI is a valid and reliable measure of the provider-patient interaction, a construct posited to impact self-management, in adults with hypertension.

High-Quality CrO2 Nanowires for Dissipation-less Spintronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Amrita; Jansen, Charlotte; Lahabi, Kaveh; Aarts, Jan

2016-10-01

Superconductor-ferromagnet (S-F) hybrids based on half-metallic ferromagnets, such as CrO2 , are ideal candidates for superconducting spintronic applications. This is primarily due to the fully spin-polarized nature of CrO2 , which produces enhanced long-range triplet proximity effects. However, reliable production of CrO2 -based Josephson junctions (JJs) has proved to be extremely challenging because of a poorly controlled interface transparency and an incomplete knowledge of the local magnetization of the CrO2 films. To address these issues, we use a bottom-up approach to grow CrO2 nanowires on prepatterned substrates via chemical-vapor deposition. A comprehensive study of the growth mechanism enables us to reliably synthesize faceted, homogeneous CrO2 wires with a well-defined magnetization state. Combining these high-quality wires with a superconductor produces JJs with a high interface transparency, leading to exceptionally large 100% spin-polarized supercurrents, with critical current densities exceeding 109 Am-2 over distances as long as 600 nm. These CrO2 -nanowire-based JJs thus provide a realistic route to creating a scalable device platform for dissipation-less spintronics.

Quality of Liver and Kidney Function Tests among Public Medical Laboratories in Western Region of Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia.

PubMed

Teka, Abaynesh; Kibatu, Girma

2012-03-01

Medical laboratories play essential roles in measurements of substances in body fluids for the purpose of diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and for greater understanding of the disease process. Thus, data generated from have to be reliable for which strict quality control, management and assurance are maintained. The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy and precision of clinical chemistry laboratories in western region of Amhara national regional state of Ethiopia in testing liver and kidney functions. Eight laboratories in hospitals and a Regional Health Research Laboratory Center participated in this study from February to March, 2011. Each participant was requested to measure six specimens for six chemistry tests from two control samples. Three hundred twenty four test results to be reported from all participant laboratories, if all measurements can be made, were designed to be collected and statistically evaluated. None of the study subject laboratories could deliver all the six tests for estimation of both liver and renal functions simultaneously during the study period. Only 213 values from the expected 324 values were reported and about 65 % of the 213 values reported fell outside of the allowable limits of errors for the chemistry tests of the control specimen used. This study finding showed that there were lack of accuracy and precision in chemistry measurements. A regular survey on medical laboratories should be conducted questioning the accuracy and precision of their analyses in order to sustain improvements in the quality of services provided by participating laboratories for the benefit of patients. Laboratory Quality Management Systems appreciate the need for regular quality control and quality assessment schemes in medical laboratories.

Development and validation of a visual grading scale for assessing image quality of AP pelvis radiographic images.

PubMed

Mraity, Hussien A A B; England, Andrew; Cassidy, Simon; Eachus, Peter; Dominguez, Alejandro; Hogg, Peter

2016-01-01

The aim of this article was to apply psychometric theory to develop and validate a visual grading scale for assessing the visual perception of digital image quality anteroposterior (AP) pelvis. Psychometric theory was used to guide scale development. Seven phantom and seven cadaver images of visually and objectively predetermined quality were used to help assess scale reliability and validity. 151 volunteers scored phantom images, and 184 volunteers scored cadaver images. Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess scale validity and reliability. A 24-item scale was produced. Aggregated mean volunteer scores for each image correlated with the rank order of the visually and objectively predetermined image qualities. Scale items had good interitem correlation (≥0.2) and high factor loadings (≥0.3). Cronbach's alpha (reliability) revealed that the scale has acceptable levels of internal reliability for both phantom and cadaver images (α = 0.8 and 0.9, respectively). Factor analysis suggested that the scale is multidimensional (assessing multiple quality themes). This study represents the first full development and validation of a visual image quality scale using psychometric theory. It is likely that this scale will have clinical, training and research applications. This article presents data to create and validate visual grading scales for radiographic examinations. The visual grading scale, for AP pelvis examinations, can act as a validated tool for future research, teaching and clinical evaluations of image quality.

Development and validation of a visual grading scale for assessing image quality of AP pelvis radiographic images

PubMed Central

England, Andrew; Cassidy, Simon; Eachus, Peter; Dominguez, Alejandro; Hogg, Peter

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this article was to apply psychometric theory to develop and validate a visual grading scale for assessing the visual perception of digital image quality anteroposterior (AP) pelvis. Methods: Psychometric theory was used to guide scale development. Seven phantom and seven cadaver images of visually and objectively predetermined quality were used to help assess scale reliability and validity. 151 volunteers scored phantom images, and 184 volunteers scored cadaver images. Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess scale validity and reliability. Results: A 24-item scale was produced. Aggregated mean volunteer scores for each image correlated with the rank order of the visually and objectively predetermined image qualities. Scale items had good interitem correlation (≥0.2) and high factor loadings (≥0.3). Cronbach's alpha (reliability) revealed that the scale has acceptable levels of internal reliability for both phantom and cadaver images (α = 0.8 and 0.9, respectively). Factor analysis suggested that the scale is multidimensional (assessing multiple quality themes). Conclusion: This study represents the first full development and validation of a visual image quality scale using psychometric theory. It is likely that this scale will have clinical, training and research applications. Advances in knowledge: This article presents data to create and validate visual grading scales for radiographic examinations. The visual grading scale, for AP pelvis examinations, can act as a validated tool for future research, teaching and clinical evaluations of image quality. PMID:26943836

Intelligent Energy Management System for PV-Battery-based Microgrids in Future DC Homes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chauhan, R. K.; Rajpurohit, B. S.; Gonzalez-Longatt, F. M.; Singh, S. N.

2016-06-01

This paper presents a novel intelligent energy management system (IEMS) for a DC microgrid connected to the public utility (PU), photovoltaic (PV) and multi-battery bank (BB). The control objectives of the proposed IEMS system are: (i) to ensure the load sharing (according to the source capacity) among sources, (ii) to reduce the power loss (high efficient) in the system, and (iii) to enhance the system reliability and power quality. The proposed IEMS is novel because it follows the ideal characteristics of the battery (with some assumptions) for the power sharing and the selection of the closest source to minimize the power losses. The IEMS allows continuous and accurate monitoring with intelligent control of distribution system operations such as battery bank energy storage (BBES) system, PV system and customer utilization of electric power. The proposed IEMS gives the better operational performance for operating conditions in terms of load sharing, loss minimization, and reliability enhancement of the DC microgrid.

The influence of biological and technical factors on quantitative analysis of amyloid PET: Points to consider and recommendations for controlling variability in longitudinal data.

PubMed

Schmidt, Mark E; Chiao, Ping; Klein, Gregory; Matthews, Dawn; Thurfjell, Lennart; Cole, Patricia E; Margolin, Richard; Landau, Susan; Foster, Norman L; Mason, N Scott; De Santi, Susan; Suhy, Joyce; Koeppe, Robert A; Jagust, William

2015-09-01

In vivo imaging of amyloid burden with positron emission tomography (PET) provides a means for studying the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's and related diseases. Measurement of subtle changes in amyloid burden requires quantitative analysis of image data. Reliable quantitative analysis of amyloid PET scans acquired at multiple sites and over time requires rigorous standardization of acquisition protocols, subject management, tracer administration, image quality control, and image processing and analysis methods. We review critical points in the acquisition and analysis of amyloid PET, identify ways in which technical factors can contribute to measurement variability, and suggest methods for mitigating these sources of noise. Improved quantitative accuracy could reduce the sample size necessary to detect intervention effects when amyloid PET is used as a treatment end point and allow more reliable interpretation of change in amyloid burden and its relationship to clinical course. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In pursuit of quality by viable quality assurance system: the controllers' perceptions.

PubMed

Aziz, Anwar

2011-01-01

Patients, families and communities expect safe, competent and compassionate nursing care that has always been a core value of nursing. To meet these expectations, a valid and reliable quality assurance (QA) system is crucial to ensure that nurse-graduates are competent, confident and fit to practice. The QA approach is seen to be fundamental for quality improvement, it would be appropriate to consider its influence in the nursing education in Pakistan as the current situation is evident of non-existence of such a system to assure its quality. The data is drawn from a qualitative case study conducted in 2004. Among a purposive sample of 71 nurses inclusive of a group of Controllers were interviewed on one-to-one basis. Interviews were audio taped to reduce the risk of any misinterpretation and to facilitate the exact description of data as it was said. The non-directive, semi-structured and open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data. Thematic analysis of verbatim transcripts of the interviews was done. The study findings reveal a unanimous desire of the nurses to gauge quality of nurse education through efficient and effective quality assurance system. A crucial need is felt to develop a viable quality assurance system to ensure approved level of quality in nursing education to deliver the right care to the right patient at the right time, every time. The continuous quality assurance and improvement (CQAI) framework based on Deming Quality Cycle (Plan, Do, Check and Act) could facilitate appropriate designing and development of mechanism.

Body postures and patterns as amplifiers of physical condition.

PubMed Central

Taylor, P W; Hasson, O; Clark, D L

2000-01-01

The question of why receivers accept a selfish signaller's message as reliable or 'honest' has fuelled ample controversy in discussions of communication. The handicap mechanism is now widely accepted as a potent constraint on cheating. Handicap signals are deemed reliable by their costs: signallers must choose between investing in the signal or in other aspects of fitness. Accordingly, resources allocated to the signal come to reflect the signaller's fitness budget and, on average, cheating is uneconomic. However, that signals may also be deemed reliable by their design, regardless of costs, is not widely appreciated. Here we briefly describe indices and amplifiers, reliable signals that may be essentially cost free. Indices are reliable because they bear a direct association with the signalled quality rather than costs. Amplifiers do not directly provide information about signaller quality, but they facilitate assessment by increasing the apparency of pre-existing cues and signals that are associated with quality. We present results of experiments involving a jumping spider (Plexippus paykulli) to illustrate how amplifiers can facilitate assessment of cues associated with physical condition without invoking the costs required for handicap signalling. PMID:10853735

Cognitive-behavioural therapy does not meaningfully reduce depression in most people with epilepsy: a systematic review of clinically reliable improvement.

PubMed

Noble, Adam J; Reilly, James; Temple, James; Fisher, Peter L

2018-05-07

Psychological treatment is recommended for depression and anxiety in those with epilepsy. This review used standardised criteria to evaluate, for the first time, the clinical relevance of any symptom change these treatments afford patients. Databases were searched until March 2017 for relevant trials in adults. Trial quality was assessed and trial authors asked for individual participants' pre-treatment and post-treatment distress data. Jacobson's methodology determined the proportion in the different trial arms demonstrating reliable symptom change on primary and secondary outcome measures and its direction. Search yielded 580 unique articles; only eight eligible trials were identified. Individual participant data for five trials-which included 398 (85%) of the 470 participants randomised by the trials-were received. The treatments evaluated lasted ~7 hours and all incorporated cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Depression was the primary outcome in all; anxiety a secondary outcome in one. On average, post-treatment assessments occurred 12 weeks following randomisation; 2 weeks after treatment had finished. There were some limitations in how trials were conducted, but overall trial quality was 'good'. Pooled risk difference indicated likelihood of reliable improvement in depression symptoms was significantly higher for those randomised to CBT. The extent of gain was though low-the depressive symptoms of most participants (66.9%) receiving CBT were 'unchanged' and 2.7% 'reliably deteriorated'. Only 30.4% made a 'reliable improvement. This compares with 10.2% of participants in the control arms who 'reliably improved' without intervention. The effect of the treatments on secondary outcome measures, including anxiety, was also low. Existing CBT treatments appear to have limited benefit for depression symptoms in epilepsy. Almost 70% of people with epilepsy do not reliably improve following CBT. Only a limited number of trials have though been conducted in this area and there remains a need for large, well-conducted trials. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Random Forest Application for NEXRAD Radar Data Quality Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keem, M.; Seo, B. C.; Krajewski, W. F.

2017-12-01

Identification and elimination of non-meteorological radar echoes (e.g., returns from ground, wind turbines, and biological targets) are the basic data quality control steps before radar data use in quantitative applications (e.g., precipitation estimation). Although WSR-88Ds' recent upgrade to dual-polarization has enhanced this quality control and echo classification, there are still challenges to detect some non-meteorological echoes that show precipitation-like characteristics (e.g., wind turbine or anomalous propagation clutter embedded in rain). With this in mind, a new quality control method using Random Forest is proposed in this study. This classification algorithm is known to produce reliable results with less uncertainty. The method introduces randomness into sampling and feature selections and integrates consequent multiple decision trees. The multidimensional structure of the trees can characterize the statistical interactions of involved multiple features in complex situations. The authors explore the performance of Random Forest method for NEXRAD radar data quality control. Training datasets are selected using several clear cases of precipitation and non-precipitation (but with some non-meteorological echoes). The model is structured using available candidate features (from the NEXRAD data) such as horizontal reflectivity, differential reflectivity, differential phase shift, copolar correlation coefficient, and their horizontal textures (e.g., local standard deviation). The influence of each feature on classification results are quantified by variable importance measures that are automatically estimated by the Random Forest algorithm. Therefore, the number and types of features in the final forest can be examined based on the classification accuracy. The authors demonstrate the capability of the proposed approach using several cases ranging from distinct to complex rain/no-rain events and compare the performance with the existing algorithms (e.g., MRMS). They also discuss operational feasibility based on the observed strength and weakness of the method.

Predicting Software Assurance Using Quality and Reliability Measures

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

errors are not found in unit testing . The rework effort to correct requirement and design problems in later phases can be as high as 300 to 1,000...Literature 31 Appendix B: Quality Cannot Be Tested In 35 Bibliography 38 CMU/SEI-2014-TN-026 | ii CMU/SEI-2014-TN-026 | iii List of Figures...Removal Densities During Development 10 Figure 8: Quality and Security-Focused Workflow 14 Figure 9: Testing Reliability Results for the Largest Project

Development of a direct observation Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings.

PubMed

King, Gillian; Rigby, Patty; Batorowicz, Beata; McMain-Klein, Margot; Petrenchik, Theresa; Thompson, Laura; Gibson, Michelle

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to develop an observer-rated measure of aesthetic, physical, social, and opportunity-related qualities of leisure activity settings for young people (with or without disabilities). Eighty questionnaires were completed by sets of raters who independently rated 22 community/home activity settings. The scales of the 32-item Measure of Environmental Qualities of Activity Settings (MEQAS; Opportunities for Social Activities, Opportunities for Physical Activities, Pleasant Physical Environment, Opportunities for Choice, Opportunities for Personal Growth, and Opportunities to Interact with Adults) were determined using principal components analyses. Test-retest reliability was determined for eight activity settings, rated twice (4-6wk interval) by a trained rater. The factor structure accounted for 80% of the variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy was 0.73. Cronbach's alphas for the scales ranged from 0.76 to 0.96, and interrater reliabilities (ICCs) ranged from 0.60 to 0.93. Test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.70 to 0.90. Results suggest that the MEQAS has a sound factor structure and preliminary evidence of internal consistency, interrater, and test-retest reliability. The MEQAS is the first observer-completed measure of environmental qualities of activity settings. The MEQAS allows researchers to assess comprehensively qualities and affordances of activity settings, and can be used to design and assess environmental qualities of programs for young people. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Data quality through a web-based QA/QC system: implementation for atmospheric mercury data from the global mercury observation system.

PubMed

D'Amore, Francesco; Bencardino, Mariantonia; Cinnirella, Sergio; Sprovieri, Francesca; Pirrone, Nicola

2015-08-01

The overall goal of the on-going Global Mercury Observation System (GMOS) project is to develop a coordinated global monitoring network for mercury, including ground-based, high altitude and sea level stations. In order to ensure data reliability and comparability, a significant effort has been made to implement a centralized system, which is designed to quality assure and quality control atmospheric mercury datasets. This system, GMOS-Data Quality Management (G-DQM), uses a web-based approach with real-time adaptive monitoring procedures aimed at preventing the production of poor-quality data. G-DQM is plugged on a cyberinfrastructure and deployed as a service. Atmospheric mercury datasets, produced during the first-three years of the GMOS project, are used as the input to demonstrate the application of the G-DQM and how it identifies a number of key issues concerning data quality. The major issues influencing data quality are presented and discussed for the GMOS stations under study. Atmospheric mercury data collected at the Longobucco (Italy) station is used as a detailed case study.

Reliable actuators for twin rotor MIMO system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Vidya S.; V. I, George; Kamath, Surekha; Shreesha, C.

2017-11-01

Twin Rotor MIMO System (TRMS) is a bench mark system to test flight control algorithms. One of the perturbations on TRMS which is likely to affect the control system is actuator failure. Therefore, there is a need for a reliable control system, which includes H infinity controller along with redundant actuators. Reliable control refers to the design of a control system to tolerate failures of a certain set of actuators or sensors while retaining desired control system properties. Output of reliable controller has to be transferred to the redundant actuator effectively to make the TRMS reliable even under actual actuator failure.

[Reliability of a positron emission tomography system (CTI:PT931/04-12)].

PubMed

Watanuki, Shoichi; Ishii, Keizo; Itoh, Masatoshi; Orihara, Hikonojyo

2002-05-01

The maintenance data of a PET system (PT931/04-12 CTI Inc.) was analyzed to evaluate its reliability. We examined whether the initial performance for the system resolution and efficiency is kept. The reliability of the PET system was evaluated from the value of MTTF (mean time to failure) and MTBF (mean time between failures) for each part of the system obtained from the maintenance data for 13 years. The initial performance was kept for the resolution, but the efficiency decreased to 72% of the initial value. The 83% of the troubles of the system was for detector block (DB) and DB control module (BC). The MTTF of DB and BC were 2,733 and 3,314 days, and the MTBF of DB and BC per detector ring were 38 and 114 days. The MTBF of the system was 23 days. We found seasonal dependence for the number of troubles of DB and BC. This means that the trouble may be related the humidity. The reliability of the PET system strongly depends on the MTBF of DB and BC. The improvement in quality of these parts and optimization of the environment in operation may increase the reliability of the PET system. For the popularization of PET, it is effective to evaluate the reliability of the system and to show it to the users.

Robustness and cognition in stabilization problem of dynamical systems based on asymptotic methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubovik, S. A.; Kabanov, A. A.

2017-01-01

The problem of synthesis of stabilizing systems based on principles of cognitive (logical-dynamic) control for mobile objects used under uncertain conditions is considered. This direction in control theory is based on the principles of guaranteeing robust synthesis focused on worst-case scenarios of the controlled process. The guaranteeing approach is able to provide functioning of the system with the required quality and reliability only at sufficiently low disturbances and in the absence of large deviations from some regular features of the controlled process. The main tool for the analysis of large deviations and prediction of critical states here is the action functional. After the forecast is built, the choice of anti-crisis control is the supervisory control problem that optimizes the control system in a normal mode and prevents escape of the controlled process in critical states. An essential aspect of the approach presented here is the presence of a two-level (logical-dynamic) control: the input data are used not only for generating of synthesized feedback (local robust synthesis) in advance (off-line), but also to make decisions about the current (on-line) quality of stabilization in the global sense. An example of using the presented approach for the problem of development of the ship tilting prediction system is considered.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the osteoporosis assessment questionnaire short version (OPAQ-SV) for Chinese osteoporotic fracture females.

PubMed

Zhang, Yin-Ping; Wei, Huan-Huan; Wang, Wen; Xia, Ru-Yi; Zhou, Xiao-Ling; Porr, Caroline; Lammi, Mikko

2016-04-01

The Osteoporosis Assessment Questionnaire Short Version (OPAQ-SV) was cross-culturally adapted to measure health-related quality of life in Chinese osteoporotic fracture females and then validated in China for its psychometric properties. Cross-cultural adaptation, including translation of the original OPAQ-SV into Mandarin Chinese language, was performed according to published guidelines. Validation of the newly cross-culturally adapted OPAQ-SV was conducted by sampling 234 Chinese osteoporotic fracture females and also a control group of 235 Chinese osteoporotic females without fractures, producing robust content, construct, and discriminant validation results. Major categories of reliability were also met: the Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.975, indicating good internal consistency; the test-retest reliability was 0.80; and principal component analysis resulted in a 6-factor structure explaining 75.847 % of the total variance. Further, the Comparative Fit Index result was 0.922 following the modified model confirmatory factor analysis, and the chi-squared test was 1.98. The root mean squared error of approximation was 0.078. Moreover, significant differences were revealed between females with fractures and those without fractures across all domains (p < 0.001). Overall, the newly cross-culturally adapted OPAQ-SV appears to possess adequate validity and reliability and may be utilized in clinical trials to assess the health-related quality of life in Chinese osteoporotic fracture females.

The Therapeutic Environment Screening Survey for Nursing Homes (TESS-NH): an observational instrument for assessing the physical environment of institutional settings for persons with dementia.

PubMed

Sloane, Philip D; Mitchell, C Madeline; Weisman, Gerald; Zimmerman, Sheryl; Foley, Kristie M Long; Lynn, Mary; Calkins, Margaret; Lawton, M Powell; Teresi, Jeanne; Grant, Leslie; Lindeman, David; Montgomery, Rhonda

2002-03-01

To develop an observational instrument that describes the ability of physical environments of institutional settings to address therapeutic goals for persons with dementia. A National Institute on Aging workgroup identified and subsequently revised items that evaluated exit control, maintenance, cleanliness, safety, orientation/cueing, privacy, unit autonomy, outdoor access, lighting, noise, visual/tactile stimulation, space/seating, and familiarity/homelikeness. The final instrument contains 84 discrete items and one global rating. A summary scale, the Special Care Unit Environmental Quality Scale (SCUEQS), consists of 18 items. Lighting items were validated using portable light meters. Concurrent criterion validation compared SCUEQS scores with the Professional Environmental Assessment Protocol (PEAP). Interrater kappa statistics for 74% of items were above.60. For another 10% of items, kappas could not be calculated due to empty cells, but interrater agreement was above 80%. The SCUEQS demonstrated an interrater reliability of.93, a test--retest reliability of.88, and an internal consistency of.81--.83. Light meter ratings correlated significantly with the Therapeutic Environment Screening Survey for Nursing Homes (TESS-NH) lighting items (r =.29--.38, p =.01--.04), and the SCUEQS correlated significantly with global PEAP ratings (r =.52, p <.01). The TESS-NH efficiently assesses discrete elements of the physical environment and has strong reliability and validity. The SCUEQS provides a quantitative measure of environmental quality in institutional settings.

Large Area Silicon Sheet by EFG. [quality control and productivity of edge-defined film-fed growth of ribbons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Influences on ribbon quality which might be caused by various materials of construction which are used in the growth furnace were assessed. At the present level of ribbon quality, which has produced 8.5% to 9.5% efficient solar cells, no particular influence of any furnace part was detected. The experiments led to the suspicion that the general environment and the somewhat unoptimized materials handling procedures might be responsible for the current variations in ribbon quality and that, therefore, continuous work with this furnace under rather more stringent environmental conditions and operating procedures could perhaps improve materials quality to some extent. The work on the multiple furnace was continued with two multiple growth runs being performed. In these runs, the melt replenishment system performed poorly and extensive modifications to it were designed to make reliable melt feeding for five ribbon growth possible. Additional characterization techniques for wide ribbons, stress measurements, and growth dynamics experiments are reported.

The quality of our Nation's waters: Water quality in principal aquifers of the United States, 1991-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeSimone, Leslie A.; McMahon, Peter B.; Rosen, Michael R.

2015-01-01

About 130 million people in the United States rely on groundwater for drinking water, and the need for high-quality drinking-water supplies becomes more urgent as our population grows. Although groundwater is a safe, reliable source of drinking water for millions of people nationwide, high concentrations of some chemical constituents can pose potential human-health concerns. Some of these contaminants come from the rocks and sediments of the aquifers themselves, and others are chemicals that we use in agriculture, industry, and day-to-day life. When groundwater supplies are contaminated, millions of dollars can be required for treatment so that the supplies can be usable. Contaminants in groundwater can also affect the health of our streams and valuable coastal waters. By knowing where contaminants occur in groundwater, what factors control contaminant concentrations, and what kinds of changes in groundwater quality might be expected in the future, we can ensure the availability and quality of this vital natural resource in the future.

Microfinance investments in quality at private clinics in Uganda: a case-control study.

PubMed

Seiber, Eric E; Robinson, Amara L

2007-10-18

Small private-sector health care providers can play an important role in meeting the developing country health care needs, but a lack of credit can prove major constraint to small-provider expansion. This study examines the potential of small, microfinance loans to strengthen the private health sector and improve access to quality preventive and curative health services in Uganda. This study estimates logistic regressions using 2,387 client exit interviews to assess the impact of microfinance loans on perceived quality and the viability and sustainability of small, private clinics. The study finds perceived quality improved with loan recipients' clients being more likely to choose clinics on the basis of drug availability, fair charges, cleanliness, and confidentiality. In addition, the assessment found evidence of increased client flows, but the changes produced mixed results for sustainability with respondents being only half as likely to "always" visit a particular clinic. The results indicate that the microfinance program improved perceived quality at loan recipient clinics, especially as reliable drug outlets.

Evaluation of English Websites on Dental Caries by Using Consumer Evaluation Tools.

PubMed

Blizniuk, Anastasiya; Furukawa, Sayaka; Ueno, Masayuki; Kawaguchi, Yoko

2016-01-01

To evaluate the quality of patient-oriented online information about dental caries using existing consumer evaluation tools and to judge the efficacy of these tools in quality assessment. The websites for the evaluation were pooled by using two general search engines (Google and Yahoo!). The search terms were: 'dental caries', 'tooth decay' and 'tooth cavity'. Three assessment tools (LIDA, DISCERN and FRES) were used to evaluate the quality of the information in the areas of accessibility, usability, reliability and readability. In total, 77 websites were analysed. The median scores of LIDA accessibility and usability were 45.0 and 8.0, respectively, which corresponded to a medium level of quality. The median reliability scores for LIDA (12.0) and DISCERN (20.0) both corresponded to low level of quality. The readability was high with the median FRES score 59.7. The websites on caries had good accessibility, usability and readability, while reliability of the information was poor. The LIDA instrument was found to be more convenient than DISCERN and can be recommended to lay people for quick quality assessment.

Control of epitaxial defects for optimal AlGaN/GaN HEMT performance and reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, D. S.; Gibb, S. R.; Hosse, B.; Vetury, R.; Grider, D. E.; Smart, J. A.

2004-12-01

High-quality GaN epitaxy continues to be challenged by the lack of matched substrates. Threading dislocations that result from heteroepitaxy are responsible for leakage currents, trapping effects, and may adversely affect device reliability. We have studied the impact of AlN nucleation conditions on the density and character of threading dislocations on SiC substrates. Variation of the nucleation temperature, V/III ratio, and thickness are seen to have a dramatic effect on the balance between edge, screw and mixed character dislocation densities. Electrical and structural properties have been assessed by AFM and XRD on a material level and through DC and RF performance at the device level. The ratio between dislocation characteristics has been established primarily through comparison of symmetric and asymmetric XRD rocking curve widths. The effect of each dislocation type on leakage current, RF power and reliability at 2 GHz, the targeted band for cell phone infrastructure applications, is discussed.

A succinct rating scale for radiology report quality

PubMed Central

Yang, Chengwu; Ouyang, Tao; Peterson, Christine M; Sarwani, Nabeel I; Tappouni, Rafel; Bruno, Michael

2014-01-01

Context: Poorly written radiology reports are common among residents and are a significant challenge for radiology education. While training may improve report quality, a professionally developed reliable and valid scale to measure report quality does not exist. Objectives: To develop a measurement tool for report quality, the quality of report scale, with rigorous validation through empirical data. Methods: A research team of an experienced psychometrician and six senior radiologists conducted qualitative and quantitative studies. Five items were identified for the quality of report scale, each measuring a distinct aspect of report quality. Two dedicated training sessions were designed and implemented to help residents generate high-quality reports. In a blinded fashion, the quality of report scale was applied to 804 randomly selected reports issued before (n = 403) and after (n = 401) training. Full-scale psychometrical assessments were implemented onto the quality of report scale’s item- and scale-scores from the reports. The quality of report scale scores were correlated with report professionalism and attendings’ preference and were compared pre-/post-training. Results: The quality of report scale showed sound psychometrical properties, with high validity and reliability. Reports with higher quality of report scale score were more professional and preferable by attendings. Training improved the quality of report scale score, empirically validating the quality of report scale further. Conclusion: While succinct and practitioner friendly, the quality of report scale is a reliable and valid measure of radiology report quality and has the potential to be easily adapted to other fields such as pathology, where similar training would be beneficial. PMID:26770756

Simulation of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal in Ecological Ditch Based on EFDC Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S. M.; Wang, X. L.; Zhou, Q. Y.; Han, N. N.

2018-03-01

Agricultural non-point source pollution threatens water quality and ecological system recently. To control it, the first and most important task is to control the migration and transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus in the agricultural ditches. An ecological ditch was designed, and according to the design a pilot device was built, the mechanism of N and P removal in ditches under the collaboration of aquatic organisms-hydraulic power was studied through the dynamic and static experiments, in order to find out the specific influences of different environmental factors such as influent concentration, influent flow and water level. The transport and diffusion of N and P in the ditch was simulated by a three dimensional water quality model EFDC, the simulation results and the experimental data were compared. The average relative errors of EFDC model simulated results were all less than 15%, which verified the reliability of the model.

New type of drift tubes for gas-discharge detectors operating in vacuum: Production technology and quality control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azorskii, N. I.; Gusakov, Yu. V.; Elsha, V. V.; Enik, T. L.; Ershov, Yu. V.; Kekelidze, V. D.; Kislov, E. M.; Kolesnikov, A. O.; Madigozhin, D. T.; Movchan, S. A.; Polenkevich, I. A.; Potrebenikov, Yu. K.; Samsonov, V. A.; Shkarovskiy, S. N.; Sotnikov, A. N.; Volkov, A. D.; Zinchenko, A. I.

2017-01-01

A device for fabricating thin-wall (straw) drift tubes using polyethylene terephthalate film 36 μm thick by ultrasonic welding is described together with the technique for controlling their quality. The joint width amounts to 0.4-1.0 mm. The joint breaking strength is 31.9 kg/mm2. The argon leakage from a tube of volume 188.6 cm3 under a pressure gradient of 1.0 atm does not exceed 0.3 × 10-3 cm3/min, which is mainly related to the absence of metallization in the joint vicinity. The high strength, the low tensile creep due to the absence of glued layers, the small value of gas leakage makes the new tubes capable of reliable and long-term operation in vacuum, which is confirmed by the operation of 7168 straw tubes for two years in the NA62 experiment.

Mini-implants for orthodontic anchorage.

PubMed

Reynders, Reint Meursinge; Ladu, Luisa

2017-10-27

Data sourcesPubmed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Web of Science databases. Hand searches of the journals European Journal of Orthodontics, Journal of Orthodontics, Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, Seminars in Orthodontics, American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopaedics and Angle Orthodontist.Study selectionTwo reviewers independently selected studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) of orthodontic patients requiring extraction of the maxillary first premolars and closure of the spaces without anchorage loss were considered.Data extraction and synthesisData extraction and risk of bias assessment were carried out independently by two reviewers. Meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted.ResultsFourteen studies; seven RCTS and seven CCTs were included. In total 303 patients received TISADs with 313 control patients. Overall the quality of the studies was considered to be moderate. Overall the TISAD group had significantly less anchorage loss than the control group. On average, TISADs enabled 1.86mm more anchorage preservation than did conventional methods.ConclusionsThe results of the meta-analysis showed that TISADs are more effective than conventional methods of anchorage reinforcement. The average difference of 2mm seems not only statistically but also clinically significant. However, the results should be interpreted with caution because of the moderate quality of the included studies. More high-quality studies on this issue are necessary to enable drawing more reliable conclusions.

Looking ahead in systems engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigenbaum, Donald S.

1966-01-01

Five areas that are discussed in this paper are: (1) the technological characteristics of systems engineering; (2) the analytical techniques that are giving modern systems work its capability and power; (3) the management, economics, and effectiveness dimensions that now frame the modern systems field; (4) systems engineering's future impact upon automation, computerization and managerial decision-making in industry - and upon aerospace and weapons systems in government and the military; and (5) modern systems engineering's partnership with modern quality control and reliability.

Fabrication, test and demonstration of critical environment monitoring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heimendinger, K. W.

1972-01-01

Design and performance of an analytical system for the evaluation of certain environmental constituents in critical environmental areas of the Quality Reliability and Assurance Laboratory are reported. Developed was a self-contained, integrated, minimum sized unit that detects, interrogates, and records those parameters of the environment dictated for control in large storage facilities, clean rooms, temporarily curtained enclosures, and special working benches. The system analyzes humidity, temperature, hydrocarbons particle size, and particle count within prescribed clean areas.

Health-related quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a comparison with the general population using the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Questionnaire (PCOSQ) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36).

PubMed

Coffey, Sean; Bano, Gul; Mason, Helen D

2006-02-01

We examined whether women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) than women in the general population and than patients with other medical conditions. Women with PCOS were recruited from an outpatient clinic and a control group was recruited from a family planning clinic. Both groups completed the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Questionnaire (PCOSQ). SF-36 data from the Oxford Health and Lifestyle Survey were used to compare PCOS with other conditions. Twenty-two women with PCOS and 96 control women took part. Women with PCOS scored lower in both summary scores of the SF-36 and in all domains of the PCOSQ. After adjusting for body mass index, the differences between the groups in the SF-36 disappeared, while those in the PCOSQ remained. When compared with asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, back pain, arthritis and coronary heart disease, our PCOS group had the same or better physical HRQoL but poorer psychological HRQoL. The PCOSQ showed good internal reliability, good concurrent validity and good discriminant validity. PCOS has a negative impact on HRQoL even when compared with other serious health conditions. The PCOSQ is reliable and valid for clinical use.

Light-leaking region segmentation of FOG fiber based on quality evaluation of infrared image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Haoting; Wang, Wei; Gao, Feng; Shan, Lianjie; Ma, Yuzhou; Ge, Wenqian

2014-07-01

To improve the assembly reliability of Fiber Optic Gyroscope (FOG), a light leakage detection system and method is developed. First, an agile movement control platform is designed to implement the pose control of FOG optical path component in 6 Degrees of Freedom (DOF). Second, an infrared camera is employed to capture the working state images of corresponding fibers in optical path component after the manual assembly of FOG; therefore the entire light transmission process of key sections in light-path can be recorded. Third, an image quality evaluation based region segmentation method is developed for the light leakage images. In contrast to the traditional methods, the image quality metrics, including the region contrast, the edge blur, and the image noise level, are firstly considered to distinguish the image characters of infrared image; then the robust segmentation algorithms, including graph cut and flood fill, are all developed for region segmentation according to the specific image quality. Finally, after the image segmentation of light leakage region, the typical light-leaking type, such as the point defect, the wedge defect, and the surface defect can be identified. By using the image quality based method, the applicability of our proposed system can be improved dramatically. Many experiment results have proved the validity and effectiveness of this method.

[Quality of documentation of intraoperative and postoperative complications : improvement of documentation for a nationwide quality assurance program and comparison with routine data].

PubMed

Jakob, J; Marenda, D; Sold, M; Schlüter, M; Post, S; Kienle, P

2014-08-01

Complications after cholecystectomy are continuously documented in a nationwide database in Germany. Recent studies demonstrated a lack of reliability of these data. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a control algorithm on documentation quality and the use of routine diagnosis coding as an additional validation instrument. Completeness and correctness of the documentation of complications after cholecystectomy was compared over a time interval of 12 months before and after implementation of an algorithm for faster and more accurate documentation. Furthermore, the coding of all diagnoses was screened to identify intraoperative and postoperative complications. The sensitivity of the documentation for complications improved from 46 % to 70 % (p = 0.05, specificity 98 % in both time intervals). A prolonged time interval of more than 6 weeks between patient discharge and documentation was associated with inferior data quality (incorrect documentation in 1.5 % versus 15 %, p < 0.05). The rate of case documentation within the 6 weeks after hospital discharge was clearly improved after implementation of the control algorithm. Sensitivity and specificity of screening for complications by evaluating routine diagnoses coding were 70 % and 85 %, respectively. The quality of documentation was improved by implementation of a simple memory algorithm.

Quality Evaluation Scores are no more Reliable than Gestalt in Evaluating the Quality of Emergency Medicine Blogs: A METRIQ Study.

PubMed

Thoma, Brent; Sebok-Syer, Stefanie S; Colmers-Gray, Isabelle; Sherbino, Jonathan; Ankel, Felix; Trueger, N Seth; Grock, Andrew; Siemens, Marshall; Paddock, Michael; Purdy, Eve; Kenneth Milne, William; Chan, Teresa M

2018-01-30

Construct: We investigated the quality of emergency medicine (EM) blogs as educational resources. Online medical education resources such as blogs are increasingly used by EM trainees and clinicians. However, quality evaluations of these resources using gestalt are unreliable. We investigated the reliability of two previously derived quality evaluation instruments for blogs. Sixty English-language EM websites that published clinically oriented blog posts between January 1 and February 24, 2016, were identified. A random number generator selected 10 websites, and the 2 most recent clinically oriented blog posts from each site were evaluated using gestalt, the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) score, and the Medical Education Translational Resources: Impact and Quality (METRIQ-8) score, by a sample of medical students, EM residents, and EM attendings. Each rater evaluated all 20 blog posts with gestalt and 15 of the 20 blog posts with the ALiEM AIR and METRIQ-8 scores. Pearson's correlations were calculated between the average scores for each metric. Single-measure intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated the reliability of each instrument. Our study included 121 medical students, 88 EM residents, and 100 EM attendings who completed ratings. The average gestalt rating of each blog post correlated strongly with the average scores for ALiEM AIR (r = .94) and METRIQ-8 (r = .91). Single-measure ICCs were fair for gestalt (0.37, IQR 0.25-0.56), ALiEM AIR (0.41, IQR 0.29-0.60) and METRIQ-8 (0.40, IQR 0.28-0.59). The average scores of each blog post correlated strongly with gestalt ratings. However, neither ALiEM AIR nor METRIQ-8 showed higher reliability than gestalt. Improved reliability may be possible through rater training and instrument refinement.

Reliability of risk-adjusted outcomes for profiling hospital surgical quality.

PubMed

Krell, Robert W; Hozain, Ahmed; Kao, Lillian S; Dimick, Justin B

2014-05-01

Quality improvement platforms commonly use risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality to profile hospital performance. However, given small hospital caseloads and low event rates for some procedures, it is unclear whether these outcomes reliably reflect hospital performance. To determine the reliability of risk-adjusted morbidity and mortality for hospital performance profiling using clinical registry data. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, 2009. Participants included all patients (N = 55,466) who underwent colon resection, pancreatic resection, laparoscopic gastric bypass, ventral hernia repair, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, and lower extremity bypass. Outcomes included risk-adjusted overall morbidity, severe morbidity, and mortality. We assessed reliability (0-1 scale: 0, completely unreliable; and 1, perfectly reliable) for all 3 outcomes. We also quantified the number of hospitals meeting minimum acceptable reliability thresholds (>0.70, good reliability; and >0.50, fair reliability) for each outcome. For overall morbidity, the most common outcome studied, the mean reliability depended on sample size (ie, how high the hospital caseload was) and the event rate (ie, how frequently the outcome occurred). For example, mean reliability for overall morbidity was low for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (reliability, 0.29; sample size, 25 cases per year; and event rate, 18.3%). In contrast, mean reliability for overall morbidity was higher for colon resection (reliability, 0.61; sample size, 114 cases per year; and event rate, 26.8%). Colon resection (37.7% of hospitals), pancreatic resection (7.1% of hospitals), and laparoscopic gastric bypass (11.5% of hospitals) were the only procedures for which any hospitals met a reliability threshold of 0.70 for overall morbidity. Because severe morbidity and mortality are less frequent outcomes, their mean reliability was lower, and even fewer hospitals met the thresholds for minimum reliability. Most commonly reported outcome measures have low reliability for differentiating hospital performance. This is especially important for clinical registries that sample rather than collect 100% of cases, which can limit hospital case accrual. Eliminating sampling to achieve the highest possible caseloads, adjusting for reliability, and using advanced modeling strategies (eg, hierarchical modeling) are necessary for clinical registries to increase their benchmarking reliability.

Towards practical implementation of biophotonics-based solutions for cost-effective monitoring of food quality control (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meglinski, Igor; Popov, Alexey; Bykov, Alexander

2017-03-01

Biophotonics-based diagnostic and imaging modalities have been widely used in various applications associated with the non-invasive imaging of the internal structure of a range biological media from a range of cells cultures to biological tissues. With the fast growing interest in food securities there remains strong demand to apply reliable and cost effective biophotonics-based technologies for rapid screening of freshness, internal defects and quality of major agricultural products. In current presentation the results of application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and encapsulated optical bio-sensors for quantitative assessment of freshness of agricultural products, such as meat and sea foods, are presented, and their further perspectives are discussed.

Instantaneous and time-averaged dispersion and measurement models for estimation theory applications with elevated point source plumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diamante, J. M.; Englar, T. S., Jr.; Jazwinski, A. H.

1977-01-01

Estimation theory, which originated in guidance and control research, is applied to the analysis of air quality measurements and atmospheric dispersion models to provide reliable area-wide air quality estimates. A method for low dimensional modeling (in terms of the estimation state vector) of the instantaneous and time-average pollutant distributions is discussed. In particular, the fluctuating plume model of Gifford (1959) is extended to provide an expression for the instantaneous concentration due to an elevated point source. Individual models are also developed for all parameters in the instantaneous and the time-average plume equations, including the stochastic properties of the instantaneous fluctuating plume.

Reliability and Validity of SERVQUAL Scores Used To Evaluate Perceptions of Library Service Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Bruce; Cook, Colleen

Research libraries are increasingly supplementing collection counts with perceptions of service quality as indices of status and productivity. The present study was undertaken to explore the reliability and validity of scores from the SERVQUAL measurement protocol (A. Parasuraman and others, 1991), which has previously been used in this type of…

The Effect of Observation Length and Presentation Order on the Reliability and Validity of an Observational Measure of Teaching Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashburn, Andrew J.; Meyer, J. Patrick; Allen, Joseph P.; Pianta, Robert C.

2014-01-01

Observational methods are increasingly being used in classrooms to evaluate the quality of teaching. Operational procedures for observing teachers are somewhat arbitrary in existing measures and vary across different instruments. To study the effect of different observation procedures on score reliability and validity, we conducted an experimental…

Validation of the Sysmex sp-1000i automated slide preparer-stainer in a clinical laboratory

PubMed Central

de Bitencourt, Eberson Damião dos Santos; Voegeli, Carlos Franco; Onzi, Gabriela dos Santos; Boscato, Sara Cardoso; Ghem, Carine; Munhoz, Terezinha

2013-01-01

Background The speed and quality of information have become essential items in the release of laboratory reports. The Sysmex®SP1000-I device has been developed to prepare and stain smear slides. However, for a device to be cleared for use in the laboratory routine it must pass through a validation process. Objective To evaluate the performance and reliability of the Sysmex® SP-1000i slide preparer-stainer incorporated into the routine of a hospital laboratory in Porto Alegre. Methods Peripheral blood samples of patients attending the laboratory for ambulatory exams with leukocyte counts between 7000/°L and 12,000/°L were evaluated, independent of gender and age. Two slides were prepared for each sample using the Sysmex® SP-1000i equipment; one of the slides was used to perform quality control tests using the CellaVision® DM96 device, and the other slide was used to compare pre-classification by the same device and the classification performed by a pharmacist-biochemist. Results The results of all the slides used as controls were acceptable according to the quality control test as established by the manufacturer of the device. In the comparison between the automated pre-classification and the classification made by the professional, there was an acceptable variation in the differential counts of leukocytes for 90% of the analyzed slides. Pearson correlation coefficient showed a strong correlation for band neutrophils (r = 0.802; p-value < 0.001), segmented neutrophils (r = 0.963; p-value < 0.001), eosinophils (r = 0.958; p-value < 0.001), lymphocytes (r = 0.985; p-value < 0.001) and atypical lymphocytes (r = 0.866; p-value < 0.001) using both methods. The red blood cell analysis was adequate for all slides analyzed by the equipment and by the professional. Conclusion The new Sysmex®SP1000-i methodology was found to be reliable, fast and safe for the routines of medium and large laboratories, improving the quality of microscopic analysis in complete blood counts. PMID:24478606

Theory and practice in the electrometric determination of pH in precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan, Carla Jo; Peden, Mark E.

Basic theory and laboratory investigations have been applied to the electrometric determination of pH in precipitation samples in an effort to improve the reliability of the results obtained from these low ionic strength samples. The theoretical problems inherent in the measurement of pH in rain have been examined using natural precipitation samples with varying ionic strengths and pH values. The importance of electrode design and construction has been stressed. The proper choice of electrode can minimize or eliminate problems arising from residual liquid junction potentials, streaming potentials and temperature differences. Reliable pH measurements can be made in precipitation samples using commercially available calibration buffers providing low ionic strength quality control solutions are routinely used to verify electrode and meter performance.

Development of a Comprehensive and Interactive Tool to Inform State Violence and Injury Prevention Plans.

PubMed

Wilson, Lauren; Deokar, Angela J; Zaesim, Araya; Thomas, Karen; Kresnow-Sedacca, Marcie-Jo

The Center of Disease Control and Prevention's Core State Violence and Injury Prevention Program (Core SVIPP) provides an opportunity for states to engage with their partners to implement, evaluate, and disseminate strategies that lead to the reduction and prevention of injury and violence. Core SVIPP requires awardees to develop or update their state injury and violence plans. Currently, literature informing state planning efforts is limited, especially regarding materials related to injury and violence. Presumably, plans that are higher quality result in having a greater impact on preventing injury and violence, and literature to improve quality would benefit prevention programming. (1) To create a comprehensive injury-specific index to aid in the development and revision of state injury and violence prevention plans, and (2) to assess the reliability and utility of this index. Through an iterative development process, a workgroup of subject matter experts created the Violence and Injury Prevention: Comprehensive Index Tool (VIP:CIT). The tool was pilot tested on 3 state injury and violence prevention plans and assessed for initial usability. Following revisions to the tool (ie, a rubric was developed to further delineate consistent criteria for rating; items were added and clarified), the same state plans were reassessed to test interrater reliability and tool utility. For the second assessment, reliability of the VIP:CIT improved, indicating that the rubric was a useful addition. Qualitative feedback from states suggested that the tool significantly helped guide plan development and communicate about planning processes. The final VIP:CIT is a tool that can help increase plan quality, decrease the research-to-practice gap, and increase connectivity to emerging public health paradigms. The tool provides an example of tailoring guidance materials to reflect academic literature, and it can be easily adapted to other topic areas to promote quality of strategic plans for numerous outcomes.

Pre-analytical issues in the haemostasis laboratory: guidance for the clinical laboratories.

PubMed

Magnette, A; Chatelain, M; Chatelain, B; Ten Cate, H; Mullier, F

2016-01-01

Ensuring quality has become a daily requirement in laboratories. In haemostasis, even more than in other disciplines of biology, quality is determined by a pre-analytical step that encompasses all procedures, starting with the formulation of the medical question, and includes patient preparation, sample collection, handling, transportation, processing, and storage until time of analysis. This step, based on a variety of manual activities, is the most vulnerable part of the total testing process and is a major component of the reliability and validity of results in haemostasis and constitutes the most important source of erroneous or un-interpretable results. Pre-analytical errors may occur throughout the testing process and arise from unsuitable, inappropriate or wrongly handled procedures. Problems may arise during the collection of blood specimens such as misidentification of the sample, use of inadequate devices or needles, incorrect order of draw, prolonged tourniquet placing, unsuccessful attempts to locate the vein, incorrect use of additive tubes, collection of unsuitable samples for quality or quantity, inappropriate mixing of a sample, etc. Some factors can alter the result of a sample constituent after collection during transportation, preparation and storage. Laboratory errors can often have serious adverse consequences. Lack of standardized procedures for sample collection accounts for most of the errors encountered within the total testing process. They can also have clinical consequences as well as a significant impact on patient care, especially those related to specialized tests as these are often considered as "diagnostic". Controlling pre-analytical variables is critical since this has a direct influence on the quality of results and on their clinical reliability. The accurate standardization of the pre-analytical phase is of pivotal importance for achieving reliable results of coagulation tests and should reduce the side effects of the influence factors. This review is a summary of the most important recommendations regarding the importance of pre-analytical factors for coagulation testing and should be a tool to increase awareness about the importance of pre-analytical factors for coagulation testing.

Development of a Comprehensive and Interactive Tool to Inform State Violence and Injury Prevention Plans

PubMed Central

Wilson, Lauren; Deokar, Angela J.; Zaesim, Araya; Thomas, Karen; Kresnow-Sedacca, Marcie-jo

2018-01-01

Context The Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s Core State Violence and Injury Prevention Program (Core SVIPP) provides an opportunity for states to engage with their partners to implement, evaluate, and disseminate strategies that lead to the reduction and prevention of injury and violence. Core SVIPP requires awardees to develop or update their state injury and violence plans. Currently, literature informing state planning efforts is limited, especially regarding materials related to injury and violence. Presumably, plans that are higher quality result in having a greater impact on preventing injury and violence, and literature to improve quality would benefit prevention programming. Objective (1) To create a comprehensive injury-specific index to aid in the development and revision of state injury and violence prevention plans, and (2) to assess the reliability and utility of this index. Design Through an iterative development process, a workgroup of subject matter experts created the Violence and Injury Prevention: Comprehensive Index Tool (VIP:CIT). The tool was pilot tested on 3 state injury and violence prevention plans and assessed for initial usability. Following revisions to the tool (ie, a rubric was developed to further delineate consistent criteria for rating; items were added and clarified), the same state plans were reassessed to test interrater reliability and tool utility. Results For the second assessment, reliability of the VIP:CIT improved, indicating that the rubric was a useful addition. Qualitative feedback from states suggested that the tool significantly helped guide plan development and communicate about planning processes. Conclusion The final VIP:CIT is a tool that can help increase plan quality, decrease the research-to-practice gap, and increase connectivity to emerging public health paradigms. The tool provides an example of tailoring guidance materials to reflect academic literature, and it can be easily adapted to other topic areas to promote quality of strategic plans for numerous outcomes. PMID:29189505

The reliability of physical examination tests for the clinical assessment of scapular dyskinesis in subjects with shoulder complaints: A systematic review.

PubMed

Lange, Toni; Struyf, Filip; Schmitt, Jochen; Lützner, Jörg; Kopkow, Christian

2017-07-01

Systematic review. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize and evaluate intra- and interrater reliability research of physical examination tests used for the assessment of scapular dyskinesis. Scapular dyskinesis, defined as alteration of normal scapular kinematics, is described as a non-specific response to different shoulder pathologies. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED and PEDro until March 20th, 2015. Methodological quality was assessed with the Quality Appraisal of Reliability Studies (QAREL) by two independent reviewers. The search strategy revealed 3259 articles, of which 15 met the inclusion criteria. These studies evaluated the reliability of 41 test and test variations used for the assessment of scapular dyskinesis. This review identified a lack of high-quality studies evaluating intra- as well as interrater reliability of tests used for the assessment of scapular dyskinesis. In addition, reliability measures differed between included studies hindering proper cross-study comparisons. The effect of manual correction of the scapula on shoulder symptoms was evaluated in only one study, which is striking, since symptom alteration tests are used in routine care to guide further treatment. Thus, there is a strong need for further research in this area. Diagnosis, level 3a. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Preliminary enquiry into the availability, price and quality of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in the private health sector of six malaria-endemic countries.

PubMed

Albertini, A; Djalle, D; Faye, B; Gamboa, D; Luchavez, J; Mationg, M L; Mwangoka, G; Oyibo, W; Bennett, J; Incardona, S; Lee, E

2012-02-01

This enquiry aimed to provide a snap-shot of availability, price and quality of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) in private health facilities at selected sites in six malaria-endemic countries in Africa, South East Asia and South America. In each study site, data collectors surveyed private healthcare facilities which were selected based on accessibility from their home institution. Using a questionnaire, information was recorded about the facility itself and the malaria RDT(s) available. Where possible, a small number of RDTs were procured and quality control tested using a standardized procedure. Of the 324 private healthcare facilities visited, 35 outlets (mainly private clinics and hospitals) were found to supply 10 different types of RDTs products. RDT prices across the six countries ranged from US$1.00 to $16.81. Five of the 14 malaria RDTs collected failed quality control testing. In the private outlets sampled, the availability of RDTs was limited. Some of the RDTs whose quality we tested demonstrated inadequate sensitivity. This presents a number of risks. Given the more widespread distribution of antimalarials currently planned for private sector facilities, parasite-based diagnosis in this sector will be essential to adhere to the WHO guidelines for effective case management of malaria. Considerable regulation and quality control are also necessary to assure the availability of accurate and reliable RDTs, as well as adequate case management and provider adherence to RDT results. Public sector engagement is likely to be essential in this process. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Contamination-Free Manufacturing: Tool Component Qualification, Verification and Correlation with Wafers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Samantha H.; Chen, Ning; Liu, Shi; Wang, Kefei

2003-09-01

As part of the semiconductor industry "contamination-free manufacturing" effort, significant emphasis has been placed on reducing potential sources of contamination from process equipment and process equipment components. Process tools contain process chambers and components that are exposed to the process environment or process chemistry and in some cases are in direct contact with production wafers. Any contamination from these sources must be controlled or eliminated in order to maintain high process yields, device performance, and device reliability. This paper discusses new nondestructive analytical methods for quantitative measurement of the cleanliness of metal, quartz, polysilicon and ceramic components that are used in process equipment tools. The goal of these new procedures is to measure the effectiveness of cleaning procedures and to verify whether a tool component part is sufficiently clean for installation and subsequent routine use in the manufacturing line. These procedures provide a reliable "qualification method" for tool component certification and also provide a routine quality control method for reliable operation of cleaning facilities. Cost advantages to wafer manufacturing include higher yields due to improved process cleanliness and elimination of yield loss and downtime resulting from the installation of "bad" components in process tools. We also discuss a representative example of wafer contamination having been linked to a specific process tool component.

Identification of Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli outbreak isolates by a novel data analysis tool after matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Christner, Martin; Dressler, Dirk; Andrian, Mark; Reule, Claudia; Petrini, Orlando

2017-01-01

The fast and reliable characterization of bacterial and fungal pathogens plays an important role in infectious disease control and tracking of outbreak agents. DNA based methods are the gold standard for epidemiological investigations, but they are still comparatively expensive and time-consuming. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a fast, reliable and cost-effective technique now routinely used to identify clinically relevant human pathogens. It has been used for subspecies differentiation and typing, but its use for epidemiological tasks, e. g. for outbreak investigations, is often hampered by the complexity of data analysis. We have analysed publicly available MALDI-TOF mass spectra from a large outbreak of Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli in northern Germany using a general purpose software tool for the analysis of complex biological data. The software was challenged with depauperate spectra and reduced learning group sizes to mimic poor spectrum quality and scarcity of reference spectra at the onset of an outbreak. With high quality formic acid extraction spectra, the software's built in classifier accurately identified outbreak related strains using as few as 10 reference spectra (99.8% sensitivity, 98.0% specificity). Selective variation of processing parameters showed impaired marker peak detection and reduced classification accuracy in samples with high background noise or artificially reduced peak counts. However, the software consistently identified mass signals suitable for a highly reliable marker peak based classification approach (100% sensitivity, 99.5% specificity) even from low quality direct deposition spectra. The study demonstrates that general purpose data analysis tools can effectively be used for the analysis of bacterial mass spectra.

Pictorial representation of illness and self measure (PRISM): an effective tool to assess the burden of psoriasis.

PubMed

Fotiou, K; Hofmann, M; Kaufmann, R; Thaci, D

2015-12-01

Psoriasis has a negative impact on patient's' quality of life, which may reflect the physical and psychosocial impact of the disease. However, little is known about the perceived burden of disease. Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM), a pictorial tool, was developed to measure this global suffering. Capturing quality of life impairments in psoriasis is an integral part of assessing the overall disease severity and planning effective treatment strategies. To validate Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) in psoriasis patients. An investigator initiated, prospective cohort study was performed in 108 outpatients with psoriasis to validate PRISM as an appropriate tool; Reliability was assessed in a cohort with controlled stable disease, repeated after 1 hour and after a 3-month follow-up phase; Convergent validity determined by correlation against measures of life quality (DLQI) and reported severity of psoriasis (PASI, PGA and BSA) was performed. For PRISM, we found a high reliability for short-term measurements (ICC = 0.98, P < 0.001) and for follow-up assessments at 3 months (ICC = 0.76, P < 0.001). Our investigation showed significant differences between patients with clear to minimal (PGA 0, 1), mild (PGA 2) and moderate-to-severe disease (PGA 3, 4) and significant (P < 0.001) correlation with DLQI, PGA, PASI and BSA (ρ = -0.62, -0.54, -0.44 and -0.39 respectively). PRISM is a highly reliable tool and new approach to assess perceived burden of patients with psoriasis. It is easy to use and we recommend the application as an additional outcome measure in clinical trial settings. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Serial personal digital assistant data capture of health-related quality of life: A randomized controlled trial in a prostate cancer clinic

PubMed Central

Matthew, Andrew G; Currie, Kristen L; Irvine, Jane; Ritvo, Paul; Santa Mina, Daniel; Jamnicky, Leah; Nam, Robert; Trachtenberg, John

2007-01-01

Background In clinical and research practice linked to prostate cancer treatment, frequent monitoring of patient health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is essential. Practical and analytic limitations of paper questionnaire data capture may be overcome with the use of self-administered personal digital assistant (PDA) data collection. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability, validity, and feasibility of using PDA in place of paper versions of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Patient Oriented Prostate Cancer Utility Survey (PORPUS), and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) in a prostate cancer clinic setting. Methods 152 participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1) paper followed by PDA survey; 2) PDA followed by paper survey; or 3) PDA followed by PDA survey. Evaluation included an assessment of data quality (internal consistency, test-retest reliability, response correlation, completeness of data), and feasibility (participation rates, time to completion, preference and difficultly/ease of using PDA). Results Internal consistency was similar for both PDA and paper applications. Test-retest reliability was confirmed for PDA repeated administration. Data from paper and PDA questionnaires were strongly correlated. Lower missed item rates were found in PDA administration. 82.8% of participants preferred using the PDA or had no preference. Mean difficulty/ease ratings indicated that participants found the PDA easy to use. Age did not significantly correlate with preference or difficulty. Conclusion The results confirm the adaptability of the IPSS, IIEF-5, and the PORPUS to PDA administration. Similarly, the findings of this study support the feasibility of using PDA technology for HRQOL serial data capture in the prostate cancer patient population. PMID:17617906

Inter-examiner classification reliability of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy for extremity problems - Systematic review.

PubMed

Takasaki, Hiroshi; Okuyama, Kousuke; Rosedale, Richard

2017-02-01

Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is used in the treatment of extremity problems. Classifying clinical problems is one method of providing effective treatment to a target population. Classification reliability is a key factor to determine the precise clinical problem and to direct an appropriate intervention. To explore inter-examiner reliability of the MDT classification for extremity problems in three reliability designs: 1) vignette reliability using surveys with patient vignettes, 2) concurrent reliability, where multiple assessors decide a classification by observing someone's assessment, 3) successive reliability, where multiple assessors independently assess the same patient at different times. Systematic review with data synthesis in a quantitative format. Agreement of MDT subgroups was examined using the Kappa value, with the operational definition of acceptable reliability set at ≥ 0.6. The level of evidence was determined considering the methodological quality of the studies. Six studies were included and all studies met the criteria for high quality. Kappa values for the vignette reliability design (five studies) were ≥ 0.7. There was data from two cohorts in one study for the concurrent reliability design and the Kappa values ranged from 0.45 to 1.0. Kappa values for the successive reliability design (data from three cohorts in one study) were < 0.6. The current review found strong evidence of acceptable inter-examiner reliability of MDT classification for extremity problems in the vignette reliability design, limited evidence of acceptable reliability in the concurrent reliability design and unacceptable reliability in the successive reliability design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-speed longitudinal orbiter qualities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powers, B. G.

1985-01-01

The shuttle program took on the challenge of providing a manual landing capability for an operational vehicle returning from orbit. Some complex challenges were encountered in developing the longitudinal flying qualities required to land the orbiter manually in an operational environment. Approach and landing test flights indicated a tendency for pilot-induced oscillation near landing. Changes in the operational procedures reduced the difficulty of the landing task, and an adaptive stick filter was incorporated to reduce the severity of any pilot-induced oscillatory motions. Fixed-base, movingbase, and in-flight simulations were used for the evaluations, and in general, flight simulation was the only reliable means of assessing the low-speed longitudinal flying qualities problems. Overall, the orbiter control system and operational procedures have produced a good capability to routinely perform precise landings with a large, unpowered vehicle with a low lift-to-drag ratio.

Recommendations for the Use of Automated Gray Matter Segmentation Tools: Evidence from Huntington’s Disease

PubMed Central

Johnson, Eileanoir B.; Gregory, Sarah; Johnson, Hans J.; Durr, Alexandra; Leavitt, Blair R.; Roos, Raymund A.; Rees, Geraint; Tabrizi, Sarah J.; Scahill, Rachael I.

2017-01-01

The selection of an appropriate segmentation tool is a challenge facing any researcher aiming to measure gray matter (GM) volume. Many tools have been compared, yet there is currently no method that can be recommended above all others; in particular, there is a lack of validation in disease cohorts. This work utilizes a clinical dataset to conduct an extensive comparison of segmentation tools. Our results confirm that all tools have advantages and disadvantages, and we present a series of considerations that may be of use when selecting a GM segmentation method, rather than a ranking of these tools. Seven segmentation tools were compared using 3 T MRI data from 20 controls, 40 premanifest Huntington’s disease (HD), and 40 early HD participants. Segmented volumes underwent detailed visual quality control. Reliability and repeatability of total, cortical, and lobular GM were investigated in repeated baseline scans. The relationship between each tool was also examined. Longitudinal within-group change over 3 years was assessed via generalized least squares regression to determine sensitivity of each tool to disease effects. Visual quality control and raw volumes highlighted large variability between tools, especially in occipital and temporal regions. Most tools showed reliable performance and the volumes were generally correlated. Results for longitudinal within-group change varied between tools, especially within lobular regions. These differences highlight the need for careful selection of segmentation methods in clinical neuroimaging studies. This guide acts as a primer aimed at the novice or non-technical imaging scientist providing recommendations for the selection of cohort-appropriate GM segmentation software. PMID:29066997

Recommendations for the Use of Automated Gray Matter Segmentation Tools: Evidence from Huntington's Disease.

PubMed

Johnson, Eileanoir B; Gregory, Sarah; Johnson, Hans J; Durr, Alexandra; Leavitt, Blair R; Roos, Raymund A; Rees, Geraint; Tabrizi, Sarah J; Scahill, Rachael I

2017-01-01

The selection of an appropriate segmentation tool is a challenge facing any researcher aiming to measure gray matter (GM) volume. Many tools have been compared, yet there is currently no method that can be recommended above all others; in particular, there is a lack of validation in disease cohorts. This work utilizes a clinical dataset to conduct an extensive comparison of segmentation tools. Our results confirm that all tools have advantages and disadvantages, and we present a series of considerations that may be of use when selecting a GM segmentation method, rather than a ranking of these tools. Seven segmentation tools were compared using 3 T MRI data from 20 controls, 40 premanifest Huntington's disease (HD), and 40 early HD participants. Segmented volumes underwent detailed visual quality control. Reliability and repeatability of total, cortical, and lobular GM were investigated in repeated baseline scans. The relationship between each tool was also examined. Longitudinal within-group change over 3 years was assessed via generalized least squares regression to determine sensitivity of each tool to disease effects. Visual quality control and raw volumes highlighted large variability between tools, especially in occipital and temporal regions. Most tools showed reliable performance and the volumes were generally correlated. Results for longitudinal within-group change varied between tools, especially within lobular regions. These differences highlight the need for careful selection of segmentation methods in clinical neuroimaging studies. This guide acts as a primer aimed at the novice or non-technical imaging scientist providing recommendations for the selection of cohort-appropriate GM segmentation software.

Instrument for assessing mobile technology acceptability in diabetes self-management: a validation and reliability study

PubMed Central

Frandes, Mirela; Deiac, Anca V; Timar, Bogdan; Lungeanu, Diana

2017-01-01

Background Nowadays, mobile technologies are part of everyday life, but the lack of instruments to assess their acceptability for the management of chronic diseases makes their actual adoption for this purpose slow. Objective The objective of this study was to develop a survey instrument for assessing patients’ attitude toward and intention to use mobile technology for diabetes mellitus (DM) self-management, as well as to identify sociodemographic characteristics and quality of life factors that affect them. Methods We first conducted the documentation and instrument design phases, which were subsequently followed by the pilot study and instrument validation. Afterward, the instrument was administered 103 patients (median age: 37 years; range: 18–65 years) diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 DM, who accepted to participate in the study. The reliability and construct validity were assessed by computing Cronbach’s alpha and using factor analysis, respectively. Results The instrument included statements about the actual use of electronic devices for DM management, interaction between patient and physician, attitude toward using mobile technology, and quality of life evaluation. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.9 for attitude toward using mobile technology and 0.97 for attitude toward using mobile device applications for DM self-management. Younger patients (Spearman’s ρ=−0.429; P<0.001) with better glycemic control (Spearman’s ρ=−0.322; P<0.001) and higher education level (Kendall’s τ=0.51; P<0.001) had significantly more favorable attitude toward using mobile assistive applications for DM control. Moreover, patients with a higher quality of life presented a significantly more positive attitude toward using modern technology (Spearman’s ρ=0.466; P<0.001). Conclusion The instrument showed good reliability and internal consistency, making it suitable for measuring the acceptability of mobile technology for DM self-management. Additionally, we found that even if most of the patients showed positive attitude toward mobile applications, only a moderate level of intention to indeed use them was observed. Moreover, the study indicated that barriers were truthfulness and easiness to use. PMID:28243069

Interrater Reliability of mHealth App Rating Measures: Analysis of Top Depression and Smoking Cessation Apps.

PubMed

Powell, Adam C; Torous, John; Chan, Steven; Raynor, Geoffrey Stephen; Shwarts, Erik; Shanahan, Meghan; Landman, Adam B

2016-02-10

There are over 165,000 mHealth apps currently available to patients, but few have undergone an external quality review. Furthermore, no standardized review method exists, and little has been done to examine the consistency of the evaluation systems themselves. We sought to determine which measures for evaluating the quality of mHealth apps have the greatest interrater reliability. We identified 22 measures for evaluating the quality of apps from the literature. A panel of 6 reviewers reviewed the top 10 depression apps and 10 smoking cessation apps from the Apple iTunes App Store on these measures. Krippendorff's alpha was calculated for each of the measures and reported by app category and in aggregate. The measure for interactiveness and feedback was found to have the greatest overall interrater reliability (alpha=.69). Presence of password protection (alpha=.65), whether the app was uploaded by a health care agency (alpha=.63), the number of consumer ratings (alpha=.59), and several other measures had moderate interrater reliability (alphas>.5). There was the least agreement over whether apps had errors or performance issues (alpha=.15), stated advertising policies (alpha=.16), and were easy to use (alpha=.18). There were substantial differences in the interrater reliabilities of a number of measures when they were applied to depression versus smoking apps. We found wide variation in the interrater reliability of measures used to evaluate apps, and some measures are more robust across categories of apps than others. The measures with the highest degree of interrater reliability tended to be those that involved the least rater discretion. Clinical quality measures such as effectiveness, ease of use, and performance had relatively poor interrater reliability. Subsequent research is needed to determine consistent means for evaluating the performance of apps. Patients and clinicians should consider conducting their own assessments of apps, in conjunction with evaluating information from reviews.

Interrater Reliability of mHealth App Rating Measures: Analysis of Top Depression and Smoking Cessation Apps

PubMed Central

Chan, Steven; Raynor, Geoffrey Stephen; Shwarts, Erik; Shanahan, Meghan; Landman, Adam B

2016-01-01

Background There are over 165,000 mHealth apps currently available to patients, but few have undergone an external quality review. Furthermore, no standardized review method exists, and little has been done to examine the consistency of the evaluation systems themselves. Objective We sought to determine which measures for evaluating the quality of mHealth apps have the greatest interrater reliability. Methods We identified 22 measures for evaluating the quality of apps from the literature. A panel of 6 reviewers reviewed the top 10 depression apps and 10 smoking cessation apps from the Apple iTunes App Store on these measures. Krippendorff’s alpha was calculated for each of the measures and reported by app category and in aggregate. Results The measure for interactiveness and feedback was found to have the greatest overall interrater reliability (alpha=.69). Presence of password protection (alpha=.65), whether the app was uploaded by a health care agency (alpha=.63), the number of consumer ratings (alpha=.59), and several other measures had moderate interrater reliability (alphas>.5). There was the least agreement over whether apps had errors or performance issues (alpha=.15), stated advertising policies (alpha=.16), and were easy to use (alpha=.18). There were substantial differences in the interrater reliabilities of a number of measures when they were applied to depression versus smoking apps. Conclusions We found wide variation in the interrater reliability of measures used to evaluate apps, and some measures are more robust across categories of apps than others. The measures with the highest degree of interrater reliability tended to be those that involved the least rater discretion. Clinical quality measures such as effectiveness, ease of use, and performance had relatively poor interrater reliability. Subsequent research is needed to determine consistent means for evaluating the performance of apps. Patients and clinicians should consider conducting their own assessments of apps, in conjunction with evaluating information from reviews. PMID:26863986

Older males signal more reliably.

PubMed Central

Proulx, Stephen R; Day, Troy; Rowe, Locke

2002-01-01

The hypothesis that females prefer older males because they have higher mean fitness than younger males has been the centre of recent controversy. These discussions have focused on the success of a female who prefers males of a particular age class when age cues, but not quality cues, are available. Thus, if the distribution of male quality changes with age, such that older males have on average genotypes with higher fitness than younger males, then a female who mates with older males has fitter offspring, which allows the female preference to spread through a genetic correlation. We develop a general model for male display in a species with multiple reproductive bouts that allows us to identify the conditions that promote reliable signalling within an age class. Because males have opportunities for future reproduction, they will reduce their levels of advertising compared with a semelparous species. In addition, because higher-quality males have more future reproduction, they will reduce their advertising more than low-quality males. Thus, the conditions for reliable signalling in a semelparous organism are generally not sufficient to produce reliable signalling in species with multiple reproductive bouts. This result is due to the possibility of future reproduction so that, as individuals age and the opportunities for future reproduction fade, signalling becomes more reliable. This provides a novel rationale for female preference for older mates; older males reveal more information in their sexual displays. PMID:12495495

Feasibility study of using statistical process control to customized quality assurance in proton therapy

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

Rah, Jeong-Eun; Oh, Do Hoon; Shin, Dongho

Purpose: To evaluate and improve the reliability of proton quality assurance (QA) processes and, to provide an optimal customized tolerance level using the statistical process control (SPC) methodology. Methods: The authors investigated the consistency check of dose per monitor unit (D/MU) and range in proton beams to see whether it was within the tolerance level of the daily QA process. This study analyzed the difference between the measured and calculated ranges along the central axis to improve the patient-specific QA process in proton beams by using process capability indices. Results: The authors established a customized tolerance level of ±2% formore » D/MU and ±0.5 mm for beam range in the daily proton QA process. In the authors’ analysis of the process capability indices, the patient-specific range measurements were capable of a specification limit of ±2% in clinical plans. Conclusions: SPC methodology is a useful tool for customizing the optimal QA tolerance levels and improving the quality of proton machine maintenance, treatment delivery, and ultimately patient safety.« less

Technology transfer through a network of standard methods and recommended practices - The case of petrochemicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batzias, Dimitris F.; Karvounis, Sotirios

2012-12-01

Technology transfer may take place in parallel with cooperative action between companies participating in the same organizational scheme or using one another as subcontractor (outsourcing). In this case, cooperation should be realized by means of Standard Methods and Recommended Practices (SRPs) to achieve (i) quality of intermediate/final products according to specifications and (ii) industrial process control as required to guarantee such quality with minimum deviation (corresponding to maximum reliability) from preset mean values of representative quality parameters. This work deals with the design of the network of SRPs needed in each case for successful cooperation, implying also the corresponding technology transfer, effectuated through a methodological framework developed in the form of an algorithmic procedure with 20 activity stages and 8 decision nodes. The functionality of this methodology is proved by presenting the path leading from (and relating) a standard test method for toluene, as petrochemical feedstock in the toluene diisocyanate production, to the (6 generations distance upstream) performance evaluation of industrial process control systems (ie., from ASTM D5606 to BS EN 61003-1:2004 in the SRPs network).

[Scientific substantiation of perfection of sanitary bacteriological monitoring in drinking water use].

PubMed

Rakhmanin, Iu A; Zhuravlev, P V; Aleshnia, V V; Panasovets, O P; Artemova, T Z; Zagaĭnova, A V; Gipp, E K

2014-01-01

Criterion of the epidemic safety of drinking water is the absence of pathogenic and potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Currently, water quality control is performed in terms of the index of total coliform bacteria (TCB). TCB index oriented to the labile lactose sign has not sufficient relevance in the determination of the degree of the epidemic danger in the water use in relation to Salmonella and potentially pathogenic microorganisms. The frequency of detection of GCB in standard quality of drinking water as well as the application of the methodology for the assessment of the microbial risk of the occurrence of bacterial intestinal infections with the use of integral index--GCB, provide the most reliable prediction of risk in the occurrence of water-caused intestinal infections and more objectively reflect the epidemiological importance of drinking water in their distribution among the population. Proceeding from the data obtained, it is advisable to carry out the quality control of drinking water with the use of the broader indicator index GCB- detected from basic signs of the Enterobacteriaceae family--glucose fermentation and oxidase test and oxidase test.

Ensuring the Quality of Stem Cell-Derived In Vitro Models for Toxicity Testing.

PubMed

Stacey, Glyn N; Coecke, Sandra; Price, Anna-Bal; Healy, Lyn; Jennings, Paul; Wilmes, Anja; Pinset, Christian; Ingelman-Sundberg, Magnus; Louisse, Jochem; Haupt, Simone; Kidd, Darren; Robitski, Andrea; Jahnke, Heinz-Georg; Lemaitre, Gilles; Myatt, Glenn

Quality control of cell cultures used in new in vitro toxicology assays is crucial to the provision of reliable, reproducible and accurate toxicity data on new drugs or constituents of new consumer products. This chapter explores the key scientific and ethical criteria that must be addressed at the earliest stages of developing toxicology assays based on human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lines. It also identifies key considerations for such assays to be acceptable for regulatory, laboratory safety and commercial purposes. Also addressed is the development of hPSC-based assays for the tissue and cell types of greatest interest in drug toxicology. The chapter draws on a range of expert opinion within the European Commission/Cosmetics Europe-funded alternative testing cluster SEURAT-1 and consensus from international groups delivering this guidance such as the International Stem Cell Banking Initiative. Accordingly, the chapter summarizes the most up-date best practices in the use and quality control of human Pluripotent Stem Cell lines in the development of in vitro toxicity assays from leading experts in the field.

Assessment of C-band Polarimetric Radar Rainfall Measurements During Strong Attenuation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paredes-Victoria, P. N.; Rico-Ramirez, M. A.; Pedrozo-Acuña, A.

2016-12-01

In the modern hydrological modelling and their applications on flood forecasting systems and climate modelling, reliable spatiotemporal rainfall measurements are the keystone. Raingauges are the foundation in hydrology to collect rainfall data, however they are prone to errors (e.g. systematic, malfunctioning, and instrumental errors). Moreover rainfall data from gauges is often used to calibrate and validate weather radar rainfall, which is distributed in space. Therefore, it is important to apply techniques to control the quality of the raingauge data in order to guarantee a high level of confidence in rainfall measurements for radar calibration and numerical weather modelling. Also, the reliability of radar data is often limited because of the errors in the radar signal (e.g. clutter, variation of the vertical reflectivity profile, beam blockage, attenuation, etc) which need to be corrected in order to increase the accuracy of the radar rainfall estimation. This paper presents a method for raingauge-measurement quality-control correction based on the inverse distance weighted as a function of correlated climatology (i.e. performed by using the reflectivity from weather radar). Also a Clutter Mitigation Decision (CMD) algorithm is applied for clutter filtering process, finally three algorithms based on differential phase measurements are applied for radar signal attenuation correction. The quality-control method proves that correlated climatology is very sensitive in the first 100 kilometres for this area. The results also showed that ground clutter affects slightly the radar measurements due to the low gradient of the terrain in the area. However, strong radar signal attenuation is often found in this data set due to the heavy storms that take place in this region and the differential phase measurements are crucial to correct for attenuation at C-band frequencies. The study area is located in Sabancuy-Campeche, Mexico (Latitude 18.97 N, Longitude 91.17º W) and the radar rainfall measurements are obtained from a C-band polarimetric radar whereas raingauge measurements come from stations with 10-min and 24-hr time resolutions.

Preliminary construction of integral analysis for characteristic components in complex matrices by in-house fabricated solid-phase microextraction fibers combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tang, Zhentao; Hou, Wenqian; Liu, Xiuming; Wang, Mingfeng; Duan, Yixiang

2016-08-26

Integral analysis plays an important role in study and quality control of substances with complex matrices in our daily life. As the preliminary construction of integral analysis of substances with complex matrices, developing a relatively comprehensive and sensitive methodology might offer more informative and reliable characteristic components. Flavoring mixtures belonging to the representatives of substances with complex matrices have now been widely used in various fields. To better study and control the quality of flavoring mixtures as additives in food industry, an in-house fabricated solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber was prepared based on sol-gel technology in this work. The active organic component of the fiber coating was multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) functionalized with hydroxyl-terminated polydimethyldiphenylsiloxane, which integrate the non-polar and polar chains of both materials. In this way, more sensitive extraction capability for a wider range of compounds can be obtained in comparison with commercial SPME fibers. Preliminarily integral analysis of three similar types of samples were realized by the optimized SPME-GC-MS method. With the obtained GC-MS data, a valid and well-fit model was established by partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) for classification of these samples (R2X=0.661, R2Y=0.996, Q2=0.986). The validity of the model (R2=0.266, Q2=-0.465) has also approved the potential to predict the "belongingness" of new samples. With the PLS-DA and SPSS method, further screening out the markers among three similar batches of samples may be helpful for monitoring and controlling the quality of the flavoring mixtures as additives in food industry. Conversely, the reliability and effectiveness of the GC-MS data has verified the comprehensive and efficient extraction performance of the in-house fabricated fiber. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Society of Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM)-ITS reference DNA barcoding database--the quality controlled standard tool for routine identification of human and animal pathogenic fungi.

PubMed

Irinyi, Laszlo; Serena, Carolina; Garcia-Hermoso, Dea; Arabatzis, Michael; Desnos-Ollivier, Marie; Vu, Duong; Cardinali, Gianluigi; Arthur, Ian; Normand, Anne-Cécile; Giraldo, Alejandra; da Cunha, Keith Cassia; Sandoval-Denis, Marcelo; Hendrickx, Marijke; Nishikaku, Angela Satie; de Azevedo Melo, Analy Salles; Merseguel, Karina Bellinghausen; Khan, Aziza; Parente Rocha, Juliana Alves; Sampaio, Paula; da Silva Briones, Marcelo Ribeiro; e Ferreira, Renata Carmona; de Medeiros Muniz, Mauro; Castañón-Olivares, Laura Rosio; Estrada-Barcenas, Daniel; Cassagne, Carole; Mary, Charles; Duan, Shu Yao; Kong, Fanrong; Sun, Annie Ying; Zeng, Xianyu; Zhao, Zuotao; Gantois, Nausicaa; Botterel, Françoise; Robbertse, Barbara; Schoch, Conrad; Gams, Walter; Ellis, David; Halliday, Catriona; Chen, Sharon; Sorrell, Tania C; Piarroux, Renaud; Colombo, Arnaldo L; Pais, Célia; de Hoog, Sybren; Zancopé-Oliveira, Rosely Maria; Taylor, Maria Lucia; Toriello, Conchita; de Almeida Soares, Célia Maria; Delhaes, Laurence; Stubbe, Dirk; Dromer, Françoise; Ranque, Stéphane; Guarro, Josep; Cano-Lira, Jose F; Robert, Vincent; Velegraki, Aristea; Meyer, Wieland

2015-05-01

Human and animal fungal pathogens are a growing threat worldwide leading to emerging infections and creating new risks for established ones. There is a growing need for a rapid and accurate identification of pathogens to enable early diagnosis and targeted antifungal therapy. Morphological and biochemical identification methods are time-consuming and require trained experts. Alternatively, molecular methods, such as DNA barcoding, a powerful and easy tool for rapid monophasic identification, offer a practical approach for species identification and less demanding in terms of taxonomical expertise. However, its wide-spread use is still limited by a lack of quality-controlled reference databases and the evolving recognition and definition of new fungal species/complexes. An international consortium of medical mycology laboratories was formed aiming to establish a quality controlled ITS database under the umbrella of the ISHAM working group on "DNA barcoding of human and animal pathogenic fungi." A new database, containing 2800 ITS sequences representing 421 fungal species, providing the medical community with a freely accessible tool at http://www.isham.org/ and http://its.mycologylab.org/ to rapidly and reliably identify most agents of mycoses, was established. The generated sequences included in the new database were used to evaluate the variation and overall utility of the ITS region for the identification of pathogenic fungi at intra-and interspecies level. The average intraspecies variation ranged from 0 to 2.25%. This highlighted selected pathogenic fungal species, such as the dermatophytes and emerging yeast, for which additional molecular methods/genetic markers are required for their reliable identification from clinical and veterinary specimens. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Asthma Symptom Utility Index: Reliability, validity, responsiveness and the minimal important difference in adult asthma patients

PubMed Central

Bime, Christian; Wei, Christine Y.; Holbrook, Janet T.; Sockrider, Marianna M.; Revicki, Dennis A.; Wise, Robert A.

2012-01-01

Background The evaluation of asthma symptoms is a core outcome measure in asthma clinical research. The Asthma Symptom Utility Index (ASUI) was developed to assess frequency and severity of asthma symptoms. The psychometric properties of the ASUI are not well characterized and a minimal important difference (MID) is not established. Objectives We assessed the reliability, validity, and responsiveness to change of the ASUI in a population of adult asthma patients. We also sought to determine the MID for the ASUI. Methods Adult asthma patients (n = 1648) from two previously completed multicenter randomized trials were included. Demographic information, spirometry, ASUI scores, and other asthma questionnaire scores were obtained at baseline and during follow-up visits. Participants also kept a daily asthma diary. Results Internal consistency reliability of the ASUI was 0.74 (Cronbach’s alpha). Test-retest reliability was 0.76 (intra-class correlation). Construct validity was demonstrated by significant correlations between ASUI scores and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores (Spearman correlation r = −0.79, 95% CI [−0.85, −0.75], P<0.001) and Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (Mini AQLQ) scores (r = 0.59, 95% CI [0.51, 0.61], P<0.001). Responsiveness to change was demonstrated, with significant differences between mean changes in ASUI score across groups of participants differing by 10% in the percent predicted FEV1 (P<0.001), and by 0.5 points in ACQ score (P < 0.001). Anchor-based methods and statistical methods support an MID for the ASUI of 0.09 points. Conclusions The ASUI is reliable, valid, and responsive to changes in asthma control over time. The MID of the ASUI (range of scores 0–1) is 0.09. PMID:23026499

Cauda equina syndrome: assessing the readability and quality of patient information on the Internet.

PubMed

O'Neill, Shane Ciaran; Baker, Joseph Frederick; Fitzgerald, Conall; Fleming, Christina; Rowan, Fiachra; Byrne, Damien; Synnott, Keith

2014-05-01

A readability and quality control Internet-based study using recognized quality scoring systems. To assess the readability and quality of Internet information relating to cauda equina syndrome accessed through common search engines. Access to health-related Internet information has increased dramatically during the past decade. A significant proportion of this information has been demonstrated to be set at too high a level for general comprehension. Despite this, searching for health-related information is now the third most popular online activity. A total of 125 cauda equina syndrome Web sites were analyzed from the 5 most popular Internet search engines: Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask, and AOL. Web site authorship was classified: academic, physician, medico-legal, commercial, or discussion/social media. Readability of each Web site was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease score, the Flesch-Kincaid grade level, and the Gunning Fog Index. Quality was calculated using the DISCERN instrument and The Journal of the American Medical Association benchmark criteria. The presence of HON-code certification was also assessed. Fifty-two individual Web sites were identified and assessed. The majority of Web sites were academic or physician compiled (53.8%; 28/52); however, a significant minority of Web sites were medico-legal related (19.2%; 10/52). Just 13.5% (7/52) of Web sites were at or below the recommended sixth-grade readability level. HON-code certified Web sites achieved significantly greater DISCERN (P = 0.0006) and The Journal of the American Medical Association (P = 0.0002) scores. Internet information relating to cauda equina syndrome is of variable quality and largely set at an inappropriate readability level. Given this variability in quality, health care providers should direct patients to known sources of reliable, readable online information. Identification of reliable sources may be aided by known markers of quality such as HON-code certification.

Reliability of Fault Tolerant Control Systems. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, N. Eva

2001-01-01

This paper reports Part I of a two part effort, that is intended to delineate the relationship between reliability and fault tolerant control in a quantitative manner. Reliability analysis of fault-tolerant control systems is performed using Markov models. Reliability properties, peculiar to fault-tolerant control systems are emphasized. As a consequence, coverage of failures through redundancy management can be severely limited. It is shown that in the early life of a syi1ein composed of highly reliable subsystems, the reliability of the overall system is affine with respect to coverage, and inadequate coverage induces dominant single point failures. The utility of some existing software tools for assessing the reliability of fault tolerant control systems is also discussed. Coverage modeling is attempted in Part II in a way that captures its dependence on the control performance and on the diagnostic resolution.

Validity evidence and reliability of a simulated patient feedback instrument

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the training of healthcare professionals, one of the advantages of communication training with simulated patients (SPs) is the SP's ability to provide direct feedback to students after a simulated clinical encounter. The quality of SP feedback must be monitored, especially because it is well known that feedback can have a profound effect on student performance. Due to the current lack of valid and reliable instruments to assess the quality of SP feedback, our study examined the validity and reliability of one potential instrument, the 'modified Quality of Simulated Patient Feedback Form' (mQSF). Methods Content validity of the mQSF was assessed by inviting experts in the area of simulated clinical encounters to rate the importance of the mQSF items. Moreover, generalizability theory was used to examine the reliability of the mQSF. Our data came from videotapes of clinical encounters between six simulated patients and six students and the ensuing feedback from the SPs to the students. Ten faculty members judged the SP feedback according to the items on the mQSF. Three weeks later, this procedure was repeated with the same faculty members and recordings. Results All but two items of the mQSF received importance ratings of > 2.5 on a four-point rating scale. A generalizability coefficient of 0.77 was established with two judges observing one encounter. Conclusions The findings for content validity and reliability with two judges suggest that the mQSF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the quality of feedback provided by simulated patients. PMID:22284898

Increasing reliability of APACHE II scores in a medical-surgical intensive care unit: a quality improvement study.

PubMed

Donahoe, Laura; McDonald, Ellen; Kho, Michelle E; Maclennan, Margaret; Stratford, Paul W; Cook, Deborah J

2009-01-01

Given their clinical, research, and administrative purposes, scores on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II should be reliable, whether calculated by health care personnel or a clinical information system. To determine reliability of APACHE II scores calculated by a clinical information system and by health care personnel before and after a multifaceted quality improvement intervention. APACHE II scores of 37 consecutive patients admitted to a closed, 15-bed, university-affiliated intensive care unit were collected by a research coordinator, a database clerk, and a clinical information system. After a quality improvement intervention focused on health care personnel and the clinical information system, the same methods were used to collect data on 32 consecutive patients. The research coordinator and the clerk did not know each other's scores or the information system's score. The data analyst did not know the source of the scores until analysis was complete. APACHE II scores obtained by the clerk and the research coordinator were highly reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.88 before vs 0.80 after intervention; P = .25). No significant changes were detected after the intervention; however, compared with scores of the research coordinator, the overall reliability of APACHE II scores calculated by the clinical information system improved (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.24 before intervention vs 0.91 after intervention, P < .001). After completion of a quality improvement intervention, health care personnel and a computerized clinical information system calculated sufficiently reliable APACHE II scores for clinical, research, and administrative purposes.

Soft brain-machine interfaces for assistive robotics: A novel control approach.

PubMed

Schiatti, Lucia; Tessadori, Jacopo; Barresi, Giacinto; Mattos, Leonardo S; Ajoudani, Arash

2017-07-01

Robotic systems offer the possibility of improving the life quality of people with severe motor disabilities, enhancing the individual's degree of independence and interaction with the external environment. In this direction, the operator's residual functions must be exploited for the control of the robot movements and the underlying dynamic interaction through intuitive and effective human-robot interfaces. Towards this end, this work aims at exploring the potential of a novel Soft Brain-Machine Interface (BMI), suitable for dynamic execution of remote manipulation tasks for a wide range of patients. The interface is composed of an eye-tracking system, for an intuitive and reliable control of a robotic arm system's trajectories, and a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) unit, for the control of the robot Cartesian stiffness, which determines the interaction forces between the robot and environment. The latter control is achieved by estimating in real-time a unidimensional index from user's electroencephalographic (EEG) signals, which provides the probability of a neutral or active state. This estimated state is then translated into a stiffness value for the robotic arm, allowing a reliable modulation of the robot's impedance. A preliminary evaluation of this hybrid interface concept provided evidence on the effective execution of tasks with dynamic uncertainties, demonstrating the great potential of this control method in BMI applications for self-service and clinical care.

Reliability and validity assessment of administrative databases in measuring the quality of rectal cancer management.

PubMed

Corbellini, Carlo; Andreoni, Bruno; Ansaloni, Luca; Sgroi, Giovanni; Martinotti, Mario; Scandroglio, Ildo; Carzaniga, Pierluigi; Longoni, Mauro; Foschi, Diego; Dionigi, Paolo; Morandi, Eugenio; Agnello, Mauro

2018-01-01

Measurement and monitoring of the quality of care using a core set of quality measures are increasing in health service research. Although administrative databases include limited clinical data, they offer an attractive source for quality measurement. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the completeness of different administrative data sources compared to a clinical survey in evaluating rectal cancer cases. Between May 2012 and November 2014, a clinical survey was done on 498 Lombardy patients who had rectal cancer and underwent surgical resection. These collected data were compared with the information extracted from administrative sources including Hospital Discharge Dataset, drug database, daycare activity data, fee-exemption database, and regional screening program database. The agreement evaluation was performed using a set of 12 quality indicators. Patient complexity was a difficult indicator to measure for lack of clinical data. Preoperative staging was another suboptimal indicator due to the frequent missing administrative registration of tests performed. The agreement between the 2 data sources regarding chemoradiotherapy treatments was high. Screening detection, minimally invasive techniques, length of stay, and unpreventable readmissions were detected as reliable quality indicators. Postoperative morbidity could be a useful indicator but its agreement was lower, as expected. Healthcare administrative databases are large and real-time collected repositories of data useful in measuring quality in a healthcare system. Our investigation reveals that the reliability of indicators varies between them. Ideally, a combination of data from both sources could be used in order to improve usefulness of less reliable indicators.