Investigation of water quality parameters at selected points on the Tennessee River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manger, M. C.

1973-01-01

Physical, chemical, and biological water quality parameters have been investigated at the Widow's Creek steam plant. The water quality parameters and field site locations have been selected so as to be compatible with the interests and needs of the Environmental Application Office at Marshall Space Flight Center. All sampling and testing was conducted as directed in the 13th Edition of Standard Methods of Analysis for Water and Waste Water or as suggested by NASA'S Technical Officer. Data is presented in a form compatible with that presently being collected by other agencies.

Evaluation of physico-chemical characteristics of groundwater of Company Bagh pumping station and its six distribution points in old Jammu City, India.

PubMed

Khajuria, Meenakshi; Dutta, S P S

2011-10-01

To assess water quality of Company Bagh pumping station and its six distribution points, viz. Parade Ground, Mohalla Paharian, Purani Mandi, Malhotrian Street, Raghunathpura and Hari Market in old Jammu city of India, water parameters viz. temperature, turbidity, pH, electrical conductivity, free carbon dioxide, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, bicarbonate, chloride, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, sodium, potassium, sulphate, silicate, nitrate, phosphate, iron, copper, zinc, lead and chromium were analyzed during the years 2000-2001/2001-2002. There was alteration in water quality parameters in the distribution system caused by entry of sewage, soil, etc. through dislocation, cracks, valve regulators/turncock, defective joints, breakage, etc. in the pipes through crossing and deposits of biofilms inside the pipes, dead ends and their degradation through microbes. Comparison of water quality with National and International Standards revealed that all the parameters were within permissible limits of drinking water standards. Water Quality Index (WQI) of various physico-chemical parameters revealed that the water of Company Bagh pumping station and its six distribution points was fit for human consumption as it was found under the category of good (WQI < 50).

Physico-Chemical and Bacterial Evaluation of Packaged Drinking Water Marketed in Delhi - Potential Public Health Implications

PubMed Central

Singla, Ashish; Kundu, Hansa; P., Basavaraj; Singh, Shilpi; Singh, Khushboo; Jain, Swati

2014-01-01

Introduction: Quality of drinking water is a powerful environmental determinant of health. The main objective of introduction of bottled water in the society was its better safety, taste and convenience over tap water. The present study was conducted to assess physicochemical and bacterial qualities of bottled water and sachet water which were available in various markets of Delhi. Materials and Methods: Sixteen water bottles and four water sachets were selected through stratified random sampling from various public places in Delhi and their analysis was done at National Test House, Ghaziabad. Results were then compared with national (IS10500, IS14543) and international (WHO, FDA, USEPA) standards. Results: Bottled water showed better quality than sachet water. The mean value of copper (0.0746mg/l) in bottles exceeded the standard values of IS10500 and IS14543(0.05), while the mean value of lead (0.008mg/l) exceeded the FDA standard value (0.005). When the results of sachets were compared with those of standards, the mean values of selenium (0.1195mg/l) and lead (0.862mg/l) were found to exceed values of both Indian and International standards. For the biological parameter i.e. coliform count, the mean value for bottles was 0 (nil), whereas the mean value for sachets was 16.75, which showed the unhealthy nature of sachets. Conclusion: The parameters which were tested in the present study showed excess of various chemical and bacterial parameters in drinking water, which could pose serious threats to consumers. Thus, these results suggest a more stringent standardization of bottled water market with special attention to quality, identity and licensing by concerned authorities, to safeguard health of consumers. PMID:24783149

Single-energy pediatric chest computed tomography with spectral filtration at 100 kVp: effects on radiation parameters and image quality.

PubMed

Bodelle, Boris; Fischbach, Constanze; Booz, Christian; Yel, Ibrahim; Frellesen, Claudia; Kaup, Moritz; Beeres, Martin; Vogl, Thomas J; Scholtz, Jan-Erik

2017-06-01

Most of the applied radiation dose at CT is in the lower photon energy range, which is of limited diagnostic importance. To investigate image quality and effects on radiation parameters of 100-kVp spectral filtration single-energy chest CT using a tin-filter at third-generation dual-source CT in comparison to standard 100-kVp chest CT. Thirty-three children referred for a non-contrast chest CT performed on a third-generation dual-source CT scanner were examined at 100 kVp with a dedicated tin filter with a tube current-time product resulting in standard protocol dose. We compared resulting images with images from children examined using standard single-source chest CT at 100 kVp. We assessed objective and subjective image quality and compared radiation dose parameters. Radiation dose was comparable for children 5 years old and younger, and it was moderately decreased for older children when using spectral filtration (P=0.006). Effective tube current increased significantly (P=0.0001) with spectral filtration, up to a factor of 10. Signal-to-noise ratio and image noise were similar for both examination techniques (P≥0.06). Subjective image quality showed no significant differences (P≥0.2). Using 100-kVp spectral filtration chest CT in children by means of a tube-based tin-filter on a third-generation dual-source CT scanner increases effective tube current up to a factor of 10 to provide similar image quality at equivalent dose compared to standard single-source CT without spectral filtration.

Parameter Trending, Geolocation Quality Control and the Procedures to Support Preparation of Next Versions of the TRMM Reprocessing Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stocker, Erich Franz

2004-01-01

TRMM has been an imminently successful mission from an engineering standpoint but even more from a science standpoint. An important part of this science success has been the careful quality control of the TRMM standard products. This paper will present the quality monitoring efforts that the TRMM Science Data and Information System (TSDIS) conducts on a routine basis. The paper will detail parameter trending, geolocation quality control and the procedures to support the preparation of next versions of the algorithm used for reprocessing.

Systems for monitoring and digitally recording water-quality parameters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smoot, George F.; Blakey, James F.

1966-01-01

Digital recording of water-quality parameters is a link in the automated data collection and processing system of the U.S. Geological Survey. The monitoring and digital recording systems adopted by the Geological Survey, while punching all measurements on a standard paper tape, provide a choice of compatible components to construct a system to meet specific physical problems and data needs. As many as 10 parameters can be recorded by an Instrument, with the only limiting criterion being that measurements are expressed as electrical signals.

The quality of raw water for drinking water unit in Jakarta-Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidabutar, Noni Valeria; Hartono, Djoko M.; Soesilo, Tri Edhi Budhi; Hutapea, Reynold C.

2017-03-01

Water problems, i.e quality, quantity, continuity of clean water faced by the mostly urban area. Jakarta also faces similar issues, because the needs of society higher than the number of water fulfilled by the government. Moreover, Jakarta's water quality does not meet the standard set by the Government and heavily polluted by anthropogenic activities along its rivers. This research employs a quantitative research approach with the mix-method. It examines the raw water quality status for drinking water in West Tarum Canalin 2011-2015. The research results show water quality with this research, using water quality of with the water categorized as heavily-polluted category based on the Ministry of Environment's Decree No 115/2003 regarding the Guidelines for Determination of Water Quality Status. This present research also shown the water quality (parameters pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)) from Jatiluhur Dam to the intake drinking water unit. In thirteen points of sampling also, the results obtained the parameters DO, COD, and BOD are fluctuating and exceed the standard.

Quantitative analysis of image quality for acceptance and commissioning of an MRI simulator with a semiautomatic method.

PubMed

Chen, Xinyuan; Dai, Jianrong

2018-05-01

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) simulation differs from diagnostic MRI in purpose, technical requirements, and implementation. We propose a semiautomatic method for image acceptance and commissioning for the scanner, the radiofrequency (RF) coils, and pulse sequences for an MRI simulator. The ACR MRI accreditation large phantom was used for image quality analysis with seven parameters. Standard ACR sequences with a split head coil were adopted to examine the scanner's basic performance. The performance of simulation RF coils were measured and compared using the standard sequence with different clinical diagnostic coils. We used simulation sequences with simulation coils to test the quality of image and advanced performance of the scanner. Codes and procedures were developed for semiautomatic image quality analysis. When using standard ACR sequences with a split head coil, image quality passed all ACR recommended criteria. The image intensity uniformity with a simulation RF coil decreased about 34% compared with the eight-channel diagnostic head coil, while the other six image quality parameters were acceptable. Those two image quality parameters could be improved to more than 85% by built-in intensity calibration methods. In the simulation sequences test, the contrast resolution was sensitive to the FOV and matrix settings. The geometric distortion of simulation sequences such as T1-weighted and T2-weighted images was well-controlled in the isocenter and 10 cm off-center within a range of ±1% (2 mm). We developed a semiautomatic image quality analysis method for quantitative evaluation of images and commissioning of an MRI simulator. The baseline performances of simulation RF coils and pulse sequences have been established for routine QA. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Comparative Study of the MTFA, ICS, and SQRI Image Quality Metrics for Visual Display Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

reasonable image quality predictions across select display and viewing condition parameters. 101 6.0 REFERENCES American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of ’ Visual Display Terminal Workstations . ANSI

Optimization of light quality from color mixing light-emitting diode systems for general lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorseth, Anders

2012-03-01

Given the problem of metamerisms inherent in color mixing in light-emitting diode (LED) systems with more than three distinct colors, a method for optimizing the spectral output of multicolor LED system with regards to standardized light quality parameters has been developed. The composite spectral power distribution from the LEDs are simulated using spectral radiometric measurements of single commercially available LEDs for varying input power, to account for the efficiency droop and other non-linear effects in electrical power vs. light output. The method uses electrical input powers as input parameters in a randomized steepest decent optimization. The resulting spectral power distributions are evaluated with regard to the light quality using the standard characteristics: CIE color rendering index, correlated color temperature and chromaticity distance. The results indicate Pareto optimal boundaries for each system, mapping the capabilities of the simulated lighting systems with regard to the light quality characteristics.

Quality of wastewater reuse in agricultural irrigation and its impact on public health.

PubMed

Al-Hammad, Bushra Ahmed; Abd El-Salam, Magda Magdy; Ibrahim, Sahar Yassin

2014-11-01

This study is planned to perform a sanitary survey of the largest sewage treatment plant in Riyadh, KSA, fortnightly for 6 months to examine its effluent quality as an example for the growing dependence on reuse of treated municipal wastewater in agricultural irrigation purposes to cope with increasing water shortage. The biological and physico-chemical parameters of 12 wastewater samples from the plant were examined using standard methods. The physico-chemical analysis indicated that the surveyed municipal wastewater treatment plant contained some of the studied parameters, such as turbidity, total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and residual chlorine above the maximum permissible wastewater limits set by the Saudi Standards. However, heavy metal concentrations in all samples were lower than the recommended standards. Total and faecal coliform counts were above the permissible limits indicating poor sanitation level. Fifty percent of all wastewater samples were contaminated with faecal coliforms but, surprisingly, Escherichia coli were only detected in 8.3 % of the samples. Regular monitoring and enhancement of microbial and physico-chemical parameters of the wastewater quality served by different wastewater treatment plants for reuse in agricultural irrigation is recommended to preserve the environment and public health.

Physicochemical quality and health implications of bottled water brands sold in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Amogne, Wossen T; Gizaw, Melaku; Abera, Daniel

2015-06-01

Water bottling companies often assert that their products are of the highest quality and are conforming to the standards. The objective of the study was to assess the physicochemical quality of bottled waters consumed in Ethiopia and to compare the findings with the national and international water quality standards. Eleven domestic and two imported bottled water brands were randomly purchased in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at three different occasions from July 2013 to May 2014. A total of 39 composite samples were examined for aggregate parameters, major anions, and common cations in accordance with the procedures described in the standard methods. We found that 7.7% of the samples were containing higher levels of alkalinity, hardness, total dissolved solids, pH, HCO3-, Na+, and Ca2+ than the national standards and the WHO guidelines. However, the deviations from standards for all the above parameters were not statistically significant (one-sample t-test, P>0.05). Conversely, in some of the brands, some of the essential elements like Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, and F- were found at very low concentrations. The rest of the parameters, including CO3(2-), SO4(2-), PO4(3-) (orthophosphates), Cl-, F-, NO3-, NO2-, K+, Mg2+, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Pb were within the acceptable ranges in all the brands. Bottled water brands containing very high concentrations of dissolved substances may pose health risks for individuals living with heart and kidney related problems. On the other hand, brands having chemicals lower than the optimum level may also harm the health of consumers who choose those brands as a sole source of drinking water. Thus, we suggest those responsible authorities to ensure regular monitoring and testing for chemical compositions of bottled water.

Quality control evaluation of Keshamasi, Keshanjana and Keshamasi eye ointment.

PubMed

Dhiman, Kartar Singh; Shukla, Vinay J; Bhalodia, Nayan R; Sharma, Vinay R

2014-01-01

Keshanjana (collyrium) is a well known Ayurvedic preparation prepared out of Keshamasi (ash prepared by scalp hairs) mixed with Goghrita (cow's ghee). This medicine is indicated for the treatment of Shushkakshipaka (dry eye syndrome) in the classical literature of Ayurveda; hence, it was under taken for standardization and clinical evaluation in an extra-mural research project from Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Department of AYUSH, New Delhi. To develop standard quality parameters for the Keshamasi, Keshanjana and Keshamasi ointment. Scalp hairs of male and females collected from saloons were converted to classical Masi Kalpana and mixed with cow ghee and petrolatum in the ratio of 1:5 to prepare the Keshanjana and Keshamasi ointment respectively. Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) were adopted and recorded accordingly. The raw material, furnished products and plain Goghrita were subjected for quality control parameters i.e., physico-chemical evaluation, anti-microbial study, particle size analysis, heavy metal analysis through inductive couple plasma spectroscopy with high performance thin layer liquid chromatography fingerprints. Rancidity was negative in all the samples, indicating that the physico-chemical parameters are in acceptable range. Lead and zinc were present in most of the samples; while all samples are were free from microbial contamination. As no standards are available to compare the results of the current study, the observations cannot be compared. Thus the profile generated in the current study can be considered as standard to refer in future studies.

Quality control evaluation of Keshamasi, Keshanjana and Keshamasi eye ointment

PubMed Central

Dhiman, Kartar Singh; Shukla, Vinay J.; Bhalodia, Nayan R.; Sharma, Vinay R.

2014-01-01

Background: Keshanjana (collyrium) is a well known Ayurvedic preparation prepared out of Keshamasi (ash prepared by scalp hairs) mixed with Goghrita (cow's ghee). This medicine is indicated for the treatment of Shushkakshipaka (dry eye syndrome) in the classical literature of Ayurveda; hence, it was under taken for standardization and clinical evaluation in an extra-mural research project from Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Department of AYUSH, New Delhi. Aim: To develop standard quality parameters for the Keshamasi, Keshanjana and Keshamasi ointment. Materials and Methods: Scalp hairs of male and females collected from saloons were converted to classical Masi Kalpana and mixed with cow ghee and petrolatum in the ratio of 1:5 to prepare the Keshanjana and Keshamasi ointment respectively. Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) were adopted and recorded accordingly. The raw material, furnished products and plain Goghrita were subjected for quality control parameters i.e., physico-chemical evaluation, anti-microbial study, particle size analysis, heavy metal analysis through inductive couple plasma spectroscopy with high performance thin layer liquid chromatography fingerprints. Results: Rancidity was negative in all the samples, indicating that the physico-chemical parameters are in acceptable range. Lead and zinc were present in most of the samples; while all samples are were free from microbial contamination. Conclusion: As no standards are available to compare the results of the current study, the observations cannot be compared. Thus the profile generated in the current study can be considered as standard to refer in future studies. PMID:25364202

Potable groundwater quality in some villages of Haryana, India: focus on fluoride.

PubMed

Bishnoi, Mukul; Arora, Shalu

2007-04-01

The fluoride concentration in ground water was determined in ten villages of Rohtak district of Haryana state (India). The fluoride concentration in the underground water of these villages varied from 0.034-2.09 mg/l. Various other water quality parameters, viz., pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, total hardness, total alkalinity sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride and sulfate were also measured. A systematic calculation of correlation coefficients among different physicochemical parameters indicated considerable variations among the analyzed samples with respect to their chemical composition. Majority of the samples do not comply with Indian as well as WHO standards for most of the water quality parameters measured. Overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes. Fluoride content was higher than permissible limit in 50% samples.

Comparative study on the water quality status of Andra reservoir and Denkada anicut constructed on Champavati River, Vizianagaram, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, G. V. S. R. Pavan; Krishna, K. Rama

2017-06-01

The author's present study was carried out for a period of 3 years from 2010 to 2013 to itemize the various physico-chemical parameters, irrigation water quality parameters and heavy metals in Champavathi River waters at Andra reservoir and Denkada anicut. Water samples were collected from the chosen sampling stations of the two reservoirs for every 4 months and analyzed as per APHA standard methods. The results obtained were compared with IS 10500 standards and found to be well within the prescribed values. Though the obtained values were well within the prescribed standard values, it was found that the water quality index, concentration of certain parameters such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium of the waters of Andra reservoir are higher than that of the Denkada anicut, and the concentration of nitrite was found to be higher in the water sample analyzed from Denkada anicut. Except silicon, all the other metals were found to be below the detection limits in the two reservoir waters. The reasons for the same were probed by the authors in the presented study. From the analysis reports, it was found that the water analyzed from the two reservoirs was fit for irrigation, agriculture, industrial and domestic purposes.

Water Quality Assessment of Danjiangkou Reservoir and its Tributaries in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Linghua; Peng, Wenqi; Wu, Leixiang; Liu, Laisheng

2018-01-01

Danjiangkou Reservoir is an important water source for the middle route of the South to North Water Diversion Project in China, and water quality of Danjiangkou Reservoir and its tributaries is crucial for the project. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the water quality of Daniiangkou Reservoir and its tributaries based on Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCMEWQI). 22 water quality parameters from 25 sampling sites were analyzed to calculate WQI. The results indicate that water quality in Danjiangkou Reservoir area, Hanjiang River and Danjiang River is excellent. And the seriously polluted tributary rivers were Shending River, Jianghe River, Sihe River, Tianhe River, Jianhe River and Jiangjun River. Water quality parameters that cannot meet the standard limit for drinking water source were fecal coliform bacteria, CODcr, CODMn, BOD5, NH3-N, TP, DO, anionic surfactant and petroleum. Fecal coliform bacteria, TP, ammonia nitrogen, CODMn were the most common parameters to fail.

Composite measures of watershed health from a water quality perspective.

PubMed

Mallya, Ganeshchandra; Hantush, Mohamed; Govindaraju, Rao S

2018-05-15

Water quality data at gaging stations are typically compared with established federal, state, or local water quality standards to determine if violations (concentrations of specific constituents falling outside acceptable limits) have occurred. Based on the frequency and severity of water quality violations, risk metrics such as reliability, resilience, and vulnerability (R-R-V) are computed for assessing water quality-based watershed health. In this study, a modified methodology for computing R-R-V measures is presented, and a new composite watershed health index is proposed. Risk-based assessments for different water quality parameters are carried out using identified national sampling stations within the Upper Mississippi River Basin, the Maumee River Basin, and the Ohio River Basin. The distributional properties of risk measures with respect to water quality parameters are reported. Scaling behaviors of risk measures using stream order, specifically for the watershed health (WH) index, suggest that WH values increased with stream order for suspended sediment concentration, nitrogen, and orthophosphate in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Spatial distribution of risk measures enable identification of locations exhibiting poor watershed health with respect to the chosen numerical standard, and the role of land use characteristics within the watershed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

US EPA Base Study Standard Operating Procedure for Continuous Monitoring of Outdoor Air

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The procedure described is intended for monitoring continuously and simultaneously outdoor air quality parameters that are most commonly associated with indoor air quality: the concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), temperature, nd relative humidity (RH).

Scenario Development Process at the Vertical Motion Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reardon, Scott E.; Beard, Steven D.; Lewis, Emily

2017-01-01

There has been a significant effort within the simulation community to standardize many aspects of flight simulation. More recently, an effort has begun to develop a formal scenario definition language for aviation. A working group within the AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technical Committee has been created to develop a standard aviation scenario definition language, though much of the initial effort has been tailored to training simulators. Research and development (R&D) simulators, like the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS), and training simulators have different missions and thus have different scenario requirements. The purpose of this paper is to highlight some of the unique tasks and scenario elements used at the VMS so they may be captured by scenario standardization efforts. The VMS most often performs handling qualities studies and transfer of training studies. Three representative handling qualities simulation studies and two transfer of training simulation studies are described in this paper. Unique scenario elements discussed in this paper included special out-the-window (OTW) targets and environmental conditions, motion system parameters, active inceptor parameters, and configurable vehicle math model parameters.

Integrating fluorescence and interactance measurements to improve apple maturity assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Hyun Kwon; Lu, Renfu

2006-10-01

Fluorescence and reflectance (or interactance) are promising techniques for measuring fruit quality and condition. Our previous research showed that a hyperspectral imaging technique integrating fluorescence and reflectance could improve predictions of selected quality parameters compared to single sensing techniques. The objective of this research was to use a low cost spectrometer for rapid acquisition of fluorescence and interactance spectra from apples and develop an algorithm integrating the two types of data for predicting skin and flesh color, fruit firmness, starch index, soluble solids content, and titratable acid. Experiments were performed to measure UV light induced transient fluorescence and interactance spectra from 'Golden Delicious' apples that were harvested over a period of four weeks during the 2005 harvest season. Standard destructive tests were performed to measure maturity parameters from the apples. Principal component (PC) analysis was applied to the interactance and fluorescence data. A back-propagation feedforward neural network with the inputs of PC data was used to predict individual maturity parameters. Interactance mode was consistently better than fluorescence mode in predicting the maturity parameters. Integrating interactance and fluorescence improved predictions of all parameters except flesh chroma; values of the correlation coefficient for firmness, soluble solids content, starch index, and skin and flesh hue were 0.77, 0.77, 0.89, 0.99, and 0.96 respectively, with the corresponding standard errors of 6.93 N, 0.90%, 0.97 g/L, 0.013 rad, and 0.013 rad. These results represented 4.1% to 23.5% improvements in terms of standard error, in comparison with the better results from the two single sensing methods. Integrating interactance and fluorescence can better assess apple maturity and quality.

Distributed sensor architecture for intelligent control that supports quality of control and quality of service.

PubMed

Poza-Lujan, Jose-Luis; Posadas-Yagüe, Juan-Luis; Simó-Ten, José-Enrique; Simarro, Raúl; Benet, Ginés

2015-02-25

This paper is part of a study of intelligent architectures for distributed control and communications systems. The study focuses on optimizing control systems by evaluating the performance of middleware through quality of service (QoS) parameters and the optimization of control using Quality of Control (QoC) parameters. The main aim of this work is to study, design, develop, and evaluate a distributed control architecture based on the Data-Distribution Service for Real-Time Systems (DDS) communication standard as proposed by the Object Management Group (OMG). As a result of the study, an architecture called Frame-Sensor-Adapter to Control (FSACtrl) has been developed. FSACtrl provides a model to implement an intelligent distributed Event-Based Control (EBC) system with support to measure QoS and QoC parameters. The novelty consists of using, simultaneously, the measured QoS and QoC parameters to make decisions about the control action with a new method called Event Based Quality Integral Cycle. To validate the architecture, the first five Braitenberg vehicles have been implemented using the FSACtrl architecture. The experimental outcomes, demonstrate the convenience of using jointly QoS and QoC parameters in distributed control systems.

Distributed Sensor Architecture for Intelligent Control that Supports Quality of Control and Quality of Service

PubMed Central

Poza-Lujan, Jose-Luis; Posadas-Yagüe, Juan-Luis; Simó-Ten, José-Enrique; Simarro, Raúl; Benet, Ginés

2015-01-01

This paper is part of a study of intelligent architectures for distributed control and communications systems. The study focuses on optimizing control systems by evaluating the performance of middleware through quality of service (QoS) parameters and the optimization of control using Quality of Control (QoC) parameters. The main aim of this work is to study, design, develop, and evaluate a distributed control architecture based on the Data-Distribution Service for Real-Time Systems (DDS) communication standard as proposed by the Object Management Group (OMG). As a result of the study, an architecture called Frame-Sensor-Adapter to Control (FSACtrl) has been developed. FSACtrl provides a model to implement an intelligent distributed Event-Based Control (EBC) system with support to measure QoS and QoC parameters. The novelty consists of using, simultaneously, the measured QoS and QoC parameters to make decisions about the control action with a new method called Event Based Quality Integral Cycle. To validate the architecture, the first five Braitenberg vehicles have been implemented using the FSACtrl architecture. The experimental outcomes, demonstrate the convenience of using jointly QoS and QoC parameters in distributed control systems. PMID:25723145

Temporal variability in water quality parameters--a case study of drinking water reservoir in Florida, USA.

PubMed

Toor, Gurpal S; Han, Lu; Stanley, Craig D

2013-05-01

Our objective was to evaluate changes in water quality parameters during 1983-2007 in a subtropical drinking water reservoir (area: 7 km(2)) located in Lake Manatee Watershed (area: 338 km(2)) in Florida, USA. Most water quality parameters (color, turbidity, Secchi depth, pH, EC, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, cations, anions, and lead) were below the Florida potable water standards. Concentrations of copper exceeded the potable water standard of <30 μg l(-1) in about half of the samples. About 75 % of total N in lake was organic N (0.93 mg l(-1)) with the remainder (25 %) as inorganic N (NH3-N: 0.19, NO3-N: 0.17 mg l(-1)), while 86 % of total P was orthophosphate. Mean total N/P was <6:1 indicating N limitation in the lake. Mean monthly concentration of chlorophyll-a was much lower than the EPA water quality threshold of 20 μg l(-1). Concentrations of total N showed significant increase from 1983 to 1994 and a decrease from 1997 to 2007. Total P showed significant increase during 1983-2007. Mean concentrations of total N (n = 215; 1.24 mg l(-1)) were lower, and total P (n = 286; 0.26 mg l(-1)) was much higher than the EPA numeric criteria of 1.27 mg total N l(-1) and 0.05 mg total P l(-1) for Florida's colored lakes, respectively. Seasonal trends were observed for many water quality parameters where concentrations were typically elevated during wet months (June-September). Results suggest that reducing transport of organic N may be one potential option to protect water quality in this drinking water reservoir.

The production and quality of tomato concentrates.

PubMed

Hayes, W A; Smith, P G; Morris, A E

1998-10-01

The standards and specifications for the quality and composition of tomato concentrates are reviewed. The main quality parameters of tomato puree and paste are color, consistency and flavor. Overall, there is an absence of standardization of methods and instruments to define quality. While color can now be measured objectively, there are currently no standard color requirements for tomato concentrates. Rheological measurements on both tomato juice and concentrates are reviewed; the power law finds wide applicability, although other rheological characteristics, particularly time dependency, have received far less attention and there has been little effort to relate rheological understanding to the commonly used empirical tests such as consistency measurements. The volatiles responsible for flavor and odor have been identified to the point where the natural odor of tomato paste can be imitated. Attempts to develop objective methods as a substitute for sensory assessment are reviewed.

Water Quality of Hills Water, Supply Water and RO Water Machine at Ulu Yam Selangor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngadiman, N.; ‘I Bahari, N.; Kaamin, M.; Hamid, N. B.; Mokhtar, M.; Sahat, S.

2016-07-01

The rapid development resulted in the deterioration of the quality of drinking water in Malaysia. Recognizing the importance of water quality, new alternatives for drinking water such as mineral water processing from reverse osmosis (RO) machine become more popular. Hence, the demand for mineral water, natural spring water or water from the hills or mountains rose lately. More consumers believed the quality of these spring water better than other source of drinking water. However, the quality of all the drinking water sources is to meet the required quality standard. Therefore, this paper aims to measure the quality of the waters from hills, from RO machine and the water supply in Ulu Yam, Selangor Batang Kali, Malaysia. The water quality was determined based on following parameters: ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3), iron (Fe), turbidity (NTU) and pH. The results show that the water from hills has better quality compared to water supply and water from RO machine. The value of NH3 ranged from 0.03 mg/L- 0.67 mg/L; Fe was from 0.03mg/L - 0.12 mg/L, turbidity at 0.42 NTU - 0.88 NTU and pH is at 6.60 - 0.71. Based on the studied parameters, all three types of water are fit for drinking and have met the required national drinking water quality standard.

Rapid and Simultaneous Prediction of Eight Diesel Quality Parameters through ATR-FTIR Analysis.

PubMed

Nespeca, Maurilio Gustavo; Hatanaka, Rafael Rodrigues; Flumignan, Danilo Luiz; de Oliveira, José Eduardo

2018-01-01

Quality assessment of diesel fuel is highly necessary for society, but the costs and time spent are very high while using standard methods. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an analytical method capable of simultaneously determining eight diesel quality parameters (density; flash point; total sulfur content; distillation temperatures at 10% (T10), 50% (T50), and 85% (T85) recovery; cetane index; and biodiesel content) through attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and the multivariate regression method, partial least square (PLS). For this purpose, the quality parameters of 409 samples were determined using standard methods, and their spectra were acquired in ranges of 4000-650 cm -1 . The use of the multivariate filters, generalized least squares weighting (GLSW) and orthogonal signal correction (OSC), was evaluated to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the models. Likewise, four variable selection approaches were tested: manual exclusion, forward interval PLS (FiPLS), backward interval PLS (BiPLS), and genetic algorithm (GA). The multivariate filters and variables selection algorithms generated more fitted and accurate PLS models. According to the validation, the FTIR/PLS models presented accuracy comparable to the reference methods and, therefore, the proposed method can be applied in the diesel routine monitoring to significantly reduce costs and analysis time.

Rapid and Simultaneous Prediction of Eight Diesel Quality Parameters through ATR-FTIR Analysis

PubMed Central

Hatanaka, Rafael Rodrigues; Flumignan, Danilo Luiz; de Oliveira, José Eduardo

2018-01-01

Quality assessment of diesel fuel is highly necessary for society, but the costs and time spent are very high while using standard methods. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an analytical method capable of simultaneously determining eight diesel quality parameters (density; flash point; total sulfur content; distillation temperatures at 10% (T10), 50% (T50), and 85% (T85) recovery; cetane index; and biodiesel content) through attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and the multivariate regression method, partial least square (PLS). For this purpose, the quality parameters of 409 samples were determined using standard methods, and their spectra were acquired in ranges of 4000–650 cm−1. The use of the multivariate filters, generalized least squares weighting (GLSW) and orthogonal signal correction (OSC), was evaluated to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the models. Likewise, four variable selection approaches were tested: manual exclusion, forward interval PLS (FiPLS), backward interval PLS (BiPLS), and genetic algorithm (GA). The multivariate filters and variables selection algorithms generated more fitted and accurate PLS models. According to the validation, the FTIR/PLS models presented accuracy comparable to the reference methods and, therefore, the proposed method can be applied in the diesel routine monitoring to significantly reduce costs and analysis time. PMID:29629209

Scale Control and Quality Management of Printed Image Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novoselskaya, O. A.; Kolesnikov, V. L.; Solov'eva, T. V.; Nagornova, I. V.; Babluyk, E. B.; Trapeznikova, O. V.

2017-06-01

The article provides a comparison of the main valuation techniques for a regulated parameter of printability of the offset paper by current standards GOST 24356 and ISO 3783: 2006. The results of development and implementation of a complex test scale for management and control the quality of printed production are represented. The estimation scale is introduced. It includes normalized parameters of print optical density, print uniformity, picking out speed, the value of dot gain, print contrast with the added criteria of minimizing microtexts, a paper slip, resolution threshold and effusing ability of paper surface. The results of analysis allow directionally form surface properties of the substrate to facilitate achieving the required quality of the printed image parameters, i. e. optical density of a print at a predetermined level not less than 1.3, the print uniformity with minimal deviation of dot gain about the order of 10 per cents.

Sensoring fusion data from the optic and acoustic emissions of electric arcs in the GMAW-S process for welding quality assessment.

PubMed

Alfaro, Sadek Crisóstomo Absi; Cayo, Eber Huanca

2012-01-01

The present study shows the relationship between welding quality and optical-acoustic emissions from electric arcs, during welding runs, in the GMAW-S process. Bead on plate welding tests was carried out with pre-set parameters chosen from manufacturing standards. During the welding runs interferences were induced on the welding path using paint, grease or gas faults. In each welding run arc voltage, welding current, infrared and acoustic emission values were acquired and parameters such as arc power, acoustic peaks rate and infrared radiation rate computed. Data fusion algorithms were developed by assessing known welding quality parameters from arc emissions. These algorithms have showed better responses when they are based on more than just one sensor. Finally, it was concluded that there is a close relation between arc emissions and quality in welding and it can be measured from arc emissions sensing and data fusion algorithms.

Using the NEMA NU 4 PET image quality phantom in multipinhole small-animal SPECT.

PubMed

Harteveld, Anita A; Meeuwis, Antoi P W; Disselhorst, Jonathan A; Slump, Cornelis H; Oyen, Wim J G; Boerman, Otto C; Visser, Eric P

2011-10-01

Several commercial small-animal SPECT scanners using multipinhole collimation are presently available. However, generally accepted standards to characterize the performance of these scanners do not exist. Whereas for small-animal PET, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU 4 standards have been defined in 2008, such standards are still lacking for small-animal SPECT. In this study, the image quality parameters associated with the NEMA NU 4 image quality phantom were determined for a small-animal multipinhole SPECT scanner. Multiple whole-body scans of the NEMA NU 4 image quality phantom of 1-h duration were performed in a U-SPECT-II scanner using (99m)Tc with activities ranging between 8.4 and 78.2 MBq. The collimator contained 75 pinholes of 1.0-mm diameter and had a bore diameter of 98 mm. Image quality parameters were determined as a function of average phantom activity, number of iterations, postreconstruction spatial filter, and scatter correction. In addition, a mouse was injected with (99m)Tc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate and was euthanized 6.5 h after injection. Multiple whole-body scans of this mouse of 1-h duration were acquired for activities ranging between 3.29 and 52.7 MBq. An increase in the number of iterations was accompanied by an increase in the recovery coefficients for the small rods (RC(rod)), an increase in the noise in the uniform phantom region, and a decrease in spillover ratios for the cold-air- and water-filled scatter compartments (SOR(air) and SOR(wat)). Application of spatial filtering reduced image noise but lowered RC(rod). Filtering did not influence SOR(air) and SOR(wat). Scatter correction reduced SOR(air) and SOR(wat). The effect of total phantom activity was primarily seen in a reduction of image noise with increasing activity. RC(rod), SOR(air), and SOR(wat) were more or less constant as a function of phantom activity. The relation between acquisition and reconstruction settings and image quality was confirmed in the (99m)Tc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate mouse scans. Although developed for small-animal PET, the NEMA NU 4 image quality phantom was found to be useful for small-animal SPECT as well, allowing for objective determination of image quality parameters and showing the trade-offs between several of these parameters on variation of acquisition and reconstruction settings.

Change in quality of malnutrition surveys between 1986 and 2015.

PubMed

Grellety, Emmanuel; Golden, Michael H

2018-01-01

Representative surveys collecting weight, height and MUAC are used to estimate the prevalence of acute malnutrition. The results are then used to assess the scale of malnutrition in a population and type of nutritional intervention required. There have been changes in methodology over recent decades; the objective of this study was to determine if these have resulted in higher quality surveys. In order to examine the change in reliability of such surveys we have analysed the statistical distributions of the derived anthropometric parameters from 1843 surveys conducted by 19 agencies between 1986 and 2015. With the introduction of standardised guidelines and software by 2003 and their more general application from 2007 the mean standard deviation, kurtosis and skewness of the parameters used to assess nutritional status have each moved to now approximate the distribution of the WHO standards when the exclusion of outliers from analysis is based upon SMART flagging procedure. Where WHO flags, that only exclude data incompatible with life, are used the quality of anthropometric surveys has improved and the results now approach those seen with SMART flags and the WHO standards distribution. Agencies vary in their uptake and adherence to standard guidelines. Those agencies that fully implement the guidelines achieve the most consistently reliable results. Standard methods should be universally used to produce reliable data and tests of data quality and SMART type flagging procedures should be applied and reported to ensure that the data are credible and therefore inform appropriate intervention. Use of SMART guidelines has coincided with reliable anthropometric data since 2007.

A Humanistic Approach to Quality in Media. Workpapers in Teaching English as a Second Language, Vol. 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heaton, James

Quality is seen as a primitive characteristic of media, but one that can be manipulated in various ways. Since media vary in their "relating power," that is, their ability to involve students, standards of quality also may vary in the ways certain production technique parameters, such as lighting, sound, and exposure, are manipulated. Some media,…

Maggie Creek Water Quality Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These data are standard water quality parameters collected for surface water condition analysis (for example pH, conductivity, DO, TSS).This dataset is associated with the following publication:Kozlowski, D., R. Hall , S. Swanson, and D. Heggem. Linking Management and Riparian Physical Functions to Water Quality and Aquatic Habitat. JOURNAL OF WATER RESOURCES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Reston, VA, USA, 8(8): 797-815, (2016).

New Quality Standards of Testing Idlers for Highly Effective Belt Conveyors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Król, Robert; Gladysiewicz, Lech; Kaszuba, Damian; Kisielewski, Waldemar

2017-12-01

The paper presents result of research and analyses carried out into the belt conveyors idlers’ rotational resistance which is one of the key factor indicating the quality of idlers. Moreover, idlers’ rotational resistance is important factor in total resistance to motion of belt conveyor. The evaluation of the technical condition of belt conveyor idlers is carried out in accordance with actual national and international standards which determine the methodology of measurements and acceptable values of measured idlers’ parameters. Requirements defined by the standards, which determine the suitability of idlers to a specific application, despite the development of knowledge on idlers and quality of presently manufactured idlers maintain the same level of parameters values over long periods of time. Nowadays the need to implement new, efficient and economically justified solution for belt conveyor transportation systems characterized by long routes and energy-efficiency is often discussed as one of goals in belt conveyors’ future. One of the basic conditions for achieving this goal is to use only carefully selected idlers with low rotational resistance under the full range of operational loads and high durability. Due to this it is necessary to develop new guidelines for evaluation of the technical condition of belt conveyor idlers in accordance with actual standards and perfecting of existing and development of new methods of idlers testing. The changes in particular should concern updating of values of parameters used for evaluation of the technical condition of belt conveyor idlers in relation to belt conveyors’ operational challenges and growing demands in terms of belt conveyors’ energy efficiency.

HVI Colorimeter and Color Spectrophotometer Relationships and Their Impacts on Developing "Traceable" Cotton Color Standards

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Color measurements of cotton fiber and cotton textile products are important quality parameters. The Uster® High Volume Instrument (HVI) is an instrument used globally to classify cotton quality, including cotton color. Cotton color by HVI is based on two cotton-specific color parameters—Rd (diffuse...

Validation of balance-quality assessment using a modified bathroom scale.

PubMed

Hewson, D J; Duchêne, J; Hogrel, J-Y

2015-02-01

The balance quality tester (BQT), based on a standard electronic bathroom scale has been developed in order to assess balance quality. The BQT includes automatic detection of the person to be tested by means of an infrared detector and bluetooth communication capability for remote assessment when linked to a long-distance communication device such as a mobile phone. The BQT was compared to a standard force plate for validity and agreement. The two most widely reported parameters in balance literature, the area of the centre of pressure (COP) displacement and the velocity of the COP displacement, were compared for 12 subjects, each of whom was tested on ten occasions on each of the 2 days. No significant differences were observed between the BQT and the force plate for either of the two parameters. In addition a high level of agreement was observed between both devices. The BQT is a valid device for remote assessment of balance quality, and could provide a useful tool for long-term monitoring of people with balance problems, particularly during home monitoring.

Water quality management using statistical analysis and time-series prediction model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmar, Kulwinder Singh; Bhardwaj, Rashmi

2014-12-01

This paper deals with water quality management using statistical analysis and time-series prediction model. The monthly variation of water quality standards has been used to compare statistical mean, median, mode, standard deviation, kurtosis, skewness, coefficient of variation at Yamuna River. Model validated using R-squared, root mean square error, mean absolute percentage error, maximum absolute percentage error, mean absolute error, maximum absolute error, normalized Bayesian information criterion, Ljung-Box analysis, predicted value and confidence limits. Using auto regressive integrated moving average model, future water quality parameters values have been estimated. It is observed that predictive model is useful at 95 % confidence limits and curve is platykurtic for potential of hydrogen (pH), free ammonia, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, water temperature (WT); leptokurtic for chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand. Also, it is observed that predicted series is close to the original series which provides a perfect fit. All parameters except pH and WT cross the prescribed limits of the World Health Organization /United States Environmental Protection Agency, and thus water is not fit for drinking, agriculture and industrial use.

qcML: An Exchange Format for Quality Control Metrics from Mass Spectrometry Experiments*

PubMed Central

Walzer, Mathias; Pernas, Lucia Espona; Nasso, Sara; Bittremieux, Wout; Nahnsen, Sven; Kelchtermans, Pieter; Pichler, Peter; van den Toorn, Henk W. P.; Staes, An; Vandenbussche, Jonathan; Mazanek, Michael; Taus, Thomas; Scheltema, Richard A.; Kelstrup, Christian D.; Gatto, Laurent; van Breukelen, Bas; Aiche, Stephan; Valkenborg, Dirk; Laukens, Kris; Lilley, Kathryn S.; Olsen, Jesper V.; Heck, Albert J. R.; Mechtler, Karl; Aebersold, Ruedi; Gevaert, Kris; Vizcaíno, Juan Antonio; Hermjakob, Henning; Kohlbacher, Oliver; Martens, Lennart

2014-01-01

Quality control is increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect of mass spectrometry based proteomics. Several recent papers discuss relevant parameters for quality control and present applications to extract these from the instrumental raw data. What has been missing, however, is a standard data exchange format for reporting these performance metrics. We therefore developed the qcML format, an XML-based standard that follows the design principles of the related mzML, mzIdentML, mzQuantML, and TraML standards from the HUPO-PSI (Proteomics Standards Initiative). In addition to the XML format, we also provide tools for the calculation of a wide range of quality metrics as well as a database format and interconversion tools, so that existing LIMS systems can easily add relational storage of the quality control data to their existing schema. We here describe the qcML specification, along with possible use cases and an illustrative example of the subsequent analysis possibilities. All information about qcML is available at http://code.google.com/p/qcml. PMID:24760958

qcML: an exchange format for quality control metrics from mass spectrometry experiments.

PubMed

Walzer, Mathias; Pernas, Lucia Espona; Nasso, Sara; Bittremieux, Wout; Nahnsen, Sven; Kelchtermans, Pieter; Pichler, Peter; van den Toorn, Henk W P; Staes, An; Vandenbussche, Jonathan; Mazanek, Michael; Taus, Thomas; Scheltema, Richard A; Kelstrup, Christian D; Gatto, Laurent; van Breukelen, Bas; Aiche, Stephan; Valkenborg, Dirk; Laukens, Kris; Lilley, Kathryn S; Olsen, Jesper V; Heck, Albert J R; Mechtler, Karl; Aebersold, Ruedi; Gevaert, Kris; Vizcaíno, Juan Antonio; Hermjakob, Henning; Kohlbacher, Oliver; Martens, Lennart

2014-08-01

Quality control is increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect of mass spectrometry based proteomics. Several recent papers discuss relevant parameters for quality control and present applications to extract these from the instrumental raw data. What has been missing, however, is a standard data exchange format for reporting these performance metrics. We therefore developed the qcML format, an XML-based standard that follows the design principles of the related mzML, mzIdentML, mzQuantML, and TraML standards from the HUPO-PSI (Proteomics Standards Initiative). In addition to the XML format, we also provide tools for the calculation of a wide range of quality metrics as well as a database format and interconversion tools, so that existing LIMS systems can easily add relational storage of the quality control data to their existing schema. We here describe the qcML specification, along with possible use cases and an illustrative example of the subsequent analysis possibilities. All information about qcML is available at http://code.google.com/p/qcml. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Estimation of Handling Qualities Parameters of the Tu-144 Supersonic Transport Aircraft from Flight Test Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curry, Timothy J.; Batterson, James G. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Low order equivalent system (LOES) models for the Tu-144 supersonic transport aircraft were identified from flight test data. The mathematical models were given in terms of transfer functions with a time delay by the military standard MIL-STD-1797A, "Flying Qualities of Piloted Aircraft," and the handling qualities were predicted from the estimated transfer function coefficients. The coefficients and the time delay in the transfer functions were estimated using a nonlinear equation error formulation in the frequency domain. Flight test data from pitch, roll, and yaw frequency sweeps at various flight conditions were used for parameter estimation. Flight test results are presented in terms of the estimated parameter values, their standard errors, and output fits in the time domain. Data from doublet maneuvers at the same flight conditions were used to assess the predictive capabilities of the identified models. The identified transfer function models fit the measured data well and demonstrated good prediction capabilities. The Tu-144 was predicted to be between level 2 and 3 for all longitudinal maneuvers and level I for all lateral maneuvers. High estimates of the equivalent time delay in the transfer function model caused the poor longitudinal rating.

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.

Aggregate R-R-V Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The excel file contains time series data of flow rates, concentrations of alachlor , atrazine, ammonia, total phosphorus, and total suspended solids observed in two watersheds in Indiana from 2002 to 2007. The aggregate time series data corresponding or representative to all these parameters was obtained using a specialized, data-driven technique. The aggregate data is hypothesized in the published paper to represent the overall health of both watersheds with respect to various potential water quality impairments. The time series data for each of the individual water quality parameters were used to compute corresponding risk measures (Rel, Res, and Vul) that are reported in Table 4 and 5. The aggregation of the risk measures, which is computed from the aggregate time series and water quality standards in Table 1, is also reported in Table 4 and 5 of the published paper. Values under column heading uncertainty reports uncertainties associated with reconstruction of missing records of the water quality parameters. Long-term records of the water quality parameters were reconstructed in order to estimate the (R-R-V) and corresponding aggregate risk measures. This dataset is associated with the following publication:Hoque, Y., S. Tripathi, M. Hantush , and R. Govindaraju. Aggregate Measures of Watershed Health from Reconstructed Water Quality Data with Uncertainty. Ed Gregorich JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. American Society of Agronomy, MADISON, WI,

Physicochemical quality evaluation of groundwater and development of drinking water quality index for Araniar River Basin, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Jasmin, I; Mallikarjuna, P

2014-02-01

Groundwater is the most important natural resource which cannot be optimally used and sustained unless its quality is properly assessed. In the present study, the spatial and temporal variations in physicochemical quality parameters of groundwater of Araniar River Basin, India were analyzed to determine its suitability for drinking purpose through development of drinking water quality index (DWQI) maps of the post- and pre-monsoon periods. The suitability for drinking purpose was evaluated by comparing the physicochemical parameters of groundwater in the study area with drinking water standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Interpretation of physicochemical data revealed that groundwater in the basin was slightly alkaline. The cations such as sodium (Na(+)) and potassium (K(+)) and anions such as bicarbonate (HCO3 (-)) and chloride (Cl(-)) exceeded the permissible limits of drinking water standards (WHO and BIS) in certain pockets in the northeastern part of the basin during the pre-monsoon period. The higher total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration was observed in the northeastern part of the basin, and the parameters such as calcium (Ca(2+)), magnesium (Mg(2+)), sulfate (SO4 (2-)), nitrate (NO3 (-)), and fluoride (F(-)) were within the limits in both the seasons. The hydrogeochemical evaluation of groundwater of the basin demonstrated with the Piper trilinear diagram indicated that the groundwater samples of the area were of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-Cl(-)-SO4 (2-), Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-HCO3 (-) and Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-)-SO4 (2-) types during the post-monsoon period and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-Cl(-)-SO4 (2-), Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-)-SO4 (2-) and Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-HCO3 (-) types during the pre-monsoon period. The DWQI maps for the basin revealed that 90.24 and 73.46% of the basin area possess good quality drinking water during the post- and pre-monsoon seasons, respectively.

Temporal assessment of copper speciation, bioavailability and toxicity in UK freshwaters using chemical equilibrium and biotic ligand models: Implications for compliance with copper environmental quality standards.

PubMed

Lathouri, Maria; Korre, Anna

2015-12-15

Although significant progress has been made in understanding how environmental factors modify the speciation, bioavailability and toxicity of metals such as copper in aquatic environments, the current methods used to establish water quality standards do not necessarily consider the different geological and geochemical characteristics of a given site and the factors that affect copper fate, bioavailability potential and toxicity. In addition, the temporal variation in the concentration and bioavailable metal fraction is also important in freshwater systems. The work presented in this paper illustrates the temporal and seasonal variability of a range of water quality parameters, and Cu speciation, bioavailability and toxicity at four freshwaters sites in the UK. Rivers Coquet, Cree, Lower Clyde and Eden (Kent) were selected to cover a broad range of different geochemical environments and site characteristics. The monitoring data used covered a period of around six years at almost monthly intervals. Chemical equilibrium modelling was used to study temporal variations in Cu speciation and was combined with acute toxicity modelling to assess Cu bioavailability for two aquatic species, Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex. The estimated copper bioavailability, toxicity levels and the corresponding ecosystem risks were analysed in relation to key water quality parameters (alkalinity, pH and DOC). Although copper concentrations did not vary much during the sampling period or between the seasons at the different sites; copper bioavailability varied markedly. In addition, through the chronic-Cu BLM-based on the voluntary risk assessment approach, the potential environmental risk in terms of the chronic toxicity was assessed. A much higher likelihood of toxicity effects was found during the cold period at all sites. It is suggested that besides the metal (copper) concentration in the surface water environment, the variability and seasonality of other important water quality parameters should be considered in setting appropriately protective environmental quality standards for metals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Great Lakes Initiative (GLI) Clearinghouse

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Great Lakes Initiative Toxicity Clearinghouse is a central location for information on criteria, toxicity data, exposure parameters and other supporting documents used in developing water quality standards in the Great Lakes watershed.

Quality and management of wastewater in sugar industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poddar, Pradeep Kumar; Sahu, Omprakash

2017-03-01

Wastewater from sugar industries is one that has complex characteristics and is considered a challenge for environmental engineers in terms of treatment as well as utilization. Before treatment and recycling, determination of physicochemical parameter is an important mechanism. Many different types of techniques are introduced and modified for the purpose, but depend upon the water quality parameters. The main aim of this study is to determine the physicochemical characteristics of sugar industry waste water by the standard method and minimize the fresh water consumption in sugar industry by water pinch methodology.

Fieldwork measurement of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in Malaysian platinum-rated green office buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tharim, Asniza Hamimi Abdul; Samad, Muna Hanim Abdul; Ismail, Mazran

2017-10-01

An Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) fieldwork assessment was conducted in the Platinum-rated GBI office building located in Putrajaya Malaysia. The aim of the study is to determine the current indoor performance of the selected green office building. The field measurement consists of several IEQ parameters counted under the GBI Malaysia namely the Thermal Comfort of temperature, relative humidity, air movement and heat transfer as well as solar radiation. This field measurement also comprises of the measurement for the background noise, visual lighting and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) focusing on the aspect of carbon dioxide concentration. All the selected indoor parameters were measured for the period of five working days and the results were compared to the Malaysian Standard. Findings of the field measurement show good indoor performance of the Platinum rated office building that complies with the GBI standard. It is hoped that the research findings will be beneficial for future design and construction of office building intended to be rated under the GBI Malaysia.

Improvement in botanical standardization of commercial freeze-dried herbal extracts by using the combination of antioxidant capacity and constituent marker concentrations.

PubMed

Ninfali, Paolino; Gennari, Lorenzo; Biagiotti, Enrica; Cangi, Francesca; Mattoli, Luisa; Maidecchi, Anna

2009-01-01

Botanical extracts are standardized to > or = 1 marker compounds (MCs). This standardization provides a certain level of quality control, but not complete quality assurance. Thus, industries are looking for other satisfactory systems to improve standardization. This study focuses on the standardization of herbal medicines by combining 2 parameters: the concentration of the MC and antioxidant capacity. Antioxidant capacity was determined with the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method and the concentrations of the MCs, by high-performance liquid chromatography. Total phenols were also determined by the Folin-Ciocolteau method. The ORAC values, expressed as micromol Trolox equivalents/100 g (ORAC %), of 12 commercial herbal extracts were related to the ORAC values of the respective pure MCs at the concentrations at which the MCs occur in products (ORAC-MC %). The ORAC % values of 11 extracts were higher than those of the respective MCs and the ratios ORAC-MC %/ORAC % ranged from 0.007 to 0.7, whereas in the case of Olea europaea leaves, the same ratio was 1.36. The ORAC parameters and their ratios, as well as the linear relationship between ORAC-MC % and ORAC %, are described and discussed as tools for improving the standardization of herbal products and detecting modifications due to herb processing and storage.

Potable water quality monitoring of primary schools in Magura district, Bangladesh: children's health risk assessment.

PubMed

Rahman, Aminur; Hashem, Abul; Nur-A-Tomal, Shahruk

2016-12-01

Safe potable water is essential for good health. Worldwide, school-aged children especially in the developing countries are suffering from various water-borne diseases. In the study, drinking water supplies for primary school children were monitored at Magura district, Bangladesh, to ensure safe potable water. APHA standard analytical methods were applied for determining the physicochemical parameters of the water samples. For determination of the essential physicochemical parameters, the samples were collected from 20 randomly selected tube wells of primary schools at Magura. The metal contents, especially arsenic (As), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn), in the water samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The range of physicochemical parameters found in water samples were as follows: pH 7.05-9.03, electrical conductivity 400-2340 μS/cm, chloride 10-640 mg/L, hardness 200-535 mg/L as CaCO 3 , and total dissolved solids 208-1216 mg/L. The level of metals in the tube well water samples were as follows: As 1 to 55 μg/L, Fe 40 to 9890 μg/L, and Mn 10 to 370 μg/L. Drinking water parameters of Magura district did not meet the requirement of the World Health Organization drinking water quality guideline, or the Drinking Water Quality Standards of Bangladesh.

Real-time video quality monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Tao; Narvekar, Niranjan; Wang, Beibei; Ding, Ran; Zou, Dekun; Cash, Glenn; Bhagavathy, Sitaram; Bloom, Jeffrey

2011-12-01

The ITU-T Recommendation G.1070 is a standardized opinion model for video telephony applications that uses video bitrate, frame rate, and packet-loss rate to measure the video quality. However, this model was original designed as an offline quality planning tool. It cannot be directly used for quality monitoring since the above three input parameters are not readily available within a network or at the decoder. And there is a great room for the performance improvement of this quality metric. In this article, we present a real-time video quality monitoring solution based on this Recommendation. We first propose a scheme to efficiently estimate the three parameters from video bitstreams, so that it can be used as a real-time video quality monitoring tool. Furthermore, an enhanced algorithm based on the G.1070 model that provides more accurate quality prediction is proposed. Finally, to use this metric in real-world applications, we present an example emerging application of real-time quality measurement to the management of transmitted videos, especially those delivered to mobile devices.

Quality evaluation of no-reference MR images using multidirectional filters and image statistics.

PubMed

Jang, Jinseong; Bang, Kihun; Jang, Hanbyol; Hwang, Dosik

2018-09-01

This study aimed to develop a fully automatic, no-reference image-quality assessment (IQA) method for MR images. New quality-aware features were obtained by applying multidirectional filters to MR images and examining the feature statistics. A histogram of these features was then fitted to a generalized Gaussian distribution function for which the shape parameters yielded different values depending on the type of distortion in the MR image. Standard feature statistics were established through a training process based on high-quality MR images without distortion. Subsequently, the feature statistics of a test MR image were calculated and compared with the standards. The quality score was calculated as the difference between the shape parameters of the test image and the undistorted standard images. The proposed IQA method showed a >0.99 correlation with the conventional full-reference assessment methods; accordingly, this proposed method yielded the best performance among no-reference IQA methods for images containing six types of synthetic, MR-specific distortions. In addition, for authentically distorted images, the proposed method yielded the highest correlation with subjective assessments by human observers, thus demonstrating its superior performance over other no-reference IQAs. Our proposed IQA was designed to consider MR-specific features and outperformed other no-reference IQAs designed mainly for photographic images. Magn Reson Med 80:914-924, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Evolution of mammographic image quality in the state of Rio de Janeiro*

PubMed Central

Villar, Vanessa Cristina Felippe Lopes; Seta, Marismary Horsth De; de Andrade, Carla Lourenço Tavares; Delamarque, Elizabete Vianna; de Azevedo, Ana Cecília Pedrosa

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate the evolution of mammographic image quality in the state of Rio de Janeiro on the basis of parameters measured and analyzed during health surveillance inspections in the period from 2006 to 2011. Materials and Methods Descriptive study analyzing parameters connected with imaging quality of 52 mammography apparatuses inspected at least twice with a one-year interval. Results Amongst the 16 analyzed parameters, 7 presented more than 70% of conformity, namely: compression paddle pressure intensity (85.1%), films development (72.7%), film response (72.7%), low contrast fine detail (92.2%), tumor mass visualization (76.5%), absence of image artifacts (94.1%), mammography-specific developers availability (88.2%). On the other hand, relevant parameters were below 50% conformity, namely: monthly image quality control testing (28.8%) and high contrast details with respect to microcalcifications visualization (47.1%). Conclusion The analysis revealed critical situations in terms of compliance with the health surveillance standards. Priority should be given to those mammography apparatuses that remained non-compliant at the second inspection performed within the one-year interval. PMID:25987749

Semen quality and alcohol intake: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ricci, Elena; Al Beitawi, Suha; Cipriani, Sonia; Candiani, Massimo; Chiaffarino, Francesca; Viganò, Paola; Noli, Stefania; Parazzini, Fabio

2017-01-01

Alcohol consumption is widespread in the Western world. Some studies have suggested a negative association between alcohol intake and semen quality although others have not confirmed this. MEDLINE and Embase were searched using 'alcohol intake' OR 'alcohol consumption' OR 'alcohol drinking' OR 'lifestyle' combined with 'semen quality' OR 'sperm quality' OR 'sperm volume' OR 'sperm concentration' OR 'sperm motility' for full-length observational articles, published in English. Reference lists of retrieved articles were searched for other pertinent studies. Main outcome measures were sperm parameters, if provided as means (standard deviation or standard error) or as medians (interquartile range). Fifteen cross-sectional studies were included, with 16,395 men enrolled. Main results showed that alcohol intake has a detrimental effect on semen volume (pooled estimate for no/low alcohol consumption 0.25 ml, 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.42) and normal morphology (1.87%, 95% CI, 0.86 to 2.88%). The difference was more marked when comparing occasional versus daily consumers, rather than never versus occasional, suggesting a moderate consumption did not adversely affect semen parameters. Hence, studies evaluating the effect of changes on semen parameters on the reproductive outcomes are needed in advance of providing recommendations regarding alcohol intake other than the advice to avoid heavy alcohol drinking. Copyright © 2016 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design Aids for Real-Time Systems (DARTS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szulewski, P. A.

1982-01-01

Design-Aids for Real-Time Systems (DARTS) is a tool that assists in defining embedded computer systems through tree structured graphics, military standard documentation support, and various analyses including automated Software Science parameter counting and metrics calculation. These analyses provide both static and dynamic design quality feedback which can potentially aid in producing efficient, high quality software systems.

Academic and Administrative Audit: A Parameter of Quality Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nitonde, Rohidas; Jadhav, B. U.

2015-01-01

Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA) is a system to control and maintain high standards in the field of Higher Education. It is playing vital role in providing quality education to the learners all over the world. In addition to the developed countries, even the developing as well as underdeveloped countries, are now-a-days coming forward in…

Approaches in fostering quality parameters for medicinal botanicals in the Indian context.

PubMed

Gupta, Pooja D; Daswani, Poonam G; Birdi, Tannaz J

2014-01-01

India is among the important megabiodiversity centers of the world with nearly 45,000 known plant species. This diversity coupled with a rich heritage of traditional knowledge has made India a home to several important time-honored systems of health care such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. Herbal medicines, however, are associated with a number of shortcomings including uniform efficacy and lack of appropriate quality control measures at various stages of product development. The review intends to outline the importance of fostering quality parameters towards standardization and manufacturing of botanicals for India to emerge as a leader in global market of herbal products. Literature survey was carried out on important parameters for processing and manufacturing of botanicals. The review highlights that there have been constant efforts for developing state of the art technologies in the field of herbal research. It also reflects that Government authorities have also taken a number of initiatives to formulate appropriate guidelines from standardization of raw materials to obtaining botanical products. However, in the Indian context, there exist certain lacunae in the current regulatory mechanisms which need to be strengthened and stringently implemented to ensure safety, purity and efficacy of herbal medicines. Towards this the approaches being developed globally can be adopted. Based on the literature reviewed, in our opinion, four areas viz., benefit sharing, investment by industry, standardization and national/international networking structure need immediate attention for strengthening Traditional Systems of Medicine in India.

Quality Measures in Pre-Analytical Phase of Tissue Processing: Understanding Its Value in Histopathology.

PubMed

Rao, Shalinee; Masilamani, Suresh; Sundaram, Sandhya; Duvuru, Prathiba; Swaminathan, Rajendiran

2016-01-01

Quality monitoring in histopathology unit is categorized into three phases, pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical, to cover various steps in the entire test cycle. Review of literature on quality evaluation studies pertaining to histopathology revealed that earlier reports were mainly focused on analytical aspects with limited studies on assessment of pre-analytical phase. Pre-analytical phase encompasses several processing steps and handling of specimen/sample by multiple individuals, thus allowing enough scope for errors. Due to its critical nature and limited studies in the past to assess quality in pre-analytical phase, it deserves more attention. This study was undertaken to analyse and assess the quality parameters in pre-analytical phase in a histopathology laboratory. This was a retrospective study done on pre-analytical parameters in histopathology laboratory of a tertiary care centre on 18,626 tissue specimens received in 34 months. Registers and records were checked for efficiency and errors for pre-analytical quality variables: specimen identification, specimen in appropriate fixatives, lost specimens, daily internal quality control performance on staining, performance in inter-laboratory quality assessment program {External quality assurance program (EQAS)} and evaluation of internal non-conformities (NC) for other errors. The study revealed incorrect specimen labelling in 0.04%, 0.01% and 0.01% in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. About 0.04%, 0.07% and 0.18% specimens were not sent in fixatives in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. There was no incidence of specimen lost. A total of 113 non-conformities were identified out of which 92.9% belonged to the pre-analytical phase. The predominant NC (any deviation from normal standard which may generate an error and result in compromising with quality standards) identified was wrong labelling of slides. Performance in EQAS for pre-analytical phase was satisfactory in 6 of 9 cycles. A low incidence of errors in pre-analytical phase implies that a satisfactory level of quality standards was being practiced with still scope for improvement.

Designing image segmentation studies: Statistical power, sample size and reference standard quality.

PubMed

Gibson, Eli; Hu, Yipeng; Huisman, Henkjan J; Barratt, Dean C

2017-12-01

Segmentation algorithms are typically evaluated by comparison to an accepted reference standard. The cost of generating accurate reference standards for medical image segmentation can be substantial. Since the study cost and the likelihood of detecting a clinically meaningful difference in accuracy both depend on the size and on the quality of the study reference standard, balancing these trade-offs supports the efficient use of research resources. In this work, we derive a statistical power calculation that enables researchers to estimate the appropriate sample size to detect clinically meaningful differences in segmentation accuracy (i.e. the proportion of voxels matching the reference standard) between two algorithms. Furthermore, we derive a formula to relate reference standard errors to their effect on the sample sizes of studies using lower-quality (but potentially more affordable and practically available) reference standards. The accuracy of the derived sample size formula was estimated through Monte Carlo simulation, demonstrating, with 95% confidence, a predicted statistical power within 4% of simulated values across a range of model parameters. This corresponds to sample size errors of less than 4 subjects and errors in the detectable accuracy difference less than 0.6%. The applicability of the formula to real-world data was assessed using bootstrap resampling simulations for pairs of algorithms from the PROMISE12 prostate MR segmentation challenge data set. The model predicted the simulated power for the majority of algorithm pairs within 4% for simulated experiments using a high-quality reference standard and within 6% for simulated experiments using a low-quality reference standard. A case study, also based on the PROMISE12 data, illustrates using the formulae to evaluate whether to use a lower-quality reference standard in a prostate segmentation study. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drinking water quality assessment.

PubMed

Aryal, J; Gautam, B; Sapkota, N

2012-09-01

Drinking water quality is the great public health concern because it is a major risk factor for high incidence of diarrheal diseases in Nepal. In the recent years, the prevalence rate of diarrhoea has been found the highest in Myagdi district. This study was carried out to assess the quality of drinking water from different natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps at Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district. A cross-sectional study was carried out using random sampling method in Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district from January to June,2010. 84 water samples representing natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps from the study area were collected. The physico-chemical and microbiological analysis was performed following standards technique set by APHA 1998 and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 11.5. The result was also compared with national and WHO guidelines. Out of 84 water samples (from natural source, reservoirs and tap water) analyzed, drinking water quality parameters (except arsenic and total coliform) of all water samples was found to be within the WHO standards and national standards.15.48% of water samples showed pH (13) higher than the WHO permissible guideline values. Similarly, 85.71% of water samples showed higher Arsenic value (72) than WHO value. Further, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference (P<0.05) of physico-chemical parameters and total coliform count of drinking water for collection taps water samples of winter (January, 2010) and summer (June, 2010). The microbiological examination of water samples revealed the presence of total coliform in 86.90% of water samples. The results obtained from physico-chemical analysis of water samples were within national standard and WHO standards except arsenic. The study also found the coliform contamination to be the key problem with drinking water.

Estimation of distributional parameters for censored trace level water quality data: 2. Verification and applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helsel, Dennis R.; Gilliom, Robert J.

1986-01-01

Estimates of distributional parameters (mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range) are often desired for data sets containing censored observations. Eight methods for estimating these parameters have been evaluated by R. J. Gilliom and D. R. Helsel (this issue) using Monte Carlo simulations. To verify those findings, the same methods are now applied to actual water quality data. The best method (lowest root-mean-squared error (rmse)) over all parameters, sample sizes, and censoring levels is log probability regression (LR), the method found best in the Monte Carlo simulations. Best methods for estimating moment or percentile parameters separately are also identical to the simulations. Reliability of these estimates can be expressed as confidence intervals using rmse and bias values taken from the simulation results. Finally, a new simulation study shows that best methods for estimating uncensored sample statistics from censored data sets are identical to those for estimating population parameters. Thus this study and the companion study by Gilliom and Helsel form the basis for making the best possible estimates of either population parameters or sample statistics from censored water quality data, and for assessments of their reliability.

Optimal design of monitoring networks for multiple groundwater quality parameters using a Kalman filter: application to the Irapuato-Valle aquifer.

PubMed

Júnez-Ferreira, H E; Herrera, G S; González-Hita, L; Cardona, A; Mora-Rodríguez, J

2016-01-01

A new method for the optimal design of groundwater quality monitoring networks is introduced in this paper. Various indicator parameters were considered simultaneously and tested for the Irapuato-Valle aquifer in Mexico. The steps followed in the design were (1) establishment of the monitoring network objectives, (2) definition of a groundwater quality conceptual model for the study area, (3) selection of the parameters to be sampled, and (4) selection of a monitoring network by choosing the well positions that minimize the estimate error variance of the selected indicator parameters. Equal weight for each parameter was given to most of the aquifer positions and a higher weight to priority zones. The objective for the monitoring network in the specific application was to obtain a general reconnaissance of the water quality, including water types, water origin, and first indications of contamination. Water quality indicator parameters were chosen in accordance with this objective, and for the selection of the optimal monitoring sites, it was sought to obtain a low-uncertainty estimate of these parameters for the entire aquifer and with more certainty in priority zones. The optimal monitoring network was selected using a combination of geostatistical methods, a Kalman filter and a heuristic optimization method. Results show that when monitoring the 69 locations with higher priority order (the optimal monitoring network), the joint average standard error in the study area for all the groundwater quality parameters was approximately 90 % of the obtained with the 140 available sampling locations (the set of pilot wells). This demonstrates that an optimal design can help to reduce monitoring costs, by avoiding redundancy in data acquisition.

New approaches for the standardization and validation of a real-time qPCR assay using TaqMan probes for quantification of yellow fever virus on clinical samples with high quality parameters

PubMed Central

Fernandes-Monteiro, Alice G; Trindade, Gisela F; Yamamura, Anna MY; Moreira, Otacilio C; de Paula, Vanessa S; Duarte, Ana Cláudia M; Britto, Constança; Lima, Sheila Maria B

2015-01-01

The development and production of viral vaccines, in general, involve several steps that need the monitoring of viral load throughout the entire process. Applying a 2-step quantitative reverse transcription real time PCR assay (RT-qPCR), viral load can be measured and monitored in a few hours. In this context, the development, standardization and validation of a RT-qPCR test to quickly and efficiently quantify yellow fever virus (YFV) in all stages of vaccine production are extremely important. To serve this purpose we used a plasmid construction containing the NS5 region from 17DD YFV to generate the standard curve and to evaluate parameters such as linearity, precision and specificity against other flavivirus. Furthermore, we defined the limits of detection as 25 copies/reaction, and quantification as 100 copies/reaction for the test. To ensure the quality of the method, reference controls were established in order to avoid false negative results. The qRT-PCR technique based on the use of TaqMan probes herein standardized proved to be effective for determining yellow fever viral load both in vivo and in vitro, thus becoming a very important tool to assure the quality control for vaccine production and evaluation of viremia after vaccination or YF disease. PMID:26011746

New approaches for the standardization and validation of a real-time qPCR assay using TaqMan probes for quantification of yellow fever virus on clinical samples with high quality parameters.

PubMed

Fernandes-Monteiro, Alice G; Trindade, Gisela F; Yamamura, Anna M Y; Moreira, Otacilio C; de Paula, Vanessa S; Duarte, Ana Cláudia M; Britto, Constança; Lima, Sheila Maria B

2015-01-01

The development and production of viral vaccines, in general, involve several steps that need the monitoring of viral load throughout the entire process. Applying a 2-step quantitative reverse transcription real time PCR assay (RT-qPCR), viral load can be measured and monitored in a few hours. In this context, the development, standardization and validation of a RT-qPCR test to quickly and efficiently quantify yellow fever virus (YFV) in all stages of vaccine production are extremely important. To serve this purpose we used a plasmid construction containing the NS5 region from 17DD YFV to generate the standard curve and to evaluate parameters such as linearity, precision and specificity against other flavivirus. Furthermore, we defined the limits of detection as 25 copies/reaction, and quantification as 100 copies/reaction for the test. To ensure the quality of the method, reference controls were established in order to avoid false negative results. The qRT-PCR technique based on the use of TaqMan probes herein standardized proved to be effective for determining yellow fever viral load both in vivo and in vitro, thus becoming a very important tool to assure the quality control for vaccine production and evaluation of viremia after vaccination or YF disease.

Water Quality Assessment and Determining the Carrying Capacity of Pollution Load Batang Kuranji River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewata, I.; Adri, Z.

2018-04-01

This study aims to determine the water quality and carrying capacity of pollution load Batang Kuranji River in the headwaters, middle, and downstream. This research is descriptive quantitative parameters of pH, BOD, COD, TSS, and DOES Depictions of river water quality refer to RegulationNo.82/2001, while determination of carrying capacity of pollution load river refers to the Kep Men LHNo.10/2003.The result is Kuranji Batang River water quality upstream region included in either category who meet the quality standard first class ofPP82/2001. TSS concentrations at head waters of 21 mg/L, BOD1,6 mg/L, COD7,99mg/L and DO 7,845 mg/L. While the carrying capacity of pollution load river in upstream region included in both categories namely BOD of 4,4 kg/sec, COD 273,60 kg/sec, TSS906,00kg/sec, and DO parameters of 49.20 kg/sec. Middle region (point 2, 3, and 4) water quality Batang Kuranji River has exceeded the quality standard of 82/2001 for class II and class III. Meanwhile, carrying capacity of pollution load river in area included in ugly category. The calculation is done with application Qual2Kw show that carrying capacity of pollution load river of BOD -857.3 kg/sec, COD -777.40 kg/sec, TSS +9511.5 kg/sec, and DO +69.30 kg/sec.

Assessment of physico-chemical characteristics of water in Tamilnadu.

PubMed

Udhayakumar, R; Manivannan, P; Raghu, K; Vaideki, S

2016-12-01

Water is an important component to human life. The major aims of the present work are to assess the quality of the ground water and its impact in Villupuram District of Tamilnadu. The present study focus to bring an awareness among the people about the quality of ground water by taking water samples from various locations for Physico - Chemical analysis of the ground water. This analysis result was compared with the WHO, ICMR, USPH and European standards of drinking water quality parameters with the following water quality parameters namely pH, Electrical conductivity, Cl, , Na, K, Ca , Mg, Total dissolved solids, Total hardness, Dissolved oxygen, Fluoride etc. Various chemical methods have been employed to investigate the extent level of pollution in ground water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Audiovisual quality evaluation of low-bitrate video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Stefan; Faller, Christof

2005-03-01

Audiovisual quality assessment is a relatively unexplored topic. We designed subjective experiments for audio, video, and audiovisual quality using content and encoding parameters representative of video for mobile applications. Our focus were the MPEG-4 AVC (a.k.a. H.264) and AAC coding standards. Our goals in this study are two-fold: we want to understand the interactions between audio and video in terms of perceived audiovisual quality, and we use the subjective data to evaluate the prediction performance of our non-reference video and audio quality metrics.

Simulation modeling for stratified breast cancer screening - a systematic review of cost and quality of life assumptions.

PubMed

Arnold, Matthias

2017-12-02

The economic evaluation of stratified breast cancer screening gains momentum, but produces also very diverse results. Systematic reviews so far focused on modeling techniques and epidemiologic assumptions. However, cost and utility parameters received only little attention. This systematic review assesses simulation models for stratified breast cancer screening based on their cost and utility parameters in each phase of breast cancer screening and care. A literature review was conducted to compare economic evaluations with simulation models of personalized breast cancer screening. Study quality was assessed using reporting guidelines. Cost and utility inputs were extracted, standardized and structured using a care delivery framework. Studies were then clustered according to their study aim and parameters were compared within the clusters. Eighteen studies were identified within three study clusters. Reporting quality was very diverse in all three clusters. Only two studies in cluster 1, four studies in cluster 2 and one study in cluster 3 scored high in the quality appraisal. In addition to the quality appraisal, this review assessed if the simulation models were consistent in integrating all relevant phases of care, if utility parameters were consistent and methodological sound and if cost were compatible and consistent in the actual parameters used for screening, diagnostic work up and treatment. Of 18 studies, only three studies did not show signs of potential bias. This systematic review shows that a closer look into the cost and utility parameter can help to identify potential bias. Future simulation models should focus on integrating all relevant phases of care, using methodologically sound utility parameters and avoiding inconsistent cost parameters.

Evaluation of thermal cameras in quality systems according to ISO 9000 or EN 45000 standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrzanowski, Krzysztof

2001-03-01

According to the international standards ISO 9001-9004 and EN 45001-45003 the industrial plants and the accreditation laboratories that implemented the quality systems according to these standards are required to evaluate an uncertainty of measurements. Manufacturers of thermal cameras do not offer any data that could enable estimation of measurement uncertainty of these imagers. Difficulties in determining the measurement uncertainty is an important limitation of thermal cameras for applications in the industrial plants and the cooperating accreditation laboratories that have implemented these quality systems. A set of parameters for characterization of commercial thermal cameras, a measuring set, some results of testing of these cameras, a mathematical model of uncertainty, and a software that enables quick calculation of uncertainty of temperature measurements with thermal cameras are presented in this paper.

A Systematic Evaluation of Blood Serum and Plasma Pre-Analytics for Metabolomics Cohort Studies

PubMed Central

Jobard, Elodie; Trédan, Olivier; Postoly, Déborah; André, Fabrice; Martin, Anne-Laure; Elena-Herrmann, Bénédicte; Boyault, Sandrine

2016-01-01

The recent thriving development of biobanks and associated high-throughput phenotyping studies requires the elaboration of large-scale approaches for monitoring biological sample quality and compliance with standard protocols. We present a metabolomic investigation of human blood samples that delineates pitfalls and guidelines for the collection, storage and handling procedures for serum and plasma. A series of eight pre-processing technical parameters is systematically investigated along variable ranges commonly encountered across clinical studies. While metabolic fingerprints, as assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance, are not significantly affected by altered centrifugation parameters or delays between sample pre-processing (blood centrifugation) and storage, our metabolomic investigation highlights that both the delay and storage temperature between blood draw and centrifugation are the primary parameters impacting serum and plasma metabolic profiles. Storing the blood drawn at 4 °C is shown to be a reliable routine to confine variability associated with idle time prior to sample pre-processing. Based on their fine sensitivity to pre-analytical parameters and protocol variations, metabolic fingerprints could be exploited as valuable ways to determine compliance with standard procedures and quality assessment of blood samples within large multi-omic clinical and translational cohort studies. PMID:27929400

Sensoring Fusion Data from the Optic and Acoustic Emissions of Electric Arcs in the GMAW-S Process for Welding Quality Assessment

PubMed Central

Alfaro, Sadek Crisóstomo Absi; Cayo, Eber Huanca

2012-01-01

The present study shows the relationship between welding quality and optical-acoustic emissions from electric arcs, during welding runs, in the GMAW-S process. Bead on plate welding tests was carried out with pre-set parameters chosen from manufacturing standards. During the welding runs interferences were induced on the welding path using paint, grease or gas faults. In each welding run arc voltage, welding current, infrared and acoustic emission values were acquired and parameters such as arc power, acoustic peaks rate and infrared radiation rate computed. Data fusion algorithms were developed by assessing known welding quality parameters from arc emissions. These algorithms have showed better responses when they are based on more than just one sensor. Finally, it was concluded that there is a close relation between arc emissions and quality in welding and it can be measured from arc emissions sensing and data fusion algorithms. PMID:22969330

Chemometric studies of water quality parameters of Sankarankovil block of Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu.

PubMed

Alagumuthu, G; Rajan, M

2010-09-01

The fluoride concentration in ground water was determined in Sankarankovil block of Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu (India) where it is the only source of drinking water. Various other water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity total hardness and total alkalinity as well as calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate and chloride concentrations were also measured. A systematic calculation of correlation coefficient among different physico-chemical parameters was performed. The analytical results indicated considerable variations among the analyzed samples with respect to their chemical composition. Majority of the samples do not comply with Indian as well as WHO water quality standards. The fluoride concentration in the ground water of these villages varied from 0.66 to 3.84 mg l(-1), causes dental fluorosis among people especially children of these villages. The high and low fluoride containing areas were located using isopleth mapping technique. Overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes without any prior treatment except at few locations out of 50 villages.

Groundwater quality in some villages of Haryana, India: focus on fluoride and fluorosis.

PubMed

Meenakshi; Garg, V K; Kavita; Renuka; Malik, Anju

2004-01-02

The fluoride concentration in underground water was determined in four villages of Jind district of Haryana state (India) where it is the only source of drinking water. Various other water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, total hardness, total alkalinity as well as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride and sulfate concentrations were also measured. A systematic calculation of correlation coefficients among different physico-chemical parameters was performed. The analytical results indicated considerable variations among the analyzed samples with respect to their chemical composition. Majority of the samples do not comply with Indian as well as WHO standards for most of the water quality parameters measured. The fluoride concentration in the underground water of these villages varied from 0.3 to 6.9 mg/l, causing dental fluorosis among people especially children of these villages. Overall water quality was found unsatisfactory for drinking purposes without any prior treatment except at eight locations out of 60.

Advanced quantitative methods in correlating sarcopenic muscle degeneration with lower extremity function biometrics and comorbidities

PubMed Central

Gíslason, Magnús; Sigurðsson, Sigurður; Guðnason, Vilmundur; Harris, Tamara; Carraro, Ugo; Gargiulo, Paolo

2018-01-01

Sarcopenic muscular degeneration has been consistently identified as an independent risk factor for mortality in aging populations. Recent investigations have realized the quantitative potential of computed tomography (CT) image analysis to describe skeletal muscle volume and composition; however, the optimum approach to assessing these data remains debated. Current literature reports average Hounsfield unit (HU) values and/or segmented soft tissue cross-sectional areas to investigate muscle quality. However, standardized methods for CT analyses and their utility as a comorbidity index remain undefined, and no existing studies compare these methods to the assessment of entire radiodensitometric distributions. The primary aim of this study was to present a comparison of nonlinear trimodal regression analysis (NTRA) parameters of entire radiodensitometric muscle distributions against extant CT metrics and their correlation with lower extremity function (LEF) biometrics (normal/fast gait speed, timed up-and-go, and isometric leg strength) and biochemical and nutritional parameters, such as total solubilized cholesterol (SCHOL) and body mass index (BMI). Data were obtained from 3,162 subjects, aged 66–96 years, from the population-based AGES-Reykjavik Study. 1-D k-means clustering was employed to discretize each biometric and comorbidity dataset into twelve subpopulations, in accordance with Sturges’ Formula for Class Selection. Dataset linear regressions were performed against eleven NTRA distribution parameters and standard CT analyses (fat/muscle cross-sectional area and average HU value). Parameters from NTRA and CT standards were analogously assembled by age and sex. Analysis of specific NTRA parameters with standard CT results showed linear correlation coefficients greater than 0.85, but multiple regression analysis of correlative NTRA parameters yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.99 (P<0.005). These results highlight the specificities of each muscle quality metric to LEF biometrics, SCHOL, and BMI, and particularly highlight the value of the connective tissue regime in this regard. PMID:29513690

Advanced quantitative methods in correlating sarcopenic muscle degeneration with lower extremity function biometrics and comorbidities.

PubMed

Edmunds, Kyle; Gíslason, Magnús; Sigurðsson, Sigurður; Guðnason, Vilmundur; Harris, Tamara; Carraro, Ugo; Gargiulo, Paolo

2018-01-01

Sarcopenic muscular degeneration has been consistently identified as an independent risk factor for mortality in aging populations. Recent investigations have realized the quantitative potential of computed tomography (CT) image analysis to describe skeletal muscle volume and composition; however, the optimum approach to assessing these data remains debated. Current literature reports average Hounsfield unit (HU) values and/or segmented soft tissue cross-sectional areas to investigate muscle quality. However, standardized methods for CT analyses and their utility as a comorbidity index remain undefined, and no existing studies compare these methods to the assessment of entire radiodensitometric distributions. The primary aim of this study was to present a comparison of nonlinear trimodal regression analysis (NTRA) parameters of entire radiodensitometric muscle distributions against extant CT metrics and their correlation with lower extremity function (LEF) biometrics (normal/fast gait speed, timed up-and-go, and isometric leg strength) and biochemical and nutritional parameters, such as total solubilized cholesterol (SCHOL) and body mass index (BMI). Data were obtained from 3,162 subjects, aged 66-96 years, from the population-based AGES-Reykjavik Study. 1-D k-means clustering was employed to discretize each biometric and comorbidity dataset into twelve subpopulations, in accordance with Sturges' Formula for Class Selection. Dataset linear regressions were performed against eleven NTRA distribution parameters and standard CT analyses (fat/muscle cross-sectional area and average HU value). Parameters from NTRA and CT standards were analogously assembled by age and sex. Analysis of specific NTRA parameters with standard CT results showed linear correlation coefficients greater than 0.85, but multiple regression analysis of correlative NTRA parameters yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.99 (P<0.005). These results highlight the specificities of each muscle quality metric to LEF biometrics, SCHOL, and BMI, and particularly highlight the value of the connective tissue regime in this regard.

SU-E-I-95: Personalized Radiography Technical Parameters for Each Patient and Exam

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

Soares, F; Camozzato, T; Kahl, G

Purpose: To determine exact electrical parameters (kV, mAs) a radiological technologist shall use taking account the exam and patient's structure, with guarantee of minimum dose and adequate quality image. Methods: A patient's absorbed dose equation was developed by means of Entrance Skin Dose (ESD), irradiated area and patient width for specific anatomy. ESD is calculated from a developed equation, where entrance surface air-KERMA and backscatter factor are included, with air-to-skin coefficient conversion. We developed specific Lambert-Beer attenuation equations derived from mass energy-absorption coefficients data for skin, fat, and muscle and bone as one tissue. Anatomy tissue thickness distribution at centralmore » X-ray location in anteroposterior incidence for hand and chest, was estimate by discounting constant skin and bone thickness from patient measured width, assuming the result as muscle and fat. A clinical research at a big hospital were executed when real parameters (kV, mAs, filtration, ripple) used by technologists were combined with the image quality and patient's data: anatomy width, height and weight. A correlation among the best images acquired and electrical parameters used were confronted with patient's data and dose estimation. The best combinations were used as gold standards. Results: For each anatomy, two equations were developed to calculate voltage (kV) and exposure (mAs) to reproduce and interpolate the gold standards. Patient is measured and data are input into equations, giving radiological technologists the right set of electrical parameters for that specific exam. Conclusion: This work indicates that radiological technologist can personalize the exact electrical parameters for each patient exam, instead of using standard values. It also guarantee that patients under or over-sized measures will receive the right dose for the best image. It will stop wrong empiric adjusts technologists do when examining a non-standard patient and reduce probability of radiography retaken because of over or under exposition.« less

Influence of scanning parameters on the estimation accuracy of control points of B-spline surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aichinger, Julia; Schwieger, Volker

2018-04-01

This contribution deals with the influence of scanning parameters like scanning distance, incidence angle, surface quality and sampling width on the average estimated standard deviations of the position of control points from B-spline surfaces which are used to model surfaces from terrestrial laser scanning data. The influence of the scanning parameters is analyzed by the Monte Carlo based variance analysis. The samples were generated for non-correlated and correlated data, leading to the samples generated by Latin hypercube and replicated Latin hypercube sampling algorithms. Finally, the investigations show that the most influential scanning parameter is the distance from the laser scanner to the object. The angle of incidence shows a significant effect for distances of 50 m and longer, while the surface quality contributes only negligible effects. The sampling width has no influence. Optimal scanning parameters can be found in the smallest possible object distance at an angle of incidence close to 0° in the highest surface quality. The consideration of correlations improves the estimation accuracy and underlines the importance of complete stochastic models for TLS measurements.

The study of surgical image quality evaluation system by subjective quality factor method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jian J.; Xuan, Jason R.; Yang, Xirong; Yu, Honggang; Koullick, Edouard

2016-03-01

GreenLightTM procedure is an effective and economical way of treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH); there are almost a million of patients treated with GreenLightTM worldwide. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon or physician will rely on the monitoring video system to survey and confirm the surgical progress. There are a few obstructions that could greatly affect the image quality of the monitoring video, like laser glare by the tissue and body fluid, air bubbles and debris generated by tissue evaporation, and bleeding, just to name a few. In order to improve the physician's visual experience of a laser surgical procedure, the system performance parameter related to image quality needs to be well defined. However, since image quality is the integrated set of perceptions of the overall degree of excellence of an image, or in other words, image quality is the perceptually weighted combination of significant attributes (contrast, graininess …) of an image when considered in its marketplace or application, there is no standard definition on overall image or video quality especially for the no-reference case (without a standard chart as reference). In this study, Subjective Quality Factor (SQF) and acutance are used for no-reference image quality evaluation. Basic image quality parameters, like sharpness, color accuracy, size of obstruction and transmission of obstruction, are used as subparameter to define the rating scale for image quality evaluation or comparison. Sample image groups were evaluated by human observers according to the rating scale. Surveys of physician groups were also conducted with lab generated sample videos. The study shows that human subjective perception is a trustworthy way of image quality evaluation. More systematic investigation on the relationship between video quality and image quality of each frame will be conducted as a future study.

Effects and limitations of an AED with audiovisual feedback for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomized manikin study.

PubMed

Fischer, Henrik; Gruber, Julia; Neuhold, Stephanie; Frantal, Sophie; Hochbrugger, Eva; Herkner, Harald; Schöchl, Herbert; Steinlechner, Barbara; Greif, Robert

2011-07-01

Correctly performed basic life support (BLS) and early defibrillation are the most effective measures to treat sudden cardiac arrest. Audiovisual feedback improves BLS. Automated external defibrillators (AED) with feedback technology may play an important role in improving CPR quality. The aim of this simulation study was to investigate if an AED with audiovisual feedback improves CPR parameters during standard BLS performed by trained laypersons. With ethics committee approval and informed consent, 68 teams (2 flight attendants each) performed 12 min of standard CPR with the AED's audiovisual feedback mechanism enabled or disabled. We recorded CPR quality parameters during resuscitation on a manikin in this open, prospective, randomized controlled trial. Between the feedback and control-group we measured differences in compression depth and rate as main outcome parameters and effective compressions, correct hand position, and incomplete decompression as secondary outcome parameters. An effective compression was defined as a compression with correct depth, hand position, and decompression. The feedback-group delivered compression rates closest to the recommended guidelines (101 ± 9 vs. 109 ± 15/min, p=0.009), more effective compressions (20 ± 18 vs. 5 ± 6%, p<0.001), more compressions with correct hand position (96 ± 13 vs. 88 ± 16%, p<0.001), and less leaning (21 ± 31 vs. 77 ± 33%, p<0.001). However, only the control-group adhered to the recommended compression depth (44 ± 7 mm vs. 39 ± 6, p=0.003). Use of an AED's audiovisual feedback system improved some CPR-quality parameters, thus confirming findings of earlier studies with the notable exception of decreased compression depth, which is a key parameter that might be linked to reduced cardiac output. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative analysis of aircraft multispectral-scanner data and mapping of water-quality parameters in the James River in Virginia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. W.; Bahn, G. S.

1977-01-01

Statistical analysis techniques were applied to develop quantitative relationships between in situ river measurements and the remotely sensed data that were obtained over the James River in Virginia on 28 May 1974. The remotely sensed data were collected with a multispectral scanner and with photographs taken from an aircraft platform. Concentration differences among water quality parameters such as suspended sediment, chlorophyll a, and nutrients indicated significant spectral variations. Calibrated equations from the multiple regression analysis were used to develop maps that indicated the quantitative distributions of water quality parameters and the dispersion characteristics of a pollutant plume entering the turbid river system. Results from further analyses that use only three preselected multispectral scanner bands of data indicated that regression coefficients and standard errors of estimate were not appreciably degraded compared with results from the 10-band analysis.

Investigation of Image Reconstruction Parameters of the Mediso nanoScan PC Small-Animal PET/CT Scanner for Two Different Positron Emitters Under NEMA NU 4-2008 Standards.

PubMed

Gaitanis, Anastasios; Kastis, George A; Vlastou, Elena; Bouziotis, Penelope; Verginis, Panayotis; Anagnostopoulos, Constantinos D

2017-08-01

The Tera-Tomo 3D image reconstruction algorithm (a version of OSEM), provided with the Mediso nanoScan® PC (PET8/2) small-animal positron emission tomograph (PET)/x-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner, has various parameter options such as total level of regularization, subsets, and iterations. Also, the acquisition time in PET plays an important role. This study aims to assess the performance of this new small-animal PET/CT scanner for different acquisition times and reconstruction parameters, for 2-deoxy-2-[ 18 F]fluoro-D-glucose ([ 18 F]FDG) and Ga-68, under the NEMA NU 4-2008 standards. Various image quality metrics were calculated for different realizations of [ 18 F]FDG and Ga-68 filled image quality (IQ) phantoms. [ 18 F]FDG imaging produced improved images over Ga-68. The best compromise for the optimization of all image quality factors is achieved for at least 30 min acquisition and image reconstruction with 52 iteration updates combined with a high regularization level. A high regularization level at 52 iteration updates and 30 min acquisition time were found to optimize most of the figures of merit investigated.

Strong adherence to a healthy dietary pattern is associated with better semen quality, especially in men with poor semen quality.

PubMed

Oostingh, Elsje C; Steegers-Theunissen, Régine P M; de Vries, Jeanne H M; Laven, Joop S E; Koster, Maria P H

2017-04-01

To study associations between periconceptional dietary patterns and semen quality parameters. Prospective periconception cohort study. Tertiary hospital. One hundred and twenty-nine male partners of pregnant women who participated in the Rotterdam Periconception Cohort (Predict study). None. Semen quality parameters-ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count, progressive motility, immotile sperm, and total motile sperm count (TMSC). Men included in our study were on average 35 (±6 standard deviation) years old and had a body mass index of 26.4 ± 4 kg/m 2 . Two dietary patterns were identified using principle component analysis, which were labeled as "healthy" and "unhealthy." An increase of one factor score (stated as β) represented an increase of 1 standard deviation. Sperm concentration (β = 0.278; 95% CI, 0.112-0.444), total sperm count (β = 1.369; 95% CI, 0.244-2.495), progressive motility (β = 4.305; 95% CI, 0.675-7.936), and TMSC (β = 0.319; 95% CI, 0.113-0.526) were all positively associated with a strong adherence to the healthy dietary pattern. Subgroup analysis showed that these associations were mainly present in men with a TMSC <10 million spermatozoa. Although there was a trend toward a diminution in semen quality, we found no statistically significant associations with strong adherence to the unhealthy dietary pattern. The positive associations between strong adherence to a healthy dietary pattern and semen parameters in men with poor semen quality support the importance of preconceptional tailored nutritional counseling and coaching of couples who are trying to conceive. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The quality estimation of exterior wall’s and window filling’s construction design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saltykov, Ivan; Bovsunovskaya, Maria

2017-10-01

The article reveals the term of “artificial envelope” in dwelling building. Authors offer a complex multifactorial approach to the design quality estimation of external fencing structures, which is based on various parameters impact. These referred parameters are: functional, exploitation, cost, and also, the environmental index is among them. The quality design index Qк is inputting for the complex characteristic of observed above parameters. The mathematical relation of this index from these parameters is the target function for the quality design estimation. For instance, the article shows the search of optimal variant for wall and window designs in small, middle and large square dwelling premises of economic class buildings. The graphs of target function single parameters are expressed for the three types of residual chamber’s dimensions. As a result of the showing example, there is a choice of window opening’s dimensions, which make the wall’s and window’s constructions properly correspondent to the producible complex requirements. The authors reveal the comparison of recommended window filling’s square in accordance with the building standards, and the square, due to the finding of the optimal variant of the design quality index. The multifactorial approach for optimal design searching, which is mentioned in this article, can be used in consideration of various construction elements of dwelling buildings in accounting of suitable climate, social and economic construction area features.

Uncertainty analyses of the calibrated parameter values of a water quality model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, M.; Suhr, U.; Lindenschmidt, K.-E.

2003-04-01

For river basin management water quality models are increasingly used for the analysis and evaluation of different management measures. However substantial uncertainties exist in parameter values depending on the available calibration data. In this paper an uncertainty analysis for a water quality model is presented, which considers the impact of available model calibration data and the variance of input variables. The investigation was conducted based on four extensive flowtime related longitudinal surveys in the River Elbe in the years 1996 to 1999 with varying discharges and seasonal conditions. For the model calculations the deterministic model QSIM of the BfG (Germany) was used. QSIM is a one dimensional water quality model and uses standard algorithms for hydrodynamics and phytoplankton dynamics in running waters, e.g. Michaelis Menten/Monod kinetics, which are used in a wide range of models. The multi-objective calibration of the model was carried out with the nonlinear parameter estimator PEST. The results show that for individual flow time related measuring surveys very good agreements between model calculation and measured values can be obtained. If these parameters are applied to deviating boundary conditions, substantial errors in model calculation can occur. These uncertainties can be decreased with an increased calibration database. More reliable model parameters can be identified, which supply reasonable results for broader boundary conditions. The extension of the application of the parameter set on a wider range of water quality conditions leads to a slight reduction of the model precision for the specific water quality situation. Moreover the investigations show that highly variable water quality variables like the algal biomass always allow a smaller forecast accuracy than variables with lower coefficients of variation like e.g. nitrate.

American College of Radiology-American Brachytherapy Society practice parameter for electronically generated low-energy radiation sources.

PubMed

Devlin, Phillip M; Gaspar, Laurie E; Buzurovic, Ivan; Demanes, D Jeffrey; Kasper, Michael E; Nag, Subir; Ouhib, Zoubir; Petit, Joshua H; Rosenthal, Seth A; Small, William; Wallner, Paul E; Hartford, Alan C

This collaborative practice parameter technical standard has been created between the American College of Radiology and American Brachytherapy Society to guide the usage of electronically generated low energy radiation sources (ELSs). It refers to the use of electronic X-ray sources with peak voltages up to 120 kVp to deliver therapeutic radiation therapy. The parameter provides a guideline for utilizing ELS, including patient selection and consent, treatment planning, and delivery processes. The parameter reviews the published clinical data with regard to ELS results in skin, breast, and other cancers. This technical standard recommends appropriate qualifications of the involved personnel. The parameter reviews the technical issues relating to equipment specifications as well as patient and personnel safety. Regarding suggestions for educational programs with regard to this parameter,it is suggested that the training level for clinicians be equivalent to that for other radiation therapies. It also suggests that ELS must be done using the same standards of quality and safety as those in place for other forms of radiation therapy. Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society and American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The river absorption capacity determination as a tool to evaluate state of surface water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilk, Paweł; Orlińska-Woźniak, Paulina; Gębala, Joanna

2018-02-01

In order to complete a thorough and systematic assessment of water quality, it is useful to measure the absorption capacity of a river. Absorption capacity is understood as a pollution load introduced into river water that will not cause permanent and irreversible changes in the aquatic ecosystem and will not cause a change in the classification of water quality in the river profile. In order to implement the method, the Macromodel DNS/SWAT basin for the Middle Warta pilot (central Poland) was used to simulate nutrient loads. This enabled detailed analysis of water quality in each water body and the assessment of the size of the absorption capacity parameter, which allows the determination of how much pollution can be added to the river without compromising its quality class. Positive values of the calculated absorption capacity parameter mean that it is assumed that the ecosystem is adjusted in such a way that it can eliminate pollution loads through a number of self-purification processes. Negative values indicate that the load limit has been exceeded, and too much pollution has been introduced into the ecosystem for it to be able to deal with through the processes of self-purification. Absorption capacity thus enables the connection of environmental standards of water quality and water quality management plans in order to meet these standards.

Promoting Good Clinical Laboratory Practices and Laboratory Accreditation to Support Clinical Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Shott, Joseph P.; Saye, Renion; Diakité, Moussa L.; Sanogo, Sintry; Dembele, Moussa B.; Keita, Sekouba; Nagel, Mary C.; Ellis, Ruth D.; Aebig, Joan A.; Diallo, Dapa A.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.

2012-01-01

Laboratory capacity in the developing world frequently lacks quality management systems (QMS) such as good clinical laboratory practices, proper safety precautions, and adequate facilities; impacting the ability to conduct biomedical research where it is needed most. As the regulatory climate changes globally, higher quality laboratory support is needed to protect study volunteers and to accurately assess biological parameters. The University of Bamako and its partners have undertaken a comprehensive QMS plan to improve quality and productivity using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standards and guidelines. The clinical laboratory passed the College of American Pathologists inspection in April 2010, and received full accreditation in June 2010. Our efforts to implement high-quality standards have been valuable for evaluating safety and immunogenicity of malaria vaccine candidates in Mali. Other disease-specific research groups in resource-limited settings may benefit by incorporating similar training initiatives, QMS methods, and continual improvement practices to ensure best practices. PMID:22492138

Effects of the Deslagging Process on some Physicochemical Parameters of Honey

PubMed Central

Ranjbar, Ali Mohammad; Sadeghpour, Omid; Khanavi, Mahnaz; Shams Ardekani, Mohammad Reza; Moloudian, Hamid; Hajimahmoodi, Mannan

2015-01-01

Some physicochemical parameters of honey have been introduced by the International Honey Commission to evaluate its quality and origin but processes such as heating and filtering can affect these parameters. In traditional Iranian medicine, deslagging process involves boiling honey in an equal volume of water and removing the slag formed during process. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of deslagging process on parameters of color intensity, diastase evaluation, electrical conductivity, pH, free acidity, refractive index, hydroxy methyl furfural (HMF), proline and water contents according to the International Honey Committee (IHC) standards. The results showed that deslagged honey was significantly different from control honey in terms of color intensity, pH, diastase number, HMF and proline content. It can be concluded that the new standards are needed to regulate deslagged honey. PMID:25901175

Dual-energy CT in patients with abdominal malignant lymphoma: impact of noise-optimised virtual monoenergetic imaging on objective and subjective image quality.

PubMed

Lenga, L; Czwikla, R; Wichmann, J L; Leithner, D; Albrecht, M H; D'Angelo, T; Arendt, C T; Booz, C; Hammerstingl, R; Vogl, T J; Martin, S S

2018-06-05

To investigate the impact of noise-optimised virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI+) reconstructions on quantitative and qualitative image parameters in patients with malignant lymphoma at dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) examinations of the abdomen. Thirty-five consecutive patients (mean age, 53.8±18.6 years; range, 21-82 years) with histologically proven malignant lymphoma of the abdomen were included retrospectively. Images were post-processed with standard linear blending (M_0.6), traditional VMI, and VMI+ technique at energy levels ranging from 40 to 100 keV in 10 keV increments. Signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) were objectively measured in lymphoma lesions. Image quality, lesion delineation, and image noise were rated subjectively by three blinded observers using five-point Likert scales. Quantitative image quality parameters peaked at 40-keV VMI+ (SNR, 15.77±7.74; CNR, 18.27±8.04) with significant differences compared to standard linearly blended M_0.6 (SNR, 7.96±3.26; CNR, 13.55±3.47) and all traditional VMI series (p<0.001). Qualitative image quality assessment revealed significantly superior ratings for image quality at 60-keV VMI+ (median, 5) in comparison with all other image series (p<0.001). Assessment of lesion delineation showed the highest rating scores for 40-keV VMI+ series (median, 5), while lowest subjective image noise was found for 100-keV VMI+ reconstructions (median, 5). Low-keV VMI+ reconstructions led to improved image quality and lesion delineation of malignant lymphoma lesions compared to standard image reconstruction and traditional VMI at abdominal DECT examinations. Copyright © 2018 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal performance assessment of wastewater treatment plants by using multivariate statistical analysis.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Milad; Gerber, Erin L; Rockaway, Thomas D

2017-05-15

For most water treatment plants, a significant number of performance data variables are attained on a time series basis. Due to the interconnectedness of the variables, it is often difficult to assess over-arching trends and quantify operational performance. The objective of this study was to establish simple and reliable predictive models to correlate target variables with specific measured parameters. This study presents a multivariate analysis of the physicochemical parameters of municipal wastewater. Fifteen quality and quantity parameters were analyzed using data recorded from 2010 to 2016. To determine the overall quality condition of raw and treated wastewater, a Wastewater Quality Index (WWQI) was developed. The index summarizes a large amount of measured quality parameters into a single water quality term by considering pre-established quality limitation standards. To identify treatment process performance, the interdependencies between the variables were determined by using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The five extracted components from the 15 variables accounted for 75.25% of total dataset information and adequately represented the organic, nutrient, oxygen demanding, and ion activity loadings of influent and effluent streams. The study also utilized the model to predict quality parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Phosphorus (TP), and WWQI. High accuracies ranging from 71% to 97% were achieved for fitting the models with the training dataset and relative prediction percentage errors less than 9% were achieved for the testing dataset. The presented techniques and procedures in this paper provide an assessment framework for the wastewater treatment monitoring programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A standard for measuring metadata quality in spectral libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasaiah, B.; Jones, S. D.; Bellman, C.

2013-12-01

A standard for measuring metadata quality in spectral libraries Barbara Rasaiah, Simon Jones, Chris Bellman RMIT University Melbourne, Australia barbara.rasaiah@rmit.edu.au, simon.jones@rmit.edu.au, chris.bellman@rmit.edu.au ABSTRACT There is an urgent need within the international remote sensing community to establish a metadata standard for field spectroscopy that ensures high quality, interoperable metadata sets that can be archived and shared efficiently within Earth observation data sharing systems. Metadata are an important component in the cataloguing and analysis of in situ spectroscopy datasets because of their central role in identifying and quantifying the quality and reliability of spectral data and the products derived from them. This paper presents approaches to measuring metadata completeness and quality in spectral libraries to determine reliability, interoperability, and re-useability of a dataset. Explored are quality parameters that meet the unique requirements of in situ spectroscopy datasets, across many campaigns. Examined are the challenges presented by ensuring that data creators, owners, and data users ensure a high level of data integrity throughout the lifecycle of a dataset. Issues such as field measurement methods, instrument calibration, and data representativeness are investigated. The proposed metadata standard incorporates expert recommendations that include metadata protocols critical to all campaigns, and those that are restricted to campaigns for specific target measurements. The implication of semantics and syntax for a robust and flexible metadata standard are also considered. Approaches towards an operational and logistically viable implementation of a quality standard are discussed. This paper also proposes a way forward for adapting and enhancing current geospatial metadata standards to the unique requirements of field spectroscopy metadata quality. [0430] BIOGEOSCIENCES / Computational methods and data processing [0480] BIOGEOSCIENCES / Remote sensing [1904] INFORMATICS / Community standards [1912] INFORMATICS / Data management, preservation, rescue [1926] INFORMATICS / Geospatial [1930] INFORMATICS / Data and information governance [1946] INFORMATICS / Metadata [1952] INFORMATICS / Modeling [1976] INFORMATICS / Software tools and services [9810] GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS / New fields

Dataset on the mean, standard deviation, broad-sense heritability and stability of wheat quality bred in three different ways and grown under organic and low-input conventional systems.

PubMed

Rakszegi, Marianna; Löschenberger, Franziska; Hiltbrunner, Jürg; Vida, Gyula; Mikó, Péter

2016-06-01

An assessment was previously made of the effects of organic and low-input field management systems on the physical, grain compositional and processing quality of wheat and on the performance of varieties developed using different breeding methods ("Comparison of quality parameters of wheat varieties with different breeding origin under organic and low-input conventional conditions" [1]). Here, accompanying data are provided on the performance and stability analysis of the genotypes using the coefficient of variation and the 'ranking' and 'which-won-where' plots of GGE biplot analysis for the most important quality traits. Broad-sense heritability was also evaluated and is given for the most important physical and quality properties of the seed in organic and low-input management systems, while mean values and standard deviation of the studied properties are presented separately for organic and low-input fields.

Impedance Flow Cytometry as a Tool to Analyze Microspore and Pollen Quality.

PubMed

Heidmann, Iris; Di Berardino, Marco

2017-01-01

Analyzing pollen quality in an efficient and reliable manner is of great importance to the industries involved in seed and fruit production, plant breeding, and plant research. Pollen quality parameters, viability and germination capacity, are analyzed by various staining methods or by in vitro germination assays, respectively. These methods are time-consuming, species-dependent, and require a lab environment. Furthermore, the obtained viability data are often poorly related to in vivo pollen germination and seed set. Here, we describe a quick, label-free method to analyze pollen using microfluidic chips inserted into an impedance flow cytometer (IFC). Using this approach, pollen quality parameters are determined by a single measurement in a species-independent manner. The advantage of this protocol is that pollen viability and germination can be analyzed quickly by a reliable and standardized method.

Water quality of the Garang River, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia based on the government regulation standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ujianti, R. M. D.; Anggoro, S.; Bambang, A. N.; Purwanti, F.

2018-05-01

The Garang watershed composed by three main river streams has been managed by the Regional water company of the Semarang city, Central Java for drinking water supply. A river is often polluted by domestic waste and industrial effluents. Therefore water quality of the river should be keep to meet the Government regulation standard. The study aims to analyze water quality of the Garang’ river using pollution index based on the government regulation. Series data from 2010 to 2016 were derived from the Environmental and Forestry Office of the Central Java Province and sampling of water quality was taken in August 2017 from the middle of watershed area. Water quality parameters include temperature, pH, TDS, DO, COD, Phosphate, Nitrate, Chromium, Copper, Cadmium and H2S. The research indicates that concentration of Copper has exceeds the standard of the Government Regulation No. 82 Year 2001. The water pollution index is 1.23, its means that the river is lightly polluted. Therefore the river should be managed comprehensively for sustainable uses in order to create one river one management concept.

River pollution caused by natural stone industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oktriani, Ani; Darmajanti, Linda; Soesilo, Tri Edhi Budhi

2017-03-01

The natural stone industry is classified as small industry. Current wastewater treatment still causes pollution in the river. This thesis aims to analyze the performance of wastewater treatment in natural stones industry. The data was collected from water quality test (parameters: temperature, pH, DO, and TSS). The wastewater treatment performance was in a slightly higher position compared to the 2nd class quality standards of Government Regulation No. 82/2001. The parameter that exceeded quality standards was the concentration of TSS, which was up to 240.8 mg/l. The high concentration of TSS was affected by the absence of sludge management schedule, which resulted in non-optimal precipitation. Besides that, the design of sedimentation basin was still not adapted with wastewater debit. Referring to the results, this study suggests the government of Cirebon District to provide wastewater treatment development through the village staff. Furthermore, the government also needs to give strict punishment to business owner who does not treat waste correctly and does not have a business license. Moreover, the sale value of sludge as byproduct of wastewater treatment needs to be increased.

Effects of image processing on the detective quantum efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hye-Suk; Kim, Hee-Joung; Cho, Hyo-Min; Lee, Chang-Lae; Lee, Seung-Wan; Choi, Yu-Na

2010-04-01

Digital radiography has gained popularity in many areas of clinical practice. This transition brings interest in advancing the methodologies for image quality characterization. However, as the methodologies for such characterizations have not been standardized, the results of these studies cannot be directly compared. The primary objective of this study was to standardize methodologies for image quality characterization. The secondary objective was to evaluate affected factors to Modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) according to image processing algorithm. Image performance parameters such as MTF, NPS, and DQE were evaluated using the international electro-technical commission (IEC 62220-1)-defined RQA5 radiographic techniques. Computed radiography (CR) images of hand posterior-anterior (PA) for measuring signal to noise ratio (SNR), slit image for measuring MTF, white image for measuring NPS were obtained and various Multi-Scale Image Contrast Amplification (MUSICA) parameters were applied to each of acquired images. In results, all of modified images were considerably influence on evaluating SNR, MTF, NPS, and DQE. Modified images by the post-processing had higher DQE than the MUSICA=0 image. This suggests that MUSICA values, as a post-processing, have an affect on the image when it is evaluating for image quality. In conclusion, the control parameters of image processing could be accounted for evaluating characterization of image quality in same way. The results of this study could be guided as a baseline to evaluate imaging systems and their imaging characteristics by measuring MTF, NPS, and DQE.

Microbiological methods for the water recovery systems test, revision 1.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhoads, Tim; Kilgore, M. V., Jr.; Mikell, A. T., Jr.

1990-01-01

Current microbiological parameters specified to verify microbiological quality of Space Station Freedom water quality include the enumeration of total bacteria, anaerobes, aerobes, yeasts and molds, enteric bacteria, gram positives, gram negatives, and E. coli. In addition, other parameters have been identified as necessary to support the Water Recovery Test activities to be conducted at the NASA/MSFC later this year. These other parameters include aerotolerant eutrophic mesophiles, legionellae, and an additional method for heterotrophic bacteria. If inter-laboratory data are to be compared to evaluate quality, analytical methods must be eliminated as a variable. Therefore, each participating laboratory must utilize the same analytical methods and procedures. Without this standardization, data can be neither compared nor validated between laboratories. Multiple laboratory participation represents a conservative approach to insure quality and completeness of data. Invariably, sample loss will occur in transport and analyses. Natural variance is a reality on any test of this magnitude and is further enhanced because biological entities, capable of growth and death, are specific parameters of interest. The large variation due to the participation of human test subjects has been noted with previous testing. The resultant data might be dismissed as 'out of control' unless intra-laboratory control is included as part of the method or if participating laboratories are not available for verification. The purpose of this document is to provide standardized laboratory procedures for the enumeration of certain microorganisms in water and wastewater specific to the water recovery systems test. The document consists of ten separate cultural methods and one direct count procedure. It is not intended nor is it implied to be a complete microbiological methods manual.

Application of visible/near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy for predicting internal and external quality in pepper.

PubMed

Toledo-Martín, Eva María; García-García, María Carmen; Font, Rafael; Moreno-Rojas, José Manuel; Gómez, Pedro; Salinas-Navarro, María; Del Río-Celestino, Mercedes

2016-07-01

The characterization of internal (°Brix, pH, malic acid, total phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid and total carotenoid content) and external (color, firmness and pericarp wall thickness) pepper quality is necessary to better understand its possible applications and increase consumer awareness of its benefits. The main aim of this work was to examine the feasibility of using visible/near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (VIS-NIRS) to predict quality parameters in different pepper types. Commercially available spectrophotometers were evaluated for this purpose: a Polychromix Phazir spectrometer for intact raw pepper, and a scanning monochromator for freeze-dried pepper. The RPD values (ratio of the standard deviation of the reference data to the standard error of prediction) obtained from the external validation exceeded a value of 3 for chlorophyll a and total carotenoid content; values ranging between 2.5 < RPD < 3 for total phenolic compounds; between 1.5 < RPD <2.5 for °Brix, pH, color parameters a* and h* and chlorophyll b; and RPD values below 1.5 for fruit firmness, pericarp wall thickness, color parameters C*, b* and L*, vitamin C and malic acid content. The present work has led to the development of multi-type calibrations for pepper quality parameters in intact and freeze-dried peppers. The majority of NIRS equations obtained were suitable for screening purposes in pepper breeding programs. Components such as pigments (xanthophyll, carotenes and chlorophyll), glucides, lipids, cellulose and water were used by modified partial least-squares regression for modeling the predicting equations. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Classification of edible oils and modeling of their physico-chemical properties by chemometric methods using mid-IR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luna, Aderval S.; da Silva, Arnaldo P.; Ferré, Joan; Boqué, Ricard

This research work describes two studies for the classification and characterization of edible oils and its quality parameters through Fourier transform mid infrared spectroscopy (FT-mid-IR) together with chemometric methods. The discrimination of canola, sunflower, corn and soybean oils was investigated using SVM-DA, SIMCA and PLS-DA. Using FT-mid-IR, DPLS was able to classify 100% of the samples from the validation set, but SIMCA and SVM-DA were not. The quality parameters: refraction index and relative density of edible oils were obtained from reference methods. Prediction models for FT-mid-IR spectra were calculated for these quality parameters using partial least squares (PLS) and support vector machines (SVM). Several preprocessing alternatives (first derivative, multiplicative scatter correction, mean centering, and standard normal variate) were investigated. The best result for the refraction index was achieved with SVM as well as for the relative density except when the preprocessing combination of mean centering and first derivative was used. For both of quality parameters, the best results obtained for the figures of merit expressed by the root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) and prediction (RMSEP) were equal to 0.0001.

An evaluation of the stability of image quality parameters of Elekta X-ray volume imager and iViewGT imaging systems.

PubMed

Stanley, Dennis N; Rasmussen, Karl; Kirby, Neil; Papanikolaou, Nikos; Gutiérrez, Alonso N

2018-05-01

A robust image quality assurance and analysis methodology for image-guided localization systems is crucial to ensure the accurate localization and visualization of target tumors. In this study, the long-term stability of selected image parameters was assessed and evaluated for the cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) mode, planar radiographic kV mode, and the radiographic MV mode of an Elekta VersaHD. The CATPHAN, QckV-1, and QC-3 phantoms were used to evaluate the image quality parameters. The planar radiographic images were analyzed in PIPSpro™ with spatial resolution (f30, f40, f50), contrast to noise ratio (CNR) and noise being recorded. For XVI CBCT, Head and Neck Small20 (S20) and Pelvis Medium20 (M20) standard acquisition modes were evaluated for uniformity, noise, spatial resolution, and HU constancy. Dose and kVp for the XVI were recorded using the Unfors RaySafe Xi system with the R/F low detector for the kV planar radiographic mode. For each metric, values were normalized to the mean and the standard deviations were recorded. A total of 30 measurements were performed on a single Elekta VersaHD linear accelerator over an 18-month period without significant adjustment or recalibration to the XVI or iViewGT systems during the evaluated time frame. For the planar radiographic spatial resolution, the normalized standard deviation values of the f30, f40, and f50 were 0.004, 0.003, and 0.003 and 0.015, 0.009, and 0.017 for kV and MV, respectively. The average recorded dose for kV was 67.96 μGy. The standard deviations of the evaluated metrics for the S20 acquisition were 0.083(f30), 0.058(f40), 0.056(f50), 0.021(Water/poly-HU constancy), 0.029(uniformity) and 0.028(noise). The standard deviations for the M20 acquisition were 0.093(f30), 0.043(f40), 0.037(f50), 0.016(Water/poly-HU constancy), 0.010(uniformity) and 0.011(Noise). A study was performed to assess the stability of the basic image quality parameters recommended by TG-142 for the Elekta XVI and iViewGT imaging systems. The two systems show consistent imaging and dosimetric properties over the evaluated time frame. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

[Drinking water quality and safety].

PubMed

Gómez-Gutiérrez, Anna; Miralles, Maria Josepa; Corbella, Irene; García, Soledad; Navarro, Sonia; Llebaria, Xavier

2016-11-01

The purpose of drinking water legislation is to guarantee the quality and safety of water intended for human consumption. In the European Union, Directive 98/83/EC updated the essential and binding quality criteria and standards, incorporated into Spanish national legislation by Royal Decree 140/2003. This article reviews the main characteristics of the aforementioned drinking water legislation and its impact on the improvement of water quality against empirical data from Catalonia. Analytical data reported in the Spanish national information system (SINAC) indicate that water quality in Catalonia has improved in recent years (from 88% of analytical reports in 2004 finding drinking water to be suitable for human consumption, compared to 95% in 2014). The improvement is fundamentally attributed to parameters concerning the organoleptic characteristics of water and parameters related to the monitoring of the drinking water treatment process. Two management experiences concerning compliance with quality standards for trihalomethanes and lead in Barcelona's water supply are also discussed. Finally, this paper presents some challenges that, in the opinion of the authors, still need to be incorporated into drinking water legislation. It is necessary to update Annex I of Directive 98/83/EC to integrate current scientific knowledge, as well as to improve consumer access to water quality data. Furthermore, a need to define common criteria for some non-resolved topics, such as products and materials in contact with drinking water and domestic conditioning equipment, has also been identified. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Study of Material Used in Nanotechnology for the Recycling of Industrial Waste Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larbi, L.; Fertikh, N.; Toubal, A.

The objective of our study is to recycle the industrial waste water of a industrial Complex after treatment by the bioprocess MBR (membrane bioreactor). In order to apply this bioprocess, the water quality in question was first of all studied. To characterize this industrial waste water, a series of physicochemical analysis was carried out according to standardized directives and methods. Following-up the water quality to meet the regulatory requirements with rejection of this industrial waste water, a study was done thanks to the permanently monitoring of the following relevant parameters(P): the flow, the potential of hydrogen (pH), the total suspended solids(TSS), the turbidity (Turb), the chemical oxygen demand (COD),the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), the Kjeldahl total nitrogen (KTN) and ammonia (NH4+), the total phosphorus (Ptot), the fluorine (F), the oils (O), the fats (F) and the phenols (Ph). According to collected information, it was established the sampling rates to which the quality control was done, the selected analytical methods were validated by the control charts and the analysis test number was determined by the Cochran test. The results of the quality control show that some rejected water contents are not in the Algerian standards, but, in our case, the objective is the preoccupation for a standard setting of these industrial water parameters so as to recycle it. The process adopted by MBR for waste water treatment is being studied, first in the development of the experimental characterizing of the reactor and the selected membrane.

Investigation of the Mössbauer Spectrum Quality as a Dependence on the Frequency of the Velocity Signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pechousek, J.; Prochazka, R.; Cuda, J.; Frydrych, J.; Jancik, D.

2010-07-01

This paper is focused on a quality characterizing the Mössbauer spectra measured for various frequencies of the velocity signal. Standard electromechanical double-loudspeaker drive and digital PID velocity controller were used for calibration spectra measurement in the frequency interval from 4 up to 100 Hz. Several parameters were evaluated for recommendation of the suitable velocity signal frequency.

Optimized protocols for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with thoracic metallic implants.

PubMed

Olivieri, Laura J; Cross, Russell R; O'Brien, Kendall E; Ratnayaka, Kanishka; Hansen, Michael S

2015-09-01

Cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a valuable tool in congenital heart disease; however patients frequently have metal devices in the chest from the treatment of their disease that complicate imaging. Methods are needed to improve imaging around metal implants near the heart. Basic sequence parameter manipulations have the potential to minimize artifact while limiting effects on image resolution and quality. Our objective was to design cine and static cardiac imaging sequences to minimize metal artifact while maintaining image quality. Using systematic variation of standard imaging parameters on a fluid-filled phantom containing commonly used metal cardiac devices, we developed optimized sequences for steady-state free precession (SSFP), gradient recalled echo (GRE) cine imaging, and turbo spin-echo (TSE) black-blood imaging. We imaged 17 consecutive patients undergoing routine cardiac MR with 25 metal implants of various origins using both standard and optimized imaging protocols for a given slice position. We rated images for quality and metal artifact size by measuring metal artifact in two orthogonal planes within the image. All metal artifacts were reduced with optimized imaging. The average metal artifact reduction for the optimized SSFP cine was 1.5+/-1.8 mm, and for the optimized GRE cine the reduction was 4.6+/-4.5 mm (P < 0.05). Quality ratings favored the optimized GRE cine. Similarly, the average metal artifact reduction for the optimized TSE images was 1.6+/-1.7 mm (P < 0.05), and quality ratings favored the optimized TSE imaging. Imaging sequences tailored to minimize metal artifact are easily created by modifying basic sequence parameters, and images are superior to standard imaging sequences in both quality and artifact size. Specifically, for optimized cine imaging a GRE sequence should be used with settings that favor short echo time, i.e. flow compensation off, weak asymmetrical echo and a relatively high receiver bandwidth. For static black-blood imaging, a TSE sequence should be used with fat saturation turned off and high receiver bandwidth.

A Standard Psychophysiological Preparation for Evaluating the Effects of Environmental Vibration Stress. Phase I. Development.

DTIC Science & Technology

A Standard Psychophysiological Preparation (SPP) for the evaluation of the physiological and biomechanical mechanisms responsible for performance...consumption, biomechanical parameters and performance level. The results of pilot tests (including 6-hours exposure to vibration while performing a...tracking task) verify the applicability and utility of the SPP and demonstrate that high quality, quantitative physiological and biomechanical data can

Nondestructive detection of pork quality based on dual-band VIS/NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxiu; Peng, Yankun; Li, Yongyu; Tang, Xiuying; Liu, Yuanyuan

2015-05-01

With the continuous development of living standards and the relative change of dietary structure, consumers' rising and persistent demand for better quality of meat is emphasized. Colour, pH value, and cooking loss are important quality attributes when evaluating meat. To realize nondestructive detection of multi-parameter of meat quality simultaneously is popular in production and processing of meat and meat products. The objectives of this research were to compare the effectiveness of two bands for rapid nondestructive and simultaneous detection of pork quality attributes. Reflectance spectra of 60 chilled pork samples were collected from a dual-band visible/near-infrared spectroscopy system which covered 350-1100 nm and 1000-2600 nm. Then colour, pH value and cooking loss were determined by standard methods as reference values. Standard normal variables transform (SNVT) was employed to eliminate the spectral noise. A spectrum connection method was put forward for effective integration of the dual-band spectrum to make full use of the whole efficient information. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to establish prediction models using based on single-band spectrum and dual-band spectrum, respectively. The experimental results showed that the PLSR model based on dual-band spectral information was superior to the models based on single band spectral information with lower root means quare error (RMSE) and higher accuracy. The PLSR model based on dual-band (use the overlapping part of first band) yielded the best prediction result with correlation coefficient of validation (Rv) of 0.9469, 0.9495, 0.9180, 0.9054 and 0.8789 for L*, a*, b*, pH value and cooking loss, respectively. This mainly because dual-band spectrum can provide sufficient and comprehensive information which reflected the quality attributes. Data fusion from dual-band spectrum could significantly improve pork quality parameters prediction performance. The research also indicated that multi-band spectral information fusion has potential to comprehensively evaluate other quality and safety attributes of pork.

Investigation of priorities in water quality management based on correlations and variations.

PubMed

Boyacıoğlu, Hülya; Gündogdu, Vildan; Boyacıoğlu, Hayal

2013-04-15

The development of water quality assessment strategies investigating spatial and temporal changes caused by natural and anthropogenic phenomena is an important tool in management practices. This paper used cluster analysis, water quality index method, sensitivity analysis and canonical correlation analysis to investigate priorities in pollution control activities. Data sets representing 22 surface water quality parameters were subject to analysis. Results revealed that organic pollution was serious threat for overall water quality in the region. Besides, oil and grease, lead and mercury were the critical variables violating the standard. In contrast to inorganic variables, organic and physical-inorganic chemical parameters were influenced by variations in physical conditions (discharge, temperature). This study showed that information produced based on the variations and correlations in water quality data sets can be helpful to investigate priorities in water management activities. Moreover statistical techniques and index methods are useful tools in data - information transformation process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospective, randomized, blinded evaluation of donor semen quality provided by seven commercial sperm banks.

PubMed

Carrell, Douglas T; Cartmill, Deborah; Jones, Kirtly P; Hatasaka, Harry H; Peterson, C Matthew

2002-07-01

To evaluate variability in donor semen quality between seven commercial donor sperm banks, within sperm banks, and between intracervical insemination and intrauterine insemination. Prospective, randomized, blind evaluation of commercially available donor semen samples. An academic andrology laboratory. Seventy-five cryopreserved donor semen samples were evaluated. Samples were coded, then blindly evaluated for semen quality. Standard semen quality parameters, including concentration, motility parameters, World Health Organization criteria morphology, and strict criteria morphology. Significant differences were observed between donor semen banks for most semen quality parameters analyzed in intracervical insemination samples. In general, the greatest variability observed between banks was in percentage progressive sperm motility (range, 8.8 +/- 5.8 to 42.4 +/- 5.5) and normal sperm morphology (strict criteria; range, 10.1 +/- 3.3 to 26.6 +/- 4.7). Coefficients of variation within sperm banks were generally high. These data demonstrate the variability of donor semen quality provided by commercial sperm banks, both between banks and within a given bank. No relationship was observed between the size or type of sperm bank and the degree of variability. The data demonstrate the lack of uniformity in the criteria used to screen potential semen donors and emphasize the need for more stringent screening criteria and strict quality control in processing samples.

Air Pollution and Quality of Sperm: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Fathi Najafi, Tahereh; Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Namvar, Farideh; Ghavami Ghanbarabadi, Vahid; Hadizadeh Talasaz, Zahra; Esmaeli, Mahin

2015-01-01

Context: Air pollution is common in all countries and affects reproductive functions in men and women. It particularly impacts sperm parameters in men. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the impact of air pollution on the quality of sperm. Evidence Acquisition: The scientific databases of Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar, Cochrane Library, and Elsevier were searched to identify relevant articles published between 1978 to 2013. In the first step, 76 articles were selected. These studies were ecological correlation, cohort, retrospective, cross-sectional, and case control ones that were found through electronic and hand search of references about air pollution and male infertility. The outcome measurement was the change in sperm parameters. A total of 11 articles were ultimately included in a meta-analysis to examine the impact of air pollution on sperm parameters. The authors applied meta-analysis sheets from Cochrane library, then data extraction, including mean and standard deviation of sperm parameters were calculated and finally their confidence interval (CI) were compared to CI of standard parameters. Results: The CI for pooled means were as follows: 2.68 ± 0.32 for ejaculation volume (mL), 62.1 ± 15.88 for sperm concentration (million per milliliter), 39.4 ± 5.52 for sperm motility (%), 23.91 ± 13.43 for sperm morphology (%) and 49.53 ± 11.08 for sperm count. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis showed that air pollution reduces sperm motility, but has no impact on the other sperm parameters of spermogram. PMID:26023349

Air pollution and quality of sperm: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fathi Najafi, Tahereh; Latifnejad Roudsari, Robab; Namvar, Farideh; Ghavami Ghanbarabadi, Vahid; Hadizadeh Talasaz, Zahra; Esmaeli, Mahin

2015-04-01

Air pollution is common in all countries and affects reproductive functions in men and women. It particularly impacts sperm parameters in men. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the impact of air pollution on the quality of sperm. The scientific databases of Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Google scholar, Cochrane Library, and Elsevier were searched to identify relevant articles published between 1978 to 2013. In the first step, 76 articles were selected. These studies were ecological correlation, cohort, retrospective, cross-sectional, and case control ones that were found through electronic and hand search of references about air pollution and male infertility. The outcome measurement was the change in sperm parameters. A total of 11 articles were ultimately included in a meta-analysis to examine the impact of air pollution on sperm parameters. The authors applied meta-analysis sheets from Cochrane library, then data extraction, including mean and standard deviation of sperm parameters were calculated and finally their confidence interval (CI) were compared to CI of standard parameters. The CI for pooled means were as follows: 2.68 ± 0.32 for ejaculation volume (mL), 62.1 ± 15.88 for sperm concentration (million per milliliter), 39.4 ± 5.52 for sperm motility (%), 23.91 ± 13.43 for sperm morphology (%) and 49.53 ± 11.08 for sperm count. The results of this meta-analysis showed that air pollution reduces sperm motility, but has no impact on the other sperm parameters of spermogram.

Analysis of batch-related influences on injection molding processes viewed in the context of electro plating quality demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siepmann, Jens P.; Wortberg, Johannes; Heinzler, Felix A.

2016-03-01

The injection molding process is mandatorily influenced by the viscosity of the material. By varying the material batch the viscosity of the polymer changes. For the process and part quality the initial conditions of the material in addition to the processing parameters define the process and product quality. A high percentage of technical polymers processed in injection molding is refined in a follow-up production step, for example electro plating. Processing optimized for electro plating often requires avoiding high shear stresses by using low injection speed and pressure conditions. Therefore differences in the material charges' viscosity occur especially in the quality related low shear rate area. These differences and quality related influences can be investigated by high detail rheological analysis and process simulation based on adapted material describing models. Differences in viscosity between batches can be detected by measurements with high-pressure-capillary-rheometers or oscillatory rheometers for low shear rates. A combination of both measurement techniques is possible by the Cox-Merz-Relation. The detected differences in the rheological behavior of both charges are summarized in two material behavior describing model approaches and added to the simulation. In this paper the results of processing-simulations with standard filling parameters are presented with two ABS charges. Part quality defining quantities such as temperature, pressure and shear stress are investigated and the influence of charge variations is pointed out with respect to electro plating quality demands. Furthermore, the results of simulations with a new quality related process control are presented and compared to the standard processing.

Image quality phantom and parameters for high spatial resolution small-animal SPECT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visser, Eric P.; Harteveld, Anita A.; Meeuwis, Antoi P. W.; Disselhorst, Jonathan A.; Beekman, Freek J.; Oyen, Wim J. G.; Boerman, Otto C.

2011-10-01

At present, generally accepted standards to characterize small-animal single photon emission tomographs (SPECT) do not exist. Whereas for small-animal positron emission tomography (PET), the NEMA NU 4-2008 guidelines are available, such standards are still lacking for small-animal SPECT. More specifically, a dedicated image quality (IQ) phantom and corresponding IQ parameters are absent. The structures of the existing PET IQ phantom are too large to fully characterize the sub-millimeter spatial resolution of modern multi-pinhole SPECT scanners, and its diameter will not fit into all scanners when operating in high spatial resolution mode. We therefore designed and constructed an adapted IQ phantom with smaller internal structures and external diameter, and a facility to guarantee complete filling of the smallest rods. The associated IQ parameters were adapted from NEMA NU 4. An additional parameter, effective whole-body sensitivity, was defined since this was considered relevant in view of the variable size of the field of view and the use of multiple bed positions as encountered in modern small-animal SPECT scanners. The usefulness of the phantom was demonstrated for 99mTc in a USPECT-II scanner operated in whole-body scanning mode using a multi-pinhole mouse collimator with 0.6 mm pinhole diameter.

Water Quality Characteristics of Sembrong Dam Reservoir, Johor, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd-Asharuddin, S.; Zayadi, N.; Rasit, W.; Othman, N.

2016-07-01

A study of water quality and heavy metal content in Sembrong Dam water was conducted from April - August 2015. A total of 12 water quality parameters and 6 heavy metals were measured and classified based on the Interim National Water Quality Standard of Malaysia (INWQS). The measured and analyzed parameter variables were divided into three main categories which include physical, chemical and heavy metal contents. Physical and chemical parameter variables were temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solid (TSS), turbidity, pH, nitrate, phosphate, ammonium, conductivity and salinity. The heavy metals measured were copper (Cu), lead (Pb), aluminium (Al), chromium (Cr), ferum (Fe) and zinc (Zn). According to INWQS, the water salinity, conductivity, BOD, TSS and nitrate level fall under Class I, while the Ph, DO and turbidity lie under Class IIA. Furthermore, values of COD and ammonium were classified under Class III. The result also indicates that the Sembrong Dam water are not polluted with heavy metals since all heavy metal readings recorded were falls far below Class I.

Effects of environmental and water quality parameters on the functioning of copepod assemblages in tropical estuaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araujo, Adriana V.; Dias, Cristina O.; Bonecker, Sérgio L. C.

2017-07-01

We examined changes in the functioning of copepod assemblages with increasing pollution in estuaries, using sampling standardization of the salinity range to enable comparisons. Copepod assemblages were analyzed in four southeast Brazilian estuaries with different water quality levels and hydrodynamic characteristics over two years. We obtained mesozooplankton samples together with environmental and water quality parameters in the estuaries, every two months under predetermined salinities ranging from 15 to 25. The values of parameters, except species size, associated with the functioning of the copepod assemblages (biomass, productivity, and turnover rate) did not differ among estuaries. However, in the more polluted estuaries, the biomass and productivity of copepod assemblages of mesozooplankton were negatively correlated with concentration of pollution indicator parameters. Conversely, in the less polluted estuaries some degree of enrichment still seems to increase the system biomass and productivity, as these parameters were inversely related to indicators of improved water quality. The pollution level of estuaries distorted the relationship between temperature and the efficiency of converting energy to organic matter. In the less polluted estuaries, the relationship between turnover rate and temperature was over 70%, while in the most polluted estuaries, this relationship was only approximately 50%. Our results demonstrated that the functioning of assemblages in the estuaries was affected differently by increasing pollution depending on the water quality level of the system. Thus, investigating the functioning of assemblages can be a useful tool for the analysis of estuarine conditions.

Water quality in the tropical Andes hotspot: The Yacuambi river (southeastern Ecuador).

PubMed

Villa-Achupallas, Mercedes; Rosado, Daniel; Aguilar, Silvio; Galindo-Riaño, María Dolores

2018-08-15

Yacuambi river waters (southeast Ecuador, Amazonian region) were assessed to evaluate the potential risk to populations, who use it for drinking and irrigation, and ecosystems, which are part of Tropical Andes hotspot and considered some of the most biodiverse in the world. The water quality index was calculated and some quality parameters were checked to comply with Ecuadorian and North American standards for human consumption, preservation of aquatic life and irrigation. Four samplings were carried out in six stations covering the entire length of the Yacuambi river. Several parameters were analyzed: pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, color, phosphates, nitrite, nitrate, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total solids, turbidity, metals (Ba, Cd, Cr, Pb, As and Hg), pesticides and fecal coliforms. The water quality in the Yacuambi river was good and medium according to the classification of the Water Quality Index. However, it was unsuitable for human consumption, preservation of aquatic life and irrigation according to Ecuadorian and North American standards. Arsenic, color and fecal coliforms exceeded the limits for human consumption in all samples tested. Thresholds of preservation of aquatic life were exceeded in all samples in the case of Pb and in some samples for As, pH, nitrite and nitrate. Arsenic and fecal coliforms made Yacuambi river waters unsuitable for irrigation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does standardised structured reporting contribute to quality in diagnostic pathology? The importance of evidence-based datasets.

PubMed

Ellis, D W; Srigley, J

2016-01-01

Key quality parameters in diagnostic pathology include timeliness, accuracy, completeness, conformance with current agreed standards, consistency and clarity in communication. In this review, we argue that with worldwide developments in eHealth and big data, generally, there are two further, often overlooked, parameters if our reports are to be fit for purpose. Firstly, population-level studies have clearly demonstrated the value of providing timely structured reporting data in standardised electronic format as part of system-wide quality improvement programmes. Moreover, when combined with multiple health data sources through eHealth and data linkage, structured pathology reports become central to population-level quality monitoring, benchmarking, interventions and benefit analyses in public health management. Secondly, population-level studies, particularly for benchmarking, require a single agreed international and evidence-based standard to ensure interoperability and comparability. This has been taken for granted in tumour classification and staging for many years, yet international standardisation of cancer datasets is only now underway through the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR). In this review, we present evidence supporting the role of structured pathology reporting in quality improvement for both clinical care and population-level health management. Although this review of available evidence largely relates to structured reporting of cancer, it is clear that the same principles can be applied throughout anatomical pathology generally, as they are elsewhere in the health system.

Investigating the Effect of Cosmic Opacity on Standard Candles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, J.; Yu, H.; Wang, F. Y.

2017-02-01

Standard candles can probe the evolution of dark energy over a large redshift range. But the cosmic opacity can degrade the quality of standard candles. In this paper, we use the latest observations, including Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the “joint light-curve analysis” sample and Hubble parameters, to probe the opacity of the universe. A joint fitting of the SNe Ia light-curve parameters, cosmological parameters, and opacity is used in order to avoid the cosmological dependence of SNe Ia luminosity distances. The latest gamma-ray bursts are used in order to explore the cosmic opacity at high redshifts. The cosmic reionization process is considered at high redshifts. We find that the sample supports an almost transparent universe for flat ΛCDM and XCDM models. Meanwhile, free electrons deplete photons from standard candles through (inverse) Compton scattering, which is known as an important component of opacity. This Compton dimming may play an important role in future supernova surveys. From analysis, we find that about a few per cent of the cosmic opacity is caused by Compton dimming in the two models, which can be corrected.

WQEP - a computer spreadsheet program to evaluate water quality data

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

Liddle, R.G.

1996-12-31

A flexible spreadsheet Water Quality Evaluation Program (WQEP) has been developed for mining companies, consultants, and regulators to interpret the results of water quality sampling. In order properly to evaluate hydrologic data, unit conversions and chemical calculations are done, quality control checks are needed, and a complete and up-to-date listing of water quality standards is necessary. This process is time consuming and tends not to be done for every sample. This program speeds the process by allowing the input of up to 115 chemical parameters from one sample. WQEP compares concentrations with EPA primary and secondary drinking water MCLs ormore » MCLG, EPA warmwater and Coldwater acute and chronic aquatic life criteria, irrigation criteria, livestock criteria, EPA human health criteria, and several other categories of criteria. The spreadsheet allows the input of State or local water standards of interest. Water quality checks include: anion/cations, TDS{sub m}/TDS{sub c} (where m=measured and c=calculated), EC{sub m}/EC{sub c}, EC{sub m}/ion sums, TDS{sub c}/EC ratio, TDS{sub m}/EC, EC vs. alkalinity, two hardness values, and EC vs. {Sigma} cations. WQEP computes the dissolved transport index of 23 parameters, computes ratios of 26 species for trend analysis, calculates non-carbonate alkalinity to adjust the bicarbonate concentration, and calculates 35 interpretive formulas (pE, SAR, S.I., unionized ammonia, ionized sulfide HS-, pK{sub x} values, etc.). Fingerprinting is conducted by automatic generation of stiff diagrams and ion histograms. Mass loading calculations, mass balance calculations, conversions of concentrations, ionic strength, and the activity coefficient and chemical activity of 33 parameters is calculated. This program allows a speedy and thorough evaluation of water quality data from metal mines, coal mining, and natural surface water systems and has been tested against hand calculations.« less

Flood Control Wild Rice River - South Branch and Felton Ditch, Minnesota.

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-09-01

good water quality in the proposed project area except that measure- ments for certain parameters, notably heavy metals , exceed the standards for...Topography 5 Soils 6 Climate 8 Groundwater 10 Vegetation 10 Stream Resources 13 Animal Resources 15 Water Quality 16 Regional Economics 17 Watershed... sources . The advisability of low-growing shrubs and trees along the channel would also be considered. Plate 2 illustrates several possible

Quality of refiner groundwood pulp as related to handsheet properties and gross wood characteristics

Treesearch

Charles W. McMillin

1969-01-01

Pulp quality, in terms of a fiber shape factor S and a fiber length factor L, was determiend for 96 pulps disk-refined from chips of varying characteristics. S was evaluated in terms of the Canadian Standard Freeness of the 48/100 fiber length fraction and is a parameter inversely proportional to specific surface. L is the percentage, by weight, of pulp retained on a...

Quality of resuscitation: flight attendants in an airplane simulator use a new mechanical resuscitation device--a randomized simulation study.

PubMed

Fischer, Henrik; Neuhold, Stephanie; Hochbrugger, Eva; Steinlechner, Barbara; Koinig, Herbert; Milosevic, Ljubisa; Havel, Christof; Frantal, Sophie; Greif, Robert

2011-04-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during flight is challenging and has to be sustained for long periods. In this setting a mechanical-resuscitation-device (MRD) might improve performance. In this study we compared the quality of resuscitation of trained flight attendants practicing either standard basic life support (BLS) or using a MRD in a cabin-simulator. Prospective, open, randomized and crossover simulation study. Study participants, competent in standard BLS were trained to use the MRD to deliver both chest compressions and ventilation. 39 teams of two rescuers resuscitated a manikin for 12 min in random order, standard BLS or mechanically assisted resuscitation. Primary outcome was "absolute hands-off time" (sum of all periods during which no hand was placed on the chest minus ventilation time). Various parameters describing the quality of chest compression and ventilation were analysed as secondary outcome parameters. Use of the MRD led to significantly less "absolute hands-off time" (164±33 s vs. 205±42 s, p<0.001). The quality of chest compression was comparable among groups, except for a higher compression rate in the standard BLS group (123±14 min(-1) vs. 95±11 min(-1), p<0.001). Tidal volume was higher in the standard BLS group (0.48±0.14 l vs. 0.34±0.13 l, p<0.001), but we registered fewer gastric inflations in the MRD group (0.4±0.3% vs. 16.6±16.9%, p<0.001). Using the MRD resulted in significantly less "absolute hands-off time", but less effective ventilation. The translation of higher chest compression rate into better outcome, as shown in other studies previously, has to be investigated in another human outcome study. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generation of Long-time Complex Signals for Testing the Instruments for Detection of Voltage Quality Disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Živanović, Dragan; Simić, Milan; Kokolanski, Zivko; Denić, Dragan; Dimcev, Vladimir

2018-04-01

Software supported procedure for generation of long-time complex test sentences, suitable for testing the instruments for detection of standard voltage quality (VQ) disturbances is presented in this paper. This solution for test signal generation includes significant improvements of computer-based signal generator presented and described in the previously published paper [1]. The generator is based on virtual instrumentation software for defining the basic signal parameters, data acquisition card NI 6343, and power amplifier for amplification of output voltage level to the nominal RMS voltage value of 230 V. Definition of basic signal parameters in LabVIEW application software is supported using Script files, which allows simple repetition of specific test signals and combination of more different test sequences in the complex composite test waveform. The basic advantage of this generator compared to the similar solutions for signal generation is the possibility for long-time test sequence generation according to predefined complex test scenarios, including various combinations of VQ disturbances defined in accordance with the European standard EN50160. Experimental verification of the presented signal generator capability is performed by testing the commercial power quality analyzer Fluke 435 Series II. In this paper are shown some characteristic complex test signals with various disturbances and logged data obtained from the tested power quality analyzer.

Development of on package indicator sensor for real-time monitoring of meat quality

PubMed Central

Shukla, Vivek; Kandeepan, G.; Vishnuraj, M. R.

2015-01-01

Aim: The aim was to develop an indicator sensor for real-time monitoring of meat quality and to compare the response of indicator sensor with meat quality parameters at ambient temperature. Materials and Methods: Indicator sensor was prepared using bromophenol blue (1% w/v) as indicator solution and filter paper as indicator carrier. Indicator sensor was fabricated by coating indicator solution onto carrier by centrifugation. To observe the response of indicator sensor buffalo meat was packed in polystyrene foam trays covered with PVC film and indicator sensor was attached to the inner side of packaging film. The pattern of color change in indicator sensor was monitored and compared with meat quality parameters viz. total volatile basic nitrogen, D-glucose, standard plate count and tyrosine value to correlate ability of indicator sensor for its suitability to predict the meat quality and storage life. Results: The indicator sensor changed its color from yellow to blue starting from margins during the storage period of 24 h at ambient temperature and this correlated well with changes in meat quality parameters. Conclusions: The indicator sensor can be used for real-time monitoring of meat quality as the color of indicator sensor changed from yellow to blue starting from margins when meat deteriorates with advancement of the storage period. Thus by observing the color of indicator sensor quality of meat and shelf life can be predicted. PMID:27047103

Groundwater quality from a part of Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subba Rao, N.

2018-03-01

Quality of groundwater is assessed from a part of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Groundwater samples collected from thirty locations from the study area were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), bicarbonate ( {HCO}3^{ - } ), chloride (Cl-), sulphate ( {SO}4^{2 - } ), nitrate ( {NO}3^{ - } ) and fluoride (F-). The results of the chemical analysis indicate that the groundwater is alkaline in nature and are mainly characterized by Na+- {HCO}3^{ - } and Na+-Cl- facies. Groundwater chemistry reflects the dominance of rock weathering and is subsequently modified by human activities, which are supported by genetic geochemical evolution and hydrogeochemical relations. Further, the chemical parameters (pH, TDS, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, {HCO}3^{ - } , Cl-, {SO}4^{2 - } , {NO}3^{ - } and F-) were compared with the drinking water quality standards. The sodium adsorption ratio, percent sodium, permeability index, residual sodium carbonate, magnesium ratio and Kelly's ratio were computed and USSL, Wilcox and Doneen's diagrams were also used for evaluation of groundwater quality for irrigation. For industrial purpose, the pH, TDS, {HCO}3^{ - } , Cl- and {SO}4^{2 - } were used to assess the impact of incrustation and corrosion activities on metal surfaces. As a whole, it is observed that the groundwater quality is not suitable for drinking, irrigation and industrial purposes due to one or more chemical parameters exceeding their standard limits. Therefore, groundwater management measures were suggested to improve the water quality.

21 CFR 864.8625 - Hematology quality control mixture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... parameters such as white cell count (WBC), red cell count (RBC), platelet count (PLT), hemoglobin, hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). (b) Classification. Class II (performance standards). [45 FR 60637, Sept. 12...

Water Quality Index for measuring drinking water quality in rural Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Akter, Tahera; Jhohura, Fatema Tuz; Akter, Fahmida; Chowdhury, Tridib Roy; Mistry, Sabuj Kanti; Dey, Digbijoy; Barua, Milan Kanti; Islam, Md Akramul; Rahman, Mahfuzar

2016-02-09

Public health is at risk due to chemical contaminants in drinking water which may have immediate health consequences. Drinking water sources are susceptible to pollutants depending on geological conditions and agricultural, industrial, and other man-made activities. Ensuring the safety of drinking water is, therefore, a growing problem. To assess drinking water quality, we measured multiple chemical parameters in drinking water samples from across Bangladesh with the aim of improving public health interventions. In this cross-sectional study conducted in 24 randomly selected upazilas, arsenic was measured in drinking water in the field using an arsenic testing kit and a sub-sample was validated in the laboratory. Water samples were collected to test water pH in the laboratory as well as a sub-sample of collected drinking water was tested for water pH using a portable pH meter. For laboratory testing of other chemical parameters, iron, manganese, and salinity, drinking water samples were collected from 12 out of 24 upazilas. Drinking water at sample sites was slightly alkaline (pH 7.4 ± 0.4) but within acceptable limits. Manganese concentrations varied from 0.1 to 5.5 mg/L with a median value of 0.2 mg/L. The median iron concentrations in water exceeded WHO standards (0.3 mg/L) at most of the sample sites and exceeded Bangladesh standards (1.0 mg/L) at a few sample sites. Salinity was relatively higher in coastal districts. After laboratory confirmation, arsenic concentrations were found higher in Shibchar (Madaripur) and Alfadanga (Faridpur) compared to other sample sites exceeding WHO standard (0.01 mg/L). Of the total sampling sites, 33 % had good-quality water for drinking based on the Water Quality Index (WQI). However, the majority of the households (67 %) used poor-quality drinking water. Higher values of iron, manganese, and arsenic reduced drinking water quality. Awareness raising on chemical contents in drinking water at household level is required to improve public health.

Rapid monitoring of the fermentation process for Korean traditional rice wine 'Makgeolli' using FT-NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dae-Yong; Cho, Byoung-Kwan

2015-11-01

The quality parameters of the Korean traditional rice wine "Makgeolli" were monitored using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy with multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) during fermentation. Alcohol, reducing sugar, and titratable acid were the parameters assessed to determine the quality index of fermentation substrates and products. The acquired spectra were analyzed with partial least squares regression (PLSR). The best prediction model for alcohol was obtained with maximum normalization, showing a coefficient of determination (Rp2) of 0.973 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 0.760%. In addition, the best prediction model for reducing sugar was obtained with no data preprocessing, with a Rp2 value of 0.945 and a SEP of 1.233%. The prediction of titratable acidity was best with mean normalization, showing a Rp2 value of 0.882 and a SEP of 0.045%. These results demonstrate that FT-NIR spectroscopy can be used for rapid measurements of quality parameters during Makgeolli fermentation.

[Reorganizing the management of specialist uro-andrologic ultrasound health-care service: impact on professional quality].

PubMed

Dell'Atti, Lucio; Russo, Gian Rosario

2011-01-01

The process of organizing a ultrasound service nowadays can be improved by properly managing the user's request, the speed of response and safety, the standardization of methods and skills. The outpatients at our uro-andrologic ultrasound clinic (O.U. of Urology in Ferrara) received a questionnaire each; we administered a total of 640 questionnaires. The number of questionnaires collected was 532. Patients were asked to give an assessment of services using a qualitative method according to a 4-parameter response scale: very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied. The identification of indicators to be monitored by the user's perceived quality was accomplished by establishing the correlation coefficient between different parameters of analysis and an overall rating of the sample. Some of these parameters were: the relationship with the practitioner, the availability of doctors, the ability of doctors for reassurance, the completeness of information and facilities hygiene conditions. When these parameters vary, positively or negatively, also the citizen's overall opinion changes. The customer satisfaction is an important component of the quality of care, it represents both an indicator of the effectiveness of health intervention and the ability to meet quality requirements of the health service organization. The objective of an ultrasound service should be to provide, within a reasonable timeframe, the supply of high quality with qualified personnel, with adequate tools and procedures.

Evaluation of water quality and stability in the drinking water distribution network in the Azogues city, Ecuador.

PubMed

García-Ávila, Fernando; Ramos-Fernández, Lía; Pauta, Damián; Quezada, Diego

2018-06-01

This document presents the physical-chemical parameters with the objective of evaluating and analyzing the drinking water quality in the Azogues city applying the water quality index (WQI) and to research the water stability in the distribution network using corrosion indexes. Thirty samples were collected monthly for six months throughout the drinking water distribution network; turbidity, temperature, electric conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, alkalinity, chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and phosphates were determined; the physical-chemical parameters were measured using standard methods. The processed data revealed that the average values ​​of LSI, RSI and PSI were 0.5 (±0.34), 6.76 (±0.6), 6.50 (±0.99) respectively. The WQI calculation indicated that 100% of the samples are considered excellent quality water. According to the Langelier, Ryznar and Pukorius indexes showed that drinking water in Azogues is corrosive. The quality of drinking water according to the WQI is in a good and excellent category.

Diagnostic performance of semi-quantitative and quantitative stress CMR perfusion analysis: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

van Dijk, R; van Assen, M; Vliegenthart, R; de Bock, G H; van der Harst, P; Oudkerk, M

2017-11-27

Stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) perfusion imaging is a promising modality for the evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) due to high spatial resolution and absence of radiation. Semi-quantitative and quantitative analysis of CMR perfusion are based on signal-intensity curves produced during the first-pass of gadolinium contrast. Multiple semi-quantitative and quantitative parameters have been introduced. Diagnostic performance of these parameters varies extensively among studies and standardized protocols are lacking. This study aims to determine the diagnostic accuracy of semi- quantitative and quantitative CMR perfusion parameters, compared to multiple reference standards. Pubmed, WebOfScience, and Embase were systematically searched using predefined criteria (3272 articles). A check for duplicates was performed (1967 articles). Eligibility and relevance of the articles was determined by two reviewers using pre-defined criteria. The primary data extraction was performed independently by two researchers with the use of a predefined template. Differences in extracted data were resolved by discussion between the two researchers. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the 'Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies Tool' (QUADAS-2). True positives, false positives, true negatives, and false negatives were subtracted/calculated from the articles. The principal summary measures used to assess diagnostic accuracy were sensitivity, specificity, andarea under the receiver operating curve (AUC). Data was pooled according to analysis territory, reference standard and perfusion parameter. Twenty-two articles were eligible based on the predefined study eligibility criteria. The pooled diagnostic accuracy for segment-, territory- and patient-based analyses showed good diagnostic performance with sensitivity of 0.88, 0.82, and 0.83, specificity of 0.72, 0.83, and 0.76 and AUC of 0.90, 0.84, and 0.87, respectively. In per territory analysis our results show similar diagnostic accuracy comparing anatomical (AUC 0.86(0.83-0.89)) and functional reference standards (AUC 0.88(0.84-0.90)). Only the per territory analysis sensitivity did not show significant heterogeneity. None of the groups showed signs of publication bias. The clinical value of semi-quantitative and quantitative CMR perfusion analysis remains uncertain due to extensive inter-study heterogeneity and large differences in CMR perfusion acquisition protocols, reference standards, and methods of assessment of myocardial perfusion parameters. For wide spread implementation, standardization of CMR perfusion techniques is essential. CRD42016040176 .

Report from the NOAA workshops to standardize protocols for monitoring toxic Pfiesteria species and associated environmental conditions.

PubMed

Luttenberg, D; Turgeon, D; Higgins, J

2001-10-01

Long-term monitoring of water quality, fish health, and plankton communities in susceptible bodies of water is crucial to identify the environmental factors that contribute to outbreaks of toxic Pfiesteria complex (TPC) species. In the aftermath of the 1997 toxic Pfiesteria outbreaks in North Carolina and Maryland, federal and several state agencies agreed that there was a need to standardize monitoring protocols. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration convened two workshops that brought together state, federal, and academic resource managers and scientific experts to a) seek consensus on responding to and monitoring potential toxic Pfiesteria outbreaks; b) recommend standard parameters and protocols to characterize water quality, fish health, and plankton at historical event sites and potentially susceptible sites; and c) discuss options for integrating monitoring data sets from different states into regional and national assessments. Workshop recommendations included the development of a three-tiered TPC monitoring strategy: Tier 1, rapid event response; Tier 2, comprehensive assessment; and Tier 3, routine monitoring. These tiers correspond to varying levels of water quality, fish health, and plankton monitoring frequency and intensity. Under the strategy, sites are prioritized, depending upon their history and susceptibility to TPC events, and assigned an appropriate level of monitoring activity. Participants also agreed upon a suite of water quality parameters that should be monitored. These recommendations provide guidance to state and federal agencies conducting rapid-response and assessment activities at sites of suspected toxic Pfiesteria outbreaks, as well as to states that are developing such monitoring programs for the first time.

Circadian variation of fatigue in both patients with paralytic poliomyelitis and post-polio syndrome.

PubMed

Viana, Celiana Figueiredo; Pradella-Hallinan, Márcia; Quadros, Abrahão Augusto Juviniano; Marin, Luis Fabiano; Oliveira, Acary Souza Bulle

2013-07-01

It was to evaluate the degree of fatigue in patients with paralytic poliomyelitis (PP) and with post-polio syndrome (PPS), and correlate it with parameters of sleep and the circadian cycle. Thirty patients, 17 female (56.7%), participated in the study: they answered the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale and performed a nocturnal polysomnographic study. Eleven had PP (mean age±standard deviation of 47.9±6.4 years), and 19 had PPS (mean age±standard deviation of 46.4±5.6 years). Our study showed that fatigue was worse in the afternoon in the PP Group and had a progressive increase throughout the day in the PPS Group. We also observed compromised quality of sleep in both groups, but no statically significant difference was found in the sleep parameters measured by polysomnography. Fatigue has a well-defined circadian variation, especially in PPS Group. Poor sleep quality is associated with fatigue and, therefore, sleep disturbances should be evaluated and treated in this group of PPS.

Meteorology drives ambient air quality in a valley: a case of Sukinda chromite mine, one among the ten most polluted areas in the world.

PubMed

Mishra, Soumya Ranjan; Pradhan, Rudra Pratap; Prusty, B Anjan Kumar; Sahu, Sanjat Kumar

2016-07-01

The ambient air quality (AAQ) assessment was undertaken in Sukinda Valley, the chromite hub of India. The possible correlations of meteorological variables with different air quality parameters (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and CO) were examined. Being the fourth most polluted area in the globe, Sukinda Valley has always been under attention of researchers, for hexavalent chromium contamination of water. The monitoring was carried out from December 2013 through May 2014 at six strategic locations in the residential and commercial areas around the mining cluster of Sukinda Valley considering the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In addition, meteorological parameters viz., temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction and rainfall, were also monitored. The air quality data were subjected to a general linear model (GLM) coupled with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test for testing the significant difference in the concentration of various parameters among seasons and stations. Further, a two-tailed Pearson's correlation test helped in understanding the influence of meteorological parameters on dispersion of pollutants in the area. All the monitored air quality parameters varied significantly among the monitoring stations suggesting (i) the distance of sampling location to the mine site and other allied activities, (ii) landscape features and topography and (iii) meteorological parameters to be the forcing functions. The area was highly polluted with particulate matters, and in most of the cases, the PM level exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The meteorological parameters seemed to play a major role in the dispersion of pollutants around the mine clusters. The role of wind direction, wind speed and temperature was apparent in dispersion of the particulate matters from their source of generation to the surrounding residential and commercial areas of the mine.

Standard Reference Specimens in Quality Control of Engineering Surfaces

PubMed Central

Song, J. F.; Vorburger, T. V.

1991-01-01

In the quality control of engineering surfaces, we aim to understand and maintain a good relationship between the manufacturing process and surface function. This is achieved by controlling the surface texture. The control process involves: 1) learning the functional parameters and their control values through controlled experiments or through a long history of production and use; 2) maintaining high accuracy and reproducibility with measurements not only of roughness calibration specimens but also of real engineering parts. In this paper, the characteristics, utilizations, and limitations of different classes of precision roughness calibration specimens are described. A measuring procedure of engineering surfaces, based on the calibration procedure of roughness specimens at NIST, is proposed. This procedure involves utilization of check specimens with waveform, wavelength, and other roughness parameters similar to functioning engineering surfaces. These check specimens would be certified under standardized reference measuring conditions, or by a reference instrument, and could be used for overall checking of the measuring procedure and for maintaining accuracy and agreement in engineering surface measurement. The concept of “surface texture design” is also suggested, which involves designing the engineering surface texture, the manufacturing process, and the quality control procedure to meet the optimal functional needs. PMID:28184115

Feasibility of deep-inspiration breath-hold PET/CT with short-time acquisition: detectability for pulmonary lesions compared with respiratory-gated PET/CT.

PubMed

Yamashita, Shozo; Yokoyama, Kunihiko; Onoguchi, Masahisa; Yamamoto, Haruki; Hiko, Shigeaki; Horita, Akihiro; Nakajima, Kenichi

2014-01-01

Deep-inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) PET/CT with short-time acquisition and respiratory-gated (RG) PET/CT are performed for pulmonary lesions to reduce the respiratory motion artifacts, and to obtain more accurate standardized uptake value (SUV). DIBH PET/CT demonstrates significant advantages in terms of rapid examination, good quality of CT images and low radiation exposure. On the other hand, the image quality of DIBH PET is generally inferior to that of RG PET because of short-time acquisition resulting in poor signal-to-noise ratio. In this study, RG PET has been regarded as a gold standard, and its detectability between DIBH and RG PET studies was compared using each of the most optimal reconstruction parameters. In the phantom study, the most optimal reconstruction parameters for DIBH and RG PET were determined. In the clinical study, 19 cases were examined using each of the most optimal reconstruction parameters. In the phantom study, the most optimal reconstruction parameters for DIBH and RG PET were different. Reconstruction parameters of DIBH PET could be obtained by reducing the number of subsets for those of RG PET in the state of fixing the number of iterations. In the clinical study, high correlation in the maximum SUV was observed between DIBH and RG PET studies. The clinical result was consistent with that of the phantom study surrounded by air since most of the lesions were located in the low pulmonary radioactivity. DIBH PET/CT may be the most practical method which can be the first choice to reduce respiratory motion artifacts if the detectability of DIBH PET is equivalent with that of RG PET. Although DIBH PET may have limitations in suboptimal signal-to-noise ratio, most of the lesions surrounded by low background radioactivity could provide nearly equivalent image quality between DIBH and RG PET studies when each of the most optimal reconstruction parameters was used.

Coordinating standards and applications for optical water quality sensor networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergamaschi, B.; Pellerin, B.

2011-01-01

Joint USGS-CUAHSI Workshop: In Situ Optical Water Quality Sensor Networks; Shepherdstown, West Virginia, 8-10 June 2011; Advanced in situ optical water quality sensors and new techniques for data analysis hold enormous promise for advancing scientific understanding of aquatic systems through measurements of important biogeochemical parameters at the time scales over which they vary. High-frequency and real-time water quality data also provide the opportunity for early warning of water quality deterioration, trend detection, and science-based decision support. However, developing networks of optical sensors in freshwater systems that report reliable and comparable data across and between sites remains a challenge to the research and monitoring community. To address this, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI), convened a 3-day workshop to explore ways to coordinate development of standards and applications for optical sensors, as well as handling, storage, and analysis of the continuous data they produce.

Analysis of Indoor Environment in Classroom Based on Hygienic Requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javorček, Miroslav; Sternová, Zuzana

2016-06-01

The article contains the analysis of experimental ventilation measurement in selected classrooms of the Elementary School Štrba. Mathematical model of selected classroom was prepared according to in-situ measurements and air exchange was calculated. Interior air temperature and quality influences the students ´ comfort. Evaluated data were compared to requirements of standard (STN EN 15251,2008) applicable to classroom indoor environment during lectures, highlighting the difference between required ambiance quality and actually measured values. CO2 concentration refers to one of the parameters indicating indoor environment quality.

Improvements in the malaxation process to enhance the aroma quality of extra virgin olive oils.

PubMed

Reboredo-Rodríguez, P; González-Barreiro, C; Cancho-Grande, B; Simal-Gándara, J

2014-09-01

The influence of olive paste preparation conditions on the standard quality parameters, as well as volatile profiles of extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from Morisca and Manzanilla de Sevilla cultivars produced in an emerging olive growing area in north-western Spain and processed in an oil mill plant were investigated. For this purpose, two malaxation temperatures (20/30 °C), and two malaxation times (30/90 min) selected in accordance with the customs of the area producers were tested. The volatile profile of the oils underwent a substantial change in terms of odorant series when different malaxation parameters were applied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urban rainwater runoff quantity and quality - A potential endogenous resource in cities?

PubMed

Angrill, Sara; Petit-Boix, Anna; Morales-Pinzón, Tito; Josa, Alejandro; Rieradevall, Joan; Gabarrell, Xavier

2017-03-15

Rainwater harvesting might help to achieve self-sufficiency, but it must comply with health standards. We studied the runoff quantity and quality harvested from seven urban surfaces in a university campus in Barcelona according to their use (pedestrian or motorized mobility) and materials (concrete, asphalt and slabs). An experimental rainwater harvesting system was used to collect the runoff resulting from a set of rainfall events. We estimated the runoff coefficient and initial abstraction of each surface and analyzed the physicochemical and microbiological properties, and hydrocarbon and metal content of the samples. Rainfall intensity, surface material and state of conservation were essential parameters. Because of low rainfall intensity and surface degradation, the runoff coefficient was variable, with a minimum of 0.41. Concrete had the best quality, whereas weathering and particulate matter deposition led to worse quality in asphalt areas. Physicochemical runoff quality was outstanding when compared to superficial and underground water. Microorganisms were identified in the samples (>1 CFU/100 mL) and treatment is required to meet human consumption standards. Motorized traffic mostly affects the presence of metals such as zinc (31.7 μg/L). In the future, sustainable mobility patterns might result in improved rainwater quality standards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the functional performance and technical quality of an Electronic Documentation System of the Nursing Process.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Neurilene Batista; Peres, Heloisa Helena Ciqueto

2015-01-01

To evaluate the functional performance and the technical quality of the Electronic Documentation System of the Nursing Process of the Teaching Hospital of the University of São Paulo. exploratory-descriptive study. The Quality Model of regulatory standard 25010 and the Evaluation Process defined under regulatory standard 25040, both of the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission. The quality characteristics evaluated were: functional suitability, reliability, usability, performance efficiency, compatibility, security, maintainability and portability. The sample was made up of 37 evaluators. in the evaluation of the specialists in information technology, only the characteristic of usability obtained a rate of positive responses of less than 70%. For the nurse lecturers, all the quality characteristics obtained a rate of positive responses of over 70%. The staff nurses of the medical and surgical clinics with experience in using the system) and staff nurses from other units of the hospital and from other health institutions (without experience in using the system) obtained rates of positive responses of more than 70% referent to the functional suitability, usability, and security. However, performance efficiency, reliability and compatibility all obtained rates below the parameter established. the software achieved rates of positive responses of over 70% for the majority of the quality characteristics evaluated.

Age-related differences in quality of standing balance using a composite score.

PubMed

Pasma, Jantsje H; Bijlsma, Astrid Y; van der Bij, Mark D W; Arendzen, J Hans; Meskers, Carel G M; Maier, Andrea B

2014-01-01

Age-related differences in standing balance are not detected by testing the ability to maintain balance. Quality of standing balance might be more sensitive to detect age-related differences. To study age-related differences in quality of standing balance, center of pressure (CoP) movement was evaluated using a wide range of CoP parameters in several standing conditions in healthy young and old participants. In 35 healthy young (18-30 years) and 75 healthy old (70-80 years) participants, CoP movement was assessed in eight standing conditions on a force plate, including side-by-side, one-leg, semi-tandem and tandem stance, both with eyes open and eyes closed. Direction-specific CoP composite scores were calculated from standardized single CoP parameters (mean amplitude, amplitude variability, mean velocity, velocity variability and range) in anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) direction. Linear regression analysis was used to detect age-related differences in single CoP parameters and composite scores - adjusted for gender, height and weight. Overall, single CoP parameters were higher in old compared to young participants, but no single CoP parameter consistently demonstrated the largest effect size for all standing conditions. Age-related differences were demonstrated for CoP composite scores in AP direction (tandem eyes open; semi-tandem eyes closed; p < 0.001). CoP composite scores in ML direction were consistently higher for all standing conditions in old compared to young participants (p < 0.001). CoP composite scores in ML direction were the most consistent parameters to detect age-related differences in quality of standing balance in healthy participants and might be of clinical value to detect subtle changes in quality of standing balance. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Intra Frame Coding In Advanced Video Coding Standard (H.264) to Obtain Consistent PSNR and Reduce Bit Rate for Diagonal Down Left Mode Using Gaussian Pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjanaik, N.; Parameshachari, B. D.; Hanumanthappa, S. N.; Banu, Reshma

2017-08-01

Intra prediction process of H.264 video coding standard used to code first frame i.e. Intra frame of video to obtain good coding efficiency compare to previous video coding standard series. More benefit of intra frame coding is to reduce spatial pixel redundancy with in current frame, reduces computational complexity and provides better rate distortion performance. To code Intra frame it use existing process Rate Distortion Optimization (RDO) method. This method increases computational complexity, increases in bit rate and reduces picture quality so it is difficult to implement in real time applications, so the many researcher has been developed fast mode decision algorithm for coding of intra frame. The previous work carried on Intra frame coding in H.264 standard using fast decision mode intra prediction algorithm based on different techniques was achieved increased in bit rate, degradation of picture quality(PSNR) for different quantization parameters. Many previous approaches of fast mode decision algorithms on intra frame coding achieved only reduction of computational complexity or it save encoding time and limitation was increase in bit rate with loss of quality of picture. In order to avoid increase in bit rate and loss of picture quality a better approach was developed. In this paper developed a better approach i.e. Gaussian pulse for Intra frame coding using diagonal down left intra prediction mode to achieve higher coding efficiency in terms of PSNR and bitrate. In proposed method Gaussian pulse is multiplied with each 4x4 frequency domain coefficients of 4x4 sub macro block of macro block of current frame before quantization process. Multiplication of Gaussian pulse for each 4x4 integer transformed coefficients at macro block levels scales the information of the coefficients in a reversible manner. The resulting signal would turn abstract. Frequency samples are abstract in a known and controllable manner without intermixing of coefficients, it avoids picture getting bad hit for higher values of quantization parameters. The proposed work was implemented using MATLAB and JM 18.6 reference software. The proposed work measure the performance parameters PSNR, bit rate and compression of intra frame of yuv video sequences in QCIF resolution under different values of quantization parameter with Gaussian value for diagonal down left intra prediction mode. The simulation results of proposed algorithm are tabulated and compared with previous algorithm i.e. Tian et al method. The proposed algorithm achieved reduced in bit rate averagely 30.98% and maintain consistent picture quality for QCIF sequences compared to previous algorithm i.e. Tian et al method.

[Indicators of healthcare quality in day surgery (2010-2012)].

PubMed

Martínez Rodenas, F; Codina Grifell, J; Deulofeu Quintana, P; Garrido Corchón, J; Blasco Casares, F; Gibanel Garanto, X; Cuixart Vilamajó, L; de Haro Licer, J; Vazquez Dorrego, X

2014-01-01

Monitoring quality indicators in Ambulatory Surgery centers is fundamental in order to identify problems, correct them and prevent them. Given their large number, it is essential to select the most valid ones. The objectives of the study are the continuous improvement in the quality of healthcare of day-case surgery in our center, by monitoring selective quality parameters, having periodic information on the results and taking corrective measures, as well as achieving a percentage of unplanned transfer and cancellations within quality standards. Prospective, observational and descriptive study of the day-case surgery carried out from January 2010 to December 2012. Unplanned hospital admissions and cancellations on the same day of the operation were selected and monitored, along with their reasons. Hospital admissions were classified as: inappropriate selection, medical-surgical complications, and others. The results were evaluated each year and statistically analysed using χ(2) tests. A total of 8,300 patients underwent day surgery during the 3 years studied. The day-case surgery and outpatient index increased by 5.4 and 6.4%, respectively (P<.01). Unexpected hospital admissions gradually decreased due to the lower number of complications (P<.01). Hospital admissions, due to an extended period of time in locoregional anaesthesia recovery, also decreased (P<.01). There was improved prevention of nausea and vomiting, and of poorly controlled pain. The proportion of afternoon admissions was significantly reduced (P<.01). The cancellations increased in 2011 (P<.01). The monitoring of quality parameters in day-case surgery has been a useful tool in our clinical and quality management. Globally, the unplanned transfer and cancellations have been within the quality standards and many of the indicators analysed have improved. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting the sensitivity and specificity of the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph parameters to glaucomatous progression in disc photographs.

PubMed

Saarela, Ville; Falck, Aura; Airaksinen, P Juhani; Tuulonen, Anja

2012-03-01

To evaluate the factors affecting the sensitivity and specificity of the stereometric optic nerve head (ONH) parameters of the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) to glaucomatous progression in stereoscopic ONH photographs. The factors affecting the sensitivity and specificity of the vertical cup : disc ratio, the cup : disc area ratio, the cup volume, the rim area and a linear discriminant function to progression were analysed. These parameters were the best indicators of progression in a retrospective study of 476 eyes. The reference standard for progression was the masked evaluation of stereoscopic ONH photographs. The factors having the most significant effect on the sensitivity and specificity of the stereometric ONH parameters were the reference height difference and the mean topography standard deviation (TSD), indicating image quality. Also, the change in the TSD and age showed consistent, but variably significant, influence on all parameters tested. The sensitivity and specificity improved when there was little change in the reference height, the image quality was good and stable, and the patients were younger. The sensitivity and specificity of the vertical cup : disc ratio was improved by a large disc area and high baseline cup : disc area ratio. The rim area showed a better sensitivity and specificity for progression with a small disc area and low baseline cup : disc area ratio. The factors affecting the sensitivity and specificity of the stereometric ONH parameters to glaucomatous progression in disc photographs are essentially the same as those affecting the measurement variability of the HRT. © 2010 The Authors. Acta Ophthalmologica © 2010 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Prediction of Water Quality Parameters Using Statistical Methods: A Case Study in a Specially Protected Area, Ankara, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alp, E.; Yücel, Ö.; Özcan, Z.

2014-12-01

Turkey has been making many legal arrangements for sustainable water management during the harmonization process with the European Union. In order to make cost effective and efficient decisions, monitoring network in Turkey has been expanding. However, due to time and budget constraints, desired number of monitoring campaigns can not be carried. Hence, in this study, independent parameters that can be measured easily and quickly are used to estimate water quality parameters in Lake Mogan and Eymir using linear regression. Nonpoint sources are one of the major pollutant components in Eymir and Mogan lakes. In this paper, a correlation between easily measurable parameters, DO, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, precipitation and dependent variables, TN, TP, COD, Chl-a, TSS, Total Coliform is investigated. Simple regression analysis is performed for each season in Eymir and Mogan lakes by using SPSS Statistical program using the water quality data collected between 2006-2012. Regression analysis demonstrated significant linear relationship between measured and simulated concentrations for TN (R2=0.86), TP (R2=0.85), TSS (R2=0.91), Chl-a (R2=0.94), COD (R2=0.99), T. Coliform (R2=0.97) which are the best results in each season for Eymir and Mogan Lakes. The overall results of this study shows that by using easily measurable parameters even in ungauged situation the water quality of lakes can be predicted. Moreover, the outputs obtained from the regression equations can be used as an input for water quality models such as phosphorus budget model which is used to calculate the required reduction in the external phosphorus load to Lake Mogan to meet the water quality standards.

The "Consumer Report" version of Earth Science Data Quality description

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vicente, G. A.

2014-12-01

The generation, delivery and access of Earth Observation (EO) data quality information is a difficult problem because it is not uniquely defined, user dependent, difficult to be quantified, handled differently by different teams and perceived differently by data providers and data users. Initiatives such as the International Organization for Standards (ISO) 19115 and 19157 are important steps forward but difficult to implement, too complex and out of reach for the majority of data producers and users. This is because most users only want a quick and intelligible way to compare data sets from different providers to find the ones that best fit their interest. Therefore we need to simplify the problem by focusing on a few relevant quality parameters and develop a common framework to deliver them. This work is intended to tap into the data producers and user's knowledge and expertise on data quality for the development and adoption of a "Consumer Report" version of a "Data Quality Matrix". The goal is to find the most efficient and friendly approach to displays a selected number of quality parameters rated to each product and to target group of users.

Improvement of quality of 3D printed objects by elimination of microscopic structural defects in fused deposition modeling.

PubMed

Gordeev, Evgeniy G; Galushko, Alexey S; Ananikov, Valentine P

2018-01-01

Additive manufacturing with fused deposition modeling (FDM) is currently optimized for a wide range of research and commercial applications. The major disadvantage of FDM-created products is their low quality and structural defects (porosity), which impose an obstacle to utilizing them in functional prototyping and direct digital manufacturing of objects intended to contact with gases and liquids. This article describes a simple and efficient approach for assessing the quality of 3D printed objects. Using this approach it was shown that the wall permeability of a printed object depends on its geometric shape and is gradually reduced in a following series: cylinder > cube > pyramid > sphere > cone. Filament feed rate, wall geometry and G-code-defined wall structure were found as primary parameters that influence the quality of 3D-printed products. Optimization of these parameters led to an overall increase in quality and improvement of sealing properties. It was demonstrated that high quality of 3D printed objects can be achieved using routinely available printers and standard filaments.

TRACKING FRESHWATER DIVERSIONS AND ALGAL BLOOMS THAT IMPACT THE NEW ORLEANS STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA -

EPA Science Inventory

This project will monitor selected water quality parameters, including water temperature, turbidity, salinity, and algal blooms to assess the impacts of freshwater diversions for several selected areas within the New Orleans metropolitan area. The specific areas of study include ...

Quality Assurance in Breast Health Care and Requirement for Accreditation in Specialized Units

PubMed Central

Güler, Sertaç Ata; Güllüoğlu, Bahadır M.

2014-01-01

Breast health is a subject of increasing importance. The statistical increase in the frequency of breast cancer and the consequent increase in death rate increase the importance of quality of services to be provided for breast health. For these reasons, the minimum standards and optimum quality metrics of breast care provided to the community are determined. The quality parameters for breast care service include the results, the structure and the operation of services. Within this group, the results of breast health services are determined according to clinical results, patient satisfaction and financial condition. The structure of quality services should include interdisciplinary meetings, written standards for specific procedures and the existence of standardized reporting systems. Establishing breast centers that adopt integrated multidisciplinary working principles and their cost-effective maintenance are important in terms of operation of breast health services. The importance of using a “reviewing/auditing” procedure that checks if all of these functions existing in the health system are carried out at the desired level and an “accreditation” system indicating that the working breast units/centers provide minimum quality adequacy in all aspects, is undeniable. Currently, the accreditation system for breast centers is being used in the European Union and the United States for the last 5–10 years. This system is thought to provide standardization in breast care services, and is accepted as one of the important factors that resulted in reduction in mortality associated with breast cancer. PMID:28331658

Quality Assurance in Breast Health Care and Requirement for Accreditation in Specialized Units.

PubMed

Güler, Sertaç Ata; Güllüoğlu, Bahadır M

2014-07-01

Breast health is a subject of increasing importance. The statistical increase in the frequency of breast cancer and the consequent increase in death rate increase the importance of quality of services to be provided for breast health. For these reasons, the minimum standards and optimum quality metrics of breast care provided to the community are determined. The quality parameters for breast care service include the results, the structure and the operation of services. Within this group, the results of breast health services are determined according to clinical results, patient satisfaction and financial condition. The structure of quality services should include interdisciplinary meetings, written standards for specific procedures and the existence of standardized reporting systems. Establishing breast centers that adopt integrated multidisciplinary working principles and their cost-effective maintenance are important in terms of operation of breast health services. The importance of using a "reviewing/auditing" procedure that checks if all of these functions existing in the health system are carried out at the desired level and an "accreditation" system indicating that the working breast units/centers provide minimum quality adequacy in all aspects, is undeniable. Currently, the accreditation system for breast centers is being used in the European Union and the United States for the last 5-10 years. This system is thought to provide standardization in breast care services, and is accepted as one of the important factors that resulted in reduction in mortality associated with breast cancer.

Methods for assessing the quality of mammalian embryos: How far we are from the gold standard?

PubMed

Rocha, José C; Passalia, Felipe; Matos, Felipe D; Maserati, Marc P; Alves, Mayra F; Almeida, Tamie G de; Cardoso, Bruna L; Basso, Andrea C; Nogueira, Marcelo F G

2016-08-01

Morphological embryo classification is of great importance for many laboratory techniques, from basic research to the ones applied to assisted reproductive technology. However, the standard classification method for both human and cattle embryos, is based on quality parameters that reflect the overall morphological quality of the embryo in cattle, or the quality of the individual embryonic structures, more relevant in human embryo classification. This assessment method is biased by the subjectivity of the evaluator and even though several guidelines exist to standardize the classification, it is not a method capable of giving reliable and trustworthy results. Latest approaches for the improvement of quality assessment include the use of data from cellular metabolism, a new morphological grading system, development kinetics and cleavage symmetry, embryo cell biopsy followed by pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, zona pellucida birefringence, ion release by the embryo cells and so forth. Nowadays there exists a great need for evaluation methods that are practical and non-invasive while being accurate and objective. A method along these lines would be of great importance to embryo evaluation by embryologists, clinicians and other professionals who work with assisted reproductive technology. Several techniques shows promising results in this sense, one being the use of digital images of the embryo as basis for features extraction and classification by means of artificial intelligence techniques (as genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks). This process has the potential to become an accurate and objective standard for embryo quality assessment.

Methods for assessing the quality of mammalian embryos: How far we are from the gold standard?

PubMed Central

Rocha, José C.; Passalia, Felipe; Matos, Felipe D.; Maserati Jr, Marc P.; Alves, Mayra F.; de Almeida, Tamie G.; Cardoso, Bruna L.; Basso, Andrea C.; Nogueira, Marcelo F. G.

2016-01-01

Morphological embryo classification is of great importance for many laboratory techniques, from basic research to the ones applied to assisted reproductive technology. However, the standard classification method for both human and cattle embryos, is based on quality parameters that reflect the overall morphological quality of the embryo in cattle, or the quality of the individual embryonic structures, more relevant in human embryo classification. This assessment method is biased by the subjectivity of the evaluator and even though several guidelines exist to standardize the classification, it is not a method capable of giving reliable and trustworthy results. Latest approaches for the improvement of quality assessment include the use of data from cellular metabolism, a new morphological grading system, development kinetics and cleavage symmetry, embryo cell biopsy followed by pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, zona pellucida birefringence, ion release by the embryo cells and so forth. Nowadays there exists a great need for evaluation methods that are practical and non-invasive while being accurate and objective. A method along these lines would be of great importance to embryo evaluation by embryologists, clinicians and other professionals who work with assisted reproductive technology. Several techniques shows promising results in this sense, one being the use of digital images of the embryo as basis for features extraction and classification by means of artificial intelligence techniques (as genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks). This process has the potential to become an accurate and objective standard for embryo quality assessment. PMID:27584609

The effect of mimosa and syntan mixture on the quality of tanned red snapper leather

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratama, M.; Sahubawa, L.; Pertiwiningrum, A.; Rahmadian, Y.; Puspita, I. D.

2018-03-01

This study aimed to determine the effect of syntan and mimosa combination on the quality of tanned red snapper leather. The study was designed using complete randomized design (CRD) and the advanced test of Least Significant Difference (LSD) with three replications and three treatments of combined syntan and mimosa, namely: p1 (4 % syntan, 5 % mimosa), p2 (8 % syntan, 5 %mimosa), p3 (12 % syntan, 5 % mimosa). Data were analyzed using SPSS 18. The measured parameters were tensile strength (N·cm-2), elongation (%), tear strength (N·cm-1), enervation (mm), wrinkle temperature (°C), fat/oil content (%) and water content (%). The results indicate that the combined syntan and mimosa tanners gave no significant effect on the physical parameters (tensile strength, elongation, tear strength, enervation and wrinkle temperature) and chemical parameters (moisture and fat/oil). All treatments (p1, p2 and p3) met the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 06-4586-1998 for chrome tanned freshwater snake leather for the parameters of tensile strength, tear strength, enervation, wrinkle temperature and moisture. The parameter of elongation and fat/oil content did not meet with the SNI 06-4586-1998. Among the three combinations of a tanner, syntan 4 % and mimosa 5 % treatment gave the best leather quality.

Combined comfort model of thermal comfort and air quality on buses in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shek, Ka Wing; Chan, Wai Tin

2008-01-25

Air-conditioning settings are important factors in controlling the comfort of passengers on buses. The local bus operators control in-bus air quality and thermal environment by conforming to the prescribed levels stated in published standards. As a result, the settings are merely adjusted to fulfill the standards, rather than to satisfy the passengers' thermal comfort and air quality. Such "standard-oriented" practices are not appropriate; the passengers' preferences and satisfaction should be emphasized instead. Thus a "comfort-oriented" philosophy should be implemented to achieve a comfortable in-bus commuting environment. In this study, the achievement of a comfortable in-bus environment was examined with emphasis on thermal comfort and air quality. Both the measurement of physical parameters and subjective questionnaire surveys were conducted to collect practical in-bus thermal and air parameters data, as well as subjective satisfaction and sensation votes from the passengers. By analyzing the correlation between the objective and subjective data, a combined comfort models were developed. The models helped in evaluating the percentage of dissatisfaction under various combinations of passengers' sensation votes towards thermal comfort and air quality. An effective approach integrated the combined comfort model, hardware and software systems and the bus air-conditioning system could effectively control the transient in-bus environment. By processing and analyzing the data from the continuous monitoring system with the combined comfort model, air-conditioning setting adjustment commands could be determined and delivered to the hardware. This system adjusted air-conditioning settings depending on real-time commands along the bus journey. Therefore, a comfortable in-bus air quality and thermal environment could be achieved and efficiently maintained along the bus journey despite dynamic outdoor influences. Moreover, this model can help optimize air-conditioning control by striking a beneficial balance between energy conservation and passengers' satisfaction level.

Physicochemical properties of some bottled water brands in Alexandria Governorate, Egypt.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Hesham Z; Mohammed, Heba A G; Hafez, Afaf M

2014-08-01

Many people use bottled water instead of tap water for many reasons such as taste, ease of carrying, and thinking that it is safer than tap water. Irrespective of the reason, bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. In Egypt, this is still increasing to reach 3.8 l/person/day, despite its high price compared with tap water. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical quality of some bottled water brands and to compare the quality with that reported on manufacture's labeling, Egyptian, and International standards. Fourteen bottled water brands were selected from the local markets of Alexandria city. Three bottles from each brand were randomly sampled, making a total sample size of 42 bottles. Sampling occurred between July 2012 and September 2012. Each bottle was analyzed for its physicochemical parameter and the average was calculated for each brand. The results obtained were compared with the Egyptian standard for bottled water, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and with bottled water labels. In all bottles in the study, pH values ranged between 7.21 and 8.23, conductivity ranged between 195 and 675 μs/cm, and total dissolved solids, sulfate, chloride, and fluoride were within the range specified by the FDA. Calcium concentrations ranged between 2.7373 and 29.2183 mg/l, magnesium concentrations ranged between 5.7886 and 17.6633 mg/l, sodium between 14.5 and 205.8 mg/l, and potassium between 6.5 and 29.8 mg/l. For heavy metals such as iron, zinc, copper, and manganese, all of them were in conformity with the Egyptian standards and FDA, but nickel concentration in 11 brands was higher than the Egyptian standards. Twelve brands were higher than the Egyptian standards in cadmium concentration, but on comparison with FDA there were only five brands exceeding limits. Lead concentrations were out of range for all brands. On comparison with the labeled values, the quality of bottled water was not complying with labeled values. Physicochemical parameters in all bottled water examined brands were consistent with the Egyptian Standard and FDA, except for total dissolved solids, nickel, cadmium, and lead. Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference (P<0.05) in all parameters tested between different brands. Values on the bottled water labels were not in agreement with analytical results.

Love is a pain? Quality of sex life after surgical resection of endometriosis: a review.

PubMed

Fritzer, N; Hudelist, G

2017-02-01

Dyspareunia, a common symptom of endometriosis and may severely affect quality of sex life in affected patients. The objective of the present work was to review the effect of surgical resection of endometriosis on pain intensity and quality of sex life. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for papers investigating the outcome after surgical endometriosis resection on dyspareunia and quality of sex life measured via VAS/NAS respectively via standardized measuring instruments. However, data did not permit a meaningful meta-analysis according to current standards. However, out of 69 papers, four studies fulfilled the predefined inclusion criteria involving 321 patients with endometriosis and dyspareunia preoperatively. All included studies showed a significant postoperative reduction of dyspareunia after a follow-up period of 10 up to 60 months. Sex life as well as predominantly evaluated parameters like quality of life and mental health improved significantly. We therefore conclude that surgical excision of endometriosis is a feasible and good treatment option for pain relief and improvement of quality of sex life in symptomatic women with endometriosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrationof Remote Sensing and Geographic information system in Ground Water Quality Assessment and Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakak, N.

2015-04-01

Spatial variations in ground water quality in the Khartoum state, Sudan, have been studied using geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing technique. Gegraphical informtion system a tool which is used for storing, analyzing and displaying spatial data is also used for investigating ground water quality information. Khartoum landsat mosac image aquired in 2013was used, Arc/Gis software applied to extract the boundary of the study area, the image was classified to create land use/land cover map. The land use map,geological and soil map are used for correlation between land use , geological formations, and soil types to understand the source of natural pollution that can lower the ground water quality. For this study, the global positioning system (GPS), used in the field to identify the borehole location in a three dimentional coordinate (Latitude, longitude, and altitude), water samples were collected from 156 borehole wells, and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters like electrical conductivity, Total dissolved solid,Chloride, Nitrate, Sodium, Magnisium, Calcium,and Flouride, using standard techniques in the laboratory and compared with the standards.The ground water quality maps of the entire study area have been prepared using spatial interpolation technique for all the above parameters.then the created maps used to visualize, analyze, and understand the relationship among the measured points. Mapping was coded for potable zones, non-potable zones in the study area, in terms of water quality sutability for drinking water and sutability for irrigation. In general satellite remote sensing in conjunction with geographical information system (GIS) offers great potential for water resource development and management.

Modelling of groundwater quality using bicarbonate chemical parameter in Netravathi and Gurpur river confluence, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sylus, K. J.; H., Ramesh

2018-04-01

In the coastal aquifer, seawater intrusion considered the major problem which contaminates freshwater and reduces its quality for domestic use. In order to find seawater intrusion, the groundwater quality analysis for the different chemical parameter was considered as the basic method to find out contamination. This analysis was carried out as per Bureau of Indian standards (2012) and World Health Organisations (1996). In this study, Bicarbonate parameter was considered for groundwater quality analysis which ranges the permissible limit in between 200-600 mg/l. The groundwater system was modelled using Groundwater modelling software (GMS) in which the FEMWATER package used for flow and transport. The FEMWATER package works in the principle of finite element method. The base input data of model include elevation, Groundwater head, First bottom and second bottom of the study area. The modelling results show the spatial occurrence of contamination in the study area of Netravathi and Gurpur river confluence at the various time period. Further, the results of the modelling also show that the contamination occurs up to a distance of 519m towards the freshwater zone of the study area.

Assessment of groundwater quality in a typical rural settlement in southwest Nigeria.

PubMed

Adekunle, I M; Adetunji, M T; Gbadebo, A M; Banjoko, O P

2007-12-01

In most rural settlements in Nigeria, access to clean and potable water is a great challenge, resulting in water borne diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of some physical, chemical, biochemical and microbial water quality parameters in twelve hand - dug wells in a typical rural area (Igbora) of southwest region of the country. Seasonal variations and proximity to pollution sources (municipal waste dumps and defecation sites) were also examined. Parameters were determined using standard procedures. All parameters were detected up to 200 m from pollution source and most of them increased in concentration during the rainy season over the dry periods, pointing to infiltrations from storm water. Coliform population, Pb, NO3- and Cd in most cases, exceeded the World Health Organization recommended thresholds for potable water. Effect of distance from pollution sources was more pronounced on fecal and total coliform counts, which decreased with increasing distance from waste dumps. The qualities of the well water samples were therefore not suitable for human consumption without adequate treatment. Regular monitoring of groundwater quality, abolishment of unhealthy waste disposal practices and introduction of modern techniques are recommended.

Effects of melody and technique on acoustical and musical features of western operatic singing voices.

PubMed

Larrouy-Maestri, Pauline; Magis, David; Morsomme, Dominique

2014-05-01

The operatic singing technique is frequently used in classical music. Several acoustical parameters of this specific technique have been studied but how these parameters combine remains unclear. This study aims to further characterize the Western operatic singing technique by observing the effects of melody and technique on acoustical and musical parameters of the singing voice. Fifty professional singers performed two contrasting melodies (popular song and romantic melody) with two vocal techniques (with and without operatic singing technique). The common quality parameters (energy distribution, vibrato rate, and extent), perturbation parameters (standard deviation of the fundamental frequency, signal-to-noise ratio, jitter, and shimmer), and musical features (fundamental frequency of the starting note, average tempo, and sound pressure level) of the 200 sung performances were analyzed. The results regarding the effect of melody and technique on the acoustical and musical parameters show that the choice of melody had a limited impact on the parameters observed, whereas a particular vocal profile appeared depending on the vocal technique used. This study confirms that vocal technique affects most of the parameters examined. In addition, the observation of quality, perturbation, and musical parameters contributes to a better understanding of the Western operatic singing technique. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of medical and surgical interventions on health-related quality of life in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Martinez-Martin, Pablo; Deuschl, Günther

2007-04-30

Motor-related parameters are the standard outcome parameters for treatment interventions. Nonetheless, subjective appraisals about the consequences of treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are meanwhile established and may uncover important aspects of interventions. We have reviewed the literature with a defined search strategy and collected 61 clinical trials, which have used HRQoL as a planned outcome parameter. The articles were rated similarly as for the Task Force report of the Movement Disorder Society on interventions for Parkinson's disease (PD), but the relevant outcome parameter was HRQoL. We found that unilateral pallidotomy, deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus, and rasagiline are efficacious to improve the HRQoL of PD patients. For many other interventions, the efficacy to improve HRQoL in the PD setting cannot be considered to be proven so far. HRQoL should be part of future trial designs and more research is necessary to understand the determinants of QoL in PD.

Investigating the Effect of Cosmic Opacity on Standard Candles

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

Hu, J.; Yu, H.; Wang, F. Y., E-mail: fayinwang@nju.edu.cn

Standard candles can probe the evolution of dark energy over a large redshift range. But the cosmic opacity can degrade the quality of standard candles. In this paper, we use the latest observations, including Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the “joint light-curve analysis” sample and Hubble parameters, to probe the opacity of the universe. A joint fitting of the SNe Ia light-curve parameters, cosmological parameters, and opacity is used in order to avoid the cosmological dependence of SNe Ia luminosity distances. The latest gamma-ray bursts are used in order to explore the cosmic opacity at high redshifts. The cosmicmore » reionization process is considered at high redshifts. We find that the sample supports an almost transparent universe for flat ΛCDM and XCDM models. Meanwhile, free electrons deplete photons from standard candles through (inverse) Compton scattering, which is known as an important component of opacity. This Compton dimming may play an important role in future supernova surveys. From analysis, we find that about a few per cent of the cosmic opacity is caused by Compton dimming in the two models, which can be corrected.« less

Preliminary studies of cotton non-lint content identification by near-infrared spectroscopy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The high demand for cotton production worldwide has presented a need for its standardized classification. There currently exists trained classers and instrumentation to distinguish key cotton quality parameters, such as some trash types and content. However, it is of interest to develop a universal...

US EPA Base Study Standard Operating Procedure for Continuous Monitoring of Indoor Air

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The procedure described is intended for monitoring continuously and simultaneously, at selected work sites, parameters that are most commonly associated with the quality of indoor environments: the concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), temperature, relative humidity (RH), illumination, and noise.

Development of a Standard Set of Software Indicators for Aeronautical Systems Center.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

29:12). The composite models listed include COCOMO and the Software Productivity, Quality, and Reliability Model ( SPQR ) (29:12). The SPQR model was...determine the values of the 68 input parameters. Source provides no specifics. Indicator Name SPQR (SW Productivity, Qual, Reliability) Indicator Class

40 CFR 65.116 - Quality improvement program for pumps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... category of pumps or pump seal technology. The design standards shall specify known critical parameters..., and pump or pump seal designs or technologies that have poorer than average emission performance and... there are superior performing pump or pump seal technologies that are applicable to the service(s...

40 CFR 65.116 - Quality improvement program for pumps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... category of pumps or pump seal technology. The design standards shall specify known critical parameters..., and pump or pump seal designs or technologies that have poorer than average emission performance and... there are superior performing pump or pump seal technologies that are applicable to the service(s...

40 CFR 65.116 - Quality improvement program for pumps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... category of pumps or pump seal technology. The design standards shall specify known critical parameters..., and pump or pump seal designs or technologies that have poorer than average emission performance and... there are superior performing pump or pump seal technologies that are applicable to the service(s...

40 CFR 65.116 - Quality improvement program for pumps.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... category of pumps or pump seal technology. The design standards shall specify known critical parameters..., and pump or pump seal designs or technologies that have poorer than average emission performance and... there are superior performing pump or pump seal technologies that are applicable to the service(s...

Federal and State Water Quality Standards/Guidelines for Selected Parameters.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-02-01

isopropyl methylphosphonate) Dioctyl adipate Dioctyl azelate Diphenyl sulfoxide 1,4-Dithiane DNT (Dinitrotoluene) DNT (All isomers) Endr in Fluoride...dye (1-Methylaminoanthraquinone) Silver Sodium Sodium styphnate Strontium nitrate Strontium oxalate Strontium peroxide Sulfate Tetrachlorobenzene...Cyclohexanol Cyclohexanone Cyclopentanone Diethyl amine Diphenyl sulfoxide 1,4-Dithiane DNT (Dinitrotoluene) Fluoride Hardness, total

Valid internal standard technique for arson detection based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Salgueiro, Pedro A S; Borges, Carlos M F; Bettencourt da Silva, Ricardo J N

2012-09-28

The most popular procedures for the detection of residues of accelerants in fire debris are the ones published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM E1412-07 and E1618-10). The most critical stages of these tests are the conservation of fire debris from the sampling to the laboratory, the extraction of residues of accelerants from the debris to the activated charcoal strips (ACS) and from those to the final solvent, as well as the analysis of sample extract by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the interpretation of the instrumental signal. This work proposes a strategy for checking the quality of the sample conservation, the accelerant residues transference to final solvent and GC-MS analysis, using internal standard additions. It is used internal standards ranging from a highly volatile compound for checking debris conservation to low volatile compound for checking GC-MS repeatability. The developed quality control (QC) parameters are not affected by GC-MS sensitivity variation and, specifically, the GC-MS performance control is not affected by ACS adsorption saturation that may mask test performance deviations. The proposed QC procedure proved to be adequate to check GC-MS repeatability, ACS extraction and sample conservation since: (1) standard additions are affected by negligible uncertainty and (2) observed dispersion of QC parameters are fit for its intended use. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exposing SAMOS Data and Vocabularies within the Semantic Web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dockery, Nkemdirim; Elya, Jocelyn; Smith, Shawn

2014-05-01

As part of the Ocean Data Interoperability Platform (ODIP), we at the Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS) will present the development process for the exposure of quality-controlled data and core vocabularies managed by the Shipboard Automated Meteorological Oceanographic System (SAMOS) initiative using Semantic Web technologies. Participants in the SAMOS initiative collect continuous navigational (position, course, heading, speed), meteorological (winds, pressure, temperature, humidity, radiation), and near-surface oceanographic (sea temperature, salinity) parameters while at sea. One-minute interval observations are packaged and transmitted back to COAPS via daily emails, where they undergo standardized formatting and quality control. The authors will present methods used to expose these daily datasets. The Semantic Web, a vision of the World Wide Web Consortium, focuses on extending the principles of the web from connecting documents to connecting data. The creation of a web of Linked Data that can be used across different applications in a machine-readable way is the ultimate goal. The Resource Description Framework (RDF) is the standard language and format used in the Semantic Web. RDF pages may be queried using the SPARQL Protocol and RDF Query Language (SPARQL). The authors will showcase the development of RDF resources that map SAMOS vocabularies to internationally served vocabularies such as those found in the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Vocabulary Server. Each individual SAMOS vocabulary term (data parameter and quality control flag) will be described in an RDF resource page. These RDF resources will define each SAMOS vocabulary term and provide a link to the mapped vocabulary term (or multiple terms) served externally. Along with enhanced retrieval by parameter, time, and location, we will be able to add additional parameters with the confidence that they follow an international standard. The production of RDF resources that link daily SAMOS data to descriptors such as parameters, time and location information, quality assurance reports, and cruise tracks will also be described. The data is housed on a Thematic Real-time Environmental Distributed Data Services (THREDDS) data server, so these RDF resources will enable enhanced retrieval by any of the linked descriptors. We will showcase our collaboration with the Rolling Deck to Repository (R2R) program to develop SPARQL endpoints that distribute SAMOS content. R2R packages and transmits data on a per cruise basis, so an immediate result of the SAMOS exposure will be the narrowing of the gap between expedition type data (e.g. R2R cruises) and SAMOS observatory type data. The authors will present the development of RDF resources that will collectively expose shipboard data, vocabularies, and quality assurance reports in an overall structure which will serve as the basis for a COAPS SPARQL endpoint, enabling easier programmatic access to SAMOS data.

Ambient Air Quality Data Inventory

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Office of Air and Radiation's (OAR) Ambient Air Quality Data (Current) contains ambient air pollution data collected by EPA, other federal agencies, as well as state, local, and tribal air pollution control agencies. Its component data sets have been collected over the years from approximately 10,000 monitoring sites, of which approximately 5,000 are currently active. OAR's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) and other internal and external users, rely on this data to assess air quality, assist in Attainment/Non-Attainment designations, evaluate State Implementation Plans for Non-Attainment Areas, perform modeling for permit review analysis, and other air quality management functions. Air quality information is also used to prepare reports for Congress as mandated by the Clean Air Act. This data covers air quality data collected after 1980, when the Clean Air Act requirements for monitoring were significantly modified. Air quality data from the Agency's early years (1970s) remains available (see OAR PRIMARY DATA ASSET: Ambient Air Quality Data -- Historical), but because of technical and definitional differences the two data assets are not directly comparable. The Clean Air Act of 1970 provided initial authority for monitoring air quality for Conventional Air Pollutants (CAPs) for which EPA has promulgated National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Requirements for monitoring visibility-related parameters were added in 1977. Requiremen

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; HHS notice of benefit and payment parameters for 2016. Final rule.

PubMed

2015-02-27

This final rule sets forth payment parameters and provisions related to the risk adjustment, reinsurance, and risk corridors programs; cost sharing parameters and cost-sharing reductions; and user fees for Federally-facilitated Exchanges. It also finalizes additional standards for the individual market annual open enrollment period for the 2016 benefit year, essential health benefits, qualified health plans, network adequacy, quality improvement strategies, the Small Business Health Options Program, guaranteed availability, guaranteed renewability, minimum essential coverage, the rate review program, the medical loss ratio program, and other related topics.

Hydrochemical characteristics and quality assessment of groundwater along the Manavalakurichi coast, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivas, Y.; Aghil, T. B.; Hudson Oliver, D.; Nithya Nair, C.; Chandrasekar, N.

2017-06-01

The present study was carried out to find the groundwater quality of coastal aquifer along Manavalakurichi coast. For this study, a total of 30 groundwater samples were collected randomly from open wells and borewells. The concentration of major ions and other geochemical parameters in the groundwater were analyzed in the laboratory by adopting standard procedures suggested by the American Public Health Association. The order of the dominant cations in the study area was found to be Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+, whereas the sequence of dominant anions was {{Cl}}^{ - } > {{HCO}}3^{ - } > {{SO}}4^{2 - }. The hydrogeochemical facies of the groundwater samples were studied by constructing piper trilinear diagram which revealed the evidence of saltwater intrusion into the study area. The obtained geochemical parameters were compared with the standard permissible limits suggested by the World Health Organization and Indian Standard Institution to determine the drinking water quality in the study area. The analysis suggests that the groundwater from the wells W25 and W26 is unsuitable for drinking. The suitability of groundwater for irrigation was studied by calculating percent sodium, sodium absorption ratio and residual sodium carbonate values. The Wilcox and USSL plots were also prepared. It was found that the groundwater from the stations W1, W25 and W26 is unfit for irrigation. The Gibbs plots were also sketched to study the mechanisms controlling the geochemical composition of groundwater in the study area.

Analysis of semen parameters in a young cohort of cancer patients.

PubMed

DiNofia, Amanda M; Wang, Xingmei; Yannekis, Gia; Ogle, Sue; Hobbie, Wendy L; Carlson, Claire A; Ginsberg, Jill P

2017-02-01

Infertility can be the result of some common cancer treatments and can significantly impact quality of life. Semen cryopreservation allows for fertility preservation. We analyzed the semen parameters of specimens collected from pubertal males from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in order to expand current knowledge on the quality of these specimens and inform a standard clinical practice. Males who were at least Tanner stage III and newly diagnosed with cancer at CHOP were approached regarding sperm banking. The success and quality of the samples collected were analyzed and compared in relation to prior treatment, age, and diagnosis. From 399 patients approached for semen collection, 339 (85%) attempted to bank sperm, of which 265 (78%) were successful and 60 (15%) refused to participate. Therapy prior to sperm banking significantly impacted a successful collection (P < 0.01). Only 16.9% of the untreated patients were azoospermic, whereas 84.0% of the treated subjects were azoospermic. Older patients were less likely to be azoospermic and have a greater quality collection when compared with younger patients (P < 0.01). However, 65% of our youngest patients still were able to cryopreserve semen. There was no difference in azoospermia across diagnostic groups (P = 0.35), though there were differences in quality of semen parameters across diagnoses. Our data support that sperm banking pubertal males prior to the initiation of therapy is feasible. While there were differences in quality of semen parameters across age and diagnostic groups, most males, regardless of age or diagnosis, had adequate specimens for cryopreservation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of soya milk extender for semen cryopreservation of Karan Fries (crossbreed cattle).

PubMed

Singh, V K; Singh, A K; Kumar, R; Atreja, S K

2013-01-01

Egg yolk based semen extenders are used widely, with the potential risk of xenobiotic contamination. This study was designed to develop a soya milk based extender to substitute egg yolk based extender for bovine semen cryopreservation. In the first experiment soya milk was prepared from fresh soya bean (Glycine max). Concentration of soya milk in tris based extender was standardized based on quality parameters of spermatozoa during liquid preservation at 5°C up to 72 h and compared with egg yolk tris (EYT) extender. Sperm in soya milk tris (SMT) extender with 25 percent soya milk showed no significant (P > 0.05) differences in all the quality parameters like motility, viability, membrane integrity and acrosome integrity, as compared to sperm in EYT extender up to 72h in liquid dilution. In the second experiment the Karan Fries semen was cryopreserved in SMT extender with 25 percent soya milk (selected from the first experiment) using different concentration of glycerol, as cryoprotectant, ranging from 6-7 percent with a difference of 0.2 percent to standardize optimum concentration based on post thaw motility of spermatozoa. Glycerol at a final concentration of 6.4 percent was found to be the best among all. Further, semen samples were split and cryopreserved in newly developed SMT extender containing 6.4 percent glycerol and compared with conventional EYT extender for post thaw sperm quality parameters and degree of cryocapacitation. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences between sperm in EYT extender and SMT extender for post thaw motility, viability, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and cryocapacitation. In conclusion, the newly developed SMT extender maintained comparable semen quality as compared to EYT extender hence it can.

Mammographic compression in Asian women.

PubMed

Lau, Susie; Abdul Aziz, Yang Faridah; Ng, Kwan Hoong

2017-01-01

To investigate: (1) the variability of mammographic compression parameters amongst Asian women; and (2) the effects of reducing compression force on image quality and mean glandular dose (MGD) in Asian women based on phantom study. We retrospectively collected 15818 raw digital mammograms from 3772 Asian women aged 35-80 years who underwent screening or diagnostic mammography between Jan 2012 and Dec 2014 at our center. The mammograms were processed using a volumetric breast density (VBD) measurement software (Volpara) to assess compression force, compression pressure, compressed breast thickness (CBT), breast volume, VBD and MGD against breast contact area. The effects of reducing compression force on image quality and MGD were also evaluated based on measurement obtained from 105 Asian women, as well as using the RMI156 Mammographic Accreditation Phantom and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) slabs. Compression force, compression pressure, CBT, breast volume, VBD and MGD correlated significantly with breast contact area (p<0.0001). Compression parameters including compression force, compression pressure, CBT and breast contact area were widely variable between [relative standard deviation (RSD)≥21.0%] and within (p<0.0001) Asian women. The median compression force should be about 8.1 daN compared to the current 12.0 daN. Decreasing compression force from 12.0 daN to 9.0 daN increased CBT by 3.3±1.4 mm, MGD by 6.2-11.0%, and caused no significant effects on image quality (p>0.05). Force-standardized protocol led to widely variable compression parameters in Asian women. Based on phantom study, it is feasible to reduce compression force up to 32.5% with minimal effects on image quality and MGD.

Finding an optimal strategy for measuring the quality of groundwater as a source for drinking water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Driezum, Inge; Saracevic, Ernis; Scheibz, Jürgen; Zessner, Matthias; Kirschner, Alexander; Sommer, Regina; Farnleitner, Andreas; Blaschke, Alfred Paul

2015-04-01

A good chemical and microbiological water quality is of great importance in riverbank filtration systems that are used as public water supplies. Water quality is ideally monitored frequently at the drinking water well using a steady pumping rate. Monitoring source water (like groundwater) however, can be more challenging. First of all, piezometers should be drilled in the correct layer of the aquifer. Secondly, the sampling design should include all preferred parameters (microbiological and chemical parameters) and should also take the hydrological conditions into account. In this study, we made use of different geophysical techniques (ERT and FDEM) to select the optimal placement of the piezometers. We also designed a sampling strategy which can be used to sample fecal indicators, biostability parameters, standard chemical parameters and a wide range of micropollutants. Several time series experiments were carried out in the study site Porous GroundWater Aquifer (PGWA) - an urban floodplain extending on the left bank of the river Danube downstream of the City of Vienna, Austria. The upper layer of the PGWA consist of silt and has a thickness from 1 to 6 meter. The underlying confined aquifer consists of sand and gravel and has a thickness of in between 3 and 15 meter. Hydraulic conductivities range from 5 x 10-2 m/s up to 5 x 10-5 m/s. Underneath the aquifer are alternating sand and clay/silt layers. As fecal markers Escherichia coli, enterococci and aerobic spores were measured. Biostability was measured using leucine incorporation. Additionally, several micropollutants and standard chemical parameters were measured. Results showed that physical and chemical parameters stayed stable in all monitoring wells during extended purging. A similar trend could be observed for E coli and enterococci. In the wells close to the river, aerobic spores and leucine incorporation decreased after 30 min. of pumping, whereas the well close to the backwater showed a different pattern. Overall, purging for 45 minutes was the optimal sampling procedure for the microbiological parameters. Samples for the detection of micropollutants were taken after 15 min. purging.

Ride comfort analysis with physiological parameters for an e-health train.

PubMed

Lee, Youngbum; Shin, Kwangsoo; Lee, Sangjoon; Song, Yongsoo; Han, Sungho; Lee, Myoungho

2009-12-01

Transportation by train has numerous advantages over road transportation, especially with regard to energy efficiency, ecological features, safety, and punctuality. However, the contrast in ride comfort between standard road transportation and train travel has become a competitive issue. The ride comfort enhancement technology of tilting trains (TTX) is a particularly important issue in the development of the Korean high-speed railroad business. Ride comfort is now defined in international standards such as UIC13 and ISO2631. The Korean standards such as KSR9216 mainly address physical parameters such as vibration and noise. In the area of ride comfort, living quality parameter techniques have recently been considered in Korea, Japan, and Europe. This study introduces biological parameters, particularly variations in heart rate, as a more direct measure of comfort. Biological parameters are based on physiological responses rather than on purely external mechanical parameters. Variability of heart rate and other physiological parameters of passengers are measured in a simulation involving changes in the tilting angle of the TTX. This research is a preliminary study for the implementation of an e-health train, which would provide passengers with optimized ride comfort. The e-health train would also provide feedback on altered ride comfort situations that can improve a passenger's experience and provide a healthcare service on the train. The aim of this research was to develop a ride comfort evaluation system for the railway industry, the automobile industry, and the air industry. The degree of tilt correlated with heart rate, fatigue, and unrelieved alertness.

[Actions of standardized extracts of Crataegus berries on exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with congestive heart failure].

PubMed

Rietbrock, N; Hamel, M; Hempel, B; Mitrovic, V; Schmidt, T; Wolf, G K

2001-10-01

Standardized extracts of Crataegus leaves and blossoms are said to have positive inotropic, positive dromotropic and negative bathmotropic effects. Clinical trials produce evidence for an improvement of symptoms in patients with congestive heart failure (NYHA II). In this trial the efficacy of a standardized extract of fresh Crataegus berries (Rob 10) on exercise tolerance and quality of life was studied in 88 patients. In a three-month placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial these patients were treated with Rob 10 (3 x 25 drops daily). Total exercise time in bicycle ergometry was defined as primary efficacy variable, while quality of life (Minnesota Questionnaire), Dyspnea-Fatigue Index and the assessment of dyspnea by the patient on a visual analogous scale were chosen as secondary parameters. Investigations were performed after a two week placebo run-in period as well as 6 and 12 weeks after the onset of the study. Treatment with Rob 10 led to a increase of exercise time of 38.9 s vs placebo (95% confidence interval 5.7-72.1 s). Quality of life improved accordingly in favour of Rob 10. In the Minnesota Questionnaire, the total score fell by 31% (30.6 vs 44.1) under Rob 10 vs 18% (34.6 vs 42.4) under placebo. The Dyspnea-Fatigue Index demonstrated an increase of the total score of 12% (9.41 vs 8.37) vs 8% (8.92 vs 8.26) under administration of placebo. According to findings of the assessment of dyspnea by the patient, dyspnea decreased by 11% (50.5 vs 56.6 mm) vs 4% (54.8 vs 57.3 mm) under placebo. The present study proves the efficacy and safety of a standardized extract of fresh Crataegus berries (Rob 10) in patients with congestive heart failure (NYHA II) regarding the parameters evaluated.

DCTune Perceptual Optimization of Compressed Dental X-Rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Andrew B.; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

In current dental practice, x-rays of completed dental work are often sent to the insurer for verification. It is faster and cheaper to transmit instead digital scans of the x-rays. Further economies result if the images are sent in compressed form. DCTune is a technology for optimizing DCT (digital communication technology) quantization matrices to yield maximum perceptual quality for a given bit-rate, or minimum bit-rate for a given perceptual quality. Perceptual optimization of DCT color quantization matrices. In addition, the technology provides a means of setting the perceptual quality of compressed imagery in a systematic way. The purpose of this research was, with respect to dental x-rays, 1) to verify the advantage of DCTune over standard JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), 2) to verify the quality control feature of DCTune, and 3) to discover regularities in the optimized matrices of a set of images. We optimized matrices for a total of 20 images at two resolutions (150 and 300 dpi) and four bit-rates (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 bits/pixel), and examined structural regularities in the resulting matrices. We also conducted psychophysical studies (1) to discover the DCTune quality level at which the images became 'visually lossless,' and (2) to rate the relative quality of DCTune and standard JPEG images at various bitrates. Results include: (1) At both resolutions, DCTune quality is a linear function of bit-rate. (2) DCTune quantization matrices for all images at all bitrates and resolutions are modeled well by an inverse Gaussian, with parameters of amplitude and width. (3) As bit-rate is varied, optimal values of both amplitude and width covary in an approximately linear fashion. (4) Both amplitude and width vary in systematic and orderly fashion with either bit-rate or DCTune quality; simple mathematical functions serve to describe these relationships. (5) In going from 150 to 300 dpi, amplitude parameters are substantially lower and widths larger at corresponding bit-rates or qualities. (6) Visually lossless compression occurs at a DCTune quality value of about 1. (7) At 0.25 bits/pixel, comparative ratings give DCTune a substantial advantage over standard JPEG. As visually lossless bit-rates are approached, this advantage of necessity diminishes. We have concluded that DCTune optimized quantization matrices provide better visual quality than standard JPEG. Meaningful quality levels may be specified by means of the DCTune metric. Optimized matrices are very similar across the class of dental x-rays, suggesting the possibility of a 'class-optimal' matrix. DCTune technology appears to provide some value in the context of compressed dental x-rays.

Evaluation of groundwater quality in rural-areas of northern Malawi: Case of Zombwe Extension Planning Area in Mzimba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chidya, Russel C. G.; Matamula, Swithern; Nakoma, Oliver; Chawinga, Charles B. J.

2016-06-01

Many people in in the Sub-Saharan region rely on groundwater for drinking and other household uses. Despite this significance, information on the chemical composition of the water in the boreholes and emperical data on groundwater quality is limited in some rural areas of Malawi. This study was conducted to evaluate the physico-chemical quality of water from boreholes (n = 20) in Zombwe Extension Planning Area (EPA), Mzimba in Northern Malawi to ascertain their safety. Desktop studies and participatory approaches were employed to assess the socio-economic activities and water supply regime in the study areas. The water samples were analysed for pH, conductivity (EC), turbidity, water temperature, nitrate (NO3-), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), fluoride (F-), and sulphate (SO42-). In-situ and laboratory analyses were carried out using portable meters and standard procedures. The results were compared with national (Malawi Bureau of Standards - MBS) and international standards (World Health Organization - WHO) for drinking water. The following ranges were obtained: pH (6.00-7.80), EC (437-3128 μS/cm), turbidity (0.10-5.80 NTU), water temperature (27.0-30.60 °C), NO3- (0.30-30.00 mg/L), F- (0.10-8.10 mg/L), Mg (31.00-91.00 mg/L), Ca (20.00-197.10 mg/L), SO42- (10.20-190 mg/L), Fe (0.10-3.60 mg/L) and Zn (0.00-5.10 mg/L). Generally, some parameters tested at several sites (>80%, n = 20) complied with both MBS and WHO limits. No significant differences (p > 0.05) was observed for most parameters (>65%, n = 11). Groundwater contamination was not significant in the area despite some parameters like F-, Ca and SO42- showing higher levels at other sites. Some sites registered very hard water (244.60-757.80 mg/L CaCO3) probably due to mineralization influenced by underground rock material. Further studies are needed to ascertain the groundwater quality of other parameters (like F-, and SO42-) which registered higher levels at some sites. Routine monitoring of the groundwater in the study area and entire Malawi is needed for spatio-temporal variation assessment and to ensure good public health.

SU-E-J-50: An Evaluation of the Stability of Image Quality Parameters of the Elekta XVI and IView Imaging Systems

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

Stanley, D; Papanikolaou, N; Gutierrez, A

2015-06-15

Introduction Quality assurance of the image quality for image guided localization systems is crucial to ensure accurate visualization and localization of target volumes. In this study, the long term stability of selected image parameters was assessed and evaluated for CBCT mode, planar radiographic kV mode and MV mode. Methods and Materials: The CATPHAN, QckV-1 and QC-3 phantoms were used to evaluate the image quality parameters. The planar radiographic images were analyzed in PIPSpro™ with spatial resolution (f30, f40, f50) being recorded. For XVI CBCT, Head and Neck Small20 (S20) and Pelvis Medium20 (M20) standard acquisition modes were evaluated for Uniformity,more » Noise, Spatial Resolution and HU constancy. Dose and kVp for the XVI were recorded using the Unfors RaySafe Xi system with the R/F Low Detector for the kV planar radiographic mode. Results A total of 20 and 10 measurements were acquired for the planar radiographic and CBCT systems respectively over a two month period. Values were normalized to the mean and the standard deviations (STD) were recorded. For the planar radiographic spatial resolution, the STD for f30, f40, f50 were 0.004, 0.002, 0.002 and 0.005, 0.007, 0.008 for the kV and MV, respectively. The average recorded dose for kV was 38.7±2.7 μGy. The STD of the evaluated metrics for the S20 acquisition were: 0.444(f30), 0.067(f40), 0.062(f50), 0.018(Water/poly-HU constancy), 0.028(uniformity) and 0.106(noise). The standard deviations for the M20 acquisition were: 0.108(f30), 0.073(f40), 0.091(f50), 0.008(Water/poly-HU constancy), 0.005(uniformity) and 0.005(noise). Using these, tolerances can be reported as a warning and action threshold of 1σ and 2σ. Conclusion A study was performed to assess the stability of the basic image quality parameters recommended by TG-142 for the Elekta XVI and iView imaging systems. Consistent imaging and dosimetric properties over the evaluated time frame were noted. This work was funded in part by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas Pre doctoral fellowship training grant (RP140105) to Dennis N. Stanley M.Sc.« less

Using standard treatment protocols to manage costs and quality of hospital services.

PubMed

Meyer, J W; Feingold, M G

1993-06-01

The current health care environment has made it critically important that hospital costs and quality be managed in an integrated fashion. Promised health care reforms are expected to make cost reduction and quality enhancement only more important. Traditional methods of hospital cost and quality control have largely been replaced by such approaches as practice parameters, outcomes measurement, clinical indicators, clinical paths, benchmarking, patient-centered care, and a focus on patient selection criteria. This Special Report describes an integrated process for strategically managing costs and quality simultaneously, incorporating key elements of many important new quality and cost control tools. By using a multidisciplinary group process to develop standard treatment protocols, hospitals and their medical staffs address the most important services provided within major product lines. Using both clinical and financial data, groups of physicians, nurses, department managers, financial analysts, and administrators redesign key patterns of care within their hospital, incorporating the best practices of their own and other institutions. The outcome of this process is a new, standardized set of clinical guidelines that reduce unnecessary variation in care, eliminate redundant interventions, establish clear lines of communication for all caregivers, and reduce the cost of each stay. The hospital, medical staff, and patients benefit from the improved opportunities for managed care contracting, more efficient hospital systems, consensus-based quality measures, and reductions in the cost of care. STPs offer a workable and worthwhile approach to positioning the hospital of the 1990s for operational efficiency and cost and quality competitiveness.

Seasonal Variation of Groundwater Quality in Erode District, Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Kavidha, R; Elangovan, K

2014-07-01

In recent years, the recurring environmental issues regarding hazardous waste, global climate change, stratospheric ozone depletion, groundwater contamination, disaster mitigation and removal of pollutant have become the focus of environmental attention. In the management of water resources, quality of water is just as important as its quantity. In order to assess the quality and/or suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation in Erode District, 144 water samples each in post-monsoon and pre-monsoon during the year 2007 were collected and analyzed for various parameters. These parameters were compared with IS: 10500-1991 drinking water standards. Out of 144 samples, 29 samples exceeded the permissible limit for both the monsoons, 71 samples were within the permissible limit for both the monsoons and the remaining samples exceeded the permissible limit for any one of the monsoon. During both monsoons, except some samples, most of the samples were suitable for drinking and irrigation.

Use of Principal Components Analysis and Kriging to Predict Groundwater-Sourced Rural Drinking Water Quality in Saskatchewan

PubMed Central

McLeod, Lianne; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Epp, Tasha; Waldner, Cheryl L.

2017-01-01

Groundwater drinking water supply surveillance data were accessed to summarize water quality delivered as public and private water supplies in southern Saskatchewan as part of an exposure assessment for epidemiologic analyses of associations between water quality and type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Arsenic in drinking water has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases and previous studies have identified multiple wells with arsenic above the drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L; therefore, arsenic concentrations were of specific interest. Principal components analysis was applied to obtain principal component (PC) scores to summarize mixtures of correlated parameters identified as health standards and those identified as aesthetic objectives in the Saskatchewan Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objective. Ordinary, universal, and empirical Bayesian kriging were used to interpolate arsenic concentrations and PC scores in southern Saskatchewan, and the results were compared. Empirical Bayesian kriging performed best across all analyses, based on having the greatest number of variables for which the root mean square error was lowest. While all of the kriging methods appeared to underestimate high values of arsenic and PC scores, empirical Bayesian kriging was chosen to summarize large scale geographic trends in groundwater-sourced drinking water quality and assess exposure to mixtures of trace metals and ions. PMID:28914824

Use of Principal Components Analysis and Kriging to Predict Groundwater-Sourced Rural Drinking Water Quality in Saskatchewan.

PubMed

McLeod, Lianne; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Epp, Tasha; Waldner, Cheryl L

2017-09-15

Groundwater drinking water supply surveillance data were accessed to summarize water quality delivered as public and private water supplies in southern Saskatchewan as part of an exposure assessment for epidemiologic analyses of associations between water quality and type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Arsenic in drinking water has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases and previous studies have identified multiple wells with arsenic above the drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L; therefore, arsenic concentrations were of specific interest. Principal components analysis was applied to obtain principal component (PC) scores to summarize mixtures of correlated parameters identified as health standards and those identified as aesthetic objectives in the Saskatchewan Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objective. Ordinary, universal, and empirical Bayesian kriging were used to interpolate arsenic concentrations and PC scores in southern Saskatchewan, and the results were compared. Empirical Bayesian kriging performed best across all analyses, based on having the greatest number of variables for which the root mean square error was lowest. While all of the kriging methods appeared to underestimate high values of arsenic and PC scores, empirical Bayesian kriging was chosen to summarize large scale geographic trends in groundwater-sourced drinking water quality and assess exposure to mixtures of trace metals and ions.

Quantitative Analysis of the Effect of Iterative Reconstruction Using a Phantom: Determining the Appropriate Blending Percentage

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyun Gi; Lee, Young Han; Choi, Jin-Young; Park, Mi-Suk; Kim, Myeong-Jin; Kim, Ki Whang

2015-01-01

Purpose To investigate the optimal blending percentage of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) in a reduced radiation dose while preserving a degree of image quality and texture that is similar to that of standard-dose computed tomography (CT). Materials and Methods The CT performance phantom was scanned with standard and dose reduction protocols including reduced mAs or kVp. Image quality parameters including noise, spatial, and low-contrast resolution, as well as image texture, were quantitatively evaluated after applying various blending percentages of ASIR. The optimal blending percentage of ASIR that preserved image quality and texture compared to standard dose CT was investigated in each radiation dose reduction protocol. Results As the percentage of ASIR increased, noise and spatial-resolution decreased, whereas low-contrast resolution increased. In the texture analysis, an increasing percentage of ASIR resulted in an increase of angular second moment, inverse difference moment, and correlation and in a decrease of contrast and entropy. The 20% and 40% dose reduction protocols with 20% and 40% ASIR blending, respectively, resulted in an optimal quality of images with preservation of the image texture. Conclusion Blending the 40% ASIR to the 40% reduced tube-current product can maximize radiation dose reduction and preserve adequate image quality and texture. PMID:25510772

Effects of urbanization on stream water quality in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, N.E.

2009-01-01

A long-term stream water quality monitoring network was established in the city of Atlanta, Georgia during 2003 to assess baseline water quality conditions and the effects of urbanization on stream water quality. Routine hydrologically based manual stream sampling, including several concurrent manual point and equal width increment sampling, was conducted ???12 times annually at 21 stations, with drainage areas ranging from 3.7 to 232 km2. Eleven of the stations are real-time (RT) stations having continuous measures of stream stage/ discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, water temperature and turbidity, and automatic samplers for stormwater collection. Samples were analyzed for field parameters, and a broad suite of water quality and sediment-related constituents. Field parameters and concentrations of major ions, metals, nutrient species and coliform bacteria among stations were evaluated and with respect to watershed characteristics and plausible sources from 2003 through September 2007. Most constituent concentrations are much higher than nearby reference streams. Concentrations are statistically different among stations for several constituents, despite high variability both within and among stations. Routine manual sampling, automatic sampling during stormflows and RT water quality monitoring provided sufficient information about urban stream water quality variability to evaluate causes of water quality differences among streams. Fecal coliform bacteria concentrations of most samples exceeded Georgia's water quality standard for any water-usage class. High chloride concentrations occur at three stations and are hypothesized to be associated with discharges of chlorinated combined sewer overflows, drainage of swimming pool(s) and dissolution and transport during rainstorms of CaCl2, a deicing salt applied to roads during winter storms. One stream was affected by dissolution and transport of ammonium alum [NH4Al(SO4)2] from an alum-manufacturing plant; streamwater has low pH (<5), low alkalinity and high metals concentrations. Several trace metals exceed acute and chronic water quality standards and high concentrations are attributed to washoff from impervious surfaces.

Standardization of domestic frying processes by an engineering approach.

PubMed

Franke, K; Strijowski, U

2011-05-01

An approach was developed to enable a better standardization of domestic frying of potato products. For this purpose, 5 domestic fryers differing in heating power and oil capacity were used. A very defined frying process using a highly standardized model product and a broad range of frying conditions was carried out in these fryers and the development of browning representing an important quality parameter was measured. Product-to-oil ratio, oil temperature, and frying time were varied. Quite different color changes were measured in the different fryers although the same frying process parameters were applied. The specific energy consumption for water evaporation (spECWE) during frying related to product amount was determined for all frying processes to define an engineering parameter for characterizing the frying process. A quasi-linear regression approach was applied to calculate this parameter from frying process settings and fryer properties. The high significance of the regression coefficients and a coefficient of determination close to unity confirmed the suitability of this approach. Based on this regression equation, curves for standard frying conditions (SFC curves) were calculated which describe the frying conditions required to obtain the same level of spECWE in the different domestic fryers. Comparison of browning results from the different fryers operated at conditions near the SFC curves confirmed the applicability of the approach. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Analysis of the systems of ventilation of residential houses of Ukraine and Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savchenko, Olena; Zhelykh, Vasyl; Voll, Hendrik

2017-12-01

The most common ventilation system in residential buildings in Ukraine is natural ventilation. In recent years, due to increased tightness of structures, an increase in the content of synthetic finishing materials in them, the quality of microclimate parameters deteriorated. One of the measures to improve the parameters of indoor air in residential buildings is the use of mechanical inflow and exhaust ventilation system. In this article the regulatory documents concerning the design of ventilation systems in Ukraine and Estonia and the requirements for air exchange in residential buildings are considered. It is established that the existing normative documents in Ukraine are analogous to European norms, which allow design the system of ventilation of residential buildings according to European standards. However, the basis for the design of ventilation systems in Ukraine is the national standards, in which mechanical ventilation, unfortunately, is provided only for the design of high-rise buildings. To maintain acceptable microclimate parameters in residential buildings, it is advisable for designers to apply the requirements for designing ventilation systems in accordance with European standards.

Guidelines and standard procedures for continuous water-quality monitors: Station operation, record computation, and data reporting

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Richard J.; Boulger, Robert W.; Oblinger, Carolyn J.; Smith, Brett A.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey uses continuous water-quality monitors to assess the quality of the Nation's surface water. A common monitoring-system configuration for water-quality data collection is the four-parameter monitoring system, which collects temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH data. Such systems also can be configured to measure other properties, such as turbidity or fluorescence. Data from sensors can be used in conjunction with chemical analyses of samples to estimate chemical loads. The sensors that are used to measure water-quality field parameters require careful field observation, cleaning, and calibration procedures, as well as thorough procedures for the computation and publication of final records. This report provides guidelines for site- and monitor-selection considerations; sensor inspection and calibration methods; field procedures; data evaluation, correction, and computation; and record-review and data-reporting processes, which supersede the guidelines presented previously in U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report WRIR 00-4252. These procedures have evolved over the past three decades, and the process continues to evolve with newer technologies.

A measurement-driven approach to assess power line telecommunication (PLT) network quality of service (QoS) performance parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betta, G.; Capriglione, D.; Ferrigno, L.; Laracca, M.

2009-10-01

Power line telecommunication (PLT) technology offers cheap and fast ways for providing in-home broadband services and local area networking. Its main advantage is due to the possibility of using the pre-existing electrical grid as a communication channel. Nevertheless, technical challenges arise from the difficulty of operating on a hostile medium, not designed for communication purposes, characterized by complex channel modeling and by varying time response. These aspects put practical problems for designers and testers in the assessment of network quality of service performance parameters such as the throughput, the latency, the jitter, and the reliability. The measurement of these parameters has not yet been standardized so that there do not exist reference test set-ups and measurement methodologies (i.e. the type of isolation from the ac main, the observation time and the number of experiments, the measurement uncertainty and so on). Consequently, experiments executed by adopting different methods may lead to incompatible measurement results, thus making it also impossible to have reliable comparisons of different PLT modems. Really, the development of standard procedures is a very difficult task because the scenarios in which the PLT modems can work are very wide and then the application of an exhaustive approach (in which all the parameters influencing the PLT performance should be considered) would be very complex and time consuming, thus making the modem characterization very expensive. In this paper, the authors propose a methodological approach to develop an efficient measurement procedure able to reliably assess the performance of PLT modems (in terms of network quality of service parameters) with a minimum number of experiments. It is based on both creating a reconfigurable grid to which real disturbing loads are connected and implementing an original design of the experiment technique based on the effects of the uncertainty of the measurement results. Methods are also provided to analyze measurement results and to estimate the measurement uncertainty.

Dishwashing water recycling system and related water quality standards for military use.

PubMed

Church, Jared; Verbyla, Matthew E; Lee, Woo Hyoung; Randall, Andrew A; Amundsen, Ted J; Zastrow, Dustin J

2015-10-01

As the demand for reliable and safe water supplies increases, both water quality and available quantity are being challenged by population growth and climate change. Greywater reuse is becoming a common practice worldwide; however, in remote locations of limited water supply, such as those encountered in military installations, it is desirable to expand its classification to include dishwashing water to maximize the conservation of fresh water. Given that no standards for dishwashing greywater reuse by the military are currently available, the current study determined a specific set of water quality standards for dishwater recycling systems for U.S. military field operations. A tentative water reuse standard for dishwashing water was developed based on federal and state regulations and guidelines for non-potable water, and the developed standard was cross-evaluated by monitoring water quality data from a full-scale dishwashing water recycling system using an innovative electrocoagulation and ultrafiltration process. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) was also performed based on exposure scenarios derived from literature data. As a result, a specific set of dishwashing water reuse standards for field analysis (simple, but accurate) was finalized as follows: turbidity (<1 NTU), Escherichia coli (<50 cfu mL(-1)), and pH (6-9). UV254 was recommended as a surrogate for organic contaminants (e.g., BOD5), but requires further calibration steps for validation. The developed specific water standard is the first for dishwashing water reuse and will be expected to ensure that water quality is safe for field operations, but not so stringent that design complexity, cost, and operational and maintenance requirements will not be feasible for field use. In addition the parameters can be monitored using simple equipment in a field setting with only modest training requirements and real-time or rapid sample turn-around. This standard may prove useful in future development of civilian guidelines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality challenges associated with microbial-based cleaning products from the Industry Perspective.

PubMed

Teasdale, Steve M; Kademi, Ali

2018-06-01

Microbial-based cleaning products (MBCPs) continue to gain popularity in the market as environmentally friendly cleaners. The majority of these products contain spores of various Bacillus species. Although the microorganisms used in MBCPs are subject to regulation in Canada under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the products themselves are not. Unlike other types of microbial products such as probiotics and biopesticides, the use, manufacture and quality parameters of MBCPs in Canada and other countries are poorly defined and not specifically subject to any required standards. Due to their complexity and nature, these products feature unique quality challenges. We noted the existing MBCPs we analyzed vary vastly in quality; external microbial contaminants, viability of the spores and the biocompatibility of the ingredients are issues that greatly affect product quality. A proper taxonomic identification of the bacterial species used also seems to be a major challenge for a number of manufacturers. A good understanding of the mechanisms governing these quality challenges and the adoption of good practices for the cultivation, harvesting, formulation, and manufacture of these types of products are essential for achieving high-quality performance standards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Feedback-Based Method for Parameter Adaptation in Image Processing Routines.

PubMed

Khan, Arif Ul Maula; Mikut, Ralf; Reischl, Markus

2016-01-01

The parametrization of automatic image processing routines is time-consuming if a lot of image processing parameters are involved. An expert can tune parameters sequentially to get desired results. This may not be productive for applications with difficult image analysis tasks, e.g. when high noise and shading levels in an image are present or images vary in their characteristics due to different acquisition conditions. Parameters are required to be tuned simultaneously. We propose a framework to improve standard image segmentation methods by using feedback-based automatic parameter adaptation. Moreover, we compare algorithms by implementing them in a feedforward fashion and then adapting their parameters. This comparison is proposed to be evaluated by a benchmark data set that contains challenging image distortions in an increasing fashion. This promptly enables us to compare different standard image segmentation algorithms in a feedback vs. feedforward implementation by evaluating their segmentation quality and robustness. We also propose an efficient way of performing automatic image analysis when only abstract ground truth is present. Such a framework evaluates robustness of different image processing pipelines using a graded data set. This is useful for both end-users and experts.

A New Feedback-Based Method for Parameter Adaptation in Image Processing Routines

PubMed Central

Mikut, Ralf; Reischl, Markus

2016-01-01

The parametrization of automatic image processing routines is time-consuming if a lot of image processing parameters are involved. An expert can tune parameters sequentially to get desired results. This may not be productive for applications with difficult image analysis tasks, e.g. when high noise and shading levels in an image are present or images vary in their characteristics due to different acquisition conditions. Parameters are required to be tuned simultaneously. We propose a framework to improve standard image segmentation methods by using feedback-based automatic parameter adaptation. Moreover, we compare algorithms by implementing them in a feedforward fashion and then adapting their parameters. This comparison is proposed to be evaluated by a benchmark data set that contains challenging image distortions in an increasing fashion. This promptly enables us to compare different standard image segmentation algorithms in a feedback vs. feedforward implementation by evaluating their segmentation quality and robustness. We also propose an efficient way of performing automatic image analysis when only abstract ground truth is present. Such a framework evaluates robustness of different image processing pipelines using a graded data set. This is useful for both end-users and experts. PMID:27764213

Development and use of a population based injury surveillance system: the All Wales Injury Surveillance System (AWISS)

PubMed Central

Lyons, R; Jones, S; Kemp, A; Sibert, J; Shepherd, J; Richmond, P; Bartlett, C; Palmer, S

2002-01-01

This report details the development and use of a population based emergency room surveillance system in the UK. Despite some difficulties in accessing high quality data the system has stimulated a considerable number of research and intervention projects. While surveillance systems with high quality data collection and coding parameters remain the gold standard, imperfect systems, particularly if population based, can play a substantial part in stimulating injury prevention initiatives. PMID:11928983

Verification and quality control of routine hematology analyzers.

PubMed

Vis, J Y; Huisman, A

2016-05-01

Verification of hematology analyzers (automated blood cell counters) is mandatory before new hematology analyzers may be used in routine clinical care. The verification process consists of several items which comprise among others: precision, accuracy, comparability, carryover, background and linearity throughout the expected range of results. Yet, which standard should be met or which verification limit be used is at the discretion of the laboratory specialist. This paper offers practical guidance on verification and quality control of automated hematology analyzers and provides an expert opinion on the performance standard that should be met by the contemporary generation of hematology analyzers. Therefore (i) the state-of-the-art performance of hematology analyzers for complete blood count parameters is summarized, (ii) considerations, challenges, and pitfalls concerning the development of a verification plan are discussed, (iii) guidance is given regarding the establishment of reference intervals, and (iv) different methods on quality control of hematology analyzers are reviewed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Standardization and quality control parameters for Muktā Bhasma (calcined pearl)

PubMed Central

Joshi, Namrata; Sharma, Khemchand; Peter, Hema; Dash, Manoj Kumar

2015-01-01

Background: Muktā Bhasma (MB) is a traditional Ayurvedic preparation for cough, breathlessness, and eye disorders and is a powerful cardiac tonic, mood elevator, and known to promote strength, intellect, and semen production. Objectives: The present research work was conducted to generate fingerprint for raw and processed MB for quality assessment and standardization using classical and other techniques. Setting and Design: Three samples of MB were prepared by purification (śodhana) of Muktā (pearl) followed by repeated calcinations (Māraṇa). Resultant product was subjected to organoleptic tests and Ayurvedic tests for quality control such as rekhāpūrṇatā, vāritaratva, and nirdhūmatva. Materials and Methods: For quality control, physicochemical parameters such as loss on drying, total ash value, acid insoluble ash, specific gravity, pH value, and other tests using techniques such as elemental analysis with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Structural study with powder X-ray diffraction, particle size with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were carried out on raw Muktā, Śodhita Muktā, and triplicate batches of MB. Results: The study showed that the raw material Muktā was calcium carbonate in aragonite form, which on repeated calcinations was converted into a more stable calcite form. SEM studies revealed that in raw and purified materials the particles were found scattered and unevenly arranged in the range of 718.7–214.7 nm while in final product, uniformly arranged, stable, rod-shaped, and rounded particles with more agglomerates were observed in the range of 279.2–79.93 nm. EDAX analysis revealed calcium as a major ingredient in MB (average 46.32%) which increased gradually in the stages of processing (raw 34.11%, Śodhita 37.5%). Conclusion: Quality control parameters have been quantified for fingerprinting of MB prepared using a particular method. PMID:26600667

Impact of combustion products from Space Shuttle launches on ambient air quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumbauld, R. K.; Bowers, J. F.; Cramer, H. E.

1974-01-01

The present work describes some multilayer diffusion models and a computer program for these models developed to predict the impact of ground clouds formed during Space Shuttle launches on ambient air quality. The diffusion models are based on the Gaussian plume equation for an instantaneous volume source. Cloud growth is estimated on the basis of measurable meteorological parameters: standard deviation of the wind azimuth angle, standard deviation of wind elevation angle, vertical wind-speed shear, vertical wind-direction shear, and depth of the surface mixing layer. Calculations using these models indicate that Space Shuttle launches under a variety of meteorological regimes at Kennedy Space Center and Vandenberg AFB are unlikely to endanger the exposure standards for HCl; similar results have been obtained for CO and Al2O3. However, the possibility that precipitation scavenging of the ground cloud might result in an acidic rain that could damage vegetation has not been investigated.

Evaluation Of Water Quality At River Bian In Merauke Papua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaja, Irba; Purwanto, P.; Sunoko, H. R.

2018-02-01

River Bian in Merauke Regency has been utilized by local people in Papua (the Marind) who live along the river for fulfilling their daily needs, such as shower, cloth and dish washing, and even defecation, waste disposal, including domestic waste, as well as for ceremonial activities related to the locally traditional culture. Change in land use for other necessities and domestic activities of the local people have mounted pressures on the status of the River Bian, thus decreasing the quality of the river. This study had objectives to find out and to analyze river water quality and water quality status of the River Bian, and its compliance with water quality standards for ideal use. The study determined sample point by a purposive sampling method, taking the water samples with a grab method. The analysis of the water quality was performed by standard and pollution index methods. The study revealed that the water quality of River Bian, concerning BOD, at the station 3 had exceeded quality threshold. COD parameter for all stations had exceeded the quality threshold for class III. At three stations, there was a decreasing value due to increasing PI, as found at the stations 1, 2, and 3. In other words, River Bian had been lightly contaminated.

A proteomics performance standard to support measurement quality in proteomics.

PubMed

Beasley-Green, Ashley; Bunk, David; Rudnick, Paul; Kilpatrick, Lisa; Phinney, Karen

2012-04-01

The emergence of MS-based proteomic platforms as a prominent technology utilized in biochemical and biomedical research has increased the need for high-quality MS measurements. To address this need, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reference material (RM) 8323 yeast protein extract is introduced as a proteomics quality control material for benchmarking the preanalytical and analytical performance of proteomics-based experimental workflows. RM 8323 yeast protein extract is based upon the well-characterized eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae and can be utilized in the design and optimization of proteomics-based methodologies from sample preparation to data analysis. To demonstrate its utility as a proteomics quality control material, we coupled LC-MS/MS measurements of RM 8323 with the NIST MS Quality Control (MSQC) performance metrics to quantitatively assess the LC-MS/MS instrumentation parameters that influence measurement accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility. Due to the complexity of the yeast proteome, we also demonstrate how NIST RM 8323, along with the NIST MSQC performance metrics, can be used in the evaluation and optimization of proteomics-based sample preparation methods. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Real-time determination of laser beam quality by modal decomposition.

PubMed

Schmidt, Oliver A; Schulze, Christian; Flamm, Daniel; Brüning, Robert; Kaiser, Thomas; Schröter, Siegmund; Duparré, Michael

2011-03-28

We present a real-time method to determine the beam propagation ratio M2 of laser beams. The all-optical measurement of modal amplitudes yields M2 parameters conform to the ISO standard method. The experimental technique is simple and fast, which allows to investigate laser beams under conditions inaccessible to other methods.

“Transference Ratios” to Predict Total Oxidized Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition – Part I, Monitoring Results

EPA Science Inventory

Use of model-predicted “transference ratios” is currently under consideration by the US EPA in the formulation of a Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for oxidized nitrogen and oxidized sulfur. This term is an empirical parameter defined for oxidized sulfur (TS)as th...

Reducing nitrogen loss and phytotoxicity during beer vinasse composting with biochar addition.

PubMed

Wang, Xueqin; Zhao, Yue; Wang, Huan; Zhao, Xinyu; Cui, Hongyang; Wei, Zimin

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of composting of beer vinasse generated from brewing industry, the effect of biochar amendment on beer vinasse composting was also evaluated based on the changes of different physicochemical parameters, phytotoxicity and final compost quality. Four different treatments were performed of beer vinasse with biochar addition at 0, 5%, 10%, 15% (w/w dry basis). The final product obtained from beer vinasse composting was phytotoxicity-free (GI: 120.8%), mature (C/N: 19.88, NH 4 + -N: 295.0mg/kg, DOC: 9.76g/kg) and nutrient-rich (especially for P: 1.92%) compost except high N loss (60.76%), which had the potential to be as soil amendment or fertilizer. Biochar addition contributed to decomposition of DOC indicating higher microbial activity and attain phytotoxicity-free standard rapidly. N loss significantly reduced by 27% with biochar at 15% addition. And 15% biochar addition ensured all parameters, which was involved in composts quality, to attain the mature standard. Therefore, it was suggested that biochar addition at 15% was optimal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular radiotherapy: the NUKFIT software for calculating the time-integrated activity coefficient.

PubMed

Kletting, P; Schimmel, S; Kestler, H A; Hänscheid, H; Luster, M; Fernández, M; Bröer, J H; Nosske, D; Lassmann, M; Glatting, G

2013-10-01

Calculation of the time-integrated activity coefficient (residence time) is a crucial step in dosimetry for molecular radiotherapy. However, available software is deficient in that it is either not tailored for the use in molecular radiotherapy and/or does not include all required estimation methods. The aim of this work was therefore the development and programming of an algorithm which allows for an objective and reproducible determination of the time-integrated activity coefficient and its standard error. The algorithm includes the selection of a set of fitting functions from predefined sums of exponentials and the choice of an error model for the used data. To estimate the values of the adjustable parameters an objective function, depending on the data, the parameters of the error model, the fitting function and (if required and available) Bayesian information, is minimized. To increase reproducibility and user-friendliness the starting values are automatically determined using a combination of curve stripping and random search. Visual inspection, the coefficient of determination, the standard error of the fitted parameters, and the correlation matrix are provided to evaluate the quality of the fit. The functions which are most supported by the data are determined using the corrected Akaike information criterion. The time-integrated activity coefficient is estimated by analytically integrating the fitted functions. Its standard error is determined assuming Gaussian error propagation. The software was implemented using MATLAB. To validate the proper implementation of the objective function and the fit functions, the results of NUKFIT and SAAM numerical, a commercially available software tool, were compared. The automatic search for starting values was successfully tested for reproducibility. The quality criteria applied in conjunction with the Akaike information criterion allowed the selection of suitable functions. Function fit parameters and their standard error estimated by using SAAM numerical and NUKFIT showed differences of <1%. The differences for the time-integrated activity coefficients were also <1% (standard error between 0.4% and 3%). In general, the application of the software is user-friendly and the results are mathematically correct and reproducible. An application of NUKFIT is presented for three different clinical examples. The software tool with its underlying methodology can be employed to objectively and reproducibly estimate the time integrated activity coefficient and its standard error for most time activity data in molecular radiotherapy.

Quality of Life among Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis in Penang, Malaysia.

PubMed

Ramatillah, Diana Laila; Syed Sulaiman, Syed Azhar; Khan, Amer Hayat; Meng, Ong Loke

2017-01-01

Quality of life is one of the parameters to check the improvement of hemodialysis treatment among hemodialysed patients. Those patients will be dealing with this treatment in long term if this treatment is the only way for them to replace their kidney function and this thing will affect their quality of life. To evaluate the quality of life patients on hemodialysis using kidney disease quality of life-short term 24 (KDQoL-SF24) Malaysian Version. Cohort observational study was conducted in this study. The study included 78 hemodialysed patients in HD center Penang, Malaysia. There were 9 components which had the lower of the mean and standard deviation (SD) than the standard form; work status (15.01 ± 35.57), cognitive function (75.66 ± 13.75), quality of life social interaction (76.32 ± 16.11), sleep (55.86 ± 15.30), social support (59.61 ± 22.08), patient satisfaction (43.24 ± 15.32), physical functioning (50.06 ± 42.81), general health (29.62 ± 25.56), and role emotional (54.27 ± 49.92). In this HD center, the group of patient's age who had the lower mean ± SD from the KDQoL-SF Manual Standard were the first and the sixth groups of patient's age (≤20 and 61-70). The study conducted in HD center, Penang, Malaysia showed that the scoring of work status, cognitive function, quality of social interaction, sleep, social support, patient satisfaction, physical functioning, general health, and role emotional were low than standard form.

Optimization of a protocol for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy by using an anthropomorphic phantom.

PubMed

Ramos, Susie Medeiros Oliveira; Glavam, Adriana Pereira; Kubo, Tadeu Takao Almodovar; de Sá, Lidia Vasconcellos

2014-01-01

To develop a study aiming at optimizing myocardial perfusion imaging. Imaging of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom with a GE SPECT Ventri gamma camera, with varied activities and acquisition times, in order to evaluate the influence of these parameters on the quality of the reconstructed medical images. The (99m)Tc-sestamibi radiotracer was utilized, and then the images were clinically evaluated on the basis of data such as summed stress score, and on the technical image quality and perfusion. The software ImageJ was utilized in the data quantification. The results demonstrated that for the standard acquisition time utilized in the procedure (15 seconds per angle), the injected activity could be reduced by 33.34%. Additionally, even if the standard scan time is reduced by 53.34% (7 seconds per angle), the standard injected activity could still be reduced by 16.67%, without impairing the image quality and the diagnostic reliability. The described method and respective results provide a basis for the development of a clinical trial of patients in an optimized protocol.

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).

Optimization of a protocol for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy by using an anthropomorphic phantom*

PubMed Central

Ramos, Susie Medeiros Oliveira; Glavam, Adriana Pereira; Kubo, Tadeu Takao Almodovar; de Sá, Lidia Vasconcellos

2014-01-01

Objective To develop a study aiming at optimizing myocardial perfusion imaging. Materials and Methods Imaging of an anthropomorphic thorax phantom with a GE SPECT Ventri gamma camera, with varied activities and acquisition times, in order to evaluate the influence of these parameters on the quality of the reconstructed medical images. The 99mTc-sestamibi radiotracer was utilized, and then the images were clinically evaluated on the basis of data such as summed stress score, and on the technical image quality and perfusion. The software ImageJ was utilized in the data quantification. Results The results demonstrated that for the standard acquisition time utilized in the procedure (15 seconds per angle), the injected activity could be reduced by 33.34%. Additionally, even if the standard scan time is reduced by 53.34% (7 seconds per angle), the standard injected activity could still be reduced by 16.67%, without impairing the image quality and the diagnostic reliability. Conclusion The described method and respective results provide a basis for the development of a clinical trial of patients in an optimized protocol. PMID:25741088

Response of aquatic macro-invertebrate diversity to environmental factors along the Lower Komati River in Swaziland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dlamini, Vuyisile; Hoko, Zvikomborero; Murwira, Amon; Magagula, Cebisile

This paper assessed macro-invertebrates diversity as an indicator of aquatic ecosystem health in the Lower Komati River. It also investigated whether this diversity is a function of physico-chemical water quality parameters along an area with major agricultural activities. Bio-assessment of aquatic macro-invertebrates present in the Lower Komati River was carried out at seven sites on the river over 3 months. Water samples were also collected at these sites and analysed for pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, turbidity, nitrates, ammonia and ortho-phosphates according to standard methods. It was found out that species diversity along agricultural fields was not significantly different ( p > 0.05) between successive sites. However, nitrate and turbidity among the physico-chemical parameters indicated a significant variation of mean values ( p < 0.05) between sites. With the exception of turbidity, no significant relationship ( p > 0.05) was found between diversity and water quality parameters. Principal Component Analysis also demonstrated the influence of turbidity in the sub-catchments as it was the only parameter that showed a significant loading in all Principal Components. Turbidity seems to be the main parameter influencing aquatic macro-invertebrate diversity in the Lower Komati River at the time of study. The study recommends further studies to determine the seasonal variation of the impact of water quality on macro-invertebrates diversity.

Effects of consensus training on the reliability of auditory perceptual ratings of voice quality.

PubMed

Iwarsson, Jenny; Reinholt Petersen, Niels

2012-05-01

This study investigates the effect of consensus training of listeners on intrarater and interrater reliability and agreement of perceptual voice analysis. The use of such training, including a reference voice sample, could be assumed to make the internal standards held in memory common and more robust, which is of great importance to reduce the variability of auditory perceptual ratings. A prospective design with testing before and after training. Thirteen students of audiologopedics served as listening subjects. The ratings were made using a multidimensional protocol with four-point equal-appearing interval scales. The stimuli consisted of text reading by authentic dysphonic patients. The consensus training for each perceptual voice parameter included (1) definition, (2) underlying physiology, (3) presentation of carefully selected sound examples representing the parameter in three different grades followed by group discussions of perceived characteristics, and (4) practical exercises including imitation to make use of the listeners' proprioception. Intrarater reliability and agreement showed a marked improvement for intermittent aphonia but not for vocal fry. Interrater reliability was high for most parameters before training with a slight increase after training. Interrater agreement showed marked increases for most voice quality parameters as a result of the training. The results support the recommendation of specific consensus training, including use of a reference voice sample material, to calibrate, equalize, and stabilize the internal standards held in memory by the listeners. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Water quality assessment: surface water sources used for drinking and irrigation in Zaria, Nigeria are a public health hazard.

PubMed

Chigor, Vincent N; Umoh, Veronica J; Okuofu, Charles A; Ameh, Joseph B; Igbinosa, Etinosa O; Okoh, Anthony I

2012-05-01

We assessed the quality and pollution status of source surface waters in Zaria, Nigeria by monitoring the nature, cause and extent of pollution in Samaru stream, Kubanni River and Kubanni dam over a period of 10 months, between March and December 2002. A total of 228 water samples was collected from 12 sites and analysed for a total of ten physicochemical and one bacteriological quality indicators, using standard methods. Aesthetic water quality impairment parameters were also observed. The mean values of most water quality parameters were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in both the stream and river than in the dam. There was no significant correlation between faecal coliform counts (FCC) and water temperature (in the range 15-33°C); pH (5.77-7.32); and turbidity (1.4-567 NTU). The high FCC ranged from 2.0 × 10(1) to 1.6 × 10(6) MPN/100 ml and exceeded the WHO standards for drinking water and water used for fresh-produce irrigation, and correlated positively (P < 0.05) with conductivity (in the range 68-1,029 μS/cm); TDS (10.0-70.0 mg/l); TSS (10.0-70.0 mg/l); Cl (7.5-181 mg/l); PO(4)(-) P (0.01-0.41 mg/l); NO(3)(-) N (0.6-3.8 mg/l) and BOD(5) (0.1-14.9 mg/l). The main pollution sources were municipal wastewater, stormwater runoffs, the ABU sewage treatment plant, abattoir effluents and irrigation farms treated with chemical fertilisers. We conclude that these water bodies are potentially hazardous to public health and that proper sewage treatment and river quality monitoring are needed to warn against hazards to public health.

Impact of acquisition and interpretation on total inter-observer variability in echocardiography: results from the quality assurance program of the STAAB cohort study.

PubMed

Morbach, Caroline; Gelbrich, Götz; Breunig, Margret; Tiffe, Theresa; Wagner, Martin; Heuschmann, Peter U; Störk, Stefan

2018-02-14

Variability related to image acquisition and interpretation is an important issue of echocardiography in clinical trials. Nevertheless, there is no broadly accepted standard method for quality assessment of echocardiography in clinical research reports. We present analyses based on the echocardiography quality-assurance program of the ongoing STAAB cohort study (characteristics and course of heart failure stages A-B and determinants of progression). In 43 healthy individuals (mean age 50 ± 14 years; 18 females), duplicate echocardiography scans were acquired and mutually interpreted by one of three trained sonographers and an EACVI certified physician, respectively. Acquisition (AcV), interpretation (InV), and inter-observer variability (IOV; i.e., variability between the acquisition-interpretation sequences of two different observers), were determined for selected M-mode, B-mode, and Doppler parameters. We calculated Bland-Altman upper 95% limits of absolute differences, implying that 95% of measurement differences were smaller/equal to the given value: e.g. LV end-diastolic volume (mL): 25.0, 25.0, 27.9; septal e' velocity (cm/s): 3.03, 1.25, 3.58. Further, 90, 85, and 80% upper limits of absolute differences were determined for the respective parameters. Both, acquisition and interpretation, independently and sizably contributed to IOV. As such, separate assessment of AcV and InV is likely to aid in echocardiography training and quality-assurance. Our results further suggest to routinely determine IOV in clinical trials as a comprehensive measure of imaging quality. The derived 95, 90, 85, and 80% upper limits of absolute differences are suggested as reproducibility targets of future studies, thus contributing to the international efforts of standardization in quality-assurance.

Groundwater quality appraisal and its hydrochemical characterization in Ghaziabad (a region of indo-gangetic plain), Uttar Pradesh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Uday Veer; Abhishek, Amar; Singh, Kunwar P.; Dhakate, Ratnakar; Singh, Netra Pal

2014-06-01

India's growing population enhances great pressure on groundwater resources. The Ghaziabad region is located in the northern Indo-Gangetic alluvium plain of India. Increased population and industrial activities make it imperative to appraise the quality of groundwater system to ensure long-term sustainability of resources. A total number of 250 groundwater samples were collected in two different seasons, viz., pre-monsoon and post monsoon and analyzed for major physico-chemical parameters. Broad range and great standard deviation occurs for most parameters, indicating chemical composition of groundwater affected by process, including water-rock interaction and anthropogenic effect. Iron was found as predominant heavy metal in groundwater samples followed by copper and lead. An exceptional high concentration of Chromium was found in some locations. Industrial activities as chrome plating and wood preservative are the key source to metal pollution in Ghaziabad region. On the basis of classification the area water shows normal sulfate, chloride and bi-carbonate type, respectively. Base-exchange indices classified 76 % of the groundwater sources was the sodium-bicarbonate type. The meteoric genesis indices demonstrated that 80 % of groundwater sources belong to a shallow meteoric water percolation type. Chadha's diagram suggested that the hydro-chemical faces belong to the HCO3 - dominant Ca2+-Mg2+ type along with Cl--dominant Ca2+-Mg2+-type. There was no significant change in pollution parameters in the selected seasons. Comparison of groundwater quality with Indian standards proves that majority of water samples are suitable for irrigation purposes but not for drinking.

Development of a water quality index (WQI) for the Loktak Lake in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das Kangabam, Rajiv; Bhoominathan, Sarojini Devi; Kanagaraj, Suganthi; Govindaraju, Munisamy

2017-10-01

The present work was carried out to assess a water quality index (WQI) of the Loktak Lake, an important wetland which has been under pressure due to the increasing anthropogenic activities. Physicochemical parameters like temperature (Tem), potential hydrogen (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity (T), dissolved oxygen (DO), total hardness (TH), calcium (Ca), chloride (Cl), fluoride (F), sulphate ({SO}4^{2-}), magnesium (Mg), phosphate ({PO}4^{3-}), sodium (Na), potassium (K), nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3), total dissolved solids (TDS), total carbon (TC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were analyzed using standard procedures. The values obtained were compared with the guidelines for drinking purpose suggested by the World Health Organization and Bureau of Indian Standard. The result shows the higher concentration of nitrite in all the location which is beyond the permissible limit. Eleven parameters were selected to derive the WQI for the estimation of water potential for five sampling sites. A relative weight was assigned to each parameter range from 1.46 to 4.09 based on its importance. The WQI values range from 64 to 77 indicating that the Loktak Lake water is not fit for drinking, including both human and animals, even though the people living inside the Lake are using it for drinking purposes. The implementation of WQI is necessary for proper management of the Loktak Lake and it will be a very helpful tool for the public and decision makers to evaluate the water quality of the Loktak Lake for sustainable management.

Honey collected from different floras of Chandigarh Tricity: a comparative study involving physicochemical parameters and biochemical activities.

PubMed

Kumar, Pradeep; Sindhu, Rakesh K; Narayan, Shridhar; Singh, Inderbir

2010-12-01

Different monofloral honeys have a distinctive flavor and color because of differences in physicochemical parameters because of their principal nectar sources or floral types. Honey samples were collected from Apis mellifera colonies forged on 10 floras to analyze the quality of honey in terms of standards laid by Honey Grading and Marking Rules (HGMR), India, 2008 and Codex Alimentarious Commission (CAC), 1969 . The honey samples were analyzed for various physicochemical parameters of honey quality control, i.e., pH, total acidity, moisture, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars, total sugars, water insoluble solids (WIS), ash content, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural content, and diastase value. The antioxidant potential was estimated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Further, honey samples were assayed for antibacterial activities against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli using the hole-plate diffusion method. The physicochemical variation in the composition of honey because of floral source shows Ziziphus honey with high pH and diastase values along with low acidity, whereas Helianthus honey contained high reducing sugar and low moisture content. Amomum, Brassica, Acacia, and Citrus contained lowest amount of non-reducing sugars, ash, WIS, and moisture, respectively. Lowest 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) value was detected in Amomum honey, while highest HMF value was observed with Eucalyptus. The maximum antibacterial and antioxidant potential was observed in Azadirachta and Citrus, respectively. The quality of honey produced by local beekeepers met HGMR and CAC standards, and the chemical composition and biological properties of honey were dependent on the floral source from which it was produced.

Hypocapnia and hyperoxia induction using a hyperventilation protocol in electroconvulsive therapy.

PubMed

de Arriba-Arnau, Aida; Dalmau, Antonia; Salvat-Pujol, Neus; Soria, Virginia; Bocos, Javier; Menchón, José Manuel; Urretavizcaya, Mikel

Hyperventilation in electroconvulsive therapy sessions has been associated with seizure threshold, seizure characteristics, and cognitive effects. There is no consensus on the optimal procedure of applying hyperventilation manoeuvres during electroconvulsive therapy. Prospective evaluation of the effects of systematic use of hyperventilation manoeuvres with facial mask and capnography (protocolized hyperventilation [pHV]), on ventilation parameters and on seizures. The study included a sample of 130 sessions (65 performed according to hyperventilation standard practice and 65 successive sessions, with pHV) of 35 patients over a period of 10 weeks. The pHV manoeuvres reduced exhaled CO 2 and increased O 2 saturation significantly (P<.001). The average CO 2 reduction achieved was 6.52±4.75mmHg (95% CI -7.7 to -5.3). The CO 2 values after pHV correlated significantly with seizure duration and O 2 values, with other electroencephalographic quality indices. In pHV sessions, compared with sessions performed according to hyperventilation standard practice, the average lengthening of the motor and electroencephalographic seizure was 3.86±14.62 and 4.73±13.95s, respectively. No differences were identified in other ictal quality parameters. The proposed pHV manoeuvres significantly modify ventilation parameters. The hypocapnia and hyperoxia obtained by applying these manoeuvres lengthen the duration of seizures without worsening the quality of the electroencephalographic trace. The use of pHV is generalisable and might improve electroconvulsive therapy procedure without adding costs. Copyright © 2016 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Effects of modifying the World Health Organization standard operating procedures for malaria microscopy to improve surveillance in resource poor settings.

PubMed

Fernando, Sumadhya D; Ihalamulla, Ratnasiri L; Wickremasinghe, Renu; de Silva, Nipun L; Thilakarathne, Janani H; Wijeyaratne, Pandu; Premaratne, Risintha G

2014-03-15

Individuals with fever are screened for malaria in specially-established malaria diagnostic laboratories set up in rural hospitals in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. Large numbers of blood smears negative for malaria parasites are being screened daily. Good quality smears are essential to maintain a high diagnostic competency among the technical staff. The modifications made to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard operating procedures to improve the quality of smears have been studied. A blinded, controlled, interventional study was conducted in 22 intervention and 21 control malaria diagnostic laboratories. Changes were made to the WHO standard operating procedure protocols to prepare, stain and examine blood smears for malaria parasite detection which were implemented in intervention laboratories. These included wipe-cleaning slides, preparing both thick and thin smears on the same slide, reversing the order of collecting blood for thick and thin smears, dry fixing thick smear for 20-25 minutes under table lamp, polishing the edge of spreader slide with sand paper and fixing the thin smear with methanol if not stained within four hours. Parameters with respect to quality of the smear as per WHO criteria were studied using randomly selected slides, and time taken for the report to be issued was recorded in both groups before and after the intervention. There were no significant differences observed in the parameters studied at baseline between the two groups or pre and post intervention in the control group. In the intervention group streak formation in thin smears was reduced from 29.4% to 5.0%. The average fixing time of thick smears was reduced from 2.4 hours to 20 minutes. Inappropriate thickness of thick smears reduced from 18.3% to 1.5%. Overall quality of thick smears and thin smears increased from 76.1% to 98.0% and 81.7% to 87.0%, respectively. The quality of slides bearing both thick and thin smears increased from 60.0% to 87.0%. New protocols with amendments to the WHO standard technical procedures ensure that good quality blood smears are prepared rapidly to diagnose malaria and the time required to issue the reports was reduced.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of adjunct VSL#3 therapy versus standard medical therapy in pediatric ulcerative colitis.

PubMed

Park, K T; Perez, Felipe; Tsai, Raymond; Honkanen, Anita; Bass, Dorsey; Garber, Alan

2011-11-01

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are costly chronic gastrointestinal diseases, with pediatric IBD representing increased costs per patient compared to adult disease. Health care expenditures for ulcerative colitis (UC) are >$2 billion annually. It is not clear whether the addition of VSL#3 to standard medical therapy in UC induction and maintenance of remission is a cost-effective strategy. We performed a systematic review of the literature and created a Markov model simulating a cohort of 10-year-old patients with severe UC, studying them until 100 years of age or death. We compared 2 strategies: standard medical therapy versus medical therapy + VSL#3. For both strategies, we assumed that patients progressed through escalating therapies--mesalamine, azathioprine, and infliximab--before receiving a colectomy + ileal pouch anal anastamosis (IPAA) if the 3 medical therapy options were exhausted. The primary outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), defined as the difference of costs between strategies for each quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed on variables to determine the key variables affecting cost-effectiveness. Standard medical care accrued a lifetime cost of $203,317 per patient, compared to $212,582 per patient for medical therapy + VSL#3. Lifetime QALYs gained was comparable for standard medical therapy and medical therapy + VSL#3 at 24.93 versus 25.05, respectively. Using the definition of ICER <50,000/QALY as a cost-effective intervention, medical therapy + VSL#3 produced an ICER of $79,910 per QALY gained, making this strategy cost-ineffective. Sensitivity analyses showed that 4 key parameters could affect the cost-effectiveness of the 2 strategies: cost of colectomy + IPAA, maintenance cost after surgery, probability of developing pouchitis after surgery, and the quality of life after a colectomy + IPAA. High surgical and postsurgical costs, a high probability of developing pouchitis, and a low quality of life after a colectomy + IPAA could make adjunct VSL#3 use a cost-effective strategy. Given present data, adjunct VSL#3 use for pediatric UC induction and maintenance of remission is not cost-effective, although several key parameters could make this strategy cost-effective. The quality of life after an IPAA is the single most important variable predicting whether this procedure benefits patients over escalating standard medical therapy.

Standardization of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the evaluation of antiangiogenic therapies: the French multicenter Support for Innovative and Expensive Techniques Study.

PubMed

Lassau, Nathalie; Chapotot, Louis; Benatsou, Baya; Vilgrain, Valérie; Kind, Michèle; Lacroix, Joëlle; Cuinet, Marie; Taieb, Sophie; Aziza, Richard; Sarran, Antony; Labbe, Catherine; Gallix, Benoît; Lucidarme, Olivier; Ptak, Yvette; Rocher, Laurence; Caquot, Louis Michel; Chagnon, Sophie; Marion, Denis; Luciani, Alain; Uzan-Augui, Joëlle; Koscielny, Serge

2012-12-01

The objectives of this study are to describe the standardization and dissemination of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) for the evaluation of antiangiogenic treatments in solid tumors across 19 oncology centers in France and to define a quality score to account for the variability of the evaluation criteria used to collect DCE-US data. This prospective Soutien aux Techniques Innovantes Coûteuses (Support for Innovative and Expensive Techniques) DCE-US study included patients with metastatic breast cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, renal cell carcinoma and patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma tumors treated with antiangiogenic therapy. The DCE-US method was made available across 19 oncology centers in France. Overall, 2339 DCE-US examinations were performed by 65 radiologists in 539 patients.One target site per patient was studied. Standardized DCE-US examinations were performed before treatment (day 0) and at days 7, 15, 30, and 60. Dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound data were transferred from the different sites to the main study center at the Institut Gustave-Roussy for analysis. Quantitative analyses were performed with a mathematical model to determine 7 DCE-US functional parameters using raw linear data. Radiologists had to evaluate 6 criteria that were potentially linked to the precision of the evaluation of these parameters: lesion size, target motion, loss of target, clear borders, total acquisition of wash-in, and vascular recognition imaging window adapted to the lesion size.Eighteen DCE-US examinations were randomly selected from the Soutien aux Techniques Innovantes Coûteuses (Support for Innovative and Expensive Techniques) database. Each examination was quantified twice by 8 engineers/radiologists trained to evaluate the perfusion parameters. The intraobserver variability was estimated on the basis of differences between examinations performed by the same radiologist. The mean coefficient of variability associated with each quality criterion was estimated. The final quality score, ranging from 0 to 5, was defined according to the value of coefficient of variability for each criterion. A total of 2062 examinations were stored with raw linear data. Five criteria were found to have a major impact on quality: lesion size, motion, loss of target, borders, and total acquisition of wash-in. Only 3% of the examinations were of poor quality (quality of 0); quality was correlated with the radiologists' experience, such that it was significantly higher for radiologists who had performed more than 60 DCE-US examinations (P < 0.0001). The DCE-US methodology has been successfully provided to several centers across France together with strict rules for quality assessment. Only 3% of examinations carried out at these centers were considered not interpretable.

Study on water quality around mangrove ecosystem for coastal rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guntur, G.; Sambah, A. B.; Arisandi, D. M.; Jauhari, A.; Jaziri, A. A.

2018-01-01

Coastal ecosystems are vulnerable to environmental degradation including the declining water quality in the coastal environment due to the influence of human activities where the river becomes one of the input channels. Some areas in the coastal regions of East Java directly facing the Madura Strait indicate having experienced the environmental degradation, especially regarding the water quality. This research was conducted in the coastal area of Probolinggo Regency, East Java, aiming to analyze the water quality as the basis for coastal rehabilitation planning. This study was carried out using survey and observation methods. Water quality measurement results were analyzed conforming to predetermined quality standards. The coastal area rehabilitation planning as a means to restore the degraded water quality parameters is presumably implemented through mangrove planting. Thus, the mangrove mapping was also devised in this research. Based on 40 sampling points, the results illustrate that according to the quality standard, the water quality in the study area is likely to be deteriorated. On account of the mapping analysis of mangrove distribution in the study area, the rehabilitation of the coastal zone can be done through planning the mangrove forest plantation. The recommended coastal area maintenance is a periodic water quality observation planning in the river region which is divided into three zones to monitor the impact of fluctuating changes in land use or human activities on the coastal water quality.

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

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

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

Evaluating the Good Ontology Design Guideline (GoodOD) with the ontology quality requirements and evaluation method and metrics (OQuaRE).

PubMed

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

2014-01-01

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

A suite of phantom-based test methods for assessing image quality of photoacoustic tomography systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, William C.; Jia, Congxian; Wear, Keith A.; Garra, Brian S.; Pfefer, T. Joshua

2017-03-01

As Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT) matures and undergoes clinical translation, objective performance test methods are needed to facilitate device development, regulatory clearance and clinical quality assurance. For mature medical imaging modalities such as CT, MRI, and ultrasound, tissue-mimicking phantoms are frequently incorporated into consensus standards for performance testing. A well-validated set of phantom-based test methods is needed for evaluating performance characteristics of PAT systems. To this end, we have constructed phantoms using a custom tissue-mimicking material based on PVC plastisol with tunable, biologically-relevant optical and acoustic properties. Each phantom is designed to enable quantitative assessment of one or more image quality characteristics including 3D spatial resolution, spatial measurement accuracy, ultrasound/PAT co-registration, uniformity, penetration depth, geometric distortion, sensitivity, and linearity. Phantoms contained targets including high-intensity point source targets and dye-filled tubes. This suite of phantoms was used to measure the dependence of performance of a custom PAT system (equipped with four interchangeable linear array transducers of varying design) on design parameters (e.g., center frequency, bandwidth, element geometry). Phantoms also allowed comparison of image artifacts, including surface-generated clutter and bandlimited sensing artifacts. Results showed that transducer design parameters create strong variations in performance including a trade-off between resolution and penetration depth, which could be quantified with our method. This study demonstrates the utility of phantom-based image quality testing in device performance assessment, which may guide development of consensus standards for PAT systems.

Classification management plan of groundwater quality in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chun Ming; Chen, Yu Ying; Pan, Shih Cheng; Li, Hui Jun; Hsiao, Fang Ke

2017-04-01

Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration has been monitoring regional water quality for 14 years. Since the beginning of 2002 till now, there are 453 regional groundwater monitoring wells in ten groundwater subregions in Taiwan, and the monitoring of groundwater quality has been carried out for a long time. Currently, water quality monitoring project has reached 50 items, while the number of water quality monitoring data has reached more than 20,000. In order to use the monitoring data efficiently, this study constructed the localized groundwater quality indicators of Taiwan. This indicator takes into account the different users' point of view, incorporating the Taiwan groundwater pollution monitoring standards (Category II), irrigation water quality standard and drinking water source water quality standard. 50 items of water quality monitoring projects were simplified and classified. The groundwater quality parameters were divided into five items, such as potability for drinking water, salting, external influence, health influences and toxicity hazard. The weight of the five items of groundwater was calculated comprehensively, and the groundwater quality of each monitoring well was evaluated with three grades of good, ordinary, and poor. According to the monitoring results of the groundwater monitoring wells in October to December of 2016, about 70% of groundwater quality in Taiwan is in good to ordinary grades. The areas with poor groundwater quality were mostly distributed in coastal, agriculture and part of the urban areas. The conductivity or ammonia nitrogen concentration was higher in those regions, showing that groundwater may be salinized or affected by external influences. Groundwater quality indicators can clearly show the current comprehensive situation of the groundwater environment in Taiwan and can be used as a tool for groundwater quality classification management. The indicators can coordinate with the Taiwan land planning policy in the future, and will be able to effectively grasp the changes of the national sub-regional environmental resources, which can serve as one of the important references in national land zoning according to environmental resources. Keywords: Groundwater Quality Indicators, Groundwater Quality Classification management

Diffusion-weighted imaging of the liver with multiple b values: effect of diffusion gradient polarity and breathing acquisition on image quality and intravoxel incoherent motion parameters--a pilot study.

PubMed

Dyvorne, Hadrien A; Galea, Nicola; Nevers, Thomas; Fiel, M Isabel; Carpenter, David; Wong, Edmund; Orton, Matthew; de Oliveira, Andre; Feiweier, Thorsten; Vachon, Marie-Louise; Babb, James S; Taouli, Bachir

2013-03-01

To optimize intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging by estimating the effects of diffusion gradient polarity and breathing acquisition scheme on image quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), IVIM parameters, and parameter reproducibility, as well as to investigate the potential of IVIM in the detection of hepatic fibrosis. In this institutional review board-approved prospective study, 20 subjects (seven healthy volunteers, 13 patients with hepatitis C virus infection; 14 men, six women; mean age, 46 years) underwent IVIM DW imaging with four sequences: (a) respiratory-triggered (RT) bipolar (BP) sequence, (b) RT monopolar (MP) sequence, (c) free-breathing (FB) BP sequence, and (d) FB MP sequence. Image quality scores were assessed for all sequences. A biexponential analysis with the Bayesian method yielded true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (PF) in liver parenchyma. Mixed-model analysis of variance was used to compare image quality, SNR, IVIM parameters, and interexamination variability between the four sequences, as well as the ability to differentiate areas of liver fibrosis from normal liver tissue. Image quality with RT sequences was superior to that with FB acquisitions (P = .02) and was not affected by gradient polarity. SNR did not vary significantly between sequences. IVIM parameter reproducibility was moderate to excellent for PF and D, while it was less reproducible for D*. PF and D were both significantly lower in patients with hepatitis C virus than in healthy volunteers with the RT BP sequence (PF = 13.5% ± 5.3 [standard deviation] vs 9.2% ± 2.5, P = .038; D = [1.16 ± 0.07] × 10(-3) mm(2)/sec vs [1.03 ± 0.1] × 10(-3) mm(2)/sec, P = .006). The RT BP DW imaging sequence had the best results in terms of image quality, reproducibility, and ability to discriminate between healthy and fibrotic liver with biexponential fitting.

Radiation dosimetry for quality control of food preservation and disinfestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaughlin, W. L.; Miller, A.; Uribe, R. M.

In the use of x and gamma rays and scanned electron beams to extend the shelf life of food by delay of sprouting and ripening, killing of microbes, and control of insect population, quality assurance is provided by standardized radiation dosimetry. By strategic placement of calibrated dosimeters that are sufficiently stable and reproducible, it is possible to monitor minimum and maximum radiation absorbed dose levels and dose uniformity for a given processed foodstuff. The dosimetry procedure is especially important in the commisioning of a process and in making adjustments of process parameters (e.g. conveyor speed) to meet changes that occur in product and source parameters (e.g. bulk density and radiation spectrum). Routine dosimetry methods and certain corrections of dosimetry data may be selected for the radiations used in typical food processes.

Monitoring on The Quality and Quantity of DIY Rainwater Harvesting System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasmin, H.; Bakar, N. H.; Zubir, M. M.

2016-07-01

Rainwater harvesting is an alternative sources of water supply and can be used for potable and non-potable uses. It could helps to store treated rainwater for more beneficial use and also for flood mitigation. Sustainable approach for flooding problem reduction in urban areas is by slowing down the rate of surface runoff flows at source by providing more storage area/tank. In order to understand the performance of a rainwater harvesting system (RWH), a preliminary monitoring on a ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) RWH model with additional first -flush strategy for water quality treatment was done. The main concept behind first flush diversion is to prevent initial polluted rainwater from entering the storage tank. Based on seven rainfall events observed in Parit Raja, both quality and quantity of the rainfalls were analysed. For rainwater quality, the samples from first flush diverter and storage tank were taken to understand their performance based on pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, total dissolved solid (TDS), total suspended solid (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) parameters. While for rainwater quantity, hydrograph analysis were done based on the performance of total rainfall and runoff, peak flow of rainfall and runoff; and delayed time parameters. Based on Interim National Water Quality Standard (INWQS) and National Drinking Water Quality Standard (NDWQS), first flush diverter apparently helps on water quality improvement in storage tanks when pH, DO, TDS, TSS and turbidity were classified as Class I (INWQS) and is allowable for drinking; but BOD and COD parameters were classified as Class III (INWQS). Hence, it has potential to be used as potable usage but will need extensive treatment to reduce its poor microbial quality. Based on the maximum observed rainfall event which had total volume of 3195.5 liter, had peakflow reduction from 0.00071 m3/s to 0.00034 m3/s and delayed runoff between 5 and 10 minutes after rainfall started. It concludes that the performance of water retention could be due to total rainfall and the tank capacity. Therefore, RWH has a potential to be used as potable use and at the same time it also has a potential to reduce local urban flooding.

Comments on "Image denoising by sparse 3-D transform-domain collaborative filtering".

PubMed

Hou, Yingkun; Zhao, Chunxia; Yang, Deyun; Cheng, Yong

2011-01-01

In order to resolve the problem that the denoising performance has a sharp drop when noise standard deviation reaches 40, proposed to replace the wavelet transform by the DCT. In this comment, we argue that this replacement is unnecessary, and that the problem can be solved by adjusting some numerical parameters. We also present this parameter modification approach here. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed modification achieves better results in terms of both peak signal-to-noise ratio and subjective visual quality than the original method for strong noise.

Comparison of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI parameters of breast lesions at 1.5 and 3.0 T: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Pineda, F D; Medved, M; Fan, X; Ivancevic, M K; Abe, H; Shimauchi, A; Newstead, G M

2015-01-01

Objective: To compare dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI parameters from scans of breast lesions at 1.5 and 3.0 T. Methods: 11 patients underwent paired MRI examinations in both Philips 1.5 and 3.0 T systems (Best, Netherlands) using a standard clinical fat-suppressed, T1 weighted DCE-MRI protocol, with 70–76 s temporal resolution. Signal intensity vs time curves were fit with an empirical mathematical model to obtain semi-quantitative measures of uptake and washout rates as well as time-to-peak enhancement (TTP). Maximum percent enhancement and signal enhancement ratio (SER) were also measured for each lesion. Percent differences between parameters measured at the two field strengths were compared. Results: TTP and SER parameters measured at 1.5 and 3.0 T were similar; with mean absolute differences of 19% and 22%, respectively. Maximum percent signal enhancement was significantly higher at 3 T than at 1.5 T (p = 0.006). Qualitative assessment showed that image quality was significantly higher at 3 T (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Our results suggest that TTP and SER are more robust to field strength change than other measured kinetic parameters, and therefore measurements of these parameters can be more easily standardized than measurements of other parameters derived from DCE-MRI. Semi-quantitative measures of overall kinetic curve shape showed higher reproducibility than do discrete classification of kinetic curve early and delayed phases in a majority of the cases studied. Advances in knowledge: Qualitative measures of curve shape are not consistent across field strength even when acquisition parameters are standardized. Quantitative measures of overall kinetic curve shape, by contrast, have higher reproducibility. PMID:25785918

Generation of random microstructures and prediction of sound velocity and absorption for open foams with spherical pores.

PubMed

Zieliński, Tomasz G

2015-04-01

This paper proposes and discusses an approach for the design and quality inspection of the morphology dedicated for sound absorbing foams, using a relatively simple technique for a random generation of periodic microstructures representative for open-cell foams with spherical pores. The design is controlled by a few parameters, namely, the total open porosity and the average pore size, as well as the standard deviation of pore size. These design parameters are set up exactly and independently, however, the setting of the standard deviation of pore sizes requires some number of pores in the representative volume element (RVE); this number is a procedure parameter. Another pore structure parameter which may be indirectly affected is the average size of windows linking the pores, however, it is in fact weakly controlled by the maximal pore-penetration factor, and moreover, it depends on the porosity and pore size. The proposed methodology for testing microstructure-designs of sound absorbing porous media applies the multi-scale modeling where some important transport parameters-responsible for sound propagation in a porous medium-are calculated from microstructure using the generated RVE, in order to estimate the sound velocity and absorption of such a designed material.

Impact assessment of on-site sanitation system on groundwater quality in alluvial settings: A case study from Lucknow city in North India.

PubMed

Jangam, Chandrakant; Ramya Sanam, S; Chaturvedi, M K; Padmakar, C; Pujari, Paras R; Labhasetwar, Pawan K

2015-10-01

The present case study has been undertaken to investigate the impact of on-site sanitation on groundwater quality in alluvial settings in Lucknow City in India. The groundwater samples have been collected in the areas of Lucknow City where the on-site sanitation systems have been implemented. The groundwater samples have been analyzed for the major physicochemical parameters and fecal coliform. The results of analysis reveal that none of the groundwater samples exceeded the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) limits for all the parameters. Fecal coliform was not found in majority of the samples including those samples which were very close to the septic tank. The study area has a thick alluvium cover as a top layer which acts as a natural barrier for groundwater contamination from the on-site sanitation system. The t test has been performed to assess the seasonal effect on groundwater quality. The statistical t test implies that there is a significant effect of season on groundwater quality in the study area.

Optimal design of focused experiments and surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, Andrew

1999-10-01

Experiments and surveys are often performed to obtain data that constrain some previously underconstrained model. Often, constraints are most desired in a particular subspace of model space. Experiment design optimization requires that the quality of any particular design can be both quantified and then maximized. This study shows how the quality can be defined such that it depends on the amount of information that is focused in the particular subspace of interest. In addition, algorithms are presented which allow one particular focused quality measure (from the class of focused measures) to be evaluated efficiently. A subclass of focused quality measures is also related to the standard variance and resolution measures from linearized inverse theory. The theory presented here requires that the relationship between model parameters and data can be linearized around a reference model without significant loss of information. Physical and financial constraints define the space of possible experiment designs. Cross-well tomographic examples are presented, plus a strategy for survey design to maximize information about linear combinations of parameters such as bulk modulus, κ =λ+ 2μ/3.

The practical application of signal detection theory to image quality assessment in x-ray image intensifier-TV fluoroscopy.

PubMed

Marshall, N W

2001-06-01

This paper applies a published version of signal detection theory to x-ray image intensifier fluoroscopy data and compares the results with more conventional subjective image quality measures. An eight-bit digital framestore was used to acquire temporally contiguous frames of fluoroscopy data from which the modulation transfer function (MTF(u)) and noise power spectrum were established. These parameters were then combined to give detective quantum efficiency (DQE(u)) and used in conjunction with signal detection theory to calculate contrast-detail performance. DQE(u) was found to lie between 0.1 and 0.5 for a range of fluoroscopy systems. Two separate image quality experiments were then performed in order to assess the correspondence between the objective and subjective methods. First, image quality for a given fluoroscopy system was studied as a function of doserate using objective parameters and a standard subjective contrast-detail method. Following this, the two approaches were used to assess three different fluoroscopy units. Agreement between objective and subjective methods was good; doserate changes were modelled correctly while both methods ranked the three systems consistently.

River water pollution condition in upper part of Brantas River and Bengawan Solo River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roosmini, D.; Septiono, M. A.; Putri, N. E.; Shabrina, H. M.; Salami, I. R. S.; Ariesyady, H. D.

2018-01-01

Wastewater and solid waste from both domestic and industry have been known to give burden on river water quality. Most of river water quality problem in Indonesia has start in the upper part of river due to anthropogenic activities, due to inappropriate land use management including the poor wastewater infrastructure. Base on Upper Citarum River Water pollution problem, it is interesting to study the other main river in Java Island. Bengawan Solo River and Brantas River were chosen as the sample in this study. Parameters assessed in this study are as follows: TSS, TDS, pH, DO, and hexavalent chromium. The status of river water quality are assess using STORET method. Based on (five) parameters, STORET value showed that in Brantas River, Pagerluyung monitoring point had the worst quality relatively compared to other monitoring point in Brantas River with exceeding copper, lead and tin compared to the stream standard in East Java Provincial Regulation No. 2 in 2008. Brantas River was categorized as lightly polluted river based on monitoring period 2011-2015 in 5 monitoring points, namely Pendem, Sengguruh, Kademangan, Meritjan and Kertosono.

Optimizing an estuarine water quality monitoring program through an entropy-based hierarchical spatiotemporal Bayesian framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alameddine, Ibrahim; Karmakar, Subhankar; Qian, Song S.; Paerl, Hans W.; Reckhow, Kenneth H.

2013-10-01

The total maximum daily load program aims to monitor more than 40,000 standard violations in around 20,000 impaired water bodies across the United States. Given resource limitations, future monitoring efforts have to be hedged against the uncertainties in the monitored system, while taking into account existing knowledge. In that respect, we have developed a hierarchical spatiotemporal Bayesian model that can be used to optimize an existing monitoring network by retaining stations that provide the maximum amount of information, while identifying locations that would benefit from the addition of new stations. The model assumes the water quality parameters are adequately described by a joint matrix normal distribution. The adopted approach allows for a reduction in redundancies, while emphasizing information richness rather than data richness. The developed approach incorporates the concept of entropy to account for the associated uncertainties. Three different entropy-based criteria are adopted: total system entropy, chlorophyll-a standard violation entropy, and dissolved oxygen standard violation entropy. A multiple attribute decision making framework is adopted to integrate the competing design criteria and to generate a single optimal design. The approach is implemented on the water quality monitoring system of the Neuse River Estuary in North Carolina, USA. The model results indicate that the high priority monitoring areas identified by the total system entropy and the dissolved oxygen violation entropy criteria are largely coincident. The monitoring design based on the chlorophyll-a standard violation entropy proved to be less informative, given the low probabilities of violating the water quality standard in the estuary.

Geospatial modelling for groundwater quality mapping: a case study of Rupnagar district, Punjab, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahoo, S.; Kaur, A.; Litoria, P.; Pateriya, B.

2014-11-01

Over period of time, the water usage and management is under stress for various reasons including pollution in both surface and subsurface. The groundwater quality decreases due to the solid waste from urban and industrial nodes, rapid use of insecticides and pesticides in agricultural practices. In this study, ground water quality maps for Rupnagar district of Punjab has been prepared using geospatial interpolation technique through Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) approach. IDW technique has been used for major ground water quality parameters observed from the field samples like Arsenic, Hardness, pH, Iron, Fluoride, TDS, and Sulphate. To assess the ground water quality of the Rupnagar district, total 280 numbers of samples from various sources of tubewells for both pre and post monsoon have collected. Out of which, 80 to 113 samples found Iron with non potable limits ranging 0.3-1.1mg/l and 0.3-1.02mg/l according to BIS standard for both the seasons respectively. Chamkaur Sahib, Rupnagar, Morinda blocks have been found non potable limit of iron in both pre & post-monsoon. 11 to 52 samples in this region have sulphate with permissible limits in both the season ranging 200-400mg/l and 201-400mg/l. But arsenic had acceptable limit in both the season. Various parameters-wise ground water quality map is generated using the range values of drinking water quality to know the distribution of different parameters and diversification in the concentration of different elements. These maps are very much needful for human being to expand awareness among the people to maintain the Cleanness of water at their highest quality and purity levels to achieve a healthy life.

Manufacturing process modeling for composite materials and structures, Sandia blade reliability collaborative

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

Guest, Daniel A.; Cairns, Douglas S.

2014-02-01

The increased use and interest in wind energy over the last few years has necessitated an increase in the manufacturing of wind turbine blades. This increase in manufacturing has in many ways out stepped the current understanding of not only the materials used but also the manufacturing methods used to construct composite laminates. The goal of this study is to develop a list of process parameters which influence the quality of composite laminates manufactured using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding and to evaluate how they influence laminate quality. Known to be primary factors for the manufacturing process are resin flowmore » rate and vacuum pressure. An incorrect balance of these parameters will often cause porosity or voids in laminates that ultimately degrade the strength of the composite. Fiber waviness has also been seen as a major contributor to failures in wind turbine blades and is often the effect of mishandling during the lay-up process. Based on laboratory tests conducted, a relationship between these parameters and laminate quality has been established which will be a valuable tool in developing best practices and standard procedures for the manufacture of wind turbine blade composites.« less

MASTOS: Mammography Simulation Tool for design Optimization Studies.

PubMed

Spyrou, G; Panayiotakis, G; Tzanakos, G

2000-01-01

Mammography is a high quality imaging technique for the detection of breast lesions, which requires dedicated equipment and optimum operation. The design parameters of a mammography unit have to be decided and evaluated before the construction of such a high cost of apparatus. The optimum operational parameters also must be defined well before the real breast examination. MASTOS is a software package, based on Monte Carlo methods, that is designed to be used as a simulation tool in mammography. The input consists of the parameters that have to be specified when using a mammography unit, and also the parameters specifying the shape and composition of the breast phantom. In addition, the input may specify parameters needed in the design of a new mammographic apparatus. The main output of the simulation is a mammographic image and calculations of various factors that describe the image quality. The Monte Carlo simulation code is PC-based and is driven by an outer shell of a graphical user interface. The entire software package is a simulation tool for mammography and can be applied in basic research and/or in training in the fields of medical physics and biomedical engineering as well as in the performance evaluation of new designs of mammography units and in the determination of optimum standards for the operational parameters of a mammography unit.

[Regulatory assessment of the "Nutrición Hospitalaria" journal].

PubMed

Iglesias Vázquez, E; Culebras, J M; García de Lorenzo, A

2000-01-01

A study is carried out to determine the degree of compliance by the journal entitled "Nutrición Hospitalaria" with the international standards issued by the ISO (International Standards Organization) by means of the application of a survey questionnaire drawn up in accordance with the guidelines published by national and international standards organizations. In total, 161 parameters are considered. Together with the general aspects of the publication, an analysis is made of its specific sections, decisive in the establishment of its level of compliance. After the analysis carried out, it was seen that the general standardization mean was 64% and the real average was 76.82%. At the same time, the necessary recommendations are given to improve these standardization levels and improve the editorial quality of "Nutrición Hospitalaria".

Investigating aquifer contamination and groundwater quality in eastern Terai region of Nepal.

PubMed

Mahato, Sanjay; Mahato, Asmita; Karna, Pankaj Kumar; Balmiki, Nisha

2018-05-21

This study aims at assessing the groundwater quality of the three districts of Eastern Terai region of Nepal viz. Morang, Jhapa, Sunsari using physicochemical characteristics and statistical approach so that possible contamination of water reservoir can be understood. pH, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, color, total dissolved solids, fluorides, ammonia, nitrates, chloride, total hardness, calcium hardness, calcium, magnesium, total alkalinity, iron, manganese, arsenic have to be analyzed to know the present status of groundwater quality. Results revealed that the value of analyzed parameters were within the acceptable limits for drinking water recommended by World Health Organization except for pH, turbidity, ammonia and iron. As per Nepal Drinking Water Quality Standards, fluoride and manganese too were not complying with the permissible limit. Electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, chloride, total hardness, calcium hardness, manganese, and total alkalinity show good positive correlation with major water quality parameters. Calcium, magnesium, total hardness, calcium hardness and total alkalinity greatly influences total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity. ANOVA, Tukey, and clustering highlight the significance of three districts. Groundwater can be considered safe, but there is always a chance of contamination through chemical wastes in the heavily industrialized area of Morang and Sunsari Industrial corridor.

Bioactive Compounds and Fruit Quality of Green Sweet Pepper Grown under Different Colored Shade Netting during Postharvest Storage.

PubMed

Mashabela, Madonna N; Selahle, Kamogelo M; Soundy, Puffy; Crosby, Kevin M; Sivakumar, Dharini

2015-11-01

In this study, influence of 3 types of photo-selective nets (pearl, red and yellow) and a standard black net on marketable yield, fruit quality and bioactive compounds after postharvest storage was investigated. Percentage marketable fruits were higher in green sweet peppers produced under the pearl nets. Fruits produced under the pearl nets showed higher fruit mass, firmness, chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant scavenging activity after postharvest storage. Red/far red photon ratio under the pearl net could have improved the ascorbic acid content and the antioxidant scavenging activity in green peppers. Green sweet peppers grown under the pearl nets had higher hue values and maintained green color longer. Our results showed the impact of modified light quality on the bioactive compounds of green sweet pepper during postharvest storage. Green sweet peppers are rich in phytochemicals. Marketability of green sweet peppers is affected partially due to ripening after postharvest storage and decay. Maintenance of green color, fruit mass, firmness, and nutritional composition are important parameters that attract consumers. This research shows the influence of light quality during production on the fruit quality parameters and bioactive compounds after postharvest storage. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Impact of Leachate Discharge from Cipayung Landfill on Water Quality of Pesanggrahan River, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noerfitriyani, Eki; Hartono, Djoko M.; Moersidik, Setyo S.; Gusniani, Irma

2018-03-01

The landfill operation can cause environmental problems due to solid waste decomposition in the form of leachate. The evaluation of environmental impacts related with solid waste landfilling is needed to ensure that leachate discharge to water bodies does not exceed the standard limit to prevent contamination of the environment. This study aims to analyze the impact of leachate discharge from Cipayung Landfill on water quality of Pesanggrahan River. The data were analyzed based on leachate samples taken from influent and effluent treatment unit, and river water samples taken from upstream, stream at leachate discharge, and downstream. All samples were taken three times under rainy season condition from April to May 2017. The results show the average leachate quality temperature is 34,81 °C, TSS 72.33 mg/L, pH 7.83, BOD 3,959.63 mg/L, COD 6,860 mg/L, TN 373.33 mg/L, Hg 0.0016 mg/L. The BOD5/COD ratio 0.58 indicated that leachate characteristics was biodegradable and resemble intermediate landfill due to the mixing of young leachate and old leachate. The effluent of leachate treatment plant exceeds the leachate standard limit for BOD, COD, and TN parameters. Statistical results from independent T-test showed significant differences (p<0,05) between upstream and downstream influenced with leachate discharge for DO parameter.

Transport of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Source-specific Indicator Organisms, and Standard Water Quality Constituents During Storm Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sturdevant-Rees, P. L.; Bourdeau, D.; Baker, R.; Long, S. C.; Barten, P. K.

2004-05-01

Microbial and water-quality measurements are collected during storm events under a variety of meteorological and land-use conditions in order to 1) identify risk of Cryptosporidium oocysts, Giardia cysts and other constituents, including microbial indicator organisms, entering surface waters from various land uses during periods of surface runoff; 2) optimize storm sampling procedures for these parameters; and 3) optimize strategies for accurate determination of constituent loads. The investigation is focused on four isolated land uses: forested with free ranging wildlife, beaver influenced forested with free ranging wildlife, residential/commercial, and dairy farm grazing/pastureland using an upstream and downstream sampling strategy. Traditional water-quality analyses include pH, temperature, turbidity, conductivity, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, total Kjeldahl-nitrogen, and ammonia nitrogen, Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts. Total coliforms and fecal coliforms are measured as industry standard microbial analyses. Sorbitol-fermenting Bifidobacteria, Rhodococcus coprophilus, Clostridium perfringens spores, and Somatic and F-specific coliphages are measured at select sites as potential alternative source-specific indicator organisms. Upon completion of the project, the final database will consist of wet weather transport data for a set of parameters during twenty-four distinct storm-events in addition to monthly baseline data. A subset of the results to date will be presented, with focus placed on demonstrating the impact of beaver on constituent loadings over a variety of hydrologic and meteorological conditions.

Continuous cultivation of photosynthetic microorganisms: Approaches, applications and future trends.

PubMed

Fernandes, Bruno D; Mota, Andre; Teixeira, Jose A; Vicente, Antonio A

2015-11-01

The possibility of using photosynthetic microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria and microalgae, for converting light and carbon dioxide into valuable biochemical products has raised the need for new cost-efficient processes ensuring a constant product quality. Food, feed, biofuels, cosmetics and pharmaceutics are among the sectors that can profit from the application of photosynthetic microorganisms. Biomass growth in a photobioreactor is a complex process influenced by multiple parameters, such as photosynthetic light capture and attenuation, nutrient uptake, photobioreactor hydrodynamics and gas-liquid mass transfer. In order to optimize productivity while keeping a standard product quality, a permanent control of the main cultivation parameters is necessary, where the continuous cultivation has shown to be the best option. However it is of utmost importance to recognize the singularity of continuous cultivation of cyanobacteria and microalgae due to their dependence on light availability and intensity. In this sense, this review provides comprehensive information on recent breakthroughs and possible future trends regarding technological and process improvements in continuous cultivation systems of microalgae and cyanobacteria, that will directly affect cost-effectiveness and product quality standardization. An overview of the various applications, techniques and equipment (with special emphasis on photobioreactors) in continuous cultivation of microalgae and cyanobacteria are presented. Additionally, mathematical modeling, feasibility, economics as well as the applicability of continuous cultivation into large-scale operation, are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simplified Method for Groundwater Treatment Using Dilution and Ceramic Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musa, S.; Ariff, N. A.; Kadir, M. N. Abdul; Denan, F.

2016-07-01

Groundwater is one of the natural resources that is not susceptible to pollutants. However, increasing activities of municipal, industrial, agricultural or extreme land use activities have resulted in groundwater contamination as occured at the Research Centre for Soft Soil Malaysia (RECESS), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). Thus, aims of this study is to treat groundwater by using rainwater and simple ceramic filter as a treatment agent. The treatment uses rain water dilution, ceramic filters and combined method of dilute and filtering as an alternate treatment which are simple and more practical compared to modern or chemical methods. The water went through dilution treatment processes able to get rid of 57% reduction compared to initial condition. Meanwhile, the water that passes through the filtering process successfully get rid of as much as 86% groundwater parameters where only chloride does not pass the standard. Favorable results for the combination methods of dilution and filtration methods that can succesfully eliminate 100% parameters that donot pass the standards of the Ministry of Health and the Interim National Drinking Water Quality Standard such as those found in groundwater in RECESS, UTHM especially sulfate and chloride. As a result, it allows the raw water that will use clean drinking water and safe. It also proves that the method used in this study is very effective in improving the quality of groundwater.

Restoration of Worn Movable Bridge Props with Use of Bronze Claddings.

PubMed

Viňáš, Ján; Vrabeľ, Marek; Greš, Miroslav; Brezina, Jakub; Sabadka, Dušan; Fedorko, Gabriel; Molnár, Vieroslav

2018-03-21

This article examined the possibility of using CuSn6P claddings in sliding bearing renovation of movable pontoon bridge props. The bronze layer was welded on cylinders of the high-strength steel S355J0WP EN 10155-93, in an inert atmosphere using an automated welding method (gas tungsten arc welding). Pulsed arc welding was used to minimize the effects of heat on the cladding area, while also accounting for the differences in the physical properties of the joined metals. The sliding bearing was created in two layers. The quality of the cladding layer was evaluated by nondestructive and/or destructive tests. The quality of the surface was assessed by visual inspection (visual testing) in accordance with the EN ISO 17637 standard. The quality of the claddings was evaluated by metallographic analysis, performed using light microscopy. The microhardness values of a few weld areas were determined by Vickers tests, performed according to the EN ISO 9015-2 standard. The analyses confirmed that the welding parameters and filler material used resulted in high-quality weld joints with no internal (subsurface) or metallurgical defects.

Restoration of Worn Movable Bridge Props with Use of Bronze Claddings

PubMed Central

Viňáš, Ján; Vrabeľ, Marek; Greš, Miroslav; Brezina, Jakub; Sabadka, Dušan; Fedorko, Gabriel

2018-01-01

This article examined the possibility of using CuSn6P claddings in sliding bearing renovation of movable pontoon bridge props. The bronze layer was welded on cylinders of the high-strength steel S355J0WP EN 10155-93, in an inert atmosphere using an automated welding method (gas tungsten arc welding). Pulsed arc welding was used to minimize the effects of heat on the cladding area, while also accounting for the differences in the physical properties of the joined metals. The sliding bearing was created in two layers. The quality of the cladding layer was evaluated by nondestructive and/or destructive tests. The quality of the surface was assessed by visual inspection (visual testing) in accordance with the EN ISO 17637 standard. The quality of the claddings was evaluated by metallographic analysis, performed using light microscopy. The microhardness values of a few weld areas were determined by Vickers tests, performed according to the EN ISO 9015–2 standard. The analyses confirmed that the welding parameters and filler material used resulted in high-quality weld joints with no internal (subsurface) or metallurgical defects. PMID:29561762

Water-Chemistry and Its Utility Systems in CCP Power Units (Review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larin, B. M.

2018-01-01

Damageability of heat transfer surfaces of waste heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) of combined- cycle plants (CCP) can be reduced due to an increase in the quality of make-up and feed water, the use of phosphate-alkaline or amino compound water chemistry (WC), and improved chemical quality control of the heat carrier and make-up water preparation techniques. Temporary quality standards for the heat medium developed by the All-Russia Thermal Engineering institute (VTI) for CCP power units are presented in comparison with the IAPWS standards; preferences for the choice of a WC type for some power units commissioned in Russia in the first decade of this century are shown; and operational data on the quality of feed, boiler water, and steam for two large CCP-450 and CCP-425 power units are given. The state and prospects for the development of chemical-technological monitoring systems and CCP water treatment plants are noted. Estimability of some CCP diagnostic parameters by measuring specific electric conductivity and pH is shown. An extensive bibliography on this topic is given.

Drinking Water Quality Assessment Studies for an Urbanized Part of the Nagpur District, Central India.

PubMed

Varade, Abhay M; Yenkie, Rajshree; Shende, Rahul; Kodate, Jaya

2014-01-01

The water quality of Hingna area of Nagpur district, Central India was assessed for its suitability as drinking water. 22 water samples, representing both the surface and groundwater sources, were collected and analysed for different inorganic constituents by using the standard procedures. The result depicted abundance of major ions; Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ = HCO3- > Cl- > SO4(2-) > NO3-. The concentrations of different elements in water were compared with the drinking water standards defined by World Health Organization (WHO). The hydro-chemical results reveal that most of the samples were within the desirable limits of the drinking water quality. However, few samples of the area, showed higher values of total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), and magnesium (Mg) indicating their 'hard water type' nature and found to be unfit for the drinking purpose. Such poor water quality of these samples is found due to the combined effect of urbanization and industrial activities. The potential health risks associated with various water parameters have also been documented in this paper.

Modernized Techniques for Dealing with Quality Data and Derived Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neiswender, C.; Miller, S. P.; Clark, D.

2008-12-01

"I just want a picture of the ocean floor in this area" is expressed all too often by researchers, educators, and students in the marine geosciences. As more sophisticated systems are developed to handle data collection and processing, the demand for quality data, and standardized products continues to grow. Data management is an invisible bridge between science and researchers/educators. The SIOExplorer digital library presents more than 50 years of ocean-going research. Prior to publication, all data is checked for quality using standardized criterion developed for each data stream. Despite the evolution of data formats and processing systems, SIOExplorer continues to present derived products in well- established formats. Standardized products are published for each cruise, and include a cruise report, MGD77 merged data, multi-beam flipbook, and underway profiles. Creation of these products is made possible by processing scripts, which continue to change with ever-evolving data formats. We continue to explore the potential of database-enabled creation of standardized products, such as the metadata-rich MGD77 header file. Database-enabled, automated processing produces standards-compliant metadata for each data and derived product. Metadata facilitates discovery and interpretation of published products. This descriptive information is stored both in an ASCII file, and a searchable digital library database. SIOExplorer's underlying technology allows focused search and retrieval of data and products. For example, users can initiate a search of only multi-beam data, which includes data-specific parameters. This customization is made possible with a synthesis of database, XML, and PHP technology. The combination of standardized products and digital library technology puts quality data and derived products in the hands of scientists. Interoperable systems enable distribution these published resources using technology such as web services. By developing modernized strategies to deal with data, Scripps Institution of Oceanography is able to produce and distribute well-formed, and quality-tested derived products, which aid research, understanding, and education.

Radionuclide bone scan SPECT-CT: lowering the dose of CT significantly reduces radiation dose without impacting CT image quality

PubMed Central

Gupta, Sandeep Kumar; Trethewey, Scott; Brooker, Bree; Rutherford, Natalie; Diffey, Jenny; Viswanathan, Suresh; Attia, John

2017-01-01

The CT component of SPECT-CT is required for attenuation correction and anatomical localization of the uptake on SPECT but there is no guideline about the optimal CT acquisition parameters. In our department, a standard CT acquisition protocol was changed in 2013 to give lower radiation dose to the patient. In this study, we retrospectively compared the effects on patient dose as well as the CT image quality with current versus older CT protocols. Ninety nine consecutive patients [n=51 Standard dose ‘old’ protocol (SDP); n=48 lower dose ‘new’ protocol (LDP)] with lumbar spine SPECT-CT for bone scan were examined. The main differences between the two protocols were that SDP used 130 kVp tube voltage and reference current-time product of 70 mAs whereas the LDP used 110 kVp and 40 mAs respectively. Various quantitative parameters from the CT images were obtained and the images were also rated blindly by two experienced nuclear medicine physicians for bony definition and noise. The mean calculated dose length product of the LDP group (121.5±39.6 mGy.cm) was significantly lower compared to the SDP group patients (266.9±96.9 mGy.cm; P<0.0001). This translated into a significant reduction in the mean effective dose to 1.8 mSv from 4.0 mSv. The physicians reported better CT image quality for the bony structures in LDP group although for soft tissue structures, the SDP group had better image quality. The optimized new CT acquisition protocol significantly reduced the radiation dose to the patient and in-fact improved CT image quality for the assessment of bony structures. PMID:28533938

Heart Rate Variability Reflects the Natural History of Physiological Development in Healthy Children and Is Not Associated with Quality of Life

PubMed Central

Seifert, Georg; Calaminus, Gabriele; Wiener, Andreas; Cysarz, Dirk

2014-01-01

Background Quality of life (QoL), being the sum expression of diverse influencing factors, is not easy to determine. A clinically relevant option would be to identify and measure quality of life on the basis of physiological parameters which correlate plausibly and statistically with psychometrically measured QoL. Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) offers readily measurable physiological parameters which could be of use here. A correlation of HRV with both course of disease and QoL has been reported in patients with chronic illness. Various psychometric instruments have been developed for use in paediatric oncology. The aim of this study was to obtain data on HRV and QoL and their correlations, initially in healthy children. Methods Holter ECG and quality of life were examined in 160 children and adolescents (72 male) aged between 8 and 18 years. QoL was determined with the established questionnaire PEDQoL. Standard parameters of HRV from the frequency domain were calculated and correlated with QoL domains using Spearman (nonparametric) correlation analysis. Results Minor but significant associations were revealed only with regard to the PEDQoL domain “autonomy” on the one hand and heart rate and HRV (e.g. MRR, MRRn, MRRd, HRV_ULF, SDNN) parameters which evidently reflect distinct physiological functions on the other. Conclusions In healthy children and adolescents we have a first indication that there is a correlation between parameters of HRV and QoL. However, to a greater extent, HRV reflects associated physiological processes of the autonomic nervous system. A higher correlation is more likely to be found in chronically ill children. PMID:24625571

Using collective expert judgements to evaluate quality measures of mass spectrometry images.

PubMed

Palmer, Andrew; Ovchinnikova, Ekaterina; Thuné, Mikael; Lavigne, Régis; Guével, Blandine; Dyatlov, Andrey; Vitek, Olga; Pineau, Charles; Borén, Mats; Alexandrov, Theodore

2015-06-15

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is a maturating technique of molecular imaging. Confidence in the reproducible quality of IMS data is essential for its integration into routine use. However, the predominant method for assessing quality is visual examination, a time consuming, unstandardized and non-scalable approach. So far, the problem of assessing the quality has only been marginally addressed and existing measures do not account for the spatial information of IMS data. Importantly, no approach exists for unbiased evaluation of potential quality measures. We propose a novel approach for evaluating potential measures by creating a gold-standard set using collective expert judgements upon which we evaluated image-based measures. To produce a gold standard, we engaged 80 IMS experts, each to rate the relative quality between 52 pairs of ion images from MALDI-TOF IMS datasets of rat brain coronal sections. Experts' optional feedback on their expertise, the task and the survey showed that (i) they had diverse backgrounds and sufficient expertise, (ii) the task was properly understood, and (iii) the survey was comprehensible. A moderate inter-rater agreement was achieved with Krippendorff's alpha of 0.5. A gold-standard set of 634 pairs of images with accompanying ratings was constructed and showed a high agreement of 0.85. Eight families of potential measures with a range of parameters and statistical descriptors, giving 143 in total, were evaluated. Both signal-to-noise and spatial chaos-based measures performed highly with a correlation of 0.7 to 0.9 with the gold standard ratings. Moreover, we showed that a composite measure with the linear coefficients (trained on the gold standard with regularized least squares optimization and lasso) showed a strong linear correlation of 0.94 and an accuracy of 0.98 in predicting which image in a pair was of higher quality. The anonymized data collected from the survey and the Matlab source code for data processing can be found at: https://github.com/alexandrovteam/IMS_quality. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Using collective expert judgements to evaluate quality measures of mass spectrometry images

PubMed Central

Palmer, Andrew; Ovchinnikova, Ekaterina; Thuné, Mikael; Lavigne, Régis; Guével, Blandine; Dyatlov, Andrey; Vitek, Olga; Pineau, Charles; Borén, Mats; Alexandrov, Theodore

2015-01-01

Motivation: Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is a maturating technique of molecular imaging. Confidence in the reproducible quality of IMS data is essential for its integration into routine use. However, the predominant method for assessing quality is visual examination, a time consuming, unstandardized and non-scalable approach. So far, the problem of assessing the quality has only been marginally addressed and existing measures do not account for the spatial information of IMS data. Importantly, no approach exists for unbiased evaluation of potential quality measures. Results: We propose a novel approach for evaluating potential measures by creating a gold-standard set using collective expert judgements upon which we evaluated image-based measures. To produce a gold standard, we engaged 80 IMS experts, each to rate the relative quality between 52 pairs of ion images from MALDI-TOF IMS datasets of rat brain coronal sections. Experts’ optional feedback on their expertise, the task and the survey showed that (i) they had diverse backgrounds and sufficient expertise, (ii) the task was properly understood, and (iii) the survey was comprehensible. A moderate inter-rater agreement was achieved with Krippendorff’s alpha of 0.5. A gold-standard set of 634 pairs of images with accompanying ratings was constructed and showed a high agreement of 0.85. Eight families of potential measures with a range of parameters and statistical descriptors, giving 143 in total, were evaluated. Both signal-to-noise and spatial chaos-based measures performed highly with a correlation of 0.7 to 0.9 with the gold standard ratings. Moreover, we showed that a composite measure with the linear coefficients (trained on the gold standard with regularized least squares optimization and lasso) showed a strong linear correlation of 0.94 and an accuracy of 0.98 in predicting which image in a pair was of higher quality. Availability and implementation: The anonymized data collected from the survey and the Matlab source code for data processing can be found at: https://github.com/alexandrovteam/IMS_quality. Contact: theodore.alexandrov@embl.de PMID:26072506

Very low-dose adult whole-body tumor imaging with F-18 FDG PET/CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krol, Andrzej; Naveed, Muhammad; McGrath, Mary; Lisi, Michele; Lavalley, Cathy; Feiglin, David

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate if effective radiation dose due to PET component in adult whole-body tumor imaging with time-of-flight F-18 FDG PET/CT could be significantly reduced. We retrospectively analyzed data for 10 patients with the body mass index ranging from 25 to 50. We simulated F-18 FDG dose reduction to 25% of the ACR recommended dose via reconstruction of simulated shorter acquisition time per bed position scans from the acquired list data. F-18 FDG whole-body scans were reconstructed using time-of-flight OSEM algorithm and advanced system modeling. Two groups of images were obtained: group A with a standard dose of F-18 FDG and standard reconstruction parameters and group B with simulated 25% dose and modified reconstruction parameters, respectively. Three nuclear medicine physicians blinded to the simulated activity independently reviewed the images and compared diagnostic quality of images. Based on the input from the physicians, we selected optimal modified reconstruction parameters for group B. In so obtained images, all the lesions observed in the group A were visible in the group B. The tumor SUV values were different in the group A, as compared to group B, respectively. However, no significant differences were reported in the final interpretation of the images from A and B groups. In conclusion, for a small number of patients, we have demonstrated that F-18 FDG dose reduction to 25% of the ACR recommended dose, accompanied by appropriate modification of the reconstruction parameters provided adequate diagnostic quality of PET images acquired on time-of-flight PET/CT.

The Moderating Effect of Frequent Singing on Voice Aging.

PubMed

Lortie, Catherine L; Rivard, Julie; Thibeault, Mélanie; Tremblay, Pascale

2017-01-01

The effects of aging on voice production are well documented, including changes in loudness, pitch, and voice quality. However, one important and clinically relevant question that remains concerns the possibility that the aging of voice can be prevented or at least delayed through noninvasive methods. Indeed, discovering natural means to preserve the integrity of the human voice throughout aging could have a major impact on the quality of life of elderly adults. The objective of this study was therefore to examine the potentially positive effect of singing on voice production. To this aim, a group of 72 healthy nonsmoking adults (20-93 years old) was recruited and separated into three groups based on their singing habits. Several voice parameters were assessed (fundamental frequency [f0] mean, f0 standard deviation [SD], f0 minimum and f0 maximum, mean amplitude and amplitude SD, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic-to-noise ratio) during the sustained production of vowel /a/. Other parameters were assessed during standardized reading passage (speaking f0, speaking f0 SD). As was expected, age effects were found on most acoustic parameters with significant sex differences. Importantly, moderation analyses revealed that frequent singing moderates the effect of aging on most acoustic parameters. Specifically, in frequent singers, there was no decrease in the stability of pitch and amplitude with age, suggesting that the voice of frequent singers remains more stable in aging than the voice of non-singers, and more generally, providing empirical evidence for a positive effect of singing on voice in aging. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An assessment of stream water quality of the Rio San Juan, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 1995-1996.

PubMed

Flores Laureano, José Santos; Návar, José

2002-01-01

Good water quality of the Rio San Juan is critical for economic development of northeastern Mexico. However, water quality of the river has rapidly degraded during the last few decades. Societal concerns include indications of contamination problems and increased water diversions for agriculture, residential, and industrial water supplies. Eight sampling sites were selected along the river where water samples were collected monthly for 10 mo (October 1995-July 1996). The concentration of heavy metals and chemical constituents and measurements of bacteriological and physical parameters were determined on water samples. In addition, river discharge was recorded. Constituent concentrations in 18.7% of all samples exceeded at least one water quality standard. In particular, concentrations of fecal and total coliform bacteria, sulfate, detergent, dissolved solids, Al, Ba, Cr, Fe, and Cd, exceeded several water quality standards. Pollution showed spatial and temporal variations and trends. These variations were statistically explained by spatial and temporal changes of constituent inputs and discharge. Samples collected from the site upstream of El Cuchillo reservoir had large constituent concentrations when discharge was small; this reservoir supplies domestic and industrial water to the city of Monterrey.

Practical considerations for obtaining high quality quantitative computed tomography data of the skeletal system.

PubMed

Troy, Karen L; Edwards, W Brent

2018-05-01

Quantitative CT (QCT) analysis involves the calculation of specific parameters such as bone volume and density from CT image data, and can be a powerful tool for understanding bone quality and quantity. However, without careful attention to detail during all steps of the acquisition and analysis process, data can be of poor- to unusable-quality. Good quality QCT for research requires meticulous attention to detail and standardization of all aspects of data collection and analysis to a degree that is uncommon in a clinical setting. Here, we review the literature to summarize practical and technical considerations for obtaining high quality QCT data, and provide examples of how each recommendation affects calculated variables. We also provide an overview of the QCT analysis technique to illustrate additional opportunities to improve data reproducibility and reliability. Key recommendations include: standardizing the scanner and data acquisition settings, minimizing image artifacts, selecting an appropriate reconstruction algorithm, and maximizing repeatability and objectivity during QCT analysis. The goal of the recommendations is to reduce potential sources of error throughout the analysis, from scan acquisition to the interpretation of results. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Joint models for longitudinal and time-to-event data: a review of reporting quality with a view to meta-analysis.

PubMed

Sudell, Maria; Kolamunnage-Dona, Ruwanthi; Tudur-Smith, Catrin

2016-12-05

Joint models for longitudinal and time-to-event data are commonly used to simultaneously analyse correlated data in single study cases. Synthesis of evidence from multiple studies using meta-analysis is a natural next step but its feasibility depends heavily on the standard of reporting of joint models in the medical literature. During this review we aim to assess the current standard of reporting of joint models applied in the literature, and to determine whether current reporting standards would allow or hinder future aggregate data meta-analyses of model results. We undertook a literature review of non-methodological studies that involved joint modelling of longitudinal and time-to-event medical data. Study characteristics were extracted and an assessment of whether separate meta-analyses for longitudinal, time-to-event and association parameters were possible was made. The 65 studies identified used a wide range of joint modelling methods in a selection of software. Identified studies concerned a variety of disease areas. The majority of studies reported adequate information to conduct a meta-analysis (67.7% for longitudinal parameter aggregate data meta-analysis, 69.2% for time-to-event parameter aggregate data meta-analysis, 76.9% for association parameter aggregate data meta-analysis). In some cases model structure was difficult to ascertain from the published reports. Whilst extraction of sufficient information to permit meta-analyses was possible in a majority of cases, the standard of reporting of joint models should be maintained and improved. Recommendations for future practice include clear statement of model structure, of values of estimated parameters, of software used and of statistical methods applied.

Impact of land-use on groundwater quality: GIS-based study from an alluvial aquifer in the western Ganges basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Arina; Khan, Haris Hasan; Umar, Rashid

2017-12-01

In this study, groundwater quality of an alluvial aquifer in the western Ganges basin is assessed using a GIS-based groundwater quality index (GQI) concept that uses groundwater quality data from field survey and laboratory analysis. Groundwater samples were collected from 42 wells during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon periods of 2012 and analysed for pH, EC, TDS, Anions (Cl, SO4, NO3), and Cations (Ca, Mg, Na). To generate the index, several parameters were selected based on WHO recommendations. The spatially variable grids of each parameter were modified by normalizing with the WHO standards and finally integrated into a GQI grid. The mean GQI values for both the season suggest good groundwater quality. However, spatial variations exist and are represented by GQI map of both seasons. This spatial variability was compared with the existing land-use, prepared using high-resolution satellite imagery available in Google earth. The GQI grids were compared to the land-use map using an innovative GIS-based method. Results indicate that the spatial variability of groundwater quality in the region is not fully controlled by the land-use pattern. This probably reflects the diffuse nature of land-use classes, especially settlements and plantations.

Evaluation of Chilling Injury in Mangoes Using Multispectral Imaging.

PubMed

Hashim, Norhashila; Onwude, Daniel I; Osman, Muhamad Syafiq

2018-05-01

Commodities originating from tropical and subtropical climes are prone to chilling injury (CI). This injury could affect the quality and marketing potential of mango after harvest. This will later affect the quality of the produce and subsequent consumer acceptance. In this study, the appearance of CI symptoms in mango was evaluated non-destructively using multispectral imaging. The fruit were stored at 4 °C to induce CI and 12 °C to preserve the quality of the control samples for 4 days before they were taken out and stored at ambient temperature for 24 hr. Measurements using multispectral imaging and standard reference methods were conducted before and after storage. The performance of multispectral imaging was compared using standard reference properties including moisture content (MC), total soluble solids (TSS) content, firmness, pH, and color. Least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) were used to discriminate CI samples with those of control and before storage, respectively. The statistical results demonstrated significant changes in the reference quality properties of samples before and after storage. The results also revealed that multispectral parameters have a strong correlation with the reference parameters of L * , a * , TSS, and MC. The MC and L * were found to be the best reference parameters in identifying the severity of CI in mangoes. PCA and LS-SVM analysis indicated that the fruit were successfully classified into their categories, that is, before storage, control, and CI. This indicated that the multispectral imaging technique is feasible for detecting CI in mangoes during postharvest storage and processing. This paper demonstrates a fast, easy, and accurate method of identifying the effect of cold storage on mango, nondestructively. The method presented in this paper can be used industrially to efficiently differentiate different fruits from each other after low temperature storage. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Identification of the Quality Spot Welding used Non Destructive Test-Ultrasonic Testing: (Effect of Welding Time)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sifa, A.; Endramawan, T.; Badruzzaman

2017-03-01

Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) is frequently used as one way of welding is used in the manufacturing process, especially in the automotive industry [4][5][6][7]. Several parameters influence the process of welding points. To determine the quality of a welding job needs to be tested, either by damaging or testing without damage, in this study conducted experimental testing the quality of welding or identify quality of the nugget by using Non-Destructive Test (NDT) -Ultrasonic Testing (UT), in which the identification of the quality of the welding is done with parameter thickness of worksheet after welding using NDT-UT with use same material worksheet and have more thickness of worksheet, the thickness of the worksheet single plate 1mm, with the capability of propagation Ultrasonic Testing (UT) standard limited> 3 mm [1], welding process parameters such as the time difference between 1-10s and the welding current of 8 KV, visually Heat Affected Zone ( HAZ ) have different results due to the length of time of welding. UT uses a probe that is used with a frequency of 4 MHz, diameter 10 mm, range 100 and the couplant used is oil. Identification techniques using drop 6dB, with sound velocity 2267 m / s of Fe, with the result that the effect of the Welding time affect the size of the HAZ, identification with the lowest time 1s show results capable identified joined through NDT - UT.

The Aspects About of Objectively Appraisals of Modeling Gypsum Quality and Composites of Phonic-Absorbent and Orthopedic on Base of Gypsum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pop, P. A.; Ungur, P. A.; Lazar, L.; Marcu, F.

2009-11-01

The EU Norms about of protection environment, outside and inside ambient, and human health demands has lead at obtain of new materials on the base of airborne material, with high thermo and phonic-absorbent properties, porous and lightweight. The α and β-modeling gypsum plaster quality and lightweight depend on many factors as: fabrication process, granulation, roast temperature, work temperature, environment, additives used, breakage, etc. Also, the objectively appraisal of modeling gypsum quality depends of proper tests methods selection, which are legislated in norms, standards and recommendations. In Romanian Standards SR EN 13279-1/2005 and SR EN 13279-2/2005, adaptable from EU Norms EN 13279-1/2004 and EN 13279-2/2004, the characteristics gypsum family tests are well specification, as: granule-metric analysis, determination of water/plaster ratio, setting time, mechanical characteristics, adhesions and water restrain. For plaster with special use (phonic-absorbent and orthopedic materials, etc.) these determinations are not concluding, being necessary more parameters finding, as: elastic constant, phonic-absorbent coefficient, porosity, working, etc., which is imposed the completion of norms and standards with new determinations.

A Framework to Evaluate the Impact of Armourstones on the Chemical Quality of Surface Water.

PubMed

Duester, Lars; Wahrendorf, Dierk-Steffen; Brinkmann, Corinna; Fabricius, Anne-Lena; Meermann, Björn; Pelzer, Juergen; Ecker, Dennis; Renner, Monika; Schmid, Harald; Ternes, Thomas A; Heininger, Peter

2017-01-01

Today, basic requirements for construction works include the protection of human health and of the environment. In the tension area between economic demands, circular flow economy and environmental safety, a link between the results from standardized leaching tests and the respective environmental quality standards must be created. To derive maximum release limits of metals and metalloids for armourstones in hydraulic engineering, this link is accomplished via a simple model approach. By treating natural materials and industrial by-products the same way, the article delivers an overview on the recent regulative situation in Europe as well as describes and discusses an innovative approach to derive maximum release limits for monolithic construction products in hydraulic engineering on a conceptual level. On a practical level, a list of test parameters is derived by connecting an extensive dataset (seven armourstone materials with five repetitions and 31 elements tested with the worldwide applied dynamic surface leaching test) with surface water quality standards and predicted no effect concentrations. Finally, the leaching tests results are compared with the envisaged maximum release limits, offering a direct comparison between natural materials and industrial by-products.

The use of noise equivalent count rate and the NEMA phantom for PET image quality evaluation.

PubMed

Yang, Xin; Peng, Hao

2015-03-01

PET image quality is directly associated with two important parameters among others: count-rate performance and image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The framework of noise equivalent count rate (NECR) was developed back in the 1990s and has been widely used since then to evaluate count-rate performance for PET systems. The concept of NECR is not entirely straightforward, however, and among the issues requiring clarification are its original definition, its relationship to image quality, and its consistency among different derivation methods. In particular, we try to answer whether a higher NECR measurement using a standard NEMA phantom actually corresponds to better imaging performance. The paper includes the following topics: 1) revisiting the original analytical model for NECR derivation; 2) validating three methods for NECR calculation based on the NEMA phantom/standard; and 3) studying the spatial dependence of NECR and quantitative relationship between NECR and image SNR. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The mechanical properties of high speed GTAW weld and factors of nonlinear multiple regression model under external transverse magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Lin; Chang, Yunlong; Li, Yingmin; He, Youyou

2013-05-01

A transverse magnetic field was introduced to the arc plasma in the process of welding stainless steel tubes by high-speed Tungsten Inert Gas Arc Welding (TIG for short) without filler wire. The influence of external magnetic field on welding quality was investigated. 9 sets of parameters were designed by the means of orthogonal experiment. The welding joint tensile strength and form factor of weld were regarded as the main standards of welding quality. A binary quadratic nonlinear regression equation was established with the conditions of magnetic induction and flow rate of Ar gas. The residual standard deviation was calculated to adjust the accuracy of regression model. The results showed that, the regression model was correct and effective in calculating the tensile strength and aspect ratio of weld. Two 3D regression models were designed respectively, and then the impact law of magnetic induction on welding quality was researched.

Standards and guidelines for biopolymers in tissue-engineered medical products: ASTM alginate and chitosan standard guides. American Society for Testing and Materials.

PubMed

Dornish, M; Kaplan, D; Skaugrud, O

2001-11-01

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is making a concerted effort to establish standards and guidelines for the entire field of tissue-engineered medical products (TEMPS). Safety, consistency, and functionality of biomaterials used as matrices, scaffolds, and immobilizing agents in TEMPS are a concern. Therefore, the ASTM has established a number of task groups to produce standards and guidelines for such biomaterials. Alginate is a naturally occurring biomaterial used for immobilizing living cells to form an artificial organ, such as encapsulated pancreatic islets. In order to aid in successful clinical applications and to help expedite regulatory approval, the alginate used must be fully documented. The ASTM alginate guide gives information on selection of testing methodologies and safety criteria. Critical parameters such as monomer content, molecular weight, and viscosity, in addition to more general parameters, such as dry matter content, heavy metal content, bioburden, and endotoxin content are described in the ASTM document. In a like manner, the characterization parameters for chitosan, a bioadhesive polycationic polysaccharide, are described in a separate guide. For chitosan, the degree of deacetylation is of critical importance. Control of protein content and, hence, potential for hypersensitivity, endotoxin content, and total bioburden are important in chitosan preparations for TEMPS. Together these two guides represent part of the effort on behalf of the ASTM and other interested parties to ensure quality and standardization in TEMPS.

Quality of pharmacoeconomic research in China: A systematic review.

PubMed

Ma, Huifen; Jian, Weiyan; Xu, Tingting; He, Yasheng; Rizzo, John A; Fang, Hai

2016-10-01

The number of pharmacoeconomic publications in the literature from China has risen rapidly, but the quality of pharmacoeconomic publications from China has not been analyzed. This study aims to identify all recent pharmacoeconomic publications from China, to critically appraise the reporting quality, and to summarize the results. Four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and EmBase) were searched for original articles published up to December 31, 2014. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement including 24 items was used to assess the quality of reporting of these articles. Of 1046 articles identified, 32 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. They were published in 23 different journals. Quality of reporting varied between studies, with an average score of 18.7 (SD = 4.33) out of 24 (range 9-23.5). There was an increasing trend of pharmacoeconomic publications and reporting quality over years from 2003 to 2014. According to the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards, the reporting quality for the items including "title," "comparators of method," and "measurement of effectiveness" are quite low, with less than 50% of studies fully satisfying these reporting standards. In contrast, reporting was good for the items including "introduction," "study perspective," "choice of health outcomes," "study parameters," "characterizing heterogeneity," and "discussion," with more than 75% of the articles satisfying these reporting criteria. The remaining items fell in between these 2 extremes, with 50% to 75% of studies satisfying these criteria. Our study suggests the need for improvement in a number of reporting criteria. But the criteria for which reporting quality was low seem to be limitations that would be straightforward to correct in future studies.

Quality of pharmacoeconomic research in China

PubMed Central

Ma, Huifen; Jian, Weiyan; Xu, Tingting; He, Yasheng; Rizzo, John A.; Fang, Hai

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: The number of pharmacoeconomic publications in the literature from China has risen rapidly, but the quality of pharmacoeconomic publications from China has not been analyzed. Objectives: This study aims to identify all recent pharmacoeconomic publications from China, to critically appraise the reporting quality, and to summarize the results. Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and EmBase) were searched for original articles published up to December 31, 2014. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement including 24 items was used to assess the quality of reporting of these articles. Results: Of 1046 articles identified, 32 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. They were published in 23 different journals. Quality of reporting varied between studies, with an average score of 18.7 (SD = 4.33) out of 24 (range 9–23.5). There was an increasing trend of pharmacoeconomic publications and reporting quality over years from 2003 to 2014. According to the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards, the reporting quality for the items including “title,” “comparators of method,” and “measurement of effectiveness” are quite low, with less than 50% of studies fully satisfying these reporting standards. In contrast, reporting was good for the items including “introduction,” “study perspective,” “choice of health outcomes,” “study parameters,” “characterizing heterogeneity,” and “discussion,” with more than 75% of the articles satisfying these reporting criteria. The remaining items fell in between these 2 extremes, with 50% to 75% of studies satisfying these criteria. Conclusion: Our study suggests the need for improvement in a number of reporting criteria. But the criteria for which reporting quality was low seem to be limitations that would be straightforward to correct in future studies. PMID:27741131

Influence of the incubation temperature and the batch components on the sensitivity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect Aujeszky's disease virus glycoprotein E (gE).

PubMed

Cay, A B; Van der Stede, Y

2010-12-01

Although licensed batches of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) were used, and the assays were performed within an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited quality control system, certain routine runs of the ADV ELISA were not validated using the quality system criteria, even when all technical parameters were controlled. Incubation at different temperatures and batch composition were identified as parameters that could result in non-validated assays/runs. Therefore, the effect of incubation temperature and batch composition on the analytical sensitivity of the ELISA was investigated. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standard reference serum ADV1 was diluted 1:8 and tested in 94 different glycoprotein E ELISA runs performed with different batches and different incubation temperatures. The incubation temperature and batch components had a significant influence on the qualitative result for the OIE standard reference serum. An incubation temperature of at least 22 degrees C was recommended, based on the results of this analysis. Which of the batch components caused these differences in sensitivity was not investigated further.

Calibrating Parameters of Power System Stability Models using Advanced Ensemble Kalman Filter

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

Huang, Renke; Diao, Ruisheng; Li, Yuanyuan

With the ever increasing penetration of renewable energy, smart loads, energy storage, and new market behavior, today’s power grid becomes more dynamic and stochastic, which may invalidate traditional study assumptions and pose great operational challenges. Thus, it is of critical importance to maintain good-quality models for secure and economic planning and real-time operation. Following the 1996 Western Systems Coordinating Council (WSCC) system blackout, North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) in North America enforced a number of policies and standards to guide the power industry to periodically validate power grid models and calibrate poor parametersmore » with the goal of building sufficient confidence in model quality. The PMU-based approach using online measurements without interfering with the operation of generators provides a low-cost alternative to meet NERC standards. This paper presents an innovative procedure and tool suites to validate and calibrate models based on a trajectory sensitivity analysis method and an advanced ensemble Kalman filter algorithm. The developed prototype demonstrates excellent performance in identifying and calibrating bad parameters of a realistic hydro power plant against multiple system events.« less

UO2 fuel pellets fabrication via Spark Plasma Sintering using non-standard molybdenum die

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papynov, E. K.; Shichalin, O. O.; Mironenko, A. Yu; Tananaev, I. G.; Avramenko, V. A.; Sergienko, V. I.

2018-02-01

The article investigates spark plasma sintering (SPS) of commercial uranium dioxide (UO2) powder of ceramic origin into highly dense fuel pellets using non-standard die instead of usual graphite die. An alternative and formerly unknown method has been suggested to fabricate UO2 fuel pellets by SPS for excluding of typical problems related to undesirable carbon diffusion. Influence of SPS parameters on chemical composition and quality of UO2 pellets has been studied. Also main advantages and drawbacks have been revealed for SPS consolidation of UO2 in non-standard molybdenum die. The method is very promising due to high quality of the final product (density 97.5-98.4% from theoretical, absence of carbon traces, mean grain size below 3 μm) and mild sintering conditions (temperature 1100 ºC, pressure 141.5 MPa, sintering time 25 min). The results are interesting for development and probable application of SPS in large-scale production of nuclear ceramic fuel.

Effect of electronic report writing on the quality of nursing report recording

PubMed Central

Heidarizadeh, Khadijeh; Rassouli, Maryam; Manoochehri, Houman; Tafreshi, Mansoureh Zagheri; Ghorbanpour, Reza Kashef

2017-01-01

Background and Aim Recording performed nursery actions is one of the main chores of nurses. The findings have shown that recorded reports are not qualitatively valid. Since electronic reports can be regarded as a base to write reports, this study aims at determining the effect of utilizing electronic nursing reports on the quality of the records. Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted with the aim of applying an electronic system of nursing recording in the heart department of Shahid Rahimi Medical Center, Lorestan University of Medical Science. The samples were nursing reports on the hospitalized patients in the heart department, the basis of complete enumeration (census) during the fall of 2014. The subjects were sixteen employed nurses. To do the study, the software of nursing records was set based on the Clinical Care Classification system (CCC). The research’s tool was the checklist of the Standards of Nursing Documentation. Results The findings indicated that before and after the intervention, the amount of reports’ adaption with the written standards, respectively, was (21.8%) and (71.3%), and the most complete recording was medicine status (58%) and (100%). The worst complete recording before the intervention, acute changes was (99.1%) and nursing processes was (78%) and after, the medicine status, intake and output status and patient’s education (100%); while the nursing report structure was regarded in all cases (100%). The results showed that there is a significant difference in the quality of reporting before and after using CCC (p<0.001). Conclusions Since the necessary parameters for recording a standard report do exist in electronic reporting (CCC), from one point, nurses are reminded to record the necessary parts and from the other point, the system does not allow the user to shut it down unless the necessary parameters are recorded. For this reason, the quality of recorded reports with electronic reporting improves. PMID:29238481

A portable nondestructive detection device of quality and nutritional parameters of meat using Vis/NIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxiu; Peng, Yankun; Wang, Fan; Sun, Hongwei

2017-05-01

The improvement of living standards has urged consumers to pay more attention to the quality and nutrition of meat, so the development of nondestructive detection device for quality and nutritional parameters is commercioganic undoubtedly. In this research, a portable device equipped with visible (Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers, tungsten halogen lamp, optical fiber, ring light guide and embedded computer was developed to realize simultaneous and fast detection of color (L*, a*, b*), pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), intramuscular fat (IF), protein and water content in pork. The wavelengths of dual-band spectrometers were 400 1100 nm and 940 1650 nm respectively and the tungsten halogen lamp cooperated with ring light guide to form a ring light source and provide appropriate illumination intensity for sample. Software was self-developed to control the functionality of dual-band spectrometers, set spectrometer parameters, acquire and process Vis/NIR spectroscopy and display the prediction results in real time. In order to obtain a robust and accurate prediction model, fresh longissimus dorsi meat was bought and placed in the refrigerator for 12 days to get pork samples with different freshness degrees. Besides, pork meat from three different parts including longissimus dorsi, haunch and lean meat was collected for the determination of IF, protein and water to make the reference values have a wider distribution range. After acquisition of Vis/NIR spectra, data from 400 1100 nm were pretreated with Savitzky-Golay (S-G) filter and standard normal variables transform (SNVT) and spectrum data from 940 1650 nm were preprocessed with SNVT. The anomalous were eliminated by Monte Carlo method based on model cluster analysis and then partial least square regression (PLSR) models based on single band (400 1100 nm or 940 1650 nm) and dual-band were established and compared. The results showed the optimal models for each parameter were built with correlation coefficients in prediction set of 0.9101, 0.9121, 0.8873, 0.9094, 0.9378, 0.9348, 0.9342 and 0.8882, respectively. It indicated this innovative and practical device can be a promising technology for nondestructive, fast and accurate detection of nutritional parameters in meat.

Groundwater quality characterization around Jawaharnagar open dumpsite, Telangana State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unnisa, Syeda Azeem; Zainab Bi, Shaik

2017-11-01

In the present work groundwater samples were collected from ten different data points in and around Jawaharnagar municipal dumpsite, Telangana State Hyderabad city from May 2015 to May 2016 on monthly basis for groundwater quality characterization. Pearson's correlation coefficient ( r) value was determined using correlation matrix to identify the highly correlated and interrelated water quality standards issued by Bureau of Indian Standard (IS-10500:2012). It is found that most of the groundwater samples are above acceptable limits and are not potable. The chemical analysis results revealed that pH range from 7.2 to 7.8, TA 222 to 427 mg/l, TDS 512 to 854 mg/l, TH 420 to 584 mg/l, Calcium 115 to 140 mg/l, Magnesium 55 to 115 mg/l, Chlorides 202 to 290 mg/l, Sulphates 170 to 250 mg/l, Nitrates 6.5 to 11.3 mg/l, and Fluoride 0.9 to 1.7 mg/l. All samples showed higher range of physicochemical parameters except nitrate content which was lower than permissible limit. Highly positive correlation was observed between pH-TH ( r = 0.5063), TA-Cl- ( r = 0.5896), TDS-SO4 - ( r = 0.5125), Mg2+-NO3 - ( r = 0.5543) and Cl--F- ( r = 0.7786). The groundwater samples in and around Jawaharnagar municipal dumpsite implies that groundwater samples were contaminated by municipal leachate migration from open dumpsite. The results revealed that the systematic calculations of correlation coefficient between water parameters and regression analysis provide qualitative and rapid monitoring of groundwater quality.

Seasonal Variations in Water-Quality, Antibiotic Residues, Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of Escherichia coli Isolates from Water and Sediments of the Kshipra River in Central India.

PubMed

Diwan, Vishal; Hanna, Nada; Purohit, Manju; Chandran, Salesh; Riggi, Emilia; Parashar, Vivek; Tamhankar, Ashok J; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia

2018-06-17

To characterize the seasonal variation, over one year, in water-quality, antibiotic residue levels, antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from water and sediment of the Kshipra River in Central India. Water and sediment samples were collected from seven selected points from the Kshipra River in the Indian city of Ujjain in the summer, rainy season, autumn and winter seasons in 2014. Water quality parameters (physical, chemical and microbiological) were analyzed using standard methods. High-performance liquid chromatography⁻tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of antibiotic residues. In river water and sediment samples, antibiotic resistance and multidrug resistance patterns of isolated E. coli to 17 antibiotics were tested and genes coding for resistance and phylogenetic groups were detected using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher tests were applied to determine seasonal variation. In river water, seasonal variation was significantly associated with various water quality parameters, presence of sulfamethoxazole residues, bacteria resistant to ampicillin, cefepime, meropenem, amikacin, gentamicin, tigecycline, multidrug resistance and CTX-M-1 gene. The majority of the Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli isolates from river water and sediment in all different seasons belonged to phylogenetic group A or B1. Antibiotic pollution, resistance and resistance genes in the Kshipra River showed significant seasonal variation. Guidelines and regulatory standards are needed to control environmental dissemination of these “pollutants” in this holy river.

Reduced exposure using asymmetric cone beam processing for wide area detector cardiac CT

PubMed Central

Bedayat, Arash; Kumamaru, Kanako; Powers, Sara L.; Signorelli, Jason; Steigner, Michael L.; Steveson, Chloe; Soga, Shigeyoshi; Adams, Kimberly; Mitsouras, Dimitrios; Clouse, Melvin; Mather, Richard T.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate dose reduction after implementation of asymmetrical cone beam processing using exposure differences measured in a water phantom and a small cohort of clinical coronary CTA patients. Two separate 320 × 0.5 mm detector row scans of a water phantom used identical cardiac acquisition parameters before and after software modifications from symmetric to asymmetric cone beam acquisition and processing. Exposure was measured at the phantom surface with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dosimeters at 12 equally spaced angular locations. Mean HU and standard deviation (SD) for both approaches were compared using ROI measurements obtained at the center plus four peripheral locations in the water phantom. To assess image quality, mean HU and standard deviation (SD) for both approaches were compared using ROI measurements obtained at five points within the water phantom. Retrospective evaluation of 64 patients (37 symmetric; 27 asymmetric acquisition) included clinical data, scanning parameters, quantitative plus qualitative image assessment, and estimated radiation dose. In the water phantom, the asymmetric cone beam processing reduces exposure by approximately 20% with no change in image quality. The clinical coronary CTA patient groups had comparable demographics. The estimated dose reduction after implementation of the asymmetric approach was roughly 24% with no significant difference between the symmetric and asymmetric approach with respect to objective measures of image quality or subjective assessment using a four point scale. When compared to a symmetric approach, the decreased exposure, subsequent lower patient radiation dose, and similar image quality from asymmetric cone beam processing supports its routine clinical use. PMID:21336552

Reduced exposure using asymmetric cone beam processing for wide area detector cardiac CT.

PubMed

Bedayat, Arash; Rybicki, Frank J; Kumamaru, Kanako; Powers, Sara L; Signorelli, Jason; Steigner, Michael L; Steveson, Chloe; Soga, Shigeyoshi; Adams, Kimberly; Mitsouras, Dimitrios; Clouse, Melvin; Mather, Richard T

2012-02-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate dose reduction after implementation of asymmetrical cone beam processing using exposure differences measured in a water phantom and a small cohort of clinical coronary CTA patients. Two separate 320 × 0.5 mm detector row scans of a water phantom used identical cardiac acquisition parameters before and after software modifications from symmetric to asymmetric cone beam acquisition and processing. Exposure was measured at the phantom surface with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dosimeters at 12 equally spaced angular locations. Mean HU and standard deviation (SD) for both approaches were compared using ROI measurements obtained at the center plus four peripheral locations in the water phantom. To assess image quality, mean HU and standard deviation (SD) for both approaches were compared using ROI measurements obtained at five points within the water phantom. Retrospective evaluation of 64 patients (37 symmetric; 27 asymmetric acquisition) included clinical data, scanning parameters, quantitative plus qualitative image assessment, and estimated radiation dose. In the water phantom, the asymmetric cone beam processing reduces exposure by approximately 20% with no change in image quality. The clinical coronary CTA patient groups had comparable demographics. The estimated dose reduction after implementation of the asymmetric approach was roughly 24% with no significant difference between the symmetric and asymmetric approach with respect to objective measures of image quality or subjective assessment using a four point scale. When compared to a symmetric approach, the decreased exposure, subsequent lower patient radiation dose, and similar image quality from asymmetric cone beam processing supports its routine clinical use.

[Training evaluation of clinical laboratory excellence for technologists from some county and township hospitals in 31 provinces of China].

PubMed

Shang, Hong; Cui, Wei; Zhang, Man; Yang, Hongying; Sun, Ziyong; Duan, Yong; Chen, Ming; Yuan, Hong; Guan, Ming; Zhang, Shufang; Jia, Mei

2015-09-22

To improve clinical testing excellence through a large scale training project targeting laboratory operators at China's county and township hospitals. The Chinese Society of Laboratory Medicine launched the "Clinical Laboratory Standards and Training Support Project" from 2010 to 2013. The project innovatively created a model of partnership between government, professional association, individual hospitals and other social forces. A survey before training was conducted in 445 county-hospital laboratories in 31 provinces. Six months after implementation, a sampling survey was conducted among 250 participating county hospitals in 9 provinces to assess the project. From 2010 to 2013, the project had covered 31 provinces of China, and trained technologists from 3 570 hospitals. After training, the average pass rate of assessment examination increased to 83.7% compared with 16.2% before the training. 29.6% hospitals added new biochemistry parameters, and the number of hospital with new hematology, immunology, and microbiology parameters accounted for 24.4%, 21.2% and 16.4%, respectively. The internal quality control and external quality assessment items also increased significantly. Biochemistry increased most, reaching 12.8% and 10.0%, and microbiology also reached 4.4% and 2.8% respectively. Bio-safety management capacities were also enhanced. The number of hospital implementing bio-safety risk assessment increased from 41.2% to 76.4%. This project helpfully fills an important technical gap of clinical testing in China's rural healthcare infrastructure. Through training, clinical laboratory operations has been standardized, and systems of internal quality control and external quality assessment are increasingly improved.

Value of semen parameters, with special reference to TNF-α, in predicting the quality of boar semen after short-term storage.

PubMed

Mrkun, Janko; Kosec, Marjan; Zrimšek, Petra

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to address the question whether changes in boar semen quality after short-term storage could be predicted on the basis of standard semen parameters and TNF-α level determined on the day of semen collection under commercial conditions. Progressive motility showed the highest positive correlation with morphology on day 0 of collection, and progressive motility on day 3 (P < 0.05) showed a negative correlation with acrosome abnormalities (P < 0.05). According to the area under receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves (AUCs), progressive motility could also be used in predicting semen quality after 3 days of storage (AUC > 0.5; P < 0.05). TNF-α in seminal plasma is the only parameter measured on day 0 to show a significant correlation with the percentage of viable spermatozoa after 3 days of semen storage (r = 0.495, P < 0.05). ROC analysis shows that TNF-α level is helpful in discriminating viability outcome after semen storage (AUC = 0.94, P < 0.001). We can predict with 92.35% certainty that fresh semen samples with more than 150 pg/ml of TNF-α in the seminal plasma will retain more than 85% of viable spermatozoa after 3 days of storage. Thus, TNF-α can contribute to predicting the quality of short-term stored semen.

Characterization and optimization of image quality as a function of reconstruction algorithms and parameter settings in a Siemens Inveon small-animal PET scanner using the NEMA NU 4-2008 standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visser, Eric P.; Disselhorst, Jonathan A.; van Lier, Monique G. J. T. B.; Laverman, Peter; de Jong, Gabie M.; Oyen, Wim J. G.; Boerman, Otto C.

2011-02-01

The image reconstruction algorithms provided with the Siemens Inveon small-animal PET scanner are filtered backprojection (FBP), 3-dimensional reprojection (3DRP), ordered subset expectation maximization in 2 or 3 dimensions (OSEM2D/3D) and maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction. This study aimed at optimizing the reconstruction parameter settings with regard to image quality (IQ) as defined by the NEMA NU 4-2008 standards. The NEMA NU 4-2008 image quality phantom was used to determine image noise, expressed as percentage standard deviation in the uniform phantom region (%STD unif), activity recovery coefficients for the FDG-filled rods (RC rod), and spill-over ratios for the non-radioactive water- and air-filled phantom compartments (SOR wat and SOR air). Although not required by NEMA NU 4, we also determined a contrast-to-noise ratio for each rod (CNR rod), expressing the trade-off between activity recovery and image noise. For FBP and 3DRP the cut-off frequency of the applied filters, and for OSEM2D and OSEM3D, the number of iterations was varied. For MAP, the "smoothing parameter" β and the type of uniformity constraint (variance or resolution) were varied. Results of these analyses were demonstrated in images of an FDG-injected rat showing tumours in the liver, and of a mouse injected with an 18F-labeled peptide, showing a small subcutaneous tumour and the cortex structure of the kidneys. Optimum IQ in terms of CNR rod for the small-diameter rods was obtained using MAP with uniform variance and β=0.4. This setting led to RC rod,1 mm=0.21, RC rod,2 mm=0.57, %STD unif=1.38, SOR wat=0.0011, and SOR air=0.00086. However, the highest activity recovery for the smallest rods with still very small %STD unif was obtained using β=0.075, for which these IQ parameters were 0.31, 0.74, 2.67, 0.0041, and 0.0030, respectively. The different settings of reconstruction parameters were clearly reflected in the rat and mouse images as the trade-off between the recovery of small structures (blood vessels, small tumours, kidney cortex structure) and image noise in homogeneous body parts (healthy liver background). Highest IQ for the Inveon PET scanner was obtained using MAP reconstruction with uniform variance. The setting of β depended on the specific imaging goals.

Quality assessment of pollution indicators in marine water at critical locations of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, Tuticorin.

PubMed

Rajendran, Viji; Nirmaladevi D, Shrinithivihahshini; Srinivasan, Balakrishnan; Rengaraj, Chithradevi; Mariyaselvam, Sheelamary

2018-01-01

The present study focused on the shoreline environment of urban and industrial areas, and the aim of this study was to assess the coastal water quality in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. Water samples were collected from five different coastal sites during the premonsoon and monsoon seasons. The samples were analyzed following the standard methods. The results showed that the levels of microbiological indicators in the samples highly exceeded the regional and national standard seawater permissible limits, and environmental parameters such as the total suspended solid and dissolved oxygen were affected significantly (p<0.05). To identify frequent pollution indicators, their levels should be estimated to determine possible pollution in coastal ecosystems due to human interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bayesian Parameter Estimation for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

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

Miller, Eric; Konan, Arnaud; Duran, Adam

2017-03-28

Accurate vehicle parameters are valuable for design, modeling, and reporting. Estimating vehicle parameters can be a very time-consuming process requiring tightly-controlled experimentation. This work describes a method to estimate vehicle parameters such as mass, coefficient of drag/frontal area, and rolling resistance using data logged during standard vehicle operation. The method uses Monte Carlo to generate parameter sets which is fed to a variant of the road load equation. Modeled road load is then compared to measured load to evaluate the probability of the parameter set. Acceptance of a proposed parameter set is determined using the probability ratio to the currentmore » state, so that the chain history will give a distribution of parameter sets. Compared to a single value, a distribution of possible values provides information on the quality of estimates and the range of possible parameter values. The method is demonstrated by estimating dynamometer parameters. Results confirm the method's ability to estimate reasonable parameter sets, and indicates an opportunity to increase the certainty of estimates through careful selection or generation of the test drive cycle.« less

Asynchronous Transfer Mode Quality-of-Service Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivancic, William D.

1998-01-01

In support of satellite-ATM interoperability, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center performed asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) quality-of-service experiments using MPEG-2 (ATM application layer 5, AAL5) over ATM over an emulated satellite link. The purpose of these experiments was to determine the free-space link quality necessary to use the ATM protocol to transmit high-quality multimedia information. The experimental results have been submitted to various International Telecommunications Union (ITU) study groups in order to improve and modify current standards and recommendations for the telecommunications industry. Quality-of-service parameters for Class I, stringent class requirements for ITU-T I.356 are currently being debated. The experimental results presented will help to establish these quality-of-service thresholds. This material will also be useful in the development of the ITU-R WP-4B's Draft Preliminary New Recommendation on the Transmission of Asynchronous Transfer Mode Traffic via Satellite (Rec. S.atm).

The Impact of Different Levels of Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction 3D on Image Quality of 320-Row Coronary CT Angiography: A Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Feger, Sarah; Rief, Matthias; Zimmermann, Elke; Martus, Peter; Schuijf, Joanne Désirée; Blobel, Jörg; Richter, Felicitas; Dewey, Marc

2015-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was the systematic image quality evaluation of coronary CT angiography (CTA), reconstructed with the 3 different levels of adaptive iterative dose reduction (AIDR 3D) and compared to filtered back projection (FBP) with quantum denoising software (QDS). Methods Standard-dose CTA raw data of 30 patients with mean radiation dose of 3.2 ± 2.6 mSv were reconstructed using AIDR 3D mild, standard, strong and compared to FBP/QDS. Objective image quality comparison (signal, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), contour sharpness) was performed using 21 measurement points per patient, including measurements in each coronary artery from proximal to distal. Results Objective image quality parameters improved with increasing levels of AIDR 3D. Noise was lowest in AIDR 3D strong (p≤0.001 at 20/21 measurement points; compared with FBP/QDS). Signal and contour sharpness analysis showed no significant difference between the reconstruction algorithms for most measurement points. Best coronary SNR and CNR were achieved with AIDR 3D strong. No loss of SNR or CNR in distal segments was seen with AIDR 3D as compared to FBP. Conclusions On standard-dose coronary CTA images, AIDR 3D strong showed higher objective image quality than FBP/QDS without reducing contour sharpness. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00967876 PMID:25945924

[Research strategies in standard decoction of medicinal slices].

PubMed

Chen, Shi-Lin; Liu, An; Li, Qi; Toru, Sugita; Zhu, Guang-Wei; Sun, Yi; Dai, Yun-Tao; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Tie-Jun; Takehisa, Tomoda; Liu, Chang-Xiao

2016-04-01

This paper discusses the research situation of the standard decoction of medicinal slices at home and abroad. Combined with the experimental data, the author proposes that the standard decoction of medicinal slices is made of single herb using standard process which should be guided by the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, based on clinical practice and referred to modern extraction method with a standard process. And the author also proposes the principles of establishing the specification of process parameters and quality standards and established the basis of drug efficacy material and biological reference. As a standard material and standard system, the standard decoction of medicinal slices can provide standards for clinical medication, standardize the use of the new type of medicinal slices especially for dispensing granules, which were widely used in clinical. It can ensure the accuracy of drugs and consistency of dose, and to solve current supervision difficulties. Moreover the study of standard decoction of medicinal slices will provide the research on dispensing granules, traditional Chinese medicine prescription standard decoction and couplet medicines standard decoction a useful reference. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Models for selecting GMA Welding Parameters for Improving Mechanical Properties of Weld Joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasa Rao, P.; Ramachandran, Pragash; Jebaraj, S.

2016-02-01

During the process of Gas Metal Arc (GMAW) welding, the weld joints mechanical properties are influenced by the welding parameters such as welding current and arc voltage. These parameters directly will influence the quality of the weld in terms of mechanical properties. Even small variation in any of the cited parameters may have an important effect on depth of penetration and on joint strength. In this study, S45C Constructional Steel is taken as the base metal to be tested using the parameters wire feed rate, voltage and type of shielding gas. Physical properties considered in the present study are tensile strength and hardness. The testing of weld specimen is carried out as per ASTM Standards. Mathematical models to predict the tensile strength and depth of penetration of weld joint have been developed by regression analysis using the experimental results.

Update of Standard Practices for New Method Validation in Forensic Toxicology.

PubMed

Wille, Sarah M R; Coucke, Wim; De Baere, Thierry; Peters, Frank T

2017-01-01

International agreement concerning validation guidelines is important to obtain quality forensic bioanalytical research and routine applications as it all starts with the reporting of reliable analytical data. Standards for fundamental validation parameters are provided in guidelines as those from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the German speaking Gesellschaft fur Toxikologie und Forensische Chemie (GTFCH) and the Scientific Working Group of Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX). These validation parameters include selectivity, matrix effects, method limits, calibration, accuracy and stability, as well as other parameters such as carryover, dilution integrity and incurred sample reanalysis. It is, however, not easy for laboratories to implement these guidelines into practice as these international guidelines remain nonbinding protocols, that depend on the applied analytical technique, and that need to be updated according the analyst's method requirements and the application type. In this manuscript, a review of the current guidelines and literature concerning bioanalytical validation parameters in a forensic context is given and discussed. In addition, suggestions for the experimental set-up, the pros and cons of statistical approaches and adequate acceptance criteria for the validation of bioanalytical applications are given. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Threats of habitat and water-quality degradation to mussel diversity in the Meramec River Basin, Missouri, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, Jo Ellen; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Wang, Ning; Augspurger, Tom; Barnhart, M. Christopher; McMurray, Stephen E.; Roberts, Andrew D.; Schrader, Lynn

2011-01-01

The Meramec River Basin in east-central Missouri is an important stronghold for native freshwater mussels (Order: Unionoida) in the United States. Whereas the basin supports more than 40 mussel species, previous studies indicate that the abundance and distribution of most species are declining. Therefore, resource managers have identified the need to prioritize threats to native mussel populations in the basin and to design a mussel monitoring program. The objective of this study was to identify threats of habitat and water-quality degradation to mussel diversity in the basin. Affected habitat parameters considered as the main threats to mussel conservation included excess sedimentation, altered stream geomorphology and flow, effects on riparian vegetation and condition, impoundments, and invasive non-native species. Evaluating water-quality parameters for conserving mussels was a main focus of this study. Mussel toxicity data for chemical contaminants were compared to national water quality criteria (NWQC) and Missouri water quality standards (MWQS). However, NWQC and MWQS have not been developed for many chemical contaminants and some MWQS may not be protective of native mussel populations. Toxicity data indicated that mussels are sensitive to ammonia, copper, temperature, certain pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products; these compounds were identified as the priority water-quality parameters for mussel conservation in the basin. Measures to conserve mussel diversity in the basin include expanding the species and life stages of mussels and the list of chemical contaminants that have been assessed, establishing a long term mussel monitoring program that measures physical and chemical parameters of high priority, conducting landscape scale modeling to predict mussel distributions, determining sublethal effects of primary contaminants of concern, deriving risk-based guidance values for mussel conservation, and assessing the effects of wastewater treatment plants and non-point source pollution on mussels. A critical next step to further prioritize these needs is to conduct a watershed risk assessment using local data (for example, land use, flow) when available.

Stagnant surface water bodies (SSWBs) as an alternative water resource for the Chittagong metropolitan area of Bangladesh: physicochemical characterization in terms of water quality indices.

PubMed

Rahman, Ismail Md Mofizur; Islam, M Monirul; Hossain, M Mosharraf; Hossain, M Shahadat; Begum, Zinnat A; Chowdhury, Didarul A; Chakraborty, Milan K; Rahman, M Azizur; Nazimuddin, M; Hasegawa, Hiroshi

2011-02-01

The concern over ensuing freshwater scarcity has forced the developing countries to delve for alternative water resources. In this study, we examined the potential of stagnant surface water bodies (SSWBs) as alternative freshwater resources in the densely populated Chittagong metropolitan area (CMPA) of Bangladesh--where there is an acute shortage of urban freshwater supply. Water samples were collected at 1-month intervals for a period of 1 year from 12 stations distributed over the whole metropolis. Samples were analyzed for pH, water temperature (WTemp), turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids, total solids, total hardness, dissolved oxygen (DO), chloride, orthophosphates, ammonia, total coliforms (TC), and trace metal (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, As, and Fe) concentrations. Based on these parameters, different types of water quality indices (WQIs) were deduced. WQIs showed most of CMPA-SSWBs as good or medium quality water bodies, while none were categorized as bad. Moreover, it was observed that the minimal water quality index (WQIm), computed using five parameters: WTemp, pH, DO, EC, and turbidity, gave a reliable estimate of water quality. The WQIm gave similar results in 72% of the cases compared with other WQIs that were based on larger set of parameters. Based on our finding, we suggest the wider use WQIm in developing countries for assessing health of SSWBs, as it will minimize the analytical cost to overcome the budget constraints involved in this kind of evaluations. It was observed that except turbidity and TC content, all other quality parameters fluctuated within the limit of the World Health Organization suggested standards for drinking water. From our findings, we concluded that if the turbidity and TC content of water from SSWBs in CMPA are taken care of, they will become good candidates as alternative water resources all round the year.

Quality and Control of Water Vapor Winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedlovec, Gary J.; Atkinson, Robert J.

1996-01-01

Water vapor imagery from the geostationary satellites such as GOES, Meteosat, and GMS provides synoptic views of dynamical events on a continual basis. Because the imagery represents a non-linear combination of mid- and upper-tropospheric thermodynamic parameters (three-dimensional variations in temperature and humidity), video loops of these image products provide enlightening views of regional flow fields, the movement of tropical and extratropical storm systems, the transfer of moisture between hemispheres and from the tropics to the mid- latitudes, and the dominance of high pressure systems over particular regions of the Earth. Despite the obvious larger scale features, the water vapor imagery contains significant image variability down to the single 8 km GOES pixel. These features can be quantitatively identified and tracked from one time to the next using various image processing techniques. Merrill et al. (1991), Hayden and Schmidt (1992), and Laurent (1993) have documented the operational procedures and capabilities of NOAA and ESOC to produce cloud and water vapor winds. These techniques employ standard correlation and template matching approaches to wind tracking and use qualitative and quantitative procedures to eliminate bad wind vectors from the wind data set. Techniques have also been developed to improve the quality of the operational winds though robust editing procedures (Hayden and Veldon 1991). These quality and control approaches have limitations, are often subjective, and constrain wind variability to be consistent with model derived wind fields. This paper describes research focused on the refinement of objective quality and control parameters for water vapor wind vector data sets. New quality and control measures are developed and employed to provide a more robust wind data set for climate analysis, data assimilation studies, as well as operational weather forecasting. The parameters are applicable to cloud-tracked winds as well with minor modifications. The improvement in winds through use of these new quality and control parameters is measured without the use of rawinsonde or modeled wind field data and compared with other approaches.

Environmental quality assessment of groundwater resources in Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Kalbani, Mohammed Saif; Price, Martin F.; Ahmed, Mushtaque; Abahussain, Asma; O'Higgins, Timothy

2017-11-01

The research was conducted to assess the quality of groundwater resources of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman. 11 drinking water sources were sampled during summer and winter seasons during 2012-2013 to evaluate their physico-chemical quality indicators; and assess their suitability for drinking and other domestic purposes. Sample collection, handling and processing followed the standard methods recommended by APHA and analyzed in quality assured laboratories using appropriate analytical methods and instrumental techniques. The results show that the quality parameters in all drinking water resources are within the permissible limits set by Omani and WHO standards; and the drinking water quality index is good or medium in quality based on NFS-WQI classification criteria, indicating their suitability for human consumption. There is an indication of the presence of high nitrate concentrations in some groundwater wells, which require more investigations and monitoring program to be conducted on regular basis to ensure good quality water supply for the residents in the mountain. The trilinear Piper diagram shows that most of the drinking water resources of the study area fall in the field of calcium and bicarbonate type with some magnesium bicarbonate type indicating that most of the major ions are natural in origin due to the geology of the region. This study is a first step towards providing indicators on groundwater quality of this fragile mountain ecosystem, which will be the basis for future planning decisions on corrective demand management measures to protect groundwater resources of Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

Cost-effectiveness of a motivational intervention for alcohol-involved youth in a hospital emergency department.

PubMed

Neighbors, Charles J; Barnett, Nancy P; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Colby, Suzanne M; Monti, Peter M

2010-05-01

Brief interventions in the emergency department targeting risk-taking youth show promise to reduce alcohol-related injury. This study models the cost-effectiveness of a motivational interviewing-based intervention relative to brief advice to stop alcohol-related risk behaviors (standard care). Average cost-effectiveness ratios were compared between conditions. In addition, a cost-utility analysis examined the incremental cost of motivational interviewing per quality-adjusted life year gained. Microcosting methods were used to estimate marginal costs of motivational interviewing and standard care as well as two methods of patient screening: standard emergency-department staff questioning and proactive outreach by counseling staff. Average cost-effectiveness ratios were computed for drinking and driving, injuries, vehicular citations, and negative social consequences. Using estimates of the marginal effect of motivational interviewing in reducing drinking and driving, estimates of traffic fatality risk from drinking-and-driving youth, and national life tables, the societal costs per quality-adjusted life year saved by motivational interviewing relative to standard care were also estimated. Alcohol-attributable traffic fatality risks were estimated using national databases. Intervention costs per participant were $81 for standard care, $170 for motivational interviewing with standard screening, and $173 for motivational interviewing with proactive screening. The cost-effectiveness ratios for motivational interviewing were more favorable than standard care across all study outcomes and better for men than women. The societal cost per quality-adjusted life year of motivational interviewing was $8,795. Sensitivity analyses indicated that results were robust in terms of variability in parameter estimates. This brief intervention represents a good societal investment compared with other commonly adopted medical interventions.

Preparation and Evaluation of Herbal Shampoo Powder

PubMed Central

Dubey, Sachin; Nema, Neelesh; Nayak, S.

2004-01-01

Two preparations of herbal shampoo powder were formulated using some common traditional drugs used by folk and traditional people of Bundelkhand region (M.P) India, for hair care. The preparations were formulated using bahera, amla, neem tulsi, shikakai henna & brahmi evaluated for organoleptic, powder charecterestics, foam test and physical evaluation. As the selected drugs being used since long time as single drug or in combination, present investigations will further help to establish a standard formulation and evaluation parameters, which will certainly help in the standardization for quality and purity of such type of herbal powder shampoos. PMID:22557149

Effects of Urbanization on Stream Water Quality in the City of Atlanta, Georgia, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, N. E.

2009-05-01

A long-term stream water-quality monitoring network was established in the City of Atlanta (COA) during 2003 to assess baseline water-quality conditions and the effects of urbanization on stream water quality. Routine hydrologically-based manual stream sampling, including several concurrent manual point and equal width increment sampling, was conducted approximately 12 times per year at 21 stations, with drainage areas ranging from 3.7 to 232 km2. Eleven of the stations are real-time (RT) water-quality stations having continuous measures of stream stage/discharge, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, water temperature, and turbidity, and automatic samplers for stormwater collection. Samples were analyzed for field parameters, and a broad suite of water-quality and sediment-related constituents. This paper summarizes an evaluation of field parameters and concentrations of major ions, minor and trace metals, nutrient species (nitrogen and phosphorus), and coliform bacteria among stations and with respect to watershed characteristics and plausible sources from 2003 through September 2007. The concentrations of most constituents in the COA streams are statistically higher than those of two nearby reference streams. Concentrations are statistically different among stations for several constituents, despite high variability both within and among stations. The combination of routine manual sampling, automatic sampling during stormflows, and real-time water-quality monitoring provided sufficient information about the variability of urban stream water quality to develop hypotheses for causes of water-quality differences among COA streams. Fecal coliform bacteria concentrations of most individual samples at each station exceeded Georgia's water-quality standard for any water-usage class. High chloride concentrations occur at three stations and are hypothesized to be associated with discharges of chlorinated combined sewer overflows, drainage of swimming pool(s), and dissolution and transport during rainstorms of CaCl2, a deicing salt applied to roads during winter storms. Water quality of one stream was highly affected by the dissolution and transport of ammonium alum [NH4Al(SO4)2] from an alum manufacturing plant in the watershed; streamwater has low pH (<5), low alkalinity and high concentrations of minor and trace metals. Several trace metals (Cu, Pb and Zn) exceed acute and chronic water-quality standards and the high concentrations are attributed to washoff from impervious surfaces.

International standards for monoclonal antibodies to support pre- and post-marketing product consistency: Evaluation of a candidate international standard for the bioactivities of rituximab.

PubMed

Prior, Sandra; Hufton, Simon E; Fox, Bernard; Dougall, Thomas; Rigsby, Peter; Bristow, Adrian

2018-01-01

The intrinsic complexity and heterogeneity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is built into the biosimilarity paradigm where critical quality attributes are controlled in exhaustive comparability studies with the reference medicinal product. The long-term success of biosimilars will depend on reassuring healthcare professionals and patients of consistent product quality, safety and efficacy. With this aim, the World Health Organization has endorsed the need for public bioactivity standards for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in support of current controls. We have developed a candidate international potency standard for rituximab that was evaluated in a multi-center collaborative study using participants' own qualified Fc-effector function and cell-based binding bioassays. Dose-response curve model parameters were shown to reflect similar behavior amongst rituximab preparations, albeit with some differences in potency. In the absence of a common reference standard, potency estimates were in poor agreement amongst laboratories, but the use of the candidate preparation significantly reduced this variability. Our results suggest that the candidate rituximab standard can support bioassay performance and improve data harmonization, which when implemented will promote consistency of rituximab products over their life-cycles. This data provides the first scientific evidence that a classical standardization exercise allowing traceability of bioassay data to an international standard is also applicable to rituximab. However, we submit that this new type of international standard needs to be used appropriately and its role not to be mistaken with that of the reference medicinal product.

Investigation of some disinfection chemicals and water quality parameters in swimming pools in the city center and districts of Canakkale, Turkey.

PubMed

Uysal, Tolga; Yilmaz, Selehattin; Turkoglu, Muhammet; Sadikoglu, Murat

2017-07-01

In this study, the variations in concentrations of some disinfection chemicals such as cyanuric acid (CyA), free chlorine (FC), and residual chlorine (RC), which affect human health, were investigated in the water of swimming pools. In addition, quality parameters such as temperature, pH, and total alkalinity (TA) in 44 swimming pools located in the city center and districts of Canakkale, Turkey, were examined in the summer period. While FC and RC amounts were analyzed using tablet tests with N-N-diethyl phenylenediamine (DPD 1) and potassium iodine (DPD 3) using the colorimetric method in the comparator, TA and CyA levels were measured with a photometric method. Temperature and pH were measured using YSI 556 MPS. Levels of CyA, FC, RC, pH, temperature, and TA varied between 0.00 and 725.0 mg L -1 (108.0 ± 111.4 mg L -1 ), 0.00 and 5.00 mg L -1 (1.60 ± 0.962 mg L -1 ), 0 and 0.55 mg L -1 (0.087 ± 0.059), 6.40 and 8.20 mg L -1 (7.30 ± 0.038 mg L -1 ), 22.0 and 32.0 °C (27.6 ± 1.45 °C), and 0.00 and 391.0 mg L -1 (129.3 ± 89.0), respectively. The findings were compared to standard limit values of the Ministry of Health of the Turkish Republic and other countries. Not only maximum concentrations of CyA but also the average concentrations exceeded the standard limit values of different countries in July and August with high tourism activity in Turkey. Although there is no problem in view of average values of other quality parameters, there are some problems in view of the maximum values in pool waters compared to standard limit values.

Analysis and detection of functional outliers in water quality parameters from different automated monitoring stations in the Nalón river basin (Northern Spain).

PubMed

Piñeiro Di Blasi, J I; Martínez Torres, J; García Nieto, P J; Alonso Fernández, J R; Díaz Muñiz, C; Taboada, J

2015-01-01

The purposes and intent of the authorities in establishing water quality standards are to provide enhancement of water quality and prevention of pollution to protect the public health or welfare in accordance with the public interest for drinking water supplies, conservation of fish, wildlife and other beneficial aquatic life, and agricultural, industrial, recreational, and other reasonable and necessary uses as well as to maintain and improve the biological integrity of the waters. In this way, water quality controls involve a large number of variables and observations, often subject to some outliers. An outlier is an observation that is numerically distant from the rest of the data or that appears to deviate markedly from other members of the sample in which it occurs. An interesting analysis is to find those observations that produce measurements that are different from the pattern established in the sample. Therefore, identification of atypical observations is an important concern in water quality monitoring and a difficult task because of the multivariate nature of water quality data. Our study provides a new method for detecting outliers in water quality monitoring parameters, using turbidity, conductivity and ammonium ion as indicator variables. Until now, methods were based on considering the different parameters as a vector whose components were their concentration values. This innovative approach lies in considering water quality monitoring over time as continuous curves instead of discrete points, that is to say, the dataset of the problem are considered as a time-dependent function and not as a set of discrete values in different time instants. This new methodology, which is based on the concept of functional depth, was applied to the detection of outliers in water quality monitoring samples in the Nalón river basin with success. Results of this study were discussed here in terms of origin, causes, etc. Finally, the conclusions as well as advantages of the functional method are exposed.

Reference dosimetry study for 3 MEV electron beam accelerator in malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Noriah Mod; Sunaga, Hiromi; Tanaka, Ryuichi

1995-09-01

An effective quality assurance programme is initiated for the use of the electron beam with energies up to 3 MeV. The key element of the programme is the establishment of a relationship between the standardised beam to the routine technique which is employed to verify the beam parameter. A total absorbing calorimeter was adopted as a suitable reference system and when used in combination with the electron current densitymeter (ECD) will enable to determine the mean energy for electron with energies between 1 to 3 MeV. An appropriate method of transfering the standard parameter is studied and the work that is expected to optimise the accuracy attainable with routine check-up of the irradiation parameter are presented.

An Integrated model for Product Quality Development—A case study on Quality functions deployment and AHP based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maitra, Subrata; Banerjee, Debamalya

2010-10-01

Present article is based on application of the product quality and improvement of design related with the nature of failure of machineries and plant operational problems of an industrial blower fan Company. The project aims at developing the product on the basis of standardized production parameters for selling its products in the market. Special attention is also being paid to the blower fans which have been ordered directly by the customer on the basis of installed capacity of air to be provided by the fan. Application of quality function deployment is primarily a customer oriented approach. Proposed model of QFD integrated with AHP to select and rank the decision criterions on the commercial and technical factors and the measurement of the decision parameters for selection of best product in the compettitive environment. The present AHP-QFD model justifies the selection of a blower fan with the help of the group of experts' opinion by pairwise comparison of the customer's and ergonomy based technical design requirements. The steps invoved in implementation of the QFD—AHP and selection of weighted criterion may be helpful for all similar purpose industries maintaining cost and utility for competitive product.

Risk management for sulfur dioxide abatement under multiple uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, C.; Sun, W.; Tan, Q.; Liu, Y.; Lu, W. T.; Guo, H. C.

2016-03-01

In this study, interval-parameter programming, two-stage stochastic programming (TSP), and conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) were incorporated into a general optimization framework, leading to an interval-parameter CVaR-based two-stage programming (ICTP) method. The ICTP method had several advantages: (i) its objective function simultaneously took expected cost and risk cost into consideration, and also used discrete random variables and discrete intervals to reflect uncertain properties; (ii) it quantitatively evaluated the right tail of distributions of random variables which could better calculate the risk of violated environmental standards; (iii) it was useful for helping decision makers to analyze the trade-offs between cost and risk; and (iv) it was effective to penalize the second-stage costs, as well as to capture the notion of risk in stochastic programming. The developed model was applied to sulfur dioxide abatement in an air quality management system. The results indicated that the ICTP method could be used for generating a series of air quality management schemes under different risk-aversion levels, for identifying desired air quality management strategies for decision makers, and for considering a proper balance between system economy and environmental quality.

A random optimization approach for inherent optic properties of nearshore waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Aijun; Hao, Yongshuai; Xu, Kuo; Zhou, Heng

2016-10-01

Traditional method of water quality sampling is time-consuming and highly cost. It can not meet the needs of social development. Hyperspectral remote sensing technology has well time resolution, spatial coverage and more general segment information on spectrum. It has a good potential in water quality supervision. Via the method of semi-analytical, remote sensing information can be related with the water quality. The inherent optical properties are used to quantify the water quality, and an optical model inside the water is established to analysis the features of water. By stochastic optimization algorithm Threshold Acceptance, a global optimization of the unknown model parameters can be determined to obtain the distribution of chlorophyll, organic solution and suspended particles in water. Via the improvement of the optimization algorithm in the search step, the processing time will be obviously reduced, and it will create more opportunity for the increasing the number of parameter. For the innovation definition of the optimization steps and standard, the whole inversion process become more targeted, thus improving the accuracy of inversion. According to the application result for simulated data given by IOCCG and field date provided by NASA, the approach model get continuous improvement and enhancement. Finally, a low-cost, effective retrieval model of water quality from hyper-spectral remote sensing can be achieved.

Summary of water-quality data for City of Albuquerque drinking-water supply wells, 1988-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bexfield, Laura M.; Lindberg, William E.; Anderholm, Scott K.

1999-01-01

The City of Albuquerque has collected and analyzed more than 5,000 water-quality samples from 113 water-supply wells in the Albuquerque area, including many drinking-water supply wells, since May of 1988. As a result, a large water-quality data base has been compiled that includes data for major ions, nutrients, trace elements, carbon, volatile organic compounds, radiological constituents, and bacteria. These data are intended to improve the understanding and management of the ground-water resources of the region, rather than demonstrate compliance with Federal and State drinking-water standards. This report gives summary statistics for selected physical properties and chemical constituents for ground water from wells used by the City of Albuquerque for drinking-water supply between 1988 and 1997. Maps are provided to show the general spatial distribution of selected parameters and water types around the region. Although the values of some parameters vary substantially across the city, median values for all parameters included in this report are less than their respective maximum contaminant levels in each drinking-water supply well. The dominant water types are sodium plus potassium / carbonate plus bicarbonate in the western part of the city and calcium / carbonate plus bicarbonate in the eastern part of the city.

Assessing biodiesel quality parameters for wastewater grown Chlorella sp.

PubMed

Bagul, Samadhan Yuvraj; K Bharti, Randhir; Dhar, Dolly Wattal

2017-07-01

Microalgae are reported as the efficient source of renewable biodiesel which should be able to meet the global demand of transport fuels. Present study is focused on assessment of wastewater grown indigenous microalga Chlorella sp. for fuel quality parameters. This was successfully grown in secondary treated waste water diluted with tap water (25% dilution) in glass house. The microalga showed a dry weight of 0.849 g L -1 with lipid content of 27.1% on dry weight basis on 21st day of incubation. After transesterification, the yield of fatty acid methyl ester was 80.64% with major fatty acids as palmitic, linoleic, oleic and linolenic. The physical parameters predicted from empirical equations in the biodiesel showed cetane number as 56.5, iodine value of 75.5 g I 2 100 g -1 , high heating value 40.1 MJ kg -1 , flash point 135 °C, kinematic viscosity 4.05 mm 2 s -1 with density of 0.86 g cm 3 and cold filter plugging point as 0.7 °C. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), 1 H, 13 C NMR spectrum confirmed the chemical nature of biodiesel. The results indicated that the quality of biodiesel was almost as per the criterion of ASTM standards; hence, wastewater grown Chlorella sp. can be used as a promising strain for biodiesel production.

The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality

PubMed Central

Jóźków, Paweł; Rossato, Marco

2016-01-01

With expanding knowledge on the health benefits of exercise, there is an increasing demand for information on the andrological consequences of participating in sports. These consequences are especially important in the context of infertility problems worldwide. The so-called “male factor” is reported in up to 50% of couples having trouble with conception. The answer to the question, “Is physical activity good for male reproductive health?” is not straightforward. A number of studies have suggested that significant changes in semen parameters may occur due to sports training of certain types, intensities, and durations. The changes to these parameters vary in scope, direction, and magnitude. Findings in recreational athletes have also differed from those in professional athletes. This review of the current literature suggests that intense physical activity may affect the semen concentration, as well as the number of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa. Training at higher intensities and with increased loads seems to be associated with more profound changes in semen quality. In recreational athletes, exercise has either a positive or neutral effect on semen parameters. Due to many limitations (e.g., global sperm count trends, concerns about the quality control of sperm evaluations, and new standards for semen analysis), comparisons among historical data and their interpretation are difficult. PMID:27645515

High-volume image quality assessment systems: tuning performance with an interactive data visualization tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bresnahan, Patricia A.; Pukinskis, Madeleine; Wiggins, Michael

1999-03-01

Image quality assessment systems differ greatly with respect to the number and types of mags they need to evaluate, and their overall architectures. Managers of these systems, however, all need to be able to tune and evaluate system performance, requirements often overlooked or under-designed during project planning. Performance tuning tools allow users to define acceptable quality standards for image features and attributes by adjusting parameter settings. Performance analysis tools allow users to evaluate and/or predict how well a system performs in a given parameter state. While image assessment algorithms are becoming quite sophisticated, duplicating or surpassing the human decision making process in their speed and reliability, they often require a greater investment in 'training' or fine tuning of parameters in order to achieve optimum performance. This process may involve the analysis of hundreds or thousands of images, generating a large database of files and statistics that can be difficult to sort through and interpret. Compounding the difficulty is the fact that personnel charged with tuning and maintaining the production system may not have the statistical or analytical background required for the task. Meanwhile, hardware innovations have greatly increased the volume of images that can be handled in a given time frame, magnifying the consequences of running a production site with an inadequately tuned system. In this paper, some general requirements for a performance evaluation and tuning data visualization system are discussed. A custom engineered solution to the tuning and evaluation problem is then presented, developed within the context of a high volume image quality assessment, data entry, OCR, and image archival system. A key factor influencing the design of the system was the context-dependent definition of image quality, as perceived by a human interpreter. This led to the development of a five-level, hierarchical approach to image quality evaluation. Lower-level pass-fail conditions and decision rules were coded into the system. Higher-level image quality states were defined by allowing the users to interactively adjust the system's sensitivity to various image attributes by manipulating graphical controls. Results were presented in easily interpreted bar graphs. These graphs were mouse- sensitive, allowing the user to more fully explore the subsets of data indicated by various color blocks. In order to simplify the performance evaluation and tuning process, users could choose to view the results of (1) the existing system parameter state, (2) the results of any arbitrary parameter values they chose, or (3) the results of a quasi-optimum parameter state, derived by applying a decision rule to a large set of possible parameter states. Giving managers easy- to-use tools for defining the more subjective aspects of quality resulted in a system that responded to contextual cues that are difficult to hard-code. It had the additional advantage of allowing the definition of quality to evolve over time, as users became more knowledgeable as to the strengths and limitations of an automated quality inspection system.

The effects of differential and variable training on the quality parameters of a handball throw.

PubMed

Wagner, Herbert; Müller, Erich

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to undertake a comprehensive temporal, effective, and practical training study (variable and differential learning) that would offer athletes the opportunity to increase their performance, and to analyse the effects by measuring kinematics and quality parameters. Two participants of differing standards--a player of the first Austrian League and an Olympic and World Champion--but of similar anthropometric characteristics were recruited. One of the participants (Austrian League) was tested on five different occasions (pre-test and four retests) to measure the effects of four different training phases using kinematic analysis. The results of the study indicate an increase in ball velocity within the differential training phases (first, second, and fourth phases), different proximal-to-distal sequences of the participants, and a change of movement pattern during training measured by the segment velocities and the angle-time courses.

Strategies for Optimal MAC Parameters Tuning in IEEE 802.15.6 Wearable Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Alam, Muhammad Mahtab; Ben Hamida, Elyes

2015-09-01

Wireless body area networks (WBAN) has penetrated immensely in revolutionizing the classical heath-care system. Recently, number of WBAN applications has emerged which introduce potential limits to existing solutions. In particular, IEEE 802.15.6 standard has provided great flexibility, provisions and capabilities to deal emerging applications. In this paper, we investigate the application-specific throughput analysis by fine-tuning the physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) parameters of the IEEE 802.15.6 standard. Based on PHY characterizations in narrow band, at the MAC layer, carrier sense multiple access collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) and scheduled access protocols are extensively analyzed. It is concluded that, IEEE 802.15.6 standard can satisfy most of the WBANs applications throughput requirements by maximum achieving 680 Kbps. However, those emerging applications which require high quality audio or video transmissions, standard is not able to meet their constraints. Moreover, delay, energy efficiency and successful packet reception are considered as key performance metrics for comparing the MAC protocols. CSMA/CA protocol provides the best results to meet the delay constraints of medical and non-medical WBAN applications. Whereas, the scheduled access approach, performs very well both in energy efficiency and packet reception ratio.

A case study: application of statistical process control tool for determining process capability and sigma level.

PubMed

Chopra, Vikram; Bairagi, Mukesh; Trivedi, P; Nagar, Mona

2012-01-01

Statistical process control is the application of statistical methods to the measurement and analysis of variation process. Various regulatory authorities such as Validation Guidance for Industry (2011), International Conference on Harmonisation ICH Q10 (2009), the Health Canada guidelines (2009), Health Science Authority, Singapore: Guidance for Product Quality Review (2008), and International Organization for Standardization ISO-9000:2005 provide regulatory support for the application of statistical process control for better process control and understanding. In this study risk assessments, normal probability distributions, control charts, and capability charts are employed for selection of critical quality attributes, determination of normal probability distribution, statistical stability, and capability of production processes, respectively. The objective of this study is to determine tablet production process quality in the form of sigma process capability. By interpreting data and graph trends, forecasting of critical quality attributes, sigma process capability, and stability of process were studied. The overall study contributes to an assessment of process at the sigma level with respect to out-of-specification attributes produced. Finally, the study will point to an area where the application of quality improvement and quality risk assessment principles for achievement of six sigma-capable processes is possible. Statistical process control is the most advantageous tool for determination of the quality of any production process. This tool is new for the pharmaceutical tablet production process. In the case of pharmaceutical tablet production processes, the quality control parameters act as quality assessment parameters. Application of risk assessment provides selection of critical quality attributes among quality control parameters. Sequential application of normality distributions, control charts, and capability analyses provides a valid statistical process control study on process. Interpretation of such a study provides information about stability, process variability, changing of trends, and quantification of process ability against defective production. Comparative evaluation of critical quality attributes by Pareto charts provides the least capable and most variable process that is liable for improvement. Statistical process control thus proves to be an important tool for six sigma-capable process development and continuous quality improvement.

Scan-To Output Validation: Towards a Standardized Geometric Quality Assessment of Building Information Models Based on Point Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonduel, M.; Bassier, M.; Vergauwen, M.; Pauwels, P.; Klein, R.

2017-11-01

The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for existing buildings based on point clouds is increasing. Standardized geometric quality assessment of the BIMs is needed to make them more reliable and thus reusable for future users. First, available literature on the subject is studied. Next, an initial proposal for a standardized geometric quality assessment is presented. Finally, this method is tested and evaluated with a case study. The number of specifications on BIM relating to existing buildings is limited. The Levels of Accuracy (LOA) specification of the USIBD provides definitions and suggestions regarding geometric model accuracy, but lacks a standardized assessment method. A deviation analysis is found to be dependent on (1) the used mathematical model, (2) the density of the point clouds and (3) the order of comparison. Results of the analysis can be graphical and numerical. An analysis on macro (building) and micro (BIM object) scale is necessary. On macro scale, the complete model is compared to the original point cloud and vice versa to get an overview of the general model quality. The graphical results show occluded zones and non-modeled objects respectively. Colored point clouds are derived from this analysis and integrated in the BIM. On micro scale, the relevant surface parts are extracted per BIM object and compared to the complete point cloud. Occluded zones are extracted based on a maximum deviation. What remains is classified according to the LOA specification. The numerical results are integrated in the BIM with the use of object parameters.

High-pitch dual-source CT angiography without ECG-gating for imaging the whole aorta: intraindividual comparison with standard pitch single-source technique without ECG-gating

PubMed Central

Manna, Carmelinda; Silva, Mario; Cobelli, Rocco; Poggesi, Sara; Rossi, Cristina; Sverzellati, Nicola

2017-01-01

PURPOSE We aimed to perform intraindividual comparison of computed tomography (CT) parameters, image quality, and radiation exposure between standard CT angiography (CTA) and high-pitch dual source (DS)-CTA, in subjects undergoing serial CTA of thoracoabdominal aorta. METHODS Eighteen subjects with thoracoabdominal CTA by standard technique and high-pitch DS-CTA technique within 6 months of each other were retrieved for intraindividual comparison of image quality in thoracic and abdominal aorta. Quantitative analysis was performed by comparison of mean aortic attenuation, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Qualitative analysis was performed by visual assessment of motion artifacts and diagnostic confidence. Radiation exposure was quantified by effective dose. Image quality was apportioned to radiation exposure by means of figure of merit. RESULTS Mean aortic attenuation and noise were higher in high-pitch DS-CTA of thoracoabdominal aorta, whereas SNR and CNR were similar in thoracic aorta and significantly lower in high-pitch DS-CTA of abdominal aorta (P = 0.024 and P = 0.016). High-pitch DS-CTA was significantly better in the first segment of thoracic aorta. Effective dose was reduced by 72% in high-pitch DS-CTA. CONCLUSION High-pitch DS-CTA without electrocardiography-gating is an effective technique for imaging aorta with very low radiation exposure and with significant reduction of motion artifacts in ascending aorta; however, the overall quality of high-pitch DS-CTA in abdominal aorta is lower than standard CTA. PMID:28703104

Watershed-based Morphometric Analysis: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukristiyanti, S.; Maria, R.; Lestiana, H.

2018-02-01

Drainage basin/watershed analysis based on morphometric parameters is very important for watershed planning. Morphometric analysis of watershed is the best method to identify the relationship of various aspects in the area. Despite many technical papers were dealt with in this area of study, there is no particular standard classification and implication of each parameter. It is very confusing to evaluate a value of every morphometric parameter. This paper deals with the meaning of values of the various morphometric parameters, with adequate contextual information. A critical review is presented on each classification, the range of values, and their implications. Besides classification and its impact, the authors also concern about the quality of input data, either in data preparation or scale/the detail level of mapping. This review paper hopefully can give a comprehensive explanation to assist the upcoming research dealing with morphometric analysis.

Microscopic evaluation and physiochemical analysis of Dillenia indica leaf

PubMed Central

Kumar, S; Kumar, V; Prakash, Om

2011-01-01

Objective To study detail microscopic evaluation and physiochemical analysis of Dillenia indica (D. indica) leaf. Methods Fresh leaf sample and dried power of the leaf were studied macroscopically and microscopically. Preliminary phytochemical investigation of plant material was done. Other WHO recommended parameters for standardizations were also performed. Results The detail microscopy revealed the presence of anomocytic stomata, unicellular trichome, xylem fibres, calcium oxalate crystals, vascular bundles, etc. Leaf constants such as stomatal number, stomatal index, vein-islet number and veinlet termination numbers were also measured. Physiochemical parameters such as ash values, loss on drying, extractive values, percentage of foreign matters, swelling index, etc. were also determined. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of steroids, terpenoids, glycosides, fatty acids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and carbohydrates. Conclusions The microscopic and physiochemical analysis of the D. indica leaf is useful in standardization for quality, purity and sample identification. PMID:23569789

A combined QC methodology in Ebro Delta HF radar system: real time web monitoring of diagnostic parameters and offline validation of current data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorente, Pablo; Piedracoba, Silvia; Soto-Navarro, Javier; Ruiz, Maria Isabel; Alvarez Fanjul, Enrique

2015-04-01

Over recent years, special attention has been focused on the development of protocols for near real-time quality control (QC) of HF radar derived current measurements. However, no agreement has been worldwide achieved to date to establish a standardized QC methodology, although a number of valuable international initiatives have been launched. In this context, Puertos del Estado (PdE) aims to implement a fully operational HF radar network with four different Codar SeaSonde HF radar systems by means of: - The development of a best-practices robust protocol for data processing and QC procedures to routinely monitor sites performance under a wide variety of ocean conditions. - The execution of validation works with in-situ observations to assess the accuracy of HF radar-derived current measurements. The main goal of the present work is to show this combined methodology for the specific case of Ebro HF radar (although easily expandable to the rest of PdE radar systems), deployed to manage Ebro River deltaic area and promote the conservation of an important aquatic ecosystem exposed to a severe erosion and reshape. To this aim, a web interface has been developed to efficiently monitor in real time the evolution of several diagnostic parameters provided by the manufacturer (CODAR) and used as indicators of HF radar system health. This web, updated automatically every hour, examines sites performance on different time basis in terms of: - Hardware parameters: power and temperature. - Radial parameters, among others: Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), number of radial vectors provided by time step, maximum radial range and bearing. - Total uncertainty metrics provided by CODAR: zonal and meridional standard deviations and covariance between both components. - Additionally, a widget embedded in the web interface executes queries against PdE database, providing the chance to compare current time series observed by Tarragona buoy (located within Ebro HF radar spatial domain) and those measured by the closest radar grid point. A thorough analysis of the temporal evolution of the aforementioned parameters allows to define the standard thresholds for each site within which they are considered to be running optimally. In contrast, a site performance could be categorized as sub-optimal if an erratic and/or anomalous behavior is persistently detected in radial parameters values, related to a significant discrepancy from the mean and clearly outside the limits defined by the associated standard deviations. Consequently, a three colored-based alert system is activated according to each site's current status: green (OK), yellow (acceptable, but issue detected) and red (KO). Since this approach is constrained by the fact that it can not state the intrinsic quality of surface current data, a complementary validation analysis is required: HF radar-derived radial and total vectors are compared with observations from a current meter installed in Tarragona buoy. This validation, conducted for the entire 2014, aims to complete the proposed methodology through the exploration of the existence of bearing errors and the evaluation of intrinsic uncertainties related to HF radar technology by means of objective quality indicators.

Quality controls for gamma cameras and PET cameras: development of a free open-source ImageJ program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlier, Thomas; Ferrer, Ludovic; Berruchon, Jean B.; Cuissard, Regis; Martineau, Adeline; Loonis, Pierre; Couturier, Olivier

2005-04-01

Acquisition data and treatments for quality controls of gamma cameras and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) cameras are commonly performed with dedicated program packages, which are running only on manufactured computers and differ from each other, depending on camera company and program versions. The aim of this work was to develop a free open-source program (written in JAVA language) to analyze data for quality control of gamma cameras and PET cameras. The program is based on the free application software ImageJ and can be easily loaded on any computer operating system (OS) and thus on any type of computer in every nuclear medicine department. Based on standard parameters of quality control, this program includes 1) for gamma camera: a rotation center control (extracted from the American Association of Physics in Medicine, AAPM, norms) and two uniformity controls (extracted from the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, IPEM, and National Electronic Manufacturers Association, NEMA, norms). 2) For PET systems, three quality controls recently defined by the French Medical Physicist Society (SFPM), i.e. spatial resolution and uniformity in a reconstructed slice and scatter fraction, are included. The determination of spatial resolution (thanks to the Point Spread Function, PSF, acquisition) allows to compute the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) in both modalities of cameras. All the control functions are included in a tool box which is a free ImageJ plugin and could be soon downloaded from Internet. Besides, this program offers the possibility to save on HTML format the uniformity quality control results and a warning can be set to automatically inform users in case of abnormal results. The architecture of the program allows users to easily add any other specific quality control program. Finally, this toolkit is an easy and robust tool to perform quality control on gamma cameras and PET cameras based on standard computation parameters, is free, run on any type of computer and will soon be downloadable from the net (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/plugins or http://nucleartoolkit.free.fr).

Quality modeling of drinking groundwater using GIS in rural communities, northwest of Iran

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Given the importance of groundwater resources in water supply, this work aimed to study quality of drinking groundwater in rural areas in Tabriz county, northwest of Iran. Thirty two groundwater samples from different areas were collected and analyzed in terms of general parameters along with 20 heavy metals (e.g. As, Hg and …). The data of the analyses were applied as an attribute database for preparing thematic maps and showing water quality parameters. Multivariate statistical techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (CA) were used to compare and evaluate water quality. The findings showed that hydrochemical faces of the groundwater were of calcium-bicarbonate type. EC values were from 110 to 1750 μs/cm, in which concentration of salts was high in the east and a zone in north of the studied area. Hardness was from 52 to 476 mg/l and CaCO3 with average value of 185.88 ± 106.56 mg/L indicated hard water. Dominant cations and anions were Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+ and HCO3− > Cl− > SO42− > NO32, respectively. In the western areas, arsenic contamination was observed as high as 69 μg/L. Moreover, mercury was above the standard level in one of the villages. Eskandar and Olakandi villages had the lowest quality of drinking water. In terms of CA, sampling sites were classified into four clusters of similar water quality and PCA demonstrated that 3 components could cover 84.3% of the parameters. For investigating arsenic anomaly, conducting a comprehensive study in the western part of studied area is strongly recommended. PMID:25093080

[Quality assurance from the viewpoint of the x-ray film industry].

PubMed

von Volkmann, T

1992-08-01

The parameters of a film-screen-combination are listed in the directive to section 16 of the german X-ray Regulation. These parameters are determined by methods described in DIN standards and published by the manufacturer. Comparable but less precise parameters are determined in the Acceptance Test. For physical reasons it is not possible to determine the speed of an X-ray film or the intensification factor of a screen separately. The films, screens and processing chemicals delivered by the members of the manufacturer association ZVEI are kept below a deviation (expressed as relative contribution to the system speed S) of +/- 10% for the majority of products, the upper limit is +/- 15%. Poor storage and transport conditions may adversely affect the quality of X-ray films. A special labeling of the film box shall serve to guarantee safe distribution channels. The processing conditions are adjusted at the Acceptance Test according to the manufacturers recommendations. The Constancy Test of film processing serves to maintain these correct conditions. Methods deviating from the DIN-method are of limited (Bayerische method) or no value (Stuttgart method).

Quality Parameters of Six Cultivars of Blueberry Using Computer Vision

PubMed Central

Celis Cofré, Daniela; Silva, Patricia; Enrione, Javier; Osorio, Fernando

2013-01-01

Background. Blueberries are considered an important source of health benefits. This work studied six blueberry cultivars: “Duke,” “Brigitta”, “Elliott”, “Centurion”, “Star,” and “Jewel”, measuring quality parameters such as °Brix, pH, moisture content using standard techniques and shape, color, and fungal presence obtained by computer vision. The storage conditions were time (0–21 days), temperature (4 and 15°C), and relative humidity (75 and 90%). Results. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were detected between fresh cultivars in pH, °Brix, shape, and color. However, the main parameters which changed depending on storage conditions, increasing at higher temperature, were color (from blue to red) and fungal presence (from 0 to 15%), both detected using computer vision, which is important to determine a shelf life of 14 days for all cultivars. Similar behavior during storage was obtained for all cultivars. Conclusion. Computer vision proved to be a reliable and simple method to objectively determine blueberry decay during storage that can be used as an alternative approach to currently used subjective measurements. PMID:26904598

Spillover effects in epidemiology: parameters, study designs and methodological considerations

PubMed Central

Benjamin-Chung, Jade; Arnold, Benjamin F; Berger, David; Luby, Stephen P; Miguel, Edward; Colford Jr, John M; Hubbard, Alan E

2018-01-01

Abstract Many public health interventions provide benefits that extend beyond their direct recipients and impact people in close physical or social proximity who did not directly receive the intervention themselves. A classic example of this phenomenon is the herd protection provided by many vaccines. If these ‘spillover effects’ (i.e. ‘herd effects’) are present in the same direction as the effects on the intended recipients, studies that only estimate direct effects on recipients will likely underestimate the full public health benefits of the intervention. Causal inference assumptions for spillover parameters have been articulated in the vaccine literature, but many studies measuring spillovers of other types of public health interventions have not drawn upon that literature. In conjunction with a systematic review we conducted of spillovers of public health interventions delivered in low- and middle-income countries, we classified the most widely used spillover parameters reported in the empirical literature into a standard notation. General classes of spillover parameters include: cluster-level spillovers; spillovers conditional on treatment or outcome density, distance or the number of treated social network links; and vaccine efficacy parameters related to spillovers. We draw on high quality empirical examples to illustrate each of these parameters. We describe study designs to estimate spillovers and assumptions required to make causal inferences about spillovers. We aim to advance and encourage methods for spillover estimation and reporting by standardizing spillover parameter nomenclature and articulating the causal inference assumptions required to estimate spillovers. PMID:29106568

Neuro-fuzzy inference system Prediction of stability indices and Sodium absorption ratio in Lordegan rural drinking water resources in west Iran.

PubMed

Takdastan, Afshin; Mirzabeygi Radfard, Majid; Yousefi, Mahmood; Abbasnia, Abbas; Khodadadia, Rouhollah; Soleimani, Hamed; Mahvi, Amir Hossein; Naghan, Davood Jalili

2018-06-01

According to World Health Organization guidelines, corrosion control is an important aspect of safe drinking-water supplies. Water always includes ingredients, dissolved gases and suspended materials. Although some of these water ingredients is indispensable for human beings, these elements more than permissible limits, could be endanger human health. The aim of this study is to assess physical and chemical parameters of drinking water in the rural areas of Lordegan city, also to determine corrosion indices. This cross-sectional study has carried out with 141 taken samples during 2017 with 13 parameters, which has been analyzed based on standard method and to estimate the water quality indices from groundwater using ANFIS. Also with regard to standard conditions, results of this paper are compared with Environmental Protection Agency and Iran national standards. Five indices, Ryznar Stability Index (RSI), Langlier Saturation Index (LSI), Larson-Skold Index (LS), Puckorius Scaling Index (PSI), and Aggressive Index (AI) programmed by using Microsoft Excel software. Owing to its simplicity, the program, can easily be used by researchers and operators. Parameters included Sulfate, Sodium, Chloride, and Electrical Conductivity respectively were 13.5, 28, 10.5, and 15% more than standard level. The amount of Nitrate, in 98% of cases were in permissible limits and about 2% were more than standard level. Result of presented research indicate that water is corrosive at 10.6%,89.4%,87.2%,59.6% and 14.9% of drinking water supply reservoirs, according to LSI, RSI, PSI, LS and AI, respectively.

Effect of silica-palm shell carbon composite additive in enhancing the strength of the concrete in the oil-well cementing job

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novriansyah, A.; Mursyidah, U.; Novrianti; Putri, S. S.; Riswati, S. S.

2018-04-01

This study provides an analysis of composite additive effect to concrete’s strength in the oil-well cementing job. The composite additive is originated from the nano-sized form of silica and charcoal from palm shell waste. The quality of the concrete will be determined from its porosity, compressive strength, and shear bond strength parameters. Those parameters must be reliable base on the most respectable standards in oil and gas industry, in this study we use the standard from American Petroleum Institute (API). Six concrete samples with different concentration will be tested to obtain these parameters. The result from the test shown a decrement trend of the porosity while the concentration is increased. In contrast, the highest values of compressive strength and shear bond strength are obtained from the sample with higher additive concentration. The optimum strength was obtained in sample with 0.02% The results become clearly proven through verification by scanning electron image where the additive has successfully fill the voids in the concrete’s sample, resulting in strength enhancement of the sample.

Quality variations in black musli (curculigo orchioides gaertn.).

PubMed

Mathew, P P Joy Samuel; Savithri, K E; Skaria, Baby P; Kurien, Kochurani

2004-07-01

Black musli (Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.) one of the ayurvedic dasapushpa and a rejuvenating and aphrodisiac drug. Is on the verge of extinction and needs to be conserved and cultivated. Large variations are also observed in the quality of the crude drug available in the market. Study on the quality of C. orchioides in natural habitat, under cultivation and in trade in south India showed that there was considerable variation with biotypes and habitats. Drugs collected form the natural habitat was superior in quality to that produced by cultivation. Among the market samples collected from the various Zones of kerala, those from the High Ranges were superior in most of the quality parameters, which indicated its superiority for high quality drug formulation. Among the southern states, Tamil Nadu samples ranked next to High Range samples in this respect. There exists large variability in the market samples and there is felt-need for proper standardization of the crude drug for ensuring quality in the drug formulations.

Open source GIS based tools to improve hydrochemical water resources management in EU H2020 FREEWAT platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Criollo, Rotman; Velasco, Violeta; Vázquez-Suñé, Enric; Nardi, Albert; Marazuela, Miguel A.; Rossetto, Rudy; Borsi, Iacopo; Foglia, Laura; Cannata, Massimiliano; De Filippis, Giovanna

2017-04-01

Due to the general increase of water scarcity (Steduto et al., 2012), water quantity and quality must be well known to ensure a proper access to water resources in compliance with local and regional directives. This circumstance can be supported by tools which facilitate process of data management and its analysis. Such analyses have to provide research/professionals, policy makers and users with the ability to improve the management of the water resources with standard regulatory guidelines. Compliance with the established standard regulatory guidelines (with a special focus on requirement deriving from the GWD) should have an effective monitoring, evaluation, and interpretation of a large number of physical and chemical parameters. These amounts of datasets have to be assessed and interpreted: (i) integrating data from different sources and gathered with different data access techniques and formats; (ii) managing data with varying temporal and spatial extent; (iii) integrating groundwater quality information with other relevant information such as further hydrogeological data (Velasco et al., 2014) and pre-processing these data generally for the realization of groundwater models. In this context, the Hydrochemical Analysis Tools, akvaGIS Tools, has been implemented within the H2020 FREEWAT project; which aims to manage water resources by modelling water resource management in an open source GIS platform (QGIS desktop). The main goal of AkvaGIS Tools is to improve water quality analysis through different capabilities to improve the case study conceptual model managing all data related into its geospatial database (implemented in Spatialite) and a set of tools for improving the harmonization, integration, standardization, visualization and interpretation of the hydrochemical data. To achieve that, different commands cover a wide range of methodologies for querying, interpreting, and comparing groundwater quality data and facilitate the pre-processing analysis for being used in the realization of groundwater modelling. They include, ionic balance calculations, chemical time-series analysis, correlation of chemical parameters, and calculation of various common hydrochemical diagrams (Salinity, Schöeller-Berkaloff, Piper, and Stiff), among others. Furthermore, it allows the generation of maps of the spatial distributions of parameters and diagrams and thematic maps for the parameters measured and classified in the queried area. References: Rossetto R., Borsi I., Schifani C., Bonari E., Mogorovich P., Primicerio M. (2013). SID&GRID: Integrating hydrological modeling in GIS environment. Rendiconti Online Societa Geologica Italiana, Vol. 24, 282-283 Steduto, P., Faurès, J.M., Hoogeveen, J., Winpenny, J.T., Burke, J.J. (2012). Coping with water scarcity: an action framework for agriculture and food security. ISSN 1020-1203 ; 38 Velasco, V., Tubau, I., Vázquez-Suñé, E., Gogu, R., Gaitanaru, D., Alcaraz, M., Sanchez-Vila, X. (2014). GIS-based hydrogeochemical analysis tools (QUIMET). Computers & Geosciences, 70, 164-180.

Sustainable solar energy capability studies by using S2H model in treating groundwater supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musa, S.; Anuar, M. F.; Shahabuddin, M. M.; Ridzuan, M. B.; Radin Mohamed, R. M. S.; Madun, M. A.

2018-04-01

Groundwater extracted in Research Centre for Soft Soil Malaysia (RECESS) contains a number of pollutants that exceed the safe level for consumption. A Solar-Hydro (S2H) model which is a practical prototype has been introduced to treat the groundwater sustainably by solar energy process (evaporation method). Selected parameters was tested which are sulphate, nitrate, chloride, fluoride, pH and dissolved oxygen. The water quality result shows that all parameters have achieved 100% of the drinking water quality standard issued by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Evaporation method was proven that this solar energy can be applied in sustainably treating groundwater quality with up to 90% effectiveness. On the other hand, the quantitative analysis has shown that the production of clean water is below than 2% according to time constraints and design factors. Thus, this study can be generate clean and fresh water from groundwater by using a simplified model and it has huge potential to be implemented by the local communities with a larger scale and affordable design.

The Quality and Food Safety of Dry Smoke Garfish (Hemirhamphus far) Product From Maluku

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marthina Tapotubun, Alfonsina; Reiuwpassa, Fredrik; Apituley, Yolanda M. T. N.; Nanlohy, Hellen; Matrutty, Theodora E. A. A.

2017-10-01

Dry garfish is product of smoked process of “ikan julung” (Hemirhamphus far) and slowly the product getting dry, stiff and its colour become gold yellow-brown. The aim of this study is to find out quality and food safety of dry smoked “julung” from Maluku. The sample of this study is taken from production Keffing village, East Seram Regency, Maluku. Parameters to be analyzed are degrees of protein, fat, water, ash, TPC, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Vibrio and total Staphylococcus aureus used standard analysis method for proximate (AOAC. 2005), sensosy parameters (BSN.2009) and food safety (BSN. 2006). Spreadsheet Ms Excel (Microsoft Inc., USA) is used for data processing; data is being analyzed descriptively to be interpreted in the research report. Dry smoked “julung” Keffing village, Maluku meet the good quality and food safety, that are ingredient degrees of water content 12.43%, protein 61.55%, fat 12.58%, ash 9.3%, TPC [6,8] × 101 CFU, total Staphylococcus sp [1,7] × 102, total E.coli 6.4 APM/g. and negatively for Salmonella and Vibrio.

Groundwater quality and hydrogeochemical properties of Torbali Region, Izmir, Turkey.

PubMed

Tayfur, Gokmen; Kirer, Tugba; Baba, Alper

2008-11-01

The large demand for drinking, irrigation and industrial water in the region of Torbali (Izmir, Turkey) is supplied from groundwater sources. Almost every factory and farm has private wells that are drilled without permission. These cause the depletion of groundwater and limiting the usage of groundwater. This study investigates spatial and temporal change in groundwater quality, relationships between quality parameters, and sources of contamination in Torbali region. For this purpose, samples were collected from 10 different sampling points chosen according to their geological and hydrogeological properties and location relative to factories, between October 2001 and July 2002. Various physical (pH, temperature, EC), chemical (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, alkalinity, copper, chromium, cadmium, lead, zinc) and organic (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, COD and cyanide) parameters were monitored. It was observed that the groundwater has bicarbonate alkalinity. Agricultural contamination was determined in the region, especially during the summer. Nitrite and ammonia concentrations were found to be above drinking water standard. Organic matter contamination was also investigated in the study area. COD concentrations were higher than the permissible limits during the summer months of the monitoring period.

Fecal indicator bacteria and Salmonella in ponds managed as bird habitat, San Francisco Bay, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shellenbarger, G.G.; Athearn, N.D.; Takekawa, John Y.; Boehm, A.B.

2008-01-01

Throughout the world, coastal resource managers are encouraging the restoration of previously modified coastal habitats back into wetlands and managed ponds for their ecosystem value. Because many coastal wetlands are adjacent to urban centers and waters used for human recreation, it is important to understand how wildlife can affect water quality. We measured fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations, presence/absence of Salmonella, bird abundance, and physico-chemical parameters in two coastal, managed ponds and adjacent sloughs for 4 weeks during the summer and winter in 2006. We characterized the microbial water quality in these waters relative to state water-quality standards and examined the relationship between FIB, bird abundance, and physico-chemical parameters. A box model approach was utilized to determine the net source or sink of FIB in the ponds during the study periods. FIB concentrations often exceeded state standards, particularly in the summer, and microbial water quality in the sloughs was generally lower than in ponds during both seasons. Specifically, the inflow of water from the sloughs to the ponds during the summer, more so than waterfowl use, appeared to increase the FIB concentrations in the ponds. The box model results suggested that the ponds served as net wetland sources and sinks for FIB, and high bird abundances in the winter likely contributed to net winter source terms for two of the three FIB in both ponds. Eight serovars of the human pathogen Salmonella were isolated from slough and pond waters, although the source of the pathogen to these wetlands was not identified. Thus, it appeared that factors other than bird abundance were most important in modulating FIB concentrations in these ponds.

Comparison of skin hydration evaluation sites and correlations among skin hydration, transepidermal water loss, SCORAD index, Nottingham Eczema Severity Score, and quality of life in patients with atopic dermatitis.

PubMed

Hon, Kam-lun Ellis; Wong, Kin Yee; Leung, Ting-Fan; Chow, Chung-Mo; Ng, Pak-Cheung

2008-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is characterized by dryness of the skin, pruritus and involvement of the skin flexures. Skin hydration (SH) and integrity, as measured by transepidermal water loss (TEWL), are important parameters for objectively quantifying AD research. To evaluate if sites in the forearm are equivalent to the antecubital fossa for standard SH and TEWL measurements; and to determine the correlations among these measurements and scores of disease severity and quality of life. We evaluated SH and TEWL under standardized conditions at three common measurement sites in the forearm (antecubital flexure, 2 cm below the antecubital flexure, mid-forearm), and determined the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score, Nottingham Eczema Severity Score (NESS), and Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). Significant correlations between clinical scores, SH, and TEWL were obtained at a site 2 cm below the antecubital fossa (r = -0.553, p < 0.001 for SH and SCORAD; r = 0.596, p < 0.001 for TEWL and SCORAD). SH and TEWL were also correlated with long-term severity of AD as measured by NESS (r = -0.494, p = 0.001 for SH; r = 0.430, p = 0.004 for TEWL), while TEWL was significantly correlated with CDLQI (r = 0.323, p = 0.035). Overall, similar significant correlations were obtained at the mid-forearm, but less so at the antecubital fossa. In AD research, three sites on the forearm appear to be convenient for determination of SH and TEWL. This is the first report to demonstrate that significant correlations are obtained among acute and chronic scores of AD disease severity, quality of life, and the bioengineering parameters.

Recommendations for standardizing validation procedures assessing physical activity of older persons by monitoring body postures and movements.

PubMed

Lindemann, Ulrich; Zijlstra, Wiebren; Aminian, Kamiar; Chastin, Sebastien F M; de Bruin, Eling D; Helbostad, Jorunn L; Bussmann, Johannes B J

2014-01-10

Physical activity is an important determinant of health and well-being in older persons and contributes to their social participation and quality of life. Hence, assessment tools are needed to study this physical activity in free-living conditions. Wearable motion sensing technology is used to assess physical activity. However, there is a lack of harmonisation of validation protocols and applied statistics, which make it hard to compare available and future studies. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to formulate recommendations for assessing the validity of sensor-based activity monitoring in older persons with focus on the measurement of body postures and movements. Validation studies of body-worn devices providing parameters on body postures and movements were identified and summarized and an extensive inter-active process between authors resulted in recommendations about: information on the assessed persons, the technical system, and the analysis of relevant parameters of physical activity, based on a standardized and semi-structured protocol. The recommended protocols can be regarded as a first attempt to standardize validity studies in the area of monitoring physical activity.

A method of rapidly evaluating image quality of NED optical system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qi; Qiu, Chuankai; Yang, Huan

2014-11-01

In recent years, with the development of technology of micro-display, advanced optics and the software and hardware, near-to-eye display ( NED) optical system will have a wide range of potential applications in the fields of amusement and virtual reality. However, research on the evaluating image quality of this kind optical system is comparatively lagging behind. Although now there are some methods and equipment for evaluation, they can't be applied in commercial production because of their complex operation and inaccuracy. In this paper, an academic method is proposed and a Rapid Evaluation System (RES) is designed to evaluate the image of optical system rapidly and exactly. Firstly, a set of parameters that eyes are sensitive to and also express the quality of system should be extracted and quantized to be criterion, so the evaluation standards can be established. Then, some parameters can be detected by RES consisted of micro-display, CCD camera and computer and so on. By process of scaling, the measuring results of the RES are exact and creditable, relationship between object measurement, subjective evaluation and the RES will be established. After that, image quality of optical system can be evaluated just by detecting parameters of that. The RES is simple and the results of evaluation are exact and keeping with human vision. So the method can be used not only for optimizing design of optical system, but also for evaluation in commercial production.

Indoor environmental quality in a 'low allergen' school and three standard primary schools in Western Australia.

PubMed

Zhang, G; Spickett, J; Rumchev, K; Lee, A H; Stick, S

2006-02-01

To investigate indoor environmental quality in classrooms, assessments were undertaken in a 'low allergen' school and three standard primary schools in Western Australia. Dust allergens, air pollutants and physical parameters were monitored in the four schools at four times (summer school term, autumn holiday, winter school term and winter holiday) in 2002. The levels of particulate matter (PM(10)) and volatile organic compounds were similar between the four primary schools. Although slightly decreased levels of dust-mite and cat allergens were observed in the 'low allergen' school, the reductions were not statistically significant and the allergen levels in all schools were much lower than the recommended sensitizing thresholds. However, significantly lower levels of relative humidity and formaldehyde level during summer-term were recorded in the 'low allergen' school. In conclusion, the evidence here suggests that the 'low allergen' school did not significantly improve the indoor environmental quality in classrooms. Practical Implications School is an important environment for children in terms of exposure to pollutants and allergens. By assessing the levels of key pollutants and allergens in a low allergen school and three standard primary schools in Western Australia, this study provides useful information for implementation of healthy building design that can improve the indoor environment in schools.

Moving Toward Quantifying Reliability - The Next Step in a Rapidly Maturing PV Industry: Preprint

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

Kurtz, Sarah; Sample, Tony; Wohlgemuth, John

2015-12-07

Some may say that PV modules are moving toward being a simple commodity, but most major PV customers ask: 'How can I minimize chances of a module recall?' Or, 'How can I quantify the added value of a 'premium' module?' Or, 'How can I assess the value of an old PV system that I'm thinking of purchasing?' These are all questions that PVQAT (the International PV Quality Assurance Task Force) and partner organizations are working to answer. Defining standard methods for ensuring minimal acceptable quality of PV modules, differentiating modules that provide added value in the toughest of environments, andmore » creating a process (e.g. through IECRE [1]) that can follow a PV system from design through installation and operation are tough tasks, but having standard approaches for these will increase confidence, reduce costs, and be a critical foundation of a mature PV industry. This paper summarizes current needs for new tests, some challenges for defining those tests, and some of the key efforts toward development of international standards, emphasizing that meaningful quantification of reliability (as in defining a service life prediction) must be done in the context of a specific product with design parameters defined through a quality management system.« less

Association between neck and shoulder pain, back pain, low back pain and body composition parameters among the Japanese general population.

PubMed

Iizuka, Yoichi; Iizuka, Haku; Mieda, Tokue; Tajika, Tsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Ohsawa, Takashi; Sasaki, Tsuyoshi; Takagishi, Kenji

2015-11-04

Neck and shoulder pain, back pain and low back pain are common symptoms in Japanese subjects, and it is important to elucidate the pathology and associated factors of these pains due to their frequency and impact on the quality of life (QOL) and activities of daily living (ADL). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether body composition is associated with these pains. We collected the data of 273 Japanese subjects regarding the presence and the visual analogue scale (VAS) of neck and shoulder pain, back pain, low back pain and body composition parameters calculated using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) technology. Furthermore, we investigated the association between these pains and the body composition using statistical methods. According to a multivariate analysis adjusted for age and gender, lower total body water ratio was significantly associated with the presence of neck and shoulder pain at present (P < 0.05); additionally, total body muscle mass (standardized β = -0.26, 95 % CI, -0.17 - -0.008, P < 0.05), total body water (standardized β = -0.27, 95 % CI, -0.23 - -0.04, P < 0.01), appendicular muscle mass (standardized β = -0.29, 95 % CI, -0.36 - -0.04, P < 0.05), and the appendicular muscle mass index (AMI) (standardized β = -0.24, 95 % CI, -1.18 - -0.20, P <0.01) were negatively correlated with the VAS of neck and shoulder pain, whereas no body composition parameters were significantly associated with back pain, low back pain at present and any type of chronic pain. The present study demonstrated that some body composition parameters regarding body water and body muscle were associated or correlated with the presence or intensity of neck and shoulder pain.

Spectrophotometric method for quantitative determination of total anthocyanins and quality characteristics of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa).

PubMed

Sukwattanasinit, Tasamaporn; Burana-Osot, Jankana; Sotanaphun, Uthai

2007-11-01

A simple, rapid and cost-saving method for the determination of total anthocyanins in roselle has been developed. The method was based on pH-differential spectrophotometry. The calibration curve of the major anthocyanin in roselle, delphinidin 3-sambubioside (Dp-3-sam), was constructed by using methyl orange and their correlation factor. The reliability of this developed method was comparable to the direct method using standard Dp-3-sam and the HPLC method. Quality characteristics of roselle produced in Thailand were also reported. Its physical quality met the required specifications. The overall chemical quality was herein surveyed for the first time and it was found to be the important parameter corresponded to the commercial grading of roselle. Total contents of anthocyanins and phenolics were proportional to the antiradical capacity.

PICASSO: an end-to-end image simulation tool for space and airborne imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cota, Steve A.; Bell, Jabin T.; Boucher, Richard H.; Dutton, Tracy E.; Florio, Chris J.; Franz, Geoffrey A.; Grycewicz, Thomas J.; Kalman, Linda S.; Keller, Robert A.; Lomheim, Terrence S.; Paulson, Diane B.; Willkinson, Timothy S.

2008-08-01

The design of any modern imaging system is the end result of many trade studies, each seeking to optimize image quality within real world constraints such as cost, schedule and overall risk. Image chain analysis - the prediction of image quality from fundamental design parameters - is an important part of this design process. At The Aerospace Corporation we have been using a variety of image chain analysis tools for many years, the Parameterized Image Chain Analysis & Simulation SOftware (PICASSO) among them. In this paper we describe our PICASSO tool, showing how, starting with a high quality input image and hypothetical design descriptions representative of the current state of the art in commercial imaging satellites, PICASSO can generate standard metrics of image quality in support of the decision processes of designers and program managers alike.

PICASSO: an end-to-end image simulation tool for space and airborne imaging systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cota, Stephen A.; Bell, Jabin T.; Boucher, Richard H.; Dutton, Tracy E.; Florio, Christopher J.; Franz, Geoffrey A.; Grycewicz, Thomas J.; Kalman, Linda S.; Keller, Robert A.; Lomheim, Terrence S.; Paulson, Diane B.; Wilkinson, Timothy S.

2010-06-01

The design of any modern imaging system is the end result of many trade studies, each seeking to optimize image quality within real world constraints such as cost, schedule and overall risk. Image chain analysis - the prediction of image quality from fundamental design parameters - is an important part of this design process. At The Aerospace Corporation we have been using a variety of image chain analysis tools for many years, the Parameterized Image Chain Analysis & Simulation SOftware (PICASSO) among them. In this paper we describe our PICASSO tool, showing how, starting with a high quality input image and hypothetical design descriptions representative of the current state of the art in commercial imaging satellites, PICASSO can generate standard metrics of image quality in support of the decision processes of designers and program managers alike.

River water quality and pollution sources in the Pearl River Delta, China.

PubMed

Ouyang, Tingping; Zhu, Zhaoyu; Kuang, Yaoqiu

2005-07-01

Some physicochemical parameters were determined for thirty field water samples collected from different water channels in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone river system. The analytical results were compared with the environmental quality standards for surface water. Using the SPSS software, statistical analyses were performed to determine the main pollutants of the river water. The main purpose of the present research is to investigate the river water quality and to determine the main pollutants and pollution sources. Furthermore, the research provides some approaches for protecting and improving river water quality. The results indicate that the predominant pollutants are ammonium, phosphorus, and organic compounds. The wastewater discharged from households in urban and rural areas, industrial facilities, and non-point sources from agricultural areas are the main sources of pollution in river water in the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone.

Simplified multiple scattering model for radiative transfer in turbid water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghovanlou, A. H.; Gupta, G. N.

1978-01-01

Quantitative analytical procedures for relating selected water quality parameters to the characteristics of the backscattered signals, measured by remote sensors, require the solution of the radiative transport equation in turbid media. Presented is an approximate closed form solution of this equation and based on this solution, the remote sensing of sediments is discussed. The results are compared with other standard closed form solutions such as quasi-single scattering approximations.

[Ventilatory dysfunction in motor neuron disease: when and how to act?].

PubMed

Rocha, J Afonso; Miranda, M J

2007-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disorder, involving motor neurons in the cerebral cortex, brainstem and spinal cord. Mean duration of survival from the time of diagnosis is around 15 months, being pulmonary complications and respiratory failure responsible for more than 85% of deaths. Albeit the inevitability of respiratory failure and short-term death, standardized intervention protocols have been shown to significantly delay the need for invasive ventilatory support, thus prolonging survival and enhancing quality of life. The authors present an intervention protocol based on clinical progression and respiratory parameters. Decisions regarding initiation of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and mechanically assisted coughing, depend on development of symptoms of hypoventilation and on objective deterioration of respiratory parameters especially in what concerns bulbar muscle function. These include maximum inspiratory capacity (MIC), difference between MIC and vital capacity (MIC-VC), and assisted peak cough flow (PCF). These standardized protocols along with patient and caregivers education, allow for improved quality of life, prolonged survival and delay or eventually prevent the need for tracheotomy and invasive ventilatory support. Supplemental oxygen should be avoided in these patients, since it precludes use of oxymetry as feedback for titrating NIPPV and MAC, and is associated with decreased ventilatory drive and aggravated hypercapnia.

Safety Assessment and Botanical Standardization of an Edible Species from South America.

PubMed

Traesel, Giseli Karenina; Machado, Camila Dias; Tirloni, Cleide Adriane Signor; Menetrier, Jacqueline Vergutz; Dos Reis Lívero, Francislaine Aparecida; Lourenço, Emerson Luiz Botelho; Oesterreich, Silvia Aparecida; Budel, Jane Manfron; Junior, Arquimedes Gasparotto

2017-05-01

Tropaeolum majus L. (Tropaeolaceae), commonly known as nasturtium, is an important edible plant native to the Andean States and widely disseminated throughout South America. Despite the use of this species is quite widespread, there are no minimum quality control standards or data on its genotoxicity. So, the aim of this study was to present a detailed anatomical and histochemical study for Tropaeolum majus and provide genotoxicity parameters of a preparation routinely used in South American countries. First, three different Tropaeolum majus aqueous extracts (TMAEs) at concentrations of 1.5%, 7%, and 15% were prepared according to the popular use. Then, genetic toxicity of TMAE was evaluated on bacterial reverse mutation, genomic lesions, and micronucleus formation in male rats. Furthermore, a detailed anatomical and histochemical study of the leaves and stems of Tropaeolum majus were performed. No revertant colonies were found in any bacterial cultures examined. In the comet assay, TMAE showed no significant DNA damage in all tested doses. Micronucleus assay showed no significant increases in the frequency of inducing micronuclei in any dose examined. Light and electron microscope images of cross-section of leaves and stems from Tropaeolum majus revealed useful diagnostic features. The presented data showed significant safety parameters for the use of TMAE and provided important data for the quality control of this plant species.

Acoustic Quality Levels of Mosques in Batu Pahat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizah Adnan, Nor; Nafida Raja Shahminan, Raja; Khair Ibrahim, Fawazul; Tami, Hannifah; Yusuff, M. Rizal M.; Murniwaty Samsudin, Emedya; Ismail, Isham

2018-04-01

Every Friday, Muslims has been required to perform a special prayer known as the Friday prayers which involve the delivery of a brief lecture (Khutbah). Speech intelligibility in oral communications presented by the preacher affected all the congregation and determined the level of acoustic quality in the interior of the mosque. Therefore, this study intended to assess the level of acoustic quality of three public mosques in Batu Pahat. Good acoustic quality is essential in contributing towards appreciation in prayers and increasing khusyu’ during the worship, which is closely related to the speech intelligibility corresponding to the actual function of the mosque according to Islam. Acoustic parameters measured includes noise criteria (NC), reverberation time (RT) and speech transmission index (STI), and was performed using the sound level meter and sound measurement instruments. This test is carried out through the physical observation with the consideration of space and volume design as a factor affecting acoustic parameters. Results from all 3 mosques as the showed that the acoustic quality level inside these buildings are slightly poor which is at below 0.45 coefficients based on the standard. Among the factors that influencing the low acoustical quality are location, building materials, installation of sound absorption material and the number of occupants inside the mosque. As conclusion, the acoustic quality level of a mosque is highly depends on physical factors of the mosque such as the architectural design and space volume besides other factors as been identified by this study.

Improved quantification of important beer quality parameters based on nonlinear calibration methods applied to FT-MIR spectra.

PubMed

Cernuda, Carlos; Lughofer, Edwin; Klein, Helmut; Forster, Clemens; Pawliczek, Marcin; Brandstetter, Markus

2017-01-01

During the production process of beer, it is of utmost importance to guarantee a high consistency of the beer quality. For instance, the bitterness is an essential quality parameter which has to be controlled within the specifications at the beginning of the production process in the unfermented beer (wort) as well as in final products such as beer and beer mix beverages. Nowadays, analytical techniques for quality control in beer production are mainly based on manual supervision, i.e., samples are taken from the process and analyzed in the laboratory. This typically requires significant lab technicians efforts for only a small fraction of samples to be analyzed, which leads to significant costs for beer breweries and companies. Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy was used in combination with nonlinear multivariate calibration techniques to overcome (i) the time consuming off-line analyses in beer production and (ii) already known limitations of standard linear chemometric methods, like partial least squares (PLS), for important quality parameters Speers et al. (J I Brewing. 2003;109(3):229-235), Zhang et al. (J I Brewing. 2012;118(4):361-367) such as bitterness, citric acid, total acids, free amino nitrogen, final attenuation, or foam stability. The calibration models are established with enhanced nonlinear techniques based (i) on a new piece-wise linear version of PLS by employing fuzzy rules for local partitioning the latent variable space and (ii) on extensions of support vector regression variants (-PLSSVR and ν-PLSSVR), for overcoming high computation times in high-dimensional problems and time-intensive and inappropriate settings of the kernel parameters. Furthermore, we introduce a new model selection scheme based on bagged ensembles in order to improve robustness and thus predictive quality of the final models. The approaches are tested on real-world calibration data sets for wort and beer mix beverages, and successfully compared to linear methods, showing a clear out-performance in most cases and being able to meet the model quality requirements defined by the experts at the beer company. Figure Workflow for calibration of non-Linear model ensembles from FT-MIR spectra in beer production .

The Joker: A Custom Monte Carlo Sampler for Binary-star and Exoplanet Radial Velocity Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Hogg, David W.; Foreman-Mackey, Daniel; Rix, Hans-Walter

2017-03-01

Given sparse or low-quality radial velocity measurements of a star, there are often many qualitatively different stellar or exoplanet companion orbit models that are consistent with the data. The consequent multimodality of the likelihood function leads to extremely challenging search, optimization, and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) posterior sampling over the orbital parameters. Here we create a custom Monte Carlo sampler for sparse or noisy radial velocity measurements of two-body systems that can produce posterior samples for orbital parameters even when the likelihood function is poorly behaved. The six standard orbital parameters for a binary system can be split into four nonlinear parameters (period, eccentricity, argument of pericenter, phase) and two linear parameters (velocity amplitude, barycenter velocity). We capitalize on this by building a sampling method in which we densely sample the prior probability density function (pdf) in the nonlinear parameters and perform rejection sampling using a likelihood function marginalized over the linear parameters. With sparse or uninformative data, the sampling obtained by this rejection sampling is generally multimodal and dense. With informative data, the sampling becomes effectively unimodal but too sparse: in these cases we follow the rejection sampling with standard MCMC. The method produces correct samplings in orbital parameters for data that include as few as three epochs. The Joker can therefore be used to produce proper samplings of multimodal pdfs, which are still informative and can be used in hierarchical (population) modeling. We give some examples that show how the posterior pdf depends sensitively on the number and time coverage of the observations and their uncertainties.

Use of MODIS Terra Imagery to Estimate Surface Water Quality Standards, Using Lake Thonotosassa, Florida, as a Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moreno, Max J.; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z.; Estes, Maurice G., Jr.; Rickman, Douglas L.

2010-01-01

Lake Thonotosassa is a highly eutrophied lake located in an area with rapidly growing population in the Tampa Bay watershed, Florida. The Florida Administrative Code has designated its use for "recreation, propagation and maintenance of a healthy, well-balanced population of fish and wildlife." Although this lake has been the subject of efforts to improve water quality since 1970, overall water quality has remained below the acceptable state standards, and has a high concentration of nutrients. This condition is of great concern to public health since it has favored episodic blooms of Cyanobacteria. Some Cyanobacterial species release toxins that can reach humans through drinking water, fish consumption, and direct contact with contaminated water. The lake has been historically popular for fishing and water sports, and its overflow water drains into the Hillsborough River, the main supply of municipal water for the City of Tampa, this explains why it has being constantly monitored in situ for water quality by the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC). Advances in remote sensing technology, however, open the possibility of facilitating similar types of monitoring in this and similar lakes, further contributing to the implementation of surveillance systems that would benefit not just public health, but also tourism and ecosystems. Although traditional application of this technology to water quality has been focused on much larger coastal water bodies like bays and estuaries, this study evaluates the feasibility of its application on a 46.6 km2 freshwater lake. Using surface reflectance products from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra, this study evaluates associations between remotely sensed data and in situ data from the EPC. The parameters analyzed are the surface water quality standards used by the State of Florida and general indicators of trophic status.

Quantitative metrics for assessment of chemical image quality and spatial resolution

DOE PAGES

Kertesz, Vilmos; Cahill, John F.; Van Berkel, Gary J.

2016-02-28

Rationale: Currently objective/quantitative descriptions of the quality and spatial resolution of mass spectrometry derived chemical images are not standardized. Development of these standardized metrics is required to objectively describe chemical imaging capabilities of existing and/or new mass spectrometry imaging technologies. Such metrics would allow unbiased judgment of intra-laboratory advancement and/or inter-laboratory comparison for these technologies if used together with standardized surfaces. Methods: We developed two image metrics, viz., chemical image contrast (ChemIC) based on signal-to-noise related statistical measures on chemical image pixels and corrected resolving power factor (cRPF) constructed from statistical analysis of mass-to-charge chronograms across features of interest inmore » an image. These metrics, quantifying chemical image quality and spatial resolution, respectively, were used to evaluate chemical images of a model photoresist patterned surface collected using a laser ablation/liquid vortex capture mass spectrometry imaging system under different instrument operational parameters. Results: The calculated ChemIC and cRPF metrics determined in an unbiased fashion the relative ranking of chemical image quality obtained with the laser ablation/liquid vortex capture mass spectrometry imaging system. These rankings were used to show that both chemical image contrast and spatial resolution deteriorated with increasing surface scan speed, increased lane spacing and decreasing size of surface features. Conclusions: ChemIC and cRPF, respectively, were developed and successfully applied for the objective description of chemical image quality and spatial resolution of chemical images collected from model surfaces using a laser ablation/liquid vortex capture mass spectrometry imaging system.« less

Quantitative metrics for assessment of chemical image quality and spatial resolution

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

Kertesz, Vilmos; Cahill, John F.; Van Berkel, Gary J.

Rationale: Currently objective/quantitative descriptions of the quality and spatial resolution of mass spectrometry derived chemical images are not standardized. Development of these standardized metrics is required to objectively describe chemical imaging capabilities of existing and/or new mass spectrometry imaging technologies. Such metrics would allow unbiased judgment of intra-laboratory advancement and/or inter-laboratory comparison for these technologies if used together with standardized surfaces. Methods: We developed two image metrics, viz., chemical image contrast (ChemIC) based on signal-to-noise related statistical measures on chemical image pixels and corrected resolving power factor (cRPF) constructed from statistical analysis of mass-to-charge chronograms across features of interest inmore » an image. These metrics, quantifying chemical image quality and spatial resolution, respectively, were used to evaluate chemical images of a model photoresist patterned surface collected using a laser ablation/liquid vortex capture mass spectrometry imaging system under different instrument operational parameters. Results: The calculated ChemIC and cRPF metrics determined in an unbiased fashion the relative ranking of chemical image quality obtained with the laser ablation/liquid vortex capture mass spectrometry imaging system. These rankings were used to show that both chemical image contrast and spatial resolution deteriorated with increasing surface scan speed, increased lane spacing and decreasing size of surface features. Conclusions: ChemIC and cRPF, respectively, were developed and successfully applied for the objective description of chemical image quality and spatial resolution of chemical images collected from model surfaces using a laser ablation/liquid vortex capture mass spectrometry imaging system.« less

Color standardization and optimization in whole slide imaging.

PubMed

Yagi, Yukako

2011-03-30

Standardization and validation of the color displayed by digital slides is an important aspect of digital pathology implementation. While the most common reason for color variation is the variance in the protocols and practices in the histology lab, the color displayed can also be affected by variation in capture parameters (for example, illumination and filters), image processing and display factors in the digital systems themselves. We have been developing techniques for color validation and optimization along two paths. The first was based on two standard slides that are scanned and displayed by the imaging system in question. In this approach, one slide is embedded with nine filters with colors selected especially for H&E stained slides (looking like tiny Macbeth color chart); the specific color of the nine filters were determined in our previous study and modified for whole slide imaging (WSI). The other slide is an H&E stained mouse embryo. Both of these slides were scanned and the displayed images were compared to a standard. The second approach was based on our previous multispectral imaging research. As a first step, the two slide method (above) was used to identify inaccurate display of color and its cause, and to understand the importance of accurate color in digital pathology. We have also improved the multispectral-based algorithm for more consistent results in stain standardization. In near future, the results of the two slide and multispectral techniques can be combined and will be widely available. We have been conducting a series of researches and developing projects to improve image quality to establish Image Quality Standardization. This paper discusses one of most important aspects of image quality - color.

Quantification of Major Royal Jelly Protein 1 in Fresh Royal Jelly by Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Lin, Na; Chen, Si; Zhang, Hong; Li, Junmin; Fu, Linglin

2018-02-07

Major royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP1) is the most abundant protein in royal jelly (RJ), and the level of MRJP1 has been suggested as a promising parameter for standardization and evaluation of RJ authenticity in quality. Here, a quantitative method was developed for the quantification of MRJP1 in RJ based on a signature peptide and a stable isotope-labeled internal standard peptide FFDYDFGSDER*(R*, 13 C 6 , 15 N 4 ) by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Recoveries of the established method ranged from 85.33 to 95.80%, and both the intra- and interday precision were RSD < 4.97%. Quantification results showed that content of MRJP1 in fresh RJ was 41.96-55.01 mg/g. Abnormal levels of MRJP1 were found in three commercial RJs and implied that these samples were of low quality and might be adulterated. Results of the present work suggested that the developed method could be successfully applied to quantify MRJP1 in RJ and also could evaluate the quality of RJ.

Rheological parameters of dough with inulin addition and its effect on bread quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bojnanska, T.; Tokar, M.; Vollmannova, A.

2015-04-01

The rheological properties of enriched flour prepared with an addition of inulin were studied. The addition of inulin caused changes of the rheological parameters of the recorder curve. 10% and more addition significantly extended development time and on the farinogram were two peaks of consistency, what is a non-standard shape. With increasing addition of inulin resistance to deformation grows and dough is difficult to process, over 15% addition make dough short and unsuitable for making bread. Bread volume, the most important parameter, significantly decreased with inulin addition. Our results suggest a level of 5% inulin to produce a functional bread of high sensory acceptance and a level of 10% inulin produce a bread of satisfactory sensory acceptance. Bread with a level over 10% of inulin was unsatisfactory.

Ensemble-based simultaneous state and parameter estimation for treatment of mesoscale model error: A real-data study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiao-Ming; Zhang, Fuqing; Nielsen-Gammon, John W.

2010-04-01

This study explores the treatment of model error and uncertainties through simultaneous state and parameter estimation (SSPE) with an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) in the simulation of a 2006 air pollution event over the greater Houston area during the Second Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS-II). Two parameters in the atmospheric boundary layer parameterization associated with large model sensitivities are combined with standard prognostic variables in an augmented state vector to be continuously updated through assimilation of wind profiler observations. It is found that forecasts of the atmosphere with EnKF/SSPE are markedly improved over experiments with no state and/or parameter estimation. More specifically, the EnKF/SSPE is shown to help alleviate a near-surface cold bias and to alter the momentum mixing in the boundary layer to produce more realistic wind profiles.

Dosimetric quality endpoints for low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy using biological effective dose (bed) vs. conventional dose

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

Singh, Rachana; Al-Hallaq, Hania; Pelizzari, Charles A.

2003-12-31

The purpose of this study was to compare conventional low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy dosimetric quality parameters with their biological effective dose (BED) counterparts. To validate a model for transformation from conventional dose to BED, the postimplant plans of 31 prostate brachytherapy patients were evaluated using conventional dose-volume histogram (DVH) quality endpoints and analogous BED-DVH endpoints. Based on CT scans obtained 4 weeks after implantation, DVHs were computed and standard dosimetric endpoints V100 (volume receiving 100% of the prescribed dose), V150, V200, HI (1-[V150/V100]), and D90 (dose that 90% of the target volume received) were obtained for quality analysis. Using known andmore » reported transformations, dose grids were transformed to BED-early ({alpha}/{beta} = 10 Gy) and BED-late ({alpha}/{beta} = 3 Gy) grids, and the same dosimetric endpoints were analyzed. For conventional, BED-early and BED-late DVHs, no differences in V100 were seen (0.896, 0.893, and 0.894, respectively). However, V150 and V200 were significantly higher for both BED-early (0.582 and 0.316) and BED-late (0.595 and 0.337), compared with the conventional (0.539 and 0.255) DVHs. D90 was significantly lower for the BED-early (103.1 Gy) and BED-late transformations (106.9 Gy) as compared with the conventional (119.5 Gy) DVHs. The conventional prescription parameter V100 is the same for the corresponding BED-early and BED-late transformed DVHs. The toxicity parameters V150 and V200 are slightly higher using the BED transformations, suggesting that the BED doses are somewhat higher than predicted using conventional DVHs. The prescription/quality parameter D90 is slightly lower, implying that target coverage is lower than predicted using conventional DVHs. This methodology can be applied to analyze BED dosimetric endpoints to improve clinical outcome and reduce complications of prostate brachytherapy.« less

Molray--a web interface between O and the POV-Ray ray tracer.

PubMed

Harris, M; Jones, T A

2001-08-01

A publicly available web-based interface is presented for producing high-quality ray-traced images and movies from the molecular-modelling program O [Jones et al. (1991), Acta Cryst. A47, 110-119]. The interface allows the user to select O-plot files and set parameters to create standard input files for the popular ray-tracing renderer POV-Ray, which can then produce publication-quality still images or simple movies. To ensure ease of use, we have made this service available to the O user community via the World Wide Web. The public Molray server is available at http://xray.bmc.uu.se/molray.

Obtaining lower bounds from the progressive hedging algorithm for stochastic mixed-integer programs

DOE PAGES

Gade, Dinakar; Hackebeil, Gabriel; Ryan, Sarah M.; ...

2016-04-02

We present a method for computing lower bounds in the progressive hedging algorithm (PHA) for two-stage and multi-stage stochastic mixed-integer programs. Computing lower bounds in the PHA allows one to assess the quality of the solutions generated by the algorithm contemporaneously. The lower bounds can be computed in any iteration of the algorithm by using dual prices that are calculated during execution of the standard PHA. In conclusion, we report computational results on stochastic unit commitment and stochastic server location problem instances, and explore the relationship between key PHA parameters and the quality of the resulting lower bounds.

[The influence of "hygienic minimum" course on quality of catering establishments].

PubMed

Venus, Miroslav; Petrovcić, Darija

2010-01-01

The aim of this article was to define the quality of catering establishments in Virovitica Podravina county before and after the course of "hygienic minimum". Research was realized through interview and assessment of microbiological swabs of the same catering establishments before and after the course of "hygienic minimum". All procedures were performed according to Regulations on standard specification in microbiological cleanness and methods of its determining. Twenty-five catering establishments from a group of restaurants and bars were analyzed. In all of them we found improvement in the most of examined parameters. So, implementation of the course through the existing program has proven to be justified.

International standards for monoclonal antibodies to support pre- and post-marketing product consistency: Evaluation of a candidate international standard for the bioactivities of rituximab

PubMed Central

Prior, Sandra; Hufton, Simon E.; Dougall, Thomas; Rigsby, Peter; Bristow, Adrian

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT The intrinsic complexity and heterogeneity of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is built into the biosimilarity paradigm where critical quality attributes are controlled in exhaustive comparability studies with the reference medicinal product. The long-term success of biosimilars will depend on reassuring healthcare professionals and patients of consistent product quality, safety and efficacy. With this aim, the World Health Organization has endorsed the need for public bioactivity standards for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies in support of current controls. We have developed a candidate international potency standard for rituximab that was evaluated in a multi-center collaborative study using participants' own qualified Fc-effector function and cell-based binding bioassays. Dose-response curve model parameters were shown to reflect similar behavior amongst rituximab preparations, albeit with some differences in potency. In the absence of a common reference standard, potency estimates were in poor agreement amongst laboratories, but the use of the candidate preparation significantly reduced this variability. Our results suggest that the candidate rituximab standard can support bioassay performance and improve data harmonization, which when implemented will promote consistency of rituximab products over their life-cycles. This data provides the first scientific evidence that a classical standardization exercise allowing traceability of bioassay data to an international standard is also applicable to rituximab. However, we submit that this new type of international standard needs to be used appropriately and its role not to be mistaken with that of the reference medicinal product. PMID:28985159

On the traceability of gaseous reference materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Richard J. C.; Brewer, Paul J.; Harris, Peter M.; Davidson, Stuart; van der Veen, Adriaan M. H.; Ent, Hugo

2017-06-01

The complex and multi-parameter nature of chemical composition measurement means that establishing traceability is a challenging task. As a result incorrect interpretations about the origin of the metrological traceability of chemical measurement results can occur. This discussion paper examines why this is the case by scrutinising the peculiarities of the gas metrology area. It considers in particular: primary methods, dissemination of metrological traceability and the role of documentary standards and accreditation bodies in promulgating best practice. There is also a discussion of documentary standards relevant to the NMI and reference material producer community which need clarification, and the impact which key stakeholders in the quality infrastructure can bring to these issues.

Reuse rate of treated wastewater in water reuse system.

PubMed

Fan, Yao-bo; Yang, Wen-bo; Li, Gang; Wu, Lin-lin; Wei, Yuan-song

2005-01-01

A water quality model for water reuse was made by mathematics induction. The relationship among the reuse rate of treated wastewater (R), pollutant concentration of reused water (Cs), pollutant concentration of influent (C0), removal efficiency of pollutant in wastewater (E), and the standard of reuse water were discussed in this study. According to the experiment result of a toilet wastewater treatment and reuse with membrane bioreactors, R would be set at less than 40%, on which all the concemed parameters could meet with the reuse water standards. To raise R of reuse water in the toilet, an important way was to improve color removal of the wastewater.

Quality and market chain of Aceh Cocoa Beans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irfan; Sulaiman, I.; Ikhsan, CN; Faizun, N.

2018-05-01

After long-lasting conflict and tsunami on December 26, 2004, some international donors/NGOs supported Aceh on cocoa development. Aceh cocoa sector has experienced tremendous growth in Indonesia. This study aims to investigate quality and market chain of Aceh cocoa beans. The survey was conducted in Pidie District. A number of 21 farmers and 1 exporter were interviewed; the beans from farmer’s warehouses were analyzed and compared to Indonesia National Standard (INS). The result showed that the beans were generally produced from 6 Sub-Districts: Keumala, Titeue, Glumpang Tiga, Padang Tiji, and Tangse. They were not fermented; most were exported to the USA. Based on bean count, quality was mainly included in I/A and II/B. The main quality problem was high moisture content. Presumably, the beans were bought by wholesalers with lower price although not been sufficiently dried. Other quality parameters were good: no moldy bean and contaminant, very low insect damage/hollow-/germinated beans, and tiny broken beans (quality I)

Socio-economic effect on socially-deprived communities of developing drinking water quality problems in arid and semi-arid area of central Rajasthan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, I.; Husain, J.; Arif, M.

2014-09-01

Rajasthan is well known for its Great Thar desert. Central Rajasthan has an arid to semi-arid environment. The area faces either scarcity of water or poor quality of drinking water. In some areas water is transported 2 km or more, which uses time, energy and money. Rich people have their own sources, which is restricted for use by others. Such conditions are affecting socially-deprived communities, both socially and economically. Groundwater is a major source of drinking water due to the unavailability of surface water. There is a lack of groundwater quality knowledge in the community and the data available is hard to understand by consumers. The CCME Water Quality Index is a tool to simplify the water quality report by rating the water on quality standards. It provides meaningful summaries of overall water quality and trends, which is accessible to non-technical lay people. In the present study the objective is to examine the groundwater quality of six districts (Ajmer, Bhilwara, Pali, Rajasamand, Nagaur and Jodhpur), centrally located in Rajasthan, with arid and semi-arid conditions. CCME WQI is also evaluated to produce quality data in a form to be understood by the community. A total of 4369 groundwater sources in 1680 villages from six districts (76 546 km2) were collected and examined. Results are outlined in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS: 10500, 2012) and 2952 sources are unsafe for drinking. According to CCME WQI groundwater of 93 villages is poor, 343 villages are marginal, and 369 villages are fair in quality. Toxicological studies of unsafe drinking water and their remedial measures are also discussed. A tentative correlation between prevailing water-borne diseases and quality parameter has also been shown

[Development of methods and instruments for external quality assurance in inpatient parent-child rehabilitation and prevention].

PubMed

Neuderth, S; Lukasczik, M; Musekamp, G; Gerlich, C; Saupe-Heide, M; Löbmann, R; Vogel, H

2013-02-01

There so far is no standardized program for external quality assurance in inpatient parent-child prevention and rehabilitation in Germany. Therefore, instruments and methods of external quality assurance were developed and evaluated on behalf of the federal-level health insurance institutions. On the level of structure quality, a modular questionnaire for assessing structural features of rehabilitation/prevention centers, basic and allocation criteria as well as a checklist for visitations were developed. Structural data were collected in a nationwide survey of parent-child prevention and rehabilitation centers. Process and outcome quality data were collected in n=38 centers. Process quality was assessed using multiple methods (process-related structural features, case-related routine documentation, and incident-related patient questionnaires). Outcome quality was measured via patient questionnaires (n=1 799 patients). We used a multi-level modelling approach by adjusting relevant confounders on institutional and patient levels. The methods, instruments and analyzing procedures developed for measuring quality on the level of structure, processes and outcomes were adjusted in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders. Results are exemplarily presented for all quality assurance tools. For most of the risk-adjusted outcome parameters, we found no significant differences between institutions. For the first time, a comprehensive, standardized and generally applicable set of methods and instruments for routine use in comparative quality measurement of inpatient parent-child prevention and rehabilitation is available. However, it should be considered that the very heterogeneous field of family-oriented measures can not be covered entirely by an external quality assurance program. Therefore, methods and instruments have to be adapted continuously to the specifics of this area of health care and to new developments. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A novel approach for calculating shelf life of minimally processed vegetables.

PubMed

Corbo, Maria Rosaria; Del Nobile, Matteo Alessandro; Sinigaglia, Milena

2006-01-15

Shelf life of minimally processed vegetables is often calculated by using the kinetic parameters of Gompertz equation as modified by Zwietering et al. [Zwietering, M.H., Jongenburger, F.M., Roumbouts, M., van't Riet, K., 1990. Modelling of the bacterial growth curve. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 56, 1875-1881.] taking 5x10(7) CFU/g as the maximum acceptable contamination value consistent with acceptable quality of these products. As this method does not allow estimation of the standard errors of the shelf life, in this paper the modified Gompertz equation was re-parameterized to directly include the shelf life as a fitting parameter among the Gompertz parameters. Being the shelf life a fitting parameter is possible to determine its confidence interval by fitting the proposed equation to the experimental data. The goodness-of-fit of this new equation was tested by using mesophilic bacteria cell loads from different minimally processed vegetables (packaged fresh-cut lettuce, fennel and shredded carrots) that differed for some process operations or for package atmosphere. The new equation was able to describe the data well and to estimate the shelf life. The results obtained emphasize the importance of using the standard errors for the shelf life value to show significant differences among the samples.

The agreement between 3D, standard 2D and triplane 2D speckle tracking: effects of image quality and 3D volume rate.

PubMed

Trache, Tudor; Stöbe, Stephan; Tarr, Adrienn; Pfeiffer, Dietrich; Hagendorff, Andreas

2014-12-01

Comparison of 3D and 2D speckle tracking performed on standard 2D and triplane 2D datasets of normal and pathological left ventricular (LV) wall-motion patterns with a focus on the effect that 3D volume rate (3DVR), image quality and tracking artifacts have on the agreement between 2D and 3D speckle tracking. 37 patients with normal LV function and 18 patients with ischaemic wall-motion abnormalities underwent 2D and 3D echocardiography, followed by offline speckle tracking measurements. The values of 3D global, regional and segmental strain were compared with the standard 2D and triplane 2D strain values. Correlation analysis with the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was also performed. The 3D and 2D global strain values correlated good in both normally and abnormally contracting hearts, though systematic differences between the two methods were observed. Of the 3D strain parameters, the area strain showed the best correlation with the LVEF. The numerical agreement of 3D and 2D analyses varied significantly with the volume rate and image quality of the 3D datasets. The highest correlation between 2D and 3D peak systolic strain values was found between 3D area and standard 2D longitudinal strain. Regional wall-motion abnormalities were similarly detected by 2D and 3D speckle tracking. 2DST of triplane datasets showed similar results to those of conventional 2D datasets. 2D and 3D speckle tracking similarly detect normal and pathological wall-motion patterns. Limited image quality has a significant impact on the agreement between 3D and 2D numerical strain values.

Molecfit: A general tool for telluric absorption correction. II. Quantitative evaluation on ESO-VLT/X-Shooterspectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kausch, W.; Noll, S.; Smette, A.; Kimeswenger, S.; Barden, M.; Szyszka, C.; Jones, A. M.; Sana, H.; Horst, H.; Kerber, F.

2015-04-01

Context. Absorption by molecules in the Earth's atmosphere strongly affects ground-based astronomical observations. The resulting absorption line strength and shape depend on the highly variable physical state of the atmosphere, i.e. pressure, temperature, and mixing ratio of the different molecules involved. Usually, supplementary observations of so-called telluric standard stars (TSS) are needed to correct for this effect, which is expensive in terms of telescope time. We have developed the software package molecfit to provide synthetic transmission spectra based on parameters obtained by fitting narrow ranges of the observed spectra of scientific objects. These spectra are calculated by means of the radiative transfer code LBLRTM and an atmospheric model. In this way, the telluric absorption correction for suitable objects can be performed without any additional calibration observations of TSS. Aims: We evaluate the quality of the telluric absorption correction using molecfit with a set of archival ESO-VLT/X-Shooter visible and near-infrared spectra. Methods: Thanks to the wavelength coverage from the U to the K band, X-Shooter is well suited to investigate the quality of the telluric absorption correction with respect to the observing conditions, the instrumental set-up, input parameters of the code, the signal-to-noise of the input spectrum, and the atmospheric profiles. These investigations are based on two figures of merit, Ioff and Ires, that describe the systematic offsets and the remaining small-scale residuals of the corrections. We also compare the quality of the telluric absorption correction achieved with molecfit to the classical method based on a telluric standard star. Results: The evaluation of the telluric correction with molecfit shows a convincing removal of atmospheric absorption features. The comparison with the classical method reveals that molecfit performs better because it is not prone to the bad continuum reconstruction, noise, and intrinsic spectral features introduced by the telluric standard star. Conclusions: Fitted synthetic transmission spectra are an excellent alternative to the correction based on telluric standard stars. Moreover, molecfit offers wide flexibility for adaption to various instruments and observing sites. http://www.eso.org/sci/software/pipelines/skytools/

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

Brewer, M; Gordon, C; Tien, C

Purpose: To follow the Integrating Healthcare Enterprise - Radiation Oncology (IHE-RO) initiative of proper cross-vendor technology integration, an automated chart checker (ACC) was developed. ACC compares extracted data from an approved patient plan in the Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) against data existing in the Mosaiq treatment management system (TMS). ACC automatically analyzes these parameters using built-in quality checklists to provide further aid in chart review. Methods: Eclipse TPS data are obtained using Eclipse scripting API (ESAPI) while Mosaiq TMS data are obtained from a radiotherapy-treatment-planning (RTP) file. Using this information, ACC identifies TPS-TMS discrepancies in 18 primary beam parametersmore » including MU, energy, jaw positions, gantry angle, table angle, accessories, and bolus for up to 31 beams. Next, approximately 40 items from traditional quality checklists are evaluated such as prescription consistency, DRR graticule placement, plan approval status, global max dose, and dose tracking coefficients. Parameters were artificially modified to determine if ACC would detect an error in data transfer and to test each component of quality checklists. Results: Using ESAPI scripting and RTP file-processing, ACC was able to properly aggregate data from TPS and TMS for up to 31 beams. Errors were artificially introduced into each plan parameter, and ACC was able to successfully detect all of them within seconds. Next, ACC was able to successfully detect mistakes in the chart by identifying deviations with its quality checklists, within seconds. Conclusion: ACC effectively addresses the potential issue of faulty cross-vendor data transfer, as described by IHE-RO. In addition, ACC was also able to detect deviations from its built-in quality checklists. ACC is already an invaluable tool for efficient and standardized chart review and will continue to improve as its incorporated checklists become more comprehensive.« less

Comparison among Reconstruction Algorithms for Quantitative Analysis of 11C-Acetate Cardiac PET Imaging.

PubMed

Shi, Ximin; Li, Nan; Ding, Haiyan; Dang, Yonghong; Hu, Guilan; Liu, Shuai; Cui, Jie; Zhang, Yue; Li, Fang; Zhang, Hui; Huo, Li

2018-01-01

Kinetic modeling of dynamic 11 C-acetate PET imaging provides quantitative information for myocardium assessment. The quality and quantitation of PET images are known to be dependent on PET reconstruction methods. This study aims to investigate the impacts of reconstruction algorithms on the quantitative analysis of dynamic 11 C-acetate cardiac PET imaging. Suspected alcoholic cardiomyopathy patients ( N = 24) underwent 11 C-acetate dynamic PET imaging after low dose CT scan. PET images were reconstructed using four algorithms: filtered backprojection (FBP), ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM), OSEM with time-of-flight (TOF), and OSEM with both time-of-flight and point-spread-function (TPSF). Standardized uptake values (SUVs) at different time points were compared among images reconstructed using the four algorithms. Time-activity curves (TACs) in myocardium and blood pools of ventricles were generated from the dynamic image series. Kinetic parameters K 1 and k 2 were derived using a 1-tissue-compartment model for kinetic modeling of cardiac flow from 11 C-acetate PET images. Significant image quality improvement was found in the images reconstructed using iterative OSEM-type algorithms (OSME, TOF, and TPSF) compared with FBP. However, no statistical differences in SUVs were observed among the four reconstruction methods at the selected time points. Kinetic parameters K 1 and k 2 also exhibited no statistical difference among the four reconstruction algorithms in terms of mean value and standard deviation. However, for the correlation analysis, OSEM reconstruction presented relatively higher residual in correlation with FBP reconstruction compared with TOF and TPSF reconstruction, and TOF and TPSF reconstruction were highly correlated with each other. All the tested reconstruction algorithms performed similarly for quantitative analysis of 11 C-acetate cardiac PET imaging. TOF and TPSF yielded highly consistent kinetic parameter results with superior image quality compared with FBP. OSEM was relatively less reliable. Both TOF and TPSF were recommended for cardiac 11 C-acetate kinetic analysis.

Water Quality Criteria for Copper Based on the BLM Approach in the Freshwater in China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yahui; Zang, Wenchao; Qin, Lumei; Zheng, Lei; Cao, Ying; Yan, Zhenguang; Yi, Xianliang; Zeng, Honghu; Liu, Zhengtao

2017-01-01

The bioavailability and toxicity of metals to aquatic organisms are highly dependent on water quality parameters in freshwaters. The biotic ligand model (BLM) for copper is an approach to generate the water quality criteria (WQC) with water chemistry in the ambient environment. However, few studies were carried out on the WQCs for copper based on the BLM approach in China. In the present study, the toxicity for copper to native Chinese aquatic organisms was conducted and the published toxicity data with water quality parameters to Chinese aquatic species were collected to derive the WQCs for copper by the BLM approach. The BLM-based WQCs (the criterion maximum criteria (CMC) and the criterion continuous concentration (CCC)) for copper in the freshwater for the nation and in the Taihu Lake were obtained. The CMC and CCC values for copper in China were derived to be 1.391 μg/L and 0.495 μg/L, respectively, and the CMC and CCC in the Taihu Lake were 32.194 μg/L and 9.697 μg/L. The high concentration of dissolved organic carbon might be a main reason which resulted in the higher WQC values in the Taihu Lake. The WQC of copper in the freshwater would provide a scientific foundation for water quality standards and the environment risk assessment in China. PMID:28166229

Influence of spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia Med.) essential oil in the quality, stability and composition of soybean oil during microwave heating.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Nuno; Malheiro, Ricardo; Casal, Susana; Asensio-S-Manzanera, M Carmen; Bento, Albino; Pereira, José Alberto

2012-08-01

Lipids oxidation is one of the main factors leading to quality losses in foods. Its prevention or delay could be obtained by the addition of antioxidants. In this sense the present work intend to monitor the protective effects of Lavandula latifolia essential oil during soybean oil microwave heating. To achieve the proposed goal quality parameters (free acidity, peroxide value, specific coefficients of extinction and ΔK), fatty acids profile, tocopherols and tocotrienols composition, antioxidant activity and oxidative stability were evaluated in soybean oil with and without spike lavender essential oils (EO) submitted to different microwave heating exposure times (1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 min; 1000 Watt) with a standard domestic microwave equipment. Microwave heating induced severe quality and composition losses, mainly above 3 min of microwave heating, regardless the sample tested. However, spike lavender EO addition counteracts the oxidation comparatively to control oils, by presenting enhanced values in quality parameters. A higher protection in unsaturated fatty acids loss was also observed as well as a higher antioxidant activity and oxidative stability. The microwave heating effects were clearly different in the samples with essential oils addition, allowing discrimination from plain soybean oils by a principal component analysis, being also capable to discriminate the different heating times tested within each sample. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishing the pharmaceutical quality of Chinese herbal medicine: a provisional BCS classification.

PubMed

Fong, Sophia Y K; Liu, Mary; Wei, Hai; Löbenberg, Raimar; Kanfer, Isadore; Lee, Vincent H L; Amidon, Gordon L; Zuo, Zhong

2013-05-06

The Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS), which is a scientific approach to categorize active drug ingredient based on its solubility and intestinal permeability into one of the four classes, has been used to set the pharmaceutical quality standards for drug products in western society. However, it has received little attention in the area of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). This is likely, in part, due to the presence of multiple active components as well as lack of standardization of CHM. In this report, we apply BCS classification to CHMs provisionally as a basis for establishing improved in vitro quality standards. Based on a top-200 drugs selling list in China, a total of 31 CHM products comprising 50 official active marker compounds (AMCs) were provisionally classified according to BCS. Information on AMC content and doses of these CHM products were retrieved from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. BCS parameters including solubility and permeability of the AMCs were predicted in silico (ACD/Laboratories). A BCS classification of CHMs according to biopharmaceutical properties of their AMCs is demonstrated to be feasible in the current study and can be used to provide a minimum set of quality standards. Our provisional results showed that 44% of the included AMCs were classified as Class III (high solubility, low permeability), followed by Class II (26%), Class I (18%), and Class IV (12%). A similar trend was observed when CHMs were classified in accordance with the BCS class of AMCs. Most (45%) of the included CHMs were classified as Class III, followed by Class II (16%), Class I (10%), and Class IV (6%); whereas 23% of the CHMs were of mixed class due to the presence of multiple individual AMCs with different BCS classifications. Moreover, about 60% of the AMCs were classified as high-solubility compounds (Class I and Class III), suggesting an important role for an in vitro dissolution test in setting quality control standards ensuring consistent biopharmaceutical quality for the commercially available CHM products. That is, provisionally, more than half of the AMCs of the top-selling CHMs included in this study would be candidates for a bioequivalence (BE) biowaiver, based on WHO recommendations and EMEA guidelines. Thus a dissolution requirement on these AMCs would represent a significant advance in the pharmaceutical quality of CHM today.

Satellite-Friendly Protocols and Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koudelka, O.; Schmidt, M.; Ebert, J.; Schlemmer, H.; Kastner, S.; Riedler, W.

2002-01-01

We are currently observing a development unprecedented with other services, the enormous growth of the Internet. Video, voice and data applications can be supported via this network in high quality. Multi-media applications require high bandwidth which may not be available in many areas. When making proper use of the broadcast feature of a communications satellite, the performance of the satellite-based system can compare favourably to terrestrial solutions. Internet applications are in many cases highly asymmetric, making them very well suited to applications using small and inexpensive terminals. Data from one source may be used simultaneously by a large number of users. The Internet protocol suite has become the de-facto standard. But this protocol family in its original form has not been designed to support guaranteed quality of service, a prerequisite for real-time, high quality traffic. The Internet Protocol has to be adapted for the satellite environment, because long roundtrip delays and the error behaviour of the channel could make it inefficient over a GEO satellite. Another requirement is to utilise the satellite bandwidth as efficiently as possible. This can be achieved by adapting the access system to the nature of IP frames, which are variable in length. In the framework of ESA's ARTES project a novel satellite multimedia system was developed which utilises Multi-Frequency TDMA in a meshed network topology. The system supports Quality of Service (QoS) by reserving capacity with different QoS requirements. The system is centrally controlled by a master station with the implementation of a demand assignment (DAMA) system. A lean internal signalling system has been adopted. Network management is based on the SNMP protocol and industry-standard network management platforms, making interfaces to standard accounting and billing systems easy. Modern communication systems will have to be compliant to different standards in a very flexible manner. The developed system is based on a hardware architecture using FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays). This provides means to configure the satellite gateway for different standards and to optimise the transmission parameters for varying user traffic, thus increasing the efficiency significantly. The paper describes the flexible system architecture and focuses particularly on the DAMA access scheme and the chosen quality-of-service implementation. Emphasis has been put on the support of IP Version 6. Different standards (e.g. RCS and possible follow-ups) and the possibility to support them are discussed.

Quality of experience enhancement of high efficiency video coding video streaming in wireless packet networks using multiple description coding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boumehrez, Farouk; Brai, Radhia; Doghmane, Noureddine; Mansouri, Khaled

2018-01-01

Recently, video streaming has attracted much attention and interest due to its capability to process and transmit large data. We propose a quality of experience (QoE) model relying on high efficiency video coding (HEVC) encoder adaptation scheme, in turn based on the multiple description coding (MDC) for video streaming. The main contributions of the paper are (1) a performance evaluation of the new and emerging video coding standard HEVC/H.265, which is based on the variation of quantization parameter (QP) values depending on different video contents to deduce their influence on the sequence to be transmitted, (2) QoE support multimedia applications in wireless networks are investigated, so we inspect the packet loss impact on the QoE of transmitted video sequences, (3) HEVC encoder parameter adaptation scheme based on MDC is modeled with the encoder parameter and objective QoE model. A comparative study revealed that the proposed MDC approach is effective for improving the transmission with a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) gain of about 2 to 3 dB. Results show that a good choice of QP value can compensate for transmission channel effects and improve received video quality, although HEVC/H.265 is also sensitive to packet loss. The obtained results show the efficiency of our proposed method in terms of PSNR and mean-opinion-score.

Characterization and geographical discrimination of commercial Citrus spp. honeys produced in different Mediterranean countries based on minerals, volatile compounds and physicochemical parameters, using chemometrics.

PubMed

Karabagias, Ioannis K; Louppis, Artemis P; Karabournioti, Sofia; Kontakos, Stavros; Papastephanou, Chara; Kontominas, Michael G

2017-02-15

The objective of the present study was: i) to characterize Mediterranean citrus honeys based on conventional physicochemical parameter values, volatile compounds, and mineral content ii) to investigate the potential of above parameters to differentiate citrus honeys according to geographical origin using chemometrics. Thus, 37 citrus honey samples were collected during harvesting periods 2013 and 2014 from Greece, Egypt, Morocco, and Spain. Conventional physicochemical and CIELAB colour parameters were determined using official methods of analysis and the Commission Internationale de l' Eclairage recommendations, respectively. Minerals were determined using ICP-OES and volatiles using SPME-GC/MS. Results showed that honey samples analyzed, met the standard quality criteria set by the EU and were successfully classified according to geographical origin. Correct classification rates were 97.3% using 8 physicochemical parameter values, 86.5% using 15 volatile compound data and 83.8% using 13 minerals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposed MIL Standard and Handbook - Flying Qualities of Air Vehicles. Volume 2. Proposed MIL Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

model but uses the Hilbert transform to model intermittency as well as Gaussian structure patchiness. Includes University of Washington model features...Requirements for Satisfactory Elevator Control Characteristics, NACA TN 1060, June 1946. 852 - - - - 137. Jones, R. T., and H. Greenberg , Effect of Hinge...Moment Parameters on Elevator Stick Forces in Rapid Maneuvers NACA Report 798, Nov. 1944. 138. Greenberg , H., and L. Sternfield, A Theoretical

Aircraft Maneuvers for the Evaluation of Flying Qualities and Agility. Volume 2. Maneuver Descriptions and Section Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-01

Requirements to Design 2 Several of these maneuvers may be suitable for the development of design criteria or tactical utility studies . However, this...research was not intended to be a criteria development effort or a tactical ufiflity study . Instead, a sensitivity between each maneuver and various...utility studies because it contains measure of merit data and pilot comments for numerous desigp parameter variations. The Standard Evaluation

Breast MRI in community practice: equipment and imaging techniques at facilities in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium.

PubMed

DeMartini, Wendy B; Ichikawa, Laura; Yankaskas, Bonnie C; Buist, Diana; Kerlikowske, Karla; Geller, Berta; Onega, Tracy; Rosenberg, Robert D; Lehman, Constance D

2010-11-01

MRI is increasingly used for the detection of breast carcinoma. Little is known about breast MRI techniques among community practice facilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate equipment and acquisition techniques used by community facilities across the United States, including compliance with minimum standards by the ACRIN® 6667 Trial and the European Society of Breast Imaging. Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium facilities performing breast MRI were identified and queried by survey regarding breast MRI equipment and technical parameters. Variables included scanner field strength, coil type, acquisition coverage, slice thickness, and the timing of the initial postcontrast sequence. Results were tallied and percentages of facilities meeting ACRIN® and European Society of Breast Imaging standards were calculated. From 23 facilities performing breast MRI, results were obtained from 14 (61%) facilities with 16 MRI scanners reporting 18 imaging parameters. Compliance with equipment recommendations of ≥1.5-T field strength was 94% and of a dedicated breast coil was 100%. Eighty-three percent of acquisitions used bilateral postcontrast techniques, and 78% used slice thickness≤3 mm. The timing of initial postcontrast sequences ranged from 58 seconds to 8 minutes 30 seconds, with 63% meeting recommendations for completion within 4 minutes. Nearly all surveyed facilities met ACRIN and European Society of Breast Imaging standards for breast MRI equipment. The majority met standards for acquisition parameters, although techniques varied, in particular for the timing of initial postcontrast imaging. Further guidelines by the ACR Breast MRI Accreditation Program will be of importance in facilitating standardized and high-quality breast MRI. Copyright © 2010 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of thermal treatment and sonication on quality attributes of Chokanan mango (Mangifera indica L.) juice.

PubMed

Santhirasegaram, Vicknesha; Razali, Zuliana; Somasundram, Chandran

2013-09-01

Ultrasonic treatment is an emerging food processing technology that has growing interest among health-conscious consumers. Freshly squeezed Chokanan mango juice was thermally treated (at 90 °C for 30 and 60s) and sonicated (for 15, 30 and 60 min at 25 °C, 40 kHz frequency, 130 W) to compare the effect on microbial inactivation, physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities and other quality parameters. After sonication and thermal treatment, no significant changes occurred in pH, total soluble solids and titratable acidity. Sonication for 15 and 30 min showed significant improvement in selected quality parameters except color and ascorbic acid content, when compared to freshly squeezed juice (control). A significant increase in extractability of carotenoids (4-9%) and polyphenols (30-35%) was observed for juice subjected to ultrasonic treatment for 15 and 30 min, when compared to the control. In addition, enhancement of radical scavenging activity and reducing power was observed in all sonicated juice samples regardless of treatment time. Thermal and ultrasonic treatment exhibited significant reduction in microbial count of the juice. The results obtained support the use of sonication to improve the quality of Chokanan mango juice along with safety standard as an alternative to thermal treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of nutrients and pesticides from small- and large-scale agriculture on the water quality of Lake Ziway, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Teklu, Berhan M; Hailu, Amare; Wiegant, Daniel A; Scholten, Bernice S; Van den Brink, Paul J

2018-05-01

The area around Lake Ziway in Ethiopia is going through a major agricultural transformation with both small-scale farmers and large horticultural companies using pesticides and fertilisers at an increased rate. To be able to understand how this influences the water quality of Lake Ziway, water quality data was gathered to study the dynamics of pesticide concentrations and physicochemical parameters for the years from 2009 to 2015. Results indicate that for some physicochemical parameters, including pH, potassium and iron, over 50 % of the values were above the maximum permissible limit of the Ethiopian standard for drinking water. The fungicide spiroxamine poses a high chronic risk when the water is used for drinking water, while the estimated intake of diazinon was approximately 50 % of the acceptable daily intake. Higher-tier risk assessment indicated that the fungicide spiroxamine poses a high acute risk to aquatic organisms, while possible acute risks were indicated for the insecticides deltamethrin and endosulfan. Longer-term monitoring needs to be established to show the water quality changes across time and space, and the current study can be used as a baseline measurement for further research in the area as well as an example for other surface water systems in Ethiopia and Africa.

Electron-beam lithography with character projection technique for high-throughput exposure with line-edge quality control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeno, Rimon; Maruyama, Satoshi; Mita, Yoshio; Ikeda, Makoto; Asada, Kunihiro

2016-07-01

The high throughput of character projection (CP) electron-beam (EB) lithography makes it a promising technique for low-to-medium volume device fabrication with regularly arranged layouts, such as for standard-cell logics and memory arrays. However, non-VLSI applications such as MEMS and MOEMS may not be able to fully utilize the benefits of the CP method due to the wide variety of layout figures including curved and oblique edges. In addition, the stepwise shapes that appear because of the EB exposure process often result in intolerable edge roughness, which degrades device performances. In this study, we propose a general EB lithography methodology for such applications utilizing a combination of the CP and variable-shaped beam methods. In the process of layout data conversion with CP character instantiation, several control parameters were optimized to minimize the shot count, improve the edge quality, and enhance the overall device performance. We have demonstrated EB shot reduction and edge-quality improvement with our methodology by using a leading-edge EB exposure tool, ADVANTEST F7000S-VD02, and a high-resolution hydrogen silsesquioxane resist. Atomic force microscope observations were used to analyze the resist edge profiles' quality to determine the influence of the control parameters used in the data conversion process.

Spatio-temporal variation analysis of hydrochemical characteristics in the Luanhe River Basin, China.

PubMed

Xie, Ying; Li, Xuyong; Wang, Huiliang; Li, Wenzan

2013-01-01

The analysis of river pollution and assessment of spatial and temporal variation in hydrochemistry are essential to river water pollution control in the context of rapid economic growth and growing pollution threats in China. In this study, we focused on hydrochemical characteristics of the Luanhe River Basin (China) and evaluation of 12 hydrochemical variables obtained from 32 monitoring stations during 2001-2010. In each study year, the streams were monitored in the three hydrological periods (April, August, and October) to observe differences in the impacts of agricultural activity and rainfall pattern. Multivariate statistical methods were applied to the data set, and the river water hydrochemical characteristics were assessed using the water quality identification index (WQIIM). The results showed that parameters had variable contribution to water quality status in different months except for ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) and total nitrogen (TN), which were the most important parameters in contributing to water quality variations for all three periods. Results of WQIIM revealed that 18 sites were classified as 'meeting standard' while the other 14 sites were classified as 'not meeting standard', with most of the seriously polluted sites located in urban area, mainly due to discharge of wastewater from domestic and industrial sources. Sites with low pollution level were located primarily in smaller tributaries, whereas sites of medium and high pollution levels were in the main river channel and the larger tributaries. Our findings provide valuable information and guidance for water pollution control and water resource management in the Luanhe River Basin.

About subjective evaluation of adaptive video streaming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tavakoli, Samira; Brunnström, Kjell; Garcia, Narciso

2015-03-01

The usage of HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS) technology by content providers is increasing rapidly. Having available the video content in multiple qualities, using HAS allows to adapt the quality of downloaded video to the current network conditions providing smooth video-playback. However, the time-varying video quality by itself introduces a new type of impairment. The quality adaptation can be done in different ways. In order to find the best adaptation strategy maximizing users perceptual quality it is necessary to investigate about the subjective perception of adaptation-related impairments. However, the novelties of these impairments and their comparably long time duration make most of the standardized assessment methodologies fall less suited for studying HAS degradation. Furthermore, in traditional testing methodologies, the quality of the video in audiovisual services is often evaluated separated and not in the presence of audio. Nevertheless, the requirement of jointly evaluating the audio and the video within a subjective test is a relatively under-explored research field. In this work, we address the research question of determining the appropriate assessment methodology to evaluate the sequences with time-varying quality due to the adaptation. This was done by studying the influence of different adaptation related parameters through two different subjective experiments using a methodology developed to evaluate long test sequences. In order to study the impact of audio presence on quality assessment by the test subjects, one of the experiments was done in the presence of audio stimuli. The experimental results were subsequently compared with another experiment using the standardized single stimulus Absolute Category Rating (ACR) methodology.

Can consistent benchmarking within a standardized pain management concept decrease postoperative pain after total hip arthroplasty? A prospective cohort study including 367 patients

PubMed Central

Benditz, Achim; Greimel, Felix; Auer, Patrick; Zeman, Florian; Göttermann, Antje; Grifka, Joachim; Meissner, Winfried; von Kunow, Frederik

2016-01-01

Background The number of total hip replacement surgeries has steadily increased over recent years. Reduction in postoperative pain increases patient satisfaction and enables better mobilization. Thus, pain management needs to be continuously improved. Problems are often caused not only by medical issues but also by organization and hospital structure. The present study shows how the quality of pain management can be increased by implementing a standardized pain concept and simple, consistent, benchmarking. Methods All patients included in the study had undergone total hip arthroplasty (THA). Outcome parameters were analyzed 24 hours after surgery by means of the questionnaires from the German-wide project “Quality Improvement in Postoperative Pain Management” (QUIPS). A pain nurse interviewed patients and continuously assessed outcome quality parameters. A multidisciplinary team of anesthetists, orthopedic surgeons, and nurses implemented a regular procedure of data analysis and internal benchmarking. The health care team was informed of any results, and suggested improvements. Every staff member involved in pain management participated in educational lessons, and a special pain nurse was trained in each ward. Results From 2014 to 2015, 367 patients were included. The mean maximal pain score 24 hours after surgery was 4.0 (±3.0) on an 11-point numeric rating scale, and patient satisfaction was 9.0 (±1.2). Over time, the maximum pain score decreased (mean 3.0, ±2.0), whereas patient satisfaction significantly increased (mean 9.8, ±0.4; p<0.05). Among 49 anonymized hospitals, our clinic stayed on first rank in terms of lowest maximum pain and patient satisfaction over the period. Conclusion Results were already acceptable at the beginning of benchmarking a standardized pain management concept. But regular benchmarking, implementation of feedback mechanisms, and staff education made the pain management concept even more successful. Multidisciplinary teamwork and flexibility in adapting processes seem to be highly important for successful pain management. PMID:28031727

Can consistent benchmarking within a standardized pain management concept decrease postoperative pain after total hip arthroplasty? A prospective cohort study including 367 patients.

PubMed

Benditz, Achim; Greimel, Felix; Auer, Patrick; Zeman, Florian; Göttermann, Antje; Grifka, Joachim; Meissner, Winfried; von Kunow, Frederik

2016-01-01

The number of total hip replacement surgeries has steadily increased over recent years. Reduction in postoperative pain increases patient satisfaction and enables better mobilization. Thus, pain management needs to be continuously improved. Problems are often caused not only by medical issues but also by organization and hospital structure. The present study shows how the quality of pain management can be increased by implementing a standardized pain concept and simple, consistent, benchmarking. All patients included in the study had undergone total hip arthroplasty (THA). Outcome parameters were analyzed 24 hours after surgery by means of the questionnaires from the German-wide project "Quality Improvement in Postoperative Pain Management" (QUIPS). A pain nurse interviewed patients and continuously assessed outcome quality parameters. A multidisciplinary team of anesthetists, orthopedic surgeons, and nurses implemented a regular procedure of data analysis and internal benchmarking. The health care team was informed of any results, and suggested improvements. Every staff member involved in pain management participated in educational lessons, and a special pain nurse was trained in each ward. From 2014 to 2015, 367 patients were included. The mean maximal pain score 24 hours after surgery was 4.0 (±3.0) on an 11-point numeric rating scale, and patient satisfaction was 9.0 (±1.2). Over time, the maximum pain score decreased (mean 3.0, ±2.0), whereas patient satisfaction significantly increased (mean 9.8, ±0.4; p <0.05). Among 49 anonymized hospitals, our clinic stayed on first rank in terms of lowest maximum pain and patient satisfaction over the period. Results were already acceptable at the beginning of benchmarking a standardized pain management concept. But regular benchmarking, implementation of feedback mechanisms, and staff education made the pain management concept even more successful. Multidisciplinary teamwork and flexibility in adapting processes seem to be highly important for successful pain management.

Analysis of water quality on several waters affected by contamination in West Sumbawa Regency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewi, N. N.; Satyantini, W. H.; Sahidu, A. M.; Sari, L. A.; Mukti, A. T.

2018-04-01

This study reports the result of water quality in several waters in West Sumbawa Regency. The load of waste input from anthropogenic activity becomes an indication of the decrease of water quality in West Sumbawa Regency Waters. The existence of illegal mining activities around the water has the potential to cause water pollution. Sample of water were collected on April 2017 in four location such as Sejorong 1, Sejorong 2, Tongo, and Taliwang. Sample were analyzed as insitu and exsitu parameters. The result of this research showed that Sejorong 2 have the highest value of pollution index but generally four site on West Sumbawa Regency Waters were categorized lightly contaminated. Concentration of heavy metal cadmium at four locations exceed the water quality standard for fisheries and drinking water. However, the trophic classification using TSI and TRIX of all location was oligothropic water.

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.

SU-F-BRD-10: Lung IMRT Planning Using Standardized Beam Bouquet Templates

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

Yuan, L; Wu, Q J.; Yin, F

2014-06-15

Purpose: We investigate the feasibility of choosing from a small set of standardized templates of beam bouquets (i.e., entire beam configuration settings) for lung IMRT planning to improve planning efficiency and quality consistency, and also to facilitate automated planning. Methods: A set of beam bouquet templates is determined by learning from the beam angle settings in 60 clinical lung IMRT plans. A k-medoids cluster analysis method is used to classify the beam angle configuration into clusters. The value of the average silhouette width is used to determine the ideal number of clusters. The beam arrangements in each medoid of themore » resulting clusters are taken as the standardized beam bouquet for the cluster, with the corresponding case taken as the reference case. The resulting set of beam bouquet templates was used to re-plan 20 cases randomly selected from the database and the dosimetric quality of the plans was evaluated against the corresponding clinical plans by a paired t-test. The template for each test case was manually selected by a planner based on the match between the test and reference cases. Results: The dosimetric parameters (mean±S.D. in percentage of prescription dose) of the plans using 6 beam bouquet templates and those of the clinical plans, respectively, and the p-values (in parenthesis) are: lung Dmean: 18.8±7.0, 19.2±7.0 (0.28), esophagus Dmean: 32.0±16.3, 34.4±17.9 (0.01), heart Dmean: 19.2±16.5, 19.4±16.6 (0.74), spinal cord D2%: 47.7±18.8, 52.0±20.3 (0.01), PTV dose homogeneity (D2%-D99%): 17.1±15.4, 20.7±12.2 (0.03).The esophagus Dmean, cord D02 and PTV dose homogeneity are statistically better in the plans using the standardized templates, but the improvements (<5%) may not be clinically significant. The other dosimetric parameters are not statistically different. Conclusion: It's feasible to use a small number of standardized beam bouquet templates (e.g. 6) to generate plans with quality comparable to that of clinical plans. Partially supported by NIH/NCI under grant #R21CA161389 and a master research grant by Varian Medical System.« less

Comparison of the Performance Evaluation of the MicroPET R4 Scanner According to NEMA Standards NU 4-2008 and NU 2-2001

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popota, Fotini D.; Aguiar, Pablo; Herance, J. Raúl; Pareto, Deborah; Rojas, Santiago; Ros, Domènec; Pavia, Javier; Gispert, Juan Domingo

2012-10-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the performance of the microPET R4 system for rodents according to the NU 4-2008 standards of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) for small-animal positron emission tomography (PET) systems and to compare it against its previous evaluation according the adapted clinical NEMA NU 2-2001. The performance parameters evaluated here were spatial resolution, sensitivity, scatter fraction, counting rates for rat- and mouse-sized phantoms, and image quality. Spatial resolution and sensitivity were measured with a 22Na point source, while scatter fraction and count rate performance were determined using a mouse and rat phantoms with an 18F line source. The image quality of the system was assessed using the NEMA image quality phantom. Assessment of attenuation correction was performed using γ-ray transmission and computed tomography (CT)-based attenuation correction methods. At the center of the field of view, a spatial resolution of 2.12 mm at full width at half maximum (FWHM) (radial), 2.66 mm FWHM (tangential), and 2.23 mm FWHM (axial) was measured. The absolute sensitivity was found to be 1.9% at the center of the scanner. Scatter fraction for mouse-sized phantoms was 8.5 %, and the peak count rate was 311 kcps at 153.5 MBq. The rat scatter fraction was 22%, and the peak count rate was 117 kcps at 123.24 MBq. Image uniformity showed better results with 2-D filtered back projection (FBP), while an overestimation of the recovery coefficients was observed when using 2-D and 3-D OSEM MAP reconstruction algorithm. All measurements were made for an energy window of 350-650 keV and a coincidence window of 6 ns. Histogramming and reconstruction parameters were used according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The microPET R4 scanner was fully characterized according to the NEMA NU 4-2008 standards. Our results diverge considerably from those previously reported with an adapted version of the NEMA NU 2-2001 clinical standards. These discrepancies can be attributed to the modifications in NEMA methodology, thereby highlighting the relevance of specific small-animal standards for the performance evaluation of PET systems.

Improvement of the clinical use of computed radiography for mobile chest imaging: Image quality and patient dose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rill, Lynn Neitzey

Chest radiography is technically difficult because of the wide variation of tissue attenuations in the chest and limitations of screen-film systems. Mobile chest radiography, performed bedside on hospital inpatients, presents additional difficulties due to geometrical and equipment limitations inherent to mobile x-ray procedures and the severity of illness in patients. Computed radiography (CR) offers a new approach for mobile chest radiography by utilizing a photostimulable phosphor. Photostimulable phosphors are more efficient in absorbing lower-energy x-rays than standard intensifying screens and overcome some image quality limitations of mobile chest imaging, particularly because of the inherent latitude. This study evaluated changes in imaging parameters for CR to take advantage of differences between CR and screen-film radiography. Two chest phantoms, made of acrylic and aluminum, simulated x-ray attenuation for average-sized and large- sized adult chests. The phantoms contained regions representing the lungs, heart and subdiaphragm. Acrylic and aluminum disks (1.9 cm diameter) were positioned in the chest regions to make signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurements for different combinations of imaging parameters. Disk thicknesses (contrast) were determined from disk visibility. Effective dose to the phantom was also measured for technique combinations. The results indicated that using an anti-scatter grid and lowering x- ray tube potential improved the SNR significantly; however, the dose to the phantom also increased. An evaluation was performed to examine the clinical applicability of the observed improvements in SNR. Parameter adjustments that improved phantom SNRs by more than 50% resulted in perceived image quality improvements in the lung region of clinical mobile chest radiographs. Parameters that produced smaller improvements in SNR had no apparent effect on clinical image quality. Based on this study, it is recommended that a 3:1 grid be used for mobile chest radiography with CR in order to improve image quality. Using a higher kVp (+15 kVp) did not have a detrimental effect on image quality and offered a patient dose savings, including effective dose and breast dose. Higher kVp techniques should be considered when using a grid is not possible.

Diffusion-weighted Imaging of the Liver with Multiple b Values: Effect of Diffusion Gradient Polarity and Breathing Acquisition on Image Quality and Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Parameters—A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Dyvorne, Hadrien A.; Galea, Nicola; Nevers, Thomas; Fiel, M. Isabel; Carpenter, David; Wong, Edmund; Orton, Matthew; de Oliveira, Andre; Feiweier, Thorsten; Vachon, Marie-Louise; Babb, James S.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To optimize intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging by estimating the effects of diffusion gradient polarity and breathing acquisition scheme on image quality, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), IVIM parameters, and parameter reproducibility, as well as to investigate the potential of IVIM in the detection of hepatic fibrosis. Materials and Methods: In this institutional review board–approved prospective study, 20 subjects (seven healthy volunteers, 13 patients with hepatitis C virus infection; 14 men, six women; mean age, 46 years) underwent IVIM DW imaging with four sequences: (a) respiratory-triggered (RT) bipolar (BP) sequence, (b) RT monopolar (MP) sequence, (c) free-breathing (FB) BP sequence, and (d) FB MP sequence. Image quality scores were assessed for all sequences. A biexponential analysis with the Bayesian method yielded true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (PF) in liver parenchyma. Mixed-model analysis of variance was used to compare image quality, SNR, IVIM parameters, and interexamination variability between the four sequences, as well as the ability to differentiate areas of liver fibrosis from normal liver tissue. Results: Image quality with RT sequences was superior to that with FB acquisitions (P = .02) and was not affected by gradient polarity. SNR did not vary significantly between sequences. IVIM parameter reproducibility was moderate to excellent for PF and D, while it was less reproducible for D*. PF and D were both significantly lower in patients with hepatitis C virus than in healthy volunteers with the RT BP sequence (PF = 13.5% ± 5.3 [standard deviation] vs 9.2% ± 2.5, P = .038; D = [1.16 ± 0.07] × 10−3 mm2/sec vs [1.03 ± 0.1] × 10−3 mm2/sec, P = .006). Conclusion: The RT BP DW imaging sequence had the best results in terms of image quality, reproducibility, and ability to discriminate between healthy and fibrotic liver with biexponential fitting. © RSNA, 2012 PMID:23220895

The association between clinical parameters and glaucoma-specific quality of life in Chinese primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

PubMed

Lee, Jacky W Y; Chan, Catherine W S; Chan, Jonathan C H; Li, Q; Lai, Jimmy S M

2014-08-01

OBJECTIVE. To investigate the association between clinical measurements and glaucoma-specific quality of life in Chinese glaucoma patients. DESIGN. Cross-sectional study. SETTING. An academic hospital in Hong Kong. PATIENTS. A Chinese translation of the Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 questionnaire was completed by 51 consecutive patients with bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma. The binocular means of several clinical measurements were correlated with Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 findings using Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression. The measurements were the visual field index and pattern standard deviation from the Humphrey Field Analyzer, Snellen best-corrected visual acuity, presenting intra-ocular pressure, current intra-ocular pressure, average retinal nerve fibre layer thickness via optical coherence tomography, and the number of topical anti-glaucoma medications being used. RESULTS. In these patients, there was a significant correlation and linear relationship between a poorer Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 score and a lower visual field index (r=0.3, r(2)=0.1, P=0.01) and visual acuity (r=0.3, r(2)=0.1, P=0.03). A thinner retinal nerve fibre layer also correlated with a poorer Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 score, but did not attain statistical significance (r=0.3, P=0.07). There were no statistically significant correlations for the other clinical parameters with the Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 scores (all P values being >0.7). The three most problematic activities affecting quality of life were "adjusting to bright lights", "going from a light to a dark room or vice versa", and "seeing at night". CONCLUSION. For Chinese primary open-angle glaucoma patients, binocular visual field index and visual acuity correlated linearly with glaucoma-specific quality of life, and activities involving dark adaptation were the most problematic.

Influence of the freezing method on the changes that occur in grape samples after frozen storage.

PubMed

Santesteban, Luis G; Miranda, Carlos; Royo, José B

2013-09-01

Sample freezing is frequently used in oenological laboratories as a compromise solution to increase the number of samples that can be analysed, despite the fact that some grape characteristics are known to change after frozen storage. However, freezing is usually performed using standard freezers, which provide a slow freezing. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether blast freezing would decrease the impact of standard freezing on grape composition. Grape quality parameters were assessed in fresh and in frozen stored samples that had been frozen using three different procedures: standard freezing and blast freezing using either a blast freezer or an ultra-freezer. The implications of frozen storage in grape samples reported in earlier research were observed for the three freezing methods evaluated. Although blast freezing improved repeatability for the most problematic parameters (tartaric acidity, TarA; total phenolics, TP), the improvement was not important from a practical point of view. However, TarA and TP were relatively repeatable among the three freezing procedures, which suggests that freezing had an effect on these parameters independently of the method used . According to our results, the salification potential of the must is probably implied in the changes observed for TarA, whereas for TP the precipitation of protoanthocyanins after association with cell wall material is hypothesized to cause the lack of repeatability between fresh and frozen grapes. Blast freezing would not imply a great improvement if implemented in oenological laboratories, at least for the parameters included in this study. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Endotoxin Contamination and Correlation with Other Water Quality Parameters of Groundwater from Self-Contained Wells in Beijing].

PubMed

Zhang, Can; Liu, Wen-jun; Ao, Lu; Shi, Yun; An, Dai-zhi; Liu, Zhi-ping

2015-12-01

A survey of endotoxin activity in groundwater from 14 self-contained wells in PLA units stationed in Beijing was conducted by the kinetic-turbid assay of Tachypleus Amebocyte Lysate (TAL). Bacteriological parameters, including total cell counts detected by flow cytometry, heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), standard plate counts and total coliforms were analyzed. Additionally, suspended particles, turbidity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV₂₅₄ were investigated. Total endotoxin activities ranged from 0. 15 to 13.20 EU · mL⁻¹, free endotoxin activities ranged from 0.10 to 5.29 EU · mL⁻¹ and bound endotoxin activities ranged from 0.01 to 8.60 EU · mL⁻¹. Most of the endotoxins in heavily contaminated groundwater existed as bound endotoxins. As for total endotoxins, the sequence of correlation coefficients with other parameters was total cell counts (r = 0.88 ) > HPC (r = 0.79) > DOC (r = 0.77) > UV₂₅₄ (r = 0.57) > total coliforms (r = 0.50) > standard plate counts (r = 0.49) = turbidity (r = 0. 49) > total particles (r = 0.41). The sequence of correlations of the bound endotoxins with other parameters was total cell counts (r = 0.81) > HPC (r = 0.66) > total coliforms (r = 0.65) > turbidity (r = 0.62) > total particles (r = 0.58) > standard plate counts (r = 0.22). Free endotoxins were correlated with DOC and UV₂₅₄, r = 0.58 and 0.26, respectively. Result showed free endotoxins had a higher correlation with DOC, and a lower correlation with UV₂₅₄.

Coastal surface water suitability analysis for irrigation in Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahtab, Mohammad Hossain; Zahid, Anwar

2018-03-01

Water with adequate quality and quantity is very important for irrigation to ensure the crop yields. Salinity is common problem in the coastal waters in Bangladesh. The intensity of salinity in the coastal zone in Bangladesh is not same. It fluctuates over the year. Sodium is another hazard which may hamper permeability and ultimately affects the fertility. It can reduce the crop yields. Although surface water is available in the coastal zone of Bangladesh, but its quality for irrigation needs to be monitored over the year. This paper will investigate the overall quality of coastal surface waters. Thirty-three water samples from different rivers were collected both in wet period (October-December) and in dry period (February-April). Different physical and chemical parameters are considered for investigation of the adequacy of water with respect to international irrigation water quality standards and Bangladesh standards. A comparison between the dry and wet period coastal surface water quality in Bangladesh will also be drawn here. The analysis shows that coastal surface water in Bangladesh is overall suitable for irrigation during wet period, while it needs treatment (which will increase the irrigation cost) for using for irrigation during dry period. Adaptation to this situation can improve the scenario. An integrated plan should be taken to increase the water storing capacity in the coastal area to harvest water during wet period.

Rural environment study for water from different sources in cluster of villages in Mehsana district of Gujarat.

PubMed

Khatri, Nitasha; Tyagi, Sanjiv; Rawtani, Deepak

2017-12-07

Water pollution and water scarcity are major environmental issues in rural and urban areas. They lead to decline in the quality of water, especially drinking water. Proper qualitative assessment of water is thus necessary to ensure that the water consumed is potable. This study aims to analyze the physicochemical parameters in different sources of water in rural areas and assess the quality of water through a classification system based on BIS and CPCB standards. The classification method has defined water quality in six categories, viz., A, B, C, D, E, and F depending on the levels of physicochemical parameters in the water samples. The proposed classification system was applied to nine villages in Kadi Taluka, Mehsana district of Gujarat. The water samples were collected from borewells, lakes, Narmada Canal, and sewerage systems and were analyzed as per APHA and IS methods. It was observed that most of the physicochemical parameters of Narmada Canal and borewell water fell under class A, thus making them most suitable for drinking. Further, a health camp conducted at Karannagar village, Mehsana revealed no incidents of any waterborne diseases. However, there were certain incidents of kidney stones and joint pain in few villages due to high levels of TDS. Toxic metal analysis in all the water sources revealed low to undetectable concentration of toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium in all the water sources. It is also recommended that the regular treatment of the Narmada Canal water be continued to maintain its excellent quality.

Spectral Rate Theory for Two-State Kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prinz, Jan-Hendrik; Chodera, John D.; Noé, Frank

2014-02-01

Classical rate theories often fail in cases where the observable(s) or order parameter(s) used is a poor reaction coordinate or the observed signal is deteriorated by noise, such that no clear separation between reactants and products is possible. Here, we present a general spectral two-state rate theory for ergodic dynamical systems in thermal equilibrium that explicitly takes into account how the system is observed. The theory allows the systematic estimation errors made by standard rate theories to be understood and quantified. We also elucidate the connection of spectral rate theory with the popular Markov state modeling approach for molecular simulation studies. An optimal rate estimator is formulated that gives robust and unbiased results even for poor reaction coordinates and can be applied to both computer simulations and single-molecule experiments. No definition of a dividing surface is required. Another result of the theory is a model-free definition of the reaction coordinate quality. The reaction coordinate quality can be bounded from below by the directly computable observation quality, thus providing a measure allowing the reaction coordinate quality to be optimized by tuning the experimental setup. Additionally, the respective partial probability distributions can be obtained for the reactant and product states along the observed order parameter, even when these strongly overlap. The effects of both filtering (averaging) and uncorrelated noise are also examined. The approach is demonstrated on numerical examples and experimental single-molecule force-probe data of the p5ab RNA hairpin and the apo-myoglobin protein at low pH, focusing here on the case of two-state kinetics.

Meat Quality Derived from High Inclusion of a Micro-Alga or Insect Meal as an Alternative Protein Source in Poultry Diets: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Neumann, Carmen; Velten, Susanne; Liebert, Frank

2018-01-01

The effects on meat quality resulting from alternative dietary protein sources (Spirulina and Hermetia meal) in poultry diets are studied to determine the overall suitability of these ingredients considering state-of-the-art packaging practices—highly oxygenated modified atmosphere packaging (HiOx MAP). We monitored standard slaughterhouse parameters, such as live weight, carcass weight, dressed yield, and pH at 20 min and 24 h post mortem. In addition, we studied the effects that 3 and 7-day storage in HiOx MAP has on the overall product physico-chemical and sensory properties. In addition to previously supported effects of HiOx MAP, we found that meat quality could be improved when Spirulina replaces 50% of the soy protein in broiler diets; however, this substitution results in a dark reddish-yellowish meat colour. On the other hand, the substitution with Hermetia larval meal results in a product that does not differ from the standard fed control group, with the exception that the breast filet has a more intense flavour that decreases over storage time. All-in-all Spirulina and Hermetia meal have the potential to replace soybean meal in broiler diets without deteriorating meat quality. PMID:29518048

USDI DCS technical support: Mississippi Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Preble, D. M.

1975-01-01

The objective of the technical support effort is to provide hardware and data processing support to DCS users so that application of the system may be simply and effectively implemented. Technical support at Mississippi Test Facility (MTF) is concerned primarily with on-site hardware. The first objective of the DCP hardware support was to assure that standard measuring apparatus and techniques used by the USGS could be adapted to the DCS. The second objective was to try to standardize the miscellaneous variety of parameters into a standard instrument set. The third objective was to provide the necessary accessories to simplify the use and complement the capabilities of the DCP. The standard USGS sites have been interfaced and are presently operating. These sites are stream gauge, ground water level and line operated quality of water. Evapotranspiration, meteorological and battery operated quality of water sites are planned for near future DCP operation. Three accessories which are under test or development are the Chu antenna, solar power supply and add-on memory. The DCP has proven to be relatively easy to interface with many monitors. The large antenna is awkward to install and transport. The DCS has met the original requirements well; it has and is proving that an operation, satellite-based data collection system is feasible.

SU-C-BRD-03: Analysis of Accelerator Generated Text Logs for Preemptive Maintenance

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

Able, CM; Baydush, AH; Nguyen, C

2014-06-15

Purpose: To develop a model to analyze medical accelerator generated parameter and performance data that will provide an early warning of performance degradation and impending component failure. Methods: A robust 6 MV VMAT quality assurance treatment delivery was used to test the constancy of accelerator performance. The generated text log files were decoded and analyzed using statistical process control (SPC) methodology. The text file data is a single snapshot of energy specific and overall systems parameters. A total of 36 system parameters were monitored which include RF generation, electron gun control, energy control, beam uniformity control, DC voltage generation, andmore » cooling systems. The parameters were analyzed using Individual and Moving Range (I/MR) charts. The chart limits were calculated using a hybrid technique that included the use of the standard 3σ limits and the parameter/system specification. Synthetic errors/changes were introduced to determine the initial effectiveness of I/MR charts in detecting relevant changes in operating parameters. The magnitude of the synthetic errors/changes was based on: the value of 1 standard deviation from the mean operating parameter of 483 TB systems, a small fraction (≤ 5%) of the operating range, or a fraction of the minor fault deviation. Results: There were 34 parameters in which synthetic errors were introduced. There were 2 parameters (radial position steering coil, and positive 24V DC) in which the errors did not exceed the limit of the I/MR chart. The I chart limit was exceeded for all of the remaining parameters (94.2%). The MR chart limit was exceeded in 29 of the 32 parameters (85.3%) in which the I chart limit was exceeded. Conclusion: Statistical process control I/MR evaluation of text log file parameters may be effective in providing an early warning of performance degradation or component failure for digital medical accelerator systems. Research is Supported by Varian Medical Systems, Inc.« less

Preliminary assessment of several parameters to measure and compare usefulness of the CEOS reference pseudo-invariant calibration sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chander, Gyanesh; Angal, Amit; Xiong, Xiaoxiong; Helder, Dennis L.; Mishra, Nischal; Choi, Taeyoung; Wu, Aisheng

2010-01-01

Test sites are central to any future quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) strategy. The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Working Group for Calibration and Validation (WGCV) Infrared Visible Optical Sensors (IVOS) worked with collaborators around the world to establish a core set of CEOS-endorsed, globally distributed, reference standard test sites (both instrumented and pseudo-invariant) for the post-launch calibration of space-based optical imaging sensors. The pseudo-invariant calibration sites (PICS) have high reflectance and are usually made up of sand dunes with low aerosol loading and practically no vegetation. The goal of this paper is to provide preliminary assessment of "several parameters" than can be used on an operational basis to compare and measure usefulness of reference sites all over the world. The data from Landsat 7 (L7) Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) Hyperion sensors over the CEOS PICS were used to perform a preliminary assessment of several parameters, such as usable area, data availability, top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance, at-sensor brightness temperature, spatial uniformity, temporal stability, spectral stability, and typical spectrum observed over the sites.

Remote Monitoring of Post-eruption Volcano Environment Based-On Wireless Sensor Network (WSN): The Mount Sinabung Case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soeharwinto; Sinulingga, Emerson; Siregar, Baihaqi

2017-01-01

An accurate information can be useful for authorities to make good policies for preventive and mitigation after volcano eruption disaster. Monitoring of environmental parameters of post-eruption volcano provides an important information for authorities. Such monitoring system can be develop using the Wireless Network Sensor technology. Many application has been developed using the Wireless Sensor Network technology, such as floods early warning system, sun radiation mapping, and watershed monitoring. This paper describes the implementation of a remote environment monitoring system of mount Sinabung post-eruption. The system monitor three environmental parameters: soil condition, water quality and air quality (outdoor). Motes equipped with proper sensors, as components of the monitoring system placed in sample locations. The measured value from the sensors periodically sends to data server using 3G/GPRS communication module. The data can be downloaded by the user for further analysis.The measurement and data analysis results generally indicate that the environmental parameters in the range of normal/standard condition. The sample locations are safe for living and suitable for cultivation, but awareness is strictly required due to the uncertainty of Sinabung status.

[Quality control criteria in the surgical management of advanced ovarian cancers].

PubMed

Querleu, D; Narducci, F

2009-12-01

Two concurrent policies can be proposed to improve the quality of care for ovarian cancer surgery: organization of care, audit. The two policies are not to be opposed: the efficacy of any policy must be audited, targets are more rapidly reached and more easily audited when an underlying organization is available. However, the arbitrary definition of criteria is a challenge. The interpretation of results depends on the context of each individual center. There is a definite risk of unwanted effects: competition to reach the cut-off if quantitative caseload criteria are demanded, reduction of the quality of cytoreduction if the complication rate is included, selection of patients if the rate of complete cytoreduction is chosen as a major parameter. Quality control must encompass the standard of preoperative workup, the quality of operative report, the complication rate and the oncological outcome. Although quantitative yearly caseload requirements may contribute to the quality of care, it seems more pertinent to recall the prerequisites that the surgeon must fulfil before undertaking a surgery for ovarian cancer. Knowledge of the specific features of the disease and of all the components of its medical management, skills in general surgical procedures required to complete staging and cytoreduction, and contribution to a multidisciplinary team involved in clinical research are mandatory. Even though no definitive proof is available, the available information tend to show a superiority of the standard of surgical care provided by experienced or specialized surgeons.

Assessment of groundwater quality at a MSW landfill site using standard and AHP based water quality index: a case study from Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Shubhrasekhar; Kumar, R Naresh

2016-06-01

Landfill leachate generated from open MSW dumpsite can cause groundwater contamination. The impact of open dumping of MSW on the groundwater of adjacent area was studied. To assess the spatial and temporal variations in groundwater quality, samples were collected around an open MSW dumping site in Ranchi city, Jharkhand, India. Groundwater samples were analysed for various physicochemical and bacteriological parameters for 1 year. Results indicated that the groundwater is getting contaminated due to vertical and horizontal migration of landfill leachate. Extent of contamination was higher in areas closer to the landfill as indicated by high alkalinity, total dissolved solids and ammonia concentration. Metals such as lead, iron, and manganese were present at concentrations of 0.097, 0.97 and 0.36 mg/L, respectively exceeding the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) 10,500 for drinking water. Enterobacteriaceae were also detected in several groundwater samples and highest coliform count of 2.1×10(4) CFU/mL was recorded from a dug well. In order to determine the overall groundwater quality, water quality index (WQI) was calculated using weighted arithmetic index method and this index was further modified by coupling with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to get specific information. WQI values indicated that the overall groundwater quality of the region came under "poor" category while zone wise classification indicated the extent of impact of landfill leachate on groundwater.

Evaluation of the quality of generic polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lenses marketed in India.

PubMed

Combe, R; Watkins, R; Brian, G

2001-04-01

To determine the quality of single-piece, allpolymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) Intraocular lenses (IOLs) from eght generic manufacturers marketing their product in India. This assessment of quality was made with respect to compliance with internationa standards for the manufacture of IOLs, specifically those parameters most likely to affect patient postoperat ve visual acuity and the long-term biocompatibility of the implanted lens. Ten IOLs from each of eight manufacturers were purchased randomly from commercial retail outlets in India. Each IOL, in a masked fashion, had its physical dimensions, optical performance and cosmetic appearance assessed, using the methods prescribed in ISO 11979-2 and 11979-3. Validation of manufacturing process controls were determined by statistical process contro techniques. Four IOLs from each manufacturer were also tested for the presence of unpolymerized PMMA using gas chromatography. Only lenses from two IOL manufacturers complied with the optical and mechanical standards. All other manufacturers' lenses failed one or more of these tests. Intraocular lenses from only two producers met with surface quality and bulk homogeneity standards. All others exhibited defects such as surface contamination and scratches, poor polishing, and chipped or rough positioning holes. Lenses from two producers exhibited high levels of methylmethacrylate monomer (MMA). Non-clinical grade PMMA starting material may have been used in the manufacture of IOLs by some producers. Critical manufacturing defects occurred in the IOLs from five of the eight producers tested. Only one manufacturer's IOLs met all specifications, and on statistical analysis demonstrated good manufacturing process contro with respect to the properties tested. With the widespread acceptance of IOL implantation in developing countries, such as India, it is essential that in the rush to make this the norm, the quality of implants used not be overlooked.

Parameter Sensitivity Study of the Wall Interference Correction System (WICS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, Eric L.; Everhart, Joel L.; Iyer, Venkit

2001-01-01

An off-line version of the Wall Interference Correction System (WICS) has been implemented for the "NASA Langley National Transonic Facility. The correction capability is currently restricted to corrections for solid wall interference in the model pitch plane for Mach numbers, less than 0.45 due to a limitation in tunnel calibration data. A study to assess output sensitivity to the aerodynamic parameters of Reynolds number and Mach number was conducted on this code to further ensure quality during the correction process. In addition, this paper includes all investigation into possible correction due to a semispan test technique using a non metric standoff and all improvement to the standard data rejection algorithm.

Groundwater quality assessment for drinking and agriculture purposes in Abhar city, Iran.

PubMed

Jafari, Khadijeh; Asghari, Farzaneh Baghal; Hoseinzadeh, Edris; Heidari, Zahra; Radfard, Majid; Saleh, Hossein Najafi; Faraji, Hossein

2018-08-01

The main objective of this study is to assess the quality of groundwater for drinking consume and agriculture purposes in abhar city. The analytical results shows higher concentration of electrical conductivity (100%), total hardness (66.7%), total dissolved solids (40%), magnesium (23%), Sulfate (13.3%) which indicates signs of deterioration as per WHO and Iranian standards for drinking consume. Agricultural index, in terms of the hardness index, 73.3% of the samples in hard water category and 73.3% in sodium content were classified as good. Therefore, the main problem in the agricultural sector was the total hardness Water was estimated. For the RSC index, all 100% of the samples were desirable. In the physicochemical parameters of drinking water, 100% of the samples were undesirable in terms of electrical conductivity and 100% of the samples were desirable for sodium and chlorine parameters. Therefore, the main water problem in Abhar is related to electrical conductivity and water total hardness.

Large scale integration of CVD-graphene based NEMS with narrow distribution of resonance parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjmandi-Tash, Hadi; Allain, Adrien; (Vitto Han, Zheng; Bouchiat, Vincent

2017-06-01

We present a novel method for the fabrication of the arrays of suspended micron-sized membranes, based on monolayer pulsed-CVD graphene. Such devices are the source of an efficient integration of graphene nano-electro-mechanical resonators, compatible with production at the wafer scale using standard photolithography and processing tools. As the graphene surface is continuously protected by the same polymer layer during the whole process, suspended graphene membranes are clean and free of imperfections such as deposits, wrinkles and tears. Batch fabrication of 100 μm-long multi-connected suspended ribbons is presented. At room temperature, mechanical resonance of electrostatically-actuated devices show narrow distribution of their characteristic parameters with high quality factor and low effective mass and resonance frequencies, as expected for low stress and adsorbate-free membranes. Upon cooling, a sharp increase of both resonant frequency and quality factor is observed, enabling to extract the thermal expansion coefficient of CVD graphene. Comparison with state-of-the-art graphene NEMS is presented.

Characterization of Arbequina virgin olive oils produced in different regions of Brazil and Spain: Physicochemical properties, oxidative stability and fatty acid profile.

PubMed

Borges, Thays H; Pereira, José Alberto; Cabrera-Vique, Carmen; Lara, Luis; Oliveira, Adelson F; Seiquer, Isabel

2017-01-15

Production of virgin olive oil is beginning in Brazil. This paper analyzes the characteristics of the EVOO Arbequina from Brazil in comparison with Spanish Arbequina from different regions. Quality parameters, oxidative stability, pigments, colour and fatty acid profile were assessed, and relationships with geographic and climatic conditions were studied. All the samples presented good quality and met EU standards for extra-virgin olive oil, but there were significant differences between regions and countries for many of the parameters evaluated. Major differences between Brazilian and Spanish samples were observed for free acidity and colour of the oils, as well as minor variations in the fatty acid profile. The colour differences were related to rainfall, whereas the fatty acid content was strongly influenced by altitude and temperature. These results highlight the fact that geographic area and environmental factors influence the characteristics of Arbequina oil and play an important role in newly introduced cultivars. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct injection analysis of fatty and resin acids in papermaking process waters by HPLC/MS.

PubMed

Valto, Piia; Knuutinen, Juha; Alén, Raimo

2011-04-01

A novel HPLC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/MS (HPLC-APCI/MS) method was developed for the rapid analysis of selected fatty and resin acids typically present in papermaking process waters. A mixture of palmitic, stearic, oleic, linolenic, and dehydroabietic acids was separated by a commercial HPLC column (a modified stationary C(18) phase) using gradient elution with methanol/0.15% formic acid (pH 2.5) as a mobile phase. The internal standard (myristic acid) method was used to calculate the correlation coefficients and in the quantitation of the results. In the thorough quality parameters measurement, a mixture of these model acids in aqueous media as well as in six different paper machine process waters was quantitatively determined. The measured quality parameters, such as selectivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy, clearly indicated that, compared with traditional gas chromatographic techniques, the simple method developed provided a faster chromatographic analysis with almost real-time monitoring of these acids. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Different effectiveness of closed embryo culture system with time-lapse imaging (EmbryoScope(TM)) in comparison to standard manual embryology in good and poor prognosis patients: a prospectively randomized pilot study.

PubMed

Wu, Yan-Guang; Lazzaroni-Tealdi, Emanuela; Wang, Qi; Zhang, Lin; Barad, David H; Kushnir, Vitaly A; Darmon, Sarah K; Albertini, David F; Gleicher, Norbert

2016-08-24

Previously manual human embryology in many in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers is rapidly being replaced by closed embryo incubation systems with time-lapse imaging. Whether such systems perform comparably to manual embryology in different IVF patient populations has, however, never before been investigated. We, therefore, prospectively compared embryo quality following closed system culture with time-lapse photography (EmbryoScope™) and standard embryology. We performed a two-part prospectively randomized study in IVF (clinical trial # NCT92256309). Part A involved 31 infertile poor prognosis patients prospectively randomized to EmbryoScope™ and standard embryology. Part B involved embryos from 17 egg donor-recipient cycles resulting in large egg/embryo numbers, thus permitting prospectively alternative embryo assignments to EmbryoScope™ and standard embryology. We then compared pregnancy rates and embryo quality on day-3 after fertilization and embryologist time utilized per processed embryo. Part A revealed in poor prognosis patients no differences in day-3 embryo scores, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates between EmbryoScope™ and standard embryology. The EmbryoScope™, however, more than doubled embryology staff time (P < 0.0001). In Part B, embryos grown in the EmbyoScope™ demonstrated significantly poorer day-3 quality (depending on embryo parameter between P = 0.005 and P = 0.01). Suspicion that conical culture dishes of the EmbryoScope™ (EmbryoSlide™) may be the cause was disproven when standard culture dishes demonstrated no outcome difference in standard incubation. Though due to small patient numbers preliminary, this study raises concerns about the mostly uncontrolled introduction of closed incubation systems with time lapse imaging into routine clinical embryology. Appropriately designed and powered prospectively randomized studies appear urgently needed in well-defined patient populations before the uncontrolled utilization of these instruments further expands. NCT02246309 Registered September 18, 2014.

The impact of flying qualities on helicopter operational agility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padfield, Gareth D.; Lappos, Nick; Hodgkinson, John

1993-01-01

Flying qualities standards are formally set to ensure safe flight and therefore reflect minimum, rather than optimum, requirements. Agility is a flying quality but relates to operations at high, if not maximum, performance. While the quality metrics and test procedures for flying, as covered for example in ADS33C, may provide an adequate structure to encompass agility, they do not currently address flight at high performance. This is also true in the fixed-wing world and a current concern in both communities is the absence of substantiated agility criteria and possible conflicts between flying qualities and high performance. AGARD is sponsoring a working group (WG19) title 'Operational Agility' that deals with these and a range of related issues. This paper is condensed from contributions by the three authors to WG19, relating to flying qualities. Novel perspectives on the subject are presented including the agility factor, that quantifies performance margins in flying qualities terms; a new parameter, based on maneuver acceleration is introduced as a potential candidate for defining upper limits to flying qualities. Finally, a probabilistic analysis of pilot handling qualities ratings is presented that suggests a powerful relationship between inherent airframe flying qualities and operational agility.

[Physicochemical composition of bottled drinking water marketed in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)].

PubMed

Some, Issa Touridomon; Banao, Issouf; Gouado, Inocent; Tapsoba, Théophile Lincoln

2009-01-01

The bottled drinking water marketed in urban areas includes natural mineral water, spring water, and treated drinking water. Their physicochemical qualities depend on the type and quantity of their components and define their safe use. Bottled water is widely consumed in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and many brand names exist. Although many publications have examined the microbiological qualities of such water, no study has examined the physicochemical quality of water from Burkina Faso. This study, conducted from March 2005 through January 2006, aimed to assess the physicochemical composition of drinking water sold in Ouagadougou to facilitate better choices and use by consumers. Results showed that all the water analyzed in Ouagadougou is soft (TH < 50 ppm) or moderately soft (50 < TH < 200 ppm) and weakly mineralized (total dissolved solid content < 500 mg/L, sulfates [SO(2-)(4)] < 200 mg/L, [Ca(++)] < 150 mg/L, [Mg(2+)] < 50 mg/L, and [HCO(3)-] < 600 mg/l). Some imported water, however, is hard and highly mineralized. French standards do not set limit values for the natural mineral water parameters described above, and much of the water sold in Ouagadougou was natural mineral water. The spring water met potability standards, except for the Montagne d'Arrée brand, which had a pH value of 5.8, below the WHO standards of 6.5 < pH 8.5.

Effect of Accreditation on Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests in Medical Laboratories.

PubMed

Jang, Mi Ae; Yoon, Young Ahn; Song, Junghan; Kim, Jeong Ho; Min, Won Ki; Lee, Ji Sung; Lee, Yong Wha; Lee, You Kyoung

2017-05-01

Medical laboratories play a central role in health care. Many laboratories are taking a more focused and stringent approach to quality system management. In Korea, laboratory standardization efforts undertaken by the Korean Laboratory Accreditation Program (KLAP) and the Korean External Quality Assessment Scheme (KEQAS) may have facilitated an improvement in laboratory performance, but there are no fundamental studies demonstrating that laboratory standardization is effective. We analyzed the results of the KEQAS to identify significant differences between laboratories with or without KLAP and to determine the impact of laboratory standardization on the accuracy of diagnostic tests. We analyzed KEQAS participant data on clinical chemistry tests such as albumin, ALT, AST, and glucose from 2010 to 2013. As a statistical parameter to assess performance bias between laboratories, we compared 4-yr variance index score (VIS) between the two groups with or without KLAP. Compared with the group without KLAP, the group with KLAP exhibited significantly lower geometric means of 4-yr VIS for all clinical chemistry tests (P<0.0001); this difference justified a high level of confidence in standardized services provided by accredited laboratories. Confidence intervals for the mean of each test in the two groups (accredited and non-accredited) did not overlap, suggesting that the means of the groups are significantly different. These results confirmed that practice standardization is strongly associated with the accuracy of test results. Our study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a system for standardization of diagnostic testing. © The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine

Effect of Accreditation on Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests in Medical Laboratories

PubMed Central

Jang, Mi-Ae; Yoon, Young Ahn; Song, Junghan; Kim, Jeong-Ho; Min, Won-Ki; Lee, Ji Sung

2017-01-01

Background Medical laboratories play a central role in health care. Many laboratories are taking a more focused and stringent approach to quality system management. In Korea, laboratory standardization efforts undertaken by the Korean Laboratory Accreditation Program (KLAP) and the Korean External Quality Assessment Scheme (KEQAS) may have facilitated an improvement in laboratory performance, but there are no fundamental studies demonstrating that laboratory standardization is effective. We analyzed the results of the KEQAS to identify significant differences between laboratories with or without KLAP and to determine the impact of laboratory standardization on the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Methods We analyzed KEQAS participant data on clinical chemistry tests such as albumin, ALT, AST, and glucose from 2010 to 2013. As a statistical parameter to assess performance bias between laboratories, we compared 4-yr variance index score (VIS) between the two groups with or without KLAP. Results Compared with the group without KLAP, the group with KLAP exhibited significantly lower geometric means of 4-yr VIS for all clinical chemistry tests (P<0.0001); this difference justified a high level of confidence in standardized services provided by accredited laboratories. Confidence intervals for the mean of each test in the two groups (accredited and non-accredited) did not overlap, suggesting that the means of the groups are significantly different. Conclusions These results confirmed that practice standardization is strongly associated with the accuracy of test results. Our study emphasizes the necessity of establishing a system for standardization of diagnostic testing. PMID:28224767

Increasing the lensing figure of merit through higher order convergence moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vicinanza, Martina; Cardone, Vincenzo F.; Maoli, Roberto; Scaramella, Roberto; Er, Xinzhong

2018-01-01

The unprecedented quality, the increased data set, and the wide area of ongoing and near future weak lensing surveys allows one to move beyond the standard two points statistics, thus making it worthwhile to investigate higher order probes. As an interesting step toward this direction, we explore the use of higher order moments (HOM) of the convergence field as a way to increase the lensing figure of merit (FoM). To this end, we rely on simulated convergence to first show that HOM can be measured and calibrated so that it is indeed possible to predict them for a given cosmological model provided suitable nuisance parameters are introduced and then marginalized over. We then forecast the accuracy on cosmological parameters from the use of HOM alone and in combination with standard shear power spectra tomography. It turns out that HOM allow one to break some common degeneracies, thus significantly boosting the overall FoM. We also qualitatively discuss possible systematics and how they can be dealt with.

Process of prototyping coronary stents from biodegradable Fe-Mn alloys.

PubMed

Hermawan, Hendra; Mantovani, Diego

2013-11-01

Biodegradable stents are considered to be a recent innovation, and their feasibility and applicability have been proven in recent years. Research in this area has focused on materials development and biological studies, rather than on how to transform the developed biodegradable materials into the stent itself. Currently available stent technology, the laser cutting-based process, might be adapted to fabricate biodegradable stents. In this work, the fabrication, characterization and testing of biodegradable Fe-Mn stents are described. A standard process for fabricating and testing stainless steel 316L stents was referred to. The influence of process parameters on the physical, metallurgical and mechanical properties of the stents, and the quality of the produced stents, were investigated. It was found that some steps of the standard process such as laser cutting can be directly applied, but changes to parameters are needed for annealing, and alternatives are needed to replace electropolishing. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An MCMC determination of the primordial helium abundance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aver, Erik; Olive, Keith A.; Skillman, Evan D.

2012-04-01

Spectroscopic observations of the chemical abundances in metal-poor H II regions provide an independent method for estimating the primordial helium abundance. H II regions are described by several physical parameters such as electron density, electron temperature, and reddening, in addition to y, the ratio of helium to hydrogen. It had been customary to estimate or determine self-consistently these parameters to calculate y. Frequentist analyses of the parameter space have been shown to be successful in these parameter determinations, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques have proven to be very efficient in sampling this parameter space. Nevertheless, accurate determination of the primordial helium abundance from observations of H II regions is constrained by both systematic and statistical uncertainties. In an attempt to better reduce the latter, and continue to better characterize the former, we apply MCMC methods to the large dataset recently compiled by Izotov, Thuan, & Stasińska (2007). To improve the reliability of the determination, a high quality dataset is needed. In pursuit of this, a variety of cuts are explored. The efficacy of the He I λ4026 emission line as a constraint on the solutions is first examined, revealing the introduction of systematic bias through its absence. As a clear measure of the quality of the physical solution, a χ2 analysis proves instrumental in the selection of data compatible with the theoretical model. Nearly two-thirds of the observations fall outside a standard 95% confidence level cut, which highlights the care necessary in selecting systems and warrants further investigation into potential deficiencies of the model or data. In addition, the method also allows us to exclude systems for which parameter estimations are statistical outliers. As a result, the final selected dataset gains in reliability and exhibits improved consistency. Regression to zero metallicity yields Yp = 0.2534 ± 0.0083, in broad agreement with the WMAP result. The inclusion of more observations shows promise for further reducing the uncertainty, but more high quality spectra are required.

Improving plan quality for prostate volumetric-modulated arc therapy.

PubMed

Wright, Katrina; Ferrari-Anderson, Janet; Barry, Tamara; Bernard, Anne; Brown, Elizabeth; Lehman, Margot; Pryor, David

2017-01-01

We critically evaluated the quality and consistency of volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) prostate planning at a single institution to quantify objective measures for plan quality and establish clear guidelines for plan evaluation and quality assurance. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 34 plans generated on the Pinnacle 3 version 9.4 and 9.8 treatment planning system to deliver 78 Gy in 39 fractions to the prostate only using VMAT. Data were collected on contoured structure volumes, overlaps and expansions, planning target volume (PTV) and organs at risk volumes and relationship, dose volume histogram, plan conformity, plan homogeneity, low-dose wash, and beam parameters. Standard descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. Despite a standardized planning protocol, we found variability was present in all steps of the planning process. Deviations from protocol contours by radiation oncologists and radiation therapists occurred in 12% and 50% of cases, respectively, and the number of optimization parameters ranged from 12 to 27 (median 17). This contributed to conflicts within the optimization process reflected by the mean composite objective value of 0.07 (range 0.01 to 0.44). Methods used to control low-intermediate dose wash were inconsistent. At the PTV rectum interface, the dose-gradient distance from the 74.1 Gy to 40 Gy isodose ranged from 0.6 cm to 2.0 cm (median 1.0 cm). Increasing collimator angle was associated with a decrease in monitor units and a single full 6 MV arc was sufficient for the majority of plans. A significant relationship was found between clinical target volume-rectum distance and rectal tolerances achieved. A linear relationship was determined between the PTV volume and volume of 40 Gy isodose. Objective values and composite objective values were useful in determining plan quality. Anatomic geometry and overlap of structures has a measurable impact on the plan quality achieved for prostate patients being treated with VMAT. By evaluating multiple planning variables, we have been able to determine important factors influencing plan quality and develop predictive models for quality metrics that have been incorporated into our new protocol and will be tested and refined in future studies. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

In-pipe water quality monitoring in water supply systems under steady and unsteady state flow conditions: a quantitative assessment.

PubMed

Aisopou, Angeliki; Stoianov, Ivan; Graham, Nigel J D

2012-01-01

Monitoring the quality of drinking water from the treatment plant to the consumers tap is critical to ensure compliance with national standards and/or WHO guideline levels. There are a number of processes and factors affecting the water quality during transmission and distribution which are little understood. A significant obstacle for gaining a detailed knowledge of various physical and chemical processes and the effect of the hydraulic conditions on the water quality deterioration within water supply systems is the lack of reliable and low-cost (both capital and O & M) water quality sensors for continuous monitoring. This paper has two objectives. The first one is to present a detailed evaluation of the performance of a novel in-pipe multi-parameter sensor probe for reagent- and membrane-free continuous water quality monitoring in water supply systems. The second objective is to describe the results from experimental research which was conducted to acquire continuous water quality and high-frequency hydraulic data for the quantitative assessment of the water quality changes occurring under steady and unsteady-state flow conditions. The laboratory and field evaluation of the multi-parameter sensor probe showed that the sensors have a rapid dynamic response, average repeatability and unreliable accuracy. The uncertainties in the sensor data present significant challenges for the analysis and interpretation of the acquired data and their use for water quality modelling, decision support and control in operational systems. Notwithstanding these uncertainties, the unique data sets acquired from transmission and distribution systems demonstrated the deleterious effect of unsteady state flow conditions on various water quality parameters. These studies demonstrate: (i) the significant impact of the unsteady-state hydraulic conditions on the disinfectant residual, turbidity and colour caused by the re-suspension of sediments, scouring of biofilms and tubercles from the pipe and increased mixing, and the need for further experimental research to investigate these interactions; (ii) important advances in sensor technologies which provide unique opportunities to study both the dynamic hydraulic conditions and water quality changes in operational systems. The research in these two areas is critical to better understand and manage the water quality deterioration in ageing water transmission and distribution systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selected water-quality data for the Standard Mine, Gunnison County, Colorado, 2006-2007

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verplanck, Philip L.; Manning, Andrew H.; Mast, M. Alisa; Wanty, Richard B.; McCleskey, R. Blaine; Todorov, Todor I.; Adams, Monique

2007-01-01

Mine drainage and underground water samples were collected for analysis of inorganic solutes as part of a 1-year, hydrogeologic investigation of the Standard Mine and vicinity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has listed the Standard Mine in the Elk Creek drainage near Crested Butte, Colorado, as a Superfund Site because discharge from the Standard Mine enters Elk Creek, contributing dissolved and suspended loads of zinc, cadmium, copper, and other metals to Coal Creek, which is the primary drinking-water supply for the town of Crested Butte. Water analyses are reported for mine-effluent samples from Levels 1 and 5 of the Standard Mine, underground samples from Levels 3 and 5 of the Standard Mine, mine effluent from an adit located on the Elk Lode, and two spring samples that emerged from waste-rock material below Level 5 of the Standard Mine and the adit located on the Elk Lode. Reported analyses include field parameters (pH, specific conductance, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and redox potential) and major constituents and trace elements.

The combination of kinetic and flow cytometric semen parameters as a tool to predict fertility in cryopreserved bull semen.

PubMed

Gliozzi, T M; Turri, F; Manes, S; Cassinelli, C; Pizzi, F

2017-11-01

Within recent years, there has been growing interest in the prediction of bull fertility through in vitro assessment of semen quality. A model for fertility prediction based on early evaluation of semen quality parameters, to exclude sires with potentially low fertility from breeding programs, would therefore be useful. The aim of the present study was to identify the most suitable parameters that would provide reliable prediction of fertility. Frozen semen from 18 Italian Holstein-Friesian proven bulls was analyzed using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) (motility and kinetic parameters) and flow cytometry (FCM) (viability, acrosomal integrity, mitochondrial function, lipid peroxidation, plasma membrane stability and DNA integrity). Bulls were divided into two groups (low and high fertility) based on the estimated relative conception rate (ERCR). Significant differences were found between fertility groups for total motility, active cells, straightness, linearity, viability and percentage of DNA fragmented sperm. Correlations were observed between ERCR and some kinetic parameters, and membrane instability and some DNA integrity indicators. In order to define a model with high relation between semen quality parameters and ERCR, backward stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied. Thus, we obtained a prediction model that explained almost half (R 2=0.47, P<0.05) of the variation in the conception rate and included nine variables: five kinetic parameters measured by CASA (total motility, active cells, beat cross frequency, curvilinear velocity and amplitude of lateral head displacement) and four parameters related to DNA integrity evaluated by FCM (degree of chromatin structure abnormality Alpha-T, extent of chromatin structure abnormality (Alpha-T standard deviation), percentage of DNA fragmented sperm and percentage of sperm with high green fluorescence representative of immature cells). A significant relationship (R 2=0.84, P<0.05) was observed between real and predicted fertility. Once the accuracy of fertility prediction has been confirmed, the model developed in the present study could be used by artificial insemination centers for bull selection or for elimination of poor fertility ejaculates.

Increasing the technical level of mining haul trucks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronov, Yuri; Voronov, Artyom; Grishin, Sergey; Bujankin, Alexey

2017-11-01

Theoretical and methodological fundamentals of mining haul trucks optimal design are articulated. Methods based on the systems approach to integrated assessment of truck technical level and methods for optimization of truck parameters depending on performance standards are provided. The results of using these methods are given. The developed method allows not only assessing the truck technical levels but also choosing the most promising models and providing quantitative evaluations of the decisions to be made at the design stage. These areas are closely connected with the problem of improvement in the industrial output quality, which, being a part of the widely spread in Western world "total quality control" ideology, is one of the major issues for the Russian economy.

Deciphering groundwater quality for irrigation and domestic purposes - a case study in Suri I and II blocks, Birbhum District, West Bengal, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Shreya; Nag, S. K.

2015-07-01

Assessment of the hydrochemical characteristics of water and aquifer hydraulic properties is important for groundwater planning and management in the study area. It is not only the basic need for human existence but also a vital input for all development activities. The present hydro-geochemical study of groundwater samples from the Suri I and II blocks of Birbhum district, West Bengal (23.76 ∘-23.99 ∘N; 87.42 ∘-87.64 ∘E) was carried out to assess their suitability for agricultural, domestic and drinking purposes. For this study, samples were collected from 26 locations during the post-monsoon and pre-monsoon sessions spanning over 2012 and 2013. Groundwater samples were analyzed for their physical and chemical properties using standard laboratory methods. Physical and chemical parameters of groundwater such as pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cl, HCO3, SO4 and F were determined. Various water quality indices like SAR, SSP, PI, RSC, MAR and KR have been calculated for each water sample to identify the irrigational suitability standard. According to most of these parameters, the groundwater has been found to be well to moderately suitable for irrigation. In the post-monsoon session exceptionally high RSC values for around 80% samples indicate an alkaline hazard to the soil. The ion balance histogram for post-monsoon indicates undesirable ion balance values according to fresh water standards whereas in pre-monsoon, the samples show good ion balance in water. For determination of the drinking suitability standard of groundwater, three parameters have been considered - total hardness (TH), Piper's trilinear diagram and water quality index study. Groundwater of the present study area has been found to be moderately-hard to hard during both sampling sessions and hence poses no health risk which could arise due to excess consumption of calcium or magnesium. Hydrogeochemical facies in the form of Piper's trilinear diagram plot which helps in identification of the water `type' which can render a particular taste or odour to water, indicates that groundwater in the study area is majorly of CaMgHCO 3 and NaHCO 3 type (fresh type) during both post-monsoon and pre-monsoon sessions barring a couple of samples which are of CaMgSO 4/CaMgClSO 4 type in pre-monsoon. Water quality index study reveals that close to 90% of the water samples are suitable for drinking during post-monsoon compared to pre-monsoon during which period only 60% of water samples fall under the suitable drinking water category. Gibbs' diagrams, which help in identification of natural processes controlling hydrogeochemistry of groundwater indicates that for both post-monsoon and pre-monsoon sessions, the overall hydrogeochemistry of the study area is dominated by rock-water interaction processes.

Imaging biomarkers in liver fibrosis.

PubMed

Berzigotti, A; França, M; Martí-Aguado, D; Martí-Bonmatí, L

There is a need for early identification of patients with chronic liver diseases due to their increasing prevalence and morbidity-mortality. The degree of liver fibrosis determines the prognosis and therapeutic options in this population. Liver biopsy represents the reference standard for fibrosis staging. However, given its limitations and complications, different non-invasive methods have been developed recently for the in vivo quantification of fibrosis. Due to their precision and reliability, biomarkers' measurements derived from Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance stand out. This article reviews the different acquisition techniques and image processing methods currently used in the evaluation of liver fibrosis, focusing on their diagnostic performance, applicability and clinical value. In order to properly interpret their results in the appropriate clinical context, it seems necessary to understand the techniques and their quality parameters, the standardization and validation of the measurement units and the quality control of the methodological problems. Copyright © 2017 SERAM. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Immediate tight sealing of skin incisions using an innovative temperature-controlled laser soldering device: in vivo study in porcine skin.

PubMed

Simhon, David; Halpern, Marisa; Brosh, Tamar; Vasilyev, Tamar; Ravid, Avi; Tennenbaum, Tamar; Nevo, Zvi; Katzir, Abraham

2007-02-01

A feedback temperature-controlled laser soldering system (TCLS) was used for bonding skin incisions on the backs of pigs. The study was aimed: 1) to characterize the optimal soldering parameters, and 2) to compare the immediate and long-term wound healing outcomes with other wound closure modalities. A TCLS was used to bond the approximated wound margins of skin incisions on porcine backs. The reparative outcomes were evaluated macroscopically, microscopically, and immunohistochemically. The optimal soldering temperature was found to be 65 degrees C and the operating time was significantly shorter than with suturing. The immediate tight sealing of the wound by the TCLS contributed to rapid, high quality wound healing in comparison to Dermabond or Histoacryl cyanoacrylate glues or standard suturing. TCLS of incisions in porcine skin has numerous advantages, including rapid procedure and high quality reparative outcomes, over the common standard wound closure procedures. Further studies with a variety of skin lesions are needed before advocating this technique for clinical use.

QCScreen: a software tool for data quality control in LC-HRMS based metabolomics.

PubMed

Simader, Alexandra Maria; Kluger, Bernhard; Neumann, Nora Katharina Nicole; Bueschl, Christoph; Lemmens, Marc; Lirk, Gerald; Krska, Rudolf; Schuhmacher, Rainer

2015-10-24

Metabolomics experiments often comprise large numbers of biological samples resulting in huge amounts of data. This data needs to be inspected for plausibility before data evaluation to detect putative sources of error e.g. retention time or mass accuracy shifts. Especially in liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) based metabolomics research, proper quality control checks (e.g. for precision, signal drifts or offsets) are crucial prerequisites to achieve reliable and comparable results within and across experimental measurement sequences. Software tools can support this process. The software tool QCScreen was developed to offer a quick and easy data quality check of LC-HRMS derived data. It allows a flexible investigation and comparison of basic quality-related parameters within user-defined target features and the possibility to automatically evaluate multiple sample types within or across different measurement sequences in a short time. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows an easy selection of processing steps and parameter settings. The generated results include a coloured overview plot of data quality across all analysed samples and targets and, in addition, detailed illustrations of the stability and precision of the chromatographic separation, the mass accuracy and the detector sensitivity. The use of QCScreen is demonstrated with experimental data from metabolomics experiments using selected standard compounds in pure solvent. The application of the software identified problematic features, samples and analytical parameters and suggested which data files or compounds required closer manual inspection. QCScreen is an open source software tool which provides a useful basis for assessing the suitability of LC-HRMS data prior to time consuming, detailed data processing and subsequent statistical analysis. It accepts the generic mzXML format and thus can be used with many different LC-HRMS platforms to process both multiple quality control sample types as well as experimental samples in one or more measurement sequences.

The Assessment of Instruments for Detecting Surface Water Spills Associated with Oil and Gas Operations

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

Harris, Aubrey E.; Hopkinson, Leslie; Soeder, Daniel

Surface water and groundwater risks associated with unconventional oil and gas development result from potential spills of the large volumes of chemicals stored on-site during drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations, and the return to the surface of significant quantities of saline water produced during oil or gas well production. To better identify and mitigate risks, watershed models and tools are needed to evaluate the dispersion of pollutants in possible spill scenarios. This information may be used to determine the placement of in-stream water-quality monitoring instruments and to develop early-warning systems and emergency plans. A chemical dispersion model has been usedmore » to estimate the contaminant signal for in-stream measurements. Spills associated with oil and gas operations were identified within the Susquehanna River Basin Commission’s Remote Water Quality Monitoring Network. The volume of some contaminants was found to be sufficient to affect the water quality of certain drainage areas. The most commonly spilled compounds and expected peak concentrations at monitoring stations were used in laboratory experiments to determine if a signal could be detected and positively identified using standard water-quality monitoring equipment. The results were compared to historical data and baseline observations of water quality parameters, and showed that the chemicals tested do commonly affect water quality parameters. This work is an effort to demonstrate that hydrologic and water quality models may be applied to improve the placement of in-stream water quality monitoring devices. This information may increase the capability of early-warning systems to alert community health and environmental agencies of surface water spills associated with unconventional oil and gas operations.« less

Groundwater quality assessment of the quaternary unconsolidated sedimentary basin near the Pi river using fuzzy evaluation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Adam Khalifa; Liu, Dan; Mohamed, Mohamed A. A.; Song, Kai

2018-05-01

The present study was carried out to assess the groundwater quality for drinking purposes in the Quaternary Unconsolidated Sedimentary Basin of the North Chengdu Plain, China. Six groups of water samples (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6) are selected in the study area. These samples were analyzed for 19 different physicochemical water quality parameters to assess groundwater quality. The physicochemical parameters of groundwater were compared with China's Quality Standards for Groundwater (GB/T14848-93). Interpretation of physicochemical data revealed that groundwater in the basin was slightly alkaline. Total hardness and total dissolved solid values show that the investigated water is classified as very hard and fresh water, respectively. The sustainability of groundwater for drinking purposes was assessed based on the fuzzy mathematics evaluation (FME) method. The results of the assessment were classified into five groups based on their relative suitability for portable use (grade I = most suitable to grade V = least suitable), according to (GB/T 14848-93). The assessment results reveal that the quality of groundwater in most of the wells was class I, II and III and suitable for drinking purposes, but well (S2) has been found to be in class V, which is classified as very poor and cannot be used for drinking. Also, the FME method was compared with the comprehensive evaluation method. The FME method was found to be more comprehensive and reasonable to assess groundwater quality. This study can provide an important frame of reference for decision making on improving groundwater quality in the study area and nearby surrounding.

Assessment of Gas Potential in the Niobrara Formation, Rosebud Reservation, South Dakota

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

Harris, Aubrey E.; Hopkinson, Leslie; Soeder, Daniel

2016-01-23

Surface water and groundwater risks associated with unconventional oil and gas development result from potential spills of the large volumes of chemicals stored on-site during drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations, and the return to the surface of significant quantities of saline water produced during oil or gas well production. To better identify and mitigate risks, watershed models and tools are needed to evaluate the dispersion of pollutants in possible spill scenarios. This information may be used to determine the placement of in-stream water-quality monitoring instruments and to develop early-warning systems and emergency plans. A chemical dispersion model has been usedmore » to estimate the contaminant signal for in-stream measurements. Spills associated with oil and gas operations were identified within the Susquehanna River Basin Commission’s Remote Water Quality Monitoring Network. The volume of some contaminants was found to be sufficient to affect the water quality of certain drainage areas. The most commonly spilled compounds and expected peak concentrations at monitoring stations were used in laboratory experiments to determine if a signal could be detected and positively identified using standard water-quality monitoring equipment. The results were compared to historical data and baseline observations of water quality parameters, and showed that the chemicals tested do commonly affect water quality parameters. This work is an effort to demonstrate that hydrologic and water quality models may be applied to improve the placement of in-stream water quality monitoring devices. This information may increase the capability of early-warning systems to alert community health and environmental agencies of surface water spills associated with unconventional oil and gas operations.« less

40 CFR 131.21 - EPA review and approval of water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Procedures for Review and Revision of Water Quality Standards § 131.21 EPA review and approval of water quality standards. (a) After the State submits its... analysis. (b) The Regional Administrator's approval or disapproval of a State water quality standard shall...

40 CFR 131.20 - State review and revision of water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... quality standards. 131.20 Section 131.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Procedures for Review and Revision of Water Quality Standards § 131.20 State review and revision of water quality standards. (a) State review. The State shall...

40 CFR 131.20 - State review and revision of water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... quality standards. 131.20 Section 131.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Procedures for Review and Revision of Water Quality Standards § 131.20 State review and revision of water quality standards. (a) State review. The State shall...

40 CFR 131.20 - State review and revision of water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... quality standards. 131.20 Section 131.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Procedures for Review and Revision of Water Quality Standards § 131.20 State review and revision of water quality standards. (a) State review. The State shall...

Development of standard operating procedures of Habbe Shifa: A polyherbal Unani formulation.

PubMed

Tarannum, Asira; Shamsi, Shariq; Zaman, Roohi

2013-07-01

Unani medicines are being used since antiquity. However, in spite of their efficacy, they have been widely criticized due to lack of standardization and poor quality presentation. For this reason, application of good manufacturing practices and development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the manufacture of herbal medicines became an essential tool to assure their quality. Therefore, the objective of the study was to develop the SOP of Habbe Shifa (HS) regarding the particle size (PS), binder, temperature of drying, and duration of drying. In this study, 24 batches of HS were prepared according to the instructions given in formulary to develop SOP. Three particle sizes (i.e., 80, 100, and 120 No. Mesh sieve), were taken for preparation of pills. Water and Samaghe Arabi (Gum Acacia mucilage [GAM]) were used as binder for preparing the lubdi (mass) in different batches. Different temperature and duration of drying were used to dry the pills in hot air oven to get satisfactory results. All the batches were assessed three times for hardness, friability, and disintegration time and mean regarded as standard parameter value. The batch with 150 μm PS (100 mesh sieve), 5% w/w GAM used as a binder, dried at 90°C for 120 min showed hardness 3.50 ± 0.00 kg/cm, friability 0.02 ± 0.003%, and disintegration time 25.00 ± 0.57 min, which showed most appropriate result among all batches and considered as final batch. Its SOP may be used for future reference which can help in setting up regulatory limit to assure the quality of Unani medicines.

Optimization and evaluation of metal injection molding by using X-ray tomography

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

Yang, Shidi; Zhang, Ruijie; Qu, Xuanhui, E-mail: quxh@ustb.edu.cn

2015-06-15

6061 aluminum alloy and 316L stainless steel green bodies were obtained by using different injection parameters (injection pressure, speed and temperature). After injection process, the green bodies were scanned by X-ray tomography. The projection and reconstruction images show the different kinds of defects obtained by the improper injection parameters. Then, 3D rendering of the Al alloy green bodies was used to demonstrate the spatial morphology characteristics of the serious defects. Based on the scanned and calculated results, it is convenient to obtain the proper injection parameters for the Al alloy. Then, reasons of the defect formation were discussed. During moldmore » filling, the serious defects mainly formed in the case of low injection temperature and high injection speed. According to the gray value distribution of projection image, a threshold gray value was obtained to evaluate whether the quality of green body can meet the desired standard. The proper injection parameters of 316L stainless steel can be obtained efficiently by using the method of analyzing the Al alloy injection. - Highlights: • Different types of defects in green bodies were scanned by using X-ray tomography. • Reasons of the defect formation were discussed. • Optimization of the injection parameters can be simplified greatly by the way of X-ray tomography. • Evaluation standard of the injection process can be obtained by using the gray value distribution of projection image.« less

Estimation of distributional parameters for censored trace level water quality data: 1. Estimation techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gilliom, Robert J.; Helsel, Dennis R.

1986-01-01

A recurring difficulty encountered in investigations of many metals and organic contaminants in ambient waters is that a substantial portion of water sample concentrations are below limits of detection established by analytical laboratories. Several methods were evaluated for estimating distributional parameters for such censored data sets using only uncensored observations. Their reliabilities were evaluated by a Monte Carlo experiment in which small samples were generated from a wide range of parent distributions and censored at varying levels. Eight methods were used to estimate the mean, standard deviation, median, and interquartile range. Criteria were developed, based on the distribution of uncensored observations, for determining the best performing parameter estimation method for any particular data set. The most robust method for minimizing error in censored-sample estimates of the four distributional parameters over all simulation conditions was the log-probability regression method. With this method, censored observations are assumed to follow the zero-to-censoring level portion of a lognormal distribution obtained by a least squares regression between logarithms of uncensored concentration observations and their z scores. When method performance was separately evaluated for each distributional parameter over all simulation conditions, the log-probability regression method still had the smallest errors for the mean and standard deviation, but the lognormal maximum likelihood method had the smallest errors for the median and interquartile range. When data sets were classified prior to parameter estimation into groups reflecting their probable parent distributions, the ranking of estimation methods was similar, but the accuracy of error estimates was markedly improved over those without classification.

Provision of food and water in rodent whole body plethysmography safety pharmacology respiratory studies - Impact on animal welfare and data quality.

PubMed

Grant, Claire; Marks, Louise; Prior, Helen

2017-11-01

We evaluated the feasibility of providing food and water to rodents during whole body plethysmography (WBP) studies as a welfare improvement to standard conditions. Male Han Wistar rats or CD1 mice (n=8) were placed in WBP chambers and respiratory parameters recorded for approximately 6h on four separate occasions. On each occasion the animals were exposed to a different plethysmography chamber environment using a randomised design: no food/water (the standard conditions), water bottle, hydrating gel and wet food. In a further session, rats (n=8) were administered theophylline, or vehicle and respiratory parameters measured in the plethysmography chamber containing wet food. Respiratory parameters of rats were not significantly altered by the provision of water or food. Providing wet food resulted in reduced body weight loss. Administration of theophylline caused the expected increase in respiratory rate. When mice were given access to hydrating gel or wet food the respiratory parameters were significantly affected; respiratory rate and tidal volume were increased. Providing wet food resulted in reduced bodyweight loss. The provision of food and water did not impact on respiratory parameters in rats placed in WBP chambers. When provided with wet food, rats lost less bodyweight. Therefore, to improve welfare conditions for rats during WBP respiratory studies wet food should be provided when appropriate to the study design. In mice, provision of food and water led to changes in respiratory parameters, therefore these improvements in welfare conditions are not suitable for mice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Estimation of distributional parameters for censored trace level water quality data. 1. Estimation Techniques

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

Gilliom, R.J.; Helsel, D.R.

1986-02-01

A recurring difficulty encountered in investigations of many metals and organic contaminants in ambient waters is that a substantial portion of water sample concentrations are below limits of detection established by analytical laboratories. Several methods were evaluated for estimating distributional parameters for such censored data sets using only uncensored observations. Their reliabilities were evaluated by a Monte Carlo experiment in which small samples were generated from a wide range of parent distributions and censored at varying levels. Eight methods were used to estimate the mean, standard deviation, median, and interquartile range. Criteria were developed, based on the distribution of uncensoredmore » observations, for determining the best performing parameter estimation method for any particular data det. The most robust method for minimizing error in censored-sample estimates of the four distributional parameters over all simulation conditions was the log-probability regression method. With this method, censored observations are assumed to follow the zero-to-censoring level portion of a lognormal distribution obtained by a least squares regression between logarithms of uncensored concentration observations and their z scores. When method performance was separately evaluated for each distributional parameter over all simulation conditions, the log-probability regression method still had the smallest errors for the mean and standard deviation, but the lognormal maximum likelihood method had the smallest errors for the median and interquartile range. When data sets were classified prior to parameter estimation into groups reflecting their probable parent distributions, the ranking of estimation methods was similar, but the accuracy of error estimates was markedly improved over those without classification.« less

Estimation of distributional parameters for censored trace-level water-quality data

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

Gilliom, R.J.; Helsel, D.R.

1984-01-01

A recurring difficulty encountered in investigations of many metals and organic contaminants in ambient waters is that a substantial portion of water-sample concentrations are below limits of detection established by analytical laboratories. Several methods were evaluated for estimating distributional parameters for such censored data sets using only uncensored observations. Their reliabilities were evaluated by a Monte Carlo experiment in which small samples were generated from a wide range of parent distributions and censored at varying levels. Eight methods were used to estimate the mean, standard deviation, median, and interquartile range. Criteria were developed, based on the distribution of uncensored observations,more » for determining the best-performing parameter estimation method for any particular data set. The most robust method for minimizing error in censored-sample estimates of the four distributional parameters over all simulation conditions was the log-probability regression method. With this method, censored observations are assumed to follow the zero-to-censoring level portion of a lognormal distribution obtained by a least-squares regression between logarithms of uncensored concentration observations and their z scores. When method performance was separately evaluated for each distributional parameter over all simulation conditions, the log-probability regression method still had the smallest errors for the mean and standard deviation, but the lognormal maximum likelihood method had the smallest errors for the median and interquartile range. When data sets were classified prior to parameter estimation into groups reflecting their probable parent distributions, the ranking of estimation methods was similar, but the accuracy of error estimates was markedly improved over those without classification. 6 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Environmental Analysis of The Impacts of Batik Waste Water Polution on The Quality of Dug Well Water in The Batik Industrial Center of Jenggot Pekalongan City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budiyanto, Slamet; Anies; Purnaweni, Hartuti; Sunoko, Henna Rya

2018-02-01

The city of Pekalongan known as "Kota Batik" is one of Batik Industrial Centers in Indonesia with 917 batik industry. There are 203 batik industries located in Jenggot Village, which is the biggest batik industrial center in Pekalongan City. The process of making batik requires a dye derived from synthetic dyes containing heavy metals. Most of the waste is directly discharged into the environment without going through the processing first. This is due to the lack of optimal management of existing WWTP as well as lack of public awareness of environmental conservation. This condition has a negative impact on the surrounding community, especially in terms of environmental health. The result of measurement of 5 (five) batik industrial waste outlets and 5 point of batik waste water in residential sewer shows almost equal number for 3 (three) parameters of heavy metals Cd, Cr and Pb with average number: Cd 0.07 Mg / L, Cr 0.76 mg / L and Pb 0.78 mg / L. These three parameters exceed the maximum level of quality standard established by Government Regulation No.82 of 2001 on Water Quality Management and Water Pollution Control. The average result of the water quality measurement of the well digging population to the heavy metal content are: Cd 0,001 mg / L, Cr 0,002 mg / L and Pb 0.04 mg / L. Of the three parameters of heavy metals, heavy metals of Pb are on average higher than the maximum level of quality standards established by Decree of the Minister of Health Number. 492 / Menkes / Per / IV / 2010 regarding Water Quality Requirements. Potential occurrence of dug well water contamination due to infiltration of batik waste water is big enough. Survey results of 15 dug wells show that the construction of dug wells is not sufficient. There is a dug well with a damaged outer wall of 16.1%, damaged inner wall of 17.9% and a damaged well floor of 19.7%. Improper well construction impacts on the infiltration of batik waste water into the well. Survey results of physical well water quality showed 3.6% snoring, 16.1% smelly, 9.8% color and 10.7% taste. Pollution to dug well water can affect public health because it is used for daily use to drink, cook, bathe and wash because> 65% do not have other sources of clean water. The recommendation of this research is the need for waste water treatment batik starting from source through WWTP both on the household and communal scale with the role of local government as a facilitator. Society and batik industry players need to be involved in managing environmentally friendly batik industrial center.

A review of consensus test methods for established medical imaging modalities and their implications for optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfefer, Joshua; Agrawal, Anant

2012-03-01

In recent years there has been increasing interest in development of consensus, tissue-phantom-based approaches for assessment of biophotonic imaging systems, with the primary goal of facilitating clinical translation of novel optical technologies. Well-characterized test methods based on tissue phantoms can provide useful tools for performance assessment, thus enabling standardization and device inter-comparison during preclinical development as well as quality assurance and re-calibration in the clinical setting. In this review, we study the role of phantom-based test methods as described in consensus documents such as international standards for established imaging modalities including X-ray CT, MRI and ultrasound. Specifically, we focus on three image quality characteristics - spatial resolution, spatial measurement accuracy and image uniformity - and summarize the terminology, metrics, phantom design/construction approaches and measurement/analysis procedures used to assess these characteristics. Phantom approaches described are those in routine clinical use and tend to have simplified morphology and biologically-relevant physical parameters. Finally, we discuss the potential for applying knowledge gained from existing consensus documents in the development of standardized, phantom-based test methods for optical coherence tomography.

Honey: Chemical composition, stability and authenticity.

PubMed

da Silva, Priscila Missio; Gauche, Cony; Gonzaga, Luciano Valdemiro; Costa, Ana Carolina Oliveira; Fett, Roseane

2016-04-01

The aim of this review is to describe the chemical characteristics of compounds present in honey, their stability when heated or stored for long periods of time and the parameters of identity and quality. Therefore, the chemical characteristics of these compounds were examined, such as sugars, proteins, amino acids, enzymes, organic acids, vitamins, minerals, phenolic and volatile compounds present in honey. The stability of these compounds in relation to the chemical reactions that occur by heating or prolonged storage were also discussed, with increased understanding of the behavior regarding the common processing of honey that may compromise its quality. In addition, the identity and quality standards were described, such as sugars, moisture, acidity, ash and electrical conductivity, color, 5-HMF and diastase activity, along with the minimum and maximum limits established by the Codex Alimentarius. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Positive effects of Red Bull® Energy Drink on driving performance during prolonged driving.

PubMed

Mets, Monique A J; Ketzer, Sander; Blom, Camilla; van Gerven, Maartje H; van Willigenburg, Gitta M; Olivier, Berend; Verster, Joris C

2011-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine if Red Bull® Energy Drink can counteract sleepiness and driving impairment during prolonged driving. Twenty-four healthy volunteers participated in this double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study. After 2 h of highway driving in the STISIM driving simulator, subjects had a 15-min break and consumed Red Bull® Energy Drink (250 ml) or placebo (Red Bull® Energy Drink without the functional ingredients: caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, B vitamins (niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, B12), and inositol) before driving for two additional hours. A third condition comprised 4 h of uninterrupted driving. Primary parameter was the standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP), i.e., the weaving of the car. Secondary parameters included SD speed, subjective driving quality, sleepiness, and mental effort to perform the test. No significant differences were observed during the first 2 h of driving. Red Bull® Energy Drink significantly improved driving relative to placebo: SDLP was significantly reduced during the 3rd (p < 0.046) and 4th hour of driving (p < 0.011). Red Bull® Energy Drink significantly reduced the standard deviation of speed (p < 0.004), improved subjective driving quality (p < 0.0001), and reduced mental effort to perform the test (p < 0.024) during the 3rd hour of driving. Subjective sleepiness was significantly decreased during both the 3rd and 4th hour of driving after Red Bull® Energy Drink (p < 0.001 and p < 0.009, respectively). Relative to uninterrupted driving, Red Bull® Energy Drink significantly improved each parameter. Red Bull® Energy Drink significantly improves driving performance and reduces driver sleepiness during prolonged highway driving.

A Review of Commercially Available Point-of-Care Devices to Concentrate Bone Marrow for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis and Focal Cartilage Lesions.

PubMed

Gaul, Florian; Bugbee, William D; Hoenecke, Heinz R; D'Lima, Darryl D

2018-04-01

Objective Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising cell-based therapy treatment option for several orthopedic indications. Because culture expansion of MSC is time and cost intensive, a bedside concentration of bone marrow (BM) aspirate is used as an alternative. Many commercial systems are available but the available literature and knowledge regarding these systems is limited. We compared different point-of-care devices that concentrate BM (BMC) by focusing on technical features and quality parameters to help surgeons make informed decisions while selecting the appropriate device. Methods We compared published data on the BMC devices of Arteriocyte, Arthrex, Celling Biosciences, EmCyte, Exactech, ISTO Tech, Harvest Tech/Terumo BCT, and Zimmer/BIOMET regarding technical features (centrifugation speed/time, input/output volume, kit components, type of aspiration syringes, filter usage) and quality parameters of their final BMC product (hematocrit, concentration of platelets and total nucleated cells, concentration of MSC and connective tissue progenitor cells). Results The systems differ significantly in their technical features and centrifugation parameters. Only the fully automated systems use universal kits, which allow processing different volumes of BM. Only the Arthrex system allows selection of final hematocrit. There was no standardized reporting method to describe biologic potency. Conclusions Based on the data obtained in this review, recommending a single device is not possible because the reported data could not be compared between devices. A standardized reporting method is needed for valid comparisons. Furthermore, clinical outcomes are required to establish the true efficacy of these systems. We are conducting additional studies for more careful comparison among the devices.

Dual-energy computed tomography in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma: Comparison of noise-optimized and traditional virtual monoenergetic imaging.

PubMed

Martin, Simon S; Wichmann, Julian L; Weyer, Hendrik; Albrecht, Moritz H; D'Angelo, Tommaso; Leithner, Doris; Lenga, Lukas; Booz, Christian; Scholtz, Jan-Erik; Bodelle, Boris; Vogl, Thomas J; Hammerstingl, Renate

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of noise-optimized virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI+) reconstructions on quantitative and qualitative image parameters in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma at thoracoabdominal dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). Seventy-six patients (48 men; 66.6±13.8years) with metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma underwent DECT of the thorax and abdomen. Images were post-processed with standard linear blending (M_0.6), traditional virtual monoenergetic (VMI), and VMI+ technique. VMI and VMI+ images were reconstructed in 10-keV intervals from 40 to 100keV. Attenuation measurements were performed in cutaneous melanoma lesions, as well as in regional lymph node, subcutaneous and in-transit metastases to calculate objective signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) ratios. Five-point scales were used to evaluate overall image quality and lesion delineation by three radiologists with different levels of experience. Objective indices SNR and CNR were highest at 40-keV VMI+ series (5.6±2.6 and 12.4±3.4), significantly superior to all other reconstructions (all P<0.001). Qualitative image parameters showed highest values for 50-keV and 60-keV VMI+ reconstructions (median 5, respectively; P≤0.019) regarding overall image quality. Moreover, qualitative assessment of lesion delineation peaked in 40-keV VMI+ (median 5) and 50-keV VMI+ (median 4; P=0.055), significantly superior to all other reconstructions (all P<0.001). Low-keV noise-optimized VMI+ reconstructions substantially increase quantitative and qualitative image parameters, as well as subjective lesion delineation compared to standard image reconstruction and traditional VMI in patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma at thoracoabdominal DECT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship between grain hardness, dough mixing parameters and bread-making quality in winter wheat.

PubMed

Salmanowicz, Bolesław P; Adamski, Tadeusz; Surma, Maria; Kaczmarek, Zygmunt; Karolina, Krystkowiak; Kuczyńska, Anetta; Banaszak, Zofia; Lugowska, Bogusława; Majcher, Małgorzata; Obuchowski, Wiktor

2012-01-01

The influence of grain hardness, determined by using molecular markers and physical methods (near-infrared (NIR) technique and particle size index-PSI) on dough characteristics, which in turn were determined with the use of a farinograph and reomixer, as well as bread-making properties were studied. The material covered 24 winter wheat genotypes differing in grain hardness. The field experiment was conducted at standard and increased levels of nitrogen fertilization. Results of molecular analyses were in agreement with those obtained by the use of physical methods for soft-grained lines. Some lines classified as hard (by physical methods) appeared to have the wild-type Pina and Pinb alleles, similar to soft lines. Differences in dough and bread-making properties between lines classified as hard and soft on the basis of molecular data appeared to be of less significance than the differences between lines classified as hard and soft on the basis of physical analyses of grain texture. Values of relative grain hardness at the increased nitrogen fertilization level were significantly higher. At both fertilization levels the NIR parameter determining grain hardness was significantly positively correlated with the wet gluten and sedimentation values, with most of the rheological parameters and bread yield. Values of this parameter correlated with quality characteristics in a higher degree than values of particle size index.

The Relationship Between Grain Hardness, Dough Mixing Parameters and Bread-Making Quality in Winter Wheat

PubMed Central

Salmanowicz, Bolesław P.; Adamski, Tadeusz; Surma, Maria; Kaczmarek, Zygmunt; Karolina, Krystkowiak; Kuczyńska, Anetta; Banaszak, Zofia; Ługowska, Bogusława; Majcher, Małgorzata; Obuchowski, Wiktor

2012-01-01

The influence of grain hardness, determined by using molecular markers and physical methods (near-infrared (NIR) technique and particle size index—PSI) on dough characteristics, which in turn were determined with the use of a farinograph and reomixer, as well as bread-making properties were studied. The material covered 24 winter wheat genotypes differing in grain hardness. The field experiment was conducted at standard and increased levels of nitrogen fertilization. Results of molecular analyses were in agreement with those obtained by the use of physical methods for soft-grained lines. Some lines classified as hard (by physical methods) appeared to have the wild-type Pina and Pinb alleles, similar to soft lines. Differences in dough and bread-making properties between lines classified as hard and soft on the basis of molecular data appeared to be of less significance than the differences between lines classified as hard and soft on the basis of physical analyses of grain texture. Values of relative grain hardness at the increased nitrogen fertilization level were significantly higher. At both fertilization levels the NIR parameter determining grain hardness was significantly positively correlated with the wet gluten and sedimentation values, with most of the rheological parameters and bread yield. Values of this parameter correlated with quality characteristics in a higher degree than values of particle size index. PMID:22605973

The impact of BMI on sperm parameters and the metabolite changes of seminal plasma concomitantly.

PubMed

Guo, Dan; Wu, Wei; Tang, Qiuqin; Qiao, Shanlei; Chen, Yiqiu; Chen, Minjian; Teng, Mengying; Lu, Chuncheng; Ding, Hongjuan; Xia, Yankai; Hu, Lingqing; Chen, Daozhen; Sha, Jiahao; Wang, Xinru

2017-07-25

The development of male infertility increased rapidly worldwide, which coinciding with the epidemic of obesity. However, the impact of weight abnormalities on sperm quality is still contestable. To assess the correlation between BMI and sperm parameters, we searched relevant articles in PubMed, Embase, Web of science, and Wanfang database published until June 2015 without language restriction. Otherwise, we also recruited some participants who attended fertility clinic as well as some general populations in this report. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis about BMI and sperm parameters containing total sperm count, concentration, semen volume and sperm motility (overall and progressive). Metabolomic analysis of seminal plasma was performed to explore the mechanism from a new perspective. This study found standardized weighted mean differences (SMD) in sperm parameters (total sperm count, sperm concentration, and semen volume) of abnormal weight groups decreased to different degree compared to normal weight. Dose-response analysis found SMD of sperm count, sperm concentration and semen volume respectively fell 2.4%, 1.3% and 2.0% compared with normal weight for every 5-unit increase in BMI. Metabolomic analysis of seminal plasma showed that spermidine and spermine were likely to play a vital role in the spermatogenesis progress. This systematic review with meta-analysis has confirmed there was a relationship between BMI and sperm quality, suggesting obesity may be a detrimental factor of male infertility.

Quality of health care and the need for assessment.

PubMed

Bosse, G; Ngoli, B; Leshabari, M T; Külker, R; Dämmrich, T; Abels, W; Breuer, J P; Kersten, R; Spies, C

2011-09-01

In many hospitals of developing countries quality of care is below the expected standard to maintain patient safety. In 2006, health care experts from Tanzania and Germany collaborated on a set of indicators to be used as a hospital performance assessment tool. The aim of this study was to introduce this tool and check its feasibility for use in a Tanzanian regional hospital. Within the hospital, independent observers assessed quantitatively structural quality and the performance of health care encounter using an itemized scale from 0 (0%) to 2 (100%) for each defined item. Outcome parameters were taken from the annual hospital report. In addition, semi-qualitative interviews with staff and patients were held to a) assess staff knowledge of the treatment guidelines published by the Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), b) assess attitudes and user motivation and c) authenticate the quantitative findings in a mixed-method triangulation approach. Structural quality in maternity was at 75% of the expected standard, while process quality ranged from 36% (Care of the newborn with APGAR score < 4) to 47% (normal delivery procedure). Staff knowledge ranged between 64% and 87% with low motivation and commitment given as contributing factors. Outcome (maternal mortality) was 481/100,000 live births with an infant mortality rate of 10%. The tool appeared to be feasible and effective in judging care quality. It provides a model for continuous quality improvement. Motivation of health care workers, a strong determinant of care process quality, might be improved by strengthening internal factors in health facilities. For conclusive validation, further studies using the tool must be conducted with larger numbers of institutions.

An assessment of groundwater potential and vulnerability in the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment of Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misi, Alfred; Gumindoga, Webster; Hoko, Zvikomborero

2018-06-01

Severe depletion and pollution of groundwater resources are of rising concern in the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment (UMSC); Zimbabwe's most urbanised sub-catchment. Despite groundwater playing a pivotal role in the provision of potable water in the sub-catchment, it is under serious threat from anthropogenic stressors which include sewage effluents and leachates from landfills, among others. Inadequate scientific knowledge pertaining to the spatio-temporal variability of groundwater storage and vulnerability in the UMSC is further compromising its sustainability. Therefore, comprehensive assessments of UMSC's Groundwater Potential (GP) and vulnerability are crucial for its effective management. This study assessed GP and vulnerability in the UMSC using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing techniques. Groundwater conditioning factors: geology, slope, land-use, drainage density, topographic index, altitude, recharge and rainfall were used to develop GP zones. Validation of the GP map was done by correlating estimated GP with historical borehole yields. An assessment of groundwater vulnerability was done at micro-catchment level (Marimba) using the GOD model; a three parameter Index Overlay Model. Marimba is the most urbanised and has the second highest borehole density. It also exhibits similar landuse characteristics as the UMSC. Furthermore, groundwater quality in Marimba was assessed from 15 sampling sites. Fifteen drinking water parameters were analysed based on the standard methods for Water and Wastewater Examination. The potability of groundwater was then assessed by comparing the measured water quality parameters with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) drinking water standards and/or WHO guidelines for drinking water. Repeated Measures ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to assess the spatio-temporal variations in groundwater quality and to identify key parameters, respectively. About 72% (2725.9 km2) of the UMSC was found to be of moderate GP, while 19% and 9% accounted for high and low GP, respectively. Marimba vulnerability status was dominantly moderate (77.3%). Parameters: EC, pH, coliforms, TDS, total hardness, Fe, NH4+ and turbidity exceeded SAZ and/or WHO drinking water limits on most sampling sites with DO, total and faecal coliforms showing significant variations (p < 0.05). Four Principal Components representing 84% of the cumulative variance were extracted; with PC1, PC2, PC3 and PC4 contributing 38%, 19.1%, 14.3% and 12.85%, respectively. PC1 was characterized by pH, TDS, EC and total hardness. PC2's variance was associated with elevated levels of Cl-, Zn and Cu. PC3 had high loadings of total and faecal coliforms, Fl- and turbidity while PC4 was characterized by high loadings of Pb, Fe, ammonia and turbidity. The variation in the nature of the parameters across PCs explains the complexity of pollutants within the micro-catchment. PC2 and PC4 were largely characterized by metallic compounds, suggesting pollution from mineral dissolution into the aquifers e.g. from industrial areas and dumpsites. PC3 indicate the contribution of domestic waste e.g. faecal waste from waste pipe leakages and poorly constructed pit latrines. The findings of this study are useful decision-making tools on groundwater utilisation and groundwater protection.

QCloud: A cloud-based quality control system for mass spectrometry-based proteomics laboratories

PubMed Central

Chiva, Cristina; Olivella, Roger; Borràs, Eva; Espadas, Guadalupe; Pastor, Olga; Solé, Amanda

2018-01-01

The increasing number of biomedical and translational applications in mass spectrometry-based proteomics poses new analytical challenges and raises the need for automated quality control systems. Despite previous efforts to set standard file formats, data processing workflows and key evaluation parameters for quality control, automated quality control systems are not yet widespread among proteomics laboratories, which limits the acquisition of high-quality results, inter-laboratory comparisons and the assessment of variability of instrumental platforms. Here we present QCloud, a cloud-based system to support proteomics laboratories in daily quality assessment using a user-friendly interface, easy setup, automated data processing and archiving, and unbiased instrument evaluation. QCloud supports the most common targeted and untargeted proteomics workflows, it accepts data formats from different vendors and it enables the annotation of acquired data and reporting incidences. A complete version of the QCloud system has successfully been developed and it is now open to the proteomics community (http://qcloud.crg.eu). QCloud system is an open source project, publicly available under a Creative Commons License Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0. PMID:29324744

Assessment of compost quality and usage for agricultural use: a case study of Hebron, Palestine.

PubMed

Al-Sari, Majed I; Sarhan, Mohammed A A; Al-Khatib, Issam A

2018-03-15

Complying with the technical specifications of compost production is of high importance not only for environmental protection but also for increasing the productivity and promotion of compost use by farmers in agriculture. This study focuses on the compost quality of the Palestinian market and farmers' attitudes toward agricultural use of compost. The quality is assessed through selection of 20 compost samples of different suppliers and producers and lab testing for quality parameters, while the farmers' attitudes to compost use for agriculture are evaluated through survey questionnaire of 321 farmers in the Hebron area. The results showed that the compost in the Palestinian markets is of medium quality due to partial or non-compliance with the quality standards and guidelines. The Palestinian farmers showed a positive attitude since 91.2% of them have the desire to use compost in agriculture. The results also showed that knowledge of difference between compost and chemical fertilizers, perception of compost benefits, and previously experiencing problems in compost use are significant factors affecting the farmers' attitude toward the use of compost as an organic fertilizer.

Clinical and cost implications of amyloid beta detection with amyloid beta positron emission tomography imaging in early Alzheimer's disease - the case of florbetapir.

PubMed

Hornberger, John; Bae, Jay; Watson, Ian; Johnston, Joe; Happich, Michael

2017-04-01

Amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging helps estimate Aβ neuritic plaque density in patients with cognitive impairment who are under evaluation for Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Aβ-PET scan as an adjunct to standard diagnostic assessment for diagnosis of AD in France, using florbetapir as an example. A state-transition probability analysis was developed adopting the French Health Technology Assessment (HTA) perspective per guidance. Parameters included test characteristics, rate of cognitive decline, treatment effect, costs, and quality of life. Additional scenarios assessed the validity of the analytical framework, including: (1) earlier evaluation/treatment; (2) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a comparator; and (3) use of other diagnostic procedures. Outputs included differences in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). All benefits and costs were discounted for time preferences. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of findings and key influencers of outcomes. Aβ-PET used as an adjunct to standard diagnostic assessment increased QALYs by 0.021 years and 10 year costs by €470 per patient. The ICER was €21,888 per QALY gained compared to standard diagnostic assessment alone. When compared with CSF, Aβ-PET costs €24,084 per QALY gained. In other scenarios, Aβ-PET was consistently cost-effective relative to the commonly used affordability threshold (€40,000 per QALY). Over 95% of simulations in the sensitivity analysis were cost-effective. Aβ-PET is projected to affordably increase QALYs from the French HTA perspective per guidance over a range of clinical scenarios, comparators, and input parameters.

Automation of radiation treatment planning : Evaluation of head and neck cancer patient plans created by the Pinnacle3 scripting and Auto-Planning functions.

PubMed

Speer, Stefan; Klein, Andreas; Kober, Lukas; Weiss, Alexander; Yohannes, Indra; Bert, Christoph

2017-08-01

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) techniques are now standard practice. IMRT or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) allow treatment of the tumor while simultaneously sparing organs at risk. Nevertheless, treatment plan quality still depends on the physicist's individual skills, experiences, and personal preferences. It would therefore be advantageous to automate the planning process. This possibility is offered by the Pinnacle 3 treatment planning system (Philips Healthcare, Hamburg, Germany) via its scripting language or Auto-Planning (AP) module. AP module results were compared to in-house scripts and manually optimized treatment plans for standard head and neck cancer plans. Multiple treatment parameters were scored to judge plan quality (100 points = optimum plan). Patients were initially planned manually by different physicists and re-planned using scripts or AP. Script-based head and neck plans achieved a mean of 67.0 points and were, on average, superior to manually created (59.1 points) and AP plans (62.3 points). Moreover, they are characterized by reproducibility and lower standard deviation of treatment parameters. Even less experienced staff are able to create at least a good starting point for further optimization in a short time. However, for particular plans, experienced planners perform even better than scripts or AP. Experienced-user input is needed when setting up scripts or AP templates for the first time. Moreover, some minor drawbacks exist, such as the increase of monitor units (+35.5% for scripted plans). On average, automatically created plans are superior to manually created treatment plans. For particular plans, experienced physicists were able to perform better than scripts or AP; thus, the benefit is greatest when time is short or staff inexperienced.

40 CFR 131.35 - Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.35 Colville Confederated Tribes Indian Reservation. The water quality standards applicable to the waters within the... these Federal water quality standards to prescribe minimum water quality requirements for the surface...

Investigation on Effect of Material Hardness in High Speed CNC End Milling Process.

PubMed

Dhandapani, N V; Thangarasu, V S; Sureshkannan, G

2015-01-01

This research paper analyzes the effects of material properties on surface roughness, material removal rate, and tool wear on high speed CNC end milling process with various ferrous and nonferrous materials. The challenge of material specific decision on the process parameters of spindle speed, feed rate, depth of cut, coolant flow rate, cutting tool material, and type of coating for the cutting tool for required quality and quantity of production is addressed. Generally, decision made by the operator on floor is based on suggested values of the tool manufacturer or by trial and error method. This paper describes effect of various parameters on the surface roughness characteristics of the precision machining part. The prediction method suggested is based on various experimental analysis of parameters in different compositions of input conditions which would benefit the industry on standardization of high speed CNC end milling processes. The results show a basis for selection of parameters to get better results of surface roughness values as predicted by the case study results.

Investigation on Effect of Material Hardness in High Speed CNC End Milling Process

PubMed Central

Dhandapani, N. V.; Thangarasu, V. S.; Sureshkannan, G.

2015-01-01

This research paper analyzes the effects of material properties on surface roughness, material removal rate, and tool wear on high speed CNC end milling process with various ferrous and nonferrous materials. The challenge of material specific decision on the process parameters of spindle speed, feed rate, depth of cut, coolant flow rate, cutting tool material, and type of coating for the cutting tool for required quality and quantity of production is addressed. Generally, decision made by the operator on floor is based on suggested values of the tool manufacturer or by trial and error method. This paper describes effect of various parameters on the surface roughness characteristics of the precision machining part. The prediction method suggested is based on various experimental analysis of parameters in different compositions of input conditions which would benefit the industry on standardization of high speed CNC end milling processes. The results show a basis for selection of parameters to get better results of surface roughness values as predicted by the case study results. PMID:26881267

Particle size distributions by transmission electron microscopy: an interlaboratory comparison case study

PubMed Central

Rice, Stephen B; Chan, Christopher; Brown, Scott C; Eschbach, Peter; Han, Li; Ensor, David S; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B; Bonevich, John; Vladár, András E; Hight Walker, Angela R; Zheng, Jiwen; Starnes, Catherine; Stromberg, Arnold; Ye, Jia; Grulke, Eric A

2015-01-01

This paper reports an interlaboratory comparison that evaluated a protocol for measuring and analysing the particle size distribution of discrete, metallic, spheroidal nanoparticles using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The study was focused on automated image capture and automated particle analysis. NIST RM8012 gold nanoparticles (30 nm nominal diameter) were measured for area-equivalent diameter distributions by eight laboratories. Statistical analysis was used to (1) assess the data quality without using size distribution reference models, (2) determine reference model parameters for different size distribution reference models and non-linear regression fitting methods and (3) assess the measurement uncertainty of a size distribution parameter by using its coefficient of variation. The interlaboratory area-equivalent diameter mean, 27.6 nm ± 2.4 nm (computed based on a normal distribution), was quite similar to the area-equivalent diameter, 27.6 nm, assigned to NIST RM8012. The lognormal reference model was the preferred choice for these particle size distributions as, for all laboratories, its parameters had lower relative standard errors (RSEs) than the other size distribution reference models tested (normal, Weibull and Rosin–Rammler–Bennett). The RSEs for the fitted standard deviations were two orders of magnitude higher than those for the fitted means, suggesting that most of the parameter estimate errors were associated with estimating the breadth of the distributions. The coefficients of variation for the interlaboratory statistics also confirmed the lognormal reference model as the preferred choice. From quasi-linear plots, the typical range for good fits between the model and cumulative number-based distributions was 1.9 fitted standard deviations less than the mean to 2.3 fitted standard deviations above the mean. Automated image capture, automated particle analysis and statistical evaluation of the data and fitting coefficients provide a framework for assessing nanoparticle size distributions using TEM for image acquisition. PMID:26361398

On the possibility of real time air quality and toxicology assessment using multi-wavelength photoacoustic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajtai, Tibor; Pinter, Mate; Utry, Noemi; Kiss-Albert, Gergely; Palagyi, Andrea; Manczinger, Laszlo; Vagvölgyi, Csaba; Szabo, Gabor; Bozoki, Zoltan

2016-04-01

In this study we present results of field measurement campaigns focusing on the in-situ characterization of absorption spectra and the health relevance of light absorbing carbonaceous (LAC) in the ambient. The absorption spectra is measured @ 266, 355, 532 and 1064 nm by our state-of-the-art four-wavelength photoacoustic instrument, while for health relevance the eco- cito and genotoxicity parameters were measured using standardized methodologies. We experimentally demonstrated a correlation between the toxicities and the measured absorption spectra quantified by its wavelength dependency. Based on this correlation, we present novel possibilities on real-time air quality monitoring. LAC is extensively studied not only because of its considerable climate effects but as a serious air pollutant too. Gradually increasing number of studies demonstrated experimentally that the health effect of LAC is more serious than it is expected based on its share in total atmospheric aerosol mass. Furthermore during many local pollution events LAC not only has dominancy but it is close to exclusivity. Altogether due to its climate and health effects many studies and proposed regulations focus on the physical, chemical and toxicological properties of LAC as well as on its source apportionment. Despites of its importance, there is not yet a widely accepted standard methodology for the real-time and selective identification of LAC. There are many different reasons of that: starting from its complex inherent physicochemical features including many unknown constituents, via masking effect of ambient on the inherent physicochemical properties taking place even in case of a short residence, ending with the lack of reliable instrumentation for its health or source relevant parameters. Therefore, the methodology and instrument development for selective and reliable identification of LAC is timely and important issues in climate and air quality researches. Recently, many studies demonstrated correlation between the chemical compositions and the absorption features of LAC which open up novel possibilities in real time source apportionment and in air quality monitoring.

40 CFR 130.3 - Water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT § 130.3 Water quality standards. A water quality standard (WQS) defines the water quality goals of a water body, or portion thereof, by designating the use or uses to be made... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Water quality standards. 130.3 Section...

Psychosocial aspects of resistance in complex treatment of depressive disorder.

PubMed

Sedlackova, Zuzana; Prasko, Jan; Latalova, Klara; Kamaradova, Dana; Ociskova, Marie; Grambal, Ales; Sigmundova, Zuzana; Kasalova, Petra; Cakirpaloglu, Snezana

2015-01-01

Treatment of major depressive disorder can be affected by a broad range of factors. In our study, we focused on the relationships of demographic, psychological, clinical and social factors to the course of treatment of depression. The study included 151 patients (finally 140 patients were evaluated) hospitalized for major depressive disorder. They were assessed for demographic characteristics, the rates of depression and anxiety, quality of life, the rates of dissociation and insomnia, and subjective and objective disease severity at different times during treatment. Patients were treated with standard doses of antidepressants or other psychiatric medication. They also completed a 6-week long daily cognitive-behavioural therapy. Data were statistically analyzed. There were significant decreases in the overall severity of the disorder, anxiety level and depression rate during treatment. Improvement measured by objective Clinical Global Impression (oCGI-I) at the end of treatment was not significantly correlated with any of the measured parameters (age of patient, onset of illness, duration of disease, doses of medication etc.). It only significantly positively correlated with the initial evaluation of the patient by oCGI. However, the improvement in subjective assessment (using sCGI-I) correlated with many parameters (increased age, later onset of the disease, greater disease severity at baseline in both overall and subjective evaluation of the severity, anxiety and depressive symptomatology). Furthermore, it was negatively correlated with most quality of life parameters, such as H (Home), F (Feelings), L (Leisure), Sr (Social relations) and G (General). The results suggest that individual variables, such as the degree of psychopathology, particularly depression and anxiety, most quality of life parameters, higher patient age and age of disorder onset may be associated with poorer subjective response to complex treatment of patients with major depressive disorder.

Evaluating the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule Standard for Microbial Quality of Agricultural Water for Growing Produce.

PubMed

Havelaar, Arie H; Vazquez, Kathleen M; Topalcengiz, Zeynal; Muñoz-Carpena, Rafael; Danyluk, Michelle D

2017-10-09

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has defined standards for the microbial quality of agricultural surface water used for irrigation. According to the FDA produce safety rule (PSR), a microbial water quality profile requires analysis of a minimum of 20 samples for Escherichia coli over 2 to 4 years. The geometric mean (GM) level of E. coli should not exceed 126 CFU/100 mL, and the statistical threshold value (STV) should not exceed 410 CFU/100 mL. The water quality profile should be updated by analysis of a minimum of five samples per year. We used an extensive set of data on levels of E. coli and other fecal indicator organisms, the presence or absence of Salmonella, and physicochemical parameters in six agricultural irrigation ponds in West Central Florida to evaluate the empirical and theoretical basis of this PSR. We found highly variable log-transformed E. coli levels, with standard deviations exceeding those assumed in the PSR by up to threefold. Lognormal distributions provided an acceptable fit to the data in most cases but may underestimate extreme levels. Replacing censored data with the detection limit of the microbial tests underestimated the true variability, leading to biased estimates of GM and STV. Maximum likelihood estimation using truncated lognormal distributions is recommended. Twenty samples are not sufficient to characterize the bacteriological quality of irrigation ponds, and a rolling data set of five samples per year used to update GM and STV values results in highly uncertain results and delays in detecting a shift in water quality. In these ponds, E. coli was an adequate predictor of the presence of Salmonella in 150-mL samples, and turbidity was a second significant variable. The variability in levels of E. coli in agricultural water was higher than that anticipated when the PSR was finalized, and more detailed information based on mechanistic modeling is necessary to develop targeted risk management strategies.

40 CFR 130.3 - Water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Water quality standards. 130.3 Section 130.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT § 130.3 Water quality standards. A water quality standard (WQS) defines...

40 CFR 130.3 - Water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Water quality standards. 130.3 Section 130.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT § 130.3 Water quality standards. A water quality standard (WQS) defines...

40 CFR 130.3 - Water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Water quality standards. 130.3 Section 130.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT § 130.3 Water quality standards. A water quality standard (WQS) defines...

40 CFR 130.3 - Water quality standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Water quality standards. 130.3 Section 130.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT § 130.3 Water quality standards. A water quality standard (WQS) defines...

Association between perceptions of public drinking water quality and actual drinking water quality: A community-based exploratory study in Newfoundland (Canada).

PubMed

Ochoo, Benjamin; Valcour, James; Sarkar, Atanu

2017-11-01

Studying public perception on drinking water quality is crucial for managing of water resources, generation of water quality standards, and surveillance of the drinking-water quality. However, in policy discourse, the reliability of public perception concerning drinking water quality and associated health risks is questionable. Does the public perception of water quality equate with the actual water quality? We investigated public perceptions of water quality and the perceived health risks and associated with the actual quality of public water supplies in the same communities. The study was conducted in 45 communities of Newfoundland (Canada) in 2012. First, a telephone survey of 100 households was conducted to examine public perceptions of drinking water quality of their respective public sources. Then we extracted public water quality reports of the same communities (1988-2011) from the provincial government's water resources portal. These reports contained the analysis of 2091 water samples, including levels of Disinfection By-Products (DBPs), nutrients, metals, ions and physical parameters. The reports showed that colour, manganese, total dissolved solids, iron, turbidity, and DBPs were the major detected parameters in the public water. However, the majority of the respondents (>56%) were either completely satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of drinking water. Older, higher educated and high-income group respondents were more satisfied with water quality than the younger, less educated and low-income group respondents. The study showed that there was no association with public satisfaction level and actual water quality of the respective communities. Even, in the communities, supplied by the same water system, the respondents had differences in opinion. Despite the effort by the provincial government to make the water-test results available on its website for years, the study showed existing disconnectedness between public perception of drinking water quality and actual quality. We had little scope to explore the possible explanations, and hence further studies are required to verify the age, gender educational status and income differential about the satisfaction of public service like water supply. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Experimental research of turbidity influence on water quality monitoring of COD in UV-visible spectroscopy].

PubMed

Tang, Bin; Wei, Biao; Wu, De-Cao; Mi, De-Ling; Zhao, Jing-Xiao; Feng, Peng; Jiang, Shang-Hai; Mao, Ben-Jiang

2014-11-01

Eliminating turbidity is a direct effect spectroscopy detection of COD key technical problems. This stems from the UV-visible spectroscopy detected key quality parameters depend on an accurate and effective analysis of water quality parameters analytical model, and turbidity is an important parameter that affects the modeling. In this paper, we selected formazine turbidity solution and standard solution of potassium hydrogen phthalate to study the turbidity affect of UV--visible absorption spectroscopy detection of COD, at the characteristics wavelength of 245, 300, 360 and 560 nm wavelength point several characteristics with the turbidity change in absorbance method of least squares curve fitting, thus analyzes the variation of absorbance with turbidity. The results show, In the ultraviolet range of 240 to 380 nm, as the turbidity caused by particle produces compounds to the organics, it is relatively complicated to test the turbidity affections on the water Ultraviolet spectra; in the visible region of 380 to 780 nm, the turbidity of the spectrum weakens with wavelength increases. Based on this, this paper we study the multiplicative scatter correction method affected by the turbidity of the water sample spectra calibration test, this method can correct water samples spectral affected by turbidity. After treatment, by comparing the spectra before, the results showed that the turbidity caused by wavelength baseline shift points have been effectively corrected, and features in the ultraviolet region has not diminished. Then we make multiplicative scatter correction for the three selected UV liquid-visible absorption spectroscopy, experimental results shows that on the premise of saving the characteristic of the Ultraviolet-Visible absorption spectrum of water samples, which not only improve the quality of COD spectroscopy detection SNR, but also for providing an efficient data conditioning regimen for establishing an accurate of the chemical measurement methods.

PLAN-TA9-2443(U), Rev. B Remediated Nitrate Salt (RNS) Surrogate Formulation and Testing Standard Procedure

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

Brown, Geoffrey Wayne

2016-03-16

This document identifies scope and some general procedural steps for performing Remediated Nitrate Salt (RNS) Surrogate Formulation and Testing. This Test Plan describes the requirements, responsibilities, and process for preparing and testing a range of chemical surrogates intended to mimic the energetic response of waste created during processing of legacy nitrate salts. The surrogates developed are expected to bound1 the thermal and mechanical sensitivity of such waste, allowing for the development of process parameters required to minimize the risk to worker and public when processing this waste. Such parameters will be based on the worst-case kinetic parameters as derived frommore » APTAC measurements as well as the development of controls to mitigate sensitivities that may exist due to friction, impact, and spark. This Test Plan will define the scope and technical approach for activities that implement Quality Assurance requirements relevant to formulation and testing.« less

A new hyper-elastic model for predicting multi-axial behaviour of rubber-like materials: formulation and computational aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaya, Kamel; Bechir, Hocine

2018-05-01

We propose a new hyper-elastic model that is based on the standard invariants of Green-Cauchy. Experimental data reported by Treloar (Trans. Faraday Soc. 40:59, 1944) are used to identify the model parameters. To this end, the data of uni-axial tension and equi-bi-axial tension are used simultaneously. The new model has four material parameters, their identification leads to linear optimisation problem and it is able to predict multi-axial behaviour of rubber-like materials. We show that the response quality of the new model is equivalent to that of the well-known Ogden six parameters model. Thereafter, the new model is implemented in FE code. Then, we investigate the inflation of a rubber balloon with the new model and Ogden models. We compare both the analytic and numerical solutions derived from these models.

Influence of the quality of intraoperative fluoroscopic images on the spatial positioning accuracy of a CAOS system.

PubMed

Wang, Junqiang; Wang, Yu; Zhu, Gang; Chen, Xiangqian; Zhao, Xiangrui; Qiao, Huiting; Fan, Yubo

2018-06-01

Spatial positioning accuracy is a key issue in a computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery (CAOS) system. Since intraoperative fluoroscopic images are one of the most important input data to the CAOS system, the quality of these images should have a significant influence on the accuracy of the CAOS system. But the regularities and mechanism of the influence of the quality of intraoperative images on the accuracy of a CAOS system have yet to be studied. Two typical spatial positioning methods - a C-arm calibration-based method and a bi-planar positioning method - are used to study the influence of different image quality parameters, such as resolution, distortion, contrast and signal-to-noise ratio, on positioning accuracy. The error propagation rules of image error in different spatial positioning methods are analyzed by the Monte Carlo method. Correlation analysis showed that resolution and distortion had a significant influence on spatial positioning accuracy. In addition the C-arm calibration-based method was more sensitive to image distortion, while the bi-planar positioning method was more susceptible to image resolution. The image contrast and signal-to-noise ratio have no significant influence on the spatial positioning accuracy. The result of Monte Carlo analysis proved that generally the bi-planar positioning method was more sensitive to image quality than the C-arm calibration-based method. The quality of intraoperative fluoroscopic images is a key issue in the spatial positioning accuracy of a CAOS system. Although the 2 typical positioning methods have very similar mathematical principles, they showed different sensitivities to different image quality parameters. The result of this research may help to create a realistic standard for intraoperative fluoroscopic images for CAOS systems. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of different new packaging materials on biscuit quality during accelerated storage.

PubMed

Romani, Santina; Tappi, Silvia; Balestra, Federica; Rodriguez Estrada, Maria Teresa; Siracusa, Valentina; Rocculi, Pietro; Dalla Rosa, Marco

2015-06-01

The effect of innovative multilayer packaging materials versus a standard one on biscuit quality was studied during accelerated storage at 25, 35, 45 °C and 50% relative humidity for 92 days. Three different packaging materials were used: metalized orientated polypropylene (OPP)/paper (control); metalized poly-lactic acid (PLA)/paper; metalized OPP with ethylene vinyl acetate pro-oxidant additive (EVA-POA)/paper. EVA-POA additive is used to make the plastic layer biodegradable. Various quality sample parameters (moisture, water activity (aw ), texture, peroxide value (PV), hexanal) were analysed during storage. Rate constants (k) and activation energies (Ea ) of hydration reactions and hexanal formation were calculated. No remarkable differences in the evolution of primary and secondary lipid oxidation were observed among differently packed biscuits during storage. All samples maintained PV levels between 4 and 14 meq O2 kg(-1) oil. The product in flexible packaging with PLA reached the highest moisture and aw levels, but they did not significantly and adversely affect the other quality characteristics. The obtained results demonstrate that the new tested packaging materials were suitable for commercial biscuit storage, having similar performance and preservation effects on the overall product quality to those of the standard one. Furthermore, these results could make a contribution to the food industry, encouraging the use of packaging materials with a negligible environmental impact as an alternative to petroleum-based ones. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Multi response optimization of internal grinding process parameters for outer ring using Taguchi method and PCR-TOPSIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisnuadi, Alief Regyan; Damayanti, Retno Wulan; Pujiyanto, Eko

2018-02-01

Bearing is one of the most widely used parts in automotive industry. One of the leading bearing manufacturing companies in the world is SKF Indonesia. This company must produce bearing with international standard. SKF Indonesia must do continuous improvement in order to face competition. During this time, SKF Indonesia is only performing quality control at its Quality Assurance department. In other words, quality improvement at SKF Indonesia has not been done thoroughly. The purpose of this research is to improve quality of outer ring product at SKF Indonesia by conducting an internal grinding process experiment about setting speed ratio, fine position, and spark out grinding time. The specific purpose of this experiment is to optimize some quality responses such as roughness, roundness, and cycle time. All of the response in this experiment were smaller the better. Taguchi method and PCR-TOPSIS are used for the optimization process. The result of this research shows that by using Taguchi method and PCR-TOPSIS, the optimum condition occurs on speed ratio 36, fine position 18 µm/s and spark out 0.5 s. The optimum conditions result were roughness 0.398 µm, roundness 1.78 µm and cycle time 8.1 s. This results have been better than the previous results and meet the standards. The roughness of 0.523 µm decrease to 0.398 µm and the average cycle time of 8.5 s decrease to 8.1 s.

Progressive sampling-based Bayesian optimization for efficient and automatic machine learning model selection.

PubMed

Zeng, Xueqiang; Luo, Gang

2017-12-01

Machine learning is broadly used for clinical data analysis. Before training a model, a machine learning algorithm must be selected. Also, the values of one or more model parameters termed hyper-parameters must be set. Selecting algorithms and hyper-parameter values requires advanced machine learning knowledge and many labor-intensive manual iterations. To lower the bar to machine learning, miscellaneous automatic selection methods for algorithms and/or hyper-parameter values have been proposed. Existing automatic selection methods are inefficient on large data sets. This poses a challenge for using machine learning in the clinical big data era. To address the challenge, this paper presents progressive sampling-based Bayesian optimization, an efficient and automatic selection method for both algorithms and hyper-parameter values. We report an implementation of the method. We show that compared to a state of the art automatic selection method, our method can significantly reduce search time, classification error rate, and standard deviation of error rate due to randomization. This is major progress towards enabling fast turnaround in identifying high-quality solutions required by many machine learning-based clinical data analysis tasks.

Functions of standard CPR training on performance qualities of medical volunteers for Mt. Taishan International Mounting Festival.

PubMed

Fanshan, Meng; Lin, Zhao; Wenqing, Liu; Chunlei, Lu; Yongqiang, Liu; Naiyi, Li

2013-01-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a sudden emergency procedure that requires a rapid and efficient response, and personnel training in lifesaving procedures. Regular practice and training are necessary to improve resuscitation skills and reduce anxiety among the staff. As one of the most important skills mastered by medical volunteers serving for Mt. Taishan International Mounting Festival, we randomly selected some of them to evaluate the quality of CPR operation and compared the result with that of the untrained doctors and nurses. In order to evaluate the functions of repeating standard CPR training on performance qualities of medical volunteers for Mt. Taishan International Mounting Festival, their performance qualities of CPR were compared with those of the untrained medical workers working in emergency departments of hospitals in Taian. The CPR performance qualities of 52 medical volunteers (Standard Training Group), who had continually taken part in standard CPR technical training for six months, were tested at random and were compared with those of 68 medical workers (Compared Group) working in emergency departments of hospitals in Taian who hadn't attended CPR training within a year. The QCPR 3535 monitor (provided by Philips Company) was used to measure the standard degree of single simulated CPR performance, including the chest compression depth, frequency, released pressure between compressions and performance time of compression and ventilation, the results of which were recorded in the table and the number of practical compression per minute was calculated. The data were analyzed by x2 Test and t Test. The factors which would influence CPR performance, including gender, age, placement, hand skill, posture of compression and frequency of training, were classified and given parameters, and were put to Logistic repression analysis. The CPR performance qualities of volunteers were much higher than those of the compared group. The overall pass rates were respectively 86.4% and 31.9%; the pass rates of medical volunteers in terms of the chest compression depth, frequency, released pressure between compressions were higher than those of the compared group, which were 89.6%, 94.2%, 95.8% vs 50.3%, 53.0%, 83.1%, P<0.01; there were few differences in overall performance time, which were (118.4 ± 13.5s) vs (116.0 ± 10.4s), P>0.05; the duration time of ventilation in each performance section was much shorter than that in the compared group, which were (6.38 ± 1.2) vs (7.47 ± 1.7), P<0.01; there were few differences in the number of practical compression per minute, which were (78.2 ± 3.5) vs (78.8 ± 12.2), P>0.05); the time proportion of compression and ventilation was 2.6:1 vs 2.1:1. The Logistic repression analysis showed that CPR performance qualities were clearly related to hand skill, posture of compression and repeating standard training, which were respectively OR 13.12 and 95%CI (2.35~73.2); OR 30.89, 95%CI (3.62~263.5); OR 4.07,95%CI (1.16~14.2). The CPR performance qualities of volunteers who had had repeating standard training were much higher than those of untrained medical workers, which proved that standard training helped improve CPR performance qualities.

From Fishing to Fish Processing: Separation of Fish from Crustaceans in the Norway Lobster-Directed Multispecies Trawl Fishery Improves Seafood Quality

PubMed Central

Karlsen, Junita D.; Krag, Ludvig Ahm; Albertsen, Christoffer Moesgaard; Frandsen, Rikke Petri

2015-01-01

Fishing gears have negative impacts on seafood quality, especially on fish in the mixed trawl fishery targeting Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). In this fishery, which is worth about €80 millions in Denmark alone, the quality of fish can be significantly improved by simple gear changes. A trawl codend divided into an upper and lower codend was designed to separate fish from Norway lobster during the fishing process by encourage fish to swim into the upper codend by using a frame at the entrance of the lower codend. Separate codends for fish and Norway lobster in the same gear provide the opportunity to selectively reduce small low-value fish, which will reduce catch weight and sorting time onboard the vessel. For this horizontally divided test codend and a standard codend, in which the catch was mixed, quality assessments were performed on the same batches of fish during three steps of the value chain: i) aboard the fishing vessel; ii) at the Fishermen’s Collection Central, and iii) in the production plant. Four species of fish and fillets from fish caught in the upper codend of the test codend were of significantly better quality for several of the assessed parameters compared with those caught in the standard codend: i) newly caught fish showed significantly less scale loss and discolourations and had significantly better texture; ii) landed fish had significantly better skin appearance and texture and significantly fewer discolourations; and iii) fillets showed significantly fewer blood spots and had significantly better texture. There were no differences in injuries for newly caught fish or gaping and bruises for fillets between the test and standard codends. The decrease in catch-related damages in the test codend is explained by little contact between fish and animals with hard or spiny surfaces due to successful separation of fish and Norway lobster into the upper and lower codends, respectively, and by lower catch weight in the upper codend of the test codend compared with the standard codend. The decrease in damages may also improve quality indirectly by inflicting less stress to the fish and subsequently give better texture, which offers advantages such as pre-rigor filleting and fresher products for the market. Significant improvements in fish quality can potentially increase the catch value in nationally important fisheries. PMID:26569413

Taguchi's off line method and Multivariate loss function approach for quality management and optimization of process parameters -A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharti, P. K.; Khan, M. I.; Singh, Harbinder

2010-10-01

Off-line quality control is considered to be an effective approach to improve product quality at a relatively low cost. The Taguchi method is one of the conventional approaches for this purpose. Through this approach, engineers can determine a feasible combination of design parameters such that the variability of a product's response can be reduced and the mean is close to the desired target. The traditional Taguchi method was focused on ensuring good performance at the parameter design stage with one quality characteristic, but most products and processes have multiple quality characteristics. The optimal parameter design minimizes the total quality loss for multiple quality characteristics. Several studies have presented approaches addressing multiple quality characteristics. Most of these papers were concerned with maximizing the parameter combination of signal to noise (SN) ratios. The results reveal the advantages of this approach are that the optimal parameter design is the same as the traditional Taguchi method for the single quality characteristic; the optimal design maximizes the amount of reduction of total quality loss for multiple quality characteristics. This paper presents a literature review on solving multi-response problems in the Taguchi method and its successful implementation in various industries.

Analysis of quality raw data of second generation sequencers with Quality Assessment Software.

PubMed

Ramos, Rommel Tj; Carneiro, Adriana R; Baumbach, Jan; Azevedo, Vasco; Schneider, Maria Pc; Silva, Artur

2011-04-18

Second generation technologies have advantages over Sanger; however, they have resulted in new challenges for the genome construction process, especially because of the small size of the reads, despite the high degree of coverage. Independent of the program chosen for the construction process, DNA sequences are superimposed, based on identity, to extend the reads, generating contigs; mismatches indicate a lack of homology and are not included. This process improves our confidence in the sequences that are generated. We developed Quality Assessment Software, with which one can review graphs showing the distribution of quality values from the sequencing reads. This software allow us to adopt more stringent quality standards for sequence data, based on quality-graph analysis and estimated coverage after applying the quality filter, providing acceptable sequence coverage for genome construction from short reads. Quality filtering is a fundamental step in the process of constructing genomes, as it reduces the frequency of incorrect alignments that are caused by measuring errors, which can occur during the construction process due to the size of the reads, provoking misassemblies. Application of quality filters to sequence data, using the software Quality Assessment, along with graphing analyses, provided greater precision in the definition of cutoff parameters, which increased the accuracy of genome construction.