Visualizing and Understanding Probability and Statistics: Graphical Simulations Using Excel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Sheldon P.; Gordon, Florence S.

2009-01-01

The authors describe a collection of dynamic interactive simulations for teaching and learning most of the important ideas and techniques of introductory statistics and probability. The modules cover such topics as randomness, simulations of probability experiments such as coin flipping, dice rolling and general binomial experiments, a simulation…

National Profile of Community Colleges: Trends and Statistics, 4th Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillippe, Kent A.; Sullivan, Leila Gonzalez

2005-01-01

This book offers a national view of trends and statistics related to today's community colleges. The new edition includes completely revised text as well as updates to charts and tables on topics such as enrollment, student outcomes, population, curriculum, faculty, workforce, and financial aid. Informative narrative introduces and provides…

Videodisc Interpersonal Skills Training and Assessment (VISTA): Volume 2. Topics Analysis and Scenario Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

A-32 5. Descriptive Statistical Results of Topic Analysis. .. ... A-33 Bt APPENDIX A Part 1 Interpersonal Skills Interview* The... Statistical Results of Topic Analysis ,% Using Part 5 On the following pages, the rank orders of "Difficulty" are given for all 57 situations followed...Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1973, 20, 535-540. Avila, D. L., Combs, A. W., & Purkey, W. W. (Eds). The helping relationship I coursebook . Boston

A study on the application of topic models to motif finding algorithms.

PubMed

Basha Gutierrez, Josep; Nakai, Kenta

2016-12-22

Topic models are statistical algorithms which try to discover the structure of a set of documents according to the abstract topics contained in them. Here we try to apply this approach to the discovery of the structure of the transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) contained in a set of biological sequences, which is a fundamental problem in molecular biology research for the understanding of transcriptional regulation. Here we present two methods that make use of topic models for motif finding. First, we developed an algorithm in which first a set of biological sequences are treated as text documents, and the k-mers contained in them as words, to then build a correlated topic model (CTM) and iteratively reduce its perplexity. We also used the perplexity measurement of CTMs to improve our previous algorithm based on a genetic algorithm and several statistical coefficients. The algorithms were tested with 56 data sets from four different species and compared to 14 other methods by the use of several coefficients both at nucleotide and site level. The results of our first approach showed a performance comparable to the other methods studied, especially at site level and in sensitivity scores, in which it scored better than any of the 14 existing tools. In the case of our previous algorithm, the new approach with the addition of the perplexity measurement clearly outperformed all of the other methods in sensitivity, both at nucleotide and site level, and in overall performance at site level. The statistics obtained show that the performance of a motif finding method based on the use of a CTM is satisfying enough to conclude that the application of topic models is a valid method for developing motif finding algorithms. Moreover, the addition of topic models to a previously developed method dramatically increased its performance, suggesting that this combined algorithm can be a useful tool to successfully predict motifs in different kinds of sets of DNA sequences.

How to Compare Parametric and Nonparametric Person-Fit Statistics Using Real Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinharay, Sandip

2017-01-01

Person-fit assessment (PFA) is concerned with uncovering atypical test performance as reflected in the pattern of scores on individual items on a test. Existing person-fit statistics (PFSs) include both parametric and nonparametric statistics. Comparison of PFSs has been a popular research topic in PFA, but almost all comparisons have employed…

Prevention of hypertrophic scars and keloids by the prophylactic use of topical silicone gel sheets following a surgical procedure in an office setting.

PubMed

Gold, M H; Foster, T D; Adair, M A; Burlison, K; Lewis, T

2001-07-01

Topical silicone gel sheeting has been used for more than 20 years to help reduce the size of hypertrophic scars and keloids. Its clinical efficacy and safety is well established. To determine whether topical silicone gel sheeting can be used to prevent hypertrophic scars and keloids from forming following dermatologic skin surgery. Patients undergoing skin surgery were stratified into two groups: those with no history of abnormal scarring (low-risk group) and those with a history of abnormal scarring (high-risk group). Following the procedure, patients within each group were randomized to receive either routine postoperative care or topical silicone gel sheeting (48 hours after surgery). Patients were followed for 6 months. In the low-risk group, there were no statistical differences between individuals using routine postoperative care or using topical silicone gel sheets. In the high-risk group, there was a statistical difference (39% versus 71%) between patients who did not develop abnormal scars and used topical silicone gel sheeting and patients who developed abnormal scars after routine postoperative treatment. Those individuals having a scar revision procedure also showed a statistical difference if topical silicone gel sheeting was used following surgery. Topical silicone gel sheeting, with a 20-year history of satisfaction in dermatology, now appears to be useful in the prevention of hypertrophic scars and keloids in patients undergoing scar revision.

Tackling Misconceptions about Linear Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huey, Maryann E.; Baker, Deidra L.

2015-01-01

Many teachers of required secondary school mathematics classes are introducing statistics and probability topics traditionally relegated to college or AP Statistics courses. As a result, they need guidance in preparing lesson plans and orchestrating effective classroom discussions. In this article, the authors will describe the students' learning…

Software Used to Generate Cancer Statistics - SEER Cancer Statistics

Cancer.gov

Videos that highlight topics and trends in cancer statistics and definitions of statistical terms. Also software tools for analyzing and reporting cancer statistics, which are used to compile SEER's annual reports.

Crisis in Family Law: Children as Victims of Divorce. Report #R101.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council for Children's Rights, Washington, DC.

Emphasizing the shortcomings of family law and their impact on divorced families and children, this report discusses a variety of topics related to divorce. Topics covered in the report include the following: (1) divorce statistics; (2) methods of resolving family disputes; (3) the marital contract; (4) the public's image of divorced fathers; (5)…

The image recognition based on neural network and Bayesian decision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chugege

2018-04-01

The artificial neural network began in 1940, which is an important part of artificial intelligence. At present, it has become a hot topic in the fields of neuroscience, computer science, brain science, mathematics, and psychology. Thomas Bayes firstly reported the Bayesian theory in 1763. After the development in the twentieth century, it has been widespread in all areas of statistics. In recent years, due to the solution of the problem of high-dimensional integral calculation, Bayesian Statistics has been improved theoretically, which solved many problems that cannot be solved by classical statistics and is also applied to the interdisciplinary fields. In this paper, the related concepts and principles of the artificial neural network are introduced. It also summarizes the basic content and principle of Bayesian Statistics, and combines the artificial neural network technology and Bayesian decision theory and implement them in all aspects of image recognition, such as enhanced face detection method based on neural network and Bayesian decision, as well as the image classification based on the Bayesian decision. It can be seen that the combination of artificial intelligence and statistical algorithms has always been the hot research topic.

Transportation statistics annual report 2004

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-09-01

In this edition of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report, the : Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) focuses on transportation : indicators related to 15 specific topics (chapter 2) and on the state of : transportation statistics (chapter ...

The Effect of Distributed Practice in Undergraduate Statistics Homework Sets: A Randomized Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crissinger, Bryan R.

2015-01-01

Most homework sets in statistics courses are constructed so that students concentrate or "mass" their practice on a certain topic in one problem set. Distributed practice homework sets include review problems in each set so that practice on a topic is distributed across problem sets. There is a body of research that points to the…

Unsupervised Topic Discovery by Anomaly Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

Kullback , and R. A. Leibler , “On information and sufficiency,” Annals of Mathematical Statistics, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 79–86, 1951. [14] S. Basu, A...read known publicly. There is a strong interest in the analysis of these opinions and comments as they provide useful information about the sentiments...them as topics. The difficulty in this approach is finding a good set of keywords that accurately represents the documents. The method used to

Evaluation of the clinical and antimicrobial effects of the Er:YAG laser or topical gaseous ozone as adjuncts to initial periodontal therapy.

PubMed

Yılmaz, Selçuk; Algan, Serdar; Gursoy, Hare; Noyan, Ulku; Kuru, Bahar Eren; Kadir, Tanju

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological results of treatment with the Er:YAG laser and topical gaseous ozone application as adjuncts to initial periodontal therapy in chronic periodontitis (CP) patients. Although many studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the Er:YAG laser as an adjunct to initial periodontal therapy, few studies have focused on the use of gaseous ozone as an adjunct. Thirty patients with CP were randomly divided into three parallel groups, each composed of 10 individuals with at least four teeth having at least one approximal site with a probing depth (PD) of ≥5 mm and a sulcus bleeding index (SBI) ≥2 in each quadrant. Groups of patients received: (1) Scaling and root planing (SRP)+Er:YAG laser; (2) SRP+topical gaseous ozone; or (3) SRP alone. The microbiological and clinical parameters were monitored at day 0 and day 90. At the end of the observation period, statistically significant improvements in clinical parameters were observed within each group. Parallel to the clinical changes, all treatments reduced the number of total bacteria and the proportion of obligately anaerobic microorganisms. Although intergroup comparisons of microbiological parameters showed no significant differences, clinical findings, including attachment gain and PD reduction, were found to be statistically significant in favor of the SRP+Er:YAG laser group. Although statistically nonsignificant, the fact that the obligate anaerobic change was mostly observed in the SRP+Er:YAG laser group, and a similar decrease was noted in the SRP+topical gaseous ozone group, shows that ozone has an antimicrobial effect equivalent to that of the Er:YAG laser.

Development of new on-line statistical program for the Korean Society for Radiation Oncology

PubMed Central

Song, Si Yeol; Ahn, Seung Do; Chung, Weon Kuu; Choi, Eun Kyung; Cho, Kwan Ho

2015-01-01

Purpose To develop new on-line statistical program for the Korean Society for Radiation Oncology (KOSRO) to collect and extract medical data in radiation oncology more efficiently. Materials and Methods The statistical program is a web-based program. The directory was placed in a sub-folder of the homepage of KOSRO and its web address is http://www.kosro.or.kr/asda. The operating systems server is Linux and the webserver is the Apache HTTP server. For database (DB) server, MySQL is adopted and dedicated scripting language is the PHP. Each ID and password are controlled independently and all screen pages for data input or analysis are made to be friendly to users. Scroll-down menu is actively used for the convenience of user and the consistence of data analysis. Results Year of data is one of top categories and main topics include human resource, equipment, clinical statistics, specialized treatment and research achievement. Each topic or category has several subcategorized topics. Real-time on-line report of analysis is produced immediately after entering each data and the administrator is able to monitor status of data input of each hospital. Backup of data as spread sheets can be accessed by the administrator and be used for academic works by any members of the KOSRO. Conclusion The new on-line statistical program was developed to collect data from nationwide departments of radiation oncology. Intuitive screen and consistent input structure are expected to promote entering data of member hospitals and annual statistics should be a cornerstone of advance in radiation oncology. PMID:26157684

Development of new on-line statistical program for the Korean Society for Radiation Oncology.

PubMed

Song, Si Yeol; Ahn, Seung Do; Chung, Weon Kuu; Shin, Kyung Hwan; Choi, Eun Kyung; Cho, Kwan Ho

2015-06-01

To develop new on-line statistical program for the Korean Society for Radiation Oncology (KOSRO) to collect and extract medical data in radiation oncology more efficiently. The statistical program is a web-based program. The directory was placed in a sub-folder of the homepage of KOSRO and its web address is http://www.kosro.or.kr/asda. The operating systems server is Linux and the webserver is the Apache HTTP server. For database (DB) server, MySQL is adopted and dedicated scripting language is the PHP. Each ID and password are controlled independently and all screen pages for data input or analysis are made to be friendly to users. Scroll-down menu is actively used for the convenience of user and the consistence of data analysis. Year of data is one of top categories and main topics include human resource, equipment, clinical statistics, specialized treatment and research achievement. Each topic or category has several subcategorized topics. Real-time on-line report of analysis is produced immediately after entering each data and the administrator is able to monitor status of data input of each hospital. Backup of data as spread sheets can be accessed by the administrator and be used for academic works by any members of the KOSRO. The new on-line statistical program was developed to collect data from nationwide departments of radiation oncology. Intuitive screen and consistent input structure are expected to promote entering data of member hospitals and annual statistics should be a cornerstone of advance in radiation oncology.

Statistical Sources for Health Science Librarians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weise, Frieda

This continuing education course syllabus presents information on the collection of vital and health statistics, lists of agencies or organizations involved in statistical collection and/or dissemination, annotated bibliographies of statistical sources, and guidelines for accessing statistical information. Topics covered include: (1) the reporting…

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

Kogalovskii, M.R.

This paper presents a review of problems related to statistical database systems, which are wide-spread in various fields of activity. Statistical databases (SDB) are referred to as databases that consist of data and are used for statistical analysis. Topics under consideration are: SDB peculiarities, properties of data models adequate for SDB requirements, metadata functions, null-value problems, SDB compromise protection problems, stored data compression techniques, and statistical data representation means. Also examined is whether the present Database Management Systems (DBMS) satisfy the SDB requirements. Some actual research directions in SDB systems are considered.

Statistics for Learning Genetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charles, Abigail Sheena

This study investigated the knowledge and skills that biology students may need to help them understand statistics/mathematics as it applies to genetics. The data are based on analyses of current representative genetics texts, practicing genetics professors' perspectives, and more directly, students' perceptions of, and performance in, doing statistically-based genetics problems. This issue is at the emerging edge of modern college-level genetics instruction, and this study attempts to identify key theoretical components for creating a specialized biological statistics curriculum. The goal of this curriculum will be to prepare biology students with the skills for assimilating quantitatively-based genetic processes, increasingly at the forefront of modern genetics. To fulfill this, two college level classes at two universities were surveyed. One university was located in the northeastern US and the other in the West Indies. There was a sample size of 42 students and a supplementary interview was administered to a select 9 students. Interviews were also administered to professors in the field in order to gain insight into the teaching of statistics in genetics. Key findings indicated that students had very little to no background in statistics (55%). Although students did perform well on exams with 60% of the population receiving an A or B grade, 77% of them did not offer good explanations on a probability question associated with the normal distribution provided in the survey. The scope and presentation of the applicable statistics/mathematics in some of the most used textbooks in genetics teaching, as well as genetics syllabi used by instructors do not help the issue. It was found that the text books, often times, either did not give effective explanations for students, or completely left out certain topics. The omission of certain statistical/mathematical oriented topics was seen to be also true with the genetics syllabi reviewed for this study. Nonetheless, although the necessity for infusing these quantitative subjects with genetics and, overall, the biological sciences is growing (topics including synthetic biology, molecular systems biology and phylogenetics) there remains little time in the semester to be dedicated to the consolidation of learning and understanding.

Teaching Resistance to Teach Resistance: The Use of Self-Defense in Teaching Undergraduates about Gender Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cermele, Jill A.

2004-01-01

Violence against women figures as a common topic in a variety of college courses, including those in psychology, sociology, criminology, and women's studies. The data on the risk of sexual assault for college women makes this a topic of particular interest and importance to many college students. Although it is fairly easy to find statistics about…

Did You Know? Video Series - SEER Cancer Statistics

Cancer.gov

Videos that explain cancer statistics. Choose from topics including survival, statistics overview, survivorship, disparities, and specific cancer types including breast, lung, colorectal, prostate, melanoma of the skin, and others.

Journey Through Statistical Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, C. N.

2013-05-01

My first involvement with statistical mechanics and the many body problem was when I was a student at The National Southwest Associated University in Kunming during the war. At that time Professor Wang Zhu-Xi had just come back from Cambridge, England, where he was a student of Fowler, and his thesis was on phase transitions, a hot topic at that time, and still a very hot topic today...

Statistics in Support of the Ten Topic Areas. White House Conference on Library and Information Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keyser, Amy B., Ed.; LaMoure, Lawrence, Ed.

This booklet presents statistical tables and graphs which were compiled to assist the delegates to the White House Conference on Library and Information Services in formulating their arguments. The tables and graphs have been assigned to one or more of the 10 topic areas, but may also be applied to the three conference themes of Literacy,…

Topical tranexamic acid in total knee replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Panteli, Michalis; Papakostidis, Costas; Dahabreh, Ziad; Giannoudis, Peter V

2013-10-01

To examine the safety and efficacy of topical use of tranexamic acid (TA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). An electronic literature search of PubMed Medline; Ovid Medline; Embase; and the Cochrane Library was performed, identifying studies published in any language from 1966 to February 2013. The studies enrolled adults undergoing a primary TKA, where topical TA was used. Inverse variance statistical method and either a fixed or random effect model, depending on the absence or presence of statistical heterogeneity were used; subgroup analysis was performed when possible. We identified a total of seven eligible reports for analysis. Our meta-analysis indicated that when compared with the control group, topical application of TA limited significantly postoperative drain output (mean difference: -268.36ml), total blood loss (mean difference=-220.08ml), Hb drop (mean difference=-0.94g/dL) and lowered the risk of transfusion requirements (risk ratio=0.47, 95CI=0.26-0.84), without increased risk of thromboembolic events. Sub-group analysis indicated that a higher dose of topical TA (>2g) significantly reduced transfusion requirements. Although the present meta-analysis proved a statistically significant reduction of postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements with topical use of TA in TKA, the clinical importance of the respective estimates of effect size should be interpreted with caution. I, II. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scaling laws and fluctuations in the statistics of word frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerlach, Martin; Altmann, Eduardo G.

2014-11-01

In this paper, we combine statistical analysis of written texts and simple stochastic models to explain the appearance of scaling laws in the statistics of word frequencies. The average vocabulary of an ensemble of fixed-length texts is known to scale sublinearly with the total number of words (Heaps’ law). Analyzing the fluctuations around this average in three large databases (Google-ngram, English Wikipedia, and a collection of scientific articles), we find that the standard deviation scales linearly with the average (Taylor's law), in contrast to the prediction of decaying fluctuations obtained using simple sampling arguments. We explain both scaling laws (Heaps’ and Taylor) by modeling the usage of words using a Poisson process with a fat-tailed distribution of word frequencies (Zipf's law) and topic-dependent frequencies of individual words (as in topic models). Considering topical variations lead to quenched averages, turn the vocabulary size a non-self-averaging quantity, and explain the empirical observations. For the numerous practical applications relying on estimations of vocabulary size, our results show that uncertainties remain large even for long texts. We show how to account for these uncertainties in measurements of lexical richness of texts with different lengths.

Exploring students’ perceived and actual ability in solving statistical problems based on Rasch measurement tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azila Che Musa, Nor; Mahmud, Zamalia; Baharun, Norhayati

2017-09-01

One of the important skills that is required from any student who are learning statistics is knowing how to solve statistical problems correctly using appropriate statistical methods. This will enable them to arrive at a conclusion and make a significant contribution and decision for the society. In this study, a group of 22 students majoring in statistics at UiTM Shah Alam were given problems relating to topics on testing of hypothesis which require them to solve the problems using confidence interval, traditional and p-value approach. Hypothesis testing is one of the techniques used in solving real problems and it is listed as one of the difficult concepts for students to grasp. The objectives of this study is to explore students’ perceived and actual ability in solving statistical problems and to determine which item in statistical problem solving that students find difficult to grasp. Students’ perceived and actual ability were measured based on the instruments developed from the respective topics. Rasch measurement tools such as Wright map and item measures for fit statistics were used to accomplish the objectives. Data were collected and analysed using Winsteps 3.90 software which is developed based on the Rasch measurement model. The results showed that students’ perceived themselves as moderately competent in solving the statistical problems using confidence interval and p-value approach even though their actual performance showed otherwise. Item measures for fit statistics also showed that the maximum estimated measures were found on two problems. These measures indicate that none of the students have attempted these problems correctly due to reasons which include their lack of understanding in confidence interval and probability values.

A Summary of Selected National Data Pertaining to Community, Technical, and Junior Colleges. Appendix for AACJC Statistical Yearbook 1988.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, Washington, DC.

Drawing from data collected by the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, as well as government and other publications from 1987-88, this report presents a statistical portrait of the community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States. Data are provided on the following topics: (1) the number of two-year colleges in…

A Comparison of Low-Fluence 1064-nm Q-Switched Nd: YAG Laser with Topical 20% Azelaic Acid Cream and their Combination in Melasma in Indian Patients

PubMed Central

Bansal, Charu; Naik, Hira; Kar, Hemanta K; Chauhan, Amrita

2012-01-01

Background: Melasma is an acquired symmetric hypermelanosis characterised by irregular light to gray-brown macules on sun-exposed skin with a predilection for the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose and chin. The management of melasma is challenging and requires meticulous use of available therapeutic options. Aims: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of low-fluence Q-switched Nd: YAG laser (QSNYL) with topical 20% azelaic acid cream and their combination in melasma in three study groups of 20 patients each. Materials and Methods: Sixty Indian patients diagnosed as melasma were included. These patients were randomly divided in three groups (group A = 20 patients of melasma treated with low-fluence QSNYL at weekly intervals, group B = 20 patients of melasma treated with twice daily application of 20% azelaic acid cream and group C = 20 patients of melasma treated with combination of both). Study period was of 12 weeks each. Response to treatment was assessed using melasma area and severity index score. Statistical Analysis: The statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test, paired and unpaired student t-test. Results: Significant improvement was recorded in all the three groups. The improvement was statistically highly significant in Group C as compared to group A (P < 0.001) and group B (P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study shows the efficacy of low-fluence QSNYL, topical 20% azelaic acid cream and their combination in melasma. The combination of low-fluence QSNYL and topical 20% azelaic acid cream yields better results as compared to low-fluence QSNYL and azelaic acid alone. PMID:23378709

Topical treatment of major omphalocoele: Acacia nilotica versus povidone-iodine: A randomised controlled study

PubMed Central

Eltayeb, Almoutaz A.; Mostafa, Mahmoud M.

2015-01-01

Background: Conservative management for major omphalocoele with topical agents as escharotics therapy is well established in practice. Different agents have been used in the past, including mercurochrome and alcohol, proved later to be unsafe. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the application of Acacia nilotica paste compared to povidone-iodine solution as a primary non-surgical treatment of major omphalocoele. Patients and Methods: A double-blind, randomised study was conducted on 24 cases of major omphalocoele where they were randomly divided into two equal groups; Group A treated with topical application of A. nilotica paste and Group B treated with topical application of povidone-iodine solution. Cases with gastroschisis, ruptured major omphalocoele or minor omphalocoele were excluded from the study. The evaluating parameters were size of the fascial defect in cm, period of mechanical ventilation if needed, time required for full oral feeding tolerance, duration of hospital stay and any short- or long-term complications. Results: There was no statistical significant difference between both groups regarding their gestational or post-natal age, weight and the mean umbilical port defect. Patients from Group A tolerated full oral feeding earlier and had shorter total hospital stay duration than those from Group B, but without a statistical significant difference (P = 0.347 and 0.242, respectively). The overall mortality rate was 33.3% without a statistical significant difference between both groups (P = 0.667). Conclusions: Application of A. nilotica is a safe and effective treatment of major omphalocoele as it was associated with rapid full enteral feeding tolerance, short duration of hospital stay and low mortality rate. PMID:26712288

Business Statistics Education: Content and Software in Undergraduate Business Statistics Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tabatabai, Manouchehr; Gamble, Ralph

1997-01-01

Survey responses from 204 of 500 business schools identified most often topics in business statistics I and II courses. The most popular software at both levels was Minitab. Most schools required both statistics I and II. (SK)

Transportation statistics annual report 2006

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-12-01

This edition of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report presents selected transportation : data on 13 topics specifi ed in the legislative mandate of the Bureau of : Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportations Res...

Transportation statistics annual report 2003

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-10-01

In this edition of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report, the : Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has focused on transportation : indicators related to 15 specific topics (chapter 2) and on the overall state : of transportation statisti...

Meaningful Statistics in Professional Practices as a Bridge between Mathematics and Science: An Evaluation of a Design Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierdorp, Adri; Bakker, Arthur; van Maanen, Jan A.; Eijkelhof, Harrie M. C.

2014-01-01

Background: Creating coherence between school subjects mathematics and science and making these school subjects meaningful are still topical challenges. This study investigates how students make meaningful connections between mathematics, statistics, science and applications when they engage in a specially developed unit that is based on…

People Patterns: Statistics. Environmental Module for Use in a Mathematics Laboratory Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zastrocky, Michael; Trojan, Arthur

This module on statistics consists of 18 worksheets that cover such topics as sample spaces, mean, median, mode, taking samples, posting results, analyzing data, and graphing. The last four worksheets require the students to work with samples and use these to compare people's responses. A computer dating service is one result of this work.…

Comparative clinical trial of topical anesthetic agents in cataract surgery: lidocaine 2% gel, bupivacaine 0.5% drops, and benoxinate 0.4% drops.

PubMed

Soliman, Mahmoud M; Macky, Tamer A; Samir, M Khaled

2004-08-01

To assess the efficacy of lidocaine gel, bupivacaine drops, and benoxinate drops as topical anesthetic agents in cataract surgery. Kasr El-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. This prospective randomized study comprised 90 patients scheduled for routine cataract extraction. Patients were randomized into 3 groups of 30 each based on which anesthetic agent they received: lidocaine 2% gel, bupivacaine 0.5% drops, or benoxinate 0.4% drops. Subjective pain at application of the agent and intraoperatively was quantified by the patients using a verbal pain score (VPS) scale from 0 to 10. The duration of discomfort at application, duration of surgery, rate of supplemental sub-Tenon's anesthesia, and complications were recorded. The mean VPS at application was 2.97, 1.53, and 1.03 in the lidocaine, bupivacaine, and benoxinate groups, respectively; the VPS in the lidocaine group was statistically significantly higher than in the other 2 groups (P<.001). The mean duration of pain at application was 25 seconds, 14 seconds, and 6 seconds in the lidocaine, bupivacaine, and benoxinate groups, respectively, and was statistically significantly higher in the lidocaine group (P<.001). The mean VPS during surgery was 1.6, 4.1, and 7.1 in the lidocaine, bupivacaine, and benoxinate groups; the lidocaine group had a statistically significantly lower mean VPS than the other 2 groups (P<.001). The incidence of supplemental sub-Tenon's injection was 3.3%, 10.0%, and 73.3%, respectively, and was statistically significantly lower in the lidocaine and bupivacaine groups than in the benoxinate group (P<.001). The patients' overall satisfaction was statistically significantly higher in the lidocaine and bupivacaine groups than in the benoxinate group (93.3%, 83.3%, and 33.3%, respectively) (P<.001). Three patients in the lidocaine group had corneal haze at the time of surgery, which was not statistically significant (P>.1). Lidocaine gel was a better topical anesthetic agent than bupivacaine and benoxinate drops. Bupivacaine drops were effective in providing deep topical anesthesia.

An analysis of the effectiveness of two topical anesthetics.

PubMed Central

Rosivack, R. G.; Koenigsberg, S. R.; Maxwell, K. C.

1990-01-01

This study compared the effectiveness of topical benzocaine 20%, lidocaine 5%, and a placebo in reducing the pain caused by needle insertion when the medicament was placed in the mucobuccal fold above the maxillary canine eminence. Both topical anesthetics and the placebo were randomly tested against each other bilaterally. For uniformity the agents were left in place for three minutes before needle insertion. A 27 gauge short needle mounted on an aspirating syringe was then inserted just past the bevel. Each subject rated the degree of pain on a visual analogue scale 100 mm in length. A pulse oximeter was used to record the heart rate. The results indicate that both topical anesthetics are significantly better than the placebo in reducing pain caused by needle insertion, although no statistically significant differences were found between the two topical anesthetics. Statistically significant differences in heart rate were seen, but these differences were not clinically significant. It is concluded that benzocaine 20% and lidocaine 5% significantly reduce the pain during needle insertion. PMID:2097909

Integration of Research Studies: Meta-Analysis of Research. Methods of Integrative Analysis; Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, Gene V.; And Others

Integrative analysis, or what is coming to be known as meta-analysis, is the integration of the findings of many empirical research studies of a topic. Meta-analysis differs from traditional narrative forms of research reviewing in that it is more quantitative and statistical. Thus, the methods of meta-analysis are merely statistical methods,…

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Use of Probability Models in Making Informal Inferences about a Chance Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazak, Sibel; Pratt, Dave

2017-01-01

This study considers probability models as tools for both making informal statistical inferences and building stronger conceptual connections between data and chance topics in teaching statistics. In this paper, we aim to explore pre-service mathematics teachers' use of probability models for a chance game, where the sum of two dice matters in…

Topical anaesthesia for needle-related pain in newborn infants.

PubMed

Foster, Jann P; Taylor, Christine; Spence, Kaye

2017-02-04

Hospitalised newborn neonates frequently undergo painful invasive procedures that involve penetration of the skin and other tissues by a needle. One intervention that can be used prior to a needle insertion procedure is application of a topical local anaesthetic. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical anaesthetics such as amethocaine and EMLA in newborn term or preterm infants requiring an invasive procedure involving puncture of skin and other tissues with a needle. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase and CINAHL up to 15 May 2016; previous reviews including cross-references, abstracts, and conference proceedings. We contacted expert informants. We contacted authors directly to obtain additional data. We imposed no language restrictions. Randomised, quasi-randomised controlled trials, and cluster and cross-over randomised trials that compared the topical anaesthetics amethocaine and eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) in terms of anaesthetic efficacy and safety in newborn term or preterm infants requiring an invasive procedure involving puncture of skin and other tissues with a needle DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: From the reports of the clinical trials we extracted data regarding clinical outcomes including pain, number of infants with methaemoglobin level 5% and above, number of needle prick attempts prior to successful needle-related procedure, crying, time taken to complete the procedure, episodes of apnoea, episodes of bradycardia, episodes of oxygen desaturation, neurodevelopmental disability and other adverse events. Eight small randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria (n = 506). These studies compared either EMLA and placebo or amethocaine and placebo. No studies compared EMLA and amethocaine. We were unable to meta-analyse the outcome of pain due to differing outcome measures and methods of reporting. For EMLA, two individual studies reported a statistically significant reduction in pain compared to placebo during lumbar puncture and venepuncture. Three studies found no statistical difference between the groups during heel lancing. For amethocaine, three studies reported a statistically significant reduction in pain compared to placebo during venepuncture and one study reported a statistically significant reduction in pain compared to placebo during cannulation. One study reported no statistical difference between the two groups during intramuscular injection.One study reported no statistical difference between EMLA and the placebo group for successful venepuncture at first attempt. One study similarly reported no statistically significant difference between Amethocaine and the placebo group for successful cannulation at first attempt.Risk for local redness, swelling or blanching was significantly higher with EMLA (typical risk ratio (RR) 1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24 to 2.19; typical risk difference (RD) 0.17, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.26; n = 272; number needed to treat for an additional harmful outcome (NNTH) 6, 95% CI 4 to 11; I 2 = 92% indicating considerable heterogeneity) although not for amethocaine (typical RR 2.11, 95% CI 0.72 to 6.16; typical RD 0.05, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.11, n = 221). These local skin reactions for EMLA and amethocaine were reported as short-lasting. Two studies reported no methaemoglobinaemia with single application of EMLA. The quality of the evidence on outcomes assessed according to GRADE was low to moderate. Overall, all the trials were small, and the effects of uncertain clinical significance. The evidence regarding the effectiveness or safety of the interventions studied is inadequate to support clinical recommendations. There has been no evaluation regarding any long-term effects of topical anaesthetics in newborn infants.High quality studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of topical anaesthetics such as amethocaine and EMLA for needle-related pain in newborn term or preterm infants are required. These studies should aim to determine efficacy of these topical anaesthetics and on homogenous groups of infants for gestational age. While there was no methaemoglobinaemia in the studies that reported methaemoglobin, the efficacy and safety of EMLA, especially in very preterm infants, and for repeated application, need to be further evaluated in future studies.

Harmonic statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eliazar, Iddo

2017-05-01

The exponential, the normal, and the Poisson statistical laws are of major importance due to their universality. Harmonic statistics are as universal as the three aforementioned laws, but yet they fall short in their 'public relations' for the following reason: the full scope of harmonic statistics cannot be described in terms of a statistical law. In this paper we describe harmonic statistics, in their full scope, via an object termed harmonic Poisson process: a Poisson process, over the positive half-line, with a harmonic intensity. The paper reviews the harmonic Poisson process, investigates its properties, and presents the connections of this object to an assortment of topics: uniform statistics, scale invariance, random multiplicative perturbations, Pareto and inverse-Pareto statistics, exponential growth and exponential decay, power-law renormalization, convergence and domains of attraction, the Langevin equation, diffusions, Benford's law, and 1/f noise.

Australasian emergency physicians: a learning and educational needs analysis. Part Four: CPD topics desired by emergency physicians.

PubMed

Dent, Andrew W; Weiland, Tracey J; Paltridge, Debbie

2008-06-01

To report the preferences of Fellows of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine for topics they would desire for their continuing professional development (CPD). A mailed survey of Fellows of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine asked for Likert type responses on the desirability of CPD on 15 procedural skills, 13 management skills, 11 clinical emergency topics, 9 topics related to teaching, 7 related to diagnostics and 5 evidence based practice topics. CPD in procedural skills of advanced and surgical airways, ED ultrasound, ventilation, skills, plastic procedures and regional anaesthesia were nominated as desirable by 85% of emergency physicians (EP). More than 90% desired CPD in ophthalmological, otorhinolaryngeal, neonatal and paediatric emergencies. Of diagnostic skills, more than 80% considered CPD on computerized tomography, electrocardiography and plain X-ray interpretation as desirable, well as CPD about teaching in general, simulation and preparing candidates for fellowship exams. Of the 12 management skills, 11 were seen as desirable topics by more than 70%, with counter disaster planning, giving feedback and dealing with complaints the most popular. All evidence based practice related skills, including interpreting statistics and undertaking literature searches were seen as desirable topics by more than 80% of EP. This information may assist in the planning of future educational interventions for emergency physicians. EP seek CPD on management, educational and other non clinical skills, as well as topics relating directly to patient care.

Diagnosis of students' ability in a statistical course based on Rasch probabilistic outcome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmud, Zamalia; Ramli, Wan Syahira Wan; Sapri, Shamsiah; Ahmad, Sanizah

2017-06-01

Measuring students' ability and performance are important in assessing how well students have learned and mastered the statistical courses. Any improvement in learning will depend on the student's approaches to learning, which are relevant to some factors of learning, namely assessment methods carrying out tasks consisting of quizzes, tests, assignment and final examination. This study has attempted an alternative approach to measure students' ability in an undergraduate statistical course based on the Rasch probabilistic model. Firstly, this study aims to explore the learning outcome patterns of students in a statistics course (Applied Probability and Statistics) based on an Entrance-Exit survey. This is followed by investigating students' perceived learning ability based on four Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) and students' actual learning ability based on their final examination scores. Rasch analysis revealed that students perceived themselves as lacking the ability to understand about 95% of the statistics concepts at the beginning of the class but eventually they had a good understanding at the end of the 14 weeks class. In terms of students' performance in their final examination, their ability in understanding the topics varies at different probability values given the ability of the students and difficulty of the questions. Majority found the probability and counting rules topic to be the most difficult to learn.

A WWW-based information system on resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.

PubMed

Schindler, J; Schindler, Z; Schindler, J

1998-01-01

The information system on resistance of bacteria to antibiotics (WARN--World Antibiotic Resistance Network) is implemented as a WWW server at Charles University in Prague (http:/(/)www.warn.cas.cz). Its main goal is to give information about problems of antibiotic resistance of bacteria and to process data on isolated strains. The WARN web-site contains six main topics. Four of them form the core of the system: Topics of Interest bring information on selected timely topics in antibiotic resistance--pneumococci, staphylococci, beta-lactamases, glycopeptide--and aminoglycoside resistance. Global Monitor brings references and reports on resistance in the world as well as recommended method of surveillance. The topic Data contains raw data on strains in particular countries and hospitals. Data can be viewed in their original form as a list of records (strains) or processed to provide statistics about the resistance rates in the selected country or hospital respectively. The topic Search allows one to search for one or several terms in the whole document. Counts of accessed pages show, that there is a standing demand for information about the serious problems of antibiotic therapy of infectious diseases.

From the Law of Large Numbers to Large Deviation Theory in Statistical Physics: An Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecconi, Fabio; Cencini, Massimo; Puglisi, Andrea; Vergni, Davide; Vulpiani, Angelo

This contribution aims at introducing the topics of this book. We start with a brief historical excursion on the developments from the law of large numbers to the central limit theorem and large deviations theory. The same topics are then presented using the language of probability theory. Finally, some applications of large deviations theory in physics are briefly discussed through examples taken from statistical mechanics, dynamical and disordered systems.

Using Financial Investment Measures to Proactively Engage Students in the Introductory Business Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berenson, Mark L.; Koppel, Nicole B.; Lord, Richard A.; Chapdelaine, Laura L.

2018-01-01

Typically, the core-required undergraduate business statistics course covers a broad spectrum of topics with applications pertaining to all functional areas of business. The recently updated American Statistical Association's GAISE (Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education) College Report once again stresses the…

Time to significant pain reduction following DETP application vs placebo for acute soft tissue injuries.

PubMed

Yanchick, J; Magelli, M; Bodie, J; Sjogren, J; Rovati, S

2010-08-01

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) provide fast and effective acute pain relief, but systemic administration has increased risk for some adverse reactions. The diclofenac epolamine 1.3% topical patch (DETP) is a topical NSAID with demonstrated safety and efficacy in treatment of acute pain from minor soft tissue injuries. Significant pain reduction has been observed in clinical trials within several hours following DETP application, suggesting rapid pain relief; however, this has not been extensively studied for topical NSAIDs in general. This retrospective post-hoc analysis examined time to onset of significant pain reduction after DETP application compared to a placebo patch for patients with mild-to-moderate acute ankle sprain, evaluating the primary efficacy endpoint from two nearly identical studies. Data from two double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled studies (N = 274) of safety and efficacy of the DETP applied once daily for 7 days for acute ankle sprain were evaluated post-hoc using statistical modeling to estimate time to onset of significant pain reduction following DETP application. Pain on active movement on a 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) recorded in patient diaries; physician- and patient-assessed tolerability; and adverse events. DETP treatment resulted in significant pain reduction within approximately 3 hours compared to placebo. Within-treatment post-hoc analysis based on a statistical model suggested significant pain reduction occurred as early as 1.27 hours for the DETP group. The study may have been limited by the retrospective nature of the analyses. In both studies, the DETP was well tolerated with few adverse events, limited primarily to application site skin reactions. The DETP is an effective treatment for acute minor soft tissue injury, providing pain relief as rapidly as 1.27 hours post-treatment. Statistical modeling may be useful in estimating time to onset of pain relief for comparison of topical and oral NSAIDs.

Topical photodynamic therapy with methylaminolevulinate for the treatment of actinic keratosis and reduction of photodamage in organ transplant recipients: a case-series of 16 patients.

PubMed

Hasson, Ariel; Navarrete-Dechent, Cristián; Nicklas, Claudia; de la Cruz, Claudia

2012-01-01

Organ transplant recipients (OTR) are at high risk of developing cutaneous neoplasms. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used for the treatment of actinic keratosis (AK) in OTR. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of PDT with methylaminolevulinate (MAL) in the treatment of facial AK in OTR. As a secondary objective, we wanted to evaluate the usefulness of topical PDT in the reduction of photodamage in OTR. A prospective, single center, single arm study was made. 16 OTR were included. Topical PDT was applied for 1 or 2 cycles depending on the patient's characteristics. An evaluation of AK was made at visits pre-treatment, at 12 weeks and at 24 weeks. Photodamage was measured with multispectral image technique (SkinCare). A complete response rate of 100% was achieved for AK in all patients; it persisted without change at 12 and 24 weeks of follow-up. 62.5% of patients improved their photodamage as measured by SkinCare®, but this result was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). All patients had high level of satisfaction at the end of the therapy. MAL-PDT is an effective therapy for the treatment of AK in OTRs. It can reduce photodamage in this group of patients, but these results were not statistically significant.

Selected Bibliography on Optimizing Techniques in Statistics

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

problems in business, industry and .ogovern nt ae f rmulated as optimization problem. Topics in optimization constitute an essential area of study in...numerical, iii) mathematical programming, and (iv) variational. We provide pertinent references with statistical applications Sin the above areas in Part I...TMS Advanced Studies in Managentnt Sciences, North-Holland PIIENli iiiany, Amsterdam. (To appear.) Spang, H. A. (1962). A review of minimization

Testing Cessation Messages for Cigarette Package Inserts: Findings from a Best/Worst Discrete Choice Experiment

PubMed Central

Thrasher, James F.; Davis, Rachel E.; Popova, Lucy; Cho, Yoo Jin; Salloum, Ramzi G.; Louviere, Jordan; Hammond, David

2018-01-01

This study assessed smokers’ responses to different smoking cessation topics and imagery for cigarette package inserts. Adult smokers from Canada (n = 1000) participated in three discrete choice experiments (DCEs): DCE 1 assessed five cessation benefit topics and five imagery types; DCE 2 assessed five messages with tips to improve cessation success and five imagery types; DCE 3 assessed four reproductive health benefits of cessation topics and four imagery types. In each DCE, participants evaluated four or five sets of four inserts, selecting the most and least motivating (DCEs 1 & 3) or helpful (DCE 2) for quitting. Linear mixed models regressed choices on insert and smoker characteristics. For DCE 1, the most motivating messages involved novel disease topics and imagery of younger women. For DCE 2, topics of social support, stress reduction and nicotine replacement therapy were selected as most helpful, with no differences by imagery type. For DCE 3, imagery influenced choices more than topic, with imagery of a family or a mom and baby selected as most motivating. Statistically significant interactions for all three experiments indicated that the influence of imagery type on choices depended on the message topic. Messages to promote smoking cessation through cigarette pack inserts should consider specific combinations of message topic and imagery. PMID:29415523

Comparative Evaluation of Topical 10% Potassium Hydroxide and 30% Trichloroacetic Acid in the Treatment of Plane Warts

PubMed Central

Jayaprasad, Sandhaya; Subramaniyan, Radhakrishnan; Devgan, Shalini

2016-01-01

Background: Warts are benign proliferations of skin and mucosa caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Plane warts are caused by HPV types 3, 10, 28, and 41, occurring mostly in children and young adults. Among the treatment modalities, topical application of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is age old. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) has a keratolytic effect on virus-infected cells. It is less irritating, less painful, less scar forming, and can be safely used in children too. Hence, it could be a better topical agent in the treatment of plane warts. Aims and Objectives: To compare the safety and efficacy of topical 10% KOH with 30% TCA in the treatment of plane warts. Materials and Methods: Sixty consecutive patients with plane warts were randomly assigned into two arms of thirty patients each; arm A received topical 10% KOH and arm B received topical 30% TCA as a once weekly application until the complete clearance of warts or a maximum period of 12 weeks. Results: Statistically no significant difference (P = 0.07) was found between the objective therapeutic response to 10% KOH and 30% TCA at the end of study (12 weeks). However, subjective response to 10% KOH was better and statistically significant (P = 0.03). There was no recurrence of warts seen on follow-up for 3 months of complete responders in both the arms. Conclusion: 10% KOH is found to be equally effective in the treatment of plane warts compared to 30% TCA with the advantage of faster onset of action and tendency of completely clearing warts with fewer side effects. PMID:27904181

Visualizing water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baart, F.; van Gils, A.; Hagenaars, G.; Donchyts, G.; Eisemann, E.; van Velzen, J. W.

2016-12-01

A compelling visualization is captivating, beautiful and narrative. Here we show how melding the skills of computer graphics, art, statistics, and environmental modeling can be used to generate innovative, attractive and very informative visualizations. We focus on the topic of visualizing forecasts and measurements of water (water level, waves, currents, density, and salinity). For the field of computer graphics and arts, water is an important topic because it occurs in many natural scenes. For environmental modeling and statistics, water is an important topic because the water is essential for transport, a healthy environment, fruitful agriculture, and a safe environment.The different disciplines take different approaches to visualizing water. In computer graphics, one focusses on creating water as realistic looking as possible. The focus on realistic perception (versus the focus on the physical balance pursued by environmental scientists) resulted in fascinating renderings, as seen in recent games and movies. Visualization techniques for statistical results have benefited from the advancement in design and journalism, resulting in enthralling infographics. The field of environmental modeling has absorbed advances in contemporary cartography as seen in the latest interactive data-driven maps. We systematically review the design emerging types of water visualizations. The examples that we analyze range from dynamically animated forecasts, interactive paintings, infographics, modern cartography to web-based photorealistic rendering. By characterizing the intended audience, the design choices, the scales (e.g. time, space), and the explorability we provide a set of guidelines and genres. The unique contributions of the different fields show how the innovations in the current state of the art of water visualization have benefited from inter-disciplinary collaborations.

Regression modeling of ground-water flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooley, R.L.; Naff, R.L.

1985-01-01

Nonlinear multiple regression methods are developed to model and analyze groundwater flow systems. Complete descriptions of regression methodology as applied to groundwater flow models allow scientists and engineers engaged in flow modeling to apply the methods to a wide range of problems. Organization of the text proceeds from an introduction that discusses the general topic of groundwater flow modeling, to a review of basic statistics necessary to properly apply regression techniques, and then to the main topic: exposition and use of linear and nonlinear regression to model groundwater flow. Statistical procedures are given to analyze and use the regression models. A number of exercises and answers are included to exercise the student on nearly all the methods that are presented for modeling and statistical analysis. Three computer programs implement the more complex methods. These three are a general two-dimensional, steady-state regression model for flow in an anisotropic, heterogeneous porous medium, a program to calculate a measure of model nonlinearity with respect to the regression parameters, and a program to analyze model errors in computed dependent variables such as hydraulic head. (USGS)

A Unifying Framework for Teaching Nonparametric Statistical Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bargagliotti, Anna E.; Orrison, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Increased importance is being placed on statistics at both the K-12 and undergraduate level. Research divulging effective methods to teach specific statistical concepts is still widely sought after. In this paper, we focus on best practices for teaching topics in nonparametric statistics at the undergraduate level. To motivate the work, we…

The decade 1989-1998 in Spanish psychology: an analysis of research in statistics, methodology, and psychometric theory.

PubMed

García-Pérez, M A

2001-11-01

This paper presents an analysis of research published in the decade 1989-1998 by Spanish faculty members in the areas of statistical methods, research methodology, and psychometric theory. Database search and direct correspondence with faculty members in Departments of Methodology across Spain rendered a list of 193 papers published in these broad areas by 82 faculty members. These and other faculty members had actually published 931 papers over the decade of analysis, but 738 of them addressed topics not appropriate for description in this report. Classification and analysis of these 193 papers revealed topics that have attracted the most interest (psychophysics, item response theory, analysis of variance, sequential analysis, and meta-analysis) as well as other topics that have received less attention (scaling, factor analysis, time series, and structural models). A significant number of papers also dealt with various methodological issues (software, algorithms, instrumentation, and techniques). A substantial part of this report is devoted to describing the issues addressed across these 193 papers--most of which are written in the Spanish language and published in Spanish journals--and some representative references are given.

Applying Monte Carlo Simulation to Launch Vehicle Design and Requirements Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, J. M.; Beard, B. B.

2010-01-01

This Technical Publication (TP) is meant to address a number of topics related to the application of Monte Carlo simulation to launch vehicle design and requirements analysis. Although the focus is on a launch vehicle application, the methods may be applied to other complex systems as well. The TP is organized so that all the important topics are covered in the main text, and detailed derivations are in the appendices. The TP first introduces Monte Carlo simulation and the major topics to be discussed, including discussion of the input distributions for Monte Carlo runs, testing the simulation, how many runs are necessary for verification of requirements, what to do if results are desired for events that happen only rarely, and postprocessing, including analyzing any failed runs, examples of useful output products, and statistical information for generating desired results from the output data. Topics in the appendices include some tables for requirements verification, derivation of the number of runs required and generation of output probabilistic data with consumer risk included, derivation of launch vehicle models to include possible variations of assembled vehicles, minimization of a consumable to achieve a two-dimensional statistical result, recontact probability during staging, ensuring duplicated Monte Carlo random variations, and importance sampling.

Transportation statistics annual report 2007

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-01-01

This edition of the Transportation Statistics Annual Report (TSAR) presents selected transportation data on topics specified in the legislative mandate of the U.S. Department of Transportations Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bu...

Modifying your Physics and Astronomy Courses to Incorporate Heliophysics - Some Examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cebulka, Rebecca; Cox, Amanda; Rodriguez Garrigues, Alvar; Hoshino, Laura; Fitzgerald, Cullen; Montgomery, M.; Al-Rawi, Ahlam N.; Velissaris, Christos; Flitsiyan, Elena

2016-01-01

Although physics and astronomy courses include heliophysics topics, students still leave the courses without knowing what heliophysics is and how heliophysics relates to their daily lives. To meet goals of NASA's Living With a Star Program, UCF Physics has modified courses such as SCALE-UP: Electricity and Magnetism for Engineers and Scientists, Astronomy (for non-science majors), and Astrophysics to include heliophysics topics. In this poster, we present the previous labs, the student-modified labs to incorporate heliophysics, and we present student learning statistics.

Zeaxanthin-based dietary supplement and topical serum improve hydration and reduce wrinkle count in female subjects.

PubMed

Schwartz, Steve; Frank, Emily; Gierhart, Dennis; Simpson, Paula; Frumento, Robert

2016-12-01

Dietary modification, through supplementation and elimination diets, has become an area of interest to help slow skin aging, reduce symptom severity or prevent reoccurrence of certain dermatologic conditions [Clinical Dermatology vol. 31 (2013) 677-700]. Free radical components (reactive oxygen species or ROS) or lipid peroxide (LPO) is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of accelerated skin aging when prolonged oxidative stress occurs. The use of antioxidant-related therapies such as nutraceuticals is of particular interest in restoring skin homeostasis. Antioxidant carotenoid zeaxanthin is concentrated in the eye and skin tissue and believed to decrease the formation of ROS associated with UV light exposure. With zeaxanthin, phytoceramides, and botanical extracts an oral and topical test product (with zeaxanthin, algae extracts, peptides, hyaluronate) have been developed to improve the appearance and condition of skin when used as directed. Subjects were divided into three groups: two tests (skin formula 1 - oral product alone (ZO-1), skin formula 2- oral product with topical product (ZO-2 + ZT)), and one placebo control. The study consisted of a washout visit, baseline (randomization), week two (2), week four (4), week six (6), week eight (8), and week twelve (12). Key parameters measured were as follows: fine lines, deep lines, total wrinkles, wrinkle severity, radiance/skin color (L, a*, b*), discolorations, and skin pigment homogeneity. Thirty-one subjects completed the twelve-week study; no adverse events were recorded during the study. Statistically significant improvements from baseline mean hydration score were observed in active groups at weeks 2, 6, and 8. A statistically significant difference was observed between mean differences from baseline scores for total wrinkle count at week 4 for the combination active groups compared to placebo. A statistically significant difference from baseline scores for fine lines count was also observed at the week 4 visit compared to placebo for both active groups. Statistically significant differences from baseline scores for average wrinkles severity were seen for week 12 visit for both active groups compared to placebo. We have shown that the combination of zeaxanthin-based dietary supplement plus a topical formulation produces superior hydration to that of placebo. Additionally, we have shown that the combination of oral and topical combination vs. oral alone has superior abilities to improve parameters associated with facial lines and wrinkles compared to placebo, although the dietary supplement alone proved most effective in reducing wrinkle count and severity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mental Mechanisms for Topics Identification

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Topics identification (TI) is the process that consists in determining the main themes present in natural language documents. The current TI modeling paradigm aims at acquiring semantic information from statistic properties of large text datasets. We investigate the mental mechanisms responsible for the identification of topics in a single document given existing knowledge. Our main hypothesis is that topics are the result of accumulated neural activation of loosely organized information stored in long-term memory (LTM). We experimentally tested our hypothesis with a computational model that simulates LTM activation. The model assumes activation decay as an unavoidable phenomenon originating from the bioelectric nature of neural systems. Since decay should negatively affect the quality of topics, the model predicts the presence of short-term memory (STM) to keep the focus of attention on a few words, with the expected outcome of restoring quality to a baseline level. Our experiments measured topics quality of over 300 documents with various decay rates and STM capacity. Our results showed that accumulated activation of loosely organized information was an effective mental computational commodity to identify topics. It was furthermore confirmed that rapid decay is detrimental to topics quality but that limited capacity STM restores quality to a baseline level, even exceeding it slightly. PMID:24744775

Mammography: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... National Center for Health Statistics) MQSA National Statistics (Food and Drug Administration) Women with Disabilities and Breast Cancer Screening (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Mammography (National Institutes of ...

Introduction to the topical issue: Nonadditive entropy and nonextensive statistical mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Masaru

. Dear CMT readers, it is my pleasure to introduce you to this topical issue dealing with a new research field of great interest, nonextensive statistical mechanics. This theory was initiated by Constantino Tsallis' work in 1998, as a possible generalization of Boltzmann-Gibbs thermostatistics. It is based on a nonadditive entropy, nowadays referred to as the Tsallis entropy. Nonextensive statistical mechanics is expected to be a consistent and unified theoretical framework for describing the macroscopic properties of complex systems that are anomalous in view of ordinary thermostatistics. In such systems, the long-standing problem regarding the relationship between statistical and dynamical laws becomes highlighted, since ergodicity and mixing may not be well realized in situations such as the edge of chaos. The phase space appears to self-organize in a structure that is not simply Euclidean but (multi)fractal. Due to this nontrivial structure, the concept of homogeneity of the system, which is the basic premise in ordinary thermodynamics, is violated and accordingly the additivity postulate for the thermodynamic quantities such as the internal energy and entropy may not be justified, in general. (Physically, nonadditivity is deeply relevant to nonextensivity of a system, in which the thermodynamic quantities do not scale with size in a simple way. Typical examples are systems with long-range interactions like self-gravitating systems as well as nonneutral charged ones.) A point of crucial importance here is that, phenomenologically, such an exotic phase-space structure has a fairly long lifetime. Therefore, this state, referred to as a metaequilibrium state or a nonequilibrium stationary state, appears to be described by a generalized entropic principle different from the traditional Boltzmann-Gibbs form, even though it may eventually approach the Boltzmann-Gibbs equilibrium state. The limits t-> ∞ and N-> ∞ do not commute, where t and N are time and the number of particles, respectively. The present topical issue is devoted to summarizing the current status of nonextensive statistical mechanics from various perspectives. It is my hope that this issue can inform the reader of one of the foremost research areas in thermostatistics. This issue consists of eight articles. The first one by Tsallis and Brigatti presents a general introduction and an overview of nonextensive statistical mechanics. At first glance, generalization of the ordinary Boltzmann-Gibbs-Shannon entropy might be completely arbitrary. But Abe's article explains how Tsallis' generalization of the statistical entropy can uniquely be characterized by both physical and mathematical principles. Then, the article by Pluchino, Latora, and Rapisarda presents a strong evidence that nonextensive statistical mechanics is in fact relevant to nonextensive systems with long-range interactions. The articles by Rajagopal, by Wada, and by Plastino, Miller, and Plastino are concerned with the macroscopic thermodynamic properties of nonextensive statistical mechanics. Rajagopal discusses the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Wada develops a discussion about the condition under which the nonextensive statistical-mechanical formalism is thermodynamically stable. The work of Plastino, Miller, and Plastino addresses the thermodynamic Legendre-transform structure and its robustness for generalizations of entropy. After these fundamental investigations, Sakagami and Taruya examine the theory for self-gravitating systems. Finally, Beck presents a novel idea of the so-called superstatistics, which provides nonextensive statistical mechanics with a physical interpretation based on nonequilibrium concepts including temperature fluctuations. Its applications to hydrodynamic turbulence and pattern formation in thermal convection states are also discussed. Nonextensive statistical mechanics is already a well-studied field, and a number of works are available in the literature. It is recommended that the interested reader visit the URL http: //tsallis.cat.cbpf.br/TEMUCO.pdf. There, one can find a comprehensive list of references to more than one thousand papers including important results that, due to lack of space, have not been mentioned in the present issue. Though there are so many published works, nonextensive statistical mechanics is still a developing field. This can naturally be understood, since the program that has been undertaken is an extremely ambitious one that makes a serious attempt to enlarge the horizons of the realm of statistical mechanics. The possible influence of nonextensive statistical mechanics on continuum mechanics and thermodynamics seems to be wide and deep. I will therefore be happy if this issue contributes to attracting the interest of researchers and stimulates research activities not only in the very field of nonextensive statistical mechanics but also in the field of continuum mechanics and thermodynamics in a wider context. As the editor of the present topical issue, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who joined up to make this issue. I cordially thank Professor S. Abe for advising me on the editorial policy. Without his help, the present topical issue would never have been brought out.

Studies in Mathematics Education: The Teaching of Statistics, Volume 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Robert, Ed.

This volume examines the teaching of statistics in the whole range of education, but concentrates on primary and secondary schools. It is based upon selected topics from the Second International Congress on Teaching Statistics (ICOTS 2), convened in Canada in August 1986. The contents of this volume divide broadly into four parts: statistics in…

Book Trade Research and Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Sharon G.; Ink, Gary; Grabois, Andrew; Barr, Catherine

2001-01-01

Includes six articles that discuss research and statistics relating to the book trade. Topics include prices of U.S. and foreign materials; book title output and average prices; book sales statistics; book exports and imports; book outlets in the U.S. and Canada; and books and other media reviewed. (LRW)

Advances in statistics

Treesearch

Howard Stauffer; Nadav Nur

2005-01-01

The papers included in the Advances in Statistics section of the Partners in Flight (PIF) 2002 Proceedings represent a small sample of statistical topics of current importance to Partners In Flight research scientists: hierarchical modeling, estimation of detection probabilities, and Bayesian applications. Sauer et al. (this volume) examines a hierarchical model...

How can we enhance girls' interest in scientific topics?

PubMed

Kerger, Sylvie; Martin, Romain; Brunner, Martin

2011-12-01

Girls are considerably less interested in scientific subjects than boys. One reason may be that scientific subjects are considered to be genuinely masculine. Thus, being interested in science may threaten the self-perception of girls as well as the femininity of their self-image. If scientific topics that are considered to be stereotypically feminine were chosen, however, this potential threat might be overcome which, in turn, might lead to an increase in girls' interest in science. This hypothesis was empirically tested by means of two studies. Participants were 294 (Study 1) and 190 (Study 2) Grade 8 to Grade 9 students. Gender differences in students' interest in masculine and feminine topics were investigated for a range of scientific concepts (Study 1) as well as for a given scientific concept (Study 2) for four scientific subjects (i.e., biology, physics, information technology, and statistics), respectively. Both studies indicated that the mean level of girls' scientific interest was higher when scientific concepts were presented in the context of feminine topics and boys' level of scientific interests was higher when scientific concepts were presented in the context of masculine topics. Girls' interest in science could be substantially increased by presenting scientific concepts in the context of feminine topics. Gender differences as well as individual differences in the level of interest in scientific topics may be taken into account by creating learning environments in which students could select the context in which a certain scientific concept is embedded. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Frontiers of Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy. Part 1. New concepts and noteworthy developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noda, Isao

2014-07-01

A comprehensive survey review of new and noteworthy developments, which are advancing forward the frontiers in the field of 2D correlation spectroscopy during the last four years, is compiled. This review covers books, proceedings, and review articles published on 2D correlation spectroscopy, a number of significant conceptual developments in the field, data pretreatment methods and other pertinent topics, as well as patent and publication trends and citation activities. Developments discussed include projection 2D correlation analysis, concatenated 2D correlation, and correlation under multiple perturbation effects, as well as orthogonal sample design, predicting 2D correlation spectra, manipulating and comparing 2D spectra, correlation strategy based on segmented data blocks, such as moving-window analysis, features like determination of sequential order and enhanced spectral resolution, statistical 2D spectroscopy using covariance and other statistical metrics, hetero-correlation analysis, and sample-sample correlation technique. Data pretreatment operations prior to 2D correlation analysis are discussed, including the correction for physical effects, background and baseline subtraction, selection of reference spectrum, normalization and scaling of data, derivatives spectra and deconvolution technique, and smoothing and noise reduction. Other pertinent topics include chemometrics and statistical considerations, peak position shift phenomena, variable sampling increments, computation and software, display schemes, such as color coded format, slice and power spectra, tabulation, and other schemes.

Understanding immigrants, schooling, and school psychology: Contemporary science and practice.

PubMed

Frisby, Craig L; Jimerson, Shane R

2016-06-01

Immigration into the United States is a particularly salient topic of current contemporary educational, social, and political discussions. The school-related needs of immigrant children and youth can be well served by rigorous research and effective school psychology preservice training and preparation. This overview highlights key definitions, demographic statistics, and current resources related to immigration in U.S. society. This special topic section on understanding immigrants, schooling, and school psychology features articles relevant to this important topic. We conclude with a call for this effort to serve as a springboard for future discussions, scholarship, and school psychology training in preparing practitioners for serving children who are immigrants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Prospective pilot study on combined use of pulsed dye laser and 1% topical rapamycin for treatment of nonfacial cutaneous capillary malformation.

PubMed

Doh, Eun Jin; Ohn, Jungyoon; Kim, Min Ji; Kim, Young Gull; Cho, Soyun

2017-11-01

The regeneration or revascularization of blood vessels after pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment is one of the causes of treatment failures of cutaneous capillary malformations (CM). Recently, topical administration of rapamycin was introduced as a possible adjunctive therapeutic option to minimize postlaser revascularization in facial CM. We evaluated the effect of combined use of 1% topical rapamycin with PDL compared to PDL alone in cutaneous CM of trunk or extremities and tried to identify the optimal duration of topical rapamycin application. Three adjacent areas of cutaneous CM that had never been treated before were selected in each patient and underwent the following regimens: (A) PDL + vehicle for 8 weeks post-PDL; (B) PDL + topical rapamycin for 1-week post-PDL and (C) PDL + topical rapamycin for 8 weeks post-PDL. Each test site was treated by PDL for two sessions with 8 weeks interval. Only one of six patients showed clinical improvement with combined rapamycin treatment. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference in erythema and blanching rate among PDL alone and combined rapamycin regimens. One percent topical rapamycin does not seem to be effective as a treatment modality for cutaneous CM of trunk or extremities.

Biostatistics primer: part I.

PubMed

Overholser, Brian R; Sowinski, Kevin M

2007-12-01

Biostatistics is the application of statistics to biologic data. The field of statistics can be broken down into 2 fundamental parts: descriptive and inferential. Descriptive statistics are commonly used to categorize, display, and summarize data. Inferential statistics can be used to make predictions based on a sample obtained from a population or some large body of information. It is these inferences that are used to test specific research hypotheses. This 2-part review will outline important features of descriptive and inferential statistics as they apply to commonly conducted research studies in the biomedical literature. Part 1 in this issue will discuss fundamental topics of statistics and data analysis. Additionally, some of the most commonly used statistical tests found in the biomedical literature will be reviewed in Part 2 in the February 2008 issue.

Applications of statistics to medical science, II overview of statistical procedures for general use.

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

Procedures of statistical analysis are reviewed to provide an overview of applications of statistics for general use. Topics that are dealt with are inference on a population, comparison of two populations with respect to means and probabilities, and multiple comparisons. This study is the second part of series in which we survey medical statistics. Arguments related to statistical associations and regressions will be made in subsequent papers.

Improved Student Outcomes in a Flipped Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Laura; Phillips, Mark

2016-01-01

Statistics is a required competency in numerous college majors, but students frequently approach the topic with anxiety. This paper describes an undergraduate statistics course that was "flipped," with most of the content delivery moved online and class time devoted to application and practice. Students were given a menu of learning…

Illustrating Sampling Distribution of a Statistic: Minitab Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, H. Dean; Evans, Marc A.

2008-01-01

Understanding the concept of the sampling distribution of a statistic is essential for the understanding of inferential procedures. Unfortunately, this topic proves to be a stumbling block for students in introductory statistics classes. In efforts to aid students in their understanding of this concept, alternatives to a lecture-based mode of…

Development of computer-assisted instruction application for statistical data analysis android platform as learning resource

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendikawati, P.; Arifudin, R.; Zahid, M. Z.

2018-03-01

This study aims to design an android Statistics Data Analysis application that can be accessed through mobile devices to making it easier for users to access. The Statistics Data Analysis application includes various topics of basic statistical along with a parametric statistics data analysis application. The output of this application system is parametric statistics data analysis that can be used for students, lecturers, and users who need the results of statistical calculations quickly and easily understood. Android application development is created using Java programming language. The server programming language uses PHP with the Code Igniter framework, and the database used MySQL. The system development methodology used is the Waterfall methodology with the stages of analysis, design, coding, testing, and implementation and system maintenance. This statistical data analysis application is expected to support statistical lecturing activities and make students easier to understand the statistical analysis of mobile devices.

Is combined topical with intravenous tranexamic acid superior than topical, intravenous tranexamic acid alone and control groups for blood loss controlling after total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lin, Chunmei; Qi, Yingmei; Jie, Li; Li, Hong-Biao; Zhao, Xi-Cheng; Qin, Lei; Jiang, Xin-Qiang; Zhang, Zhen-Hua; Ma, Liping

2016-12-01

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined topical with intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) versus topical, intravenous TXA alone or control for reducing blood loss after a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In May 2016, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Chinese Wanfang database. This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement criteria. Only patients prepared for primary TKA that administration combined topical with intravenous TXA with topical TXA, intravenous (IV) TXA, or control group for reducing blood loss were included. Eligible criteria were published RCTs about combined topical with intravenous TXA with topical alone or intravenous alone. The primary endpoint was the total blood loss and need for transfusion. The complications of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were also compiled to assess the safety of combined topical TXA with intravenous TXA. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs were estimated for dichotomous outcomes, and mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs for continuous outcomes. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to appraise a risk of bias. Stata 12.0 software was used for meta-analysis. Fifteen studies involving 1495 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled meta-analysis indicated that combined topical TXA with intravenous TXA can reduce the total blood loss compared with placebo with a mean of 458.66 mL and the difference is statistically significant (MD = -458.66, 95% CI: -655.40 to 261.91, P < 0.001). Compared with intravenous TXA, combined administrated TXA can decrease the total blood loss, and the difference is statistically significant (MD = -554.03, 95% CI: -1066.21 to -41.85, P = 0.034). Compared with the topical administration TXA, the pooled meta-analysis indicated that combined TXA can decrease the amount of total blood loss with mean 107.65 mL with statistically significant(MD = -107.65, 95% CI: -525.55 to -239.9141.85, P = 0.001). The pooled results indicated that combined topical with intravenous TXA can decrease the need for transfusion (RR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.23-0.50, P < 0.001). There is no significant difference between combined topical with intravenous TXA with topical or intravenous TXA (P > 0.05) in terms of need for transfusion and the occurrence of DVT. Compared with topical, intravenous TXA alone or control group, combined topical with TXA, can decrease the total blood loss and subsequent need for transfusion without increasing the occurrence of DVT. The dose and timing to administration TXA is different, and more randomized controlled trials are warranted to clarify the optimal dosing and time to administration TXA.

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

Eliazar, Iddo, E-mail: eliazar@post.tau.ac.il

The exponential, the normal, and the Poisson statistical laws are of major importance due to their universality. Harmonic statistics are as universal as the three aforementioned laws, but yet they fall short in their ‘public relations’ for the following reason: the full scope of harmonic statistics cannot be described in terms of a statistical law. In this paper we describe harmonic statistics, in their full scope, via an object termed harmonic Poisson process: a Poisson process, over the positive half-line, with a harmonic intensity. The paper reviews the harmonic Poisson process, investigates its properties, and presents the connections of thismore » object to an assortment of topics: uniform statistics, scale invariance, random multiplicative perturbations, Pareto and inverse-Pareto statistics, exponential growth and exponential decay, power-law renormalization, convergence and domains of attraction, the Langevin equation, diffusions, Benford’s law, and 1/f noise. - Highlights: • Harmonic statistics are described and reviewed in detail. • Connections to various statistical laws are established. • Connections to perturbation, renormalization and dynamics are established.« less

Topics in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1963-2015.

PubMed

Oh, JungSu; Stewart, Alan E; Phelps, Rosemary E

2017-11-01

Historical trends in a scientific field should be apparent in the changing content of journal articles over time. Using a topic modeling approach, a statistical method for quantifying the thematic content of text, 70 topics were extracted from the abstracts of 3,603 articles published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology from 1963 to 2015. After examining interpretability of 70 topics derived from the model, 64 meaningful topics and their trends were named. In addition, the authors also classified some of the related topics into 4 categories-counseling process and outcome, multiculturalism, research methodology, and vocational psychology. Counseling process and outcome related topics have decreased recently, while topics relating to multiculturalism and diversity have shown increasing trends. The authors also discussed trends that were observed and tried to account for the changing frequencies of some important research topics within these categories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Preface: Special Topic on Single-Molecule Biophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makarov, Dmitrii E.; Schuler, Benjamin

2018-03-01

Single-molecule measurements are now almost routinely used to study biological systems and processes. The scope of this special topic emphasizes the physics side of single-molecule observations, with the goal of highlighting new developments in physical techniques as well as conceptual insights that single-molecule measurements bring to biophysics. This issue also comprises recent advances in theoretical physical models of single-molecule phenomena, interpretation of single-molecule signals, and fundamental areas of statistical mechanics that are related to single-molecule observations. A particular goal is to illustrate the increasing synergy between theory, simulation, and experiment in single-molecule biophysics.

Building Capacity for Developing Statistical Literacy in a Developing Country: Lessons Learned from an Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North, Delia; Gal, Iddo; Zewotir, Temesgen

2014-01-01

This paper aims to contribute to the emerging literature on capacity-building in statistics education by examining issues pertaining to the readiness of teachers in a developing country to teach basic statistical topics. The paper reflects on challenges and barriers to building statistics capacity at grass-roots level in a developing country,…

Network Data: Statistical Theory and New Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-17

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: During this period of review, Bin Yu worked on many thrusts of high-dimensional statistical theory and methodologies. Her...research covered a wide range of topics in statistics including analysis and methods for spectral clustering for sparse and structured networks...2,7,8,21], sparse modeling (e.g. Lasso) [4,10,11,17,18,19], statistical guarantees for the EM algorithm [3], statistical analysis of algorithm leveraging

Latent topic discovery of clinical concepts from hospital discharge summaries of a heterogeneous patient cohort.

PubMed

Lehman, Li-Wei; Long, William; Saeed, Mohammed; Mark, Roger

2014-01-01

Patients in critical care often exhibit complex disease patterns. A fundamental challenge in clinical research is to identify clinical features that may be characteristic of adverse patient outcomes. In this work, we propose a data-driven approach for phenotype discovery of patients in critical care. We used Hierarchical Dirichlet Process (HDP) as a non-parametric topic modeling technique to automatically discover the latent "topic" structure of diseases, symptoms, and findings documented in hospital discharge summaries. We show that the latent topic structure can be used to reveal phenotypic patterns of diseases and symptoms shared across subgroups of a patient cohort, and may contain prognostic value in stratifying patients' post hospital discharge mortality risks. Using discharge summaries of a large patient cohort from the MIMIC II database, we evaluate the clinical utility of the discovered topic structure in identifying patients who are at high risk of mortality within one year post hospital discharge. We demonstrate that the learned topic structure has statistically significant associations with mortality post hospital discharge, and may provide valuable insights in defining new feature sets for predicting patient outcomes.

A Comparison of Low-Fluence 1064-nm Q-Switched Nd: YAG Laser with Topical 20% Azelaic Acid Cream and their Combination in Melasma in Indian Patients.

PubMed

Bansal, Charu; Naik, Hira; Kar, Hemanta K; Chauhan, Amrita

2012-10-01

Melasma is an acquired symmetric hypermelanosis characterised by irregular light to gray-brown macules on sun-exposed skin with a predilection for the cheeks, forehead, upper lip, nose and chin. The management of melasma is challenging and requires meticulous use of available therapeutic options. To compare the therapeutic efficacy of low-fluence Q-switched Nd: YAG laser (QSNYL) with topical 20% azelaic acid cream and their combination in melasma in three study groups of 20 patients each. Sixty Indian patients diagnosed as melasma were included. These patients were randomly divided in three groups (group A = 20 patients of melasma treated with low-fluence QSNYL at weekly intervals, group B = 20 patients of melasma treated with twice daily application of 20% azelaic acid cream and group C = 20 patients of melasma treated with combination of both). Study period was of 12 weeks each. Response to treatment was assessed using melasma area and severity index score. The statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test, paired and unpaired student t-test. Significant improvement was recorded in all the three groups. The improvement was statistically highly significant in Group C as compared to group A (P < 0.001) and group B (P < 0.001). This study shows the efficacy of low-fluence QSNYL, topical 20% azelaic acid cream and their combination in melasma. The combination of low-fluence QSNYL and topical 20% azelaic acid cream yields better results as compared to low-fluence QSNYL and azelaic acid alone.

Evaluation of efficacy of topical povidone-iodine and different types of fluoroquinolones in the sterilization of bacterial flora on the conjunctiva.

PubMed

Coskun, Mehmet; Altintas, Ayse Gul Kocak; Anayol, Mustafa Alpaslan; Raza, Sabri; Celikbilek, Nevreste; Simsek, Saban

2011-12-01

To compare the sterilization effectivity of topical povidone-iodine, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin on the conjunctival bacterial flora. One hundred sixty-four eyes of 164 patients scheduled for cataract surgery were prospectively analyzed. Conjunctival cultures were obtained 1 day before the surgery without any topical application in all patients. Conjunctival flora was examined in 53 eyes of 53 patients (Group I) 15 min after 5% topical povidone-iodine application on the day of the surgery. Fifty-four eyes of 54 patients (Group II) received 1 drop 0.3% ciprofloxacin at 12 pm 1 day before the operation and 4 drops at 15 min intervals on the day of the surgery. Another 57 eyes of 57 patients (Group III) received 0.3% ofloxacin in the same application mode as ciprofloxacin. Conjunctival cultures were taken in all patients 15 min after last drop of topical antibiotic application. Only coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from 75.4% in Group I, 72.2% in Group II, and 59.6% in Group III on pretreatment culture. Different types of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Micrococcus spp. were identified in other patients. Pretreatment conjunctival flora of Group I and Group II were similar (P>0.05), but it was significantly different in Group III (P<0.05). After topical application no bacterial growth was observed in 77.3% in Group I, 92.5% in Group II, and 66.6% in Group III. The difference between Group I and III was insignificant (P>0.05), but bacterial eradication effectiveness was significantly higher in Group II than that of other groups (P<0.05). Post-treatment cultures showed same bacterial flora as pretreatment cultures in 14.9% in Group I, 1.8% in Group II, and 19.2% in Group III. The difference between Group I and Group III was statistically insignificant (P>0.05) and the difference between Group II and other groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Four eyes (7.5%) showed different types of bacterial growth from pretreatment flora in Group I, which were seen in 3 eyes (5.5%) in Group II and in 8 eyes (14%) in Group III. The differences between groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Ciprofloxacin seems to be more effective in conjunctival sterilization. In consideration with high variety of bacterial flora in pretreatment period in ofloxacin group, ofloxacin seems to be superior to povidone-iodine on the reduction of bacterial flora on the conjunctiva.

A heuristic approach to determine an appropriate number of topics in topic modeling

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Topic modelling is an active research field in machine learning. While mainly used to build models from unstructured textual data, it offers an effective means of data mining where samples represent documents, and different biological endpoints or omics data represent words. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is the most commonly used topic modelling method across a wide number of technical fields. However, model development can be arduous and tedious, and requires burdensome and systematic sensitivity studies in order to find the best set of model parameters. Often, time-consuming subjective evaluations are needed to compare models. Currently, research has yielded no easy way to choose the proper number of topics in a model beyond a major iterative approach. Methods and results Based on analysis of variation of statistical perplexity during topic modelling, a heuristic approach is proposed in this study to estimate the most appropriate number of topics. Specifically, the rate of perplexity change (RPC) as a function of numbers of topics is proposed as a suitable selector. We test the stability and effectiveness of the proposed method for three markedly different types of grounded-truth datasets: Salmonella next generation sequencing, pharmacological side effects, and textual abstracts on computational biology and bioinformatics (TCBB) from PubMed. Conclusion The proposed RPC-based method is demonstrated to choose the best number of topics in three numerical experiments of widely different data types, and for databases of very different sizes. The work required was markedly less arduous than if full systematic sensitivity studies had been carried out with number of topics as a parameter. We understand that additional investigation is needed to substantiate the method's theoretical basis, and to establish its generalizability in terms of dataset characteristics. PMID:26424364

Special Features of Galactic Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efthymiopoulos, Christos; Voglis, Nikos; Kalapotharakos, Constantinos

This is an introductory article to some basic notions and currently open problems of galactic dynamics. The focus is on topics mostly relevant to the so-called `new methods' of celestial mechanics or Hamiltonian dynamics, as applied to the ellipsoidal components of galaxies, i.e., to the elliptical galaxies and to the dark halos and bulges of disk galaxies. Traditional topics such as Jeans theorem, the role of a `third integral' of motion, Nekhoroshev theory, violent relaxation, and the statistical mechanics of collisionless stellar systems are first discussed. The emphasis is on modern extrapolations of these old topics. Recent results from orbital and global dynamical studies of galaxies are then shortly reviewed. The role of various families of orbits in supporting self-consistency, as well as the role of chaos in galaxies, are stressed. A description is then given of the main numerical techniques of integration of the N-body problem in the framework of stellar dynamics and of the results obtained via N-Body experiments. A final topic is the secular evolution and self-organization of galactic systems.

Statistical considerations for agroforestry studies

Treesearch

James A. Baldwin

1993-01-01

Statistical topics that related to agroforestry studies are discussed. These included study objectives, populations of interest, sampling schemes, sample sizes, estimation vs. hypothesis testing, and P-values. In addition, a relatively new and very much improved histogram display is described.

Compendium of abstracts on statistical applications in geotechnical engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hynes-Griffin, M. E.; Deer, G. W.

1983-09-01

The results of a literature search of geotechnical and statistical abstracts are presented in tables listing specific topics, title of the abstract, main author and the file number under which the abstract can be found.

Efficacy of pressure topical anaesthesia in punctal occlusion by diathermy

PubMed Central

Law, R W K; Li, R T H; Lam, D S C; Lai, J S M

2005-01-01

Aims: To prospectively compare the efficacy and safety of pressure topical anaesthesia in punctal occlusion by using cautery in the treatment of dry eye syndrome (DES) with that of conventional treatment by using needle injection of anaesthetic agents. Methods: In a randomised controlled trial, 18 consecutive adult patients with DES requiring punctal occlusion were recruited over a 10 month period. Consenting patients were randomised into two groups. Group A patients received pressure topical anaesthesia in the right eye followed by injection anaesthesia in the left eye. Group B was vice versa. Punctal occlusion using cautery was performed in each eye after a specified time following the application of anaesthesia. The main outcome measures were the pain experienced during application of anaesthesia and that during punctal occlusion. Results: 36 eyes of 18 patients were randomised to receive injection anaesthesia in one eye and pressure topical anaesthesia in the other. Nine patients (nine females) were in group A and nine patients (seven females, two males) in group B. The mean age of group A patients was 45.3 (SD 13.5) years, and that of group B patients was 55.6 (12.6) years. The two groups were comparable in terms of mean age (p = 0.117) and mean pain score for pressure topical anaesthesia application (p = 0.612), injection anaesthesia application (p = 0.454), diathermy in pressure anaesthetised eyes (p = 0.113), and diathermy in injection anaesthetised eyes (p = 0.289). Paired t test was used to compare the mean pain score for pressure topical anaesthesia application (16.8 (24.8)) with those for injection anaesthesia application (56.7 (30.0)). 18 eyes of 18 patients were compared with the fellow eye of the same 18 patients. The mean pain score for injection anaesthesia was greater than for pressure topical anaesthesia application (p<0.0001) (statistical power = 0.87). No statistically significant difference was found in the mean pain score for diathermy for eyes that received pressure topical anaesthesia (20.5 (27.5)) compared with eyes that received injection anaesthesia (23.1 (26.3)) (p = 0.760) (statistical power = 0.96). All 18 patients preferred pressure topical anaesthesia to injection anaesthesia. Conclusion: Injection anaesthesia for punctal occlusion is more painful than pressure topical anaesthesia application. However, the pain experienced during diathermy application for punctal occlusion is similar between pressure anaesthetised eyes and injection anaesthetised eyes. Pressure topical anaesthesia is a less painful (in terms of anaesthesia application) but equally effective alternative to conventional injection anaesthesia when used for punctal occlusion. PMID:16234451

Efficacy of pressure topical anaesthesia in punctal occlusion by diathermy.

PubMed

Law, R W K; Li, R T H; Lam, D S C; Lai, J S M

2005-11-01

To prospectively compare the efficacy and safety of pressure topical anaesthesia in punctal occlusion by using cautery in the treatment of dry eye syndrome (DES) with that of conventional treatment by using needle injection of anaesthetic agents. In a randomised controlled trial, 18 consecutive adult patients with DES requiring punctal occlusion were recruited over a 10 month period. Consenting patients were randomised into two groups. Group A patients received pressure topical anaesthesia in the right eye followed by injection anaesthesia in the left eye. Group B was vice versa. Punctal occlusion using cautery was performed in each eye after a specified time following the application of anaesthesia. The main outcome measures were the pain experienced during application of anaesthesia and that during punctal occlusion. 36 eyes of 18 patients were randomised to receive injection anaesthesia in one eye and pressure topical anaesthesia in the other. Nine patients (nine females) were in group A and nine patients (seven females, two males) in group B. The mean age of group A patients was 45.3 (SD 13.5) years, and that of group B patients was 55.6 (12.6) years. The two groups were comparable in terms of mean age (p=0.117) and mean pain score for pressure topical anaesthesia application (p=0.612), injection anaesthesia application (p=0.454), diathermy in pressure anaesthetised eyes (p=0.113), and diathermy in injection anaesthetised eyes (p=0.289). Paired t test was used to compare the mean pain score for pressure topical anaesthesia application (16.8 (24.8)) with those for injection anaesthesia application (56.7 (30.0)). 18 eyes of 18 patients were compared with the fellow eye of the same 18 patients. The mean pain score for injection anaesthesia was greater than for pressure topical anaesthesia application (p<0.0001) (statistical power=0.87). No statistically significant difference was found in the mean pain score for diathermy for eyes that received pressure topical anaesthesia (20.5 (27.5)) compared with eyes that received injection anaesthesia (23.1 (26.3)) (p=0.760) (statistical power=0.96). All 18 patients preferred pressure topical anaesthesia to injection anaesthesia. Injection anaesthesia for punctal occlusion is more painful than pressure topical anaesthesia application. However, the pain experienced during diathermy application for punctal occlusion is similar between pressure anaesthetised eyes and injection anaesthetised eyes. Pressure topical anaesthesia is a less painful (in terms of anaesthesia application) but equally effective alternative to conventional injection anaesthesia when used for punctal occlusion.

Experimental statistics for biological sciences.

PubMed

Bang, Heejung; Davidian, Marie

2010-01-01

In this chapter, we cover basic and fundamental principles and methods in statistics - from "What are Data and Statistics?" to "ANOVA and linear regression," which are the basis of any statistical thinking and undertaking. Readers can easily find the selected topics in most introductory statistics textbooks, but we have tried to assemble and structure them in a succinct and reader-friendly manner in a stand-alone chapter. This text has long been used in real classroom settings for both undergraduate and graduate students who do or do not major in statistical sciences. We hope that from this chapter, readers would understand the key statistical concepts and terminologies, how to design a study (experimental or observational), how to analyze the data (e.g., describe the data and/or estimate the parameter(s) and make inference), and how to interpret the results. This text would be most useful if it is used as a supplemental material, while the readers take their own statistical courses or it would serve as a great reference text associated with a manual for any statistical software as a self-teaching guide.

Thinking and Reasoning with Data and Chance: 68th NCTM Yearbook (2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2006

2006-01-01

The 2006 NCTM Sixty-eighth Yearbook focuses on students' and teachers' learning in statistics centered on a set of activities. Topics include the relation between mathematics and statistics, the development and enrichment of mathematical concepts through the use of statistics, and a discussion of the research related to teaching and learning…

Facts about Newspapers '86: A Statistical Summary of the Newspaper Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Newspaper Publishers Association, Washington, DC.

Attesting to the continuing economic strength and institutional vitality of the newspaper business in 1985, this booklet presents a statistical summary of the industry in the United States and Canada. The statistics cover a wide range of topics, including (1) number of daily newspapers, (2) daily newspaper circulation, (3) daily newspapers by…

Children in the UK: Signposts to Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grey, Eleanor

This guide indicates statistical sources in the United Kingdom dealing with children and young people. Regular and occasional sources are listed in a three-column format including the name of the source, a brief description, and the geographic area to which statistics refer. Information is classified under 25 topic headings: abortions; accidents;…

Effect of topical ophthalmic epinastine and olopatadine on tear volume in mice.

PubMed

Villareal, Arturo L; Farley, William; Pflugfelder, Stephen C

2006-12-01

To investigate the effects of topical epinastine and olopatadine on tear volume by using a mouse model. Eighty-five C57BL6 mice (170 eyes) were treated twice daily with topical ophthalmic epinastine 0.05%, olopatadine 0.1%, or atropine 1% or served as untreated controls. A thread-wetting assay was used to measure tear volume at baseline and 15, 45, 90, 120, and 240 minutes after the last instillation of the drug on days 2 and 4 of treatment. After 2 days of treatment, epinastine-treated mice showed greater mean tear volumes than olopatadine-treated mice did at 15, 45, 90, and 240 minutes, with statistical significance at 15 and 45 minutes (P<0.001). Olopatadine significantly reduced tear volume versus untreated controls at 15 and 45 minutes (P<0.001). After 4 days, tear volumes with epinastine treatment exceeded those with olopatadine treatment at all time points, with statistical significance at 45 minutes (P<0.05). Atropine rendered tears undetectable at 15, 45, and 90 minutes; tear volume returned to baseline levels at 240 minutes. Topical epinastine did not inhibit tear secretion, whereas olopatadine caused a significant decrease in tear volume. Because of its neutral impact on the lacrimal functional unit, epinastine may be an especially good choice for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in patients with dry eye disease or in those who are at risk for developing dry eye.

Google Search Queries About Neurosurgical Topics: Are They a Suitable Guide for Neurosurgeons?

PubMed

Lawson McLean, Anna C; Lawson McLean, Aaron; Kalff, Rolf; Walter, Jan

2016-06-01

Google is the most popular search engine, with about 100 billion searches per month. Google Trends is an integrated tool that allows users to obtain Google's search popularity statistics from the last decade. Our aim was to evaluate whether Google Trends is a useful tool to assess the public's interest in specific neurosurgical topics. We evaluated Google Trends statistics for the neurosurgical search topic areas "hydrocephalus," "spinal stenosis," "concussion," "vestibular schwannoma," and "cerebral arteriovenous malformation." We compared these with bibliometric data from PubMed and epidemiologic data from the German Federal Monitoring Agency. In addition, we assessed Google users' search behavior for the search terms "glioblastoma" and "meningioma." Over the last 10 years, there has been an increasing interest in the topic "concussion" from Internet users in general and scientists. "Spinal stenosis," "concussion," and "vestibular schwannoma" are topics that are of special interest in high-income countries (eg, Germany), whereas "hydrocephalus" is a popular topic in low- and middle-income countries. The Google-defined top searches within these topic areas revealed more detail about people's interests (eg, "normal pressure hydrocephalus" or "football concussion" ranked among the most popular search queries within the corresponding topics). There was a similar volume of queries for "glioblastoma" and "meningioma." Google Trends is a useful source to elicit information about general trends in peoples' health interests and the role of different diseases across the world. The Internet presence of neurosurgical units and surgeons can be guided by online users' interests to achieve high-quality, professional-endorsed patient education. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mathematical Representation Ability by Using Project Based Learning on the Topic of Statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widakdo, W. A.

2017-09-01

Seeing the importance of the role of mathematics in everyday life, mastery of the subject areas of mathematics is a must. Representation ability is one of the fundamental ability that used in mathematics to make connection between abstract idea with logical thinking to understanding mathematics. Researcher see the lack of mathematical representation and try to find alternative solution to dolve it by using project based learning. This research use literature study from some books and articles in journals to see the importance of mathematical representation abiliy in mathemtics learning and how project based learning able to increase this mathematical representation ability on the topic of Statistics. The indicators for mathematical representation ability in this research classifies namely visual representation (picture, diagram, graph, or table); symbolize representation (mathematical statement. Mathematical notation, numerical/algebra symbol) and verbal representation (written text). This article explain about why project based learning able to influence student’s mathematical representation by using some theories in cognitive psychology, also showing the example of project based learning that able to use in teaching statistics, one of mathematics topic that very useful to analyze data.

Hunting statistics: what data for what use? An account of an international workshop

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, J.D.; Lancia, R.A.; Lebreton, J.D.

2001-01-01

Hunting interacts with the underlying dynamics of game species in several different ways and is, at the same time, a source of valuable information not easily obtained from populations that are not subjected to hunting. Specific questions, including the sustainability of hunting activities, can be addressed using hunting statistics. Such investigations will frequently require that hunting statistics be combined with data from other sources of population-level information. Such reflections served as a basis for the meeting, ?Hunting Statistics: What Data for What Use,? held on January 15-18, 2001 in Saint-Benoist, France. We review here the 20 talks held during the workshop and the contribution of hunting statistics to our knowledge of the population dynamics of game species. Three specific topics (adaptive management, catch-effort models, and dynamics of exploited populations) were highlighted as important themes and are more extensively presented as boxes.

Potential energy functions for atomic-level simulations of water and organic and biomolecular systems.

PubMed

Jorgensen, William L; Tirado-Rives, Julian

2005-05-10

An overview is provided on the development and status of potential energy functions that are used in atomic-level statistical mechanics and molecular dynamics simulations of water and of organic and biomolecular systems. Some topics that are considered are the form of force fields, their parameterization and performance, simulations of organic liquids, computation of free energies of hydration, universal extension for organic molecules, and choice of atomic charges. The discussion of water models covers some history, performance issues, and special topics such as nuclear quantum effects.

University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Algebra. WWC Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2009

2009-01-01

University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) Algebra is a one-year course covering three primary topics: (1) linear and quadratic expressions, sentences, and functions; (2) exponential expressions and functions; and (3) linear systems. Topics from geometry, probability, and statistics are integrated with the appropriate algebra.…

Beyond P Values and Hypothesis Testing: Using the Minimum Bayes Factor to Teach Statistical Inference in Undergraduate Introductory Statistics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Robert; Satake, Eiki

2017-01-01

While interest in Bayesian statistics has been growing in statistics education, the treatment of the topic is still inadequate in both textbooks and the classroom. Because so many fields of study lead to careers that involve a decision-making process requiring an understanding of Bayesian methods, it is becoming increasingly clear that Bayesian…

Business Statistics at the Top 50 US Business Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskin, Heather N.; Krehbiel, Timothy C.

2012-01-01

We surveyed fifty leading undergraduate business schools concerning their statistics requirements. We report on many aspects including credit-hours required, topics covered, computer integration, faculty background, teaching pedagogy, textbooks, and recent and proposed changes. (Contains 8 tables.)

Equilibration, thermalisation, and the emergence of statistical mechanics in closed quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogolin, Christian; Eisert, Jens

2016-05-01

We review selected advances in the theoretical understanding of complex quantum many-body systems with regard to emergent notions of quantum statistical mechanics. We cover topics such as equilibration and thermalisation in pure state statistical mechanics, the eigenstate thermalisation hypothesis, the equivalence of ensembles, non-equilibration dynamics following global and local quenches as well as ramps. We also address initial state independence, absence of thermalisation, and many-body localisation. We elucidate the role played by key concepts for these phenomena, such as Lieb-Robinson bounds, entanglement growth, typicality arguments, quantum maximum entropy principles and the generalised Gibbs ensembles, and quantum (non-)integrability. We put emphasis on rigorous approaches and present the most important results in a unified language.

Equilibration, thermalisation, and the emergence of statistical mechanics in closed quantum systems.

PubMed

Gogolin, Christian; Eisert, Jens

2016-05-01

We review selected advances in the theoretical understanding of complex quantum many-body systems with regard to emergent notions of quantum statistical mechanics. We cover topics such as equilibration and thermalisation in pure state statistical mechanics, the eigenstate thermalisation hypothesis, the equivalence of ensembles, non-equilibration dynamics following global and local quenches as well as ramps. We also address initial state independence, absence of thermalisation, and many-body localisation. We elucidate the role played by key concepts for these phenomena, such as Lieb-Robinson bounds, entanglement growth, typicality arguments, quantum maximum entropy principles and the generalised Gibbs ensembles, and quantum (non-)integrability. We put emphasis on rigorous approaches and present the most important results in a unified language.

Effects of applying anchovy (Stolephorus insularis) substrates on the microhardness of tooth enamel in Sprague-Dawley rats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrik, Y. C.; Puspitawati, R.; Gunawan, H. A.

2017-08-01

Anchovies (Stolephorus insularis) contain high levels of fluor in the form of CaF2. The aim of this study is to analyze changes in tooth enamel microhardness after application of anchovy substrates by feeding or as a topical fluoridation material. An in vivo study of the lower left incisors of nine Sprague-Dawley rats was conducted. The sample was comprised of baseline and treatment groups, including feeding application, topical application, negative control feeding, and negative control topical groups. The treatment groups were given 5% anchovy substrates through feeding and topical applications. After treatment, tooth samples were extracted from each of the rats for examination, and statistical analyses were performed after determining hardness numbers for enamel surfaces using Vickers microhardness tester. Vickers hardness numbers (VHNs) for anchovy substrate application and consumption by feeding (440.3 ± 24.72) were higher than for the negative control (315.80 ± 17.51). VHNs for the topical application group were higher than for the negative control (347.28 ± 28.56) and for the feeding group. The use of anchovy as a fluoridation material in form of topical application is potentially an effective method for increasing the microhardness of the tooth enamel surface

Six week evaluation of the potential for topical desoximetasone 0.25% spray to induce photoallergic skin reaction.

PubMed

Patel, Nupur U; Gowda, Asha; Grammenos, Alexandra; Onikoyi, Omobola; Feldman, Steven R

2018-05-01

Desoximetasone 0.25% topical spray is a novel formulation that has not been tested or approved for safety and efficacy. The primary objective was to determine the potential of desoximetasone 0.25 and 0.05% topical sprays, as well as a vehicle to induce photoallergic skin reaction after repeated topical application and irradiation to the skin using a controlled photopatch testing procedure. 53 subjects completed the study, each with six application sites (two of each treatment), three of which were irradiated and three non-irradiated, for an induction period of three weeks and then challenge period at week 6. Desoximetasone 0.25 and 0.05%, as well as vehicle showed no evidence of potential to induce photosensitization. There was statistically significantly greater irritation at the vehicle irradiated site in comparison to the irradiated treatment area of desoximetasone 0.25% (p = .005) and the irradiated treatment area of desoximetasone 0.05% (p = .008). Our results suggest that regular treatment with desoximetasone 0.25 and 0.05% spray, followed by UV light exposure does not induce photosensitization or photo-irritation. These findings increase confidence for the use of this topical spray in eczema or psoriasis patients who may also be receiving UV light therapy and may contribute to the clinical management of these patients.

Selected Materials on the Chicano.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez-Q., Juan, Comp.

Over 200 selected materials on the Chicano are listed in this bibliography. These materials include bibliographies, statistical materials, books, articles, journals, films, and newspapers which pertain to the Mexican American population. The materials consist of such topics as the Mexican American community; their culture, history, heritage,…

A Course on Macromolecules.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horta, Arturo

1985-01-01

Describes a senior-level course that: (1) focuses on the structure and reactions of macromolecules; (2) treats industrial polymers in a unified way; and (3) uses analysis of conformation and conformational statistics as a unifying approach. Also discusses course topics, including polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids, and others. (JN)

Socorro ISD. Integrated Lesson Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

East Texas State Univ., Commerce. Educational Development and Training Center.

This packet contains 29 lesson plans for integrated academic and vocational education courses. Lesson plans for the following courses are included: algebra, health occupations education, English, biology, laboratory mathematics, and health care sciences. Some of the topics covered are as follows: statistics, vital signs, graphing, ethics, special…

Topical steroids in eosinophilic esophagitis: Systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials.

PubMed

Murali, Arvind R; Gupta, Ashutosh; Attar, Bashar M; Ravi, Venkatesh; Koduru, Pramoda

2016-06-01

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a clinicopathologic condition characterized by symptoms of esophageal dysfunction in the presence of eosinophil-predominant inflammation of esophageal mucosa. Topical steroids are recommended as first line pharmacologic therapy in EoE. We aimed to determine the efficacy of topical steroids in inducing histologic and clinical remission in children and adults with EoE. We performed a systematic search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane library databases for studies investigating the efficacy of topical steroids in EoE. We collected data on the number of patients, dose and duration of therapy, complete and partial histological response, and clinical improvement. We performed meta-analysis of placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials using Review Manager version 5.2. We used funnel plots to evaluate for publication bias. Five studies that included 174 patients with EoE were included in the meta-analysis. Topical fluticasone was administered in three studies involving 114 patients, and topical budesonide in two studies involving 60 patients. Patients treated with topical steroids, as compared with placebo, had higher complete histological remission (odds ratio [OR] 20.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.03, 61.63) and partial histological remission (OR 32.20, 95% CI 6.82, 152.04). There was a trend towards improvement in clinical symptoms with topical steroids as compared with placebo but it did not reach statistical significance (OR 2.72, 95 %CI 0.90, 8.23). Topical corticosteroids seem to be effective in inducing histological remission but may not have similar significant impact in improving clinical symptoms of EoE. Studies with large sample size are needed to uniformly validate symptom improvement in EoE. © 2015 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Acceleration techniques for dependability simulation. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnette, James David

1995-01-01

As computer systems increase in complexity, the need to project system performance from the earliest design and development stages increases. We have to employ simulation for detailed dependability studies of large systems. However, as the complexity of the simulation model increases, the time required to obtain statistically significant results also increases. This paper discusses an approach that is application independent and can be readily applied to any process-based simulation model. Topics include background on classical discrete event simulation and techniques for random variate generation and statistics gathering to support simulation.

Statistics in the Workplace: A Survey of Use by Recent Graduates with Higher Degrees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harraway, John A.; Barker, Richard J.

2005-01-01

A postal survey was conducted regarding statistical techniques, research methods and software used in the workplace by 913 graduates with PhD and Masters degrees in the biological sciences, psychology, business, economics, and statistics. The study identified gaps between topics and techniques learned at university and those used in the workplace,…

Facts about Newspapers '87: A Statistical Summary of the Newspaper Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Newspaper Publishers Association, Washington, DC.

Attesting to the continuing economic strength and institutional vitality of the newspaper business in 1987, this booklet presents a statistical summary of the industry in the United States and Canada. The statistics cover a wide range of topics, including (1) number of daily newspapers; (2) daily newspaper circulation; (3) single copy sales price;…

A Model for Developing and Assessing Community College Students' Conceptions of the Range, Interquartile Range, and Standard Deviation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turegun, Mikhail

2011-01-01

Traditional curricular materials and pedagogical strategies have not been effective in developing conceptual understanding of statistics topics and statistical reasoning abilities of students. Much of the changes proposed by statistics education research and the reform movement over the past decade have supported efforts to transform teaching…

SYMBIOmatics: synergies in Medical Informatics and Bioinformatics--exploring current scientific literature for emerging topics.

PubMed

Rebholz-Schuhman, Dietrich; Cameron, Graham; Clark, Dominic; van Mulligen, Erik; Coatrieux, Jean-Louis; Del Hoyo Barbolla, Eva; Martin-Sanchez, Fernando; Milanesi, Luciano; Porro, Ivan; Beltrame, Francesco; Tollis, Ioannis; Van der Lei, Johan

2007-03-08

The SYMBIOmatics Specific Support Action (SSA) is "an information gathering and dissemination activity" that seeks "to identify synergies between the bioinformatics and the medical informatics" domain to improve collaborative progress between both domains (ref. to http://www.symbiomatics.org). As part of the project experts in both research fields will be identified and approached through a survey. To provide input to the survey, the scientific literature was analysed to extract topics relevant to both medical informatics and bioinformatics. This paper presents results of a systematic analysis of the scientific literature from medical informatics research and bioinformatics research. In the analysis pairs of words (bigrams) from the leading bioinformatics and medical informatics journals have been used as indication of existing and emerging technologies and topics over the period 2000-2005 ("recent") and 1990-1990 ("past"). We identified emerging topics that were equally important to bioinformatics and medical informatics in recent years such as microarray experiments, ontologies, open source, text mining and support vector machines. Emerging topics that evolved only in bioinformatics were system biology, protein interaction networks and statistical methods for microarray analyses, whereas emerging topics in medical informatics were grid technology and tissue microarrays. We conclude that although both fields have their own specific domains of interest, they share common technological developments that tend to be initiated by new developments in biotechnology and computer science.

SYMBIOmatics: Synergies in Medical Informatics and Bioinformatics – exploring current scientific literature for emerging topics

PubMed Central

Rebholz-Schuhman, Dietrich; Cameron, Graham; Clark, Dominic; van Mulligen, Erik; Coatrieux, Jean-Louis; Del Hoyo Barbolla, Eva; Martin-Sanchez, Fernando; Milanesi, Luciano; Porro, Ivan; Beltrame, Francesco; Tollis, Ioannis; Van der Lei, Johan

2007-01-01

Background The SYMBIOmatics Specific Support Action (SSA) is "an information gathering and dissemination activity" that seeks "to identify synergies between the bioinformatics and the medical informatics" domain to improve collaborative progress between both domains (ref. to ). As part of the project experts in both research fields will be identified and approached through a survey. To provide input to the survey, the scientific literature was analysed to extract topics relevant to both medical informatics and bioinformatics. Results This paper presents results of a systematic analysis of the scientific literature from medical informatics research and bioinformatics research. In the analysis pairs of words (bigrams) from the leading bioinformatics and medical informatics journals have been used as indication of existing and emerging technologies and topics over the period 2000–2005 ("recent") and 1990–1990 ("past"). We identified emerging topics that were equally important to bioinformatics and medical informatics in recent years such as microarray experiments, ontologies, open source, text mining and support vector machines. Emerging topics that evolved only in bioinformatics were system biology, protein interaction networks and statistical methods for microarray analyses, whereas emerging topics in medical informatics were grid technology and tissue microarrays. Conclusion We conclude that although both fields have their own specific domains of interest, they share common technological developments that tend to be initiated by new developments in biotechnology and computer science. PMID:17430562

Stata companion.

PubMed

Brennan, Jennifer Sousa

2010-01-01

This chapter is an introductory reference guide highlighting some of the most common statistical topics, broken down into both command-line syntax and graphical interface point-and-click commands. This chapter serves to supplement more formal statistics lessons and expedite using Stata to compute basic analyses.

Concept Maps in Introductory Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witmer, Jeffrey A.

2016-01-01

Concept maps are tools for organizing thoughts on the main ideas in a course. I present an example of a concept map that was created through the work of students in an introductory class and discuss major topics in statistics and relationships among them.

Using Online Games to Teach Personal Finance Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chin-Wen; Hsu, Chun-Pin

2011-01-01

This case study explores the use of online games to teach personal finance concepts at the college level. A number of free online games targeting such topics as budgeting and saving, risk and return, consumer credit, financial services, and investments were introduced to the experimental group as homework assignments. Statistical results indicate…

Teaching a Diversity Course at a Predominantly White Institution: Success with Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Sylvia

2014-01-01

As the U.S. population becomes more culturally, linguistically, and racially/ethnically diverse, many tout the advantages of offering courses at the nation's colleges and universities that focus on diversity issues. Several researchers have argued that exposure to diversity topics, such as racial and gender inequality, makes college and…

Subclinical Increased Anterior Stromal Reflectivity With Topical Taprenepag Isopropyl

PubMed Central

Schachar, Ronald A.; Raber, Susan; Thomas, Kristina V.; Benetz, Beth Ann M.; Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta B.; Zhang, Min; Howell, Scott J.; Lass, Jonathan H.

2016-01-01

Purpose To assess the effect of topical taprenepag isopropyl on each layer of the cornea by confocal microscopy. Methods Thirty-two ocular hypertensive or glaucoma patients were randomized into a 2-period, crossover study of 14 days of 0.1% taprenepag alone and in unfixed combination with 0.005% latanoprost (combination therapy). Baseline and sequential slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fluorescein staining, central ultrasonic pachymetry, and confocal microscopy were performed. Confocal images were analyzed for the density of the central superficial and basal epithelium, midstromal keratocytes, and endothelium, as well as endothelial coefficient of variation and percentage of hexagonal cells, and reflectivity of anterior stromal and midstromal layers. Results Corneal staining increased from baseline, reaching a peak at day 13 (69% and 63% of subjects treated with monotherapy and combination therapy, respectively), which resolved by day 35. A statistically significant increase in mean corneal thickness for both eyes and both treatments occurred on days 7 and 13 (range, 20–27 μm; P < 0.001) but recovered (≤6 μm) by day 35. No statistically significant changes were observed in the basal epithelial, midstromal, or endothelial cells. Mean ratio of average reflectivity of anterior stroma to midstroma increased on days 13 and 35 in period 1 for each treatment (range, 1.2–1.9; P < 0.001), and this increase persisted during period 2. Conclusions Anterior stromal reflectivity may remain increased even when biomicroscopic and confocal images of corneal layers remain normal or have recovered after topical taprenepag. This subclinical measure may be useful to detect a persistent adverse effect of a topical agent on the cornea. PMID:22549238

Understanding adolescent student perceptions of science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebert, Ellen Kress

This study used the Relevance of Science Education (ROSE) survey (Sjoberg & Schreiner, 2004) to examine topics of interest and perspectives of secondary science students in a large school district in the southwestern U.S. A situated learning perspective was used to frame the project. The research questions of this study focused on (a) perceptions students have about themselves and their science classroom and how these beliefs may influence their participation in the community of practice of science; (b) consideration of how a future science classroom where the curriculum is framed by the Next Generation Science Standards might foster students' beliefs and perceptions about science education and their legitimate peripheral participation in the community of practice of science; and (c) reflecting on their school science interests and perspectives, what can be inferred about students' identities as future scientists or STEM field professionals? Data were collected from 515 second year science students during a 4-week period in May of 2012 using a Web-based survey. Data were disaggregated by gender and ethnicity and analyzed descriptively and by statistical comparison between groups. Findings for Research Question 1 indicated that boys and girls showed statistically significant differences in scientific topics of interest. There were no statistical differences between ethnic groups although. For Research Question 2, it was determined that participants reported an increase in their interest when they deemed the context of the content to be personally relevant. Results for Research Question 3 showed that participants do not see themselves as youthful scientists or as becoming scientists. While participants value the importance of science in their lives and think all students should take science, they do not aspire to careers in science. Based on this study, a need for potential future work has been identified in three areas: (a) exploration of the perspectives and interests of non-mainstream students and urban students whose representation in this study was limited; (b) investigation of topics where students expressed low interests topics; and (c) development and design of authentic communities of practice in the science classroom.

The effect of topically applied tissue expanders on radial forearm skin pliability: a prospective self-controlled study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The use of pre-operatively applied topical tissue expansion tapes have previously demonstrated increased rates of primary closure of radial forearm free flap donor sites. This is associated with a reduced cost of care as well as improved cosmetic appearance of the donor site. Unfortunately, little is known about the biomechanical changes these tapes cause in the forearm skin. This study tested the hypothesis that the use of topically applied tissue expansion tapes will result in an increase in forearm skin pliability in patients undergoing radial forearm free flap surgery. Methods Twenty-four patients scheduled for head and neck surgery requiring a radial forearm free flap were enrolled in this prospective self-controlled observational study. DynaClose tissue expansion tapes (registered Canica Design Inc, Almonte, Canada) were applied across the forearm one week pre-operatively. Immediately prior to surgery, the skin pliability of the dorsal and volar forearm sites were measured with the Cutometer MPA 580 (registered Courage-Khazaka Electronic GmbH, Cologne, Germany) on both the treatment and contralateral (control) arms. Paired t-tests were used to compare treatment to control at both sites, with p < 0.025 defined as statistically significant. Results There was a statistically significant increase in pliability by a mean of 0.05 mm (SD = 0.09 mm) between treatment and control arms on the dorsal site (95% CI [0.01, 0.08], p = 0.018). This corresponded to an 8% increase in pliability. In contrast, the volar site did not show a statistically significant difference between treatment and control (mean difference = 0.04 mm, SD = 0.20 mm, 95% CI [−0.04, 0.12], p = 0.30). Conclusions This result provides evidence that the pre-operative application of topical tissue expansion tapes produces measurable changes in skin biomechanical properties. The location of this change on the dorsal forearm is consistent with the method of tape application. While this increase in skin pliability may account for the improved rate of primary donor site closure reported using this technique, the results did not reach our definition of clinical significance. PMID:24739510

State of the Child 1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massachusetts Campaign for Children, Boston.

This Kids Count report presents statewide trends between 1988 and 1996 in the well-being of Massachusetts' children. The statistical portrait indicator areas and topics examined include: demographics (children as percent of population, children by race/ethnicity, students whose first language is not English); economic well-being (percent of…

A New Methodology for Systematic Exploitation of Technology Databases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedecarrax, Chantal; Huot, Charles

1994-01-01

Presents the theoretical aspects of a data analysis methodology that can help transform sequential raw data from a database into useful information, using the statistical analysis of patents as an example. Topics discussed include relational analysis and a technology watch approach. (Contains 17 references.) (LRW)

Focus on Statistical Physics Modeling in Economics and Finance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantegna, Rosario N.; Kertész, János

2011-02-01

This focus issue presents a collection of papers on recent results in statistical physics modeling in economics and finance, commonly known as econophysics. We touch briefly on the history of this relatively new multi-disciplinary field, summarize the motivations behind its emergence and try to characterize its specific features. We point out some research aspects that must be improved and briefly discuss the topics the research field is moving toward. Finally, we give a short account of the papers collected in this issue.

Effect of topically applied dexpanthenol on epidermal barrier function and stratum corneum hydration. Results of a human in vivo study.

PubMed

Gehring, W; Gloor, M

2000-07-01

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study the effect of topical dexpanthenol (CAS 81-13-0) formulated in two different lipophilic vehicles on epidermal barrier function in vivo was carried out. Seven days' treatment with dexpanthenol improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss. Active treatment was statistically different from the vehicle control on both measures. Our results suggest that topical dexpanthenol formulated in either lipophilic vehicle stabilizes the skin barrier function.

Topical tranexamic acid as an adjuvant treatment in melasma: Side-by-side comparison clinical study.

PubMed

Chung, Jong Yoon; Lee, Jong Hee; Lee, Joo Heung

2016-08-01

Tranexamic acid (TNA) is a novel therapeutic agent for hyperpigmented skin disorders. The efficacy and safety of topical TNA in patients with melasma has not been heretofore studied. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical TNA combined with intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment in Asians with melasma. A randomized, split-face (internally controlled) study was conducted in 15 women who received four monthly sessions of IPL to both sides of the face. Topical TNA or vehicle was applied to a randomly assigned side during and after IPL treatment. Patients were followed up for 12 weeks after completing the IPL treatments. Baseline and follow-up melanin index (MI; measured by Mexameter®, Courage and Khazaka, Cologne, Germany) and modified melasma area and severity index (mMASI) scores were determined. Thirteen subjects completed the study without serious adverse events. MI and mMASI decreased significantly from baseline to 12 weeks after the last IPL treatment on the topical TNA side but not on the vehicle side. The efficacy of topical TNA in preventing rebound pigmentation after IPL treatment was also statistically significant. Topical TNA can be considered an effective and safe adjuvant to conventional treatment for melasma.

Topical Botulinum Toxin Type A Liposomal Cream for Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Split-Site, Vehicle-Controlled Study.

PubMed

Lueangarun, Suparuj; Sermsilp, Chairat; Tempark, Therdpong

2018-04-13

Despite its effectiveness in treating primary axillary hyperhidrosis (PAH), topical botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) is highly resistant to transdermal absorption. Topical BTX-A liposomal cream is recommended as a novel, noninvasive modality to enhance skin penetration. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topical BTX-A liposomal cream in comparison with liposomal vehicle cream alone in the treatment of PAH. A prospective, randomized, double-blinded, split-site study was conducted in 20 subjects, aged 18 to 50 years, all of whom had symmetrical axillary sweating with Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale scores between 2 to 4. All subjects were double-blinded to treatment regimens and randomly given 2 bottles, one containing topical BTX-A liposomal cream and one containing the vehicle cream without BTX-A, to be applied consistently to the same axilla nightly for 7 consecutive days. Clinical improvement and adverse reactions were evaluated at every follow-up visit. Axillary skin treated with topical BTX-A demonstrated superior sweat reduction and patient satisfaction to vehicle cream-treated axillary skin, with clinical and statistical significance, at baseline, weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 of follow-up, without adverse effects. Topical BTX-A liposomal cream pharmaceutically enhances drug delivery, is painless, cost-effective, and overall an innovative treatment of PAH.

Heterogeneity in the treatment of moderately severe scalp psoriasis in Scotland - results of a survey of Scottish health professionals.

PubMed

Smith, Douglas R W; Bottomley, Julia M; Auland, Merran; Jackson, Peter; Sharp, Judith

2011-01-01

Scalp psoriasis is a chronic recalcitrant condition. An aging literature for topical treatments used in clinical practice and no treatment guidelines means there is no current gold standard for its management in Scotland. There are no Scottish data on the resources and costs of treatment of the scalp psoriasis patient. Conduct a survey of Scottish healthcare professionals to understand how patients are typically managed to support the development of a model estimating the cost-effectiveness of a new treatment for moderately severe scalp psoriasis in Scotland. Experts from primary and secondary care were invited to participate in an interview programme to collect information on the management of scalp psoriasis in Scotland. This was further informed by Scottish prescribing statistics. Simple descriptive statistics were performed. Forty-three healthcare professionals (33 from primary care and ten in secondary care) completed the survey which illuminated national prescribing statistics. While an overall 72% response rate was achieved, representation from five of 14 Health Boards was not available. There was significant variation in stated patient pathways but some common themes. Most patients were treated initially with coal tar preparations and shampoos, then often progressing to topical potent corticosteroids. There was no consensus on the order patients might receive topicals thereafter although if referred for specialist review they would typically have been treated with three topicals in primary care first. Treatment in secondary care comprised application of topicals available in primary care or alternative preparations with nurse assistance to improve compliance. Phototherapy and systemic agents were not given to patients with scalp psoriasis alone. Study limitations are not considered to impact on the study observations. There was a large variety in first-, second- and third-line agents in primary care in scalp psoriasis although our interview programme and prescribing data confirmed which treatments were most frequently prescribed. Treatment heterogeneity reflects the limitations in current therapies, paucity of evidence-based effectiveness data and lack of clinical guidelines. Experts agreed 'current standard practice' in Scotland was best described as an average across five plausible treatment pathways.

A randomized, double-blind comparison study of EMLA and ELA-Max for topical anesthesia in children undergoing intravenous insertion.

PubMed

Koh, Jeffrey L; Harrison, Dale; Myers, Robert; Dembinski, Robert; Turner, Helen; McGraw, Terrence

2004-12-01

Topical anesthetics may help reduce discomfort associated with procedures involving needle-puncture, such as intravenous (i.v.) insertions, in children. EMLA cream has become a common, noninvasive therapy for topical anesthesia in children. ELA-Max is a recently introduced topical anesthetic cream marketed as being as effective in producing topical anesthesia after a 30-min application as EMLA is after a 60-min application. The purpose of this research was to compare ELA-Max at 30 min with EMLA at 60 min for providing topical anesthesia for i.v. insertions in children. Sixty children, ages 8-17 years, requiring an i.v. were randomized to receive either the 30 min application of ELA-Max (n = 30) or the 60 min application of EMLA (n = 30). Children rated any pain associated with the i.v. insertion using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The anesthesiologist assessed the presence of blanching at the site and rated the difficulty of placing the i.v. There was no clinically or statistically significant difference in pain ratings (P = 0.87) between the ELA-Max (mean = 25.7) and the EMLA (mean = 26.8) groups. ELA-Max caused significantly (P = 0.04) less blanching than EMLA, however there was no difference in the anesthesiologists' rating of the difficulty of the i.v. placement between the groups (P = 0.73). Results from this study support the claim that a 30-min application of ELA-Max (with occlusion) is as effective as a 60-min application of EMLA (with occlusion) for producing topical anesthesia for i.v. insertion in children.

Changes in crevicular cytokines after application of melatonin in patients with periodontal disease

PubMed Central

Montero, Javier; López-Valverde, Nansi; Ferrera, María-José

2017-01-01

Background A clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effects of topical application of melatonin on the crevicular fluid levels of interleukins and prostaglandins and to evaluate changes in clinical parameters. Material and Methods A consecutive sample of 90 patients were recruited from the Health Centre of Pinos Puente in Granada, Spain and divided into 3 groups: 30 patients with diabetes and periodontal disease, who were given melatonin; 30 patients with diabetes and periodontal disease, who were given a placebo, and 30 healthy individuals with no history of systemic disease or clinical signs of periodontal disease, who were also given a placebo. The 30 patients with diabetes and periodontitis were treated with topical application of melatonin (1% orabase cream formula) for 20 days by. The rest of the patients with diabetes and periodontitis and healthy subjects were treated with a placebo of orabase cream. We measured the gingival index by exploring the percentage of standing teeth bleeding on probing. The periodontogram was performed with a Florida Probe. Results In the diabetic patients who were given topical melatonin, there was a statistically significant decrease in the two clinical parameters. By contrast, in diabetic patients who were given the topical placebo, there was no statistically significant variation. Conclusions In patients with diabetes and periodontal disease, treatment with topical melatonin was associated with a significant improvement in the gingival index and in pocket depth, and a statistically significant reduction in concentrations of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2 in gingival crevicular fluid. Key words:Melatonin, periodontal disease, diabetes mellitus, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, prostaglandin E2. PMID:29075409

Measuring the severity of topical 5-fluorouracil toxicity.

PubMed

Korgavkar, Kaveri; Firoz, Elnaz F; Xiong, Michael; Lew, Robert; Marcolivio, Kimberly; Burnside, Nancy; Dyer, Robert; Weinstock, Martin A

2014-01-01

Topical 5% 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is known to cause toxicity, such as erythema, pain, and crusting/erosions. We sought to develop a scale to measure this toxicity and test the scale for reliability. A scale was developed involving four parameters: erythema severity, percentage of face involved in erythema, crusting/erosions severity, and percentage of face involved in crusting/erosions. Thirteen raters graded 99 sets of photographs from the Veterans Affairs Keratinocyte Carcinoma Chemoprevention (VAKCC) Trial using these parameters. Intraclass correlation overall for 13 raters was 0.82 (95% CI 0.77-0.86). There was no statistically significant trend in reliability by level of training in dermatology. This scale is a reliable method of evaluating the severity of toxicity from topical 5-fluorouracil and can be used by dermatologists and nondermatologists alike.

Statistical correlation of structural mode shapes from test measurements and NASTRAN analytical values

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purves, L.; Strang, R. F.; Dube, M. P.; Alea, P.; Ferragut, N.; Hershfeld, D.

1983-01-01

The software and procedures of a system of programs used to generate a report of the statistical correlation between NASTRAN modal analysis results and physical tests results from modal surveys are described. Topics discussed include: a mathematical description of statistical correlation, a user's guide for generating a statistical correlation report, a programmer's guide describing the organization and functions of individual programs leading to a statistical correlation report, and a set of examples including complete listings of programs, and input and output data.

Educating Chinese Nurses About Rehabilitation Nursing: Findings From a Single Cohort Quantitative Pilot Project.

PubMed

Mauk, Kristen L; Li, Pei Ying; Jin, Huilu; Rogers, Julie; Scalzitti, Kristina

The purpose of this study was to present results of a pilot program to educate nurses in China about rehabilitation nursing. A single cohort, pre- and posttest design with an educational intervention. A 3-day basic rehabilitation nursing education program was conducted in Shanghai and Hangzhou by a certified rehabilitation nurse specialist from the United States. The effect of the educational intervention was measured using pre- and posttests for six topic areas. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and paired samples t tests. Paired samples t tests showed a significant improvement (p < .01) as a result of the educational intervention on all three tests covering the six basic topics. The knowledge of the nurses on topics of basic rehabilitation nursing significantly increased as a result of the educational program. Rehabilitation nurses interested in international travel and developing professional relationships with nurses in China can provide education to promote our specialty practice overseas.

Comparative Efficacy of 2 Topical Anesthetics for the Placement of Orthodontic Temporary Anchorage Devices

PubMed Central

Reznik, Derek S; Jeske, Arthur H; Chen, Jung-Wei; English, Jeryl

2009-01-01

This study compared the effectiveness of topical benzocaine 20% versus a combination of lidocaine, tetracaine, and phenylephrine in providing sufficient analgesia for the placement of orthodontic temporary anchorage devices (TADs). The 2 topical anesthetics were tested against each other bilaterally using a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. The agents were left in place for the amount of time prescribed by the manufacturer. The TAD was then placed, and each subject rated the degree of pain on a Heft-Parker visual analogue scale. A pulse oximeter was used to record the preoperative and postoperative pulse rates. Statistically significant differences in perceived pain (P < .05) and success rate (P < .01) between drugs were seen, but no significant difference in pulse rate change between the topical anesthetics was observed (P > .05). It was concluded that when the efficacy of topical benzocaine and of a combination product was compared as the sole anesthetic to facilitate acceptable pain control for placement of orthodontic temporary anchorage devices, the combination product was considerably more efficacious. PMID:19769421

Effect of Topical Anesthesia with Lidocaine-prilocaine (EMLA) Cream and Local Pressure on Pain during Infiltration Injection for Maxillary Canines: A Randomized Double-blind clinical trial.

PubMed

Milani, Amin S; Zand, Vahid; Abdollahi, Amir A; Froughreyhani, Mohammad; Zakeri-Milani, Parvin; Jafarabadi, Mohammad A

2016-07-01

This study compared the effect of local pressure and topical lidocaine-prilocaine (EMLA) cream on pain during infiltration injection for maxillary canine teeth. A total of 140 volunteer students participated in this split-mouth design randomized clinical trial. The subjects were randomly divided into four groups (n = 35). Before administration of anesthesia, in each group, one side was randomly selected as the experimental and the opposite side as the control. In group 1, finger pressure was applied on the alveolar mucosa on the experimental side and on the tooth crown on the control side. In group 2, 5% EMLA cream and placebo; in group 3, finger pressure and 5% EMLA cream; and in group 4, 5% EMLA cream and 20% benzocaine gel were applied. In all the groups, a buccal infiltration procedure was carried out. Pain during injection was recorded with visual analog scale (VAS). Wilcoxon and McNemar tests were used for statistical analysis of the results. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The results showed that EMLA reduced the injection pain significantly more than benzocaine (p = 0.02). Also, injection pain was significantly lower with the use of EMLA in comparison to placebo (p = 0.00). Application of local pressure reduced the injection pain, but the difference from the control side was not significant (p = 0.05). Furthermore, the difference between application of local pressure and EMLA was not statistically significant (p = 0.08). Topical anesthesia of 5% EMLA was more effective than 20% benzocaine in reducing pain severity during infiltration injection. However, it was not significantly different in comparison to the application of local pressure.

Information Theory - The Bridge Connecting Bounded Rational Game Theory and Statistical Physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolpert, David H.

2005-01-01

A long-running difficulty with conventional game theory has been how to modify it to accommodate the bounded rationality of all red-world players. A recurring issue in statistical physics is how best to approximate joint probability distributions with decoupled (and therefore far more tractable) distributions. This paper shows that the same information theoretic mathematical structure, known as Product Distribution (PD) theory, addresses both issues. In this, PD theory not only provides a principle formulation of bounded rationality and a set of new types of mean field theory in statistical physics; it also shows that those topics are fundamentally one and the same.

The Role of Probability-Based Inference in an Intelligent Tutoring System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mislevy, Robert J.; Gitomer, Drew H.

Probability-based inference in complex networks of interdependent variables is an active topic in statistical research, spurred by such diverse applications as forecasting, pedigree analysis, troubleshooting, and medical diagnosis. This paper concerns the role of Bayesian inference networks for updating student models in intelligent tutoring…

St. Petersburg Junior College Fact Book, 1999-2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saint Petersburg Junior Coll., FL. Office of Institutional Research.

The St. Petersburg Junior College (SPJC) Factbook provide statistical information and a historical perspective on the college. It is designed as a reference for academic and administrative decision-making and planning. In general, data are provided for multiple years within each topic. The Factbook contains eight major sections: (1) History…

Using Technology to Promote Mathematical Discourse Concerning Women in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phy, Lyn

2008-01-01

This paper discusses uses of technology to facilitate mathematical discourse concerning women in mathematics. Such a topic can be introduced in various traditional courses such as algebra, geometry, trigonometry, probability and statistics, or calculus, but it is not included in traditional textbooks. Through the ideas presented here, you can…

The Non-Gaussian Nature of Bibliometric and Scientometric Distributions: A New Approach to Interpretation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivancheva, Ludmila E.

2001-01-01

Discusses the concept of the hyperbolic or skew distribution as a universal statistical law in information science and socioeconomic studies. Topics include Zipf's law; Stankov's universal law; non-Gaussian distributions; and why most bibliometric and scientometric laws reveal characters of non-Gaussian distribution. (Author/LRW)

Fast Facts: Recent Statistics from the Library Research Service, Nos. 214-224. February 11-March 31, 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steffen, Nicolle Olivia; Lance, Keith Curry; Lietzau, Zeth; Dickenson, Don

2005-01-01

Eleven issues of "Fast Facts" from the Library Research Service cover information from libraries across Colorado. These issues focus on topics from the public, academic, and school sectors. These topics include patron use of AskColorado (a statewide virtual reference service) and the rising use of online services. The "Fast…

The efficacy of topical 0.05 % cyclosporine A in patients with dry eye disease associated with Sjögren's syndrome.

PubMed

Devecı, Hülya; Kobak, Senol

2014-10-01

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune epithelitis which usually presents with mouth and eye dryness. Although the place of systemic drugs in keratoconjunctivitis sicca treatment has been discussed, the efficacy of some topical drugs has also been demonstrated; however, there are contradictory results related to topical cyclosporine A. We aimed to investigate the efficacy of 0.05 % topical cyclosporine A in patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca due to primary and secondary SS. This prospective study included 26 patients with a diagnosis of primary and secondary SS who visited our rheumatology outpatient clinic. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca was diagnosed in all patients after they were examined at the outpatient clinic. Patients were given topical 0.05 % cyclosporine A emulsions for both eyes. We used another 20 patients with SS who were treated with saline solution as a control group. Subjective symptoms reported after 1-week and 1-month follow-up were complaints of burning and pricking sensation, light sensitivity and pain. Objective signs included redness, Schirmer test and tear break-up time. A total of 26 patients (19 female) were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 47.5 years and mean disease duration of 5.2 years. In the first physical examination of patients, 23 patients had burning and pricking sensation, 24 had pain, 23 had light sensitivity, and 24 had red eyes. All subjective symptoms (burning and pricking sensation, light sensitivity and pain) were statistically significantly improved after 1-week and 1-month follow-up examinations (p = 0.0001). All objective signs (Schirmer test, tear break-up time, and redness) were statistically significantly improved after 1-week and 1-month follow-up examinations (p = 0.0001). Compared with the control group, there was significant improvement in all parameters. It is concluded that topical 0.05 % cyclosporine A is an effective treatment option for keratoconjunctivitis sicca due to SS after a 1-month follow-up period.

Peripheral Female Genital Arousal as Assessed by Thermography Following Topical Genital Application of Alprostadil vs Placebo Arousal Gel: A Proof-of-Principle Study Without Visual Sexual Stimulation.

PubMed

Goldstein, Sue W; Gonzalez, Joshua R; Gagnon, Catherine; Goldstein, Irwin

2016-09-01

Female sexual arousal disorder is a pathophysiologic state characterized clinically by persistent or recurrent inability to attain or maintain an adequate lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement until completion of sexual activity. Prior clinical experience with alprostadil products for men with erectile dysfunction supports its use in women with female sexual arousal disorder. To compare the effect of topical alprostadil with over-the-counter (OTC) lubricant on female genital arousal in the absence of visual sexual stimuli. Healthy premenopausal women without sexual dysfunction were recruited from the community to participate in the study. Of 17 women who consented, 10 were enrolled and completed the trial. The mean age of subjects was 32 years (range = 27-43). Study drug or placebo was applied topically to the genitals. Continuous temperature monitoring was performed. Participants completed questionnaires assessing genital sensation, effect, intensity, and duration. Change in temperature from baseline in vestibule, clitoris and vulva. In all 10 subjects, topical alprostadil induced a statistically significant increase in temperature of the vestibule, clitoris, and vulva compared with the OTC lubricant. The most rapid difference in genital temperature between placebo and alprostadil was seen on the vulva, which demonstrated a significant difference at approximately 9 minutes. There was a significant difference in temperature seen for the vestibule and clitoris at 11 and 19 minutes, respectively. Sixty percent of women reported being aware or conscious of genital sensations with topical alprostadil, but not with OTC lubricant. Discordance was noted in 30% of subjects who reported being aware or conscious of genital sensations with the two treatments and 10% who reported not being aware or conscious of genital sensations with either treatment. Topical alprostadil administered to healthy premenopausal women induced statistically significant, sustained increases in genital temperatures of the vestibule, clitoris, and vulva within 20 minutes compared with OTC lubricant. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lifelong Learning Trends. A Profile of Continuing Higher Education. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Univ. Continuing Education Association, Washington, DC.

This book reports national data on trends and participation in continuing higher education. Statistics in the book have been derived from data collected by the authors, as well as by governmental and private organizations. The book is organized in six sections that cover the following topics: factors contributing to the growth of continuing higher…

The Treatment of Six Sigma in Introductory Operations Management Textbooks: Clearing Up the Confusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravinder, Handanhal; Misra, Ram B.

2016-01-01

This paper critically examines the treatment of the statistical basis for Six Sigma and process capability in popular operations management textbooks. It discusses areas of confusion and suggest ways of treating the topic that make sense to instructors as well as students. Even though Six Sigma was introduced almost 30 years ago, misconceptions…

Selected Topics in Experimental Statistics with Army Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

could employ the sum indicated by ’t pjXij + f, as the model. 6-45 UM«OUIVI-K /Ub- IUd As is usual and for use in significance tests, we will...were taken from a study and classical example of Bortkiewicz (Ref. 40), which describes the number of deaths from kicks of horses in the Prussian Army

Bottlenecks in the development of topical analgesics: molecule, formulation, dose-finding, and phase III design.

PubMed

Keppel Hesselink, Jan M; Kopsky, David J; Stahl, Stephen M

2017-01-01

Topical analgesics can be defined as topical formulations containing analgesics or co-analgesics. Since 2000, interest in such formulations has been on the rise. There are, however, four critical issues in the research and development phases of topical analgesics: 1) The selection of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. Analgesics and co-analgesics differ greatly in their mechanism of action, and it is required to find the most optimal fit between such mechanisms of action and the pathogenesis of the targeted (neuropathic) pain. 2) Issues concerning the optimized formulation. For relevant clinical efficacy, specific characteristics for the selected vehicle (eg, cream base or gel base) are required, depending on the physicochemical characteristics of the active pharmaceutical ingredient(s) to be delivered. 3) Well-designed phase II dose-finding studies are required, and, unfortunately, such trials are missing. In fact, we will demonstrate that underdosing is one of the major hurdles to detect meaningful and statistically relevant clinical effects of topical analgesics. 4) Selection of clinical end points and innovatively designed phase III trials. End point selection can make or break a trial. For instance, to include numbness together with tingling as a composite end point for neuropathic pain seems stretching the therapeutic impact of an analgesic too far. Given the fast onset of action of topical analgesics (usually within 30 minutes), enrichment designs might enhance the chances for success, as the placebo response might decrease. Topical analgesics may become promising inroads for the treatment of neuropathic pain, once sufficient attention is given to these four key aspects.

Experimental analysis of computer system dependability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iyer, Ravishankar, K.; Tang, Dong

1993-01-01

This paper reviews an area which has evolved over the past 15 years: experimental analysis of computer system dependability. Methodologies and advances are discussed for three basic approaches used in the area: simulated fault injection, physical fault injection, and measurement-based analysis. The three approaches are suited, respectively, to dependability evaluation in the three phases of a system's life: design phase, prototype phase, and operational phase. Before the discussion of these phases, several statistical techniques used in the area are introduced. For each phase, a classification of research methods or study topics is outlined, followed by discussion of these methods or topics as well as representative studies. The statistical techniques introduced include the estimation of parameters and confidence intervals, probability distribution characterization, and several multivariate analysis methods. Importance sampling, a statistical technique used to accelerate Monte Carlo simulation, is also introduced. The discussion of simulated fault injection covers electrical-level, logic-level, and function-level fault injection methods as well as representative simulation environments such as FOCUS and DEPEND. The discussion of physical fault injection covers hardware, software, and radiation fault injection methods as well as several software and hybrid tools including FIAT, FERARI, HYBRID, and FINE. The discussion of measurement-based analysis covers measurement and data processing techniques, basic error characterization, dependency analysis, Markov reward modeling, software-dependability, and fault diagnosis. The discussion involves several important issues studies in the area, including fault models, fast simulation techniques, workload/failure dependency, correlated failures, and software fault tolerance.

National Survey of US academic anesthesiology chairs on clinician wellness.

PubMed

Vinson, Amy E; Zurakowski, David; Randel, Gail I; Schlecht, Kathy D

2016-11-01

The prevalence of anesthesiology department wellness programs is unknown. A database of wellness programs is needed as a resource for departments attempting to respond to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Anesthesiology Milestones Project. The purpose of this study was to survey academic anesthesiology chairs on wellness issues, characterize initiatives, and establish wellness contacts for a Wellness Initiative Database (WID). An Internet-based survey instrument was distributed to academic anesthesiology department chairs in the United States. On-line. None. None. Analysis for continuous variables used standard means, modes, and averages for individual responses; 95% confidence intervals for proportions were calculated by Wilson's method. Seventy-five (56.4%) responses (of a potential 133 programs) were obtained. Forty-one (of 71 responders; 57.8%) expressed interest in participating in a WID, and 33 (44%) provided contact information. Most (74.7%) had recently referred staff for counseling or wellness resources, yet many (79.5% and 67.1%, respectively) had never surveyed their department's interest in wellness resources. Thirty-four percent had a wellness resources repository. Of 22 wellness topics, 8 garnered >60% strong interest from respondents: Addiction Counseling, Sleep Hygiene, Peer Support Program, Stress Management, Conflict Management, Burnout Counseling, Time Management, and Dealing with Adverse Events Training. There was a statistically significant difference in interest between those willing to participate or not in the WID across most topics but no significant difference based on need for recent staff referral. The majority of chairs needed to recently refer a department member to wellness resources or counseling. Most were interested in participating in a WID, whereas a minority had gauged staff interest in wellness topics or had a wellness resource repository. Highest interest was in topics most related to function as an anesthesiologist. Those willing to participate in the database had statistically significant differences in interest across most wellness topics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aqueous penetration and biological activity of moxifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution and gatifloxacin 0.3% solution in cataract surgery patients.

PubMed

Kim, Dianne H; Stark, Walter J; O'Brien, Terrence P; Dick, James D

2005-11-01

To measure the achievable perioperative aqueous concentration of the commercially available topically administered fourth generation fluoroquinolones, moxifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution, and gatifloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution, and to correlate this concentration with the agents' biological efficacy in the aqueous humor of patients undergoing routine cataract surgery. Prospective, randomized, parallel, double-masked, clinical trial. Fifty patients undergoing cataract extraction. Patients (n = 25) were given perioperative topical moxifloxacin 0.5% or topical gatifloxacin 0.3% (n = 25). One drop of antibiotic was administered every 10 minutes for 4 doses beginning 1 hour prior to surgery. Aqueous humor was sampled via paracentesis and antibiotic concentrations were determined using validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedures. Dilution analyses were performed to determine the biological efficacy of the agents in the aqueous against Staphylococcus epidermidis, the most common cause of postcataract endophthalmitis. Aqueous humor antibiotic concentrations were measured using HPLC and microdilution bioassay techniques. Biological activity was measured as minimal inhibitory dilution and minimal bactericidal dilution. Aqueous humor concentrations for moxifloxacin via HPLC analysis were 1.80 (+/-1.21) microg/ml, whereas those for gatifloxacin were 0.48 (+/-0.34) microg/ml. This 3.8-fold difference in aqueous humor antibiotic concentrations was statistically significant (P = 0.00003). Similarly, the biological dilution analysis of the aqueous humor samples showed that moxifloxacin attained an estimated activity of 2.1 microg/ml, whereas the gatifloxacin activity was approximately 0.4 mug/ml, which represented a 4.9-fold difference. This study demonstrated that after topically administered perioperative antibiotics with cataract surgery, moxifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution achieved a statistically significantly higher concentration in aqueous humor compared with gatifloxacin (P = 0.00003). Results from the broth dilution analysis showed that moxifloxacin 0.5% was biologically more active against S. epidermidis than gatifloxacin 0.3% in aqueous humor after topical application. There were no adverse events reported, and incision wounds healed quickly and as expected.

Efficacy, tolerability and consumer acceptability of terbinafine topical spray versus terbinafine topical solution: a phase IIa, randomised, observer-blind, comparative study.

PubMed

Brown, Marc; Evans, Charles; Muddle, Andrew; Turner, Rob; Lim, Sian; Reed, Jessica; Traynor, Matt

2013-10-01

Tinea pedis is one of the world's most prevalent dermatophyte infections. MedSpray™ tinea pedis 1 % w/w (topical spray) is a novel, easy-to-use propellant-based spray formulation containing 1 % w/w terbinafine, requiring no manipulation at the site of infection. This is in contrast to the only formulation currently approved in Europe for single application (none are approved in the USA for single use), which is Lamisil(®) Once 1 % w/w (topical solution), containing 1 % w/w terbinafine hydrochloride, which requires manipulation on the affected area. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and consumer acceptability of a topical spray versus a topical solution in the treatment of tinea pedis. This study is a phase IIa, randomised, observer-blind, non-inferiority comparative study of the topical spray compared with the topical solution over a 12-week study period. The study was conducted at Bioskin GmbH, Hamburg and Berlin. Patients (n = 120) who presented with the presence of interdigital tinea pedis caused by dermatophytes on one or both feet were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly assigned between the two treatment groups. Either the topical spray or the topical solution was administered by the study nurse and consisted of a single application (equivalent to 20 mg of terbinafine per foot) on day 1 of the study. No further applications were made for the duration of the study. The hypothesis formulated before commencement of the study was that the topical spray would prove to be non-inferior to the topical solution. Efficacy assessments, including clinical signs and symptoms, mycology and microscopy were performed at baseline and 1, 6 and 12 weeks after treatment. The rate of mycological cure at week 1 was statistically equivalent for both treatments. There was a significant reduction in the overall clinical score as assessed by the Physician's Global Assessment of signs and symptoms for both treatment groups. The topical spray and the topical solution showed comparable anti-fungal activity. Furthermore, the non-inferiority of topical spray to the topical solution was confirmed as determined by the proportion of patients categorised as successfully treated at week 1. This confirms that a topical spray product, which can be applied once without touching the affected skin, is equally as effective in the treatment of tinea pedis and removes the risk of organism transfer associated with touching infected areas. EudraCT-No. 2008-002399-92.

Computational Psychotherapy Research: Scaling up the evaluation of patient-provider interactions

PubMed Central

Imel, Zac E.; Steyvers, Mark; Atkins, David C.

2014-01-01

In psychotherapy, the patient-provider interaction contains the treatment’s active ingredients. However, the technology for analyzing the content of this interaction has not fundamentally changed in decades, limiting both the scale and specificity of psychotherapy research. New methods are required in order to “scale up” to larger evaluation tasks and “drill down” into the raw linguistic data of patient-therapist interactions. In the current paper we demonstrate the utility of statistical text analysis models called topic models for discovering the underlying linguistic structure in psychotherapy. Topic models identify semantic themes (or topics) in a collection of documents (here, transcripts). We used topic models to summarize and visualize 1,553 psychotherapy and drug therapy (i.e., medication management) transcripts. Results showed that topic models identified clinically relevant content, including affective, content, and intervention related topics. In addition, topic models learned to identify specific types of therapist statements associated with treatment related codes (e.g., different treatment approaches, patient-therapist discussions about the therapeutic relationship). Visualizations of semantic similarity across sessions indicate that topic models identify content that discriminates between broad classes of therapy (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy vs. psychodynamic therapy). Finally, predictive modeling demonstrated that topic model derived features can classify therapy type with a high degree of accuracy. Computational psychotherapy research has the potential to scale up the study of psychotherapy to thousands of sessions at a time, and we conclude by discussing the implications of computational methods such as topic models for the future of psychotherapy research and practice. PMID:24866972

Dermal carotenoid level and kinetics after topical and systemic administration of antioxidants: enrichment strategies in a controlled in vivo study.

PubMed

Darvin, Maxim E; Fluhr, Joachim W; Schanzer, Sabine; Richter, Heike; Patzelt, Alexa; Meinke, Martina C; Zastrow, Leonhard; Golz, Karin; Doucet, Olivier; Sterry, Wolfram; Lademann, Juergen

2011-10-01

High doses of sun-emitted UV-radiation induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) as major pro-oxidants thus inducing premature skin aging. The best prevention of the destructive action of free radicals in human skin is textile coverings, topical sunscreens and the development of a high antioxidative protective network. The effects of topical, systemic and combined application of antioxidants (AO) were investigated on human skin in vivo. Topical application of creams and systemic incorporation of tablets both containing AO was investigated in vivo by resonance Raman spectroscopy. Topical, systemic and combined AO-treatments induced a statistically significant increase of AO levels in human skin while placebo did not show any changes. The highest accumulation was induced by the combination of topical and systemic AO. Carotenoid-tablets combined with placebo-cream induced less carotenoid accumulation than carotenoid-tablets alone. Carotenoid levelling after the end of treatment lasted for around 2 weeks following the topical application of AOs, and up to 5 weeks after systemic administration, depending on the BMI of volunteers. Topically applied AO are stored in the SC for a short time only due to the rapid AO-depletion by desquamation, textile contact, washing and environmental stress. In contrast to topical application, the systemically applied carotenoids are stored in the body fat tissue and slowly released onto the skin surface with sweat and sebum. The combined topical and systemic application of AO represents an optimal form of protection of the AO-network. Copyright © 2011 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational psychotherapy research: scaling up the evaluation of patient-provider interactions.

PubMed

Imel, Zac E; Steyvers, Mark; Atkins, David C

2015-03-01

In psychotherapy, the patient-provider interaction contains the treatment's active ingredients. However, the technology for analyzing the content of this interaction has not fundamentally changed in decades, limiting both the scale and specificity of psychotherapy research. New methods are required to "scale up" to larger evaluation tasks and "drill down" into the raw linguistic data of patient-therapist interactions. In the current article, we demonstrate the utility of statistical text analysis models called topic models for discovering the underlying linguistic structure in psychotherapy. Topic models identify semantic themes (or topics) in a collection of documents (here, transcripts). We used topic models to summarize and visualize 1,553 psychotherapy and drug therapy (i.e., medication management) transcripts. Results showed that topic models identified clinically relevant content, including affective, relational, and intervention related topics. In addition, topic models learned to identify specific types of therapist statements associated with treatment-related codes (e.g., different treatment approaches, patient-therapist discussions about the therapeutic relationship). Visualizations of semantic similarity across sessions indicate that topic models identify content that discriminates between broad classes of therapy (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy vs. psychodynamic therapy). Finally, predictive modeling demonstrated that topic model-derived features can classify therapy type with a high degree of accuracy. Computational psychotherapy research has the potential to scale up the study of psychotherapy to thousands of sessions at a time. We conclude by discussing the implications of computational methods such as topic models for the future of psychotherapy research and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Topical use of Matricaria recutita L (Chamomile) Oil in the Treatment of Monosymptomatic Enuresis in Children

PubMed Central

Sharifi, Hosein; Minaie, Mohammad Bagher; Qasemzadeh, Mohammad Javad; Ataei, Nematollah; Gharehbeglou, Mohammad; Heydari, Mojtaba

2015-01-01

Aim. To evaluate the efficacy of topical use of Matricaria recutita L oil in the treatment of enuresis in children. Methods. Eighty patients diagnosed as monosymptomatic nocturnal or daytime enuresis were allocated to receive Matricaria recutita L (chamomile) oil or placebo topically for 6 weeks in a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial with a parallel design. Patients were evaluated prior to and following 8 weeks of the intervention in terms of frequency of enuresis and any observed adverse events. Results. The mean frequency of enuresis at the first, second, and third 2 weeks was lower in the intervention group compared with the placebo group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .001, P = .03, and P < .001, respectively). There was no report of any adverse event in the study groups. Conclusion. The findings of this study showed that the topical use of (chamomile) oil can decrease the frequency of nocturia in children with monosymptomatic nocturnal or daytime enuresis. PMID:26427789

Four decades of health economics through a bibliometric lens.

PubMed

Wagstaff, Adam; Culyer, Anthony J

2012-03-01

In this paper, we take a bibliometric tour of the last forty years of health economics using bibliographic "metadata" from EconLit supplemented by citation data from Google Scholar and our own topical classifications. We report the growth of health economics (we find 33,000 publications since 1969-12,000 more than in the economics of education) and list the 300 most-cited publications broken down by topic. We report the changing topical and geographic focus of health economics (the topics 'Determinants of health and ill-health' and 'Health statistics and econometrics' both show an upward trend, and the field has expanded appreciably into the developing world). We also compare authors, countries, institutions and journals in terms of the volume of publications and their influence as measured through various citation-based indices (Grossman, the US, Harvard and the JHE emerge close to or at the top on a variety of measures). Copyright © 2012 World Bank. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Report: New analytical and statistical approaches for interpreting the relationships among environmental stressors and biomarkers

EPA Science Inventory

The broad topic of biomarker research has an often-overlooked component: the documentation and interpretation of the surrounding chemical environment and other meta-data, especially from visualization, analytical, and statistical perspectives (Pleil et al. 2014; Sobus et al. 2011...

Statistical Physics for Adaptive Distributed Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolpert, David H.

2005-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on statistical physics for distributed adaptive control is shown. The topics include: 1) The Golden Rule; 2) Advantages; 3) Roadmap; 4) What is Distributed Control? 5) Review of Information Theory; 6) Iterative Distributed Control; 7) Minimizing L(q) Via Gradient Descent; and 8) Adaptive Distributed Control.

An open, randomized, comparative study of oral finasteride and 5% topical minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia.

PubMed

Arca, Ercan; Açikgöz, Gürol; Taştan, Halis Bülent; Köse, Osman; Kurumlu, Zafer

2004-01-01

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is undoubtedly the most common form of hair loss in males. It is a condition which may cause cosmetic and psychosocial problems in androgen-dependent cases. In this open, randomized and comparative study we evaluated the efficacy of oral finasteride and 5% topical minoxidil treatment for 12 months in 65 male patients with mild to severe AGA. We randomly assigned 40 (61.53%) patients to receive 1 mg/day oral finasteride for 12 months, and 25 (38.47%) patients applied 5% topical minoxidil solution twice daily for 12 months. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups considering age, age of onset of hair loss, family history and type of hair loss (p > 0.05). In the clinical evaluation at the endpoint of treatment, the clinical cure rates (i.e. increased intensity of hair) were 80% (32/40) for the oral finasteride group and 52% (13/25) for the 5% topical minoxidil group. Encountered side effects were all mild, and there was no need to stop the treatment. In the group given oral finasteride, side effects were noted in 7 patients: 6 patients suffered from loss of libido, and 1 patient had an increase in other body hairs; irritation of the scalp was seen in 1 patient in the group administered 5% minoxidil. These adverse events disappeared as soon as the treatment was stopped. The laboratory data on both drug groups did not show any statistically or clinically significant intragroup changes from baseline values to the endpoint (p > 0.05), except the level of serum total testosterone which was increased, and free testosterone and serum prostate-specific antigen in the finasteride group which were statistically decreased from baseline values to the endpoint (p < 0.05). In this comparative study of systemic finasteride and topical minoxidil, it was concluded that both drugs were effective and safe in the treatment of mild to severe AGA, although oral finasteride treatment was more effective (p < 0.05). Adverse events were not considered important either, and these side effects disappeared as soon as the treatment was stopped.

Multi-Topic Tracking Model for dynamic social network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuhua; Liu, Changzheng; Zhao, Ming; Li, Ruixuan; Xiao, Hailing; Wang, Kai; Zhang, Jun

2016-07-01

The topic tracking problem has attracted much attention in the last decades. However, existing approaches rarely consider network structures and textual topics together. In this paper, we propose a novel statistical model based on dynamic bayesian network, namely Multi-Topic Tracking Model for Dynamic Social Network (MTTD). It takes influence phenomenon, selection phenomenon, document generative process and the evolution of textual topics into account. Specifically, in our MTTD model, Gibbs Random Field is defined to model the influence of historical status of users in the network and the interdependency between them in order to consider the influence phenomenon. To address the selection phenomenon, a stochastic block model is used to model the link generation process based on the users' interests to topics. Probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (PLSA) is used to describe the document generative process according to the users' interests. Finally, the dependence on the historical topic status is also considered to ensure the continuity of the topic itself in topic evolution model. Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is utilized to estimate parameters in the proposed MTTD model. Empirical experiments on real datasets show that the MTTD model performs better than Popular Event Tracking (PET) and Dynamic Topic Model (DTM) in generalization performance, topic interpretability performance, topic content evolution and topic popularity evolution performance.

Physics at the FQMT'11 conference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Špička, V.; Nieuwenhuizen, Th M.; Keefe, P. D.

2012-11-01

This paper deals with the recent state of the art of the following topics presented at the FQMT'11 conference: foundations of quantum physics, quantum measurement; nonequilibrium quantum statistical physics; quantum thermodynamics; quantum measurement, entanglement and coherence; dissipation, dephasing, noise, and decoherence; quantum optics; macroscopic quantum behavior; e.g. cold atoms; Bose-Einstein condensates; physics of quantum computing and quantum information; mesoscopic, nano-electro-mechanical systems and nano-optical systems; spin systems and their dynamics; biological systems and molecular motors; and cosmology, gravitation and astrophysics. The lectures and discussions at the FQMT'11 conference, as well as the contributions to the related topical issue, reveal important themes for future development. The recent literature is included.

An in vivo and in vitro investigation of the effect of Aloe vera gel ethanolic extract using animal model with diabetic foot ulcer

PubMed Central

Daburkar, Mohan; Lohar, Vikram; Rathore, Arvind Singh; Bhutada, Pravin; Tangadpaliwar, Shrikant

2014-01-01

Aim: To examine the preventive effect of Aloe vera gel ethanolic extract using diabetic foot ulcer (DFUs) protocol in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into untreated control (Group I), untreated DFUs (Group II), DFUs treated with A. vera gel ethanolic extract (Group III), DFUs treated with topical A. vera gel (Group IV), DFUs treated with A. vera gel ethanolic extract and topical A. vera gel (Group V). The rats in the treatment groups were daily administered the A. vera gel and ethanolic extract for 9 days. Fasting blood glucose levels and percentage of wound ulcer contraction were measured on day 3, 6, and 9. Statistical Analysis used: The results are expressed as a mean ± Standard Error Mean (SEM). Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) after Newman–Keuls test. P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant in all cases. Results: Oral administration of A. vera gel ethanolic extract at a dose of 300 mg/kg body weight per day to diabetic rats for a period of 9 days resulted in a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose and a significant improvement in plasma insulin. Topical application of A. vera gel at a dose 30 mg/kg body weight per day to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for a period of 9 days resulted in no change in blood glucose and plasma insulin. Oral administration as well as topical application of A. vera gel ethanolic extract and gel significantly reduced the blood glucose, improved the plasma insulin, and significantly increased DNA and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) to improve the wound ulcer healing as well as the breaking strength on day 9. Conclusions: Present findings provide a scientific rationale for the use of A. vera gel ethanolic extract, and showed that the gel attenuated the diabetic foot wound in rats. PMID:25035641

School-based obesity prevention policies and practices and weight-control behaviors among adolescents

PubMed Central

Davey, Cynthia S.; Caspi, Caitlin E.; Kubik, Martha Y.; Nanney, Marilyn S.

2016-01-01

Background The promotion of healthy eating and physical activity within school settings is an important component of population-based strategies to prevent obesity; however, adolescents may be vulnerable to weight-related messages as rapid development during this lifestage often leads to preoccupation with body size and shape. Objective This study (1) examines secular trends in secondary school curricula topics relevant to the prevention of unhealthy weight-control behaviors; (2) describes cross-sectional associations between weight-related curricula content and students’ use of weight-control behaviors; and (3) assesses whether implementation of school-based obesity prevention policies/practices are longitudinally related to students’ weight-control behaviors. Design/participants The Minnesota School Health Profiles and Minnesota Student Survey (grades 9 and 12) data were used along with National Center for Education Statistics data to examine secular trends; cross-sectional associations (n=141 schools); and longitudinal associations (n=42 schools). Main Outcome Measures Students self-reported their height and weight along with past-year use of healthy (e.g., exercise), unhealthy (e.g., fasting), and extreme (e.g., use laxatives) weight-control behaviors. Statistical analyses performed Descriptive statistics, generalized estimating equations, and generalized linear regression models accounting for school-level demographics. Results There was no observable pattern over the years 2008 to 2014 in the mean number of curricula topics addressing unhealthy weight-control behaviors despite an increase in the prevalence of curricula addressing acceptance of body size differences. Including three versus fewer weight-control topics and specifically including the topic of eating disorders in the curricula were related to a lower school-level percent of students using any extreme weight-control behaviors. In contrast, an overall measure of implementing school-based obesity prevention policies/practices (e.g., prohibited advertising) was unrelated to use of unhealthy or extreme behaviors. Conclusions Results suggest obesity prevention policies/practices do not have unintended consequences for student weight-control behaviors and support the importance of school-based health education as part of efforts to prevent unhealthy behaviors. PMID:27889315

A double-blind, randomized trial of 0.05% betamethasone vs. topical catalase/dismutase superoxide in vitiligo.

PubMed

Sanclemente, G; Garcia, J J; Zuleta, J J; Diehl, C; Correa, C; Falabella, R

2008-11-01

Among all the topical immunomodulators, vitiligo's mainstay therapy includes topical corticosteroids. Many other non-immune theories have also been suggested for vitiligo's pathogenesis, but the role of oxidative stress has gained more importance in recent years. To compare the effect of topical 0.05% betamethasone vs. catalase/dismutase superoxide (C/DSO). Randomized, matched-paired, double-blind trial. Dermatology Section, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. Patients (aged > 18 years or between 12 and 18 years) with parent's informed consent, with stable or active bilateral vitiligo. Topical 0.05% betamethasone or C/DSO. Two lesions similar to each other in size were chosen. All assessments were made by two blinded investigators, and photographs were subjected to morphometry analysis. Skin repigmentation by digital morphometry. Twenty-five patients were enrolled in the study (21 women and 4 men). Mean age of participants was 40 years (range: 12-74 years). One patient on C/DSO experienced a mild local erythematous papular rash that self-resolved. At 4 months of therapy, there was no statistical difference on the percentage of repigmentation between betamethasone and C/DSO (5.63% +/- 27.9 vs. 3.22% +/- 25.8, respectively, P = 0.758). After 10 months of therapy, the percentage of skin repigmentation increased to 18.5 +/- 93.14% with betamethasone and to 12.4 +/- 59% with C/DSO, but again, we found no statistical differences (P = 0.79). Few studies have described objective methods to evaluate repigmentation among vitiligo patients. Digital morphometry provides an objective assessment of repigmentation in vitiligo. Objective vitiligo repigmentation with topical C/DSO at 10 months is similar to topical 0.05% betamethasone. Although a mild adverse effect was related to the use of C/DSO, such finding was not severe enough to discontinue treatment.

A Bibliometric Analysis on Cancer Population Science with Topic Modeling.

PubMed

Li, Ding-Cheng; Rastegar-Mojarad, Majid; Okamoto, Janet; Liu, Hongfang; Leichow, Scott

2015-01-01

Bibliometric analysis is a research method used in library and information science to evaluate research performance. It applies quantitative and statistical analyses to describe patterns observed in a set of publications and can help identify previous, current, and future research trends or focus. To better guide our institutional strategic plan in cancer population science, we conducted bibliometric analysis on publications of investigators currently funded by either Division of Cancer Preventions (DCP) or Division of Cancer Control and Population Science (DCCPS) at National Cancer Institute. We applied two topic modeling techniques: author topic modeling (AT) and dynamic topic modeling (DTM). Our initial results show that AT can address reasonably the issues related to investigators' research interests, research topic distributions and popularities. In compensation, DTM can address the evolving trend of each topic by displaying the proportion changes of key words, which is consistent with the changes of MeSH headings.

First Results from the Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardar, Erin M.

2008-01-01

This article presents results from a two-semester field test of the Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory (LSCI). Statistical analysis indicates that the LSCI has the sensitivity to measure statistically significant changes in students' understanding of light-related topics due to instruction in introductory astronomy courses and to distinguish…

Tests of Statistical Significance Made Sound

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haig, Brian D.

2017-01-01

This article considers the nature and place of tests of statistical significance (ToSS) in science, with particular reference to psychology. Despite the enormous amount of attention given to this topic, psychology's understanding of ToSS remains deficient. The major problem stems from a widespread and uncritical acceptance of null hypothesis…

76 FR 38360 - Workshop-Monitoring Changes in Extreme Storm Statistics: State of Knowledge; Notice of Open...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... Changes in Extreme Storm Statistics: State of Knowledge; Notice of Open Public Workshop AGENCY: National... .) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This workshop will provide an update to the climate science surrounding extreme... storms. Specific topics include: Severe Thunderstorms (and associated hail and winds), tornadoes, extreme...

Digest of Education Statistics, 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Thomas D.; Hoffman, Charlene M.

This document, consisting of 7 chapters, 35 figures, 395 tables, plus 22 appendix tables, provides statistical data on most aspects of United States education, both public and private, from kindergarten through graduate school. The chapters cover the following topics: (1) all levels of education; (2) elementary and secondary education; (3)…

Applied Statistics: From Bivariate through Multivariate Techniques [with CD-ROM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Rebecca M.

2007-01-01

This book provides a clear introduction to widely used topics in bivariate and multivariate statistics, including multiple regression, discriminant analysis, MANOVA, factor analysis, and binary logistic regression. The approach is applied and does not require formal mathematics; equations are accompanied by verbal explanations. Students are asked…

Analyzing a Mature Software Inspection Process Using Statistical Process Control (SPC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnard, Julie; Carleton, Anita; Stamper, Darrell E. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

This paper presents a cooperative effort where the Software Engineering Institute and the Space Shuttle Onboard Software Project could experiment applying Statistical Process Control (SPC) analysis to inspection activities. The topics include: 1) SPC Collaboration Overview; 2) SPC Collaboration Approach and Results; and 3) Lessons Learned.

Measuring Skewness: A Forgotten Statistic?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doane, David P.; Seward, Lori E.

2011-01-01

This paper discusses common approaches to presenting the topic of skewness in the classroom, and explains why students need to know how to measure it. Two skewness statistics are examined: the Fisher-Pearson standardized third moment coefficient, and the Pearson 2 coefficient that compares the mean and median. The former is reported in statistical…

The Statistical Handbook on Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berinstein, Paula

This volume tells stories about the tools we use, but these narratives are told in numbers rather than in words. Organized by various aspects of society, each chapter uses tables and statistics to examine everything from budgets, costs, sales, trade, employment, patents, prices, usage, access and consumption. In each chapter, each major topic is…

The effect of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor therapy on the incidence of myocardial infarction in patients with psoriasis: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Shaaban, Dalia; Al-Mutairi, Nawaf

2018-02-01

Psoriasis has been shown to be associated with increased incidence of myocardial infarction (MI). The data on the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors on MI in psoriasis are scarce. To evaluate the effect of TNF inhibitors on the risk of MI in psoriasis patients compared with methotrexate (MTX) and topical agents. Data were obtained from the Electronic Health Records database of Farwaniya Hospital from psoriasis patients seen from January 2008 to December 2014. Patients were categorized into TNF inhibitor, MTX and topical cohorts. The study included 4762 psoriasis patients. Both TNF inhibitor and MTX cohorts showed a statistically lower rate of MI compared with topical cohort. However, there was no statistically significant difference in MI rate between TNF inhibitor and MTX cohorts (P = .32). The probability of MI was lower in TNF inhibitor responders compared with non-responders (p = .001). The use of TNF inhibitors in psoriasis showed a significant reduction in the risk of MI compared with topical agents and a non-significant reduction compared with MTX. Responders to TNF inhibitor therapy showed a reduction in MI rate compared with non-responders.

A Guerilla Guide to Common Problems in ‘Neurostatistics’: Essential Statistical Topics in Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Smith, Paul F.

2017-01-01

Effective inferential statistical analysis is essential for high quality studies in neuroscience. However, recently, neuroscience has been criticised for the poor use of experimental design and statistical analysis. Many of the statistical issues confronting neuroscience are similar to other areas of biology; however, there are some that occur more regularly in neuroscience studies. This review attempts to provide a succinct overview of some of the major issues that arise commonly in the analyses of neuroscience data. These include: the non-normal distribution of the data; inequality of variance between groups; extensive correlation in data for repeated measurements across time or space; excessive multiple testing; inadequate statistical power due to small sample sizes; pseudo-replication; and an over-emphasis on binary conclusions about statistical significance as opposed to effect sizes. Statistical analysis should be viewed as just another neuroscience tool, which is critical to the final outcome of the study. Therefore, it needs to be done well and it is a good idea to be proactive and seek help early, preferably before the study even begins. PMID:29371855

A Guerilla Guide to Common Problems in 'Neurostatistics': Essential Statistical Topics in Neuroscience.

PubMed

Smith, Paul F

2017-01-01

Effective inferential statistical analysis is essential for high quality studies in neuroscience. However, recently, neuroscience has been criticised for the poor use of experimental design and statistical analysis. Many of the statistical issues confronting neuroscience are similar to other areas of biology; however, there are some that occur more regularly in neuroscience studies. This review attempts to provide a succinct overview of some of the major issues that arise commonly in the analyses of neuroscience data. These include: the non-normal distribution of the data; inequality of variance between groups; extensive correlation in data for repeated measurements across time or space; excessive multiple testing; inadequate statistical power due to small sample sizes; pseudo-replication; and an over-emphasis on binary conclusions about statistical significance as opposed to effect sizes. Statistical analysis should be viewed as just another neuroscience tool, which is critical to the final outcome of the study. Therefore, it needs to be done well and it is a good idea to be proactive and seek help early, preferably before the study even begins.

Analyzing 7000 texts on deep brain stimulation: what do they tell us?

PubMed

Ineichen, Christian; Christen, Markus

2015-01-01

The enormous increase in numbers of scientific publications in the last decades requires quantitative methods for obtaining a better understanding of topics and developments in various fields. In this exploratory study, we investigate the emergence, trends, and connections of topics within the whole text corpus of the deep brain stimulation (DBS) literature based on more than 7000 papers (title and abstracts) published between 1991 to 2014 using a network approach. Taking the co-occurrence of basic terms that represent important topics within DBS as starting point, we outline the statistics of interconnections between DBS indications, anatomical targets, positive, and negative effects, as well as methodological, technological, and economic issues. This quantitative approach confirms known trends within the literature (e.g., regarding the emergence of psychiatric indications). The data also reflect an increased discussion about complex issues such as personality connected tightly to the ethical context, as well as an apparent focus on depression as important DBS indication, where the co-occurrence of terms related to negative effects is low both for the indication as well as the related anatomical targets. We also discuss consequences of the analysis from a bioethical perspective, i.e., how such a quantitative analysis could uncover hidden subject matters that have ethical relevance. For example, we find that hardware-related issues in DBS are far more robustly connected to an ethical context compared to impulsivity, concrete side-effects or death/suicide. Our contribution also outlines the methodology of quantitative text analysis that combines statistical approaches with expert knowledge. It thus serves as an example how innovative quantitative tools can be made useful for gaining a better understanding in the field of DBS.

Analyzing 7000 texts on deep brain stimulation: what do they tell us?

PubMed Central

Ineichen, Christian; Christen, Markus

2015-01-01

The enormous increase in numbers of scientific publications in the last decades requires quantitative methods for obtaining a better understanding of topics and developments in various fields. In this exploratory study, we investigate the emergence, trends, and connections of topics within the whole text corpus of the deep brain stimulation (DBS) literature based on more than 7000 papers (title and abstracts) published between 1991 to 2014 using a network approach. Taking the co-occurrence of basic terms that represent important topics within DBS as starting point, we outline the statistics of interconnections between DBS indications, anatomical targets, positive, and negative effects, as well as methodological, technological, and economic issues. This quantitative approach confirms known trends within the literature (e.g., regarding the emergence of psychiatric indications). The data also reflect an increased discussion about complex issues such as personality connected tightly to the ethical context, as well as an apparent focus on depression as important DBS indication, where the co-occurrence of terms related to negative effects is low both for the indication as well as the related anatomical targets. We also discuss consequences of the analysis from a bioethical perspective, i.e., how such a quantitative analysis could uncover hidden subject matters that have ethical relevance. For example, we find that hardware-related issues in DBS are far more robustly connected to an ethical context compared to impulsivity, concrete side-effects or death/suicide. Our contribution also outlines the methodology of quantitative text analysis that combines statistical approaches with expert knowledge. It thus serves as an example how innovative quantitative tools can be made useful for gaining a better understanding in the field of DBS. PMID:26578908

The Economic Role of Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Women's Bureau (DOL), Washington, DC.

Statistical information pertaining to one of the most important changes in the American economy in this century--the increase in the number of women who work outside the home--is presented as an introduction to the broader range of topics which will be considered by the Advisory Committee on the Economic Role of Women. Job-related aspects of…

A Subject Classification of Math Lab Activities from School Science and Mathematics 1974-1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grinstein, Louise S.

1982-01-01

Presented here is an index which indicates the title and location of each activity by volume and page numbers. The majority of items relate to arithmetic, elementary algebra, and plane geometry, but material also covers such topics as statistics, probability, trigonometry set theory, topology, and modern algebra. (MP)

Qualification and Employment Opportunities. IAB Labour Market Research Topics No. 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rauch, Angela; Reinberg, Alexander

Official German unemployment statistics were analyzed along with data from Germany's microcensus and other published sources to identify recent labor market trends and to clarify the relationship between qualifications and employment opportunities in the new German economy. The analysis revealed that, as has been true for years, the lower the…

Male Control and Female Oppression. Fact Sheets on Institutional Racism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foundation for Change, Inc., New York, NY.

Following sections that define sexism, that give examples of individual, cultural, and institutional sexism, and that provide random thoughts on sexism and racism, statistics are listed for women and their relationship to various areas such as the economy, education, sports, the government, the media, and housing. Specific topics subsumed under…

Understanding Distributions by Modeling Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konold, Cliff; Harradine, Anthony; Kazak, Sibel

2007-01-01

In current curriculum materials for middle school students in the US, data and chance are considered as separate topics. They are then ideally brought together in the minds of high school or university students when they learn about statistical inference. In recent studies we have been attempting to build connections between data and chance in the…

Public Opinions Toward Diseases: Infodemiological Study on News Media Data

PubMed Central

ElTayeby, Omar; Zolnoori, Maryam

2018-01-01

Background Society always has limited resources to expend on health care, or anything else. What are the unmet medical needs? How do we allocate limited resources to maximize the health and welfare of the people? These challenging questions might be re-examined systematically within an infodemiological frame on a much larger scale, leveraging the latest advancement in information technology and data science. Objective We expanded our previous work by investigating news media data to reveal the coverage of different diseases and medical conditions, together with their sentiments and topics in news articles over three decades. We were motivated to do so since news media plays a significant role in politics and affects the public policy making. Methods We analyzed over 3.5 million archive news articles from Reuters media during the periods of 1996/1997, 2008 and 2016, using summary statistics, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling. Summary statistics illustrated the coverage of various diseases and medical conditions during the last 3 decades. Sentiment analysis and topic modeling helped us automatically detect the sentiments of news articles (ie, positive versus negative) and topics (ie, a series of keywords) associated with each disease over time. Results The percentages of news articles mentioning diseases and medical conditions were 0.44%, 0.57% and 0.81% in the three time periods, suggesting that news media or the public has gradually increased its interests in medicine since 1996. Certain diseases such as other malignant neoplasm (34%), other infectious diseases (20%), and influenza (11%) represented the most covered diseases. Two hundred and twenty-six diseases and medical conditions (97.8%) were found to have neutral or negative sentiments in the news articles. Using topic modeling, we identified meaningful topics on these diseases and medical conditions. For instance, the smoking theme appeared in the news articles on other malignant neoplasm only during 1996/1997. The topic phrases HIV and Zika virus were linked to other infectious diseases during 1996/1997 and 2016, respectively. Conclusions The multi-dimensional analysis of news media data allows the discovery of focus, sentiments and topics of news media in terms of diseases and medical conditions. These infodemiological discoveries could shed light on unmet medical needs and research priorities for future and provide guidance for the decision making in public policy. PMID:29739741

The clinical effect of JetpPeel-assisted topical minoxidil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: A randomized pilot study.

PubMed

Gong, Lin; Bao, Linlin; Tian, Tian; Li, Yuanhong

2018-02-01

We used JetPeel, combined with topical minoxidil to treat patients with AGA, in order to observe whether the JetPeel can accelerate the recovery of the disease and find a new method for AGA treatment. Thirty patients who met the standard were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups. The first group was treated with JetPeel-assisted topical minoxidil. The second group received topical minoxidil monotherapy. The third group was not given any treatment. We used objective evaluation (amount and diameter of hair, oil secretion level) and subjective evaluation (hair growth score marked by dermatologist and patient) to evaluate the hair growth condition before treatment and every other month. The calculated p values of less than 0.05 were accepted as significant. All of the 30 patients finished the study. There was no difference in age, sex, and duration and severity of the disease among groups prior to treatment (p > 0.05). And there was greater improvement in scores of hair growth in the first group compared to the second and third group, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Compared with topical minoxidil monotherapy, JetPeel-assisted topical minoxidil is more effective during the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.

Quantitative Research Methods Training in Education Leadership and Administration Preparation Programs as Disciplined Inquiry for Building School Improvement Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Alex J.

2017-01-01

The quantitative research methods course is a staple of graduate programs in education leadership and administration. Historically, these courses serve to train aspiring district and school leaders in fundamental statistical research topics. This article argues for programs to focus as well in these courses on helping aspiring leaders develop…

Proceedings of the first ERDA statistical symposium, Los Alamos, NM, November 3--5, 1975. [Sixteen papers

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

Nicholson, W L; Harris, J L

1976-03-01

The First ERDA Statistical Symposium was organized to provide a means for communication among ERDA statisticians, and the sixteen papers presented at the meeting are given. Topics include techniques of numerical analysis used for accelerators, nuclear reactors, skewness and kurtosis statistics, radiochemical spectral analysis, quality control, and other statistics problems. Nine of the papers were previously announced in Nuclear Science Abstracts (NSA), while the remaining seven were abstracted for ERDA Energy Research Abstracts (ERA) and INIS Atomindex. (PMA)

Effect of topical honey application along with intralesional injection of glucantime in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Nilforoushzadeh, Mohammad Ali; Jaffary, Fariba; Moradi, Shahram; Derakhshan, Roya; Haftbaradaran, Elaheh

2007-04-27

Leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in Iran. Although many treatments have been suggested for this disease, there hasn't been an effective and safe treatment yet. Regarding the healing effect of honey in the chronic ulcers and its reported therapeutic effect in cutaneous leishmaniasis, we performed a study to better evaluate the efficacy of honey in cutaneous leishmaniasis and its final scar. In a prospective clinical trial, 100 patients with confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis were selected and randomized into 2 groups. Group A were treated with topical honey twice daily along with intralesional injection of glucantime once weekly until complete healing of the ulcer or for maximum of 6 weeks. Group B were treated with intralesional injection of glucantime alone until complete healing of the ulcer or for a maximum of 6 weeks, too. The patients were followed for 4 months. The collected data were analyzed statistically using statistical tests including Chi-square, Mann Whitney and Kaplan-Mayer tests. In this study, 45 patients that had cutaneous leishmaniasis were treated with intralesional glucantime alone and 45 patients were treated with topical honey and glucantime. Ten patients left out the study. In the glucantime alone treated group, 32 patients (71.1%) had complete cure whereas in the group treated with both glucantime & topical honey, 23 patients (51.1%) achieved complete cure. This difference was significant statistically (p = 0.04). Further studies to better clarify the efficacy of honey in cutaneous leishmaniasis is needed. We suggest that in another study, the efficacy of honey with standardized level of antibacterial activity is evaluated against cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Neutron star mergers and gamma-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayan, Ramesh

1993-01-01

Under the support of grant NAG 5-1904, we have carried out research on several topics related to gamma-ray bursts (GRB's). In our proposal, we stated that we would study three topics: (1) fireball evolution; (2) neutron star mergers; and (3) statistics of bursts. We have completed a significant amount of work in each of these areas. Resulting papers from this work are presented.

Heroin overdose

MedlinePlus

... 156. National Institute on Drug Abuse website. Overdose death rates. www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates . Updated January 2017. Accessed August 15, 2017. Zosel ...

Profile of Students’ Critical Thinking Skill Measured by Science Virtual Test on Living Things and Environmental Sustainability Theme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maulida, N. I.; Firman, H.; Rusyati, L.

2017-02-01

The aims of this study are: (1) to investigate the level of students’ critical thinking skill on living things and environmental sustainability theme for each Inch’ critical thinking elements and overall, (2) to investigate the level of students’ critical thinking skill on living things characteristic, biodiversity, energy resources, ecosystem, environmental pollution, and global warming topics. The research was conducted due to the important of critical thinking measurement to get the current skill description as the basic consideration for further critical thinking skill improvement in lower secondary science. The research method used was descriptive. 331 seventh grade students taken from five lower secondary schools in Cirebon were tested to get the critical thinking skill data by using Science Virtual Test as the instrument. Generally, the mean scores on eight Inch’ critical thinking elements and overall score from descriptive statistic reveals a moderate attainments level. Students’ critical thinking skill on biodiversity, energy resources, ecosystem, environmental pollution, and global warming topics are in moderate level. While students’ critical thinking skill on living things characteristic is identified as high level. Students’ experience in thinking critically during science learning process and the characteristic of the topic are emerged as the reason behind the students’ critical thinking skill level on certain science topic.

Promoting Statistical Thinking in Schools with Road Injury Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woltman, Marie

2017-01-01

Road injury is an immediately relevant topic for 9-19 year olds. Current availability of Open Data makes it increasingly possible to find locally relevant data. Statistical lessons developed from these data can mutually reinforce life lessons about minimizing risk on the road. Devon County Council demonstrate how a wide array of statistical…

Effectiveness of Project Based Learning in Statistics for Lower Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siswono, Tatag Yuli Eko; Hartono, Sugi; Kohar, Ahmad Wachidul

2018-01-01

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of implementing Project Based Learning (PBL) on the topic of statistics at a lower secondary school in Surabaya city, Indonesia, indicated by examining student learning outcomes, student responses, and student activity. Research Methods: A quasi experimental method was conducted over two…

Effects of Cover Stories on Problem Solving in a Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricks, Travis Rex; Wiley, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Does having more knowledge or interest in the topics used in example problems facilitate or hinder learning in statistics? Undergraduates enrolled in Introductory Psychology received a lesson on central tendency. Following the lesson, half of the students completed a worksheet with a baseball cover story while the other half received a weather…

Statistical description of tectonic motions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agnew, Duncan Carr

1993-01-01

This report summarizes investigations regarding tectonic motions. The topics discussed include statistics of crustal deformation, Earth rotation studies, using multitaper spectrum analysis techniques applied to both space-geodetic data and conventional astrometric estimates of the Earth's polar motion, and the development, design, and installation of high-stability geodetic monuments for use with the global positioning system.

Fact Sheets on Institutional Sexism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Racism and Sexism Resource Center for Educators, New York, NY.

Statistics and statements are presented about the comparative status of men and women in terms of income, job force participation, and other topics. The statistics cover the period 1971-75 and are taken from sources including U. S. Department of Labor and Commerce reports, issues of Monthly Labor Review, Educational Testing Service, The New York…

Assistive Technologies for Second-Year Statistics Students Who Are Blind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erhardt, Robert J.; Shuman, Michael P.

2015-01-01

At Wake Forest University, a student who is blind enrolled in a second course in statistics. The course covered simple and multiple regression, model diagnostics, model selection, data visualization, and elementary logistic regression. These topics required that the student both interpret and produce three sets of materials: mathematical writing,…

A Modeling Approach to the Development of Students' Informal Inferential Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doerr, Helen M.; Delmas, Robert; Makar, Katie

2017-01-01

Teaching from an informal statistical inference perspective can address the challenge of teaching statistics in a coherent way. We argue that activities that promote model-based reasoning address two additional challenges: providing a coherent sequence of topics and promoting the application of knowledge to novel situations. We take a models and…

Comparison of therapeutic effects of liposomal Tranexamic Acid and conventional Hydroquinone on melasma.

PubMed

Banihashemi, Mahnaz; Zabolinejad, Naghmeh; Jaafari, Mahmoud Reza; Salehi, Maryam; Jabari, Asma

2015-09-01

Melasma is one of the most common cosmetic disorders with skin darkening. Although several treatment modalities are available, none is satisfactorily used in management of this condition. Tranexamic acid (TA), a plasmin inhibitor, is reported to improve melasma when injected locally or used as oral and topical forms. The aim of this study was to compare therapeutic effects of liposomal tranexamic acid and conventional hydroquinone on melasma. Thirty women with bilateral melasma were enrolled in a split-face trial lasting 12 weeks. Patients blindly applied 5% topical liposomal TA and 4% hydroquinone cream, to the designated sides of the face twice daily in addition to the assigned sunscreen in the morning. Skin pigmentation was measured using MASI (Melasma Area and Severity Index) at each visit separately for each side at the base line and every month until one month after treatment course. Data were obtained from patients file and were analyzed statistically using SPSS software, paired samples t-test, and repeated measured ANOVA. Twenty-three patients completed the study. The mean MASI scores significantly reduced in both treated sides (P < P = 0.001) after 12 week. A greater decrease was observed with 5% liposomal TA, although this difference was not statistically significant. Irritation occurred in three patients with hydroquinone, while no serious adverse events occurred with TA. On the basis of these results, topical liposomal TA can be used as a new, effective, safe, and promising therapeutic agent in melasma. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study.

PubMed

Widrig, Reto; Suter, Andy; Saller, Reinhard; Melzer, Jörg

2007-04-01

The use of topical preparations for symptom relief is common in osteoarthritis. The effects of ibuprofen (5%) and arnica (50 g tincture/100 g, DER 1:20), as gel preparations in patients with radiologically confirmed and symptomatically active osteoarthritis of interphalangeal joints of hands, were evaluated in a randomised, double-blind study in 204 patients, to ascertain differences in pain relief and hand function after 21 days' treatment. Diagnosis was according to established criteria; primary endpoints were pain intensity and hand function; statistical design was as per current regulatory guidelines for testing topical preparations. There were no differences between the two groups in pain and hand function improvements, or in any secondary end points evaluated. Adverse events were reported by six patients (6.1%) on ibuprofen and by five patients (4.8%) on arnica. Our results confirm that this preparation of arnica is not inferior to ibuprofen when treating osteoarthritis of hands.

Science Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1989

1989-01-01

Twenty-two activities are presented. Topics include: acid rain, microcomputers, fish farming, school-industry research projects, enzymes, equilibrium, assessment, science equipment, logic, Archimedes principle, electronics, optics, and statistics. (CW)

Statistics for Health Care Professionals Ian Scott Statistics for Health Care Professionals and Debbie Mazhindu Sage 248 :£19.99 0761974768 0761974768 [Formula: see text].

PubMed

2005-10-01

As a recent recruit to a lecturerpractitioner post with little recent experience in the subject area covered by this book, I found it met my needs very well. After all, this topic can be quite daunting for some. The 18 chapters are relatively short and I was able to dip into them when time allowed. However, it can also be read for extended periods, as the text is broken up with numerous information boxes, diagrams and tables. All the examples are relevant and appropriate to practice settings.

Conceptual clusters in figurative language production.

PubMed

Corts, Daniel P; Meyers, Kristina

2002-07-01

Although most prior research on figurative language examines comprehension, several recent studies on the production of such language have proved to be informative. One of the most noticeable traits of figurative language production is that it is produced at a somewhat random rate with occasional bursts of highly figurative speech (e.g., Corts & Pollio, 1999). The present article seeks to extend these findings by observing production during speech that involves a very high base rate of figurative language, making statistically defined bursts difficult to detect. In an analysis of three Baptist sermons, burst-like clusters of figurative language were identified. Further study indicated that these clusters largely involve a central root metaphor that represents the topic under consideration. An interaction of the coherence, along with a conceptual understanding of a topic and the relative importance of the topic to the purpose of the speech, is offered as the most likely explanation for the clustering of figurative language in natural speech.

Proceedings of the workshop on research methodologies and applications for Pacific Island agroforestry; July 16-20, 1990; Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia

Treesearch

Bill Raynor; Roger R. Bay

1993-01-01

Includes 19 papers presented at the workshop, covering such topics as sampling techniques and statistical considerations, indigenous agricultural and agroforestry systems, crop testing and evaluation, and agroforestry practices in the Pacific Islands, including Micronesia, Northern Marianas Islands, Palau, and American Samoa.

Using Asymptotic Results to Obtain a Confidence Interval for the Population Median

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jamshidian, M.; Khatoonabadi, M.

2007-01-01

Almost all introductory and intermediate level statistics textbooks include the topic of confidence interval for the population mean. Almost all these texts introduce the median as a robust measure of central tendency. Only a few of these books, however, cover inference on the population median and in particular confidence interval for the median.…

Children in Same-Sex Marriages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solodnikov, V. V.; Chkanikova, A. M.

2009-01-01

In Russia, sociologists do not have reliable statistical data as to the number of same-sex unions and the number of children being brought up in these families, and non-Russian studies on the topic are flawed and misleading. Russians are said to be antagonistic to the idea of children being raised in same-sex households. People are concerned over…

Legal Issues and Statistical Approaches to Reverse Pay Discrimination in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckes, Suzanne E.; Toutkoushian, Robert K.

2006-01-01

There have been numerous lawsuits within higher education brought by females over pay inequity and many articles have been written on the topic. Although not as prevalent, there have been some recent instances where male faculty have claimed--with some degree of success--that the process used by their institutions to make salary adjustments for…

Advice for New and Student Lecturers on Probability and Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen, Michael D.

2006-01-01

Lecture is a common presentation style that gives instructors a lot of control over topics and time allocation, but can limit active student participation and learning. This article presents some ideas to increase the level of student involvement in lecture. The examples and suggestions are based on the author's experience as a senior lecturer for…

Cooperative Learning Revisited: From an Instructional Method to a Way of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garfield, Joan

2013-01-01

Joan Garfield reflects on cooperative learning, 20 years after publishing an article on this topic in the inaugural issue of "Journal of Statistics Education" ("JSE") (Garfield 1993). Here, she writes that as she re-read the article, she realized that she still agrees with most of what she originally wrote regarding the use of…

Environmental and Water Quality Operational Studies. General Guidelines for Monitoring Contaminants in Reservoirs

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-01

espacially trte for the topics of sampling and analytical methods, statistical considerations, and the design of general water quality monitoring networks. For...and to the establishment and habitat differentiation of biological populations within reservoirs. Reservoir operatirn, esp- cially the timing...8217 % - - % properties of bottom sediments, as well as specific habitat associations of biological populations of reservoirs. Thus, such heterogeneities

Principles of Statistics: What the Sports Medicine Professional Needs to Know.

PubMed

Riemann, Bryan L; Lininger, Monica R

2018-07-01

Understanding the results and statistics reported in original research remains a large challenge for many sports medicine practitioners and, in turn, may be among one of the biggest barriers to integrating research into sports medicine practice. The purpose of this article is to provide minimal essentials a sports medicine practitioner needs to know about interpreting statistics and research results to facilitate the incorporation of the latest evidence into practice. Topics covered include the difference between statistical significance and clinical meaningfulness; effect sizes and confidence intervals; reliability statistics, including the minimal detectable difference and minimal important difference; and statistical power. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Double-blind, half-face study comparing topical vitamin C and vehicle for rejuvenation of photodamage.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Richard E; Rostan, Elizabeth F

2002-03-01

Aging of the population, in particular the "baby boomers," has resulted in increased interest in methods of reversal of photodamage. Non-invasive treatments are in high demand, and our knowledge of mechanisms of photodamage to skin, protection of the skin, and repair of photodamage are becoming more sophisticated and complex. The objective of this study is to determine if the topical use of a vitamin C preparation can stimulate the skin to repair photodamage and result in clinically visible differences, as well as microscopically visible improvement. Ten patients applied in a double-blind manner a newly formulated vitamin C complex having 10% ascorbic acid (water soluble) and 7% tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (lipid soluble) in an anhydrous polysilicone gel base to one-half of the face and the inactive polysilicone gel base to the opposite side. Clincial evaluation of wrinkling, pigmentation, inflammation, and hydration was performed prior to the study and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. Two mm punch biopsies of the lateral cheeks were performed at 12 weeks in four patients and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, as well as in situ hybridization studies using an anti-sense probe for mRNA for type I collagen. A questionnaire was also completed by each patient. A statistically significant improvement of the vitamin C-treated side was seen in the decreased photoaging scores of the cheeks (P = 0.006) and the peri-oral area (P = 0.01). The peri-orbital area improved bilaterally, probably indicating improved hydration. The overall facial improvement of the vitamin C side was statistically significant (P = 0.01). Biopsies showed increased Grenz zone collagen, as well as increased staining for mRNA for type I collagen. No patients were found to have any evidence of inflammation. Hydration was improved bilaterally. Four patients felt that the vitamin C-treated side improved unilaterally. No patient felt the placebo side showed unilateral improvement. This formulation of vitamin C results in clinically visible and statistically significant improvement in wrinkling when used topically for 12 weeks. This clinical improvement correlates with biopsy evidence of new collagen formation.

Reconciling statistical and systems science approaches to public health.

PubMed

Ip, Edward H; Rahmandad, Hazhir; Shoham, David A; Hammond, Ross; Huang, Terry T-K; Wang, Youfa; Mabry, Patricia L

2013-10-01

Although systems science has emerged as a set of innovative approaches to study complex phenomena, many topically focused researchers including clinicians and scientists working in public health are somewhat befuddled by this methodology that at times appears to be radically different from analytic methods, such as statistical modeling, to which the researchers are accustomed. There also appears to be conflicts between complex systems approaches and traditional statistical methodologies, both in terms of their underlying strategies and the languages they use. We argue that the conflicts are resolvable, and the sooner the better for the field. In this article, we show how statistical and systems science approaches can be reconciled, and how together they can advance solutions to complex problems. We do this by comparing the methods within a theoretical framework based on the work of population biologist Richard Levins. We present different types of models as representing different tradeoffs among the four desiderata of generality, realism, fit, and precision.

Reconciling Statistical and Systems Science Approaches to Public Health

PubMed Central

Ip, Edward H.; Rahmandad, Hazhir; Shoham, David A.; Hammond, Ross; Huang, Terry T.-K.; Wang, Youfa; Mabry, Patricia L.

2016-01-01

Although systems science has emerged as a set of innovative approaches to study complex phenomena, many topically focused researchers including clinicians and scientists working in public health are somewhat befuddled by this methodology that at times appears to be radically different from analytic methods, such as statistical modeling, to which the researchers are accustomed. There also appears to be conflicts between complex systems approaches and traditional statistical methodologies, both in terms of their underlying strategies and the languages they use. We argue that the conflicts are resolvable, and the sooner the better for the field. In this article, we show how statistical and systems science approaches can be reconciled, and how together they can advance solutions to complex problems. We do this by comparing the methods within a theoretical framework based on the work of population biologist Richard Levins. We present different types of models as representing different tradeoffs among the four desiderata of generality, realism, fit, and precision. PMID:24084395

Ab externo trabeculectomy performed under topical anesthesia supplemented by conscious sedation.

PubMed

Cortés-Gastélum, Marco Antonio; Paczka-Zapata, José Antonio; Mendoza-Barbosa, Jossué Fernando

2011-01-01

Ab externo trabeculectomy (AET) is the most common surgical procedure to treat glaucoma; topical anesthesia supplemented by conscious sedation is one of the diverse anesthetic methods to perform such type of surgery. The efficacy and safety of using topical anesthesia supplemented with conscious sedation for performing trabeculectomy were assessed in this prospective study. Twenty-six eyes of 26 consecutive patients underwent trabeculectomy under the effect of topical anesthesia and sedation. All cases were prospectively assessed during five different intra-operative times in which the degree of pain was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS). One patient was excluded from the study due to excessive somnolence. Performing the iridectomy caused less tolerance (p = 0.03) but with acceptable scores according to the VAS (score 2 = minimal and tolerable pain; p = 0.02), followed by conjunctival closure (nonsignificant p values). The entire procedure did not cause either moderate to extreme pain (scores 4 and 5 of the scale, respectively) in any of the patients. Levels of pain, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation were compared among the different intra-operative times. No statistically significant (p >0.05) differences were demonstrated. Eighty percent (n = 4) of the patients with green or blue iris had symptoms during the surgery, but this was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.053). No ocular or systemic side effects appeared related to the reported anesthesia regime. Topical anesthesia associated with conscious sedation seems to be efficacious and safe and can be recommended for performing trabeculectomy.

Complementary clinical effects of topical tightening treatment in conjunction with a radiofrequency procedure.

PubMed

Goldberg, David J; Yatskayer, Margarita; Raab, Susana; Chen, Nannan; Krol, Yevgeniy; Oresajo, Christian

2014-10-01

Abstract Background: Skin laxity and cellulite on the buttocks and thighs are two common cosmetic concerns. Skin tightening with radiofrequency (RF) devices has become increasingly popular. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a topical skin laxity tightening agent when used in combination with an RF device. A double-blinded, randomized clinical trial enrolled twenty females with mild-to-moderate skin laxity on the posterior thighs/buttocks. Each subject underwent two monthly treatments with an RF source (Alma Accent) to both legs. Subjects were then randomized to apply a topical agent (Skinceuticals Body Tightening Concentrate) twice daily to only one designated thigh/buttock throughout the eight-week duration of the study. All subjects were evaluated for improvement in lifting, skin tone, radiance, firmness/tightness, skin texture, and overall appearance based on photographic evaluation by blinded investigators at 12 weeks following the final RF treatment. A statistically significant improvement was found in the overall appearance on both sides treated with the RF device when compared to baseline. However, the area treated with the topical agent showed a statistically significantly greater degree of improvement than the side where no topical agent was applied. No adverse effects were reported. The use of a novel skin tightening agent used after RF procedures is both safe and effective for treatment of skin laxity on the buttocks and thighs. Combined therapy leads to a better result.

Characterizing Twitter Discussions About HPV Vaccines Using Topic Modeling and Community Detection.

PubMed

Surian, Didi; Nguyen, Dat Quoc; Kennedy, Georgina; Johnson, Mark; Coiera, Enrico; Dunn, Adam G

2016-08-29

In public health surveillance, measuring how information enters and spreads through online communities may help us understand geographical variation in decision making associated with poor health outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate the use of community structure and topic modeling methods as a process for characterizing the clustering of opinions about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines on Twitter. The study examined Twitter posts (tweets) collected between October 2013 and October 2015 about HPV vaccines. We tested Latent Dirichlet Allocation and Dirichlet Multinomial Mixture (DMM) models for inferring topics associated with tweets, and community agglomeration (Louvain) and the encoding of random walks (Infomap) methods to detect community structure of the users from their social connections. We examined the alignment between community structure and topics using several common clustering alignment measures and introduced a statistical measure of alignment based on the concentration of specific topics within a small number of communities. Visualizations of the topics and the alignment between topics and communities are presented to support the interpretation of the results in context of public health communication and identification of communities at risk of rejecting the safety and efficacy of HPV vaccines. We analyzed 285,417 Twitter posts (tweets) about HPV vaccines from 101,519 users connected by 4,387,524 social connections. Examining the alignment between the community structure and the topics of tweets, the results indicated that the Louvain community detection algorithm together with DMM produced consistently higher alignment values and that alignments were generally higher when the number of topics was lower. After applying the Louvain method and DMM with 30 topics and grouping semantically similar topics in a hierarchy, we characterized 163,148 (57.16%) tweets as evidence and advocacy, and 6244 (2.19%) tweets describing personal experiences. Among the 4548 users who posted experiential tweets, 3449 users (75.84%) were found in communities where the majority of tweets were about evidence and advocacy. The use of community detection in concert with topic modeling appears to be a useful way to characterize Twitter communities for the purpose of opinion surveillance in public health applications. Our approach may help identify online communities at risk of being influenced by negative opinions about public health interventions such as HPV vaccines.

Characterizing Twitter Discussions About HPV Vaccines Using Topic Modeling and Community Detection

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Dat Quoc; Kennedy, Georgina; Johnson, Mark; Coiera, Enrico; Dunn, Adam G

2016-01-01

Background In public health surveillance, measuring how information enters and spreads through online communities may help us understand geographical variation in decision making associated with poor health outcomes. Objective Our aim was to evaluate the use of community structure and topic modeling methods as a process for characterizing the clustering of opinions about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines on Twitter. Methods The study examined Twitter posts (tweets) collected between October 2013 and October 2015 about HPV vaccines. We tested Latent Dirichlet Allocation and Dirichlet Multinomial Mixture (DMM) models for inferring topics associated with tweets, and community agglomeration (Louvain) and the encoding of random walks (Infomap) methods to detect community structure of the users from their social connections. We examined the alignment between community structure and topics using several common clustering alignment measures and introduced a statistical measure of alignment based on the concentration of specific topics within a small number of communities. Visualizations of the topics and the alignment between topics and communities are presented to support the interpretation of the results in context of public health communication and identification of communities at risk of rejecting the safety and efficacy of HPV vaccines. Results We analyzed 285,417 Twitter posts (tweets) about HPV vaccines from 101,519 users connected by 4,387,524 social connections. Examining the alignment between the community structure and the topics of tweets, the results indicated that the Louvain community detection algorithm together with DMM produced consistently higher alignment values and that alignments were generally higher when the number of topics was lower. After applying the Louvain method and DMM with 30 topics and grouping semantically similar topics in a hierarchy, we characterized 163,148 (57.16%) tweets as evidence and advocacy, and 6244 (2.19%) tweets describing personal experiences. Among the 4548 users who posted experiential tweets, 3449 users (75.84%) were found in communities where the majority of tweets were about evidence and advocacy. Conclusions The use of community detection in concert with topic modeling appears to be a useful way to characterize Twitter communities for the purpose of opinion surveillance in public health applications. Our approach may help identify online communities at risk of being influenced by negative opinions about public health interventions such as HPV vaccines. PMID:27573910

Comparison of intravenous versus topical tranexamic acid in total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized study.

PubMed

Patel, Jay N; Spanyer, Jonathon M; Smith, Langan S; Huang, Jiapeng; Yakkanti, Madhusudhan R; Malkani, Arthur L

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of topical Tranexamic Acid (TXA) versus Intravenous (IV) Tranexamic Acid for reduction of blood loss following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This prospective randomized study involved 89 patients comparing topical administration of 2.0g TXA, versus IV administration of 10mg/kg. There were no differences between the two groups with regard to patient demographics or perioperative function. The primary outcome measure, perioperative change in hemoglobin level, showed a decrease of 3.06 ± 1.02 in the IV group and 3.42 ± 1.07 in the topical group (P = 0.108). There were no statistical differences between the groups in preoperative hemoglobin level, lowest postoperative hemoglobin level, or total drain output. One patient in the topical group required blood transfusion (P = 0.342). Based on our study, topical Tranexamic Acid has similar efficacy to IV Tranexamic Acid for TKA patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Task-Driven Comparison of Topic Models.

PubMed

Alexander, Eric; Gleicher, Michael

2016-01-01

Topic modeling, a method of statistically extracting thematic content from a large collection of texts, is used for a wide variety of tasks within text analysis. Though there are a growing number of tools and techniques for exploring single models, comparisons between models are generally reduced to a small set of numerical metrics. These metrics may or may not reflect a model's performance on the analyst's intended task, and can therefore be insufficient to diagnose what causes differences between models. In this paper, we explore task-centric topic model comparison, considering how we can both provide detail for a more nuanced understanding of differences and address the wealth of tasks for which topic models are used. We derive comparison tasks from single-model uses of topic models, which predominantly fall into the categories of understanding topics, understanding similarity, and understanding change. Finally, we provide several visualization techniques that facilitate these tasks, including buddy plots, which combine color and position encodings to allow analysts to readily view changes in document similarity.

Developing topic-specific search filters for PubMed with click-through data.

PubMed

Li, J; Lu, Z

2013-01-01

Search filters have been developed and demonstrated for better information access to the immense and ever-growing body of publications in the biomedical domain. However, to date the number of filters remains quite limited because the current filter development methods require significant human efforts in manual document review and filter term selection. In this regard, we aim to investigate automatic methods for generating search filters. We present an automated method to develop topic-specific filters on the basis of users' search logs in PubMed. Specifically, for a given topic, we first detect its relevant user queries and then include their corresponding clicked articles to serve as the topic-relevant document set accordingly. Next, we statistically identify informative terms that best represent the topic-relevant document set using a background set composed of topic irrelevant articles. Lastly, the selected representative terms are combined with Boolean operators and evaluated on benchmark datasets to derive the final filter with the best performance. We applied our method to develop filters for four clinical topics: nephrology, diabetes, pregnancy, and depression. For the nephrology filter, our method obtained performance comparable to the state of the art (sensitivity of 91.3%, specificity of 98.7%, precision of 94.6%, and accuracy of 97.2%). Similarly, high-performing results (over 90% in all measures) were obtained for the other three search filters. Based on PubMed click-through data, we successfully developed a high-performance method for generating topic-specific search filters that is significantly more efficient than existing manual methods. All data sets (topic-relevant and irrelevant document sets) used in this study and a demonstration system are publicly available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Lu/downloads/CQ_filter/

Developing Topic-Specific Search Filters for PubMed with Click-Through Data

PubMed Central

Li, Jiao; Lu, Zhiyong

2013-01-01

Summary Objectives Search filters have been developed and demonstrated for better information access to the immense and ever-growing body of publications in the biomedical domain. However, to date the number of filters remains quite limited because the current filter development methods require significant human efforts in manual document review and filter term selection. In this regard, we aim to investigate automatic methods for generating search filters. Methods We present an automated method to develop topic-specific filters on the basis of users’ search logs in PubMed. Specifically, for a given topic, we first detect its relevant user queries and then include their corresponding clicked articles to serve as the topic-relevant document set accordingly. Next, we statistically identify informative terms that best represent the topic-relevant document set using a background set composed of topic irrelevant articles. Lastly, the selected representative terms are combined with Boolean operators and evaluated on benchmark datasets to derive the final filter with the best performance. Results We applied our method to develop filters for four clinical topics: nephrology, diabetes, pregnancy, and depression. For the nephrology filter, our method obtained performance comparable to the state of the art (sensitivity of 91.3%, specificity of 98.7%, precision of 94.6%, and accuracy of 97.2%). Similarly, high-performing results (over 90% in all measures) were obtained for the other three search filters. Conclusion Based on PubMed click-through data, we successfully developed a high-performance method for generating topic-specific search filters that is significantly more efficient than existing manual methods. All data sets (topic-relevant and irrelevant document sets) used in this study and a demonstration system are publicly available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/CBBresearch/Lu/downloads/CQ_filter/ PMID:23666447

Assessing the Lexico-Grammatical Characteristics of a Corpus of College-Level Statistics Textbooks: Implications for Instruction and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagler, Amy E.; Lesser, Lawrence M.; González, Ariel I.; Leal, Luis

2015-01-01

A corpus of current editions of statistics textbooks was assessed to compare aspects and levels of readability for the topics of "measures of center," "line of fit," "regression analysis," and "regression inference." Analysis with lexical software of these text selections revealed that the large corpus can…

Experience and Explanation: Using Videogames to Prepare Students for Formal Instruction in Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arena, Dylan A.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

2014-01-01

Well-designed digital games can deliver powerful experiences that are difficult to provide through traditional instruction, while traditional instruction can deliver formal explanations that are not a natural fit for gameplay. Combined, they can accomplish more than either can alone. An experiment tested this claim using the topic of statistics,…

America's Black Population: 1970 to 1982. A Statistical View. Special Publication PIO/POP-83-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matney, William C.; Johnson, Dwight L.

This pamphlet is the first in a series designed to provide a compilation of selected demographic, social, economic, and other statistical data relating to selected populations. Topics covered here (in both discussion and table/graph format) include Black population growth and distribution, residence, income gain, poverty rate increase, labor force…

Teaching Introductory Business Statistics Using the DCOVA Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, David M.; Stephan, David F.

2011-01-01

Introductory business statistics students often receive little guidance on how to apply the methods they learn to further business objectives they may one day face. And those students may fail to see the continuity among the topics taught in an introductory course if they learn those methods outside a context that provides a unifying framework.…

Exploring Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Statistical Variation: Implications for Teaching and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Sashi

2007-01-01

Concerns about the importance of variation in statistics education and a lack of research in this topic led to a preliminary study which explored pre-service teachers' ideas in this area. The teachers completed a written questionnaire about variation in sampling and distribution contexts. Responses were categorised in relation to a framework that…

Coverage of tobacco control in Jordanian newspapers: implications for strengthening the role of news media.

PubMed

Bader, Rasha K; Shtaiwi, Aisha S; Shihab, Rawan A; Obeidat, Nour A; Hawari, Feras I

2017-07-16

News media play a critical role in tobacco control. To strengthen this role in Jordan, four newspapers were searched and 1 145 articles between 2011 and 2015 were coded for mention of MPOWER topics and for tone of coverage (neutral, pro-, or anti-tobacco control). Monthly counts, mention of tobacco control topics and the tones were examined. The monthly count of tobacco control-related news items showed an upward trend with an average monthly growth of 16%. Peaks in coverage were observed in synchrony with national tobacco control developments. 'Warn' was the topic most frequently mentioned (46%). 'Protect' was the only topic that showed a statistically significant upward trend over time. A pro-tobacco control tone was more prevalent than an antitobacco control or neutral tone. Thus, efforts are needed to enhance the newsworthiness of certain topics, boost influence on decision-makers and pre-empt industry interference.

Topical superoxide dismutase in posttreatment fibrosis in patients with head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Landeen, Kelly C; Spanos, William C; Gromer, Laurie

2018-05-13

Topical superoxide dismutase (SOD) has been shown to decrease postradiation fibrosis in some cancers but has not demonstrated an effect in patients with head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine if topical SOD is an effective treatment for postradiation neck fibrosis. This was a randomized prospective blinded clinical study of topical SOD versus placebo for the treatment of neck fibrosis. Measures of fibrosis grade and quality of life were obtained at baseline and after 3 months of treatment. Improvement in fibrosis score was comparable between the 2 study arms at 3 months. Both study groups showed improvement but the differences between groups was not statistically significant. Topical SOD likely has limited benefit for posttreatment neck fibrosis but this study confirms other published evidence of benefit from active physical therapy of posttreatment fibrosis in patients with head and neck cancer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phase Transitions in Combinatorial Optimization Problems: Basics, Algorithms and Statistical Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Alexander K.; Weigt, Martin

2005-10-01

A concise, comprehensive introduction to the topic of statistical physics of combinatorial optimization, bringing together theoretical concepts and algorithms from computer science with analytical methods from physics. The result bridges the gap between statistical physics and combinatorial optimization, investigating problems taken from theoretical computing, such as the vertex-cover problem, with the concepts and methods of theoretical physics. The authors cover rapid developments and analytical methods that are both extremely complex and spread by word-of-mouth, providing all the necessary basics in required detail. Throughout, the algorithms are shown with examples and calculations, while the proofs are given in a way suitable for graduate students, post-docs, and researchers. Ideal for newcomers to this young, multidisciplinary field.

Children's behavioral pain reactions during local anesthetic injection using cotton-roll vibration method compared with routine topical anesthesia: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bagherian, Ali; Sheikhfathollahi, Mahmood

2016-01-01

Topical anesthesia has been widely advocated as an important component of atraumatic administration of intraoral local anesthesia. The aim of this study was to use direct observation of children's behavioral pain reactions during local anesthetic injection using cotton-roll vibration method compared with routine topical anesthesia. Forty-eight children participated in this randomized controlled clinical trial. They received two separate inferior alveolar nerve block or primary maxillary molar infiltration injections on contralateral sides of the jaws by both cotton-roll vibration (a combination of topical anesthesia gel, cotton roll, and vibration for physical distraction) and control (routine topical anesthesia) methods. Behavioral pain reactions of children were measured according to the author-developed face, head, foot, hand, trunk, and cry (FHFHTC) scale, resulting in total scores between 0 and 18. The total scores on the FHFHTC scale ranged between 0-5 and 0-10 in the cotton-roll vibration and control methods, respectively. The mean ± standard deviation values of total scores on FHFHTC scale were lower in the cotton-roll vibration method (1.21 ± 1.38) than in control method (2.44 ± 2.18), and this was statistically significant (P < 0.001). It may be concluded that the cotton-roll vibration method can be more helpful than the routine topical anesthesia in reducing behavioral pain reactions in children during local anesthesia administration.

Risk factors in facial hyperpigmentation in Maghrebian population - a case-control study.

PubMed

Benchikhi, H; Atide, N; Jroundi, I; Humbert, P; Lakhdar, H

2012-10-01

Triggering factors seem to be multiple in the pathogenesis of facial hyperpigmentation (FH), as dark skin types, pregnancy, sun exposure… The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for FH in Maghrebian population. Patients with FH were included in a case-controlled study. Following data were recorded: age, sex, parity, phototype, FH and hormonal-related history, endocrinological features, sunlight exposure, specific cultural behaviours, use of topic corticosteroids and sunscreens. One hundred women (mean age 29.5 ± 13.7 years) were included with 200 age-matched controls. Duration of FH was 32.9 ± 42.2 months. There was a statistically significant relation between FH and hirsutism (P = 0.009), troubles of menstruations (P = 0.008), but not with acne (P = 0.23) and contraceptive oral (P = 0.06) drugs or with history of thyroid disorders (P = 0.13). For cultural factors, there were a statistical significant relation with rubbing by flannel glove (P < 0.05), use of dark soap (P = 0.009) and traditional masks (P < 0.05) but both groups were used to go to hammam. A strong relation was observed between FH and use of topical corticosteroids: 40% in the FH group vs. 5% in the control group (P < 0.05). Both groups used to apply sunscreens: 70% in the FH group and 67% in the control group where as there were no differences in the two groups for sun exposure. No statistical differences were observed regarding to age, phototypes and grade of parity. Our study demonstrated a relation between FH and hyperestrogenemia, rubbing with a friction glove, use of moroccan traditional masks and application of topical steroids. The eviction of all these triggering factors could be an adjuvant recommendation in the assessment of FH. © 2012 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Effects of Topic Simvastatin for the Treatment of Chronic Vascular Cutaneous Ulcers: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Raposio, Edoardo; Libondi, Guido; Bertozzi, Nicolò; Grignaffini, Eugenio; Grieco, Michele P

2015-12-01

Recent research suggests that statins might be useful in the process of wound healing, playing a positive immune-modulatory role, improving microvascular function and reducing oxidative stress. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of topic application of Simvastatin-based cream in the treatment of chronic vascular cutaneous ulcers, comparing this type of treatment to a collagen-based dressing, proven to be effective for ulcer treatment. A total of 20 ulcers were studied in 2 Groups of randomly-chosen patients for a period of one month. In the first Group a 0.5% Simvastatin-based cream was topically administered, while the second Group (control) was treated with an absorbable type I bovine collagen-based medication. Each week, wound healing progress was observed in both Groups, and the ulcers photographed. Wound healing rate was calculated by considering the absolute change in area and by the formula "healing ratio (%) = [(Area 0 - Area t4 )/Area 0 ] × 100," both sets of data being related to the days comprised in the study in order to calculate healing rate per day. Statistical analysis was performed by Student t test. Study endpoint equaling the time-course changes of ulcer areas. At the end of the study, when considering absolute change in area, the experimental Group appeared to heal better and faster than the control Group although differences between the Groups were not statistically significant. Conversely, rates of wound healing in the experimental and control Groups were 46.88% and 64% respectively, revealing statistically significant differences. ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, topic application of a simvastatin-based cream proved to be well- tolerated but not effective in the management of vascular leg ulcers in a 4 week-period.

Framing Electronic Medical Records as Polylingual Documents in Query Expansion

PubMed Central

Huang, Edward W; Wang, Sheng; Lee, Doris Jung-Lin; Zhang, Runshun; Liu, Baoyan; Zhou, Xuezhong; Zhai, ChengXiang

2017-01-01

We present a study of electronic medical record (EMR) retrieval that emulates situations in which a doctor treats a new patient. Given a query consisting of a new patient’s symptoms, the retrieval system returns the set of most relevant records of previously treated patients. However, due to semantic, functional, and treatment synonyms in medical terminology, queries are often incomplete and thus require enhancement. In this paper, we present a topic model that frames symptoms and treatments as separate languages. Our experimental results show that this method improves retrieval performance over several baselines with statistical significance. These baselines include methods used in prior studies as well as state-of-the-art embedding techniques. Finally, we show that our proposed topic model discovers all three types of synonyms to improve medical record retrieval. PMID:29854161

Knee Replacement: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... Surgery for a Total Knee System (BroadcastMed) - University Orthopedics Center, State College, PA, 8/21/2014 Statistics and Research Commonly Prescribed Blood Thinner Associated with Higher Risk ...

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

Gilbert, Richard O.

The application of statistics to environmental pollution monitoring studies requires a knowledge of statistical analysis methods particularly well suited to pollution data. This book fills that need by providing sampling plans, statistical tests, parameter estimation procedure techniques, and references to pertinent publications. Most of the statistical techniques are relatively simple, and examples, exercises, and case studies are provided to illustrate procedures. The book is logically divided into three parts. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 are introductory chapters. Chapters 4 through 10 discuss field sampling designs and Chapters 11 through 18 deal with a broad range of statistical analysis procedures. Somemore » statistical techniques given here are not commonly seen in statistics book. For example, see methods for handling correlated data (Sections 4.5 and 11.12), for detecting hot spots (Chapter 10), and for estimating a confidence interval for the mean of a lognormal distribution (Section 13.2). Also, Appendix B lists a computer code that estimates and tests for trends over time at one or more monitoring stations using nonparametric methods (Chapters 16 and 17). Unfortunately, some important topics could not be included because of their complexity and the need to limit the length of the book. For example, only brief mention could be made of time series analysis using Box-Jenkins methods and of kriging techniques for estimating spatial and spatial-time patterns of pollution, although multiple references on these topics are provided. Also, no discussion of methods for assessing risks from environmental pollution could be included.« less

The value of a statistical life: a meta-analysis with a mixed effects regression model.

PubMed

Bellavance, François; Dionne, Georges; Lebeau, Martin

2009-03-01

The value of a statistical life (VSL) is a very controversial topic, but one which is essential to the optimization of governmental decisions. We see a great variability in the values obtained from different studies. The source of this variability needs to be understood, in order to offer public decision-makers better guidance in choosing a value and to set clearer guidelines for future research on the topic. This article presents a meta-analysis based on 39 observations obtained from 37 studies (from nine different countries) which all use a hedonic wage method to calculate the VSL. Our meta-analysis is innovative in that it is the first to use the mixed effects regression model [Raudenbush, S.W., 1994. Random effects models. In: Cooper, H., Hedges, L.V. (Eds.), The Handbook of Research Synthesis. Russel Sage Foundation, New York] to analyze studies on the value of a statistical life. We conclude that the variability found in the values studied stems in large part from differences in methodologies.

Do observational studies using propensity score methods agree with randomized trials? A systematic comparison of studies on acute coronary syndromes

PubMed Central

Dahabreh, Issa J.; Sheldrick, Radley C.; Paulus, Jessica K.; Chung, Mei; Varvarigou, Vasileia; Jafri, Haseeb; Rassen, Jeremy A.; Trikalinos, Thomas A.; Kitsios, Georgios D.

2012-01-01

Aims Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for assessing the efficacy of therapeutic interventions because randomization protects from biases inherent in observational studies. Propensity score (PS) methods, proposed as a potential solution to confounding of the treatment–outcome association, are widely used in observational studies of therapeutic interventions for acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We aimed to systematically assess agreement between observational studies using PS methods and RCTs on therapeutic interventions for ACS. Methods and results We searched for observational studies of interventions for ACS that used PS methods to estimate treatment effects on short- or long-term mortality. Using a standardized algorithm, we matched observational studies to RCTs based on patients’ characteristics, interventions, and outcomes (‘topics’), and we compared estimates of treatment effect between the two designs. When multiple observational studies or RCTs were identified for the same topic, we performed a meta-analysis and used the summary relative risk for comparisons. We matched 21 observational studies investigating 17 distinct clinical topics to 63 RCTs (median = 3 RCTs per observational study) for short-term (7 topics) and long-term (10 topics) mortality. Estimates from PS analyses differed statistically significantly from randomized evidence in two instances; however, observational studies reported more extreme beneficial treatment effects compared with RCTs in 13 of 17 instances (P = 0.049). Sensitivity analyses limited to large RCTs, and using alternative meta-analysis models yielded similar results. Conclusion For the treatment of ACS, observational studies using PS methods produce treatment effect estimates that are of more extreme magnitude compared with those from RCTs, although the differences are rarely statistically significant. PMID:22711757

Quality of life in women with female pattern hair loss and the impact of topical minoxidil treatment on quality of life in these patients.

PubMed

Zhuang, Xiao-Sheng; Zheng, You-You; Xu, Jia-Jia; Fan, Wei-Xin

2013-08-01

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is the most common hair loss disorder in women and it may impact on the psychological and social activities of patients, thereby reducing their quality of life (QoL). Topical minoxidil has been shown to be effective and safe in the treatment of patients with FPHL. The aim of this study was to assess the QoL of patients with FPHL and investigate whether topical minoxidil solution treatment improves the QoL of these patients. In this study, we enrolled 125 female patients aged 16-72 years to answer visual analog scale (VAS) and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) questionnaires. Of these patients, 31 were recruited for the follow-up study after 12 months of treatment with 2% minoxidil. Each index and the change in QoL prior to and following treatment were statistically analyzed. There was identified to be a correlation between clinical severity and the values of the indices in all patients. There was a statistically significant difference between the VAS and DLQI scores prior to and following treatment with 2% minoxidil. A comparison between the good responders (n=23) and the poor responders (n=8) revealed no significant difference in the improvement of VAS and DLQI scores. The QoL of the patients was severely impaired by FPHL. The DLQI and VAS used in this study were validated as useful indices for the evaluation of QoL due to their high reliability, sensitivity and simplicity. This evaluation is recommended for the management of FPHL treatment. The results of the study demonstrated that topical minoxidil improved the QoL of the patients.

Camera-Model Identification Using Markovian Transition Probability Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guanshuo; Gao, Shang; Shi, Yun Qing; Hu, Ruimin; Su, Wei

Detecting the (brands and) models of digital cameras from given digital images has become a popular research topic in the field of digital forensics. As most of images are JPEG compressed before they are output from cameras, we propose to use an effective image statistical model to characterize the difference JPEG 2-D arrays of Y and Cb components from the JPEG images taken by various camera models. Specifically, the transition probability matrices derived from four different directional Markov processes applied to the image difference JPEG 2-D arrays are used to identify statistical difference caused by image formation pipelines inside different camera models. All elements of the transition probability matrices, after a thresholding technique, are directly used as features for classification purpose. Multi-class support vector machines (SVM) are used as the classification tool. The effectiveness of our proposed statistical model is demonstrated by large-scale experimental results.

Statistical thermodynamics of a two-dimensional relativistic gas.

PubMed

Montakhab, Afshin; Ghodrat, Malihe; Barati, Mahmood

2009-03-01

In this paper we study a fully relativistic model of a two-dimensional hard-disk gas. This model avoids the general problems associated with relativistic particle collisions and is therefore an ideal system to study relativistic effects in statistical thermodynamics. We study this model using molecular-dynamics simulation, concentrating on the velocity distribution functions. We obtain results for x and y components of velocity in the rest frame (Gamma) as well as the moving frame (Gamma;{'}) . Our results confirm that Jüttner distribution is the correct generalization of Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. We obtain the same "temperature" parameter beta for both frames consistent with a recent study of a limited one-dimensional model. We also address the controversial topic of temperature transformation. We show that while local thermal equilibrium holds in the moving frame, relying on statistical methods such as distribution functions or equipartition theorem are ultimately inconclusive in deciding on a correct temperature transformation law (if any).

How High Is Up? An Innovative Manual for Infusing Tobacco, Alcohol & Other Drugs Education into Middle School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krusi, Carolynne; Schellens, Dick

Curriculum infusion makes a new topic an integral part of an existing curriculum, integrating it into subject areas throughout the curriculum over time. In a tobacco, alcohol, and other drug infusion curriculum, examples might include: discussing alcohol-related themes as they arise in literature, evaluating tobacco statistics in math, studying…

Statistical tests and measures for the presence and influence of digit preference

Treesearch

Jay Beaman; Grenier Michel

1998-01-01

Digit preference which is really showing preference for certain numbers has often described as the heaping or rounding of responses to numbers ending in zero or five. Number preference, NP, has been a topic in the social science literature for some years. However, until recently concepts were not adequately rigorously specified to allow, for example, the estimation of...

America's Changing Work Force: Statistics in Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of Retired Persons, Washington, DC.

This booklet provides information about the demographics of the changing work force. It offers an at-a-glance profile of workers age 45 and older and considers likely changes in the work force of the future. The document includes topics such as the composition of the work force of today and tomorrow by age and sex, labor force participation rates,…

Bibliography of Military History. A Selected and Annotated History of Reference Sources, 3rd ed.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aimone, Alan C., Comp.

This revision of the 1975 publication of the same name has increased the scope of sources to include non-print materials, and has added several new categories: Order of Battles, Abstracts, Lineages, Statistics, and Guidebooks. The previous topic headings are grouped by document type or, in some cases, by subject, such as Customs, Decorations,…

The Untold Story: A Study on the Leisure-Reading Motivations, Habits, and Text Choices of Middle-School-Aged African American Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Suzanne B.

2011-01-01

National concern about the reading proficiency of adolescents and the alarming statistics on the literacy achievement of African American males have created much interest in the topic of "motivated literacy" for researchers, policy makers, and educators. African American twelfth graders perform at the same level in reading as White…

James Clerk Maxwell and the Kinetic Theory of Gases: A Review Based on Recent Historical Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brush, Stephen G.

1971-01-01

Maxwell's four major papers and some shorter publications relating to kinetic theory and statistical mechanics are discussed in the light of subsequent research. Reviews Maxwell's ideas on such topics as velocity, distribution law, the theory of heat conduction, the mechanism of the radiometer effect, the ergodic hypothesis, and his views on the…

Public Opinions Toward Diseases: Infodemiological Study on News Media Data.

PubMed

Huang, Ming; ElTayeby, Omar; Zolnoori, Maryam; Yao, Lixia

2018-05-08

Society always has limited resources to expend on health care, or anything else. What are the unmet medical needs? How do we allocate limited resources to maximize the health and welfare of the people? These challenging questions might be re-examined systematically within an infodemiological frame on a much larger scale, leveraging the latest advancement in information technology and data science. We expanded our previous work by investigating news media data to reveal the coverage of different diseases and medical conditions, together with their sentiments and topics in news articles over three decades. We were motivated to do so since news media plays a significant role in politics and affects the public policy making. We analyzed over 3.5 million archive news articles from Reuters media during the periods of 1996/1997, 2008 and 2016, using summary statistics, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling. Summary statistics illustrated the coverage of various diseases and medical conditions during the last 3 decades. Sentiment analysis and topic modeling helped us automatically detect the sentiments of news articles (ie, positive versus negative) and topics (ie, a series of keywords) associated with each disease over time. The percentages of news articles mentioning diseases and medical conditions were 0.44%, 0.57% and 0.81% in the three time periods, suggesting that news media or the public has gradually increased its interests in medicine since 1996. Certain diseases such as other malignant neoplasm (34%), other infectious diseases (20%), and influenza (11%) represented the most covered diseases. Two hundred and twenty-six diseases and medical conditions (97.8%) were found to have neutral or negative sentiments in the news articles. Using topic modeling, we identified meaningful topics on these diseases and medical conditions. For instance, the smoking theme appeared in the news articles on other malignant neoplasm only during 1996/1997. The topic phrases HIV and Zika virus were linked to other infectious diseases during 1996/1997 and 2016, respectively. The multi-dimensional analysis of news media data allows the discovery of focus, sentiments and topics of news media in terms of diseases and medical conditions. These infodemiological discoveries could shed light on unmet medical needs and research priorities for future and provide guidance for the decision making in public policy. ©Ming Huang, Omar ElTayeby, Maryam Zolnoori, Lixia Yao. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 08.05.2018.

The Return of Rate Dependence.

PubMed

Quisenberry, Amanda J; Snider, Sarah E; Bickel, Warren K

2016-11-01

Rate dependence, a well-known phenomenon in behavioral pharmacology, appears to have declined as a topic of interest, perhaps, as a result of being viewed pertinent to only the preclinical investigation of drugs on schedule-controlled performance. Obstacles to data interpretation due to conflation with regression to the mean also appear to have contributed to the topic's decline. Despite this reduction in exposure, rate dependence is a useful concept and tool that can be used to determine sources of variability, predict therapeutic outcomes, and identify individuals that are most likely to respond therapeutically. Armed with new statistical methods and an understanding of the broad range of conditions under which rate dependence can be observed, we urge researchers to revisit the concept, use the appropriate analysis methods, and to design empirical studies a priori to further explore rate dependence.

New American Undergraduates: Enrollment Trends and Age at Arrival of Immigrant and Second-Generation Students. Stats in Brief. NCES 2017-414

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbeit, Caren A.; Staklis, Sandra; Horn, Laura

2016-01-01

Statistics in Brief publications present descriptive data in tabular formats to provide useful information to a broad audience, including members of the general public. They address simple and topical issues and questions. This Statistics in Brief profiles the demographic and enrollment characteristics of undergraduates who are immigrants or…

APOD Data Release of Social Network Footprint for 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemiroff, Robert J.; Russell, David; Allen, Alice; Connelly, Paul; Lowe, Stuart R.; Petz, Sydney; Haring, Ralf; Bonnell, Jerry T.; APOD Team

2017-01-01

APOD data for 2015 are being made freely available for download and analysis. The data includes page view statistics for the main NASA APOD website at https://apod.nasa.gov, as well as for APOD's social media sites on Facebook, Instagram, Google Plus, and Twitter. General APOD-specific demographic information for each site is included. Popularity statistics that have been archived including Page Views, Likes, Shares, Hearts, and Retweets. The downloadable Excel-type spreadsheet also includes the APOD title and (unlinked) explanation. This data is released not to highlight APOD's popularity but to encourage analyses, with potential examples involving which astronomy topics trend the best and whether popularity is social group dependent.

A Discriminative Sentence Compression Method as Combinatorial Optimization Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirao, Tsutomu; Suzuki, Jun; Isozaki, Hideki

In the study of automatic summarization, the main research topic was `important sentence extraction' but nowadays `sentence compression' is a hot research topic. Conventional sentence compression methods usually transform a given sentence into a parse tree or a dependency tree, and modify them to get a shorter sentence. However, this method is sometimes too rigid. In this paper, we regard sentence compression as an combinatorial optimization problem that extracts an optimal subsequence of words. Hori et al. also proposed a similar method, but they used only a small number of features and their weights were tuned by hand. We introduce a large number of features such as part-of-speech bigrams and word position in the sentence. Furthermore, we train the system by discriminative learning. According to our experiments, our method obtained better score than other methods with statistical significance.

Corneal biomechanical parameters and intraocular pressure: the effect of topical anesthesia

PubMed Central

Ogbuehi, Kelechi C

2012-01-01

Background The intraocular pressures and biomechanical parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer make the analyzer a useful tool for the diagnosis and management of anterior segment disease. This observational study was designed to investigate the effect of topical anesthesia on the parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer: corneal hysteresis, corneal resistance factor, Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc). Methods Two sets of measurements were made for 78 eyes of 39 subjects, approximately 1 week apart. In session 1, each eye of each subject was randomized into one of three groups: polyvinyl alcohol (0.5%), tetracaine hydrochloride (0.5%), or oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4%). In session 2, eyes that were in the polyvinyl alcohol group in session 1 were assigned to the tetracaine group, those in the tetracaine group in session 1 were assigned to oxybuprocaine group, and those in the oxybuprocaine group in session 1 were assigned to the polyvinyl alcohol group. For both sessions, each subject first had his or her central corneal thickness assessed with a specular microscope, followed by measurements of intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical parameters with the Ocular Response Analyzer. All measurements were repeated for 2 minutes and 5 minutes following the instillation of either polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine, or oxybuprocaine. The level of statistical significance was 0.05. Results Polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine hydrochloride, and oxybuprocaine hydrochloride had no statistically significant (P > 0.05) effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea. There was no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) 2 minutes after the eye drops were instilled in either session. Five minutes after the eye drops were instilled, polyvinyl alcohol showed no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) in either session. Oxybuprocaine and tetracaine caused statistically significant (P < 0.05) reductions in IOPg in session 1, but only tetracaine had a significant (P < 0.05) effect in session 2. Tetracaine also caused a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in IOPcc in session 1. Conclusion The statistically significant effect of topical anesthesia on IOPg varies with the anesthetic used, and while this effect was statistically significant in this study, the small effect is probably not clinically relevant. There was no effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea. PMID:22791966

Corneal biomechanical parameters and intraocular pressure: the effect of topical anesthesia.

PubMed

Ogbuehi, Kelechi C

2012-01-01

The intraocular pressures and biomechanical parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer make the analyzer a useful tool for the diagnosis and management of anterior segment disease. This observational study was designed to investigate the effect of topical anesthesia on the parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer: corneal hysteresis, corneal resistance factor, Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc). Two sets of measurements were made for 78 eyes of 39 subjects, approximately 1 week apart. In session 1, each eye of each subject was randomized into one of three groups: polyvinyl alcohol (0.5%), tetracaine hydrochloride (0.5%), or oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4%). In session 2, eyes that were in the polyvinyl alcohol group in session 1 were assigned to the tetracaine group, those in the tetracaine group in session 1 were assigned to oxybuprocaine group, and those in the oxybuprocaine group in session 1 were assigned to the polyvinyl alcohol group. For both sessions, each subject first had his or her central corneal thickness assessed with a specular microscope, followed by measurements of intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical parameters with the Ocular Response Analyzer. All measurements were repeated for 2 minutes and 5 minutes following the instillation of either polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine, or oxybuprocaine. The level of statistical significance was 0.05. Polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine hydrochloride, and oxybuprocaine hydrochloride had no statistically significant (P > 0.05) effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea. There was no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) 2 minutes after the eye drops were instilled in either session. Five minutes after the eye drops were instilled, polyvinyl alcohol showed no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) in either session. Oxybuprocaine and tetracaine caused statistically significant (P < 0.05) reductions in IOPg in session 1, but only tetracaine had a significant (P < 0.05) effect in session 2. Tetracaine also caused a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in IOPcc in session 1. The statistically significant effect of topical anesthesia on IOPg varies with the anesthetic used, and while this effect was statistically significant in this study, the small effect is probably not clinically relevant. There was no effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea.

Mining FDA drug labels using an unsupervised learning technique--topic modeling.

PubMed

Bisgin, Halil; Liu, Zhichao; Fang, Hong; Xu, Xiaowei; Tong, Weida

2011-10-18

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug labels contain a broad array of information, ranging from adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to drug efficacy, risk-benefit consideration, and more. However, the labeling language used to describe these information is free text often containing ambiguous semantic descriptions, which poses a great challenge in retrieving useful information from the labeling text in a consistent and accurate fashion for comparative analysis across drugs. Consequently, this task has largely relied on the manual reading of the full text by experts, which is time consuming and labor intensive. In this study, a novel text mining method with unsupervised learning in nature, called topic modeling, was applied to the drug labeling with a goal of discovering "topics" that group drugs with similar safety concerns and/or therapeutic uses together. A total of 794 FDA-approved drug labels were used in this study. First, the three labeling sections (i.e., Boxed Warning, Warnings and Precautions, Adverse Reactions) of each drug label were processed by the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) to convert the free text of each label to the standard ADR terms. Next, the topic modeling approach with latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) was applied to generate 100 topics, each associated with a set of drugs grouped together based on the probability analysis. Lastly, the efficacy of the topic modeling was evaluated based on known information about the therapeutic uses and safety data of drugs. The results demonstrate that drugs grouped by topics are associated with the same safety concerns and/or therapeutic uses with statistical significance (P<0.05). The identified topics have distinct context that can be directly linked to specific adverse events (e.g., liver injury or kidney injury) or therapeutic application (e.g., antiinfectives for systemic use). We were also able to identify potential adverse events that might arise from specific medications via topics. The successful application of topic modeling on the FDA drug labeling demonstrates its potential utility as a hypothesis generation means to infer hidden relationships of concepts such as, in this study, drug safety and therapeutic use in the study of biomedical documents.

Topical NSAIDs effect on corneal sensitivity.

PubMed

Singer, Daniel D; Kennedy, John; Wittpenn, John R

2015-05-01

Topical nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are administered topically for a variety of ophthalmologic conditions. Brand diclofenac and brand ketorolac were previously shown to have topical anesthetic effects in addition to analgesic effects. Using the same method, we measured similar anesthetic effects of the 4 currently available topical NSAIDs--generic diclofenac, generic ketorolac, brand bromfenac, and brand nepafenac. Baseline corneal sensitivity was measured on 10 healthy adult volunteers with a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. One drop of the agent being studied was applied to the right eye every 5 minutes for a total of 4 drops. Corneal sensitivity was measured immediately after the last topical application and every 15 minutes for 60 minutes. After a 1-week washout period, a different agent was studied until all 4 NSAIDs were evaluated. Corneal sensitivity profiles over time were similar for all NSAIDs. Corneal sensitivity decreased significantly from baseline immediately after topical application remaining flat from 0 to 30 minutes and then rising from 45 to 60 minutes back toward baseline in all treatment groups (P < 0.001). The maximal absolute drop in corneal sensitivity as measured by pressure thresholds was greatest for diclofenac [28.6 mm (95% confidence intervals {CI}, 19.8-37.4)], followed by ketorolac [21.1 mm (95% CI, 15.1-27.1)], bromfenac [16.9 mm (10.7-23.1)], and nepafenac [16.4 mm (95% CI, 12.7-20.1)]. Only diclofenac and nepafenac were statistically different in maximal decrease in sensitivity. All 4 currently available NSAIDs demonstrated anesthetic effects similar to brand diclofenac and brand ketorolac.

Short-term effect of topical antiglaucoma medication on tear-film stability, tear secretion, and corneal sensitivity in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Terai, Naim; Müller-Holz, Matthias; Spoerl, Eberhard; Pillunat, Lutz E

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of topical antiglaucoma medication on tear-film stability, tear secretion, and corneal sensitivity in healthy subjects. In this prospective, double-blind crossover trial, break-up time and basal secretion (Jones test) were measured 60 minutes before, and 30, 60, and 90 minutes after topical antiglaucoma drop application in 30 healthy subjects. Corneal sensitivity was measured 60 minutes before, and five, 10, and 15 minutes after drop application using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. Reduction of break-up time in the latanoprost group was -23.8% after 30 minutes (P = 0.21), -26.7% after 60 minutes (P = 0.03) and -51.4% after 90 minutes (P ≤ 0.003), which was statistically significant. Reduction of break-up time in all other treatment groups was not statistically significant. The Jones test revealed a significant reduction of basal secretion after application of brimonidine (-17.8%, P = 0.002; -22.5%, P < 0.001; -30.5%, P < 0.001), followed by apraclonidine (-10%, P = 0.06; -20.1%, P = 0.02; -22.1%, P = 0.002), latanoprost (-2.4%, P = 0.64; -18.6%, P = 0.001; -20.1%, P = 0.001) and dorzolamide (-0.5%, P = 0.9; 14.3%, P = 0.018; -17.3%, P = 0.004) at 30, 60, and 90 minutes after drop application. Reduction of basal secretion in all other treatment groups was not statistically significant. Latanoprost showed the most statistically significant reduction in break-up time, and brimonidine showed the most significant reduction in basal secretion of all the glaucoma medications used in this study. In conclusion, our data may be helpful for treatment decisions in glaucoma patients who also suffer from ocular surface problems.

Statistical physics of hard combinatorial optimization: Vertex cover problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jin-Hua; Zhou, Hai-Jun

2014-07-01

Typical-case computation complexity is a research topic at the boundary of computer science, applied mathematics, and statistical physics. In the last twenty years, the replica-symmetry-breaking mean field theory of spin glasses and the associated message-passing algorithms have greatly deepened our understanding of typical-case computation complexity. In this paper, we use the vertex cover problem, a basic nondeterministic-polynomial (NP)-complete combinatorial optimization problem of wide application, as an example to introduce the statistical physical methods and algorithms. We do not go into the technical details but emphasize mainly the intuitive physical meanings of the message-passing equations. A nonfamiliar reader shall be able to understand to a large extent the physics behind the mean field approaches and to adjust the mean field methods in solving other optimization problems.

Videodermoscopy does not enhance diagnosis of scalp contact dermatitis due to topical minoxidil.

PubMed

Tosti, Antonella; Donati, Aline; Vincenzi, Colombina; Fabbrocini, Gabriella

2009-07-01

Videodermoscopy (VD) is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that provides useful information for the differential diagnosis of scalp disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate if dermoscopy may help the clinician in the diagnosis of contact dermatitis of the scalp. We analyzed the dermoscopic images taken from 7 patients with contact dermatitis due to topical minoxidil, 6 patients complaining of intense scalp itching during treatment with topical minoxidil but with negative patch tests and 19 controls. The following dermoscopic patterns described for scalp diseases were evaluated: Vascular patterns (simple loops, twisted loops and arborizing lines), follicular/perifollicular patterns (yellow dots, empty ostia, white dots, peripilar signs), white scales, yellow scales, follicular plugging, hair diameter diversity, honeycomb pattern and short regrowing hairs. Findings were graded from 0-4, according to severity in 20-fold magnifications. Statistical analysis included univariate analysis and Chi-square test by SPSS version 12. There were no statistical differences in the analysis of the vascular patterns and scales between the 3 groups. We were not able to detect dermoscopic features that can help the clinician in distinguishing scalp contact dermatitis due to topical minoxidil from other conditions that cause severe scalp itching. In particular, minoxidil contact dermatitis does not produce increase or alterations in the morphology of the scalp vessels or significant scalp scaling when evaluated with dermoscopy.

Workshop for transportation forecasters

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

On September 22-23, 2009, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration's - Bureau of Transportation Statistics is hosted an international workshop on transportation forecasting in Washington, D.C. Topics fo...

75 FR 32375 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-08

...: (978) 465-0492. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 Following introductions and any... the Scientific and Statistical Committee's (SSC) report on its most recent meeting. The SSC's topics...

Healthy mom, healthy baby: pregnancy and prenatal issues.

PubMed

Mack, L

2000-01-01

Information on how HIV-positive women can maintain a healthy pregnancy, presented at the 1999 Conference on Women and HIV, is summarized. Topics include receiving quality care, the safety of Emivirine, and a comparison of statistics on pregnancy outcomes in infected and non-infected women. A brief summary of maternal factors related to transmission is presented. The impact of recreational drug use, as well as domestic abuse on mother and fetus, are also discussed.

Evaluation of efficacy and tolerance of a nighttime topical antioxidant containing resveratrol, baicalin, and vitamin e for treatment of mild to moderately photodamaged skin.

PubMed

Farris, Patricia; Yatskayer, Margarita; Chen, Nannan; Krol, Yevgeniy; Oresajo, Christian

2014-12-01

Resveratrol is an effective anti-aging molecule with diverse biologic activity. It functions as a dual antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals and increase intrinsic antioxidant capacity. Additionally resveratrol increases mitochondrial biogenesis and has anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer activity. In this paper we will focus on the use of topically applied resveratrol using a proprietary blend containing 1% resveratrol, 0.5% baicalin, and 1% vitamin E. This stabilized high concentration formulation demonstrates percutaneous absorption and alterations in gene expression such as hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFA), and collagen 3 (COL3A1). Clinical assessment showed a statistically significant improvement in fine lines and wrinkles, skin firmness, skin elasticity, skin laxity, hyperpigmentation, radiance, and skin roughness over baseline in 12 weeks. Ultrasound measurements in the periorbital area showed an average improvement of 18.9% in dermal thickness suggesting significant dermal remodeling. These studies confirm that topical resveratrol, baicalin, and vitamin E are valuable ingredient that can be used for skin rejuvenation.

Development of the Solar System Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornstein, S.; Prather, E.

2009-12-01

Concept inventories can provide useful insight into students’ understanding of key physical concepts. Knowing what your students have learned during a course is a valuable tool for improving your own teaching. Unfortunately, current astronomy concept inventories are not suitable for an introductory solar system course because they either cover too broad of a range of topics (e.g. Astronomy Diagnostic Test) or are too narrowly focused (e.g. Greenhouse Effect Concept Inventory, Lunar Phase Concept Inventory). We have developed the Solar System Concept Inventory (SSCI) to cover those topics commonly taught in an introductory solar system course. The topics included on the SSCI were selected by having faculty identify the key concepts they address when teaching about the solar system. SSCI topics include formation mechanisms, planetary interiors, atmospheric effects, and small solar system bodies. Student interviews were conducted to identify common naive ideas and reasoning difficulties relating to these key topics. The SSCI has been through two semesters of national, multi-institutional field-testing, involving over 1500 students. After the first semester of testing, question statistics were used to flag ineffective questions and flagged questions were revised or eliminated. We will present an overall outline of the SSCI development as well as our question-flagging criteria and question analyses from the latest round of field-testing. We would like to thank the NSF for funding under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) Program.

Influence of professional preparation and class structure on sexuality topics taught in middle and high schools.

PubMed

Rhodes, Darson L; Kirchofer, Gregg; Hammig, Bart J; Ogletree, Roberta J

2013-05-01

This study examined the impact of professional preparation and class structure on sexuality topics taught and use of practice-based instructional strategies in US middle and high school health classes. Data from the classroom-level file of the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs were used. A series of multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine if sexuality content taught was dependent on professional preparation and /or class structure (HE only versus HE/another subject combined). Additional multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine if use of practice-based instructional strategies was dependent upon professional preparation and/or class structure. Years of teaching health topics and size of the school district were included as covariates in the multivariable logistic regression models. Findings indicated professionally prepared health educators were significantly more likely to teach 7 of the 13 sexuality topics as compared to nonprofessionally prepared health educators. There was no statistically significant difference in the instructional strategies used by professionally prepared and nonprofessionally prepared health educators. Exclusively health education classes versus combined classes were significantly more likely to have included 6 of the 13 topics and to have incorporated practice-based instructional strategies in the curricula. This study indicated professional preparation and class structure impacted sexuality content taught. Class structure also impacted whether opportunities for students to practice skills were made available. Results support the need for continued advocacy for professionally prepared health educators and health only courses. © 2013, American School Health Association.

What happens when you want to talk to the animals: lessons of a career in animal bioacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowles, Ann E.

2004-05-01

Animal bioacoustics (AB) is the study of sound in nonhuman animal biology. I entered the field because I was interested in the evolution of language, and I wanted to study the acoustic communication of whales and dolphins. Topics like this within the scope of AB make the discipline accessible to students and laypeople. Although career opportunities are limited (professionals declaring AB as their primary area represent only 3% of ASA membership [http://www.acoustics.org/WIA, statistics for 2000]), an interest in AB can foster entry into more marketable disciplines. It has been a particularly important avenue for bringing women into careers in traditionally male-dominated subject areas. For example, women represent 14% of the ASA membership and 12% or fewer of those declaring Underwater Acoustics, Engineering Acoustics, and Noise as their primary interest. However, 25% of those declaring AB as their primary interest are women, and AB includes all three topic areas within its scope. Unfortunately, AB is still fairly inaccessible to interested lay professionals such as educators, science writers, and environmental planners. By helping them to develop a deeper understanding of topics in AB, ASA can help them foster careers in acoustics.

The inclusion of Science Technology Society topics in junior high school earth science textbooks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fadhli, Fathi Ali

2000-10-01

The Science Technology Society (STS) approach is a major science education reform through which a scientifically literate citizen could be produced. The teaching of science through STS approach is centered on science and technology related issues and problems. The purpose of this study was to analyze five earth science textbooks published in the 1990's for their inclusion of twelve sciences and technology related issues and problems and for their inclusion of activities focused on STS. The selected earth science textbooks were; Scott Foresman, Heath, Holt, Merrill and Prentice-Hall. The targeted twelve issues and problems were identified by Bybee (1987), as the most important global science and technology related issues and problems. The numbers of full text pages devoted to each topic were determined by classifying each segment to one of the targeted topics. In addition, the numbers of STS activities were also determined by using criteria developed for this study. ANOVA statistical analyses and t-tests showed that the analyzed earth science textbooks treated the studied STS issues and problems and treated the STS activities differently. It was found that six of the studied issues and problems were constantly receiving more attention in all the analyzed earth science textbooks than the rest of the topics. These topics were; Air Quality and Atmosphere, Energy Shortages, Water Resources, Land Use, Hazardous Substances, and Mineral Resources. The overall results revealed that only an average of 8.82% of the text pages in all the analyzed earth science textbooks were devoted to STS topics and 5.49% of the activities in all the analyzed earth science textbooks were focused on STS topics. However, none of the activities focused on STS topics were presented in STS approach as defined by NSTA. The percentage of STS topics inclusion and the percentage of activities focused on STS topics were considered to be very low. Accordingly, the objectives and goals of STS approach will not be achieved through using the analyzed earth science textbooks. The low percentages of STS activities and topics indicated also that the STS approach would not be fairly presented in science classrooms as long as science teachers depend on science textbooks 90% of their teaching time. Moreover, the results of this study revealed also that the inclusion of STS approach in science textbooks is still considered to be very low despite the support provided to the STS approach by science teachers, educators, organizations, and education departments and also despite of the publishing of Project Syntheses (1977) since twenty eight years ago.

Examining the Internal Validity and Statistical Precision of the Comparative Interrupted Time Series Design by Comparison with a Randomized Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St.Clair, Travis; Cook, Thomas D.; Hallberg, Kelly

2014-01-01

Although evaluators often use an interrupted time series (ITS) design to test hypotheses about program effects, there are few empirical tests of the design's validity. We take a randomized experiment on an educational topic and compare its effects to those from a comparative ITS (CITS) design that uses the same treatment group as the experiment…

UXO Burial Prediction Fidelity: A Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

should not be construed as representing the official position of either the Department of Defense or the sponsoring organization. For More Information ...equilibrium. Any complete picture of munition evolution in sediment would need to account for these effects. More relevant to the present topic: these...of adds uncertainty to predictions of munition fate, and assessments of risk probabilities would need to account for the statistical distribution of

Does My Baby Really Look Like Me? Using Tests for Resemblance between Parent and Child to Teach Topics in Categorical Data Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froelich, Amy G.; Nettleton, Dan

2013-01-01

In this article, we present a study to test whether neutral observers perceive a resemblance between a parent and a child. We demonstrate the general approach for two separate parent/ child pairs using survey data collected from introductory statistics students serving as neutral observers. We then present ideas for incorporating the study design…

A clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of ELA-Max (4% liposomal lidocaine) as compared with eutectic mixture of local anesthetics cream for pain reduction of venipuncture in children.

PubMed

Eichenfield, Lawrence F; Funk, Ann; Fallon-Friedlander, Sheila; Cunningham, Bari B

2002-06-01

A double-randomized, blinded crossover trial was performed to assess the efficacy of ELA-Max (4% liposomal lidocaine) as compared with eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) for pain relief during pediatric venipuncture procedures. Safety was assessed by evaluation for topical or systemic effects and measurement of serum lidocaine concentrations. A total of 120 children who were scheduled for repeat venipuncture for non-study-related reasons at 2 sites participated in the study. Patients were doubly randomized to treatment regimen (study medication application time of either 30 or 60 minutes) and to the order of application of the topical anesthetics for each venipuncture. The primary outcome measures were the child's rating of pain immediately after the venipuncture procedures using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) tool and the parent's and blinded research observer's Observed Behavioral Distress scores. Both ELA-Max and EMLA seemed to alleviate venipuncture pain. There was no clinically or statistically significant difference in the patient VAS scores within the 30-minute or 60-minute treatment groups, and there was no clinical or statistical difference in VAS scores between the 30-minute ELA-Max treatment without occlusion and the 60-minute EMLA treatment with occlusion. There were no clinically or statistically significant differences between treatment with ELA-Max and EMLA in parental or blinded researcher Observed Behavioral Distress scores, the most frequent response at any observation time being "no distress." This study demonstrates that a 30-minute application of ELA-Max without occlusion is as safe and as effective for ameliorating pain associated with venipuncture as a 60-minute application of the prescription product EMLA requiring occlusion.

An Evidence-Based Medicine Curriculum Improves General Surgery Residents' Standardized Test Scores in Research and Statistics.

PubMed

Trickey, Amber W; Crosby, Moira E; Singh, Monika; Dort, Jonathan M

2014-12-01

The application of evidence-based medicine to patient care requires unique skills of the physician. Advancing residents' abilities to accurately evaluate the quality of evidence is built on understanding of fundamental research concepts. The American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) provides a relevant measure of surgical residents' knowledge of research design and statistics. We implemented a research education curriculum in an independent academic medical center general residency program, and assessed the effect on ABSITE scores. The curriculum consisted of five 1-hour monthly research and statistics lectures. The lectures were presented before the 2012 and 2013 examinations. Forty residents completing ABSITE examinations from 2007 to 2013 were included in the study. Two investigators independently identified research-related item topics from examination summary reports. Correct and incorrect responses were compared precurriculum and postcurriculum. Regression models were calculated to estimate improvement in postcurriculum scores, adjusted for individuals' scores over time and postgraduate year level. Residents demonstrated significant improvement in postcurriculum examination scores for research and statistics items. Correct responses increased 27% (P < .001). Residents were 5 times more likely to achieve a perfect score on research and statistics items postcurriculum (P < .001). Residents at all levels demonstrated improved research and statistics scores after receiving the curriculum. Because the ABSITE includes a wide spectrum of research topics, sustained improvements suggest a genuine level of understanding that will promote lifelong evaluation and clinical application of the surgical literature.

Using an online service for breastfeeding support: what mothers want to discuss.

PubMed

Cowie, Genevieve A; Hill, Sophie; Robinson, Priscilla

2011-08-01

There is little research on how the establishment and maintenance of breastfeeding and other early parenting skills is assisted by the use of electronic peer support groups. In what ways do parents use a popular peer-moderated online resource and what topics do they choose to discuss? The objective of this study was to identify and quantify the main uses of an electronic discussion board hosted by a prominent Australian lay breastfeeding advocacy organisation. Three consecutive days of conversations on the discussion board were followed. Using content analysis, the messages were coded and analysed statistically for the ways the board was used and which topics were and were not present. The discussion board almost universally gave emotional support to the participants and most users expressed their emotions in their messages. The giving of factual advice or opinions was a much less frequent use of the discussion board as was the clear seeking of emotional support and general facts or advice. The range of topics discussed was dominated by general parenting followed by various breastfeeding topics as well as much discussion related to general social support. The lay-moderated discussion board can be a worthwhile resource for parents in need of reassurance, information or general social support. It may also be useful to expand the amount of breastfeeding and parenting information available on the organisation's main website.

What are hierarchical models and how do we analyze them?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Royle, Andy

2016-01-01

In this chapter we provide a basic definition of hierarchical models and introduce the two canonical hierarchical models in this book: site occupancy and N-mixture models. The former is a hierarchical extension of logistic regression and the latter is a hierarchical extension of Poisson regression. We introduce basic concepts of probability modeling and statistical inference including likelihood and Bayesian perspectives. We go through the mechanics of maximizing the likelihood and characterizing the posterior distribution by Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We give a general perspective on topics such as model selection and assessment of model fit, although we demonstrate these topics in practice in later chapters (especially Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 10 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 10)

Integrating statistical and clinical research elements in intervention-related grant applications: summary from an NIMH workshop.

PubMed

Sherrill, Joel T; Sommers, David I; Nierenberg, Andrew A; Leon, Andrew C; Arndt, Stephan; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Greenhouse, Joel; Guthrie, Donald; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Phillips, Katharine A; Shear, M Katherine; Woolson, Robert

2009-01-01

The authors summarize points for consideration generated in a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) workshop convened to provide an opportunity for reviewers from different disciplines-specifically clinical researchers and statisticians-to discuss how their differing and complementary expertise can be well integrated in the review of intervention-related grant applications. A 1-day workshop was convened in October, 2004. The workshop featured panel presentations on key topics followed by interactive discussion. This article summarizes the workshop and subsequent discussions, which centered on topics including weighting the statistics/data analysis elements of an application in the assessment of the application's overall merit; the level of statistical sophistication appropriate to different stages of research and for different funding mechanisms; some key considerations in the design and analysis portions of applications; appropriate statistical methods for addressing essential questions posed by an application; and the role of the statistician in the application's development, study conduct, and interpretation and dissemination of results. A number of key elements crucial to the construction and review of grant applications were identified. It was acknowledged that intervention-related studies unavoidably involve trade-offs. Reviewers are helped when applications acknowledge such trade-offs and provide good rationale for their choices. Clear linkage among the design, aims, hypotheses, and data analysis plan and avoidance of disconnections among these elements also strengthens applications. The authors identify multiple points to consider when constructing intervention-related grant applications. The points are presented here as questions and do not reflect institute policy or comprise a list of best practices, but rather represent points for consideration.

National Center for Mathematics and Science - K-12 education research

Science.gov Websites

motion, calculus, statistics, genetics, evolution, astronomy, and other topics. Teacher professional ). Extensive materials developed for instruction in evolutionary biology and astronomy - using the model-based

Monographs - SEER Publications

Cancer.gov

In-depth publications on topics in cancer statistics, including collaborative staging and registry data, cancer survival from a policy and clinical perspective, a description of cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives, and measures of health disparities.

Use of Private Loans by Postsecondary Students: Selected Years 2003-04 through 2011-12. Stats in Brief. NCES 2017-420

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woo, Jennie H.; Velez, Erin Dunlop

2016-01-01

Statistics in Brief publications present descriptive data in tabular formats to provide useful information to a broad audience, including members of the general public. They address simple and topical issues and questions. Using data from 2011-12, this Statistics in Brief updates and expands on a previous National Center for Education Statistics…

Statistical modeling of space shuttle environmental data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tubbs, J. D.; Brewer, D. W.

1983-01-01

Statistical models which use a class of bivariate gamma distribution are examined. Topics discussed include: (1) the ratio of positively correlated gamma varieties; (2) a method to determine if unequal shape parameters are necessary in bivariate gamma distribution; (3) differential equations for modal location of a family of bivariate gamma distribution; and (4) analysis of some wind gust data using the analytical results developed for modeling application.

Evaluation of diagnostic tools that tertiary teachers can apply to profile their students' conceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Madeleine; Lawrie, Gwendolyn A.; Bailey, Chantal H.; Bedford, Simon B.; Dargaville, Tim R.; O'Brien, Glennys; Tasker, Roy; Thompson, Christopher D.; Williams, Mark; Wright, Anthony H.

2017-03-01

A multi-institution collaborative team of Australian chemistry education researchers, teaching a total of over 3000 first year chemistry students annually, has explored a tool for diagnosing students' prior conceptions as they enter tertiary chemistry courses. Five core topics were selected and clusters of diagnostic items were assembled linking related concepts in each topic together. An ordered multiple choice assessment strategy was adopted to enable provision of formative feedback to students through combination of the specific distractors that they chose. Concept items were either sourced from existing research instruments or developed by the project team. The outcome is a diagnostic tool consisting of five topic clusters of five concept items that has been delivered in large introductory chemistry classes at five Australian institutions. Statistical analysis of data has enabled exploration of the composition and validity of the instrument including a comparison between delivery of the complete 25 item instrument with subsets of five items, clustered by topic. This analysis revealed that most items retained their validity when delivered in small clusters. Tensions between the assembly, validation and delivery of diagnostic instruments for the purposes of acquiring robust psychometric research data versus their pragmatic use are considered in this study.

Children's drawings of an anxiety-eliciting topic: effects on the size of the drawing.

PubMed

Fox, T J; Thomas, G V

1990-02-01

Our aim was to investigate whether or not children's drawings of a potentially threatening topic (a Hallowe'en witch) were made significantly smaller than drawings of a non-threatening topic (a woman). The first study confirmed an earlier claim by Craddick (1963) that drawings of a witch were made significantly smaller on the day before Hallowe'en compared to drawings made one week before or after, but we found that drawings of a non-threatening topic (a woman) changed in size in exactly the same way. Furthermore, we found no evidence that children became significantly more frightened of witches as Hallowe'en approached. In the second study, questionnaire responses were used to allocate children into two groups, those who were scared of witches and those who were not. Scared children drew both smaller witches and larger women than did non-scared children, with the result that relative heights of witches compared to women differed significantly between the two groups. However, only the difference in the height of the drawings of a woman was statistically significant. The implications of these results for the clinical assessment of children through their drawings are discussed.

Education research: a case-based bioethics curriculum for neurology residents.

PubMed

Tolchin, Benjamin; Willey, Joshua Z; Prager, Kenneth

2015-03-31

In 2012, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) updated and expanded its ethics curriculum into Practical Ethics in Clinical Neurology, a case-based ethics curriculum for neurologists. We piloted a case-based bioethics curriculum for neurology residents using the framework and topics recommended by the AAN, matched to clinical cases drawn from Columbia's neurologic services. Our primary outcome was residents' ability to analyze and manage ethically complex cases as measured on precurriculum and postcurriculum multiple-choice quizzes. Secondary outcomes included precurriculum and postcurriculum self-assessed comfort in discussing and managing ethically complex cases, as well as attendance at ethics discussion sessions as compared to attendance at other didactic sessions. Resident performance on quizzes improved from 75.8% to 86.7% (p = 0.02). Comfort in discussing ethically complex cases improved from 6.4 to 7.4 on a 10-point scale (p = 0.03). Comfort in managing such cases trended toward improvement but did not reach statistical significance. Attendance was significantly better at ethics discussions (73.5%) than at other didactic sessions (61.7%, p = 0.04). Our formal case-based ethics curriculum for neurology residents, based on core topics drawn from the AAN's published curricula, was successfully piloted. Our study showed a statistically significant improvement in residents' ability to analyze and manage ethically complex cases as measured by multiple-choice tests and self-assessments. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

FastStats: A to Z

MedlinePlus

... access to statistics on topics of public health importance and is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to ... Electronic Medical Records Emergency Department Visits Emphysema Exercise/Physical Activity H Health Expenditures Health Insurance Coverage Heart Disease ...

12 CFR 1070.50 - Purpose and scope; definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... in conjunction with the Privacy Act, which provides additional information about this topic. (b) For... system of records maintained for statistical research or reporting purposes only and not used in whole or...

12 CFR 1070.50 - Purpose and scope; definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... in conjunction with the Privacy Act, which provides additional information about this topic. (b) For... system of records maintained for statistical research or reporting purposes only and not used in whole or...

12 CFR 1070.50 - Purpose and scope; definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... in conjunction with the Privacy Act, which provides additional information about this topic. (b) For... system of records maintained for statistical research or reporting purposes only and not used in whole or...

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT HOW WE LEARN ABOUT METHODOLOGY AND STATISTICS.

PubMed

Jose, Paul E

2017-06-01

The overarching theme of this monograph is to encourage developmental researchers to acquire cutting-edge and innovative design and statistical methods so that we can improve the studies that we execute on the topic of change. Card, the editor of the monograph, challenges the reader to think about works such as the present one as contributing to the new subdiscipline of developmental methodology within the broader field of developmental science. This thought-provoking stance served as the stimulus for the present commentary, which is a collection of observations on "how we learn about methodology and statistics." The point is made that we often learn critical new information from our colleagues, from seminal writings in the literature, and from conferences and workshop participation. It is encouraged that researchers pursue all three of these pathways as ways to acquire innovative knowledge and techniques. Finally, the role of developmental science societies in supporting the dissemination and uptake of this type of knowledge is discussed. © 2017 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Considerations in the design of large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hedgepeth, J. M.; Macneal, R. H.; Knapp, K.; Macgillivray, C. S.

1981-01-01

Several analytical studies of topics relevant to the design of large space structures are presented. Topics covered are: the types and quantitative evaluation of the disturbances to which large Earth-oriented microwave reflectors would be subjected and the resulting attitude errors of such spacecraft; the influence of errors in the structural geometry of the performance of radiofrequency antennas; the effect of creasing on the flatness of tensioned reflector membrane surface; and an analysis of the statistics of damage to truss-type structures due to meteoroids.

Summary of talks and papers at ISCB-Asia/SCCG 2012

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The second ISCB-Asia conference of the International Society for Computational Biology took place December 17-19, 2012, in Shenzhen, China. The conference was co-hosted by BGI as the first Shenzhen Conference on Computational Genomics (SCCG). 45 talks were presented at ISCB-Asia/SCCG 2012. The topics covered included software tools, reproducible computing, next-generation sequencing data analysis, transcription and mRNA regulation, protein structure and function, cancer genomics and personalized medicine. Nine of the proceedings track talks are included as full papers in this supplement. In this report we first give a short overview of the conference by listing some statistics and visualizing the talk abstracts as word clouds. Then we group the talks by topic and briefly summarize each one, providing references to related publications whenever possible. Finally, we close with a few comments on the success of this conference.

The construction of meaning.

PubMed

Kintsch, Walter; Mangalath, Praful

2011-04-01

We argue that word meanings are not stored in a mental lexicon but are generated in the context of working memory from long-term memory traces that record our experience with words. Current statistical models of semantics, such as latent semantic analysis and the Topic model, describe what is stored in long-term memory. The CI-2 model describes how this information is used to construct sentence meanings. This model is a dual-memory model, in that it distinguishes between a gist level and an explicit level. It also incorporates syntactic information about how words are used, derived from dependency grammar. The construction of meaning is conceptualized as feature sampling from the explicit memory traces, with the constraint that the sampling must be contextually relevant both semantically and syntactically. Semantic relevance is achieved by sampling topically relevant features; local syntactic constraints as expressed by dependency relations ensure syntactic relevance. Copyright © 2010 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Living the statistics.

PubMed

Dale, Alice

2009-11-01

'Obesity'--one of the current buzzwords of maternity care. While embarrassing to admit to, this hot topic meant little more to me than a maze of baffling statistics, BMI (body mass index) calculations and frankly rather vague maternity care guidelines. As an up-to-date and reasonably well-read midwife I recognise that obesity has far-reaching implications for both the mother and her baby. Indeed, the recent Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH): Why Mothers Die Report (Lewis 2007) identified that more than half the women who died between 2003 and 2005 were overweight, with 15 per cent classified as clinically obese. This issue is rated so highly that it even found its way into CEMACH's 'top ten' recommendations for an improvement in maternity care provision.

IMPLEMENTATION AND VALIDATION OF STATISTICAL TESTS IN RESEARCH'S SOFTWARE HELPING DATA COLLECTION AND PROTOCOLS ANALYSIS IN SURGERY.

PubMed

Kuretzki, Carlos Henrique; Campos, Antônio Carlos Ligocki; Malafaia, Osvaldo; Soares, Sandramara Scandelari Kusano de Paula; Tenório, Sérgio Bernardo; Timi, Jorge Rufino Ribas

2016-03-01

The use of information technology is often applied in healthcare. With regard to scientific research, the SINPE(c) - Integrated Electronic Protocols was created as a tool to support researchers, offering clinical data standardization. By the time, SINPE(c) lacked statistical tests obtained by automatic analysis. Add to SINPE(c) features for automatic realization of the main statistical methods used in medicine . The study was divided into four topics: check the interest of users towards the implementation of the tests; search the frequency of their use in health care; carry out the implementation; and validate the results with researchers and their protocols. It was applied in a group of users of this software in their thesis in the strict sensu master and doctorate degrees in one postgraduate program in surgery. To assess the reliability of the statistics was compared the data obtained both automatically by SINPE(c) as manually held by a professional in statistics with experience with this type of study. There was concern for the use of automatic statistical tests, with good acceptance. The chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Fisher and t-Student were considered as tests frequently used by participants in medical studies. These methods have been implemented and thereafter approved as expected. The incorporation of the automatic SINPE (c) Statistical Analysis was shown to be reliable and equal to the manually done, validating its use as a research tool for medical research.

Dosage variability of topical ocular hypotensive products: a densitometric assessment.

PubMed

Gaynes, Bruce I; Singa, Ramesh M; Cao, Ying

2009-02-01

To ascertain consequence of variability in drop volume obtained from multiuse topical ocular hypotensive products in terms of uniformity of product dosage. Densitometric assessment of drop volume dispensed from 2 alternative bottle positions. All except one product demonstrated a statistically significant difference in drop volume when administered at either a 45-degree or 90-degree bottle angle (Student t test, P<0.001). Product-specific drop volume ranged from a nadir of 22.36 microL to a high of 53.54 microL depending on bottle angle of administration. Deviation in drop dose was directly proportional to variability in drop volume. Variability in per drop dosage was conspicuous among products with a coefficient of variation from 1.49% to 15.91%. In accordance with drop volume, all products demonstrated a statistically significant difference in drop dose at 45-degree versus 90-degree administration angles. Drop volume was found unrelated to drop uniformity (Spearman r=0.01987 and P=0.9463). Variability and lack of uniformity in drop dosage is clearly evident among select ocular hypotensive products and is related to angle of drop administration. Erratic dosage of topical ocular hypotensive therapy may contribute in part to therapeutic failure and/or toxicity.

Inocoterone and acne. The effect of a topical antiandrogen: results of a multicenter clinical trial.

PubMed

Lookingbill, D P; Abrams, B B; Ellis, C N; Jegasothy, B V; Lucky, A W; Ortiz-Ferrer, L C; Savin, R C; Shupack, J L; Stiller, M J; Zone, J J

1992-09-01

Because acne is androgen dependent, antiandrogen therapy might improve the condition. Inocoterone acetate (RU 882) is a nonsteroidal antiandrogen that binds to the androgen receptor and has antiandrogenic activity in animal models. To test its topical effect on acne, 126 male subjects with facial acne completed a 16-week, multi-center, double-blind study in which the twice-daily application of a 10% solution of inocoterone was compared with vehicle solution. Baseline and monthly examinations included acne lesion counts and general and endocrine laboratory tests. Inflammatory papules and pustules showed greater reduction in the inocoterone-treated subjects than in the subjects treated with vehicle. This difference achieved statistical significance by week 12 (24% reduction vs 10%) and week 16 (26% reduction vs 13%) and, with longitudinal analysis, throughout the course of the study. Global assessments and changes in comedo counts and sebum excretion rates were not significantly different between the groups. No serious adverse reactions were encountered. In this double-blind study of 126 male subjects with acne, a topical solution of the antiandrogen inocoterone, compared with vehicle, produced a modest but statistically significant reduction in the number of inflammatory acne lesions.

An evaluation of the efficacy of a topical gel with Triester Glycerol Oxide (TGO) in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis in a Turkish cohort: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

Ergun, Sertan; Warnakulasuriya, Saman; Namdar-Pekiner, Filiz; Tanyeri, Hakkı

2017-01-01

Background Triester glycerol oxide gel (Protefix® Queisser Pharma, Germany) is a new topical agent that has the property of adherence to the oral mucosa by forming a lipid film which protects against mechanical trauma and may help to reduce oral tissue moisture loss and inflammation. The aim of this clinical trial was to determine the efficacy of a topical TGO gel and to also compare it with triamcinolone acetonide pomade in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Material and Methods This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial and 180 patients with the complaint of minor aphthous ulcers were enrolled in this study. The sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics of the ulcer were collected by questionnaire. Ulcer size and pain level measurements were performed and the efficacy indices for ulcer pain and size were calculated at day 0,2,4,6 by the same investigator. Results Significant differences were not detected among the demographics and ulcer histories including age, gender, onset of ulcer, mean healing time, family RAS history and ulcer localization between three groups. The pain score in TGO group was found statistically lower at day 2,4, and 6. Efficacy index and improvement rate of TGO group, regarding pain score, was higher than the other two groups at day 2 and 4. The reduction in ulcer size was statistically higher in TGO group than the other two groups at day 4 and 6. Conclusions Topical application of TGO gel could decrease pain intensity, accelerate ulcer healing without any side effects, utilizing an easy appliable and accessible procedure. Therefore TGO gel could be a well-tolerated, safe, topical therapeutic agent in the clinical practice of RAS treatment. Key words:Topical therapy, triester glycerol oxide, triamcinolone acetonide, minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis. PMID:28160585

An evaluation of the efficacy of a topical gel with Triester Glycerol Oxide (TGO) in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis in a Turkish cohort: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Ofluoglu, D; Ergun, S; Warnakulasuriya, S; Namdar-Pekiner, F; Tanyeri, H

2017-03-01

Triester glycerol oxide gel (Protefix® Queisser Pharma, Germany) is a new topical agent that has the property of adherence to the oral mucosa by forming a lipid film which protects against mechanical trauma and may help to reduce oral tissue moisture loss and inflammation. The aim of this clinical trial was to determine the efficacy of a topical TGO gel and to also compare it with triamcinolone acetonide pomade in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis. This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial and 180 patients with the complaint of minor aphthous ulcers were enrolled in this study. The sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics of the ulcer were collected by questionnaire. Ulcer size and pain level measurements were performed and the efficacy indices for ulcer pain and size were calculated at day 0,2,4,6 by the same investigator. Significant differences were not detected among the demographics and ulcer histories including age, gender, onset of ulcer, mean healing time, family RAS history and ulcer localization between three groups. The pain score in TGO group was found statistically lower at day 2,4, and 6. Efficacy index and improvement rate of TGO group, regarding pain score, was higher than the other two groups at day 2 and 4. The reduction in ulcer size was statistically higher in TGO group than the other two groups at day 4 and 6. Topical application of TGO gel could decrease pain intensity, accelerate ulcer healing without any side effects, utilizing an easy appliable and accessible procedure. Therefore TGO gel could be a well-tolerated, safe, topical therapeutic agent in the clinical practice of RAS treatment.

Effects of Short-term Preoperative Topical Ketorolac on Pupil Diameter in Eyes Undergoing Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Capsulotomy.

PubMed

Diakonis, Vasilios F; Kontadakis, Georgios A; Anagnostopoulos, Apostolos G; Yesilirmak, Nilufer; Waren, Daniel P; Cabot, Florence; Yoo, Sonia H; Donaldson, Kendall E

2017-04-01

To assess pupil diameter before and after femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy in patients who were pretreated with a short-term topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (ketorolac) versus those without pretreatment. This prospective, randomized, observational case series included consecutive patients scheduled to undergo cataract extraction using the Catalys femtosecond laser platform (Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., Santa Ana, CA) to perform only capsulotomies. The same protocol for preoperative medical mydriasis was used for all patients, whereas pupil diameter was assessed using a surgical ruler immediately before and 3 minutes after femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy. The patients were divided into two groups: one received short-term topical ketorolac preoperatively and the other did not receive NSAID pretreatment (control). A total of 42 eyes of 42 patients (1 eye per patient) were included in the study. Mean pupillary miosis was 0.79 ± 1.08 and 1.57 ± 1.19 mm for the ketorolac and control groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant decrease in pupil diameter for both groups individually (P < .05). There was also a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < .05) with the induced miosis in the eyes that did not receive topical NSAIDs prior to cataract extraction being twofold greater when compared with the miosis of the eyes that received ketorolac pretreatment. Short-term topical use of ketorolac prior to femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery seems to induce significantly less pupillary miosis in comparison to eyes that did not receive NSAID pretreatment. NSAID use is advised prior to femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery to minimize pupil miosis-related surgical difficulties or complications during cataract extraction. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(4):230-234.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Profile of Undergraduates in U.S. Postsecondary Education Institutions, 2003-04: With a Special Analysis of Community College Students. Statistical Analysis Report. NCES 2006-184

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horn, Laura; Nevill, Stephanie; Griffith, James

2006-01-01

This report is the fifth in a series of reports that provide a statistical snapshot of the undergraduate population. The reports accompany the newly released data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), and each one includes a focused analysis on a particular topic. This report focuses on community college students, who…

Helping Students to Climb the Mountain: A Study to Inform the Development of a Resource to Improve the Learning of Statistics in Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davies, Emma L.; Morys-Carter, Wakefield L.; Paltoglou, Aspasia E.

2015-01-01

Students often struggle with learning about statistics, which encompass a large proportion of a psychology degree. This pilot study explored how first- and final-year students reflected on their experiences of being taught this topic, in order to identify needs that could be addressed in a project to improve their learning. First-year students…

An evaluation of the effect of a topical product containing salicin on the visible signs of human skin aging.

PubMed

Gopaul, Remona; Knaggs, Helen E; Lephart, Janet F; Holley, Kara C; Gibson, Erica M

2010-09-01

There are many different visible signs of skin aging. These include wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, lack of firmness, poor texture, enlarged pores, and dryness. While there are many topical agents that claim to deliver wide-spectrum anti-aging benefits, few target all of the signs of skin aging to the same extent. Salicin, an extract from white willow bark, has been researched as a potent anti-inflammatory agent when taken orally. Based on unpublished in-house comprehensive consumer clinical studies, it is believed salicin may have anti-aging capabilities when applied topically to human skin. This research evaluated the effect of a topical serum formulation containing salicin at 0.5% on the visible signs of skin aging. This single-center study enrolled 30 female subjects, showing mild to moderate signs of aging, between the ages of 35 and 70 having Fitzpatrick skin types ranging between I and IV. Subjects used the study serum product containing 0.5% salicin on their face twice daily for 12 weeks. Ordinal grading on a nine-point scale (0 = none, 1-3 = mild, 4-6 = moderate, 7-9 = severe) of facial fine lines, molted pigmentation, uneven skin tone, tactile roughness, global firmness appearance, jaw-line contour, radiance, and overall appearance was performed by investigator at baseline, week 1, week 4, week 8, and week 12. Digital photography, ultrasound, cutometry, and corneometry measurements were also performed at each time point. Twenty-nine of 30 subjects successfully completed the study. No tolerability issues were reported. The clinical investigator found statistically significant improvements in wrinkles, tactile roughness, pore size, radiance, and overall appearance at week 1 time point (P ≤ 0.05) against baseline and statistically significant improvements in mottled pigmentation, global firmness, and jaw-line contour at week 4 time point (P ≤ 0.05) against baseline. Cutometry, corneometry, and ultrasound measurements showed significant improvements at week 12 time point (P ≤ 0.05) against baseline. Based on the findings from this study, it can be concluded that salicin has the ability to reduce the visible signs of skin aging when applied topically. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evidence-based topical treatments for tinea cruris and tinea corporis: a summary of a Cochrane systematic review.

PubMed

van Zuuren, E J; Fedorowicz, Z; El-Gohary, M

2015-03-01

Tinea cruris and tinea corporis are common fungal infections. Most can be treated with a variety of topical antifungals. This review aimed to assess the evidence for the effectiveness and safety of topical treatments for tinea cruris and tinea corporis. Searches included the Cochrane Skin Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL in The Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, LILACS and ongoing trials registries (August 2013). One hundred and twenty-nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 18 086 participants evaluated a range of interventions - mostly azoles. Pooling of data for several outcomes was only possible for two individual treatments. In five studies, terbinafine showed a statistically significant higher clinical cure rate compared with placebo [risk ratio (RR) 4·51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3·10-6·56]. Data for mycological cure could not be pooled owing to substantial heterogeneity. Across three studies, mycological cure rates favoured naftifine (1%) compared with placebo (RR 2·38, 95% CI 1·80-3·14) but the quality of the evidence was low. Combinations of azoles with corticosteroids were slightly more effective than azoles for clinical cure, but there was no statistically significant difference with regard to mycological cure. Sixty-five studies were assessed as 'unclear' and 64 as being at 'high risk' of bias; many were over 20 years old, and most were poorly designed and inadequately reported. Although most active interventions showed sufficient therapeutic effect, this review highlights the need for further, high-quality, adequately powered RCTs to evaluate the effects of these interventions, which can ultimately provide reliable evidence to inform clinical decision making. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

Effect of topical corneal anaesthesia on ocular response analyzer parameters: pilot study.

PubMed

Ehongo, A; De Maertelaer, V; Pourjavan, S

2009-10-01

The effect of topical corneal anaesthesia on corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal compensated IOP (IOPcc) was measured by ocular response analyzer (ORA). Observational, cross-sectional study. We examined both eyes of 23 healthy volunteers. Patients with external eye disease, previous refractive surgery, contact lenses or topical medication were excluded. ORA parameters were first measured in both eyes. Oxybuprocaïne 0.4% eye drop was instilled in the right eyes (RE) and physiologic saline in the left eyes (LE) as a control to rule out the lubrication effect. After 2 min, the ORA measurements were performed again. Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) was finally done. Data are expressed as mean +/- standard deviation (SD). The medians of the four CH, CRF, IOPg, and IOPcc values measured before and after instillation were compared by using Wilcoxon signed ranks tests for RE and LE. The mean age was 39.5 +/- 11.6 years. The mean GAT was 13.1 +/- 2.5 mmHg for RE and 12.8 +/- 2.5 mmHg for LE. In the RE, the respective values for the two sequences were IOPcc = 15.6 +/- 2.6 mmHg and 15 +/- 2.8 mmHg (P = 0.036); IOPg = 15.3 +/- 3.3 mmHg and 15.4 +/- 3.5 mmHg (P = 0.806); CH = 11 +/- 1.3 mmHg and 11.1 +/- 1.4 mmHg (P = 0.563); CRF = 11.1 +/- 1.8 mmHg and 10.9 +/- 1.9 mmHg (P = 0.053). In the LE, the respective values for the two sequences were IOPcc = 15.4 +/- 2.6 mmHg and 15.6 +/- 2.8 mmHg (P = 0.903); IOPg = 15.5 +/- 3.5 mmHg and 15.4 +/- 3.4 mmHg (P = 0.208); CH = 10.8 +/- 1.4 mmHg and 10.7 +/- 1.7 mmHg (P = 0.494); CRF = 10.7 +/- 1.8 mmHg and 10.7 +/- 2.2 mmHg (P = 0.626). Two minutes after instillation, topical corneal anaesthetic slightly decreases IOPcc and also-but not statistically significantly-CRF. We did not find any statistical significant difference in CH or IOPg before and after topical corneal anaesthesia. Further investigation with more patients should be advised.

Does Topical Ozone Therapy Improve Patient Comfort After Surgical Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Sivalingam, Varun P; Panneerselvam, Elavenil; Raja, Krishnakumar V B; Gopi, Gayathri

2017-01-01

To assess the influence of topical ozone administration on patient comfort after third molar surgery. A single-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial was designed involving patients who required removal of bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. The predictor variable was the postoperative medication used after third molar surgery. Using the split-mouth design, the study group received topical ozone without postoperative systemic antibiotics, whereas the control group did not receive ozone but only systemic antibiotics. The 2 groups were prescribed analgesics for 2 days. The assessing surgeon was blinded to treatment assignment. The primary outcome variables were postoperative mouth opening, pain, and swelling. The secondary outcome variable was the number of analgesic doses required by each group on postoperative days 3 to 5. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, paired t tests, and 2-way analysis of variance with repeated measures (P < .05). SPSS 20.0 was used for data analysis. The study sample included 33 patients (n = 33 in each group). The study group showed statistically relevant decreases in postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus. Further, the number of analgesics required was smaller than in the control group. No adverse effects of ozone gel were observed in any patient. Ozone gel was found to be an effective topical agent that considerably improves patient comfort postoperatively and can be considered a substitute of postoperative systemic antibiotics. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spin Glass a Bridge Between Quantum Computation and Statistical Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohzeki, Masayuki

2013-09-01

In this chapter, we show two fascinating topics lying between quantum information processing and statistical mechanics. First, we introduce an elaborated technique, the surface code, to prepare the particular quantum state with robustness against decoherence. Interestingly, the theoretical limitation of the surface code, accuracy threshold, to restore the quantum state has a close connection with the problem on the phase transition in a special model known as spin glasses, which is one of the most active researches in statistical mechanics. The phase transition in spin glasses is an intractable problem, since we must strive many-body system with complicated interactions with change of their signs depending on the distance between spins. Fortunately, recent progress in spin-glass theory enables us to predict the precise location of the critical point, at which the phase transition occurs. It means that statistical mechanics is available for revealing one of the most interesting parts in quantum information processing. We show how to import the special tool in statistical mechanics into the problem on the accuracy threshold in quantum computation. Second, we show another interesting technique to employ quantum nature, quantum annealing. The purpose of quantum annealing is to search for the most favored solution of a multivariable function, namely optimization problem. The most typical instance is the traveling salesman problem to find the minimum tour while visiting all the cities. In quantum annealing, we introduce quantum fluctuation to drive a particular system with the artificial Hamiltonian, in which the ground state represents the optimal solution of the specific problem we desire to solve. Induction of the quantum fluctuation gives rise to the quantum tunneling effect, which allows nontrivial hopping from state to state. We then sketch a strategy to control the quantum fluctuation efficiently reaching the ground state. Such a generic framework is called quantum annealing. The most typical instance is quantum adiabatic computation based on the adiabatic theorem. The quantum adiabatic computation as discussed in the other chapter, unfortunately, has a crucial bottleneck for a part of the optimization problems. We here introduce several recent trials to overcome such a weakpoint by use of developments in statistical mechanics. Through both of the topics, we would shed light on the birth of the interdisciplinary field between quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics.

Japanese anti- versus pro-influenza vaccination websites: a text-mining analysis.

PubMed

Okuhara, Tsuyoshi; Ishikawa, Hirono; Okada, Masafumi; Kato, Mio; Kiuchi, Takahiro

2018-03-23

Anti-vaccination sentiment exists worldwide and Japan is no exception. Health professionals publish pro-influenza vaccination messages online to encourage proactive seeking of influenza vaccination. However, influenza vaccine coverage among the Japanese population is less than optimal. The contents of pro- and anti-influenza vaccination websites may contribute to readers' acceptance of one or the other position. We aimed to use a text-mining method to examine frequently appearing content on websites for and against influenza vaccination. We conducted online searches in January 2017 using two major Japanese search engines (Google Japan and Yahoo! Japan). Targeted websites were classified as 'pro', 'anti' or 'neutral' depending on their claims, with author(s) classified as 'health professionals', 'mass media' or 'laypersons'. Text-mining analysis was conducted, and statistical analysis was performed using a chi-squared test. Of the 334 websites analyzed, 13 content topics were identified. The three most frequently appearing content topics on pro-vaccination websites were vaccination effect for preventing serious cases of influenza, side effects of vaccination, and efficacy rate of vaccination. The three most frequent topics on anti-vaccination websites were ineffectiveness of influenza vaccination, toxicity of vaccination, and side effects of vaccination. The main disseminators of each topic, by author classification, were also revealed. We discuss possible tactics of online influenza vaccination promotion to counter anti-vaccination websites.

Common Scientific and Statistical Errors in Obesity Research

PubMed Central

George, Brandon J.; Beasley, T. Mark; Brown, Andrew W.; Dawson, John; Dimova, Rositsa; Divers, Jasmin; Goldsby, TaShauna U.; Heo, Moonseong; Kaiser, Kathryn A.; Keith, Scott; Kim, Mimi Y.; Li, Peng; Mehta, Tapan; Oakes, J. Michael; Skinner, Asheley; Stuart, Elizabeth; Allison, David B.

2015-01-01

We identify 10 common errors and problems in the statistical analysis, design, interpretation, and reporting of obesity research and discuss how they can be avoided. The 10 topics are: 1) misinterpretation of statistical significance, 2) inappropriate testing against baseline values, 3) excessive and undisclosed multiple testing and “p-value hacking,” 4) mishandling of clustering in cluster randomized trials, 5) misconceptions about nonparametric tests, 6) mishandling of missing data, 7) miscalculation of effect sizes, 8) ignoring regression to the mean, 9) ignoring confirmation bias, and 10) insufficient statistical reporting. We hope that discussion of these errors can improve the quality of obesity research by helping researchers to implement proper statistical practice and to know when to seek the help of a statistician. PMID:27028280

An overview of meta-analysis for clinicians.

PubMed

Lee, Young Ho

2018-03-01

The number of medical studies being published is increasing exponentially, and clinicians must routinely process large amounts of new information. Moreover, the results of individual studies are often insufficient to provide confident answers, as their results are not consistently reproducible. A meta-analysis is a statistical method for combining the results of different studies on the same topic and it may resolve conflicts among studies. Meta-analysis is being used increasingly and plays an important role in medical research. This review introduces the basic concepts, steps, advantages, and caveats of meta-analysis, to help clinicians understand it in clinical practice and research. A major advantage of a meta-analysis is that it produces a precise estimate of the effect size, with considerably increased statistical power, which is important when the power of the primary study is limited because of a small sample size. A meta-analysis may yield conclusive results when individual studies are inconclusive. Furthermore, meta-analyses investigate the source of variation and different effects among subgroups. In summary, a meta-analysis is an objective, quantitative method that provides less biased estimates on a specific topic. Understanding how to conduct a meta-analysis aids clinicians in the process of making clinical decisions.

A statistical analysis plan for the efficiency and safety of Chinese herbal medicine used concurrently with topical therapy for psoriasis vulgaris.

PubMed

Lu, Liming; Xuan, Meiling; Yan, Yuhong; Li, Geng; Zhou, Li; Wen, Zehuai; Lu, Chuanjian

2016-10-03

Psoriasis vulgaris (PV) has been causing increasing concern due to its highly prevalent, harmful and therapy-resistant characteristics. The YXBCM01 (Chinese herbal medicine) for PV trial evaluates the effects of YXBCM01 on relapse rate in patients suffering from PV. As an update to the published design and method for the trial, this paper presents the statistical plan for the main publication to avoid the risk of outcome reporting bias, selective reporting, and data-driven results. This trial is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial. A total of 600 PV patients (300 in each group) will be randomized to one of two arms: participants in the experimental group will receive the YXBCM01 granule 5.5 g twice daily for 12 weeks. Placebo granules are given to patients in the control group at a dose of 5.5 g twice daily for 12 weeks. The sequential topical therapy is administrated simultaneously to all eligible patients by using calcipotriol betamethasone ointment once daily (a treatment area of up to 30 % body surface area (BSA), fingertip unit is recommended) in the first 4 weeks (maximum of 100 g weekly), followed by calcipotriol betamethasone ointment once daily for the remaining 8 weeks (maximum of 100 g weekly). The primary outcome measure is relapse rate in the treatment period and follow-up period. The secondary outcome measures include time to relapse, time to onset, rebound rate, cumulative consumption of topical medicine, visual analog scale (VAS), BSA, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 36-item short form health survey (SF-36). Application of this statistical analysis plan to the YXBCM01 for PV trial will facilitate unbiased evaluation of these important clinical data. This study will provide evidence regarding the value of YXBCM01 as an intervention for PV patients. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-13003233 , registered on 26 May 2013.

Combination of glycolic acid peel and topical 20% azelaic acid cream in melasma patients: efficacy and improvement in quality of life.

PubMed

Dayal, Surabhi; Sahu, Priyadarshini; Dua, Ruchika

2017-03-01

Glycolic acid (GA) peel is one of the most versatile agents in the treatment of melasma. GA peeling alone or in combination with topical hypopigmenting agents has shown encouraging results. However, there is paucity of controlled trial demonstrating the efficacy of glycolic peel in conjunction with topical azelaic acid (AA). We therefore sought to highlight the efficacy and safety of this combination in melasma. To assess the clinical efficacy, safety and reduction in melasma quality of life (MELASQOL) scores on combining serial GA peels with topical 20% AA cream in epidermal melasma. Sixty patients of epidermal melasma were enrolled for 24 weeks. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) Study group received serial GA peel every 3 weeks with twice daily 20% AA cream, and (2) control group received only 20% AA cream. Clinical improvement was assessed objectively using Melasma Area Severity Index (MASI). Melasma-related quality of life was measured by MELASQOL scale in both groups. Side effects were observed at each visit. The improvement in MASI and percentage decrease in MASI scoring were statistically significant 12 weeks onwards in study group as compared to control group. There was also a significant reduction in MELASQOL scores in study group as compared to control group after treatment. Minor reversible side effects were observed in both groups, which did not require cessation of therapy. GA peel enhances therapeutic efficacy of topical AA cream for treatment of melasma, with improvement in quality of life without serious side effects. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Statistical Analyses of Scatterplots to Identify Important Factors in Large-Scale Simulations

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

Kleijnen, J.P.C.; Helton, J.C.

1999-04-01

The robustness of procedures for identifying patterns in scatterplots generated in Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses is investigated. These procedures are based on attempts to detect increasingly complex patterns in the scatterplots under consideration and involve the identification of (1) linear relationships with correlation coefficients, (2) monotonic relationships with rank correlation coefficients, (3) trends in central tendency as defined by means, medians and the Kruskal-Wallis statistic, (4) trends in variability as defined by variances and interquartile ranges, and (5) deviations from randomness as defined by the chi-square statistic. The following two topics related to the robustness of these procedures are consideredmore » for a sequence of example analyses with a large model for two-phase fluid flow: the presence of Type I and Type II errors, and the stability of results obtained with independent Latin hypercube samples. Observations from analysis include: (1) Type I errors are unavoidable, (2) Type II errors can occur when inappropriate analysis procedures are used, (3) physical explanations should always be sought for why statistical procedures identify variables as being important, and (4) the identification of important variables tends to be stable for independent Latin hypercube samples.« less

High-Reproducibility and High-Accuracy Method for Automated Topic Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lancichinetti, Andrea; Sirer, M. Irmak; Wang, Jane X.; Acuna, Daniel; Körding, Konrad; Amaral, Luís A. Nunes

2015-01-01

Much of human knowledge sits in large databases of unstructured text. Leveraging this knowledge requires algorithms that extract and record metadata on unstructured text documents. Assigning topics to documents will enable intelligent searching, statistical characterization, and meaningful classification. Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) is the state of the art in topic modeling. Here, we perform a systematic theoretical and numerical analysis that demonstrates that current optimization techniques for LDA often yield results that are not accurate in inferring the most suitable model parameters. Adapting approaches from community detection in networks, we propose a new algorithm that displays high reproducibility and high accuracy and also has high computational efficiency. We apply it to a large set of documents in the English Wikipedia and reveal its hierarchical structure.

Biophotons, coherence and photocount statistics: A critical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cifra, Michal; Brouder, Christian; Nerudová, Michaela; Kučera, Ondřej

2015-08-01

Biological samples continuously emit ultra-weak photon emission (UPE, or "biophotons") which stems from electronic excited states generated chemically during oxidative metabolism and stress. Thus, UPE can potentially serve as a method for non-invasive diagnostics of oxidative processes or, if discovered, also of other processes capable of electron excitation. While the fundamental generating mechanisms of UPE are fairly elucidated together with their approximate ranges of intensities and spectra, statistical properties of UPE is still a highly challenging topic. Here we review claims about nontrivial statistical properties of UPE, such as coherence and squeezed states of light. After introduction to the necessary theory, we categorize the experimental works of all authors to those with solid, conventional interpretation and those with unconventional and even speculative interpretation. The conclusion of our review is twofold; while the phenomenon of UPE from biological systems can be considered experimentally well established, no reliable evidence for the coherence or nonclassicality of UPE was actually achieved up to now. Furthermore, we propose perspective avenues in the research of statistical properties of biological UPE.

The attitudinal and cognitive effects of interdisciplinary collaboration on elementary pre-service teachers development of biological science related lesson plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Jada Jamerson

There is a need for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education to be taught effectively in elementary schools. In order to achieve this, teacher preparation programs should graduate confident, content strong teachers to convey knowledge to elementary students. This study used interdisciplinary collaboration between the School of Education and the College of Liberal Arts through a Learning-by-Teaching method (LdL): Lernen durch Lernen in German. Pre-service teacher (PST) achievement levels of understanding science concepts based on pretest and posttest data, quality of lesson plans developed, and enjoyment of the class based on the collaboration with science students. The PSTs enrolled in two treatment sections of EDEL 404: Science in the Elementary Classroom collaborated with science students enrolled in BISC 327: Introductory Neuroscience to enhance their science skills and create case-based lesson plans on neurothology topics: echolocation, electrosensory reception, steroid hormones, and vocal learning. The PSTs enrolled in the single control section of EDEL 404 collaborated with fellow elementary education majors to develop lesson plans also based on the same selected topics. Qualitative interviews of education faculty, science faculty, and PSTs provided depth to the quantitative findings. Upon lesson plan completion, in-service teachers also graded the two best and two worst plans for the treatment and control sections and a science reviewer graded the plans for scientific accuracy. Statistical analyses were conducted for hypotheses, and one significant hypothesis found that PSTs who collaborated with science students had more positive science lesson plan writing attitudes than those who did not. Despite overall insignificant statistical analyses, all PSTs responded as more confident after collaboration. Additionally, interviews provided meaning and understanding to the insignificant statistical results as well as scientific accuracy of the lesson plans.

No-anesthesia clear corneal phacoemulsification versus topical and topical plus intracameral anesthesia. Randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Pandey, S K; Werner, L; Apple, D J; Agarwal, A; Agarwal, A; Agarwal, S

2001-10-01

To compare the intraoperative pain scores during clear corneal phacoemulsification under no anesthesia, topical anesthesia, and topical plus intracameral anesthesia. Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital and Eye Research Center, Chennai, India. Seventy-five patients were randomized to have phacoemulsification under no anesthesia, topical anesthesia, or topical plus intracameral anesthesia. Uncooperative or illiterate patients and those with hard cataract, a shallow anterior chamber, or small pupils were excluded. A protocol was established for supplemental anesthesia in case of breakthrough pain during the surgery. Each patient was asked to grade the overall severity of intraoperative pain immediately after surgery on a 10-point visual analog scale. Also evaluated were the general discomfort during surgery, discomfort from the microscope lights, surgeon stress during surgery, and total surgical time. Comparison among the 3 groups was performed using an analysis of variance. No supplemental anesthesia was required in any group. No significant difference was noted in the mean scores of the subjective sensation of pain with or without topical anesthesia (P =.610). The mean scores of patient discomfort from the microscope lights and surgical time were also statistically insignificant. Patient discomfort and surgeon stress during surgery were significantly greater in the no-anesthesia group than in the topical and topical plus intracameral groups (P =.0235 and P = 0.0206, respectively). No-anesthesia clear corneal phacoemulsification was performed by a highly experienced, skilled surgeon without causing an unacceptable level of pain. However, this technique is not suitable for every cataract surgeon or patient.

Xerostomia and Salivary Gland Hypofunction in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus Before and After Treatment with Topical Corticosteroids.

PubMed

Al-Janaby, Hala; El-Sakka, Haytham; Masood, Manal; Ashani W Mendis, Walimuni; M Slack-Smith, Linda; Parsons, Richard; M Frydrych, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

Oral lichen planus and mouth dryness are common pathoses, yet not entirely understood. These two conditions may be associated, with a few studies investigating the relationship between mouth dryness and oral lichen planus providing conflicting results. None of the studies have explored the specific impact of disease treatment on mouth dryness. The purpose of this observational before and after comparison study was to examine the effect of treatment of oral lichen planus with topical corticosteroids on mouth dryness. Nineteen subjects with oral lichen planus were evaluated for the severity of xerostomia using a xerostomia inventory and a visual analogue scale. Stimulated and unstimulated whole salivary flow rates, unstimulated salivary pH and buffering capacity were also measured. All subjects were evaluated before and after treatment with topical corticosteroids. All subjects reported xerostomia before treatment with topical corticosteroids, with 79% reporting a significant improvement ( P = 0.03) after treatment. Topical corticosteroid treatment was not associated with statistically significant differences in stimulated or unstimulated salivary flow rates, unstimulated salivary pH or buffering capacity. The results of this study suggest that treatment of oral lichen planus with topical corticosteroids may decrease the severity of dry mouth symptoms.

Quantitative Analysis of the Interdisciplinarity of Applied Mathematics.

PubMed

Xie, Zheng; Duan, Xiaojun; Ouyang, Zhenzheng; Zhang, Pengyuan

2015-01-01

The increasing use of mathematical techniques in scientific research leads to the interdisciplinarity of applied mathematics. This viewpoint is validated quantitatively here by statistical and network analysis on the corpus PNAS 1999-2013. A network describing the interdisciplinary relationships between disciplines in a panoramic view is built based on the corpus. Specific network indicators show the hub role of applied mathematics in interdisciplinary research. The statistical analysis on the corpus content finds that algorithms, a primary topic of applied mathematics, positively correlates, increasingly co-occurs, and has an equilibrium relationship in the long-run with certain typical research paradigms and methodologies. The finding can be understood as an intrinsic cause of the interdisciplinarity of applied mathematics.

Comparing Strategies for Health Information Dissemination: Messengers That Can Help or Hinder.

PubMed

Fishman, Jessica; Greenberg, Patricia; Bagga, Margy Barbieri; Casarett, David; Propert, Kathleen

2018-05-01

To test the effects of different messengers on the dissemination of health information. An experimental study exposed participants to 12 news articles pertaining to 1 of 3 health topics framed from the perspective of 4 generic messengers: religious figures, doctors, celebrity patients, or ordinary patients. Participants select as many of the 12 articles as desired. A cancer clinic within a large, urban hospital serving a sociodemographically diverse patient population. Eighty-nine patients with a history of cancer. The primary outcome was the frequency with which each news story was selected. Summary statistics and a general estimating equation model. For each health topic, news articles using celebrity messengers were the least likely to be selected; almost half of the participants (36 [41.4%] of 87) rejected all such articles. Articles linked to religious figures were equally unpopular ( P = .59). Articles that used doctors or ordinary patients as the messenger were very likely to be selected: Nearly all women (84 [96.6%] of 87) selected at least one of these. Furthermore, the odds of choosing articles linked to celebrities or religious leaders were statistically significantly lower than the odds of choosing those linked to ordinary patients or doctors ( P < .01). Commonly used generic messengers had large effects on the dissemination of information. Health materials linked to celebrities or religious figures were consistently less likely to be selected than those linked to ordinary patients, or doctors.

In Vivo Evaluation of Transdermal Iodide Microemulsion for Treating Iodine Deficiency Using Sprague Dawley Rats.

PubMed

Alayoubi, Alaadin; Sullivan, Ryan D; Lou, Hao; Patel, Hemlata; Mandrell, Timothy; Helms, Richard; Almoazen, Hassan

2016-06-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the transdermal efficiency of iodide microemulsion in treating iodine deficiency using rats as an animal model. Animals were fed either iodine-deficient diet (20 μg/kg iodide) or control diet (200 μg/kg iodide) over a 17-month period. At month 14, iodide microemulsion was applied topically in iodine-deficient group and physiological evaluations of thyroid gland functions were characterized by monitoring the thyroid hormones (T3, T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), iodide ion excretion in urine, and the overall rat body weights in both groups. Moreover, morphological evaluations of thyroid gland before and after treatment were performed by ultrasound imaging and through histological assessment. Prior to microemulsion treatment, the levels of T3, T4, and TSH in iodine-deficient group were statistically significant as compared to that in the control group. The levels of T3 and T4 increased while TSH level decreased significantly in iodine-deficient group within the first 4 weeks of treatment. After treatment, iodide concentration in urine increased significantly. There was no statistical difference in weight between the two groups. Ultrasound imaging and histological evaluations showed evidence of hyperplasia in iodine-deficient group. Topical iodide microemulsion has shown a promising potential as a novel delivery system to treat iodine deficiency.

Textual Analysis of General Surgery Residency Personal Statements: Topics and Gender Differences.

PubMed

Ostapenko, Laura; Schonhardt-Bailey, Cheryl; Sublette, Jessica Walling; Smink, Douglas S; Osman, Nora Y

Applicants to US general surgery residency training programs submit standardized applications. Applicants use the personal statement to express their individual rationale for a career in surgery. Our research explores common topics and gender differences within the personal statements of general surgery applicants. We analyzed the electronic residency application service personal statements of 578 applicants (containing 3,82,405 words) from Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools to a single ACGME-accredited general surgery program using an automated textual analysis program to identify common topics and gender differences. Using a recursive algorithm, the program identified common words and clusters, grouping them into topic classes, which are internally validated. We identified and labeled 8 statistically significant topic classes through independent review: "my story," "the art of surgery," "clinical vignettes," "why I love surgery," "residency program characteristics," "working as a team," "academics and research," and "global health and policy." Although some classes were common to all applications, we also identified gender-specific differences. Notably, women were significantly more likely than men to be represented within the class of "working as a team." (p < 0.01) Furthermore, men were significantly more likely than women to be represented within the class of "clinical vignettes" (p < 0.01). Applying textual analysis to a national cohort, we identified common narrative topics in the personal statements of aspiring general surgeons, noting differences between the statements of men and women. Women were more likely to discuss surgery as a team endeavor while men were more likely to focus on the details of their surgical experiences. Our work mirrors what has been found in social psychology research on gender-based differences in how men and women communicate their career goals and aspirations in other competitive professional situations. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Expert Planning Processes in Writing

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-17

For example, here are some target ideas from the immunity text: " protozoa attack red blood cells " agglutin clumps pathogens together * vaccination ...majors may have already understood (e.g., vaccination is an injection of a virus), we conducted a second analysis scoring only for the "hard" concepts...page texts, a clear and an unclear version on each of two topics, autism and statistics. The clear autism and the unclear statistics texts were

Health Care Indicators

PubMed Central

Donham, Carolyn S.; Letsch, Suzanne W.; Maple, Brenda T.; Singer, Naphtale; Cowan, Cathy A.

1991-01-01

Contained in this regular feature of the journal is a section on each of the following four topics community hospital statistics; employment, hours, and earnings in the private health sector; prices; and national economic indicators. These statistics are valuable in their own right for understanding the relationship between the health care sector and the overall economy. In addition, they provide indicators of the direction and magnitude of health care costs prior to the availability of more comprehensive data. PMID:10112766

Establishment of a center of excellence for applied mathematical and statistical research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, W. A.; Gray, H. L.

1983-01-01

The state of the art was assessed with regards to efforts in support of the crop production estimation problem and alternative generic proportion estimation techniques were investigated. Topics covered include modeling the greeness profile (Badhwarmos model), parameter estimation using mixture models such as CLASSY, and minimum distance estimation as an alternative to maximum likelihood estimation. Approaches to the problem of obtaining proportion estimates when the underlying distributions are asymmetric are examined including the properties of Weibull distribution.

Marching to a Different Drummer. Military Women in American Popular Magazines, 1975-1985.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-30

in mass media); Alternative Press Index (1975-84 under topic areas: periodicals; women media image; black media image; sexism in the media; and racism ...used with Willenz’s book is Mark Russell’s 1983 demographic analysis of the woman vet- 22eran. It is useful as a statistical background for the ...of denoting how mass media act as an agent of socialization through a discussion of S- both the reflective theory and the principle of symbolic

Continued Development of the Solar System Concept Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hornstein, Seth D.; Prather, E. E.; English, T. R.; Desch, S. M.; Keller, J. M.; CATS

2010-01-01

The Solar System Concept Inventory (SSCI) was developed in order to provide a pre-/post-instruction assessment instrument suitable for use in an introductory solar system course. The topics included on the SSCI focus on formation mechanisms, planetary interiors, atmospheric and surface effects, and small solar system bodies. These topics were selected by having faculty identify the key concepts they address when teaching about the solar system. Student interviews were then conducted to identify common naive ideas and reasoning difficulties relating to these key topics. As of December 2009, the SSCI has been through four semesters of both pre- and post-instruction classroom testing, involving over 2000 students and 11 institutions (ranging from two-year colleges to doctoral/research universities). After each semester of testing, item analysis statistics such as point biserial, percentage correct on pre- or post-testing, and frequently-chosen distracters (incorrect answers) were used to flag ineffective questions. Flagged questions were revised or eliminated. We present an overall outline of the SSCI development as well as our question-flagging criteria and question analyses from the latest round of field-testing. We would like to thank the NSF for funding under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS) Program.

History-Based Instruction Enriched with Various Sources of Situational Interest on the Topic of the Atom: the Effect on Students' Achievement and Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekdağ, Bülent; Azizoğlu, Nursen

2018-05-01

This study examines the effect of history-based instruction on the topic of the atom on students' academic achievement and their interest in the history of science, investigating as well the relationship between student interest and academic achievement. The sample of the study consisted of two groups of freshman students from an undergraduate elementary science teachers program. The same chemistry instructor taught the groups, which were randomly assigned as an experimental and a control group. The students in the control group received traditional teacher-centered instruction, while the experimental group students were taught the topic of the atom using history-based instruction enriched with various sources of situational interest such as novelty, autonomy, social involvement, and knowledge acquisition (NASK). Data gathering instruments were the Atom Achievement Test and the History of Science Interest Scale, administered to both of the groups before and after the instruction. The data were analyzed with the independent-samples t test, the paired-samples t test, and one-way ANCOVA statistical analysis. The results showed that the history-based instruction including NASK was more effective than traditional instruction in improving the students' learning of the subject of the atom as well as in stimulating and improving students' interest in the history of science. Further, students with high interest displayed significantly better achievement than students with low interest. The better learning of the topic of the atom was more pronounced in the case of students with a high interest in the history of science compared to students with moderate or low interest.

Contextual sensitivity in scientific reproducibility

PubMed Central

Van Bavel, Jay J.; Mende-Siedlecki, Peter; Brady, William J.; Reinero, Diego A.

2016-01-01

In recent years, scientists have paid increasing attention to reproducibility. For example, the Reproducibility Project, a large-scale replication attempt of 100 studies published in top psychology journals found that only 39% could be unambiguously reproduced. There is a growing consensus among scientists that the lack of reproducibility in psychology and other fields stems from various methodological factors, including low statistical power, researcher’s degrees of freedom, and an emphasis on publishing surprising positive results. However, there is a contentious debate about the extent to which failures to reproduce certain results might also reflect contextual differences (often termed “hidden moderators”) between the original research and the replication attempt. Although psychologists have found extensive evidence that contextual factors alter behavior, some have argued that context is unlikely to influence the results of direct replications precisely because these studies use the same methods as those used in the original research. To help resolve this debate, we recoded the 100 original studies from the Reproducibility Project on the extent to which the research topic of each study was contextually sensitive. Results suggested that the contextual sensitivity of the research topic was associated with replication success, even after statistically adjusting for several methodological characteristics (e.g., statistical power, effect size). The association between contextual sensitivity and replication success did not differ across psychological subdisciplines. These results suggest that researchers, replicators, and consumers should be mindful of contextual factors that might influence a psychological process. We offer several guidelines for dealing with contextual sensitivity in reproducibility. PMID:27217556

Contextual sensitivity in scientific reproducibility.

PubMed

Van Bavel, Jay J; Mende-Siedlecki, Peter; Brady, William J; Reinero, Diego A

2016-06-07

In recent years, scientists have paid increasing attention to reproducibility. For example, the Reproducibility Project, a large-scale replication attempt of 100 studies published in top psychology journals found that only 39% could be unambiguously reproduced. There is a growing consensus among scientists that the lack of reproducibility in psychology and other fields stems from various methodological factors, including low statistical power, researcher's degrees of freedom, and an emphasis on publishing surprising positive results. However, there is a contentious debate about the extent to which failures to reproduce certain results might also reflect contextual differences (often termed "hidden moderators") between the original research and the replication attempt. Although psychologists have found extensive evidence that contextual factors alter behavior, some have argued that context is unlikely to influence the results of direct replications precisely because these studies use the same methods as those used in the original research. To help resolve this debate, we recoded the 100 original studies from the Reproducibility Project on the extent to which the research topic of each study was contextually sensitive. Results suggested that the contextual sensitivity of the research topic was associated with replication success, even after statistically adjusting for several methodological characteristics (e.g., statistical power, effect size). The association between contextual sensitivity and replication success did not differ across psychological subdisciplines. These results suggest that researchers, replicators, and consumers should be mindful of contextual factors that might influence a psychological process. We offer several guidelines for dealing with contextual sensitivity in reproducibility.

Sodium iodide associated to salicylic acid in the topical management of chronic oral candidiasis: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Petruzzi, M; Grassi, F R; Nardi, G M; Martinelli, D; Serpico, R; Luglie, P F; Baldoni, E

2010-01-01

Candidiasis is a relevant problem in oral medicine practice. We compared the antimycotic activity of nystatin with a solution of sodium iodide associated to salicylic acid (SISA) in the topical management of chronic candidiasis. Consecutive patients affected by chronic candidiasis were randomly allocated to SISA (group A) or nystatin (group B). VAS and swab scores were recorded at the beginning and at the end of the study while the healing index was evaluated at the end of the study only. Data were analyzed by STATA 10 MP. Forty patients (20 male, 20 female) were randomized. SIAS was as effective as nystatin in affecting VAS (p greater than 0.05) and swab score (p greater than 0.05). A statistically significant reduction (p less than 0.05) of healing index was observed in both groups. No side effects were reported. SISA topical application, shows a comparable efficacy to the nystatin in the management of chronic oral candidiasis. Its use could represent an adequate alternative to the nystatin above all in the cases of drug-resistance. Further large scale randomized trials are warranted to confirm these preliminary findings.

Effect of psoriasis activity and topical treatment on serum lipocalin-2 levels.

PubMed

Baran, A; Świderska, M; Myśliwiec, H; Flisiak, I

2017-03-01

Psoriasis has been considered as systemic disorder. Lipocalin-2 might be a link between psoriasis and its comorbidities. Aim of the study was to investigate the associations between serum lipocalin-2 levels and the disease activity, markers of inflammation or metabolic disturbances and changes after topical treatment in psoriatic patients. Thirty-seven individuals with active plaque-type psoriasis and 15 healthy controls were recruited. Blood samples were collected before and after 14 days of therapy. Serum lipocalin-2 concentrations were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results were correlated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body mass index (BMI), inflammatory and biochemical markers, lipid profile and with effectiveness of topical treatment. Lipocalin-2 serum levels were significantly increased in psoriatic patients in comparison to the controls (p = 0.023). No significant correlations with indicators of inflammation, nor BMI or PASI were noted. A statistical association between lipocalin-2 and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was shown. After topical treatment serum lipocalin-2 level did not significantly change (p = 0.9), still remaining higher than in the controls, despite clinical improvement. Lipocalin-2 might be a marker of psoriasis and convey cardiovascular or metabolic risk in psoriatic patients, but may not be a reliable indicator of inflammation, severity of psoriasis nor efficacy of antipsoriatic treatment.

Comparison of topical oxybuprocaine and intravenous fentanyl in pediatric strabismus surgery

PubMed Central

Yousafzai, Ibrahim; Zahoor, Abdul; Andrey, Butrov; Ahmad, Nauman

2017-01-01

Purpose: To compare the outcomes such as postoperative nausea/vomiting, analgesic requirements, and hospital stay following the use of topical oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% or intravenous (IV) fentanyl in children undergoing strabismus surgery. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Children operated under general anesthesia for strabismus were given topical oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% (Group T) and IV fentanyl (Group F) before surgery. The episodes of nausea/vomiting, pain score, requirement of additional analgesia during postoperative period, and duration of hospital stay were compared in two groups. Results: There were 47 children in Group T and 59 children in Group F. The median pain score in two groups were 2.38 (25% quartile; 2.0) and 3.00 (25% quartile; 3.00), respectively. The difference was significant (K W P < 0.03). The episodes of nausea/vomiting in two groups were in 2 and 6 children in Group T and Group F, respectively. The median hospital stay of children of Group T and Group F were 242 and 285 min, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.22). Conclusions: Using intraoperative topical oxybuprocaine drops, one can achieve better analgesic outcomes and reduce risk of nausea and vomiting compared to intravenous opioid analgesics and therefore, the hospital stay could also be marginally reduced. PMID:28217057

Comparison of topical oxybuprocaine and intravenous fentanyl in pediatric strabismus surgery.

PubMed

Yousafzai, Ibrahim; Zahoor, Abdul; Andrey, Butrov; Ahmad, Nauman

2017-01-01

To compare the outcomes such as postoperative nausea/vomiting, analgesic requirements, and hospital stay following the use of topical oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% or intravenous (IV) fentanyl in children undergoing strabismus surgery. This was a prospective cohort study. Children operated under general anesthesia for strabismus were given topical oxybuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% (Group T) and IV fentanyl (Group F) before surgery. The episodes of nausea/vomiting, pain score, requirement of additional analgesia during postoperative period, and duration of hospital stay were compared in two groups. There were 47 children in Group T and 59 children in Group F. The median pain score in two groups were 2.38 (25% quartile; 2.0) and 3.00 (25% quartile; 3.00), respectively. The difference was significant (K W P < 0.03). The episodes of nausea/vomiting in two groups were in 2 and 6 children in Group T and Group F, respectively. The median hospital stay of children of Group T and Group F were 242 and 285 min, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.22). Using intraoperative topical oxybuprocaine drops, one can achieve better analgesic outcomes and reduce risk of nausea and vomiting compared to intravenous opioid analgesics and therefore, the hospital stay could also be marginally reduced.

Science Cafés: Engaging Scientists and Community through Health and Science Dialogue

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Syed; Connors, Emily R.; Kissack, Anne; Franco, Zeno

2014-01-01

Abstract Engagement of the community through informal dialogue with researchers and physicians around health and science topics is an important avenue to build understanding and affect health and science literacy. Science Cafés are one model for this casual interchange; however the impact of this approach remains under researched. The Community Engagement Key Function of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin hosted a series of Science Cafés in which topics were collaboratively decided upon by input from the community. Topics ranged from Personalized Medicine to Alzheimer's and Dementia to BioMedical Innovation. A systematic evaluation of the impact of Science Cafés on attendees' self‐confidence related to five health and scientific literacy concepts showed statistically significant increases across all items (Mean differences between mean retrospective pre‐scores and post‐scores, one tailed, paired samples t‐test, n = 141, p < .0001 for all items). The internal consistency of the five health and scientific literacy items was excellent (n = 126, α = 0.87). Thematic analysis of attendees' comments provides more nuance about positive experience and suggestions for possible improvements. The evaluation provides important evidence supporting the effectiveness of brief, casual dialogue as a way to increase the public's self‐rated confidence in health and science topics. PMID:24716626

Science cafés: engaging scientists and community through health and science dialogue.

PubMed

Ahmed, Syed; DeFino, Mia C; Connors, Emily R; Kissack, Anne; Franco, Zeno

2014-06-01

Engagement of the community through informal dialogue with researchers and physicians around health and science topics is an important avenue to build understanding and affect health and science literacy. Science Cafés are one model for this casual interchange; however the impact of this approach remains under researched. The Community Engagement Key Function of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute of Southeast Wisconsin hosted a series of Science Cafés in which topics were collaboratively decided upon by input from the community. Topics ranged from Personalized Medicine to Alzheimer's and Dementia to BioMedical Innovation. A systematic evaluation of the impact of Science Cafés on attendees' self-confidence related to five health and scientific literacy concepts showed statistically significant increases across all items (Mean differences between mean retrospective pre-scores and post-scores, one tailed, paired samples t-test, n=141, p<.0001 for all items). The internal consistency of the five health and scientific literacy items was excellent (n=126, α=0.87). Thematic analysis of attendees' comments provides more nuance about positive experience and suggestions for possible improvements. The evaluation provides important evidence supporting the effectiveness of brief, casual dialogue as a way to increase the public's self-rated confidence in health and science topics. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Answering the Questions of Whether and When Learning Occurs: Using Discrete-Time Survival Analysis to Investigate the Ways in Which College Chemistry Students' Ideas about Structure-Property Relationships Evolve

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Sonia M.; Reyes-Gastelum, David; Cooper, Melanie M.

2015-01-01

Longitudinal studies can provide significant insights into how students develop competence in a topic or subject area over time. However, there are many barriers, such as retention of students in the study and the complexity of data analysis, that make these studies rare. Here, we present how a statistical framework, discrete-time survival…

What Makes a Message Stick? The Role of Content and Context in Social Media Epidemics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-23

First, we propose visual memes , or frequently re-posted short video segments, for detecting and monitoring latent video interactions at scale. Content...interactions (such as quoting, or remixing, parts of a video). Visual memes are extracted by scalable detection algorithms that we develop, with...high accuracy. We further augment visual memes with text, via a statistical model of latent topics. We model content interactions on YouTube with

Methods of Single Station and Limited Data Analysis and Forecasting

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-15

example using real data. Discusses modifications of SSA technique in certain climatological regimes and describes some statistical tech- niques for SSA of... caster has access to radar or satellite observations, or any computer products during the period of his isolation. Where calculations are involved, it is...chapters of the text will deal with special topics such as modifications of the SSA technique that must be considered for certain clima- tological regimes

Put Your Eggs in This Basket.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyner, Jeane; Leiva, Miriam

1988-01-01

Plastic Easter eggs are useful devices for teaching basic mathematics skills, from counting activities to graphing. Eggs are used to reinforce addition, subtraction, and multiplication skills; column addition, estimation, statistics, and other topics are introduced. Sample activities are described. (JL)

Making the Math/Science Connection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Laurel Galbraith

1989-01-01

Suggestions are made for activities that combine the teaching of math and science. Math concepts include: graphing, estimating, measurement, statistics, geometry, and logic. Science topics include: plant reproduction, solar system, forces, longitude and latitude, Earth's magnetic field, nutrition, and heat. (IAH)

A Mathematics Software Database Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, R. S.; Smith, David A.

1987-01-01

Contains an update of an earlier listing of software for mathematics instruction at the college level. Topics are: advanced mathematics, algebra, calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics, equation solving, general mathematics, geometry, linear and matrix algebra, logic, statistics and probability, and trigonometry. (PK)

Studying the Environment by Mail

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeil, R. J.

1971-01-01

Two correspondence courses, Conservation of Natural Resources" and Current Topics in Conservation," offered by Cornell University, New York, from 1961 through 1967, are described. Included are facts and statistical tables related to: advertising; participant characteristics, educational level, and activity interests; preparation of…

[Lymphocytic infiltration in uveal melanoma].

PubMed

Sach, J; Kocur, J

1993-11-01

After our observation of lymphocytic infiltration in uveal melanomas we present theoretical review to this interesting topic. Due to relatively low incidence of this feature we haven't got sufficiently large collection of cases for presentation of our statistically significant conclusions.

Health Care Indicators for the United States

PubMed Central

Donham, Carolyn S.; Maple, Brenda T.; Levit, Katharine R.

1992-01-01

Contained in this regular feature of the journal is a section on each of the following four topics community hospital statistics; employment, hours, and earnings in the private health sector; health care prices; and national economic indicators. PMID:10122005

Cure Models as a Useful Statistical Tool for Analyzing Survival

PubMed Central

Othus, Megan; Barlogie, Bart; LeBlanc, Michael L.; Crowley, John J.

2013-01-01

Cure models are a popular topic within statistical literature but are not as widely known in the clinical literature. Many patients with cancer can be long-term survivors of their disease, and cure models can be a useful tool to analyze and describe cancer survival data. The goal of this article is to review what a cure model is, explain when cure models can be used, and use cure models to describe multiple myeloma survival trends. Multiple myeloma is generally considered an incurable disease, and this article shows that by using cure models, rather than the standard Cox proportional hazards model, we can evaluate whether there is evidence that therapies at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences induce a proportion of patients to be long-term survivors. PMID:22675175

School-Based Obesity-Prevention Policies and Practices and Weight-Control Behaviors among Adolescents.

PubMed

Larson, Nicole; Davey, Cynthia S; Caspi, Caitlin E; Kubik, Martha Y; Nanney, Marilyn S

2017-02-01

The promotion of healthy eating and physical activity within school settings is an important component of population-based strategies to prevent obesity; however, adolescents may be vulnerable to weight-related messages, as rapid development during this life stage often leads to preoccupation with body size and shape. This study examines secular trends in secondary school curricula topics relevant to the prevention of unhealthy weight-control behaviors; describes cross-sectional associations between weight-related curricula content and students' use of weight-control behaviors; and assesses whether implementation of school-based obesity-prevention policies/practices is longitudinally related to students' weight-control behaviors. The Minnesota School Health Profiles and Minnesota Student Survey (grades 9 and 12) data were used along with National Center for Education Statistics data to examine secular trends, cross-sectional associations (n=141 schools), and longitudinal associations (n=42 schools). Students self-reported their height and weight along with past-year use of healthy (eg, exercise), unhealthy (eg, fasting), and extreme (eg, use laxatives) weight-control behaviors. Descriptive statistics, generalized estimating equations, and generalized linear regression models accounting for school-level demographics. There was no observable pattern during the years 2008 to 2014 in the mean number of curricula topics addressing unhealthy weight-control behaviors, despite an increase in the prevalence of curricula addressing acceptance of body-size differences. Including three vs fewer weight-control topics and specifically including the topic of eating disorders in the curricula was related to a lower school-level percent of students using any extreme weight-control behaviors. In contrast, an overall measure of implementing school-based obesity-prevention policies/practices (eg, prohibited advertising) was unrelated to use of unhealthy or extreme behaviors. Results suggest obesity-prevention policies/practices do not have unintended consequences for student weight-control behaviors and support the importance of school-based health education as part of efforts to prevent unhealthy behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aims and theoretical frameworks in nursing students' Bachelor's theses in Sweden: A descriptive study.

PubMed

Silén, Marit; Johansson, Linda

2016-02-01

Nursing students' independent projects in Sweden not only provide an opportunity to receive a professional qualification as a nurse but also gain a Bachelor's degree in nursing. The aim of these projects is to demonstrate knowledge and understanding within the major field of the education. This study aimed to describe and analyze the topics as well as theoretical frameworks and concepts in nursing students' independent projects, which lead to a Bachelor's degree, in a Swedish context. A total of 491 independent projects, written by nursing students in Sweden, were included in the study. Topics together with theoretical frameworks and concepts in the projects were identified. Similar topics and theoretical frameworks and concepts, respectively, were grouped into subcategories, and similar subcategories were then merged into a main category. The number of entries in each category was counted for descriptive statistics in order to allow for the demonstration of magnitude. The most common topics concerned experiences and managing when having an illness, experiences of care and of being a caregiver, and healthcare staff's care and knowledge. The nursing theories/models that were most often used were Eriksson's Theory of Caritative Caring, Travelbee's Human-to-Human Relationship Model, and Orem's Self-care Theory. Among the non-nursing theories/models, perspectives and concepts lifeworld, ethical values and principles, existential concepts and quality of life/health-related quality of life, were most often used by these students. There may be some difficulty in finding a topic for the project that is relevant for both a professional qualification as a nurse, as well as for achieving the requirements of a Bachelor's degree in nursing. The study indicates that there is a need to widen the student's understanding of different nursing theories/perspectives/models/concepts during nursing education so that students are familiar with a broad range of these when conducting their independent project. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PubMed related articles: a probabilistic topic-based model for content similarity

PubMed Central

Lin, Jimmy; Wilbur, W John

2007-01-01

Background We present a probabilistic topic-based model for content similarity called pmra that underlies the related article search feature in PubMed. Whether or not a document is about a particular topic is computed from term frequencies, modeled as Poisson distributions. Unlike previous probabilistic retrieval models, we do not attempt to estimate relevance–but rather our focus is "relatedness", the probability that a user would want to examine a particular document given known interest in another. We also describe a novel technique for estimating parameters that does not require human relevance judgments; instead, the process is based on the existence of MeSH ® in MEDLINE ®. Results The pmra retrieval model was compared against bm25, a competitive probabilistic model that shares theoretical similarities. Experiments using the test collection from the TREC 2005 genomics track shows a small but statistically significant improvement of pmra over bm25 in terms of precision. Conclusion Our experiments suggest that the pmra model provides an effective ranking algorithm for related article search. PMID:17971238

Calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate topical suspension for the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis vulgaris on the body: a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trial.

PubMed

Menter, Alan; Gold, Linda Stein; Bukhalo, Michael; Grekin, Steven; Kempers, Steven; Boyce, Brent M; Ganslandt, Cecilia; Villumsen, John; Lebwohl, Mark

2013-01-01

A combination topical suspension/gel containing calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate has been developed as a safe and effective treatment for patients with psoriasis vulgaris of the scalp. This same preparation has the potential to be a convenient, effective, and cosmetically appealing formulation for psoriasis on the body. This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of a topical suspension containing calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate compared with its constituent components and topical suspension vehicle in the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis on the trunk and limbs. This was a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, 4-arm trial in 1,152 subjects. The co-primary efficacy end points were the proportion of subjects achieving controlled disease based on the Investigators' Global Assessment of disease severity at weeks 4 and 8. Adverse events, vital signs, and clinical laboratory measurements were also assessed. At week 4, a greater proportion of subjects in the calcipotriene plus betamethasone group achieved controlled disease compared with subjects in the calcipotriene-only and vehicle-only treatment groups. At week 8, a statistically significantly (P<.01) greater proportion of subjects in the calcipotriene plus betamethasone group achieved controlled disease compared with subjects in the 3 other treatment groups. Adverse events and other safety assessments were similar between the groups. The topical suspension containing calcipotriene plus betamethasone dipropionate traditionally used for scalp psoriasis is also a safe and effective once-daily treatment for psoriasis vulgaris on the body.

Evaluating Teach One Reach One-An STI/HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention to Enhance Adult-Youth Communication About Sex and Reduce the Burden of HIV/STI.

PubMed

Dave, Gaurav; Ritchwood, Tiarney; Young, Tiffany L; Isler, Malika Roman; Black, Adina; Akers, Aletha Y; Gizlice, Ziya; Blumenthal, Connie; Atley, Leslie; Wynn, Mysha; Stith, Doris; Cene, Crystal; Ellis, Danny; Corbie-Smith, Giselle

2017-11-01

Parents and caregivers play an important role in sexual socialization of youth, often serving as the primary source of information about sex. For African American rural youth who experience disparate rates of HIV/sexually transmitted infection, improving caregiver-youth communication about sexual topics may help to reduce risky behaviors. This study assessed the impact of an intervention to improve sexual topic communication. A Preintervention-postintervention, quasi-experimental, controlled, and community-based trial. Intervention was in 2 rural North Carolina counties with comparison group in 3 adjacent counties. Participants (n = 249) were parents, caregivers, or parental figures for African American youth aged 10 to 14. Twelve-session curriculum for participating dyads. Audio computer-assisted self-interview to assess changes at 9 months from baseline in communication about general and sensitive sex topics and overall communication about sex. Multivariable models were used to examine the differences between the changes in mean of scores for intervention and comparison groups. Statistically significant differences in changes in mean scores for communication about general sex topics ( P < .0001), communication about sensitive sex topics ( P < .0001), and overall communication about sex ( P < .0001) existed. Differences in change in mean scores remained significant after adjusting baseline scores and other variables in the multivariate models. In Teach One Reach One intervention, adult participants reported improved communication about sex, an important element to support risk reduction among youth in high-prevalence areas.

A text-mining analysis of the public's reactions to the opioid crisis.

PubMed

Glowacki, Elizabeth M; Glowacki, Joseph B; Wilcox, Gary B

2017-07-19

Opioid abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. On August 25, 2016, the former Surgeon General of the United States sent an open letter to care providers asking for their help with combatting this growing health crisis. Social media forums such as Twitter allow for open discussions among the public and up-to-date exchanges of information about timely topics such as opioids. Therefore, the goal of the current study is to identify the public's reactions to the opioid epidemic by identifying the most popular topics tweeted by users. A text miner, algorithmic-driven statistical program was used to capture 73,235 original tweets and retweets posted within a 2-month time span 15 (August 15, 2016, through October 15, 2016). All tweets contained references to "opioids," "turnthetide," or similar keywords. The sets of tweets were then analyzed to identify the most prevalent topics. The most discussed topics had to do with public figures addressing opioid abuse, creating better treatment options for teen addicts, using marijuana as an alternative for managing pain, holding foreign and domestic drug makers accountable for the epidemic, promoting the "Rx for Change" campaign, addressing double standards in the perceptions and treatment of black and white opioid users, and advertising opioid recovery programs. Twitter allows users to find current information, voice their concerns, and share calls for action in response to the opioid epidemic. Monitoring the conversations about opioids that are taking place on social media forums such as Twitter can help public health officials and care providers better understand how the public is responding to this health crisis.

Initial Special Reports Submitted by Member States on the Action Taken by Them Upon the Recommendation Concerning the International Standardization of Library Statistics, Adopted by the General Conference During its Sixteenth Session. Item 21 of the Provisional Agenda.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

Reports, some only partial, from the member states regarding their action on the topic of international standards for library statistics are presented. The 22 countries represented in this report are: Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Cuba, Dahomey, Denmark, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Libya, Nepal,…

Health Care Indicators

PubMed Central

Donham, Carolyn S.; Sensenig, Arthur L.

1994-01-01

This regular feature of the journal includes a discussion of each of the following four topics: community hospital statistics; employment, hours, and earnings in the private health sector; health care prices; and national economic indicators. These statistics are valuable in their own right for understanding the relationship between the health care sector and the overall economy. In addition, they allow us to anticipate the direction and magnitude of health care cost changes prior to the availability of more comprehensive data. PMID:10142373

Statistical mentoring at early training and career stages

DOE PAGES

Anderson-Cook, Christine M.; Hamada, Michael S.; Moore, Leslie M.; ...

2016-06-27

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), statistical scientists develop solutions for a variety of national security challenges through scientific excellence, typically as members of interdisciplinary teams. At LANL, mentoring is actively encouraged and practiced to develop statistical skills and positive career-building behaviors. Mentoring activities targeted at different career phases from student to junior staff are an important catalyst for both short and long term career development. This article discusses mentoring strategies for undergraduate and graduate students through internships as well as for postdoctoral research associates and junior staff. Topics addressed include project selection, progress, and outcome; intellectual and social activitiesmore » that complement the student internship experience; key skills/knowledge not typically obtained in academic training; and the impact of such internships on students’ careers. Experiences and strategies from a number of successful mentorships are presented. Feedback from former mentees obtained via a questionnaire is incorporated. As a result, these responses address some of the benefits the respondents received from mentoring, helpful contributions and advice from their mentors, key skills learned, and how mentoring impacted their later careers.« less

Statistical mentoring at early training and career stages

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

Anderson-Cook, Christine M.; Hamada, Michael S.; Moore, Leslie M.

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), statistical scientists develop solutions for a variety of national security challenges through scientific excellence, typically as members of interdisciplinary teams. At LANL, mentoring is actively encouraged and practiced to develop statistical skills and positive career-building behaviors. Mentoring activities targeted at different career phases from student to junior staff are an important catalyst for both short and long term career development. This article discusses mentoring strategies for undergraduate and graduate students through internships as well as for postdoctoral research associates and junior staff. Topics addressed include project selection, progress, and outcome; intellectual and social activitiesmore » that complement the student internship experience; key skills/knowledge not typically obtained in academic training; and the impact of such internships on students’ careers. Experiences and strategies from a number of successful mentorships are presented. Feedback from former mentees obtained via a questionnaire is incorporated. As a result, these responses address some of the benefits the respondents received from mentoring, helpful contributions and advice from their mentors, key skills learned, and how mentoring impacted their later careers.« less

The use of multivariate statistics in studies of wildlife habitat

Treesearch

David E. Capen

1981-01-01

This report contains edited and reviewed versions of papers presented at a workshop held at the University of Vermont in April 1980. Topics include sampling avian habitats, multivariate methods, applications, examples, and new approaches to analysis and interpretation.

Healthy Aging: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... in Spanish Global Aging (National Institute on Aging, World Health Organization) - PDF Older Americans 2016: Key Indicators of Well-Being (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics) Resveratrol Does Not Affect Health, Longevity in Population Study (National Institute on Aging) State of Aging ...

Business and Practice Management Knowledge Deficiencies in Graduating Orthopedic Residents.

PubMed

Miller, D Joshua; Throckmorton, Thomas W; Azar, Frederick M; Beaty, James H; Canale, S Terry; Richardson, David R

2015-10-01

We conducted a study to determine the general level of knowledge that orthopedic residents have on business and practice management topics at graduation and to evaluate the level of knowledge that practicing orthopedic surgeons need in order to function effectively in a medical practice. Residency graduates from a single training program were asked to complete a survey that gathered demographic information and had surgeons rate their understanding of 9 general business and practice management skills and the importance of these skills in their current practice situation. The amount of necessary business knowledge they lacked at graduation was defined as a functional knowledge deficiency (FKD) and was calculated as the difference between the reported importance of a topic in current practice and the level of understanding of that topic at graduation (larger FKD indicates greater deficiency). Those in physician-managed practices reported significantly higher levels of understanding of economic analytical tools than those in nonphysician-managed practices. There were no other statistically significant differences among groups. Hospital-employed physicians had the lowest overall FKD (4.0), followed by those in academic practices (5.1) and private practices (5.9). Graduating orthopedic surgeons appear to be inadequately prepared to effectively manage business issues in their practices, as evidenced by the low overall knowledge levels and high FKDs.

Comparing topical hydrocortisone cream with Hai's Perianal Support in managing symptomatic hemorrhoids in pregnancy: a preliminary trial.

PubMed

Lim, Soo Soo; Yu, Chye Wah; Aw, Lin Da

2015-02-01

The prevalence of hemorrhoids among pregnant women is high in late pregnancy. This study was to evaluate the efficacy between drug treatment with Procort (topical hydrocortisone cream 1%) and mechanical treatment with a Hai's Perianal Support (HPS) toilet seat device in managing symptomatic hemorrhoids during the third trimester of pregnancy. A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted on 23 pregnant women with gestation above the 28th week and presented with symptomatic hemorrhoids. Pre- and post-interventional assessment was carried out to obtain data on symptoms of pain, itching, swelling, discomfort and bleeding associated with hemorrhoids. The control group was treated with topical hydrocortisone cream 1% and the test group was provided and taught to use a HPS, a posterior perineal support toilet seat device (Colorec). The results showed improvement in symptoms of pain, swelling, bleeding, itching and discomfort in both the test and control groups. However, statistically significant differences were found on symptoms of pain, swelling and discomfort between the test and control groups. There was also a statistically significant difference in well-being and overall improvement between the test and control groups. HPS has to a certain extent significantly reduced the symptoms of hemorrhoids in pregnancy and improved the well-being of pregnant women in comparison with topical treatment with hydrocortisone cream. However, more clinical trials need to be carried out to recomfirm the role of HPS in hemorrhoids in pregnancy. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The Top 100 Articles in the Medical Informatics: a Bibliometric Analysis.

PubMed

Nadri, Hamed; Rahimi, Bahlol; Timpka, Toomas; Sedghi, Shahram

2017-08-19

The number of citations that a research paper receives can be used as a measure of its scientific impact. The objective of this study was to identify and to examine the characteristics of top 100 cited articles in the field of Medical Informatics based on data acquired from the Thomson Reuters' Web of Science (WOS) in October, 2016. The data was collected using two procedures: first we included articles published in the 24 journals listed in the "Medical Informatics" category; second, we retrieved articles using the key words: "informatics", "medical informatics", "biomedical informatics", "clinical informatics" and "health informatics". After removing duplicate records, articles were ranked by the number of citations they received. When the 100 top cited articles had been identified, we collected the following information for each record: all WOS database citations, year of publication, journal, author names, authors' affiliation, country of origin and topics indexed for each record. Citations for the top 100 articles ranged from 346 to 7875, and citations per year ranged from 11.12 to 525. The majority of articles were published in the 2000s (n=43) and 1990s (n=38). Articles were published across 10 journals, most commonly Statistics in medicine (n=71) and Medical decision making (n=28). The articles had an average of 2.47 authors. Statistics and biostatistics modeling was the most common topic (n=71), followed by artificial intelligence (n=12), and medical errors (n=3), other topics included data mining, diagnosis, bioinformatics, information retrieval, and medical imaging. Our bibliometric analysis illustrated a historical perspective on the progress of scientific research on Medical Informatics. Moreover, the findings of the current study provide an insight on the frequency of citations for top cited articles published in Medical Informatics as well as quality of the works, journals, and the trends steering Medical Informatics.

Mapping longitudinal scientific progress, collaboration and impact of the Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative.

PubMed

Yao, Xiaohui; Yan, Jingwen; Ginda, Michael; Börner, Katy; Saykin, Andrew J; Shen, Li

2017-01-01

Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) is a landmark imaging and omics study in AD. ADNI research literature has increased substantially over the past decade, which poses challenges for effectively communicating information about the results and impact of ADNI-related studies. In this work, we employed advanced information visualization techniques to perform a comprehensive and systematic mapping of the ADNI scientific growth and impact over a period of 12 years. Citation information of ADNI-related publications from 01/01/2003 to 05/12/2015 were downloaded from the Scopus database. Five fields, including authors, years, affiliations, sources (journals), and keywords, were extracted and preprocessed. Statistical analyses were performed on basic publication data as well as journal and citations information. Science mapping workflows were conducted using the Science of Science (Sci2) Tool to generate geospatial, topical, and collaboration visualizations at the micro (individual) to macro (global) levels such as geospatial layouts of institutional collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence networks, and author collaboration networks evolving over time. During the studied period, 996 ADNI manuscripts were published across 233 journals and conference proceedings. The number of publications grew linearly from 2008 to 2015, so did the number of involved institutions. ADNI publications received much more citations than typical papers from the same set of journals. Collaborations were visualized at multiple levels, including authors, institutions, and research areas. The evolution of key ADNI research topics was also plotted over the studied period. Both statistical and visualization results demonstrate the increasing attention of ADNI research, strong citation impact of ADNI publications, the expanding collaboration networks among researchers, institutions and ADNI core areas, and the dynamic evolution of ADNI research topics. The visualizations presented here can help improve daily decision making based on a deep understanding of existing patterns and trends using proven and replicable data analysis and visualization methods. They have great potential to provide new insights and actionable knowledge for helping translational research in AD.

Mapping longitudinal scientific progress, collaboration and impact of the Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative

PubMed Central

Yao, Xiaohui; Yan, Jingwen; Ginda, Michael; Börner, Katy; Saykin, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

Background Alzheimer’s disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI) is a landmark imaging and omics study in AD. ADNI research literature has increased substantially over the past decade, which poses challenges for effectively communicating information about the results and impact of ADNI-related studies. In this work, we employed advanced information visualization techniques to perform a comprehensive and systematic mapping of the ADNI scientific growth and impact over a period of 12 years. Methods Citation information of ADNI-related publications from 01/01/2003 to 05/12/2015 were downloaded from the Scopus database. Five fields, including authors, years, affiliations, sources (journals), and keywords, were extracted and preprocessed. Statistical analyses were performed on basic publication data as well as journal and citations information. Science mapping workflows were conducted using the Science of Science (Sci2) Tool to generate geospatial, topical, and collaboration visualizations at the micro (individual) to macro (global) levels such as geospatial layouts of institutional collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence networks, and author collaboration networks evolving over time. Results During the studied period, 996 ADNI manuscripts were published across 233 journals and conference proceedings. The number of publications grew linearly from 2008 to 2015, so did the number of involved institutions. ADNI publications received much more citations than typical papers from the same set of journals. Collaborations were visualized at multiple levels, including authors, institutions, and research areas. The evolution of key ADNI research topics was also plotted over the studied period. Conclusions Both statistical and visualization results demonstrate the increasing attention of ADNI research, strong citation impact of ADNI publications, the expanding collaboration networks among researchers, institutions and ADNI core areas, and the dynamic evolution of ADNI research topics. The visualizations presented here can help improve daily decision making based on a deep understanding of existing patterns and trends using proven and replicable data analysis and visualization methods. They have great potential to provide new insights and actionable knowledge for helping translational research in AD. PMID:29095836

Topical anesthesia: possible risk factor for endophthalmitis after cataract extraction.

PubMed

Garcia-Arumi, Jose; Fonollosa, Alex; Sararols, Laura; Fina, Francesc; Martínez-Castillo, Vicente; Boixadera, Ana; Zapata, Miguel A; Campins, Magda

2007-06-01

To assess the relationship between the risk for acute endophthalmitis after cataract extraction and whether certain factors, such as surgeon qualification, numerical order, duration of surgery, operating theater, and type of anesthesia (topical or retrobulbar), could be modified to decrease the risk. Single-center academic practice. Two epidemiological studies were performed: a case-control study and a retrospective cohort study. The surgical records of all patients with clinically diagnosed endophthalmitis within 30 days after cataract surgery performed between February 2002 and September 2003 were reviewed. The endophthalmitis cases were compared with 108 randomly selected controls (4 controls per case). The global incidence of endophthalmitis and the incidence according to type of anesthesia were calculated. Of 5011 cataract extractions performed, 27 cases of endophthalmitis occurred. The incidence was 5.39 per 1000 procedures. An independent statistically significant relationship was found between endophthalmitis and the use of topical anesthesia (odds ratio [OR], 11.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-58.7) and surgery longer than 45 minutes (OR, 7.2; 95% CI, 1.7-29.7) but not between the other variables. The incidence of endophthalmitis was 1.8 per 1000 cataract extractions with retrobulbar anesthesia and 6.76 per 1000 with topical anesthesia (relative risk [RR], 3.76; 95% CI, 0.89-15.85). After the start of the study period was extended to May 2001, the incidence of endophthalmitis was 1.3 per 1000 cataract extractions with retrobulbar anesthesia and 8.7 per 1000 with topical anesthesia (RR, 6.72; 95% CI, 1.63-27.63). Results suggest that there may be an association between topical anesthesia and endophthalmitis after cataract extraction.

Randomized, Double-Blind, Split-Face Study Evaluating Fractional Ablative Erbium:YAG Laser-Mediated Trans-Epidermal Delivery of Cosmetic Actives and a Novel Acoustic Pressure Wave Ultrasound Technology for the Treatment of Skin Aging, Melasma, and Acne Scars.

PubMed

Alexiades, Macrene

2015-11-01

Fractional laser resurfacing enhances trans-epidermal delivery (TED), however laser penetration depths >250- μm fail to substantively increase drug delivery. Evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel acoustic pressure wave ultrasound device following fractional ablative Er:YAG 2940-nm laser (FELR) and topical agents for rhytids, melasma, and acne scars. Randomized, blinded, parallel group split-face side-by-side, controlled study evaluating FELR and topical anti-aging and anti-pigment agents to entire face succeeded by ultrasound to randomized side. Fifteen subjects were enrolled to three treatment arms:rhytids, melasma, and acne scars. Two monthly treatments were administered with 1, 3, and 6 month follow-up. Efficacy was assessed by Comprehensive Grading Scale of Rhytids, Laxity, and Photoaging by Investigator and two blinded physician evaluators. Subject assessments, digital photographs, and reflectance spectroscopic analyses were obtained. Rhytid severity was reduced from a mean of 3.25 to 2.60 on the 4-point grading scale. Spectrophotometric analysis demonstrated increases in lightness (L*) and reductions in redness (a*) and pigment (b*), with greater improvements on the ultrasound side as compared to FELR and topicals alone. Moderate erythema post-treatment resolved in 7 days and no serious adverse events were observed. In this randomized, paired split-face clinical study, FELR-facilitated TED of topical anti-aging actives with ultrasound treatment is safe and effective with improvement in rhytids, melasma, and acne scars. Statistically significant greater improvement in pigment levels was observed on the ultrasound side as compared to FELR-TED and topical agents alone.

Polyphenols from Cymbopogon citratus leaves as topical anti-inflammatory agents.

PubMed

Costa, Gustavo; Ferreira, João Pinto; Vitorino, Carla; Pina, Maria Eugénia; Sousa, João José; Figueiredo, Isabel Vitória; Batista, Maria Teresa

2016-02-03

A variety of plant polyphenols have been reported to have anti-inflammatory, frequently associated with erythema, edema, hyperplasia, skin photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. Cymbopogon citratus (DC). Stapf (Poaceae) is a worldwide known medicinal plant, used in traditional medicine in inflammation-related conditions. In this work, the anti-inflammatory potential of C. citratus infusion (CcI) and its polyphenols as topical agents was evaluated in vivo. The plant extract was prepared and its fractioning led two polyphenol-rich fractions: flavonoids fraction (CcF) and tannins fraction (CcT). An oil/water emulsion was developed with each active (CcI, CcF+CcT and diclofenac), pH and texture having been evaluated. Release tests were further performed using static Franz diffusion cells and all collected samples were monitored by HPLC-PDA. In vivo topical anti-inflammatory activity evaluation was performed by the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model. The texture analysis revealed statistically significant differences for all tested parameters to CcF+CcT, supporting its topical application. Release experiments lead to the detection of the phenolic compounds from each sample in the receptor medium and the six major flavonoids were quantified, by HPLC-PDA: carlinoside, isoorientin, cynaroside, luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside, kurilesin A and cassiaoccidentalin B. The CcF+CcT formulation prompted to the higher release rate for all these flavonoids. CcI4%, CcI1% and CcF+CcT exhibited an edema reduction of 43.18, 29.55 and 59.09%, respectively. Our findings highlight that CcI, containing luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside, cassiaoccidentalin B, carlinoside, cynaroside and tannins have a potential anti-inflammatory topical activity, suggesting their promising application in the treatment of skin inflammatory pathologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a combined (4% chlorhexidine digluconate shampoo and solution) protocol in MRS and non-MRS canine superficial pyoderma: a randomized, blinded, antibiotic-controlled study.

PubMed

Borio, Stefano; Colombo, Silvia; La Rosa, Giuseppe; De Lucia, Michela; Damborg, Peter; Guardabassi, Luca

2015-10-01

There is a lack of studies comparing topical antiseptics to systemic antibiotics in the treatment of canine superficial pyoderma. To compare the efficacy of topical chlorhexidine with systemic amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for the treatment of canine superficial pyoderma. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in dogs with superficial pyoderma. Group T (n = 31) was treated topically with 4% chlorhexidine digluconate shampoo (twice weekly) and solution (once daily) for 4 weeks. Group S (n = 20) was treated orally with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (25 mg/kg) twice daily for 4 weeks. Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing were performed on clinical specimens collected before treatment. Severity of lesions and number of intracellular bacteria were evaluated using four-point scales to calculate a total pyoderma score for each dog. Pruritus was assessed by owners using a visual analog scale (range 0-10). Scores were analysed for statistical differences between groups T and S. Staphylococcus pseudintermedius was isolated from 48 dogs, including eight meticillin-resistant strains (MRSP). Although the number of dogs was small, no significant differences in pyoderma and pruritus scores were observed between groups throughout the study except for day 1, when group S had a significantly higher total score than group T (P = 0.03). Treatment with chlorhexidine products resulted in resolution of clinical signs in all dogs including those infected with MRSP. Topical therapy with chlorhexidine digluconate products may be as effective as systemic therapy with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. This finding supports the current recommendations to use topical antiseptics alone for the management of superficial pyoderma. © 2015 The Authors. Veterinary Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the ESVD and ACVD.

Exploring the Multifaceted Topic of Climate Change in Our Changing Climate and Living With Our Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brey, J. A.; Kauffman, C.; Geer, I. W.; Mills, E. W.; Nugnes, K. A.; Stimach, A. E.

2015-12-01

As the effects of climate change become more profound, climate literacy becomes increasingly important. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) responds to this need through the publication of Our Changing Climate and Living With Our Changing Climate. Both publications incorporate the latest scientific understandings of Earth's climate system from reports such as IPCC AR5 and the USGCRP's Third National Climate Assessment. Topic In Depth sections appear throughout each chapter and lead to more extensive, multidisciplinary information related to various topics. Additionally, each chapter closes with a For Further Exploration essay, which addresses specific topics that complement a chapter concept. Web Resources, which encourage additional exploration of chapter content, and Scientific Literature, from which chapter content was derived can also be found at the conclusion of each chapter. Our Changing Climate covers a breadth of topics, including the scientific principles that govern Earth's climate system and basic statistics and geospatial tools used to investigate the system. Released in fall 2015, Living With Our Changing Climate takes a more narrow approach and investigates human and ecosystem vulnerabilities to climate change, the role of energy choices in affecting climate, actions humans can take through adaption, mitigation, and policy to lessen vulnerabilities, and psychological and financial reasons behind climate change denial. While Living With Our Changing Climate is intended for programs looking to add a climate element into their curriculum, Our Changing Climate is part of the AMS Climate Studies course. In a 2015 survey of California University of Pennsylvania undergraduate students using Our Changing Climate, 82% found it comfortable to read and utilized its interactive components and resources. Both ebooks illuminate the multidisciplinary aspect of climate change, providing the opportunity for a more sustainable future.

The inverse problem of using the information of historical data to estimate model errors is one of the science frontier research topics. In this study, we investigate such a problem using the classic Lorenz (1963) equation as a prediction model.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, S.; He, W.

2016-12-01

The inverse problem of using the information of historical data to estimate model errors is one of the science frontier research topics. In this study, we investigate such a problem using the classic Lorenz (1963) equation as a prediction model and the Lorenz equation with a periodic evolutionary function as an accurate representation of reality to generate "observational data." On the basis of the intelligent features of evolutionary modeling (EM), including self-organization, self-adaptive and self-learning, the dynamic information contained in the historical data can be identified and extracted by computer automatically. Thereby, a new approach is proposed to estimate model errors based on EM in the present paper. Numerical tests demonstrate the ability of the new approach to correct model structural errors. In fact, it can actualize the combination of the statistics and dynamics to certain extent.

Physics Education Research at the Upper Division at the University of Maine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, John

2013-04-01

Researchers from the University of Maine Physics Education Research Laboratory are conducting several investigations of the learning and teaching of physics beyond the introductory level. Content topics include intermediate mechanics, electronics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. One focus of our work is the identification and addressing of specific student difficulties with topics such as damped harmonic motion, bipolar junction transistor (BJT) circuits, work, entropy, and the Boltzmann factor. Student understanding and use of the underlying mathematics has been one important emerging theme, including definite integrals, partial derivatives, and linear differential equations. Recent work in mechanics has focused on understanding the interplay of mathematical and physical reasoning when describing damped harmonic motion, including framing and representational issues. In electronics, there has been an ongoing investigation of student understanding of the behavior of basic BJT follower and amplifier circuits as well as related issues of signal and bias. In thermal physics, student understanding of state functions, heat engines and the Carnot cycle, the First and Second Laws of thermodynamics, and the macroscopic and microscopic perspectives on entropy have been investigated. The greater content sophistication in these courses has drawn attention to the specific needs, constraints, and advantages of instructional materials tailored to the upper division. Future directions include more attention to interdisciplinary topics across mathematics, physics, and engineering in particular, as well as metacognition in the laboratory.

On the Application of Syntactic Methodologies in Automatic Text Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salton, Gerard; And Others

1990-01-01

Summarizes various linguistic approaches proposed for document analysis in information retrieval environments. Topics discussed include syntactic analysis; use of machine-readable dictionary information; knowledge base construction; the PLNLP English Grammar (PEG) system; phrase normalization; and statistical and syntactic phrase evaluation used…

Technology Dollars from Pennies Saved.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Mary Alice

1996-01-01

Suggests ways to stretch media center budgets for technology, based on experiences at Winona Middle School (Minnesota). Topics include keeping statistics, hardware purchase and warranty information, centralizing purchases, planning for the reallocation of hardware and software, creative financing, working with business and community groups, staff…

Why Don't All Professors Use Computers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, David Eli

1989-01-01

Discusses the adoption of computer technology at universities and examines reasons why some professors don't use computers. Topics discussed include computer applications, including artificial intelligence, social science research, statistical analysis, and cooperative research; appropriateness of the technology for the task; the Computer Aptitude…

QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT NO. 83,

DTIC Science & Technology

Topics included are: microwave spectroscopy; radio astronomy; solid-state microwave electronics; optical and infrared spectroscopy; physical electronics and surface physics; physical acoustics; plasma physics; gaseous electronics; plasmas and controlled nuclear fusion ; energy conversion research; statistical communication theory; linguistics; cognitive information processing; communications biophysics; neurophysiology; computation research.

Scientific computations section monthly report, November 1993

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

Buckner, M.R.

1993-12-30

This progress report from the Savannah River Technology Center contains abstracts from papers from the computational modeling, applied statistics, applied physics, experimental thermal hydraulics, and packaging and transportation groups. Specific topics covered include: engineering modeling and process simulation, criticality methods and analysis, plutonium disposition.

Evaluating the ototoxicity of an anti-MRSA peptide KR-12-a2.

PubMed

Sung, Chung Man; Kim, Hong Chan; Cho, Yong Beom; Shin, Song Yub; Jang, Chul Ho

2017-05-31

Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is an emerging problem for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media, and also for pediatric tympanostomy tube otorrhea. To date, there are no effective topical antibiotic drugs to treat methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus otorrhea. In this study, we evaluated the ototoxicity of topical KR-12-a2 solution on the cochlea when it is applied topically in the middle ear of guinea pigs. The antimicrobial activity of KR-12-a2 against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus strains was examined by using the inhibition zone test. Topical application of KR-12-a2 solution, Gentamicin and Phosphate Buffered Saline were applied in the middle ear of the guinea pigs after inserting ventilation tubes. Ototoxicity was assessed by Auditory Brainstem Evoked Response and Scanning Electron Microscope examination. KR-12-a2 produced an inhibition zone against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus from 6.25 μg. Hearing threshold in the KR-12-a2 and PBS groups were similar to that before ventilation tube insertion. However, the Gentamicin group showed elevation of the hearing threshold and there were statistically significant differences compared to the PBS or the KR-12-a2 group. In the SEM findings, the KR-12-a2 group showed intact outer hair cells. However, the GM group showed total loss of outer hair cells. In our experiment, topically applied KR-12-a2 solution did not cause hearing loss or cochlear damage in guinea pigs. In our experiment, topically applied KR-12-a2 solution did not cause hearing loss or cochlear damage in guinea pigs. The KR-12-a2 solution can be used as ototopical drops for treating methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus otorrhea; however, further evaluations, such as the definition of optimal concentration and combination, are necessary. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Site-directed topical lidocaine spray attenuates perioperative respiratory adverse events in children undergoing elective surgery.

PubMed

Li, Li-Wei; He, Long; Ai, Yanqiu; Chu, Qinjun; Zhang, Wei

2016-06-01

Perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAEs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality associated with pediatric anesthesia. Topical lidocaine administration reduces risk of PRAE in children undergoing elective endotracheal intubation. However, definitive evidence of its efficacy remains elusive, due, in part, to the wide variability in the methodology for spraying topical lidocaine. In this randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial, we sought to evaluate the effect of site-directed topical airway lidocaine, sprayed directly onto supraglottic, glottis, and subglottic areas, on the incidence of PRAE. The study population consisted of 322 children (age range, 6 mo-12 y), who were scheduled for an elective surgical procedure under general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Patients were randomly assigned to receive topical spray of lidocaine (group L) or saline (group S) over the supraglottic, glottis and subglottic areas under direct vision before tracheal intubation. Incidence of PRAE and time to extubation was recorded. There were no statistically significant intergroup differences with regard to baseline demographics, patient characteristics, and surgical parameters. Group L was associated with a significantly lower incidence of PRAE as compared with group S (12.80% versus 38.13%, respectively; P < 0.001). Similarly, the incidence of laryngospasm (1.7% versus 8.1%; P = 0.01), excessive coughing (4.3% versus 13.2%; P = 0.005), and oxygen desaturation <95% (6.8% versus 16.9%; P = 0.005), respectively, was significantly lower in group L. However, time to extubation was longer in group L as compared with that in group S (18.6 ± 7.7 min versus 21.3 ± 8.9 min; P = 0.03). Site-directed topical spray of lidocaine over supraglottic, glottis, and subglottic areas before tracheal intubation significantly reduced the incidence of PRAE and a prolongation of extubation time in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct variable cost of the topical treatment of stages III and IV pressure injuries incurred in a public university hospital.

PubMed

Chacon, Julieta M F; Blanes, Leila; Borba, Luis G; Rocha, Luis R M; Ferreira, Lydia M

2017-05-01

to estimate the direct variable costs of the topical treatment of stages III and IV pressure injuries of hospitalized patients in a public university hospital, and assess the correlation between these costs and hospitalization time. Forty patients of both sexes who had been admitted to the São Paulo Hospital, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, from 2011 to 2012, with pressure injuries in the sacral, ischial or trochanteric region were included. The patients had a total of 57 pressure injuries in the selected regions, and the lesions were monitored daily until patient release, transfer or death. The quantities and types of materials, as well as the amount of professional labor time spent on each procedure and each patient were recorded. The unit costs of the materials and the hourly costs of the professional labor were obtained from the hospital's purchasing and human resources departments, respectively. Spearman's correlation coefficient and the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for the statistical analyses. The mean topical treatment costs for stages III and IV PIs were significantly different (US$ 854.82 versus US$ 1785.35; p = 0.004). The mean topical treatment cost of stages III and IV pressure injuries per patient was US$ 1426.37. The mean daily topical treatment cost per patient was US$ 40.83. There was a significant correlation between hospitalization time and the total costs of labor and materials (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between hospitalization time periods for stages III and IV pressure injuries (40.80 days and 45.01 days, respectively; p = 0.834). The mean direct variable cost of the topical treatment for stages III and IV pressure injuries per patient in this public university hospital was US$ 1426.37. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Documenting the Vocabulary of Astronomy Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Scott; Parrish, M.; Gay, P. L.

2008-05-01

Learning astronomy can be a life-long process, with the seeds of knowledge planted in K-12 classes blossoming in elective college courses to create adults who actively acquire astronomy content. One of the goals of many astronomy 101 courses is to prepare students to be intelligent consumers of mainstream astronomy content, including magazine articles, popular books, and online news. To meet this goal, astronomy educators need to understand what content is being presented in the media and what level vocabulary is being used. The most simplistic way to address this problem is to examine the topics covered and vocabulary used in mainstream astronomy blogs and news feeds. In this study we looked at a selection of prominent blogs and news feeds and we present a statistical study of the frequency different scientific terms are used and topics are addressed. To make this study possible, software to read in RSS feeds was created. This software had to meet the following design specifications: runs in a reasonable amount of time, removes all XML and HTML code from text, sees words with different capitalizations as the same word, ignores end of sentence or phrase punctuation without ignoring hyphens, and has an editable list of "common English words.” This code will be available after the conference at http://www.starstryder.com. Results of this study find that many of the primary topics of Astronomy 101 classes, such as the HR Diagram, are rarely mentioned in blogs and online news, while often de-emphasized topics, such as extra solar planets, cosmology, and high energy astrophysics, show up regularly.

Expert opinion in the management of aqueous Deficient Dry Eye Disease (DED).

PubMed

Sy, Aileen; O'Brien, Kieran S; Liu, Margaret P; Cuddapah, Puja A; Acharya, Nisha R; Lietman, Thomas M; Rose-Nussbaumer, Jennifer

2015-10-13

Dry eye disease (DED) affects millions of people worldwide. There are a variety of new treatments beyond traditional therapies such as preservative free artificial tears. Here, we conduct a survey to identify the most common treatments used among specialists and assess their interest in newer therapies. An international survey was distributed to dry eye researchers and expert practitioners via an internet survey. The survey data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics. One hundred and fifteen respondents completed the survey; of these, 66 % were cornea specialists. The most commonly prescribed topical treatments included cyclosporine A (CSA) 0.05 % (71/104, 68 %), fluorometholone (FML) 0.1 % (59/99, 60 %), loteprednol etabonate 0.5 % (50/99, 51 %), and autologous serum eye drops (ASD; 48/97, 49 %). The most commonly prescribed non-topical medications included essential fatty acid supplements (72/104, 69 %), low-dose doxycycline (oral; 61/100, 61 %), and flaxseed supplements (32/96, 33 %) as well as punctal plugs (76/102, 75 %). Respondents reported treatment with topical corticosteroids for 2 to 8 weeks (46/86, 53 %), followed by less than 2 weeks (24/86, 28 %) and with topical CSA between 2 to 8 weeks (45/85, 53 %) followed by 2 to 6 months (24/85, 28 %). The top three signs and symptoms reported to indicate treatment response were, in order, fluorescein staining of the cornea, reduction in foreign body sensation, and reduction in burning sensation. This survey offers insight into current expert opinion in the treatment of DED. The results of this survey are hypothesis generating and will aid in the design of future clinical studies.

A prospective evaluation of the efficacy of topical adhesive pads for the reduction of facial rhytids.

PubMed

Ryan, William R; Most, Sam P

2009-01-01

To determine the efficacy of an over-the-counter topical skin adhesive pad for reducing central forehead and glabellar rhytids over a 4-week period. Prospective series involving 30 healthy volunteers with central forehead and glabellar rhytids at a tertiary care academic medical center. The participants used topical skin adhesive pads over the central forehead area and the glabella for 4 weeks in an effort to reduce rhytids. Before and after treatment, the participants had facial photographs taken and completed a questionnaire assessing the severity of their rhytids. Blinded to the timing of the photographs, 2 independent facial plastic surgeons scored the pretreatment and posttreatment rhytid severity using the Glogau scale (1-4) and a wrinkle severity scale (1-10) to evaluate treatment effect. Twenty-six participants (87%) completed follow-up with an average of 7.4 hours of use of the topical adhesive pads per night. The independent evaluators found minimal improvements in the Glogau scores (mean [SD], 0.12 [0.33] [P = .08] and 0.06 [0.22] [P = .18] for the central forehead area and the glabella, respectively). The same evaluators also found minimal change in the wrinkle severity scores (mean [SD], 0.21 [1.28] [P = .41] and 0.25 [0.75] [P = .10] out of 10 for central forehead rhytids and glabellar rhytids, respectively). None of these measures were statistically significant. The study participants' self-evaluations demonstrated changes in the wrinkle severity scores of 0.35 (2.10) (P = .41) in the central forehead area and 0.73 (1.7) (P = .04) in the glabella. Subjective self-evaluation of topical adhesive pads demonstrates improvement in glabellar rhytids but may be affected by bias. Independent, blinded evaluation by facial plastic surgeons showed no statistical benefit in the reduction of rhytids in the central forehead area or the glabella.

Towards a systematic approach to comparing distributions used in flood frequency analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobée, B.; Cavadias, G.; Ashkar, F.; Bernier, J.; Rasmussen, P.

1993-02-01

The estimation of flood quantiles from available streamflow records has been a topic of extensive research in this century. However, the large number of distributions and estimation methods proposed in the scientific literature has led to a state of confusion, and a gap prevails between theory and practice. This concerns both at-site and regional flood frequency estimation. To facilitate the work of "hydrologists, designers of hydraulic structures, irrigation engineers and planners of water resources", the World Meteorological Organization recently published a report which surveys and compares current methodologies, and recommends a number of statistical distributions and estimation procedures. This report is an important step towards the clarification of this difficult topic, but we think that it does not effectively satisfy the needs of practitioners as intended, because it contains some statements which are not statistically justified and which require further discussion. In the present paper we review commonly used procedures for flood frequency estimation, point out some of the reasons for the present state of confusion concerning the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods, and propose the broad lines of a possible comparison strategy. We recommend that the results of such comparisons be discussed in an international forum of experts, with the purpose of attaining a more coherent and broadly accepted strategy for estimating floods.

Comparison of the efficacy of intravenous tranexamic acid with and without topical administration versus placebo in urgent endoscopy rate for acute gastrointestinal bleeding: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

Tavakoli, Nader; Agah, Shahram; Azizi, Ali; Masoodi, Mohsen; Amiri, Hassan; Sheikhvatan, Mehrdad; Syedsalehi, Bahare; Behnam, Behdad; Arabahmadi, Mehran; Mehrazi, Maryam

2017-01-01

Background Tranexamic acid (TXA), a synthetic antifibrinolytic drug, is effective as a treatment for serious hemorrhage, including bleeding arising from major trauma and post-operative interventions. Significant acute gastrointestinal bleeding may have a poor outcome despite routine medical and endoscopic treatments. The aim of this study was to assess whether early intravenous and/or intravenous plus topical administration of TXA reduces the need for urgent endoscopy for acute gastrointestinal bleeding. Method This double-blind randomized clinical trial included 410 patients with proven acute gastrointestinal bleeding. All patients received conventional therapy. The subjects were randomized to three groups: (A) 138 patients received intravenous TXA (1 g q6h); (B) 133 patients received topical TXA (1 g single dose by nasogastric tube) plus systemic TXA; and (C) 139 patients received a placebo (sodium chloride 0.9%) for 24 hours. Subgroup statistical analyses were conducted for urgent endoscopy, mortality, re-bleeding, blood transfusion, endoscopic and/or surgical intervention rates, and health status. Results The time to endoscopy was significantly shorter in group C (15.58 ± 7.994, p < 0.001). A need for urgent endoscopy was seen in 14.49%, 10.52%, and 30.21% of patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively (p < 0.001). No significant statistical differences were seen between treatment groups regarding mortality, re-bleeding, blood transfusion, and endoscopic and/or surgical intervention rates. No thromboembolic event was documented during the 1-week follow up. Conclusions Our results showed that the antifibrinolytic properties of TXA can aid in changing an urgent endoscopy to an elective procedure, with better outcomes for both physicians and patients. PMID:29435313

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a standardised intracameral combination of mydriatics and anaesthetics for cataract surgery

PubMed Central

Labetoulle, Marc; Findl, Oliver; Malecaze, François; Alió, Jorge; Cochener, Béatrice; Lobo, Conceição; Lazreg, Sihem; Hartani, Dahbia; Colin, Joseph; Tassignon, Marie-José; Behndig, Anders

2016-01-01

Background/aims To compare the efficacy and safety of intracameral (IC) administration at the beginning of cataract surgery, of Mydrane, a standardised ophthalmic combination of tropicamide 0.02%, phenylephrine 0.31% and lidocaine 1%, to a standard topical regimen. Methods In this international phase III, prospective, randomised study, the selected eye of 555 patients undergoing phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation received 200 μL of Mydrane (Mydrane group) just after the first incision or a topical regimen of one drop each of tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 10% repeated three times (reference group). The primary efficacy variable was achievement of capsulorhexis without additional mydriatics. The non-inferiority of Mydrane to the topical regimen was tested. The main outcome measures were pupil size, patient perception of ocular discomfort and safety. Results Capsulorhexis without additional mydriatics was performed in 98.9% of patients and 94.7% in the Mydrane and reference groups, respectively. Both groups achieved adequate mydriasis (>7 mm) during capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification and IOL insertion. IOL insertion was classified as ‘routine’ in a statistically greater number of eyes in the Mydrane group compared with the reference group (p=0.047). Patients in the Mydrane group reported statistically greater comfort than the reference group before IOL insertion (p=0.034). Safety data were similar between groups. Conclusions Mydrane is an effective and safe alternative to standard eye drops for initiating and maintaining intraoperative mydriasis and analgesia. Patients who received IC Mydrane were significantly more comfortable before IOL insertion than the reference group. Surgeons found IOL insertion less technically challenging with IC Mydrane. Trial registration number NCT02101359; Results. PMID:26531052

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of a standardised intracameral combination of mydriatics and anaesthetics for cataract surgery.

PubMed

Labetoulle, Marc; Findl, Oliver; Malecaze, François; Alió, Jorge; Cochener, Béatrice; Lobo, Conceição; Lazreg, Sihem; Hartani, Dahbia; Colin, Joseph; Tassignon, Marie-José; Behndig, Anders

2016-07-01

To compare the efficacy and safety of intracameral (IC) administration at the beginning of cataract surgery, of Mydrane, a standardised ophthalmic combination of tropicamide 0.02%, phenylephrine 0.31% and lidocaine 1%, to a standard topical regimen. In this international phase III, prospective, randomised study, the selected eye of 555 patients undergoing phacoemulsification with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation received 200 μL of Mydrane (Mydrane group) just after the first incision or a topical regimen of one drop each of tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 10% repeated three times (reference group). The primary efficacy variable was achievement of capsulorhexis without additional mydriatics. The non-inferiority of Mydrane to the topical regimen was tested. The main outcome measures were pupil size, patient perception of ocular discomfort and safety. Capsulorhexis without additional mydriatics was performed in 98.9% of patients and 94.7% in the Mydrane and reference groups, respectively. Both groups achieved adequate mydriasis (>7 mm) during capsulorhexis, phacoemulsification and IOL insertion. IOL insertion was classified as 'routine' in a statistically greater number of eyes in the Mydrane group compared with the reference group (p=0.047). Patients in the Mydrane group reported statistically greater comfort than the reference group before IOL insertion (p=0.034). Safety data were similar between groups. Mydrane is an effective and safe alternative to standard eye drops for initiating and maintaining intraoperative mydriasis and analgesia. Patients who received IC Mydrane were significantly more comfortable before IOL insertion than the reference group. Surgeons found IOL insertion less technically challenging with IC Mydrane. NCT02101359; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Sexuality education in Brazilian medical schools.

PubMed

Rufino, Andrea Cronemberger; Madeiro, Alberto; Girão, Manoel João Batista Castello

2014-05-01

Sexuality education has been valued since the 1960s in medical schools worldwide. Although recent studies reaffirm the importance of incorporating sexuality into medical education, there are data gaps concerning how this happens in Brazil. To understand how Brazilian medical school professors teach sexuality in undergraduate courses. An exploratory, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. A total of 207 professors from 110 Brazilian medical schools responded to an online semistructured questionnaire about the characteristics of the sexuality-related topics offered. The main variables assessed were contact hours devoted to sexuality, disciplines in which sexuality topics were taught, sexuality-related course titles, and sexuality-related topics addressed. Questionnaires were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics for frequency distribution. The response rate to the questionnaire was 77.2%. Almost all professors (96.3%) addressed sexuality-related topics mainly in the third and fourth years as clinical disciplines, with a 6-hour load per discipline. Gynecology was the discipline in which sexuality-related topics were most often taught (51.5%), followed by urology (18%) and psychiatry (15%). Sexuality-related topics were addressed mainly in classes on sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS (62.4%) and on the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system (55.4%). About 25% of the professors reported teaching courses with a sexuality-related title. There was emphasis on the impact of diseases and sexual habits (87.9%) and sexual dysfunction (75.9%). Less than 50% of professors addressed nonnormative sexuality or social aspects of sexuality. The teaching of sexuality in Brazilian medical schools occurred in a nonstandardized and fragmented fashion across several disciplines. The topic was incorporated with an organic and pathological bias, with a weak emphasis on the social aspects of sexuality and the variety of human sexual behaviors. The results point to the need for change in the provision of sexuality education in Brazilian medical schools. © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Comparison of topical versus intravenous tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled and prospective cohort trials.

PubMed

Wang, Hao; Shen, Bin; Zeng, Yi

2014-12-01

There has been much debate and controversy about the optimal regimen of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to undertake a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of topical and intravenous regimen of tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty. A systematic review of the electronic databases PubMed, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Embase was undertaken. All randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies evaluating the effectiveness of topical and intravenous tranexamic acid during primary total knee arthroplasty were included. The focus of the analysis was on the outcomes of blood loss, transfusion rate, and thromboembolic complications. Subgroup analysis was performed when possible. Of 328 papers identified, six trials were eligible for data extraction and meta-analysis comprising 679 patients (739 knees). We found no statistically significant difference between topical and intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in terms of blood loss, transfusion requirements and thromboembolic complications. Topical tranexamic acid has a similar efficacy to intravenous tranexamic acid in reducing both blood loss and transfusion rate without sacrificing safety in primary total knee arthroplasty. II. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Physics of Semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brennan, Kevin F.

1999-02-01

Modern fabrication techniques have made it possible to produce semiconductor devices whose dimensions are so small that quantum mechanical effects dominate their behavior. This book describes the key elements of quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and solid-state physics that are necessary in understanding these modern semiconductor devices. The author begins with a review of elementary quantum mechanics, and then describes more advanced topics, such as multiple quantum wells. He then disusses equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics. Following this introduction, he provides a thorough treatment of solid-state physics, covering electron motion in periodic potentials, electron-phonon interaction, and recombination processes. The final four chapters deal exclusively with real devices, such as semiconductor lasers, photodiodes, flat panel displays, and MOSFETs. The book contains many homework exercises and is suitable as a textbook for electrical engineering, materials science, or physics students taking courses in solid-state device physics. It will also be a valuable reference for practicing engineers in optoelectronics and related areas.

78 FR 16647 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-18

..., NASS anticipates the benefit of increased response rates through improved survey design, a goal tied... number. National Agricultural Statistics Service Title: Generic Clearance of Survey Improvement Projects... topics designed to improve NASS' data collection on agriculture. Need and Use of the Information: NASS...

Educational Media Yearbook 1974.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, James W., Ed.

This is the second annual edition of reports, studies, and statistics covering every aspect of the educational media field. Part 1, "The State of the Art," contains 37 articles divided into 6 topics: major organization reports, educational media developments, media professionals, research and developmental activities, sales and business…

Women's Bureau '71.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Labour, Ottawa (Ontario). Women's Bureau.

This publication contains four papers presented by the Director of the Women's Bureau (Canada), which cover topics of concern and interest to the Bureau. Papers are: (1) "The Underemployed, Underpaid Third of the Labour Force," which presents statistical data reflecting a picture of working women in Canada, showing the occupational…

Statistical Discourse Analysis: A Method for Modelling Online Discussion Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Ming Ming; Fujita, Nobuko

2014-01-01

Online forums (synchronous and asynchronous) offer exciting data opportunities to analyze how people influence one another through their interactions. However, researchers must address several analytic difficulties involving the data (missing values, nested structure [messages within topics], non-sequential messages), outcome variables (discrete…

Topics in Measurement: Reliability and Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dick, Walter; Hagerty, Nancy

This text was developed on an autoinstructional basis to familiarize the reader with the various interpretations of reliability and validity, their measurement and evaluation, and factors influencing their measurement. The text enables those with prior knowledge of statistics to increase their understanding of variance and correlation. Review…

Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 10, No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Alan R., Ed.

Eighteen research reports related to mathematics education are abstracted and analyzed in this publication. Three of the reports deal with aspects of learning theory, seven with topics in mathematics instruction (problem solving, weight, quadratic inequalities, probability and statistics, area and volume conservation, cardinality), five with…

Modelling Social Learning in Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kendal, Jeremy R.

2008-01-01

The application of modelling to social learning in monkey populations has been a neglected topic. Recently, however, a number of statistical, simulation and analytical approaches have been developed to help examine social learning processes, putative traditions, the use of social learning strategies and the diffusion dynamics of socially…

Physics Manpower, 1973, Education and Employment Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Inst. of Physics, New York, NY.

Discussed in this document are the changes within the physics profession, their causes and effect. Detailed statistical data are supplied concerning physics enrollments, the institutions where physics is taught, the faculty in physics departments, and the nonacademic employment of physicists. Other topics include employment, education, minority…

Randomized trial of anesthetic methods for intravitreal injections.

PubMed

Blaha, Gregory R; Tilton, Elisha P; Barouch, Fina C; Marx, Jeffrey L

2011-03-01

To compare the effectiveness of four different anesthetic methods for intravitreal injection. Twenty-four patients each received four intravitreal injections using each of four types of anesthesia (proparacaine, tetracaine, lidocaine pledget, and subconjunctival injection of lidocaine) in a prospective, masked, randomized block design. Pain was graded by the patient on a 0 to 10 scale for both the anesthesia and the injection. The average combined pain scores for both the anesthesia and the intravitreal injection were 4.4 for the lidocaine pledget, 3.5 for topical proparacaine, 3.8 for the subconjunctival lidocaine injection, and 4.1 for topical tetracaine. The differences were not significant (P = 0.65). There were also no statistical differences in the individual anesthesia or injection pain scores. Subconjunctival lidocaine injection had the most side effects. Topical anesthesia is an effective method for limiting pain associated with intravitreal injections.

Topical tretinoin therapy and all-cause mortality.

PubMed

Weinstock, Martin A; Bingham, Stephen F; Lew, Robert A; Hall, Russell; Eilers, David; Kirsner, Robert; Naylor, Mark; Kalivas, James; Cole, Gary; Marcolivio, Kimberly; Collins, Joseph; Digiovanna, John J; Vertrees, Julia E

2009-01-01

To evaluate the relation of topical tretinoin, a commonly used retinoid cream, with all-cause mortality in the Veterans Affairs Topical Tretinoin Chemoprevention Trial (VATTC). The planned outcome of this trial was risk of keratinocyte carcinoma, and systemic administration of certain retinoid compounds has been shown to reduce risk of this cancer but has also been associated with increased mortality risk among smokers. The VATTC Trial was a blinded randomized chemoprevention trial, with 2- to 6-year follow-up. Oversight was provided by multiple independent committees. US Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Patients A total of 1131 veterans were randomized. Their mean age was 71 years. Patients with a very high estimated short-term risk of death were excluded. Interventions Application of tretinoin, 0.1%, or vehicle control cream twice daily to the face and ears. Death, which was not contemplated as an end point in the original study design. The intervention was terminated 6 months early because of an excessive number of deaths in the tretinoin-treated group. Post hoc analysis of this difference revealed minor imbalances in age, comorbidity, and smoking status, all of which were important predictors of death. After adjusting for these imbalances, the difference in mortality between the randomized groups remained statistically significant. We observed an association of topical tretinoin therapy with death, but we do not infer a causal association that current evidence suggests is unlikely.

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

PubMed

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

2014-11-10

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

75 FR 34973 - Notice of Opportunity To Submit Content Request for the Agricultural Energy Program Surveys

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-21

...The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is currently conducting the 2009 On-farm Renewable Energy Production (OREP) survey as a follow-on to the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Respondents who answered that they generated energy or electricity in 2007 are eligible for the follow-on survey to determine types of selected energy produced and associated information. NASS is currently accepting stakeholder feedback on future energy related topics and questionnaire content for development of an annual agricultural energy survey.

Update on women in physics in Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miikkulainen, Kukka; Vapaavuori, Jaana

2015-12-01

Despite Finland's role as a forerunner in many areas of gender equality, in the field of physics, the advancement of females to reach the full gender equality has been stagnated for the past decade, and no significant improvements since 2011 can be reported. However, a few interesting PhD theses have focused on gaining a better understanding of the phenomena, and a few seminars on the topic have been organized. However, good, systematically collected statistics on the numbers and salaries of female researches in Finland are still lacking.

A descriptive statistical analysis of volume, visibility and attitudes regarding nursing and care robots in social media.

PubMed

Salzmann-Erikson, Martin; Eriksson, Henrik

2018-02-01

Technology in the healthcare sector is undergoing rapid development. One of the most prominent areas of healthcare in which robots are implemented is nursing homes. However, nursing and technology are often considered as being contradictory, an attitude originating in the view of "the natural" versus "the artificial". Social media mirror this view, including in attitudes and societal debates regarding nursing and care robots. However, little is known about this topic in previous research. To examine user behaviour in social media platforms on the topic of nursing and care robots. A retrospective and cross-sectional observation study design was applied. Data were collected via the Alchemy streaming application programming interface. Data from social media were collected from 1 January 2014 to 5 January 2016. The data set consisted of 12,311 mentions in total. Nursing and care robots are a small-scale topic of discussion in social media. Twitter was found to be the largest channel in terms of volume, followed by Tumblr. News channels had the highest percentage of visibility, while forums and Tumblr had the least. It was found in the data that 67.9% of the mentions were positive, 24.4% were negative and 7.8% were neutral. The volume and visibility of the data on nursing robots found in social media, as well as the attitudes to nursing robots found there, indicate that nursing care robots, which are seen as representing a next step in technological development in healthcare, are a topic on the rise in social media. These findings are likely to be related to the idea that nursing care robots are on the breakthrough of replacing human labour in healthcare worldwide.

Effects of topical application of B-Resorcinol and Glycyrrhetinic acid monotherapy and in combination with fractional CO2 laser treatment for benign hand hyperpigmentation treatment.

PubMed

Grippaudo, Francesca Romana; Di Russo, Pier Paolo

2016-12-01

Hand solar lentigines are frequent benign lesions of elderly population, requiring longtime treatments with topical agents or laser to lighten. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of CO 2 fractional laser photothermolysis followed by topical application of B-Resorcinol and Glycyrrhetinic acid vs. only topical B-Resorcinol and Glycyrrhetinic acid application for hand solar lentigines treatment. Hand solar lentigines of eleven volunteers were divided into two groups: Group A spots received CO 2 fractional laser photothermolysis followed by 4 weeks topical application of B-Resorcinol and Glycyrrhetinic acid, and Group B spots received only 4 weeks topical treatments. All hands were photographed, and hand solar lentigines scanned with dermatoscope at the beginning of the study (T 0 ), 1 month after laser treatment (T 1 ), and at the end of the study (T 2 ) to document spots dimensions and color. A blinded dermatologist evaluated dermoscopic T 0 and T 2 images. The considered variables were assessed for significance by the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test. In all volunteers, investigators and blinded dermatologist's evaluation hand solar lentigines features improved, with no statistical differences in the two groups. Topical application of B-Resorcinol and Glycyrrhetinic acid is effective to lighten hand solar lentigines after 4 weeks of treatment, with or without a previous fractional laser photothermolysis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The decade 1989-1998 in Spanish psychology: an analysis of research in basic psychological processes, history of psychology, and other related topics.

PubMed

Igoa, J M

2001-11-01

This article presents a review of research published by Spanish Faculty from the area of basic psychology in the decade 1989-1998. It provides information about research on basic psychological processes commonly studied under the labels of experimental and cognitive psychology, plus a number of topics from other research areas, including some applied psychology issues. The review analyzes the work of 241 faculty members from 27 different Spanish universities, as reflected in 1,882 published papers, book chapters, and books. The analyses carried out in this report include a description of the main research trends found in each area, with some representative references of the published materials, and statistics showing the distribution of this research work in various relevant publications (both Spanish and foreign), with figures that reveal the impact of this work both at a national and international scale.

Prior topical anesthesia reduces time to full cycloplegia in Chinese.

PubMed

Siu, A W; Sum, A C; Lee, D T; Tam, K W; Chan, S W

1999-01-01

To investigate the effect of prior anesthesia on the time to full cycloplegia in young Chinese subjects. The amplitude of accommodation was monitored over a 50-minute interval after the application of 1% cyclopentolate hydrochloride with a pretreatment of 0.4% benoxinate (oxybuprocaine) or 0.9% saline solution (control). Using a nonlinear mathematical model, the rate of accommodative loss (k) and the time required for 95% of total cycloplegia (T95%) were determined. Statistical analysis revealed a significantly faster rate of accommodative loss (P < .0001) after prior anesthesia (0.129 +/- 0.05) compared with the controls (0.103 +/- 0.04). T95% was noted at 26.43 +/- 10.22 minutes after prior anesthesia, which was significantly shorter (P < .0001) than that after the saline treatment (35.28 +/- 16.51 minutes). Prior application of topical anesthetic can shorten the time to full cycloplegia for people, such as the Chinese, with dark irides.

A multicentre, randomized, placebo- and active-controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of topical ketoprofen in Transfersome gel (IDEA-033) with ketoprofen-free vehicle (TDT 064) and oral celecoxib for knee pain associated with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Conaghan, Philip G; Dickson, John; Bolten, Wolfgang; Cevc, Gregor; Rother, Matthias

2013-07-01

To assess the efficacy and safety of 12-week treatment with ketoprofen in ultradeformable phospholipid vesicles in patients with OA knee pain and to compare the efficacy with that of ketoprofen-free vehicle and celecoxib. METHODS; A multicentre, double-blind controlled study in which patients with knee OA and moderate pain were randomized to one of the six arms: topical ketoprofen 50 or 100 mg in ultradeformable vesicles (IDEA-033), 2.2 or 4.4 g ketoprofen-free vehicle (TDT 064), oral celecoxib 100 mg or matching oral placebo, all bd. The primary outcome was change from baseline in the WOMAC pain subscale at week 12. A total of 1395 patients received treatment. Baseline mean WOMAC pain scores ranged from 4.7 to 4.8 across groups. The mean reduction in WOMAC pain score at week 12 was -1.9 (-40.8%) for ketoprofen 50 mg, -1.9 (-40.9%) for ketoprofen 100 mg, -1.9 (-39.8%) for 2.2 g TDT 064, -1.8 (-37.8%) for 4.4 g TDT 064, -1.9 (-40.4%) for celecoxib and -1.4 (-29.3%) for oral placebo. IDEA-033 was not statistically superior to TDT 064. All topical treatments were statistically superior to oral placebo and non-inferior to celecoxib. The most frequent types of treatment-related adverse events reported were gastrointestinal for oral (15.9% for celecoxib) and dermal for topical applications (12.2% for ketoprofen 100 mg). IDEA-033 was not superior to ketoprofen-free vehicle, but both formulations were superior to oral placebo and non-inferior to celecoxib in reducing OA knee pain. ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov/, NCT00716547.

Comparison between Topical and Oral Tranexamic Acid in Management of Traumatic Hyphema

PubMed Central

Jahadi Hosseini, Seyed Hamid Reza; Khalili, Mohammad Reza; Motallebi, Mahmoud

2014-01-01

Background: We sought to determine the efficacy of topical tranexamic acid (5%) in the management of traumatic hyphema. Methods: Thirty eyes with gross traumatic hyphema were enrolled in this study. The patients were treated with tranexamic acid (5%) eye drop every 6 hours for 5 days. The main outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Intra-ocular pressure (IOP), day of clot absorption, and rate of rebleeding. These parameters were evaluated daily for 4 days and thereafter at the 8th and 14th days after treatment. The patients were also compared with two historical control groups of patients (80 eyes) with traumatic hyphema; the first control group was treated with oral placebo and the other group was treated with oral tranexamic acid at our department. Result: Prior to treatment, the mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA was 0.59±0.62. BCVA was increased to 0.08±0.14 at day 14 (P<0.001) and the mean IOP before treatment was 13.7±3.9 mm Hg, which was reduced to 11.4±1.8 mm Hg at day 14 (P=0.004). Rebleeding occurred in one (3.3%) patient on the 4th day post treatment. Comparison between the case group and the other two historical control groups with respect to the rebleeding rate demonstrated statistically significant differences between the case group and the first control group (P=0.008) but no statistically significant differences between the case group and the second control group (P=0.25). Conclusion: Topical tranexamic acid seems promising in the management of traumatic hyphema. However, the small sample size of the present study precludes the conclusion that topical tranexamic acid can replace the oral tranexamic acid. PMID:24753640

Consultation Focus: Identification of Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pian, Canta

This paper discusses some of the problems faced by Asian Americans. Major topics addressed include: (1) the lack of accurate census statistics on minorities, especially Asian and Pacific Americans; (2) the employment, health, and stereotypic portrayal problems faced by Asian and Pacific American women; (3) racially discriminatory immigration laws…

The Economics of Higher Education: Focus on Cost.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinkman, Paul T.

2000-01-01

Introduces this topical issue on costs in higher education with an overview of the economics of higher education. Considers various types of supplier costs (opportunity versus accounting costs), various ways of determining costs (cost accounting, statistical estimation, and modeling), and factors that influence supplier costs (environmental…

Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Notar, Charles E.; Padgett, Sharon; Roden, Jessica

2013-01-01

The article is a literature review on cyberbullying from 2007-2013. Topics covered in the review have been categorized starting with definition of cyberbullying; roles of persons involved and statistics of who is being targeted; reasons for cyberbullying; differences between traditional bullying and cyberbullying; and gender comparisons related to…

Access and Ownership in the Academic Environment: One Library's Progress Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brin, Beth; Cochran, Elissa

1994-01-01

Describes the methodology used at the University of Arizona Library to address the issue of access versus ownership of library materials. Topics discussed include participatory management; data collection, including focus groups, interlibrary loan statistics, and graduate research citation analysis; and resulting recommendations, including…

Research administration, state planning & research part II program : FY2013 at-a-glance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

This publication presents a summary of Research and Library funding statistics and project progress for Fiscal Year : (FY) 2013. The tables on pages 2 through 7 list all MDOT-funded research projects by topic area that were active : or completed duri...

A firm size and safety performance profile of the U.S. motor carrier industry : [executive summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

Motor carrier crashes continue to present a societal and public policy : problem. Large commercial truck crashes are a topic of serious concern : in Iowa. Statistics illustrate the need to make further progress on the : safety performance of motor ca...

Fundamental Fortran for Social Scientists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veldman, Donald J.

An introduction to Fortran programming specifically for social science statistical and routine data processing is provided. The first two sections of the manual describe the components of computer hardware and software. Topics include input, output, and mass storage devices; central memory; central processing unit; internal storage of data; and…

Veterinary Specialist, 1-2. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

These military-developed curriculum materials consist of five volumes of text information, student workbooks, and supplements for use in training veterinary specialists. Covered in the individual volumes are the following topics: the veterinary airman, administration, and statistical procedures; veterinary microbiology, consumer-level quality…

The Status of Children 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snapper, Kurt J.; Ohms, JoAnne S.

This second biennial report on children presents information pertaining to children, discusses the implications and use of such information in planning for children, describes certain historical trends affecting children, and provides updates of statistics and significant expansions on many topics covered in the 1975 report. Part A examines basic…

Taxation in Public Education. Analysis and Bibliography Series, No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Larry L.

Intended for both researchers and practitioners, this analysis and bibliography cites approximately 100 publications on educational taxation, including general texts and reports, statistical reports, taxation guidelines, and alternative proposals for taxation. Topics covered in the analysis section include State and Federal aid, urban and suburban…

Women and Divorce in France.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Journal of Family Therapy, 1981

1981-01-01

Reviews the history and current status of women and divorce in France. Recent statistics are noted and changes in the status of women are outlined. Issues related to single women and working women are discussed. Other topics include women and the family, women and politics, divorce laws and ramifications. (RC)

Treatment of port wine stains using Pulsed Dye Laser, Erbium YAG Laser, and topical rapamycin (sirolimus)-A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Greveling, Karin; Prens, Errol P; van Doorn, Martijn B

2017-01-01

Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) is currently the gold standard treatment for port wine stains (PWS), although the degree of lesion blanching is variable and often unpredictable. This appears to be due to reformation and reperfusion of blood vessels. Rapamycin has shown potential as an antiangiogenic agent and may prevent the revascularization after PDL treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant use of (commercially available) topical rapamycin after PDL treatment in patients with PWS. We conducted a prospective, intra-patient, randomized controlled trial. Four treatment areas of 1 cm 2 were created in each PWS. PDL-only treatment was compared to the following three treatments: PDL + rapamycin, PDL + Erbium YAG laser ablation of the stratum corneum + rapamycin, and rapamycin monotherapy. We also compared PDL + Erbium YAG + rapamycin with PDL + rapamycin. The primary endpoint was the percentage clearance assessed colorimetrically at 6 months follow-up. Secondary outcomes were photographic evaluation by an expert panel, patient satisfaction, treatment related pain, and safety. Fourteen patients completed the treatment protocol. The highest percentage clearance was achieved with PDL-only treatment (mean [SD] 16% [34]), but there were no statistically significant differences between treatments. The best photographic evaluation and highest patient satisfaction were also achieved with PDL-only treatment, but only the difference between PDL-only and rapamycin monotherapy was statistically significant. The treatment related pain was well tolerated. Application-site pruritus was a frequent occurring adverse event. Allergic contact dermatitis to rapamycin occurred in one patient. There were no serious adverse events. Topical application of the commercially available solution of rapamycin (Rapamune ® 0.1%) as an adjuvant to PDL treatment does not appear to improve PWS blanching. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:104-109, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Applying Sparse Machine Learning Methods to Twitter: Analysis of the 2012 Change in Pap Smear Guidelines. A Sequential Mixed-Methods Study.

PubMed

Lyles, Courtney Rees; Godbehere, Andrew; Le, Gem; El Ghaoui, Laurent; Sarkar, Urmimala

2016-06-10

It is difficult to synthesize the vast amount of textual data available from social media websites. Capturing real-world discussions via social media could provide insights into individuals' opinions and the decision-making process. We conducted a sequential mixed methods study to determine the utility of sparse machine learning techniques in summarizing Twitter dialogues. We chose a narrowly defined topic for this approach: cervical cancer discussions over a 6-month time period surrounding a change in Pap smear screening guidelines. We applied statistical methodologies, known as sparse machine learning algorithms, to summarize Twitter messages about cervical cancer before and after the 2012 change in Pap smear screening guidelines by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). All messages containing the search terms "cervical cancer," "Pap smear," and "Pap test" were analyzed during: (1) January 1-March 13, 2012, and (2) March 14-June 30, 2012. Topic modeling was used to discern the most common topics from each time period, and determine the singular value criterion for each topic. The results were then qualitatively coded from top 10 relevant topics to determine the efficiency of clustering method in grouping distinct ideas, and how the discussion differed before vs. after the change in guidelines . This machine learning method was effective in grouping the relevant discussion topics about cervical cancer during the respective time periods (~20% overall irrelevant content in both time periods). Qualitative analysis determined that a significant portion of the top discussion topics in the second time period directly reflected the USPSTF guideline change (eg, "New Screening Guidelines for Cervical Cancer"), and many topics in both time periods were addressing basic screening promotion and education (eg, "It is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month! Click the link to see where you can receive a free or low cost Pap test.") It was demonstrated that machine learning tools can be useful in cervical cancer prevention and screening discussions on Twitter. This method allowed us to prove that there is publicly available significant information about cervical cancer screening on social media sites. Moreover, we observed a direct impact of the guideline change within the Twitter messages.

Establishing the need and identifying goals for a curriculum in medical business ethics: a survey of students and residents at two medical centers in Missouri.

PubMed

Kraus, Elena M; Bakanas, Erin; Gursahani, Kamal; DuBois, James M

2014-10-09

In recent years, issues in medical business ethics (MBE), such as conflicts of interest (COI), Medicare fraud and abuse, and the structure and functioning of reimbursement systems, have received significant attention from the media and professional associations in the United States. As a result of highly publicized instances of financial interests altering physician decision-making, major professional organizations and government bodies have produced reports and guidelines to encourage self-regulation and impose rules to limit physician relationships with for-profit entities. Nevertheless, no published curricula exist in the area of MBE. This study aimed to establish a baseline level of knowledge and the educational goals medical students and residents prioritize in the area of MBE. 732 medical students and 380 residents at two academic medical centers in the state of Missouri, USA, completed a brief survey indicating their awareness of major MBE guidance documents, knowledge of key MBE research, beliefs about the goals of an education in MBE, and the areas of MBE they were most interested in learning more about. Medical students and residents had little awareness of recent and major reports on MBE topics, and had minimal knowledge of basic MBE facts. Residents scored statistically better than medical students in both of these areas. Medical students and residents were in close agreement regarding the goals of an MBE curriculum. Both groups showed significant interest in learning more about MBE topics with an emphasis on background topics such as "the business aspects of medicine" and "health care delivery systems". The content of major reports by professional associations and expert bodies has not trickled down to medical students and residents, yet both groups are interested in learning more about MBE topics. Our survey suggests potentially beneficial ways to frame and embed MBE topics into the larger framework of medical education.

Evaluation of topical pharyngeal anaesthesia by benzocaine lozenge for upper endoscopy.

PubMed

Shaoul, R; Higaze, H; Lavy, A

2006-08-15

Among the randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of pharyngeal anaesthesia only some suggest benefit. Spray is irritating for some people and leaves bitter taste in the throat. We hypothesized that delivering the local anaesthetic as a sucking lozenge would benefit the patients in terms of decreasing anxiety and will improve procedure performance and patient tolerance. To determine whether benzocaine/tyrothricin sucking lozenges with conscious sedation is superior to conscious sedation alone, with respect to procedure performance and tolerance in patients undergoing upper endoscopy. One hundred and seventy-four adult patients undergoing upper endoscopy with conscious sedation completed the study. They were randomized to receive sucking lozenge containing benzocaine or placebo before the procedure. Patients were asked to rate prestudy anxiety, tolerance for topical pharyngeal anaesthesia, comfort during endoscopy, degree of difficulty of intubation, postprocedure throat discomfort and willingness to undergo subsequent examinations using a 10-cm visual analogue scale. Endoscopists were asked to estimate the ease of oesophageal intubation and procedure performance. No significant statistical differences regarding all the points studied were found between the groups. Topical pharyngeal anaesthesia with benzocaine/tyrothricin lozenges with conscious sedation has no advantages over conscious sedation alone in patients undergoing upper endoscopy.

The production of information in the attention economy

PubMed Central

Ciampaglia, Giovanni Luca; Flammini, Alessandro; Menczer, Filippo

2015-01-01

Online traces of human activity offer novel opportunities to study the dynamics of complex knowledge exchange networks, in particular how emergent patterns of collective attention determine what new information is generated and consumed. Can we measure the relationship between demand and supply for new information about a topic? We propose a normalization method to compare attention bursts statistics across topics with heterogeneous distribution of attention. Through analysis of a massive dataset on traffic to Wikipedia, we find that the production of new knowledge is associated to significant shifts of collective attention, which we take as proxy for its demand. This is consistent with a scenario in which allocation of attention toward a topic stimulates the demand for information about it, and in turn the supply of further novel information. However, attention spikes only for a limited time span, during which new content has higher chances of receiving traffic, compared to content created later or earlier on. Our attempt to quantify demand and supply of information, and our finding about their temporal ordering, may lead to the development of the fundamental laws of the attention economy, and to a better understanding of social exchange of knowledge information networks. PMID:25989177

Double-blinded, placebo-controlled study to evaluate an antipruritic shampoo for dogs with allergic pruritus.

PubMed

Schilling, J; Mueller, R S

2012-07-28

Shampoo therapy is frequently used on pruritic dogs. However, there are few double-blinded, placebo-controlled studies of this form of therapy. This randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy of a commercial medicated shampoo (DermaTopic; Almapharm) containing chlorhexidine, lactoferrin, piroctone olamine, chitosan and essential fatty acids in 27 dogs with mild to moderate allergic pruritus without secondary skin infections. All dogs received shampoo therapy with either DermaTopic or a shampoo vehicle as placebo twice weekly for four weeks. The extent of pruritus was evaluated before the study and then on a daily basis by the owners using a visual analogue scale. Before beginning the treatment and after four weeks, the skin lesions were evaluated by an experienced clinician with a validated lesion score (Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index - CADESI). The pruritus was reduced significantly by both DermaTopic and placebo. However, there was no significant difference between both groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the CADESI scores pre- and post-treatment in either group or between the two types of treatment. This study provides further evidence of the benefit of shampoo therapy for pruritic dogs.

Does solar activity affect human happiness?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristoufek, Ladislav

2018-03-01

We investigate the direct influence of solar activity (represented by sunspot numbers) on human happiness (represented by the Twitter-based Happiness Index). We construct four models controlling for various statistical and dynamic effects of the analyzed series. The final model gives promising results. First, there is a statistically significant negative influence of solar activity on happiness which holds even after controlling for the other factors. Second, the final model, which is still rather simple, explains around 75% of variance of the Happiness Index. Third, our control variables contribute significantly as well: happiness is higher in no sunspots days, happiness is strongly persistent, there are strong intra-week cycles and happiness peaks during holidays. Our results strongly contribute to the topical literature and they provide evidence of unique utility of the online data.

Weighting Statistical Inputs for Data Used to Support Effective Decision Making During Severe Emergency Weather and Environmental Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Adrian

2010-01-01

National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) weather and atmospheric environmental organizations are insatiable consumers of geophysical, hydrometeorological and solar weather statistics. The expanding array of internet-worked sensors producing targeted physical measurements has generated an almost factorial explosion of near real-time inputs to topical statistical datasets. Normalizing and value-based parsing of such statistical datasets in support of time-constrained weather and environmental alerts and warnings is essential, even with dedicated high-performance computational capabilities. What are the optimal indicators for advanced decision making? How do we recognize the line between sufficient statistical sampling and excessive, mission destructive sampling ? How do we assure that the normalization and parsing process, when interpolated through numerical models, yields accurate and actionable alerts and warnings? This presentation will address the integrated means and methods to achieve desired outputs for NASA and consumers of its data.

Statistical Considerations of Food Allergy Prevention Studies.

PubMed

Bahnson, Henry T; du Toit, George; Lack, Gideon

Clinical studies to prevent the development of food allergy have recently helped reshape public policy recommendations on the early introduction of allergenic foods. These trials are also prompting new research, and it is therefore important to address the unique design and analysis challenges of prevention trials. We highlight statistical concepts and give recommendations that clinical researchers may wish to adopt when designing future study protocols and analysis plans for prevention studies. Topics include selecting a study sample, addressing internal and external validity, improving statistical power, choosing alpha and beta, analysis innovations to address dilution effects, and analysis methods to deal with poor compliance, dropout, and missing data. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Treatment of ocular rosacea: comparative study of topical cyclosporine and oral doxycycline.

PubMed

Arman, Aysegul; Demirseren, Duriye Deniz; Takmaz, Tamer

2015-01-01

To compare the effectiveness of topical cyclosporine A emulsion with that of oral doxycycline for rosacea associated ocular changes and dry eye complaints. One hundred and ten patients with rosacea were screened. Thirty-eight patients having rosacea associated eyelid and ocular surface changes and dry eye complaints were included in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: nineteen patients were given topical cyclosporine twice daily and nineteen patients were given oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for the first month and once daily for the following two months. Symptom and sign scores, ocular surface disease index questionnarie and tear function tests were evaluated at baseline and monthly for 3mo. Three months after results were compared with that of baseline. Mean values of symptom, eyelid sign and corneal/conjunctival sign scores of each treatment group at baseline and 3mo after treatments were compared and both drugs were found to be effective on rosacea associated ocular changes (P<0.001). Cyclosporine was more effective in symptomatic relief and in the treatment of eyelid signs (P=0.01). There was statistically significant increase in the mean Schirmer score with anesthesia and tear break up time scores in the cyclosporine treatment group compared to the doxycycline treatment group (P<0.05). Cyclosporine as a topical drug can be used in the treatment of rosacea associated ocular complications because it is more effective than doxycycline. In addition ocular rosacea as a chronic disease requires long term treatment and doxycycline has various side effects limiting its long term usage.

An International Haze-Monitoring Network for Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mims, Forrest M.

1999-01-01

Describes the haze-monitoring program that was added to the protocols of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program. Finds that sun photometry provides a convenient means for allowing students to perform hands-on science while learning about various topics in history, electronics, algebra, statistics, graphing,…

Learning to Reason from Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-Zvi, Dani; Bakker, Arthur; Makar, Katie

2015-01-01

The goal of this article is to introduce the topic of "learning to reason from samples," which is the focus of this special issue of "Educational Studies in Mathematics" on "statistical reasoning." Samples are data sets, taken from some wider universe (e.g., a population or a process) using a particular procedure…

An Integrated Approach to Thermodynamics in the Introductory Physics Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonso, Marcelo; Finn, Edward J.

1995-01-01

Presents an approach to combine the empirical approach of classical thermodynamics with the structural approach of statistical mechanics. Topics covered include dynamical foundation of the first law; mechanical work, heat, radiation, and the first law; thermal equilibrium; thermal processes; thermodynamic probability; entropy; the second law;…

Highlights from Education at a Glance 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing (NJ3), 2010

2010-01-01

"Highlights from Education at a Glance 2010" is a companion publication to the OECD's flagship compendium of education statistics, Education at a Glance. It provides easily accessible data on key topics in education today, including: education levels and student numbers, economic and social benefits of education, education spending, the school…

Evaluation of Teacher Candidates Writing Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagci Ayranci, Bilge; Mete, Filiz

2017-01-01

In this study, 200 volunteer students who were in Faculty of Education printed free essay compositions and the compositions were evaluated by descriptive statistics and content analysis. Content analysis is to interpret similar data within specific contexts and themes. The students were free to choose their own writing topic. The reason for this…

Aging Americans: Trends and Projections. 1985-86 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Analyzed statistics relevant to and about older Americans are contained in this document. Chapter topics (with some subtopics) include the following: (1) size and growth of the older population (age distribution, life expectancy); (2) geographic distribution and mobility (mobility, countermigration); (3) economic status (median cash income, sex,…

The Black Population in the United States: March 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Claudette E.

1993-01-01

This report presents a statistical portrait of the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the black population in the United States that is based primarily on the March 1992 Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Topics covered include: population growth; marital status; family type and distribution; the living arrangements of…

Cultural Changes and Psychopathology in Children: With Special Reference to Infantile Autism. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanua, Victor D.

The paper analyzes research regarding the effects of sociocultural factors and the incidence of mental illness, particularly infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia. Among those topics reviewed are general sociocultural changes and vital statistics, perceptual and cognitive potential of the neonate, the importance of family networks for…

Economic Psychology: Its Connections with Research-Oriented Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christopher, Andrew N.; Marek, Pam; Benigno, Joann

2003-01-01

To enhance student interest in research methods, tests and measurement, and statistics classes, we describe how teachers may use resources from economic psychology to illustrate key concepts in these courses. Because of their applied nature and relevance to student experiences, topics covered by these resources may capture student attention and…

Active Learning? Not with My Syllabus!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernst, Michael D.

2012-01-01

We describe an approach to teaching probability that minimizes the amount of class time spent on the topic while also providing a meaningful (dice-rolling) activity to get students engaged. The activity, which has a surprising outcome, illustrates the basic ideas of informal probability and how probability is used in statistical inference.…

Computer-Based Feedback and Goal Intervention: Learning Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdez, Alfred

2012-01-01

This study investigated how a goal intervention influences the learning effects gained from feedback when acquiring concepts and rules pertaining to the topic of descriptive statistics. Three feedback conditions; knowledge of correct response feedback (KCRF), principle-based feedback (PBF), and no-feedback (NF), were crossed with two goal…

A Historical Review of "Contemporary Educational Psychology" from 1995 to 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Anita Witt; McConnell, John Robert, III

2012-01-01

The major themes and trends represented by the articles published in "Contemporary Educational Psychology" (CEP) from 1995 to 2010 are reviewed in this paper. Included are the major topics, theoretical perspectives, participant characteristics, research methods and statistics used, and highly cited papers. The most frequently occurring topic…

Statistical Aspects of Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

A total of 33 research reports were issued, and 35 papers were published in scientific journals or are in press. Research topics included optimal assembly of systems, multistate system theory , testing whether new is better than used nonparameter survival function estimation measuring information in censored models, generalizations of total positively and

An overview of the essential differences and similarities of system identification techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehra, Raman K.

1991-01-01

Information is given in the form of outlines, graphs, tables and charts. Topics include system identification, Bayesian statistical decision theory, Maximum Likelihood Estimation, identification methods, structural mode identification using a stochastic realization algorithm, and identification results regarding membrane simulations and X-29 flutter flight test data.

Evaluative Usage-Based Metrics for the Selection of E-Journals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hahn, Karla L.; Faulkner, Lila A.

2002-01-01

Explores electronic journal usage statistics and develops three metrics and three benchmarks based on those metrics. Topics include earlier work that assessed the value of print journals and was modified for the electronic format; the evaluation of potential purchases; and implications for standards development, including the need for content…

The Condition of Education 2014. NCES 2014-083

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kena, Grace; Aud, Susan; Johnson, Frank; Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Jijun; Rathbun, Amy; Wilkinson-Flicker, Sidney; Kristapovich, Paul

2014-01-01

To help inform policymakers and the public about the progress of education in the United States, Congress has mandated that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report, "The Condition of Education." This year's report presents 42 indicators on important topics and trends in U.S. education. These…

Essays on Public Documents and Government Policies (2).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morehead, Joe

1986-01-01

Eight essays address a range of topics including government serials and economic analysis, crime statistics and the F.B.I., nuclear holocaust and public policy, the history of the Center for Short-Lived Phenomena, Congressman William Steiger and the Congressional Record, and the public papers of Richard Nixon. (EM)

The Condition of Education 2016. NCES 2016-144

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kena, Grace; Hussar, William; McFarland, Joel; de Brey, Cristobal; Musu-Gillette, Lauren; Wang, Xiaolei; Zhang, Jijun; Rathbun, Amy; Wilkinson-Flicker, Sidney; Diliberti, Melissa; Barmer, Amy; Bullock Mann, Farrah; Dunlop Velez, Erin

2016-01-01

Congress has required that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report to policymakers about the progress of education in the United States. "The Condition of Education 2016" presents 43 key indicators on important topics and trends in U.S. education. These indicators focus on population characteristics,…

1986 Agricultural Chartbook. Agriculture Handbook No. 663.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

This book contains 310 charts, tables, and graphs containing statistical information about agriculture-related commodities and services, primarily in the United States, in 1986. The book is organized in seven sections that cover the following topics: (1) the farm (farm income, farm population, farm workers, food and fiber system, agriculture and…

The Trauma of Adolescent Suicide: A Time for Special Leadership by Principals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, Richard A.

This monograph provides principals and school officials with information about coping with adolescent suicide. Section 1, "Introduction," discusses the uncomfortable nature of the topic, cites statistics, and recommends that preventive programs be developed. Section 2, "Causes of Suicide," analyzes stress and depression among youth and suggests…

Monitoring changes in exotic vegetation

Treesearch

Robert D. Sutter

1998-01-01

Ecological monitoring provides critical information for management decisions by measuring changes in managed and unmanaged populations, communities and ecological systems. It integrates ecology, goal and objective setting, sampling design, sampling methods, and statistical analysis. It is a topic that I, with a team of Nature Conservancy ecologists, teach in a six day...

Teaching Graduate Business Students to Write Clearly about Technical Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyrud, Marilyn A.; Worley, Rebecca B.; Jameson, Daphne

2006-01-01

Graduate programs in business emphasize technical analysis in finance, accounting, marketing, and other core courses. Important business decisions--what market to target, which products to offer, how to finance an acquisition, whether to lease or buy equipment--require mathematical and statistical problem solving. Management communication courses…

A Unifying Probability Example.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maruszewski, Richard F., Jr.

2002-01-01

Presents an example from probability and statistics that ties together several topics including the mean and variance of a discrete random variable, the binomial distribution and its particular mean and variance, the sum of independent random variables, the mean and variance of the sum, and the central limit theorem. Uses Excel to illustrate these…

Wisconsin Public Schools at a Glance, 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2016

2016-01-01

"Wisconsin Public Schools at a Glance" provides in a single page document statistical information on the following topics: (1) Total number of public schools (2015-16); (2) Student (2015-16); (3) Attendance & Graduation (2014-15);(4) Staff (2013-14); (5) School Funding; and (6) Student Performance (2014-15). [For the previous report…

Data Mining in Health and Medical Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bath, Peter A.

2004-01-01

Presents a literature review that covers the following topics related to data mining (DM) in health and medical information: the potential of DM in health and medicine; statistical methods; evaluation of methods; DM tools for health and medicine; inductive learning of symbolic rules; application of DM tools in diagnosis and prognosis; and…

Child Care Data and Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Committee on Finance.

A publication releasing the most important current statistics, reports, statutory language, and regulations on child care is presented. Data are presented under the following general topics: (1) Child Care Services and Working Mothers, (2) Child Care Arrangements of Working Mothers Today, (3) Federal Assistance for Child Care, (4) How Much Does…

Content and Citation Analyses of "Public Relations Review."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morton, Linda P.; Lin, Li-Yun

1995-01-01

Analyzes 161 cited and 177 uncited articles published in "Public Relations Review" (1975-93) to determine if 3 independent variables--research methods, type of statistics, and topics--influenced whether or not articles were cited in other research articles. Finds significant differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods but not…

Urbanization and the Family: 1968 Conference Proceedings of the North Carolina Family Life Council, Inc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Kate B., Ed.; Gottschall, Andrew W., Jr., Ed.

The keynote address discusses "Politics and the American Family.""The Changing North Carolina Family," the topic of the second address, discusses population, families, marriage and divorce, births and deaths, economic situation, education, and welfare. Fifteen statistical tables are appended to this address. "Family Trends…

Australian Vocational Education and Training--Statistics 1999: An Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Leabrook (Australia).

Data pertaining to Australia's publicly funded vocational education and training (VET) sector in 1999 were reviewed. Both national-level and state/territory-level data on the following topics were reviewed: VET providers and delivery systems; student characteristics; enrollment trends; program costs and financing mechanisms; and apprentices and…

Errors in logic and statistics plague a meta-analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The non-target effects of transgenic insecticidal crops has been a topic of debate for over a decade and many laboratory and field studies have addressed the issue in numerous countries. In 2009 Lovei et al. (Transgenic Insecticidal Crops and Natural Enemies: A Detailed Review of Laboratory Studies)...

Effect of topical mitomycin-C on total collagen deposits on the submucosa of intact vocal folds in swine.

PubMed

Pereira, Marcelo Charles; Repka, Carlos Domingues; Camargo, Paulo Antonio Monteiro; Rispoli, Daniel Zeni; Campos, Antônio Carlos Ligocki; Matias, Jorge Eduardo Fouto

2009-07-01

To compare the effects of topical mitomycin-C at different concentrations on submucosal collagen deposition on the vocal folds of swine. The animals were divided into three groups according to the composition of the topical solution to be applied to the vocal folds: 0.9% saline solution (control group); 4 mg/ml mitomycin-C (group 1) and 8 mg/ml mitomycin-C (group 2). Thirty days after the application, all animals were sacrificed, their vocal folds were collected and stained by the picrosirius red technique, and submucosal collagen deposition areas were estimated by the Image Pro Plus 4.5 software. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare differences between parameters of each group. The means of the areas of submucosal collagen deposits on vocal folds were 3110.44 square micrometers (microm(2)), 3115.98 microm(2) and 3105.78 microm(2) for groups control, 1 and 2, respectively. There were no statistical differences across the three groups (p>0.05). Mitomycin-C topically applied to intact vocal folds of swine did not alter submucosal collagen deposition.

Efficacy of topical latanoprost versus minoxidil and betamethasone valerate on the treatment of alopecia areata.

PubMed

El-Ashmawy, Amal Ahmad; El-Maadawy, Iman Hamed; El-Maghraby, Gamal Mohamed

2018-02-01

Alopecia areata (AA) is one of the most common causes of localized hair loss. There is no universally proven therapy that induces and sustains remission of hair growth in AA. To compare the efficacy and safety of topical latanoprost, minoxidil and betamethasone valerate on hair growth in patients with AA. Hundred patients with AA classified into five groups of 20 treated with: Group I, latanoprost 0.1% lotion; Group II, minoxidil 5% lotion; Group III, betamethasone valerate 0.1% solution; Group IV, combination of latanoprost lotion and betamethasone valerate solution and Group V, a vehicle lotion control group. There was a statistically significant improvement in all therapeutic groups when compared with control group and reduction of severity of alopecia tool score of scalp and beard before and after treatment for all therapeutic groups. Latanoprost, minoxidil and betamethasone valerate are effective and safe in the treatment of patchy AA. The use of latanoprost added to the therapeutic efficacy of topical betamethasone valerate in the treatment of AA and could be an effective adjunctive topical therapy for AA.

Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO) in partial thickness burns - a randomized, comparative open mono-center study on the efficacy of dermaheal (MEBO) ointment on thermal 2nd degree burns compared to conventional therapy.

PubMed

Hirsch, T; Ashkar, W; Schumacher, O; Steinstraesser, L; Ingianni, G; Cedidi, C C

2008-11-24

Wound healing in burn wounds presents a challenge in healthcare, and there is still a lack of alternatives in topical burn wound treatments. - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a new therapeutic ointment (MEBO) in the treatment of partial thickness burns. 40 patients received either topical treatment with Moist Exposed Burn Ointment (MEBO) or standard Flammazine treatment. All patients suffered from partial-thickness burn injuries (< 20% TBSA). Wounds were evaluated for 60 up to days regarding wound healing, water loss, inflammation, and pain alleviation. For transepidermal water loss, there was a difference of 2.3 gr/m2/h between MEBO, and Flammazine, favoring MEBO. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.78). For all secondary efficacy parameter results were similar. - This study showed that MEBO ointment for topical treatment of burn injuries presents an attractive alternative for the topical treatment of limited partial thickness thermal burns.

The effect of temperature on the discomfort caused by topical local anaesthesia.

PubMed Central

Callear, A B

1995-01-01

The warming of local anaesthetic solutions to reduce the pain felt on injection is common practice in a number of medical sub-specialties. A study was undertaken to assess the effect of temperature on the discomfort caused by local anaesthetic eye drops. Tropical anaesthetics amethocaine 1%, oxybuprocaine 0.4% and lignocaine 4% were studied, and after the application of strict exclusion criteria 60 patients were selected, 20 patients for each anaesthetic. Each patient group received a topical anaesthetic at 42 degrees C in one eye and at room temperature in the other. A 10 point visual analogue scale was used to assess the discomfort experienced. No statistically significant difference was found between the discomfort caused by drops at each temperature for any of the three anaesthetics studied. There appears no benefit in warming topical anaesthetic agents prior to their use. PMID:8786596

Quantitative skills as a graduate learning outcome of university science degree programmes: student performance explored through theplanned-enacted-experiencedcurriculum model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Kelly E.; Adams, Peter; Goos, Merrilyn

2016-07-01

Application of mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning, typically referred to as quantitative skills, is essential for university bioscience students. First, this study developed an assessment task intended to gauge graduating students' quantitative skills. The Quantitative Skills Assessment of Science Students (QSASS) was the result, which examined 10 mathematical and statistical sub-topics. Second, the study established an evidential baseline of students' quantitative skills performance and confidence levels by piloting the QSASS with 187 final-year biosciences students at a research-intensive university. The study is framed within the planned-enacted-experienced curriculum model and contributes to science reform efforts focused on enhancing the quantitative skills of university graduates, particularly in the biosciences. The results found, on average, weak performance and low confidence on the QSASS, suggesting divergence between academics' intentions and students' experiences of learning quantitative skills. Implications for curriculum design and future studies are discussed.

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of topical 2 % lidocaine for the prevention and treatment of oral mucosal pain in children.

PubMed

Coudert, Amélie E; Ostertag, Agnès; Baaroun, Vanessa; Artaud, Catherine; Ifi-Naulin, Chantal; Druo, Jean-Patick; Princ, Guy; Descroix, Vianney

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy in pain reduction of topical 2 % lidocaine compared to a placebo cream in children with oral mucosal lesions due to trauma or aphthous ulcers or in the prevention of clamp placement pain. The design was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, four-center trial on 64 patients. Pain intensity and relief were measured using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). One-tailed Student's t test and ANOVA were used for statistical analyses. Independent of the pain origin, application of 2 % lidocaine cream led to a mean reduction in VAS pain intensity of 19.7 mm ± 18.3, which was significantly greater than that obtained with the placebo cream (p = .025). Analyses showed a statistically significant efficacy of the 2 % lidocaine cream (p < .0001). Its efficacy was not associated to any local or systemic adverse drug reaction, as reported by the patients. As the most important population represented in our patients was children whom a rubber dam clamp was placed, we also specifically analysed this population, and we were able to demonstrate a significantly greater efficacy of the 2 % lidocaine cream on the pain caused by the rubber dam clamp placement in comparison to the placebo cream (p < .005). A significant reduction in pain intensity occurred after application of 2 % lidocaine cream, and the effect was significantly greater than that obtained with the placebo cream. Considering the study's limitations, this product appears safe for use in children. For painful benign lesions of the oral mucosa (trauma or aphthous ulcers) or for preventing painful iatrogenic procedures such as rubber dam clamp placement, it is essential to treat or prevent pain onset, especially in the pediatric population for whom a painful experience could end in refusal of dental care. Application of a topical anesthetic in this specific situation is of particular interest, as is defining its efficacy and safety.

Statistical analysis of multivariate atmospheric variables. [cloud cover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tubbs, J. D.

1979-01-01

Topics covered include: (1) estimation in discrete multivariate distributions; (2) a procedure to predict cloud cover frequencies in the bivariate case; (3) a program to compute conditional bivariate normal parameters; (4) the transformation of nonnormal multivariate to near-normal; (5) test of fit for the extreme value distribution based upon the generalized minimum chi-square; (6) test of fit for continuous distributions based upon the generalized minimum chi-square; (7) effect of correlated observations on confidence sets based upon chi-square statistics; and (8) generation of random variates from specified distributions.

Leveraging Statistical Physics to Improve Understanding of Cooperation in Multiplex Networks.

PubMed

Fu, Feng; Chen, Xingru

2017-07-01

Understanding how public cooperation emerges and is maintained is a topic of broad interest, with increasing contributions coming from a synergistic combination of evolutionary game theory and statistical physics. The comprehensive study by Battiston et al (2017 New J. Phys. , in press) improves our understanding of the role of multiplexity in cooperation, revealing that a significant edge overlap across network layers along with benign conditions for cooperation in at least one of the layers is needed to facilitate the emergence of cooperation in the multiplex.

Hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens as a drug-delivery system for fourth-generation fluoroquinolones.

PubMed

Kleinmann, Guy; Apple, David J; Chew, Jesse; Hunter, Brian; Stevens, Scott; Larson, Scott; Mamalis, Nick; Olson, Randall J

2006-10-01

To evaluate the ability and safety of a hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) as a drug-delivery system for commercially available gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin. David J. Apple, MD, Laboratories for Ophthalmic Research, John A. Moran Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Thirty rabbits were divided into 2 similar groups. In Group A (15 rabbits, 30 eyes), hydrophilic acrylic IOLs (C-flex, Rayner Intraocular Lenses, Ltd.) presoaked for 24 hours in commercially available solutions of gatifloxacin 3 mg/mL or moxifloxacin 5 mg/mL were implanted after evacuation of the crystalline lens. Group B (15 rabbits, 30 eyes) had topical preoperative and postoperative cataract prophylaxis with gatifloxacin 3 mg/mL or moxifloxacin 5 mg/mL; IOLs that were not presoaked were also implanted after evacuation of the crystalline lenses. In both groups, aqueous humor samples were taken 4, 8, or 12 hours after IOL implantation (5 eyes at each time point) to determine the antibiotic concentrations. Clinical examinations were performed 24 hours postoperatively. The antibiotic concentrations in Group A (presoaked IOLs) were statistically significantly higher than those in Group B (topical) for both antibiotics in all postoperative samples except moxifloxacin at 12 hours. In both groups, there was no statistically significant difference between the concentrations of the 2 antibiotics. No eye showed signs of clinical toxicity. Results show the C-flex IOL is a safe and effective drug-delivery system for fourth-generation fluoroquinolones.

[Itraconazole and secnidazole capsules vs. vaginal ovules of fluocinolone acetonide, nystatin and metronidazole in the symptomatic treatment of vaginitis].

PubMed

Alvarado García, A; Gaviño Ambriz, S

1998-04-01

Evaluation of oral treatment in vaginitis and vaginosis using Itraconazol and sechidazol, in comparison to topic treatment using vaginal ovules of acetonido of fluocinolona 0.50 mg, nistatina 100,000 U and metronidazol 500 mg. Longitudinal, prospective and open comparative study. Servicio de Reproducción Humana(Human Reproduction Department), Centro Médico Nacional "20 de Noviembre". Forty female patients, without any relevant differences in their general characteristics, chose diagnosis was vaginitis and vaginosis, who were medically treated through external consultation, divided in two groups of twenty each one. Group 1 oral treatment with itraconazol and secnidazol. Group 2 had topic treatment with fluocinolona, nistatina and metronidazol. All of the patients were controlled in seven and fourteen days time, in order to evaluate the intensity of their clinical symptomatology, as well as the efficacy in both ways of treatment. Leukorrhea was the most important symptom in all the cases, going from minor to serious white discharge. After the treatment, we found a relevant difference statistically significative in patients treated with intraconazol and secnidazol. We did not find any differences in relation to ardor, pruritus, dispareunia and disuria at post-treatment evaluation. However, group 1 betterment was statistically significative between the first and the seventh days of treatment. Treating vaginitis or vaginosis (or both) with itraconazol and secnidazol takes less time for betterment in addition to comfort and easiness of oral administration; therefore, we consider them proper medicines in these specific cases.

The Legacy of Florence Nightingale's Environmental Theory: Nursing Research Focusing on the Impact of Healthcare Environments.

PubMed

Zborowsky, Terri

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore nursing research that is focused on the impact of healthcare environments and that has resonance with the aspects of Florence Nightingale's environmental theory. Nurses have a unique ability to apply their observational skills to understand the role of the designed environment to enable healing in their patients. This affords nurses the opportunity to engage in research studies that have immediate impact on the act of nursing. Descriptive statistics were performed on 67 healthcare design-related research articles from 25 nursing journals to discover the topical areas of interest of nursing research today. Data were also analyzed to reveal the research designs, research methods, and research settings. These data are part of an ongoing study. Descriptive statistics reveal that topics and settings most frequently cited are in keeping with the current healthcare foci of patient care quality and safety in acute and intensive care environments. Research designs and methods most frequently cited are in keeping with the early progression of a knowledge area. A few assertions can be made as a result of this study. First, education is important to continue the knowledge development in this area. Second, multiple method research studies should continue to be considered as important to healthcare research. Finally, bedside nurses are in the best position possible to begin to help us all, through research, understand how the design environment impacts patients during the act of nursing. Evidence-based design, literature review, nursing.

Topical Beta-Blockers and Cardiovascular Mortality: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Data from the EPIC-Norfolk Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Pinnock, Claude; Yip, Jennifer L. Y.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Luben, Robert; Hayat, Shabina; Broadway, David C.; Foster, Paul J.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Wareham, Nick

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine if topical beta-blocker use is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, particularly among people with self-reported glaucoma. Methods: All participants who participated in the first health check (N = 25,639) of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) Norfolk cohort (1993–2013) were included in this prospective cohort study, with a median follow-up of 17.0 years. We determined use of topical beta-blockers at baseline through a self-reported questionnaire and prescription check at the first clinical visit. Cardiovascular mortality was ascertained through data linkage with the Office for National Statistics mortality database. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using multivariable Cox regression models. Meta-analysis of the present study’s results together with other identified literature was performed using a random effects model. Results: We did not find an association between the use of topical beta-blockers and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.93, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.67–1.30). In the 514 participants with self-reported glaucoma, no association was found between the use of topical beta-blockers and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.56–1.40). In the primary meta-analysis of four publications, there was no evidence of an association between the use of topical beta-blockers and cardiovascular mortality (pooled HR estimate 1.10, 95% CI 0.84–1.36). Conclusion: Topical beta-blockers do not appear to be associated with excess cardiovascular mortality. This evidence does not indicate that a change in current practice is warranted, although clinicians should continue to assess individual patients and their cardiovascular risk prior to commencing topical beta-blockers. PMID:27551956

Effect of botulinum toxin A and nitroglycerin on random skin flap survival in rats.

PubMed

Ghanbarzadeh, Kourosh; Tabatabaie, Omid Reza; Salehifar, Ebrahim; Amanlou, Massoud; Khorasani, Ghasemali

2016-01-01

A suitable pharmacological substitute for the well-established surgical delay technique for random skin flaps to increase viability has been elusive. To evaluate the effects of nitroglycerin and botulinum toxin type A on random flap survival in a rat model. The present controlled experimental study was performed in the four groups of rats. One week after intervention in each group, the flap was raised and kept in situ, and flap necrosis was evaluated through follow-up. Group 1 received intradermal botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) and topical nitroglycerin 2%; group 2 received BTX-A and topical Vaseline (Unilever, USA); group 3 received topical nitroglycerin and intradermal normal saline; and group 4 received topical Vaseline and intradermal normal saline. BTX-A reduced the area of necrosis compared with control (24% versus 56% respectively; P<0.001). Nitroglycerin application was associated with a trend toward improved flap viability (42% versus 56%; P=0.059). The combination of topical nitroglycerin and BTX-A, compared with Vaseline and BTX-A, was associated with decreased flap necrosis (16.1% versus 24%, respectively), although it was not statistically significant (P=0.45). BTX-A was effective in reducing distal flap necrosis. The effect of BTX-A was significantly more pronounced than nitroglycerin ointment.

The influence of topical application of grapeseed extract gel on enamel surface hardness after demineralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saragih, D. A.; Herda, E.; Triaminingsih, S.

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of topical application of 6.5% and 12.5% grapeseed extract gels for duration of application 16 and 32 minutes on the enamel surface hardness following tooth demineralization by an energy drink. The samples were 21 bovine teeth that underwent demineralization by immersion in the energy drink for 5 minutes in an incubator at 37°C. The demineralized specimens were randomly divided into a control group and 2 treatment groups. The control group was immersed in artificial saliva for 6 hours at 37°C, whereas the treatment groups were treated with topical 6.5% and 12.5% grapeseed extract gels for durations of 16 and 32 minutes and then immersed in artificial saliva for 6 hours at 37°C. The hardness was measured with a Knoop hardness tester. Statistical analysis by repeated ANOVA and one-way ANOVA revealed a significant increase in the enamel hardness value (p<0.05) after the application of the topical grapeseed extract gels at both concentrations. Application of 12.5% topical grapeseed extract gel for 32 minutes resulted in a restored hardness that insignificant diffrence from the initial hardness value obtained before demineralization (p>0.05).

Gender differences in learning physical science concepts: Does computer animation help equalize them?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacek, Laura Lee

This dissertation details an experiment designed to identify gender differences in learning using three experimental treatments: animation, static graphics, and verbal instruction alone. Three learning presentations were used in testing of 332 university students. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, binomial tests for differences of proportion, and descriptive statistics. Results showed that animation significantly improved women's long-term learning over static graphics (p = 0.067), but didn't significantly improve men's long-term learning over static graphics. In all cases, women's scores improved with animation over both other forms of instruction for long-term testing, indicating that future research should not abandon the study of animation as a tool that may promote gender equity in science. Short-term test differences were smaller, and not statistically significant. Variation present in short-term scores was related more to presentation topic than treatment. This research also details characteristics of each of the three presentations, to identify variables (e.g. level of abstraction in presentation) affecting score differences within treatments. Differences between men's and women's scores were non-standard between presentations, but these differences were not statistically significant (long-term p = 0.2961, short-term p = 0.2893). In future research, experiments might be better designed to test these presentational variables in isolation, possibly yielding more distinctive differences between presentational scores. Differences in confidence interval overlaps between presentations suggested that treatment superiority may be somewhat dependent on the design or topic of the learning presentation. Confidence intervals greatly overlap in all situations. This undercut, to some degree, the surety of conclusions indicating superiority of one treatment type over the others. However, confidence intervals for animation were smaller, overlapped nearly completely for men and women (there was less overlap between the genders for the other two treatments), and centered around slightly higher means, lending further support to the conclusion that animation helped equalize men's and women's learning. The most important conclusion identified in this research is that gender is an important variable experimental populations testing animation as a learning device. Averages indicated that both men and women prefer to work with animation over either static graphics or verbal instruction alone.

The effects of repetitious topical use of mitomycin C on antrostomy patency in maxillary antrostomy created rabbit model.

PubMed

Kavuzlu, Ali; Arslan, Necmi; Tastan, Eren; Islam, Ahmet; Ustun, Huseyin; Aydogan, Filiz

2011-11-01

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the topical use of mitomycin C (MMC) intraoperatively in single dose and intra-postoperatively in two doses on the narrowing of antrostomy in maxillary rabbit sinus antrostomies created experimentally. And also to determine the local and systemic side effects of topical MMC. With this objective, 0.6 mg/ml MMC was used to the first group at single dose and to the second group intraoperatively and on third day postoperatively in two doses topically for 5 min. After 8 weeks, although the mean area of antrostomy was larger than that in the control side in the first group, which received single dose MMC, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.287). The second group received two doses, and the antrostomy areas were found to be significantly larger than the controls (p = 0.05). Overall, the sides that received MMC were significantly larger (p = 0.029). From the point of histopathological examination of the tissue, it was seen that two-dose MMC increased the edema indicating inflammation and antrostomy resolved with normal respiratory tract epithelium. It was shown by measuring the blood values that nephrotoxic and myelosupressant effect of MMC occurring in systemic use did not occur with single or double dose topical use. Our results demonstrate that even if the number of cases was low, two doses of topical MMC usage prevent the narrowing of antrostomy while single dose MMC does not. And two-dose topical MMC usage does not have local and systemic side effects.

Matched cohort study of topical tranexamic acid in cementless primary total hip replacement.

PubMed

Sanz-Reig, Javier; Mas Martinez, Jesus; Verdu Román, Carmen; Morales Santias, Manuel; Martínez Gimenez, Enrique; Bustamante Suarez de Puga, David

2018-03-29

Tranexamic acid has been shown to be effective in reducing blood loss after total hip replacement. The purpose of this study was to prospectively assess the effectiveness of topical TXA use to reduce blood loss after primary total hip replacement and to compare these outcomes with those of a matched control group from a similar cohort that did not have received tranexamic acid. This is a prospective matched control study to assess the effect of a 2 g topical tranexamic acid in 50 mL physiological saline solution in total hip replacement. Primary outcomes were hemoglobin and hematocrit drop, and total blood loss. Secondary outcomes were transfusion rates, length of hospital stay, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism events. We could match 100 patients to a control group. There were no statistical significantly differences between the two groups. The hemoglobin and hematocrit postoperative values were significantly higher in topical tranexamic acid group than in control group (P < 0.001). The mean total blood loss was 769 in topical tranexamic acid group and 1163 in control group with significant differences (P = 0.001), which meant 34% reduction in total blood loss. Length of stay was lower in topical tranexamic acid group. The risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary events did not increase. A single dose of 2 g tranexamic acid in 50 mL physiological saline solution topical administration was effective and safe in reducing bleeding in patients undergoing unilateral primary non-cemented total hip replacement compared to a matched control group.

Topical isotretinoin for melasma in Thai patients: a vehicle-controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Leenutaphong, V; Nettakul, A; Rattanasuwon, P

1999-09-01

Melasma is an acquired hyperpigmentary disorder commonly seen in Orientals. Recently it has been demonstrated that tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) can produce significant clinical improvement of melasma. However, moderate cutaneous side effects (retinoid dermatitis) occurred in a number of patients. To investigate the efficacy of topical 0.05 per cent isotretinoin gel (Isotrex) in the treatment of melasma in Thai patients. Thirty patients with moderate to severe melasma entered a 40-week, randomized, vehicle-controlled clinical trial in which they applied either 0.05 per cent isotretinoin gel, or its vehicle base together with a broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF 28) daily to the entire face. They were evaluated clinically (using Melasma Area and Severity Index), and colorimetrically (using our Melasma Area and Melanin Index). After 40 weeks, the average MASI and MAMI scores of the isotretinoin-treated group decreased by 68.2 per cent and 47 per cent respectively, while the corresponding control scores declined 60 per cent and 34 per cent. There was no statistically significant difference between the isotretinoin and vehicle groups. When the MASI and MAMI scores of each visit were compared to their baseline data, a statistically significant reduction of the score was first noted at weeks 4 and 12 respectively. Lightening of melasma, as determined clinically (MASI score), correlated well with pigmentation measurements (MAMI score). Side effects were limited to a mild transient "retinoid dermatitis" occurring in 27 per cent of isotretinoin-treated patients. Daily use of broad spectrum sunscreen has a significant lightening effect on melasma in Thai patients. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the isotretinoin and vehicle-treated group.

Naftifine Hydrochloride Gel 2%: An Effective Topical Treatment for Moccasin-Type Tinea Pedis.

PubMed

Stein Gold, Linda F; Vlahovic, Tracey; Verma, Amit; Olayinka, Babajide; Fleischer, Alan B

2015-10-01

Naftifine hydrochloride (naftifine) is a topical antifungal of the allylamine class, displaying fungicidal and fungistatic activity. Naftifine is generally used to treat interdigital tinea pedis; however, systemic therapy is often prescribed by healthcare providers for moccasin tinea pedis. Well-controlled clinical data on topical antifungal therapy for moccasin tinea pedis is limited. The objective of this analysis is to present data from two pooled randomized, vehicle-controlled studies that evaluated efficacy of once daily topical naftifine gel 2% and vehicle at end of treatment (week 2) and at 4 weeks post-treatment in subjects with moccasin tinea pedis. At visit 1, subjects were randomized to naftifine gel 2% or vehicle groups and subjects underwent baseline mycology culture, KOH, and symptom (erythema, scaling, and pruritus) severity grading. Naftifine gel 2% and vehicle treatment were applied once daily for 2 weeks and the subjects returned at weeks 2 and 6 for efficacy evaluation (mycology culture and grading of symptom severity). A total of 1174 subjects were enrolled with interdigital tinea pedis with or without moccasin infection. Of these subjects, 674 subjects had interdigital presentation while 500 subjects had moccasin infection in addition to the interdigital presentation. All 1174 subjects with interdigital presentation satisfied the inclusion criteria of a minimum of moderate erythema and scaling, and mild pruritus. Of the 500 subjects who had moccasin presentation, 380 satisfied the same inclusion criteria as mentioned above. Since data was analyzed as observed cases, between 337 and 349 subjects had data available for analysis of efficacy. Mycologic cure is defined as a negative dermatophyte culture and KOH, treatment effectiveness is defined as mycologic cure and symptom severity scores of 0 or 1, and complete cure is defined as mycologic cure and symptoms severity scores of 0. At week 6, the cure rates in the naftifine arm vs. the vehicle were statistically higher (P < 0.0001) for mycological cure rate (65.8% vs. 7.8%), treatment effectiveness (51.4% vs 4.4%), and complete cure rate (19.2% vs 0.9%). Two weeks application of topical naftifine gel 2% is an effective monotherapy treatment for moccasin tinea pedis.

Topical colloidal silver as an anti-biofilm agent in a Staphylococcus aureus chronic rhinosinusitis sheep model.

PubMed

Rajiv, Sukanya; Drilling, Amanda; Bassiouni, Ahmed; James, Craig; Vreugde, Sarah; Wormald, Peter-John

2015-04-01

Treatment of recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a challenge with increasing antibiotic resistance, leading to re-emergence of topical therapies. The aim of this study was to assess safety and efficacy of topical colloidal silver solution for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in a sheep model. In the safety study, normal saline (control) and 30-ppm colloidal silver solution (test) was used to flush the frontal sinuses for 14 days in 8 sheep (4 sheep each). In the efficacy study, following frontal sinus infection with Staphylococcus aureus, sheep were treated with either control saline or topical silver solution of varying concentrations (30 ppm/20 ppm/10 ppm/5 ppm) for 5 days, with 4 sheep in each group. Blood silver level, full blood counts, and biochemical parameters were analyzed in both safety and efficacy studies. Sinus tissue was harvested for histological examination and ciliary structure analysis in safety and for biofilm biomass quantification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique and COMSTAT 2 software in the efficacy study. Results were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Sheep treated with silver showed a significant decrease in biofilm biomass (0.004, 0.004, 0.004, and 0.007, in the 4 silver-treated groups, respectively) compared to saline control (0.175), p < 0.001. Although average blood silver levels were higher in the treated groups compared to controls (p < 0.05), blood counts and biochemical parameters were normal. Histology and ciliary structure analysis did not show any difference between control and treatment groups. Topical colloidal silver solution has effective antibiofilm activity in Staphylococcus aureus CRS in a sheep model and appears safe. © 2015 ARS-AAOA, LLC.

Identification of stars and digital version of the catalogue of 1958 by Brodskaya and Shajn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorbunov, M. A.; Shlyapnikov, A. A.

2017-12-01

The following topics are considered: the identification of objects on search maps, the determination of their coordinates at the epoch of 2000, and converting the published version of the catalogue of 1958 by Brodskaya and Shajn into a machine-readable format. The statistics for photometric and spectral data from the original catalogue is presented. A digital version of the catalogue is described, as well as its presentation in HTML, VOTable and AJS formats and the basic principles of work in the interactive application of International Virtual Observatory - the Aladin Sky Atlas.

Modeling Traffic on the Web Graph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meiss, Mark R.; Gonçalves, Bruno; Ramasco, José J.; Flammini, Alessandro; Menczer, Filippo

Analysis of aggregate and individual Web requests shows that PageRank is a poor predictor of traffic. We use empirical data to characterize properties of Web traffic not reproduced by Markovian models, including both aggregate statistics such as page and link traffic, and individual statistics such as entropy and session size. As no current model reconciles all of these observations, we present an agent-based model that explains them through realistic browsing behaviors: (1) revisiting bookmarked pages; (2) backtracking; and (3) seeking out novel pages of topical interest. The resulting model can reproduce the behaviors we observe in empirical data, especially heterogeneous session lengths, reconciling the narrowly focused browsing patterns of individual users with the extreme variance in aggregate traffic measurements. We can thereby identify a few salient features that are necessary and sufficient to interpret Web traffic data. Beyond the descriptive and explanatory power of our model, these results may lead to improvements in Web applications such as search and crawling.

Evaluating the One-in-Five Statistic: Women's Risk of Sexual Assault While in College.

PubMed

Muehlenhard, Charlene L; Peterson, Zoë D; Humphreys, Terry P; Jozkowski, Kristen N

In 2014, U.S. president Barack Obama announced a White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault, noting that "1 in 5 women on college campuses has been sexually assaulted during their time there." Since then, this one-in-five statistic has permeated public discourse. It is frequently reported, but some commentators have criticized it as exaggerated. Here, we address the question, "What percentage of women are sexually assaulted while in college?" After discussing definitions of sexual assault, we systematically review available data, focusing on studies that used large, representative samples of female undergraduates and multiple behaviorally specific questions. We conclude that one in five is a reasonably accurate average across women and campuses. We also review studies that are inappropriately cited as either supporting or debunking the one-in-five statistic; we explain why they do not adequately address this question. We identify and evaluate several assumptions implicit in the public discourse (e.g., the assumption that college students are at greater risk than nonstudents). Given the empirical support for the one-in-five statistic, we suggest that the controversy occurs because of misunderstandings about studies' methods and results and because this topic has implications for gender relations, power, and sexuality; this controversy is ultimately about values.

Oral fluoride levels 1 h after use of a sodium fluoride rinse: effect of sodium lauryl sulfate.

PubMed

Vogel, Gerald L; Schumacher, Gary E; Chow, Laurence C; Tenuta, Livia M A

2015-01-01

Increasing the concentration of free fluoride in oral fluids is an important goal in the use of topical fluoride agents. Although sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a common dentifrice ingredient, the influence of this ion on plaque fluid and salivary fluid fluoride has not been examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of SLS on these parameters and to examine the effect of this ion on total (or whole) plaque fluoride, an important source of plaque fluid fluoride after a sufficient interval following fluoride administration, and on total salivary fluoride, a parameter often used as a surrogate measure of salivary fluid fluoride. Ten subjects accumulated plaque for 48 h before rinsing with a 12 mmol/l NaF (228 µg/g F) rinse containing or not containing 0.5% (w/w) SLS. SLS had no statistically significant effect on total plaque and total saliva fluoride but significantly increased salivary fluid and plaque fluid fluoride (by 147 and 205%, respectively). These results suggest that the nonfluoride components of topical agents can be manipulated to improve the fluoride release characteristics from oral fluoride reservoirs and that statistically significant change may be observed in plaque fluid and salivary fluid fluoride concentrations that may not be observed in total plaque and total saliva fluoride concentrations.

Evaluation of effect of topical ozone therapy on salivary Candidal carriage in oral candidiasis.

PubMed

Khatri, Isha; Moger, Ganapathi; Kumar, N Anil

2015-01-01

Ozone is highly valued for various therapeutic applications such as antimicrobial, antihypoxic, analgesic, and immunostimulating for more than a century in the medical profession. Ozone therapy is now gaining a strong foothold in dentistry. Ozone has bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal properties. Oral candidiasis is one of the most common opportunistic fungal infections of the oral cavity. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate and compare the ability of ozonated water and topical clotrimazole in reducing the Candidal species colony-forming unit (CFU) count in oral candidiasis. The study included 40 candidiasis patients of either sex aged between 18 and 60 years attending the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology. The patients were randomly assigned to either topical ozone therapy or topical clotrimazole groups. Salivary Candidal CFU counts were assessed during and after the treatments. There was gradual but significant reduction in Candidal CFU count in both groups. At the end of the treatment, Candidal CFU count reduction in ozone group (60.5% reduction) was more than the clotrimazole group (32.3% reduction). 14 patients (70%) with candidiasis in ozone group were reduced to 6 (30%) whereas only 8 patients (40%) out of 13 (65%) in clotrimazole group, although intergroup comparison was not statistically significant. Ozone therapy was much more effective in reducing the patients with candidiasis to a state of carriers. These findings suggest that ozonated water might be useful to treat oral candidiasis.