Methods for Conducting Cognitive Task Analysis for a Decision Making Task.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-01-01

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) improves traditional task analysis procedures by analyzing the thought processes of performers while they complete a...for using these methods to conduct a CTA for domains which involve critical decision making tasks in naturalistic settings. The cognitive task analysis methods

Effective Heart Disease Detection Based on Quantitative Computerized Traditional Chinese Medicine Using Representation Based Classifiers.

PubMed

Shu, Ting; Zhang, Bob; Tang, Yuan Yan

2017-01-01

At present, heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. Traditionally, heart disease is commonly detected using blood tests, electrocardiogram, cardiac computerized tomography scan, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and so on. However, these traditional diagnostic methods are time consuming and/or invasive. In this paper, we propose an effective noninvasive computerized method based on facial images to quantitatively detect heart disease. Specifically, facial key block color features are extracted from facial images and analyzed using the Probabilistic Collaborative Representation Based Classifier. The idea of facial key block color analysis is founded in Traditional Chinese Medicine. A new dataset consisting of 581 heart disease and 581 healthy samples was experimented by the proposed method. In order to optimize the Probabilistic Collaborative Representation Based Classifier, an analysis of its parameters was performed. According to the experimental results, the proposed method obtains the highest accuracy compared with other classifiers and is proven to be effective at heart disease detection.

The performance evaluation model of mining project founded on the weight optimization entropy value method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Chao; Chen, Shou

2017-01-01

According to the traditional entropy value method still have low evaluation accuracy when evaluating the performance of mining projects, a performance evaluation model of mineral project founded on improved entropy is proposed. First establish a new weight assignment model founded on compatible matrix analysis of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy value method, when the compatibility matrix analysis to achieve consistency requirements, if it has differences between subjective weights and objective weights, moderately adjust both proportions, then on this basis, the fuzzy evaluation matrix for performance evaluation. The simulation experiments show that, compared with traditional entropy and compatible matrix analysis method, the proposed performance evaluation model of mining project based on improved entropy value method has higher accuracy assessment.

[The Application of the Fault Tree Analysis Method in Medical Equipment Maintenance].

PubMed

Liu, Hongbin

2015-11-01

In this paper, the traditional fault tree analysis method is presented, detailed instructions for its application characteristics in medical instrument maintenance is made. It is made significant changes when the traditional fault tree analysis method is introduced into the medical instrument maintenance: gave up the logic symbolic, logic analysis and calculation, gave up its complicated programs, and only keep its image and practical fault tree diagram, and the fault tree diagram there are also differences: the fault tree is no longer a logical tree but the thinking tree in troubleshooting, the definition of the fault tree's nodes is different, the composition of the fault tree's branches is also different.

Improving the evaluation of therapeutic interventions in multiple sclerosis: the role of new psychometric methods.

PubMed

Hobart, J; Cano, S

2009-02-01

In this monograph we examine the added value of new psychometric methods (Rasch measurement and Item Response Theory) over traditional psychometric approaches by comparing and contrasting their psychometric evaluations of existing sets of rating scale data. We have concentrated on Rasch measurement rather than Item Response Theory because we believe that it is the more advantageous method for health measurement from a conceptual, theoretical and practical perspective. Our intention is to provide an authoritative document that describes the principles of Rasch measurement and the practice of Rasch analysis in a clear, detailed, non-technical form that is accurate and accessible to clinicians and researchers in health measurement. A comparison was undertaken of traditional and new psychometric methods in five large sets of rating scale data: (1) evaluation of the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) in data from 666 participants in the Cannabis in Multiple Sclerosis (CAMS) study; (2) evaluation of the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29) in data from 1725 people with multiple sclerosis; (3) evaluation of test-retest reliability of MSIS-29 in data from 150 people with multiple sclerosis; (4) examination of the use of Rasch analysis to equate scales purporting to measure the same health construct in 585 people with multiple sclerosis; and (5) comparison of relative responsiveness of the Barthel Index and Functional Independence Measure in data from 1400 people undergoing neurorehabilitation. Both Rasch measurement and Item Response Theory are conceptually and theoretically superior to traditional psychometric methods. Findings from each of the five studies show that Rasch analysis is empirically superior to traditional psychometric methods for evaluating rating scales, developing rating scales, analysing rating scale data, understanding and measuring stability and change, and understanding the health constructs we seek to quantify. There is considerable added value in using Rasch analysis rather than traditional psychometric methods in health measurement. Future research directions include the need to reproduce our findings in a range of clinical populations, detailed head-to-head comparisons of Rasch analysis and Item Response Theory, and the application of Rasch analysis to clinical practice.

Quality assessment of internet pharmaceutical products using traditional and non-traditional analytical techniques.

PubMed

Westenberger, Benjamin J; Ellison, Christopher D; Fussner, Andrew S; Jenney, Susan; Kolinski, Richard E; Lipe, Terra G; Lyon, Robbe C; Moore, Terry W; Revelle, Larry K; Smith, Anjanette P; Spencer, John A; Story, Kimberly D; Toler, Duckhee Y; Wokovich, Anna M; Buhse, Lucinda F

2005-12-08

This work investigated the use of non-traditional analytical methods to evaluate the quality of a variety of pharmaceutical products purchased via internet sites from foreign sources and compared the results with those obtained from conventional quality assurance methods. Traditional analytical techniques employing HPLC for potency, content uniformity, chromatographic purity and drug release profiles were used to evaluate the quality of five selected drug products (fluoxetine hydrochloride, levothyroxine sodium, metformin hydrochloride, phenytoin sodium, and warfarin sodium). Non-traditional techniques, such as near infrared spectroscopy (NIR), NIR imaging and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were employed to verify the results and investigate their potential as alternative testing methods. Two of 20 samples failed USP monographs for quality attributes. The additional analytical methods found 11 of 20 samples had different formulations when compared to the U.S. product. Seven of the 20 samples arrived in questionable containers, and 19 of 20 had incomplete labeling. Only 1 of the 20 samples had final packaging similar to the U.S. products. The non-traditional techniques complemented the traditional techniques used and highlighted additional quality issues for the products tested. For example, these methods detected suspect manufacturing issues (such as blending), which were not evident from traditional testing alone.

Failure mode and effects analysis: a comparison of two common risk prioritisation methods.

PubMed

McElroy, Lisa M; Khorzad, Rebeca; Nannicelli, Anna P; Brown, Alexandra R; Ladner, Daniela P; Holl, Jane L

2016-05-01

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a method of risk assessment increasingly used in healthcare over the past decade. The traditional method, however, can require substantial time and training resources. The goal of this study is to compare a simplified scoring method with the traditional scoring method to determine the degree of congruence in identifying high-risk failures. An FMEA of the operating room (OR) to intensive care unit (ICU) handoff was conducted. Failures were scored and ranked using both the traditional risk priority number (RPN) and criticality-based method, and a simplified method, which designates failures as 'high', 'medium' or 'low' risk. The degree of congruence was determined by first identifying those failures determined to be critical by the traditional method (RPN≥300), and then calculating the per cent congruence with those failures designated critical by the simplified methods (high risk). In total, 79 process failures among 37 individual steps in the OR to ICU handoff process were identified. The traditional method yielded Criticality Indices (CIs) ranging from 18 to 72 and RPNs ranging from 80 to 504. The simplified method ranked 11 failures as 'low risk', 30 as medium risk and 22 as high risk. The traditional method yielded 24 failures with an RPN ≥300, of which 22 were identified as high risk by the simplified method (92% agreement). The top 20% of CI (≥60) included 12 failures, of which six were designated as high risk by the simplified method (50% agreement). These results suggest that the simplified method of scoring and ranking failures identified by an FMEA can be a useful tool for healthcare organisations with limited access to FMEA expertise. However, the simplified method does not result in the same degree of discrimination in the ranking of failures offered by the traditional method. 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/

Multiresidue analysis of pesticides in traditional Chinese medicines using gas chromatography - negative chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, a residue analysis method for the simultaneous determination of 107 pesticides in the traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), Angelica sinensis, Angelica dahurica, Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet, Pogostemon cablin, and Lonicera japonica Thunb, was developed using gas chromatography couple...

Prediction of welding shrinkage deformation of bridge steel box girder based on wavelet neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Yulong; Miao, Yunshui; Han, Jiaqi; Yan, Feiyun

2018-05-01

Aiming at the low accuracy of traditional forecasting methods such as linear regression method, this paper presents a prediction method for predicting the relationship between bridge steel box girder and its displacement with wavelet neural network. Compared with traditional forecasting methods, this scheme has better local characteristics and learning ability, which greatly improves the prediction ability of deformation. Through analysis of the instance and found that after compared with the traditional prediction method based on wavelet neural network, the rigid beam deformation prediction accuracy is higher, and is superior to the BP neural network prediction results, conform to the actual demand of engineering design.

Usability Studies in Virtual and Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments for Fault Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-08

Usability Studies In Virtual And Traditional Computer Aided Design Environments For Fault Identification Dr. Syed Adeel Ahmed, Xavier University...virtual environment with wand interfaces compared directly with a workstation non-stereoscopic traditional CAD interface with keyboard and mouse. In...the differences in interaction when compared with traditional human computer interfaces. This paper provides analysis via usability study methods

Comparing Methods for Assessing Reliability Uncertainty Based on Pass/Fail Data Collected Over Time

DOE PAGES

Abes, Jeff I.; Hamada, Michael S.; Hills, Charles R.

2017-12-20

In this paper, we compare statistical methods for analyzing pass/fail data collected over time; some methods are traditional and one (the RADAR or Rationale for Assessing Degradation Arriving at Random) was recently developed. These methods are used to provide uncertainty bounds on reliability. We make observations about the methods' assumptions and properties. Finally, we illustrate the differences between two traditional methods, logistic regression and Weibull failure time analysis, and the RADAR method using a numerical example.

Comparing Methods for Assessing Reliability Uncertainty Based on Pass/Fail Data Collected Over Time

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

Abes, Jeff I.; Hamada, Michael S.; Hills, Charles R.

In this paper, we compare statistical methods for analyzing pass/fail data collected over time; some methods are traditional and one (the RADAR or Rationale for Assessing Degradation Arriving at Random) was recently developed. These methods are used to provide uncertainty bounds on reliability. We make observations about the methods' assumptions and properties. Finally, we illustrate the differences between two traditional methods, logistic regression and Weibull failure time analysis, and the RADAR method using a numerical example.

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,…

Comparison of traditional nondestructive analysis of RERTR fuel plates with digital radiographic techniques

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

Davidsmeier, T.; Koehl, R.; Lanham, R.

2008-07-15

The current design and fabrication process for RERTR fuel plates utilizes film radiography during the nondestructive testing and characterization. Digital radiographic methods offer a potential increases in efficiency and accuracy. The traditional and digital radiographic methods are described and demonstrated on a fuel plate constructed with and average of 51% by volume fuel using the dispersion method. Fuel loading data from each method is analyzed and compared to a third baseline method to assess accuracy. The new digital method is shown to be more accurate, save hours of work, and provide additional information not easily available in the traditional method.more » Additional possible improvements suggested by the new digital method are also raised. (author)« less

Bridging the clinician/researcher gap with systemic research: the case for process research, dyadic, and sequential analysis.

PubMed

Oka, Megan; Whiting, Jason

2013-01-01

In Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), as in many clinical disciplines, concern surfaces about the clinician/researcher gap. This gap includes a lack of accessible, practical research for clinicians. MFT clinical research often borrows from the medical tradition of randomized control trials, which typically use linear methods, or follow procedures distanced from "real-world" therapy. We review traditional research methods and their use in MFT and propose increased use of methods that are more systemic in nature and more applicable to MFTs: process research, dyadic data analysis, and sequential analysis. We will review current research employing these methods, as well as suggestions and directions for further research. © 2013 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

The Use Potential of Traditional Building Materials for the Realization of Structures by Modern Methods of Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spišáková, Marcela; Mačková, Daniela

2015-11-01

The sustainable building has taken off in recent years with many investors looking for new and different methods of construction. The traditional building materials can be made out of natural materials, while others can help to lower energy costs of the occupant once built. Regardless of what the goal of the investor is, traditional building materials and their use is on the rise. The submitted paper provides an overview of natural building materials and possible modern building systems using these construction materials. Based on the questionnaire survey is defined the use potential of traditional building materials for the realization of the construction by methods of modern constructions and then are determined the drivers and barriers of traditional materials through using modern methods of construction. Considering the analysis of the achieved results, we can identify the gaps in the construction market in Slovakia and also to assess the perception of potential investors in the field of traditional building materials use, which is the purpose of submitted paper.

Using Horn's Parallel Analysis Method in Exploratory Factor Analysis for Determining the Number of Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çokluk, Ömay; Koçak, Duygu

2016-01-01

In this study, the number of factors obtained from parallel analysis, a method used for determining the number of factors in exploratory factor analysis, was compared to that of the factors obtained from eigenvalue and scree plot--two traditional methods for determining the number of factors--in terms of consistency. Parallel analysis is based on…

Online Estimation of Allan Variance Coefficients Based on a Neural-Extended Kalman Filter

PubMed Central

Miao, Zhiyong; Shen, Feng; Xu, Dingjie; He, Kunpeng; Tian, Chunmiao

2015-01-01

As a noise analysis method for inertial sensors, the traditional Allan variance method requires the storage of a large amount of data and manual analysis for an Allan variance graph. Although the existing online estimation methods avoid the storage of data and the painful procedure of drawing slope lines for estimation, they require complex transformations and even cause errors during the modeling of dynamic Allan variance. To solve these problems, first, a new state-space model that directly models the stochastic errors to obtain a nonlinear state-space model was established for inertial sensors. Then, a neural-extended Kalman filter algorithm was used to estimate the Allan variance coefficients. The real noises of an ADIS16405 IMU and fiber optic gyro-sensors were analyzed by the proposed method and traditional methods. The experimental results show that the proposed method is more suitable to estimate the Allan variance coefficients than the traditional methods. Moreover, the proposed method effectively avoids the storage of data and can be easily implemented using an online processor. PMID:25625903

Exploiting interfacial water properties for desalination and purification applications.

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

Xu, Hongwu; Varma, Sameer; Nyman, May Devan

2008-09-01

A molecular-scale interpretation of interfacial processes is often downplayed in the analysis of traditional water treatment methods. However, such an approach is critical for the development of enhanced performance in traditional desalination and water treatments. Water confined between surfaces, within channels, or in pores is ubiquitous in technology and nature. Its physical and chemical properties in such environments are unpredictably different from bulk water. As a result, advances in water desalination and purification methods may be accomplished through an improved analysis of water behavior in these challenging environments using state-of-the-art microscopy, spectroscopy, experimental, and computational methods.

Rapid detection of Escherichia coli and enterococci in recreational water using an immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate technique

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bushon, R.N.; Brady, A.M.; Likirdopulos, C.A.; Cireddu, J.V.

2009-01-01

Aims: The aim of this study was to examine a rapid method for detecting Escherichia coli and enterococci in recreational water. Methods and Results: Water samples were assayed for E. coli and enterococci by traditional and immunomagnetic separation/adenosine triphosphate (IMS/ATP) methods. Three sample treatments were evaluated for the IMS/ATP method: double filtration, single filtration, and direct analysis. Pearson's correlation analysis showed strong, significant, linear relations between IMS/ATP and traditional methods for all sample treatments; strongest linear correlations were with the direct analysis (r = 0.62 and 0.77 for E. coli and enterococci, respectively). Additionally, simple linear regression was used to estimate bacteria concentrations as a function of IMS/ATP results. The correct classification of water-quality criteria was 67% for E. coli and 80% for enterococci. Conclusions: The IMS/ATP method is a viable alternative to traditional methods for faecal-indicator bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: The IMS/ATP method addresses critical public health needs for the rapid detection of faecal-indicator contamination and has potential for satisfying US legislative mandates requiring methods to detect bathing water contamination in 2 h or less. Moreover, IMS/ATP equipment is considerably less costly and more portable than that for molecular methods, making the method suitable for field applications. ?? 2009 The Authors.

Evaluation of a Freezer Mill for Bone Pulverization prior to DNA Extraction: An Improved Workflow for STR Analysis.

PubMed

Morales Colón, Emely; Hernández, Mireya; Candelario, Mariel; Meléndez, María; Dawson Cruz, Tracey

2018-03-01

Traditional methods for bone pulverization typically generate heat, risking stability of DNA sample. SPEX™ has developed cryogenic grinders which introduce liquid nitrogen to cool the sample and aid in the grinding process. In this study, the Freezer Mill 6970 EFM was used with two DNA extraction methods and routine downstream STR analysis procedures. DNA from as little as 0.1 g of bone powder was used to develop full STR profiles after freezer mill pulverization, and the method was reproducible. Further, no contamination was detected upon cleaning/reuse of the sample vials. There were no significant differences in DNA yield, STR alleles detected, or peak heights using the freezer mill as compared to traditional grinding, and successful DNA profiles were achieved from as low as 0.1 g of bone powder with this method. Overall, this work indicates that this cryogenic mill method may be used as a viable alternative to traditional tissue grinders. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Preparation of panax notoginseng saponins-tanshinone H(A) composite method for pulmonary delivery with spray-drying method and its characterization].

PubMed

Wang, Hua-Mei; Fu, Ting-Ming; Guo, Li-Wei

2013-02-01

To prepare panax notoginseng saponins-tanshinone II(A) composite particles for pulmonary delivery, in order to explore a dry powder particle preparation method ensuring synchronized arrival of multiple components of traditional Chinese medicine compounds at absorption sites. Panax notoginseng saponins-tanshinone II(A) composite particles were prepared with spray-drying method, and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared analysis (IR), dry laser particle size analysis, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the aerodynamic behavior was evaluated by a Next Generation Impactor (NGI). The dry powder particles produced had narrow particle size distribution range and good aerodynamic behavior, and could realize synchronized administration of multiple components. The spray-drying method is used to combine traditional Chinese medicine components with different physical and chemical properties in the same particle, and product into traditional Chinese medicine compound particles in line with the requirements for pulmonary delivery.

Determination of the transmission coefficients for quantum structures using FDTD method.

PubMed

Peng, Yangyang; Wang, Xiaoying; Sui, Wenquan

2011-12-01

The purpose of this work is to develop a simple method to incorporate quantum effect in traditional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulators. Witch could make it possible to co-simulate systems include quantum structures and traditional components. In this paper, tunneling transmission coefficient is calculated by solving time-domain Schrödinger equation with a developed FDTD technique, called FDTD-S method. To validate the feasibility of the method, a simple resonant tunneling diode (RTD) structure model has been simulated using the proposed method. The good agreement between the numerical and analytical results proves its accuracy. The effectness and accuracy of this approach makes it a potential method for analysis and design of hybrid systems includes quantum structures and traditional components.

[Application of chemometrics in composition-activity relationship research of traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Han, Sheng-Nan

2014-07-01

Chemometrics is a new branch of chemistry which is widely applied to various fields of analytical chemistry. Chemometrics can use theories and methods of mathematics, statistics, computer science and other related disciplines to optimize the chemical measurement process and maximize access to acquire chemical information and other information on material systems by analyzing chemical measurement data. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine has attracted widespread attention. In the research of traditional Chinese medicine, it has been a key problem that how to interpret the relationship between various chemical components and its efficacy, which seriously restricts the modernization of Chinese medicine. As chemometrics brings the multivariate analysis methods into the chemical research, it has been applied as an effective research tool in the composition-activity relationship research of Chinese medicine. This article reviews the applications of chemometrics methods in the composition-activity relationship research in recent years. The applications of multivariate statistical analysis methods (such as regression analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis, etc. ) and artificial neural network (such as back propagation artificial neural network, radical basis function neural network, support vector machine, etc. ) are summarized, including the brief fundamental principles, the research contents and the advantages and disadvantages. Finally, the existing main problems and prospects of its future researches are proposed.

Comparison of DIGE and post-stained gel electrophoresis with both traditional and SameSpots analysis for quantitative proteomics.

PubMed

Karp, Natasha A; Feret, Renata; Rubtsov, Denis V; Lilley, Kathryn S

2008-03-01

2-DE is an important tool in quantitative proteomics. Here, we compare the deep purple (DP) system with DIGE using both a traditional and the SameSpots approach to gel analysis. Missing values in the traditional approach were found to be a significant issue for both systems. SameSpots attempts to address the missing value problem. SameSpots was found to increase the proportion of low volume data for DP but not for DIGE. For all the analysis methods applied in this study, the assumptions of parametric tests were met. Analysis of the same images gave significantly lower noise with SameSpots (over traditional) for DP, but no difference for DIGE. We propose that SameSpots gave lower noise with DP due to the stabilisation of the spot area by the common spot outline, but this was not seen with DIGE due to the co-detection process which stabilises the area selected. For studies where measurement of small abundance changes is required, a cost-benefit analysis highlights that DIGE was significantly cheaper regardless of the analysis methods. For studies analysing large changes, DP with SameSpots could be an effective alternative to DIGE but this will be dependent on the biological noise of the system under investigation.

Canonical Commonality Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leister, K. Dawn

Commonality analysis is a method of partitioning variance that has advantages over more traditional "OVA" methods. Commonality analysis indicates the amount of explanatory power that is "unique" to a given predictor variable and the amount of explanatory power that is "common" to or shared with at least one predictor…

Alternative and traditional assessments: Their comparative impact on students' attitudes and science learning outcomes. An exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Century, Daisy Nelson

This probing study focused on alternative and traditional assessments, their comparative impacts on students' attitudes and science learning outcomes. Four basic questions were asked: What type of science learning stemming from the instruction can best be assessed by the use of traditional paper-and pencil test? What type of science learning stemming from the instruction can best be assessed by the use of alternative assessment? What are the differences in the types of learning outcomes that can be assessed by the use of paper-pencil test and alternative assessment test? Is there a difference in students' attitude towards learning science when assessment of outcomes is by alternative assessment means compared to traditional means compared to traditional means? A mixed methodology involving quantitative and qualitative techniques was utilized. However, the study was essentially a case study. Quantitative data analysis included content achievement and attitude results, to which non-parametric statistics were applied. Analysis of qualitative data was done as a case study utilizing pre-set protocols resulting in a narrative summary style of report. These outcomes were combined in order to produce conclusions. This study revealed that the traditional method yielded more concrete cognitive content learning than did the alternative assessment. The alternative assessment yielded more psychomotor, cooperative learning and critical thinking skills. In both the alternative and the traditional methods the student's attitudes toward science were positive. There was no significant differences favoring either group. The quantitative findings of no statistically significant differences suggest that at a minimum there is no loss in the use of alternative assessment methods, in this instance, performance testing. Adding the results from the qualitative analysis to this suggests (1) that class groups were more satisfied when alternative methods were employed, and (2) that the two assessment methodologies are complementary to each other, and thus should probably be used together to produce maximum benefit.

Mining knowledge in noisy audio data

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

Czyzewski, A.

1996-12-31

This paper demonstrates a KDD method applied to audio data analysis, particularly, it presents possibilities which result from replacing traditional methods of analysis and acoustic signal processing by KDD algorithms when restoring audio recordings affected by strong noise.

Establishment of one-step approach to detoxification of hypertoxic aconite based on the evaluation of alkaloids contents and quality.

PubMed

Zhang, Ding-Kun; Han, Xue; Tan, Peng; Li, Rui-Yu; Niu, Ming; Zhang, Cong-En; Wang, Jia-Bo; Yang, Ming; Xiao, Xiao-He

2017-01-01

Aconite is a valuable drug and also a toxic material, which can be used only after detoxification processing. Although traditional processing methods can achieve detoxification effect as desired, there are some obvious drawbacks, including a significant loss of alkaloids and poor quality consistency. It is thus necessary to develop a new detoxification approach. In the present study, we designed a novel one-step detoxification approach by quickly drying fresh-cut aconite particles. In order to evaluate the technical advantages, the contents of mesaconitine, aconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylmesaconine, benzoylaconine, benzoylhypaconine, neoline, fuziline, songorine, and talatisamine were determined using HPLC and UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS. Multivariate analysis methods, such as Clustering analysis and Principle component analysis, were applied to determine the quality differences between samples. Our results showed that traditional processes could reduce toxicity as desired, but also led to more than 85.2% alkaloids loss. However, our novel one-step method was capable of achieving virtually the same detoxification effect, with only an approximately 30% alkaloids loss. Cluster analysis and Principal component analysis analyses suggested that Shengfupian and the novel products were significantly different from various traditional products. Acute toxicity testing showed that the novel products achieved a good detoxification effect, with its maximum tolerated dose being equivalent to 20 times of adult dosage. And cardiac effect testing also showed that the activity of the novel products was stronger than that of traditional products. Moreover, particles specification greatly improved the quality consistency of the novel products, which was immensely superior to the traditional products. These results would help guide the rational optimization of aconite processing technologies, providing better drugs for clinical treatment. Copyright © 2017 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acoustics based assessment of respiratory diseases using GMM classification.

PubMed

Mayorga, P; Druzgalski, C; Morelos, R L; Gonzalez, O H; Vidales, J

2010-01-01

The focus of this paper is to present a method utilizing lung sounds for a quantitative assessment of patient health as it relates to respiratory disorders. In order to accomplish this, applicable traditional techniques within the speech processing domain were utilized to evaluate lung sounds obtained with a digital stethoscope. Traditional methods utilized in the evaluation of asthma involve auscultation and spirometry, but utilization of more sensitive electronic stethoscopes, which are currently available, and application of quantitative signal analysis methods offer opportunities of improved diagnosis. In particular we propose an acoustic evaluation methodology based on the Gaussian Mixed Models (GMM) which should assist in broader analysis, identification, and diagnosis of asthma based on the frequency domain analysis of wheezing and crackles.

Improving Nursing Students' Learning Outcomes in Fundamentals of Nursing Course through Combination of Traditional and e-Learning Methods

PubMed Central

Sheikhaboumasoudi, Rouhollah; Bagheri, Maryam; Hosseini, Sayed Abbas; Ashouri, Elaheh; Elahi, Nasrin

2018-01-01

Background: Fundamentals of nursing course are prerequisite to providing comprehensive nursing care. Despite development of technology on nursing education, effectiveness of using e-learning methods in fundamentals of nursing course is unclear in clinical skills laboratory for nursing students. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of blended learning (combining e-learning with traditional learning methods) with traditional learning alone on nursing students' scores. Materials and Methods: A two-group post-test experimental study was administered from February 2014 to February 2015. Two groups of nursing students who were taking the fundamentals of nursing course in Iran were compared. Sixty nursing students were selected as control group (just traditional learning methods) and experimental group (combining e-learning with traditional learning methods) for two consecutive semesters. Both groups participated in Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and were evaluated in the same way using a prepared checklist and questionnaire of satisfaction. Statistical analysis was conducted through SPSS software version 16. Results: Findings of this study reflected that mean of midterm (t = 2.00, p = 0.04) and final score (t = 2.50, p = 0.01) of the intervention group (combining e-learning with traditional learning methods) were significantly higher than the control group (traditional learning methods). The satisfaction of male students in intervention group was higher than in females (t = 2.60, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Based on the findings, this study suggests that the use of combining traditional learning methods with e-learning methods such as applying educational website and interactive online resources for fundamentals of nursing course instruction can be an effective supplement for improving nursing students' clinical skills. PMID:29861761

Aerodynamic design optimization using sensitivity analysis and computational fluid dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baysal, Oktay; Eleshaky, Mohamed E.

1991-01-01

A new and efficient method is presented for aerodynamic design optimization, which is based on a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-sensitivity analysis algorithm. The method is applied to design a scramjet-afterbody configuration for an optimized axial thrust. The Euler equations are solved for the inviscid analysis of the flow, which in turn provides the objective function and the constraints. The CFD analysis is then coupled with the optimization procedure that uses a constrained minimization method. The sensitivity coefficients, i.e. gradients of the objective function and the constraints, needed for the optimization are obtained using a quasi-analytical method rather than the traditional brute force method of finite difference approximations. During the one-dimensional search of the optimization procedure, an approximate flow analysis (predicted flow) based on a first-order Taylor series expansion is used to reduce the computational cost. Finally, the sensitivity of the optimum objective function to various design parameters, which are kept constant during the optimization, is computed to predict new optimum solutions. The flow analysis of the demonstrative example are compared with the experimental data. It is shown that the method is more efficient than the traditional methods.

Investigating the Potential of Computer Environments for the Teaching and Learning of Functions: A Double Analysis from Two Research Traditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lagrange, Jean-Baptiste; Psycharis, Giorgos

2014-01-01

The general goal of this paper is to explore the potential of computer environments for the teaching and learning of functions. To address this, different theoretical frameworks and corresponding research traditions are available. In this study, we aim to network different frameworks by following a "double analysis" method to analyse two…

Accuracy of Revised and Traditional Parallel Analyses for Assessing Dimensionality with Binary Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Samuel B.; Redell, Nickalus; Thompson, Marilyn S.; Levy, Roy

2016-01-01

Parallel analysis (PA) is a useful empirical tool for assessing the number of factors in exploratory factor analysis. On conceptual and empirical grounds, we argue for a revision to PA that makes it more consistent with hypothesis testing. Using Monte Carlo methods, we evaluated the relative accuracy of the revised PA (R-PA) and traditional PA…

Seventy-meter antenna performance predictions: GTD analysis compared with traditional ray-tracing methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schredder, J. M.

1988-01-01

A comparative analysis was performed, using both the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD) and traditional pathlength error analysis techniques, for predicting RF antenna gain performance and pointing corrections. The NASA/JPL 70 meter antenna with its shaped surface was analyzed for gravity loading over the range of elevation angles. Also analyzed were the effects of lateral and axial displacements of the subreflector. Significant differences were noted between the predictions of the two methods, in the effect of subreflector displacements, and in the optimal subreflector positions to focus a gravity-deformed main reflector. The results are of relevance to future design procedure.

[Analysis on traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions treating cancer based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance assistance system and discovery of new prescriptions].

PubMed

Yu, Ming; Cao, Qi-chen; Su, Yu-xi; Sui, Xin; Yang, Hong-jun; Huang, Lu-qi; Wang, Wen-ping

2015-08-01

Malignant tumor is one of the main causes for death in the world at present as well as a major disease seriously harming human health and life and restricting the social and economic development. There are many kinds of reports about traditional Chinese medicine patent prescriptions, empirical prescriptions and self-made prescriptions treating cancer, and prescription rules were often analyzed based on medication frequency. Such methods were applicable for discovering dominant experience but hard to have an innovative discovery and knowledge. In this paper, based on the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance assistance system, the software integration of mutual information improvement method, complex system entropy clustering and unsupervised entropy-level clustering data mining methods was adopted to analyze the rules of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions for cancer. Totally 114 prescriptions were selected, the frequency of herbs in prescription was determined, and 85 core combinations and 13 new prescriptions were indentified. The traditional Chinese medicine inheritance assistance system, as a valuable traditional Chinese medicine research-supporting tool, can be used to record, manage, inquire and analyze prescription data.

A comparison of two microscale laboratory reporting methods in a secondary chemistry classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Lance Michael

This study attempted to determine if there was a difference between the laboratory achievement of students who used a modified reporting method and those who used traditional laboratory reporting. The study also determined the relationships between laboratory performance scores and the independent variables score on the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) test, chronological age in months, gender, and ethnicity for each of the treatment groups. The study was conducted using 113 high school students who were enrolled in first-year general chemistry classes at Pueblo South High School in Colorado. The research design used was the quasi-experimental Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The statistical treatment consisted of the Multiple Regression Analysis and the Analysis of Covariance. Based on the GALT, students in the two groups were generally in the concrete and transitional stages of the Piagetian cognitive levels. The findings of the study revealed that the traditional and the modified methods of laboratory reporting did not have any effect on the laboratory performance outcome of the subjects. However, the students who used the traditional method of reporting showed a higher laboratory performance score when evaluation was conducted using the New Standards rubric recommended by the state. Multiple Regression Analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the criterion variable student laboratory performance outcome of individuals who employed traditional laboratory reporting methods and the composite set of predictor variables. On the contrary, there was no significant relationship between the criterion variable student laboratory performance outcome of individuals who employed modified laboratory reporting methods and the composite set of predictor variables.

Clinical Trials With Large Numbers of Variables: Important Advantages of Canonical Analysis.

PubMed

Cleophas, Ton J

2016-01-01

Canonical analysis assesses the combined effects of a set of predictor variables on a set of outcome variables, but it is little used in clinical trials despite the omnipresence of multiple variables. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of canonical analysis as compared with traditional multivariate methods using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). As an example, a simulated data file with 12 gene expression levels and 4 drug efficacy scores was used. The correlation coefficient between the 12 predictor and 4 outcome variables was 0.87 (P = 0.0001) meaning that 76% of the variability in the outcome variables was explained by the 12 covariates. Repeated testing after the removal of 5 unimportant predictor and 1 outcome variable produced virtually the same overall result. The MANCOVA identified identical unimportant variables, but it was unable to provide overall statistics. (1) Canonical analysis is remarkable, because it can handle many more variables than traditional multivariate methods such as MANCOVA can. (2) At the same time, it accounts for the relative importance of the separate variables, their interactions and differences in units. (3) Canonical analysis provides overall statistics of the effects of sets of variables, whereas traditional multivariate methods only provide the statistics of the separate variables. (4) Unlike other methods for combining the effects of multiple variables such as factor analysis/partial least squares, canonical analysis is scientifically entirely rigorous. (5) Limitations include that it is less flexible than factor analysis/partial least squares, because only 2 sets of variables are used and because multiple solutions instead of one is offered. We do hope that this article will stimulate clinical investigators to start using this remarkable method.

COMPARISON OF TWO DIFFERENT SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION/LARGE VOLUME INJECTION PROCEDURES FOR METHOD 8270

EPA Science Inventory

Two solid phase (SPE) and one traditional continuous liquid-liquid extraction method are compared for analysis of Method 8270 SVOCs. Productivity parameters include data quality, sample volume, analysis time and solvent waste.

One SPE system, unique in the U.S., uses aut...

Improving Nursing Students' Learning Outcomes in Fundamentals of Nursing Course through Combination of Traditional and e-Learning Methods.

PubMed

Sheikhaboumasoudi, Rouhollah; Bagheri, Maryam; Hosseini, Sayed Abbas; Ashouri, Elaheh; Elahi, Nasrin

2018-01-01

Fundamentals of nursing course are prerequisite to providing comprehensive nursing care. Despite development of technology on nursing education, effectiveness of using e-learning methods in fundamentals of nursing course is unclear in clinical skills laboratory for nursing students. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of blended learning (combining e-learning with traditional learning methods) with traditional learning alone on nursing students' scores. A two-group post-test experimental study was administered from February 2014 to February 2015. Two groups of nursing students who were taking the fundamentals of nursing course in Iran were compared. Sixty nursing students were selected as control group (just traditional learning methods) and experimental group (combining e-learning with traditional learning methods) for two consecutive semesters. Both groups participated in Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and were evaluated in the same way using a prepared checklist and questionnaire of satisfaction. Statistical analysis was conducted through SPSS software version 16. Findings of this study reflected that mean of midterm (t = 2.00, p = 0.04) and final score (t = 2.50, p = 0.01) of the intervention group (combining e-learning with traditional learning methods) were significantly higher than the control group (traditional learning methods). The satisfaction of male students in intervention group was higher than in females (t = 2.60, p = 0.01). Based on the findings, this study suggests that the use of combining traditional learning methods with e-learning methods such as applying educational website and interactive online resources for fundamentals of nursing course instruction can be an effective supplement for improving nursing students' clinical skills.

Bias in diet determination: incorporating traditional methods in Bayesian mixing models.

PubMed

Franco-Trecu, Valentina; Drago, Massimiliano; Riet-Sapriza, Federico G; Parnell, Andrew; Frau, Rosina; Inchausti, Pablo

2013-01-01

There are not "universal methods" to determine diet composition of predators. Most traditional methods are biased because of their reliance on differential digestibility and the recovery of hard items. By relying on assimilated food, stable isotope and Bayesian mixing models (SIMMs) resolve many biases of traditional methods. SIMMs can incorporate prior information (i.e. proportional diet composition) that may improve the precision in the estimated dietary composition. However few studies have assessed the performance of traditional methods and SIMMs with and without informative priors to study the predators' diets. Here we compare the diet compositions of the South American fur seal and sea lions obtained by scats analysis and by SIMMs-UP (uninformative priors) and assess whether informative priors (SIMMs-IP) from the scat analysis improved the estimated diet composition compared to SIMMs-UP. According to the SIMM-UP, while pelagic species dominated the fur seal's diet the sea lion's did not have a clear dominance of any prey. In contrast, SIMM-IP's diets compositions were dominated by the same preys as in scat analyses. When prior information influenced SIMMs' estimates, incorporating informative priors improved the precision in the estimated diet composition at the risk of inducing biases in the estimates. If preys isotopic data allow discriminating preys' contributions to diets, informative priors should lead to more precise but unbiased estimated diet composition. Just as estimates of diet composition obtained from traditional methods are critically interpreted because of their biases, care must be exercised when interpreting diet composition obtained by SIMMs-IP. The best approach to obtain a near-complete view of predators' diet composition should involve the simultaneous consideration of different sources of partial evidence (traditional methods, SIMM-UP and SIMM-IP) in the light of natural history of the predator species so as to reliably ascertain and weight the information yielded by each method.

Relationships among video gaming proficiency and spatial orientation, laparoscopic, and traditional surgical skills of third-year veterinary students.

PubMed

Millard, Heather A Towle; Millard, Ralph P; Constable, Peter D; Freeman, Lyn J

2014-02-01

To determine the relationships among traditional and laparoscopic surgical skills, spatial analysis skills, and video gaming proficiency of third-year veterinary students. Prospective, randomized, controlled study. A convenience sample of 29 third-year veterinary students. The students had completed basic surgical skills training with inanimate objects but had no experience with soft tissue, orthopedic, or laparoscopic surgery; the spatial analysis test; or the video games that were used in the study. Scores for traditional surgical, laparoscopic, spatial analysis, and video gaming skills were determined, and associations among these were analyzed by means of Spearman's rank order correlation coefficient (rs). A significant positive association (rs = 0.40) was detected between summary scores for video game performance and laparoscopic skills, but not between video game performance and traditional surgical skills scores. Spatial analysis scores were positively (rs = 0.30) associated with video game performance scores; however, that result was not significant. Spatial analysis scores were not significantly associated with laparoscopic surgical skills scores. Traditional surgical skills scores were not significantly associated with laparoscopic skills or spatial analysis scores. Results of this study indicated video game performance of third-year veterinary students was predictive of laparoscopic but not traditional surgical skills, suggesting that laparoscopic performance may be improved with video gaming experience. Additional studies would be required to identify methods for improvement of traditional surgical skills.

Hybrid sentiment analysis utilizing multiple indicators to determine temporal shifts of opinion in OSNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Joshua S.; Hall, Robert T.; Fields, Jeremy; White, Holly M.

2016-05-01

Utilization of traditional sentiment analysis for predicting the outcome of an event on a social network depends on: precise understanding of what topics relate to the event, selective elimination of trends that don't fit, and in most cases, expert knowledge of major players of the event. Sentiment analysis has traditionally taken one of two approaches to derive a quantitative value from qualitative text. These approaches include the bag of words model", and the usage of "NLP" to attempt a real understanding of the text. Each of these methods yield very similar accuracy results with the exception of some special use cases. To do so, however, they both impose a large computational burden on the analytic system. Newer approaches have this same problem. No matter what approach is used, SA typically caps out around 80% in accuracy. However, accuracy is the result of both polarity and degree of polarity, nothing else. In this paper we present a method for hybridizing traditional SA methods to better determine shifts in opinion over time within social networks. This hybridization process involves augmenting traditional SA measurements with contextual understanding, and knowledge about writers' demographics. Our goal is to not only to improve accuracy, but to do so with minimal impact to computation requirements.

[Essential procedure and key methods for survey of traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources].

PubMed

Cheng, Gong; Huang, Lu-qi; Xue, Da-yuan; Zhang, Xiao-bo

2014-12-01

The survey of traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources is the important component and one of the innovative aspects of the fourth national survey of the Chinese materia medica resources. China has rich traditional knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the comprehensive investigation of TCM traditional knowledge aims to promote conservation and sustainable use of Chinese materia medica resources. Building upon the field work of pilot investigations, this paper introduces the essential procedures and key methods for conducting the survey of traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources. The essential procedures are as follows. First is the preparation phrase. It is important to review all relevant literature and provide training to the survey teams so that they have clear understanding of the concept of traditional knowledge and master key survey methods. Second is the field investigation phrase. When conducting field investigations, survey teams should identify the traditional knowledge holders by using the 'snowball method', record the traditional knowledge after obtaining prior informed concerned from the traditional knowledge holders. Researchers should fill out the survey forms provided by the Technical Specification of the Fourth National Survey of Chinese Materia Medica Resources. Researchers should pay particular attention to the scope of traditional knowledge and the method of inheriting the knowledge, which are the key information for traditional knowledge holders and potential users to reach mutual agreed terms to achieve benefit sharing. Third is the data compilation and analysis phrase. Researchers should try to compile and edit the TCM traditional knowledge in accordance with intellectual property rights requirements so that the information collected through the national survey can serve as the basic data for the TCM traditional knowledge database. The key methods of the survey include regional division of Chinese materia medica resources, interview of key information holders and standardization of information.' In particular, using "snowball method" can effectively identify traditional knowledge holder in the targeted regions and ensuring traditional knowledge holders receiving prior informed concerned before sharing the information with researcher to make sure the rights of traditional knowledge holders are protected. Employing right survey methods is not only the key to obtain traditional knowledge related to Chinese materia medica resources, but also the pathway to fulfill the objectives of access and benefit sharing stipulated in Convention on Biological Resources. It will promote the legal protection of TCM traditional knowledge and conservation of TCM intangible, cultural heritage.

[New method for analyzing pharmacodynamic material basis of traditional Chinese medicines by using specific knockout technology with monoclonal antibodies].

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Qu, Hui-Hua; Wang, Qing-Guo

2013-09-01

Study on pharmacodynamic material basis of traditional Chinese medicines is one of the key issues for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Having introduced the monoclonal antibody technology into the study on pharmacodynamic material basis of traditional Chinese medicines, the author prepared the immunoaffinity chromatography column by using monoclonal antibodies in active components of traditional Chinese medicines, so as to selectively knock out the component from herbs or traditional Chinese medicine compounds, while preserving all of the other components and keeping their amount and ratio unchanged. A comparative study on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics was made to explicitly reveal the correlation between the component and the main purpose of traditional Chinese medicines and compounds. The analysis on pharmacodynamic material basis of traditional Chinese medicines by using specific knockout technology with monoclonal antibodies is a new method for study pharmacodynamic material basis in line with the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicines. Its results can not only help study material basis from a new perspective, but also help find the modern scientific significance in single herb or among compounds of traditional Chinese medicines.

Design of an FT-NIR spectrometer for online quality analysis of traditional Chinese medicine manufacturing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ren; Wu, Lan; Wang, Shiming; Ye, Linhua; Ding, Zhihua

2008-03-01

As a fast, non-destructive analysis method, Fourier transform (FT) near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is very suitable and effective for online quality analysis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) manufacturing process. In this thesis, the theoretics of FT-NIRS was analyzed and an FT-NIR spectrometer with 4 cm -1 resolution in the 12500-5000 cm -1 frequency range was designed. The spectrometer was based on a Michelson interferometer with Bromine tungsten lamp as the NIR light source and InGaAs detector to collect the interference signal. Each element was designed and chosen to provide maximum sensitivity in the NIR spectral region. A fiber-optic flow cell system was used to realize online analysis of traditional Chinese medicine. The performance of the spectrometer was evaluated and the feasibility of using FT-NIR spectrometer to get absorption spectra of traditional Chinese medicine was demonstrated.

Sleep Neurophysiological Dynamics Through the Lens of Multitaper Spectral Analysis

PubMed Central

Prerau, Michael J.; Brown, Ritchie E.; Bianchi, Matt T.; Ellenbogen, Jeffrey M.; Purdon, Patrick L.

2016-01-01

During sleep, cortical and subcortical structures within the brain engage in highly structured oscillatory dynamics that can be observed in the electroencephalogram (EEG). The ability to accurately describe changes in sleep state from these oscillations has thus been a major goal of sleep medicine. While numerous studies over the past 50 years have shown sleep to be a continuous, multifocal, dynamic process, long-standing clinical practice categorizes sleep EEG into discrete stages through visual inspection of 30-s epochs. By representing sleep as a coarsely discretized progression of stages, vital neurophysiological information on the dynamic interplay between sleep and arousal is lost. However, by using principled time-frequency spectral analysis methods, the rich dynamics of the sleep EEG are immediately visible—elegantly depicted and quantified at time scales ranging from a full night down to individual microevents. In this paper, we review the neurophysiology of sleep through this lens of dynamic spectral analysis. We begin by reviewing spectral estimation techniques traditionally used in sleep EEG analysis and introduce multitaper spectral analysis, a method that makes EEG spectral estimates clearer and more accurate than traditional approaches. Through the lens of the multitaper spectrogram, we review the oscillations and mechanisms underlying the traditional sleep stages. In doing so, we will demonstrate how multitaper spectral analysis makes the oscillatory structure of traditional sleep states instantaneously visible, closely paralleling the traditional hypnogram, but with a richness of information that suggests novel insights into the neural mechanisms of sleep, as well as novel clinical and research applications. PMID:27927806

Traditional Chinese and Thai medicine in a comparative perspective.

PubMed

He, Ke

2015-12-01

The work presented in this paper compares traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Thai medicine, expounding on origins, academic thinking, theoretical system, diagnostic method and modern development. Based on a secondary analysis of available literature, the paper concentrates on two crucial historical developments: (1) the response to, and consequences of, the impact of the Western medicine; and (2) the revival of traditional medicine in these two countries and its prospects. From a comparative perspective, the analysis has led to the conclusion that the rise and fall of traditional medicine is an issue closely related with social and political issues; and the development of traditional medicines requires national policy and financial support from governments, human resource development, the improvement of service quality, and the dissemination of traditional medicine knowledge to the public. In addition, this paper also suggests deepening exchanges and cooperation between China and Thailand, strengthening cooperation between traditional medicine and medical tourism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Narrative as a Data Source and Analytic Method to Investigate Learning Outside of Traditional School Settings with Diverse Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martell, Sandra Toro; Antrop-Gonzalez, Rene

2008-01-01

Narrative is used to describe and understand how people construct meaning of their lives and experiences and how they think about their own and others' identities. We examined narrative as both data source and method of analysis for investigating learning in non-traditional school settings with students from diverse socio-economic status and…

Comparative Analysis of Automatic Exudate Detection between Machine Learning and Traditional Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sopharak, Akara; Uyyanonvara, Bunyarit; Barman, Sarah; Williamson, Thomas

To prevent blindness from diabetic retinopathy, periodic screening and early diagnosis are neccessary. Due to lack of expert ophthalmologists in rural area, automated early exudate (one of visible sign of diabetic retinopathy) detection could help to reduce the number of blindness in diabetic patients. Traditional automatic exudate detection methods are based on specific parameter configuration, while the machine learning approaches which seems more flexible may be computationally high cost. A comparative analysis of traditional and machine learning of exudates detection, namely, mathematical morphology, fuzzy c-means clustering, naive Bayesian classifier, Support Vector Machine and Nearest Neighbor classifier are presented. Detected exudates are validated with expert ophthalmologists' hand-drawn ground-truths. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy and time complexity of each method are also compared.

Traditions and Alcohol Use: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

PubMed Central

Castro, Felipe González; Coe, Kathryn

2011-01-01

An integrative mixed-methods analysis examined traditional beliefs as associated with beliefs about self-care during pregnancy and with alcohol abstinence among young adult women from two rural U.S.–Mexico border communities. Quantitative (measured scale) variables and qualitative thematic variables generated from open-ended responses served as within-time predictors of these health-related outcomes. A weaker belief that life is better in big cities was associated with stronger self-care beliefs during pregnancy. Also, a weaker belief that small towns offer tranquil environments was associated with total abstinence from alcohol. Regarding the Hispanic Paradox, these results suggest that a critical appreciation of cultural traditions can be protective, as this avoids stereotypical or idyllic views of urban or rural lifeways, and promotes self-protective beliefs and behaviors. PMID:17967095

[Policy recommendations based on SWOT analysis for agricultural industrialization of traditional Chinese medicinal materials--a case study of uncariae ramulus cum uncis from Jianhe county in Guizhou province].

PubMed

Hu, Yong; Huo, Ke-Yi; Xiang, Hua

2013-09-01

This thesis reviews the historical background of agricultural industrialization, and analyzes the major theories of agricultural industrialization. It also utilizes SWOT analysis method to discuss the industrialization of traditional Chinese medicinal materials in Jianhe county, and finally it puts forward the recommendations for its further development.

[Analysis and countermeasure for quality risk in process of traditional Chinese medicine preparations].

PubMed

Yang, Ming; Yang, Yuan-Zhen; Wang, Ya-Qi; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Wang, Xue-Cheng; Luo, Jing

2017-03-01

Product quality relies on not only testing methods,but also the design and development, production control and product manufacturing all aspects of logistics management. Quality comes from the process control level.Therefore, it is very important to accurately identify the factors that may induce quality risk in the production process and quality control measures correspondingly.This article systematically analyzes the source of the quality risk of all aspects of the production process in traditional Chinese medicine preparation. Discussing ways and methods of quality risk identification of traditional Chinese medicine preparation and providing references for perfecting the whole process quality management of traditional Chinese medicine preparation. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Comparing microscopic activity-based and traditional models of travel demand : an Austin area case study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-09-01

Two competing approaches to travel demand modeling exist today. The more traditional 4-step travel demand models rely on aggregate demographic data at a traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level. Activity-based microsimulation methods employ more robus...

Quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe sample preparation approach for pesticide residue analysis using traditional detectors in chromatography: A review.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Musfiqur; Abd El-Aty, A M; Kim, Sung-Woo; Shin, Sung Chul; Shin, Ho-Chul; Shim, Jae-Han

2017-01-01

In pesticide residue analysis, relatively low-sensitivity traditional detectors, such as UV, diode array, electron-capture, flame photometric, and nitrogen-phosphorus detectors, have been used following classical sample preparation (liquid-liquid extraction and open glass column cleanup); however, the extraction method is laborious, time-consuming, and requires large volumes of toxic organic solvents. A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method was introduced in 2003 and coupled with selective and sensitive mass detectors to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. Compared to traditional detectors, mass spectrometers are still far more expensive and not available in most modestly equipped laboratories, owing to maintenance and cost-related issues. Even available, traditional detectors are still being used for analysis of residues in agricultural commodities. It is widely known that the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method is incompatible with conventional detectors owing to matrix complexity and low sensitivity. Therefore, modifications using column/cartridge-based solid-phase extraction instead of dispersive solid-phase extraction for cleanup have been applied in most cases to compensate and enable the adaptation of the extraction method to conventional detectors. In gas chromatography, the matrix enhancement effect of some analytes has been observed, which lowers the limit of detection and, therefore, enables gas chromatography to be compatible with the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe extraction method. For liquid chromatography with a UV detector, a combination of column/cartridge-based solid-phase extraction and dispersive solid-phase extraction was found to reduce the matrix interference and increase the sensitivity. A suitable double-layer column/cartridge-based solid-phase extraction might be the perfect solution, instead of a time-consuming combination of column/cartridge-based solid-phase extraction and dispersive solid-phase extraction. Therefore, replacing dispersive solid-phase extraction with column/cartridge-based solid-phase extraction in the cleanup step can make the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe extraction method compatible with traditional detectors for more sensitive, effective, and green analysis. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A method to determine agro-climatic zones based on correlation and cluster analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges Valeriano, Taynara Tuany; de Souza Rolim, Glauco; de Oliveira Aparecido, Lucas Eduardo

2017-12-01

Determining agro-climatic zones (ACZs) is traditionally made by cross-comparing meteorological elements such as air temperature, rainfall, and water deficit (DEF). This study proposes a new method based on correlations between monthly DEFs during the crop cycle and annual yield and performs a multivariate cluster analysis on these correlations. This `correlation method' was applied to all municipalities in the state of São Paulo to determine ACZs for coffee plantations. A traditional ACZ method for coffee, which is based on temperature and DEF ranges (Evangelista et al.; RBEAA, 6:445-452, 2002), was applied to the study area to compare against the correlation method. The traditional ACZ classified the "Alta Mogina," "Média Mogiana," and "Garça and Marília" regions as traditional coffee regions that were either suitable or even restricted for coffee plantations. These traditional regions have produced coffee since 1800 and should not be classified as restricted. The correlation method classified those areas as high-producing regions and expanded them into other areas. The proposed method is innovative, because it is more detailed than common ACZ methods. Each developmental crop phase was analyzed based on correlations between the monthly DEF and yield, improving the importance of crop physiology in relation to climate.

Phosphorus Determination by Derivative Activation Analysis: A Multifaceted Radiochemical Application.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleppinger, E. W.; And Others

1984-01-01

Although determination of phosphorus is important in biology, physiology, and environmental science, traditional gravimetric and colorimetric methods are cumbersome and lack the requisite sensitivity. Therefore, a derivative activation analysis method is suggested. Background information, procedures, and results are provided. (JN)

Modified Right Heart Contrast Echocardiography Versus Traditional Method in Diagnosis of Right-to-Left Shunt: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Zeng, Jie; Yin, Lixue; Zhang, Mei; Hou, Dailun

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability, effectiveness, and safety of modified right heart contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE) in comparison with the traditional method. We performed a modified right heart cTTE using saline mixed with a small sample of patient's own blood. Samples were agitated with varying intensity. This study protocol involved microscopic analysis and patient evaluation. 1. Microscopic analysis: After two contrast samples had been agitated 10 or 20 times, they underwent a comparison of bubble size, bubble number, and red blood cell morphology. 2. Patient analysis: 40 patients with suspected RLS (right- to-left shunt) were enrolled. All patients underwent right heart contrast echocardiography. Oxygen saturation, transit time and duration, presence of RLS, change in indirect bilirubin and urobilinogen concentrations were compared afterward. Modified method generated more bubbles (P<0.05), but the differences in bubble size were not significant (P>0.05). Twenty-four patients were diagnosed with RLS (60%) using the modified method compared to 16 patients (40%) with the traditional method. The transit time of ASb20 group was the shortest (P<0.05). However, the duration time in this group was much longer (P<0.05). Also, in semi-quantitative analysis mean rank of RLS was higher after injecting the modified contrast agent agitated 20 times (P<0.05). Modified right heart contrast echocardiography is a reliable, effective and safe method of detecting cardiovascular RLS.

Bias in Diet Determination: Incorporating Traditional Methods in Bayesian Mixing Models

PubMed Central

Franco-Trecu, Valentina; Drago, Massimiliano; Riet-Sapriza, Federico G.; Parnell, Andrew; Frau, Rosina; Inchausti, Pablo

2013-01-01

There are not “universal methods” to determine diet composition of predators. Most traditional methods are biased because of their reliance on differential digestibility and the recovery of hard items. By relying on assimilated food, stable isotope and Bayesian mixing models (SIMMs) resolve many biases of traditional methods. SIMMs can incorporate prior information (i.e. proportional diet composition) that may improve the precision in the estimated dietary composition. However few studies have assessed the performance of traditional methods and SIMMs with and without informative priors to study the predators’ diets. Here we compare the diet compositions of the South American fur seal and sea lions obtained by scats analysis and by SIMMs-UP (uninformative priors) and assess whether informative priors (SIMMs-IP) from the scat analysis improved the estimated diet composition compared to SIMMs-UP. According to the SIMM-UP, while pelagic species dominated the fur seal’s diet the sea lion’s did not have a clear dominance of any prey. In contrast, SIMM-IP’s diets compositions were dominated by the same preys as in scat analyses. When prior information influenced SIMMs’ estimates, incorporating informative priors improved the precision in the estimated diet composition at the risk of inducing biases in the estimates. If preys isotopic data allow discriminating preys’ contributions to diets, informative priors should lead to more precise but unbiased estimated diet composition. Just as estimates of diet composition obtained from traditional methods are critically interpreted because of their biases, care must be exercised when interpreting diet composition obtained by SIMMs-IP. The best approach to obtain a near-complete view of predators’ diet composition should involve the simultaneous consideration of different sources of partial evidence (traditional methods, SIMM-UP and SIMM-IP) in the light of natural history of the predator species so as to reliably ascertain and weight the information yielded by each method. PMID:24224031

A meta-analysis of the effects of non-traditional teaching methods on the critical thinking abilities of nursing students.

PubMed

Lee, JuHee; Lee, Yoonju; Gong, SaeLom; Bae, Juyeon; Choi, Moonki

2016-09-15

Scientific framework is important in designing curricula and evaluating students in the field of education and clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of non-traditional educational methods on critical thinking skills. A systematic review approach was applied. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals from January 2001 to December 2014 were searched using electronic databases and major education journals. A meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.2. Reviewing the included studies, the California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CCTDI) and California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) were used to assess the effectiveness of critical thinking in the meta-analysis. The eight CCTDI datasets showed that non- traditional teaching methods (i.e., no lectures) were more effective compared to control groups (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.42, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.57, p < .00001). And six CCTST datasets showed the teaching and learning methods in these studies were also had significantly more effects when compared to the control groups (SMD: 0.29, 95 % CI: 0.10-0.48, p = 0.003). This research showed that new teaching and learning methods designed to improve critical thinking were generally effective at enhancing critical thinking dispositions.

Reasons and correlates of contraceptive discontinuation in Kuwait.

PubMed

Shah, N M; Shah, M A; Chowdhury, R I; Menon, I

2007-09-01

(1) To examine the probability of discontinuation of various methods within 1, 2, and three years of use and the reasons for discontinuation; 2) to analyse the socio-demographic correlates of discontinuation. Data from a survey of Kuwaiti women in reproductive ages conducted in 1999 were used. Information on duration of use of modern and traditional methods, and reasons for discontinuation during the 72 months before the survey were analysed. Probabilities of discontinuation were estimated through multiple decrement life table analysis. After 1 year, 30% of modern and 40% of traditional method users had discontinued; after 3 years, discontinuation increased to 66 and 70%, respectively. After 36 months, only 40% of IUD users discontinued compared with 74% of oral contraceptive users. The desire to become pregnant was the leading reason for discontinuation of most modern methods, while method failure was an equally important reason for traditional methods. Discontinuation was significantly more frequent among higher parity, non-working and Bedouin women, and among those who said Islam disapproves of contraception. Contraception is used largely for spacing. More than two-thirds of the women studied had discontinued most methods after three years, except the IUD, which was used only by about 10% of them. Traditional methods are often discontinued due to method failure and may result in an unintended pregnancy. Better counselling is warranted for traditional methods. Health care for managing side effects of modern methods also needs improvement.

Evaluation of a multiclass, multiresidue liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for analysis of 120 veterinary drugs in bovine kidney

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Traditionally, regulatory monitoring of veterinary drug residues in food animal tissues involves the use of several single-class methods to cover a wide analytical scope. Multiclass, multiresidue methods of analysis tend to provide greater overall laboratory efficiency than the use of multiple meth...

[A novel method of multi-channel feature extraction combining multivariate autoregression and multiple-linear principal component analysis].

PubMed

Wang, Jinjia; Zhang, Yanna

2015-02-01

Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems identify brain signals through extracting features from them. In view of the limitations of the autoregressive model feature extraction method and the traditional principal component analysis to deal with the multichannel signals, this paper presents a multichannel feature extraction method that multivariate autoregressive (MVAR) model combined with the multiple-linear principal component analysis (MPCA), and used for magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals and electroencephalograph (EEG) signals recognition. Firstly, we calculated the MVAR model coefficient matrix of the MEG/EEG signals using this method, and then reduced the dimensions to a lower one, using MPCA. Finally, we recognized brain signals by Bayes Classifier. The key innovation we introduced in our investigation showed that we extended the traditional single-channel feature extraction method to the case of multi-channel one. We then carried out the experiments using the data groups of IV-III and IV - I. The experimental results proved that the method proposed in this paper was feasible.

Synonymie und Interlinguistik (Synonymy and Interlinguistics).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szabo, Rita Brdar; Brdar, Mario

1993-01-01

Discusses the relationship between traditional synonym theory and two perspectives of interlinguistics: contrastive lexical analysis and languages in contact research. The goal and methods of each are described briefly, and a new synonym conceptualization is proposed that better fits synchronic dynamics than the traditional theory. Examples from…

Airbreathing hypersonic vehicle design and analysis methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockwood, Mary Kae; Petley, Dennis H.; Hunt, James L.; Martin, John G.

1996-01-01

The design, analysis, and optimization of airbreathing hypersonic vehicles requires analyses involving many highly coupled disciplines at levels of accuracy exceeding those traditionally considered in a conceptual or preliminary-level design. Discipline analysis methods including propulsion, structures, thermal management, geometry, aerodynamics, performance, synthesis, sizing, closure, and cost are discussed. Also, the on-going integration of these methods into a working environment, known as HOLIST, is described.

An Improved Spectral Analysis Method for Fatigue Damage Assessment of Details in Liquid Cargo Tanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Peng-yuan; Huang, Xiao-ping

2018-03-01

Errors will be caused in calculating the fatigue damages of details in liquid cargo tanks by using the traditional spectral analysis method which is based on linear system, for the nonlinear relationship between the dynamic stress and the ship acceleration. An improved spectral analysis method for the assessment of the fatigue damage in detail of a liquid cargo tank is proposed in this paper. Based on assumptions that the wave process can be simulated by summing the sinusoidal waves in different frequencies and the stress process can be simulated by summing the stress processes induced by these sinusoidal waves, the stress power spectral density (PSD) is calculated by expanding the stress processes induced by the sinusoidal waves into Fourier series and adding the amplitudes of each harmonic component with the same frequency. This analysis method can take the nonlinear relationship into consideration and the fatigue damage is then calculated based on the PSD of stress. Take an independent tank in an LNG carrier for example, the accuracy of the improved spectral analysis method is proved much better than that of the traditional spectral analysis method by comparing the calculated damage results with the results calculated by the time domain method. The proposed spectral analysis method is more accurate in calculating the fatigue damages in detail of ship liquid cargo tanks.

Virtual reality anatomy: is it comparable with traditional methods in the teaching of human forearm musculoskeletal anatomy?

PubMed

Codd, Anthony M; Choudhury, Bipasha

2011-01-01

The use of cadavers to teach anatomy is well established, but limitations with this approach have led to the introduction of alternative teaching methods. One such method is the use of three-dimensional virtual reality computer models. An interactive, three-dimensional computer model of human forearm anterior compartment musculoskeletal anatomy was produced using the open source 3D imaging program "Blender." The aim was to evaluate the use of 3D virtual reality when compared with traditional anatomy teaching methods. Three groups were identified from the University of Manchester second year Human Anatomy Research Skills Module class: a "control" group (no prior knowledge of forearm anatomy), a "traditional methods" group (taught using dissection and textbooks), and a "model" group (taught solely using e-resource). The groups were assessed on anatomy of the forearm by a ten question practical examination. ANOVA analysis showed the model group mean test score to be significantly higher than the control group (mean 7.25 vs. 1.46, P < 0.001) and not significantly different to the traditional methods group (mean 6.87, P > 0.5). Feedback from all users of the e-resource was positive. Virtual reality anatomy learning can be used to compliment traditional teaching methods effectively. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.

PET/CT and contrast enhanced CT in single vs. two separate sessions: a cost analysis study.

PubMed

Picchio, M; Mansueto, M; Crivellaro, C; Guerra, L; Marcelli, S; Arosio, M; Sironi, S; Gianolli, L; Grimaldi, A; Messa, C

2012-06-01

Aim of the study was to quantify the economic impact of PET/CT and contrast enhanced (c.e.) CT performed in a single session examination vs. stand-alone modalities in oncological patients. One-hundred-forty-five cancer patients referred to both PET/CT and c.e. CT, to either stage (N.=46) or re-stage (N.=99) the disease, were included. Seventy-two/145 performed both studies in a single session (innovative method) and 73/145 in two different sessions (traditional method). The cost-minimization analysis was performed by evaluating: 1) institutional costs, data obtained by hospital accountability (staff, medical materials, equipment maintenance and depreciation, departments utilities); 2) patients costs, data obtained by a specific survey provided to patients (travel, food, accommodation costs, productivity loss). Economic data analysis showed that the costs for innovative method was lower than those of traditional method, both for Institution (106 € less per test) and for patient (21 € less per patient). The loss of productivity for patient and caregivers resulted lower for the innovative method than the traditional method (3 work-hour less per person). PET/CT and c.e. CT performed in a single session is more cost-effective than stand-alone modalities, by reducing both Institutional and patients costs. These advantages are mainly due to lower Institutional cost (single procedure) and to lower cost related to travel and housing.

Use of traditional contraceptive methods in India & its socio-demographic determinants.

PubMed

Ram, Faujdar; Shekhar, Chander; Chowdhury, Biswabandita

2014-11-01

The high use of traditional contraceptive methods may have health repercussions on both partners. High failure rate, lack of protection from sexually transmitted diseases are some of the examples of these repercussions. The aim of this study was to understand the level, trends, pattern, volume and socio-demographic determinants of using traditional contraceptive methods in the Indian context. Percentages, per cent distribution, cross-tabulation and multinomial logistic regression analyses were carried out. The data from the three rounds of National Family Health survey (NFHS) were used. The unit level District Level Household Survey (2007-2008) were mainly used to carry out the analysis in this paper. Marriage rates for States and Union Territories (UTs) were projected for the period of 2001-2011 to estimate the volume of traditional contraceptive users. These rates are required to get the number of eligible couples as on 2011 in the respective State/UT. The latest round of the District Level Household Survey (2007-2008) revealed that 6.7 per cent currently married women were using traditional contraceptive methods in India. More than half of the currently married women (56%) have ever used these methods. In terms of socio-demographic determinants, the odds ratios of using these methods were significantly higher for women aged 35 years and above, rural, Hindu, other than Scheduled Castes/Tribes (SCs/STs), secondary and above educated, non-poor, having two plus living children, and at least one surviving son in most of the states as well as at the national level. The northeastern region showed higher odds ratios (5 times) of women using traditional contraceptive methods than the southern region. A large number of currently married women have ever used the traditional contraceptive methods in India. On the basis of the findings from this study, the total size of those women who were using traditional methods and those who were having unmet need, and are required to use modern spacing methods of family planning in achieving the reproductive goals, is around 53 million. Women from a set of specific socio-demographic backgrounds are more likely to use these methods. A regional pattern has also emerged in use of tradition contraceptive methods in India.

A phenomenological study of millennial students and traditional pedagogies.

PubMed

Toothaker, Rebecca; Taliaferro, Donna

The Millennial generation comprises the majority of learners in the traditional university setting. Nurse educators identify problems developing teaching strategies in education that undergraduate Millennial nursing students find engaging and meaningful. The purpose of this study was to identify the perception of Millennial students participating in traditional pedagogies and its significant implications for nursing education. This interpretive phenomenological study recorded the lived experiences of Millennial nursing students' experiences in traditional classrooms. One on one interviews with 13 Millennial students were conducted. Data collection and analysis aligned with van Manen's method. There are five themes that emerged from the data: physically present, mentally dislocated; unspoken peer pressure; wanting more from the professors; surface learning; and lack of trust. The essence focuses around the central theme of belonging, while students identified the most significant challenge in a classroom was disengaging professors. Recommendations for faculty to engage nursing students through a method of shared responsibility of educational approach are given. Blended teaching pedagogies that offer traditional and active methods are recommended. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Detecting spatial regimes in ecosystems | Science Inventory ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Research on early warning indicators has generally focused on assessing temporal transitions with limited application of these methods to detecting spatial regimes. Traditional spatial boundary detection procedures that result in ecoregion maps are typically based on ecological potential (i.e. potential vegetation), and often fail to account for ongoing changes due to stressors such as land use change and climate change and their effects on plant and animal communities. We use Fisher information, an information theory based method, on both terrestrial and aquatic animal data (US Breeding Bird Survey and marine zooplankton) to identify ecological boundaries, and compare our results to traditional early warning indicators, conventional ecoregion maps, and multivariate analysis such as nMDS (non-metric Multidimensional Scaling) and cluster analysis. We successfully detect spatial regimes and transitions in both terrestrial and aquatic systems using Fisher information. Furthermore, Fisher information provided explicit spatial information about community change that is absent from other multivariate approaches. Our results suggest that defining spatial regimes based on animal communities may better reflect ecological reality than do traditional ecoregion maps, especially in our current era of rapid and unpredictable ecological change. Use an information theory based method to identify ecological boundaries and compare our results to traditional early warning

Multiplexed microsatellite recovery using massively parallel sequencing

Treesearch

T.N. Jennings; B.J. Knaus; T.D. Mullins; S.M. Haig; R.C. Cronn

2011-01-01

Conservation and management of natural populations requires accurate and inexpensive genotyping methods. Traditional microsatellite, or simple sequence repeat (SSR), marker analysis remains a popular genotyping method because of the comparatively low cost of marker development, ease of analysis and high power of genotype discrimination. With the availability of...

Study of Intelligent Secure Chemical Inventory Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukran, Mohd Afizi Mohd; Naim Abdullah, Muhammad; Nazri Ismail, Mohd; Maskat, Kamaruzaman; Isa, Mohd Rizal Mohd; Shahfee Ishak, Muhammad; Adib Khairuddin, Muhamad

2017-08-01

Chemical inventory management system has been experiencing a new revolution from traditional inventory system which is manual to an automated inventory management system. In this paper, some review of the classic and modern approaches to chemical inventory management system has been discussed. This paper also describe about both type of inventory management. After a comparative analysis of the traditional method and automated method, it can be said that both methods have some distinctive characteristics. Moreover, the automated inventory management method has higher accuracy of calculation because the calculations are handled by software, eliminating possible errors and saving time. The automated inventory system also allows users and administrators to track the availability, location and consumption of chemicals. The study of this paper can provide forceful review analysis support for the chemical inventory management related research.

Study on establishment of Body of Knowledge of Taiwan's Traditional Wooden Structure Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, M. T.; Chiou, S. C.; Hsu, T. W.; Su, P. C.

2015-08-01

The timber technology of the Taiwan traditional architecture is brought by the immigrants in the Southern Fujian of China in the early, which has been inherited for a hundred years. In the past, these traditional timber technologies were taught by mentoring, however, due to the change of the social form, the construction of the traditional architecture was faded away, and what is gradually replaced is the repair work of the traditional architecture, therefore, the construction method of the timber technology, use form of the tool and other factors are very different from previous one, and the core technology is faced with the dilemma of endangered loss. There are many relevant studies on architectural style, construction method of technology, schools of craftsman, technical capacity of craftsman and other timber technologies, or the technology preservation is carried out by dictating the historical record, studying the skills and other ways, but for the timber craftsman repairing the traditional architecture on the front line, there is still space for discussing whether to maintain the original construction method and maintain the due repair quality for the core technology. This paper classified the timber technology knowledge with the document analysis method and expert interview method, carried out the architecture analysis of knowledge hierarchy, and finally, built the preliminary framework of the timber technology knowledge system of the Taiwan traditional architecture, and built the standard formulation available for craftsman training and skills identification by virtue of the knowledge system, so that the craftsman did not affect the technical capacity due to the change of the knowledge instruction system, thus, affecting the repair quality of the traditional architecture; and in addition, the building of the database system can also be derived by means of the knowledge structure, so as to integrate the consistency of the contents of core technical capacity. It can be used as the interpretation data; the knowledge is standardized and the authority file is established, which is regarded as a technical specification, so that the technology is standardized, thus, avoid loss or distort.

The "Promise" of Three Methods of Word Association Analysis to L2 Lexical Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zareva, Alla; Wolter, Brent

2012-01-01

The present study is an attempt to empirically test and compare the results of three methods of word association (WA) analysis. Two of the methods--namely, associative commonality and nativelikeness, and lexico-syntactic patterns of associative organization--have been traditionally used in both first language (L1) and second language (L2)…

Efficacy of Virtual Patients in Medical Education: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consorti, Fabrizio; Mancuso, Rosaria; Nocioni, Martina; Piccolo, Annalisa

2012-01-01

A meta-analysis was performed to assess the Effect Size (ES) from randomized studies comparing the effect of educational interventions in which Virtual patients (VPs) were used either as an alternative method or additive to usual curriculum versus interventions based on more traditional methods. Meta-analysis was designed, conducted and reported…

Reduce conflicts in traditional merariq traditions through the long tradition of the tribal people of sasak lombok

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarmini; Nadiroh, Ulin; Saeun Fahmi, Muhammad

2018-01-01

Marriage is a container for framing the inner-to-heart relationship, the bond of love and affection between a man and woman to nurture a joy of happiness. This study aims to find out how the process and stages in traditional merariq traditions in the Sasak people, conflicts arising from merariq traditions, and reduce conflict through the tradition of selabar. The method used in this research is qualitative analysis method. In the process, merariq tradition is done by kidnapping the bride without the knowledge of the parents or the family of the women. There are several stages that must be passed by the bride and groom in the tradition merariq, namely: besejati, nyelabar, bait wali, sorong serah dan nyongkolang. Conflict that often arises, for internal family, merariq often become a place of coercion against the female family. For society, merariq impact on disruption of harmony of social life. In order to reduce the conflicts done selabar tradition, the tragedy is regarded as an alternative problem solving in the form of negotiations between the bride and groom’s family and the bride-to-be relating to ajikrame and pisuke transactions.

Optimal methodologies for terahertz time-domain spectroscopic analysis of traditional pigments in powder form

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Taewoo; Lee, Howon; Sim, Kyung Ik; Kim, Jonghyeon; Jo, Young Chan; Kim, Jae Hoon; Baek, Na Yeon; Kang, Dai-ill; Lee, Han Hyoung

2017-05-01

We have established optimal methods for terahertz time-domain spectroscopic analysis of highly absorbing pigments in powder form based on our investigation of representative traditional Chinese pigments, such as azurite [blue-based color pigment], Chinese vermilion [red-based color pigment], and arsenic yellow [yellow-based color pigment]. To accurately extract the optical constants in the terahertz region of 0.1 - 3 THz, we carried out transmission measurements in such a way that intense absorption peaks did not completely suppress the transmission level. This required preparation of pellet samples with optimized thicknesses and material densities. In some cases, mixing the pigments with polyethylene powder was required to minimize absorption due to certain peak features. The resulting distortion-free terahertz spectra of the investigated set of pigment species exhibited well-defined unique spectral fingerprints. Our study will be useful to future efforts to establish non-destructive analysis methods of traditional pigments, to construct their spectral databases, and to apply these tools to restoration of cultural heritage materials.

a Cognitive Approach to Teaching a Graduate-Level Geobia Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchetti, Raechel A.

2016-06-01

Remote sensing image analysis training occurs both in the classroom and the research lab. Education in the classroom for traditional pixel-based image analysis has been standardized across college curriculums. However, with the increasing interest in Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA), there is a need to develop classroom instruction for this method of image analysis. While traditional remote sensing courses emphasize the expansion of skills and knowledge related to the use of computer-based analysis, GEOBIA courses should examine the cognitive factors underlying visual interpretation. This current paper provides an initial analysis of the development, implementation, and outcomes of a GEOBIA course that considers not only the computational methods of GEOBIA, but also the cognitive factors of expertise, that such software attempts to replicate. Finally, a reflection on the first instantiation of this course is presented, in addition to plans for development of an open-source repository for course materials.

Effects of problem-based learning in Chinese radiology education

PubMed Central

Zhang, Song; Xu, Jiancheng; Wang, Hongwei; Zhang, Dong; Zhang, Qichuan; Zou, Liguang

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: In recent years, the problem-based learning (PBL) teaching method has been extensively applied as an experimental educational method in Chinese radiology education. However, the results of individual studies were inconsistent and inconclusive. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of PBL on radiology education in China. Methods: Databases of Chinese and English languages were searched from inception up to November 2017. The standard mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to determine the over effects of PBL compared with the traditional teaching method. Results: Seventeen studies involving 1487 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Of them, 16 studies provided sufficient data for the pooled analysis and showed that PBL teaching method had a positive effect on achieving higher theoretical scores compared with the traditional teaching method (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI [0.68, 1.71]). Thirteen studies provided sufficient data on skill scores, and a significant difference in favor of PBL was also observed (SMD = 2.10, 95% CI [1.38, 2.83]). Questionnaire surveys were applied in most of the included studies and indicated positive effects of PBL on students’ learning interest, scope of knowledge, team spirit, and oral expression. Conclusion: The result shows that PBL appears to be more effective on radiology education than traditional teaching method in China. However, the heterogeneity of the included studies cannot be neglected. Further well-designed studies about this topic are needed to confirm the above findings. PMID:29489669

Traditional versus Contemporary Goals and Methods in Accounting Education: Bridging the Gap with Cooperative Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindquist, Tim M.

1995-01-01

In groups, 49 accounting students completed a 5-week analysis of audit reporting issues using cooperative learning. Positive student reactions and achievement suggested that contemporary active learning approaches are compatible with the traditional accounting goal of preparing for the Certified Public Accountants examination. (SK)

Adding Personality to Gifted Identification: Relationships among Traditional and Personality-Based Constructs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carman, Carol A.

2011-01-01

One of the underutilized tools in gifted identification is personality-based measures. A multiple confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to examine the relationships between traditional identification methods and personality-based measures. The pattern of correlations indicated this model could be measuring two constructs, one related to…

The Role of Theory in Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyfer, Jean L.

There are at least three ways in which educational theory can be used in practice: (1) to reexamine our traditional approaches, (2) to provide direction in future practice, and (3) to generate research. Reexamination of traditional approaches through analysis and utilization of theoretical methods is one means of promoting constant growth and…

A Focus on Problems of National Interest in the College General Chemistry Laboratory: The Effects of the Problem-Oriented Method Compared with Those of the Traditional Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neman, Robert Lynn

This study was designed to assess the effects of the problem-oriented method compared to those of the traditional approach in general chemistry at the college level. The problem-oriented course included topics such as air and water pollution, drug addiction and analysis, tetraethyl-lead additives, insecticides in the environment, and recycling of…

New criteria for the characterization of traditional East Asian papers.

PubMed

Avataneo, Chiara; Sablier, Michel

2017-01-01

We report a pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) method capable of analyzing traditional East Asian papers. The method proposed is based on rapid and easy single step Py-GC/MS analysis that can be carried out with a minimum amount of matter, in the few microgram range. Three reference papers manufactured from kozo (Broussonetia kazinoki Siebold & Zucc.), mitsumata (Edgeworthia chrysantha Lindl.), and gampi (Wikstroemia sikokiana Franch. & Sav.) with the traditional hand paper making processes were examined. The method allows discrimination between terpenic and steroid compounds, which were revealed as chemical markers of origin of the plant fibers. Each paper investigated was found to have characteristic pyrolysis fingerprints that were unique to the traditional handmade paper, demonstrating the potential for differentiation of these biochemical components of fiber plants on East Asian papers towards identification and conservation of cultural heritage. The investigation on Py-GC/MS was extended to liquid extraction followed by GC/MS analysis to characterize the biochemical components of fiber plants. The main contribution of this study is to provide molecular criteria for discriminating plant species used for traditional East Asian hand papermaking. Py-GC/MS complements efficiently microscope identification especially for adverse cases. A case study of archaeological Chinese paper painting artefacts was thereafter successfully investigated to address informative potential and efficiency of the criteria of identification on ancient and degraded East Asian paperworks.

Analysis of Expedited Defense Contracting Methods in the Acquisition of Emerging Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT ANALYSIS OF EXPEDITED DEFENSE CONTRACTING METHODS IN THE...CONTRACTING METHODS IN THE ACQUISITION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGY 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Jacob D. Sabin and Mark K. Zakner 7. PERFORMING...firms. The DOD has authority for applying non-traditional contracting methods to better adapt to this competitive marketplace. This project studied non

Radiation Heat Transfer Between Diffuse-Gray Surfaces Using Higher Order Finite Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gould, Dana C.

2000-01-01

This paper presents recent work on developing methods for analyzing radiation heat transfer between diffuse-gray surfaces using p-version finite elements. The work was motivated by a thermal analysis of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) wing structure which showed the importance of radiation heat transfer throughout the structure. The analysis also showed that refining the finite element mesh to accurately capture the temperature distribution on the internal structure led to very large meshes with unacceptably long execution times. Traditional methods for calculating surface-to-surface radiation are based on assumptions that are not appropriate for p-version finite elements. Two methods for determining internal radiation heat transfer are developed for one and two-dimensional p-version finite elements. In the first method, higher-order elements are divided into a number of sub-elements. Traditional methods are used to determine radiation heat flux along each sub-element and then mapped back to the parent element. In the second method, the radiation heat transfer equations are numerically integrated over the higher-order element. Comparisons with analytical solutions show that the integration scheme is generally more accurate than the sub-element method. Comparison to results from traditional finite elements shows that significant reduction in the number of elements in the mesh is possible using higher-order (p-version) finite elements.

Multiscale analysis of heart rate dynamics: entropy and time irreversibility measures.

PubMed

Costa, Madalena D; Peng, Chung-Kang; Goldberger, Ary L

2008-06-01

Cardiovascular signals are largely analyzed using traditional time and frequency domain measures. However, such measures fail to account for important properties related to multiscale organization and non-equilibrium dynamics. The complementary role of conventional signal analysis methods and emerging multiscale techniques, is, therefore, an important frontier area of investigation. The key finding of this presentation is that two recently developed multiscale computational tools--multiscale entropy and multiscale time irreversibility--are able to extract information from cardiac interbeat interval time series not contained in traditional methods based on mean, variance or Fourier spectrum (two-point correlation) techniques. These new methods, with careful attention to their limitations, may be useful in diagnostics, risk stratification and detection of toxicity of cardiac drugs.

Multiscale Analysis of Heart Rate Dynamics: Entropy and Time Irreversibility Measures

PubMed Central

Peng, Chung-Kang; Goldberger, Ary L.

2016-01-01

Cardiovascular signals are largely analyzed using traditional time and frequency domain measures. However, such measures fail to account for important properties related to multiscale organization and nonequilibrium dynamics. The complementary role of conventional signal analysis methods and emerging multiscale techniques, is, therefore, an important frontier area of investigation. The key finding of this presentation is that two recently developed multiscale computational tools— multiscale entropy and multiscale time irreversibility—are able to extract information from cardiac interbeat interval time series not contained in traditional methods based on mean, variance or Fourier spectrum (two-point correlation) techniques. These new methods, with careful attention to their limitations, may be useful in diagnostics, risk stratification and detection of toxicity of cardiac drugs. PMID:18172763

Unidirectional Fabric Drape Testing Method

PubMed Central

Mei, Zaihuan; Yang, Jingzhi; Zhou, Ting; Zhou, Hua

2015-01-01

In most cases, fabrics such as curtains, skirts, suit pants and so on are draped under their own gravity parallel to fabric plane while the gravity is perpendicular to fabric plane in traditional drape testing method. As a result, it does not conform to actual situation and the test data is not convincing enough. To overcome this problem, this paper presents a novel method which simulates the real mechanical conditions and ensures the gravity is parallel to the fabric plane. This method applied a low-cost Kinect Sensor device to capture the 3-dimensional (3D) drape profile, thus we obtained the drape degree parameters and aesthetic parameters by 3D reconstruction and image processing and analysis techniques. The experiment was conducted on our self-devised drape-testing instrument by choosing different kinds of weave structure fabrics as our testing samples and the results were compared with those of traditional method and subjective evaluation. Through regression and correlation analysis we found that this novel testing method was significantly correlated with the traditional and subjective evaluation method. We achieved a new, non-contact 3D measurement method for drape testing, namely unidirectional fabric drape testing method. This method is more suitable for evaluating drape behavior because it is more in line with actual mechanical conditions of draped fabrics and has a well consistency with the requirements of visual and aesthetic style of fabrics. PMID:26600387

Effectiveness of Video Demonstration over Conventional Methods in Teaching Osteology in Anatomy.

PubMed

Viswasom, Angela A; Jobby, Abraham

2017-02-01

Technology and its applications are the most happening things in the world. So, is it in the field of medical education. This study was an evaluation of whether the conventional methods can compete with the test of technology. A comparative study of traditional method of teaching osteology in human anatomy with an innovative visual aided method. The study was conducted on 94 students admitted to MBBS 2014 to 2015 batch of Travancore Medical College. The students were divided into two academically validated groups. They were taught using conventional and video demonstrational techniques in a systematic manner. Post evaluation tests were conducted. Analysis of the mark pattern revealed that the group taught using traditional method scored better when compared to the visual aided method. Feedback analysis showed that, the students were able to identify bony features better with clear visualisation and three dimensional view when taught using the video demonstration method. The students identified visual aided method as the more interesting one for learning which helped them in applying the knowledge gained. In most of the questions asked, the two methods of teaching were found to be comparable on the same scale. As the study ends, we discover that, no new technique can be substituted for time tested techniques of teaching and learning. The ideal method would be incorporating newer multimedia techniques into traditional classes.

Comparing the Effects of Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) and Traditional Method on Learning of Students.

PubMed

Mansoorian, Mohammad Reza; Hosseiny, Marzeih Sadat; Khosravan, Shahla; Alami, Ali; Alaviani, Mehri

2015-06-01

Despite the benefits of the objective structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) and it appropriateness for evaluating clinical abilities of nursing students , few studies are available on the application of this method in nursing education. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of using OSATS and traditional methods on the students' learning. We also aimed to signify students' views about these two methods and their views about the scores they received in these methods in a medical emergency course. A quasi-experimental study was performed on 45 first semester students in nursing and medical emergencies passing a course on fundamentals of practice. The students were selected by a census method and evaluated by both the OSATS and traditional methods. Data collection was performed using checklists prepared based on the 'text book of nursing procedures checklists' published by Iranian nursing organization and a questionnaire containing learning rate and students' estimation of their received scores. Descriptive statistics as well as paired t-test and independent samples t-test were used in data analysis. The mean of students' score in OSATS was significantly higher than their mean score in traditional method (P = 0.01). Moreover, the mean of self-evaluation score after the traditional method was relatively the same as the score the students received in the exam. However, the mean of self-evaluation score after the OSATS was relatively lower than the scores the students received in the OSATS exam. Most students believed that OSATS can evaluate a wide range of students' knowledge and skills compared to traditional method. Results of this study indicated the better effect of OSATS on learning and its relative superiority in precise assessment of clinical skills compared with the traditional evaluation method. Therefore, we recommend using this method in evaluation of students in practical courses.

Tuberculosis patients’ knowledge and beliefs about tuberculosis: a mixed methods study from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The setting for this study was the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, an archipelago of 82 islands, located in the South Pacific Ocean. Our objective was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of tuberculosis (TB) patients towards TB. Methods This was a descriptive study using qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative analysis was based on the responses provided to closed questions, and we present frequencies to describe the TB patients’ knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to TB. Qualitative analysis was based on open questions permitting fuller explanations. We used thematic analysis and developed a posteriori inductive categories to draw conclusions. Results Thirty five TB patients were interviewed; 22 (63%) were male. They attributed TB to cigarettes, kava, alcohol, contaminated food, sharing eating utensils and “kastom” (the local term for the traditional way of life, but also for sorcery). Most (94%) did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. However, almost all TB patients (89%) thought that TB was best treated at a hospital with antibiotics. Three quarters (74%) experienced stigma after their TB diagnosis. Seeking health care from a traditional healer was common; 54% of TB patients stated that they would first consult a traditional healer for any illness. When seeking a diagnosis for signs and symptoms of TB, 34% first consulted a traditional healer. Patients cited cost, distance and beliefs about TB causation as reasons for first consulting a traditional healer or going to the hospital. Of the TB patients who consulted a traditional healer first, there was an average of two weeks delay before they consulted the health service. In some cases, however, the delay was up to six years. Conclusion The majority of the TB patients interviewed did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. Consulting a traditional healer for health care, including while seeking a diagnosis for TB symptoms, was common and may have delayed diagnosis. People require better information about TB to correct commonly held misperceptions about the disease. Traditional healers could also be engaged with the national TB programme, in order to refer people with signs and symptoms of TB to the nearest health service. PMID:24885057

SU-F-T-308: Mobius FX Evaluation and Comparison Against a Commercial 4D Detector Array for VMAT Plan QA

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

Vazquez Quino, L; Huerta Hernandez, C; Morrow, A

2016-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the use of MobiusFX as a pre-treatment verification IMRT QA tool and compare it with a commercial 4D detector array for VMAT plan QA. Methods: 15 VMAT plan QA of different treatment sites were delivered and measured by traditional means with the 4D detector array ArcCheck (Sun Nuclear corporation) and at the same time measurement in linac treatment logs (Varian Dynalogs files) were analyzed from the same delivery with MobiusFX software (Mobius Medical Systems). VMAT plan QAs created in Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian) in a TrueBeam linac machine (Varian) were delivered and analyzed with the gammamore » analysis routine from SNPA software (Sun Nuclear corporation). Results: Comparable results in terms of the gamma analysis with 99.06% average gamma passing with 3%,3mm passing rate is observed in the comparison among MobiusFX, ArcCheck measurements, and the Treatment Planning System dose calculated. When going to a stricter criterion (1%,1mm) larger discrepancies are observed in different regions of the measurements with an average gamma of 66.24% between MobiusFX and ArcCheck. Conclusion: This work indicates the potential for using MobiusFX as a routine pre-treatment patient specific IMRT method for quality assurance purposes and its advantages as a phantom-less method which reduce the time for IMRT QA measurement. MobiusFX is capable of produce similar results of those by traditional methods used for patient specific pre-treatment verification VMAT QA. Even the gamma results comparing to the TPS are similar the analysis of both methods show that the errors being identified by each method are found in different regions. Traditional methods like ArcCheck are sensitive to setup errors and dose difference errors coming from the linac output. On the other hand linac log files analysis record different errors in the VMAT QA associated with the MLCs and gantry motion that by traditional methods cannot be detected.« less

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

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

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R.

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

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

DOE PAGES

Black, Stuart; Ferrell, Jack R.

2016-01-06

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

Topic modeling for cluster analysis of large biological and medical datasets

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The big data moniker is nowhere better deserved than to describe the ever-increasing prodigiousness and complexity of biological and medical datasets. New methods are needed to generate and test hypotheses, foster biological interpretation, and build validated predictors. Although multivariate techniques such as cluster analysis may allow researchers to identify groups, or clusters, of related variables, the accuracies and effectiveness of traditional clustering methods diminish for large and hyper dimensional datasets. Topic modeling is an active research field in machine learning and has been mainly used as an analytical tool to structure large textual corpora for data mining. Its ability to reduce high dimensionality to a small number of latent variables makes it suitable as a means for clustering or overcoming clustering difficulties in large biological and medical datasets. Results In this study, three topic model-derived clustering methods, highest probable topic assignment, feature selection and feature extraction, are proposed and tested on the cluster analysis of three large datasets: Salmonella pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) dataset, lung cancer dataset, and breast cancer dataset, which represent various types of large biological or medical datasets. All three various methods are shown to improve the efficacy/effectiveness of clustering results on the three datasets in comparison to traditional methods. A preferable cluster analysis method emerged for each of the three datasets on the basis of replicating known biological truths. Conclusion Topic modeling could be advantageously applied to the large datasets of biological or medical research. The three proposed topic model-derived clustering methods, highest probable topic assignment, feature selection and feature extraction, yield clustering improvements for the three different data types. Clusters more efficaciously represent truthful groupings and subgroupings in the data than traditional methods, suggesting that topic model-based methods could provide an analytic advancement in the analysis of large biological or medical datasets. PMID:25350106

Topic modeling for cluster analysis of large biological and medical datasets.

PubMed

Zhao, Weizhong; Zou, Wen; Chen, James J

2014-01-01

The big data moniker is nowhere better deserved than to describe the ever-increasing prodigiousness and complexity of biological and medical datasets. New methods are needed to generate and test hypotheses, foster biological interpretation, and build validated predictors. Although multivariate techniques such as cluster analysis may allow researchers to identify groups, or clusters, of related variables, the accuracies and effectiveness of traditional clustering methods diminish for large and hyper dimensional datasets. Topic modeling is an active research field in machine learning and has been mainly used as an analytical tool to structure large textual corpora for data mining. Its ability to reduce high dimensionality to a small number of latent variables makes it suitable as a means for clustering or overcoming clustering difficulties in large biological and medical datasets. In this study, three topic model-derived clustering methods, highest probable topic assignment, feature selection and feature extraction, are proposed and tested on the cluster analysis of three large datasets: Salmonella pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) dataset, lung cancer dataset, and breast cancer dataset, which represent various types of large biological or medical datasets. All three various methods are shown to improve the efficacy/effectiveness of clustering results on the three datasets in comparison to traditional methods. A preferable cluster analysis method emerged for each of the three datasets on the basis of replicating known biological truths. Topic modeling could be advantageously applied to the large datasets of biological or medical research. The three proposed topic model-derived clustering methods, highest probable topic assignment, feature selection and feature extraction, yield clustering improvements for the three different data types. Clusters more efficaciously represent truthful groupings and subgroupings in the data than traditional methods, suggesting that topic model-based methods could provide an analytic advancement in the analysis of large biological or medical datasets.

Alternative Approaches for Screening Contaminated Sediments and Soils for PCDD/PCDF

EPA Science Inventory

Generating analytical data for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF) using the traditional high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis method, EPA Method 1613B, is time-consuming and expensive. Consequently, alternative methods to ...

Structured Feedback Training for Time-Out: Efficacy and Efficiency in Comparison to a Didactic Method.

PubMed

Jensen, Scott A; Blumberg, Sean; Browning, Megan

2017-09-01

Although time-out has been demonstrated to be effective across multiple settings, little research exists on effective methods for training others to implement time-out. The present set of studies is an exploratory analysis of a structured feedback method for training time-out using repeated role-plays. The three studies examined (a) a between-subjects comparison to more a traditional didactic/video modeling method of time-out training, (b) a within-subjects comparison to traditional didactic/video modeling training for another skill, and (c) the impact of structured feedback training on in-home time-out implementation. Though findings are only preliminary and more research is needed, the structured feedback method appears across studies to be an efficient, effective method that demonstrates good maintenance of skill up to 3 months post training. Findings suggest, though do not confirm, a benefit of the structured feedback method over a more traditional didactic/video training model. Implications and further research on the method are discussed.

Sociometric Indicators of Leadership: An Exploratory Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

streamline existing observational protocols and assessment methods . This research provides an initial test of sociometric badges in the context of the U.S...understand, the requirements of the mission. Traditional research and assessment methods focusing on leader and follower interactions require direct...based methods of social network analysis. Novel Measures of Leadership Building on these findings and earlier research , it is apparent that

The Analysis of Likert Scales Using State Multipoles: An Application of Quantum Methods to Behavioral Sciences Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camparo, James; Camparo, Lorinda B.

2013-01-01

Though ubiquitous, Likert scaling's traditional mode of analysis is often unable to uncover all of the valid information in a data set. Here, the authors discuss a solution to this problem based on methodology developed by quantum physicists: the state multipole method. The authors demonstrate the relative ease and value of this method by…

Augmented reality telementoring (ART) platform: a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a new surgical education technology.

PubMed

Vera, Angelina M; Russo, Michael; Mohsin, Adnan; Tsuda, Shawn

2014-12-01

Laparoscopic skills training has evolved over recent years. However, conveying a mentor's directions using conventional methods, without realistic on-screen visual cues, can be difficult and confusing. To facilitate laparoscopic skill transference, an augmented reality telementoring (ART) platform was designed to overlay the instruments of a mentor onto the trainee's laparoscopic monitor. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of this new teaching modality to traditional methods in novices performing an intracorporeal suturing task. Nineteen pre-medical and medical students were randomized into traditional mentoring (n = 9) and ART (n = 10) groups for a laparoscopic suturing and knot-tying task. Subjects received either traditional mentoring or ART for 1 h on the validated fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery intracorporeal suturing task. Tasks for suturing were recorded and scored for time and errors. Results were analyzed using means, standard deviation, power regression analysis, correlation coefficient, analysis of variance, and student's t test. Using Wright's cumulative average model (Y = aX (b)) the learning curve slope was significantly steeper, demonstrating faster skill acquisition, for the ART group (b = -0.567, r (2) = 0.92) than the control group (b = -0.453, r (2) = 0.74). At the end of 10 repetitions or 1 h of practice, the ART group was faster versus traditional (mean 167.4 vs. 242.4 s, p = 0.014). The ART group also had fewer fails (8) than the traditional group (13). The ART Platform may be a more effective training technique in teaching laparoscopic skills to novices compared to traditional methods. ART conferred a shorter learning curve, which was more pronounced in the first 4 trials. ART reduced the number of failed attempts and resulted in faster suture times by the end of the training session. ART may be a more effective training tool in laparoscopic surgical training for complex tasks than traditional methods.

Comparison of the efficacy of dispensing granules with traditional decoction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Qiu, Ruijin; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Zhao, Chen; Li, Min

2018-01-01

Background Dispensing granules have been developed for about 20 years. However, whether they are as effective as the traditional decoction kept unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis was made to assess the efficacy of dispensing granules compared with traditional decoction. Methods We searched four databases since their inception to 9th September in 2016. Two authors independently identified trials, extracted data and assessed risk of bias with Cochrane Reviewer’s Handbook 5.0. We conducted meta-analysis with RevMan 5.1.0 software for eligible and appropriate trials. Results In the end, 7,035 participants from 51 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which compared dispensing granules with traditional decoction were included in this systematic review. There were 33 different kinds of diseases for investigation, of which 8 RCTs observed common cold, 4 RCTs observed migraine. For rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia and hypertension, there were 3 RCTs reported respectively. The last RCTs reported different kinds of diseases in one or two trials. The majority of trials were in low methodological quality. Thirty-eight (74.5%) RCTs showed that the efficacy of dispensing granules were similar with traditional decoction, 6 (11.8%) RCTs reported that the therapeutic efficacy of dispensing granules were significantly better than traditional decoction. We conducted meta-analysis for 4 trials investigating patients with migraine. The results showed that dispensing granules reduced headache frequency by about 1.03 attacks per month as compared to traditional decoction. No evidence was found in terms of migraine intensity and duration. Conclusions The low quality of RCTs and conflicting results made it difficult to draw a definite conclusion. In the future, it needs much more evidence to explore the efficacy and safety of dispensing granules. N-of-1 trials and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods may be better choices for assessing the efficacy of them than RCTs. PMID:29610730

The effectiveness of computer-managed instruction versus traditional classroom lecture on achievement outcomes.

PubMed

Schmidt, S M; Arndt, M J; Gaston, S; Miller, B J

1991-01-01

This controlled experimental study examines the effect of two teaching methods on achievement outcomes from a 15-week, 2 credit hour semester course taught at two midwestern universities. Students were randomly assigned to either computer-managed instruction in which faculty function as tutors or the traditional classroom course of study. In addition, the effects of age, grade point average, attitudes toward computers, and satisfaction with the course on teaching method were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Younger students achieved better scores than did older students. Regardless of teaching method, however, neither method appeared to be better than the other for teaching course content. Students did not prefer one method over the other as indicated by their satisfaction scores. With demands upon university faculty to conduct research and publish, alternative methods of teaching that free faculty from the classroom should be considered. This study suggests that educators can select such an alternative teaching method to traditional classroom teaching without sacrificing quality education for certain courses.

Traditional Education of Aboriginal People in Canada: Principles, Methods and Characteristic Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zapotichna, Maria

2015-01-01

In the article the period of traditional education of aboriginal people in Canada in precolonial times has been presented. The main objectives have been defined as theoretical analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, which highlights different aspects of the problem under research; characteristic of theoretical framework in understanding…

A method based on IHS cylindrical transform model for quality assessment of image fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaokun; Jia, Yonghong

2005-10-01

Image fusion technique has been widely applied to remote sensing image analysis and processing, and methods for quality assessment of image fusion in remote sensing have also become the research issues at home and abroad. Traditional assessment methods combine calculation of quantitative indexes and visual interpretation to compare fused images quantificationally and qualitatively. However, in the existing assessment methods, there are two defects: on one hand, most imdexes lack the theoretic support to compare different fusion methods. On the hand, there is not a uniform preference for most of the quantitative assessment indexes when they are applied to estimate the fusion effects. That is, the spatial resolution and spectral feature could not be analyzed synchronously by these indexes and there is not a general method to unify the spatial and spectral feature assessment. So in this paper, on the basis of the approximate general model of four traditional fusion methods, including Intensity Hue Saturation(IHS) triangle transform fusion, High Pass Filter(HPF) fusion, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) fusion, Wavelet Transform(WT) fusion, a correlation coefficient assessment method based on IHS cylindrical transform is proposed. By experiments, this method can not only get the evaluation results of spatial and spectral features on the basis of uniform preference, but also can acquire the comparison between fusion image sources and fused images, and acquire differences among fusion methods. Compared with the traditional assessment methods, the new methods is more intuitionistic, and in accord with subjective estimation.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Advancing Methods for Analyzing Dialect Variation.

PubMed

Clopper, Cynthia G

2017-07-01

Documenting and analyzing dialect variation is traditionally the domain of dialectology and sociolinguistics. However, modern approaches to acoustic analysis of dialect variation have their roots in Peterson and Barney's [(1952). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 24, 175-184] foundational work on the acoustic analysis of vowels that was published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA) over 6 decades ago. Although Peterson and Barney (1952) were not primarily concerned with dialect variation, their methods laid the groundwork for the acoustic methods that are still used by scholars today to analyze vowel variation within and across languages. In more recent decades, a number of methodological advances in the study of vowel variation have been published in JASA, including work on acoustic vowel overlap and vowel normalization. The goal of this special issue was to honor that tradition by bringing together a set of papers describing the application of emerging acoustic, articulatory, and computational methods to the analysis of dialect variation in vowels and beyond.

Identification of modal parameters including unmeasured forces and transient effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cauberghe, B.; Guillaume, P.; Verboven, P.; Parloo, E.

2003-08-01

In this paper, a frequency-domain method to estimate modal parameters from short data records with known input (measured) forces and unknown input forces is presented. The method can be used for an experimental modal analysis, an operational modal analysis (output-only data) and the combination of both. A traditional experimental and operational modal analysis in the frequency domain starts respectively, from frequency response functions and spectral density functions. To estimate these functions accurately sufficient data have to be available. The technique developed in this paper estimates the modal parameters directly from the Fourier spectra of the outputs and the known input. Instead of using Hanning windows on these short data records the transient effects are estimated simultaneously with the modal parameters. The method is illustrated, tested and validated by Monte Carlo simulations and experiments. The presented method to process short data sequences leads to unbiased estimates with a small variance in comparison to the more traditional approaches.

Performance analysis of a Principal Component Analysis ensemble classifier for Emotiv headset P300 spellers.

PubMed

Elsawy, Amr S; Eldawlatly, Seif; Taher, Mohamed; Aly, Gamal M

2014-01-01

The current trend to use Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) with mobile devices mandates the development of efficient EEG data processing methods. In this paper, we demonstrate the performance of a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) ensemble classifier for P300-based spellers. We recorded EEG data from multiple subjects using the Emotiv neuroheadset in the context of a classical oddball P300 speller paradigm. We compare the performance of the proposed ensemble classifier to the performance of traditional feature extraction and classifier methods. Our results demonstrate the capability of the PCA ensemble classifier to classify P300 data recorded using the Emotiv neuroheadset with an average accuracy of 86.29% on cross-validation data. In addition, offline testing of the recorded data reveals an average classification accuracy of 73.3% that is significantly higher than that achieved using traditional methods. Finally, we demonstrate the effect of the parameters of the P300 speller paradigm on the performance of the method.

CLASSIFICATION OF IRANIAN NURSES ACCORDING TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES USING GHQ-12 QUESTIONNAIRE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS AND K-MEANS CLUSTERING WITH TRADITIONAL SCORING METHOD

PubMed Central

Jamali, Jamshid; Ayatollahi, Seyyed Mohammad Taghi

2015-01-01

Background: Nurses constitute the most providers of health care systems. Their mental health can affect the quality of services and patients’ satisfaction. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a general screening tool used to detect mental disorders. Scoring method and determining thresholds for this questionnaire are debatable and the cut-off points can vary from sample to sample. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders among Iranian nurses using GHQ-12 and also compare Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and K-means clustering with traditional scoring method. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Fars and Bushehr provinces of southern Iran in 2014. Participants were 771 Iranian nurses, who filled out the GHQ-12 questionnaire. Traditional scoring method, LCA and K-means were used to estimate the prevalence of mental disorder among Iranian nurses. Cohen’s kappa statistic was applied to assess the agreement between the LCA and K-means with traditional scoring method of GHQ-12. Results: The nurses with mental disorder by scoring method, LCA and K-mean were 36.3% (n=280), 32.2% (n=248), and 26.5% (n=204), respectively. LCA and logistic regression revealed that the prevalence of mental disorder in females was significantly higher than males. Conclusion: Mental disorder in nurses was in a medium level compared to other people living in Iran. There was a little difference between prevalence of mental disorder estimated by scoring method, K-means and LCA. According to the advantages of LCA than K-means and different results in scoring method, we suggest LCA for classification of Iranian nurses according to their mental health outcomes using GHQ-12 questionnaire PMID:26622202

CLASSIFICATION OF IRANIAN NURSES ACCORDING TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES USING GHQ-12 QUESTIONNAIRE: A COMPARISON BETWEEN LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS AND K-MEANS CLUSTERING WITH TRADITIONAL SCORING METHOD.

PubMed

Jamali, Jamshid; Ayatollahi, Seyyed Mohammad Taghi

2015-10-01

Nurses constitute the most providers of health care systems. Their mental health can affect the quality of services and patients' satisfaction. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a general screening tool used to detect mental disorders. Scoring method and determining thresholds for this questionnaire are debatable and the cut-off points can vary from sample to sample. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders among Iranian nurses using GHQ-12 and also compare Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and K-means clustering with traditional scoring method. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Fars and Bushehr provinces of southern Iran in 2014. Participants were 771 Iranian nurses, who filled out the GHQ-12 questionnaire. Traditional scoring method, LCA and K-means were used to estimate the prevalence of mental disorder among Iranian nurses. Cohen's kappa statistic was applied to assess the agreement between the LCA and K-means with traditional scoring method of GHQ-12. The nurses with mental disorder by scoring method, LCA and K-mean were 36.3% (n=280), 32.2% (n=248), and 26.5% (n=204), respectively. LCA and logistic regression revealed that the prevalence of mental disorder in females was significantly higher than males. Mental disorder in nurses was in a medium level compared to other people living in Iran. There was a little difference between prevalence of mental disorder estimated by scoring method, K-means and LCA. According to the advantages of LCA than K-means and different results in scoring method, we suggest LCA for classification of Iranian nurses according to their mental health outcomes using GHQ-12 questionnaire.

3. Evaluation of unstable lands for interagency watershed analysis

Treesearch

Leslie M. Reid; Robert R. Ziemer; Mark E. Smith; Colin Close

1994-01-01

Abstract - Although methods for evaluating landslide rates and distributions are well developed, much less attention has been paid to evaluating the biological and physical role of landsliding. New directions in land management on Federal lands of the Pacific Northwest now require such evaluations for designing Riparian Reserves. Traditional analysis methods are no...

A comparative study of traditional lecture methods and interactive lecture methods in introductory geology courses for non-science majors at the college level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hundley, Stacey A.

In recent years there has been a national call for reform in undergraduate science education. The goal of this reform movement in science education is to develop ways to improve undergraduate student learning with an emphasis on developing more effective teaching practices. Introductory science courses at the college level are generally taught using a traditional lecture format. Recent studies have shown incorporating active learning strategies within the traditional lecture classroom has positive effects on student outcomes. This study focuses on incorporating interactive teaching methods into the traditional lecture classroom to enhance student learning for non-science majors enrolled in introductory geology courses at a private university. Students' experience and instructional preferences regarding introductory geology courses were identified from survey data analysis. The information gained from responses to the questionnaire was utilized to develop an interactive lecture introductory geology course for non-science majors. Student outcomes were examined in introductory geology courses based on two teaching methods: interactive lecture and traditional lecture. There were no significant statistical differences between the groups based on the student outcomes and teaching methods. Incorporating interactive lecture methods did not statistically improve student outcomes when compared to traditional lecture teaching methods. However, the responses to the survey revealed students have a preference for introductory geology courses taught with lecture and instructor-led discussions and students prefer to work independently or in small groups. The results of this study are useful to individuals who teach introductory geology courses and individuals who teach introductory science courses for non-science majors at the college level.

Unwanted pregnancy and traditional self-induced abortion methods known among women aged 15 to 49.

PubMed

Sensoy, Nazli; Dogan, Nurhan; Sen, Kubra; Aslan, Halit; Tore-Baser, Ayca

2015-05-01

To determine the traditional methods known and used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy and the fertility characteristics of married women. The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey at Afyonkarahisar Zübeyde Hanim Child and Maternity Hospital's outpatient clinic between December 27, 2010 and January 7, 2011, and comprised married women aged 17 to 49 who presented for an examination. Questions related to socio-demographic and fertility characteristics as well as known and used traditional abortion methods were included in the questionnaire which was administered through face-to-face interviews. SPSS 18.0 was used for statistical analysis. The median age of the 600 women in the study was 29.5 (range: 17-49) years. Overall, 134 (22.3%) women had experienced an unwanted pregnancy. In 53 (39.6%) cases, the unwanted pregnancy had occurred between the ages of 30 and 39, and 116(86.6%) women had married when they were between 15 and 24 (p< 0.008) years old. Pregnancy had been concluded normally in 78(58.2%)women with an unwanted pregnancy and 34(35.8%)preferred the withdrawal method for contraception. Traditional abortion methods were known to 413(68.8%)women, but only 8(1.3%) had used any of them. The harms of using a traditional abortion method were known to 464(77.3%)women. Very few women used traditional abortion methods to terminate pregnancy. Knowing the characteristics of women and their need for family planning should be the first priority for the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.

Using occupancy modelling to compare environmental DNA to traditional field methods for regional-scale monitoring of an endangered aquatic species.

PubMed

Schmelzle, Molly C; Kinziger, Andrew P

2016-07-01

Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring approaches promise to greatly improve detection of rare, endangered and invasive species in comparison with traditional field approaches. Herein, eDNA approaches and traditional seining methods were applied at 29 research locations to compare method-specific estimates of detection and occupancy probabilities for endangered tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi). At each location, multiple paired seine hauls and water samples for eDNA analysis were taken, ranging from two to 23 samples per site, depending upon habitat size. Analysis using a multimethod occupancy modelling framework indicated that the probability of detection using eDNA was nearly double (0.74) the rate of detection for seining (0.39). The higher detection rates afforded by eDNA allowed determination of tidewater goby occupancy at two locations where they have not been previously detected and at one location considered to be locally extirpated. Additionally, eDNA concentration was positively related to tidewater goby catch per unit effort, suggesting eDNA could potentially be used as a proxy for local tidewater goby abundance. Compared to traditional field sampling, eDNA provided improved occupancy parameter estimates and can be applied to increase management efficiency across a broad spatial range and within a diversity of habitats. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Cost of Joint Replacement: Comparing Two Approaches to Evaluating Costs of Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Palsis, John A; Brehmer, Thomas S; Pellegrini, Vincent D; Drew, Jacob M; Sachs, Barton L

2018-02-21

In an era of mandatory bundled payments for total joint replacement, accurate analysis of the cost of procedures is essential for orthopaedic surgeons and their institutions to maintain viable practices. The purpose of this study was to compare traditional accounting and time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) methods for estimating the total costs of total hip and knee arthroplasty care cycles. We calculated the overall costs of elective primary total hip and total knee replacement care cycles at our academic medical center using traditional and TDABC accounting methods. We compared the methods with respect to the overall costs of hip and knee replacement and the costs for each major cost category. The traditional accounting method resulted in higher cost estimates. The total cost per hip replacement was $22,076 (2014 USD) using traditional accounting and was $12,957 using TDABC. The total cost per knee replacement was $29,488 using traditional accounting and was $16,981 using TDABC. With respect to cost categories, estimates using traditional accounting were greater for hip and knee replacement, respectively, by $3,432 and $5,486 for personnel, by $3,398 and $3,664 for space and equipment, and by $2,289 and $3,357 for indirect costs. Implants and consumables were derived from the actual hospital purchase price; accordingly, both methods produced equivalent results. Substantial cost differences exist between accounting methods. The focus of TDABC only on resources used directly by the patient contrasts with the allocation of all operating costs, including all indirect costs and unused capacity, with traditional accounting. We expect that the true costs of hip and knee replacement care cycles are likely somewhere between estimates derived from traditional accounting methods and TDABC. TDABC offers patient-level granular cost information that better serves in the redesign of care pathways and may lead to more strategic resource-allocation decisions to optimize actual operating margins.

Transportation safety data and analysis : Volume 1, Analyzing the effectiveness of safety measures using Bayesian methods.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

Recent research suggests that traditional safety evaluation methods may be inadequate in accurately determining the effectiveness of roadway safety measures. In recent years, advanced statistical methods are being utilized in traffic safety studies t...

Design and Realization of Controllable Ultrasonic Fault Detector Automatic Verification System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jing-Feng; Liu, Hui-Ying; Guo, Hui-Juan; Shu, Rong; Wei, Kai-Li

The ultrasonic flaw detection equipment with remote control interface is researched and the automatic verification system is developed. According to use extensible markup language, the building of agreement instruction set and data analysis method database in the system software realizes the controllable designing and solves the diversification of unreleased device interfaces and agreements. By using the signal generator and a fixed attenuator cascading together, a dynamic error compensation method is proposed, completes what the fixed attenuator does in traditional verification and improves the accuracy of verification results. The automatic verification system operating results confirms that the feasibility of the system hardware and software architecture design and the correctness of the analysis method, while changes the status of traditional verification process cumbersome operations, and reduces labor intensity test personnel.

A comparative study on the traditional Indian Shodhana and Chinese processing methods for aconite roots by characterization and determination of the major components

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Aconitum is an indispensable entity of the traditional medicine therapy in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in spite of its known fatal toxicity characteristics. The prolonged use of this drug, irrespective of its known lethal effects, is governed by the practice of effective detoxification processes that have been used for decades. However, the processing methods of Ayurveda and TCM are different, and no comparative study has been carried out to evaluate their differences. The objective of the present study was to carry out comparative chemical profiling of the roots of Aconitum heterophyllum Wall, A. carmichaelii Debx., and A. kusnezoffii Reichb. after application of two detoxification methods used in Ayurveda and one method used in TCM . Results Analysis of the processed samples was carried out by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF/MS). The results obtained in the study demonstrate that all three processing methods used in Ayurveda and TCM effectively extract the diester diterpenoid alkaloids and led to their conversion into monoester diterpenoid alkaloids. The efficiency of the processes in reduction of toxic alkaloid contents can be stated as: Processing with water > Shodhana with cow milk > Shodhana with cow urine. The analysis method was validated as per ICH-Q2R1 guidelines and all the parameters were found to comply with the recommendations stated in the guidelines. Conclusions There have been no reports till date, to compare the processing methods used in Ayurveda with the methods used in TCM for detoxification of aconite roots. Our study demonstrates that, these methods used in both the traditional systems of medicine, efficiently detoxify the aconite roots. Amongst the three selected procedures, the TCM method of decoction with water is the most efficient. Through experimental evidences, we prove the conversion of toxic diester diterpenoid alkaloids to relatively safer monoester diterpenoid alkaloids. Thus, this study demonstrates that comparative study on the traditional experiences accumulated in different medical systems is useful for expanding their respective applications. PMID:24156713

Change Analysis in Structural Laser Scanning Point Clouds: The Baseline Method

PubMed Central

Shen, Yueqian; Lindenbergh, Roderik; Wang, Jinhu

2016-01-01

A method is introduced for detecting changes from point clouds that avoids registration. For many applications, changes are detected between two scans of the same scene obtained at different times. Traditionally, these scans are aligned to a common coordinate system having the disadvantage that this registration step introduces additional errors. In addition, registration requires stable targets or features. To avoid these issues, we propose a change detection method based on so-called baselines. Baselines connect feature points within one scan. To analyze changes, baselines connecting corresponding points in two scans are compared. As feature points either targets or virtual points corresponding to some reconstructable feature in the scene are used. The new method is implemented on two scans sampling a masonry laboratory building before and after seismic testing, that resulted in damages in the order of several centimeters. The centres of the bricks of the laboratory building are automatically extracted to serve as virtual points. Baselines connecting virtual points and/or target points are extracted and compared with respect to a suitable structural coordinate system. Changes detected from the baseline analysis are compared to a traditional cloud to cloud change analysis demonstrating the potential of the new method for structural analysis. PMID:28029121

Change Analysis in Structural Laser Scanning Point Clouds: The Baseline Method.

PubMed

Shen, Yueqian; Lindenbergh, Roderik; Wang, Jinhu

2016-12-24

A method is introduced for detecting changes from point clouds that avoids registration. For many applications, changes are detected between two scans of the same scene obtained at different times. Traditionally, these scans are aligned to a common coordinate system having the disadvantage that this registration step introduces additional errors. In addition, registration requires stable targets or features. To avoid these issues, we propose a change detection method based on so-called baselines. Baselines connect feature points within one scan. To analyze changes, baselines connecting corresponding points in two scans are compared. As feature points either targets or virtual points corresponding to some reconstructable feature in the scene are used. The new method is implemented on two scans sampling a masonry laboratory building before and after seismic testing, that resulted in damages in the order of several centimeters. The centres of the bricks of the laboratory building are automatically extracted to serve as virtual points. Baselines connecting virtual points and/or target points are extracted and compared with respect to a suitable structural coordinate system. Changes detected from the baseline analysis are compared to a traditional cloud to cloud change analysis demonstrating the potential of the new method for structural analysis.

[Research on NIR equivalent spectral measurement].

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-Hong; Liu, Jie; Sun, Yu-Yang; Teng, Fei; Lin, Jun

2013-04-01

When the spectra of the diffuse reflectance of low reflectivity samples or the transmittance of low transmisivity samples are measured by a portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometer, because there is the noise of the spectrometer, the smaller the reflectance or transmittance of the sample, the lower its SNR. Even if treated by denoise methods, the spectra can not meet the requirement of NIR analysis. So the equivalent spectrum measure method was researched. Based on the intensity of the reflected or transmitted signal by the sample under the traditional measure conditions, the light current of the spectrometer was enlarged, and then the signal of the measured sample increased; the reflected or transmitted light of the measure reference was reduced to avoid the signal of the measure reference over range. Moreover the equivalent spectrum of the sample was calculated in order to make it identical with the spectrum measured by traditional method. Thus the NIR spectral SNR was improved. The results of theory analysis and experiments show that if the light signal of the spectrometer was properly increased according to the reflected or transmitted signal of the low reflectivity or transmisivity sample, the equivalent spectrum was the same as the spectrum measured by traditional method and its SNR was improved.

Meta-analysis of teaching methods: a 50k+ student study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sayre, Eleanor; Archibeque, Benjamin; Gomez, K. Alison; Heckendorf, Tyrel; Madsen, Adrian M.; McKagan, Sarah B.; Schenk, Edward W.; Shepard, Chase; Sorell, Lane; von Korff, Joshua

2015-04-01

The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) and the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation (FMCE) are the two most widely-used conceptual tests in introductory mechanics. Because they are so popular, they provide an excellent avenue to compare different teaching methods at different kinds of institutions with varying student populations. We conducted a secondary analysis of all peer-reviewed papers which publish data from US and Canadian colleges and universities. Our data include over fifty thousand students drawn from approximately 100 papers; papers were drawn from Scopus, ERIC, ComPADRE, and journal websites. We augment published data about teaching methods with institutional data such as Carnegie Classification and average SAT scores. We statistically determine the effectiveness of different teaching methods as measured by FCI and FMCE gains and mediated by institutional and course factors. As in the landmark 1998 Hake study, we find that classes using interactive engagement (IE) have significantly larger learning gains than classes using traditional instruction. However, we find a broader distribution of normalized gains occurs in each of traditional and IE classes, and the differences between IE and traditional instruction have changed over time and are more context dependent.

An overview of engineering concepts and current design algorithms for probabilistic structural analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, S. F.; Hu, J.; Hopkins, D. A.

1995-01-01

The article begins by examining the fundamentals of traditional deterministic design philosophy. The initial section outlines the concepts of failure criteria and limit state functions two traditional notions that are embedded in deterministic design philosophy. This is followed by a discussion regarding safety factors (a possible limit state function) and the common utilization of statistical concepts in deterministic engineering design approaches. Next the fundamental aspects of a probabilistic failure analysis are explored and it is shown that deterministic design concepts mentioned in the initial portion of the article are embedded in probabilistic design methods. For components fabricated from ceramic materials (and other similarly brittle materials) the probabilistic design approach yields the widely used Weibull analysis after suitable assumptions are incorporated. The authors point out that Weibull analysis provides the rare instance where closed form solutions are available for a probabilistic failure analysis. Since numerical methods are usually required to evaluate component reliabilities, a section on Monte Carlo methods is included to introduce the concept. The article concludes with a presentation of the technical aspects that support the numerical method known as fast probability integration (FPI). This includes a discussion of the Hasofer-Lind and Rackwitz-Fiessler approximations.

Improved neutron-gamma discrimination for a {sup 6}Li-glass neutron detector using digital signal analysis methods

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

Wang, C. L., E-mail: wangc@ornl.gov; Riedel, R. A.

2016-01-15

A {sup 6}Li-glass scintillator (GS20) based neutron Anger camera was developed for time-of-flight single-crystal diffraction instruments at Spallation Neutron Source. Traditional Pulse-Height Analysis (PHA) for Neutron-Gamma Discrimination (NGD) resulted in the neutron-gamma efficiency ratio (defined as NGD ratio) on the order of 10{sup 4}. The NGD ratios of Anger cameras need to be improved for broader applications including neutron reflectometers. For this purpose, six digital signal analysis methods of individual waveforms acquired from photomultiplier tubes were proposed using (i) charge integration, (ii) pulse-amplitude histograms, (iii) power spectrum analysis combined with the maximum pulse-amplitude, (iv) two event parameters (a{sub 1}, b{submore » 0}) obtained from a Wiener filter, (v) an effective amplitude (m) obtained from an adaptive least-mean-square filter, and (vi) a cross-correlation coefficient between individual and reference waveforms. The NGD ratios are about 70 times those from the traditional PHA method. Our results indicate the NGD capabilities of neutron Anger cameras based on GS20 scintillators can be significantly improved with digital signal analysis methods.« less

Chemical profiling approach to evaluate the influence of traditional and simplified decoction methods on the holistic quality of Da-Huang-Xiao-Shi decoction using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection and time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Yan, Xuemei; Zhang, Qianying; Feng, Fang

2016-04-01

Da-Huang-Xiao-Shi decoction, consisting of Rheum officinale Baill, Mirabilitum, Phellodendron amurense Rupr. and Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, is a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of jaundice. As described in "Jin Kui Yao Lue", a traditional multistep decoction of Da-Huang-Xiao-Shi decoction was required while simplified one-step decoction was used in recent repsorts. To investigate the chemical difference between the decoctions obtained by the traditional and simplified preparations, a sensitive and reliable approach of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection and electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was established. As a result, a total of 105 compounds were detected and identified. Analysis of the chromatogram profiles of the two decoctions showed that many compounds in the decoction of simplified preparation had changed obviously compared with those in traditional preparation. The changes of constituents would be bound to cause the differences in the therapeutic effects of the two decoctions. The present study demonstrated that certain preparation methods significantly affect the holistic quality of traditional Chinese medicines and the use of a suitable preparation method is crucial for these medicines to produce special clinical curative effect. This research results elucidated the scientific basis of traditional preparation methods in Chinese medicines. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Getting the big picture in community science: methods that capture context.

PubMed

Luke, Douglas A

2005-06-01

Community science has a rich tradition of using theories and research designs that are consistent with its core value of contextualism. However, a survey of empirical articles published in the American Journal of Community Psychology shows that community scientists utilize a narrow range of statistical tools that are not well suited to assess contextual data. Multilevel modeling, geographic information systems (GIS), social network analysis, and cluster analysis are recommended as useful tools to address contextual questions in community science. An argument for increased methodological consilience is presented, where community scientists are encouraged to adopt statistical methodology that is capable of modeling a greater proportion of the data than is typical with traditional methods.

The use of think-aloud and instant data analysis in evaluation research: Exemplar and lessons learned.

PubMed

Joe, Jonathan; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Le, Thai; Thompson, Hilaire; Demiris, George

2015-08-01

While health information technologies have become increasingly popular, many have not been formally tested to ascertain their usability. Traditional rigorous methods take significant amounts of time and manpower to evaluate the usability of a system. In this paper, we evaluate the use of instant data analysis (IDA) as developed by Kjeldskov et al. to perform usability testing on a tool designed for older adults and caregivers. The IDA method is attractive because it takes significantly less time and manpower than the traditional usability testing methods. In this paper we demonstrate how IDA was used to evaluate usability of a multifunctional wellness tool, discuss study results and lessons learned while using this method. We also present findings from an extension of the method which allows the grouping of similar usability problems in an efficient manner. We found that the IDA method is a quick, relatively easy approach to identifying and ranking usability issues among health information technologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adapting-Sociology to the Changing Demands of General Education: The Use of Debate and Critical Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broderick, John

Suggestions are offered to help college-level teachers of sociology develop and implement programs which are consistent with the recent trend toward traditionalism in general higher education--a renewed interest in the traditional disciplines such as history, economics, and language studies. Suggestions center around two teaching methods--critical…

On One Unusual Method of Computation of Limits of Rational Functions in the Program Mathematica[R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hora, Jaroslav; Pech, Pavel

2005-01-01

Computing limits of functions is a traditional part of mathematical analysis which is very difficult for students. Now an algorithm for the elimination of quantifiers in the field of real numbers is implemented in the program Mathematica. This offers a non-traditional view on this classical theme. (Contains 1 table.)

Bridges for Pedestrians with Random Parameters using the Stochastic Finite Elements Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szafran, J.; Kamiński, M.

2017-02-01

The main aim of this paper is to present a Stochastic Finite Element Method analysis with reference to principal design parameters of bridges for pedestrians: eigenfrequency and deflection of bridge span. They are considered with respect to random thickness of plates in boxed-section bridge platform, Young modulus of structural steel and static load resulting from crowd of pedestrians. The influence of the quality of the numerical model in the context of traditional FEM is shown also on the example of a simple steel shield. Steel structures with random parameters are discretized in exactly the same way as for the needs of traditional Finite Element Method. Its probabilistic version is provided thanks to the Response Function Method, where several numerical tests with random parameter values varying around its mean value enable the determination of the structural response and, thanks to the Least Squares Method, its final probabilistic moments.

Quality evaluation of fish and other seafood by traditional and nondestructive instrumental methods: Advantages and limitations.

PubMed

Hassoun, Abdo; Karoui, Romdhane

2017-06-13

Although being one of the most vulnerable and perishable products, fish and other seafoods provide a wide range of health-promoting compounds. Recently, the growing interest of consumers in food quality and safety issues has contributed to the increasing demand for sensitive and rapid analytical technologies. Several traditional physicochemical, textural, sensory, and electrical methods have been used to evaluate freshness and authentication of fish and other seafood products. Despite the importance of these standard methods, they are expensive and time-consuming, and often susceptible to large sources of variation. Recently, spectroscopic methods and other emerging techniques have shown great potential due to speed of analysis, minimal sample preparation, high repeatability, low cost, and, most of all, the fact that these techniques are noninvasive and nondestructive and, therefore, could be applied to any online monitoring system. This review describes firstly and briefly the basic principles of multivariate data analysis, followed by the most commonly traditional methods used for the determination of the freshness and authenticity of fish and other seafood products. A special focus is put on the use of rapid and nondestructive techniques (spectroscopic techniques and instrumental sensors) to address several issues related to the quality of these products. Moreover, the advantages and limitations of each technique are reviewed and some perspectives are also given.

Something Old, Something New: MBA Program Evaluation Using Shift-Share Analysis and Google Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Sarah M.; Rodriguez, A. E.

2014-01-01

Shift-share analysis is a decomposition technique that is commonly used to measure attributes of regional change. In this method, regional change is decomposed into its relevant functional and competitive parts. This paper introduces traditional shift-share method and its extensions with examples of its applicability and usefulness for program…

The Effectiveness of Physical Models in Teaching Anatomy: A Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yammine, Kaissar; Violato, Claudio

2016-01-01

There are various educational methods used in anatomy teaching. While three dimensional (3D) visualization technologies are gaining ground due to their ever-increasing realism, reports investigating physical models as a low-cost 3D traditional method are still the subject of considerable interest. The aim of this meta-analysis is to quantitatively…

A Meta-Analysis Comparing Liposomal Bupivacaine and Traditional Periarticular Injection for Pain Control after Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Sun, Hao; Huang, Zhiyu; Zhang, Zhiqi; Liao, Weiming

2018-04-04

Liposomal bupivacaine is a novel method for pain control after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but recent studies showed no advantage for patients undergoing TKA compared with traditional periarticular injection (PAI). The purpose of this analysis was to compare the clinical outcomes between liposomal bupivacaine treatment and traditional PAI. We retrospectively reviewed data from 16 clinical trials in published databases from their inception to June 2017. The primary outcome was postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and secondary outcomes included opiate usage, narcotic consumption, range of motion, and length of stay. Nine randomized controlled trials and seven nonrandomized controlled trials involving 924 liposomal bupivacaine cases and 1,293 traditional PAI cases were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. No differences were detected in most of the clinical outcomes, except for postoperative VAS within 12 hours and length of stay. This analysis showed that liposomal bupivacaine is not associated with significant improvement in postoperative pain control or other outcomes in TKA compared with PAI. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Assessing the effectiveness of problem-based learning in physical diagnostics education in China: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Wang, Jianmiao; Xu, Yongjian; Liu, Xiansheng; Xiong, Weining; Xie, Jungang; Zhao, Jianping

2016-01-01

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been extensively applied as an experimental educational method in Chinese medical schools over the past decade. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the effectiveness of PBL on students’ learning outcomes in physical diagnostics education. Related databases were searched for eligible studies evaluating the effects of PBL compared to traditional teaching on students’ knowledge and/or skill scores of physical diagnostics. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. Thirteen studies with a total of 2086 medical students were included in this meta-analysis. All of these studies provided usable data on knowledge scores, and the pooled analysis showed a significant difference in favor of PBL compared to the traditional teaching (SMD = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.33–1.19). Ten studies provided usable data on skill scores, and a significant difference in favor of PBL was also observed (SMD = 1.46, 95%CI = 0.89–2.02). Statistically similar results were obtained in the sensitivity analysis, and there was no significant evidence of publication bias. These results suggested that PBL in physical diagnostics education in China appeared to be more effective than traditional teaching method in improving knowledge and skills. PMID:27808158

Assessing the effectiveness of problem-based learning in physical diagnostics education in China: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Jianmiao; Xu, Yongjian; Liu, Xiansheng; Xiong, Weining; Xie, Jungang; Zhao, Jianping

2016-11-03

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been extensively applied as an experimental educational method in Chinese medical schools over the past decade. A meta-analysis was performed to assess the effectiveness of PBL on students' learning outcomes in physical diagnostics education. Related databases were searched for eligible studies evaluating the effects of PBL compared to traditional teaching on students' knowledge and/or skill scores of physical diagnostics. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. Thirteen studies with a total of 2086 medical students were included in this meta-analysis. All of these studies provided usable data on knowledge scores, and the pooled analysis showed a significant difference in favor of PBL compared to the traditional teaching (SMD = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.33-1.19). Ten studies provided usable data on skill scores, and a significant difference in favor of PBL was also observed (SMD = 1.46, 95%CI = 0.89-2.02). Statistically similar results were obtained in the sensitivity analysis, and there was no significant evidence of publication bias. These results suggested that PBL in physical diagnostics education in China appeared to be more effective than traditional teaching method in improving knowledge and skills.

[HPLC fingerprint of flavonoids in Sophora flavescens and determination of five components].

PubMed

Ma, Hong-Yan; Zhou, Wan-Shan; Chu, Fu-Jiang; Wang, Dong; Liang, Sheng-Wang; Li, Shao

2013-08-01

A simple and reliable method of high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed to evaluate the quality of a traditional Chinese medicine Sophora flavescens through establishing chromatographic fingerprint and simultaneous determination of five flavonoids, including trifolirhizin, maackiain, kushenol I, kurarinone and sophoraflavanone G. The optimal conditions of separation and detection were achieved on an ULTIMATE XB-C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with a gradient of acetonitrile and water, detected at 295 nm. In the chromatographic fingerprint, 13 peaks were selected as the characteristic peaks to assess the similarities of different samples collected from different origins in China according to similarity evaluation for chromatographic fingerprint of traditional chinese medicine (2004AB) and principal component analysis (PCA) were used in data analysis. There were significant differences in the fingerprint chromatograms between S. flavescens and S. tonkinensis. Principal component analysis showed that kurarinone and sophoraflavanone G were the most important component. In quantitative analysis, the five components showed good regression (R > 0.999) with linear ranges, and their recoveries were in the range of 96.3% - 102.3%. This study indicated that the combination of quantitative and chromatographic fingerprint analysis can be readily utilized as a quality control method for S. flavescens and its related traditional Chinese medicinal preparations.

Eventogram: A Visual Representation of Main Events in Biomedical Signals.

PubMed

Elgendi, Mohamed

2016-09-22

Biomedical signals carry valuable physiological information and many researchers have difficulty interpreting and analyzing long-term, one-dimensional, quasi-periodic biomedical signals. Traditionally, biomedical signals are analyzed and visualized using periodogram, spectrogram, and wavelet methods. However, these methods do not offer an informative visualization of main events within the processed signal. This paper attempts to provide an event-related framework to overcome the drawbacks of the traditional visualization methods and describe the main events within the biomedical signal in terms of duration and morphology. Electrocardiogram and photoplethysmogram signals are used in the analysis to demonstrate the differences between the traditional visualization methods, and their performance is compared against the proposed method, referred to as the " eventogram " in this paper. The proposed method is based on two event-related moving averages that visualizes the main time-domain events in the processed biomedical signals. The traditional visualization methods were unable to find dominant events in processed signals while the eventogram was able to visualize dominant events in signals in terms of duration and morphology. Moreover, eventogram -based detection algorithms succeeded with detecting main events in different biomedical signals with a sensitivity and positive predictivity >95%. The output of the eventogram captured unique patterns and signatures of physiological events, which could be used to visualize and identify abnormal waveforms in any quasi-periodic signal.

Investigating Cultural Evolution Using Phylogenetic Analysis: The Origins and Descent of the Southeast Asian Tradition of Warp Ikat Weaving

PubMed Central

Buckley, Christopher D.

2012-01-01

The warp ikat method of making decorated textiles is one of the most geographically widespread in southeast Asia, being used by Austronesian peoples in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, and Daic peoples on the Asian mainland. In this study a dataset consisting of the decorative characters of 36 of these warp ikat weaving traditions is investigated using Bayesian and Neighbornet techniques, and the results are used to construct a phylogenetic tree and taxonomy for warp ikat weaving in southeast Asia. The results and analysis show that these diverse traditions have a common ancestor amongst neolithic cultures the Asian mainland, and parallels exist between the patterns of textile weaving descent and linguistic phylogeny for the Austronesian group. Ancestral state analysis is used to reconstruct some of the features of the ancestral weaving tradition. The widely held theory that weaving motifs originated in the late Bronze Age Dong-Son culture is shown to be inconsistent with the data. PMID:23272211

Key Spatial Relations-based Focused Crawling (KSRs-FC) for Borderlands Situation Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, D. Y.; Wu, H.; Chen, J.; Li, R.

2013-11-01

Place names play an important role in Borderlands Situation topics, while current focused crawling methods treat them in the same way as other common keywords, which may lead to the omission of many useful web pages. In the paper, place names in web pages and their spatial relations were firstly discussed. Then, a focused crawling method named KSRs-FC was proposed to deal with the collection of situation information about borderlands. In this method, place names and common keywords were represented separately, and some of the spatial relations related to web pages crawling were used in the relevance calculation between the given topic and web pages. Furthermore, an information collection system for borderlands situation analysis was developed based on KSRs-FC. Finally, F-Score method was adopted to quantitatively evaluate this method by comparing with traditional method. Experimental results showed that the F-Score value of the proposed method increased by 11% compared to traditional method with the same sample data. Obviously, KSRs-FC method can effectively reduce the misjudgement of relevant webpages.

Teaching-learning: stereoscopic 3D versus Traditional methods in Mexico City.

PubMed

Mendoza Oropeza, Laura; Ortiz Sánchez, Ricardo; Ojeda Villagómez, Raúl

2015-01-01

In the UNAM Faculty of Odontology, we use a stereoscopic 3D teaching method that has grown more common in the last year, which makes it important to know whether students can learn better with this strategy. The objective of the study is to know, if the 4th year students of the bachelor's degree in dentistry learn more effectively with the use of stereoscopic 3D than the traditional method in Orthodontics. first, we selected the course topics, to be used for both methods; the traditional method using projection of slides and for the stereoscopic third dimension, with the use of videos in digital stereo projection (seen through "passive" polarized 3D glasses). The main topic was supernumerary teeth, including and diverted from their guide eruption. Afterwards we performed an exam on students, containing 24 items, validated by expert judgment in Orthodontics teaching. The results of the data were compared between the two educational methods for determined effectiveness using the model before and after measurement with the statistical package SPSS 20 version. The results presented for the 9 groups of undergraduates in dentistry, were collected with a total of 218 students for 3D and traditional methods, we found in a traditional method a mean 4.91, SD 1.4752 in the pretest and X=6.96, SD 1.26622, St Error 0.12318 for the posttest. The 3D method had a mean 5.21, SD 1.996779 St Error 0.193036 for the pretest X= 7.82, SD =0.963963, St Error 0.09319 posttest; the analysis of Variance between groups F= 5.60 Prob > 0.0000 and Bartlett's test for equal variances 21.0640 Prob > chi² = 0.007. These results show that the student's learning in 3D means a significant improvement as compared to the traditional teaching method and having a strong association between the two methods. The findings suggest that the stereoscopic 3D method lead to improved student learning compared to traditional teaching.

Real-time subsecond voltammetric analysis of Pb in aqueous environmental samples.

PubMed

Yang, Yuanyuan; Pathirathna, Pavithra; Siriwardhane, Thushani; McElmurry, Shawn P; Hashemi, Parastoo

2013-08-06

Lead (Pb) pollution is an important environmental and public health concern. Rapid Pb transport during stormwater runoff significantly impairs surface water quality. The ability to characterize and model Pb transport during these events is critical to mitigating its impact on the environment. However, Pb analysis is limited by the lack of analytical methods that can afford rapid, sensitive measurements in situ. While electrochemical methods have previously shown promise for rapid Pb analysis, they are currently limited in two ways. First, because of Pb's limited solubility, test solutions that are representative of environmental systems are not typically employed in laboratory characterizations. Second, concerns about traditional Hg electrode toxicity, stability, and low temporal resolution have dampened opportunities for in situ analyses with traditional electrochemical methods. In this paper, we describe two novel methodological advances that bypass these limitations. Using geochemical models, we first create an environmentally relevant test solution that can be used for electrochemical method development and characterization. Second, we develop a fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) method for Pb detection on Hg-free carbon fiber microelectrodes. We assess the method's sensitivity and stability, taking into account Pb speciation, and utilize it to characterize rapid Pb fluctuations in real environmental samples. We thus present a novel real-time electrochemical tool for Pb analysis in both model and authentic environmental solutions.

Comparison of chest compression quality between the modified chest compression method with the use of smartphone application and the standardized traditional chest compression method during CPR.

PubMed

Park, Sang-Sub

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to grasp difference in quality of chest compression accuracy between the modified chest compression method with the use of smartphone application and the standardized traditional chest compression method. Participants were progressed 64 people except 6 absentees among 70 people who agreed to participation with completing the CPR curriculum. In the classification of group in participants, the modified chest compression method was called as smartphone group (33 people). The standardized chest compression method was called as traditional group (31 people). The common equipments in both groups were used Manikin for practice and Manikin for evaluation. In the meantime, the smartphone group for application was utilized Android and iOS Operating System (OS) of 2 smartphone products (G, i). The measurement period was conducted from September 25th to 26th, 2012. Data analysis was used SPSS WIN 12.0 program. As a result of research, the proper compression depth (mm) was shown the proper compression depth (p< 0.01) in traditional group (53.77 mm) compared to smartphone group (48.35 mm). Even the proper chest compression (%) was formed suitably (p< 0.05) in traditional group (73.96%) more than smartphone group (60.51%). As for the awareness of chest compression accuracy, the traditional group (3.83 points) had the higher awareness of chest compression accuracy (p< 0.001) than the smartphone group (2.32 points). In the questionnaire that was additionally carried out 1 question only in smartphone group, the modified chest compression method with the use of smartphone had the high negative reason in rescuer for occurrence of hand back pain (48.5%) and unstable posture (21.2%).

Quantitative Assessment of Blood Pressure Measurement Accuracy and Variability from Visual Auscultation Method by Observers without Receiving Medical Training

PubMed Central

Feng, Yong; Chen, Aiqing

2017-01-01

This study aimed to quantify blood pressure (BP) measurement accuracy and variability with different techniques. Thirty video clips of BP recordings from the BHS training database were converted to Korotkoff sound waveforms. Ten observers without receiving medical training were asked to determine BPs using (a) traditional manual auscultatory method and (b) visual auscultation method by visualizing the Korotkoff sound waveform, which was repeated three times on different days. The measurement error was calculated against the reference answers, and the measurement variability was calculated from the SD of the three repeats. Statistical analysis showed that, in comparison with the auscultatory method, visual method significantly reduced overall variability from 2.2 to 1.1 mmHg for SBP and from 1.9 to 0.9 mmHg for DBP (both p < 0.001). It also showed that BP measurement errors were significant for both techniques (all p < 0.01, except DBP from the traditional method). Although significant, the overall mean errors were small (−1.5 and −1.2 mmHg for SBP and −0.7 and 2.6 mmHg for DBP, resp., from the traditional auscultatory and visual auscultation methods). In conclusion, the visual auscultation method had the ability to achieve an acceptable degree of BP measurement accuracy, with smaller variability in comparison with the traditional auscultatory method. PMID:29423405

Algorithms for Efficient Computation of Transfer Functions for Large Order Flexible Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maghami, Peiman G.; Giesy, Daniel P.

1998-01-01

An efficient and robust computational scheme is given for the calculation of the frequency response function of a large order, flexible system implemented with a linear, time invariant control system. Advantage is taken of the highly structured sparsity of the system matrix of the plant based on a model of the structure using normal mode coordinates. The computational time per frequency point of the new computational scheme is a linear function of system size, a significant improvement over traditional, still-matrix techniques whose computational times per frequency point range from quadratic to cubic functions of system size. This permits the practical frequency domain analysis of systems of much larger order than by traditional, full-matrix techniques. Formulations are given for both open- and closed-loop systems. Numerical examples are presented showing the advantages of the present formulation over traditional approaches, both in speed and in accuracy. Using a model with 703 structural modes, the present method was up to two orders of magnitude faster than a traditional method. The present method generally showed good to excellent accuracy throughout the range of test frequencies, while traditional methods gave adequate accuracy for lower frequencies, but generally deteriorated in performance at higher frequencies with worst case errors being many orders of magnitude times the correct values.

'That is how the real mad people behave': Beliefs about and treatment of mental disorders by traditional medicine-men in Accra, Ghana.

PubMed

Kpobi, Lily; Swartz, Leslie

2018-06-01

Traditional healing methods are considered central to mental health care in low-income countries such as Ghana, because they are perceived to be more easily accessible, more affordable and generally ascribe similar causal beliefs to those of the patients. However, not much is known about the work of traditional healers largely because their methods are shrouded in mysticism and secrecy. There is a need to understand the ideology and beliefs of traditional healers surrounding mental disorders, including knowledge about their practices in mental health care. In this article, we discuss the causal beliefs and treatment methods of traditional medicine-men from Accra, Ghana. We also describe their diagnostic and treatment methods for mental disorders. Eight medicine-men, indigenous to the Greater Accra Region, were interviewed through individual semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed through thematic analysis. The medicine-men's beliefs about mental illness were dominated by supernatural ideas. Mental illness was also seen as a form of punishment or resulting from envy, and there was a strong reliance on spiritual direction from the gods for diagnosis and treatment. These themes are discussed with emphasis on their potential implications for patients, as well as for collaborative efforts.

Transforming common-sense beliefs into Newtonian thinking through Just-In-Time Teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formica, Sarah P.; Easley, Jessica L.; Spraker, Mark C.

2010-07-01

To determine whether teaching an introductory physics course with a traditional lecture style or with Just-in-Time teaching (a student-centered, interactive-engagement style) will help students to better understand Newtonian concepts, such as Newton’s Third Law, 222 students in introductory physics courses taught by traditional lecture styles and Just-in-Time teaching at North Georgia College & State University over the span of five semesters were examined using the Force Concept Inventory as a pretest and a post-test. Overall, the gains favor the Just-in-Time teaching method with a 37.6%±2.0% gain compared to the 17.9%±2.5% seen in traditional lecture classes. When analyzing only those gains pertaining to the Newton’s Third Law questions, the results again favor the Just-in-Time teaching method with a gain of 50.8%±4.1% while the traditional lecture classes only saw a gain of 6.6%±5.2% . We also employed a new method of analysis which was a BIT Coding method created to quickly identify students’ understanding of Newton’s Third Law questions. This study shows that students in courses that are taught using the Just-in-Time teaching strategy better understand Newton’s Third Law after instruction than do students in traditional lecture courses.

Music and movement education as a form of motivation in teaching Greek traditional dances.

PubMed

Likesas, G; Zachopoulou, E

2006-04-01

Research has shown that motivation for participating in physical education, particularly in traditional dances, has decreased dramatically. The aim of this research was to examine whether a music and movement program would increase pleasure and intrinsic motivation of students in elementary education while teaching them Greek traditional dances. 232 students were divided into two groups, a trained group of 135 participants (72 boys, 63 girls) and a control group of 97 (53 boys, 44 girls). The trained group was taught using the music and movement teaching model of traditional dances. The control group was taught using the instructional or guided teaching method of traditional Greek dances. To measure effectiveness of the two methods was accomplished by the completion of McAuley's Intrinsic Motivation Inventory. Analysis of scores showed use of music and movement education had a positive effect on intrinsic motivation for dancing and active participation of students, especially of the trained boys' group.

Visual analysis as a method of interpretation of the results of satellite ionospheric measurements for exploratory problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korneva, N. N.; Mogilevskii, M. M.; Nazarov, V. N.

2016-05-01

Traditional methods of time series analysis of satellite ionospheric measurements have some limitations and disadvantages that are mainly associated with the complex nonstationary signal structure. In this paper, the possibility of identifying and studying the temporal characteristics of signals via visual analysis is considered. The proposed approach is illustrated by the example of the visual analysis of wave measurements on the DEMETER microsatellite during its passage over the HAARP facility.

Control strategy of grid-connected photovoltaic generation system based on GMPPT method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhongfeng; Zhang, Xuyang; Hu, Bo; Liu, Jun; Li, Ligang; Gu, Yongqiang; Zhou, Bowen

2018-02-01

There are multiple local maximum power points when photovoltaic (PV) array runs under partial shading condition (PSC).However, the traditional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm might be easily trapped in local maximum power points (MPPs) and cannot find the global maximum power point (GMPP). To solve such problem, a global maximum power point tracking method (GMPPT) is improved, combined with traditional MPPT method and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Under different operating conditions of PV cells, different tracking algorithms are used. When the environment changes, the improved PSO algorithm is adopted to realize the global optimal search, and the variable step incremental conductance (INC) method is adopted to achieve MPPT in optimal local location. Based on the simulation model of the PV grid system built in Matlab/Simulink, comparative analysis of the tracking effect of MPPT by the proposed control algorithm and the traditional MPPT method under the uniform solar condition and PSC, validate the correctness, feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

Development of a New Paradigm for Analysis of Disdrometric Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, Michael L.; Kostinski, Alexander B.

2017-04-01

A number of disdrometers currently on the market are able to characterize hydrometeors on a drop-by-drop basis with arrival timestamps associated with each arriving hydrometeor. This allows an investigator to parse a time series into disjoint intervals that have equal numbers of drops, instead of the traditional subdivision into equal time intervals. Such a "fixed-N" partitioning of the data can provide several advantages over the traditional equal time binning method, especially within the context of quantifying measurement uncertainty (which typically scales with the number of hydrometeors in each sample). An added bonus is the natural elimination of measurements that are devoid of all drops. This analysis method is investigated by utilizing data from a dense array of disdrometers located near Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Implications for the usefulness of this method in future studies are explored.

Authenticity identification and classification of Rhodiola species in traditional Tibetan medicine based on Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics analysis.

PubMed

Li, Tao; Su, Chen

2018-06-02

Rhodiola is an increasingly widely used traditional Tibetan medicine and traditional Chinese medicine in China. The composition profiles of bioactive compounds are somewhat jagged according to different species, which makes it crucial to identify authentic Rhodiola species accurately so as to ensure clinical application of Rhodiola. In this paper, a nondestructive, rapid, and efficient method in classification of Rhodiola was developed by Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometrics analysis. A total of 160 batches of raw spectra were obtained from four different species of Rhodiola by FT-NIR, such as Rhodiola crenulata, Rhodiola fastigiata, Rhodiola kirilowii, and Rhodiola brevipetiolata. After excluding the outliers, different performances of 3 sample dividing methods, 12 spectral preprocessing methods, 2 wavelength selection methods, and 2 modeling evaluation methods were compared. The results indicated that this combination was superior than others in the authenticity identification analysis, which was FT-NIR combined with sample set partitioning based on joint x-y distances (SPXY), standard normal variate transformation (SNV) + Norris-Williams (NW) + 2nd derivative, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and kernel extreme learning machine (KELM). The accuracy (ACCU), sensitivity (SENS), and specificity (SPEC) of the optimal model were all 1, which showed that this combination of FT-NIR and chemometrics methods had the optimal authenticity identification performance. The classification performance of the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model was slightly lower than KELM model, and PLS-DA model results were ACCU = 0.97, SENS = 0.93, and SPEC = 0.98, respectively. It can be concluded that FT-NIR combined with chemometrics analysis has great potential in authenticity identification and classification of Rhodiola, which can provide a valuable reference for the safety and effectiveness of clinical application of Rhodiola. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comparison of two prospective risk analysis methods: Traditional FMEA and a modified healthcare FMEA.

PubMed

Rah, Jeong-Eun; Manger, Ryan P; Yock, Adam D; Kim, Gwe-Ya

2016-12-01

To examine the abilities of a traditional failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and modified healthcare FMEA (m-HFMEA) scoring methods by comparing the degree of congruence in identifying high risk failures. The authors applied two prospective methods of the quality management to surface image guided, linac-based radiosurgery (SIG-RS). For the traditional FMEA, decisions on how to improve an operation were based on the risk priority number (RPN). The RPN is a product of three indices: occurrence, severity, and detectability. The m-HFMEA approach utilized two indices, severity and frequency. A risk inventory matrix was divided into four categories: very low, low, high, and very high. For high risk events, an additional evaluation was performed. Based upon the criticality of the process, it was decided if additional safety measures were needed and what they comprise. The two methods were independently compared to determine if the results and rated risks matched. The authors' results showed an agreement of 85% between FMEA and m-HFMEA approaches for top 20 risks of SIG-RS-specific failure modes. The main differences between the two approaches were the distribution of the values and the observation that failure modes (52, 54, 154) with high m-HFMEA scores do not necessarily have high FMEA-RPN scores. In the m-HFMEA analysis, when the risk score is determined, the basis of the established HFMEA Decision Tree™ or the failure mode should be more thoroughly investigated. m-HFMEA is inductive because it requires the identification of the consequences from causes, and semi-quantitative since it allows the prioritization of high risks and mitigation measures. It is therefore a useful tool for the prospective risk analysis method to radiotherapy.

Appropriate IMFs associated with cepstrum and envelope analysis for ball-bearing fault diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsao, Wen-Chang; Pan, Min-Chun

2014-03-01

The traditional envelope analysis is an effective method for the fault detection of rolling bearings. However, all the resonant frequency bands must be examined during the bearing-fault detection process. To handle the above deficiency, this paper proposes using the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to select a proper intrinsic mode function (IMF) for the subsequent detection tools; here both envelope analysis and cepstrum analysis are employed and compared. By virtue of the band-pass filtering nature of EMD, the resonant frequency bands of structure to be measured are captured in the IMFs. As impulses arising from rolling elements striking bearing faults modulate with structure resonance, proper IMFs potentially enable to characterize fault signatures. In the study, faulty ball bearings are used to justify the proposed method, and comparisons with the traditional envelope analysis are made. Post the use of IMFs highlighting faultybearing features, the performance of using envelope analysis and cepstrum analysis to single out bearing faults is objectively compared and addressed; it is noted that generally envelope analysis offers better performance.

Theoretical basis, application, reliability, and sample size estimates of a Meridian Energy Analysis Device for Traditional Chinese Medicine Research.

PubMed

Tsai, Ming-Yen; Chen, Shih-Yu; Lin, Chung-Chun

2017-04-01

The Meridian Energy Analysis Device is currently a popular tool in the scientific research of meridian electrophysiology. In this field, it is generally believed that measuring the electrical conductivity of meridians provides information about the balance of bioenergy or Qi-blood in the body. PubMed database based on some original articles from 1956 to 2014 and the authoŕs clinical experience. In this short communication, we provide clinical examples of Meridian Energy Analysis Device application, especially in the field of traditional Chinese medicine, discuss the reliability of the measurements, and put the values obtained into context by considering items of considerable variability and by estimating sample size. The Meridian Energy Analysis Device is making a valuable contribution to the diagnosis of Qi-blood dysfunction. It can be assessed from short-term and long-term meridian bioenergy recordings. It is one of the few methods that allow outpatient traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis, monitoring the progress, therapeutic effect and evaluation of patient prognosis. The holistic approaches underlying the practice of traditional Chinese medicine and new trends in modern medicine toward the use of objective instruments require in-depth knowledge of the mechanisms of meridian energy, and the Meridian Energy Analysis Device can feasibly be used for understanding and interpreting traditional Chinese medicine theory, especially in view of its expansion in Western countries.

Applications of cluster analysis to the creation of perfectionism profiles: a comparison of two clustering approaches.

PubMed

Bolin, Jocelyn H; Edwards, Julianne M; Finch, W Holmes; Cassady, Jerrell C

2014-01-01

Although traditional clustering methods (e.g., K-means) have been shown to be useful in the social sciences it is often difficult for such methods to handle situations where clusters in the population overlap or are ambiguous. Fuzzy clustering, a method already recognized in many disciplines, provides a more flexible alternative to these traditional clustering methods. Fuzzy clustering differs from other traditional clustering methods in that it allows for a case to belong to multiple clusters simultaneously. Unfortunately, fuzzy clustering techniques remain relatively unused in the social and behavioral sciences. The purpose of this paper is to introduce fuzzy clustering to these audiences who are currently relatively unfamiliar with the technique. In order to demonstrate the advantages associated with this method, cluster solutions of a common perfectionism measure were created using both fuzzy clustering and K-means clustering, and the results compared. Results of these analyses reveal that different cluster solutions are found by the two methods, and the similarity between the different clustering solutions depends on the amount of cluster overlap allowed for in fuzzy clustering.

Applications of cluster analysis to the creation of perfectionism profiles: a comparison of two clustering approaches

PubMed Central

Bolin, Jocelyn H.; Edwards, Julianne M.; Finch, W. Holmes; Cassady, Jerrell C.

2014-01-01

Although traditional clustering methods (e.g., K-means) have been shown to be useful in the social sciences it is often difficult for such methods to handle situations where clusters in the population overlap or are ambiguous. Fuzzy clustering, a method already recognized in many disciplines, provides a more flexible alternative to these traditional clustering methods. Fuzzy clustering differs from other traditional clustering methods in that it allows for a case to belong to multiple clusters simultaneously. Unfortunately, fuzzy clustering techniques remain relatively unused in the social and behavioral sciences. The purpose of this paper is to introduce fuzzy clustering to these audiences who are currently relatively unfamiliar with the technique. In order to demonstrate the advantages associated with this method, cluster solutions of a common perfectionism measure were created using both fuzzy clustering and K-means clustering, and the results compared. Results of these analyses reveal that different cluster solutions are found by the two methods, and the similarity between the different clustering solutions depends on the amount of cluster overlap allowed for in fuzzy clustering. PMID:24795683

ChargeOut! : discounted cash flow compared with traditional machine-rate analysis

Treesearch

Ted Bilek

2008-01-01

ChargeOut!, a discounted cash-flow methodology in spreadsheet format for analyzing machine costs, is compared with traditional machine-rate methodologies. Four machine-rate models are compared and a common data set representative of logging skidders’ costs is used to illustrate the differences between ChargeOut! and the machine-rate methods. The study found that the...

A Comparative Analysis of Computer-Assisted Instruction and Traditional Lecture Instruction for Administration and Management Topics in Physical Therapy Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyland, Matthew R.; Pinto-Zipp, Genevieve; Olson, Valerie; Lichtman, Steven W.

2010-01-01

Technological advancements and competition in student recruitment have challenged educational institutions to expand upon traditional teaching methods in order to attract, engage and retain students. One strategy to meet this shift from educator-directed teaching to student-centered learning is greater computer utilization as an integral aspect of…

AUPress: A Comparison of an Open Access University Press with Traditional Presses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGreal, Rory; Chen, Nian-Shing

2011-01-01

This study is a comparison of AUPress with three other traditional (non-open access) Canadian university presses. The analysis is based on the rankings that are correlated with book sales on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. Statistical methods include the sampling of the sales ranking of randomly selected books from each press. The results of one-way…

Methods for Automating Analysis of Glacier Morphology for Regional Modelling: Centerlines, Extensions, and Elevation Bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viger, R. J.; Van Beusekom, A. E.

2016-12-01

The treatment of glaciers in modeling requires information about their shape and extent. This presentation discusses new methods and their application in a new glacier-capable variant of the USGS PRMS model, a physically-based, spatially distributed daily time-step model designed to simulate the runoff and evolution of glaciers through time. In addition to developing parameters describing PRMS land surfaces (hydrologic response units, HRUs), several of the analyses and products are likely of interest to cryospheric science community in general. The first method is a (fully automated) variation of logic previously presented in the literature for definition of the glacier centerline. Given that the surface of a glacier might be convex, using traditional topographic analyses based on a DEM to trace a path down the glacier is not reliable. Instead a path is derived based on a cost function. Although only a single path is presented in our results, the method can be easily modified to delineate a branched network of centerlines for each glacier. The second method extends the glacier terminus downslope by an arbitrary distance, according to local surface topography. This product is can be used to explore possible, if unlikely, scenarios under which glacier area grows. More usefully, this method can be used to approximate glacier extents from previous years without needing historical imagery. The final method presents an approach for segmenting the glacier into altitude-based HRUs. Successful integration of this information with traditional approaches for discretizing the non-glacierized portions of a basin requires several additional steps. These include synthesizing the glacier centerline network with one developed with a traditional DEM analysis, ensuring that flow can be routed under and beyond glaciers to a basin outlet. Results are presented based on analysis of the Copper River Basin, Alaska.

MDAS: an integrated system for metabonomic data analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Juan; Li, Bo; Xiong, Jiang-Hui

2009-03-01

Metabonomics, the latest 'omics' research field, shows great promise as a tool in biomarker discovery, drug efficacy and toxicity analysis, disease diagnosis and prognosis. One of the major challenges now facing researchers is how to process this data to yield useful information about a biological system, e.g., the mechanism of diseases. Traditional methods employed in metabonomic data analysis use multivariate analysis methods developed independently in chemometrics research. Additionally, with the development of machine learning approaches, some methods such as SVMs also show promise for use in metabonomic data analysis. Aside from the application of general multivariate analysis and machine learning methods to this problem, there is also a need for an integrated tool customized for metabonomic data analysis which can be easily used by biologists to reveal interesting patterns in metabonomic data.In this paper, we present a novel software tool MDAS (Metabonomic Data Analysis System) for metabonomic data analysis which integrates traditional chemometrics methods and newly introduced machine learning approaches. MDAS contains a suite of functional models for metabonomic data analysis and optimizes the flow of data analysis. Several file formats can be accepted as input. The input data can be optionally preprocessed and can then be processed with operations such as feature analysis and dimensionality reduction. The data with reduced dimensionalities can be used for training or testing through machine learning models. The system supplies proper visualization for data preprocessing, feature analysis, and classification which can be a powerful function for users to extract knowledge from the data. MDAS is an integrated platform for metabonomic data analysis, which transforms a complex analysis procedure into a more formalized and simplified one. The software package can be obtained from the authors.

Seismic Hazard Analysis — Quo vadis?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klügel, Jens-Uwe

2008-05-01

The paper is dedicated to the review of methods of seismic hazard analysis currently in use, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. The review is performed from the perspective of a user of the results of seismic hazard analysis for different applications such as the design of critical and general (non-critical) civil infrastructures, technical and financial risk analysis. A set of criteria is developed for and applied to an objective assessment of the capabilities of different analysis methods. It is demonstrated that traditional probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) methods have significant deficiencies, thus limiting their practical applications. These deficiencies have their roots in the use of inadequate probabilistic models and insufficient understanding of modern concepts of risk analysis, as have been revealed in some recent large scale studies. These deficiencies result in the lack of ability of a correct treatment of dependencies between physical parameters and finally, in an incorrect treatment of uncertainties. As a consequence, results of PSHA studies have been found to be unrealistic in comparison with empirical information from the real world. The attempt to compensate these problems by a systematic use of expert elicitation has, so far, not resulted in any improvement of the situation. It is also shown that scenario-earthquakes developed by disaggregation from the results of a traditional PSHA may not be conservative with respect to energy conservation and should not be used for the design of critical infrastructures without validation. Because the assessment of technical as well as of financial risks associated with potential damages of earthquakes need a risk analysis, current method is based on a probabilistic approach with its unsolved deficiencies. Traditional deterministic or scenario-based seismic hazard analysis methods provide a reliable and in general robust design basis for applications such as the design of critical infrastructures, especially with systematic sensitivity analyses based on validated phenomenological models. Deterministic seismic hazard analysis incorporates uncertainties in the safety factors. These factors are derived from experience as well as from expert judgment. Deterministic methods associated with high safety factors may lead to too conservative results, especially if applied for generally short-lived civil structures. Scenarios used in deterministic seismic hazard analysis have a clear physical basis. They are related to seismic sources discovered by geological, geomorphologic, geodetic and seismological investigations or derived from historical references. Scenario-based methods can be expanded for risk analysis applications with an extended data analysis providing the frequency of seismic events. Such an extension provides a better informed risk model that is suitable for risk-informed decision making.

Implementation of physicochemical and sensory analysis in conjunction with multivariate analysis towards assessing olive oil authentication/adulteration.

PubMed

Arvanitoyannis, Ioannis S; Vlachos, Antonios

2007-01-01

The authenticity of products labeled as olive oils, and in particular as virgin olive oils, stands for a very important issue both in terms of its health and commercial aspects. In view of the continuously increasing interest in virgin olive oil therapeutic properties, the traditional methods of characterization and physical and sensory analysis were further enriched with more advanced and sophisticated methods such as HPLC-MS, HPLC-GC/C/IRMS, RPLC-GC, DEPT, and CSIA among others. The results of both traditional and "novel" methods were treated both by means of classical multivariate analysis (cluster, principal component, correspondence, canonical, and discriminant) and artificial intelligence methods showing that nowadays the adulteration of virgin olive oil with seed oil is detectable at very low percentages, sometimes even at less than 1%. Furthermore, the detection of geographical origin of olive oil is equally feasible and much more accurate in countries like Italy and Spain where databases of physical/chemical properties exist. However, this geographical origin classification can also be accomplished in the absence of such databases provided that an adequate number of oil samples are used and the parameters studied have "discriminating power."

Analysis of preparation of Chinese traditional medicine based on the fiber fingerprint drop trace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhilin; Wang, Jialu; Sun, Weimin; Yan, Qi

2010-11-01

The purpose of the fiber micro-drop analyzing technique is to measure the characteristics of liquids using optical methods. The fiber fingerprint drop trace (FFDT) is a curve of light intensity vs. time. This curve indicates the forming, growing and dripping processes of the liquid drops. A pair of fibers was used to monitor the dripping process. The FFDTs are acquired and analyzed by a computer. Different liquid samples of many kinds of preparation of Chinese traditional medicines were tested by using the fiber micro-drop sensor in the experiments. The FFDTs of preparation of Chinese traditional medicines with different concentrations were analyzed in different ways. Considering the characters of the FFDTs, a novel method is proposed to measure the different preparation of Chinese traditional medicines and its concentration based on the corresponding relationship of FFDTs and the physical and chemical parameters of the liquids.

The analysis of thin walled composite laminated helicopter rotor with hierarchical warping functions and finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Dechao; Deng, Zhongmin; Wang, Xingwei

2001-08-01

In the present paper, a series of hierarchical warping functions is developed to analyze the static and dynamic problems of thin walled composite laminated helicopter rotors composed of several layers with single closed cell. This method is the development and extension of the traditional constrained warping theory of thin walled metallic beams, which had been proved very successful since 1940s. The warping distribution along the perimeter of each layer is expanded into a series of successively corrective warping functions with the traditional warping function caused by free torsion or free bending as the first term, and is assumed to be piecewise linear along the thickness direction of layers. The governing equations are derived based upon the variational principle of minimum potential energy for static analysis and Rayleigh Quotient for free vibration analysis. Then the hierarchical finite element method is introduced to form a numerical algorithm. Both static and natural vibration problems of sample box beams are analyzed with the present method to show the main mechanical behavior of the thin walled composite laminated helicopter rotor.

Study on TCM Syndrome Differentiation of Primary Liver Cancer Based on the Analysis of Latent Structural Model.

PubMed

Gu, Zhan; Qi, Xiuzhong; Zhai, Xiaofeng; Lang, Qingbo; Lu, Jianying; Ma, Changping; Liu, Long; Yue, Xiaoqiang

2015-01-01

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most common malignant tumors because of its high incidence and high mortality. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an active role in the treatment of PLC. As the most important part in the TCM system, syndrome differentiation based on the clinical manifestations from traditional four diagnostic methods has met great challenges and questions with the lack of statistical validation support. In this study, we provided evidences for TCM syndrome differentiation of PLC using the method of analysis of latent structural model from clinic data, thus providing basis for establishing TCM syndrome criteria. And also we obtain the common syndromes of PLC as well as their typical clinical manifestations, respectively.

A Method of Classifying Tongue Colors for Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis Based on the CIELAB Color Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bocong; Huang, Qingmei; Lu, Yan; Chen, Songhe; Liang, Rong; Wang, Zhaoping

Objective tongue color analysis is an important research point for tongue diagnosis in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In this paper a research based on the clinical process of diagnosing tongue color is reported. The color data in RGB color space were first transformed into the data in CIELAB color space, and the color gamut of the displayed tongue was obtained. Then a numerical method of tongue color classification based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (for example: light white tongue, light red tongue, red tongue) was developed. The conclusion is that this research can give the description and classification of the tongue color close to those given by human vision and may be carried out in clinical diagnosis.

Models for evaluating the performability of degradable computing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, L. T.

1982-01-01

Recent advances in multiprocessor technology established the need for unified methods to evaluate computing systems performance and reliability. In response to this modeling need, a general modeling framework that permits the modeling, analysis and evaluation of degradable computing systems is considered. Within this framework, several user oriented performance variables are identified and shown to be proper generalizations of the traditional notions of system performance and reliability. Furthermore, a time varying version of the model is developed to generalize the traditional fault tree reliability evaluation methods of phased missions.

Talk that talk: storytelling and analysis rooted in African American oral tradition.

PubMed

Banks-Wallace, JoAnne

2002-03-01

Stories are the foundation of qualitative research. However, the development of qualitative methods rooted in oral traditions remains largely unexplored by researchers. The contextual and historical influences on storytelling and storytaking are critical features of the African American oral tradition that are often ignored or minimized in qualitative research. Despite the complex and often contentious history of African Americans, their oral traditions have not been explored to reveal the depth of their lived experiences and the way those experiences inform their health concerns. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, dialogues about storytelling and storytaking are revisited and critiqued. Second, a comprehensive analytic process for gathering and interpreting stories rooted in African American oral tradition is outlined.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-07-01

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

Improved neutron-gamma discrimination for a 6Li-glass neutron detector using digital signal analysis methods

DOE PAGES

Wang, Cai -Lin; Riedel, Richard A.

2016-01-14

A 6Li-glass scintillator (GS20) based neutron Anger camera was developed for time-of-flight single-crystal diffraction instruments at SNS. Traditional pulse-height analysis (PHA) for neutron-gamma discrimination (NGD) resulted in the neutron-gamma efficiency ratio (defined as NGD ratio) on the order of 10 4. The NGD ratios of Anger cameras need to be improved for broader applications including neutron reflectometers. For this purpose, five digital signal analysis methods of individual waveforms from PMTs were proposed using: i). pulse-amplitude histogram; ii). power spectrum analysis combined with the maximum pulse amplitude; iii). two event parameters (a 1, b 0) obtained from Wiener filter; iv). anmore » effective amplitude (m) obtained from an adaptive least-mean-square (LMS) filter; and v). a cross-correlation (CC) coefficient between an individual waveform and a reference. The NGD ratios can be 1-102 times those from traditional PHA method. A brighter scintillator GS2 has better NGD ratio than GS20, but lower neutron detection efficiency. The ultimate NGD ratio is related to the ambient, high-energy background events. Moreover, our results indicate the NGD capability of neutron Anger cameras can be improved using digital signal analysis methods and brighter neutron scintillators.« less

Heuristic Modeling for TRMM Lifetime Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, P. S.; Sharer, P. J.; DeFazio, R. L.

1996-01-01

Analysis time for computing the expected mission lifetimes of proposed frequently maneuvering, tightly altitude constrained, Earth orbiting spacecraft have been significantly reduced by means of a heuristic modeling method implemented in a commercial-off-the-shelf spreadsheet product (QuattroPro) running on a personal computer (PC). The method uses a look-up table to estimate the maneuver frequency per month as a function of the spacecraft ballistic coefficient and the solar flux index, then computes the associated fuel use by a simple engine model. Maneuver frequency data points are produced by means of a single 1-month run of traditional mission analysis software for each of the 12 to 25 data points required for the table. As the data point computations are required only a mission design start-up and on the occasion of significant mission redesigns, the dependence on time consuming traditional modeling methods is dramatically reduced. Results to date have agreed with traditional methods to within 1 to 1.5 percent. The spreadsheet approach is applicable to a wide variety of Earth orbiting spacecraft with tight altitude constraints. It will be particularly useful to such missions as the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission scheduled for launch in 1997, whose mission lifetime calculations are heavily dependent on frequently revised solar flux predictions.

Micro versus macro solid phase extraction for monitoring water contaminants: a preliminary study using trihalomethanes.

PubMed

Alexandrou, Lydon D; Spencer, Michelle J S; Morrison, Paul D; Meehan, Barry J; Jones, Oliver A H

2015-04-15

Solid phase extraction is one of the most commonly used pre-concentration and cleanup steps in environmental science. However, traditional methods need electrically powered pumps, can use large volumes of solvent (if multiple samples are run), and require several hours to filter a sample. Additionally, if the cartridge is open to the air volatile compounds may be lost and sample integrity compromised. In contrast, micro cartridge based solid phase extraction can be completed in less than 2 min by hand, uses only microlitres of solvent and provides comparable concentration factors to established methods. It is also an enclosed system so volatile components are not lost. The sample can also be eluted directly into a detector (e.g. a mass spectrometer) if required. However, the technology is new and has not been much used for environmental analysis. In this study we compare traditional (macro) and the new micro solid phase extraction for the analysis of four common volatile trihalomethanes (trichloromethane, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and tribromomethane). The results demonstrate that micro solid phase extraction is faster and cheaper than traditional methods with similar recovery rates for the target compounds. This method shows potential for further development in a range of applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simplified Microarray Technique for Identifying mRNA in Rare Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almeida, Eduardo; Kadambi, Geeta

2007-01-01

Two simplified methods of identifying messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), and compact, low-power apparatuses to implement the methods, are at the proof-of-concept stage of development. These methods are related to traditional methods based on hybridization of nucleic acid, but whereas the traditional methods must be practiced in laboratory settings, these methods could be practiced in field settings. Hybridization of nucleic acid is a powerful technique for detection of specific complementary nucleic acid sequences, and is increasingly being used for detection of changes in gene expression in microarrays containing thousands of gene probes. A traditional microarray study entails at least the following six steps: 1. Purification of cellular RNA, 2. Amplification of complementary deoxyribonucleic acid [cDNA] by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), 3. Labeling of cDNA with fluorophores of Cy3 (a green cyanine dye) and Cy5 (a red cyanine dye), 4. Hybridization to a microarray chip, 5. Fluorescence scanning the array(s) with dual excitation wavelengths, and 6. Analysis of the resulting images. This six-step procedure must be performed in a laboratory because it requires bulky equipment.

METAL SPECIATION IN SOIL, SEDIMENT, AND WATER SYSTEMS VIA SYNCHROTRON RADIATION RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

Metal contaminated environmental systems (soils, sediments, and water) have challenged researchers for many years. Traditional methods of analysis have employed extraction methods to determine total metal content and define risk based on the premise that as metal concentration in...

Use of recurrence plots in the analysis of pupil diameter dynamics in narcoleptics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keegan, Andrew P.; Zbilut, J. P.; Merritt, S. L.; Mercer, P. J.

1993-11-01

Recurrence plots were used to evaluate pupil dynamics of subjects with narcolepsy. Preliminary data indicate that this nonlinear method of analyses may be more useful in revealing underlying deterministic differences than traditional methods like FFT and counting statistics.

Exploring the viability of using online social media advertising as a recruitment method for smoking cessation clinical trials.

PubMed

Frandsen, Mai; Walters, Julia; Ferguson, Stuart G

2014-02-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the viability of using social media as a recruitment tool in a clinical research trial. Sociodemographic data and smoking characteristics were assessed in 266 participants recruited to investigate the effectiveness of a behavioral support program for smoking cessation. For analysis, participants were separated into 2 groups based on whether they were recruited either using traditional means (flyers, word of mouth, or newspaper advertisement; n = 125, 47.0%) or by advertisements in online social media (n = 138, 51.9%). Participants recruited via social media were significantly younger, but there were no differences in other socioeconomic variables or smoking characteristics compared with participants recruited via other traditional means. The findings of the present study suggest that using online social media is a viable recruitment method for smoking studies and compliments other more traditional recruitment methods.

Microwave-Assisted Hydro-Distillation of Essential Oil from Rosemary: Comparison with Traditional Distillation

PubMed Central

Moradi, Sara; Fazlali, Alireza; Hamedi, Hamid

Background: Hydro-distillation (HD) method is a traditional technique which is used in most industrial companies. Microwave-assisted Hydro-distillation (MAHD) is an advanced HD technique utilizing a microwave oven in the extraction process. Methods: In this research, MAHD of essential oils from the aerial parts (leaves) of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) was studied and the results were compared with those of the conventional HD in terms of extraction time, extraction efficiency, chemical composition, quality of the essential oils and cost of the operation. Results: Microwave hydro-distillation was superior in terms of saving energy and extraction time (30 min, compared to 90 min in HD). Chromatography was used for quantity analysis of the essential oils composition. Quality of essential oil improved in MAHD method due to an increase of 17% in oxygenated compounds. Conclusion: Consequently, microwave hydro-distillation can be used as a substitute of traditional hydro-distillation. PMID:29296263

Revealing gene regulation and association through biological networks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This review had first summarized traditional methods used by plant breeders for genetic improvement, such as QTL analysis and transcriptomic analysis. With accumulating data, we can draw a network that comprises all possible links between members of a community, including protein–protein interaction...

RECENT APPLICATIONS OF SOURCE APPORTIONMENT METHODS AND RELATED NEEDS

EPA Science Inventory

Traditional receptor modeling studies have utilized factor analysis (like principal component analysis, PCA) and/or Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) to assess source influences. The limitations with these approaches is that PCA is qualitative and CMB requires the input of source pr...

[Investigation on production process quality control of traditional Chinese medicine--Banlangen granule as an example].

PubMed

Tan, Manrong; Yan, Dan; Qiu, Lingling; Chen, Longhu; Yan, Yan; Jin, Cheng; Li, Hanbing; Xiao, Xiaohe

2012-04-01

For the quality management system of herbal medicines, intermediate and finished products it exists the " short board" effect of methodologies. Based on the concept of process control, new strategies and new methods of the production process quality control had been established with the consideration of the actual production of traditional Chinese medicine an the characteristics of Chinese medicine. Taking Banlangen granule as a practice example, which was effective and widespread application, character identification, determination of index components, chemical fingerprint and biometrics technology were sequentially used respectively to assess the quality of Banlangen herbal medicines, intermediate (water extraction and alcohol precipitation) and finished product. With the transfer rate of chemical information and biological potency as indicators, the effectiveness and transmission of the above different assessments and control methods had been researched. And ultimately, the process quality control methods of Banlangen granule, which were based on chemical composition analysis-biometric analysis, had been set up. It can not only validly solute the current status that there were many manufacturers varying quality of Banlangen granule, but also ensure and enhance its clinical efficacy. Furthermore it provided a foundation for the construction of the quality control of traditional Chinese medicine production process.

Molecular identification of coliform bacteria isolated from drinking water reservoirs with traditional methods and the Colilert-18 system.

PubMed

Kämpfer, Peter; Nienhüser, Anita; Packroff, Gabriele; Wernicke, Frank; Mehling, Arnd; Nixdorf, Katja; Fiedler, Stefanie; Kolauch, Claudia; Esser, Michael

2008-07-01

The accuracy of a traditional method (lactose utilization with acid and gas production) for the detection of coliform bacteria and E. coli was tested in comparison with method ISO 9308-1 (based on acid formation from lactose) and the Colilert-18 system (detection of beta-galactosidase). A total of 345 isolates were identified after isolation from water samples using API 20E strips. The Colilert-18 led to the highest number of positive findings (95% of the isolates were assigned to coliforms), whereas the ISO-9308-1 method resulted only in 29% coliform findings. With the traditional method only 15% were rated positive. Most of the isolates were identified by the API 20E system as Enterobacter spp. (species of the Enterobacter cloacae complex), Serratia spp., Citrobacter spp.and Klebsiella spp.; but species identification remained vague in several cases. A more detailed identification of 126 pure cultures by using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and analysis of the hsp60 gene resulted in the identification of Enterobacter nimipressuralis, E. amnigenus, E. asburiae, E. hormaechei, and Serratia fonticola as predominat coliforms. These species are beta-galactosidase positive, but show acid formation from lactose often after a prolonged incubation time. They are often not of fecal origin and may interfere with the ability to accurately detect coliforms of fecal origin.

Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) marker as a new method for identification of endophytic fungi from Taxus.

PubMed

Ren, Na; Liu, Jiajia; Yang, Dongliang; Chen, Jianhua; Luan, Mingbao; Hong, Juan

2012-01-01

A total of 20 endophytic fungi stains were classified into four groups using traditional morphological identification method, and were studied for genetic diversity by sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) technique. Genomic DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of these strains was extracted with CTAB method. SRAP analysis was done with 24 pairs of primers. All strains could be uniquely distinguished with 584 bands and 446 polymorphism bands which generated 76.4% of polymorphic ratio. Unweighted pair-group method with arithmetical averages cluster analysis enabled construction of a dendrogram for estimating genetic distances between different strains. All strains, which were just divided into four groups by traditional morphology identification, were clustered into four major groups at GS = 0.603 and further separated into eight sub-groups at GS = 0.921. Dendrogram also revealed a large genetic variation in 20 strains; different primer combinations allowed them distinctly distinguished one from others with relatively low genetic similarity. The results show that the SRAP technology is more efficient than traditional morphology identification. It is found that SRAP markers could more really reflect the genetic diversity of endophytic fungi strains from Taxus, and also could be used as a method for identification of endophytic fungi from Taxus. It also suggests that SRAP can be used to establish foundation for further screening of taxol-producing endophytic fungi strains which can produce high levels of paclitaxel.

Eliminating traditional reference services in an academic health sciences library: a case study

PubMed Central

Schulte, Stephanie J

2011-01-01

Question: How were traditional librarian reference desk services successfully eliminated at one health sciences library? Setting: The analysis was done at an academic health sciences library at a major research university. Method: A gap analysis was performed, evaluating changes in the first eleven months through analysis of reference transaction and instructional session data. Main Results: Substantial increases were seen in the overall number of specialized reference transactions and those conducted by librarians lasting more than thirty minutes. The number of reference transactions overall increased after implementing the new model. Several new small-scale instructional initiatives began, though perhaps not directly related to the new model. Conclusion: Traditional reference desk services were eliminated at one academic health sciences library without negative impact on reference and instructional statistics. Eliminating ties to the confines of the physical library due to staffing reference desk hours removed one significant barrier to a more proactive liaison program. PMID:22022221

Tuberculosis patients' knowledge and beliefs about tuberculosis: a mixed methods study from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu.

PubMed

Viney, Kerri A; Johnson, Penelope; Tagaro, Markleen; Fanai, Saen; Linh, Nguyen N; Kelly, Paul; Harley, David; Sleigh, Adrian

2014-05-17

The setting for this study was the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, an archipelago of 82 islands, located in the South Pacific Ocean. Our objective was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of tuberculosis (TB) patients towards TB. This was a descriptive study using qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative analysis was based on the responses provided to closed questions, and we present frequencies to describe the TB patients' knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to TB. Qualitative analysis was based on open questions permitting fuller explanations. We used thematic analysis and developed a posteriori inductive categories to draw conclusions. Thirty five TB patients were interviewed; 22 (63%) were male. They attributed TB to cigarettes, kava, alcohol, contaminated food, sharing eating utensils and "kastom" (the local term for the traditional way of life, but also for sorcery). Most (94%) did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. However, almost all TB patients (89%) thought that TB was best treated at a hospital with antibiotics. Three quarters (74%) experienced stigma after their TB diagnosis. Seeking health care from a traditional healer was common; 54% of TB patients stated that they would first consult a traditional healer for any illness. When seeking a diagnosis for signs and symptoms of TB, 34% first consulted a traditional healer. Patients cited cost, distance and beliefs about TB causation as reasons for first consulting a traditional healer or going to the hospital. Of the TB patients who consulted a traditional healer first, there was an average of two weeks delay before they consulted the health service. In some cases, however, the delay was up to six years. The majority of the TB patients interviewed did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. Consulting a traditional healer for health care, including while seeking a diagnosis for TB symptoms, was common and may have delayed diagnosis. People require better information about TB to correct commonly held misperceptions about the disease. Traditional healers could also be engaged with the national TB programme, in order to refer people with signs and symptoms of TB to the nearest health service.

Quick detection of traditional Chinese medicine ‘Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma’ pieces by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hao; Shi, Hong; Feng, Shangyuan; Lin, Juqiang; Chen, Weiwei; Yu, Yun; Lin, Duo; Xu, Qian; Chen, Rong

2013-01-01

A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method was developed for the analysis of traditional Chinese medicine ‘Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma’ pieces (AMRP) for the first time with the aim to develop a quick method for traditional Chinese medicine detection. Both Raman spectra and SERS spectra were obtained from AMRP, and tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the measured spectra suggested that only a few weak Raman peaks could be observed in the regular Raman spectra, while primary Raman peaks at around 536, 555, 619, 648, 691, 733, 790, 958, 1004, 1031, 1112, 1244, 1324, 1395, 1469, 1574 and 1632 cm-1 could be observed in the SERS spectra, with the strongest signals at 619, 733, 958, 1324, 1395 and 1469 cm-1. This was due to a strong interaction between the silver colloids and the AMRP, which led to an extraordinary enhancement in the intensity of the Raman scattering in AMRP. This exploratory study suggests the SERS technique has great potential for providing a novel non-destructive method for effectively and accurately detecting traditional Chinese medicine without complicated separation and extraction.

[Herbalism, botany and components analysis study on original plants of frankincense].

PubMed

Sun, Lei; Xu, Jimin; Jin, Hongyu; Tian, Jingai; Lin, Ruichao

2011-01-01

In order to clarify original plants of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) frankincense, a GC method for determination essential oils and a HPLC method for determination boswellic acids were carried out together with analysis of herbalism, botany, components and pharmacology papers of frankincense. It was concluded that original plants of TCM frankincense include at least Boswellia sacra, B. papyrifera and B. serrata.

The Analysis of Discourse as Evaluation of Productive Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tripp, D. H.

This paper provides a thorough description of a method of analyzing and scoring group discussions from a particular point of view. After discussing shortcomings of traditional methods of reporting data from group discussions and problems inherent in the use of paper-and-pencil creativity tests, the author describes a method which was developed as…

The Use of Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in the Analysis of Academic Achievement among Undergraduates in Jamaica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaren, Ingrid Ann Marie

2012-01-01

This paper describes a study which uses quantitative and qualitative methods in determining the relationship between academic, institutional and psychological variables and degree performance for a sample of Jamaican undergraduate students. Quantitative methods, traditionally associated with the positivist paradigm, and involving the counting and…

Rationale and Use of Content-Relevant Achievement Tests for the Evaluation of Instructional Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patalino, Marianne

Problems in current course evaluation methods are discussed and an alternative method is described for the construction, analysis, and interpretation of a test to evaluate instructional programs. The method presented represents a different approach to the traditional overreliance on standardized achievement tests and the total scores they provide.…

Learning style-based teaching harvests a superior comprehension of respiratory physiology.

PubMed

Anbarasi, M; Rajkumar, G; Krishnakumar, S; Rajendran, P; Venkatesan, R; Dinesh, T; Mohan, J; Venkidusamy, S

2015-09-01

Students entering medical college generally show vast diversity in their school education. It becomes the responsibility of teachers to motivate students and meet the needs of all diversities. One such measure is teaching students in their own preferred learning style. The present study was aimed to incorporate a learning style-based teaching-learning program for medical students and to reveal its significance and utility. Learning styles of students were assessed online using the visual-auditory-kinesthetic (VAK) learning style self-assessment questionnaire. When respiratory physiology was taught, students were divided into three groups, namely, visual (n = 34), auditory (n = 44), and kinesthetic (n = 28), based on their learning style. A fourth group (the traditional group; n = 40) was formed by choosing students randomly from the above three groups. Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic groups were taught following the appropriate teaching-learning strategies. The traditional group was taught via the routine didactic lecture method. The effectiveness of this intervention was evaluated by a pretest and two posttests, posttest 1 immediately after the intervention and posttest 2 after a month. In posttest 1, one-way ANOVA showed a significant statistical difference (P=0.005). Post hoc analysis showed significance between the kinesthetic group and traditional group (P=0.002). One-way ANOVA showed a significant difference in posttest 2 scores (P < 0.0001). Post hoc analysis showed significance between the three learning style-based groups compared with the traditional group [visual vs. traditional groups (p=0.002), auditory vs. traditional groups (p=0.03), and Kinesthetic vs. traditional groups (p=0.001)]. This study emphasizes that teaching methods tailored to students' style of learning definitely improve their understanding, performance, and retrieval of the subject. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

Analysis of experts' perception of the effectiveness of teaching methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kindra, Gurprit S.

1984-03-01

The present study attempts to shed light on the perceptions of business educators regarding the effectiveness of six methodologies in achieving Gagné's five learning outcomes. Results of this study empirically confirm the oft-stated contention that no one method is globally effective for the attainment of all objectives. Specifically, business games, traditional lecture, and case study methods are perceived to be most effective for the learning of application, knowledge acquisition, and analysis and application, respectively.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Relevant Treatment for the Efficacy and Safety of Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Shi, Zhao-feng; Song, Tie-bing; Xie, Juan; Yan, Yi-quan

2017-01-01

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) has become a common skin disease that requires systematic and comprehensive treatment to achieve adequate clinical control. Traditional Chinese medicines and related treatments have shown clinical effects for AD in many studies. But the systematic reviews and meta-analyses for them are lacking. Objective The systematic review and meta-analysis based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicines and related treatments for AD treatment. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched based on standardized searching rules in eight medical databases from the inception up to December 2016 and a total of 24 articles with 1,618 patients were enrolled in this meta-analysis. Results The results revealed that traditional Chinese medicines and related treatments did not show statistical differences in clinical effectiveness, SCORAD amelioration, and SSRI amelioration for AD treatment compared with control group. However, EASI amelioration of traditional Chinese medicines and related treatments for AD was superior to control group. Conclusion We need to make conclusion cautiously for the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine and related treatment on AD therapy. More standard, multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of traditional Chinese medicine and related treatment for AD were required to be conducted for more clinical evidences providing in the future. PMID:28713436

A Standard Procedure for Conducting Cognitive Task Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redding, Richard E.

Traditional methods for task analysis have been largely based on the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) model, which is widely used throughout industry and the military. The first part of this document gives an overview of cognitive task analysis, which is conducted within the first phase of ISD. The following steps of cognitive task analysis…

Using Trial-Based Functional Analysis to Design Effective Interventions for Students Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Wallace; Hawkins, Renee O.; Collins, Tai

2016-01-01

Functional behavior assessments and function-based interventions are effective methods for addressing the challenging behaviors of children; however, traditional functional analysis has limitations that impact usability in applied settings. Trial-based functional analysis addresses concerns relating to the length of time, level of expertise…

A Systematic Review of Brief Functional Analysis Methodology with Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Andrew W.; Spencer, Trina D.; Boelter, Eric W.; DuBard, Melanie; Jennett, Heather K.

2012-01-01

Brief functional analysis (BFA) is an abbreviated assessment methodology derived from traditional extended functional analysis methods. BFAs are often conducted when time constraints in clinics, schools or homes are of concern. While BFAs have been used extensively to identify the function of problem behavior for children with disabilities, their…

Conceptual compression discussion on a multi-linear (FTA) and systematic (FRAM) method in an offshore operation's accident modeling.

PubMed

Toroody, Ahmad Bahoo; Abaei, Mohammad Mahdy; Gholamnia, Reza

2016-12-01

Risk assessment can be classified into two broad categories: traditional and modern. This paper is aimed at contrasting the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) as a modern approach with the fault tree analysis (FTA) as a traditional method, regarding assessing the risks of a complex system. Applied methodology by which the risk assessment is carried out, is presented in each approach. Also, FRAM network is executed with regard to nonlinear interaction of human and organizational levels to assess the safety of technological systems. The methodology is implemented for lifting structures deep offshore. The main finding of this paper is that the combined application of FTA and FRAM during risk assessment, could provide complementary perspectives and may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of an incident. Finally, it is shown that coupling a FRAM network with a suitable quantitative method will result in a plausible outcome for a predefined accident scenario.

FEM-based strain analysis study for multilayer sheet forming process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rongjing; Lang, Lihui; Zafar, Rizwan

2015-12-01

Fiber metal laminates have many advantages over traditional laminates (e.g., any type of fiber and resin material can be placed anywhere between the metallic layers without risk of failure of the composite fabric sheets). Furthermore, the process requirements to strictly control the temperature and punch force in fiber metal laminates are also less stringent than those in traditional laminates. To further explore the novel method, this study conducts a finite element method-based (FEM-based) strain analysis on multilayer blanks by using the 3A method. Different forming modes such as wrinkling and fracture are discussed by using experimental and numerical studies. Hydroforming is used for multilayer forming. The Barlat 2000 yield criteria and DYNAFORM/LS-DYNA are used for the simulations. Optimal process parameters are determined on the basis of fixed die-binder gap and variable cavity pressure. The results of this study will enhance the knowledge on the mechanics of multilayer structures formed by using the 3A method and expand its commercial applications.

Analysis and quantitation of volatile organic compounds emitted from plastics used in museum construction by evolved gas analysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Samide, Michael J; Smith, Gregory D

2015-12-24

Construction materials used in museums for the display, storage, and transportation of artwork must be assessed for their tendency to emit harmful pollution that could potentially damage cultural treasures. Traditionally, a subjective metals corrosion test known as the Oddy test has been widely utilized in museums for this purpose. To augment the Oddy test, an instrumental sampling approach based on evolved gas analysis (EGA) coupled to gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectral (MS) detection has been implemented for the first time to qualitatively identify off-gassed pollutants under specific conditions. This approach is compared to other instrumental methods reported in the literature. This novel application of the EGA sampling technique yields several benefits over traditional testing, including rapidity, high sensitivity, and broad detectability of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Furthermore, unlike other reported instrumental approaches, the EGA method was used to determine quantitatively the amount of VOCs emitted by acetate resins and polyurethane foams under specific conditions using both an external calibration method as well as surrogate response factors. EGA was successfully employed to rapidly characterize emissions from 12 types of common plastics. This analysis is advocated as a rapid pre-screening method to rule out poorly performing materials prior to investing time and energy in Oddy testing. The approach is also useful for rapid, routine testing of construction materials previously vetted by traditional testing, but which may experience detrimental formulation changes over time. As an example, a case study on batch re-orders of rigid expanded poly(vinyl chloride) board stock is presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA Barcoding for the Identification and Authentication of Animal Species in Traditional Medicine.

PubMed

Yang, Fan; Ding, Fei; Chen, Hong; He, Mingqi; Zhu, Shixin; Ma, Xin; Jiang, Li; Li, Haifeng

2018-01-01

Animal-based traditional medicine not only plays a significant role in therapeutic practices worldwide but also provides a potential compound library for drug discovery. However, persistent hunting and illegal trade markedly threaten numerous medicinal animal species, and increasing demand further provokes the emergence of various adulterants. As the conventional methods are difficult and time-consuming to detect processed products or identify animal species with similar morphology, developing novel authentication methods for animal-based traditional medicine represents an urgent need. During the last decade, DNA barcoding offers an accurate and efficient strategy that can identify existing species and discover unknown species via analysis of sequence variation in a standardized region of DNA. Recent studies have shown that DNA barcoding as well as minibarcoding and metabarcoding is capable of identifying animal species and discriminating the authentics from the adulterants in various types of traditional medicines, including raw materials, processed products, and complex preparations. These techniques can also be used to detect the unlabelled and threatened animal species in traditional medicine. Here, we review the recent progress of DNA barcoding for the identification and authentication of animal species used in traditional medicine, which provides a reference for quality control and trade supervision of animal-based traditional medicine.

DNA Barcoding for the Identification and Authentication of Animal Species in Traditional Medicine

PubMed Central

Yang, Fan; Ding, Fei; Chen, Hong; He, Mingqi; Zhu, Shixin; Ma, Xin; Jiang, Li

2018-01-01

Animal-based traditional medicine not only plays a significant role in therapeutic practices worldwide but also provides a potential compound library for drug discovery. However, persistent hunting and illegal trade markedly threaten numerous medicinal animal species, and increasing demand further provokes the emergence of various adulterants. As the conventional methods are difficult and time-consuming to detect processed products or identify animal species with similar morphology, developing novel authentication methods for animal-based traditional medicine represents an urgent need. During the last decade, DNA barcoding offers an accurate and efficient strategy that can identify existing species and discover unknown species via analysis of sequence variation in a standardized region of DNA. Recent studies have shown that DNA barcoding as well as minibarcoding and metabarcoding is capable of identifying animal species and discriminating the authentics from the adulterants in various types of traditional medicines, including raw materials, processed products, and complex preparations. These techniques can also be used to detect the unlabelled and threatened animal species in traditional medicine. Here, we review the recent progress of DNA barcoding for the identification and authentication of animal species used in traditional medicine, which provides a reference for quality control and trade supervision of animal-based traditional medicine. PMID:29849709

Visualization techniques for tongue analysis in traditional Chinese medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Binh L.; Cai, Yang

2004-05-01

Visual inspection of the tongue has been an important diagnostic method of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Clinic data have shown significant connections between various viscera cancers and abnormalities in the tongue and the tongue coating. Visual inspection of the tongue is simple and inexpensive, but the current practice in TCM is mainly experience-based and the quality of the visual inspection varies between individuals. The computerized inspection method provides quantitative models to evaluate color, texture and surface features on the tongue. In this paper, we investigate visualization techniques and processes to allow interactive data analysis with the aim to merge computerized measurements with human expert's diagnostic variables based on five-scale diagnostic conditions: Healthy (H), History Cancers (HC), History of Polyps (HP), Polyps (P) and Colon Cancer (C).

[Current situations and problem analysis of influencing factors of traditional Chinese medicine tablets on forming quality].

PubMed

Li, Yan-Nian; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Wan, Na; Li, Yuan-Hui; Li, Hui-Ting; Yang, Ming

2018-04-01

The compressibility of tablets is the essential operating unit during the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine tablets, as well as a complicated process. Therefore, it is of great significance to comprehensively study the influencing factors on the formation process. This paper aimed to review the evaluation methods for the tablet forming quality and highlight the effects of material powder properties, excipients and preparation technology on the quality of traditional Chinese medicine tablets on the basis of relevant literatures. Furthermore, the common problems in tablet forming process are also analyzed to provide useful references for the development of tablet forming quality of traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Statistical Analysis of a Class: Monte Carlo and Multiple Imputation Spreadsheet Methods for Estimation and Extrapolation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fish, Laurel J.; Halcoussis, Dennis; Phillips, G. Michael

2017-01-01

The Monte Carlo method and related multiple imputation methods are traditionally used in math, physics and science to estimate and analyze data and are now becoming standard tools in analyzing business and financial problems. However, few sources explain the application of the Monte Carlo method for individuals and business professionals who are…

Influence of the Simulation Method on 7th Grade Students' Achievements in Science and Technology Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teke, Huseyin; Dogan, Bekir; Duran, Ahmet

2015-01-01

This study aimed to make a comparative analysis of seventh-grade (the second level of the primary education) students' achievement in "Systems of The Human Body" unit in Science and Technology lesson which was taught using both the simulation method and the traditional method along with the influence of these methods on students'…

Weibull Modulus Estimated by the Non-linear Least Squares Method: A Solution to Deviation Occurring in Traditional Weibull Estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, T.; Griffiths, W. D.; Chen, J.

2017-11-01

The Maximum Likelihood method and the Linear Least Squares (LLS) method have been widely used to estimate Weibull parameters for reliability of brittle and metal materials. In the last 30 years, many researchers focused on the bias of Weibull modulus estimation, and some improvements have been achieved, especially in the case of the LLS method. However, there is a shortcoming in these methods for a specific type of data, where the lower tail deviates dramatically from the well-known linear fit in a classic LLS Weibull analysis. This deviation can be commonly found from the measured properties of materials, and previous applications of the LLS method on this kind of dataset present an unreliable linear regression. This deviation was previously thought to be due to physical flaws ( i.e., defects) contained in materials. However, this paper demonstrates that this deviation can also be caused by the linear transformation of the Weibull function, occurring in the traditional LLS method. Accordingly, it may not be appropriate to carry out a Weibull analysis according to the linearized Weibull function, and the Non-linear Least Squares method (Non-LS) is instead recommended for the Weibull modulus estimation of casting properties.

[Effect and regulation of drying on quality of traditional Chinese medicine pills].

PubMed

Qi, Ya-Ru; Li, Yuan-Hui; Han, Li; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Yue, Peng-Fei; Wang, Xue-Cheng; Xiong, Yao-Kun; Yang, Ming

2017-06-01

The dry quality of traditional Chinese medicine pills is the hot spot of pills research, because their quality has a crucial effect on the efficacy and development of dosage forms. Through literature research and statistical analysis, we would review the current problems on the drying of traditional Chinese medicine pills in this paper, and surrounding the evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine pills, analyze the characteristics of common drying equipment and processes as well as their effect on quality of pills, discuss the problems in drying equipment and process as well as quality, and put forward the corresponding strategies, hoping to provide new ideas and new methods for the quality improvement of traditional Chinese medicine pills and quality standards. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Data-driven train set crash dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhao; Zhu, Yunrui; Nie, Yinyu; Guo, Shihui; Liu, Fengjia; Chang, Jian; Zhang, Jianjun

2017-02-01

Traditional finite element (FE) methods are arguably expensive in computation/simulation of the train crash. High computational cost limits their direct applications in investigating dynamic behaviours of an entire train set for crashworthiness design and structural optimisation. On the contrary, multi-body modelling is widely used because of its low computational cost with the trade-off in accuracy. In this study, a data-driven train crash modelling method is proposed to improve the performance of a multi-body dynamics simulation of train set crash without increasing the computational burden. This is achieved by the parallel random forest algorithm, which is a machine learning approach that extracts useful patterns of force-displacement curves and predicts a force-displacement relation in a given collision condition from a collection of offline FE simulation data on various collision conditions, namely different crash velocities in our analysis. Using the FE simulation results as a benchmark, we compared our method with traditional multi-body modelling methods and the result shows that our data-driven method improves the accuracy over traditional multi-body models in train crash simulation and runs at the same level of efficiency.

Restoration of Traditional Korean Nuruk and Analysis of the Brewing Characteristics.

PubMed

Lee, Jang-Eun; Lee, Ae Ran; Kim, HyeRyun; Lee, Eunjung; Kim, Tae Wan; Shin, Woo Chang; Kim, Jae Ho

2017-05-28

In this study, a total of 58 different kinds of nuruk (a traditional Korean fermentation starter) were prepared, including 46 kinds of restored nuruk from ancient documents. Each nuruk was evaluated by analysis of its saccharification power, and the enzyme activities of glucoamylase, α-amylase, β-amylase, protease, and β-glucanase. The range of saccharification power (sp) of the restored nuruk ranged between 85 and 565 sp. The diastatic enzymes, α-amylase, β-amylase, and glucoamylase, were significantly correlated to the saccharification power value; conversely, β-glucanase and protease did not have a correlative relationship with saccarification power. In addition, their brewing properties on chemical and organoleptic aspects of traditional alcoholic beverage production were compared. Each raw and supplementary material contained in nuruk showed its own unique characteristics on Korean alcoholic beverage brewing. For the first time, in this study, the traditional Korean nuruk types mentioned in ancient documents were restored using modernized production methods, and also characterized based on their brewing properties. Our results could be utilized as a basis for further study of traditional alcoholic beverages and their valuable microorganisms.

The Current State of Human Performance Technology: A Citation Network Analysis of "Performance Improvement Quarterly," 1988-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Yonjoo; Jo, Sung Jun; Park, Sunyoung; Kang, Ingu; Chen, Zengguan

2011-01-01

This study conducted a citation network analysis (CNA) of human performance technology (HPT) to examine its current state of the field. Previous reviews of the field have used traditional research methods, such as content analysis, survey, Delphi, and citation analysis. The distinctive features of CNA come from using a social network analysis…

A Meta-Analysis of Gifted and Talented Identification Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodges, Jaret; Tay, Juliana; Maeda, Yukiko; Gentry, Marcia

2018-01-01

Researchers consider the underrepresentation of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students is largely due to the use of traditional methods of identification (i.e., IQ and standardized achievement tests). To address this concern, researchers created novel nontraditional identification methods (e.g., nonverbal tests, student portfolios,…

The Use of Session RPE to Monitor the Intensity of Weight Training in Older Women: Acute Responses to Eccentric, Concentric, and Dynamic Exercises

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Sandro S.; Krinski, Kleverton; Alves, Ragami C.; Benites, Mariana L.; Redkva, Paulo E.; Elsangedy, Hassan M.; Buzzachera, Cosme F.; Souza-Junior, Tácito P.; da Silva, Sergio G.

2014-01-01

The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) is ability to detect and interpret organic sensations while performing exercises. This method has been used to measure the level of effort that is felt during weight-training at a given intensity. The purpose of this investigation was to compare session RPE values with those of traditional RPE measurements for different weight-training muscle actions, performed together or separately. Fourteen women with no former weight-training experience were recruited for the investigation. All participants completed five sessions of exercise: familiarization, maximum force, concentric-only (CONC-only), eccentric-only (ECC-only), and dynamic (DYN = CONC + ECC). The traditional RPE method was measured after each series of exercises, and the session RPE was measured 30 min after the end of the training session. The statistical analyses used were the paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and repeated measures analysis of variance. Significant differences between traditional RPE and session RPE for DYN, CONC, and ECC exercises were not found. This investigation demonstrated that session RPE is similar to traditional RPE in terms of weight-training involving concentric, eccentric, or dynamic muscle exercises, and that it can be used to prescribe and monitor weight-training sessions in older subjects. PMID:24834354

Identifying model error in metabolic flux analysis - a generalized least squares approach.

PubMed

Sokolenko, Stanislav; Quattrociocchi, Marco; Aucoin, Marc G

2016-09-13

The estimation of intracellular flux through traditional metabolic flux analysis (MFA) using an overdetermined system of equations is a well established practice in metabolic engineering. Despite the continued evolution of the methodology since its introduction, there has been little focus on validation and identification of poor model fit outside of identifying "gross measurement error". The growing complexity of metabolic models, which are increasingly generated from genome-level data, has necessitated robust validation that can directly assess model fit. In this work, MFA calculation is framed as a generalized least squares (GLS) problem, highlighting the applicability of the common t-test for model validation. To differentiate between measurement and model error, we simulate ideal flux profiles directly from the model, perturb them with estimated measurement error, and compare their validation to real data. Application of this strategy to an established Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell model shows how fluxes validated by traditional means may be largely non-significant due to a lack of model fit. With further simulation, we explore how t-test significance relates to calculation error and show that fluxes found to be non-significant have 2-4 fold larger error (if measurement uncertainty is in the 5-10 % range). The proposed validation method goes beyond traditional detection of "gross measurement error" to identify lack of fit between model and data. Although the focus of this work is on t-test validation and traditional MFA, the presented framework is readily applicable to other regression analysis methods and MFA formulations.

Dynamic identification of growth and survival kinetic parameters of microorganisms in foods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Inverse analysis is a mathematical method used in predictive microbiology to determine the kinetic parameters of microbial growth and survival in foods. The traditional approach in inverse analysis relies on isothermal experiments that are time-consuming and labor-intensive, and errors are accumula...

The assessment of vulnerability to natural disasters in China by using the DEA method

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

Wei Yiming; Fan Ying; Lu Cong

2004-05-01

China has been greatly affected by natural disasters, so that it is of great importance to analyze the impact of natural disasters on national economy. Usually, the frequency of disasters or absolute loss inflicted by disasters is the first priority to be considered, while the capability of regions to overcome disasters is ignored. The concept of vulnerability is used to measure the capability to overcome disasters in different regions with distinctive economies. Traditional methods for vulnerability analysis calculate sub-indices based on disaster frequency, loss, the economic impact and the population of each region, and then add the sub-indices to getmore » a composite index for regional vulnerability. But those methods are sensitive to the weights selected for sub-indices when multi-indexes are added up to get an index of total vulnerability. The analytic results are less convincing because of the subjectivity of different weighting methods. A data envelopment analysis (DEA)-based model for analysis of regional vulnerability to natural disasters is presented here to improve upon the traditional method. This paper systematically describes the DEA method to evaluate the relative severity of disasters in each region. A model for regional vulnerability analysis is developed, based on the annual governmental statistics from 1989 to 2000. The regional vulnerabilities in China's mainland are illustrated as a case study, and a new method for the classification of regional vulnerability to natural disasters in China is proposed.« less

Analysis of drugs in human tissues by supercritical fluid extraction/immunoassay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furton, Kenneth G.; Sabucedo, Alberta; Rein, Joseph; Hearn, W. L.

1997-02-01

A rapid, readily automated method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of phenobarbital from human liver tissues based on supercritical carbon dioxide extraction followed by fluorescence enzyme immunoassay. The method developed significantly reduces sample handling and utilizes the entire liver homogenate. The current method yields comparable recoveries and precision and does not require the use of an internal standard, although traditional GC/MS confirmation can still be performed on sample extracts. Additionally, the proposed method uses non-toxic, inexpensive carbon dioxide, thus eliminating the use of halogenated organic solvents.

Efficacy of the Cooperative Learning Method on Mathematics Achievement and Attitude: A Meta-Analysis Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capar, Gulfer; Tarim, Kamuran

2015-01-01

This research compiles experimental studies from 1988 to 2010 that examined the influence of the cooperative learning method, as compared with that of traditional methods, on mathematics achievement and on attitudes towards mathematics. The related field was searched using the following key words in Turkish "matematik ve isbirlikli ögrenme,…

Explicating Metatheory for Mixed Methods Research in Educational Leadership: An Application of Habermas's "Theory of Communicative Action"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiteman, Rodney S.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Mixed methods research can provide a fruitful line of inquiry for educational leadership, program evaluation, and policy analysis; however, mixed methods research requires a metatheory that allows for mixing what have traditionally been considered incompatible qualitative and quantitative inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to apply…

Analysis of a virtual memory model for maintaining database views

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kinsley, Kathryn C.; Hughes, Charles E.

1992-01-01

This paper presents an analytical model for predicting the performance of a new support strategy for database views. This strategy, called the virtual method, is compared with traditional methods for supporting views. The analytical model's predictions of improved performance by the virtual method are then validated by comparing these results with those achieved in an experimental implementation.

Meta-Analysis of Rare Binary Adverse Event Data

PubMed Central

Bhaumik, Dulal K.; Amatya, Anup; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Greenhouse, Joel; Kaizar, Eloise; Neelon, Brian; Gibbons, Robert D.

2013-01-01

We examine the use of fixed-effects and random-effects moment-based meta-analytic methods for analysis of binary adverse event data. Special attention is paid to the case of rare adverse events which are commonly encountered in routine practice. We study estimation of model parameters and between-study heterogeneity. In addition, we examine traditional approaches to hypothesis testing of the average treatment effect and detection of the heterogeneity of treatment effect across studies. We derive three new methods, simple (unweighted) average treatment effect estimator, a new heterogeneity estimator, and a parametric bootstrapping test for heterogeneity. We then study the statistical properties of both the traditional and new methods via simulation. We find that in general, moment-based estimators of combined treatment effects and heterogeneity are biased and the degree of bias is proportional to the rarity of the event under study. The new methods eliminate much, but not all of this bias. The various estimators and hypothesis testing methods are then compared and contrasted using an example dataset on treatment of stable coronary artery disease. PMID:23734068

Estimating Cyanobacteria Community Dynamics and its Relationship with Environmental Factors

PubMed Central

Luo, Wenhuai; Chen, Huirong; Lei, Anping; Lu, Jun; Hu, Zhangli

2014-01-01

The cyanobacteria community dynamics in two eutrophic freshwater bodies (Tiegang Reservoir and Shiyan Reservoir) was studied with both a traditional microscopic counting method and a PCR-DGGE genotyping method. Results showed that cyanobacterium Phormidium tenue was the predominant species; twenty-six cyanobacteria species were identified in water samples collected from the two reservoirs, among which fourteen were identified with the morphological method and sixteen with the PCR-DGGE method. The cyanobacteria community composition analysis showed a seasonal fluctuation from July to December. The cyanobacteria population peaked in August in both reservoirs, with cell abundances of 3.78 × 108 cells L-1 and 1.92 × 108 cells L-1 in the Tiegang and Shiyan reservoirs, respectively. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was applied to further investigate the correlation between cyanobacteria community dynamics and environmental factors. The result indicated that the cyanobacteria community dynamics was mostly correlated with pH, temperature and total nitrogen. This study demonstrated that data obtained from PCR-DGGE combined with a traditional morphological method could reflect cyanobacteria community dynamics and its correlation with environmental factors in eutrophic freshwater bodies. PMID:24448632

Surface characterization of nanomaterials and nanoparticles: Important needs and challenging opportunities

PubMed Central

Baer, Donald R.; Engelhard, Mark H.; Johnson, Grant E.; Laskin, Julia; Lai, Jinfeng; Mueller, Karl; Munusamy, Prabhakaran; Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai; Wang, Hongfei; Washton, Nancy; Elder, Alison; Baisch, Brittany L.; Karakoti, Ajay; Kuchibhatla, Satyanarayana V. N. T.; Moon, DaeWon

2013-01-01

This review examines characterization challenges inherently associated with understanding nanomaterials and the roles surface and interface characterization methods can play in meeting some of the challenges. In parts of the research community, there is growing recognition that studies and published reports on the properties and behaviors of nanomaterials often have reported inadequate or incomplete characterization. As a consequence, the true value of the data in these reports is, at best, uncertain. With the increasing importance of nanomaterials in fundamental research and technological applications, it is desirable that researchers from the wide variety of disciplines involved recognize the nature of these often unexpected challenges associated with reproducible synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, including the difficulties of maintaining desired materials properties during handling and processing due to their dynamic nature. It is equally valuable for researchers to understand how characterization approaches (surface and otherwise) can help to minimize synthesis surprises and to determine how (and how quickly) materials and properties change in different environments. Appropriate application of traditional surface sensitive analysis methods (including x-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopies, scanning probe microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy) can provide information that helps address several of the analysis needs. In many circumstances, extensions of traditional data analysis can provide considerably more information than normally obtained from the data collected. Less common or evolving methods with surface selectivity (e.g., some variations of nuclear magnetic resonance, sum frequency generation, and low and medium energy ion scattering) can provide information about surfaces or interfaces in working environments (operando or in situ) or information not provided by more traditional methods. Although these methods may require instrumentation or expertise not generally available, they can be particularly useful in addressing specific questions, and examples of their use in nanomaterial research are presented. PMID:24482557

Surface characterization of nanomaterials and nanoparticles: Important needs and challenging opportunities

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

Baer, Donald R.; Engelhard, Mark H.; Johnson, Grant E.

2013-09-15

This review examines characterization challenges inherently associated with understanding nanomaterials and the roles surface and interface characterization methods can play in meeting some of the challenges. In parts of the research community, there is growing recognition that studies and published reports on the properties and behaviors of nanomaterials often have reported inadequate or incomplete characterization. As a consequence, the true value of the data in these reports is, at best, uncertain. With the increasing importance of nanomaterials in fundamental research and technological applications, it is desirable that researchers from the wide variety of disciplines involved recognize the nature of thesemore » often unexpected challenges associated with reproducible synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, including the difficulties of maintaining desired materials properties during handling and processing due to their dynamic nature. It is equally valuable for researchers to understand how characterization approaches (surface and otherwise) can help to minimize synthesis surprises and to determine how (and how quickly) materials and properties change in different environments. Appropriate application of traditional surface sensitive analysis methods (including x-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopies, scanning probe microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy) can provide information that helps address several of the analysis needs. In many circumstances, extensions of traditional data analysis can provide considerably more information than normally obtained from the data collected. Less common or evolving methods with surface selectivity (e.g., some variations of nuclear magnetic resonance, sum frequency generation, and low and medium energy ion scattering) can provide information about surfaces or interfaces in working environments (operando or in situ) or information not provided by more traditional methods. Although these methods may require instrumentation or expertise not generally available, they can be particularly useful in addressing specific questions, and examples of their use in nanomaterial research are presented.« less

Table-top job analysis

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

Not Available

1994-12-01

The purpose of this Handbook is to establish general training program guidelines for training personnel in developing training for operation, maintenance, and technical support personnel at Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facilities. TTJA is not the only method of job analysis; however, when conducted properly TTJA can be cost effective, efficient, and self-validating, and represents an effective method of defining job requirements. The table-top job analysis is suggested in the DOE Training Accreditation Program manuals as an acceptable alternative to traditional methods of analyzing job requirements. DOE 5480-20A strongly endorses and recommends it as the preferred method for analyzing jobsmore » for positions addressed by the Order.« less

The application of peritoneal drainage in the surgical treatment for neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jixue; Fu, Xin

2017-08-01

Object To explore the feasibility and effects of peritoneal drainage in the surgical treatment for the neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conduct on 32 cases of newborns with extensive and multiple intestinal necrosis found intraoperatively, all of which could not accept first-stage resected, treated by traditional operation or by peritoneal drainage between January, 2013 to January 2017. Duration of operation, amount of bleeding, and the survival rate after operation were compared between the two groups, which were divided by surgical methods. Results: No significant difference was observed in age, and gender (P>0.05) between the two groups. However, duration of operation was significantly shorter, the amount of bleeding was significantly lessen, the survival rate was significantly higher in the patients by peritoneal drainage than the patients by traditional operation (P<0.05). Conclusion: To compare traditional operation or peritoneal drainage in neonates, a retrospective analysis conducted by us showed the feasibility and effects of peritoneal drainage in neonates, and a significant advantage in duration of operation and the survival rate after operation.

Scalable, Finite Element Analysis of Electromagnetic Scattering and Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cwik, T.; Lou, J.; Katz, D.

1997-01-01

In this paper a method for simulating electromagnetic fields scattered from complex objects is reviewed; namely, an unstructured finite element code that does not use traditional mesh partitioning algorithms.

Maternal psychosocial well-being in Eritrea: application of participatory methods and tools of investigation and analysis in complex emergency settings.

PubMed Central

Almedom, Astier M.; Tesfamichael, Berhe; Yacob, Abdu; Debretsion, Zaïd; Teklehaimanot, Kidane; Beyene, Teshome; Kuhn, Kira; Alemu, Zemui

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To establish the context in which maternal psychosocial well-being is understood in war-affected settings in Eritrea. METHOD: Pretested and validated participatory methods and tools of investigation and analysis were employed to allow participants to engage in processes of qualitative data collection, on-site analysis, and interpretation. FINDINGS: Maternal psychosocial well-being in Eritrea is maintained primarily by traditional systems of social support that are mostly outside the domain of statutory primary care. Traditional birth attendants provide a vital link between the two. Formal training and regular supplies of sterile delivery kits appear to be worthwhile options for health policy and practice in the face of the post-conflict challenges of ruined infrastructure and an overstretched and/or ill-mannered workforce in the maternity health service. CONCLUSION: Methodological advances in health research and the dearth of data on maternal psychosocial well-being in complex emergency settings call for scholars and practitioners to collaborate in creative searches for sound evidence on which to base maternity, mental health and social care policy and practice. Participatory methods facilitate the meaningful engagement of key stakeholders and enhance data quality, reliability and usability. PMID:12856054

Reliability Evaluation of Machine Center Components Based on Cascading Failure Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying-Zhi; Liu, Jin-Tong; Shen, Gui-Xiang; Long, Zhe; Sun, Shu-Guang

2017-07-01

In order to rectify the problems that the component reliability model exhibits deviation, and the evaluation result is low due to the overlook of failure propagation in traditional reliability evaluation of machine center components, a new reliability evaluation method based on cascading failure analysis and the failure influenced degree assessment is proposed. A direct graph model of cascading failure among components is established according to cascading failure mechanism analysis and graph theory. The failure influenced degrees of the system components are assessed by the adjacency matrix and its transposition, combined with the Pagerank algorithm. Based on the comprehensive failure probability function and total probability formula, the inherent failure probability function is determined to realize the reliability evaluation of the system components. Finally, the method is applied to a machine center, it shows the following: 1) The reliability evaluation values of the proposed method are at least 2.5% higher than those of the traditional method; 2) The difference between the comprehensive and inherent reliability of the system component presents a positive correlation with the failure influenced degree of the system component, which provides a theoretical basis for reliability allocation of machine center system.

Bayesian Factor Analysis When Only a Sample Covariance Matrix Is Available

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayashi, Kentaro; Arav, Marina

2006-01-01

In traditional factor analysis, the variance-covariance matrix or the correlation matrix has often been a form of inputting data. In contrast, in Bayesian factor analysis, the entire data set is typically required to compute the posterior estimates, such as Bayes factor loadings and Bayes unique variances. We propose a simple method for computing…

Measuring mercury and other elemental components in tree rings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gillan, C.; Hollerman, W.A.; Doyle, T.W.; Lewis, T.E.

2004-01-01

There has been considerable interest in measuring heavy metal pollution, such as mercury, using tree ring analysis. Since 1970, this method has provided a historical snapshot of pollutant concentrations near hazardous waste sites. Traditional methods of analysis have long been used with heavy metal pollutants such as mercury. These methods, such as atomic fluorescence and laser ablation, are sometimes time consuming and expensive to implement. In recent years, ion beam techniques, such as Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE), have been used to measure large numbers of elements. Most of the existing research in this area has been completed for low to medium atomic number pollutants, such as titanium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. Due to the reduction of sensitivity, it is often difficult or impossible to use traditional low energy (few MeV) PIXE analysis for pollutants with large atomic numbers. For example, the PIXE detection limit for mercury was recently measured to be about 1 ppm for a spiked Southern Magnolia wood sample [ref. 1]. This presentation will compare PIXE and standard chemical concentration results for a variety of wood samples.

Measuring mercury and other elemental components in tree rings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gillan, C.; Hollerman, W.A.; Doyle, T.W.; Lewis, T.E.

2004-01-01

There has been considerable interest in measuring heavy metal pollution, such as mercury, using tree ring analysis. Since 1970, this method has provided a historical snapshot of pollutant concentrations near hazardous waste sites. Traditional methods of analysis have long been used with heavy metal pollutants such as mercury. These methods, such as atomic fluorescence and laser ablation, are sometimes time consuming and expensive to implement. In recent years, ion beam techniques, such as Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE), have been used to measure large numbers of elements. Most of the existing research in this area has been completed for low to medium atomic number pollutants, such as titanium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. Due to the reduction of sensitivity, it is often difficult or impossible to use traditional low energy (few MeV) PIXE analysis for pollutants with large atomic numbers. For example, the PIXE detection limit for mercury was recently measured to be about 1 ppm for a spiked Southern Magnolia wood sample [ref. 1]. This presentation will compare PIXE and standard chemical concentration results for a variety of wood samples. Copyright 2004 by ISA.

A mixed methods inquiry into the determinants of traditional food consumption among three Cree communities of Eeyou Istchee from an ecological perspective.

PubMed

Gaudin, Véronique Laberge; Receveur, Olivier; Walz, Leah; Girard, Félix; Potvin, Louise

2014-01-01

The Aboriginal nations of Canada have higher incidences of chronic diseases, coinciding with profound changes in their environment, lifestyle and diet. Traditional foods can protect against the risks of chronic disease. However, their consumption is in decline, and little is known about the complex mechanisms underlying this trend. To identify the factors involved in traditional food consumption by Cree Aboriginal people living in 3 communities in northern Quebec, Canada. Design. A mixed methods explanatory design, including focus group interviews to interpret the results of logistic regression. This study includes a secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey of 3 Cree communities (n=374) and 4 focus group interviews (n=23). In the first, quantitative phase of the study, data were collected using a food-frequency questionnaire along with a structured questionnaire. Subsequently, the focus group interviews helped explain and build on the results of logistic regressions. People who consume traditional food 3 days or more weekly were more likely to be 40 years old and over, to walk 30 minutes or more per day, not to have completed their schooling, to live in Mistissini and to be a hunter (p<0.05 for all comparisons). The focus group participants provided explanations for the quantitative analysis results or completed them. For example, although no statistical association was found, focus group participants believed that employment acts as both a facilitator and a barrier to traditional food consumption, rendering the effect undetectable. In addition, focus group participants suggested that traditional food consumption is the result of multiple interconnected influences, including individual, family, community and environmental influences, rather than a single factor. This study sheds light on a number of factors that are unique to traditional foods, factors that have been understudied to date. Efforts to promote and maintain traditional food consumption could improve the overall health and wellbeing of Cree communities.

Medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes in karo ethnic, north sumatra, indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja Nasution, Barita; Alief Aththorick, T.; Rahayu, Suci

2018-03-01

Medicinal plants derived from traditional medicines have played an important role in managing a variety of healthcare and diseases in Karo ethnic in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The study aimed to document the ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants used by traditional healers of Karo ethnic in the treatment of diabetes and to assess the crude extract of phytochemical constituents qualitatively from medicinal plant organ. The study was conducted on two Karo sub-ethnic living at the highland (Karo Gugung) in Karo Regency and the lowland (Karo Jahe) in Langkat Regency with the length of the study was eight months of observation. The survey was conducted using open-ended interviews among four traditional healers those who were selected by snowball sampling method; quantitative analysis of ethnobotanical data was performed by calculating the familiarity index (Fi). Fresh plant samples which were used for phytochemical analysis were collected using participatory method. The results showed that 15 plants were used to treat diabetes by Karo traditional healers. The plants are Blumea balsamifera, Nypa fruticans, Bischofia javanica, Eleutherine americana, Allium cepa, A. sativum, Eugenia polyantha, Piper betle, P. nigrum, Citrus aurantiifolia, Boesenbergia pandurata, Curcuma longa, Kaempferia galanga, Zingiber montanum, and Z. officinale. Familiarity index (Fi) value of each plant was 25 which explained that each of medicinal plant was used by only one traditional healer. The phytochemical screening showed that the crude plant extracts contained phenolic, terpenoid, steroid, and saponin.

Assessment of Uncertainty in the Determination of Activation Energy for Polymeric Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darby, Stephania P.; Landrum, D. Brian; Coleman, Hugh W.

1998-01-01

An assessment of the experimental uncertainty in obtaining the kinetic activation energy from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data is presented. A neat phenolic resin, Borden SC1O08, was heated at three heating rates to obtain weight loss vs temperature data. Activation energy was calculated by two methods: the traditional Flynn and Wall method based on the slope of log(q) versus 1/T, and a modification of this method where the ordinate and abscissa are reversed in the linear regression. The modified method produced a more accurate curve fit of the data, was more sensitive to data nonlinearity, and gave a value of activation energy 75 percent greater than the original method. An uncertainty analysis using the modified method yielded a 60 percent uncertainty in the average activation energy. Based on this result, the activation energy for a carbon-phenolic material was doubled and used to calculate the ablation rate In a typical solid rocket environment. Doubling the activation energy increased surface recession by 3 percent. Current TGA data reduction techniques that use the traditional Flynn and Wall approach to calculate activation energy should be changed to the modified method.

A Typology of FL Education with Particular Emphasis on Compensatory and Individualized Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakobovits, Leon A.

A comparative analysis of foreign language teaching methods considered within the framework of the author's EBTA Cube (Eight Basic Approaches to Teaching) contrasts methods of instruction in three categories: (1) non-programed versus programed instruction, (2) mass versus individualized instruction, and (3) traditional versus compensatory…

Assessing the teaching of procedural skills: can cognitive task analysis add to our traditional teaching methods?

PubMed

Sullivan, Maura E; Ortega, Adrian; Wasserberg, Nir; Kaufman, Howard; Nyquist, Julie; Clark, Richard

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a cognitive task analysis (CTA) could capture steps and decision points that were not articulated during traditional teaching of a colonoscopy. Three expert colorectal surgeons were videotaped performing a colonoscopy. After the videotapes were transcribed, the experts participated in a CTA. A 26-step procedural checklist and a 16-step cognitive demands table was created by using information obtained in the CTA. The videotape transcriptions were transposed onto the procedural checklist and cognitive demands table to identify steps and decision points that were omitted during traditional teaching. Surgeon A described 50% of "how-to" steps and 43% of decision points. Surgeon B described 30% of steps and 25% of decisions. Surgeon C described 26% of steps and 38% of cognitive decisions. By using CTA, we were able to identify relevant steps and decision points that were omitted during traditional teaching by all 3 experts.

Separate-channel analysis of two-channel microarrays: recovering inter-spot information.

PubMed

Smyth, Gordon K; Altman, Naomi S

2013-05-26

Two-channel (or two-color) microarrays are cost-effective platforms for comparative analysis of gene expression. They are traditionally analysed in terms of the log-ratios (M-values) of the two channel intensities at each spot, but this analysis does not use all the information available in the separate channel observations. Mixed models have been proposed to analyse intensities from the two channels as separate observations, but such models can be complex to use and the gain in efficiency over the log-ratio analysis is difficult to quantify. Mixed models yield test statistics for the null distributions can be specified only approximately, and some approaches do not borrow strength between genes. This article reformulates the mixed model to clarify the relationship with the traditional log-ratio analysis, to facilitate information borrowing between genes, and to obtain an exact distributional theory for the resulting test statistics. The mixed model is transformed to operate on the M-values and A-values (average log-expression for each spot) instead of on the log-expression values. The log-ratio analysis is shown to ignore information contained in the A-values. The relative efficiency of the log-ratio analysis is shown to depend on the size of the intraspot correlation. A new separate channel analysis method is proposed that assumes a constant intra-spot correlation coefficient across all genes. This approach permits the mixed model to be transformed into an ordinary linear model, allowing the data analysis to use a well-understood empirical Bayes analysis pipeline for linear modeling of microarray data. This yields statistically powerful test statistics that have an exact distributional theory. The log-ratio, mixed model and common correlation methods are compared using three case studies. The results show that separate channel analyses that borrow strength between genes are more powerful than log-ratio analyses. The common correlation analysis is the most powerful of all. The common correlation method proposed in this article for separate-channel analysis of two-channel microarray data is no more difficult to apply in practice than the traditional log-ratio analysis. It provides an intuitive and powerful means to conduct analyses and make comparisons that might otherwise not be possible.

Probabilistic Scenario-based Seismic Risk Analysis for Critical Infrastructures Method and Application for a Nuclear Power Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klügel, J.

2006-12-01

Deterministic scenario-based seismic hazard analysis has a long tradition in earthquake engineering for developing the design basis of critical infrastructures like dams, transport infrastructures, chemical plants and nuclear power plants. For many applications besides of the design of infrastructures it is of interest to assess the efficiency of the design measures taken. These applications require a method allowing to perform a meaningful quantitative risk analysis. A new method for a probabilistic scenario-based seismic risk analysis has been developed based on a probabilistic extension of proven deterministic methods like the MCE- methodology. The input data required for the method are entirely based on the information which is necessary to perform any meaningful seismic hazard analysis. The method is based on the probabilistic risk analysis approach common for applications in nuclear technology developed originally by Kaplan & Garrick (1981). It is based (1) on a classification of earthquake events into different size classes (by magnitude), (2) the evaluation of the frequency of occurrence of events, assigned to the different classes (frequency of initiating events, (3) the development of bounding critical scenarios assigned to each class based on the solution of an optimization problem and (4) in the evaluation of the conditional probability of exceedance of critical design parameters (vulnerability analysis). The advantage of the method in comparison with traditional PSHA consists in (1) its flexibility, allowing to use different probabilistic models for earthquake occurrence as well as to incorporate advanced physical models into the analysis, (2) in the mathematically consistent treatment of uncertainties, and (3) in the explicit consideration of the lifetime of the critical structure as a criterion to formulate different risk goals. The method was applied for the evaluation of the risk of production interruption losses of a nuclear power plant during its residual lifetime.

Determination of T-2 and HT-2 toxins from maize by direct analysis in real time - mass spectrometry (DART-MS)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ambient desorption ionization techniques, such as laser desorption with electrospray ionization assistance (ELDI), direct analysis in real time (DART) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) have been developed as alternatives to traditional mass spectrometric-based methods. Such techniques al...

An Integrated Analysis-Test Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Daniel

2003-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides an overview of a project to develop a computer program which integrates data analysis and test procedures. The software application aims to propose a new perspective to traditional mechanical analysis and test procedures and to integrate pre-test and test analysis calculation methods. The program also should also be able to be used in portable devices and allows for the 'quasi-real time' analysis of data sent by electronic means. Test methods reviewed during this presentation include: shaker swept sine and random tests, shaker shock mode tests, shaker base driven model survey tests and acoustic tests.

Changes in contraceptive use and method mix in Pakistan: 1990-91 to 2006-07.

PubMed

Carton, Thomas W; Agha, Sohail

2012-03-01

To determine (a) whether the influence of the determinants of family planning use in Pakistan changed between 1990-91 and 2006-07, and (b) if these changes were associated with changes in the method mix. Data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys (PDHS) of 1990-91 and 2006-07 were used in the analyses. Data on 5184 married, non-pregnant, fecund women in 1990-91 and 8041 married, non-pregnant, fecund women in 2006-07 were used. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the use of any contraceptive method and whether the influence of these factors changed between the survey years. Changes in the method mix were examined. The effects of urban/rural residence, wealth and education on contraceptive use changed between 1990-91 and 2006-07. Differentials in contraceptive use by residence, wealth and education declined and were accompanied by changes in the method mix. In rural areas and among less-educated women, the contribution of traditional methods to the method mix increased. Among the poorest women, the method mix shifted towards traditional methods and condoms. Less-educated, rural, Pakistani women increased the use of family planning at a faster rate than more-educated, urban, women by adopting the use of traditional family planning methods. Poor women also increased family planning use more quickly than non-poor women, by adopting condoms and traditional methods. The more rapid increase in the demand for family planning among poorer, less-educated, rural women is a positive trend. In order to convert this demand into the use of longer-term modern methods, however, access to high quality services must be improved in rural and low-income urban areas.

Analysis of munitions constituents in groundwater using a field-portable GC-MS.

PubMed

Bednar, A J; Russell, A L; Hayes, C A; Jones, W T; Tackett, P; Splichal, D E; Georgian, T; Parker, L V; Kirgan, R A; MacMillan, D K

2012-05-01

The use of munitions constituents (MCs) at military installations can produce soil and groundwater contamination that requires periodic monitoring even after training or manufacturing activities have ceased. Traditional groundwater monitoring methods require large volumes of aqueous samples (e.g., 2-4 L) to be shipped under chain of custody, to fixed laboratories for analysis. The samples must also be packed on ice and shielded from light to minimize degradation that may occur during transport and storage. The laboratory's turn-around time for sample analysis and reporting can be as long as 45 d. This process hinders the reporting of data to customers in a timely manner; yields data that are not necessarily representative of current site conditions owing to the lag time between sample collection and reporting; and incurs significant shipping costs for samples. The current work compares a field portable Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) for analysis of MCs on-site with traditional laboratory-based analysis using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with UV absorption detection. The field method provides near real-time (within ~1 h of sampling) concentrations of MCs in groundwater samples. Mass spectrometry provides reliable confirmation of MCs and a means to identify unknown compounds that are potential false positives for methods with UV and other non-selective detectors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Establishment of prescription research technology system in Chinese medicine secondary exploitation based on "component structure" theory].

PubMed

Cheng, Xu-Dong; Feng, Liang; Gu, Jun-Fei; Zhang, Ming-Hua; Jia, Xiao-Bin

2014-11-01

Chinese medicine prescriptions are the wisdom outcomes of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical treatment determinations which based on differentiation of symptoms and signs. Chinese medicine prescriptions are also the basis of secondary exploitation of TCM. The study on prescription helps to understand the material basis of its efficacy, pharmacological mechanism, which is an important guarantee for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Currently, there is not yet dissertation n the method and technology system of basic research on the prescription of Chinese medicine. This paper focuses on how to build an effective system of prescription research technology. Based on "component structure" theory, a technology system contained four-step method that "prescription analysis, the material basis screening, the material basis of analysis and optimization and verify" was proposed. The technology system analyzes the material basis of the three levels such as Chinese medicine pieces, constituents and the compounds which could respect the overall efficacy of Chinese medicine. Ideas of prescription optimization, remodeling are introduced into the system. The technology system is the combination of the existing research and associates with new techniques and methods, which used for explore the research thought suitable for material basis research and prescription remodeling. The system provides a reference for the secondary development of traditional Chinese medicine, and industrial upgrading.

Life cycle assessment and economic analysis of a low concentrating photovoltaic system.

PubMed

De Feo, G; Forni, M; Petito, F; Renno, C

2016-10-01

Many new photovoltaic (PV) applications, such as the concentrating PV (CPV) systems, are appearing on the market. The main characteristic of CPV systems is to concentrate sunlight on a receiver by means of optical devices and to decrease the solar cells area required. A low CPV (LCPV) system allows optimizing the PV effect with high increase of generated electric power as well as decrease of active surface area. In this paper, an economic analysis and a life cycle assessment (LCA) study of a particular LCPV scheme is presented and its environmental impacts are compared with those of a PV traditional system. The LCA study was performed with the software tool SimaPro 8.0.2, using the Econinvent 3.1 database. A functional unit of 1 kWh of electricity produced was chosen. Carbon Footprint, Ecological Footprint and ReCiPe 2008 were the methods used to assess the environmental impacts of the LCPV plant compared with a corresponding traditional system. All the methods demonstrated the environmental convenience of the LCPV system. The innovative system allowed saving 16.9% of CO2 equivalent in comparison with the traditional PV plant. The environmental impacts saving was 17% in terms of Ecological Footprint, and, finally, 15.8% with the ReCiPe method.

Microbial community, and biochemical and physiological properties of Korean traditional black raspberry (Robus coreanus Miquel) vinegar.

PubMed

Song, Nho-Eul; Cho, Sung-Ho; Baik, Sang-Ho

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to elucidate the changes in microbial community and biochemical and physiological properties of traditional Muju black raspberry (Robus coreanus Miquel) vinegar (TMBV) during fermentation by culture-independent methods. During vinegar fermentation, ethanol produced up to 120 g L(-1) until day 35, with continuously increasing yeast concentration to a total of log 7.6 CFU mL(-1) . After day 35, acetic acid bacteria (AAB) concentrations rose to log 5.8 CFU mL(-1) until day 144. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae was detected until day 87 of the fermentation, at which point Acetobacter pasteurianus gradually took over as the dominant species. Total sugar was reduced to 6.6 °Brix and total acidity produced up to 44 g L(-1) . In this study, we established the physicochemical analysis and growth dynamics of yeast and AAB during alcoholic and acetic acid fermentation of black raspberry by a traditional method. Overall, S. cerevisiae and A. pasteurianus species appeared to dominate the TMBV fermentation. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a suitable fermentation system for TMBV by the static surface method. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of team-based learning in a doctor of physical therapy curriculum in the United States.

PubMed

Lein, Donald H; Lowman, John D; Eidson, Christopher A; Yuen, Hon K

2017-01-01

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate students' academic outcomes after implementation of the team-based learning (TBL) approach in patient/client management courses in an entry-level doctor of physical therapy (DPT) curriculum. The research design of this study involved comparing written and practical exam scores from DPT student cohorts taught with the traditional instructional methods (lecture-based) to those of students from subsequent cohorts taught using the TBL approach in two patient/client management courses: basic skills and cardiopulmonary. For this comparison, the exams used, the number of contact hours and labs, and the instructors who taught these courses remained the same during the transition between these two instructional methods (traditional vs. TBL). The average of all individual course exam scores was used for data analysis. In both courses, there were no meaningful differences in the mean exam scores among students across years of cohorts receiving the same instructional method, which allowed clustering students from different years of cohorts in each course receiving the same instructional method into one group. For both courses, the mean exam score was significantly higher in the TBL group than in the traditional instruction group: basic skills course (P<0.001) and cardiopulmonary course (P<0.001). Student cohorts taught using the TBL approach academically outperformed those who received the traditional instructional method in both entry-level DPT patient/client management courses.

Analysis decorating design on Perahu Buatan Barat, the Malay traditional boat by using frieze pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahab, Mohd Rohaizat Abdul; Ramli, Zuliskandar; Zakaria, Ros Mahwati Ahmad; Samad, Mohammad Anis Abdul

2017-01-01

Boat building tradition is one of the skills mastered by Malay craftsmen. Decoration on the Perahu Buatan Barat, the Malay traditional boat is one of the uniqueness of the production of traditional boats in East Coast of Malaysia. The tradition of Malay boat building, each plank was given specific names based on the line of planks. There is one line called `papan tarik' or `papan cantik' was usually decorated with paintings by a variety of motifs and patterns from the bow to the stern of the boat. The motifs usually taken from the surrounding environment as well as flora and fauna will be painted with motifs repeated but with differing formations. The aim of this study is to identify the motifs and analyze the formation of motifs by using mathematical methods of frieze pattern.

Comparative Study of Powdered Ginger Drink Processed by Different Method:Traditional and using Evaporation Machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apriyana, Wuri; Taufika Rosyida, Vita; Nur Hayati, Septi; Darsih, Cici; Dewi Poeloengasih, Crescentiana

2017-12-01

Ginger drink is one of the traditional beverage that became one of the products of interest by consumers in Indonesia. This drink is believed to have excellent properties for the health of the body. In this study, we have compared the moisture content, ash content, metal content and the identified compound of product which processed with traditional technique and using an evaporator machine. The results show that both of products fulfilled some parameters of the Indonesian National Standard for the traditional powdered drink. GC-MS analysis data showed the identified compound of both product. The major of hydrocarbon groups that influenced the flavor such as zingiberene, camphene, beta-phelladrine, beta-sesquepelladrine, curcumene, and beta-bisabolene were found higher in ginger drink powder treated with a machine than those processed traditionally.

Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry and multivariate data analysis: a novel approach to rapid identification of analytical markers for quality control of traditional Chinese medicine preparation.

PubMed

Zeng, Shanshan; Wang, Lu; Chen, Teng; Wang, Yuefei; Mo, Huanbiao; Qu, Haibin

2012-07-06

The paper presents a novel strategy to identify analytical markers of traditional Chinese medicine preparation (TCMP) rapidly via direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS). A commonly used TCMP, Danshen injection, was employed as a model. The optimal analysis conditions were achieved by measuring the contribution of various experimental parameters to the mass spectra. Salvianolic acids and saccharides were simultaneously determined within a single 1-min DART-MS run. Furthermore, spectra of Danshen injections supplied by five manufacturers were processed with principal component analysis (PCA). Obvious clustering was observed in the PCA score plot, and candidate markers were recognized from the contribution plots of PCA. The suitability of potential markers was then confirmed by contrasting with the results of traditional analysis methods. Using this strategy, fructose, glucose, sucrose, protocatechuic aldehyde and salvianolic acid A were rapidly identified as the markers of Danshen injections. The combination of DART-MS with PCA provides a reliable approach to the identification of analytical markers for quality control of TCMP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigating cardiorespiratory interaction by cross-spectral analysis of event series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer, Carsten; Rosenblum, Michael G.; Pikovsky, Arkady S.; Kurths, Jürgen

2000-02-01

The human cardiovascular and respiratory systems interact with each other and show effects of modulation and synchronization. Here we present a cross-spectral technique that specifically considers the event-like character of the heartbeat and avoids typical restrictions of other spectral methods. Using models as well as experimental data, we demonstrate how modulation and synchronization can be distinguished. Finally, we compare the method to traditional techniques and to the analysis of instantaneous phases.

[Social network analysis of traditional Chinese medicine on treatment of constipation].

PubMed

Du, Li-Dong; Tian, Jin-Hui; Wu, Guo-Tai; Niu, Ting-Hui; Chen, Zhen-He; Ren, Yuan

2017-01-01

The methods of literature metrology and data mining were used to study the research topics and social network analysis of traditional Chinese medicine for constipation. The major Chinese databases were searched to include the research studies of traditional Chinese medicine for constipation. BICOMS analysis software was used to extract and collect the main information and produce co-occurrence Matrix; gCLUTO software was used for cluster analysis. Data analysis was conducted by using SPSS 19.0 software. The results showed that the number of studies on traditional Chinese medicine for constipation was constantly increased, with two literature volume peaks respectively in 2003 and 2006. Related studies have been published in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have published, but the studies in developed areas were more than those in developing areas. There was little cooperation between research institutions and the authors, especially the cooperation between different areas. At present, the research field of Chinese medicine for constipation is divided into five research topics. In terms of specific traditional Chinese medicine, angelica sinensis is in the core position. The results showed regional imbalance in the number of studies on Chinese medicine treatment for constipation, as well as little cooperation between researchers and research institutions. The research topics mainly focused on the evaluation of clinical efficacy, but the research on optimizing the prescriptions was still not enough, so the future researchers shall pay more attention to the studies of constipation prescriptions with Angelica sinensis as the core herb. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Stories in Networks and Networks in Stories: A Tri-Modal Model for Mixed-Methods Social Network Research on Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker-Doyle, Kira J.

2015-01-01

Social network research on teachers and schools has risen exponentially in recent years as an innovative method to reveal the role of social networks in education. However, scholars are still exploring ways to incorporate traditional quantitative methods of Social Network Analysis (SNA) with qualitative approaches to social network research. This…

[Mining analysis on composition and medication of menstruation prescriptions in Fu Qingzhu's Obstetrics and Gynecology].

PubMed

Zhu, Jia-qing; Che, Yu-xia

2015-04-01

In this paper, menstruation prescriptions were selected from "Fu Qingzhu's Obstetrics and Gynecology" and analyzed by using GRI algorithm, correlation analysis, hierarchical clustering method through SPSS, Clementine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) inheritance auxiliary systems, in order to screen out 15 menopathy prescriptions, which involve 45 traditional Chinese medicine herbs. In the study, blood-tonifying and qi-tonifying herbs were found to be frequent in the prescriptions. The most frequent single herb was white paeony root, accounting for 9.6% in the total number of prescriptions; The most frequent herb pairs were white paeony root-radix rehmanniae preparata and paeony root-angelica sinensis. Among Fu Shan's menopathy prescriptions, 61 herbal pairs showed a correlation coefficient exceeding 0.05, which evolved into 16 pairs of core combinations. The analysis showed that menopathy prescriptions in volume 1 of "Fu Qingzhu's Obstetrics and Gynecology" focused on tonic traditional Chinese medicines involving liver, spleen and kidney and were adjusted according to changes in qi, blood, cold, hot and wet, which could provide a specific reference for further studies on Fu Shan's academic thoughts and traditional Chinese medicine clinical treatment of menopathy.

[Analysis on regularity of prescriptions in "a guide to clinical practice with medical record" for diarrhoea based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system].

PubMed

He, Lan-Juan; Zhu, Xiang-Dong

2016-06-01

To analyze the regularities of prescriptions in "a guide to clinical practice with medical record" (Ye Tianshi) for diarrhoea based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system(V2.5), and provide a reference for further research and development of new traditional Chinese medicines in treating diarrhoea. Traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system was used to build a prescription database of Chinese medicines for diarrhoea. The software integration data mining method was used to analyze the prescriptions according to "four natures", "five flavors" and "meridians" in the database and achieve frequency statistics, syndrome distribution, prescription regularity and new prescription analysis. An analysis on 94 prescriptions for diarrhoea was used to determine the frequencies of medicines in prescriptions, commonly used medicine pairs and combinations, and achieve 13 new prescriptions. This study indicated that the prescriptions for diarrhoea in "a guide to clinical practice with medical record" are mostly of eliminating dampness and tonifying deficienccy, with neutral drug property, sweet, bitter or hot in flavor, and reflecting the treatment principle of "activating spleen-energy and resolving dampness". Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

MO-FG-202-06: Improving the Performance of Gamma Analysis QA with Radiomics- Based Image Analysis

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

Wootton, L; Nyflot, M; Ford, E

2016-06-15

Purpose: The use of gamma analysis for IMRT quality assurance has well-known limitations. Traditionally, a simple thresholding technique is used to evaluated passing criteria. However, like any image the gamma distribution is rich in information which thresholding mostly discards. We therefore propose a novel method of analyzing gamma images that uses quantitative image features borrowed from radiomics, with the goal of improving error detection. Methods: 368 gamma images were generated from 184 clinical IMRT beams. For each beam the dose to a phantom was measured with EPID dosimetry and compared to the TPS dose calculated with and without normally distributedmore » (2mm sigma) errors in MLC positions. The magnitude of 17 intensity histogram and size-zone radiomic features were derived from each image. The features that differed most significantly between image sets were determined with ROC analysis. A linear machine-learning model was trained on these features to classify images as with or without errors on 180 gamma images.The model was then applied to an independent validation set of 188 additional gamma distributions, half with and half without errors. Results: The most significant features for detecting errors were histogram kurtosis (p=0.007) and three size-zone metrics (p<1e-6 for each). The sizezone metrics detected clusters of high gamma-value pixels under mispositioned MLCs. The model applied to the validation set had an AUC of 0.8, compared to 0.56 for traditional gamma analysis with the decision threshold restricted to 98% or less. Conclusion: A radiomics-based image analysis method was developed that is more effective in detecting error than traditional gamma analysis. Though the pilot study here considers only MLC position errors, radiomics-based methods for other error types are being developed, which may provide better error detection and useful information on the source of detected errors. This work was partially supported by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, grant number R18 HS022244-01.« less

Type I and Type II Error Rates and Overall Accuracy of the Revised Parallel Analysis Method for Determining the Number of Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Samuel B.; Thompson, Marilyn S.; Levy, Roy; Lo, Wen-Juo

2015-01-01

Traditional parallel analysis (T-PA) estimates the number of factors by sequentially comparing sample eigenvalues with eigenvalues for randomly generated data. Revised parallel analysis (R-PA) sequentially compares the "k"th eigenvalue for sample data to the "k"th eigenvalue for generated data sets, conditioned on"k"-…

Toward Reflective Judgment in Exploratory Factor Analysis Decisions: Determining the Extraction Method and Number of Factors To Retain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Jennifer L.

This paper considers some decisions that must be made by the researcher conducting an exploratory factor analysis. The primary purpose is to aid the researcher in making informed decisions during the factor analysis instead of relying on defaults in statistical programs or traditions of previous researchers. Three decision areas are addressed.…

Advances in three-dimensional field analysis and evaluation of performance parameters of electrical machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivasubramaniam, Kiruba

This thesis makes advances in three dimensional finite element analysis of electrical machines and the quantification of their parameters and performance. The principal objectives of the thesis are: (1)the development of a stable and accurate method of nonlinear three-dimensional field computation and application to electrical machinery and devices; and (2)improvement in the accuracy of determination of performance parameters, particularly forces and torque computed from finite elements. Contributions are made in two general areas: a more efficient formulation for three dimensional finite element analysis which saves time and improves accuracy, and new post-processing techniques to calculate flux density values from a given finite element solution. A novel three-dimensional magnetostatic solution based on a modified scalar potential method is implemented. This method has significant advantages over the traditional total scalar, reduced scalar or vector potential methods. The new method is applied to a 3D geometry of an iron core inductor and a permanent magnet motor. The results obtained are compared with those obtained from traditional methods, in terms of accuracy and speed of computation. A technique which has been observed to improve force computation in two dimensional analysis using a local solution of Laplace's equation in the airgap of machines is investigated and a similar method is implemented in the three dimensional analysis of electromagnetic devices. A new integral formulation to improve force calculation from a smoother flux-density profile is also explored and implemented. Comparisons are made and conclusions drawn as to how much improvement is obtained and at what cost. This thesis also demonstrates the use of finite element analysis to analyze torque ripples due to rotor eccentricity in permanent magnet BLDC motors. A new method for analyzing torque harmonics based on data obtained from a time stepping finite element analysis of the machine is explored and implemented.

Detecting subtle hydrochemical anomalies with multivariate statistics: an example from homogeneous groundwaters in the Great Artesian Basin, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Shea, Bethany; Jankowski, Jerzy

2006-12-01

The major ion composition of Great Artesian Basin groundwater in the lower Namoi River valley is relatively homogeneous in chemical composition. Traditional graphical techniques have been combined with multivariate statistical methods to determine whether subtle differences in the chemical composition of these waters can be delineated. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal components analysis were successful in delineating minor variations within the groundwaters of the study area that were not visually identified in the graphical techniques applied. Hydrochemical interpretation allowed geochemical processes to be identified in each statistically defined water type and illustrated how these groundwaters differ from one another. Three main geochemical processes were identified in the groundwaters: ion exchange, precipitation, and mixing between waters from different sources. Both statistical methods delineated an anomalous sample suspected of being influenced by magmatic CO2 input. The use of statistical methods to complement traditional graphical techniques for waters appearing homogeneous is emphasized for all investigations of this type. Copyright

Effectiveness of modified seminars as a teaching-learning method in pharmacology

PubMed Central

Palappallil, Dhanya Sasidharan; Sushama, Jitha; Ramnath, Sai Nathan

2016-01-01

Context: Student-led seminars (SLS) are adopted as a teaching-learning (T-L) method in pharmacology. Previous studies assessing the feedback on T-L methods in pharmacology points out that the traditional seminars consistently received poor feedbacks as they were not favorite among the students. Aims: This study aimed to obtain feedback on traditional SLS, introduce modified SLS and compare the modified seminars with the traditional ones. Settings and Design: This was a prospective interventional study done for 2 months in medical undergraduates of fifth semester attending Pharmacology seminars at a Government Medical College in South India. Subjects and Methods: Structured questionnaire was used to elicit feedback from participants. The responses were coded on 5-point Likert scale. Modifications in seminar sessions such as role plays, quiz, tests, group discussion, and patient-oriented problem-solving exercises were introduced along with SLS. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. The descriptive data were expressed using frequencies and percentages. Wilcoxon signed rank test, and Friedman tests were used to compare traditional with modified seminars. Results: The participants identified interaction as the most important component of a seminar. Majority opined that the teacher should summarize at the end of SLS. Student feedback shows that modified seminars created more interest, enthusiasm, and inspiration to learn the topic when compared to traditional SLS. They also increased peer coordination and group dynamics. Students opined that communication skills and teacher-student interactions were not improved with modified seminars. Conclusions: Interventions in the form of modified SLS may be adopted to break the monotony of traditional seminars through active participation, peer interaction, and teamwork. PMID:27563587

Mapping Nearshore Seagrass and Colonized Hard Bottom Spatial Distribution and Percent Biological Cover in Florida, USA Using Object Based Image Analysis of WorldView-2 Satellite Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumstark, R. D.; Duffey, R.; Pu, R.

2016-12-01

The offshore extent of seagrass habitat along the West Florida (USA) coast represents an important corridor for inshore-offshore migration of economically important fish and shellfish. Surviving at the fringe of light requirements, offshore seagrass beds are sensitive to changes in water clarity. Beyond and intermingled with the offshore seagrass areas are large swaths of colonized hard bottom. These offshore habitats of the West Florida coast have lacked mapping efforts needed for status and trends monitoring. The objective of this study was to propose an object-based classification method for mapping offshore habitats and to compare results to traditional photo-interpreted maps. Benthic maps depicting the spatial distribution and percent biological cover were created from WorldView-2 satellite imagery using Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) method and a visual photo-interpretation method. A logistic regression analysis identified depth and distance from shore as significant parameters for discriminating spectrally similar seagrass and colonized hard bottom features. Seagrass, colonized hard bottom and unconsolidated sediment (sand) were mapped with 78% overall accuracy using the OBIA method compared to 71% overall accuracy using the photo-interpretation method. This study presents an alternative for mapping deeper, offshore habitats capable of producing higher thematic (percent biological cover) and spatial resolution maps compared to those created with the traditional photo-interpretation method.

Molecular karyotyping of the 2La inversion in Anopheles gambiae.

PubMed

White, Bradley J; Santolamazza, Federica; Kamau, Luna; Pombi, Marco; Grushko, Olga; Mouline, Karine; Brengues, Cecile; Guelbeogo, Wamdaogo; Coulibaly, Mamadou; Kayondo, Jonathan K; Sharakhov, Igor; Simard, Frederic; Petrarca, Vincenzo; Della Torre, Alessandra; Besansky, Nora J

2007-02-01

The African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae is polymorphic for alternative arrangements on the left arm of chromosome 2 (2La and 2L+(a)) that are non-randomly distributed with respect to degree of aridity. Detailed studies on the ecological role of inversion 2La have been hindered by the technical demands of traditional karyotype analysis and by sex- and stage-specific limitations on the availability of polytene chromosomes favorable for analysis. Recent molecular characterization of both inversion breakpoints presented the opportunity to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for karyotype analysis. Here we report the development of this molecular diagnostic assay and the results of extensive field validation. When tested on 765 An. gambiae specimens sampled across Africa, the molecular approach compared favorably with traditional cytologic methods, correctly scoring > 94% of these specimens. By providing ready access to the 2La karyotype, this tool lays groundwork for future studies of the ecological genomics of this medically important species.

Adjacent slice prostate cancer prediction to inform MALDI imaging biomarker analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, Shao-Hui; Sun, Xiaoyan; Cazares, Lisa; Nyalwidhe, Julius; Troyer, Dean; Semmes, O. John; Li, Jiang; McKenzie, Frederic D.

2010-03-01

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer among men in US [1]. Traditionally, prostate cancer diagnosis is made by the analysis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and histopathological images of biopsy samples under microscopes. Proteomic biomarkers can improve upon these methods. MALDI molecular spectra imaging is used to visualize protein/peptide concentrations across biopsy samples to search for biomarker candidates. Unfortunately, traditional processing methods require histopathological examination on one slice of a biopsy sample while the adjacent slice is subjected to the tissue destroying desorption and ionization processes of MALDI. The highest confidence tumor regions gained from the histopathological analysis are then mapped to the MALDI spectra data to estimate the regions for biomarker identification from the MALDI imaging. This paper describes a process to provide a significantly better estimate of the cancer tumor to be mapped onto the MALDI imaging spectra coordinates using the high confidence region to predict the true area of the tumor on the adjacent MALDI imaged slice.

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

PubMed

Giles, Emma Louise; Adams, Jean M

2015-01-01

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

Machine cost analysis using the traditional machine-rate method and ChargeOut!

Treesearch

E. M. (Ted) Bilek

2009-01-01

Forestry operations require ever more use of expensive capital equipment. Mechanization is frequently necessary to perform cost-effective and safe operations. Increased capital should mean more sophisticated capital costing methodologies. However the machine rate method, which is the costing methodology most frequently used, dates back to 1942. CHARGEOUT!, a recently...

An Investigative Graduate Laboratory Course for Teaching Modern DNA Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Lencastre, Alexandre; Torello, A. Thomas; Keller, Lani C.

2017-01-01

This graduate-level DNA methods laboratory course is designed to model a discovery-based research project and engages students in both traditional DNA analysis methods and modern recombinant DNA cloning techniques. In the first part of the course, students clone the "Drosophila" ortholog of a human disease gene of their choosing using…

Development of a Computer-Based Visualised Quantitative Learning System for Playing Violin Vibrato

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho, Tracy Kwei-Liang; Lin, Huann-shyang; Chen, Ching-Kong; Tsai, Jih-Long

2015-01-01

Traditional methods of teaching music are largely subjective, with the lack of objectivity being particularly challenging for violin students learning vibrato because of the existence of conflicting theories. By using a computer-based analysis method, this study found that maintaining temporal coincidence between the intensity peak and the target…

First Generation College Student Leadership Potential: A Mixed Methods Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hojan-Clark, Jane M.

2010-01-01

This mixed methods research compared the leadership potential of traditionally aged first generation college students to that of college students whose parents are college educated. A college education provides advantages to those who can obtain it (Baum & Payea, 2004; Black Issues in Higher Education, 2005; Education and the Value of…

LABORATORY EVALUATION OF A MICROFLUIDIC ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR FOR AEROSOL OXIDATIVE LOAD.

PubMed

Koehler, Kirsten; Shapiro, Jeffrey; Sameenoi, Yupaporn; Henry, Charles; Volckens, John

2014-05-01

Human exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution is associated with human morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms by which PM impacts human health are unresolved, but evidence suggests that PM intake leads to cellular oxidative stress through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, reliable tools are needed for estimating the oxidant generating capacity, or oxidative load, of PM at high temporal resolution (minutes to hours). One of the most widely reported methods for assessing PM oxidative load is the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. The traditional DTT assay utilizes filter-based PM collection in conjunction with chemical analysis to determine the oxidation rate of reduced DTT in solution with PM. However, the traditional DTT assay suffers from poor time resolution, loss of reactive species during sampling, and high limit of detection. Recently, a new DTT assay was developed that couples a Particle-Into-Liquid-Sampler with microfluidic-electrochemical detection. This 'on-line' system allows high temporal resolution monitoring of PM reactivity with improved detection limits. This study reports on a laboratory comparison of the traditional and on-line DTT approaches. An urban dust sample was aerosolized in a laboratory test chamber at three atmospherically-relevant concentrations. The on-line system gave a stronger correlation between DTT consumption rate and PM mass (R 2 = 0.69) than the traditional method (R 2 = 0.40) and increased precision at high temporal resolution, compared to the traditional method.

Efficient Design and Analysis of Lightweight Reinforced Core Sandwich and PRSEUS Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Yarrington, Phillip W.; Lucking, Ryan C.; Collier, Craig S.; Ainsworth, James J.; Toubia, Elias A.

2012-01-01

Design, analysis, and sizing methods for two novel structural panel concepts have been developed and incorporated into the HyperSizer Structural Sizing Software. Reinforced Core Sandwich (RCS) panels consist of a foam core with reinforcing composite webs connecting composite facesheets. Boeing s Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) panels use a pultruded unidirectional composite rod to provide axial stiffness along with integrated transverse frames and stitching. Both of these structural concepts are ovencured and have shown great promise applications in lightweight structures, but have suffered from the lack of efficient sizing capabilities similar to those that exist for honeycomb sandwich, foam sandwich, hat stiffened, and other, more traditional concepts. Now, with accurate design methods for RCS and PRSEUS panels available in HyperSizer, these concepts can be traded and used in designs as is done with the more traditional structural concepts. The methods developed to enable sizing of RCS and PRSEUS are outlined, as are results showing the validity and utility of the methods. Applications include several large NASA heavy lift launch vehicle structures.

Community participation towards the value of traditional architecture resilience, on the settlements’ patters in Tenganan village, Amlapura

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Febriani, Listyana; Gede Wyana Lokantara, I.

2017-12-01

Ecological conditions such as landslide, flood, and the global warming issues are the disasters that should be anticipated. The value of traditional architecture resilience has a role towards a city as cultural heritage. Based on that influence, the role of architecture is needed in fostering the environment to be able to survive and sustain just as an architectural concept that considers human needs and natural balancing. The purpose of this study is to analyse the concept of traditional architecture and community participation in maintaining this condition, so it would be able to have a value of sustainability. The research method used is mix method that is start from observation and macro analysis element (main building and public facility) and micro element (house of resident) to analyse community participation in realizing traditional architectural resilience in Tenganan Village, Amlapura. The results of this study found that the traditional settlements in Amlapura, Karangasem, Bali is a form of urban architecture that can survive in a sustainable way of macro elements and micro elements oriented to environmental ecological conditions. This condition happensbecause the community has a high enough participation to maintain it in the form of custom rules.

Evaluation of the use of nodal methods for MTR neutronic analysis

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

Reitsma, F.; Mueller, E.Z.

1997-08-01

Although modern nodal methods are used extensively in the nuclear power industry, their use for research reactor analysis has been very limited. The suitability of nodal methods for material testing reactor analysis is investigated with the emphasis on the modelling of the core region (fuel assemblies). The nodal approach`s performance is compared with that of the traditional finite-difference fine mesh approach. The advantages of using nodal methods coupled with integrated cross section generation systems are highlighted, especially with respect to data preparation, simplicity of use and the possibility of performing a great variety of reactor calculations subject to strict timemore » limitations such as are required for the RERTR program.« less

Computer Aided Phenomenography: The Role of Leximancer Computer Software in Phenomenographic Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn-Edwards, Sorrel

2010-01-01

The qualitative research methodology of phenomenography has traditionally required a manual sorting and analysis of interview data. In this paper I explore a potential means of streamlining this procedure by considering a computer aided process not previously reported upon. Two methods of lexicological analysis, manual and automatic, were examined…

An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Concept Mapping on Turkish Students' Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Yavuz

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the experimental studies which test the effectiveness of the concept mapping instructional strategy compared to the traditional teaching method. Meta-analysis was used to calculate the effect size of the concept mapping strategy on academic success. Therefore, the analysis includes experimental studies conducted in Turkey…

Applying Longitudinal Mean and Covariance Structures (LMACS) Analysis to Assess Construct Stability Over Two Time Points: An Example Using Psychological Entitlement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bashkov, Bozhidar M.; Finney, Sara J.

2013-01-01

Traditional methods of assessing construct stability are reviewed and longitudinal mean and covariance structures (LMACS) analysis, a modern approach, is didactically illustrated using psychological entitlement data. Measurement invariance and latent variable stability results are interpreted, emphasizing substantive implications for educators and…

Calibration and performance of synchronous SIM/scan mode for simultaneous targeted and discovery (non-targeted) analysis of exhaled breath samples from firefighters

EPA Science Inventory

Traditionally, gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis has used a targeted approach called selected ion monitoring (SIM) to quantify specific compounds that may have adverse health effects. Due to method limitations and the constraints of preparing duplicat...

Industrial application of green chromatography--I. Separation and analysis of niacinamide in skincare creams using pure water as the mobile phase.

PubMed

Yang, Yu; Strickland, Zackary; Kapalavavi, Brahmam; Marple, Ronita; Gamsky, Chris

2011-03-15

In this work, chromatographic separation of niacin and niacinamide using pure water as the sole component in the mobile phase has been investigated. The separation and analysis of niacinamide have been optimized using three columns at different temperatures and various flow rates. Our results clearly demonstrate that separation and analysis of niacinamide from skincare products can be achieved using pure water as the eluent at 60°C on a Waters XTerra MS C18 column, a Waters XBridge C18 column, or at 80°C on a Hamilton PRP-1 column. The separation efficiency, quantification quality, and analysis time of this new method are at least comparable with those of the traditional HPLC methods. Compared with traditional HPLC, the major advantage of this newly developed green chromatography technique is the elimination of organic solvents required in the HPLC mobile phase. In addition, the pure water chromatography separations described in this work can be directly applied in industrial plant settings without further modification of the existing HPLC equipment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality assessment of raw and processed Arctium lappa L. through multicomponent quantification, chromatographic fingerprint, and related chemometric analysis.

PubMed

Qin, Kunming; Wang, Bin; Li, Weidong; Cai, Hao; Chen, Danni; Liu, Xiao; Yin, Fangzhou; Cai, Baochang

2015-05-01

In traditional Chinese medicine, raw and processed herbs are used to treat different diseases. Suitable quality assessment methods are crucial for the discrimination between raw and processed herbs. The dried fruit of Arctium lappa L. and their processed products are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, yet their therapeutic effects are different. In this study, a novel strategy using high-performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection coupled with multivariate statistical analysis to rapidly explore raw and processed Arctium lappa L. was proposed and validated. Four main components in a total of 30 batches of raw and processed Fructus Arctii samples were analyzed, and ten characteristic peaks were identified in the fingerprint common pattern. Furthermore, similarity evaluation, principal component analysis, and hierachical cluster analysis were applied to demonstrate the distinction. The results suggested that the relative amounts of the chemical components of raw and processed Fructus Arctii samples are different. This new method has been successfully applied to detect the raw and processed Fructus Arctii in marketed herbal medicinal products. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The holistic analysis of gamma-ray spectra in instrumental neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaauw, Menno

1994-12-01

A method for the interpretation of γ-ray spectra as obtained in INAA using linear least squares techniques is described. Results obtained using this technique and the traditional method previously in use at IRI are compared. It is concluded that the method presented performs better with respect to the number of detected elements, the resolution of interferences and the estimation of the accuracies of the reported element concentrations. It is also concluded that the technique is robust enough to obviate the deconvolution of multiplets.

MindEdit: A P300-based text editor for mobile devices.

PubMed

Elsawy, Amr S; Eldawlatly, Seif; Taher, Mohamed; Aly, Gamal M

2017-01-01

Practical application of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) requires that the whole BCI system be portable. The mobility of BCI systems involves two aspects: making the electroencephalography (EEG) recording devices portable, and developing software applications with low computational complexity to be able to run on low computational-power devices such as tablets and smartphones. This paper addresses the development of MindEdit; a P300-based text editor for Android-based devices. Given the limited resources of mobile devices and their limited computational power, a novel ensemble classifier is utilized that uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) features to identify P300 evoked potentials from EEG recordings. PCA computations in the proposed method are channel-based as opposed to concatenating all channels as in traditional feature extraction methods; thus, this method has less computational complexity compared to traditional P300 detection methods. The performance of the method is demonstrated on data recorded from MindEdit on an Android tablet using the Emotiv wireless neuroheadset. Results demonstrate the capability of the introduced PCA ensemble classifier to classify P300 data with maximum average accuracy of 78.37±16.09% for cross-validation data and 77.5±19.69% for online test data using only 10 trials per symbol and a 33-character training dataset. Our analysis indicates that the introduced method outperforms traditional feature extraction methods. For a faster operation of MindEdit, a variable number of trials scheme is introduced that resulted in an online average accuracy of 64.17±19.6% and a maximum bitrate of 6.25bit/min. These results demonstrate the efficacy of using the developed BCI application with mobile devices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation Measures and Methods: Some Intersections.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, John

The literature is reviewed for four combinations of evaluation measures and methods: traditional methods with traditional measures (T-Meth/T-Mea), nontraditional methods with traditional measures (N-Meth/T-Mea), traditional measures with nontraditional measures (T-Meth/N-Mea), and nontraditional methods with nontraditional measures (N-Meth/N-Mea).…

Statistical analysis of activation and reaction energies with quasi-variational coupled-cluster theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Joshua A.; Knowles, Peter J.

2018-06-01

The performance of quasi-variational coupled-cluster (QV) theory applied to the calculation of activation and reaction energies has been investigated. A statistical analysis of results obtained for six different sets of reactions has been carried out, and the results have been compared to those from standard single-reference methods. In general, the QV methods lead to increased activation energies and larger absolute reaction energies compared to those obtained with traditional coupled-cluster theory.

Econometric analysis to evaluate the effect of community-based health insurance on reducing informal self-care in Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Robyn, Paul Jacob; Hill, Allan; Liu, Yuanli; Souares, Aurélia; Savadogo, Germain; Sié, Ali; Sauerborn, Rainer

2012-01-01

Objective This study examines the role of community-based health insurance (CBHI) in influencing health-seeking behaviour in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Community-based health insurance was introduced in Nouna district, Burkina Faso, in 2004 with the goal to improve access to contracted providers based at primary- and secondary-level facilities. The paper specifically examines the effect of CBHI enrolment on reducing the prevalence of seeking modern and traditional methods of self-treatment as the first choice in care among the insured population. Methods Three stages of analysis were adopted to measure this effect. First, propensity score matching was used to minimize the observed baseline differences between the insured and uninsured populations. Second, through matching the average treatment effect on the treated, the effect of insurance enrolment on health-seeking behaviour was estimated. Finally, multinomial logistic regression was applied to model demand for available health care options, including no treatment, traditional self-treatment, modern self-treatment, traditional healers and facility-based care. Results For the first choice in care sought, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of self-treatment among the insured and uninsured populations, reaching over 55% for each group. When comparing the alternative option of no treatment, CBHI played no significant role in reducing the demand for self-care (either traditional or modern) or utilization of traditional healers, while it did significantly increase consumption of facility-based care. The average treatment effect on the treated was insignificant for traditional self-care, modern self-care and traditional healer, but was significant with a positive effect for use of facility care. Discussion While CBHI does have a positive impact on facility care utilization, its effect on reducing the prevalence of self-care is limited. The policy recommendations for improving the CBHI scheme’s responsiveness to population health care demand should incorporate community-based initiatives that offer attractive and appropriate alternatives to self-care. PMID:21414993

TU-FG-201-11: Evaluating the Validity of Prospective Risk Analysis Methods: A Comparison of Traditional FMEA and Modified Healthcare FMEA

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

Lah, J; Manger, R; Kim, G

Purpose: To examine the ability of traditional Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and a light version of Healthcare FMEA (HFMEA), called Scenario analysis of FMEA (SAFER) by comparing their outputs in terms of the risks identified and their severity rankings. Methods: We applied two prospective methods of the quality management to surface image guided, linac-based radiosurgery (SIG-RS). For the traditional FMEA, decisions on how to improve an operation are based on risk priority number (RPN). RPN is a product of three indices: occurrence, severity and detectability. The SAFER approach; utilized two indices-frequency and severity-which were defined by a multidisciplinarymore » team. A criticality matrix was divided into 4 categories; very low, low, high and very high. For high risk events, an additional evaluation was performed. Based upon the criticality of the process, it was decided if additional safety measures were needed and what they comprise. Results: Two methods were independently compared to determine if the results and rated risks were matching or not. Our results showed an agreement of 67% between FMEA and SAFER approaches for the 15 riskiest SIG-specific failure modes. The main differences between the two approaches were the distribution of the values and the failure modes (No.52, 54, 154) that have high SAFER scores do not necessarily have high FMEA RPN scores. In our results, there were additional risks identified by both methods with little correspondence. In the SAFER, when the risk score is determined, the basis of the established decision tree or the failure mode should be more investigated. Conclusion: The FMEA method takes into account the probability that an error passes without being detected. SAFER is inductive because it requires the identification of the consequences from causes, and semi-quantitative since it allow the prioritization of risks and mitigation measures, and thus is perfectly applicable to clinical parts of radiotherapy.« less

Suggestions for presenting the results of data analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, David R.; Link, William A.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Burnham, Kenneth P.

2001-01-01

We give suggestions for the presentation of research results from frequentist, information-theoretic, and Bayesian analysis paradigms, followed by several general suggestions. The information-theoretic and Bayesian methods offer alternative approaches to data analysis and inference compared to traditionally used methods. Guidance is lacking on the presentation of results under these alternative procedures and on nontesting aspects of classical frequentists methods of statistical analysis. Null hypothesis testing has come under intense criticism. We recommend less reporting of the results of statistical tests of null hypotheses in cases where the null is surely false anyway, or where the null hypothesis is of little interest to science or management.

Applying parallel factor analysis and Tucker-3 methods on sensory and instrumental data to establish preference maps: case study on sweet corn varieties.

PubMed

Gere, Attila; Losó, Viktor; Györey, Annamária; Kovács, Sándor; Huzsvai, László; Nábrádi, András; Kókai, Zoltán; Sipos, László

2014-12-01

Traditional internal and external preference mapping methods are based on principal component analysis (PCA). However, parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and Tucker-3 methods could be a better choice. To evaluate the methods, preference maps of sweet corn varieties will be introduced. A preference map of eight sweet corn varieties was established using PARAFAC and Tucker-3 methods. Instrumental data were also integrated into the maps. The triplot created by the PARAFAC model explains better how odour is separated from texture or appearance, and how some varieties are separated from others. Internal and external preference maps were created using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and Tucker-3 models employing both sensory (trained panel and consumers) and instrumental parameters simultaneously. Triplots of the applied three-way models have a competitive advantage compared to the traditional biplots of the PCA-based external preference maps. The solution of PARAFAC and Tucker-3 is very similar regarding the interpretation of the first and third factors. The main difference is due to the second factor as it differentiated the attributes better. Consumers who prefer 'super sweet' varieties (they place great emphasis especially on taste) are much younger and have significantly higher incomes, and buy sweet corn products rarely (once a month). Consumers who consume sweet corn products mainly because of their texture and appearance are significantly older and include a higher ratio of men. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nondestructive Analysis of Tumor-Associated Membrane Protein Integrating Imaging and Amplified Detection in situ Based on Dual-Labeled DNAzyme.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaoxia; Zhao, Jing; Chen, Tianshu; Gao, Tao; Zhu, Xiaoli; Li, Genxi

2018-01-01

Comprehensive analysis of the expression level and location of tumor-associated membrane proteins (TMPs) is of vital importance for the profiling of tumor cells. Currently, two kinds of independent techniques, i.e. ex situ detection and in situ imaging, are usually required for the quantification and localization of TMPs respectively, resulting in some inevitable problems. Methods: Herein, based on a well-designed and fluorophore-labeled DNAzyme, we develop an integrated and facile method, in which imaging and quantification of TMPs in situ are achieved simultaneously in a single system. The labeled DNAzyme not only produces localized fluorescence for the visualization of TMPs but also catalyzes the cleavage of a substrate to produce quantitative fluorescent signals that can be collected from solution for the sensitive detection of TMPs. Results: Results from the DNAzyme-based in situ imaging and quantification of TMPs match well with traditional immunofluorescence and western blotting. In addition to the advantage of two-in-one, the DNAzyme-based method is highly sensitivity, allowing the detection of TMPs in only 100 cells. Moreover, the method is nondestructive. Cells after analysis could retain their physiological activity and could be cultured for other applications. Conclusion: The integrated system provides solid results for both imaging and quantification of TMPs, making it a competitive method over some traditional techniques for the analysis of TMPs, which offers potential application as a toolbox in the future.

Pre-Nursing Students Perceptions of Traditional and Inquiry Based Chemistry Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Jessica

This paper describes a process that attempted to meet the needs of undergraduate students in a pre-nursing chemistry class. The laboratory was taught in traditional verification style and students were surveyed to assess their perceptions of the educational goals of the laboratory. A literature review resulted in an inquiry based method and analysis of the needs of nurses resulted in more application based activities. This new inquiry format was implemented the next semester, the students were surveyed at the end of the semester and results were compared to the previous method. Student and instructor response to the change in format was positive. Students in the traditional format placed goals concerning technique above critical thinking and felt the lab was easy to understand and carry out. Students in the inquiry based lab felt they learned more critical thinking skills and enjoyed the independence of designing experiments and answering their own questions.

Microwave-Assisted Hydro-Distillation of Essential Oil from Rosemary: Comparison with Traditional Distillation.

PubMed

Moradi, Sara; Fazlali, Alireza; Hamedi, Hamid

2018-01-01

Hydro-distillation (HD) method is a traditional technique which is used in most industrial companies. Microwave-assisted Hydro-distillation (MAHD) is an advanced HD technique utilizing a microwave oven in the extraction process. In this research, MAHD of essential oils from the aerial parts (leaves) of rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis L. ) was studied and the results were compared with those of the conventional HD in terms of extraction time, extraction efficiency, chemical composition, quality of the essential oils and cost of the operation. Microwave hydro-distillation was superior in terms of saving energy and extraction time (30 min , compared to 90 min in HD). Chromatography was used for quantity analysis of the essential oils composition. Quality of essential oil improved in MAHD method due to an increase of 17% in oxygenated compounds. Consequently, microwave hydro-distillation can be used as a substitute of traditional hydro-distillation.

An improved local radial point interpolation method for transient heat conduction analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Feng; Lin, Gao; Zheng, Bao-Jing; Hu, Zhi-Qiang

2013-06-01

The smoothing thin plate spline (STPS) interpolation using the penalty function method according to the optimization theory is presented to deal with transient heat conduction problems. The smooth conditions of the shape functions and derivatives can be satisfied so that the distortions hardly occur. Local weak forms are developed using the weighted residual method locally from the partial differential equations of the transient heat conduction. Here the Heaviside step function is used as the test function in each sub-domain to avoid the need for a domain integral. Essential boundary conditions can be implemented like the finite element method (FEM) as the shape functions possess the Kronecker delta property. The traditional two-point difference method is selected for the time discretization scheme. Three selected numerical examples are presented in this paper to demonstrate the availability and accuracy of the present approach comparing with the traditional thin plate spline (TPS) radial basis functions.

A clustering method of Chinese medicine prescriptions based on modified firefly algorithm.

PubMed

Yuan, Feng; Liu, Hong; Chen, Shou-Qiang; Xu, Liang

2016-12-01

This paper is aimed to study the clustering method for Chinese medicine (CM) medical cases. The traditional K-means clustering algorithm had shortcomings such as dependence of results on the selection of initial value, trapping in local optimum when processing prescriptions form CM medical cases. Therefore, a new clustering method based on the collaboration of firefly algorithm and simulated annealing algorithm was proposed. This algorithm dynamically determined the iteration of firefly algorithm and simulates sampling of annealing algorithm by fitness changes, and increased the diversity of swarm through expansion of the scope of the sudden jump, thereby effectively avoiding premature problem. The results from confirmatory experiments for CM medical cases suggested that, comparing with traditional K-means clustering algorithms, this method was greatly improved in the individual diversity and the obtained clustering results, the computing results from this method had a certain reference value for cluster analysis on CM prescriptions.

[Isolation and identification methods of enterobacteria group and its technological advancement].

PubMed

Furuta, Itaru

2007-08-01

In the last half-century, isolation and identification methods of enterobacteria groups have markedly improved by technological advancement. Clinical microbiology tests have changed overtime from tube methods to commercial identification kits and automated identification. Tube methods are the original method for the identification of enterobacteria groups, that is, a basically essential method to recognize bacterial fermentation and biochemical principles. In this paper, traditional tube tests are discussed, such as the utilization of carbohydrates, indole, methyl red, and citrate and urease tests. Commercial identification kits and automated instruments by computer based analysis as current methods are also discussed, and those methods provide rapidity and accuracy. Nonculture techniques of nucleic acid typing methods using PCR analysis, and immunochemical methods using monoclonal antibodies can be further developed.

Clinically significant and practical! Enhancing precision does make a difference. Reply to McGlinchey and Jacobson, Hsu, and Speer.

PubMed

Hageman, W J; Arrindell, W A

1999-12-01

Based on a secondary analysis of the Jacobson and Truax [Jacobson, N.S. & Truax, P. (1991). a statistical approach to defining meaningful change in psychotherapy research. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 12-19.] data using both their own traditional approach and the refined method advanced by Hageman and Arrindell [Hageman, W.J.J.M., & Arrindell, W.A. (1999). Establishing clinically significant change: increment of precision and the distinction between individual and group level of analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 1169-1193], McGlinchey and Jacobson [McGlinchey, J. B., & Jacobson, N. S. (1999). Clinically significant but impractical? A response to Hageman and Arrindell. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 1211-1217.] reported practically identical findings on reliable and clinically significant change across the two approaches. This led McGlinchey and Jacobson to conclude that there is little practical gain in utilizing the refined method over the traditional approach. Close inspection of the data used by McGlinchey and Jacobson however revealed a serious mistake with respect to the value of the standard error of measurement that was employed in their calculations. When the proper index value was utilised, further re-analysis by the present authors disclosed clear differences (i.e. different classifications of S's) across the two approaches. Importantly, these differences followed exactly the same pattern as depicted in Table 2 in Hageman and Arrindell (1999). The theoretical advantages of the refined method, i.e. enhanced precision, appropriate distinction between analysis at the individual and group levels, and maximal comparability of findings across studies, exceed those of the traditional method. Application of the refined method may be carried out within approximately half an hour, which not only supports its practical manageability, but also challenges the suggestion of McGlinchey and Jacobson (1999) that the relevant method would be too complex (impractical) for the average scientist. The reader is offered the opportunity of obtaining an SPSS setup in the form of an ASCII text file by means of which the relevant calculations can be carried out. The ways in which the valuable commentaries by Hsu [Hsu, L. M. (1999). A comparison of three methods of identifying reliable and clinically significant client changes: commentary on Hageman and Arrindell. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 1195-1202.] and Speer [Speer, D. C. (1999). What is the role of two-wave designs in clinical research? Comment on Hageman and Arrindell. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 1203-1210.) contribute to a better understanding of the technical/statistical backgrounds of the traditional and refined methods were also discussed.

Nonlinear mixed effects dose response modeling in high throughput drug screens: application to melanoma cell line analysis.

PubMed

Ding, Kuan-Fu; Petricoin, Emanuel F; Finlay, Darren; Yin, Hongwei; Hendricks, William P D; Sereduk, Chris; Kiefer, Jeffrey; Sekulic, Aleksandar; LoRusso, Patricia M; Vuori, Kristiina; Trent, Jeffrey M; Schork, Nicholas J

2018-01-12

Cancer cell lines are often used in high throughput drug screens (HTS) to explore the relationship between cell line characteristics and responsiveness to different therapies. Many current analysis methods infer relationships by focusing on one aspect of cell line drug-specific dose-response curves (DRCs), the concentration causing 50% inhibition of a phenotypic endpoint (IC 50 ). Such methods may overlook DRC features and do not simultaneously leverage information about drug response patterns across cell lines, potentially increasing false positive and negative rates in drug response associations. We consider the application of two methods, each rooted in nonlinear mixed effects (NLME) models, that test the relationship relationships between estimated cell line DRCs and factors that might mitigate response. Both methods leverage estimation and testing techniques that consider the simultaneous analysis of different cell lines to draw inferences about any one cell line. One of the methods is designed to provide an omnibus test of the differences between cell line DRCs that is not focused on any one aspect of the DRC (such as the IC 50 value). We simulated different settings and compared the different methods on the simulated data. We also compared the proposed methods against traditional IC 50 -based methods using 40 melanoma cell lines whose transcriptomes, proteomes, and, importantly, BRAF and related mutation profiles were available. Ultimately, we find that the NLME-based methods are more robust, powerful and, for the omnibus test, more flexible, than traditional methods. Their application to the melanoma cell lines reveals insights into factors that may be clinically useful.

The CREATE Method Does Not Result in Greater Gains in Critical Thinking than a More Traditional Method of Analyzing the Primary Literature †

PubMed Central

Segura-Totten, Miriam; Dalman, Nancy E.

2013-01-01

Analysis of the primary literature in the undergraduate curriculum is associated with gains in student learning. In particular, the CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate hypotheses, Analyze and interpret the data, and Think of the next Experiment) method is associated with an increase in student critical thinking skills. We adapted the CREATE method within a required cell biology class and compared the learning gains of students using CREATE to those of students involved in less structured literature discussions. We found that while both sets of students had gains in critical thinking, students who used the CREATE method did not show significant improvement over students engaged in a more traditional method for dissecting the literature. Students also reported similar learning gains for both literature discussion methods. Our study suggests that, at least in our educational context, the CREATE method does not lead to higher learning gains than a less structured way of reading primary literature. PMID:24358379

METHODS OF ANALYSIS FOR WASTE LOAD ALLOCATION

EPA Science Inventory

This research has addressed several unresolved questions concerning the allocation of allowable waste loads among multiple wastewater dischargers within a water quality limited stream segment. First, the traditional assumptions about critical design conditions for waste load allo...

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

Cooper, W. James; Albertson, R Craig; Jacob, Rick E.

Here we present a re-description of Abudefduf luridus and reassign it to the genus Similiparma. We supplement traditional diagnoses and descriptions of this species with quantitative anatomical data collected from a family-wide geometric morphometric analysis of head morphology (44 species representing all 30 damselfish genera) and data from cranial micro-CT scans of fishes in the genus Similiparma. The use of geometric morphometric analyses (and other methods of shape analysis) permits detailed comparisons between the morphology of specific taxa and the anatomical diversity that has arisen in an entire lineage. This provides a particularly useful supplement to traditional description methods andmore » we recommend the use of such techniques by systematists. Similiparma and its close relatives constitute a branch of the damselfish phylogenetic tree that predominantly inhabits rocky reefs in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific, as opposed to the more commonly studied damselfishes that constitute a large portion of the ichthyofauna on all coral-reef communities.« less

From welfare states to welfare sectors: Explaining sectoral differences in occupational pensions with economic and political power of employees.

PubMed

Wiß, Tobias

2015-12-01

Studies analysing welfare have previously focused on countries as units. In the course of pension cuts and the increasing importance of occupational welfare, our traditional understanding of a homogeneous welfare state is being challenged. In this article, I distinguish between both economic individual power (employee skills) and political collective power (trade unions), and their relation with different occupational pensions. A combined analysis by both factors is not common, where employee skills and power resources are traditionally treated as separate, rival explanations of public welfare. Combining the 'method of difference' with the 'method of agreement', the article first presents the within-country variety of occupational pensions in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Denmark. Occupational pensions in the same economic sectors across countries are then used as the units of analysis in order to illustrate the plausible determinants of economic individual power and political collective power.

Rainfall frequency analysis for ungauged sites using satellite precipitation products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gado, Tamer A.; Hsu, Kuolin; Sorooshian, Soroosh

2017-11-01

The occurrence of extreme rainfall events and their impacts on hydrologic systems and society are critical considerations in the design and management of a large number of water resources projects. As precipitation records are often limited or unavailable at many sites, it is essential to develop better methods for regional estimation of extreme rainfall at these partially-gauged or ungauged sites. In this study, an innovative method for regional rainfall frequency analysis for ungauged sites is presented. The new method (hereafter, this is called the RRFA-S) is based on corrected annual maximum series obtained from a satellite precipitation product (e.g., PERSIANN-CDR). The probability matching method (PMM) is used here for bias correction to match the CDF of satellite-based precipitation data with the gauged data. The RRFA-S method was assessed through a comparative study with the traditional index flood method using the available annual maximum series of daily rainfall in two different regions in USA (11 sites in Colorado and 18 sites in California). The leave-one-out cross-validation technique was used to represent the ungauged site condition. Results of this numerical application have found that the quantile estimates obtained from the new approach are more accurate and more robust than those given by the traditional index flood method.

Importance and pitfalls of molecular analysis to parasite epidemiology.

PubMed

Constantine, Clare C

2003-08-01

Molecular tools are increasingly being used to address questions about parasite epidemiology. Parasites represent a diverse group and they might not fit traditional population genetic models. Testing hypotheses depends equally on correct sampling, appropriate tool and/or marker choice, appropriate analysis and careful interpretation. All methods of analysis make assumptions which, if violated, make the results invalid. Some guidelines to avoid common pitfalls are offered here.

[Analysis on traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions treating cancer-related anorexia syndrome based on grey system theory combined with multivariate analysis method and discovery of new prescriptions].

PubMed

Chen, Song-Lin; Chen, Cong; Zhu, Hui; Li, Jing; Pang, Yan

2016-01-01

Cancer-related anorexia syndrome (CACS) is one of the main causes for death at present as well as a syndrome seriously harming patients' quality of life, treatment effect and survival time. In current clinical researches, there are fewer reports about empirical traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) prescriptions and patent prescriptions treating CACS, and prescription rules are rarely analyzed in a systematic manner. As the hidden rules are not excavated, it is hard to have an innovative discovery and knowledge of clinical medication. In this paper, the grey screening method combined with the multivariate statistical method was used to build the ″CACS prescriptions database″. Based on the database, totally 359 prescriptions were selected, the frequency of herbs in prescription was determined, and commonly combined drugs were evolved into 4 new prescriptions for different syndromes. Prescriptions of TCM in treatment of CACS gave priority to benefiting qi for strengthening spleen, also laid emphasis on replenishing kidney essence, dispersing stagnated liver-qi and dispersing lung-qi. Moreover, interdependence and mutual promotion of yin and yang should be taken into account to reflect TCM's holism and theory for treatment based on syndrome differentiation. The grey screening method, as a valuable traditional Chinese medicine research-supporting method, can be used to subjectively and objectively analyze prescription rules; and the new prescriptions can provide reference for the clinical use of TCM for treating CACS and the drug development. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis for Facial Complexion in Traditional Chinese Medicine

PubMed Central

Zhao, Changbo; Li, Guo-zheng; Li, Fufeng; Wang, Zhi; Liu, Chang

2014-01-01

Facial diagnosis is an important and very intuitive diagnostic method in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). However, due to its qualitative and experience-based subjective property, traditional facial diagnosis has a certain limitation in clinical medicine. The computerized inspection method provides classification models to recognize facial complexion (including color and gloss). However, the previous works only study the classification problems of facial complexion, which is considered as qualitative analysis in our perspective. For quantitative analysis expectation, the severity or degree of facial complexion has not been reported yet. This paper aims to make both qualitative and quantitative analysis for facial complexion. We propose a novel feature representation of facial complexion from the whole face of patients. The features are established with four chromaticity bases splitting up by luminance distribution on CIELAB color space. Chromaticity bases are constructed from facial dominant color using two-level clustering; the optimal luminance distribution is simply implemented with experimental comparisons. The features are proved to be more distinctive than the previous facial complexion feature representation. Complexion recognition proceeds by training an SVM classifier with the optimal model parameters. In addition, further improved features are more developed by the weighted fusion of five local regions. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed features achieve highest facial color recognition performance with a total accuracy of 86.89%. And, furthermore, the proposed recognition framework could analyze both color and gloss degrees of facial complexion by learning a ranking function. PMID:24967342

A New Method for Non-destructive Measurement of Biomass, Growth Rates, Vertical Biomass Distribution and Dry Matter Content Based on Digital Image Analysis

PubMed Central

Tackenberg, Oliver

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Biomass is an important trait in functional ecology and growth analysis. The typical methods for measuring biomass are destructive. Thus, they do not allow the development of individual plants to be followed and they require many individuals to be cultivated for repeated measurements. Non-destructive methods do not have these limitations. Here, a non-destructive method based on digital image analysis is presented, addressing not only above-ground fresh biomass (FBM) and oven-dried biomass (DBM), but also vertical biomass distribution as well as dry matter content (DMC) and growth rates. Methods Scaled digital images of the plants silhouettes were taken for 582 individuals of 27 grass species (Poaceae). Above-ground biomass and DMC were measured using destructive methods. With image analysis software Zeiss KS 300, the projected area and the proportion of greenish pixels were calculated, and generalized linear models (GLMs) were developed with destructively measured parameters as dependent variables and parameters derived from image analysis as independent variables. A bootstrap analysis was performed to assess the number of individuals required for re-calibration of the models. Key Results The results of the developed models showed no systematic errors compared with traditionally measured values and explained most of their variance (R2 ≥ 0·85 for all models). The presented models can be directly applied to herbaceous grasses without further calibration. Applying the models to other growth forms might require a re-calibration which can be based on only 10–20 individuals for FBM or DMC and on 40–50 individuals for DBM. Conclusions The methods presented are time and cost effective compared with traditional methods, especially if development or growth rates are to be measured repeatedly. Hence, they offer an alternative way of determining biomass, especially as they are non-destructive and address not only FBM and DBM, but also vertical biomass distribution and DMC. PMID:17353204

[Progress in the application of laser ablation ICP-MS to surface microanalysis in material science].

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Jia, Yun-hai; Chen, Ji-wen; Shen, Xue-jing; Liu, Ying; Zhao, Leiz; Li, Dong-ling; Hang, Peng-cheng; Zhao, Zhen; Fan, Wan-lun; Wang, Hai-zhou

2014-08-01

In the present paper, apparatus and theory of surface analysis is introduced, and the progress in the application of laser ablation ICP-MS to microanalysis in ferrous, nonferrous and semiconductor field is reviewed in detail. Compared with traditional surface analytical tools, such as SEM/EDS (scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrum), EPMA (electron probe microanalysis analysis), AES (auger energy spectrum), etc. the advantage is little or no sample preparation, adjustable spatial resolution according to analytical demand, multi-element analysis and high sensitivity. It is now a powerful complementary method to traditional surface analytical tool. With the development of LA-ICP-MS technology maturing, more and more analytical workers will use this powerful tool in the future, and LA-ICP-MS will be a super star in elemental analysis field just like LIBS (Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy).

[Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS): a novel approach to reconstructing historical changes of primary productivity in Antarctic lake].

PubMed

Chen, Qian-Qian; Liu, Xiao-Dong; Liu, Wen-Qi; Jiang, Shan

2011-10-01

Compared with traditional chemical analysis methods, reflectance spectroscopy has the advantages of speed, minimal or no sample preparation, non-destruction, and low cost. In order to explore the potential application of spectroscopy technology in the paleolimnological study on Antarctic lakes, we took a lake sediment core in Mochou Lake at Zhongshan Station of Antarctic, and analyzed the near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) data in the sedimentary samples. The results showed that the factor loadings of principal component analysis (PCA) displayed very similar depth-profile change pattern with the S2 index, a reliable proxy for the change in historical lake primary productivity. The correlation analysis showed that the values of PCA factor loading and S2 were correlated significantly, suggesting that it is feasible to infer paleoproductivity changes recorded in Antarctic lakes using NIRS technology. Compared to the traditional method of the trough area between 650 and 700 nm, the authors found that the PCA statistical approach was more accurate for reconstructing the change in historical lake primary productivity. The results reported here demonstrate that reflectance spectroscopy can provide a rapid method for the reconstruction of lake palaeoenviro nmental change in the remote Antarctic regions.

Development of advanced methods for analysis of experimental data in diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaques, Alonso V.

There are numerous experimental configurations and data analysis techniques for the characterization of diffusion phenomena. However, the mathematical methods for estimating diffusivities traditionally do not take into account the effects of experimental errors in the data, and often require smooth, noiseless data sets to perform the necessary analysis steps. The current methods used for data smoothing require strong assumptions which can introduce numerical "artifacts" into the data, affecting confidence in the estimated parameters. The Boltzmann-Matano method is used extensively in the determination of concentration - dependent diffusivities, D(C), in alloys. In the course of analyzing experimental data, numerical integrations and differentiations of the concentration profile are performed. These methods require smoothing of the data prior to analysis. We present here an approach to the Boltzmann-Matano method that is based on a regularization method to estimate a differentiation operation on the data, i.e., estimate the concentration gradient term, which is important in the analysis process for determining the diffusivity. This approach, therefore, has the potential to be less subjective, and in numerical simulations shows an increased accuracy in the estimated diffusion coefficients. We present a regression approach to estimate linear multicomponent diffusion coefficients that eliminates the need pre-treat or pre-condition the concentration profile. This approach fits the data to a functional form of the mathematical expression for the concentration profile, and allows us to determine the diffusivity matrix directly from the fitted parameters. Reformulation of the equation for the analytical solution is done in order to reduce the size of the problem and accelerate the convergence. The objective function for the regression can incorporate point estimations for error in the concentration, improving the statistical confidence in the estimated diffusivity matrix. Case studies are presented to demonstrate the reliability and the stability of the method. To the best of our knowledge there is no published analysis of the effects of experimental errors on the reliability of the estimates for the diffusivities. For the case of linear multicomponent diffusion, we analyze the effects of the instrument analytical spot size, positioning uncertainty, and concentration uncertainty on the resulting values of the diffusivities. These effects are studied using Monte Carlo method on simulated experimental data. Several useful scaling relationships were identified which allow more rigorous and quantitative estimates of the errors in the measured data, and are valuable for experimental design. To further analyze anomalous diffusion processes, where traditional diffusional transport equations do not hold, we explore the use of fractional calculus in analytically representing these processes is proposed. We use the fractional calculus approach for anomalous diffusion processes occurring through a finite plane sheet with one face held at a fixed concentration, the other held at zero, and the initial concentration within the sheet equal to zero. This problem is related to cases in nature where diffusion is enhanced relative to the classical process, and the order of differentiation is not necessarily a second--order differential equation. That is, differentiation is of fractional order alpha, where 1 ≤ alpha < 2. For alpha = 2, the presented solutions reduce to the classical second-order diffusion solution for the conditions studied. The solution obtained allows the analysis of permeation experiments. Frequently, hydrogen diffusion is analyzed using electrochemical permeation methods using the traditional, Fickian-based theory. Experimental evidence shows the latter analytical approach is not always appropiate, because reported data shows qualitative (and quantitative) deviation from its theoretical scaling predictions. Preliminary analysis of data shows better agreement with fractional diffusion analysis when compared to traditional square-root scaling. Although there is a large amount of work in the estimation of the diffusivity from experimental data, reported studies typically present only the analytical description for the diffusivity, without scattering. However, because these studies do not consider effects produced by instrument analysis, their direct applicability is limited. We propose alternatives to address these, and to evaluate their influence on the final resulting diffusivity values.

Personalizing Chinese medicine by integrating molecular features of diseases and herb ingredient information: application to acute myeloid leukemia

PubMed Central

Xie, Duoli; Shi, Tieliu; Wen, Chengping

2017-01-01

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been widely used as a complementary medicine in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) treatment. In this study, we proposed a new classification of Chinese Medicines (CMs) by integrating the latest discoveries in disease molecular mechanisms and traditional medicine theory. We screened out a set of chemical compounds on basis of AML differential expression genes and chemical-protein interactions and then mapped them to Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database. 415 CMs contain those compounds and they were categorized into 8 groups according to the Traditional Chinese Pharmacology. Pathway analysis and synthetic lethality gene pairs were applied to analyze the dissimilarity, generality and intergroup relations of different groups. We defined hub CM pairs and alternative CM groups based on the analysis result and finally proposed a formula to form an effective anti-AML prescription which combined the hub CM pairs with alternative CMs according to patients’ molecular features. Our method of formulating CMs based on patients’ stratification provides novel insights into the new usage of conventional CMs and will promote TCM modernization. PMID:28454110

Personalizing Chinese medicine by integrating molecular features of diseases and herb ingredient information: application to acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Huang, Lin; Li, Haichang; Xie, Duoli; Shi, Tieliu; Wen, Chengping

2017-06-27

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been widely used as a complementary medicine in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) treatment. In this study, we proposed a new classification of Chinese Medicines (CMs) by integrating the latest discoveries in disease molecular mechanisms and traditional medicine theory. We screened out a set of chemical compounds on basis of AML differential expression genes and chemical-protein interactions and then mapped them to Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database. 415 CMs contain those compounds and they were categorized into 8 groups according to the Traditional Chinese Pharmacology. Pathway analysis and synthetic lethality gene pairs were applied to analyze the dissimilarity, generality and intergroup relations of different groups. We defined hub CM pairs and alternative CM groups based on the analysis result and finally proposed a formula to form an effective anti-AML prescription which combined the hub CM pairs with alternative CMs according to patients' molecular features. Our method of formulating CMs based on patients' stratification provides novel insights into the new usage of conventional CMs and will promote TCM modernization.

A Critical Analysis of the Body of Work Method for Setting Cut-Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radwan, Nizam; Rogers, W. Todd

2006-01-01

The recent increase in the use of constructed-response items in educational assessment and the dissatisfaction with the nature of the decision that the judges must make using traditional standard-setting methods created a need to develop new and effective standard-setting procedures for tests that include both multiple-choice and…

Should We Trust Web-Based Studies? A Comparative Analysis of Six Preconceptions about Internet Questionnaires

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gosling, Samuel D.; Vazire, Simine; Srivastava, Sanjay; Oliver, John

2004-01-01

The rapid growth of the Internet provides a wealth of new research opportunities for psychologists. Internet data collection methods, with a focus on self-report questionnaires from self-selected samples, are evaluated and compared with traditional paper-and-pencil methods. Six preconceptions about Internet samples and data quality are evaluated…

An improved strategy for regression of biophysical variables and Landsat ETM+ data.

Treesearch

Warren B. Cohen; Thomas K. Maiersperger; Stith T. Gower; David P. Turner

2003-01-01

Empirical models are important tools for relating field-measured biophysical variables to remote sensing data. Regression analysis has been a popular empirical method of linking these two types of data to provide continuous estimates for variables such as biomass, percent woody canopy cover, and leaf area index (LAI). Traditional methods of regression are not...

Methods for Improving Information from "Undesigned" Human Factors Experiments. Technical Report No. p75-287.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Charles W.

An "undesigned" experiment is one in which the predictor variables are correlated, either due to a failure to complete a design or because the investigator was unable to select or control relevant experimental conditions. The traditional method of analyzing this class of experiment--multiple regression analysis based on a least squares…

Applying survival analysis to a large-scale forest inventory for assessment of tree mortality in Minnesota

Treesearch

C.W. Woodall; P.L. Grambsch; W. Thomas

2005-01-01

Tree mortality has traditionally been assessed in forest inventories through summaries of mortality by location, species, and causal agents. Although these methods have historically constituted the majority of tree mortality summarizations, they have had limited use in assessing mortality trends and dynamics. This study proposed a novel method of applying survival...

Liposomal bupivacaine versus traditional bupivacaine for pain control after total hip arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Ma, Ting-Ting; Wang, Yu-Hui; Jiang, Yun-Feng; Peng, Cong-Bin; Yan, Chao; Liu, Zi-Gui; Xu, Wei-Xing

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: In the past, the efficacy of local infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine for total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients was in debate. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether local infiltration of liposomal bupivacaine provides better pain relief after THA. Methods: We searched Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases to the April 2017. Any studies comparing liposomal bupivacaine and traditional bupivacaine were included in our meta-analysis. The outcomes included visual analog scale (VAS) at 24, 48, and 72 hours, total morphine consumption at 24 hours, and the length of hospital stay. We assessed the pooled data using a random-effect model. Results: Six studies were finally included in this meta-analysis. Our pooled data analysis demonstrated that liposomal bupivacaine was more effective than the traditional bupivacaine in terms of VAS at 24 hours (P  =  .018) and the length of hospital stay (P  =  .000). There was no significant difference in terms of the VAS at 48 and 72 hours and total morphine consumption at 24 hours (P >.05). Conclusion: Compared with the traditional bupivacaine, liposomal bupivacaine shows better pain control at 24 hours and reduces the length of hospital stay after THA. Its economic costs must be assessed in multimodal center randomized controlled trials when being recommended as a long-acting alternative analgesic agent for a THA patient. PMID:28640101

Regularized rare variant enrichment analysis for case-control exome sequencing data.

PubMed

Larson, Nicholas B; Schaid, Daniel J

2014-02-01

Rare variants have recently garnered an immense amount of attention in genetic association analysis. However, unlike methods traditionally used for single marker analysis in GWAS, rare variant analysis often requires some method of aggregation, since single marker approaches are poorly powered for typical sequencing study sample sizes. Advancements in sequencing technologies have rendered next-generation sequencing platforms a realistic alternative to traditional genotyping arrays. Exome sequencing in particular not only provides base-level resolution of genetic coding regions, but also a natural paradigm for aggregation via genes and exons. Here, we propose the use of penalized regression in combination with variant aggregation measures to identify rare variant enrichment in exome sequencing data. In contrast to marginal gene-level testing, we simultaneously evaluate the effects of rare variants in multiple genes, focusing on gene-based least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and exon-based sparse group LASSO models. By using gene membership as a grouping variable, the sparse group LASSO can be used as a gene-centric analysis of rare variants while also providing a penalized approach toward identifying specific regions of interest. We apply extensive simulations to evaluate the performance of these approaches with respect to specificity and sensitivity, comparing these results to multiple competing marginal testing methods. Finally, we discuss our findings and outline future research. © 2013 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Uncertainty of quantitative microbiological methods of pharmaceutical analysis.

PubMed

Gunar, O V; Sakhno, N G

2015-12-30

The total uncertainty of quantitative microbiological methods, used in pharmaceutical analysis, consists of several components. The analysis of the most important sources of the quantitative microbiological methods variability demonstrated no effect of culture media and plate-count techniques in the estimation of microbial count while the highly significant effect of other factors (type of microorganism, pharmaceutical product and individual reading and interpreting errors) was established. The most appropriate method of statistical analysis of such data was ANOVA which enabled not only the effect of individual factors to be estimated but also their interactions. Considering all the elements of uncertainty and combining them mathematically the combined relative uncertainty of the test results was estimated both for method of quantitative examination of non-sterile pharmaceuticals and microbial count technique without any product. These data did not exceed 35%, appropriated for a traditional plate count methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid analysis of scattering from periodic dielectric structures using accelerated Cartesian expansions.

PubMed

Baczewski, Andrew D; Miller, Nicholas C; Shanker, Balasubramaniam

2012-04-01

The analysis of fields in periodic dielectric structures arise in numerous applications of recent interest, ranging from photonic bandgap structures and plasmonically active nanostructures to metamaterials. To achieve an accurate representation of the fields in these structures using numerical methods, dense spatial discretization is required. This, in turn, affects the cost of analysis, particularly for integral-equation-based methods, for which traditional iterative methods require O(N2) operations, N being the number of spatial degrees of freedom. In this paper, we introduce a method for the rapid solution of volumetric electric field integral equations used in the analysis of doubly periodic dielectric structures. The crux of our method is the accelerated Cartesian expansion algorithm, which is used to evaluate the requisite potentials in O(N) cost. Results are provided that corroborate our claims of acceleration without compromising accuracy, as well as the application of our method to a number of compelling photonics applications.

A Microscale Spectrophotometric Determination of Water Hardness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, James S.

2001-08-01

A spectrophotometric titration was performed to determine water hardness. The titration incorporated the traditional titration method employing EDTA as the titrant and calmagite as the indicator. The microscale experiment was carried out in a spectrometer cuvette and made use of a Texas Instruments (TI-83) calculator interfaced through a TI Calculator-Based Laboratory system to a Vernier colorimeter as the detector. Monitoring at 635 nm, one of the colorimeter's fixed wavelengths, was well suited for this analysis. Agreement was found with results from traditional titrations.

A Patient Focused Solution for Enrolling Clinical Trials in Rare and Selective Cancer Indications: A Landscape of Haystacks and Needles

PubMed Central

Lynam, Eric B.; Leaw, Jiin; Wiener, Matthew B.

2013-01-01

Participation of adult cancer patients in US based clinical trials has remained near 3% for decades. Traditional research methodology reaches a small fraction of the target population with a fixed number of predetermined sites. Solutions are needed to ethically increase patient participation and accelerate cancer trial completion. We compared enrollment outcomes of traditional and patient focused research methodologies. A patient prioritized method (Just-In-Time, JIT) was implemented in parallel with traditionally managed sites in three cancer trials. JIT research sites were initiated after candidate patients presented, while traditional sites were initiated in advance. JIT sites enrolled with mean rates no less than, and up to 2.75 fold greater than, traditional sites. Mean patients enrolled per site was comparable (JIT-1.82, traditional-1.78). There were fewer non-enrolling JIT sites (2/28, 7%) compared to traditional sites 19/52, 37%). This retrospective analysis supports JIT as a prospective solution to increase cancer clinical trial enrollment and the efficiency of clinical trial administrative activities. PMID:23990689

Developing indicators of pattern identification in patients with stroke using traditional Korean medicine

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The traditional Korean medical diagnoses employ pattern identification (PI), a diagnostic system that entails the comprehensive analysis of symptoms and signs. The PI needs to be standardized due to its ambiguity. Therefore, this study was performed to establish standard indicators of the PI for stroke through the traditional Korean medical literature, expert consensus and a clinical field test. Methods We sorted out stroke patterns with an expert committee organized by the Korean Institute of Oriental Medicine. The expert committee composed a document for a standardized pattern of identification for stroke based on the traditional Korean medical literature, and we evaluated the clinical significance of the document through a field test. Results We established five stroke patterns from the traditional Korean medical literature and extracted 117 indicators required for diagnosis. The indicators were evaluated by a field test and verified by the expert committee. Conclusions This study sought to develop indicators of PI based on the traditional Korean medical literature. This process contributed to the standardization of traditional Korean medical diagnoses. PMID:22410195

Electric potential calculation in molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhenxing; Olmsted, David L.; Asta, Mark; Laird, Brian B.

2016-11-01

For the molecular simulation of electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), a number of methods have been proposed and implemented to determine the one-dimensional electric potential profile between the two electrodes at a fixed potential difference. In this work, we compare several of these methods for a model LiClO4-acetonitrile/graphite EDLC simulated using both the traditional fixed-charged method (FCM), in which a fixed charge is assigned a priori to the electrode atoms, or the recently developed constant potential method (CPM) (2007 J. Chem. Phys. 126 084704), where the electrode charges are allowed to fluctuate to keep the potential fixed. Based on an analysis of the full three-dimensional electric potential field, we suggest a method for determining the averaged one-dimensional electric potential profile that can be applied to both the FCM and CPM simulations. Compared to traditional methods based on numerically solving the one-dimensional Poisson’s equation, this method yields better accuracy and no supplemental assumptions.

Multilevel Latent Class Analysis: An Application of Adolescent Smoking Typologies with Individual and Contextual Predictors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Kimberly L.; Muthen, Bengt

2010-01-01

Latent class analysis (LCA) is a statistical method used to identify subtypes of related cases using a set of categorical or continuous observed variables. Traditional LCA assumes that observations are independent. However, multilevel data structures are common in social and behavioral research and alternative strategies are needed. In this…

Statistics for Time-Series Spatial Data: Applying Survival Analysis to Study Land-Use Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Ninghua Nathan

2013-01-01

Traditional spatial analysis and data mining methods fall short of extracting temporal information from data. This inability makes their use difficult to study changes and the associated mechanisms of many geographic phenomena of interest, for example, land-use. On the other hand, the growing availability of land-change data over multiple time…

Translating Knowledge through Blended Learning: A Comparative Analysis of Face-to-Face and Blended Learning Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Thomas P.; Karpur, Arun

2012-01-01

This study is a comparative analysis of the impact of traditional face-to-face training contrasted with a blended learning approach, as it relates to improving skills, knowledge and attitudes for enhancing practices for achieving improved employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The study included two intervention groups: one…

A New, More Powerful Approach to Multitrait-Multimethod Analyses: An Application of Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Herbert W.; Hocevar, Dennis

The advantages of applying confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data are widely recognized. However, because CFA as traditionally applied to MTMM data incorporates single indicators of each scale (i.e., each trait/method combination), important weaknesses are the failure to: (1) correct appropriately for measurement…

A rapid method for the sampling of atmospheric water vapour for isotopic analysis.

PubMed

Peters, Leon I; Yakir, Dan

2010-01-01

Analysis of the stable isotopic composition of atmospheric moisture is widely applied in the environmental sciences. Traditional methods for obtaining isotopic compositional data from ambient moisture have required complicated sampling procedures, expensive and sophisticated distillation lines, hazardous consumables, and lengthy treatments prior to analysis. Newer laser-based techniques are expensive and usually not suitable for large-scale field campaigns, especially in cases where access to mains power is not feasible or high spatial coverage is required. Here we outline the construction and usage of a novel vapour-sampling system based on a battery-operated Stirling cycle cooler, which is simple to operate, does not require any consumables, or post-collection distillation, and is light-weight and highly portable. We demonstrate the ability of this system to reproduce delta(18)O isotopic compositions of ambient water vapour, with samples taken simultaneously by a traditional cryogenic collection technique. Samples were collected over 1 h directly into autosampler vials and were analysed by mass spectrometry after pyrolysis of 1 microL aliquots to CO. This yielded an average error of < +/-0.5 per thousand, approximately equal to the signal-to-noise ratio of traditional approaches. This new system provides a rapid and reliable alternative to conventional cryogenic techniques, particularly in cases requiring high sample throughput or where access to distillation lines, slurry maintenance or mains power is not feasible. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Endoscopic versus traditional saphenous vein harvesting: a prospective, randomized trial.

PubMed

Allen, K B; Griffith, G L; Heimansohn, D A; Robison, R J; Matheny, R G; Schier, J J; Fitzgerald, E B; Shaar, C J

1998-07-01

Saphenous vein harvested with a traditional longitudinal technique often results in leg wound complications. An alternative endoscopic harvest technique may decrease these complications. One hundred twelve patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively randomized to have vein harvested using either an endoscopic (group A, n = 54) or traditional technique (group B, n = 58). Groups A and B, respectively, were similar with regard to length of vein harvested (41 +/- 8 cm versus 40 +/- 14 cm), bypasses done (4.1 +/- 1.1 versus 4.2 +/- 1.4), age, preoperative risk stratification, and risks for wound complication (diabetes, sex, obesity, preoperative anemia, hypoalbuminemia, and peripheral vascular disease). Leg wound complications were significantly (p < or = 0.02) reduced in group A (4% [2 of 51] versus 19% [11 of 58]). Univariate analysis identified traditional incision (p < or = 0.02) and diabetes (p < or = 0.05) as wound complication risk factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified only the traditional harvest technique as a risk factor for leg wound complications with no significant interaction between harvest technique and any preoperative risk factor (p < or = 0.03). Harvest rate (0.9 +/- 0.4 cm/min versus 1.2 +/- 0.5 cm/min) was slower for group A (p < or = 0.02) and conversion from endoscopic to a traditional harvest occurred in 5.6% (3 of 54) of patients. In a prospective, randomized trial, saphenous vein harvested endoscopically was associated with fewer wound complications than the traditional longitudinal method.

Evaluation of wound healing property of Caesalpinia mimosoides Lam.

PubMed

Bhat, Pradeep Bhaskar; Hegde, Shruti; Upadhya, Vinayak; Hegde, Ganesh R; Habbu, Prasanna V; Mulgund, Gangadhar S

2016-12-04

Caesalpinia mimosoides Lam. is one of the important traditional folk medicinal plants in the treatment of skin diseases and wounds used by healers of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state (India). However scientific validation of documented traditional knowledge related to medicinal plants is an important path in current scenario to fulfill the increasing demand of herbal medicine. The study was carried out to evaluate the claimed uses of Caesalpinia mimosoides using antimicrobial, wound healing and antioxidant activities followed by detection of possible active bio-constituents. Extracts prepared by hot percolation method were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis followed by antimicrobial activity using MIC assay. In vivo wound healing activity was evaluated by circular excision and linear incision wound models. The extract with significant antimicrobial and wound healing activity was investigated for antioxidant capacity using DPPH, nitric oxide, antilipid peroxidation and total antioxidant activity methods. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined by Folin-Ciocalteu, Swain and Hillis methods. Possible bio-active constituents were identified by GC-MS technique. RP-UFLC-DAD analysis was carried out to quantify ethyl gallate and gallic acid in the plant extract. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed positive results for ethanol and aqueous extracts for all the chemical constituents. The ethanol extract proved potent antimicrobial activity against both bacterial and fungal skin pathogens compared to other extracts. The efficacy of topical application of potent ethanol extract and traditionally used aqueous extracts was evidenced by the complete re-epithelization of the epidermal layer with increased percentage of wound contraction in a shorter period. However, aqueous extract failed to perform a consistent effect in the histopathological assessment. Ethanol extract showed effective scavenging activity against DPPH and nitric oxide free radicals with an expressive amount of phenolic and moderate concentration of flavonoid contents. Ethyl gallate and gallic acid were found to be the probable bio-active compounds evidenced by GCMS and RP-UFLC-DAD analysis. The study revealed the significant antimicrobial, wound healing and antioxidant activities of tender parts of C. mimosoides and proved the traditional folklore knowledge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-resolution information mining and a computer vision approach to pavement condition distress analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

Pavement Condition surveys are carried out periodically to gather information on pavement distresses that will guide decision-making for maintenance and preservation. Traditional methods involve manual pavement inspections which are time-consuming : ...

Evaluation of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for differentiation of Pichia kluyveri strains isolated from traditional fermentation processes.

PubMed

De la Torre González, Francisco Javier; Gutiérrez Avendaño, Daniel Oswaldo; Gschaedler Mathis, Anne Christine; Kirchmayr, Manuel Reinhart

2018-06-06

Non- Saccharomyces yeasts are widespread microorganisms and some time ago were considered contaminants in the beverage industry. However, nowadays they have gained importance for their ability to produce aromatic compounds, which in alcoholic beverages improves aromatic complexity and therefore the overall quality. Thus, identification and differentiation of the species involved in fermentation processes is vital and can be classified in traditional methods and techniques based on molecular biology. Traditional methods, however, can be expensive, laborious and/or unable to accurately discriminate on strain level. In the present study, a total of 19 strains of Pichia kluyveri isolated from mezcal, tejuino and cacao fermentations were analyzed with rep-PCR fingerprinting and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The comparative analysis between MS spectra and rep-PCR patterns obtained from these strains showed a high similarity between both methods. However, minimal differences between the obtained rep-PCR and MALDI-TOF MS clusters could be observed. The data shown suggests that MALDI-TOF MS is a promising alternative technique for rapid, reliable and cost-effective differentiation of natives yeast strains isolated from different traditional fermented foods and beverages. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Augmenting Qualitative Text Analysis with Natural Language Processing: Methodological Study.

PubMed

Guetterman, Timothy C; Chang, Tammy; DeJonckheere, Melissa; Basu, Tanmay; Scruggs, Elizabeth; Vydiswaran, V G Vinod

2018-06-29

Qualitative research methods are increasingly being used across disciplines because of their ability to help investigators understand the perspectives of participants in their own words. However, qualitative analysis is a laborious and resource-intensive process. To achieve depth, researchers are limited to smaller sample sizes when analyzing text data. One potential method to address this concern is natural language processing (NLP). Qualitative text analysis involves researchers reading data, assigning code labels, and iteratively developing findings; NLP has the potential to automate part of this process. Unfortunately, little methodological research has been done to compare automatic coding using NLP techniques and qualitative coding, which is critical to establish the viability of NLP as a useful, rigorous analysis procedure. The purpose of this study was to compare the utility of a traditional qualitative text analysis, an NLP analysis, and an augmented approach that combines qualitative and NLP methods. We conducted a 2-arm cross-over experiment to compare qualitative and NLP approaches to analyze data generated through 2 text (short message service) message survey questions, one about prescription drugs and the other about police interactions, sent to youth aged 14-24 years. We randomly assigned a question to each of the 2 experienced qualitative analysis teams for independent coding and analysis before receiving NLP results. A third team separately conducted NLP analysis of the same 2 questions. We examined the results of our analyses to compare (1) the similarity of findings derived, (2) the quality of inferences generated, and (3) the time spent in analysis. The qualitative-only analysis for the drug question (n=58) yielded 4 major findings, whereas the NLP analysis yielded 3 findings that missed contextual elements. The qualitative and NLP-augmented analysis was the most comprehensive. For the police question (n=68), the qualitative-only analysis yielded 4 primary findings and the NLP-only analysis yielded 4 slightly different findings. Again, the augmented qualitative and NLP analysis was the most comprehensive and produced the highest quality inferences, increasing our depth of understanding (ie, details and frequencies). In terms of time, the NLP-only approach was quicker than the qualitative-only approach for the drug (120 vs 270 minutes) and police (40 vs 270 minutes) questions. An approach beginning with qualitative analysis followed by qualitative- or NLP-augmented analysis took longer time than that beginning with NLP for both drug (450 vs 240 minutes) and police (390 vs 220 minutes) questions. NLP provides both a foundation to code qualitatively more quickly and a method to validate qualitative findings. NLP methods were able to identify major themes found with traditional qualitative analysis but were not useful in identifying nuances. Traditional qualitative text analysis added important details and context. ©Timothy C Guetterman, Tammy Chang, Melissa DeJonckheere, Tanmay Basu, Elizabeth Scruggs, VG Vinod Vydiswaran. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 29.06.2018.

High intensity training in obesity: a Meta‐analysis

PubMed Central

Theel, W.; Kasteleyn, M. J.; Franssen, F. M. E.; Hiemstra, P. S.; Rudolphus, A.; Taube, C.; Braunstahl, G. J.

2017-01-01

Summary Introduction High Intensity training (HIT) is a time‐effective alternative to traditional exercise programs in adults with obesity, but the superiority in terms of improving cardiopulmonary fitness and weight loss has not been demonstrated. Objective to determine the effectiveness of HIT on cardiopulmonary fitness and body composition in adults with obesity compared to traditional (high volume continuous) exercise. Methods A systematic search of the main health science databases was conducted for randomized controlled trials comparing HIT with traditional forms of exercise in people with obesity. Eighteen studies were included in the meta‐analysis. The (unstandardized) mean difference of each outcome parameters was calculated and pooled with the random effects model. Results HIT resulted in greater improvement of cardiopulmonary fitness (VO2max) (MD 1.83, 95% CI 0.70, 2.96, p<0.005; I2=31%) and a greater reduction of %body fat (MD ‐1.69, 95% CI ‐3.10, ‐0.27, p=0.02, I2=30%) compared to traditional exercise. Overall effect for BMI was not different between HIT and traditional exercise. Conclusion Training at high intensity is superior to improve cardiopulmonary fitness and to reduce %body fat in adults with obesity compared to traditional exercise. Future studies are needed to design specific HIT programs for the obese with regard to optimal effect and long‐term adherence. PMID:29071102

Left ventricular early diastolic inflow velocity and atrial ventricular plane downward velocity: useful parameters to test diastolic function in clinical practice? Diastolic parameters tested in a clinical setting.

PubMed

Winter, R; Gudmundsson, P; Ericsson, G; Willenheimer, R

2001-06-01

To study the clinical value of the colour-M-mode slope of the early diastolic left ventricular filling phase (Vp) and the early diastolic downward M-mode slope of the left atrioventricular plane displacement (EDS), compared with diastolic function assessed by traditional Doppler evaluation. In 65 consecutive patients EDS and Vp were compared with a four-degree traditional diastolic function classification, based on pulsed Doppler assessment of the early to atrial transmitral flow ratio (E/A), the E-wave deceleration time (Edt), and the systolic to diastolic (S/D) pulmonary venous inflow ratio. Vp (P=0.006) and EDS (P=0.045) were related to traditional diastolic function (Kruskal--Wallis analysis). EDS showed a trend brake between the moderate and severe diastolic dysfunction groups by traditional Doppler evaluation. Vp and EDS correlated weakly in simple linear regression analysis (r=0.33). Vp and EDS discriminated poorly between normal and highly abnormal diastolic function. Vp and EDS were significantly related to diastolic function by traditional Doppler evaluation. They were, however, not useful as single parameters of left ventricular diastolic function due to a small difference between normal and highly abnormal values, allowing for little between-measurement variability. Consequently, these methods for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function do not add significantly to traditional Doppler evaluation.

Bilinear Time-frequency Analysis for Lamb Wave Signal Detected by Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wenxiu; Liu, Guoqiang; Xia, Hui; Xia, Zhengwu

2018-03-01

Accurate acquisition of the detection signal travel time plays a very important role in cross-hole tomography. The experimental platform of aluminum plate under the perpendicular magnetic field is established and the bilinear time-frequency analysis methods, Wigner-Ville Distribution (WVD) and the pseudo-Wigner-Ville distribution (PWVD), are applied to analyse the Lamb wave signals detected by electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT). By extracting the same frequency component of the time-frequency spectrum as the excitation frequency, the travel time information can be obtained. In comparison with traditional linear time-frequency analysis method such as short-time Fourier transform (STFT), the bilinear time-frequency analysis method PWVD is more appropriate in extracting travel time and recognizing patterns of Lamb wave.

[Analysis on composition and medication regularities of prescriptions treating hypochondriac pain based on traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system inheritance support platform].

PubMed

Zhao, Yan-qing; Teng, Jing

2015-03-01

To analyze the composition and medication regularities of prescriptions treating hypochondriac pain in Chinese journal full-text database (CNKI) based on the traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system, in order to provide a reference for further research and development for new traditional Chinese medicines treating hypochondriac pain. The traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support platform software V2. 0 was used to build a prescription database of Chinese medicines treating hypochondriac pain. The software integration data mining method was used to distribute prescriptions according to "four odors", "five flavors" and "meridians" in the database and achieve frequency statistics, syndrome distribution, prescription regularity and new prescription analysis. An analysis were made for 192 prescriptions treating hypochondriac pain to determine the frequencies of medicines in prescriptions, commonly used medicine pairs and combinations and summarize 15 new prescriptions. This study indicated that the prescriptions treating hypochondriac pain in Chinese journal full-text database are mostly those for soothing liver-qi stagnation, promoting qi and activating blood, clearing heat and promoting dampness, and invigorating spleen and removing phlem, with a cold property and bitter taste, and reflect the principles of "distinguish deficiency and excess and relieving pain by smoothening meridians" in treating hypochondriac pain.

Mapping seagrass and colonized hard bottom in Springs Coast, Florida using WorldView-2 satellite imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumstark, René; Duffey, Renee; Pu, Ruiliang

2016-11-01

The offshore extent of seagrass habitat along the West Florida (USA) coast represents an important corridor for inshore-offshore migration of economically important fish and shellfish. Surviving at the fringe of light requirements, offshore seagrass beds are sensitive to changes in water clarity. Beyond and intermingled with the offshore seagrass areas are large swaths of colonized hard bottom. These offshore habitats of the West Florida coast have lacked mapping efforts needed for status and trends monitoring. The objective of this study was to propose an object-based classification method for mapping offshore habitats and to compare results to traditional photo-interpreted maps. Benthic maps were created from WorldView-2 satellite imagery using an Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) method and a visual photo-interpretation method. A logistic regression analysis identified depth and distance from shore as significant parameters for discriminating spectrally similar seagrass and colonized hard bottom features. Seagrass, colonized hard bottom and unconsolidated sediment (sand) were mapped with 78% overall accuracy using the OBIA method compared to 71% overall accuracy using the photo-interpretation method. This study suggests an alternative for mapping deeper, offshore habitats capable of producing higher thematic and spatial resolution maps compared to those created with the traditional photo-interpretation method.

[Scenario analysis--a method for long-term planning].

PubMed

Stavem, K

2000-01-10

Scenarios are known from the film industry, as detailed descriptions of films. This has given name to scenario analysis, a method for long term planning using descriptions of composite future pictures. This article is an introduction to the scenario method. Scenarios describe plausible, not necessarily probable, developments. They focus on problems and questions that decision makers must be aware of and prepare to deal with, and the consequences of alternative decisions. Scenarios are used in corporate and governmental planning, and they can be useful and complementary to traditional planning and extrapolation of past experience. The method is particularly useful in a rapidly changing world with shifting external conditions.

Comparison and evaluation of fusion methods used for GF-2 satellite image in coastal mangrove area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Chengxing; Ju, Hongbo; Liu, Hua; Zhang, Huaiqing; Sun, Hua

2018-04-01

GF-2 satellite is the highest spatial resolution Remote Sensing Satellite of the development history of China's satellite. In this study, three traditional fusion methods including Brovey, Gram-Schmidt and Color Normalized (CN were used to compare with the other new fusion method NNDiffuse, which used the qualitative assessment and quantitative fusion quality index, including information entropy, variance, mean gradient, deviation index, spectral correlation coefficient. Analysis results show that NNDiffuse method presented the optimum in qualitative and quantitative analysis. It had more effective for the follow up of remote sensing information extraction and forest, wetland resources monitoring applications.

Exploring definitions of financial abuse in elderly Korean immigrants: the contribution of traditional cultural values.

PubMed

Lee, Hee Yun; Lee, Sang E; Eaton, Charissa K

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the cultural definitions of financial abuse from the perspective of 124 elderly Korean immigrants and to examine the role of traditional cultural values in their definitions by using a mixed methods approach. The qualitative analysis generated four themes relevant to definition of financial abuse. A binary logistic regression indicated that those with stronger cultural adherence to traditional values had higher odds of providing culture-based definitions of financial abuse. Education is needed for health professionals, social service providers, and adult protective workers to increase their understanding of culture-specific experiences of financial abuse among ethnic minority elders.

Likelihood ratio meta-analysis: New motivation and approach for an old method.

PubMed

Dormuth, Colin R; Filion, Kristian B; Platt, Robert W

2016-03-01

A 95% confidence interval (CI) in an updated meta-analysis may not have the expected 95% coverage. If a meta-analysis is simply updated with additional data, then the resulting 95% CI will be wrong because it will not have accounted for the fact that the earlier meta-analysis failed or succeeded to exclude the null. This situation can be avoided by using the likelihood ratio (LR) as a measure of evidence that does not depend on type-1 error. We show how an LR-based approach, first advanced by Goodman, can be used in a meta-analysis to pool data from separate studies to quantitatively assess where the total evidence points. The method works by estimating the log-likelihood ratio (LogLR) function from each study. Those functions are then summed to obtain a combined function, which is then used to retrieve the total effect estimate, and a corresponding 'intrinsic' confidence interval. Using as illustrations the CAPRIE trial of clopidogrel versus aspirin in the prevention of ischemic events, and our own meta-analysis of higher potency statins and the risk of acute kidney injury, we show that the LR-based method yields the same point estimate as the traditional analysis, but with an intrinsic confidence interval that is appropriately wider than the traditional 95% CI. The LR-based method can be used to conduct both fixed effect and random effects meta-analyses, it can be applied to old and new meta-analyses alike, and results can be presented in a format that is familiar to a meta-analytic audience. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid and efficient localization of depth electrodes and cortical labeling using free and open source medical software in epilepsy surgery candidates

PubMed Central

Princich, Juan Pablo; Wassermann, Demian; Latini, Facundo; Oddo, Silvia; Blenkmann, Alejandro Omar; Seifer, Gustavo; Kochen, Silvia

2013-01-01

Depth intracranial electrodes (IEs) placement is one of the most used procedures to identify the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in surgical treatment of drug resistant epilepsy patients, about 20–30% of this population. IEs localization is therefore a critical issue defining the EZ and its relation with eloquent functional areas. That information is then used to target the resective surgery and has great potential to affect outcome. We designed a methodological procedure intended to avoid the need for highly specialized medical resources and reduce time to identify the anatomical location of IEs, during the first instances of intracranial EEG recordings. This workflow is based on established open source software; 3D Slicer and Freesurfer that uses MRI and Post-implant CT fusion for the localization of IEs and its relation with automatic labeled surrounding cortex. To test this hypothesis we assessed the time elapsed between the surgical implantation process and the final anatomical localization of IEs by means of our proposed method compared against traditional visual analysis of raw post-implant imaging in two groups of patients. All IEs were identified in the first 24 H (6–24 H) of implantation using our method in 4 patients of the first group. For the control group; all IEs were identified by experts with an overall time range of 36 h to 3 days using traditional visual analysis. It included (7 patients), 3 patients implanted with IEs and the same 4 patients from the first group. Time to localization was restrained in this group by the specialized personnel and the image quality available. To validate our method; we trained two inexperienced operators to assess the position of IEs contacts on four patients (5 IEs) using the proposed method. We quantified the discrepancies between operators and we also assessed the efficiency of our method to define the EZ comparing the findings against the results of traditional analysis. PMID:24427112

Children's drawings as facilitators of communication: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Driessnack, Martha

2005-12-01

In an attempt to explore new methods for accessing children's voices, this meta-analysis explores the facilitative effects of offering children the opportunity to draw as an interview strategy as compared with a traditional directed interview. Based on this analysis, introducing the opportunity to draw appears to be a relatively robust interview strategy with a large overall effect size (d = .95). Both research and clinical implications are discussed.

Quality Assessment of Kumu Injection, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Preparation, Using HPLC Combined with Chemometric Methods and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Multiple Alkaloids by Single Marker.

PubMed

Wang, Ning; Li, Zhi-Yong; Zheng, Xiao-Li; Li, Qiao; Yang, Xin; Xu, Hui

2018-04-09

Kumu injection (KMI) is a common-used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation made from Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn. rich in alkaloids. An innovative technique for quality assessment of KMI was developed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with chemometric methods and qualitative and quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS). Nigakinone (PQ-6, 5-hydroxy-4-methoxycanthin-6-one), one of the most abundant alkaloids responsible for the major pharmacological activities of Kumu, was used as a reference substance. Six alkaloids in KMI were quantified, including 6-hydroxy- β -carboline-1-carboxylic acid (PQ-1), 4,5-dimethoxycanthin-6-one (PQ-2), β -carboline-1-carboxylic acid (PQ-3), β -carboline-1-propanoic acid (PQ-4), 3-methylcanthin-5,6-dione (PQ-5), and PQ-6. Based on the outcomes of twenty batches of KMI samples, the contents of six alkaloids were used for further chemometric analysis. By hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), radar plots, and principal component analysis (PCA), all the KMI samples could be categorized into three groups, which were closely related to production date and indicated the crucial influence of herbal raw material on end products of KMI. QAMS combined with chemometric analysis could accurately measure and clearly distinguish the different quality samples of KMI. Hence, QAMS is a feasible and promising method for the quality control of KMI.

Nucleic acid in-situ hybridization detection of infectious agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Curtis T.

2000-04-01

Limitations of traditional culture methods and newer polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for detection and speciation of infectious agents demonstrate the need for more rapid and better diagnostics. Nucleic acid hybridization is a detection technology that has gained wide acceptance in cancer and prenatal cytogenetics. Using a modification of the nucleic acid hybridization technique known as fluorescence in-situ hybridization, infectious agents can be detected in a variety of specimens with high sensitivity and specificity. The specimens derive from all types of human and animal sources including body fluids, tissue aspirates and biopsy material. Nucleic acid hybridization can be performed in less than one hour. The result can be interpreted either using traditional fluorescence microscopy or automated platforms such as micro arrays. This paper demonstrates proof of concept for nucleic acid hybridization detection of different infectious agents. Interpretation within a cytologic and histologic context is possible with fluorescence microscopic analysis, thereby providing confirmatory evidence of hybridization. With careful probe selection, nucleic acid hybridization promises to be a highly sensitive and specific practical diagnostic alternative to culture, traditional staining methods, immunohistochemistry and complicated nucleic acid amplification tests.

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology of Stimulant Drugs: Functional Data Analysis Compared to Traditional Statistical Methods.

PubMed

Salvatore, Stefania; Bramness, Jørgen Gustav; Reid, Malcolm J; Thomas, Kevin Victor; Harman, Christopher; Røislien, Jo

2015-01-01

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a new methodology for estimating the drug load in a population. Simple summary statistics and specification tests have typically been used to analyze WBE data, comparing differences between weekday and weekend loads. Such standard statistical methods may, however, overlook important nuanced information in the data. In this study, we apply functional data analysis (FDA) to WBE data and compare the results to those obtained from more traditional summary measures. We analysed temporal WBE data from 42 European cities, using sewage samples collected daily for one week in March 2013. For each city, the main temporal features of two selected drugs were extracted using functional principal component (FPC) analysis, along with simpler measures such as the area under the curve (AUC). The individual cities' scores on each of the temporal FPCs were then used as outcome variables in multiple linear regression analysis with various city and country characteristics as predictors. The results were compared to those of functional analysis of variance (FANOVA). The three first FPCs explained more than 99% of the temporal variation. The first component (FPC1) represented the level of the drug load, while the second and third temporal components represented the level and the timing of a weekend peak. AUC was highly correlated with FPC1, but other temporal characteristic were not captured by the simple summary measures. FANOVA was less flexible than the FPCA-based regression, and even showed concordance results. Geographical location was the main predictor for the general level of the drug load. FDA of WBE data extracts more detailed information about drug load patterns during the week which are not identified by more traditional statistical methods. Results also suggest that regression based on FPC results is a valuable addition to FANOVA for estimating associations between temporal patterns and covariate information.

Patterns of behavior in online homework for introductory physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fredericks, Colin

Student activity in online homework was obtained from courses in physics in 2003 and 2005. This data was analyzed through a variety of methods, including principal component analysis, Pearson's r correlation, and comparison to performance measures such as detailed exam scores. Through this analysis it was determined which measured homework behaviors were associated with high exam scores and course grades. It was also determined that homework problems requiring analysis can have an impact on certain types of exam problems where traditional homework does not. Suggestions are given for future research and possible use of these methods in other contexts.

Linear stability analysis of detonations via numerical computation and dynamic mode decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabanov, Dmitry I.; Kasimov, Aslan R.

2018-03-01

We introduce a new method to investigate linear stability of gaseous detonations that is based on an accurate shock-fitting numerical integration of the linearized reactive Euler equations with a subsequent analysis of the computed solution via the dynamic mode decomposition. The method is applied to the detonation models based on both the standard one-step Arrhenius kinetics and two-step exothermic-endothermic reaction kinetics. Stability spectra for all cases are computed and analyzed. The new approach is shown to be a viable alternative to the traditional normal-mode analysis used in detonation theory.

Flipped Class - Making that One Hour Effective in a Resource Constrained Setting.

PubMed

Zafar, Afsheen

2016-09-01

Flipped-class teaching has a great potential to replace traditional lectures in medical education. This study was designed to explore attitude of undergraduate medical students from Pakistan towards flipped-class. Five flipped classes were conducted in third year MBBS by a single teacher for a class of 100 students. Quantitative data was collected through a survey questionnaire to assess students' response to the new method. Afocused group discussion was then conducted with students who disliked the method and preferred traditional lectures. Asequential mixed methods approach was used for analysis. Seventy-one students participated in the survey, 84.5% students liked this method of teaching. Students identified fruitful interaction, better retention, better conceptualisation, prior knowledge, active learning, individual student attention, and application of knowledge as strengths of the class. Noise, limited time, lack of self-confidence, and presence of uninterested students were identified as problems for engaging in the class.

Trajectory control method of stratospheric airship based on the sliding mode control and prediction in wind field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jia-shi; Yang, Xi-xiang

2017-11-01

The stratospheric airship has the characteristics of large inertia, long time delay and large disturbance of wind field , so the trajectory control is very difficult .Build the lateral three degrees of freedom dynamic model which consider the wind interference , the dynamics equation is linearized by the small perturbation theory, propose a trajectory control method Combine with the sliding mode control and prediction, design the trajectory controller , takes the HAA airship as the reference to carry out simulation analysis. Results show that the improved sliding mode control with front-feedback method not only can solve well control problems of airship trajectory in wind field, but also can effectively improve the control accuracy of the traditional sliding mode control method, solved problems that using the traditional sliding mode control to control. It provides a useful reference for dynamic modeling and trajectory control of stratospheric airship.

New method for stock-tank oil compositional analysis.

PubMed

McAndrews, Kristine; Nighswander, John; Kotzakoulakis, Konstantin; Ross, Paul; Schroeder, Helmut

2009-01-01

A new method for accurately determining stock-tank oil composition to normal pentatriacontane using gas chromatography is developed and validated. The new method addresses the potential errors associated with the traditional equipment and technique employed for extended hydrocarbon gas chromatography outside a controlled laboratory environment, such as on an offshore oil platform. In particular, the experimental measurement of stock-tank oil molecular weight with the freezing point depression technique and the use of an internal standard to find the unrecovered sample fraction are replaced with correlations for estimating these properties. The use of correlations reduces the number of necessary experimental steps in completing the required sample preparation and analysis, resulting in reduced uncertainty in the analysis.

Converging approaches to understanding early onset familial Alzheimer disease: A First Nation study

PubMed Central

Cabrera, Laura Y; Beattie, B Lynn; Dwosh, Emily; Illes, Judy

2015-01-01

Objectives: In 2007, a novel pathogenic genetic mutation associated with early onset familial Alzheimer disease was identified in a large First Nation family living in communities across British Columbia, Canada. Building on a community-based participatory study with members of the Nation, we sought to explore the impact and interplay of medicalization with the Nation’s knowledge and approaches to wellness in relation to early onset familial Alzheimer disease. Methods: We performed a secondary content analysis of focus group discussions and interviews with 48 members of the Nation between 2012 and 2013. The analysis focused specifically on geneticization, medicalization, and traditional knowledge of early onset familial Alzheimer disease, as these themes were prominent in the primary analysis. Results: We found that while biomedical explanations of disease permeate the knowledge and understanding of early onset familial Alzheimer disease, traditional concepts about wellness are upheld simultaneously. Conclusion: The analysis brings the theoretical framework of “two-eyed seeing” to the case of early onset familial Alzheimer disease for which the contributions of different ways of knowing are embraced, and in which traditional and western ways complement each other on the path of maintaining wellness in the face of progressive neurologic disease. PMID:27092264

[Comparative study on four kinds of assessment methods of post-marketing safety of Danhong injection].

PubMed

Li, Xuelin; Tang, Jinfa; Meng, Fei; Li, Chunxiao; Xie, Yanming

2011-10-01

To study the adverse reaction of Danhong injection with four kinds of methods, central monitoring method, chart review method, literature study method and spontaneous reporting method, and to compare the differences between them, explore an appropriate method to carry out post-marketing safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine injection. Set down the adverse reactions' questionnaire of four kinds of methods, central monitoring method, chart review method, literature study method and collect the information on adverse reactions in a certain period. Danhong injection adverse reaction information from Henan Province spontaneous reporting system was collected with spontaneous reporting method. Carry on data summary and descriptive analysis. Study the adverse reaction of Danhong injection with four methods of central monitoring method, chart review method, literature study method and spontaneous reporting method, the rates of adverse events were 0.993%, 0.336%, 0.515%, 0.067%, respectively. Cyanosis, arrhythmia, hypotension, sweating, erythema, hemorrhage dermatitis, rash, irritability, bleeding gums, toothache, tinnitus, asthma, elevated aminotransferases, constipation, pain are new discovered adverse reactions. The central monitoring method is the appropriate method to carry out post-marketing safety evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine injection, which could objectively reflect the real world of clinical usage.

Holographic analysis as an inspection method for welded thin-wall tubing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, Lawrence; Mulholland, John; Genin, Joseph; Matthews, Larryl

1990-01-01

The feasibility of using holographic interferometry for locating flaws in welded tubing is explored. Two holographic techniques are considered: traditional holographic interferometry and electronic speckle pattern interferometry. Several flaws including cold laps, discontinuities, and tube misalignments are detected.

Developments in mycotoxin analysis: an update for 2014-2015

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This review summarizes developments in the determination of mycotoxins over a period between mid-2014 and mid-2015. In tradition with previous articles of this series, analytical methods to determine aflatoxins, Alternaria toxins, ergot alkaloids, fumonisins, ochratoxins, patulin, trichothecenes, an...

Experience report: Using formal methods for requirements analysis of critical spacecraft software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, Robyn R.; Ampo, Yoko

1994-01-01

Formal specification and analysis of requirements continues to gain support as a method for producing more reliable software. However, the introduction of formal methods to a large software project is difficult, due in part to the unfamiliarity of the specification languages and the lack of graphics. This paper reports results of an investigation into the effectiveness of formal methods as an aid to the requirements analysis of critical, system-level fault-protection software on a spacecraft currently under development. Our experience indicates that formal specification and analysis can enhance the accuracy of the requirements and add assurance prior to design development in this domain. The work described here is part of a larger, NASA-funded research project whose purpose is to use formal-methods techniques to improve the quality of software in space applications. The demonstration project described here is part of the effort to evaluate experimentally the effectiveness of supplementing traditional engineering approaches to requirements specification with the more rigorous specification and analysis available with formal methods.

Traditional measures of normal anal sphincter function using high-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) in 115 healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Carrington, E V; Brokjaer, A; Craven, H; Zarate, N; Horrocks, E J; Palit, S; Jackson, W; Duthie, G S; Knowles, C H; Lunniss, P J; Scott, S M

2014-05-01

High-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) is a relatively new method for collection and interpretation of data relevant to sphincteric function, and for the first time allows a global appreciation of the anorectum as a functional unit. Historically, traditional anal manometry has been plagued by lack of standardization and healthy volunteer data of variable quality. The aims of this study were: (i) to obtain normative data sets for traditional measures of anorectal function using HRAM in healthy subjects and; (ii) to qualitatively describe novel physiological phenomena, which may be of future relevance when this method is applied to patients. 115 healthy subjects (96 female) underwent HRAM using a 10 channel, 12F solid-state catheter. Measurements were performed during rest, squeeze, cough, and simulated defecation (push). Data were displayed as color contour plots and analysed using a commercially available manometric system (Solar GI HRM v9.1, Medical Measurement Systems). Associations between age, gender and parity were subsequently explored. HRAM color contour plots provided clear delineation of the high-pressure zone within the anal canal and showed recruitment during maneuvers that altered intra-anal pressures. Automated analysis produced quantitative data, which have been presented on the basis of gender and parity due to the effect of these covariates on some sphincter functions. In line with traditional manometry, some age and gender differences were seen. Males had a greater functional anal canal length and anal pressures during the cough maneuver. Parity in females was associated with reduced squeeze increments. The study provides a large healthy volunteer dataset and parameters of traditional measures of anorectal function. A number of novel phenomena are appreciated, the significance of which will require further analysis and comparisons with patient populations. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Science-Technology-Society literacy in college non-majors biology: Comparing problem/case studies based learning and traditional expository methods of instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, John S.

This study used a multiple response model (MRM) on selected items from the Views on Science-Technology-Society (VOSTS) survey to examine science-technology-society (STS) literacy among college non-science majors' taught using Problem/Case Studies Based Learning (PBL/CSBL) and traditional expository methods of instruction. An initial pilot investigation of 15 VOSTS items produced a valid and reliable scoring model which can be used to quantitatively assess student literacy on a variety of STS topics deemed important for informed civic engagement in science related social and environmental issues. The new scoring model allows for the use of parametric inferential statistics to test hypotheses about factors influencing STS literacy. The follow-up cross-institutional study comparing teaching methods employed Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to model the efficiency and equitability of instructional methods on STS literacy. A cluster analysis was also used to compare pre and post course patterns of student views on the set of positions expressed within VOSTS items. HLM analysis revealed significantly higher instructional efficiency in the PBL/CSBL study group for 4 of the 35 STS attitude indices (characterization of media vs. school science; tentativeness of scientific models; cultural influences on scientific research), and more equitable effects of traditional instruction on one attitude index (interdependence of science and technology). Cluster analysis revealed generally stable patterns of pre to post course views across study groups, but also revealed possible teaching method effects on the relationship between the views expressed within VOSTS items with respect to (1) interdependency of science and technology; (2) anti-technology; (3) socioscientific decision-making; (4) scientific/technological solutions to environmental problems; (5) usefulness of school vs. media characterizations of science; (6) social constructivist vs. objectivist views of theories; (7) impact of cultural religious/ethical views on science; (8) tentativeness of scientific models, evidence and predictions; (9) civic control of technological developments. This analysis also revealed common relationships between student views which would not have been revealed under the original unique response model (URM) of VOSTS and also common viewpoint patterns that warrant further qualitative exploration.

Screening and analysis of bioactive compounds with biofingerprinting chromatogram analysis of traditional Chinese medicines targeting DNA by microdialysis/HPLC.

PubMed

Su, Xingye; Kong, Liang; Li, Xin; Chen, Xueguo; Guo, Ming; Zou, Hanfa

2005-05-27

Biofingerprinting chromatogram analysis, which is defined as the comparison of fingerprinting chromatograms of the extract of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) before and after the interaction with biological systems (DNA, protein, cell, etc.), was proposed for screening and analysis of the multiple bioactive compounds in TCMs. A method of microdialysis sampling combined with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to the study of DNA-binding property for the extracts of TCMs. Seven compounds were found to bind to calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) from the TCMs of Coptis chinensis Franch (Coptis), but only three ones from Phellodendron amurense Rupr. (Phellodendron) and none from Sophoraflavescens Ait. (Sophora) to bind to ct-DNA, respectively. Three of them were identified as berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine and their association constants (K) to ct-DNA were determined by microdialysis/HPLC. Competitive binding behaviors of them to ct-DNA were also investigated.

A mathematical method for precisely calculating the radiographic angles of the cup after total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing-Xin; Su, Xiu-Yun; Xiao, Ruo-Xiu; Zhao, Zhe; Zhang, Li-Hai; Zhang, Li-Cheng; Tang, Pei-Fu

2016-11-01

We established a mathematical method to precisely calculate the radiographic anteversion (RA) and radiographic inclination (RI) angles of the acetabular cup based on anterior-posterior (AP) pelvic radiographs after total hip arthroplasty. Using Mathematica software, a mathematical model for an oblique cone was established to simulate how AP pelvic radiographs are obtained and to address the relationship between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometry of the opening circle of the cup. In this model, the vertex was the X-ray beam source, and the generatrix was the ellipse in radiographs projected from the opening circle of the acetabular cup. Using this model, we established a series of mathematical formulas to reveal the differences between the true RA and RI cup angles and the measurements results achieved using traditional methods and AP pelvic radiographs and to precisely calculate the RA and RI cup angles based on post-operative AP pelvic radiographs. Statistical analysis indicated that traditional methods should be used with caution if traditional measurements methods are used to calculate the RA and RI cup angles with AP pelvic radiograph. The entire calculation process could be performed by an orthopedic surgeon with mathematical knowledge of basic matrix and vector equations. Copyright © 2016 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved neutron-gamma discrimination for a 3He neutron detector using subspace learning methods

DOE PAGES

Wang, C. L.; Funk, L. L.; Riedel, R. A.; ...

2017-02-10

3He gas based neutron linear-position-sensitive detectors (LPSDs) have been applied for many neutron scattering instruments. Traditional Pulse-Height Analysis (PHA) for Neutron-Gamma Discrimination (NGD) resulted in the neutron-gamma efficiency ratio on the orders of 10 5-10 6. The NGD ratios of 3He detectors need to be improved for even better scientific results from neutron scattering. Digital Signal Processing (DSP) analyses of waveforms were proposed for obtaining better NGD ratios, based on features extracted from rise-time, pulse amplitude, charge integration, a simplified Wiener filter, and the cross-correlation between individual and template waveforms of neutron and gamma events. Fisher linear discriminant analysis (FLDA)more » and three multivariate analyses (MVAs) of the features were performed. The NGD ratios are improved by about 10 2-10 3 times compared with the traditional PHA method. Finally, our results indicate the NGD capabilities of 3He tube detectors can be significantly improved with subspace-learning based methods, which may result in a reduced data-collection time and better data quality for further data reduction.« less

Combining geostatistics with Moran's I analysis for mapping soil heavy metals in Beijing, China.

PubMed

Huo, Xiao-Ni; Li, Hong; Sun, Dan-Feng; Zhou, Lian-Di; Li, Bao-Guo

2012-03-01

Production of high quality interpolation maps of heavy metals is important for risk assessment of environmental pollution. In this paper, the spatial correlation characteristics information obtained from Moran's I analysis was used to supplement the traditional geostatistics. According to Moran's I analysis, four characteristics distances were obtained and used as the active lag distance to calculate the semivariance. Validation of the optimality of semivariance demonstrated that using the two distances where the Moran's I and the standardized Moran's I, Z(I) reached a maximum as the active lag distance can improve the fitting accuracy of semivariance. Then, spatial interpolation was produced based on the two distances and their nested model. The comparative analysis of estimation accuracy and the measured and predicted pollution status showed that the method combining geostatistics with Moran's I analysis was better than traditional geostatistics. Thus, Moran's I analysis is a useful complement for geostatistics to improve the spatial interpolation accuracy of heavy metals.

Combining Geostatistics with Moran’s I Analysis for Mapping Soil Heavy Metals in Beijing, China

PubMed Central

Huo, Xiao-Ni; Li, Hong; Sun, Dan-Feng; Zhou, Lian-Di; Li, Bao-Guo

2012-01-01

Production of high quality interpolation maps of heavy metals is important for risk assessment of environmental pollution. In this paper, the spatial correlation characteristics information obtained from Moran’s I analysis was used to supplement the traditional geostatistics. According to Moran’s I analysis, four characteristics distances were obtained and used as the active lag distance to calculate the semivariance. Validation of the optimality of semivariance demonstrated that using the two distances where the Moran’s I and the standardized Moran’s I, Z(I) reached a maximum as the active lag distance can improve the fitting accuracy of semivariance. Then, spatial interpolation was produced based on the two distances and their nested model. The comparative analysis of estimation accuracy and the measured and predicted pollution status showed that the method combining geostatistics with Moran’s I analysis was better than traditional geostatistics. Thus, Moran’s I analysis is a useful complement for geostatistics to improve the spatial interpolation accuracy of heavy metals. PMID:22690179

An Approachment to Cooperative Learning in Higher Education: Comparative Study of Teaching Methods in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Estébanez, Raquel Pérez

2017-01-01

In the way of continuous improvement in teaching methods this paper explores the effects of Cooperative Learning (CL) against Traditional Learning (TL) in academic performance of students in higher education in two groups of the first course of Computer Science Degree at the university. The empirical study was conducted through an analysis of…

Cognitive task analysis and innovation of training: the case of structured troubleshooting.

PubMed

Schaafstal, A; Schraagen, J M; van Berlo, M

2000-01-01

Troubleshooting is often a time-consuming and difficult activity. The question of how the training of novice technicians can be improved was the starting point of the research described in this article. A cognitive task analysis was carried out consisting of two preliminary observational studies on troubleshooting in naturalistic settings, combined with an interpretation of the data obtained in the context of the existing literature. On the basis of this cognitive task analysis, a new method for the training of troubleshooting was developed (structured troubleshooting), which combines a domain-independent strategy for troubleshooting with a context-dependent, multiple-level, functional decomposition of systems. This method has been systematically evaluated for its use in training. The results show that technicians trained in structured troubleshooting solve twice as many malfunctions, in less time, than those trained in the traditional way. Moreover, structured troubleshooting can be taught in less time than can traditional troubleshooting. Finally, technicians learn to troubleshoot in an explicit and uniform way. These advantages of structured troubleshooting ultimately lead to a reduction in training and troubleshooting costs.

The effectiveness of web-based, multimedia tutorials for teaching methods of human body composition analysis.

PubMed

Buzzell, Paul R; Chamberlain, Valerie M; Pintauro, Stephen J

2002-12-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a series of Web-based, multimedia tutorials on methods of human body composition analysis. Tutorials were developed around four body composition topics: hydrodensitometry (underwater weighing), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and total body electrical conductivity. Thirty-two students enrolled in the course were randomly assigned to learn the material through either the Web-based tutorials only ("Computer"), a traditional lecture format ("Lecture"), or lectures supplemented with Web-based tutorials ("Both"). All students were administered a validated pretest before randomization and an identical posttest at the completion of the course. The reliability of the test was 0.84. The mean score changes from pretest to posttest were not significantly different among the groups (65.4 plus minus 17.31, 78.82 plus minus 21.50, and 76 plus minus 21.22 for the Computer, Both, and Lecture groups, respectively). Additionally, a Likert-type assessment found equally positive attitudes toward all three formats. The results indicate that Web-based tutorials are as effective as the traditional lecture format for teaching these topics.

Rapid Analysis of Trace Drugs and Metabolites Using a Thermal Desorption DART-MS Configuration.

PubMed

Sisco, Edward; Forbes, Thomas P; Staymates, Matthew E; Gillen, Greg

2016-01-01

The need to analyze trace narcotic samples rapidly for screening or confirmatory purposes is of increasing interest to the forensic, homeland security, and criminal justice sectors. This work presents a novel method for the detection and quantification of trace drugs and metabolites off of a swipe material using a thermal desorption direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (TD-DART-MS) configuration. A variation on traditional DART, this configuration allows for desorption of the sample into a confined tube, completely independent of the DART source, allowing for more efficient and thermally precise analysis of material present on a swipe. Over thirty trace samples of narcotics, metabolites, and cutting agents deposited onto swipes were rapidly differentiated using this methodology. The non-optimized method led to sensitivities ranging from single nanograms to hundreds of picograms. Direct comparison to traditional DART with a subset of the samples highlighted an improvement in sensitivity by a factor of twenty to thirty and an increase in reproducibility sample to sample from approximately 45 % RSD to less than 15 % RSD. Rapid extraction-less quantification was also possible.

The quick acquisition technique for laser communication between LEO and GEO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li-zhong; Zhang, Rui-qin; Li, Yong-hao; Meng, Li-xin; Li, Xiao-ming

2013-08-01

The sight-axis alignment can be accomplished by the quick acquisition operation between two laser communication terminals, which is the premise of establishing a free-space optical communication link. Especially for the laser communication links of LEO (Low Earth Orbit)-Ground and LEO-GEO (Geostationary Earth Orbit), since the earth would break the transmission of laser and break the communication as well, so the effective time for each communication is very shot (several minutes~ dozens of minutes), as a result the communication terminals have to capture each other to rebuild the laser communication link. In the paper, on the basis of the analysis of the traditional methods, it presents a new idea that using the long beacon light instead of the circular beacon light; thereby the original of two-dimensional raster spiral scanning is replaced by one-dimensional scanning. This method will reduce the setup time and decrease the failure probability of acquisition for the LEO-GEO laser communication link. Firstly, the analysis of the external constraint conditions in the acquisition phase has been presented in this paper. Furthermore, the acquisition algorithm models have been established. The optimization analysis for the parameters of the acquisition unit has been carried out, and the ground validation experiments of the acquisition strategy have also been performed. The experiments and analysis show that compared with traditional capturing methods, the method presented in this article can make the capturing time be shortened by about 40%, and the failure probability of capturing be reduced by about 30%. So, the method is significant for the LEO-GEO laser communication link.

A novel approach to select differential pathways associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy based on gene co‑expression analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Xiao-Min; Feng, Ming-Jun; Shen, Cai-Jie; He, Bin; Du, Xian-Feng; Yu, Yi-Bo; Liu, Jing; Chu, Hui-Min

2017-07-01

The present study was designed to develop a novel method for identifying significant pathways associated with human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), based on gene co‑expression analysis. The microarray dataset associated with HCM (E‑GEOD‑36961) was obtained from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory‑European Bioinformatics Institute database. Informative pathways were selected based on the Reactome pathway database and screening treatments. An empirical Bayes method was utilized to construct co‑expression networks for informative pathways, and a weight value was assigned to each pathway. Differential pathways were extracted based on weight threshold, which was calculated using a random model. In order to assess whether the co‑expression method was feasible, it was compared with traditional pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes, which were identified using the significance analysis of microarrays package. A total of 1,074 informative pathways were screened out for subsequent investigations and their weight values were also obtained. According to the threshold of weight value of 0.01057, 447 differential pathways, including folding of actin by chaperonin containing T‑complex protein 1 (CCT)/T‑complex protein 1 ring complex (TRiC), purine ribonucleoside monophosphate biosynthesis and ubiquinol biosynthesis, were obtained. Compared with traditional pathway enrichment analysis, the number of pathways obtained from the co‑expression approach was increased. The results of the present study demonstrated that this method may be useful to predict marker pathways for HCM. The pathways of folding of actin by CCT/TRiC and purine ribonucleoside monophosphate biosynthesis may provide evidence of the underlying molecular mechanisms of HCM, and offer novel therapeutic directions for HCM.

Introducing Students to Protein Analysis Techniques: Separation and Comparative Analysis of Gluten Proteins in Various Wheat Strains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirinelli, Alyssa L.; Trinidad, Jonathan C.; Pohl, Nicola L. B.

2016-01-01

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is commonly taught in undergraduate laboratory classes as a traditional method to analyze proteins. An experiment has been developed to teach these basic protein gel skills in the context of gluten protein isolation from various types of wheat flour. A further goal is to relate this technique to current…

Rasch Analysis of Word Identification and Magnitude Estimation Scaling Responses in Measuring Naive Listeners' Judgments of Speech Intelligibility of Children with Severe-to-Profound Hearing Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beltyukova, Svetlana A.; Stone, Gregory M.; Ellis, Lee W.

2008-01-01

Purpose: Speech intelligibility research typically relies on traditional evidence of reliability and validity. This investigation used Rasch analysis to enhance understanding of the functioning and meaning of scores obtained with 2 commonly used procedures: word identification (WI) and magnitude estimation scaling (MES). Method: Narrative samples…

Early Design Energy Analysis Using Building Information Modeling Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

building, (a) floor plan and (b) 3D image. ....................................... 50 Figure 28. Comparison of different energy estimates...when they make the biggest impact on building life-cycle costs. Traditionally, most building energy analyses have been conducted late in design, by...complete energy analysis. This method enables project teams to make energy conscious decisions early in design when they impact building life-cycle

Teaching Argumentation Analysis and Critical Thinking in the Netherlands. Resource Publication, Series 2 No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eemeren, F. H. van; Grootendorst, R.

Suitable methods can be developed and instructional devices can be designed for the teaching of argumentation analysis to students of varying interests, ages, and capacities. Until 1950, the study of argumentation in the Netherlands was either purely practical or a continuation of the classic logic and rhetoric traditions. A number of new research…

Finding External Indicators of Load on a Web Server via Analysis of Black-Box Performance Measurements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiarini, Marc A.

2010-01-01

Traditional methods for system performance analysis have long relied on a mix of queuing theory, detailed system knowledge, intuition, and trial-and-error. These approaches often require construction of incomplete gray-box models that can be costly to build and difficult to scale or generalize. In this thesis, we present a black-box analysis…

Unconventional bearing capacity analysis and optimization of multicell box girders.

PubMed

Tepic, Jovan; Doroslovacki, Rade; Djelosevic, Mirko

2014-01-01

This study deals with unconventional bearing capacity analysis and the procedure of optimizing a two-cell box girder. The generalized model which enables the local stress-strain analysis of multicell girders was developed based on the principle of cross-sectional decomposition. The applied methodology is verified using the experimental data (Djelosevic et al., 2012) for traditionally formed box girders. The qualitative and quantitative evaluation of results obtained for the two-cell box girder is realized based on comparative analysis using the finite element method (FEM) and the ANSYS v12 software. The deflection function obtained by analytical and numerical methods was found consistent provided that the maximum deviation does not exceed 4%. Multicell box girders are rationally designed support structures characterized by much lower susceptibility of their cross-sectional elements to buckling and higher specific capacity than traditionally formed box girders. The developed local stress model is applied for optimizing the cross section of a two-cell box carrier. The author points to the advantages of implementing the model of local stresses in the optimization process and concludes that the technological reserve of bearing capacity amounts to 20% at the same girder weight and constant load conditions.

Automated brainstem co-registration (ABC) for MRI.

PubMed

Napadow, Vitaly; Dhond, Rupali; Kennedy, David; Hui, Kathleen K S; Makris, Nikos

2006-09-01

Group data analysis in brainstem neuroimaging is predicated on accurate co-registration of anatomy. As the brainstem is comprised of many functionally heterogeneous nuclei densely situated adjacent to one another, relatively small errors in co-registration can manifest in increased variance or decreased sensitivity (or significance) in detecting activations. We have devised a 2-stage automated, reference mask guided registration technique (Automated Brainstem Co-registration, or ABC) for improved brainstem co-registration. Our approach utilized a brainstem mask dataset to weight an automated co-registration cost function. Our method was validated through measurement of RMS error at 12 manually defined landmarks. These landmarks were also used as guides for a secondary manual co-registration option, intended for outlier individuals that may not adequately co-register with our automated method. Our methodology was tested on 10 healthy human subjects and compared to traditional co-registration techniques (Talairach transform and automated affine transform to the MNI-152 template). We found that ABC had a significantly lower mean RMS error (1.22 +/- 0.39 mm) than Talairach transform (2.88 +/- 1.22 mm, mu +/- sigma) and the global affine (3.26 +/- 0.81 mm) method. Improved accuracy was also found for our manual-landmark-guided option (1.51 +/- 0.43 mm). Visualizing individual brainstem borders demonstrated more consistent and uniform overlap for ABC compared to traditional global co-registration techniques. Improved robustness (lower susceptibility to outliers) was demonstrated with ABC through lower inter-subject RMS error variance compared with traditional co-registration methods. The use of easily available and validated tools (AFNI and FSL) for this method should ease adoption by other investigators interested in brainstem data group analysis.

Real-Time Stability Margin Measurements for X-38 Robustness Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosworth, John T.; Stachowiak, Susan J.

2005-01-01

A method has been developed for real-time stability margin measurement calculations. The method relies on a tailored-forced excitation targeted to a specific frequency range. Computation of the frequency response is matched to the specific frequencies contained in the excitation. A recursive Fourier transformation is used to make the method compatible with real-time calculation. The method was incorporated into the X-38 nonlinear simulation and applied to an X-38 robustness test. X-38 stability margins were calculated for different variations in aerodynamic and mass properties over the vehicle flight trajectory. The new method showed results comparable to more traditional stability analysis techniques, and at the same time, this new method provided coverage that is more complete and increased efficiency.

Fused Traditional and Geometric Morphometrics Demonstrate Pinniped Whisker Diversity

PubMed Central

Ginter, Carly C.; DeWitt, Thomas J.; Fish, Frank E.; Marshall, Christopher D.

2012-01-01

Vibrissae (whiskers) are important components of the mammalian tactile sensory system, and primarily function as detectors of vibrotactile information from the environment. Pinnipeds possess the largest vibrissae among mammals and their vibrissal hair shafts demonstrate a diversity of shapes. The vibrissae of most phocid seals exhibit a beaded morphology with repeating sequences of crests and troughs along their length. However, there are few detailed analyses of pinniped vibrissal morphology, and these are limited to a few species. Therefore, we comparatively characterized differences in vibrissal hair shaft morphologies among phocid species with a beaded profile, phocid species with a smooth profile, and otariids with a smooth profile using traditional and geometric morphometric methods. Traditional morphometric measurements (peak-to-peak distance, crest width, trough width and total length) were collected using digital photographs. Elliptic Fourier analysis (geometric morphometrics) was used to quantify the outlines of whole vibrissae. The traditional and geometric morphometric datasets were subsequently combined by mathematically scaling each to true rank, followed by a single eigendecomposition. Quadratic discriminant function analysis demonstrated that 79.3, 97.8 and 100% of individuals could be correctly classified to their species based on vibrissal shape variables in the traditional, geometric and combined morphometric analyses, respectively. Phocids with beaded vibrissae, phocids with smooth vibrissae, and otariids each occupied distinct morphospace in the geometric morphometric and combined data analyses. Otariids split into two groups in the geometric morphometric analysis and gray seals appeared intermediate between beaded- and smooth-whiskered species in the traditional and combined analyses. Vibrissal hair shafts modulate the transduction of environmental stimuli to the mechanoreceptors in the follicle-sinus complex (F-SC), which results in vibrotactile reception, but it is currently unclear how the diversity of shapes affects environmental signal modulation. PMID:22509310

The relevance of traditional knowledge systems for ethnopharmacological research: theoretical and methodological contributions

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Ethnopharmacology is at the intersection of the medical, natural, and social sciences. Despite its interdisciplinary nature, most ethnopharmacological research has been based on the combination of the chemical, biological, and pharmacological sciences. Far less attention has been given to the social sciences, including anthropology and the study of traditional knowledge systems. Methods I reviewed the literature on traditional knowledge systems highlighting its potential theoretical and methodological contributions to ethnopharmacology. Results I discuss three potential theoretical contributions of traditional knowledge systems to ethnopharmacological research. First, while many plants used in indigenous pharmacopoeias have active compounds, those compounds do not always act alone in indigenous healing systems. Research highlights the holistic nature of traditional knowledge systems and helps understand plant's efficacy in its cultural context. Second, research on traditional knowledge systems can improve our understanding of how ethnopharmacological knowledge is distributed in a society, and who benefits from it. Third, research on traditional knowledge systems can enhance the study of the social relations that enable the generation, maintenance, spread, and devolution of cultural traits and innovations, including ethnopharmacological knowledge. At a methodological level, some ethnopharmacologists have used anthropological tools to understand the context of plant use and local meanings of health and disease. I discuss two more potential methodological contributions of research on traditional knowledge systems to ethnopharmacological research. First, traditional knowledge systems research has developed methods that would help ethnopharmacologists understand how people classify illnesses and remedies, a fundamental aspect of folk medicinal plant selection criteria. Second, ethnopharmacologists could also borrow methods derived from cultural consensus theory to have a broader look at intracultural variation and at the analysis of transmission and loss of traditional ethnopharmacological knowledge. Conclusions Ethical considerations in the ethnopharmacology of the 21st century should go beyond the recognition of the Intellectual Property Rights or the acquisition of research permits, to include considerations on the healthcare of the original holders of ethnopharmacological knowledge. Ethnopharmacology can do more than speed up to recover the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples to make it available for the development of new drugs. Ethnopharmacologists can work with health care providers in the developing world for the local implementation of ethnopharmacological research results. PMID:21083913

Analysis and evaluation of methods for backcalculation of Mr values : volume 1 : research report : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-01-01

Use of the 1986 AASHTO Design Guide requires accurate estimates of the resilient modulus of flexible pavement materials. Traditionally, these properties have been determined from either laboratory testing or by backcalculation from deflection data. S...

A Review: Principles of Design and Analysis of Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durney, Carl H.

1973-01-01

Analyzes a traditional and an innovative course in terms of learning principles, involving Erickson's management methods and Gagne's learning activities. Suggests that learning systems should be designed by applying all principles rather than emphasizing one or two of them. (CC)

Classical Markov Chains: A Unifying Framework for Understanding Avian Reproductive Success

EPA Science Inventory

Traditional methods for monitoring and analysis of avian nesting success have several important shortcomings, including 1) inability to handle multiple classes of nest failure, and 2) inability to provide estimates of annual reproductive success (because birds can, and typically ...

Networks--New York Subways, A Piece of String, and African Traditions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaslavsky, Claudia

1981-01-01

Introducing network theory to schoolchildren is promoted as a way of encouraging students to deal with new situations, be unafraid of challenges, and learn to think. Several applications, methods of analysis, and suggestions for further activities are provided. (MP)

Pharmacovigilance of herbal medicines: the potential contributions of ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Eliana; Barnes, Joanne

2013-01-01

Typically, ethnobotanical/ethnopharmacological (EB/EP) surveys are used to describe uses, doses/dosages, sources and methods of preparation of traditional herbal medicines; their application to date in examining the adverse effects, contraindications and other safety aspects of these preparations is limited. From a pharmacovigilance perspective, numerous challenges exist in applying its existing methods to studying the safety profile of herbal medicines, particularly where used by indigenous cultures. This paper aims to contribute to the methodological aspects of EB/EP field work, and to extend the reach of pharmacovigilance, by proposing a tool comprising a list of questions that could be applied during interview and observational studies. The questions focus on the collection of information on the safety profile of traditional herbal medicines as it is embedded in traditional knowledge, as well as on identifying personal experiences (spontaneous reports) of adverse or undesirable effects associated with the use of traditional herbal medicines. Questions on the precise composition of traditional prescriptions or 'recipes', their preparation, storage, administration and dosing are also included. Strengths and limitations of the tool are discussed. From this interweaving of EB/EP and pharmacovigilance arises a concept of ethnopharmacovigilance for traditional herbal medicines: the scope of EB/EP is extended to include exploration of the potential harmful effects of medicinal plants, and the incorporation of pharmacovigilance questions into EB/EP studies provides a new opportunity for collection of 'general' traditional knowledge on the safety of traditional herbal medicines and, importantly, a conduit for collection of spontaneous reports of suspected adverse effects. Whether the proposed tool can yield data sufficiently rich and of an appropriate quality for application of EB/EP (e.g. data verification and quantitative analysis tools) and pharmacovigilance techniques (e.g. causality assessment and data mining) requires field testing.

Analytical characterization of wine and its precursors by capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Gomez, Federico J V; Monasterio, Romina P; Vargas, Verónica Carolina Soto; Silva, María F

2012-08-01

The accurate determination of marker chemical species in grape, musts, and wines presents a unique analytical challenge with high impact on diverse areas of knowledge such as health, plant physiology, and economy. Capillary electromigration techniques have emerged as a powerful tool, allowing the separation and identification of highly polar compounds that cannot be easily separated by traditional HPLC methods, providing complementary information and permitting the simultaneous analysis of analytes with different nature in a single run. The main advantage of CE over traditional methods for wine analysis is that in most cases samples require no treatment other than filtration. The purpose of this article is to present a revision on capillary electromigration methods applied to the analysis of wine and its precursors over the last decade. The current state of the art of the topic is evaluated, with special emphasis on the natural compounds that have allowed wine to be considered as a functional food. The most representative revised compounds are phenolic compounds, amino acids, proteins, elemental species, mycotoxins, and organic acids. Finally, a discussion on future trends of the role of capillary electrophoresis in the field of analytical characterization of wines for routine analysis, wine classification, as well as multidisciplinary aspects of the so-called "from soil to glass" chain is presented. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interrupted time-series analysis: studying trends in neurosurgery.

PubMed

Wong, Ricky H; Smieliauskas, Fabrice; Pan, I-Wen; Lam, Sandi K

2015-12-01

OBJECT Neurosurgery studies traditionally have evaluated the effects of interventions on health care outcomes by studying overall changes in measured outcomes over time. Yet, this type of linear analysis is limited due to lack of consideration of the trend's effects both pre- and postintervention and the potential for confounding influences. The aim of this study was to illustrate interrupted time-series analysis (ITSA) as applied to an example in the neurosurgical literature and highlight ITSA's potential for future applications. METHODS The methods used in previous neurosurgical studies were analyzed and then compared with the methodology of ITSA. RESULTS The ITSA method was identified in the neurosurgical literature as an important technique for isolating the effect of an intervention (such as a policy change or a quality and safety initiative) on a health outcome independent of other factors driving trends in the outcome. The authors determined that ITSA allows for analysis of the intervention's immediate impact on outcome level and on subsequent trends and enables a more careful measure of the causal effects of interventions on health care outcomes. CONCLUSIONS ITSA represents a significant improvement over traditional observational study designs in quantifying the impact of an intervention. ITSA is a useful statistical procedure to understand, consider, and implement as the field of neurosurgery evolves in sophistication in big-data analytics, economics, and health services research.

A Value Analysis of Lean Processes in Target Value Design and Integrated Project Delivery.

PubMed

Nanda, Upali; K Rybkowski, Zofia; Pati, Sipra; Nejati, Adeleh

2017-04-01

To investigate what key stakeholders consider to be the advantages and the opportunities for improvement in using lean thinking and tools in the integrated project delivery (IPD) process. A detailed literature review was followed by case study of a Lean-IPD project. Interviews with members of the project leadership team, focus groups with the integrated team as well as the design team, and an online survey of all stakeholders were conducted. Statistical analysis and thematic content analysis were used to analyze the data, followed by a plus-delta analysis. (1) Learning is a large, implicit benefit of Lean-IPD that is not currently captured by any success metric; (2) the cardboard mock-up was the most successful lean strategy; (3) although a collaborative project, the level of influence of different stakeholder groups was perceived to be different by different stakeholders; (4) overall, Lean-IPD was rated as better than traditional design-bid-build methods; and (5) opportunities for improvement reported were increase in accurate cost estimating, more efficient use of time, perception of imbalance of control/influence, and need for facilitation (which represents different points of view). While lean tools and an IPD method are preferred to traditional design-bid-build methods, the perception of different stakeholders varies and more work needs to be done to allow a truly shared decision-making model. Learning was identified as one of the biggest advantages.

[Research on collaborative innovation in traditional Chinese medicine of China based on patent cooperation network].

PubMed

Li, Bei; Chen, Xiang-dong

2015-03-01

In the situation of global completion, collaborative innovation is becoming increasingly important because its advantage in risk avoiding and innovation efficiency. In order to explore the model of collaborative innovation and its evolution in traditional Chinese medicine of China, the cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine patents of China from 1985 to 2013 has been analyzed by using the method of scientometrics and social network analysis. It is proved that, though the number of grated cooperative patents has increased sharply during the last thirty years, the degree of cooperation innovation in traditional Chinese medicine of China is still not high. Moreover, in spite of the individual subject' s leading role in the past domestic collaborative innovation in traditional Chinese medicine of China, the institutions have been more and more powerful and achieved great improvement. At last, core institutions, represented by universities have played an important role in the collaborative innovation of domestic institutions, because they are key links between many institutions and promote the transferring and diffusion of knowledge.

Assessing the accuracy of cranial and pelvic ageing methods on human skeletal remains from a modern Greek assemblage.

PubMed

Xanthopoulou, Panagiota; Valakos, Efstratios; Youlatos, Dionisios; Nikita, Efthymia

2018-05-01

The present study tests the accuracy of commonly adopted ageing methods based on the morphology of the pubic symphysis, auricular surface and cranial sutures. These methods are examined both in their traditional form as well as in the context of transition analysis using the ADBOU software in a modern Greek documented collection consisting of 140 individuals who lived mainly in the second half of the twentieth century and come from cemeteries in the area of Athens. The auricular surface overall produced the most accurate age estimates in our material, with different methods based on this anatomical area showing varying degrees of success for different age groups. The pubic symphysis produced accurate results primarily for young adults and the same applied to cranial sutures but the latter appeared completely inappropriate for older individuals. The use of transition analysis through the ADBOU software provided less accurate results than the corresponding traditional ageing methods in our sample. Our results are in agreement with those obtained from validation studies based on material from across the world, but certain differences identified with other studies on Greek material highlight the importance of taking into account intra- and inter-population variability in age estimation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High resolution melting analysis is a more sensitive and effective alternative to gel-based platforms in analysis of SSR--an example in citrus.

PubMed

Distefano, Gaetano; Caruso, Marco; La Malfa, Stefano; Gentile, Alessandra; Wu, Shu-Biao

2012-01-01

High resolution melting curve analysis (HRM) has been used as an efficient, accurate and cost-effective tool to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or insertions or deletions (INDELs). However, its efficiency, accuracy and applicability to discriminate microsatellite polymorphism have not been extensively assessed. The traditional protocols used for SSR genotyping include PCR amplification of the DNA fragment and the separation of the fragments on electrophoresis-based platform. However, post-PCR handling processes are laborious and costly. Furthermore, SNPs present in the sequences flanking repeat motif cannot be detected by polyacrylamide-gel-electrophoresis based methods. In the present study, we compared the discriminating power of HRM with the traditional electrophoresis-based methods and provided a panel of primers for HRM genotyping in Citrus. The results showed that sixteen SSR markers produced distinct polymorphic melting curves among the Citrus spp investigated through HRM analysis. Among those, 10 showed more genotypes by HRM analysis than capillary electrophoresis owing to the presence of SNPs in the amplicons. For the SSR markers without SNPs present in the flanking region, HRM also gave distinct melting curves which detected same genotypes as were shown in capillary electrophoresis (CE) analysis. Moreover, HRM analysis allowed the discrimination of most of the 15 citrus genotypes and the resulting genetic distance analysis clustered them into three main branches. In conclusion, it has been approved that HRM is not only an efficient and cost-effective alternative of electrophoresis-based method for SSR markers, but also a method to uncover more polymorphisms contributed by SNPs present in SSRs. It was therefore suggested that the panel of SSR markers could be used in a variety of applications in the citrus biodiversity and breeding programs using HRM analysis. Furthermore, we speculate that the HRM analysis can be employed to analyse SSR markers in a wide range of applications in all other species.

Use of Model-Based Design Methods for Enhancing Resiliency Analysis of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, Lenora A.

The most common traditional non-functional requirement analysis is reliability. With systems becoming more complex, networked, and adaptive to environmental uncertainties, system resiliency has recently become the non-functional requirement analysis of choice. Analysis of system resiliency has challenges; which include, defining resilience for domain areas, identifying resilience metrics, determining resilience modeling strategies, and understanding how to best integrate the concepts of risk and reliability into resiliency. Formal methods that integrate all of these concepts do not currently exist in specific domain areas. Leveraging RAMSoS, a model-based reliability analysis methodology for Systems of Systems (SoS), we propose an extension that accounts for resiliency analysis through evaluation of mission performance, risk, and cost using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) modeling and design trade study variability modeling evaluation techniques. This proposed methodology, coined RAMSoS-RESIL, is applied to a case study in the multi-agent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) domain to investigate the potential benefits of a mission architecture where functionality to complete a mission is disseminated across multiple UAVs (distributed) opposed to being contained in a single UAV (monolithic). The case study based research demonstrates proof of concept for the proposed model-based technique and provides sufficient preliminary evidence to conclude which architectural design (distributed vs. monolithic) is most resilient based on insight into mission resilience performance, risk, and cost in addition to the traditional analysis of reliability.

A method for analyzing temporal patterns of variability of a time series from Poincare plots.

PubMed

Fishman, Mikkel; Jacono, Frank J; Park, Soojin; Jamasebi, Reza; Thungtong, Anurak; Loparo, Kenneth A; Dick, Thomas E

2012-07-01

The Poincaré plot is a popular two-dimensional, time series analysis tool because of its intuitive display of dynamic system behavior. Poincaré plots have been used to visualize heart rate and respiratory pattern variabilities. However, conventional quantitative analysis relies primarily on statistical measurements of the cumulative distribution of points, making it difficult to interpret irregular or complex plots. Moreover, the plots are constructed to reflect highly correlated regions of the time series, reducing the amount of nonlinear information that is presented and thereby hiding potentially relevant features. We propose temporal Poincaré variability (TPV), a novel analysis methodology that uses standard techniques to quantify the temporal distribution of points and to detect nonlinear sources responsible for physiological variability. In addition, the analysis is applied across multiple time delays, yielding a richer insight into system dynamics than the traditional circle return plot. The method is applied to data sets of R-R intervals and to synthetic point process data extracted from the Lorenz time series. The results demonstrate that TPV complements the traditional analysis and can be applied more generally, including Poincaré plots with multiple clusters, and more consistently than the conventional measures and can address questions regarding potential structure underlying the variability of a data set.

[Analysis of triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum by microwave-assisted continuous extraction].

PubMed

Lu, Yan-fang; An, Jing; Jiang, Ye

2015-04-01

For further improving the extraction efficiency of microwave extraction, a microwave-assisted contijuous extraction (MACE) device has been designed and utilized. By contrasting with the traditional methods, the characteristics and extraction efficiency of MACE has also been studied. The method was validated by the analysis of the triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum. The extraction conditions of MACE were: using 95% ethanol as solvent, microwave power 200 W and radiation time 14.5 min (5 cycles). The extraction results were subsequently compared with traditional heat reflux extraction ( HRE) , soxhlet extraction (SE), ultrasonic extraction ( UE) as well as the conventional microwave extraction (ME). For triterpenoids, the two methods based on the microwaves (ME and MACE) were in general capable of finishing the extraction in 10, 14.5 min, respectively, while other methods should consume 60 min and even more than 100 min. Additionally, ME can produce comparable extraction results as the classical HRE and higher extraction yield than both SE and UE, however, notably lower extraction yield than MASE. More importantly, the purity of the crud extract by MACE is far better than the other methods. MACE can effectively combine the advantages of microwave extraction and soxhlet extraction, thus enabling a more complete extraction of the analytes of TCMs in comparison with ME. And therefore makes the analytic result more accurate. It provides a novel, high efficient, rapid and reliable pretreatment technique for the analysis of TCMs, and it could potentially be extended to ingredient preparation or extracting techniques of TCMs.

[Research on the application of grey system theory in the pattern recognition for chromatographic fingerprints of traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Wei, Hang; Lin, Li; Zhang, Yuan; Wang, Lianjing; Chen, Qinqun

2013-02-01

A model based on grey system theory was proposed for pattern recognition in chromatographic fingerprints (CF) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The grey relational grade among the data series of each testing CF and the ideal CF was obtained by entropy and norm respectively, then the principle of "maximal matching degree" was introduced to make judgments, so as to achieve the purpose of variety identification and quality evaluation. A satisfactory result in the high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of 56 batches of different varieties of Exocarpium Citrus Grandis was achieved with this model. The errors in the chromatographic fingerprint analysis caused by traditional similarity method or grey correlation method were overcome, as the samples of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa' and Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck were correctly distinguished in the experiment. Furthermore in the study on the variety identification of Citrus grandis 'Tomentosa', the recognition rates were up to 92.85%, although the types and the contents of the chemical compositions of the samples were very close. At the same time, the model had the merits of low computation complexity and easy operation by computer programming. The research indicated that the grey system theory has good applicability to pattern recognition in the chromatographic fingerprints of TCM.

Finite Element Analysis in Concurrent Processing: Computational Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw; Watson, Brian; Vanderplaats, Garrett

2004-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the potential application of new methods for solving large-scale static structural problems on concurrent computers. It is well known that traditional single-processor computational speed will be limited by inherent physical limits. The only path to achieve higher computational speeds lies through concurrent processing. Traditional factorization solution methods for sparse matrices are ill suited for concurrent processing because the null entries get filled, leading to high communication and memory requirements. The research reported herein investigates alternatives to factorization that promise a greater potential to achieve high concurrent computing efficiency. Two methods, and their variants, based on direct energy minimization are studied: a) minimization of the strain energy using the displacement method formulation; b) constrained minimization of the complementary strain energy using the force method formulation. Initial results indicated that in the context of the direct energy minimization the displacement formulation experienced convergence and accuracy difficulties while the force formulation showed promising potential.

Improving power and robustness for detecting genetic association with extreme-value sampling design.

PubMed

Chen, Hua Yun; Li, Mingyao

2011-12-01

Extreme-value sampling design that samples subjects with extremely large or small quantitative trait values is commonly used in genetic association studies. Samples in such designs are often treated as "cases" and "controls" and analyzed using logistic regression. Such a case-control analysis ignores the potential dose-response relationship between the quantitative trait and the underlying trait locus and thus may lead to loss of power in detecting genetic association. An alternative approach to analyzing such data is to model the dose-response relationship by a linear regression model. However, parameter estimation from this model can be biased, which may lead to inflated type I errors. We propose a robust and efficient approach that takes into consideration of both the biased sampling design and the potential dose-response relationship. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the proposed method is more powerful than the traditional logistic regression analysis and is more robust than the linear regression analysis. We applied our method to the analysis of a candidate gene association study on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) which includes study subjects with extremely high or low HDL-C levels. Using our method, we identified several SNPs showing a stronger evidence of association with HDL-C than the traditional case-control logistic regression analysis. Our results suggest that it is important to appropriately model the quantitative traits and to adjust for the biased sampling when dose-response relationship exists in extreme-value sampling designs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dynamic and quantitative method of analyzing service consistency evolution based on extended hierarchical finite state automata.

PubMed

Fan, Linjun; Tang, Jun; Ling, Yunxiang; Li, Benxian

2014-01-01

This paper is concerned with the dynamic evolution analysis and quantitative measurement of primary factors that cause service inconsistency in service-oriented distributed simulation applications (SODSA). Traditional methods are mostly qualitative and empirical, and they do not consider the dynamic disturbances among factors in service's evolution behaviors such as producing, publishing, calling, and maintenance. Moreover, SODSA are rapidly evolving in terms of large-scale, reusable, compositional, pervasive, and flexible features, which presents difficulties in the usage of traditional analysis methods. To resolve these problems, a novel dynamic evolution model extended hierarchical service-finite state automata (EHS-FSA) is constructed based on finite state automata (FSA), which formally depict overall changing processes of service consistency states. And also the service consistency evolution algorithms (SCEAs) based on EHS-FSA are developed to quantitatively assess these impact factors. Experimental results show that the bad reusability (17.93% on average) is the biggest influential factor, the noncomposition of atomic services (13.12%) is the second biggest one, and the service version's confusion (1.2%) is the smallest one. Compared with previous qualitative analysis, SCEAs present good effectiveness and feasibility. This research can guide the engineers of service consistency technologies toward obtaining a higher level of consistency in SODSA.

Dynamic and Quantitative Method of Analyzing Service Consistency Evolution Based on Extended Hierarchical Finite State Automata

PubMed Central

Fan, Linjun; Tang, Jun; Ling, Yunxiang; Li, Benxian

2014-01-01

This paper is concerned with the dynamic evolution analysis and quantitative measurement of primary factors that cause service inconsistency in service-oriented distributed simulation applications (SODSA). Traditional methods are mostly qualitative and empirical, and they do not consider the dynamic disturbances among factors in service's evolution behaviors such as producing, publishing, calling, and maintenance. Moreover, SODSA are rapidly evolving in terms of large-scale, reusable, compositional, pervasive, and flexible features, which presents difficulties in the usage of traditional analysis methods. To resolve these problems, a novel dynamic evolution model extended hierarchical service-finite state automata (EHS-FSA) is constructed based on finite state automata (FSA), which formally depict overall changing processes of service consistency states. And also the service consistency evolution algorithms (SCEAs) based on EHS-FSA are developed to quantitatively assess these impact factors. Experimental results show that the bad reusability (17.93% on average) is the biggest influential factor, the noncomposition of atomic services (13.12%) is the second biggest one, and the service version's confusion (1.2%) is the smallest one. Compared with previous qualitative analysis, SCEAs present good effectiveness and feasibility. This research can guide the engineers of service consistency technologies toward obtaining a higher level of consistency in SODSA. PMID:24772033

Standardization of Cassia spectabilis with respect to authenticity, assay and chemical constituent analysis.

PubMed

Torey, Angeline; Sasidharan, Sreenivasan; Yeng, Chen; Latha, Lachimanan Yoga

2010-05-10

Quality control standardizations of the various medicinal plants used in traditional medicine is becoming more important today in view of the commercialization of formulations based on these plants. An attempt at standardization of Cassia spectabilis leaf has been carried out with respect to authenticity, assay and chemical constituent analysis. The authentication involved many parameters, including gross morphology, microscopy of the leaves and functional group analysis by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The assay part of standardization involved determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract which could help assess the chemical effects and establish curative values. The MIC of the C. spectabilis leaf extracts was investigated using the Broth Dilution Method. The extracts showed a MIC value of 6.25 mg/mL, independent of the extraction time. The chemical constituent aspect of standardization involves quantification of the main chemical components in C. spectabilis. The GCMS method used for quantification of 2,4-(1H,3H)-pyrimidinedione in the extract was rapid, accurate, precise, linear (R(2) = 0.8685), rugged and robust. Hence this method was suitable for quantification of this component in C. spectabilis. The standardization of C. spectabilis is needed to facilitate marketing of medicinal plants, with a view to promoting the export of valuable Malaysian Traditional Medicinal plants such as C. spectabilis.

Biotechnological advances in the diagnosis, species differentiation and phylogenetic analysis of Schistosoma spp.

PubMed

Zhao, Guang-Hui; Li, Juan; Blair, David; Li, Xiao-Yan; Elsheikha, Hany M; Lin, Rui-Qing; Zou, Feng-Cai; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2012-01-01

Schistosomiasis is a serious parasitic disease caused by blood-dwelling flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Throughout the world, schistosomiasis is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, with close to 800 million people at risk of infection. Precise methods for identification of Schistosoma species and diagnosis of schistosomiasis are crucial for an enhanced understanding of parasite epidemiology that informs effective antiparasitic treatment and preventive measures. Traditional approaches for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis include etiological, immunological and imaging techniques. Diagnosis of schistosomiasis has been revolutionized by the advent of new molecular technologies to amplify parasite nucleic acids. Among these, polymerase chain reaction-based methods have been useful in the analysis of genetic variation among Schistosoma spp. Mass spectrometry is now extending the range of biological molecules that can be detected. In this review, we summarize traditional, non-DNA-based diagnostic methods and then describe and discuss the current and developing molecular techniques for the diagnosis, species differentiation and phylogenetic analysis of Schistosoma spp. These exciting techniques provide foundations for further development of more effective and precise approaches to differentiate schistosomes and diagnose schistosomiasis in the clinic, and also have important implication for exploring novel measures to control schistosomiasis in the near future. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment, SAGE III on ISS, An Earth Science Mission on the International Space Station, Schedule Risk Analysis, A Project Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonine, Lauren

2015-01-01

The presentation provides insight into the schedule risk analysis process used by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III on the International Space Station Project. The presentation focuses on the schedule risk analysis process highlighting the methods for identification of risk inputs, the inclusion of generic risks identified outside the traditional continuous risk management process, and the development of tailored analysis products used to improve risk informed decision making.

Traditional Indian medicine (TIM) and traditional Korean medicine (TKM): aconstitutional-based concept and comparison.

PubMed

Kang, Young Min; Komakech, Richard; Karigar, Chandrakant Shivappa; Saqib, Asma

2017-06-01

Traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) plays an integral role in providing health care worldwide. It is based on sound fundamental principles and centuries of practices. This study compared traditional Indian medicine (TIM) and traditional Korean medicine (TKM) basing on data obtained from peer reviewed articles, respective government institutional reports and World Health Organization reports. Despite the fact that TIM and TKM have individual qualities that are unique from each other including different histories of origin, they share a lot in common. Apart from Homeopathy in TIM, both systems are hinged on similar principle of body constitutional-based concept and similar disease diagnosis methods of mainly auscultation, palpation, visual inspection, and interrogation. Similarly, the treatment methods of TIM and TKM follow similar patterns involving use of medicinal herbs, moxibustion, acupuncture, cupping, and manual therapy. Both T&CM are majorly practiced in well-established hospitals by T&CM doctors who have undergone an average of 6-7 years of specialized trainings. However, unlike TIM which has less insurance coverage, the popularity of TKM is majorly due to its wide national insurance coverage. These two medical traditions occupy increasingly greater portion of the global market. However, TIM especially Ayurveda has gained more global recognition than TKM although the emergence of Sasang Constitutional Medicine in TKM is beginning to become more popular. This comparative analysis between TIM and TKM may provide vital and insightful contribution towards constitutional-based concept for further development and future studies in T&CM.

A better way to teach knot tying: a randomized controlled trial comparing the kinesthetic and traditional methods.

PubMed

Huang, Emily; Chern, Hueylan; O'Sullivan, Patricia; Cook, Brian; McDonald, Erik; Palmer, Barnard; Liu, Terrence; Kim, Edward

2014-10-01

Knot tying is a fundamental and crucial surgical skill. We developed a kinesthetic pedagogical approach that increases precision and economy of motion by explicitly teaching suture-handling maneuvers and studied its effects on novice performance. Seventy-four first-year medical students were randomized to learn knot tying via either the traditional or the novel "kinesthetic" method. After 1 week of independent practice, students were videotaped performing 4 tying tasks. Three raters scored deidentified videos using a validated visual analog scale. The groups were compared using analysis of covariance with practice knots as a covariate and visual analog scale score (range, 0 to 100) as the dependent variable. Partial eta-square was calculated to indicate effect size. Overall rater reliability was .92. The kinesthetic group scored significantly higher than the traditional group for individual tasks and overall, controlling for practice (all P < .004). The kinesthetic overall mean was 64.15 (standard deviation = 16.72) vs traditional 46.31 (standard deviation = 16.20; P < .001; effect size = .28). For novices, emphasizing kinesthetic suture handling substantively improved performance on knot tying. We believe this effect can be extrapolated to more complex surgical skills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinic Design and Continuity in Internal Medicine Resident Clinics: Findings of the Educational Innovations Project Ambulatory Collaborative

PubMed Central

Francis, Maureen D.; Wieland, Mark L.; Drake, Sean; Gwisdalla, Keri Lyn; Julian, Katherine A.; Nabors, Christopher; Pereira, Anne; Rosenblum, Michael; Smith, Amy; Sweet, David; Thomas, Kris; Varney, Andrew; Warm, Eric; Wininger, David; Francis, Mark L.

2015-01-01

Background Many internal medicine (IM) programs have reorganized their resident continuity clinics to improve trainees' ambulatory experience. Downstream effects on continuity of care and other clinical and educational metrics are unclear. Methods This multi-institutional, cross-sectional study included 713 IM residents from 12 programs. Continuity was measured using the usual provider of care method (UPC) and the continuity for physician method (PHY). Three clinic models (traditional, block, and combination) were compared using analysis of covariance. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of practice metrics and clinic model on continuity. Results UPC, reflecting continuity from the patient perspective, was significantly different, and was highest in the block model, midrange in combination model, and lowest in the traditional model programs. PHY, reflecting continuity from the perspective of the resident provider, was significantly lower in the block model than in combination and traditional programs. Panel size, ambulatory workload, utilization, number of clinics attended in the study period, and clinic model together accounted for 62% of the variation found in UPC and 26% of the variation found in PHY. Conclusions Clinic model appeared to have a significant effect on continuity measured from both the patient and resident perspectives. Continuity requires balance between provider availability and demand for services. Optimizing this balance to maximize resident education, and the health of the population served, will require consideration of relevant local factors and priorities in addition to the clinic model. PMID:26217420

Analysis and application of intelligence network based on FTTH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Xiancheng; Yun, Xiang

2008-12-01

With the continued rapid growth of Internet, new network service emerges in endless stream, especially the increase of network game, meeting TV, video on demand, etc. The bandwidth requirement increase continuously. Network technique, optical device technical development is swift and violent. FTTH supports all present and future service with enormous bandwidth, including traditional telecommunication service, traditional data service and traditional TV service, and the future digital TV and VOD. With huge bandwidth of FTTH, it wins the final solution of broadband network, becomes the final goal of development of optical access network. Firstly, it introduces the main service which FTTH supports, main analysis key technology such as FTTH system composition way, topological structure, multiplexing, optical cable and device. It focus two kinds of realization methods - PON, P2P technology. Then it proposed that the solution of FTTH can support comprehensive access (service such as broadband data, voice, video and narrowband private line). Finally, it shows the engineering application for FTTH in the district and building. It brings enormous economic benefits and social benefit.

Unsupervised Cryo-EM Data Clustering through Adaptively Constrained K-Means Algorithm

PubMed Central

Xu, Yaofang; Wu, Jiayi; Yin, Chang-Cheng; Mao, Youdong

2016-01-01

In single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), K-means clustering algorithm is widely used in unsupervised 2D classification of projection images of biological macromolecules. 3D ab initio reconstruction requires accurate unsupervised classification in order to separate molecular projections of distinct orientations. Due to background noise in single-particle images and uncertainty of molecular orientations, traditional K-means clustering algorithm may classify images into wrong classes and produce classes with a large variation in membership. Overcoming these limitations requires further development on clustering algorithms for cryo-EM data analysis. We propose a novel unsupervised data clustering method building upon the traditional K-means algorithm. By introducing an adaptive constraint term in the objective function, our algorithm not only avoids a large variation in class sizes but also produces more accurate data clustering. Applications of this approach to both simulated and experimental cryo-EM data demonstrate that our algorithm is a significantly improved alterative to the traditional K-means algorithm in single-particle cryo-EM analysis. PMID:27959895

Unsupervised Cryo-EM Data Clustering through Adaptively Constrained K-Means Algorithm.

PubMed

Xu, Yaofang; Wu, Jiayi; Yin, Chang-Cheng; Mao, Youdong

2016-01-01

In single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), K-means clustering algorithm is widely used in unsupervised 2D classification of projection images of biological macromolecules. 3D ab initio reconstruction requires accurate unsupervised classification in order to separate molecular projections of distinct orientations. Due to background noise in single-particle images and uncertainty of molecular orientations, traditional K-means clustering algorithm may classify images into wrong classes and produce classes with a large variation in membership. Overcoming these limitations requires further development on clustering algorithms for cryo-EM data analysis. We propose a novel unsupervised data clustering method building upon the traditional K-means algorithm. By introducing an adaptive constraint term in the objective function, our algorithm not only avoids a large variation in class sizes but also produces more accurate data clustering. Applications of this approach to both simulated and experimental cryo-EM data demonstrate that our algorithm is a significantly improved alterative to the traditional K-means algorithm in single-particle cryo-EM analysis.

The Wartegg Zeichen Test: a literature overview and a meta-analysis of reliability and validity.

PubMed

Soilevuo Grønnerød, Jarna; Grønnerød, Cato

2012-06-01

All available studies on the Wartegg Zeichen Test (WZT; Wartegg, 1939) were collected and evaluated through a literature overview and a meta-analysis. The literature overview shows that the history of the WZT reflects the geographical and language-based processes of marginalization where relatively isolated traditions have lived and vanished in different parts of the world. The meta-analytic review indicates a high average interscorer reliability of rw = .74 and high validity effect size for studies with clear hypotheses of rw = .33. Although the results were strong, we conclude that the WZT research has not been able to establish cumulative knowledge of the method because of the isolation of research traditions. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Flipped classroom improves student learning in health professions education: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Hew, Khe Foon; Lo, Chung Kwan

2018-03-15

The use of flipped classroom approach has become increasingly popular in health professions education. However, no meta-analysis has been published that specifically examines the effect of flipped classroom versus traditional classroom on student learning. This study examined the findings of comparative articles through a meta-analysis in order to summarize the overall effects of teaching with the flipped classroom approach. We focused specifically on a set of flipped classroom studies in which pre-recorded videos were provided before face-to-face class meetings. These comparative articles focused on health care professionals including medical students, residents, doctors, nurses, or learners in other health care professions and disciplines (e.g., dental, pharmacy, environmental or occupational health). Using predefined study eligibility criteria, seven electronic databases were searched in mid-April 2017 for relevant articles. Methodological quality was graded using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). Effect sizes, heterogeneity estimates, analysis of possible moderators, and publication bias were computed using the COMPREHENSIVE META-ANALYSIS software. A meta-analysis of 28 eligible comparative studies (between-subject design) showed an overall significant effect in favor of flipped classrooms over traditional classrooms for health professions education (standardized mean difference, SMD = 0.33, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.21-0.46, p < 0.001), with no evidence of publication bias. In addition, the flipped classroom approach was more effective when instructors used quizzes at the start of each in-class session. More respondents reported they preferred flipped to traditional classrooms. Current evidence suggests that the flipped classroom approach in health professions education yields a significant improvement in student learning compared with traditional teaching methods.

Geomorphometric analysis of cave ceiling channels mapped with 3-D terrestrial laser scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallay, Michal; Hochmuth, Zdenko; Kaňuk, Ján; Hofierka, Jaroslav

2016-05-01

The change of hydrological conditions during the evolution of caves in carbonate rocks often results in a complex subterranean geomorphology, which comprises specific landforms such as ceiling channels, anastomosing half tubes, or speleothems organized vertically in different levels. Studying such complex environments traditionally requires tedious mapping; however, this is being replaced with terrestrial laser scanning technology. Laser scanning overcomes the problem of reaching high ceilings, providing new options to map underground landscapes with unprecedented level of detail and accuracy. The acquired point cloud can be handled conveniently with dedicated software, but applying traditional geomorphometry to analyse the cave surface is limited. This is because geomorphometry has been focused on parameterization and analysis of surficial terrain. The theoretical and methodological concept has been based on two-dimensional (2-D) scalar fields, which are sufficient for most cases of the surficial terrain. The terrain surface is modelled with a bivariate function of altitude (elevation) and represented by a raster digital elevation model. However, the cave is a 3-D entity; therefore, a different approach is required for geomorphometric analysis. In this paper, we demonstrate the benefits of high-resolution cave mapping and 3-D modelling to better understand the palaeohydrography of the Domica cave in Slovakia. This methodological approach adopted traditional geomorphometric methods in a unique manner and also new methods used in 3-D computer graphics, which can be applied to study other 3-D geomorphological forms.

Novel Longitudinal and Propensity Score Matched Analysis of Hands-On Cooking and Nutrition Education versus Traditional Clinical Education among 627 Medical Students

PubMed Central

Monlezun, Dominique J.; Leong, Benjamin; Joo, Esther; Birkhead, Andrew G.; Sarris, Leah; Harlan, Timothy S.

2015-01-01

Background. Physicians are inadequately equipped to respond to the global obesity and nutrition-associated chronic disease epidemics. We investigated superiority of simulation-based medical education with deliberate practice (SBME-DP) hands-on cooking and nutrition elective in a medical school-based teaching kitchen versus traditional clinical education for medical students. Materials and Methods. A 59-question panel survey was distributed to an entire medical school twice annually from September 2012 to May 2014. Student diet and attitudes and competencies (DACs) counseling patients on nutrition were compared using conditional multivariate logistic regression, propensity score-weighted, and longitudinal panel analyses. Inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis (IVWM) was used for planned subgroup analysis by year and treatment estimates across the three methods. Results. Of the available 954 students, 65.72% (n = 627) unique students were followed to produce 963 responses. 11.32% (n = 109) of responses were from 84 subjects who participated in the elective. SBME-DP versus traditional education significantly improved fruit and vegetable diet (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.07–1.79, p = 0.013) and attitudes (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.40–2.35, p < 0.001) and competencies (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.54–1.92, p < 0.001). Conclusions. This study reports for the first time superiority longitudinally for SBME-DP style nutrition education for medical students which has since expanded to 13 schools. PMID:26435851

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

PubMed

Sun, Jianghao; Chen, Pei

2012-03-05

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

Traceable Coulomb blockade thermometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahtela, O.; Mykkänen, E.; Kemppinen, A.; Meschke, M.; Prunnila, M.; Gunnarsson, D.; Roschier, L.; Penttilä, J.; Pekola, J.

2017-02-01

We present a measurement and analysis scheme for determining traceable thermodynamic temperature at cryogenic temperatures using Coulomb blockade thermometry. The uncertainty of the electrical measurement is improved by utilizing two sampling digital voltmeters instead of the traditional lock-in technique. The remaining uncertainty is dominated by that of the numerical analysis of the measurement data. Two analysis methods are demonstrated: numerical fitting of the full conductance curve and measuring the height of the conductance dip. The complete uncertainty analysis shows that using either analysis method the relative combined standard uncertainty (k  =  1) in determining the thermodynamic temperature in the temperature range from 20 mK to 200 mK is below 0.5%. In this temperature range, both analysis methods produced temperature estimates that deviated from 0.39% to 0.67% from the reference temperatures provided by a superconducting reference point device calibrated against the Provisional Low Temperature Scale of 2000.

The use of a cognitive task analysis-based multimedia program to teach surgical decision making in flexor tendon repair.

PubMed

Luker, Kali R; Sullivan, Maura E; Peyre, Sarah E; Sherman, Randy; Grunwald, Tiffany

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the surgical knowledge of residents before and after receiving a cognitive task analysis-based multimedia teaching module. Ten plastic surgery residents were evaluated performing flexor tendon repair on 3 occasions. Traditional learning occurred between the first and second trial and served as the control. A teaching module was introduced as an intervention between the second and third trial using cognitive task analysis to illustrate decision-making skills. All residents showed improvement in their decision-making ability when performing flexor tendon repair after each surgical procedure. The group improved through traditional methods as well as exposure to our talk-aloud protocol (P > .01). After being trained using the cognitive task analysis curriculum the group displayed a statistically significant knowledge expansion (P < .01). Residents receiving cognitive task analysis-based multimedia surgical curriculum instruction achieved greater command of problem solving and are better equipped to make correct decisions in flexor tendon repair.

Comparison of answer-until-correct and full-credit assessments in a team-based learning course.

PubMed

Farland, Michelle Z; Barlow, Patrick B; Levi Lancaster, T; Franks, Andrea S

2015-03-25

To assess the impact of awarding partial credit to team assessments on team performance and on quality of team interactions using an answer-until-correct method compared to traditional methods of grading (multiple-choice, full-credit). Subjects were students from 3 different offerings of an ambulatory care elective course, taught using team-based learning. The control group (full-credit) consisted of those enrolled in the course when traditional methods of assessment were used (2 course offerings). The intervention group consisted of those enrolled in the course when answer-until-correct method was used for team assessments (1 course offering). Study outcomes included student performance on individual and team readiness assurance tests (iRATs and tRATs), individual and team final examinations, and student assessment of quality of team interactions using the Team Performance Scale. Eighty-four students enrolled in the courses were included in the analysis (full-credit, n=54; answer-until-correct, n=30). Students who used traditional methods of assessment performed better on iRATs (full-credit mean 88.7 (5.9), answer-until-correct mean 82.8 (10.7), p<0.001). Students who used answer-until-correct method of assessment performed better on the team final examination (full-credit mean 45.8 (1.5), answer-until-correct 47.8 (1.4), p<0.001). There was no significant difference in performance on tRATs and the individual final examination. Students who used the answer-until-correct method had higher quality of team interaction ratings (full-credit 97.1 (9.1), answer-until-correct 103.0 (7.8), p=0.004). Answer-until-correct assessment method compared to traditional, full-credit methods resulted in significantly lower scores for iRATs, similar scores on tRATs and individual final examinations, improved scores on team final examinations, and improved perceptions of the quality of team interactions.

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luders, Eileen; Narr, Katherine L.; Thompson, Paul M.; Toga, Arthur W.

2009-01-01

With the advancement of image acquisition and analysis methods in recent decades, unique opportunities have emerged to study the neuroanatomical correlates of intelligence. Traditional approaches examining global measures have been complemented by insights from more regional analyses based on pre-defined areas. Newer state-of-the-art approaches…

The Enumeration Structure of 爾雅 Ěryǎ's "Semantic Lists"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teboul (戴明德), Michel

Modern linguistic enumeration theory is applied to a study of 爾雅 Ěryǎ's Semantic Lists, leading to an in-depth analysis of the work's first three sections without any recourse to the traditional methods of Chinese classical philology. It is hoped that an extension of the same method can lead to a better understanding of the remaining 16 sections.

Transfer of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis genotyping method, Spoligotyping, from a reverse line-blot hybridization, membrane-based assay to the Luminex multianalyte profiling system.

PubMed

Cowan, Lauren S; Diem, Lois; Brake, Mary Catherine; Crawford, Jack T

2004-01-01

Spoligotyping using Luminex technology was shown to be a highly reproducible method suitable for high-throughput analysis. Spoligotyping of 48 isolates using the traditional membrane-based assay and the Luminex assay yielded concordant results for all isolates. The Luminex platform provides greater flexibility and cost effectiveness than the membrane-based assay.

A Statistical Analysis of Activity-Based and Traditional Introductory Algebra Physics Using the Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trecia Markes, Cecelia

2006-03-01

With a three-year FIPSE grant, it has been possible at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) to develop and implement activity- based introductory physics at the algebra level. It has generally been recognized that students enter physics classes with misconceptions about motion and force. Many of these misconceptions persist after instruction. Pretest and posttest responses on the ``Force and Motion Conceptual Evaluation'' (FMCE) are analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the activity- based method of instruction relative to the traditional (lecture/lab) method of instruction. Data were analyzed to determine the following: student understanding at the beginning of the course, student understanding at the end of the course, how student understanding is related to the type of class taken, student understanding based on gender and type of class. Some of the tests used are the t-test, the chi-squared test, and analysis of variance. The results of these tests will be presented, and their implications will be discussed.

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

Wang, C. L.; Funk, L. L.; Riedel, R. A.

3He gas based neutron linear-position-sensitive detectors (LPSDs) have been applied for many neutron scattering instruments. Traditional Pulse-Height Analysis (PHA) for Neutron-Gamma Discrimination (NGD) resulted in the neutron-gamma efficiency ratio on the orders of 10 5-10 6. The NGD ratios of 3He detectors need to be improved for even better scientific results from neutron scattering. Digital Signal Processing (DSP) analyses of waveforms were proposed for obtaining better NGD ratios, based on features extracted from rise-time, pulse amplitude, charge integration, a simplified Wiener filter, and the cross-correlation between individual and template waveforms of neutron and gamma events. Fisher linear discriminant analysis (FLDA)more » and three multivariate analyses (MVAs) of the features were performed. The NGD ratios are improved by about 10 2-10 3 times compared with the traditional PHA method. Finally, our results indicate the NGD capabilities of 3He tube detectors can be significantly improved with subspace-learning based methods, which may result in a reduced data-collection time and better data quality for further data reduction.« less

From welfare states to welfare sectors: Explaining sectoral differences in occupational pensions with economic and political power of employees

PubMed Central

Wiß, Tobias

2015-01-01

Studies analysing welfare have previously focused on countries as units. In the course of pension cuts and the increasing importance of occupational welfare, our traditional understanding of a homogeneous welfare state is being challenged. In this article, I distinguish between both economic individual power (employee skills) and political collective power (trade unions), and their relation with different occupational pensions. A combined analysis by both factors is not common, where employee skills and power resources are traditionally treated as separate, rival explanations of public welfare. Combining the ‘method of difference’ with the ‘method of agreement’, the article first presents the within-country variety of occupational pensions in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Denmark. Occupational pensions in the same economic sectors across countries are then used as the units of analysis in order to illustrate the plausible determinants of economic individual power and political collective power. PMID:26663983

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students taught using problem-based learning versus traditional methods.

PubMed

Aragão, José Aderval; Freire, Marianna Ribeiro de Menezes; Nolasco Farias, Lucas Guimarães; Diniz, Sarah Santana; Sant'anna Aragão, Felipe Matheus; Sant'anna Aragão, Iapunira Catarina; Lima, Tarcisio Brandão; Reis, Francisco Prado

2018-06-01

To compare depressive symptoms among medical students taught using problem-based learning (PBL) and the traditional method. Beck's Depression Inventory was applied to 215 medical students. The prevalence of depression was calculated as the number of individuals with depression divided by the total number in the sample from each course, with 95% confidence intervals. The statistical significance level used was 5% (p ≤ .05). Among the 215 students, 52.1% were male and 47.9% were female; and 51.6% were being taught using PBL methodology and 48.4% using traditional methods. The prevalence of depression was 29.73% with PBL and 22.12% with traditional methods. There was higher prevalence among females: 32.8% with PBL and 23.1% with traditional methods. The prevalence of depression with PBL among students up to 21 years of age was 29.4% and among those over 21 years, 32.1%. With traditional methods among students up to 21 years of age, it was 16.7%%, and among those over 21 years, 30.1%. The prevalence of depression with PBL was highest among students in the second semester and with traditional methods, in the eighth. Depressive symptoms were highly prevalent among students taught both with PBL and with traditional methods.

[Adequate application of quantitative and qualitative statistic analytic methods in acupuncture clinical trials].

PubMed

Tan, Ming T; Liu, Jian-ping; Lao, Lixing

2012-08-01

Recently, proper use of the statistical methods in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) has received increased attention. Statistical inference based on hypothesis testing is the foundation of clinical trials and evidence-based medicine. In this article, the authors described the methodological differences between literature published in Chinese and Western journals in the design and analysis of acupuncture RCTs and the application of basic statistical principles. In China, qualitative analysis method has been widely used in acupuncture and TCM clinical trials, while the between-group quantitative analysis methods on clinical symptom scores are commonly used in the West. The evidence for and against these analytical differences were discussed based on the data of RCTs assessing acupuncture for pain relief. The authors concluded that although both methods have their unique advantages, quantitative analysis should be used as the primary analysis while qualitative analysis can be a secondary criterion for analysis. The purpose of this paper is to inspire further discussion of such special issues in clinical research design and thus contribute to the increased scientific rigor of TCM research.

Methods for Synthesizing Findings on Moderation Effects Across Multiple Randomized Trials

PubMed Central

Brown, C Hendricks; Sloboda, Zili; Faggiano, Fabrizio; Teasdale, Brent; Keller, Ferdinand; Burkhart, Gregor; Vigna-Taglianti, Federica; Howe, George; Masyn, Katherine; Wang, Wei; Muthén, Bengt; Stephens, Peggy; Grey, Scott; Perrino, Tatiana

2011-01-01

This paper presents new methods for synthesizing results from subgroup and moderation analyses across different randomized trials. We demonstrate that such a synthesis generally results in additional power to detect significant moderation findings above what one would find in a single trial. Three general methods for conducting synthesis analyses are discussed, with two methods, integrative data analysis, and parallel analyses, sharing a large advantage over traditional methods available in meta-analysis. We present a broad class of analytic models to examine moderation effects across trials that can be used to assess their overall effect and explain sources of heterogeneity, and present ways to disentangle differences across trials due to individual differences, contextual level differences, intervention, and trial design. PMID:21360061

Methods for synthesizing findings on moderation effects across multiple randomized trials.

PubMed

Brown, C Hendricks; Sloboda, Zili; Faggiano, Fabrizio; Teasdale, Brent; Keller, Ferdinand; Burkhart, Gregor; Vigna-Taglianti, Federica; Howe, George; Masyn, Katherine; Wang, Wei; Muthén, Bengt; Stephens, Peggy; Grey, Scott; Perrino, Tatiana

2013-04-01

This paper presents new methods for synthesizing results from subgroup and moderation analyses across different randomized trials. We demonstrate that such a synthesis generally results in additional power to detect significant moderation findings above what one would find in a single trial. Three general methods for conducting synthesis analyses are discussed, with two methods, integrative data analysis and parallel analyses, sharing a large advantage over traditional methods available in meta-analysis. We present a broad class of analytic models to examine moderation effects across trials that can be used to assess their overall effect and explain sources of heterogeneity, and present ways to disentangle differences across trials due to individual differences, contextual level differences, intervention, and trial design.

Flow Synthesis of Silver Nanowires for Semitransparent Solar Cell Electrodes: A Life Cycle Perspective.

PubMed

Espinosa, Nieves; Søndergaard, Roar R; Jørgensen, Mikkel; Krebs, Frederik C

2016-04-21

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) were prepared on a 5 g scale using either the well-known batch synthesis following the polyol method or a new flow synthesis method. The AgNWs were employed as semitransparent electrode materials in organic photovoltaics and compared to traditional printed silver electrodes based on micron sized silver flakes using life cycle analysis and environmental impact analysis methods. The life cycle analysis of AgNWs confirms that they provide an avenue to low-impact semitransparent electrodes. We find that the benefit of AgNWs in terms of embodied energy is less pronounced than generally assumed but that the toxicological and environmental benefits are significant. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A spectrum fractal feature classification algorithm for agriculture crops with hyper spectrum image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Junying

2011-11-01

A fractal dimension feature analysis method in spectrum domain for hyper spectrum image is proposed for agriculture crops classification. Firstly, a fractal dimension calculation algorithm in spectrum domain is presented together with the fast fractal dimension value calculation algorithm using the step measurement method. Secondly, the hyper spectrum image classification algorithm and flowchart is presented based on fractal dimension feature analysis in spectrum domain. Finally, the experiment result of the agricultural crops classification with FCL1 hyper spectrum image set with the proposed method and SAM (spectral angle mapper). The experiment results show it can obtain better classification result than the traditional SAM feature analysis which can fulfill use the spectrum information of hyper spectrum image to realize precision agricultural crops classification.

Adopting exergy analysis for use in aerospace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, David; Lone, Mudassir; Whidborne, James F.; Camberos, José; Coetzee, Etienne

2017-08-01

Thermodynamic analysis methods, based on an exergy metric, have been developed to improve system efficiency of traditional heat driven systems such as ground based power plants and aircraft propulsion systems. However, in more recent years interest in the topic has broadened to include applying these second law methods to the field of aerodynamics and complete aerospace vehicles. Work to date is based on highly simplified structures, but such a method could be shown to have benefit to the highly conservative and risk averse commercial aerospace sector. This review justifies how thermodynamic exergy analysis has the potential to facilitate a breakthrough in the optimization of aerospace vehicles based on a system of energy systems, through studying the exergy-based multidisciplinary design of future flight vehicles.

Rapid analysis of scattering from periodic dielectric structures using accelerated Cartesian expansions

DOE PAGES

Baczewski, Andrew David; Miller, Nicholas C.; Shanker, Balasubramaniam

2012-03-22

Here, the analysis of fields in periodic dielectric structures arise in numerous applications of recent interest, ranging from photonic bandgap structures and plasmonically active nanostructures to metamaterials. To achieve an accurate representation of the fields in these structures using numerical methods, dense spatial discretization is required. This, in turn, affects the cost of analysis, particularly for integral-equation-based methods, for which traditional iterative methods require Ο(Ν 2) operations, Ν being the number of spatial degrees of freedom. In this paper, we introduce a method for the rapid solution of volumetric electric field integral equations used in the analysis of doubly periodicmore » dielectric structures. The crux of our method is the accelerated Cartesian expansion algorithm, which is used to evaluate the requisite potentials in Ο(Ν) cost. Results are provided that corroborate our claims of acceleration without compromising accuracy, as well as the application of our method to a number of compelling photonics applications.« less

An Intelligent Optical Dissolved Oxygen Measurement Method Based on a Fluorescent Quenching Mechanism.

PubMed

Li, Fengmei; Wei, Yaoguang; Chen, Yingyi; Li, Daoliang; Zhang, Xu

2015-12-09

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key factor that influences the healthy growth of fishes in aquaculture. The DO content changes with the aquatic environment and should therefore be monitored online. However, traditional measurement methods, such as iodometry and other chemical analysis methods, are not suitable for online monitoring. The Clark method is not stable enough for extended periods of monitoring. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an intelligent DO measurement method based on the fluorescence quenching mechanism. The measurement system is composed of fluorescent quenching detection, signal conditioning, intelligent processing, and power supply modules. The optical probe adopts the fluorescent quenching mechanism to detect the DO content and solves the problem, whereas traditional chemical methods are easily influenced by the environment. The optical probe contains a thermistor and dual excitation sources to isolate visible parasitic light and execute a compensation strategy. The intelligent processing module adopts the IEEE 1451.2 standard and realizes intelligent compensation. Experimental results show that the optical measurement method is stable, accurate, and suitable for online DO monitoring in aquaculture applications.

An Intelligent Optical Dissolved Oxygen Measurement Method Based on a Fluorescent Quenching Mechanism

PubMed Central

Li, Fengmei; Wei, Yaoguang; Chen, Yingyi; Li, Daoliang; Zhang, Xu

2015-01-01

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key factor that influences the healthy growth of fishes in aquaculture. The DO content changes with the aquatic environment and should therefore be monitored online. However, traditional measurement methods, such as iodometry and other chemical analysis methods, are not suitable for online monitoring. The Clark method is not stable enough for extended periods of monitoring. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an intelligent DO measurement method based on the fluorescence quenching mechanism. The measurement system is composed of fluorescent quenching detection, signal conditioning, intelligent processing, and power supply modules. The optical probe adopts the fluorescent quenching mechanism to detect the DO content and solves the problem, whereas traditional chemical methods are easily influenced by the environment. The optical probe contains a thermistor and dual excitation sources to isolate visible parasitic light and execute a compensation strategy. The intelligent processing module adopts the IEEE 1451.2 standard and realizes intelligent compensation. Experimental results show that the optical measurement method is stable, accurate, and suitable for online DO monitoring in aquaculture applications. PMID:26690176

Is traditional contraceptive use in Moldova associated with poverty and isolation?

PubMed

Lyons-Amos, Mark J; Durrant, Gabriele B; Padmadas, Sabu S

2011-05-01

This study investigates the correlates of traditional contraceptive use in Moldova, a poor country in Europe with one of the highest proportions of traditional contraceptive method users. The high reliance on traditional methods, particularly in the context of sub-replacement level fertility rate, has not been systematically evaluated in demographic research. Using cross-sectional data on a sub-sample of 6039 sexually experienced women from the 2005 Moldovan Demographic and Health Survey, this study hypothesizes that (a) economic and spatial disadvantages increase the likelihood of traditional method use, and (b) high exposure to family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) programmes increases the propensity to modern method use. Multilevel multinomial models are used to examine the correlates of traditional method use controlling for exposure to sexual activity, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and data structure. The results show that economic disadvantage increases the probability of traditional method use, but the overall effect is small. Although higher family planning media exposure decreases the reliance on traditional methods among younger women, it has only a marginal effect in increasing modern method use among older women. Family planning programmes designed to encourage women to switch from traditional to modern methods have some success--although the effect is considerably reduced in regions outside of the capital Chisinau. The study concludes that FP/RH efforts directed towards the poorest may have limited impact, but interventions targeted at older women could reduce the burden of unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Addressing differentials in accessing modern methods could improve uptake in rural areas.

LinkWinds: An Approach to Visual Data Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, Allan S.

1992-01-01

The Linked Windows Interactive Data System (LinkWinds) is a prototype visual data exploration and analysis system resulting from a NASA/JPL program of research into graphical methods for rapidly accessing, displaying and analyzing large multivariate multidisciplinary datasets. It is an integrated multi-application execution environment allowing the dynamic interconnection of multiple windows containing visual displays and/or controls through a data-linking paradigm. This paradigm, which results in a system much like a graphical spreadsheet, is not only a powerful method for organizing large amounts of data for analysis, but provides a highly intuitive, easy to learn user interface on top of the traditional graphical user interface.

Analysis of carbendazim, benomyl, thiophanate methyl and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in fruits and vegetables after supercritical fluid extraction.

PubMed

Anastassiades, M; Schwack, W

1998-10-30

Simple methods for the analysis of carbendazim, benomyl and thiophanate methyl in fruits and vegetables and of 2,4-D in citrus fruits are presented. Sample preparation involves supercritical fluid extraction with carbon dioxide and further analysis is performed without any additional clean-up by GC-MS after derivatisation or directly by HPLC-diode array detection. The SFE methods presented are clearly faster and more cost effective than traditional solvent based approaches. The recoveries, detection limits and repeatabilities achieved, meet the needs of tolerance level monitoring of these compounds in fruits and vegetables.

A novel model for DNA sequence similarity analysis based on graph theory.

PubMed

Qi, Xingqin; Wu, Qin; Zhang, Yusen; Fuller, Eddie; Zhang, Cun-Quan

2011-01-01

Determination of sequence similarity is one of the major steps in computational phylogenetic studies. As we know, during evolutionary history, not only DNA mutations for individual nucleotide but also subsequent rearrangements occurred. It has been one of major tasks of computational biologists to develop novel mathematical descriptors for similarity analysis such that various mutation phenomena information would be involved simultaneously. In this paper, different from traditional methods (eg, nucleotide frequency, geometric representations) as bases for construction of mathematical descriptors, we construct novel mathematical descriptors based on graph theory. In particular, for each DNA sequence, we will set up a weighted directed graph. The adjacency matrix of the directed graph will be used to induce a representative vector for DNA sequence. This new approach measures similarity based on both ordering and frequency of nucleotides so that much more information is involved. As an application, the method is tested on a set of 0.9-kb mtDNA sequences of twelve different primate species. All output phylogenetic trees with various distance estimations have the same topology, and are generally consistent with the reported results from early studies, which proves the new method's efficiency; we also test the new method on a simulated data set, which shows our new method performs better than traditional global alignment method when subsequent rearrangements happen frequently during evolutionary history.

A modified multi-objective particle swarm optimization approach and its application to the design of a deepwater composite riser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y.; Chen, J.

2017-09-01

A modified multi-objective particle swarm optimization method is proposed for obtaining Pareto-optimal solutions effectively. Different from traditional multi-objective particle swarm optimization methods, Kriging meta-models and the trapezoid index are introduced and integrated with the traditional one. Kriging meta-models are built to match expensive or black-box functions. By applying Kriging meta-models, function evaluation numbers are decreased and the boundary Pareto-optimal solutions are identified rapidly. For bi-objective optimization problems, the trapezoid index is calculated as the sum of the trapezoid's area formed by the Pareto-optimal solutions and one objective axis. It can serve as a measure whether the Pareto-optimal solutions converge to the Pareto front. Illustrative examples indicate that to obtain Pareto-optimal solutions, the method proposed needs fewer function evaluations than the traditional multi-objective particle swarm optimization method and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II method, and both the accuracy and the computational efficiency are improved. The proposed method is also applied to the design of a deepwater composite riser example in which the structural performances are calculated by numerical analysis. The design aim was to enhance the tension strength and minimize the cost. Under the buckling constraint, the optimal trade-off of tensile strength and material volume is obtained. The results demonstrated that the proposed method can effectively deal with multi-objective optimizations with black-box functions.

Object-oriented feature extraction approach for mapping supraglacial debris in Schirmacher Oasis using very high-resolution satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawak, Shridhar D.; Jadhav, Ajay; Luis, Alvarinho J.

2016-05-01

Supraglacial debris was mapped in the Schirmacher Oasis, east Antarctica, by using WorldView-2 (WV-2) high resolution optical remote sensing data consisting of 8-band calibrated Gram Schmidt (GS)-sharpened and atmospherically corrected WV-2 imagery. This study is a preliminary attempt to develop an object-oriented rule set to extract supraglacial debris for Antarctic region using 8-spectral band imagery. Supraglacial debris was manually digitized from the satellite imagery to generate the ground reference data. Several trials were performed using few existing traditional pixel-based classification techniques and color-texture based object-oriented classification methods to extract supraglacial debris over a small domain of the study area. Multi-level segmentation and attributes such as scale, shape, size, compactness along with spectral information from the data were used for developing the rule set. The quantitative analysis of error was carried out against the manually digitized reference data to test the practicability of our approach over the traditional pixel-based methods. Our results indicate that OBIA-based approach (overall accuracy: 93%) for extracting supraglacial debris performed better than all the traditional pixel-based methods (overall accuracy: 80-85%). The present attempt provides a comprehensive improved method for semiautomatic feature extraction in supraglacial environment and a new direction in the cryospheric research.

Algorithms for accelerated convergence of adaptive PCA.

PubMed

Chatterjee, C; Kang, Z; Roychowdhury, V P

2000-01-01

We derive and discuss new adaptive algorithms for principal component analysis (PCA) that are shown to converge faster than the traditional PCA algorithms due to Oja, Sanger, and Xu. It is well known that traditional PCA algorithms that are derived by using gradient descent on an objective function are slow to converge. Furthermore, the convergence of these algorithms depends on appropriate choices of the gain sequences. Since online applications demand faster convergence and an automatic selection of gains, we present new adaptive algorithms to solve these problems. We first present an unconstrained objective function, which can be minimized to obtain the principal components. We derive adaptive algorithms from this objective function by using: 1) gradient descent; 2) steepest descent; 3) conjugate direction; and 4) Newton-Raphson methods. Although gradient descent produces Xu's LMSER algorithm, the steepest descent, conjugate direction, and Newton-Raphson methods produce new adaptive algorithms for PCA. We also provide a discussion on the landscape of the objective function, and present a global convergence proof of the adaptive gradient descent PCA algorithm using stochastic approximation theory. Extensive experiments with stationary and nonstationary multidimensional Gaussian sequences show faster convergence of the new algorithms over the traditional gradient descent methods.We also compare the steepest descent adaptive algorithm with state-of-the-art methods on stationary and nonstationary sequences.

Tools for Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Microbes at Single-Cell Level

PubMed Central

Chen, Zixi; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Weiwen

2017-01-01

Microbiologists traditionally study population rather than individual cells, as it is generally assumed that the status of individual cells will be similar to that observed in the population. However, the recent studies have shown that the individual behavior of each single cell could be quite different from that of the whole population, suggesting the importance of extending traditional microbiology studies to single-cell level. With recent technological advances, such as flow cytometry, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and microspectroscopy, single-cell microbiology has greatly enhanced the understanding of individuality and heterogeneity of microbes in many biological systems. Notably, the application of multiple ‘omics’ in single-cell analysis has shed light on how individual cells perceive, respond, and adapt to the environment, how heterogeneity arises under external stress and finally determines the fate of the whole population, and how microbes survive under natural conditions. As single-cell analysis involves no axenic cultivation of target microorganism, it has also been demonstrated as a valuable tool for dissecting the microbial ‘dark matter.’ In this review, current state-of-the-art tools and methods for genomic and transcriptomic analysis of microbes at single-cell level were critically summarized, including single-cell isolation methods and experimental strategies of single-cell analysis with NGS. In addition, perspectives on the future trends of technology development in the field of single-cell analysis was also presented. PMID:28979258

Identification by random forest method of HLA class I amino acid substitutions associated with lower survival at day 100 in unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplantation.

PubMed

Marino, S R; Lin, S; Maiers, M; Haagenson, M; Spellman, S; Klein, J P; Binkowski, T A; Lee, S J; van Besien, K

2012-02-01

The identification of important amino acid substitutions associated with low survival in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is hampered by the large number of observed substitutions compared with the small number of patients available for analysis. Random forest analysis is designed to address these limitations. We studied 2107 HCT recipients with good or intermediate risk hematological malignancies to identify HLA class I amino acid substitutions associated with reduced survival at day 100 post transplant. Random forest analysis and traditional univariate and multivariate analyses were used. Random forest analysis identified amino acid substitutions in 33 positions that were associated with reduced 100 day survival, including HLA-A 9, 43, 62, 63, 76, 77, 95, 97, 114, 116, 152, 156, 166 and 167; HLA-B 97, 109, 116 and 156; and HLA-C 6, 9, 11, 14, 21, 66, 77, 80, 95, 97, 99, 116, 156, 163 and 173. In all 13 had been previously reported by other investigators using classical biostatistical approaches. Using the same data set, traditional multivariate logistic regression identified only five amino acid substitutions associated with lower day 100 survival. Random forest analysis is a novel statistical methodology for analysis of HLA mismatching and outcome studies, capable of identifying important amino acid substitutions missed by other methods.

Adult Education Research Conference Proceedings (28th, Laramie, Wyoming, May 21-23, 1987).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inkster, Robert P., Comp.

Selected authors and titles include: "Radical Adult Education" (Armstrong); "Learning Liberation: A Comparative Analysis of Feminist Consciousness Raising and Freire's Conscientization Method" (Butterwick); "The Aging Worker's Potential and Training Practices" (Chene); "The Interaction of Teaching Style and Learning Style on Traditional and…

An Introduction to Modern Missing Data Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baraldi, Amanda N.; Enders, Craig K.

2010-01-01

A great deal of recent methodological research has focused on two modern missing data analysis methods: maximum likelihood and multiple imputation. These approaches are advantageous to traditional techniques (e.g. deletion and mean imputation techniques) because they require less stringent assumptions and mitigate the pitfalls of traditional…

Creating a smART Camp

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurer, Matthew J.; Tokarsky, Rebecca; Zalewsky, Laura

2011-01-01

Many of the skills and talents required to be a successful scientist, such as analysis, experimentation, and creativity, can be developed and reinforced through art. Both science and art challenge students to make observations, experiment with different techniques, and use both traditional and nontraditional methods to express their ideas. The…

Direct Allocation Costing: Informed Management Decisions in a Changing Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mancini, Cesidio G.; Goeres, Ernest R.

1995-01-01

It is argued that colleges and universities can use direct allocation costing to provide quantitative information needed for decision making. This method of analysis requires institutions to modify traditional ideas of costing, looking to the private sector for examples of accurate costing techniques. (MSE)

Surface pavement solutions for poor subgrade conditions phase II : performance analysis of test sections and implementation guidelines : summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

Several areas within FDOT Districts 4 and 6 contain thick layers of organic soils at relatively shallow depths. Roads built on these soft compressible soils : often develop premature cracking, distortion, and settlement. Traditional repair methods, s...

Fluorescent adduct formation with terbium: a novel strategy for transferrin glycoform identification in human body fluids and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin HPLC method validation.

PubMed

Sorio, Daniela; De Palo, Elio Franco; Bertaso, Anna; Bortolotti, Federica; Tagliaro, Franco

2017-02-01

This paper puts forward a new method for the transferrin (Tf) glycoform analysis in body fluids that involves the formation of a transferrin-terbium fluorescent adduct (TfFluo). The key idea is to validate the analytical procedure for carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), a traditional biochemical serum marker to identify chronic alcohol abuse. Terbium added to a human body-fluid sample produced TfFluo. Anion exchange HPLC technique, with fluorescence detection (λ exc 298 nm and λ em 550 nm), permitted clear separation and identification of Tf glycoform peaks without any interfering signals, allowing selective Tf sialoforms analysis in human serum and body fluids (cadaveric blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and dried blood spots) hampered for routine test. Serum samples (n = 78) were analyzed by both traditional absorbance (Abs) and fluorescence (Fl) HPLC methods and CDT% levels demonstrated a significant correlation (p < 0.001 Pearson). Intra- and inter-runs CV% was 3.1 and 4.6%, respectively. The cut-off of 1.9 CDT%, related to the HPLC Abs proposed as the reference method, by interpolation in the correlation curve with the present method demonstrated a 1.3 CDT% cut-off. Method comparison by Passing-Bablok and Bland-Altman tests demonstrated Fl versus Abs agreement. In conclusion, the novel method is a reliable test for CDT% analysis and provides a substantial analytical improvement offering important advantages in terms of types of body fluid analysis. Its sensitivity and absence of interferences extend clinical applications being reliable for CDT assay on body fluids usually not suitable for routine test. Graphical Abstract The formation of a transferrin-terbium fluorescent adduct can be used to analyze the transferrin glycoforms. The HPLC method for carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT%) measurement was validated and employed to determine the levels in different body fluids.

Reliability studies of diagnostic methods in Indian traditional Ayurveda medicine: An overview

PubMed Central

Kurande, Vrinda Hitendra; Waagepetersen, Rasmus; Toft, Egon; Prasad, Ramjee

2013-01-01

Recently, a need to develop supportive new scientific evidence for contemporary Ayurveda has emerged. One of the research objectives is an assessment of the reliability of diagnoses and treatment. Reliability is a quantitative measure of consistency. It is a crucial issue in classification (such as prakriti classification), method development (pulse diagnosis), quality assurance for diagnosis and treatment and in the conduct of clinical studies. Several reliability studies are conducted in western medicine. The investigation of the reliability of traditional Chinese, Japanese and Sasang medicine diagnoses is in the formative stage. However, reliability studies in Ayurveda are in the preliminary stage. In this paper, examples are provided to illustrate relevant concepts of reliability studies of diagnostic methods and their implication in practice, education, and training. An introduction to reliability estimates and different study designs and statistical analysis is given for future studies in Ayurveda. PMID:23930037

The impact of blended teaching on knowledge, satisfaction, and self-directed learning in nursing undergraduates: a randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Gagnon, Johanne; Desmartis, Marie; Njoya, Merlin

2013-01-01

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a blended-teaching intervention using Internet-based tutorials coupled with traditional lectures in an introduction to research undergraduate nursing course. Effects of the intervention were compared with conventional, face-to-face classroom teaching on three outcomes: knowledge, satisfaction, and self-learning readiness. A two-group, randomized, controlled design was used, involving 112 participants. Descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed. The teaching method was found to have no direct impact on knowledge acquisition, satisfaction, and self-learning readiness. However, motivation and teaching method had an interaction effect on knowledge acquisition by students. Among less motivated students, those in the intervention group performed better than those who received traditional training. These findings suggest that this blended-teaching method could better suit some students, depending on their degree of motivation and level of self-directed learning readiness.

Examining the extraction of artemisinin from artemisia annua using ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briars, Rhianna; Paniwnyk, Larysa

2012-05-01

Artemisinin suppresses the life-cycle of the plasmodium parasite which causes malaria. It is found naturally occurring within the trichome glands of the Artemisia annua plant. Traditional methods for extracting artemisinin are time-consuming and have high environmental impact due to the temperatures and organic solvents which must be employed. Ultrasound decreases these through acoustic streaming and micro-jets. But to fully utilise this technology parameters, such as frequency, temperature and the properties of leaf and solvent, must be explored. As with the extraction process there is also no set analysis method for identification of artemisinin. Therefore several methods of analysing these extracts are employed. Initial results indicate that sonication is able to enhance levels of artemisinin extracted when compared to the conventional/traditional extraction process. In addition Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) have been shown to have a high level of reproducible calibration.

An Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram Method Versus a Traditional 2-Dimensional Measurement Method for Identifying Non-Puerperal Mastitis From Breast Cancer at 3.0 T.

PubMed

Tang, Qi; Li, Qiang; Xie, Dong; Chu, Ketao; Liu, Lidong; Liao, Chengcheng; Qin, Yunying; Wang, Zheng; Su, Danke

2018-05-21

This study aimed to investigate the utility of a volumetric apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram method for distinguishing non-puerperal mastitis (NPM) from breast cancer (BC) and to compare this method with a traditional 2-dimensional measurement method. Pretreatment diffusion-weighted imaging data at 3.0 T were obtained for 80 patients (NPM, n = 27; BC, n = 53) and were retrospectively assessed. Two readers measured ADC values according to 2 distinct region-of-interest (ROI) protocols. The first protocol included the generation of ADC histograms for each lesion, and various parameters were examined. In the second protocol, 3 freehand (TF) ROIs for local lesions were generated to obtain a mean ADC value (defined as ADC-ROITF). All of the ADC values were compared by an independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Receiver operating characteristic curves and a leave-one-out cross-validation method were also used to determine diagnostic deficiencies of the significant parameters. The ADC values for NPM were characterized by significantly higher mean, 5th to 95th percentiles, and maximum and mode ADCs compared with the corresponding ADCs for BC (all P < 0.05). However, the minimum, skewness, and kurtosis ADC values, as well as ADC-ROITF, did not significantly differ between the NPM and BC cases. Thus, the generation of volumetric ADC histograms seems to be a superior method to the traditional 2-dimensional method that was examined, and it also seems to represent a promising image analysis method for distinguishing NPM from BC.

Alternatives to current flow cytometry data analysis for clinical and research studies.

PubMed

Gondhalekar, Carmen; Rajwa, Bartek; Patsekin, Valery; Ragheb, Kathy; Sturgis, Jennifer; Robinson, J Paul

2018-02-01

Flow cytometry has well-established methods for data analysis based on traditional data collection techniques. These techniques typically involved manual insertion of tube samples into an instrument that, historically, could only measure 1-3 colors. The field has since evolved to incorporate new technologies for faster and highly automated sample preparation and data collection. For example, the use of microwell plates on benchtop instruments is now a standard on virtually every new instrument, and so users can easily accumulate multiple data sets quickly. Further, because the user must carefully define the layout of the plate, this information is already defined when considering the analytical process, expanding the opportunities for automated analysis. Advances in multi-parametric data collection, as demonstrated by the development of hyperspectral flow-cytometry, 20-40 color polychromatic flow cytometry, and mass cytometry (CyTOF), are game-changing. As data and assay complexity increase, so too does the complexity of data analysis. Complex data analysis is already a challenge to traditional flow cytometry software. New methods for reviewing large and complex data sets can provide rapid insight into processes difficult to define without more advanced analytical tools. In settings such as clinical labs where rapid and accurate data analysis is a priority, rapid, efficient and intuitive software is needed. This paper outlines opportunities for analysis of complex data sets using examples of multiplexed bead-based assays, drug screens and cell cycle analysis - any of which could become integrated into the clinical environment. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Ontological and Epistemological Issues Regarding Climate Models and Computer Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vezer, M. A.

2010-12-01

Recent philosophical discussions (Parker 2009; Frigg and Reiss 2009; Winsberg, 2009; Morgon 2002, 2003, 2005; Gula 2002) about the ontology of computer simulation experiments and the epistemology of inferences drawn from them are of particular relevance to climate science as computer modeling and analysis are instrumental in understanding climatic systems. How do computer simulation experiments compare with traditional experiments? Is there an ontological difference between these two methods of inquiry? Are there epistemological considerations that result in one type of inference being more reliable than the other? What are the implications of these questions with respect to climate studies that rely on computer simulation analysis? In this paper, I examine these philosophical questions within the context of climate science, instantiating concerns in the philosophical literature with examples found in analysis of global climate change. I concentrate on Wendy Parker’s (2009) account of computer simulation studies, which offers a treatment of these and other questions relevant to investigations of climate change involving such modelling. Two theses at the center of Parker’s account will be the focus of this paper. The first is that computer simulation experiments ought to be regarded as straightforward material experiments; which is to say, there is no significant ontological difference between computer and traditional experimentation. Parker’s second thesis is that some of the emphasis on the epistemological importance of materiality has been misplaced. I examine both of these claims. First, I inquire as to whether viewing computer and traditional experiments as ontologically similar in the way she does implies that there is no proper distinction between abstract experiments (such as ‘thought experiments’ as well as computer experiments) and traditional ‘concrete’ ones. Second, I examine the notion of materiality (i.e., the material commonality between object and target systems) and some arguments for the claim that materiality entails some inferential advantage to traditional experimentation. I maintain that Parker’s account of the ontology of computer simulations has some interesting though potentially problematic implications regarding conventional distinctions between abstract and concrete methods of inquiry. With respect to her account of materiality, I outline and defend an alternative account, posited by Mary Morgan (2002, 2003, 2005), which holds that ontological similarity between target and object systems confers some epistemological advantage to traditional forms of experimental inquiry.

Comparative analysis of water quality and toxicity assessment methods for urban highway runoff.

PubMed

Chen, Rui-Hong; Li, Fei-Peng; Zhang, Hai-Ping; Jiang, Yue; Mao, Ling-Chen; Wu, Ling-Ling; Chen, Ling

2016-05-15

In this study, comparative analyses of highway runoff samples obtained from seventeen storm events have been conducted between the traditional water quality assessment method and biotoxicity tests, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and luminous bacteria (Vibrio qinghaiensis. Q67) to provide useful information for ecotoxicity assessment of urban highway runoff. The study results showed that the Nemerow pollution index based on US EPA recommended Criteria Maximum Concentrations (CMC) (as traditional water quality assessment method) had no significant correlation with luminous bacteria acute toxicity test results, while significant correlation has been observed with two indicators of 72 hpf (hours post fertilization) hour hatching rate and 96 hpf abnormality rate from the toxicity test with zebrafish embryos. It is therefore concluded that the level of mixture toxicity of highway runoff could not be adequately measured by the Nemerow assessment method. Moreover, the key pollutants identified from the water quality assessment and from the biotoxicity evaluation were not consistent. For biotoxic effect evaluation of highway runoff, three indexes were found to be sensitive, i.e. 24 hpf lethality and 96 hpf abnormality of zebrafish embryos, as well as the inhibition rate for luminous bacteria Q67. It is therefore recommended that these indexes could be incorporated into the traditional Nemerow method to provide a more reasonable evaluation of the highway runoff quality and ecotoxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrum analysis method of polyaluminum chloride flocculants.

PubMed

Feng, Chenghong; Bi, Zhe; Tang, Hongxiao

2015-01-06

Electrospray mass spectrometry has been reported as a novel technique for Al species identification, but to date, the working mechanism is not clear and no unanimous method exists for spectrum analysis of traditional Al salt flocculants, let alone for analysis of polyaluminum chloride (PAC) flocculants. Therefore, this paper introduces a novel theoretical calculation method to identify Al species from a mass spectrum, based on deducing changes in m/z (mass-to-charge ratio) and molecular formulas of oligomers in five typical PAC flocculants. The use of reference chemical species was specially proposed in the method to guarantee the uniqueness of the assigned species. The charge and mass reduction of the Al cluster was found to proceed by hydrolysis, gasification, and change of hydroxyl on the oxy bridge. The novel method was validated both qualitatively and quantitatively by comparing the results to those obtained with the (27)Al NMR spectrometry.

Translating Radiometric Requirements for Satellite Sensors to Match International Standards.

PubMed

Pearlman, Aaron; Datla, Raju; Kacker, Raghu; Cao, Changyong

2014-01-01

International scientific standards organizations created standards on evaluating uncertainty in the early 1990s. Although scientists from many fields use these standards, they are not consistently implemented in the remote sensing community, where traditional error analysis framework persists. For a satellite instrument under development, this can create confusion in showing whether requirements are met. We aim to create a methodology for translating requirements from the error analysis framework to the modern uncertainty approach using the product level requirements of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) that will fly on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series (GOES-R). In this paper we prescribe a method to combine several measurement performance requirements, written using a traditional error analysis framework, into a single specification using the propagation of uncertainties formula. By using this approach, scientists can communicate requirements in a consistent uncertainty framework leading to uniform interpretation throughout the development and operation of any satellite instrument.

Translating Radiometric Requirements for Satellite Sensors to Match International Standards

PubMed Central

Pearlman, Aaron; Datla, Raju; Kacker, Raghu; Cao, Changyong

2014-01-01

International scientific standards organizations created standards on evaluating uncertainty in the early 1990s. Although scientists from many fields use these standards, they are not consistently implemented in the remote sensing community, where traditional error analysis framework persists. For a satellite instrument under development, this can create confusion in showing whether requirements are met. We aim to create a methodology for translating requirements from the error analysis framework to the modern uncertainty approach using the product level requirements of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) that will fly on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series (GOES-R). In this paper we prescribe a method to combine several measurement performance requirements, written using a traditional error analysis framework, into a single specification using the propagation of uncertainties formula. By using this approach, scientists can communicate requirements in a consistent uncertainty framework leading to uniform interpretation throughout the development and operation of any satellite instrument. PMID:26601032

[Medication regularity and potential targets of Professor XU Jing-fan's prescription for treating ulcerative colitis].

PubMed

Ning, Li-Qin; Ye, Bai; Shen, Hong; Lu, Wei-Min; Xu, Dan-Hua; Yan, Jing; Tan, Chang; Tang, De-Cai

2018-03-01

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic nonspecific inflammation mainly involving rectum and colon mucosa, which seriously affects the health and quality of life of patients, and is listed as one of modern refractory diseases by WHO. Professor XU Jing-fan, a great master of traditional Chinese medicine, has accumulated rich experiences in the treatment of UC. The study collected Professor XU's 77 prescriptions of treating UC, analyzed the frequency of traditional Chinese medicines and there categories, and investigated the medication regularity by the system clustering method. The findings showed that the most frequently used drugs were clearing-heat herbs, which were followed by hemostatic herbs, excreting-dampness herbs, improving-digestion herbs and tonifying-Qi herbs. At the same time, the commonly combined drugs were excavated. Finally, in order to analyze potential molecular targets of the frequently used herbs, GO enrichment analysis and KEGG signal pathway enrichment analysis were performed with bioinformatics analysis tool for molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (BATMAN-TCM). The results indicated that Chinese herbal compounds may treat UC by activating PPAR-γ pathway and regulating intestinal inflammation. The exact mechanisms shall be verified through subsequent molecular biological experiments. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Improved Overpressure Recording and Modeling for Near-Surface Explosion Forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, K.; Schnurr, J.; Garces, M. A.; Rodgers, A. J.

2017-12-01

The accurate recording and analysis of air-blast acoustic waveforms is a key component of the forensic analysis of explosive events. Smartphone apps can enhance traditional technologies by providing scalable, cost-effective ubiquitous sensor solutions for monitoring blasts, undeclared activities, and inaccessible facilities. During a series of near-surface chemical high explosive tests, iPhone 6's running the RedVox infrasound recorder app were co-located with high-fidelity Hyperion overpressure sensors, allowing for direct comparison of the resolution and frequency content of the devices. Data from the traditional sensors is used to characterize blast signatures and to determine relative iPhone microphone amplitude and phase responses. A Wiener filter based source deconvolution method is applied, using a parameterized source function estimated from traditional overpressure sensor data, to estimate system responses. In addition, progress on a new parameterized air-blast model is presented. The model is based on the analysis of a large set of overpressure waveforms from several surface explosion test series. An appropriate functional form with parameters determined empirically from modern air-blast and acoustic data will allow for better parameterization of signals and the improved characterization of explosive sources.

Development of a method for efficient cost-effective screening of Aspergillus niger mutants having increased production of glucoamylase.

PubMed

Zhu, Xudong; Arman, Bessembayev; Chu, Ju; Wang, Yonghong; Zhuang, Yingping

2017-05-01

To develop an efficient cost-effective screening process to improve production of glucoamylase in Aspergillus niger. The cultivation of A. niger was achieved with well-dispersed morphology in 48-deep-well microtiter plates, which increased the throughput of the samples compared to traditional flask cultivation. There was a close negative correlation between glucoamylase and its pH of the fermentation broth. A novel high-throughput analysis method using Methyl Orange was developed. When compared to the conventional analysis method using 4-nitrophenyl α-D-glucopyranoside as substrate, a correlation coefficient of 0.96 by statistical analysis was obtained. Using this novel screening method, we acquired a strain with an activity of 2.2 × 10 3  U ml -1 , a 70% higher yield of glucoamylase than its parent strain.

A voxel-based approach to gray matter asymmetries.

PubMed

Luders, E; Gaser, C; Jancke, L; Schlaug, G

2004-06-01

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to analyze gray matter (GM) asymmetries in a large sample (n = 60) of male and female professional musicians with and without absolute pitch (AP). We chose to examine these particular groups because previous studies using traditional region-of-interest (ROI) analyses have shown differences in hemispheric asymmetry related to AP and gender. Voxel-based methods may have advantages over traditional ROI-based methods since the analysis can be performed across the whole brain with minimal user bias. After determining that the VBM method was sufficiently sensitive for the detection of differences in GM asymmetries between groups, we found that male AP musicians were more leftward lateralized in the anterior region of the planum temporale (PT) than male non-AP musicians. This confirmed the results of previous studies using ROI-based methods that showed an association between PT asymmetry and the AP phenotype. We further observed that male non-AP musicians revealed an increased leftward GM asymmetry in the postcentral gyrus compared to female non-AP musicians, again corroborating results of a previously published study using ROI-based methods. By analyzing hemispheric GM differences across our entire sample, we were able to partially confirm findings of previous studies using traditional morphometric techniques, as well as more recent, voxel-based analyses. In addition, we found some unusually pronounced GM asymmetries in our musician sample not previously detected in subjects unselected for musical training. Since we were able to validate gender- and AP-related brain asymmetries previously described using traditional ROI-based morphometric techniques, the results of our analyses support the use of VBM for examinations of GM asymmetries.

Association between Food Insecurity and Procurement Methods among People Living with HIV in a High Resource Setting.

PubMed

Anema, Aranka; Fielden, Sarah J; Shurgold, Susan; Ding, Erin; Messina, Jennifer; Jones, Jennifer E; Chittock, Brian; Monteith, Ken; Globerman, Jason; Rourke, Sean B; Hogg, Robert S

2016-01-01

People living with HIV in high-resource settings suffer severe levels of food insecurity; however, limited evidence exists regarding dietary intake and sub-components that characterize food insecurity (i.e. food quantity, quality, safety or procurement) in this population. We examined the prevalence and characteristics of food insecurity among people living with HIV across British Columbia, Canada. This cross-sectional analysis was conducted within a national community-based research initiative. Food security was measured using the Health Canada Household Food Security Scale Module. Logistic regression was used to determine key independent predictors of food insecurity, controlling for potential confounders. Of 262 participants, 192 (73%) reported food insecurity. Sub-components associated with food insecurity in bivariate analysis included: < RDI consumption of protein (p = 0.046); being sick from spoiled/unsafe food in the past six months (p = 0.010); and procurement of food using non-traditional methods (p <0.05). In multivariable analyses, factors significantly associated with food insecurity included: procurement of food using non-traditional methods [AOR = 11.11, 95% CI: 4.79-25.68, p = <0.001]; younger age [AOR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.96, p = <0.001]; unstable housing [AOR = 4.46, 95% CI: 1.15-17.36, p = 0.031]; household gross annual income [AOR = 4.49, 95% CI: 1.74-11.60, p = 0.002]; and symptoms of depression [AOR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.25-5.96, p = 0.012]. Food insecurity among people living with HIV in British Columbia is characterized by poor dietary quality and food procurement methods. Notably, participants who reported procuring in non-traditional manners were over 10 times more likely to be food insecure. These findings suggest a need for tailored food security and social support interventions in this setting.

Weighted Fuzzy Risk Priority Number Evaluation of Turbine and Compressor Blades Considering Failure Mode Correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Luping; Li, Yan-Feng; Zhu, Shun-Peng; Yang, Yuan-Jian; Huang, Hong-Zhong

2014-06-01

Failure mode, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) and Fault tree analysis (FTA) are powerful tools to evaluate reliability of systems. Although single failure mode issue can be efficiently addressed by traditional FMECA, multiple failure modes and component correlations in complex systems cannot be effectively evaluated. In addition, correlated variables and parameters are often assumed to be precisely known in quantitative analysis. In fact, due to the lack of information, epistemic uncertainty commonly exists in engineering design. To solve these problems, the advantages of FMECA, FTA, fuzzy theory, and Copula theory are integrated into a unified hybrid method called fuzzy probability weighted geometric mean (FPWGM) risk priority number (RPN) method. The epistemic uncertainty of risk variables and parameters are characterized by fuzzy number to obtain fuzzy weighted geometric mean (FWGM) RPN for single failure mode. Multiple failure modes are connected using minimum cut sets (MCS), and Boolean logic is used to combine fuzzy risk priority number (FRPN) of each MCS. Moreover, Copula theory is applied to analyze the correlation of multiple failure modes in order to derive the failure probabilities of each MCS. Compared to the case where dependency among multiple failure modes is not considered, the Copula modeling approach eliminates the error of reliability analysis. Furthermore, for purpose of quantitative analysis, probabilities importance weight from failure probabilities are assigned to FWGM RPN to reassess the risk priority, which generalize the definition of probability weight and FRPN, resulting in a more accurate estimation than that of the traditional models. Finally, a basic fatigue analysis case drawn from turbine and compressor blades in aeroengine is used to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the presented method. The result provides some important insights on fatigue reliability analysis and risk priority assessment of structural system under failure correlations.

Identification and characterization of filamentous fungi isolated from fermentation starters for Hong Qu glutinous rice wine brewing.

PubMed

Lv, Xu-Cong; Huang, Zhi-Qing; Zhang, Wen; Rao, Ping-Fan; Ni, Li

2012-01-01

Hong Qu glutinous rice wine is one of the most popular traditional rice wines in China. Traditionally, this wine is brewed from glutinous rice with the addition of wine fermentation starters (Hong Qu (also called red yeast rice) and White Qu). The objective of this study was to investigate the variability of filamentous fungi associated with traditional fermentation starters through a traditional culture-dependent method and a molecular identification approach. In this study, forty-three filamentous fungi were separated by traditional culture-dependent means (macro- and microscopic characteristics) from 10 fermentation starters and classified into 16 different species based on morphological examination and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences analysis. It was observed that the genus Aspergillus had the highest number (14 isolates) of isolates followed by Rhizopus (11 isolates), Monascus (5 isolates) and Penicillium (4 isolates). The species R. oryzae, A. niger, A. flavus and M. purpureus were frequently found in wine starter samples, among which R. oryzae was the most frequent species. The enzyme-producing properties (glucoamylase, α-amylase and protease) of all fungal isolates from different starters were also evaluated. A. flavus, R. oryzae and M. purpureus were found to be better glucoamylase producers. A. flavus, R. oryzae and A.oryzae exhibited higher activity of α-amylase. A. flavus and A. oryzae had higher protease activity. However, some fungal isolates of the same species exhibited a significant variability in the production levels for all determined enzyme activity. This study is the first to identify filamentous fungi associated with the starter of Hong Qu glutinous rice wine using both traditional and molecular methods. The results enrich our knowledge of liquor-related micro-organisms, and can be used to promote the development of the traditional fermentation technology.

[Study on spatial distribution characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine resource species richness based on national census of Chinese medicine resources (pilot)].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Bo; Wang, Hui; Jing, Zhi-Xian; Li, Meng; Guo, Lan-Ping; Huang, Lu-Qi

2017-11-01

Based on the data collected by the census team in the national census information management system, the spatial autocorrelation analysis method was used to analyze the similarity of the richness of Chinese herbal medicine resources in the investigated counties. The results showed that the species richness in the investigated counties appeared a tendency to focus on the distribution of the characteristics. Among them, the areas with sparse resources are concentrated in most areas of the north of the Yangtze River, northwest and most areas of Tibet. The areas with abundant resources are concentrated in the areas south of the Yangtze River. The results showed that there were significant differences in the abundance of traditional Chinese medicine resources between regions. The results showed that there were significant differences in the abundance of traditional Chinese medicine resources between regions. Due to the large differences in the land area between the county and the richness of the types of traditional Chinese medicine resources, it is proposed to increase the land area of the traditional Chinese medicine resource census when allocating the fourth national census of Chinese medicine resources by the "factor method", and the richness of traditional Chinese medicine and other indicators, in order to give full play to the efficiency of transfer payment system. Based on the county area and the rich variety of traditional Chinese medicine resources, combined with the national drug resources census pilot work carried out, it is recommended to focus on attention and support in the national medicine resources census work, personnel team, funding, summary of results on the western and southern provinces. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Probing the critical zone using passive- and active-source estimates of subsurface shear-wave velocities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callahan, R. P.; Taylor, N. J.; Pasquet, S.; Dueker, K. G.; Riebe, C. S.; Holbrook, W. S.

2016-12-01

Geophysical imaging is rapidly becoming popular for quantifying subsurface critical zone (CZ) architecture. However, a diverse array of measurements and measurement techniques are available, raising the question of which are appropriate for specific study goals. Here we compare two techniques for measuring S-wave velocities (Vs) in the near surface. The first approach quantifies Vs in three dimensions using a passive source and an iterative residual least-squares tomographic inversion. The second approach uses a more traditional active-source seismic survey to quantify Vs in two dimensions via a Monte Carlo surface-wave dispersion inversion. Our analysis focuses on three 0.01 km2 study plots on weathered granitic bedrock in the Southern Sierra Critical Zone Observatory. Preliminary results indicate that depth-averaged velocities from the two methods agree over the scales of resolution of the techniques. While the passive- and active-source techniques both quantify Vs, each method has distinct advantages and disadvantages during data acquisition and analysis. The passive-source method has the advantage of generating a three dimensional distribution of subsurface Vs structure across a broad area. Because this method relies on the ambient seismic field as a source, which varies unpredictably across space and time, data quality and depth of investigation are outside the control of the user. Meanwhile, traditional active-source surveys can be designed around a desired depth of investigation. However, they only generate a two dimensional image of Vs structure. Whereas traditional active-source surveys can be inverted quickly on a personal computer in the field, passive source surveys require significantly more computations, and are best conducted in a high-performance computing environment. We use data from our study sites to compare these methods across different scales and to explore how these methods can be used to better understand subsurface CZ architecture.

Analysis of Sheng-Mai-San, a Ginseng-Containing Multiple Components Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Physical Examination by Electron and Light Microscopies.

PubMed

Cheng, Yung-Yi; Tsai, Tung-Hu

2016-09-01

Sheng-Mai-San is a multi-component traditional Chinese herbal preparation. Due to the fact granulated additives, such as starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, lactose and raw herbal powder may alter the content of the bioactive markers in the herbal products, a developed ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was used to measure the herbal biomarkers of ginsenoside Rb₁, Rb₂, Rc, Rd, Re, Rg₁, Rh₁, compound K, ophiopogonin D and schizandrin from the Sheng-Mai-San herbal formulation. Besides, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of the herbal granular powders. Light microscopy with Congo red and iodine-KI reagent staining was used to identify the cellulose fiber and cornstarch added to pharmaceutical herbal products. The swelling power (SP), water solubility index (WSI), and crude fiber analysis were used to determine the contents of cellulose fiber and cornstarch in pharmaceutical herbal products. In this study, we developed a novel skill to assess the quantification of appended cornstarch in pharmaceutical herbal products using Aperio ImageScope software. Compared with the traditional cornstarch analysis, our analysis method is a rapid, simple and conversion process which could be applied to detect the percentage of added cornstarch in unknown powder products. The various range of the herbal content for the five pharmaceutical manufacturers varied by up to several hundreds-fold. The physical examination reveals that the morphology of the herbal pharmaceutical products is rough and irregular with sharp layers. This study provides a reference standard operating procedure guide for the quality control of the Chinese herbal pharmaceutical products of Sheng-Mai-San.

Medical students’ attitudes and perspectives regarding novel computer-based practical spot tests compared to traditional practical spot tests

PubMed Central

Wijerathne, Buddhika; Rathnayake, Geetha

2013-01-01

Background Most universities currently practice traditional practical spot tests to evaluate students. However, traditional methods have several disadvantages. Computer-based examination techniques are becoming more popular among medical educators worldwide. Therefore incorporating the computer interface in practical spot testing is a novel concept that may minimize the shortcomings of traditional methods. Assessing students’ attitudes and perspectives is vital in understanding how students perceive the novel method. Methods One hundred and sixty medical students were randomly allocated to either a computer-based spot test (n=80) or a traditional spot test (n=80). The students rated their attitudes and perspectives regarding the spot test method soon after the test. The results were described comparatively. Results Students had higher positive attitudes towards the computer-based practical spot test compared to the traditional spot test. Their recommendations to introduce the novel practical spot test method for future exams and to other universities were statistically significantly higher. Conclusions The computer-based practical spot test is viewed as more acceptable to students than the traditional spot test. PMID:26451213

Finite Element Method Applied to Fuse Protection Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sen; Song, Zhiquan; Zhang, Ming; Xu, Liuwei; Li, Jinchao; Fu, Peng; Wang, Min; Dong, Lin

2014-03-01

In a poloidal field (PF) converter module, fuse protection is of great importance to ensure the safety of the thyristors. The fuse is pre-selected in a traditional way and then verified by finite element analysis. A 3D physical model is built by ANSYS software to solve the thermal-electric coupled problem of transient process in case of external fault. The result shows that this method is feasible.

Transfer of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis Genotyping Method, Spoligotyping, from a Reverse Line-Blot Hybridization, Membrane-Based Assay to the Luminex Multianalyte Profiling System

PubMed Central

Cowan, Lauren S.; Diem, Lois; Brake, Mary Catherine; Crawford, Jack T.

2004-01-01

Spoligotyping using Luminex technology was shown to be a highly reproducible method suitable for high-throughput analysis. Spoligotyping of 48 isolates using the traditional membrane-based assay and the Luminex assay yielded concordant results for all isolates. The Luminex platform provides greater flexibility and cost effectiveness than the membrane-based assay. PMID:14715809

Traditional and Alternative Approaches to the Method of Situational Analysis in Russia: Evidence from the Case Study "Istanbul in the Life and Works of Martiros Saryan"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fedotova, Olga; Ermakov, Pavel; Latun, Vladimir; Hovhannisyan, Haykaz; Avanesyan, Grant

2017-01-01

The article analyzes the transformation of the methodological toolkit for teaching humanities and sciences in the Russian Federation. The method of case study, being widely spread in modern higher education research, is used as an example to illustrate the attempts to implement the best practices of foreign educational technology into tertiary…

The effect of non traditional teaching methods in entrepreneurship education on students entrepreneurial interest and business startups: A data article.

PubMed

Olokundun, Maxwell; Moses, Chinonye Love; Iyiola, Oluwole; Ibidunni, Stephen; Ogbari, Mercy; Peter, Fred; Borishade, Taiye

2018-08-01

Traditional methods of teaching entrepreneurship in universities involves more theoretical approaches which are less effective in motivating considerations for an entrepreneurship career. This owes to the fact that such techniques essentially make students develop a dormant attitude rather than active participation. Expert views suggest that experiential entrepreneurship teaching methods in universities which involve practical activities and active participation can be considered salient to students' development of entrepreneurial interest an business startup potentials. This present study presents data on the extent to which experiential teaching methods in entrepreneurship adopted by Nigerian universities stimulate students' entrepreneurial interest and business startups. Data have been gathered following a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative survey conducted among university students ( N = 600) of four selected institutions in Nigeria offering a degree programme in entrepreneurship. Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analysis was used in confirming the hypothesis proposed in the study using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.The findings from the analysis showed that the adoption of experiential practical activities considered as best practices in entrepreneurship teaching in Nigerian universities can stimulate students' interest and drive for engaging in business start-up activities even as undergraduates. The field data set is made extensively available to allow for critical investigation.

Application of a novel cold activated carbon fiber-solid phase microextraction for analysis of organochlorine pesticides in soil.

PubMed

Chai, Xiaolan; Jia, Jinping; Sun, Tonghua; Wang, Yalin; Liao, Liyan

2007-08-01

A novel and simple analytical procedure using cold activated carbon fiber-solid phase microextraction (CACF-SPME) was applied to determine organochlorine pesticides (OCs) in soil samples. The pesticides in this study consist of alpha -, beta -, gamma -, and delta -hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). By heating the sample while cooling the fiber, the developed method not only provides better performance in terms of sensitivity, linearity and recovery but also offers shorter adsorption procedure than that of traditional headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME). The experimental conditions such as the amount of water, adsorption time and adsorption temperature were optimized. Matrix effects were investigated with different types of soils. We concluded that using the standard addition method was required for quantification purposes. The limits of detection obtained using the proposed method range from 0.01 to 0.05 ng/g, and the recoveries for CACF-SPME are in the range of 80.01% to 89.68% with relative standard deviation (RSDs) better than 8.60%. The proposed method was further applied to determine OCs in real agricultural soil. The results are in good agreement with those obtained using traditional ultrasonic extraction. The research demonstrates the suitability of the CACF-SPME for the analysis of OCs in soil.

[Advantages and problems of traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of acute pharyngitis].

PubMed

Zhang, Xia; Xie, Yan-Ming; Li, Guang-Xi; Gao, Yang; Zhao, Yuan-Chen; Tang, Jing-Jing; Yao, Xiao-Yan; Li, Meng

2017-10-01

This paper systematically studies relevant literatures at home and abroad in recent years. China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) was used to collect the literatures for acute pharyngitis treated with traditional Chinese medicine from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2016, and the bibliometric method was employed for statistical analysis. A total of 493 papers were preliminarily selected. According to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, 182 eligible articles were selected. According to the evaluation and analysis of the literatures, the Guidelines for Clinical Research of New Drugs is currently used as the common standards for the diagnosis and treatment of acute pharyngitis; Chinese patent medicines are the main traditional Chinese medicine for treating this disease; Decoctions for treatment of this disease include Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, Scutellariae Radix, Platycodonis Radix, Forsythiae Fructus, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Scrophdlariae Radix, Isatidis Radix, and Ophiopogonis Radix; The bloodletting puncture is the common external therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have their own characteristics in the treatment of this disease. Western medicine for the treatment of acute pharyngitis are mainly antiviral, antibiotic and glucocorticoid drugs, whose disadvantages are toxicity, side effects, drug resistance and double infections. Traditional Chinese medicine doctors have rich experiences in the treatment of the disease, which is characterized by treatment determination based on syndrome differentiation, safe and reliable medication, significant curative effect, low drug resistance, and wide varieties of traditional Chinese medicine forms, convenient portability and taking, low price, and low toxic and side effects. It is an arduous and significant task to explore traditional Chinese medicine, and study and develop new-type effective drugs. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

A novel surface registration algorithm with biomedical modeling applications.

PubMed

Huang, Heng; Shen, Li; Zhang, Rong; Makedon, Fillia; Saykin, Andrew; Pearlman, Justin

2007-07-01

In this paper, we propose a novel surface matching algorithm for arbitrarily shaped but simply connected 3-D objects. The spherical harmonic (SPHARM) method is used to describe these 3-D objects, and a novel surface registration approach is presented. The proposed technique is applied to various applications of medical image analysis. The results are compared with those using the traditional method, in which the first-order ellipsoid is used for establishing surface correspondence and aligning objects. In these applications, our surface alignment method is demonstrated to be more accurate and flexible than the traditional approach. This is due in large part to the fact that a new surface parameterization is generated by a shortcut that employs a useful rotational property of spherical harmonic basis functions for a fast implementation. In order to achieve a suitable computational speed for practical applications, we propose a fast alignment algorithm that improves computational complexity of the new surface registration method from O(n3) to O(n2).

A Method for Predicting Protein Complexes from Dynamic Weighted Protein-Protein Interaction Networks.

PubMed

Liu, Lizhen; Sun, Xiaowu; Song, Wei; Du, Chao

2018-06-01

Predicting protein complexes from protein-protein interaction (PPI) network is of great significance to recognize the structure and function of cells. A protein may interact with different proteins under different time or conditions. Existing approaches only utilize static PPI network data that may lose much temporal biological information. First, this article proposed a novel method that combines gene expression data at different time points with traditional static PPI network to construct different dynamic subnetworks. Second, to further filter out the data noise, the semantic similarity based on gene ontology is regarded as the network weight together with the principal component analysis, which is introduced to deal with the weight computing by three traditional methods. Third, after building a dynamic PPI network, a predicting protein complexes algorithm based on "core-attachment" structural feature is applied to detect complexes from each dynamic subnetworks. Finally, it is revealed from the experimental results that our method proposed in this article performs well on detecting protein complexes from dynamic weighted PPI networks.

Collection and Extraction of Occupational Air Samples for Analysis of Fungal DNA.

PubMed

Lemons, Angela R; Lindsley, William G; Green, Brett J

2018-05-02

Traditional methods of identifying fungal exposures in occupational environments, such as culture and microscopy-based approaches, have several limitations that have resulted in the exclusion of many species. Advances in the field over the last two decades have led occupational health researchers to turn to molecular-based approaches for identifying fungal hazards. These methods have resulted in the detection of many species within indoor and occupational environments that have not been detected using traditional methods. This protocol details an approach for determining fungal diversity within air samples through genomic DNA extraction, amplification, sequencing, and taxonomic identification of fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. ITS sequencing results in the detection of many fungal species that are either not detected or difficult to identify to species level using culture or microscopy. While these methods do not provide quantitative measures of fungal burden, they offer a new approach to hazard identification and can be used to determine overall species richness and diversity within an occupational environment.

The analysis of colored acrylic, cotton, and wool textile fibers using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Part 2: comparison with the traditional methods of fiber examination.

PubMed

Buzzini, Patrick; Massonnet, Genevieve

2015-05-01

In the second part of this survey, the ability of micro-Raman spectroscopy to discriminate 180 fiber samples of blue, black, and red cottons, wools, and acrylics was compared to that gathered with the traditional methods for the examination of textile fibers in a forensic context (including light microscopy methods, UV-vis microspectrophotometry and thin-layer chromatography). This study shows that the Raman technique plays a complementary and useful role to obtain further discriminations after the application of light microscopy methods and UV-vis microspectrophotometry and assure the nondestructive nature of the analytical sequence. These additional discriminations were observed despite the lower discriminating powers of Raman data considered individually, compared to those of light microscopy and UV-vis MSP. This study also confirms that an instrument equipped with several laser lines is necessary for an efficient use as applied to the examination of textile fibers in a forensic setting. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

An Electroacoustic Hearing Protector Simulator That Accurately Predicts Pressure Levels in the Ear Based on Standard Performance Metrics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

earplug and earmuff showing HPD simulator elements for energy flow paths...unprotected or protected ear traditionally start with analysis of energy flow through schematic diagrams based on electroacoustic (EA) analogies between...Schröter, 1983; Schröter and Pösselt, 1986; Shaw and Thiessen, 1958, 1962; Zwislocki, 1957). The analysis method tracks energy flow through fluid and