Strategies for the prevention of perinatal hepatitis B transmission in a marginalized population on the Thailand-Myanmar border: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Devine, Angela; Harvey, Rebecca; Min, Aung Myat; Gilder, Mary Ellen T; Paw, Moo Koh; Kang, Joy; Watts, Isabella; Hanboonkunupakarn, Borimas; Nosten, François; McGready, Rose

2017-08-09

Data on the cost effectiveness of hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening and vaccination strategies for prevention of vertical transmission of HBV in resource limited settings is sparse. A decision tree model of HBV prevention strategies utilised data from a cohort of 7071 pregnant women on the Thailand-Myanmar border using a provider perspective. All options included universal HBV vaccination for newborns in three strategies: (1) universal vaccination alone; (2) universal vaccination with screening of women during antenatal visits with rapid diagnostic test (RDT) plus HBV immune globulin (HBIG) administration to newborns of HBV surface antigen positive women; and (3) universal vaccination with screening of women during antenatal visits plus HBIG administration to newborns of women testing HBV e antigen positive by confirmatory test. At the time of the study, the HBIG after confirmatory test strategy was used. The costs in United States Dollars (US$), infections averted and incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated and sensitivity analyses were conducted. A willingness to pay threshold of US$1200 was used. The universal HBV vaccination was the least costly option at US$4.33 per woman attending the clinic. The HBIG after (RDT) strategy had an ICER of US$716.78 per infection averted. The HBIG after confirmatory test strategy was not cost-effective due to extended dominance. The one-way sensitivity analysis showed that while the transmission parameters and cost of HBIG had the biggest impact on outcomes, the HBIG after confirmatory test only became a cost-effective option when a low test cost was used or a high HBIG cost was used. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that HBIG after RDT had an 87% likelihood of being cost-effective as compared to vaccination only at a willingness to pay threshold of US$1200. HBIG following confirmatory test is not a cost-effective strategy for preventing vertical transmission of HBV in the Thailand-Myanmar border population. By switching to HBIG following rapid diagnostic test, perinatal infections will be reduced by nearly one third. This strategy may be applicable to similar settings for marginalized populations where the confirmatory test is not logistically possible.

Automatic Single Event Effects Sensitivity Analysis of a 13-Bit Successive Approximation ADC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márquez, F.; Muñoz, F.; Palomo, F. R.; Sanz, L.; López-Morillo, E.; Aguirre, M. A.; Jiménez, A.

2015-08-01

This paper presents Analog Fault Tolerant University of Seville Debugging System (AFTU), a tool to evaluate the Single-Event Effect (SEE) sensitivity of analog/mixed signal microelectronic circuits at transistor level. As analog cells can behave in an unpredictable way when critical areas interact with the particle hitting, there is a need for designers to have a software tool that allows an automatic and exhaustive analysis of Single-Event Effects influence. AFTU takes the test-bench SPECTRE design, emulates radiation conditions and automatically evaluates vulnerabilities using user-defined heuristics. To illustrate the utility of the tool, the SEE sensitivity of a 13-bits Successive Approximation Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) has been analysed. This circuit was selected not only because it was designed for space applications, but also due to the fact that a manual SEE sensitivity analysis would be too time-consuming. After a user-defined test campaign, it was detected that some voltage transients were propagated to a node where a parasitic diode was activated, affecting the offset cancelation, and therefore the whole resolution of the ADC. A simple modification of the scheme solved the problem, as it was verified with another automatic SEE sensitivity analysis.

To sling or not to sling at time of abdominal sacrocolpopexy: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Richardson, Monica L; Elliott, Christopher S; Shaw, Jonathan G; Comiter, Craig V; Chen, Bertha; Sokol, Eric R

2013-10-01

We compare the cost-effectiveness of 3 strategies for the use of a mid urethral sling to prevent occult stress urinary incontinence in patients undergoing abdominal sacrocolpopexy. Using decision analysis modeling we compared cost-effectiveness during a 1-year postoperative period of 3 treatment approaches including 1) abdominal sacrocolpopexy alone with deferred option for mid urethral sling, 2) abdominal sacrocolpopexy with universal concomitant mid urethral sling and 3) preoperative urodynamic study for selective mid urethral sling. Using published data we modeled probabilities of stress urinary incontinence after abdominal sacrocolpopexy with or without mid urethral sling, the predictive value of urodynamic study to detect occult stress urinary incontinence and the likelihood of complications after mid urethral sling. Costs were derived from Medicare 2010 reimbursement rates. The main outcome modeled was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality adjusted life-years gained. In addition to base case analysis, 1-way sensitivity analyses were performed. In our model, universally performing mid urethral sling at abdominal sacrocolpopexy was the most cost-effective approach with an incremental cost per quality adjusted life-year gained of $2,867 compared to abdominal sacrocolpopexy alone. Preoperative urodynamic study was more costly and less effective than universally performing intraoperative mid urethral sling. The cost-effectiveness of abdominal sacrocolpopexy plus mid urethral sling was robust to sensitivity analysis with a cost-effectiveness ratio consistently below $20,000 per quality adjusted life-year. Universal concomitant mid urethral sling is the most cost-effective prophylaxis strategy for occult stress urinary incontinence in women undergoing abdominal sacrocolpopexy. The use of preoperative urodynamic study to guide mid urethral sling placement at abdominal sacrocolpopexy is not cost-effective. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data Mining Applied to Analysis of Contraceptive Methods Among College Students.

PubMed

Simões, Priscyla Waleska; Cesconetto, Samuel; Dalló, Eduardo Daminelli; de Souza Pires, Maria Marlene; Comunello, Eros; Borges Tomaz, Felipe; Xavier, Eduardo Pícolo; da Rosa Brunel Alves, Pedro Antonio; Ceretta, Luciane Bisognin; Manenti, Sandra Aparecida

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to use the Data Mining to analyze the profile of the use of contraceptive methods in a university population. We used a database about sexuality performed on a university population in southern Brazil. The results obtained by the generated rules are largely in line with the literature and epidemiology worldwide, showing significant points of vulnerability in the university population. Validation measures of the study, as such, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve were higher or at least similar as compared to recent studies using the same methodology.

A novel universal real-time PCR system using the attached universal duplex probes for quantitative analysis of nucleic acids.

PubMed

Yang, Litao; Liang, Wanqi; Jiang, Lingxi; Li, Wenquan; Cao, Wei; Wilson, Zoe A; Zhang, Dabing

2008-06-04

Real-time PCR techniques are being widely used for nucleic acids analysis, but one limitation of current frequently employed real-time PCR is the high cost of the labeled probe for each target molecule. We describe a real-time PCR technique employing attached universal duplex probes (AUDP), which has the advantage of generating fluorescence by probe hydrolysis and strand displacement over current real-time PCR methods. AUDP involves one set of universal duplex probes in which the 5' end of the fluorescent probe (FP) and a complementary quenching probe (QP) lie in close proximity so that fluorescence can be quenched. The PCR primer pair with attached universal template (UT) and the FP are identical to the UT sequence. We have shown that the AUDP technique can be used for detecting multiple target DNA sequences in both simplex and duplex real-time PCR assays for gene expression analysis, genotype identification, and genetically modified organism (GMO) quantification with comparable sensitivity, reproducibility, and repeatability with other real-time PCR methods. The results from GMO quantification, gene expression analysis, genotype identification, and GMO quantification using AUDP real-time PCR assays indicate that the AUDP real-time PCR technique has been successfully applied in nucleic acids analysis, and the developed AUDP real-time PCR technique will offer an alternative way for nucleic acid analysis with high efficiency, reliability, and flexibility at low cost.

Spectrometer gun

DOEpatents

Waechter, David A.; Wolf, Michael A.; Umbarger, C. John

1985-01-01

A hand-holdable, battery-operated, microprocessor-based spectrometer gun includes a low-power matrix display and sufficient memory to permit both real-time observation and extended analysis of detected radiation pulses. Universality of the incorporated signal processing circuitry permits operation with various detectors having differing pulse detection and sensitivity parameters.

A preliminary cost-effectiveness analysis of hepatitis E vaccination among pregnant women in epidemic regions.

PubMed

Zhao, Yueyuan; Zhang, Xuefeng; Zhu, Fengcai; Jin, Hui; Wang, Bei

2016-08-02

Objective To estimate the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis E vaccination among pregnant women in epidemic regions. Methods A decision tree model was constructed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of 3 hepatitis E virus vaccination strategies from societal perspectives. The model parameters were estimated on the basis of published studies and experts' experience. Sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate the uncertainties of the model. Results Vaccination was more economically effective on the basis of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER< 3 times China's per capital gross domestic product/quality-adjusted life years); moreover, screening and vaccination had higher QALYs and lower costs compared with universal vaccination. No parameters significantly impacted ICER in one-way sensitivity analysis, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis also showed screening and vaccination to be the dominant strategy. Conclusion Screening and vaccination is the most economical strategy for pregnant women in epidemic regions; however, further studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy and safety of the hepatitis E vaccines.

Application of global sensitivity analysis methods to Takagi-Sugeno-Kang rainfall-runoff fuzzy models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacquin, A. P.; Shamseldin, A. Y.

2009-04-01

This study analyses the sensitivity of the parameters of Takagi-Sugeno-Kang rainfall-runoff fuzzy models previously developed by the authors. These models can be classified in two types, where the first type is intended to account for the effect of changes in catchment wetness and the second type incorporates seasonality as a source of non-linearity in the rainfall-runoff relationship. The sensitivity analysis is performed using two global sensitivity analysis methods, namely Regional Sensitivity Analysis (RSA) and Sobol's Variance Decomposition (SVD). In general, the RSA method has the disadvantage of not being able to detect sensitivities arising from parameter interactions. By contrast, the SVD method is suitable for analysing models where the model response surface is expected to be affected by interactions at a local scale and/or local optima, such as the case of the rainfall-runoff fuzzy models analysed in this study. The data of six catchments from different geographical locations and sizes are used in the sensitivity analysis. The sensitivity of the model parameters is analysed in terms of two measures of goodness of fit, assessing the model performance from different points of view. These measures are the Nash-Sutcliffe criterion and the index of volumetric fit. The results of the study show that the sensitivity of the model parameters depends on both the type of non-linear effects (i.e. changes in catchment wetness or seasonality) that dominates the catchment's rainfall-runoff relationship and the measure used to assess the model performance. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by FONDECYT, Research Grant 11070130. We would also like to express our gratitude to Prof. Kieran M. O'Connor from the National University of Ireland, Galway, for providing the data used in this study.

Studies to Improve the Science in the GAIM - Full Physics Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

Hromsco, J. J., Sensitivity of IFM /GAIM-GM Model to High Cadence Kp and F10.7 Input, Utah State University/Air Force Institute of Technology, M . S ...Institute of Technology, M . S . Thesis; March, 2011. Nava, O. A ., Analysis of plasma bubble signatures in the ionosphere, Utah State University/Air...Force Institute of Technology, M . S . Thesis; March, 2011. Scherliess, L., R. W. Schunk and D. C. Thompson, Data assimilation models: A ’new’ tool for

Spectrometer gun

DOEpatents

Waechter, D.A.; Wolf, M.A.; Umbarger, C.J.

1981-11-03

A hand-holdable, battery-operated, microprocessor-based spectrometer gun is described that includes a low-power matrix display and sufficient memory to permit both real-time observation and extended analysis of detected radiation pulses. Universality of the incorporated signal processing circuitry permits operation with various detectors having differing pulse detection and sensitivity parameters.

Cross-cultural validation of the moral sensitivity questionnaire-revised Chinese version.

PubMed

Huang, Fei Fei; Yang, Qing; Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Qing Hua; Khoshnood, Kaveh; Zhang, Jing Ping

2016-11-01

Ethical issues pose challenges for nurses who are increasingly caring for patients in complicated situations. Ethical sensitivity is a prerequisite for nurses to make decisions in the best interest of their patients in daily practice. Currently, there is no tool for assessing ethical sensitivity in Chinese language, and no empirical studies of ethical sensitivity among Chinese nurses. The study was conducted to translate the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire-Revised Version (MSQ-R) into Chinese and establish the psychometric properties of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire-Revised Version into Chinese (MSQ-R-CV). This research was a methodological and descriptive study. MSQ-R was translated into Chinese using Brislin's model, and the Translation Validity Index was evaluated. MSQ-R-CV was then distributed along with a demographic questionnaire to 360 nurses working at tertiary and municipal hospitals in Changsha, China. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of Yale University and Central South University. MSQ-R-CV achieved Cronbach's alpha 0.82, Spearman-Brown coefficient 0.75, significant item discrimination (p < 0.001), and item-total correlation values ranging from 0.524 to 0.717. A two-factor structure was illustrated by exploratory factor analysis, and further confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Chinese nurses had a mean total score of 40.22 ± 7.08 on the MSQ-R-CV, and sub-scores of 23.85 ± 4.4 for moral responsibility and strength and 16.37 ± 3.75 for sense of moral burden. The findings of this study were compared with studies from other countries to examine the structure and meaningful implications of ethical sensitivity in Chinese nurses. The two-factor MSQ-R-CV (moral responsibility and strength, and sense of moral burden) is a linguistically and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing ethical sensitivity among Chinese nurses. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effect of exercise on depression in university students: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Yan, Shi; Jin, YinZhe; Oh, YongSeok; Choi, YoungJun

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of exercise on depression in university students. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane library from their inception through December 10, 2014 to identify relevant articles. The heterogeneity across studies was examined by Cochran's Q statistic and the I2 statistic. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled to evaluate the effect of exercise on depression. Then, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed. In addition, publication bias was assessed by drawing a funnel plot. A total of 352 participants (154 cases and 182 controls) from eight included trials were included. Our pooled result showed a significant alleviative depression after exercise (SMD=-0.50, 95% CI: -0.97 to -0.03, P=0.04) with significant heterogeneity (P=0.003, I2=67%). Sensitivity analyses showed that the pooled result may be unstable. Subgroup analysis indicated that sample size may be a source of heterogeneity. Moreover, no publication bias was observed in this study. Exercise may be an effective therapy for treating depression in university students. However, further clinical studies with strict design and large samples focused on this specific population should be warranted in the future.

A novel universal real-time PCR system using the attached universal duplex probes for quantitative analysis of nucleic acids

PubMed Central

Yang, Litao; Liang, Wanqi; Jiang, Lingxi; Li, Wenquan; Cao, Wei; Wilson, Zoe A; Zhang, Dabing

2008-01-01

Background Real-time PCR techniques are being widely used for nucleic acids analysis, but one limitation of current frequently employed real-time PCR is the high cost of the labeled probe for each target molecule. Results We describe a real-time PCR technique employing attached universal duplex probes (AUDP), which has the advantage of generating fluorescence by probe hydrolysis and strand displacement over current real-time PCR methods. AUDP involves one set of universal duplex probes in which the 5' end of the fluorescent probe (FP) and a complementary quenching probe (QP) lie in close proximity so that fluorescence can be quenched. The PCR primer pair with attached universal template (UT) and the FP are identical to the UT sequence. We have shown that the AUDP technique can be used for detecting multiple target DNA sequences in both simplex and duplex real-time PCR assays for gene expression analysis, genotype identification, and genetically modified organism (GMO) quantification with comparable sensitivity, reproducibility, and repeatability with other real-time PCR methods. Conclusion The results from GMO quantification, gene expression analysis, genotype identification, and GMO quantification using AUDP real-time PCR assays indicate that the AUDP real-time PCR technique has been successfully applied in nucleic acids analysis, and the developed AUDP real-time PCR technique will offer an alternative way for nucleic acid analysis with high efficiency, reliability, and flexibility at low cost. PMID:18522756

Development of a Prokaryotic Universal Primer for Simultaneous Analysis of Bacteria and Archaea Using Next-Generation Sequencing

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Shunsuke; Tomita, Junko; Nishioka, Kaori; Hisada, Takayoshi; Nishijima, Miyuki

2014-01-01

For the analysis of microbial community structure based on 16S rDNA sequence diversity, sensitive and robust PCR amplification of 16S rDNA is a critical step. To obtain accurate microbial composition data, PCR amplification must be free of bias; however, amplifying all 16S rDNA species with equal efficiency from a sample containing a large variety of microorganisms remains challenging. Here, we designed a universal primer based on the V3-V4 hypervariable region of prokaryotic 16S rDNA for the simultaneous detection of Bacteria and Archaea in fecal samples from crossbred pigs (Landrace×Large white×Duroc) using an Illumina MiSeq next-generation sequencer. In-silico analysis showed that the newly designed universal prokaryotic primers matched approximately 98.0% of Bacteria and 94.6% of Archaea rRNA gene sequences in the Ribosomal Database Project database. For each sequencing reaction performed with the prokaryotic universal primer, an average of 69,330 (±20,482) reads were obtained, of which archaeal rRNA genes comprised approximately 1.2% to 3.2% of all prokaryotic reads. In addition, the detection frequency of Bacteria belonging to the phylum Verrucomicrobia, including members of the classes Verrucomicrobiae and Opitutae, was higher in the NGS analysis using the prokaryotic universal primer than that performed with the bacterial universal primer. Importantly, this new prokaryotic universal primer set had markedly lower bias than that of most previously designed universal primers. Our findings demonstrate that the prokaryotic universal primer set designed in the present study will permit the simultaneous detection of Bacteria and Archaea, and will therefore allow for a more comprehensive understanding of microbial community structures in environmental samples. PMID:25144201

Recommendations for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Prevention in Adult ICUs: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

PubMed

Whittington, Melanie D; Atherly, Adam J; Curtis, Donna J; Lindrooth, Richard C; Bradley, Cathy J; Campbell, Jonathan D

2017-08-01

Patients in the ICU are at the greatest risk of contracting healthcare-associated infections like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This study calculates the cost-effectiveness of methicillin-resistant S aureus prevention strategies and recommends specific strategies based on screening test implementation. A cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model from the hospital perspective was conducted to determine if the implementation costs of methicillin-resistant S aureus prevention strategies are justified by associated reductions in methicillin-resistant S aureus infections and improvements in quality-adjusted life years. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses determined the influence of input variation on the cost-effectiveness. ICU. Hypothetical cohort of adults admitted to the ICU. Three prevention strategies were evaluated, including universal decolonization, targeted decolonization, and screening and isolation. Because prevention strategies have a screening component, the screening test in the model was varied to reflect commonly used screening test categories, including conventional culture, chromogenic agar, and polymerase chain reaction. Universal and targeted decolonization are less costly and more effective than screening and isolation. This is consistent for all screening tests. When compared with targeted decolonization, universal decolonization is cost-saving to cost-effective, with maximum cost savings occurring when a hospital uses more expensive screening tests like polymerase chain reaction. Results were robust to sensitivity analyses. As compared with screening and isolation, the current standard practice in ICUs, targeted decolonization, and universal decolonization are less costly and more effective. This supports updating the standard practice to a decolonization approach.

A Novel Universal Primer-Multiplex-PCR Method with Sequencing Gel Electrophoresis Analysis

PubMed Central

Huang, Kunlun; Zhang, Nan; Yuan, Yanfang; Shang, Ying; Luo, Yunbo

2012-01-01

In this study, a novel universal primer-multiplex-PCR (UP-M-PCR) method adding a universal primer (UP) in the multiplex PCR reaction system was described. A universal adapter was designed in the 5′-end of each specific primer pairs which matched with the specific DNA sequences for each template and also used as the universal primer (UP). PCR products were analyzed on sequencing gel electrophoresis (SGE) which had the advantage of exhibiting extraordinary resolution. This method overcame the disadvantages rooted deeply in conventional multiplex PCR such as complex manipulation, lower sensitivity, self-inhibition and amplification disparity resulting from different primers, and it got a high specificity and had a low detection limit of 0.1 ng for single kind of crops when screening the presence of genetically modified (GM) crops in mixture samples. The novel developed multiplex PCR assay with sequencing gel electrophoresis analysis will be useful in many fields, such as verifying the GM status of a sample irrespective of the crop and GM trait and so on. PMID:22272223

[A cost-effectiveness analysis on universal infant rotavirus vaccination strategy in China].

PubMed

Sun, S L; Gao, Y Q; Yin, J; Zhuang, G H

2016-02-01

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of current universal infant rotavirus vaccination strategy, in China. Through constructing decision tree-Markov model, we simulated rotavirus diarrhea associated cost and health outcome on those newborns in 2012 regarding different vaccination programs as: group with no vaccination, Rotavirus vaccination group and Rotateq vaccination group, respectively. We determined the optimal program, based on the comparison between incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and China' s 2012 per capital gross domestic product (GDP). Compared with non-vaccination group, the Rotavirus vaccination and Rotateq vaccination groups had to pay 3 760 Yuan and 7 578 Yuan (both less than 2012 GDP per capital) to avert one disability adjusted life years (DALY) loss, respectively. RESULTS from sensitivity analysis indicated that both results were robust. Compared with Rotavirus vaccination program, the Rotateq vaccination program had to pay extra 81 068 Yuan (between 1 and 3 times GDP per capital) to avert one DALY loss. Data from the sensitivity analysis indicated that the result was not robust. From the perspective of health economics, both two-dose Rotarix vaccine and three-dose' s Rotateq vaccine programs were highly cost-effective, when compared to the non-vaccination program. It was appropriate to integrate rotavirus vaccine into the routine immunization program. Considering the large amount of extra cost that had to spend on Rotateq vaccination program, results from the sensitivity analysis showed that it was not robust. Rotateq vaccine required one more dose than the Rotarix vaccine, to be effective. However, it appeared more difficult to practice, suggesting that it was better to choose the Rotarix vaccine, at current stage.

To what degree does the missing-data technique influence the estimated growth in learning strategies over time? A tutorial example of sensitivity analysis for longitudinal data.

PubMed

Coertjens, Liesje; Donche, Vincent; De Maeyer, Sven; Vanthournout, Gert; Van Petegem, Peter

2017-01-01

Longitudinal data is almost always burdened with missing data. However, in educational and psychological research, there is a large discrepancy between methodological suggestions and research practice. The former suggests applying sensitivity analysis in order to the robustness of the results in terms of varying assumptions regarding the mechanism generating the missing data. However, in research practice, participants with missing data are usually discarded by relying on listwise deletion. To help bridge the gap between methodological recommendations and applied research in the educational and psychological domain, this study provides a tutorial example of sensitivity analysis for latent growth analysis. The example data concern students' changes in learning strategies during higher education. One cohort of students in a Belgian university college was asked to complete the Inventory of Learning Styles-Short Version, in three measurement waves. A substantial number of students did not participate on each occasion. Change over time in student learning strategies was assessed using eight missing data techniques, which assume different mechanisms for missingness. The results indicated that, for some learning strategy subscales, growth estimates differed between the models. Guidelines in terms of reporting the results from sensitivity analysis are synthesised and applied to the results from the tutorial example.

University Practice as a Key Factor in Increasing the Sensitivity to Educational Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Luna Velasco, Laura E.; Hernández Fernández, Antonio; Ferrándiz Vindel, Isabel María

2012-01-01

The present article is based on research carried out in three universities, the University Center South (Cusur, Mexico), Jaen and Cuenca (Spain) on the influence of university practice in the development of sensitivity towards inclusive education in our students the first years of the Diploma in Education, using the subject "pedagogical basis…

Mixing-model Sensitivity to Initial Conditions in Hydrodynamic Predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigelow, Josiah; Silva, Humberto; Truman, C. Randall; Vorobieff, Peter

2017-11-01

Amagat and Dalton mixing-models were studied to compare their thermodynamic prediction of shock states. Numerical simulations with the Sandia National Laboratories shock hydrodynamic code CTH modeled University of New Mexico (UNM) shock tube laboratory experiments shocking a 1:1 molar mixture of helium (He) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) . Five input parameters were varied for sensitivity analysis: driver section pressure, driver section density, test section pressure, test section density, and mixture ratio (mole fraction). We show via incremental Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) analysis that significant differences exist between Amagat and Dalton mixing-model predictions. The differences observed in predicted shock speeds, temperatures, and pressures grow more pronounced with higher shock speeds. Supported by NNSA Grant DE-0002913.

How can we reduce phosphorus export from lowland polders? Implications from a sensitivity analysis of a coupled model.

PubMed

Huang, Jiacong; Gao, Junfeng; Yan, Renhua

2016-08-15

Phosphorus (P) export from lowland polders has caused severe water pollution. Numerical models are an important resource that help water managers control P export. This study coupled three models, i.e., Phosphorus Dynamic model for Polders (PDP), Integrated Catchments model of Phosphorus dynamics (INCA-P) and Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), to describe the P dynamics in polders. Based on the coupled models and a dataset collected from Polder Jian in China, sensitivity analysis were carried out to analyze the cause-effect relationships between environmental factors and P export from Polder Jian. The sensitivity analysis results showed that P export from Polder Jian were strongly affected by air temperature, precipitation and fertilization. Proper fertilization management should be a strategic priority for reducing P export from Polder Jian. This study demonstrated the success of model coupling, and its application in investigating potential strategies to support pollution control in polder systems. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Microbeam X-ray analysis in Poland - past and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusinski, J.

2010-02-01

The article provides an overview of the development of electron beam X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) in Poland. Since the introduction by Prof. Bojarski of EMPA over 45 years ago, tremendous advances in methodologies and in instrumentation have been made in order to improve the precision of quantitative compositional analysis, spatial resolution and analytical sensitivity. This was possible due to the activity of Applied Crystallography Committee at the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as the groups of researches working in the Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy (Gliwice), the Technical University of Warsaw, the Silesian Technical University (Katowice), the AGH-University of Sciences and Technology (Krakow), and the Institute of Materials Science and Metallurgy Polish Academy of Sciences (Krakow). Based on the research examples realized by these teams, conferences, seminars and congresses organized, as well as books and academic textbooks issued, the evolution of electron beam X-ray microanalysis in Poland is demonstrated.

Sensitivity-Uncertainty Based Nuclear Criticality Safety Validation

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

Brown, Forrest B.

2016-09-20

These are slides from a seminar given to the University of Mexico Nuclear Engineering Department. Whisper is a statistical analysis package developed to support nuclear criticality safety validation. It uses the sensitivity profile data for an application as computed by MCNP6 along with covariance files for the nuclear data to determine a baseline upper-subcritical-limit for the application. Whisper and its associated benchmark files are developed and maintained as part of MCNP6, and will be distributed with all future releases of MCNP6. Although sensitivity-uncertainty methods for NCS validation have been under development for 20 years, continuous-energy Monte Carlo codes such asmore » MCNP could not determine the required adjoint-weighted tallies for sensitivity profiles. The recent introduction of the iterated fission probability method into MCNP led to the rapid development of sensitivity analysis capabilities for MCNP6 and the development of Whisper. Sensitivity-uncertainty based methods represent the future for NCS validation – making full use of today’s computer power to codify past approaches based largely on expert judgment. Validation results are defensible, auditable, and repeatable as needed with different assumptions and process models. The new methods can supplement, support, and extend traditional validation approaches.« less

Sensitivity of surface meteorological analyses to observation networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyndall, Daniel Paul

A computationally efficient variational analysis system for two-dimensional meteorological fields is developed and described. This analysis approach is most efficient when the number of analysis grid points is much larger than the number of available observations, such as for large domain mesoscale analyses. The analysis system is developed using MATLAB software and can take advantage of multiple processors or processor cores. A version of the analysis system has been exported as a platform independent application (i.e., can be run on Windows, Linux, or Macintosh OS X desktop computers without a MATLAB license) with input/output operations handled by commonly available internet software combined with data archives at the University of Utah. The impact of observation networks on the meteorological analyses is assessed by utilizing a percentile ranking of individual observation sensitivity and impact, which is computed by using the adjoint of the variational surface assimilation system. This methodology is demonstrated using a case study of the analysis from 1400 UTC 27 October 2010 over the entire contiguous United States domain. The sensitivity of this approach to the dependence of the background error covariance on observation density is examined. Observation sensitivity and impact provide insight on the influence of observations from heterogeneous observing networks as well as serve as objective metrics for quality control procedures that may help to identify stations with significant siting, reporting, or representativeness issues.

A retrospective analysis to identify the factors affecting infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

PubMed

Park, Ji Hyun; Kim, Hyeon-Young; Lee, Hanna; Yun, Eun Kyoung

2015-12-01

This study compares the performance of the logistic regression and decision tree analysis methods for assessing the risk factors for infection in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The subjects were 732 cancer patients who were receiving chemotherapy at K university hospital in Seoul, Korea. The data were collected between March 2011 and February 2013 and were processed for descriptive analysis, logistic regression and decision tree analysis using the IBM SPSS Statistics 19 and Modeler 15.1 programs. The most common risk factors for infection in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were identified as alkylating agents, vinca alkaloid and underlying diabetes mellitus. The logistic regression explained 66.7% of the variation in the data in terms of sensitivity and 88.9% in terms of specificity. The decision tree analysis accounted for 55.0% of the variation in the data in terms of sensitivity and 89.0% in terms of specificity. As for the overall classification accuracy, the logistic regression explained 88.0% and the decision tree analysis explained 87.2%. The logistic regression analysis showed a higher degree of sensitivity and classification accuracy. Therefore, logistic regression analysis is concluded to be the more effective and useful method for establishing an infection prediction model for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time Geomagnetic Data from a Raspberry Pi Magnetometer Network in the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Case, N.; Beggan, C.; Marple, S. R.

2017-12-01

In 2014, BGS and the University of Lancaster won an STFC Public Engagement grant to build and deploy 10 Raspberry Pi magnetometers to secondary schools across the UK to enable citizen science. The system uses a Raspberry Pi computer as a logging and data transfer device, connected to a set of three orthogonal miniature fluxgate magnetometers. The system has a nominal sensitivity of around 1 nanoTesla (nT), in each component direction (North, East and Down). This is around twenty times less sensitive than a current scientific-level instrument, but given its relatively low-cost, at about £250 ($325) per unit, this is an excellent price-to-performance ratio given we could not improve the sensitivity unless we spent a lot more money. The magnetic data are sampled at a 5 second cadence and sent to the AuroraWatch website at Lancaster University every 2 minutes. The data are freely available to view and download. The primary aim of the project is to encourage students from 14-18 years old to look at how sensors can be used to collect geophysical data and integrate it together to give a wider understanding of physical phenomena. A second aim is to provide useful data on the spatial variation of the magnetic field for analysis of geomagnetic storms, alongside data from the BGS observatory and University of Lancaster's SAMNET variometer network. We show results from the build, testing and running of the sensors including some recent storms and we reflect on our experiences in engaging schools and the general public with information about the magnetic field. The information to build the system and logging and analysis software for the Raspberry Pi is all freely available, allowing those interested to participate in the project as citizen scientists.

Adding insult to injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friebele, Elaine

New predictions and observations suggest that global warming will exact the highest costs on developing countries. A recent economic analysis of global climate change indicates that developed countries, the primary emitters of carbon dioxide, would benefit by $82 billion per year from a 2°C increase in global mean temperature, while underdeveloped countries would lose $40 billion per year.For the economic analysis, global climate predictions were combined with economic data (for agriculture, forestry, coastal resources, energy, and tourism), but natural climate variability, including frosts, droughts, or severe thunderstorms, was not included. Countries predicted to suffer the greatest economic losses from global warming are island nations, said Michael Schlesinger, a University of Illinois atmospheric scientist who performed the economic analysis with colleagues from Yale University and Middlebury College. “These countries have long coast lines, sensitive tourism industries, and small, undeveloped economies.”

Culturally Sensitive Support for Hispanic/Latino Online College Students: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galarza, N. Raul

2017-01-01

The Hispanic/Latino population in the United States is growing at the fastest rate compared to all other ethnic groups. However, the percent of Hispanics/Latinos graduating from colleges and universities has not kept pace with this population growth. The gap between ethnic groups' socioeconomic statuses has not changed for decades, reinforcing the…

‎ Anxiety Sensitivity Dimensions and Generalized Anxiety‏ ‏Severity: The ‎Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance and Repetitive‏ ‏Negative Thinking‎ ‎

PubMed Central

Mohammadkhani, Parvaneh; Pourshahbaz, Abbas; Kami, Maryam; Mazidi, Mahdi; Abasi, Imaneh‏

2016-01-01

Objective: Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders in the general ‎population. Several studies suggest that anxiety sensitivity is a vulnerability factor in generalized ‎anxiety severity. However, some other studies suggest that negative repetitive thinking and ‎experiential avoidance as response factors can explain this relationship. Therefore, this study ‎aimed to investigate the mediating role of experiential avoidance and negative repetitive thinking ‎in the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and generalized anxiety severity.‎ Method: This was a cross-sectional and correlational study. A sample of 475 university students was ‎selected through stratified sampling method. The participants completed Anxiety Sensitivity ‎Inventory-3, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire, and ‎Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation, multiple ‎regression analysis and path analysis.‎ Results: The results revealed a positive relationship between anxiety sensitivity, particularly cognitive ‎anxiety sensitivity, experiential avoidance, repetitive thinking and generalized anxiety severity. In ‎addition, findings showed that repetitive thinking, but not experiential avoidance, fully mediated ‎the relationship between cognitive anxiety sensitivity and generalized anxiety severity. α Level ‎was p<0.005.‎ Conclusion: Consistent with the trans-diagnostic hypothesis, anxiety sensitivity predicts generalized anxiety‏ ‏severity, but its effect is due to the generating repetitive negative thought.‎ PMID:27928245

Improving student critical thinking skills through a root cause analysis pilot project.

PubMed

Tschannen, Dana; Aebersold, Michelle

2010-08-01

The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice provides a framework for building the baccalaureate education for the twenty-first century. One of the exemplars included in the essentials toolkit includes student participation in an actual root cause analysis (RCA) or failure mode effects analysis. To align with this exemplar, faculty at the University of Michigan School of Nursing developed a pilot RCA project for the senior-level Leadership and Management course. While working collaboratively with faculty and unit liaisons at the University Health System, students completed an RCA on a nursing sensitive indicator (pain assessment or plan of care compliance). An overview of the pilot project, including the implementation process, is described. Each team of students identified root causes and recommendations for improvement on clinical and documentation practice within the context of the unit. Feedback from both the unit liaisons and the students confirmed the pilot's success.

[MODIS Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, Mark R.

1996-01-01

The objectives of the last six months were: (1) Complete sensitivity analysis of fluorescence; line height algorithms (2) Deliver fluorescence algorithm code and test data to the University of Miami for integration; (3) Complete analysis of bio-optical data from Southern Ocean cruise; (4) Conduct laboratory experiments based on analyses of field data; (5) Analyze data from bio-optical mooring off Hawaii; (6) Develop calibration/validation plan for MODIS fluorescence data; (7) Respond to the Japanese Research Announcement for GLI; and (8) Continue to review plans for EOSDIS and assist ECS contractor.

Characterization of Homopolymer and Polymer Blend Films by Phase Sensitive Acoustic Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngwa, Wilfred; Wannemacher, Reinhold; Grill, Wolfgang

2003-03-01

CHARACTERIZATION OF HOMOPOLYMER AND POLYMER BLEND FILMS BY PHASE SENSITIVE ACOUSTIC MICROSCOPY W Ngwa, R Wannemacher, W Grill Institute of Experimental Physics II, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Abstract We have used phase sensitive acoustic microscopy (PSAM) to study homopolymer thin films of polystyrene (PS) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), as well as PS/PMMA blend films. We show from our results that PSAM can be used as a complementary and highly valuable technique for elucidating the three-dimensional (3D) morphology and micromechanical properties of thin films. Three-dimensional image acquisition with vector contrast provides the basis for: complex V(z) analysis (per image pixel), 3D image processing, height profiling, and subsurface image analysis of the polymer films. Results show good agreement with previous studies. In addition, important new information on the three dimensional structure and properties of polymer films is obtained. Homopolymer film structure analysis reveals (pseudo-) dewetting by retraction of droplets, resulting in a morphology that can serve as a starting point for the analysis of polymer blend thin films. The outcome of confocal laser scanning microscopy studies, performed on the same samples are correlated with the obtained results. Advantages and limitations of PSAM are discussed.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of personalized antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

PubMed

Jiang, Minghuan; You, Joyce Hs

2016-05-01

This study aimed to compare the clinical and economic outcomes of pharmacogenetic-guided (PG-guided) and platelet reactivity testing-guided antiplatelet therapy for patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. A decision-analytic model was simulated including four antiplatelet strategies: universal clopidogrel 75 mg daily, universal alternative P2Y12 inhibitor (prasugrel or ticagrelor), PG-guided therapy, and platelet reactivity testing-guided therapy. PG-guided therapy was the preferred option with lowest cost (US$75,208) and highest quality-adjusted life years gained (7.6249 quality-adjusted life years). The base-case results were robust in sensitivity analysis. PG-guided antiplatelet therapy showed the highest probability to be preferred antiplatelet strategy for acute coronary syndrome patients with percutaneous coronary intervention.

A modified Girard derivatizing reagent for universal profiling and trace analysis of aldehydes and ketones by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Johnson, David W

2007-01-01

4-Hydrazino-N,N,N-trimethyl-4-oxobutanaminium iodide (HTMOB) is a modified Girard derivatizing reagent synthesized to improve the sensitivity of analysis of aldehydes and ketones with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with Girard T reagent the measured signal intensity increase is between 3.3 times (succinylacetone) and 7.0 times (17-hydroxyprogesterone). HTMOB is a universal profiling reagent for aldehydes and ketones. A neutral loss of 59 Da scan detects all aldehydes and ketones from acetone to corticosteroids. Applications described include the profiling of ketones, ketoacids and ketodiacids in the urine of children with ketosis and the profiling of long-chain aldehydes incorporated in plasma plasmalogens. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Canadian residents teaching and learning psychiatry in Ethiopia: a grounded theory analysis focusing on their experiences.

PubMed

Brook, Shelley; Robertson, David; Makuwaza, Tutsirai; Hodges, Brian D

2010-01-01

The Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Project (TAAPP) is an international collaboration between University of Toronto and Addis Ababa University. University of Toronto psychiatric residents may participate in TAAPP as an elective. The authors explored the Canadian resident experience in a qualitative study of the project. Eleven residents were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. Grounded theory was employed to organize participants' experiences and highlight emerging themes. The computer software NVivo7 was used to facilitate data analysis. Participants described gaining competency as health advocates, collaborators, scholars, and teachers. They endorsed increased sensitivity to cross-cultural issues and greater awareness of global health issues, including practical and ethical ramifications of working at an intersection of cultures. Residents gained international perspective psychiatric practice. The elective provided unique opportunities for acquiring clinical, teaching, collaborative, leadership and advocacy skills. It prompted participants to consider ethical and cross-cultural issues and allowed them to be mentored intensively by Ethiopian and Canadian teachers and peers.

Evaluation of university scientific research ability based on the output of sci-tech papers: A D-AHP approach.

PubMed

Zong, Fan; Wang, Lifang

2017-01-01

University scientific research ability is an important indicator to express the strength of universities. In this paper, the evaluation of university scientific research ability is investigated based on the output of sci-tech papers. Four university alliances from North America, UK, Australia, and China, are selected as the case study of the university scientific research evaluation. Data coming from Thomson Reuters InCites are collected to support the evaluation. The work has contributed new framework to the issue of university scientific research ability evaluation. At first, we have established a hierarchical structure to show the factors that impact the evaluation of university scientific research ability. Then, a new MCDM method called D-AHP model is used to implement the evaluation and ranking of different university alliances, in which a data-driven approach is proposed to automatically generate the D numbers preference relations. Next, a sensitivity analysis has been given to show the impact of weights of factors and sub-factors on the evaluation result. At last, the results obtained by using different methods are compared and discussed to verify the effectiveness and reasonability of this study, and some suggestions are given to promote China's scientific research ability.

Staphylococcus Aureus Prevention Strategies in Cardiac Surgery: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

PubMed

Hong, Jonathan C; Saraswat, Manoj K; Ellison, Trevor A; Magruder, J Trent; Crawford, Todd; Gardner, Julia M; Padula, William V; Whitman, Glenn J

2018-01-01

Cardiac surgery patients colonized with Staphylococcus aureus have a greater risk of surgical site infection (SSI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of decolonization strategies to prevent SSIs. We compared three decolonization strategies: universal decolonization (UD), all subjects treated; targeted decolonization (TD), only S aureus carriers treated; and no decolonization (ND). Decolonization included mupirocin, chlorhexidine, and vancomycin. We implemented a decision tree comparing the costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of these strategies on SSI over a 1-year period for subjects undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery from a US health sector perspective. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to address the uncertainty in the variables. Universal decolonization was the dominant strategy because it resulted in reduced costs at near-equal QALYs compared with TD and ND. Compared with ND, UD decreased costs by $462 and increased QALYs by 0.002 per subject, whereas TD decreased costs by $205 and increased QALYs by 0.001 per subject. For 1,000 subjects, UD prevented 19 SSI and TD prevented 10 SSI compared with ND. Sensitivity analysis showed UD to be the most cost-effective strategy in more than 91% of simulations. For the 220,000 coronary artery bypass graft procedures performed yearly in the United States, UD would save $102 million whereas TD would save $45 million compared with ND. Universal decolonization outperforms other strategies. However, the potential costs savings of $57 million per 220,000 coronary artery bypass graft procedures comparing UD versus TD must be weighed against the potential risk of developing resistance associated with universal decolonization. Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Universal immunogenicity validation and assessment during early biotherapeutic development to support a green laboratory.

PubMed

Bautista, Ami C; Zhou, Lei; Jawa, Vibha

2013-10-01

Immunogenicity support during nonclinical biotherapeutic development can be resource intensive if supported by conventional methodologies. A universal indirect species-specific immunoassay can eliminate the need for biotherapeutic-specific anti-drug antibody immunoassays without compromising quality. By implementing the R's of sustainability (reduce, reuse, rethink), conservation of resources and greener laboratory practices were achieved in this study. Statistical analysis across four biotherapeutics supported identification of consistent product performance standards (cut points, sensitivity and reference limits) and a streamlined universal anti-drug antibody immunoassay method implementation strategy. We propose an efficient, fit-for-purpose, scientifically and statistically supported nonclinical immunogenicity assessment strategy. Utilization of a universal method and streamlined validation, while retaining comparability to conventional immunoassays and meeting the industry recommended standards, provides environmental credits in the scientific laboratory. Collectively, individual reductions in critical material consumption, energy usage, waste and non-environment friendly consumables, such as plastic and paper, support a greener laboratory environment.

Study of the measurement of defense style using Bond's Defense Style Questionnaire.

PubMed

Nishimura, R

1998-08-01

Two hundred and seventy healthy university students were surveyed in December 1995 using Bond's Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ) to measure the subjects' defense mechanisms. At the same time, a survey using Byrne's R-S Scale (Repression-Sensitization Scale) of the MMPI (Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory) and five psychiatric symptom indexes (anxiety, sense of inadequacy, sensitivity, depression and impulsive anger) selected from the CMI (Cornell Medical Index-Health Questionnaire) was conducted. Three factors were extracted from the DSQ through factor analysis: immature defenses, neurotic defenses, and mature defenses. The results of analysis of variance revealed the following: (i) for anxiety and anxiety related symptoms, both immature defenses and neurotic defenses indicated principal effect; (ii) for impulsive anger and depression, immature defenses presented principal effect; and (iii) for sensitivity and impulsive anger, interaction between a mature defense style and neurotic defense style was noted. The relationship between defense styles and psychiatric symptoms in healthy people is studied in this paper.

Building model analysis applications with the Joint Universal Parameter IdenTification and Evaluation of Reliability (JUPITER) API

USGS Publications Warehouse

Banta, E.R.; Hill, M.C.; Poeter, E.; Doherty, J.E.; Babendreier, J.

2008-01-01

The open-source, public domain JUPITER (Joint Universal Parameter IdenTification and Evaluation of Reliability) API (Application Programming Interface) provides conventions and Fortran-90 modules to develop applications (computer programs) for analyzing process models. The input and output conventions allow application users to access various applications and the analysis methods they embody with a minimum of time and effort. Process models simulate, for example, physical, chemical, and (or) biological systems of interest using phenomenological, theoretical, or heuristic approaches. The types of model analyses supported by the JUPITER API include, but are not limited to, sensitivity analysis, data needs assessment, calibration, uncertainty analysis, model discrimination, and optimization. The advantages provided by the JUPITER API for users and programmers allow for rapid programming and testing of new ideas. Application-specific coding can be in languages other than the Fortran-90 of the API. This article briefly describes the capabilities and utility of the JUPITER API, lists existing applications, and uses UCODE_2005 as an example.

Algorithm sensitivity analysis and parameter tuning for tissue image segmentation pipelines.

PubMed

Teodoro, George; Kurç, Tahsin M; Taveira, Luís F R; Melo, Alba C M A; Gao, Yi; Kong, Jun; Saltz, Joel H

2017-04-01

Sensitivity analysis and parameter tuning are important processes in large-scale image analysis. They are very costly because the image analysis workflows are required to be executed several times to systematically correlate output variations with parameter changes or to tune parameters. An integrated solution with minimum user interaction that uses effective methodologies and high performance computing is required to scale these studies to large imaging datasets and expensive analysis workflows. The experiments with two segmentation workflows show that the proposed approach can (i) quickly identify and prune parameters that are non-influential; (ii) search a small fraction (about 100 points) of the parameter search space with billions to trillions of points and improve the quality of segmentation results (Dice and Jaccard metrics) by as much as 1.42× compared to the results from the default parameters; (iii) attain good scalability on a high performance cluster with several effective optimizations. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of performing sensitivity analyses, parameter studies and auto-tuning with large datasets. The proposed framework can enable the quantification of error estimations and output variations in image segmentation pipelines. Source code: https://github.com/SBU-BMI/region-templates/ . teodoro@unb.br. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Transabdominal ultrasonography as a screening test for second-trimester placenta previa.

PubMed

Quant, Hayley S; Friedman, Alexander M; Wang, Eileen; Parry, Samuel; Schwartz, Nadav

2014-03-01

To determine the test characteristics of transabdominal ultrasonography as a screening test for second-trimester placenta previa. This secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study evaluated the distance from the placental edge to the internal os (placenta-cervix distance) through both transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasonography during the anatomic survey. Patients were recruited in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Ultrasound Unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, an urban tertiary care center. Transabdominal placenta-cervix distance cutoffs with high sensitivity for detection of previa and low-lying placenta were identified, and test characteristics were calculated. Follow-up ultrasound data, pregnancy, and delivery outcomes for those with second-trimester previa or low-lying placenta were obtained. One thousand two hundred fourteen women were included in the analysis. A transabdominal placenta-cervix distance cutoff of 4.2 cm was 93.3% sensitive and 76.7% specific for detection of previa with a 99.8% negative predictive value at a screen-positive rate of 25.0%. A cutoff of 2.8 cm was 86.7% sensitive and 90.5% specific with a 99.6% negative predictive value at a screen-positive rate of 11.4%. Only 9.8% (four of 41) of previas and low-lying placentas persisted through delivery. Transabdominal ultrasonography is an effective screening test for second-trimester placenta previa. At centers not performing universal transvaginal ultrasonography at the time of the anatomic survey, evidence-based transabdominal placenta-cervix distance cutoffs can optimize the identification of patients who require further surveillance for previa.

Self-defense and martial arts evaluation for college women: preliminary validation of perceptions of dangerous situations scale.

PubMed

Hughes, Patricia Paulsen; Sherrill, Claudine; Myers, Bettye; Rowe, Nancy; Marshall, David

2003-06-01

Martial arts and self-defense programs train fearful people, especially women, to be more competent and confident to defend themselves in dangerous situations. However, there are no validated instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of programs purporting to teach self-protection. The Perceptions of Dangerous Situations Scale (PDSS), composed of fear, likelihood and confidence subscales, was developed and validated for university women. Participants were 368 university women, ages 17 to 45 years (M age = 20.7 years). Content validity of the PDSS was established through an expert panel, and construct validity was established through principal components analysis and determination of instructional sensitivity. Reliability was established through alpha coefficients. The PDSS, when used with university women, offers promising measurement opportunities in self-defense and martial arts settings.

Pressure sensitivity analysis of fiber Bragg grating sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mrad, Nezih; Sridharan, Vasant; Kazemi, Alex

2014-09-01

Recent development in fiber optic sensing technology has mainly focused on discrete sensing, particularly, sensing systems with potential multiplexing and multi-parameter capabilities. Bragg grating fiber optic sensors have emerged as the non-disputed champion for multiplexing and simultaneous multi-parameter sensing for emerging high value structural components, advanced processing and manufacturing capabilities and increased critical infrastructure resilience applications. Although the number of potential applications for this sensing technology is large and spans the domains of medicine, manufacturing, aerospace, and public safety; critical issues such as fatigue life, sensitivity, accuracy, embeddability, material/sensor interface integrity, and universal demodulation systems still need to be addressed. The purpose of this paper is to primarily evaluate Commercial-Of-The-Shelf (COTS) Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors' sensitivity to pressure, often neglected in several applications. The COTS fiber sensitivity to pressure is further evaluated for two types of coatings (Polyimide and Acrylate), and different arrangements (arrayed and single).

Reward and punishment sensitivity and alcohol use: the moderating role of executive control.

PubMed

Jonker, Nienke C; Ostafin, Brian D; Glashouwer, Klaske A; van Hemel-Ruiter, Madelon E; de Jong, Peter J

2014-05-01

Reward sensitivity and to a lesser extent punishment sensitivity have been found to explain individual differences in alcohol use. Furthermore, many studies showed that addictive behaviors are characterized by impaired self-regulatory processes, and that individual differences related to alcohol use are moderated by executive control. This is the first study that explores the potential moderating role of executive control in the relation between reward and punishment sensitivity and alcohol use. Participants were 76 university students, selected on earlier given information about their alcohol use. Half of the participants indicated to drink little alcohol and half indicated to drink substantial amounts of alcohol. As expected, correlational analyses showed a positive relationship between reward sensitivity and alcohol use and a negative relation between punishment sensitivity and alcohol use. Regression analysis confirmed that reward sensitivity was a significant independent predictor of alcohol use. Executive control moderated the relation between punishment sensitivity and alcohol use, but not the relation between reward sensitivity and alcohol use. Only in individuals with weak executive control punishment sensitivity and alcohol use were negatively related. The results suggest that for individuals with weak executive control, punishment sensitivity might be a protective factor working against substantial alcohol use. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gingival condition and tooth-brushing behavior after alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Mizutani, S; Ekuni, D; Tomofuji, T; Yamane, M; Azuma, T; Iwasaki, Y; Morita, M

2015-08-01

Various studies have reported the relationship between alcohol consumption and gingival condition. However, they focus on the direct effects of alcohol consumption or alcohol sensitivity on gingival condition, and it is unclear how oral health behaviors relate these relationships. The aims of this study were to assess the inter-relationships between gingival condition, tooth-brushing behavior after drinking alcohol and alcohol sensitivity in university students who drink more than once per week on average. A total of 808 students (541 males, 267 females) that habitually consume alcohol were analyzed. The disease activity of gingival condition was assessed as the percentage of bleeding on probing (%BOP). Additional information regarding alcohol sensitivity and oral health behaviors, including tooth-brushing behavior after drinking, were also collected. Thirteen percent of the current participants reported neglecting tooth-brushing after drinking, and their alcohol consumption was higher than those who did not neglect tooth-brushing. Logistic regression analysis showed that high %BOP (%BOP ≥ 20) was associated with male (OR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.33), neglect of tooth-brushing after drinking (OR = 2.60; 95% CI, 1.20-5.61) and debris index (OR = 8.38; 95% CI, 4.24-16.60) in participants with low alcohol sensitivity. In participants with high alcohol sensitivity, high %BOP was associated with debris index (OR = 7.60; 95% CI, 3.12-18.51), but not with any oral health behaviors. The study revealed that alcohol consumption was indirectly related to gingival disease activity through the neglect of tooth-brushing after drinking alcohol in university students with low alcohol sensitivity. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of university scientific research ability based on the output of sci-tech papers: A D-AHP approach

PubMed Central

Wang, Lifang

2017-01-01

University scientific research ability is an important indicator to express the strength of universities. In this paper, the evaluation of university scientific research ability is investigated based on the output of sci-tech papers. Four university alliances from North America, UK, Australia, and China, are selected as the case study of the university scientific research evaluation. Data coming from Thomson Reuters InCites are collected to support the evaluation. The work has contributed new framework to the issue of university scientific research ability evaluation. At first, we have established a hierarchical structure to show the factors that impact the evaluation of university scientific research ability. Then, a new MCDM method called D-AHP model is used to implement the evaluation and ranking of different university alliances, in which a data-driven approach is proposed to automatically generate the D numbers preference relations. Next, a sensitivity analysis has been given to show the impact of weights of factors and sub-factors on the evaluation result. At last, the results obtained by using different methods are compared and discussed to verify the effectiveness and reasonability of this study, and some suggestions are given to promote China’s scientific research ability. PMID:28212446

SSC San Diego Biennial Review 2003. Vol 3: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

following: • Improving a Commander’s situational analysis, awareness, and planning by leveraging the concepts of Smart Push (time-sensitive situational...The node FPGA implements a universal asynchronous receive and transmit ( UART )-style detector to decode the data stream. The data are then briefly...hypothetical sound sources at various points within a five-dimensional search grid over a short processing epoch. Historically, this has been

Parallel Analysis of 124 Universal SNPs for Human Identification by Targeted Semiconductor Sequencing

PubMed Central

Zhang, Suhua; Bian, Yingnan; Zhang, Zheren; Zheng, Hancheng; Wang, Zheng; Zha, Lagabaiyila; Cai, Jifeng; Gao, Yuzhen; Ji, Chaoneng; Hou, Yiping; Li, Chengtao

2015-01-01

SNPs, abundant in human genome with lower mutation rate, are attractive to genetic application like forensic, anthropological and evolutionary studies. Universal SNPs showing little allelic frequency variation among populations while remaining highly informative for human identification were obtained from previous studies. However, genotyping tools target only dozens of markers simultaneously, limiting their applications. Here, 124 SNPs were simultaneous tested using Ampliseq technology with Ion Torrent PGM platform. Concordance study was performed with 2 reference samples of 9947A and 9948 between NGS and Sanger sequencing. Full concordance were obtained except genotype of rs576261 with 9947A. Parameter of FMAR (%) was introduced for NGS data analysis for the first time, evaluating allelic performance, sensitivity testing and mixture testing. FMAR values for accurate heterozygotes should be range from 50% to 60%, for homozygotes or Y-SNP should be above 90%. SNPs of rs7520386, rs4530059, rs214955, rs1523537, rs2342747, rs576261 and rs12997453 were recognized as poorly performing loci, either with allelic imbalance or with lower coverage. Sensitivity testing demonstrated that with DNA range from 10 ng-0.5 ng, all correct genotypes were obtained. For mixture testing, a clear linear correlation (R2 = 0.9429) between the excepted FMAR and observed FMAR values of mixtures was observed. PMID:26691610

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Universal Vaccination of Adults Aged 60 Years with 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine versus Current Practice in Brazil.

PubMed

de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho; Sartori, Ana Marli Christovam; Freitas, Angela Carvalho; Nishikawa, Álvaro Mitsunori; Novaes, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh

2015-01-01

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing universal vaccination of adults aged 60 years with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) into the National Immunization Program (NIP) in Brazil. Economic evaluation using a Markov model to compare two strategies: (1) universal vaccination of adults aged 60 years with one dose of PPV23 and 2) current practice (vaccination of institutionalized elderly and elderly with underlying diseases). The perspective was from the health system and society. Temporal horizon was 10 years. Discount rate of 5% was applied to costs and benefits. Clinical syndromes of interest were invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) including meningitis, sepsis and others and pneumonia. Vaccine efficacy against IPD was obtained from a meta-analysis of randomized control trials and randomized studies, whereas vaccine effectiveness against pneumonia was obtained from cohort studies. Resource utilization and costs were obtained from the Brazilian Health Information Systems. The primary outcome was cost per life year saved (LYS). Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analysis were performed. The universal vaccination strategy avoided 7,810 hospitalizations and 514 deaths, saving 3,787 years of life and costing a total of USD$31,507,012 and USD$44,548,180, respectively, from the health system and societal perspective. The universal immunization would result in ICERs of USD$1,297 per LYS, from the perspective of the health system, and USD$904 per LYS, from the societal perspective. The results suggest that universal vaccination of adults aged 60 years with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) is a very cost-effective intervention for preventing hospitalization and deaths for IPD and pneumonia is this age group in Brazil.

Determination of Curcuminoids in Curcuma longa Linn. by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS: An Application in Turmeric Cultivation.

PubMed

Ashraf, Kamran; Mujeeb, Mohd; Ahmad, Altaf; Ahmad, Niyaz; Amir, Mohd

2015-09-01

Cucuma longa Linn. (Fam-Zingiberaceae) is a valued medicinal plant contains curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin) as major bioactive constituents. Previously reported analytical methods for analysis of curcuminoids were found to suffer from low resolution, lower sensitivity and longer analytical times. In this study, a rapid, sensitive, selective high-throughput ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of curcuminoids with an aim to reduce analysis time and enhance efficiency. UPLC/Q-TOF-MS analysis showed large variation (1.408-5.027% w/w) of curcuminoids among different samples with respect to their occurrence of metabolite and their concentration. The results showed that Erode (south province) contains highest quantity of curcuminoids and concluded to be the superior varieties. The results obtained here could be valuable for devising strategies for cultivating this medicinal plant. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adherence to infection control guidelines in surgery on MRSA positive patients : A cost analysis.

PubMed

Saegeman, V; Schuermans, A

2016-09-01

In surgical units, similar to other healthcare departments, guidelines are used to curb transmission of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The aim of this study was to calculate the extra costs for material and extra working hours for compliance to MRSA infection control guidelines in the operating rooms of a University Hospital. The study was based on observations of surgeries on MRSA positive patients. The average cost per surgery was calculated utilizing local information on unit costs. Robustness of the calculations was evaluated with a sensitivity analysis. The total extra costs of adherence to MRSA infection control guidelines averaged € 340.46 per surgical procedure (range € 207.76- € 473.15). A sensitivity analysis based on a standardized operating room hourly rate reached a cost of € 366.22. The extra costs of adherence to infection control guidelines are considerable. To reduce costs, the logistical planning of surgeries could be improved by for instance a dedicated room.

Study Abroad Participation and University Students' Intercultural Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmunds, Julia A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the intercultural sensitivity of College of Education students who participated in short-term, faculty led, study abroad programs at a large, urban, branch, university in the Southeast. The research questions in this study were addressed using a mixed methods approach. This method provided for the…

Influence of Ethnic-Related Diversity Experiences on Intercultural Sensitivity of Students at a Public University in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tamam, Ezhar; Abdullah, Ain Nadzimah

2012-01-01

In this study, the authors examine the influence of ethnic-related diversity experiences on intercultural sensitivity among Malaysian students at a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual Malaysian public university. Results reveal a significant differential level of ethnic-related diversity experiences (but not at the level of intercultural…

A universal Model-R Coupler to facilitate the use of R functions for model calibration and analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wu, Yiping; Liu, Shuguang; Yan, Wende

2014-01-01

Mathematical models are useful in various fields of science and engineering. However, it is a challenge to make a model utilize the open and growing functions (e.g., model inversion) on the R platform due to the requirement of accessing and revising the model's source code. To overcome this barrier, we developed a universal tool that aims to convert a model developed in any computer language to an R function using the template and instruction concept of the Parameter ESTimation program (PEST) and the operational structure of the R-Soil and Water Assessment Tool (R-SWAT). The developed tool (Model-R Coupler) is promising because users of any model can connect an external algorithm (written in R) with their model to implement various model behavior analyses (e.g., parameter optimization, sensitivity and uncertainty analysis, performance evaluation, and visualization) without accessing or modifying the model's source code.

Regionalising MUSLE factors for application to a data-scarce catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwapedza, David; Slaughter, Andrew; Hughes, Denis; Mantel, Sukhmani

2018-04-01

The estimation of soil loss and sediment transport is important for effective management of catchments. A model for semi-arid catchments in southern Africa has been developed; however, simplification of the model parameters and further testing are required. Soil loss is calculated through the Modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (MUSLE). The aims of the current study were to: (1) regionalise the MUSLE erodibility factors and; (2) perform a sensitivity analysis and validate the soil loss outputs against independently-estimated measures. The regionalisation was developed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) coverages. The model was applied to a high erosion semi-arid region in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Sensitivity analysis indicated model outputs to be more sensitive to the vegetation cover factor. The simulated soil loss estimates of 40 t ha-1 yr-1 were within the range of estimates by previous studies. The outcome of the present research is a framework for parameter estimation for the MUSLE through regionalisation. This is part of the ongoing development of a model which can estimate soil loss and sediment delivery at broad spatial and temporal scales.

Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay and smear microscopy with culture for the diagnostic accuracy of tuberculosis.

PubMed

Gelaw, Baye; Shiferaw, Yitayal; Alemayehu, Marta; Bashaw, Abate Assefa

2017-01-17

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide. Sputum smear microscopy remains the most widely available pulmonary TB diagnostic tool particularly in resource limited settings. A highly sensitive diagnostic with minimal infrastructure, cost and training is required. Hence, we assessed the diagnostic performance of Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay in detecting M.tuberculosis infection in sputum sample compared to LED fluorescent smear microscopy and culture. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Gondar Hospital from June 01, 2015 to August 30, 2015. Pulmonary TB diagnosis using sputum LED fluorescence smear microscopy, TB-LAMP assay and culture were done. A descriptive analysis was used to determine demographic characteristics of the study participants. Analysis of sensitivity and specificity for smear microscopy and TB-LAMP compared with culture as a reference test was performed. Cohen's kappa was calculated as a measure of agreement between the tests. A total of 78 pulmonary presumptive TB patients sputum sample were analyzed. The overall sensitivity and specificity of LAMP were 75 and 98%, respectively. Among smear negative sputum samples, 33.3% sensitivity and 100% specificity of LAMP were observed. Smear microscopy showed 78.6% sensitivity and 98% specificity. LAMP and smear in series had sensitivity of 67.8% and specificity of 100%. LAMP and smear in parallel had sensitivity of 85.7% and specificity of 96%. The agreement between LAMP and fluorescent smear microscopy tests was very good (κ = 0.83, P-value ≤0.0001). TB-LAMP showed similar specificity but a slightly lower sensitivity with LED fluorescence microscopy. The specificity of LAMP and smear microscopy in series was high. The sensitivity of LAMP was insufficient for smear negative sputum samples.

Validation of a Brazilian version of the moral sensitivity questionnaire.

PubMed

Dalla Nora, Carlise R; Zoboli, Elma Lcp; Vieira, Margarida M

2017-01-01

Moral sensitivity has been identified as a foundational component of ethical action. Diminished or absent moral sensitivity can result in deficient care. In this context, assessing moral sensitivity is imperative for designing interventions to facilitate ethical practice and ensure that nurses make appropriate decisions. The main purpose of this study was to validate a scale for examining the moral sensitivity of Brazilian nurses. A pre-existing scale, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, which was developed by Lützén, was used after the deletion of three items. The reliability and validity of the scale were examined using Cronbach's alpha and factor analysis, respectively. Participants and research context: Overall, 316 nurses from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, participated in the study. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Research of the Nursing School of the University of São Paulo. The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire contained 27 items that were distributed across four dimensions: interpersonal orientation, professional knowledge, moral conflict and moral meaning. The questionnaire accounted for 55.8% of the total variance, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. The mean score for moral sensitivity was 4.45 (out of 7). The results of this study were compared with studies from other countries to examine the structure and implications of the moral sensitivity of nurses in Brazil. The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire is an appropriate tool for examining the moral sensitivity of Brazilian nurses.

Factors influencing antibiotic prescribing habits and use of sensitivity testing amongst veterinarians in Europe.

PubMed

De Briyne, N; Atkinson, J; Pokludová, L; Borriello, S P; Price, S

2013-11-16

The Heads of Medicines Agencies and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe undertook a survey to gain a better insight into the decision-making process of veterinarians in Europe when deciding which antibiotics to prescribe. The survey was completed by 3004 practitioners from 25 European countries. Analysis was to the level of different types of practitioner (food producing (FP) animals, companion animals, equines) and country for Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Responses indicate no single information source is universally considered critical, though training, published literature and experience were the most important. Factors recorded which most strongly influenced prescribing behaviour were sensitivity tests, own experience, the risk for antibiotic resistance developing and ease of administration. Most practitioners usually take into account responsible use warnings. Antibiotic sensitivity testing is usually performed where a treatment failure has occurred. Significant differences were observed in the frequency of sensitivity testing at the level of types of practitioners and country. The responses indicate a need to improve sensitivity tests and services, with the availability of rapid and cheaper testing being key factors.

Factors influencing antibiotic prescribing habits and use of sensitivity testing amongst veterinarians in Europe

PubMed Central

De Briyne, N.; Atkinson, J.; Pokludová, L.; Borriello, S. P.; Price, S.

2013-01-01

The Heads of Medicines Agencies and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe undertook a survey to gain a better insight into the decision-making process of veterinarians in Europe when deciding which antibiotics to prescribe. The survey was completed by 3004 practitioners from 25 European countries. Analysis was to the level of different types of practitioner (food producing (FP) animals, companion animals, equines) and country for Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Responses indicate no single information source is universally considered critical, though training, published literature and experience were the most important. Factors recorded which most strongly influenced prescribing behaviour were sensitivity tests, own experience, the risk for antibiotic resistance developing and ease of administration. Most practitioners usually take into account responsible use warnings. Antibiotic sensitivity testing is usually performed where a treatment failure has occurred. Significant differences were observed in the frequency of sensitivity testing at the level of types of practitioners and country. The responses indicate a need to improve sensitivity tests and services, with the availability of rapid and cheaper testing being key factors. PMID:24068699

Aether Drift and the isotropy of the universe: A measurement of anisotropes in the primordial black-body radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smoot, G. F.

1981-01-01

Large-angular-scale anisotropies in the 3 K primordial black-body radiation were detected and mapped with a sensitivity of 2 x to the minus 4 power K and an angular resolution of about 10 deg. The motion of the Earth with respect to the distant matter of the Universe ("Aether Drift") was measured and the homogeneity and isotropy of the Universe (the "Cosmological Principle") was probed. The experiment uses two Dicke radiometers, one at 33 GHz to detect the cosmic anisotropy, and one at 54 GHz to detect anisotropies in the residual oxygen above the detectors. The system was installed in the NASA-Ames Earth survey aircraft (U-2), and operated successfully in a series of flights in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Data taking and analysis to measure the anisotropy were successful.

Monte Carlo simulation of a photodisintegration of 3 H experiment in Geant4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, Isaiah

2013-10-01

An upcoming experiment involving photodisintegration of 3 H at the High Intensity Gamma-Ray Source facility at Duke University has been simulated in the software package Geant4. CAD models of silicon detectors and wire chambers were imported from Autodesk Inventor using the program FastRad and the Geant4 GDML importer. Sensitive detectors were associated with the appropriate logical volumes in the exported GDML file so that changes in detector geometry will be easily manifested in the simulation. Probability distribution functions for the energy and direction of outgoing protons were generated using numerical tables from previous theory, and energies and directions were sampled from these distributions using a rejection sampling algorithm. The simulation will be a useful tool to optimize detector geometry, estimate background rates, and test data analysis algorithms. This work was supported by the Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory REU program at Duke University.

Genetic Variation in Taste Sensitivity to Sugars in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Uchizono, Shun; Tanimura, Teiichi

2017-05-01

Taste sensitivity plays a major role in controlling feeding behavior, and alterations in feeding habit induced by changes in taste sensitivity can drive speciation. We investigated variability in taste preferences in wild-derived inbred lines from the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel. Preferences for different sugars, which are essential nutrients for fruit flies, were assessed using two-choice preference tests that paired glucose with fructose, sucrose, or trehalose. The two-choice tests revealed that individual lines have differential and widely variable sugar preferences, and that sugar taste sensitivity is polygenic in the inbred population tested. We focused on 2 strains that exhibited opposing preferences for glucose and fructose, and performed proboscis extension reflex tests and electrophysiological recordings on taste sensilla upon exposure to fructose and glucose. The results indicated that taste sensitivity to fructose is dimorphic between the 2 lines. Genetic analysis showed that high sensitivity to fructose is autosomal dominant over low sensitivity, and that multiple loci on chromosomes 2 and 3 influence sensitivity. Further genetic complementation tests for fructose sensitivity on putative gustatory receptor (Gr) genes for sugars suggested that the Gr64a-Gr64f locus, not the fructose receptor gene Gr43a, might contribute to the dimorphic sensitivity to fructose between the 2 lines. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The mode of sensitization and its influence on allograft outcomes in highly sensitized kidney transplant recipients.

PubMed

Redfield, Robert R; Scalea, Joseph R; Zens, Tiffany J; Mandelbrot, Didier A; Leverson, Glen; Kaufman, Dixon B; Djamali, Arjang

2016-10-01

We sought to determine whether the mode of sensitization in highly sensitized patients contributed to kidney allograft survival. An analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing dataset involving all kidney transplants between 1997 and 2014 was undertaken. Highly sensitized adult kidney transplant recipients [panel reactive antibody (PRA) ≥98%] were compared with adult, primary non-sensitized and re-transplant recipients. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to determine allograft survival rates. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted to determine the association of graft loss with key predictors. Fifty-three percent of highly sensitized patients transplanted were re-transplants. Pregnancy and transfusion were the only sensitizing event in 20 and 5%, respectively. The 10-year actuarial graft survival for highly sensitized recipients was 43.9% compared with 52.4% for non-sensitized patients, P < 0.001. The combination of being highly sensitized by either pregnancy or blood transfusion increased the risk of graft loss by 23% [hazard ratio (HR) 1.230, confidence interval (CI) 1.150-1.315, P < 0.001], and the combination of being highly sensitized from a prior transplant increased the risk of graft loss by 58.1% (HR 1.581, CI 1.473-1.698, P < 0.001). The mode of sensitization predicts graft survival in highly sensitized kidney transplant recipients (PRA ≥98%). Patients who are highly sensitized from re-transplants have inferior graft survival compared with patients who are highly sensitized from other modes of sensitization. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Combination of methylated-DNA precipitation and methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes (COMPARE-MS) for the rapid, sensitive and quantitative detection of DNA methylation.

PubMed

Yegnasubramanian, Srinivasan; Lin, Xiaohui; Haffner, Michael C; DeMarzo, Angelo M; Nelson, William G

2006-02-09

Hypermethylation of CpG island (CGI) sequences is a nearly universal somatic genome alteration in cancer. Rapid and sensitive detection of DNA hypermethylation would aid in cancer diagnosis and risk stratification. We present a novel technique, called COMPARE-MS, that can rapidly and quantitatively detect CGI hypermethylation with high sensitivity and specificity in hundreds of samples simultaneously. To quantitate CGI hypermethylation, COMPARE-MS uses real-time PCR of DNA that was first digested by methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and then precipitated by methyl-binding domain polypeptides immobilized on a magnetic solid matrix. We show that COMPARE-MS could detect five genome equivalents of methylated CGIs in a 1000- to 10,000-fold excess of unmethylated DNA. COMPARE-MS was used to rapidly quantitate hypermethylation at multiple CGIs in >155 prostate tissues, including benign and malignant prostate specimens, and prostate cell lines. This analysis showed that GSTP1, MDR1 and PTGS2 CGI hypermethylation as determined by COMPARE-MS could differentiate between malignant and benign prostate with sensitivities >95% and specificities approaching 100%. This novel technology could significantly improve our ability to detect CGI hypermethylation.

Sensitive PCR Detection of Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica Extracted from Soil

PubMed Central

Qiu, Jinya Jack; Westerdahl, Becky B.; Anderson, Cindy; Williamson, Valerie M.

2006-01-01

We have developed a simple PCR assay protocol for detection of the root-knot nematode (RKN) species Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica extracted from soil. Nematodes are extracted from soil using Baermann funnels and centrifugal flotation. The nematode-containing fraction is then digested with proteinase K, and a PCR assay is carried out with primers specific for this group of RKN and with universal primers spanning the ITS of rRNA genes. The presence of RKN J2 can be detected among large numbers of other plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes. The procedure was tested with several soil types and crops from different locations and was found to be sensitive and accurate. Analysis of unknowns and spiked soil samples indicated that detection sensitivity was the same as or higher than by microscopic examination. PMID:19259460

Cost-effectiveness analysis of triple therapy with protease inhibitors in treatment-naive hepatitis C patients.

PubMed

Blázquez-Pérez, Antonio; San Miguel, Ramón; Mar, Javier

2013-10-01

Chronic hepatitis C is the leading cause of chronic liver disease, representing a significant burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and costs. A new scenario of therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection is being established with the approval of two effective HCV protease inhibitors (PIs) in combination with the standard of care (SOC), peginterferon and ribavirin. Our objective was to estimate the cost effectiveness of combination therapy with new PIs (boceprevir and telaprevir) plus peginterferon and ribavirin versus SOC in treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype 1 according to data obtained from clinical trials (CTs). A Markov model simulating chronic HCV progression was used to estimate disease treatment costs and effects over patients' lifetimes, in the Spanish national public healthcare system. The target population was treatment-naive patients with chronic HCV genotype 1, demographic characteristics for whom were obtained from the published pivotal CTs SPRINT and ADVANCE. Three options were analysed for each PI based on results from the two CTs: universal triple therapy, interleukin (IL)-28B-guided therapy and dual therapy with peginterferon and ribavirin. A univariate sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the uncertainty of certain parameters: age at start of treatment, transition probabilities, drug costs, CT efficacy results and a higher hazard ratio for all-cause mortality for patients with chronic HCV. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were also carried out. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of €2012 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained were used as outcome measures. According to the base-case analysis, using dual therapy as the comparator, the alternative IL28B-guided therapy presents a more favorable ICER (€18,079/QALY for boceprevir and €25,914/QALY for telaprevir) than the universal triple therapy option (€27,594/QALY for boceprevir and €33,751/QALY for telaprevir), with an ICER clearly below the efficiency threshold for medical interventions in the Spanish setting. Sensitivity analysis showed that age at the beginning of treatment was an important factor that influenced the ICER. A potential reduction in PI costs would also clearly improve the ICER, and transition probabilities influenced the results, but to a lesser extent. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that 95 % of the simulations presented an ICER below €40,000/QALY. Post hoc estimations of sustained virological responses of the IL28B-guided therapeutic option represented a limitation of the study. The therapeutic options analysed for the base-case cohort can be considered cost-effective interventions for the Spanish healthcare framework. Sensitivity analysis estimated an acceptability threshold of the IL28B-guided strategy of patients younger than 60 years.

Sensitivity analysis of 1-D dynamical model for basin analysis

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

Cao, S.

1987-01-01

Geological processes related to petroleum generation, migration and accumulation are very complicated in terms of time and variables involved, and it is very difficult to simulate these processes by laboratory experiments. For this reasons, many mathematic/computer models have been developed to simulate these geological processes based on geological, geophysical and geochemical principles. The sensitivity analysis in this study is a comprehensive examination on how geological, geophysical and geochemical parameters influence the reconstructions of geohistory, thermal history and hydrocarbon generation history using the 1-D fluid flow/compaction model developed in the Basin Modeling Group at the University of South Carolina. This studymore » shows the effects of some commonly used parameter such as depth, age, lithology, porosity, permeability, unconformity (eroded thickness and erosion time), temperature at sediment surface, bottom hole temperature, present day heat flow, thermal gradient, thermal conductivity and kerogen type and content on the evolutions of formation thickness, porosity, permeability, pressure with time and depth, heat flow with time, temperature with time and depth, vitrinite reflectance (Ro) and TTI with time and depth, and oil window in terms of time and depth, amount of hydrocarbons generated with time and depth. Lithology, present day heat flow and thermal conductivity are the most sensitive parameters in the reconstruction of temperature history.« less

Theory of Planned Behavior: Sensitivity and Specificity in Predicting Graduation and Drop-Out among College and University Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine S.; Amsel, Rhonda; Jorgensen, Mary; Nguyen, Mai Nhu; Budd, Jillian; King, Laura; Jorgensen, Shirley; Asuncion, Jennison

2016-01-01

We examined sensitivity and specificity when using the three theory of planned behavior (TPB) scales (Perceived Behavioral Control, Subjective Norms, Attitude) to predict graduation and drop-out in a longitudinal study of 252 college and university students with disabilities and in a separate cross-sectional study of a random sample of 1380…

PharmacoGx: an R package for analysis of large pharmacogenomic datasets.

PubMed

Smirnov, Petr; Safikhani, Zhaleh; El-Hachem, Nehme; Wang, Dong; She, Adrian; Olsen, Catharina; Freeman, Mark; Selby, Heather; Gendoo, Deena M A; Grossmann, Patrick; Beck, Andrew H; Aerts, Hugo J W L; Lupien, Mathieu; Goldenberg, Anna; Haibe-Kains, Benjamin

2016-04-15

Pharmacogenomics holds great promise for the development of biomarkers of drug response and the design of new therapeutic options, which are key challenges in precision medicine. However, such data are scattered and lack standards for efficient access and analysis, consequently preventing the realization of the full potential of pharmacogenomics. To address these issues, we implemented PharmacoGx, an easy-to-use, open source package for integrative analysis of multiple pharmacogenomic datasets. We demonstrate the utility of our package in comparing large drug sensitivity datasets, such as the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia. Moreover, we show how to use our package to easily perform Connectivity Map analysis. With increasing availability of drug-related data, our package will open new avenues of research for meta-analysis of pharmacogenomic data. PharmacoGx is implemented in R and can be easily installed on any system. The package is available from CRAN and its source code is available from GitHub. bhaibeka@uhnresearch.ca or benjamin.haibe.kains@utoronto.ca Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Potential cost-effectiveness of universal access to modern contraceptives in Uganda.

PubMed

Babigumira, Joseph B; Stergachis, Andy; Veenstra, David L; Gardner, Jacqueline S; Ngonzi, Joseph; Mukasa-Kivunike, Peter; Garrison, Louis P

2012-01-01

Over two thirds of women who need contraception in Uganda lack access to modern effective methods. This study was conducted to estimate the potential cost-effectiveness of achieving universal access to modern contraceptives in Uganda by implementing a hypothetical new contraceptive program (NCP) from both societal and governmental (Ministry of Health (MoH)) perspectives. A Markov model was developed to compare the NCP to the status quo or current contraceptive program (CCP). The model followed a hypothetical cohort of 15-year old girls over a lifetime horizon. Data were obtained from the Uganda National Demographic and Health Survey and from published and unpublished sources. Costs, life expectancy, disability-adjusted life expectancy, pregnancies, fertility and incremental cost-effectiveness measured as cost per life-year (LY) gained, cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted, cost per pregnancy averted and cost per unit of fertility reduction were calculated. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of results. Mean discounted life expectancy and disability-adjusted life expectancy (DALE) were higher under the NCP vs. CCP (28.74 vs. 28.65 years and 27.38 vs. 27.01 respectively). Mean pregnancies and live births per woman were lower under the NCP (9.51 vs. 7.90 and 6.92 vs. 5.79 respectively). Mean lifetime societal costs per woman were lower for the NCP from the societal perspective ($1,949 vs. $1,987) and the MoH perspective ($636 vs. $685). In the incremental analysis, the NCP dominated the CCP, i.e. it was both less costly and more effective. The results were robust to univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Universal access to modern contraceptives in Uganda appears to be highly cost-effective. Increasing contraceptive coverage should be considered among Uganda's public health priorities.

Pre-Service Teacher Intercultural Sensitivity Assessment as a Basis for Addressing Multiculturalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinthourakis, J. A.; Karatzia-Stavlioti, E.; Roussakis, Y.

2009-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the cultural sensitivity of a sample of Greek University Elementary education students using an adjusted version of Chen and Starosta's Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, which is based on Bennett's Inventory on Intercultural Sensitivity. Results show that Greek student intercultural sensitivity is already…

Reservoir Simulations of Low-Temperature Geothermal Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedre, Madhur Ganesh

The eastern United States generally has lower temperature gradients than the western United States. However, West Virginia, in particular, has higher temperature gradients compared to other eastern states. A recent study at Southern Methodist University by Blackwell et al. has shown the presence of a hot spot in the eastern part of West Virginia with temperatures reaching 150°C at a depth of between 4.5 and 5 km. This thesis work examines similar reservoirs at a depth of around 5 km resembling the geology of West Virginia, USA. The temperature gradients used are in accordance with the SMU study. In order to assess the effects of geothermal reservoir conditions on the lifetime of a low-temperature geothermal system, a sensitivity analysis study was performed on following seven natural and human-controlled parameters within a geothermal reservoir: reservoir temperature, injection fluid temperature, injection flow rate, porosity, rock thermal conductivity, water loss (%) and well spacing. This sensitivity analysis is completed by using ‘One factor at a time method (OFAT)’ and ‘Plackett-Burman design’ methods. The data used for this study was obtained by carrying out the reservoir simulations using TOUGH2 simulator. The second part of this work is to create a database of thermal potential and time-dependant reservoir conditions for low-temperature geothermal reservoirs by studying a number of possible scenarios. Variations in the parameters identified in sensitivity analysis study are used to expand the scope of database. Main results include the thermal potential of reservoir, pressure and temperature profile of the reservoir over its operational life (30 years for this study), the plant capacity and required pumping power. The results of this database will help the supply curves calculations for low-temperature geothermal reservoirs in the United States, which is the long term goal of the work being done by the geothermal research group under Dr. Anderson at West Virginia University.

A Case Study for Probabilistic Methods Validation (MSFC Center Director's Discretionary Fund, Project No. 94-26)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price J. M.; Ortega, R.

1998-01-01

Probabilistic method is not a universally accepted approach for the design and analysis of aerospace structures. The validity of this approach must be demonstrated to encourage its acceptance as it viable design and analysis tool to estimate structural reliability. The objective of this Study is to develop a well characterized finite population of similar aerospace structures that can be used to (1) validate probabilistic codes, (2) demonstrate the basic principles behind probabilistic methods, (3) formulate general guidelines for characterization of material drivers (such as elastic modulus) when limited data is available, and (4) investigate how the drivers affect the results of sensitivity analysis at the component/failure mode level.

Robust Bounded Influence Tests in Linear Models

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-01

sensitivity analysis and bounded influence estimation. In: Evaluation of Econometric Models, J. Kmenta and J.B. Ramsey (eds.) Academic Press, New York...1R’OBUST bOUNDED INFLUENCE TESTS IN LINEA’ MODELS and( I’homas P. [lettmansperger* Tim [PennsylvanLa State UJniversity A M i0d fix pu111 rsos.p JJ 1 0...November 1988 ROBUST BOUNDED INFLUENCE TESTS IN LINEAR MODELS Marianthi Markatou The University of Iowa and Thomas P. Hettmansperger* The Pennsylvania

Particle-Induced Gamma-ray Emission Spectroscopy Over a Broad Range of Elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olds, Hannah; Wilkinson, John; Tighe, Meghanne; McLallen, Walter; McGuire, Patrick

2017-09-01

Ion beam analysis is a common application of nuclear physics that allows elemental and isotopic information about materials to be determined from accelerated light ion beams One of the best know ion beam analysis techniques is Particle-Induced Gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) spectroscopy, which can be used ex vacuo to identify the elements of interest in almost any solid target. The energies of the gamma-rays emitted by excited nuclei will be unique to each element and depend on its nuclear structure. For the most sensitivity, the accelerated ions should exceed the Coulomb barrier of the target, but many isotopes are known to be accessible to PIGE even below the Coulomb barrier. To explore the sensitivity of PIGE across the periodic table, PIGE measurements were made on elements with Z = 5, 9, 11-15, 17, 19-35, 37, 42, 44-48, 53, 56, 60, 62, 73, and 74 using 3.4 MeV protons. These measurements will be compared with literature values and be used as a basis for comparison with higher-energy proton beams available at the University of Notre Dame's St. Andre accelerator when it comes online this Fall. The beam normalization technique of using atmospheric argon and its 1459 keV gamma-ray to better estimate the integrated beam on target will also be discussed. Funded by the NSF REU program and the University of Notre Dame.

Astrophysical and Geophysical Flows as Dynamical Systems. 1998 Summer Study Program in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-01-01

Jerusalem, ISRAEL University of Miami Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Brown University University of Chicago University Politecnica de Catalunya...University Politecnica de Catalunya, SPAIN - Resonant Mode Interactions in Rayleigh-Benard Convection 2:30 pm Ian Melbourne, University of Houston... Transport in a Porous Layer 2:30 pm Michael Proctor, University of Cambridge, UK - Noise Sensitivity in Travelling-Wave Instabilities Week of July

The reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Wei; Chu, Hsin; Tsai, Chia-Fen; Yang, Hui-Ling; Tsai, Jui-Chen; Chung, Min-Huey; Liao, Yuan-Mei; Chi, Mei-Ju; Chou, Kuei-Ru

2015-11-01

The purpose of this study was to translate the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale into Chinese and to evaluate the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) and the diagnostic properties (sensitivity, specificity and predictive values) of the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale. The accurate detection of early dementia requires screening tools with favourable cross-cultural linguistic and appropriate sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values, particularly for Chinese-speaking populations. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Overall, 130 participants suspected to have cognitive impairment were enrolled in the study. A test-retest for determining reliability was scheduled four weeks after the initial test. Content validity was determined by five experts, whereas construct validity was established by using contrasted group technique. The participants' clinical diagnoses were used as the standard in calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value. The study revealed that the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale exhibited a test-retest reliability of 0.90, an internal consistency reliability of 0.71, an inter-rater reliability (kappa value) of 0.88 and a content validity index of 0.97. Both the patients and healthy contrast group exhibited significant differences in their cognitive ability. The optimal cut-off points for the Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale in the test for mild cognitive impairment and dementia were 24 and 22, respectively; moreover, for these two conditions, the sensitivities of the scale were 0.79 and 0.76, the specificities were 0.91 and 0.81, the areas under the curve were 0.85 and 0.78, the positive predictive values were 0.99 and 0.83 and the negative predictive values were 0.96 and 0.91 respectively. The Chinese version of the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale exhibited sound reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values. This scale can help clinical staff members to quickly and accurately diagnose cognitive impairment and provide appropriate treatment as early as possible. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How Sensitively Timed Are Sensitive Periods?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zener, Rita Schaefer

2003-01-01

Reviews Maria Montessori's view of sensitive periods and examines the kinds of help needed from adults: an open mind, specific help from a prepared learning environment, and challenges presented at the right time. Stresses the universality of sensitive periods and their connection to brain development. Focuses on the unconscious nature and…

The population cost-effectiveness of delivering universal and indicated school-based interventions to prevent the onset of major depression among youth in Australia.

PubMed

Lee, Y Y; Barendregt, J J; Stockings, E A; Ferrari, A J; Whiteford, H A; Patton, G A; Mihalopoulos, C

2017-10-01

School-based psychological interventions encompass: universal interventions targeting youth in the general population; and indicated interventions targeting youth with subthreshold depression. This study aimed to: (1) examine the population cost-effectiveness of delivering universal and indicated prevention interventions to youth in the population aged 11-17 years via primary and secondary schools in Australia; and (2) compare the comparative cost-effectiveness of delivering these interventions using face-to-face and internet-based delivery mechanisms. We reviewed literature on the prevention of depression to identify all interventions targeting youth that would be suitable for implementation in Australia and had evidence of efficacy to support analysis. From this, we found evidence of effectiveness for the following intervention types: universal prevention involving group-based psychological interventions delivered to all participating school students; and indicated prevention involving group-based psychological interventions delivered to students with subthreshold depression. We constructed a Markov model to assess the cost-effectiveness of delivering universal and indicated interventions in the population relative to a 'no intervention' comparator over a 10-year time horizon. A disease model was used to simulate epidemiological transitions between three health states (i.e., healthy, diseased and dead). Intervention effect sizes were based on meta-analyses of randomised control trial data identified in the aforementioned review; while health benefits were measured as Disability-adjusted Life Years (DALYs) averted attributable to reductions in depression incidence. Net costs of delivering interventions were calculated using relevant Australian data. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were conducted to test model assumptions. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were measured in 2013 Australian dollars per DALY averted; with costs and benefits discounted at 3%. Universal and indicated psychological interventions delivered through face-to-face modalities had ICERs below a threshold of $50 000 per DALY averted. That is, $7350 per DALY averted (95% uncertainty interval (UI): dominates - 23 070) for universal prevention, and $19 550 per DALY averted (95% UI: 3081-56 713) for indicated prevention. Baseline ICERs were generally robust to changes in model assumptions. We conducted a sensitivity analysis which found that internet-delivered prevention interventions were highly cost-effective when assuming intervention effect sizes of 100 and 50% relative to effect sizes observed for face-to-face delivered interventions. These results should, however, be interpreted with caution due to the paucity of data. School-based psychological interventions appear to be cost-effective. However, realising efficiency gains in the population is ultimately dependent on ensuring successful system-level implementation.

Thermal comfort in Quebec City, Canada: sensitivity analysis of the UTCI and other popular thermal comfort indices in a mid-latitude continental city.

PubMed

Provençal, Simon; Bergeron, Onil; Leduc, Richard; Barrette, Nathalie

2016-04-01

The newly developed Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), along with the physiological equivalent temperature (PET), the humidex (HX) and the wind chill index (WC), was calculated in Quebec City, Canada, a city with a strong seasonal climatic variability, over a 1-year period. The objective of this study is twofold: evaluate the operational benefits of implementing the UTCI for a climate monitoring program of public comfort and health awareness as opposed to relying on traditional and simple indices, and determine whether thermal comfort monitoring specific to dense urban neighborhoods is necessary to adequately fulfill the goals of the program. In order to do so, an analysis is performed to evaluate each of these indices' sensitivity to the meteorological variables that regulate them in different environments. Overall, the UTCI was found to be slightly more sensitive to mean radiant temperature, moderately more sensitive to humidity and much more sensitive to wind speed than the PET. This dynamic changed slightly depending on the environment and the season. In hot weather, the PET was found to be more sensitive to mean radiant temperature and therefore reached high values that could potentially be hazardous more frequently than the UTCI and the HX. In turn, the UTCI's stronger sensitivity to wind speed makes it a superior index to identify potentially hazardous weather in winter compared to the PET and the WC. Adopting the UTCI broadly would be an improvement over the traditionally popular HX and WC indices. The urban environment produced favorable conditions to sustain heat stress conditions, where the indices reached high values more frequently there than in suburban locations, which advocates for weather monitoring specific to denser urban areas.

Thermal comfort in Quebec City, Canada: sensitivity analysis of the UTCI and other popular thermal comfort indices in a mid-latitude continental city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provençal, Simon; Bergeron, Onil; Leduc, Richard; Barrette, Nathalie

2016-04-01

The newly developed Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), along with the physiological equivalent temperature (PET), the humidex (HX) and the wind chill index (WC), was calculated in Quebec City, Canada, a city with a strong seasonal climatic variability, over a 1-year period. The objective of this study is twofold: evaluate the operational benefits of implementing the UTCI for a climate monitoring program of public comfort and health awareness as opposed to relying on traditional and simple indices, and determine whether thermal comfort monitoring specific to dense urban neighborhoods is necessary to adequately fulfill the goals of the program. In order to do so, an analysis is performed to evaluate each of these indices' sensitivity to the meteorological variables that regulate them in different environments. Overall, the UTCI was found to be slightly more sensitive to mean radiant temperature, moderately more sensitive to humidity and much more sensitive to wind speed than the PET. This dynamic changed slightly depending on the environment and the season. In hot weather, the PET was found to be more sensitive to mean radiant temperature and therefore reached high values that could potentially be hazardous more frequently than the UTCI and the HX. In turn, the UTCI's stronger sensitivity to wind speed makes it a superior index to identify potentially hazardous weather in winter compared to the PET and the WC. Adopting the UTCI broadly would be an improvement over the traditionally popular HX and WC indices. The urban environment produced favorable conditions to sustain heat stress conditions, where the indices reached high values more frequently there than in suburban locations, which advocates for weather monitoring specific to denser urban areas.

Demographic factors associated with moral sensitivity among nursing students.

PubMed

Tuvesson, Hanna; Lützén, Kim

2017-11-01

Today's healthcare environment is often characterized by an ethically demanding work situation, and nursing students need to prepare to meet ethical challenges in their future role. Moral sensitivity is an important aspect of the ethical decision-making process, but little is known regarding nursing students' moral sensitivity and its possible development during nursing education. The aims of this study were to investigate moral sensitivity among nursing students, differences in moral sensitivity according to sample sub-group, and the relation between demographic characteristics of nursing students and moral sensitivity. A convenience sample of 299 nursing students from one university completed a questionnaire comprising questions about demographic information and the revised Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. With the use of SPSS, non-parametric statistics, including logistic regression models, were used to investigate the relationship between demographic characteristics and moral sensitivity. Ethical considerations: The study followed the regulations according to the Swedish Ethical Review Act and was reviewed by the Ethics Committee of South-East Sweden. The findings showed that mean scores of nursing students' moral sensitivity were found in the middle to upper segment of the rating scale. Multivariate analysis showed that gender (odds ratio = 3.32), age (odds ratio = 2.09; 1.73), and parental status (odds ratio = 0.31) were of relevance to nursing students' moral sensitivity. Academic year was found to be unrelated to moral sensitivity. These demographic aspects should be considered when designing ethics education for nursing students. Future studies should continue to investigate moral sensitivity in nursing students, such as if and how various pedagogical strategies in ethics may contribute to moral sensitivity in nursing students.

Measurement of Ωm, ΩΛ from a Blind Analysis of Type Ia Supernovae with CMAGIC: Using Color Information to Verify the Acceleration of the Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conley, A.; Goldhaber, G.; Wang, L.; Aldering, G.; Amanullah, R.; Commins, E. D.; Fadeyev, V.; Folatelli, G.; Garavini, G.; Gibbons, R.; Goobar, A.; Groom, D. E.; Hook, I.; Howell, D. A.; Kim, A. G.; Knop, R. A.; Kowalski, M.; Kuznetsova, N.; Lidman, C.; Nobili, S.; Nugent, P. E.; Pain, R.; Perlmutter, S.; Smith, E.; Spadafora, A. L.; Stanishev, V.; Strovink, M.; Thomas, R. C.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Supernova Cosmology Project

2006-06-01

We present measurements of Ωm and ΩΛ from a blind analysis of 21 high-redshift supernovae using a new technique (CMAGIC) for fitting the multicolor light curves of Type Ia supernovae, first introduced by Wang and coworkers. CMAGIC takes advantage of the remarkably simple behavior of Type Ia supernovae on color-magnitude diagrams and has several advantages over current techniques based on maximum magnitudes. Among these are a reduced sensitivity to host galaxy dust extinction, a shallower luminosity-width relation, and the relative simplicity of the fitting procedure. This allows us to provide a cross-check of previous supernova cosmology results, despite the fact that current data sets were not observed in a manner optimized for CMAGIC. We describe the details of our novel blindness procedure, which is designed to prevent experimenter bias. The data are broadly consistent with the picture of an accelerating universe and agree with a flat universe within 1.7 σ, including systematics. We also compare the CMAGIC results directly with those of a maximum magnitude fit to the same supernovae, finding that CMAGIC favors more acceleration at the 1.6 σ level, including systematics and the correlation between the two measurements. A fit for w assuming a flat universe yields a value that is consistent with a cosmological constant within 1.2 σ.

Energy Conservation in the Acquisition Process

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

National Energy Strategies Project," S. H. Schurr, J. Darmstradter, W. Ramsey , H. Perry, M. Russell, The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD...1.8% 1990-1995 0 to 4.8% 2.1% 3.1% - 1995-2000 0 to 1.5% 1.2% 3.0% Source: Federal Register, 23 June 1980, p. 42193. should be tested for the effect...34Economic Analysis and Program Evaluation for Program Management" 18 Oct., 1972 calls for "a test of the sensitivity of the results of any factor

Management of a CFD organization in support of space hardware development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schutzenhofer, L. A.; Mcconnaughey, P. K.; Mcconnaughey, H. V.; Wang, T. S.

1991-01-01

The management strategy of NASA-Marshall's CFD branch in support of space hardware development and code validation implements various elements of total quality management. The strategy encompasses (1) a teaming strategy which focuses on the most pertinent problem, (2) quick-turnaround analysis, (3) the evaluation of retrofittable design options through sensitivity analysis, and (4) coordination between the chief engineer and the hardware contractors. Advanced-technology concepts are being addressed via the definition of technology-development projects whose products are transferable to hardware programs and the integration of research activities with industry, government agencies, and universities, on the basis of the 'consortium' concept.

Sensitivity analysis of a sediment dynamics model applied in a Mediterranean river basin: global change and management implications.

PubMed

Sánchez-Canales, M; López-Benito, A; Acuña, V; Ziv, G; Hamel, P; Chaplin-Kramer, R; Elorza, F J

2015-01-01

Climate change and land-use change are major factors influencing sediment dynamics. Models can be used to better understand sediment production and retention by the landscape, although their interpretation is limited by large uncertainties, including model parameter uncertainties. The uncertainties related to parameter selection may be significant and need to be quantified to improve model interpretation for watershed management. In this study, we performed a sensitivity analysis of the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs) sediment retention model in order to determine which model parameters had the greatest influence on model outputs, and therefore require special attention during calibration. The estimation of the sediment loads in this model is based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The sensitivity analysis was performed in the Llobregat basin (NE Iberian Peninsula) for exported and retained sediment, which support two different ecosystem service benefits (avoided reservoir sedimentation and improved water quality). Our analysis identified the model parameters related to the natural environment as the most influential for sediment export and retention. Accordingly, small changes in variables such as the magnitude and frequency of extreme rainfall events could cause major changes in sediment dynamics, demonstrating the sensitivity of these dynamics to climate change in Mediterranean basins. Parameters directly related to human activities and decisions (such as cover management factor, C) were also influential, especially for sediment exported. The importance of these human-related parameters in the sediment export process suggests that mitigation measures have the potential to at least partially ameliorate climate-change driven changes in sediment exportation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Revising and Updating the Inventory of Cross-Cultural Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahon, Jennifer A.; Cushner, Kenneth

2014-01-01

The following article outlines research conducted to examine cross-cultural sensitivity in a sample of 949 incoming university students in the USA. The study was conducted during the process of updating an existing measure of cross-cultural sensitivity known as the Inventory of Cross-Cultural Sensitivity (ICCS), and to examine the various levels…

School attributes, household characteristics, and demand for schooling: A case study of rural Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilon, Lynn; Moock, Peter

1991-12-01

Educational expansion, long a goal of many LDCs, has become a difficult policy to pursue. Growing populations, shrinking national incomes and higher marginal costs of schooling as schooling reaches more rural dwellers have caused policy makers to take a hard look at factors which influence educational demand and expansion. This paper examines the case of Peru where rural areas have yet to attain the nearly universal enrollment of urban areas. The study examines 2500 rural households to explore reasons why children do not attend school, drop out of school, and begin school at later ages. The study finds that the monetary costs of schools (fees and other costs) have a substantial influence on parental decisions regarding school attendance and continuation. Sensitivity analysis reveals that mother's education has a bearing on their children's educational participation, particularly in low-income households. Sensitivity analysis also reveals that school attendance of low income and female children are most strongly affected by simulated changes in school fees.

The Stanford-U.S. Geological Survey SHRIMP ion microprobe--a tool for micro-scale chemical and isotopic analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bacon, Charles R.; Grove, Marty; Vazquez, Jorge A.; Coble, Matthew A.

2012-01-01

Answers to many questions in Earth science require chemical analysis of minute volumes of minerals, volcanic glass, or biological materials. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) is an extremely sensitive analytical method in which a 5–30 micrometer diameter "primary" beam of charged particles (ions) is focused on a region of a solid specimen to sputter secondary ions from 1–5 nanograms of the sample under high vacuum. The elemental abundances and isotopic ratios of these secondary ions are determined with a mass spectrometer. These results can be used for geochronology to determine the age of a region within a crystal thousands to billions of years old or to precisely measure trace abundances of chemical elements at concentrations as low as parts per billion. A partnership of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences operates a large SIMS instrument, the Sensitive High-Resolution Ion Microprobe with Reverse Geometry (SHRIMP–RG) on the Stanford campus.

Establishing the Capability of a 1D SVAT Modelling Scheme in Predicting Key Biophysical Vegetation Characterisation Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Gareth; Petropoulos, George P.; Carlson, Toby N.; Purdy, Sarah

2015-04-01

Sensitivity analysis (SA) consists of an integral and important validatory check of a computer simulation model before it is used to perform any kind of analysis. In the present work, we present the results from a SA performed on the SimSphere Soil Vegetation Atmosphere Transfer (SVAT) model utilising a cutting edge and robust Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) approach, based on the use of the Gaussian Emulation Machine for Sensitivity Analysis (GEM-SA) tool. The sensitivity of the following model outputs was evaluated: the ambient CO2 concentration and the rate of CO2 uptake by the plant, the ambient O3 concentration, the flux of O3 from the air to the plant/soil boundary, and the flux of O3 taken up by the plant alone. The most sensitive model inputs for the majority of model outputs were related to the structural properties of vegetation, namely, the Leaf Area Index, Fractional Vegetation Cover, Cuticle Resistance and Vegetation Height. External CO2 in the leaf and the O3 concentration in the air input parameters also exhibited significant influence on model outputs. This work presents a very important step towards an all-inclusive evaluation of SimSphere. Indeed, results from this study contribute decisively towards establishing its capability as a useful teaching and research tool in modelling Earth's land surface interactions. This is of considerable importance in the light of the rapidly expanding use of this model worldwide, which also includes research conducted by various Space Agencies examining its synergistic use with Earth Observation data towards the development of operational products at a global scale. This research was supported by the European Commission Marie Curie Re-Integration Grant "TRANSFORM-EO". SimSphere is currently maintained and freely distributed by the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University (http://www.aber.ac.uk/simsphere). Keywords: CO2 flux, ambient CO2, O3 flux, SimSphere, Gaussian process emulators, BACCO GEM-SA, TRANSFORM-EO.

Vibration criteria for transit systems in close proximity to university research activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Steven

2004-05-01

As some of the newer LRT projects get closer to research facilities the question arisesi ``how do you assess the potential impact of train operations on the activities within these types of facilities?'' There are several new LRT projects that have proposed alignments near or under university research facilities. The traditional ground vibration analysis at these locations is no longer valid but requires a more sophisticated approach to identifying both criteria and impact. APTA, ISO, IES, and FTA vibration criteria may not be adequate for the most sensitive activities involving single cell and nano technology research. The use of existing ambient vibration levels is evaluated as a potential criteria. A statistical approach is used to better understand how the train vibration would affect the ambient vibration levels.

Center for Computational Structures Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.; Perry, Ferman W.

1995-01-01

The Center for Computational Structures Technology (CST) is intended to serve as a focal point for the diverse CST research activities. The CST activities include the use of numerical simulation and artificial intelligence methods in modeling, analysis, sensitivity studies, and optimization of flight-vehicle structures. The Center is located at NASA Langley and is an integral part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science of the University of Virginia. The key elements of the Center are: (1) conducting innovative research on advanced topics of CST; (2) acting as pathfinder by demonstrating to the research community what can be done (high-potential, high-risk research); (3) strong collaboration with NASA scientists and researchers from universities and other government laboratories; and (4) rapid dissemination of CST to industry, through integration of industrial personnel into the ongoing research efforts.

Using global sensitivity analysis to understand higher order interactions in complex models: an application of GSA on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) to quantify model sensitivity and implications for ecosystem services management in Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fremier, A. K.; Estrada Carmona, N.; Harper, E.; DeClerck, F.

2011-12-01

Appropriate application of complex models to estimate system behavior requires understanding the influence of model structure and parameter estimates on model output. To date, most researchers perform local sensitivity analyses, rather than global, because of computational time and quantity of data produced. Local sensitivity analyses are limited in quantifying the higher order interactions among parameters, which could lead to incomplete analysis of model behavior. To address this concern, we performed a GSA on a commonly applied equation for soil loss - the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation. USLE is an empirical model built on plot-scale data from the USA and the Revised version (RUSLE) includes improved equations for wider conditions, with 25 parameters grouped into six factors to estimate long-term plot and watershed scale soil loss. Despite RUSLE's widespread application, a complete sensitivity analysis has yet to be performed. In this research, we applied a GSA to plot and watershed scale data from the US and Costa Rica to parameterize the RUSLE in an effort to understand the relative importance of model factors and parameters across wide environmental space. We analyzed the GSA results using Random Forest, a statistical approach to evaluate parameter importance accounting for the higher order interactions, and used Classification and Regression Trees to show the dominant trends in complex interactions. In all GSA calculations the management of cover crops (C factor) ranks the highest among factors (compared to rain-runoff erosivity, topography, support practices, and soil erodibility). This is counter to previous sensitivity analyses where the topographic factor was determined to be the most important. The GSA finding is consistent across multiple model runs, including data from the US, Costa Rica, and a synthetic dataset of the widest theoretical space. The three most important parameters were: Mass density of live and dead roots found in the upper inch of soil (C factor), slope angle (L and S factor), and percentage of land area covered by surface cover (C factor). Our findings give further support to the importance of vegetation as a vital ecosystem service provider - soil loss reduction. Concurrent, progress is already been made in Costa Rica, where dam managers are moving forward on a Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme to help keep private lands forested and to improve crop management through targeted investments. Use of complex watershed models, such as RUSLE can help managers quantify the effect of specific land use changes. Moreover, effective land management of vegetation has other important benefits, such as bundled ecosystem services (e.g. pollination, habitat connectivity, etc) and improvements of communities' livelihoods.

The Relationship between Mental Health and Addiction to Mobile Phones among University Students of Shahrekord, Iran.

PubMed

Babadi-Akashe, Zahra; Zamani, Bibi Eshrat; Abedini, Yasamin; Akbari, Hojaetolah; Hedayati, Nasim

2014-01-01

The risk of cell phone addiction is a social and psychological problem which has been proposed by psychologists, psychiatrists, and educational supervisors. The present study aimed to investigate the behavior of mobile phone addicts and mental health of university students of Shahrekord, Iran. This study was an applied research survey for the purposes of this study. The study population ýconsisted of all the students of Payame Noor University, Islamic Azad University, and University of Medical Sciences. The study population consisted of 296 students who were randomly selected from the target population. To collect data, two types of questionnaires were used, the Symptom Checklist-90-R(SCL-90-R) questionnaire, and the 32-point scale questionnaire of behavior associated with ýmobile phone use (Hooper and Zhou, 2007). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, statistical analysis, frequency distribution, mean, one-way ANOVA, chi-square, and LSD (Least significance difference). The results showed that university students of Shahrekord, based on the six categories of mobile ýaddiction behaviors, were mostly placed in habitual behaviors (21.49%), addiction (21.49%), and intentional (21.49%) categories. By reviewing mental health indicators, it was found that students were affected with depressive disorder (17.30%), obsessive compulsive disorder (14.20%), and interpersonal sensitivity (13.80%). The results showed that there was a significant inverse relationship ýbetween mental health and habitual behaviors (r = -0.417), dependence (r = -0.317), addiction (r = -0.330), and incontinence (r = -0.309) in using mobile phone (P < 0.001). Survey results showed that with increased and improved mental health, the student's rate of cell phone addiction reduced.

The Relationship between Mental Health and Addiction to Mobile Phones among University Students of Shahrekord, Iran

PubMed Central

Babadi-Akashe, Zahra; Zamani, Bibi Eshrat; Abedini, Yasamin; Akbari, Hojaetolah; Hedayati, Nasim

2014-01-01

Background The risk of cell phone addiction is a social and psychological problem which has been proposed by psychologists, psychiatrists, and educational supervisors. The present study aimed to investigate the behavior of mobile phone addicts and mental health of university students of Shahrekord, Iran. Methods This study was an applied research survey for the purposes of this study. The study population ýconsisted of all the students of Payame Noor University, Islamic Azad University, and University of Medical Sciences. The study population consisted of 296 students who were randomly selected from the target population. To collect data, two types of questionnaires were used, the Symptom Checklist-90-R(SCL-90-R) questionnaire, and the 32-point scale questionnaire of behavior associated with ýmobile phone use (Hooper and Zhou, 2007). Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, statistical analysis, frequency distribution, mean, one-way ANOVA, chi-square, and LSD (Least significance difference). Findings The results showed that university students of Shahrekord, based on the six categories of mobile ýaddiction behaviors, were mostly placed in habitual behaviors (21.49%), addiction (21.49%), and intentional (21.49%) categories. By reviewing mental health indicators, it was found that students were affected with depressive disorder (17.30%), obsessive compulsive disorder (14.20%), and interpersonal sensitivity (13.80%). The results showed that there was a significant inverse relationship ýbetween mental health and habitual behaviors (r = -0.417), dependence (r = -0.317), addiction (r = -0.330), and incontinence (r = -0.309) in using mobile phone (P < 0.001). Conclusion Survey results showed that with increased and improved mental health, the student’s rate of cell phone addiction reduced. PMID:25984275

Universal Strategy To Reduce Noise Current for Sensitive Organic Photodetectors.

PubMed

Xiong, Sixing; Li, Lingliang; Qin, Fei; Mao, Lin; Luo, Bangwu; Jiang, Youyu; Li, Zaifang; Huang, Jinsong; Zhou, Yinhua

2017-03-15

Low noise current is critical for achieving high-detectivity organic photodetectors. Inserting charge-blocking layers is an effective approach to suppress the reverse-biased dark current. However, in solution-processed organic photodetectors, the charge-transport material needs to be dissolved in solvents that do not dissolve the underneath light-absorbing layer, which is not always possible for all kinds of light-absorbing materials developed. Here, we introduce a universal strategy of transfer-printing a conjugated polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), as the electron-blocking layer to realize highly sensitive photodetectors. The transfer-printed P3HT layers substantially and universally reduced the reverse-biased dark current by about 3 orders of magnitude for various photodetectors with different active layers. These photodetectors can detect the light signal as weak as several picowatts per square centimeter, and the device detectivity is over 10 12 Jones. The results suggest that the strategy of transfer-printing P3HT films as the electron-blocking layer is universal and effective for the fabrication of sensitive organic photodetectors.

The effect of prolonged standing on touch sensitivity threshold of the foot: a pilot study.

PubMed

Wiggermann, Neal E; Werner, Robert A; Keyserling, W Monroe

2012-02-01

To determine the effect of prolonged standing on touch sensitivity of the foot. An observational study with replications. University laboratory. Ten healthy college students (5 men and 5 women), with a mean ± SD age of 23.5 ± 4.1 years and body mass of 67.4 ± 12.6 kg. Semmes-Weinstein monofilament tests were administered to 12 locations on the dorsal and plantar surfaces of the foot before and after 4 hours of standing. These locations were formed into several groupings (toes, metatarsal heads, midfoot, heel, all plantar sites, all dorsal sites), and paired t-tests were used to test for significant changes in sensitivity threshold after standing. The difference between sensitivity thresholds measured before and after standing for different locations on the foot. The average of all sensitivity thresholds on the plantar surface of the foot decreased (indicating increased sensitivity) from 0.56 to 0.36 g (P < .01) after 4 hours of prolonged standing. This change in threshold equated to a difference of 1 Semmes-Weinstein monofilament level. Changes in the sensitivity threshold of the dorsal aspect of the foot were not significant. Analysis of the results suggests that the plantar foot has greater sensitivity to touch after prolonged standing. These findings may be useful for identifying potential unintended bias in clinical touch sensitivity testing. Future research is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms for this sensitivity change and to determine the onset and recovery times for sensitivity changes. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The experience of educational quality in undergraduate nursing students: a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Macale, Loreana; Vellone, Ercole; Scialò, Gennaro; Iossa, Mauro; Cristofori, Elena; Alvaro, Rosaria

2016-01-01

The evaluation of academic education has become crucial in the European Union since the Bologna Process encouraged all European universities to reach high quality standards in education. Although several studies have been conducted on the quality of undergraduate nursing education, few studies have explored this topic from the students' perspective. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of educational quality in undergraduate nursing students. The phenomenological method was used to study 55 students (mean age 24 years; 73% female) pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing in three universities in central Italy. The following five themes emerged from the phenomenological analysis: 1) quality of faculties: teaching skills, preparation, sensitivity to students, self-discipline; 2) theory-practice integration and communication between teaching and clinical area; 3) general management and organization of the programme; 4) quality of infrastructures: libraries, classrooms, information technology, services, administration, and communication; and 5) clinical tutorship: humanity, relationships and ability of the clinical tutor to guide and support. This study's novel finding was a deeper understanding of the educational quality's meanings among undergraduate nursing students. Students thought educational quality consisted of the faculty members' sensitivity towards their problems and the clinical tutors' humanity, interpersonal skills, guidance and support.

Yoga therapy for promoting emotional sensitivity in University students.

PubMed

Ganpat, Tikhe Sham; Dash, Sasmita; Ramarao, Nagendra Hongasandra

2014-01-01

Students need emotional intelligence (EI) for their better academic excellence. There are three important psychological dimensions of EI: Emotional sensitivity (ES), emotional maturity (EM) and emotional competency (EC), which motivate students to recognize truthfully, interpret honestly and handle tactfully the dynamics of their behavioral pattern. The study was designed to assess ES in the students undergoing yoga therapy program in the form of yoga instructor's course (YIC) module. One hundred and eighty four YIC students with 25.77 ± 4.85 years of mean age participated in this study of 21 days duration (a single group pre-post design). The ES data was collected before (pre) and after (post) YIC module using Emotional Quotient test developed by Dr Dalip Singh and Dr N K Chadha. Means, standard deviations, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for analyzing the data with the help of SPSS 16. The data analysis showed 3.63% significant increase (P < 0.01) in ES. The present study suggests that YIC module can result in improvement of ES among university students, thus paving the way for their academic success. Additional well-designed studies are needed before a strong recommendation can be made.

Insufficient Knowledge of Breast Cancer Risk Factors Among Malaysian Female University Students

PubMed Central

Samah, Asnarulkhadi Abu; Ahmadian, Maryam; Latiff, Latiffah A.

2016-01-01

Background: Despite continuous argument about the efficacy of breast self-examination; it still could be a life-saving technique through inspiring and empowering women to take better control over their body/breast and health. This study investigated Malaysian female university students’ knowledge about breast cancer risk factors, signs, and symptoms and assessed breast self-examination frequency among students. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2013 in nine public and private universities in the Klang Valley and Selangor. 842 female students were respondents for the self-administered survey technique. Simple descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. Results: The uptake of breast self-examination (BSE) was less than 50% among the students. Most of students had insufficient knowledge on several breast cancer risk factors. Conclusion: Actions and efforts should be done to increase knowledge of breast cancer through the development of ethnically and traditionally sensitive educational training on BSE and breast cancer literacy. PMID:26234996

A novel bi-level meta-analysis approach: applied to biological pathway analysis.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tin; Tagett, Rebecca; Donato, Michele; Mitrea, Cristina; Draghici, Sorin

2016-02-01

The accumulation of high-throughput data in public repositories creates a pressing need for integrative analysis of multiple datasets from independent experiments. However, study heterogeneity, study bias, outliers and the lack of power of available methods present real challenge in integrating genomic data. One practical drawback of many P-value-based meta-analysis methods, including Fisher's, Stouffer's, minP and maxP, is that they are sensitive to outliers. Another drawback is that, because they perform just one statistical test for each individual experiment, they may not fully exploit the potentially large number of samples within each study. We propose a novel bi-level meta-analysis approach that employs the additive method and the Central Limit Theorem within each individual experiment and also across multiple experiments. We prove that the bi-level framework is robust against bias, less sensitive to outliers than other methods, and more sensitive to small changes in signal. For comparative analysis, we demonstrate that the intra-experiment analysis has more power than the equivalent statistical test performed on a single large experiment. For pathway analysis, we compare the proposed framework versus classical meta-analysis approaches (Fisher's, Stouffer's and the additive method) as well as against a dedicated pathway meta-analysis package (MetaPath), using 1252 samples from 21 datasets related to three human diseases, acute myeloid leukemia (9 datasets), type II diabetes (5 datasets) and Alzheimer's disease (7 datasets). Our framework outperforms its competitors to correctly identify pathways relevant to the phenotypes. The framework is sufficiently general to be applied to any type of statistical meta-analysis. The R scripts are available on demand from the authors. sorin@wayne.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Novel Real-Time PCR Assay of microRNAs Using S-Poly(T), a Specific Oligo(dT) Reverse Transcription Primer with Excellent Sensitivity and Specificity

PubMed Central

Kang, Kang; Zhang, Xiaoying; Liu, Hongtao; Wang, Zhiwei; Zhong, Jiasheng; Huang, Zhenting; Peng, Xiao; Zeng, Yan; Wang, Yuna; Yang, Yi; Luo, Jun; Gou, Deming

2012-01-01

Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs capable of postranscriptionally regulating gene expression. Accurate expression profiling is crucial for understanding the biological roles of miRNAs, and exploring them as biomarkers of diseases. Methodology/Principal Findings A novel, highly sensitive, and reliable miRNA quantification approach,termed S-Poly(T) miRNA assay, is designed. In this assay, miRNAs are subjected to polyadenylation and reverse transcription with a S-Poly(T) primer that contains a universal reverse primer, a universal Taqman probe, an oligo(dT)11 sequence and six miRNA-specific bases. Individual miRNAs are then amplified by a specific forward primer and a universal reverse primer, and the PCR products are detected by a universal Taqman probe. The S-Poly(T) assay showed a minimum of 4-fold increase in sensitivity as compared with the stem-loop or poly(A)-based methods. A remarkable specificity in discriminating among miRNAs with high sequence similarity was also obtained with this approach. Using this method, we profiled miRNAs in human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (HPASMC) and identified 9 differentially expressed miRNAs associated with hypoxia treatment. Due to its outstanding sensitivity, the number of circulating miRNAs from normal human serum was significantly expanded from 368 to 518. Conclusions/Significance With excellent sensitivity, specificity, and high-throughput, the S-Poly(T) method provides a powerful tool for miRNAs quantification and identification of tissue- or disease-specific miRNA biomarkers. PMID:23152780

The population of submillimeter galaxies and its impact on the detection of the Sunyaev-Zel'Dovich Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downes, Thomas Patrick

The population of submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) informs models of the formation of structure in the universe. It is likely that SMGs are the progenitors of systems like the Milky Way because their spectra imply the high star formation rates necessary to form the requisite number of stars. Until recently millimeter/submillimeter experiments did not have the sensitivity to image both wide and deep to distinguish between competing models of galaxy evolution. AzTEC is an array instrument operating at 1.1mm that has the necessary sensitivity and dedicated telescope time and has begun making groundbreaking contributions to the field. Furthermore, SMGs are an expected foreground to the detection of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect (SZE) in clusters of galaxies. In particular, at wavelengths longer than 1.4mm the positive flux of SMGs below an instrument's sensitivity threshold will counteract the decrement expected from the SZE. The detection of galaxy clusters is a promising approach to understanding the expansion history of the universe and putting constraints on s 8 as well as on the properties the dark energy. We present below the results of an analysis of AzTEC surveys for SMGs in galaxy cluster environments as well as "blank" fields far away from clusters. We compare the two results and those of previous surveys and estimate their implications for the ability of a blind survey at 2mm to detect the SZE in clusters. We find that the noise contributions of SMGs to SZE detection are small compared to the sensitivity of existing surveys, such as that of the South Pole Telescope.

75 FR 36717 - Washington State University; Notice of Acceptance for Docketing and Opportunity for Hearing on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-28

... University (the licensee, WSU) to operate the Washington State University Modified TRIGA Nuclear Radiation... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 50-27; Facility Operating License No. R-76; NRC-2010... Safeguards Information and Sensitive Unclassified Non-Safeguards Information AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory...

Teaching Ethical Copyright Behavior: Assessing the Effects of a University-Sponsored Computing Ethics Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siemens, Jennifer Christie; Kopp, Steven W.

2006-01-01

Universities have become sensitized to the potential for students' illegal downloading of copyrighted materials. Education has been advocated as one way to curb downloading of copyrighted digital content. This study investigates the effectiveness of a university-sponsored computing ethics education program. The program positively influenced…

URBAN DECISION-MAKING, THE UNIVERSITY'S ROLE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BAILEY, STEPHEN K.

THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE VARIOUS WAYS IN WHICH THE UNIVERSITY CAN AND SHOULD INFLUENCE URBAN DECISION MAKING. THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ROLE IS SENSITIZING THE DECISION MAKERS AND THE CITIZENS TO HUMAN MISERY, SUCH AS BIGOTRY, SQUALOR, DISEASE, UGLINESS, POVERTY, AND IGNORANCE. LONG-RANGE ROLES ARE PINPOINTING THE PROBLEMS URBAN DECISION MAKERS SHOULD…

Percentage of Body Fat and Fat Mass Index as a Screening Tool for Metabolic Syndrome Prediction in Colombian University Students.

PubMed

Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson; Correa-Bautista, Jorge Enrique; Sanders-Tordecilla, Alejandra; Ojeda-Pardo, Mónica Liliana; Cobo-Mejía, Elisa Andrea; Castellanos-Vega, Rocío Del Pilar; García-Hermoso, Antonio; González-Jiménez, Emilio; Schmidt-RioValle, Jacqueline; González-Ruíz, Katherine

2017-09-13

High body fat is related to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in all ethnic groups. Based on the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition of MetS, the aim of this study was to explore thresholds of body fat percentage (BF%) and fat mass index (FMI) for the prediction of MetS among Colombian University students. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1687 volunteers (63.4% women, mean age = 20.6 years). Weight, waist circumference, serum lipids indices, blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose were measured. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and FMI was calculated. MetS was defined as including more than or equal to three of the metabolic abnormalities according to the IDF definition. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine optimal cut-off points for BF% and FMI in relation to the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity in both sexes. The overall prevalence of MetS was found to be 7.7%, higher in men than women (11.1% vs. 5.3%; p < 0.001). BF% and FMI were positively correlated to MetS components ( p < 0.05). ROC analysis indicated that BF% and FMI can be used with moderate accuracy to identify MetS in university-aged students. BF% and FMI thresholds of 25.55% and 6.97 kg/m² in men, and 38.95% and 11.86 kg/m² in women, were found to be indicative of high MetS risk. Based on the IDF criteria, both indexes' thresholds seem to be good tools to identify university students with unfavorable metabolic profiles.

Ultra-low background mass spectrometry for rare-event searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobson, J.; Ghag, C.; Manenti, L.

2018-01-01

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) allows for rapid, high-sensitivity determination of trace impurities, notably the primordial radioisotopes 238U and 232Th, in candidate materials for low-background rare-event search experiments. We describe the setup and characterisation of a dedicated low-background screening facility at University College London where we operate an Agilent 7900 ICP-MS. The impact of reagent and carrier gas purity is evaluated and we show that twice-distilled ROMIL-SpATM-grade nitric acid and zero-grade Ar gas delivers similar sensitivity to ROMIL-UpATM-grade acid and research-grade gas. A straightforward procedure for sample digestion and analysis of materials with U/Th concentrations down to 10 ppt g/g is presented. This includes the use of 233U and 230Th spikes to correct for signal loss from a range of sources and verification of 238U and 232Th recovery through digestion and analysis of a certified reference material with a complex sample matrix. Finally, we demonstrate assays and present results from two sample preparation and assay methods: a high-sensitivity measurement of ultra-pure Ti using open digestion techniques, and a closed vessel microwave digestion of a nickel-chromium-alloy using a multi-acid mixture.

Aging, recall and recognition: a study on the sensitivity of the University of Southern California Repeatable Episodic Memory Test (USC-REMT).

PubMed

Parker, Elizabeth S; Landau, Susan M; Whipple, Stephen C; Schwartz, Barbara L

2004-05-01

This study examines the sensitivity of the University of Southern California Repeatable Episodic Memory Test (USC-REMT) to the effects of aging in a sample of 112 men and women from 18 to 93 years old. Two new recognition measures, yes-no and forced-choice, were developed to supplement the original USC-REMT which measured only free-recall. Free-recall, yes-no recognition and forced-choice recognition were sensitive to age effects, with free-recall being the most sensitive. The seven recall and recognition lists can be used interchangeably. The data indicate that the USC-REMT is worthy of consideration when there is a need for a brief, screening tool of various memory functions, particularly when there is interest in memory changes over time and repeated assessments.

Occupational asthma from tafenoquine in the pharmaceutical industry: implications for QSAR.

PubMed

Cannon, J; Fitzgerald, B; Seed, M; Agius, R; Jiwany, A; Cullinan, P

2015-04-01

We report occupational asthma and rhinitis in a formulation pharmacist, employed in the development of tafenoquine. Tafenoquine is a new anti-malarial drug in development; the pure drug substance has an asthma hazard index of zero and previously was not known to be a respiratory sensitizing agent. The implications of this finding for the refinement of quantitative structural analysis of asthmagenic chemicals are discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relationship between Participation in Patient- and Family-Centered Care Training and Communication Adaptability among Medical Students: Changing Hearts, Changing Minds.

PubMed

Rossignol, Lisa

2015-01-01

A census of 43 third-year medical students at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine participated in Parents Reaching Out: Families as Faculty program during their pediatric rotation. Analysis of variance revealed statistical significance for the factor "appropriate disclosure" (meaning students have become more sensitive to the level of intimacy that the other person is seeking and the student is willing to offer more information). There was a positive correlation between pretest and posttests in social experience, wit, and social confirmation.

Improving Transportation Services for the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce: A Case Study on Solving the Mixed-Fleet Vehicle Routing Problem with Split Deliveries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suthikarnnarunai, N.; Olinick, E.

2009-01-01

We present a case study on the application of techniques for solving the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) to improve the transportation service provided by the University of The Thai Chamber of Commerce to its staff. The problem is modeled as VRP with time windows, split deliveries, and a mixed fleet. An exact algorithm and a heuristic solution procedure are developed to solve the problem and implemented in the AMPL modeling language and CPLEX Integer Programming solver. Empirical results indicate that the heuristic can find relatively good solutions in a small fraction of the time required by the exact method. We also perform sensitivity analysis and find that a savings in outsourcing cost can be achieved with a small increase in vehicle capacity.

Dedicated Perioperative Hip Fracture Comanagement Programs are Cost-effective in High-volume Centers: An Economic Analysis.

PubMed

Swart, Eric; Vasudeva, Eshan; Makhni, Eric C; Macaulay, William; Bozic, Kevin J

2016-01-01

Osteoporotic hip fractures are common injuries typically occurring in patients who are older and medically frail. Studies have suggested that creation of a multidisciplinary team including orthopaedic surgeons, internal medicine physicians, social workers, and specialized physical therapists, to comanage these patients can decrease complication rates, improve time to surgery, and reduce hospital length of stay; however, they have yet to achieve widespread implementation, partly owing to concerns regarding resource requirements necessary for a comanagement program. We performed an economic analysis to determine whether implementation of a comanagement model of care for geriatric patients with osteoporotic hip fractures would be a cost-effective intervention at hospitals with moderate volume. We also calculated what annual volume of cases would be needed for a comanagement program to "break even", and finally we evaluated whether universal or risk-stratified comanagement was more cost effective. Decision analysis techniques were used to model the effect of implementing a systems-based strategy to improve inpatient perioperative care. Costs were obtained from best-available literature and included salary to support personnel and resources to expedite time to the operating room. The major economic benefit was decreased initial hospital length of stay, which was determined via literature review and meta-analysis, and a health benefit was improvement in perioperative mortality owing to expedited preoperative evaluation based on previously conducted meta-analyses. A break-even analysis was conducted to determine the annual case volume necessary for comanagement to be either (1) cost effective (improve health-related quality of life enough to be worth additional expenses) or (2) result in cost savings (actually result in decreased total expenses). This calculation assumed the scenario in which a hospital could hire only one hospitalist (and therapist and social worker) on a full-time basis. Additionally, we evaluated the scenario where the necessary staff was already employed at the hospital and could be dedicated to a comanagement service on a part-time basis, and explored the effect of triaging only patients considered high risk to a comanagement service versus comanaging all geriatric patients. Finally, probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted on all critical variables, with broad ranges used for values around which there was higher uncertainty. For the base case, universal comanagement was more cost effective than traditional care and risk-stratified comanagement (incremental cost effectiveness ratios of USD 41,100 per quality-adjusted life-year and USD 81,900 per quality-adjusted life-year, respectively). Comanagement was more cost effective than traditional management as long as the case volume was more than 54 patients annually (range, 41-68 patients based on sensitivity analysis) and resulted in cost savings when there were more than 318 patients annually (range, 238-397 patients). In a scenario where staff could be partially dedicated to a comanagement service, universal comanagement was more cost effective than risk-stratified comanagement (incremental cost effectiveness of USD 2300 per quality-adjusted life-year), and both comanagement programs had lower costs and better outcomes compared with traditional management. Sensitivity analysis was conducted and showed that the level of uncertainty in key variables was not high enough to change the core conclusions of the model. Implementation of a systems-based comanagement strategy using a dedicated team to improve perioperative medical care and expedite preoperative evaluation is cost effective in hospitals with moderate volume and can result in cost savings at higher-volume centers. The optimum patient population for a comanagement strategy is still being defined. Level 1, Economic and Decision Analysis.

[MODIS Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, Mark R.

1996-01-01

Our first activity is based on delivery of code to Bob Evans (University of Miami) for integration and eventual delivery to the MODIS Science Data Support Team. As we noted in our previous semi-annual report, coding required the development and analysis of an end-to-end model of fluorescence line height (FLH) errors and sensitivity. This model is described in a paper in press in Remote Sensing of the Environment. Once the code was delivered to Miami, we continue to use this error analysis to evaluate proposed changes in MODIS sensor specifications and performance. Simply evaluating such changes on a band by band basis may obscure the true impacts of changes in sensor performance that are manifested in the complete algorithm. This is especially true with FLH that is sensitive to band placement and width. The error model will be used by Howard Gordon (Miami) to evaluate the effects of absorbing aerosols on the FLH algorithm performance. Presently, FLH relies only on simple corrections for atmospheric effects (viewing geometry, Rayleigh scattering) without correcting for aerosols. Our analysis suggests that aerosols should have a small impact relative to changes in the quantum yield of fluorescence in phytoplankton. However, the effect of absorbing aerosol is a new process and will be evaluated by Gordon.

Analysis of food taints and off-flavours: a review.

PubMed

Ridgway, K; Lalljie, S P D; Smith, R M

2010-02-01

Taints and off-flavours in foods are a major concern to the food industry. Identification of the compound(s) causing a taint or off-flavour in food and accurate quantification are critical in assessing the potential safety risks of a product or ingredient. Even when the tainting compound(s) are not at a level that would cause a safety concern, taints and off-flavours can have a significant impact on the quality and consumers' acceptability of products. The analysis of taints and off-flavour compounds presents an analytical challenge especially in an industrial laboratory environment because of the low levels, often complex matrices and potential for contamination from external laboratory sources. This review gives an outline of the origins of chemical taints and off-flavours and looks at the methods used for analysis and the merits and drawbacks of each technique. Extraction methods and instrumentation are covered along with possible future developments. Generic screening methods currently lack the sensitivity required to detect the low levels required for some tainting compounds and a more targeted approach is often required. This review highlights the need for a rapid but sensitive universal method of extraction for the unequivocal determination of tainting compounds in food.

Normal taste acuity and preference in female adolescents with impaired 6-n-propylthiouracil sensitivity.

PubMed

Nagai, Ayako; Kubota, Masaru; Sakai, Midori; Higashiyama, Yukie

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between 6-n-propylthiouracil sensitivity and taste characteristics in female students at Nara Women's University. Participants (n=135) were screened for 6-npropylthiouracil sensitivity using a taste test with 0.56 mM 6-n-propylthiouracil solution, and the sensitivity was confirmed by an assay for the bitter-taste receptor gene, TAS2R38. Based on the screening results, 33 6-npropylthiouracil tasters and 21 non-tasters were enrolled. The basic characteristics that are thought to influence taste acuity, including body mass index, saliva volume and serum micronutrient concentrations (iron, zinc and copper), were similar between the two groups. In an analysis using a filter-paper disc method, there were no differences in the acuity for four basic tastes (sweet, salty, sour and bitter) between 6-n-propylthiouracil tasters and non-tasters. In addition, the taste preference for the four basic tastes as measured by a visual analogue scale was also comparable between the two groups. This is the first study to demonstrate that 6-n-propylthiouracil nontasters have taste sensitivity for the four basic tastes similar to that in 6-n-propylthiouracil tasters, at least in female adolescents, as measured by the gustatory test using a filter-paper disc method.

Falls Risk Prediction for Older Inpatients in Acute Care Medical Wards: Is There an Interest to Combine an Early Nurse Assessment and the Artificial Neural Network Analysis?

PubMed

Beauchet, O; Noublanche, F; Simon, R; Sekhon, H; Chabot, J; Levinoff, E J; Kabeshova, A; Launay, C P

2018-01-01

Identification of the risk of falls is important among older inpatients. This study aims to examine performance criteria (i.e.; sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy) for fall prediction resulting from a nurse assessment and an artificial neural networks (ANNs) analysis in older inpatients hospitalized in acute care medical wards. A total of 848 older inpatients (mean age, 83.0±7.2 years; 41.8% female) admitted to acute care medical wards in Angers University hospital (France) were included in this study using an observational prospective cohort design. Within 24 hours after admission of older inpatients, nurses performed a bedside clinical assessment. Participants were separated into non-fallers and fallers (i.e.; ≥1 fall during hospitalization stay). The analysis was conducted using three feed forward ANNs (multilayer perceptron [MLP], averaged neural network, and neuroevolution of augmenting topologies [NEAT]). Seventy-three (8.6%) participants fell at least once during their hospital stay. ANNs showed a high specificity, regardless of which ANN was used, and the highest value reported was with MLP (99.8%). In contrast, sensitivity was lower, with values ranging between 98.4 to 14.8%. MLP had the highest accuracy (99.7). Performance criteria for fall prediction resulting from a bedside nursing assessment and an ANNs analysis was associated with a high specificity but a low sensitivity, suggesting that this combined approach should be used more as a diagnostic test than a screening test when considering older inpatients in acute care medical ward.

Antenatal corticosteroids: analytical decision model and economic analysis in a Brazilian cohort of preterm infants.

PubMed

Ogata, Joice Fabiola Meneguel; Fonseca, Marcelo Cunio Machado; de Almeida, Maria Fernanda Branco; Guinsburg, Ruth

2016-09-01

To analyze the hospital costs and the effectiveness of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) therapy in a cohort of Brazilian preterm infants. Infants with gestational age (GA) 26 to 32 weeks, born between 2006 and 2009 in a tertiary university hospital and who survived hospitalization were included. A decision tree was built according to GA (26-27, 28-29, 30-31 and 32 weeks), assuming that each patient exposed or not to ACS may or not develop one of the clinical outcomes included in the model. The cost of each outcome was calculated by microcosting. Sensitivity analysis tested the model stability and calculated outcomes and costs per 1000 patients. The cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that ACS reduced USD 3413 in hospital costs per patient exposed to ACS. Its use decreased oxygen dependency at 36 weeks in 11%, advanced resuscitation in delivery room in 24%, severe peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in 12%, patent ductus arteriosus requiring surgery in 3.6% and retinopathy of prematurity in 0.3%, but increased the probability of late-onset sepsis in 2.5%. The sensitivity analysis indicated that ACS was dominant over no ACS therapy for most outcomes. The results indicate that ACS therapy decreases costs and severe neonatal outcomes of preterm infants.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of introducing universal human papillomavirus vaccination of girls aged 11 years into the National Immunization Program in Brazil.

PubMed

Novaes, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh; de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho; Silva, Gulnar Azevedo; Ayres, Andreia; Itria, Alexander; Rama, Cristina Helena; Sartori, Ana Marli Christovam; Clark, Andrew D; Resch, Stephen

2015-05-07

To evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of introducing universal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination into the National Immunization Program (NIP) in Brazil. The Excel-based CERVIVAC decision support model was used to compare two strategies: (1) status quo (with current screening program) and (2) vaccination of a cohort of 11-year-old girls. National parameters for the epidemiology and costs of cervical cancer were estimated in depth. The estimates were based on data from the health information systems of the public health system, the PNAD 2008 national household survey, and relevant scientific literature on Brazil. Costs are expressed in 2008 United States dollars (US$), and a 5% discount rate is applied to both future costs and future health benefits. Introducing the HPV vaccine would reduce the burden of disease. The model estimated there would be 229 deaths avoided and 6677 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted in the vaccinated cohort. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per DALY averted from the perspectives of the government (US$ 7663), health system (US$ 7412), and society (US$ 7298) would be considered cost-effective, according to the parameters adopted by the World Health Organization. In the sensitivity analysis, the ICERs were most sensitive to variations in discount rate, disease burden, vaccine efficacy, and proportion of cervical cancer caused by types 16 and 18. However, universal HPV vaccination remained a cost-effective strategy in most variations of the key estimates. Vaccine introduction could contribute additional benefits in controlling cervical cancer, but it requires large investments by the NIP. Among the essential conditions for attaining the expected favorable results are immunization program sustainability, equity in a population perspective, improvement of the screening program, and development of a surveillance system. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A universal colorimetry for nucleic acids and aptamer-specific ligands detection based on DNA hybridization amplification.

PubMed

Li, Shuang; Shang, Xinxin; Liu, Jia; Wang, Yujie; Guo, Yingshu; You, Jinmao

2017-07-01

We present a universal amplified-colorimetric for detecting nucleic acid targets or aptamer-specific ligand targets based on gold nanoparticle-DNA (GNP-DNA) hybridization chain reaction (HCR). The universal arrays consisted of capture probe and hairpin DNA-GNP. First, capture probe recognized target specificity and released the initiator sequence. Then dispersed hairpin DNA modified GNPs were cross-linked to form aggregates through HCR events triggered by initiator sequence. As the aggregates accumulate, a significant red-to purple color change can be easily visualized by the naked eye. We used miRNA target sequence (miRNA-203) and aptamer-specific ligand (ATP) as target molecules for this proof-of-concept experiment. Initiator sequence (DNA2) was released from the capture probe (MNP/DNA1/2 conjugates) under the strong competitiveness of miRNA-203. Hairpin DNA (H1 and H2) can be complementary with the help of initiator DNA2 to form GNP-H1/GNP-H2 aggregates. The absorption ratio (A 620 /A 520 ) values of solutions were a sensitive function of miRNA-203 concentration covering from 1.0 × 10 -11  M to 9.0 × 10 -10  M, and as low as 1.0 × 10 -11  M could be detected. At the same time, the color changed from light wine red to purple and then to light blue have occurred in the solution. For ATP, initiator sequence (5'-end of DNA3) was released from the capture probe (DNA3) under the strong combination of aptamer-ATP. The present colorimetric for specific detection of ATP exhibited good sensitivity and 1.0 × 10 -8  M ATP could be detected. The proposed strategy also showed good performances for qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis of intracellular nucleic acids and aptamer-specific ligands. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potential Cost-Effectiveness of Universal Access to Modern Contraceptives in Uganda

PubMed Central

Babigumira, Joseph B.; Stergachis, Andy; Veenstra, David L.; Gardner, Jacqueline S.; Ngonzi, Joseph; Mukasa-Kivunike, Peter; Garrison, Louis P.

2012-01-01

Background Over two thirds of women who need contraception in Uganda lack access to modern effective methods. This study was conducted to estimate the potential cost-effectiveness of achieving universal access to modern contraceptives in Uganda by implementing a hypothetical new contraceptive program (NCP) from both societal and governmental (Ministry of Health (MoH)) perspectives. Methodology/Principal Findings A Markov model was developed to compare the NCP to the status quo or current contraceptive program (CCP). The model followed a hypothetical cohort of 15-year old girls over a lifetime horizon. Data were obtained from the Uganda National Demographic and Health Survey and from published and unpublished sources. Costs, life expectancy, disability-adjusted life expectancy, pregnancies, fertility and incremental cost-effectiveness measured as cost per life-year (LY) gained, cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted, cost per pregnancy averted and cost per unit of fertility reduction were calculated. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of results. Mean discounted life expectancy and disability-adjusted life expectancy (DALE) were higher under the NCP vs. CCP (28.74 vs. 28.65 years and 27.38 vs. 27.01 respectively). Mean pregnancies and live births per woman were lower under the NCP (9.51 vs. 7.90 and 6.92 vs. 5.79 respectively). Mean lifetime societal costs per woman were lower for the NCP from the societal perspective ($1,949 vs. $1,987) and the MoH perspective ($636 vs. $685). In the incremental analysis, the NCP dominated the CCP, i.e. it was both less costly and more effective. The results were robust to univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusion/Significance Universal access to modern contraceptives in Uganda appears to be highly cost-effective. Increasing contraceptive coverage should be considered among Uganda's public health priorities. PMID:22363480

Adult vector control, mosquito ecology and malaria transmission.

PubMed

Brady, Oliver J; Godfray, H Charles J; Tatem, Andrew J; Gething, Peter W; Cohen, Justin M; McKenzie, F Ellis; Alex Perkins, T; Reiner, Robert C; Tusting, Lucy S; Scott, Thomas W; Lindsay, Steven W; Hay, Simon I; Smith, David L

2015-03-01

Standard advice regarding vector control is to prefer interventions that reduce the lifespan of adult mosquitoes. The basis for this advice is a decades-old sensitivity analysis of 'vectorial capacity', a concept relevant for most malaria transmission models and based solely on adult mosquito population dynamics. Recent advances in micro-simulation models offer an opportunity to expand the theory of vectorial capacity to include both adult and juvenile mosquito stages in the model. In this study we revisit arguments about transmission and its sensitivity to mosquito bionomic parameters using an elasticity analysis of developed formulations of vectorial capacity. We show that reducing adult survival has effects on both adult and juvenile population size, which are significant for transmission and not accounted for in traditional formulations of vectorial capacity. The elasticity of these effects is dependent on various mosquito population parameters, which we explore. Overall, control is most sensitive to methods that affect adult mosquito mortality rates, followed by blood feeding frequency, human blood feeding habit, and lastly, to adult mosquito population density. These results emphasise more strongly than ever the sensitivity of transmission to adult mosquito mortality, but also suggest the high potential of combinations of interventions including larval source management. This must be done with caution, however, as policy requires a more careful consideration of costs, operational difficulties and policy goals in relation to baseline transmission. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

The Clinical Utility of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Nasal Screening to Rule Out MRSA Pneumonia: A Diagnostic Meta-analysis with Antimicrobial Stewardship Implications.

PubMed

Parente, Diane M; Cunha, Cheston B; Mylonakis, Eleftherios; Timbrook, Tristan T

2018-01-11

Recent literature has highlighted MRSA nasal screening as a possible antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) tool for avoiding unnecessary empiric MRSA therapy for pneumonia, yet current guidelines recommend MRSA therapy based on risk factors. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic value of MRSA nasal screening in MRSA pneumonia. Pubmed and EMBASE were searched from inception to November 2016 for English studies evaluating MRSA nasal screening and development of MRSA pneumonia. Data analysis was performed using a bivariate random-effects model to estimate pooled sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values. Twenty-two studies, comprising of 5,163 patients met our inclusion criteria. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of MRSA nares screen for all MRSA pneumonia types was 70.9% and 90.3%, respectively. With a 10% prevalence of potential MRSA pneumonia, the calculated PPV was 44.8% while the NPV was 96.5%. The pooled sensitivity and specificity for MRSA community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) were at 85% and 92.1%, respectively. For CAP and HCAP both the PPV and NPV increased to 56.8% and 98.1%, respectively. In comparison, for MRSA ventilated-associated pneumonia (VAP), the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV was 40.3%, 93.7%, 35.7%, and 94.8%, respectively. Nares screening for MRSA had a high specificity and NPV for ruling out MRSA pneumonia, particularly in cases of CAP/HCAP. Based on the NPV, utilization of MRSA nares screening is a valuable tool for AMS to streamline empiric antibiotic therapy, especially among patients with pneu. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Researching male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea: a process that incorporates science, faith and culture

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Undertaking HIV research in the culturally diverse Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG) requires careful consideration of social, cultural and religious beliefs and practices. Here, we share a detailed description of culturally informed research processes and lessons learned from the first ever study undertaken on male circumcision for HIV prevention at a faith-based university in PNG. Methods Male and female staff and students at Pacific Adventist University were invited to complete an anonymous self-administered questionnaire, and/or participate in a semi-structured interview or focus group discussion. Male participants were invited for clinical examination. Results were collated and disseminated to the university community in gender segregated sessions. The study deliberately partnered with student leaders and centralised social, cultural, and religious paradigms. Student leaders were interviewed about their experience of partnering in sensitive health research. Results The student leaders reported that pre-existing relationships, cultural ties, gendered sensitivity and regular communication reinforced trust between researchers, student leaders and participants, and helped the success of the study. The amount of time, complex logistics and social and cultural relationships between single and married staff and students were highlighted as challenges. Conclusions Partnering with regional student leaders to plan and implement the study gave a legitimate and immediate mechanism for involving PNG staff and students in this sensitive health research. Gendered research processes utilised established social and cultural structures and ensured the safety of participants; all of these factors contributed to the acceptability of the study. Capacity was strengthened in PNG and Australian researchers to undertake sensitive HIV research in PNG. The study demonstrated that it is possible to conduct sensitive sexual health research at a faith-based university in PNG. PMID:24225173

Researching male circumcision for HIV prevention in Papua New Guinea: a process that incorporates science, faith and culture.

PubMed

Tommbe, Rachael; MacLaren, David J; Redman-MacLaren, Michelle L; Mafile'o, Tracie A; Asugeni, Lester; McBride, William John H

2013-11-13

Undertaking HIV research in the culturally diverse Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG) requires careful consideration of social, cultural and religious beliefs and practices. Here, we share a detailed description of culturally informed research processes and lessons learned from the first ever study undertaken on male circumcision for HIV prevention at a faith-based university in PNG. Male and female staff and students at Pacific Adventist University were invited to complete an anonymous self-administered questionnaire, and/or participate in a semi-structured interview or focus group discussion. Male participants were invited for clinical examination. Results were collated and disseminated to the university community in gender segregated sessions. The study deliberately partnered with student leaders and centralised social, cultural, and religious paradigms. Student leaders were interviewed about their experience of partnering in sensitive health research. The student leaders reported that pre-existing relationships, cultural ties, gendered sensitivity and regular communication reinforced trust between researchers, student leaders and participants, and helped the success of the study. The amount of time, complex logistics and social and cultural relationships between single and married staff and students were highlighted as challenges. Partnering with regional student leaders to plan and implement the study gave a legitimate and immediate mechanism for involving PNG staff and students in this sensitive health research. Gendered research processes utilised established social and cultural structures and ensured the safety of participants; all of these factors contributed to the acceptability of the study. Capacity was strengthened in PNG and Australian researchers to undertake sensitive HIV research in PNG. The study demonstrated that it is possible to conduct sensitive sexual health research at a faith-based university in PNG.

Cost analysis of post-polio certification immunization policies.

PubMed Central

Sangrujee, Nalinee; Cáceres, Victor M.; Cochi, Stephen L.

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE: An analysis was conducted to estimate the costs of different potential post-polio certification immunization policies currently under consideration, with the objective of providing this information to policy-makers. METHODS: We analyzed three global policy options: continued use of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV); OPV cessation with optional inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV); and OPV cessation with universal IPV. Assumptions were made on future immunization policy decisions taken by low-, middle-, and high-income countries. We estimated the financial costs of each immunization policy, the number of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) cases, and the global costs of maintaining an outbreak response capacity. The financial costs of each immunization policy were based on estimates of the cost of polio vaccine, its administration, and coverage projections. The costs of maintaining outbreak response capacity include those associated with developing and maintaining a vaccine stockpile in addition to laboratory and epidemiological surveillance. We used the period 2005-20 as the time frame for the analysis. FINDINGS: OPV cessation with optional IPV, at an estimated cost of US$ 20,412 million, was the least costly option. The global cost of outbreak response capacity was estimated to be US$ 1320 million during 2005-20. The policy option continued use of OPV resulted in the highest number of VAPP cases. OPV cessation with universal IPV had the highest financial costs, but it also had the least number of VAPP cases. Sensitivity analyses showed that global costs were sensitive to assumptions on the cost of the vaccine. Analysis also showed that if the price per dose of IPV was reduced to US$ 0.50 for low-income countries, the cost of OPV cessation with universal IPV would be the same as the costs of continued use of OPV. CONCLUSION: Projections on the vaccine price per dose and future coverage rates were major drivers of the global costs of post-certification polio immunization. The break-even price of switching to IPV compared with continuing with OPV immunizations is US$ 0.50 per dose of IPV. However, this doses not account for the cost of vaccine-derived poliovirus cases resulting from the continued use of OPV. In addition to financial costs, risk assessments related to the re-emergence of polio will be major determinants of policy decisions. PMID:15106295

Universal digital high-resolution melt: a novel approach to broad-based profiling of heterogeneous biological samples.

PubMed

Fraley, Stephanie I; Hardick, Justin; Masek, Billie J; Jo Masek, Billie; Athamanolap, Pornpat; Rothman, Richard E; Gaydos, Charlotte A; Carroll, Karen C; Wakefield, Teresa; Wang, Tza-Huei; Yang, Samuel

2013-10-01

Comprehensive profiling of nucleic acids in genetically heterogeneous samples is important for clinical and basic research applications. Universal digital high-resolution melt (U-dHRM) is a new approach to broad-based PCR diagnostics and profiling technologies that can overcome issues of poor sensitivity due to contaminating nucleic acids and poor specificity due to primer or probe hybridization inaccuracies for single nucleotide variations. The U-dHRM approach uses broad-based primers or ligated adapter sequences to universally amplify all nucleic acid molecules in a heterogeneous sample, which have been partitioned, as in digital PCR. Extensive assay optimization enables direct sequence identification by algorithm-based matching of melt curve shape and Tm to a database of known sequence-specific melt curves. We show that single-molecule detection and single nucleotide sensitivity is possible. The feasibility and utility of U-dHRM is demonstrated through detection of bacteria associated with polymicrobial blood infection and microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with host response to infection. U-dHRM using broad-based 16S rRNA gene primers demonstrates universal single cell detection of bacterial pathogens, even in the presence of larger amounts of contaminating bacteria; U-dHRM using universally adapted Lethal-7 miRNAs in a heterogeneous mixture showcases the single copy sensitivity and single nucleotide specificity of this approach.

Autoantibody recognition mechanisms of p53 epitopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, J. C.

2016-06-01

There is an urgent need for economical blood based, noninvasive molecular biomarkers to assist in the detection and diagnosis of cancers in a cost-effective manner at an early stage, when curative interventions are still possible. Serum autoantibodies are attractive biomarkers for early cancer detection, but their development has been hindered by the punctuated genetic nature of the ten million known cancer mutations. A landmark study of 50,000 patients (Pedersen et al., 2013) showed that a few p53 15-mer epitopes are much more sensitive colon cancer biomarkers than p53, which in turn is a more sensitive cancer biomarker than any other protein. The function of p53 as a nearly universal ;tumor suppressor; is well established, because of its strong immunogenicity in terms of not only antibody recruitment, but also stimulation of autoantibodies. Here we examine dimensionally compressed bioinformatic fractal scaling analysis for identifying the few sensitive epitopes from the p53 amino acid sequence, and show how it could be used for early cancer detection (ECD). We trim 15-mers to 7-mers, and identify specific 7-mers from other species that could be more sensitive to aggressive human cancers, such as liver cancer. Our results could provide a roadmap for ECD.

Effects of an educational programme on shared decision-making among Korean nurses.

PubMed

Jo, Kae-Hwa; An, Gyeong-Ju

2015-12-01

This study was conducted to examine the effects of an educational programme on shared decision-making on end-of-life care performance, moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making among Korean nurses. A quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Forty-one clinical nurses were recruited as participants from two different university hospitals located in Daegu, Korea. Twenty nurses in the control group received no intervention, and 21 nurses in the experimental group received the educational programme on shared decision-making. Data were collected with a questionnaire covering end-of-life care performance, moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making. Analysis of the data was done with the chi-square test, t-test and Fisher's exact test using SPSS/Win 17.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The experimental group showed significantly higher scores in moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making after the intervention compared with the control group. This study suggests that the educational programme on shared decision-making was effective in increasing the moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making among Korean nurses. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Modeling Sediment Transport Using a Lagrangian Particle Tracking Algorithm Coupled with High-Resolution Large Eddy Simulations: a Critical Analysis of Model Limits and Sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, M. H.

2016-12-01

Modeling Sediment Transport Using a Lagrangian Particle Tracking Algorithm Coupled with High-Resolution Large Eddy Simulations: a Critical Analysis of Model Limits and Sensitivity Som Dutta1, Paul Fischer2, Marcelo H. Garcia11Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Il, 61801 2Department of Computer Science and Department of MechSE, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Il, 61801 Since the seminal work of Niño and Garcia [1994], one-way coupled Lagrangian particle tracking has been used extensively for modeling sediment transport. Over time, the Lagrangian particle tracking method has been coupled with Eulerian flow simulations, ranging from Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based models to Detached Eddy Simulations (DES) [Escauriaza and Sotiropoulos, 2011]. Advent of high performance computing (HPC) platforms and faster algorithms have resulted in the work of Dutta et al. [2016], where Lagrangian particle tracking was coupled with high-resolution Large Eddy Simulations (LES) to model the complex and highly non-linear phenomenon of Bulle-Effect at diversions. Despite all the advancements in using Lagrangian particle tracking, there has not been a study that looks in detail at the limits of the model in the context of sediment transport, and also analyzes the sensitivity of the various force formulation in the force balance equation of the particles. Niño and Garcia [1994] did a similar analysis, but the vertical flow velocity distribution was modeled as the log-law. The current study extends the analysis by modeling the flow using high-resolution LES at a Reynolds number comparable to experiments of Niño et al. [1994]. Dutta et al., (2016), Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of flow and bedload transport at an idealized 90-degree diversion: insight into Bulle-Effect, River Flow 2016 - Constantinescu, Garcia & Hanes (Eds), Taylor & Francis Group, London, 101-109. Escauriaza and Sotiropoulos, (2011), Lagrangian model of bed-load transport in turbulent junction flows, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 666,36-76. Niño and García, (1994), Gravel saltation: 2. Modeling, Water Resources Research, 30(6),1915-1924. Niño et al., (1994), Gravel saltation: 1. Experiments, Water Resources Research, 30(6), 1907-1914.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Swedish Universal Parenting Program All Children in Focus.

PubMed

Ulfsdotter, Malin; Lindberg, Lene; Månsdotter, Anna

2015-01-01

There are few health economic evaluations of parenting programs with quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) as the outcome measure. The objective of this study was, therefore, to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of the universal parenting program All Children in Focus (ABC). The goals were to estimate the costs of program implementation, investigate the health effects of the program, and examine its cost-effectiveness. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted. Costs included setup costs and operating costs. A parent proxy Visual Analog Scale was used to measure QALYs in children, whereas the General Health Questionnaire-12 was used for parents. A societal perspective was adopted, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated. To account for uncertainty in the estimate, the probability of cost-effectiveness was investigated, and sensitivity analyses were used to account for the uncertainty in cost data. The cost was € 326.3 per parent, of which € 53.7 represented setup costs under the assumption that group leaders on average run 10 groups, and € 272.6 was the operating costs. For health effects, the QALY gain was 0.0042 per child and 0.0027 per parent. These gains resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the base case of € 47 290 per gained QALY. The sensitivity analyses resulted in ratios from € 41 739 to € 55 072. With the common Swedish threshold value of € 55 000 per QALY, the probability of the ABC program being cost-effective was 50.8 percent. Our analysis of the ABC program demonstrates cost-effectiveness ratios below or just above the QALY threshold in Sweden. However, due to great uncertainty about the data, the health economic rationale for implementation should be further studied considering a longer time perspective, effects on siblings, and validated measuring techniques, before full scale implementation.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Swedish Universal Parenting Program All Children in Focus

PubMed Central

Ulfsdotter, Malin

2015-01-01

Objective There are few health economic evaluations of parenting programs with quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) as the outcome measure. The objective of this study was, therefore, to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of the universal parenting program All Children in Focus (ABC). The goals were to estimate the costs of program implementation, investigate the health effects of the program, and examine its cost-effectiveness. Methods A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted. Costs included setup costs and operating costs. A parent proxy Visual Analog Scale was used to measure QALYs in children, whereas the General Health Questionnaire-12 was used for parents. A societal perspective was adopted, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated. To account for uncertainty in the estimate, the probability of cost-effectiveness was investigated, and sensitivity analyses were used to account for the uncertainty in cost data. Results The cost was €326.3 per parent, of which €53.7 represented setup costs under the assumption that group leaders on average run 10 groups, and €272.6 was the operating costs. For health effects, the QALY gain was 0.0042 per child and 0.0027 per parent. These gains resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the base case of €47 290 per gained QALY. The sensitivity analyses resulted in ratios from €41 739 to €55 072. With the common Swedish threshold value of €55 000 per QALY, the probability of the ABC program being cost-effective was 50.8 percent. Conclusion Our analysis of the ABC program demonstrates cost-effectiveness ratios below or just above the QALY threshold in Sweden. However, due to great uncertainty about the data, the health economic rationale for implementation should be further studied considering a longer time perspective, effects on siblings, and validated measuring techniques, before full scale implementation. PMID:26681349

A sensitivity analysis for missing outcomes due to truncation by death under the matched-pairs design.

PubMed

Imai, Kosuke; Jiang, Zhichao

2018-04-29

The matched-pairs design enables researchers to efficiently infer causal effects from randomized experiments. In this paper, we exploit the key feature of the matched-pairs design and develop a sensitivity analysis for missing outcomes due to truncation by death, in which the outcomes of interest (e.g., quality of life measures) are not even well defined for some units (e.g., deceased patients). Our key idea is that if 2 nearly identical observations are paired prior to the randomization of the treatment, the missingness of one unit's outcome is informative about the potential missingness of the other unit's outcome under an alternative treatment condition. We consider the average treatment effect among always-observed pairs (ATOP) whose units exhibit no missing outcome regardless of their treatment status. The naive estimator based on available pairs is unbiased for the ATOP if 2 units of the same pair are identical in terms of their missingness patterns. The proposed sensitivity analysis characterizes how the bounds of the ATOP widen as the degree of the within-pair similarity decreases. We further extend the methodology to the matched-pairs design in observational studies. Our simulation studies show that informative bounds can be obtained under some scenarios when the proportion of missing data is not too large. The proposed methodology is also applied to the randomized evaluation of the Mexican universal health insurance program. An open-source software package is available for implementing the proposed research. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Obesity in Korean pre-adolescent school children: comparison of various anthropometric measurements based on bioelectrical impedance analysis.

PubMed

Yoo, S; Lee, S-Y; Kim, K-N; Sung, E

2006-07-01

To examine the relationships between body mass index (BMI), percentage-weight-for-height (PWH) and percentage body fat (PBF), and to compare their validity based on PBF with the BMI criteria of International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) for childhood obesity in Korean pre-adolescent school children. Statistical comparative analysis for anthropometric measures. Korean pre-adolescent children (438 boys and 454 girls, aged 8-12 years, mean BMI 19.5+/-3.4 kg/m2). Body mass index and PWH were calculated as body size indices from height and weight. Hand-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was performed to obtain PBF values, with obese children defined as PBF above 35%. Sensitivity and specificity were displayed with the gold standard of PBF, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the performance of BMI and PWH in detecting obesity. The prevalence of obesity varied by the criteria: 18.8% by Korean BMI standards for 95 percentile, 11% by the IOTF-BMI 30 kg/m2 and 29.4% by Korean PWH cutoffs. Body mass index and PWH were significantly correlated with PBF after adjusting for age, 0.910 (P<0.01) and 0.915 (P<0.01), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the PWH cutoffs were 0.909 and 0.882, respectively. The local BMI 95 percentiles had lower sensitivity (0.714) and specificity (0.790). The IOTF-BMI definition showed much lower sensitivity (0.457) and higher specificity (0.990). The BMI cutoffs corresponding with the highest accuracy were smaller than IOTF-BMI 30 kg/m2 for all age groups in both boys and girls. The prevalence of obesity among Korean pre-adolescent children widely varied according to the diagnostic criteria applied. Universally recommended cutoffs for children by IOTF showed the lowest sensitivity among the criteria used, and may therefore underestimate obesity in this population.

Technical needs assessment: UWMC's sensitivity analysis guides decision-making.

PubMed

Alotis, Michael

2003-01-01

In today's healthcare market, it is critical for provider institutions to offer the latest and best technological services while remaining fiscally sound. In academic practices, like the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC), there are the added responsibilities of teaching and research that require a high-tech environment to thrive. These conditions and needs require extensive analysis of not only what equipment to buy, but also when and how it should be acquired. In an organization like the UWMC, which has strategically positioned itself for growth, it is useful to build a sensitivity analysis based on the strategic plan. A common forecasting tool, the sensitivity analysis lays out existing and projected business operations with volume assumptions displayed in layers. Each layer of current and projected activity is plotted over time and placed against a background depicting the capacity of the key modality. Key elements of a sensitivity analysis include necessity, economic assessment, performance, compatibility, reliability, service and training. There are two major triggers that cause us to consider the purchase of new imaging equipment and that determine how to evaluate the equipment we buy. One trigger revolves around our ability to serve patients by seeing them on a timely basis. If we find a significant gap between demand and our capacity to meet it, or anticipate a greater increased demand based upon trends, we begin to consider enhancing that capacity. A second trigger is the release of a breakthrough or substantially improved technology that will clearly have a positive impact on clinical efficacy and efficiency, thereby benefiting the patient. Especially in radiology departments, where many technologies require large expenditures, it is no longer acceptable simply to spend on new and improved technologies. It is necessary to justify them as a strong investment in clinical management and efficacy. There is pressure to provide "proof" at the department level and beyond. By applying sensitivity analysis and other forecasting methods, we are able to spend our resources judiciously in order to get the equipment we need when we need it. This helps ensure that we have efficacious, efficient systems--and enough of them--so that our patients are examined on a timely basis and our clinics run smoothly. It also goes a long way toward making certain that the best equipment is available to our clinicians, researchers, students and patients alike.

Response Sensitivity of Typical Aircraft Jet Engine Fan Blade-Like Structures to Bird Impacts.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

AIRCRAFT ENGINE BU--ETC F/G 21/5 RESPONSE SENSITIVITY OF TYPICAL AIRCRAFT JET ENGINE FAN BLADE -L...SENSITIVITY OF TYPICAL AIRCRAFT JET ENGINE FAN BLADE -LIKE STRUCTURES TO BIRD IMPACTS David P. Bauer Robert S. Bertke University of Dayton Research...COVERED RESPONSE SENSITIVITY OF TYPICAL AIRCRAFT FINAL REPORT JET ENGINE FAN BLADE -LIKE STRUCTURES Oct. 1977 to Jan. 1979 TO BIRD IMPACTS s.

Novel approach for the refractive index gradient measurement in microliter volumes using fiber-optic technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Synovec, Robert E.; Renn, Curtiss N.

1991-07-01

The refractive index gradient (RIG) of hydrodynamically controlled profiles can be universally, yet sensitively, measured by carefully probing the radial RIG passing through a z-configuration flow cell. Fiber optic technology is applied in order to provide a narrow, collimated probe beam (100 micrometers diameter) that is deflected by a RIG and measured by a position sensitive detector. The fiber optic construction allows one to probe very small volumes (1 (mu) L to 3 (mu) L) amenable to microbore liquid chromatography ((mu) LC). The combination of (mu) LC and RIG detection is very useful for the analysis of trace quantities (ng injected amounts) of chemical species that are generally difficult to measure, i.e., species that are not amenable to absorbance detection or related techniques. Furthermore, the RIG detector is compatible with conventional mobile phase gradient and thermal gradient (mu) LC, unlike traditional RI detectors. A description of the RIG detector coupled with (mu) LC for the analysis of complex polymer samples is reported. Also, exploration into using the RIG detector for supercritical fluid chromatography is addressed.

Development and Validation of a Quantitative PCR Assay Using Multiplexed Hydrolysis Probes for Detection and Quantification of Theileria orientalis Isolates and Differentiation of Clinically Relevant Subtypes

PubMed Central

Bogema, D. R.; Deutscher, A. T.; Fell, S.; Collins, D.; Eamens, G. J.

2015-01-01

Theileria orientalis is an emerging pathogen of cattle in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. This organism is a vector-borne hemoprotozoan that causes clinical disease characterized by anemia, abortion, and death, as well as persistent subclinical infections. Molecular methods of diagnosis are preferred due to their sensitivity and utility in differentiating between pathogenic and apathogenic genotypes. Conventional PCR (cPCR) assays for T. orientalis detection and typing are laborious and do not provide an estimate of parasite load. Current real-time PCR assays cannot differentiate between clinically relevant and benign genotypes or are only semiquantitative without a defined clinical threshold. Here, we developed and validated a hydrolysis probe quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay which universally detects and quantifies T. orientalis and identifies the clinically associated Ikeda and Chitose genotypes (UIC assay). Comparison of the UIC assay results with previously validated universal and genotype-specific cPCR results demonstrated that qPCR detects and differentiates T. orientalis with high sensitivity and specificiy. Comparison of quantitative results based on percent parasitemia, determined via blood film analysis and packed cell volume (PCV) revealed significant positive and negative correlations, respectively. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that blood samples from animals with clinical signs of disease contained statistically higher concentrations of T. orientalis DNA than animals with subclinical infections. We propose clinical thresholds to assist in classifying high-, moderate-, and low-level infections and describe how parasite load and the presence of the Ikeda and Chitose genotypes relate to disease. PMID:25588653

Task-sharing or public finance for the expansion of surgical access in rural Ethiopia: an extended cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Shrime, Mark G; Verguet, Stéphane; Johansson, Kjell Arne; Desalegn, Dawit; Jamison, Dean T; Kruk, Margaret E

2016-07-01

Despite a high burden of surgical disease, access to surgical services in low- and middle-income countries is often limited. In line with the World Health Organization's current focus on universal health coverage and equitable access to care, we examined how policies to expand access to surgery in rural Ethiopia would impact health, impoverishment and equity. An extended cost-effectiveness analysis was performed. Deterministic and stochastic models of surgery in rural Ethiopia were constructed, utilizing pooled estimates of costs and probabilities from national surveys and published literature. Model calibration and validation were performed against published estimates, with sensitivity analyses on model assumptions to check for robustness. Outcomes of interest were the number of deaths averted, the number of cases of poverty averted and the number of cases of catastrophic expenditure averted for each policy, divided across wealth quintiles. Health benefits, financial risk protection and equity appear to be in tension in the expansion of access to surgical care in rural Ethiopia. Health benefits from each of the examined policies accrued primarily to the poor. However, without travel vouchers, many policies also induced impoverishment in the poor while providing financial risk protection to the rich, calling into question the equitable distribution of benefits by these policies. Adding travel vouchers removed the impoverishing effects of a policy but decreased the health benefit that could be bought per dollar spent. These results were robust to sensitivity analyses. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Streptococcus suis infection: a series of 41 cases from Chiang Mai University Hospital.

PubMed

Wangkaew, Suparaporn; Chaiwarith, Romanee; Tharavichitkul, Prasit; Supparatpinyo, Khuanchai

2006-06-01

The objectives of this study were (1) to assess the clinical manifestations, treatment, and outcome of Streptococcus suis infection in adult patients in northern Thailand, (2) to evaluate the anti-microbial sensitivity pattern and (3) to determine the predicting factors of high mortality rate. A retrospective study was conducted at Chiang Mai University Hospital from May 2000 to December 2002. Anti-microbial susceptibility test was performed by agar disk diffusion and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) by E-test. Forty-one patients (32 men and nine women, mean age 51 years) with S. suis infection were identified. Three patients had a history of exposure to pig or pork and one patient had a history of raw beef consumption. Clinical manifestations included infective endocarditis, meningitis, sepsis, spondylodiscitis, and endophthalmitis in 16, 13, 10, 1, and 1 patients, respectively. The overall mortality rate was 19.5%. On univariate analysis, low serum albumin, high serum total bilirubin, low platelet, and rapid onset of illness were significantly correlated with high mortality rate. All isolates were sensitive to penicillin (mean MIC90=0.027 microg/ml). S. suis infection is not uncommon in northern Thailand. High suspicion and early detection are important and could lead to the successful treatment.

Screening for Dyslexia in French-Speaking University Students: An Evaluation of the Detection Accuracy of the Alouette Test.

PubMed

Cavalli, Eddy; Colé, Pascale; Leloup, Gilles; Poracchia-George, Florence; Sprenger-Charolles, Liliane; El Ahmadi, Abdessadek

Developmental dyslexia is a lifelong impairment affecting 5% to 10% of the population. In French-speaking countries, although a number of standardized tests for dyslexia in children are available, tools suitable to screen for dyslexia in adults are lacking. In this study, we administered the Alouette reading test to a normative sample of 164 French university students without dyslexia and a validation sample of 83 students with dyslexia. The Alouette reading test is designed to screen for dyslexia in children, since it taps skills that are typically deficient in dyslexia (i.e., phonological skills). However, the test's psychometric properties have not previously been available, and it is not standardized for adults. The results showed that, on the Alouette test, dyslexic readers were impaired on measures of accuracy, speed, and efficiency (accuracy/reading time). We also found significant correlations between the Alouette reading efficiency and phonological efficiency scores. Finally, in terms of the Alouette test, speed-accuracy trade-offs were found in both groups, and optimal cutoff scores were determined with receiver operator characteristic curves analysis, yielding excellent discriminatory power, with 83.1% sensitivity and 100% specificity for reading efficiency. Thus, this study supports the Alouette test as a sensitive and specific screening tool for adults with dyslexia.

Standardisation of the ion beam facility at Chandigarh cyclotron for simultaneous PIXE and PESA analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Shivcharan; Mohanty, Biraja P.; Singh, Karn P.; Kumar, Ashok

2018-02-01

The proton beam facility at variable energy cyclotron (VEC) Panjab University, Chandigarh, India is being used for Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis of different environmental, biological and industrial samples. The PIXE method, however, does not provide any information of low Z elements like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and fluorine. As a result of the increased need for rapid and multi-elemental analysis of biological and environmental samples, the PIXE facility was upgraded and standardized to facilitate simultaneous measurements using PIXE and Proton Elastic Scattering Analysis (PESA). Both PIXE and PESA techniques were calibrated and standardized individually. Finally, the set up was tested by carrying out simultaneous PIXE and PESA measurements using a 2 mm diameter proton beam of 2.7 MeV on few multilayered thin samples. The results obtained show excellent agreement between PIXE and PESA measurements and confirm adequate sensitivity and precision of the experimental set up.

Institutional Barriers to Research on Sensitive Topics: Case of Sex Communication Research among University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noland, Carey M.

2012-01-01

When conducting research on sensitive topics, it is challenging to use new methods of data collection given the apprehensions of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). This is especially worrying because sensitive topics of research often require novel approaches. In this article a brief personal history of navigating the IRB process for conducting…

[Remember, Avert, Prevent: Franz Ludwig Berthold Kihn--A Typology of "Euthanasia"].

PubMed

Braun, B; Frewer, A; Kornhuber, J

2015-11-01

The current debate on assisted suicide provides the occasion for calling to mind the role of Berthold Kihn as a psychiatrist under National Socialism. With a historical presentation of a typology of euthanasia, the Academic Psychiatry of Erlangen together with the Medical Ethics would like to sensitize discussions on assisted suicide by drawing attention to the start and end of Kihn's scientific career. Relevant archive material, primary and secondary literature were analyzed and evaluated. As Assistant and Senior Physician at the Psychiatric and Neurological Hospital of the University of Erlangen, Kihn lectured on "the elimination of the inferiors". As Director of the Psychiatric and Neurological Hospital of Jena University, Kihn selected psychiatric patients to be murdered under the "T4 action". Kihn participated in drafting a "Euthanasia Law". Despite his involvement in the murder of mentally ill, Kihn returned to Erlangen as a "Soviet Zone refugee", where a Denazification Court considered him a "hanger-on". Kihn was reintegrated in the academic faculty of the Friedrich-Alexander-University and headed a private clinic. On 21.01.1963, the State's Attorney Nuremberg-Fuerth dropped the criminal procedure against Kihn--officially due to a lack of proof of punishable guilt. An appropriate medical historical contextualization can represent an important condition for an adequate medical ethical debate on physician-assisted suicide and the involvement of psychiatrists. FINAL COMMENT: The analysis of Kihn's patterns of thought and argumentation can help sensitize those involved in debates on physician-assisted suicide and highlights the critical role of psychiatry as a discipline in this context. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Rash impulsiveness and reward sensitivity in relation to risky drinking by university students: potential roles of frontal systems.

PubMed

Lyvers, Michael; Duff, Helen; Basch, Vanessa; Edwards, Mark S

2012-08-01

Two forms of impulsivity, rash impulsiveness and reward sensitivity, have been proposed to reflect aspects of frontal lobe functioning and promote substance use. The present study examined these two forms of impulsivity as well as frontal lobe symptoms in relation to risky drinking by university students. University undergraduates aged 18-26years completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe), and a demographics questionnaire assessing age, gender, and age of onset of weekly drinking (AOD). AUDIT-defined harmful drinkers reported earlier AOD and scored higher on BIS-11, the Sensitivity to Reward (SR) scale of the SPSRQ, and the Disinhibition and Executive Dysfunction scales of the FrSBe compared to lower risk groups. Differences remained significant after controlling for duration of alcohol exposure. Path analyses indicated that the influence of SR on AUDIT was mediated by FrSBe Disinhibition, whereas the influence of BIS-11 on AUDIT was mediated by both Disinhibition and Executive Dysfunction scales of the FrSBe. Findings tentatively suggest that the influence of rash impulsiveness on drinking may reflect dysfunction in dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal systems, whereas the influence of reward sensitivity on drinking may primarily reflect orbitofrontal dysfunction. Irrespective of the underlying functional brain systems involved, results appear to be more consistent with a pre-drinking trait interpretation than effects of alcohol exposure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuous glucose monitoring in subcutaneous tissue using factory-calibrated sensors: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hoss, Udo; Jeddi, Iman; Schulz, Mark; Budiman, Erwin; Bhogal, Claire; McGarraugh, Geoffrey

2010-08-01

Commercial continuous subcutaneous glucose monitors require in vivo calibration using capillary blood glucose tests. Feasibility of factory calibration, i.e., sensor batch characterization in vitro with no further need for in vivo calibration, requires a predictable and stable in vivo sensor sensitivity and limited inter- and intra-subject variation of the ratio of interstitial to blood glucose concentration. Twelve volunteers wore two FreeStyle Navigator (Abbott Diabetes Care, Alameda, CA) continuous glucose monitoring systems for 5 days in parallel for two consecutive sensor wears (four sensors per subject, 48 sensors total). Sensors from a prototype sensor lot with a low variability in glucose sensitivity were used for the study. Median sensor sensitivity values based on capillary blood glucose were calculated per sensor and compared for inter- and intra-subject variation. Mean absolute relative difference (MARD) calculation and error grid analysis were performed using a single calibration factor for all sensors to simulate factory calibration and compared to standard fingerstick calibration. Sensor sensitivity variation in vitro was 4.6%, which increased to 8.3% in vivo (P < 0.0001). Analysis of variance revealed no significant inter-subject differences in sensor sensitivity (P = 0.134). Applying a single universal calibration factor retrospectively to all sensors resulted in a MARD of 10.4% and 88.1% of values in Clarke Error Grid Zone A, compared to a MARD of 10.9% and 86% of values in Error Grid Zone A for fingerstick calibration. Factory calibration of sensors for continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring is feasible with similar accuracy to standard fingerstick calibration. Additional data are required to confirm this result in subjects with diabetes.

A simple solid phase, peptide-based fluorescent assay for the efficient and universal screening of HRV 3C protease inhibitors.

PubMed

Schünemann, Katrin; Connelly, Stephen; Kowalczyk, Renata; Sperry, Jonathan; Wilson, Ian A; Fraser, John D; Brimble, Margaret A

2012-08-01

With over a 100 different serotypes, the human rhinovirus (HRV) is the major aetiological agent for the common cold, for which only symptomatic treatment is available. HRV maturation and replication is entirely dependent on the activity of a virally encoded 3C protease that represents an attractive target for the development of therapeutics to treat the common cold. Although a variety of small molecules and peptidomimetics have been found to inhibit HRV 3C protease, no universally compatible assay exists to reliably quantify the activity of the enzyme in vitro. Herein we report the development of a universal and robust solid phase peptide assay that utilizes the full HRV-14 3C protease recognition sequence and the release of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein to sensitively quantify protease activity. This novel assay overcomes several limitations of existing assays allowing for the simple and efficient analysis of HRV-14 3C protease activity facilitating both high-throughput screening and the accurate kinetic study of HRV-14 3C protease inhibitors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Final Technical Report: Quantification of Uncertainty in Extreme Scale Computations (QUEST)

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

Knio, Omar M.

QUEST is a SciDAC Institute comprising Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Southern California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Texas at Austin, and Duke University. The mission of QUEST is to: (1) develop a broad class of uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods/tools, and (2) provide UQ expertise and software to other SciDAC projects, thereby enabling/guiding their UQ activities. The Duke effort focused on the development of algorithms and utility software for non-intrusive sparse UQ representations, and on participation in the organization of annual workshops and tutorials to disseminate UQ tools to the community, and to gather inputmore » in order to adapt approaches to the needs of SciDAC customers. In particular, fundamental developments were made in (a) multiscale stochastic preconditioners, (b) gradient-based approaches to inverse problems, (c) adaptive pseudo-spectral approximations, (d) stochastic limit cycles, and (e) sensitivity analysis tools for noisy systems. In addition, large-scale demonstrations were performed, namely in the context of ocean general circulation models.« less

Chinese nurses' perceived barriers and facilitators of ethical sensitivity.

PubMed

Huang, Fei Fei; Yang, Qing; Zhang, Jie; Khoshnood, Kaveh; Zhang, Jing Ping

2016-08-01

An overview of ethical sensitivity among Chinese registered nurses is needed to develop and optimize the education programs and interventions to cultivate and improve ethical sensitivity. The study was conducted to explore the barriers to and facilitators of ethical sensitivity among Chinese registered nurses working in hospital settings. A convergent parallel mixed-methods research design was adopted. In the cross-sectional quantitative study, the Chinese Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire-revised version was used to assess the levels of ethical sensitivity among registered nurses, and the scores were correlated with key demographics, training experiences in ethics, and workplace cultural environments (n = 306). In the qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were used to elicit the nurses' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators in nurturing ethical sensitivity (n = 15). The data were collected from February to June 2014. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards of Yale University and Central South University. Despite moderately high overall Chinese Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire-revised version scores, the ethical sensitivity among Chinese nurses lags in practice. Barriers to ethical sensitivity include the lack of knowledge related to ethics, lack of working experience as a nurse, the hierarchical organizational climate, and the conformist working attitude. The positive workplace cultural environments and application of ethical knowledge in practice were considered potential facilitators of ethical sensitivity. The findings of this study were compared with studies from other countries to examine the barriers and facilitators of ethical sensitivity in Chinese nurses. This mixed-methods study showed that even though the Chinese nurses have moderately high sensitivity to the ethical issues encountered in hospitals, there is still room for improvement. The barriers to and facilitators of ethical sensitivity identified here offer new and important strategies to support and enhance the nurses' sensitivity to ethical issues. © The Author(s) 2015.

The gender identity/gender dysphoria questionnaire for adolescents and adults.

PubMed

Deogracias, Joseph J; Johnson, Laurel L; Meyer-Bahlburg, Heino F L; Kessler, Suzanne J; Schober, Justine M; Zucker, Kenneth J

2007-11-01

The present study reports on the construction of a dimensional measure of gender identity (gender dysphoria) for adolescents and adults. The 27-item gender identity/gender dysphoria questionnaire for adolescents and adults (GIDYQ-AA) was administered to 389 university students (heterosexual and nonheterosexual) and 73 clinic-referred patients with gender identity disorder. Principal axis factor analysis indicated that a one-factor solution, accounting for 61.3% of the total variance, best fits the data. Factor loadings were all >or= .30 (median, .82; range, .34-.96). A mean total score (Cronbach's alpha, .97) was computed, which showed strong evidence for discriminant validity in that the gender identity patients had significantly more gender dysphoria than both the heterosexual and nonheterosexual university students. Using a cut-point of 3.00, we found the sensitivity was 90.4% for the gender identity patients and specificity was 99.7% for the controls. The utility of the GIDYQ-AA is discussed.

Detection of mental stress due to oral academic examination via ultra-short-term HRV analysis.

PubMed

Castaldo, R; Xu, W; Melillo, P; Pecchia, L; Santamaria, L; James, C

2016-08-01

Mental stress may cause cognitive dysfunctions, cardiovascular disorders and depression. Mental stress detection via short-term Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis has been widely explored in the last years, while ultra-short term (less than 5 minutes) HRV has been not. This study aims to detect mental stress using linear and non-linear HRV features extracted from 3 minutes ECG excerpts recorded from 42 university students, during oral examination (stress) and at rest after a vacation. HRV features were then extracted and analyzed according to the literature using validated software tools. Statistical and data mining analysis were then performed on the extracted HRV features. The best performing machine learning method was the C4.5 tree algorithm, which discriminated between stress and rest with sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rate of 78%, 80% and 79% respectively.

Distant Massive Clusters and Cosmology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donahue, Megan

1999-01-01

We present a status report of our X-ray study and analysis of a complete sample of distant (z=0.5-0.8), X-ray luminous clusters of galaxies. We have obtained ASCA and ROSAT observations of the five brightest Extended Medium Sensitivity (EMSS) clusters with z > 0.5. We have constructed an observed temperature function for these clusters, and measured iron abundances for all of these clusters. We have developed an analytic expression for the behavior of the mass-temperature relation in a low-density universe. We use this mass-temperature relation together with a Press-Schechter-based model to derive the expected temperature function for different values of Omega-M. We combine this analysis with the observed temperature functions at redshifts from 0 - 0.8 to derive maximum likelihood estimates for the value of Omega-M. We report preliminary results of this analysis.

'By Just What Procedure Am I To Be Guillotined?': Academic Freedom in the Toronto Forestry Faculty between the Wars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuhlberg, Mark

2002-01-01

Focuses on the University of Toronto (Canada) forestry faculty; university president Robert Falconer's firing of W. N. Millar, an outspoken professor; and the politically sensitive university climate during early 20th century. Dissention over Millar's firing brought focus on limited academic freedom of speech and caused further restriction of…

Is the Phonological Deficit in Developmental Dyslexia Related to Impaired Phonological Representations and to Universal Phonological Grammar?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maionchi-Pino, Norbert; Taki, Yasuyuki; Yokoyama, Satoru; Magnan, Annie; Takahashi, Kei; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Ecalle, Jean; Kawashima, Ryuta

2013-01-01

To date, the nature of the phonological deficit in developmental dyslexia is still debated. We concur with possible impairments in the representations of the universal phonological constraints that universally govern how phonemes co-occur as a source of this deficit. We were interested in whether-and how-dyslexic children have sensitivity to…

Standard symptom- and sexual history-based testing misses anorectal Chlamydia trachomatis and neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in swingers and men who have sex with men.

PubMed

van Liere, Geneviève A F S; Hoebe, Christian J P A; Niekamp, Anne-Marie; Koedijk, Femke D H; Dukers-Muijrers, Nicole H T M

2013-04-01

Currently, individuals at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are tested extragenitally only if indicated, most often when there is a history of self-reported symptoms or self-reported anal sex. The sensitivity of such selective symptom- and sexual history-based testing for detection of anorectal STD has not been determined. All men having sex with men (MSM) and swingers (heterosexual couples who have sex with other heterosexual couples and their self-identified heterosexual sex partners) attending our STD clinic (consults: n = 1690) from January 2010 until February 2011 were universally tested for urogenital, anorectal, and oropharyngeal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections (STD). We compared STD prevalence at anorectal site based on universal versus selective testing. Sensitivity of selective symptom- and sexual history-based testing for anorectal STD was 52% for homosexual MSM, 40% for bisexual MSM, 43% for bisexual male swingers, 40% for heterosexual male swingers, and 47% for female swingers. Universal testing of STD clinic clients who were MSM and swingers yielded more than half of all anorectal STD infections and is more sensitive for identifying anorectal STD infections compared with selective testing. Universal testing may be a more effective strategy for interrupting the ongoing transmission in high-risk sexual networks.

Cost-utility of universal hepatitis A vaccination in Canada.

PubMed

Bauch, C T; Anonychuk, A M; Pham, B Z; Gilca, V; Duval, B; Krahn, M D

2007-12-12

Hepatitis A (HA) vaccination in Canada is currently targeted toward high-risk groups. The cost-effectiveness and expected health outcomes of universal vaccination relative to targeted vaccination in low-incidence countries such as Canada are currently unknown. Here, we conducted a cost-utility analysis for this situation, with Canada as the study population. We included vaccine costs, time costs, infection costs, and public health costs. We assessed a range of possible universal vaccination strategies over an 80-year time horizon using multiple cost perspectives. A dynamic model was used to account for herd immunity. Aggregate health gains from switching to universal vaccination are modest (10-30 QALYs per year). However, a "9+9" strategy that replaces two doses of monovalent hepatitis B (HB) vaccine at 9/10 years (universally administered in most provinces) with two doses of bivalent HA/HB vaccine is cost-saving from the societal perspective. At a willingness to pay threshold of $50,000/QALY, mean net benefit is +49.4 QALYs (S.D. 12.6) from the societal perspective and +3.8 QALYS (S.D. 3.0) from the payer perspective for the "9+9" strategy. Net benefit from the payer perspective is sensitive to the marginal cost of HA/HB vaccine relative to HB vaccine. Similar conclusions may apply in other countries with low incidence and a targeted vaccination policy.

Long-range correlations and burstiness in written texts: Universal and language-specific aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Constantoudis, Vassilios; Kalimeri, Maria; Diakonos, Fotis; Karamanos, Konstantinos; Papadimitriou, Constantinos; Chatzigeorgiou, Manolis; Papageorgiou, Harris

2016-08-01

Recently, methods from the statistical physics of complex systems have been applied successfully to identify universal features in the long-range correlations (LRCs) of written texts. However, in real texts, these universal features are being intermingled with language-specific influences. This paper aims at the characterization and further understanding of the interplay between universal and language-specific effects on the LRCs in texts. To this end, we apply the language-sensitive mapping of written texts to word-length series (wls) and analyse large parallel (of same content) corpora from 10 languages classified to four families (Romanic, Germanic, Greek and Uralic). The autocorrelation functions of the wls reveal tiny but persistent LRCs decaying at large scales following a power-law with a language-independent exponent ˜0.60-0.65. The impact of language is displayed in the amplitude of correlations where a relative standard deviation >40% among the analyzed languages is observed. The classification to language families seems to play a significant role since, the Finnish and Germanic languages exhibit more correlations than the Greek and Roman families. To reveal the origins of the LRCs, we focus on the long words and perform burst and correlation analysis in their positions along the corpora. We find that the universal features are linked more to the correlations of the inter-long word distances while the language-specific aspects are related more to their distributions.

The Influence of PV Module Materials and Design on Solder Joint Thermal Fatigue Durability

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

Bosco, Nick; Silverman, Timothy J.; Kurtz, Sarah

Finite element model (FEM) simulations have been performed to elucidate the effect of flat plate photovoltaic (PV) module materials and design on PbSn eutectic solder joint thermal fatigue durability. The statistical method of Latin Hypercube sampling was employed to investigate the sensitivity of simulated damage to each input variable. Variables of laminate material properties and their thicknesses were investigated. Using analysis of variance, we determined that the rate of solder fatigue was most sensitive to solder layer thickness, with copper ribbon and silicon thickness being the next two most sensitive variables. By simulating both accelerated thermal cycles (ATCs) and PVmore » cell temperature histories through two characteristic days of service, we determined that the acceleration factor between the ATC and outdoor service was independent of the variables sampled in this study. This result implies that an ATC test will represent a similar time of outdoor exposure for a wide range of module designs. This is an encouraging result for the standard ATC that must be universally applied across all modules.« less

A quantitative sensitivity analysis on the behaviour of common thermal indices under hot and windy conditions in Doha, Qatar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fröhlich, Dominik; Matzarakis, Andreas

2016-04-01

Human thermal perception is best described through thermal indices. The most popular thermal indices applied in human bioclimatology are the perceived temperature (PT), the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), and the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). They are analysed focusing on their sensitivity to single meteorological input parameters under the hot and windy meteorological conditions observed in Doha, Qatar. It can be noted, that the results for the three indices are distributed quite differently. Furthermore, they respond quite differently to modifications in the input conditions. All of them show particular limitations and shortcomings that have to be considered and discussed. While the results for PT are unevenly distributed, UTCI shows limitations concerning the input data accepted. PET seems to respond insufficiently to changes in vapour pressure. The indices should therefore be improved to be valid for several kinds of climates.

Scaling behaviour of relaxation dependencies in metaloxide superconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidorenko, A. S.; Panaitov, G. I.; Gabovich, A. M.; Moiseev, D. P.; Postnikov, V. M.

1990-01-01

Superconducting glass state has been investigated in different types of metaloxide ceramics, Y-Ba-Cu-O, Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O, Ba-Pb-Bi-O, using the highly sensitive SQUID magnetometer. The analysis of long-time relaxation processes of thermoremanent magnetization m(sup trm) (+) = M(sub o) - Slnt displayed scaling dependence of the decay rate S = -dM/dlnt on quantity of trapped magnetic flux M(sub o): 1gs = 31g M(sub o) - observed universal dependence S is approximately M(sup 3) (sub o) seems to one of the features of superconducting glass state in metaloxide ceramics.

Research on the control of large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denman, E. D.

1983-01-01

The research effort on the control of large space structures at the University of Houston has concentrated on the mathematical theory of finite-element models; identification of the mass, damping, and stiffness matrix; assignment of damping to structures; and decoupling of structure dynamics. The objective of the work has been and will continue to be the development of efficient numerical algorithms for analysis, control, and identification of large space structures. The major consideration in the development of the algorithms has been the large number of equations that must be handled by the algorithm as well as sensitivity of the algorithms to numerical errors.

Simple morphological control over functional diversity of SERS materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semenova, A. A.; Goodilin, E. A.

2018-03-01

Nowadays, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) becomes a promising universal low-cost and real-time tool in biomedical applications, medical screening or forensic analysis allowing for detection of different molecules below nanomolar concentrations. Silver nanoparticles and nanostructures have proven to be a common choice for SERS measurements due to a tunable plasmon resonance, high stability and facile fabrication methods. However, a proper design of silver-based nanomaterials for highly sensitive SERS applications still remains a challenge. In this work, effective and simple preparation methods of various silver nanostructures are proposed and systematically developed using aqueous diamminesilver (I) hydroxide as a precursor.

A search for anisotrophy in the cosmic microwave background on intermediate angular scales

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alsop, D. C.; Cheng, E. S.; Clapp, A. C.; Cottingham, D. A.; Fischer, M. L.; Gundersen, J. O.; Kreysa, E.; Lange, A. E.; Lubin, P. M.; Meinhold, P. R.

1992-01-01

The results of a search for anisotropy in the cosmic microwave background on angular scales near 1 deg are presented. Observations were simultaneously performed in bands centered at frequencies of 6, 9, and 12 per cm with a multifrequency bolometric receiver mounted on a balloon-borne telescope. The statistical sensitivity of the data is the highest reported to date at this angular scale, which is of critical importance for understanding the formation of structure in the universe. Signals in excess of random were observed in the data. The experiment, data analysis, and interpretation are described.

TASI Lectures on Cosmological Observables and String Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverstein, Eva

These lectures provide an updated pedagogical treatment of the theoretical structure and phenomenology of some basic mechanisms for inflation, along with an overview of the structure of cosmological uplifts of holographic duality. A full treatment of the problem requires `ultraviolet completion' because of the sensitivity of inflation to quantum gravity effects, including back reaction and non-adiabatic production of heavy degrees of freedom. Cosmological observations imply accelerated expansion of the late universe, and provide increasingly precise constraints and discovery potential on the amplitude and shape of primordial tensor and scalar perturbations, and some of their correlation functions. Most backgrounds of string theory have positive potential energy, with a rich but still highly constrained landscape of solutions. The theory contains novel mechanisms for inflation, some subject to significant observational tests, with highly UV-sensitive tensor mode measurements being a prime example along with certain shapes of primordial correlation functions. Although the detailed ultraviolet completion is not accessible experimentally, some of these mechanisms directly stimulate a more systematic analysis of the space of low energy theories and signatures relevant for analysis of data, which is sensitive to physics orders of magnitude above the energy scale of inflation as a result of long time evolution (dangerous irrelevance) and the substantial amount of data (allowing constraints on quantities with signal/noise. Portions of these lectures appeared previously in Les Houches 2013, "Post-Planck Cosmology".

Screening test recommendations for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus surveillance practices: A cost-minimization analysis.

PubMed

Whittington, Melanie D; Curtis, Donna J; Atherly, Adam J; Bradley, Cathy J; Lindrooth, Richard C; Campbell, Jonathan D

2017-07-01

To mitigate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, intensive care units (ICUs) conduct surveillance through screening patients upon admission followed by adhering to isolation precautions. Two surveillance approaches commonly implemented are universal preemptive isolation and targeted isolation of only MRSA-positive patients. Decision analysis was used to calculate the total cost of universal preemptive isolation and targeted isolation. The screening test used as part of the surveillance practice was varied to identify which screening test minimized inappropriate and total costs. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the range of total costs resulting from variation in inputs. The total cost of the universal preemptive isolation surveillance practice was minimized when a polymerase chain reaction screening test was used ($82.51 per patient). Costs were $207.60 more per patient when a conventional culture was used due to the longer turnaround time and thus higher isolation costs. The total cost of the targeted isolation surveillance practice was minimized when chromogenic agar 24-hour testing was used ($8.54 per patient). Costs were $22.41 more per patient when polymerase chain reaction was used. For ICUs that preemptively isolate all patients, the use of a polymerase chain reaction screening test is recommended because it can minimize total costs by reducing inappropriate isolation costs. For ICUs that only isolate MRSA-positive patients, the use of chromogenic agar 24-hour testing is recommended to minimize total costs. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disgust proneness and associated neural substrates in obesity.

PubMed

Watkins, Tristan J; Di Iorio, Christina R; Olatunji, Bunmi O; Benningfield, Margaret M; Blackford, Jennifer U; Dietrich, Mary S; Bhatia, Monisha; Theiss, Justin D; Salomon, Ronald M; Niswender, Kevin; Cowan, Ronald L

2016-03-01

Defects in experiencing disgust may contribute to obesity by allowing for the overconsumption of food. However, the relationship of disgust proneness and its associated neural locus has yet to be explored in the context of obesity. Thirty-three participants (17 obese, 16 lean) completed the Disgust Propensity and Sensitivity Scale-Revised and a functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm where images from 4 categories (food, contaminates, contaminated food or fixation) were randomly presented. Independent two-sample t-tests revealed significantly lower levels of Disgust Sensitivity for the obese group (mean score = 14.7) compared with the lean group (mean score = 17.6, P = 0.026). The obese group had less activation in the right insula than the lean group when viewing contaminated food images. Multiple regression with interaction analysis revealed one left insula region where the association of Disgust Sensitivity scores with activation differed by group when viewing contaminated food images. These interaction effects were driven by the negative correlation of Disgust Sensitivity scores with beta values extracted from the left insula in the obese group (r = -0.59) compared with a positive correlation in the lean group (r = 0.65). Given these body mass index-dependent differences in Disgust Sensitivity and neural responsiveness to disgusting food images, it is likely that altered Disgust Sensitivity may contribute to obesity. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sensitive ionization of non-volatile analytes using protein solutions as spray liquid in desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhiqiang; Han, Jing; Zhang, Yan; Zhou, Yafei; Xu, Ning; Zhang, Bo; Gu, Haiwei; Chen, Huanwen

2012-12-15

Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) is the most popular ambient ionization technique for direct analysis of complex samples without sample pretreatment. However, for many applications, especially for trace analysis, it is of interest to improve the sensitivity of DESI-mass spectrometry (MS). In traditional DESI-MS, a mixture of methanol/water/acetic acid is usually used to generate the primary ions. In this article, dilute protein solutions were electrosprayed in the DESI method to create multiply charged primary ions for the desorption ionization of trace analytes on various surfaces (e.g., filter paper, glass, Al-foil) without any sample pretreatment. The analyte ions were then detected and structurally characterized using a LTQ XL mass spectrometer. Compared with the methanol/water/acetic acid (49:49:2, v/v/v) solution, protein solutions significantly increased the signal levels of non-volatile compounds such as benzoic acid, TNT, o-toluidine, peptide and insulin in either positive or negative ion detection mode. For all the analytes tested, the limits of detection (LODs) were reduced to about half of the original values which were obtained using traditional DESI. The results showed that the signal enhancement is highly correlated with the molecular weight of the proteins and the selected solid surfaces. The proposed DESI method is a universal strategy for rapid and sensitive detection of trace amounts of strongly bound and/or non-volatile analytes, including explosives, peptides, and proteins. The results indicate that the sensitivity of DESI can be further improved by selecting larger proteins and appropriate solid surfaces. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Objective Identification and Quantification of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities in Smokers.

PubMed

Ash, Samuel Y; Harmouche, Rola; Ross, James C; Diaz, Alejandro A; Hunninghake, Gary M; Putman, Rachel K; Onieva, Jorge; Martinez, Fernando J; Choi, Augustine M; Lynch, David A; Hatabu, Hiroto; Rosas, Ivan O; Estepar, Raul San Jose; Washko, George R

2017-08-01

Previous investigation suggests that visually detected interstitial changes in the lung parenchyma of smokers are highly clinically relevant and predict outcomes, including death. Visual subjective analysis to detect these changes is time-consuming, insensitive to subtle changes, and requires training to enhance reproducibility. Objective detection of such changes could provide a method of disease identification without these limitations. The goal of this study was to develop and test a fully automated image processing tool to objectively identify radiographic features associated with interstitial abnormalities in the computed tomography scans of a large cohort of smokers. An automated tool that uses local histogram analysis combined with distance from the pleural surface was used to detect radiographic features consistent with interstitial lung abnormalities in computed tomography scans from 2257 individuals from the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD study, a longitudinal observational study of smokers. The sensitivity and specificity of this tool was determined based on its ability to detect the visually identified presence of these abnormalities. The tool had a sensitivity of 87.8% and a specificity of 57.5% for the detection of interstitial lung abnormalities, with a c-statistic of 0.82, and was 100% sensitive and 56.7% specific for the detection of the visual subtype of interstitial abnormalities called fibrotic parenchymal abnormalities, with a c-statistic of 0.89. In smokers, a fully automated image processing tool is able to identify those individuals who have interstitial lung abnormalities with moderate sensitivity and specificity. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recognizing patterns of visual field loss using unsupervised machine learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousefi, Siamak; Goldbaum, Michael H.; Zangwill, Linda M.; Medeiros, Felipe A.; Bowd, Christopher

2014-03-01

Glaucoma is a potentially blinding optic neuropathy that results in a decrease in visual sensitivity. Visual field abnormalities (decreased visual sensitivity on psychophysical tests) are the primary means of glaucoma diagnosis. One form of visual field testing is Frequency Doubling Technology (FDT) that tests sensitivity at 52 points within the visual field. Like other psychophysical tests used in clinical practice, FDT results yield specific patterns of defect indicative of the disease. We used Gaussian Mixture Model with Expectation Maximization (GEM), (EM is used to estimate the model parameters) to automatically separate FDT data into clusters of normal and abnormal eyes. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to decompose each cluster into different axes (patterns). FDT measurements were obtained from 1,190 eyes with normal FDT results and 786 eyes with abnormal (i.e., glaucomatous) FDT results, recruited from a university-based, longitudinal, multi-center, clinical study on glaucoma. The GEM input was the 52-point FDT threshold sensitivities for all eyes. The optimal GEM model separated the FDT fields into 3 clusters. Cluster 1 contained 94% normal fields (94% specificity) and clusters 2 and 3 combined, contained 77% abnormal fields (77% sensitivity). For clusters 1, 2 and 3 the optimal number of PCA-identified axes were 2, 2 and 5, respectively. GEM with PCA successfully separated FDT fields from healthy and glaucoma eyes and identified familiar glaucomatous patterns of loss.

The Determinants of Postsecondary Enrollment Rates in Ontario.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foot, David K.; Pervin, Barry

1983-01-01

Application of economic theories of educational supply and demand to Ontario postsecondary enrollments show that community college enrollments are more income-sensitive than university enrollments, and graduate enrollments are more price sensitive than undergraduate enrollments. No competition effects between community colleges and universities…

A cost-effectiveness analysis of two different antimicrobial stewardship programs.

PubMed

Okumura, Lucas Miyake; Riveros, Bruno Salgado; Gomes-da-Silva, Monica Maria; Veroneze, Izelandia

2016-01-01

There is a lack of formal economic analysis to assess the efficiency of antimicrobial stewardship programs. Herein, we conducted a cost-effectiveness study to assess two different strategies of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs. A 30-day Markov model was developed to analyze how cost-effective was a Bundled Antimicrobial Stewardship implemented in a university hospital in Brazil. Clinical data derived from a historical cohort that compared two different strategies of antimicrobial stewardship programs and had 30-day mortality as main outcome. Selected costs included: workload, cost of defined daily doses, length of stay, laboratory and imaging resources used to diagnose infections. Data were analyzed by deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis to assess model's robustness, tornado diagram and Cost-Effectiveness Acceptability Curve. Bundled Strategy was more expensive (Cost difference US$ 2119.70), however, it was more efficient (US$ 27,549.15 vs 29,011.46). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggested that critical variables did not alter final Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio. Bundled Strategy had higher probabilities of being cost-effective, which was endorsed by cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. As health systems claim for efficient technologies, this study conclude that Bundled Antimicrobial Stewardship Program was more cost-effective, which means that stewardship strategies with such characteristics would be of special interest in a societal and clinical perspective. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

HPTLC-aptastaining - Innovative protein detection system for high-performance thin-layer chromatography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morschheuser, Lena; Wessels, Hauke; Pille, Christina; Fischer, Judith; Hünniger, Tim; Fischer, Markus; Paschke-Kratzin, Angelika; Rohn, Sascha

2016-05-01

Protein analysis using high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) is not commonly used but can complement traditional electrophoretic and mass spectrometric approaches in a unique way. Due to various detection protocols and possibilities for hyphenation, HPTLC protein analysis is a promising alternative for e.g., investigating posttranslational modifications. This study exemplarily focused on the investigation of lysozyme, an enzyme which is occurring in eggs and technologically added to foods and beverages such as wine. The detection of lysozyme is mandatory, as it might trigger allergenic reactions in sensitive individuals. To underline the advantages of HPTLC in protein analysis, the development of innovative, highly specific staining protocols leads to improved sensitivity for protein detection on HPTLC plates in comparison to universal protein derivatization reagents. This study aimed at developing a detection methodology for HPTLC separated proteins using aptamers. Due to their affinity and specificity towards a wide range of targets, an aptamer based staining procedure on HPTLC (HPTLC-aptastaining) will enable manifold analytical possibilities. Besides the proof of its applicability for the very first time, (i) aptamer-based staining of proteins is applicable on different stationary phase materials and (ii) furthermore, it can be used as an approach for a semi-quantitative estimation of protein concentrations.

Impact of universal screening on MRSA bacteremias in a single acute NHS organisation (2006-12): interrupted time-series analysis.

PubMed

Sarma, Jayanta B; Marshall, Bryan; Cleeve, Victoria; Tate, David; Oswald, Tamsin

2013-01-14

In November 2004, a national target was set for the English hospital trusts to reduce the Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia rate by 60% by April 2008 against the number during 2003/04 (baseline year). In our organisation the number of MRSA bacteremias had risen since 2002 and peaked at 75 in 2005/06. A target was set to reduce the number and series of specific and non- specific interventions was introduced including universal MRSA screening. This study analyzes the impact of universal MRSA screening using a quasi-experimental design using routinely gathered data. This study used data gathered routinely for clinical governance, quality control, financial management and outbreak monitoring purposes. Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis of 15 pre- and 19 post- universal MRSA screening (and decolonisation) quarterly numbers of bacteremias was carried out where Meticillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) numbers served as non-equivalent dependent variable (control). An immediate sharp fall in MRSA bacteremias was observed following the universal MRSA screening (and decolonisation) commenced in Q2, 2007. The number dropped sharply from 23 (Q2, 2007) to 10 (Q3, 2007) for all MRSA bacteremias, and, from 15 (Q2, 2007) to 6 (Q3, 2007) for bacteremias ≥48 hours of hospitalization. The declining trend continued reaching zero in Q2, 2009 and Q4, 2010 for those with ≥48 hours of hospitalization and all bacteremias, respectively. ITS analysis revealed significant impact of universal MRSA screening on all MRSA bacteremias (β2 -0.554, p 0.000) and those with ≥48 of hospitalization (β2 -0.577, p 0.001). Impact estimation predicted 17 and 13 bacteremias for all and those with ≥48 hours hospitalization, respectively in the 19th quarter post-intervention, if the intervention did not occur. The number of MRSA isolates from non-blood culture systemic sources as percentage of admissions also dropped significantly from 3.32% in Q2, 2007 to 1.51% in Q3, 2007 (β2 -0.506, p 0.000) which is still running low at 0.33% at the end of Q1, 2012. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant impact of universal screening on MSSA bacteremias. We conclude that of all interventions, the universal MRSA screening (and decolonisation) is the most effective intervention associated with significant and sharp drop in MRSA burden.

Impact of universal screening on MRSA bacteremias in a single acute NHS organisation (2006–12): interrupted time-series analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In November 2004, a national target was set for the English hospital trusts to reduce the Meticillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia rate by 60% by April 2008 against the number during 2003/04 (baseline year). In our organisation the number of MRSA bacteremias had risen since 2002 and peaked at 75 in 2005/06. A target was set to reduce the number and series of specific and non- specific interventions was introduced including universal MRSA screening. This study analyzes the impact of universal MRSA screening using a quasi-experimental design using routinely gathered data. Methods This study used data gathered routinely for clinical governance, quality control, financial management and outbreak monitoring purposes. Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis of 15 pre- and 19 post- universal MRSA screening (and decolonisation) quarterly numbers of bacteremias was carried out where Meticillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) numbers served as non-equivalent dependent variable (control). Results An immediate sharp fall in MRSA bacteremias was observed following the universal MRSA screening (and decolonisation) commenced in Q2, 2007. The number dropped sharply from 23 (Q2, 2007) to 10 (Q3, 2007) for all MRSA bacteremias, and, from 15 (Q2, 2007) to 6 (Q3, 2007) for bacteremias ≥48 hours of hospitalization. The declining trend continued reaching zero in Q2, 2009 and Q4, 2010 for those with ≥48 hours of hospitalization and all bacteremias, respectively. ITS analysis revealed significant impact of universal MRSA screening on all MRSA bacteremias (β2 -0.554, p 0.000) and those with ≥48 of hospitalization (β2 -0.577, p 0.001). Impact estimation predicted 17 and 13 bacteremias for all and those with ≥48 hours hospitalization, respectively in the 19th quarter post-intervention, if the intervention did not occur. The number of MRSA isolates from non-blood culture systemic sources as percentage of admissions also dropped significantly from 3.32% in Q2, 2007 to 1.51% in Q3, 2007 (β2 -0.506, p 0.000) which is still running low at 0.33% at the end of Q1, 2012. On the other hand, there was no statistically significant impact of universal screening on MSSA bacteremias. Conclusions We conclude that of all interventions, the universal MRSA screening (and decolonisation) is the most effective intervention associated with significant and sharp drop in MRSA burden. PMID:23316746

Exploring and Assessing Cross-Cultural Sensitivity in Bosnian Tertiary Education: Is There a Real Promise of Harmonious Coexistence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becirovic, Senad; Brdarevic-Celjo, Amma

2018-01-01

The aim of this research was to examine how university type, nationality, GPA, gender and grade level affect the cross-cultural sensitivity of students at tertiary level of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The revised and updated Inventory of Cross-Cultural Sensitivity (ICCSv2) was utilized for data collection. It contains four subscales:…

SELECTIVE TRACE ENRICHMENT BY IMMUNOAFFINITY CAPILLARY ELECTROCHROMATOGRAPHY ON-LINE WITH CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORESIS - LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE

EPA Science Inventory

Limited by the lack of a sensitive, universal detector, many capillary-based liquid-phase separation techniques might benefit from techniques that overcome modest concentration sensitivity by preconcentrating large injection volumes. The work presented employs selective solid-ph...

Computer-delivered and web-based interventions to improve depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being of university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Davies, E Bethan; Morriss, Richard; Glazebrook, Cris

2014-05-16

Depression and anxiety are common mental health difficulties experienced by university students and can impair academic and social functioning. Students are limited in seeking help from professionals. As university students are highly connected to digital technologies, Web-based and computer-delivered interventions could be used to improve students' mental health. The effectiveness of these intervention types requires investigation to identify whether these are viable prevention strategies for university students. The intent of the study was to systematically review and analyze trials of Web-based and computer-delivered interventions to improve depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and stress in university students. Several databases were searched using keywords relating to higher education students, mental health, and eHealth interventions. The eligibility criteria for studies included in the review were: (1) the study aimed to improve symptoms relating to depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and stress, (2) the study involved computer-delivered or Web-based interventions accessed via computer, laptop, or tablet, (3) the study was a randomized controlled trial, and (4) the study was trialed on higher education students. Trials were reviewed and outcome data analyzed through random effects meta-analyses for each outcome and each type of trial arm comparison. Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool was used to assess study quality. A total of 17 trials were identified, in which seven were the same three interventions on separate samples; 14 reported sufficient information for meta-analysis. The majority (n=13) were website-delivered and nine interventions were based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A total of 1795 participants were randomized and 1480 analyzed. Risk of bias was considered moderate, as many publications did not sufficiently report their methods and seven explicitly conducted completers' analyses. In comparison to the inactive control, sensitivity meta-analyses supported intervention in improving anxiety (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.56; 95% CI -0.77 to -0.35, P<.001), depression (pooled SMD -0.43; 95% CI -0.63 to -0.22, P<.001), and stress (pooled SMD -0.73; 95% CI -1.27 to -0.19, P=.008). In comparison to active controls, sensitivity analyses did not support either condition for anxiety (pooled SMD -0.18; 95% CI -0.98 to 0.62, P=.66) or depression (pooled SMD -0.28; 95% CI -0.75 to -0.20, P=.25). In contrast to a comparison intervention, neither condition was supported in sensitivity analyses for anxiety (pooled SMD -0.10; 95% CI -0.39 to 0.18, P=.48) or depression (pooled SMD -0.33; 95% CI -0.43 to 1.09, P=.40). The findings suggest Web-based and computer-delivered interventions can be effective in improving students' depression, anxiety, and stress outcomes when compared to inactive controls, but some caution is needed when compared to other trial arms and methodological issues were noticeable. Interventions need to be trialed on more heterogeneous student samples and would benefit from user evaluation. Future trials should address methodological considerations to improve reporting of trial quality and address post-intervention skewed data.

Does short-term exposure to mobile phone base station signals increase symptoms in individuals who report sensitivity to electromagnetic fields? A double-blind randomized provocation study.

PubMed

Eltiti, Stacy; Wallace, Denise; Ridgewell, Anna; Zougkou, Konstantina; Russo, Riccardo; Sepulveda, Francisco; Mirshekar-Syahkal, Dariush; Rasor, Paul; Deeble, Roger; Fox, Elaine

2007-11-01

Individuals with idiopathic environmental illness with attribution to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) believe they suffer negative health effects when exposed to electromagnetic fields from everyday objects such as mobile phone base stations. This study used both open provocation and double-blind tests to determine if sensitive and control individuals experience more negative health effects when exposed to base station-like signals compared with sham. Fifty-six self-reported sensitive and 120 control participants were tested in an open provocation test. Of these, 12 sensitive and 6 controls withdrew after the first session. The remainder completed a series of double-blind tests. Subjective measures of well-being and symptoms as well as physiological measures of blood volume pulse, heart rate, and skin conductance were obtained. During the open provocation, sensitive individuals reported lower levels of well-being in both the global system for mobile communication (GSM) and universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) compared with sham exposure, whereas controls reported more symptoms during the UMTS exposure. During double-blind tests the GSM signal did not have any effect on either group. Sensitive participants did report elevated levels of arousal during the UMTS condition, whereas the number or severity of symptoms experienced did not increase. Physiological measures did not differ across the three exposure conditions for either group. Short-term exposure to a typical GSM base station-like signal did not affect well-being or physiological functions in sensitive or control individuals. Sensitive individuals reported elevated levels of arousal when exposed to a UMTS signal. Further analysis, however, indicated that this difference was likely to be due to the effect of order of exposure rather than the exposure itself.

Does Short-Term Exposure to Mobile Phone Base Station Signals Increase Symptoms in Individuals Who Report Sensitivity to Electromagnetic Fields? A Double-Blind Randomized Provocation Study

PubMed Central

Eltiti, Stacy; Wallace, Denise; Ridgewell, Anna; Zougkou, Konstantina; Russo, Riccardo; Sepulveda, Francisco; Mirshekar-Syahkal, Dariush; Rasor, Paul; Deeble, Roger; Fox, Elaine

2007-01-01

Background Individuals with idiopathic environmental illness with attribution to electromagnetic fields (IEI-EMF) believe they suffer negative health effects when exposed to electromagnetic fields from everyday objects such as mobile phone base stations. Objectives This study used both open provocation and double-blind tests to determine if sensitive and control individuals experience more negative health effects when exposed to base station-like signals compared with sham. Methods Fifty-six self-reported sensitive and 120 control participants were tested in an open provocation test. Of these, 12 sensitive and 6 controls withdrew after the first session. The remainder completed a series of double-blind tests. Subjective measures of well-being and symptoms as well as physiological measures of blood volume pulse, heart rate, and skin conductance were obtained. Results During the open provocation, sensitive individuals reported lower levels of well-being in both the global system for mobile communication (GSM) and universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) compared with sham exposure, whereas controls reported more symptoms during the UMTS exposure. During double-blind tests the GSM signal did not have any effect on either group. Sensitive participants did report elevated levels of arousal during the UMTS condition, whereas the number or severity of symptoms experienced did not increase. Physiological measures did not differ across the three exposure conditions for either group. Conclusions Short-term exposure to a typical GSM base station-like signal did not affect well-being or physiological functions in sensitive or control individuals. Sensitive individuals reported elevated levels of arousal when exposed to a UMTS signal. Further analysis, however, indicated that this difference was likely to be due to the effect of order of exposure rather than the exposure itself. PMID:18007992

Cost-effectiveness analysis of neonatal hearing screening program in China: should universal screening be prioritized?

PubMed

Huang, Li-Hui; Zhang, Luo; Tobe, Ruo-Yan Gai; Qi, Fang-Hua; Sun, Long; Teng, Yue; Ke, Qing-Lin; Mai, Fei; Zhang, Xue-Feng; Zhang, Mei; Yang, Ru-Lan; Tu, Lin; Li, Hong-Hui; Gu, Yan-Qing; Xu, Sai-Nan; Yue, Xiao-Yan; Li, Xiao-Dong; Qi, Bei-Er; Cheng, Xiao-Huan; Tang, Wei; Xu, Ling-Zhong; Han, De-Min

2012-04-17

Neonatal hearing screening (NHS) has been routinely offered as a vital component of early childhood care in developed countries, whereas such a screening program is still at the pilot or preliminary stage as regards its nationwide implementation in developing countries. To provide significant evidence for health policy making in China, this study aims to determine the cost-effectiveness of NHS program implementation in case of eight provinces of China. A cost-effectiveness model was conducted and all neonates annually born from 2007 to 2009 in eight provinces of China were simulated in this model. The model parameters were estimated from the established databases in the general hospitals or maternal and child health hospitals of these eight provinces, supplemented from the published literature. The model estimated changes in program implementation costs, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), average cost-effectiveness ratio (ACER), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for universal screening compared to targeted screening in eight provinces. A multivariate sensitivity analysis was performed to determine uncertainty in health effect estimates and cost-effectiveness ratios using a probabilistic modeling technique. Targeted strategy trended to be cost-effective in Guangxi, Jiangxi, Henan, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Hebei, Shandong, and Beijing from the level of 9%, 9%, 8%, 4%, 3%, 7%, 5%, and 2%, respectively; while universal strategy trended to be cost-effective in those provinces from the level of 70%, 70%, 48%, 10%, 8%, 28%, 15%, 4%, respectively. This study showed although there was a huge disparity in the implementation of the NHS program in the surveyed provinces, both universal strategy and targeted strategy showed cost-effectiveness in those relatively developed provinces, while neither of the screening strategy showed cost-effectiveness in those relatively developing provinces. This study also showed that both strategies especially universal strategy achieve a good economic effect in the long term costs. Universal screening might be considered as the prioritized implementation goal especially in those relatively developed provinces of China as it provides the best health and economic effects, while targeted screening might be temporarily more realistic than universal screening in those relatively developing provinces of China.

WebDISCO: a web service for distributed cox model learning without patient-level data sharing.

PubMed

Lu, Chia-Lun; Wang, Shuang; Ji, Zhanglong; Wu, Yuan; Xiong, Li; Jiang, Xiaoqian; Ohno-Machado, Lucila

2015-11-01

The Cox proportional hazards model is a widely used method for analyzing survival data. To achieve sufficient statistical power in a survival analysis, it usually requires a large amount of data. Data sharing across institutions could be a potential workaround for providing this added power. The authors develop a web service for distributed Cox model learning (WebDISCO), which focuses on the proof-of-concept and algorithm development for federated survival analysis. The sensitive patient-level data can be processed locally and only the less-sensitive intermediate statistics are exchanged to build a global Cox model. Mathematical derivation shows that the proposed distributed algorithm is identical to the centralized Cox model. The authors evaluated the proposed framework at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Emory, and Duke. The experimental results show that both distributed and centralized models result in near-identical model coefficients with differences in the range [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text]. The results confirm the mathematical derivation and show that the implementation of the distributed model can achieve the same results as the centralized implementation. The proposed method serves as a proof of concept, in which a publicly available dataset was used to evaluate the performance. The authors do not intend to suggest that this method can resolve policy and engineering issues related to the federated use of institutional data, but they should serve as evidence of the technical feasibility of the proposed approach.Conclusions WebDISCO (Web-based Distributed Cox Regression Model; https://webdisco.ucsd-dbmi.org:8443/cox/) provides a proof-of-concept web service that implements a distributed algorithm to conduct distributed survival analysis without sharing patient level data. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dynamical Characterization of Galaxies at z ˜ 4-6 via Tilted Ring Fitting to ALMA [C II] Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, G. C.; Carilli, C. L.; Shao, Y.; Wang, R.; Capak, P. L.; Pavesi, R.; Riechers, D. A.; Karim, A.; Neeleman, M.; Walter, F.

2017-12-01

Until recently, determining the rotational properties of galaxies in the early universe (z> 4, universe age < 1.5 Gyr) was impractical, with the exception of a few strongly lensed systems. Combining the high resolution and sensitivity of ALMA at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths with the typically high strength of the [C II] 158 μm emission line from galaxies and long-developed dynamical modeling tools raises the possibility of characterizing the gas dynamics in both extreme starburst galaxies and normal star-forming disk galaxies at z˜ 4{--}7. Using a procedure centered around GIPSY’s ROTCUR task, we have fit tilted ring models to some of the best available ALMA [C II] data of a small set of galaxies: the MS galaxies HZ9 and HZ10, the damped Lyα absorber host galaxy ALMA J0817+1351, the submm galaxies AzTEC/C159 and COSMOS J1000+0234, and the quasar host galaxy ULAS J1319+0950. This procedure directly derives rotation curves and dynamical masses as functions of radius for each object. In one case, we present evidence for a dark matter halo of { O }({10}11) {M}⊙ . We present an analysis of the possible velocity dispersions of two sources based on matching simulated observations to the integrated [C II] line profiles. Finally, we test the effects of observation resolution and sensitivity on our results. While the conclusions remain limited at the resolution and signal-to-noise ratios of these observations, the results demonstrate the viability of the modeling tools at high redshift, and the exciting potential for detailed dynamical analysis of the earliest galaxies, as ALMA achieves full observational capabilities.

Surface contamination analysis technology team overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, H. Dewitt, Jr.

1996-11-01

The surface contamination analysis technology (SCAT) team was originated as a working roup of NASA civil service, Space Shuttle contractor, and university groups. Participating members of the SCAT Team have included personnel from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's Materials and Processes Laboratory and Langley Research Center's Instrument Development Group; contractors-Thiokol Corporation's Inspection Technology Group, AC Engineering support contractor, Aerojet, SAIC, and Lockheed MArtin/Oak Ridge Y-12 support contractor and Shuttle External Tank prime contractor; and the University of Alabama in Huntsville's Center for Robotics and Automation. The goal of the SCAT team as originally defined was to develop and integrate a multi-purpose inspection head for robotic application to in-process inspection of contamination sensitive surfaces. One area of interest was replacement of ozone depleting solvents currently used for surface cleanliness verification. The team approach brought together the appropriate personnel to determine what surface inspection techniques were applicable to multi-program surface cleanliness inspection. Major substrates of interest were chosen to simulate space shuttle critical bonding surface or surfaces sensitive to contamination such as fuel system component surfaces. Inspection techniques evaluated include optically stimulated electron emission or photoelectron emission; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; near infrared fiber optic spectroscopy; and, ultraviolet fluorescence. Current plans are to demonstrate an integrated system in MSFC's Productivity Enhancement Complex within five years from initiation of this effort in 1992. Instrumentation specifications and designs developed under this effort include a portable diffuse reflectance FTIR system built by Surface Optics Corporation and a third generation optically stimulated electron emission system built by LaRC. This paper will discuss the evaluation of the various techniques on a number of substrate materials contaminated with hydrocarbons, silicones, and fluorocarbons. Discussion will also include standards development for instrument calibration and testing.

Detection of Rare Mutations in EGFR-ARMS-PCR-Negative Lung Adenocarcinoma by Sanger Sequencing.

PubMed

Liang, Chaoyue; Wu, Zhuolin; Gan, Xiaohong; Liu, Yuanbin; You, You; Liu, Chenxian; Zhou, Chengzhi; Liang, Ying; Mo, Haiyun; Chen, Allen M; Zhang, Jiexia

2018-01-01

This study aimed to identify potential epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer that went undetected by amplification refractory mutation system-Scorpion real-time PCR (ARMS-PCR). A total of 200 specimens were obtained from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from August 2014 to August 2015. In total, 100 ARMS-negative and 100 ARMS-positive specimens were evaluated for EGFR gene mutations by Sanger sequencing. The methodology and sensitivity of each method and the outcomes of EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy were analyzed. Among the 100 ARMS-PCR-positive samples, 90 were positive by Sanger sequencing, while 10 cases were considered negative, because the mutation abundance was less than 10%. Among the 100 negative cases, three were positive for a rare EGFR mutation by Sanger sequencing. In the curative effect analysis of EGFR-TKIs, the progression-free survival (PFS) analysis based on ARMS and Sanger sequencing results showed no difference. However, the PFS of patients with a high abundance of EGFR mutation was 12.4 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 11.6-12.4 months], which was significantly higher than that of patients with a low abundance of mutations detected by Sanger sequencing (95% CI, 10.7-11.3 months) (p<0.001). The ARMS method demonstrated higher sensitivity than Sanger sequencing, but was prone to missing mutations due to primer design. Sanger sequencing was able to detect rare EGFR mutations and deemed applicable for confirming EGFR status. A clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in patients with rare EGFR mutations is needed. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018

Spreadsheet WATERSHED modeling for nonpoint-source pollution management in a Wisconsin basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, J.F.; Pickard, S.A.; Sonzogni, W.C.

1989-01-01

Although several sophisticated nonpoint pollution models exist, few are available that are easy to use, cover a variety of conditions, and integrate a wide range of information to allow managers and planners to assess different control strategies. Here, a straightforward pollutant input accounting approach is presented in the form of an existing model (WATERSHED) that has been adapted to run on modern electronic spreadsheets. As an application, WATERSHED is used to assess options to improve the quality of highly eutrophic Delavan Lake in Wisconsin. WATERSHED is flexible in that several techniques, such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation or unit-area loadings, can be used to estimate nonpoint-source inputs. Once the model parameters are determined (and calibrated, if possible), the spreadsheet features can be used to conduct a sensitivity analysis of management options. In the case of Delavan Lake, it was concluded that, although some nonpoint controls were cost-effective, the overall reduction in phosphorus would be insufficient to measurably improve water quality.A straightforward pollutant input accounting approach is presented in the form of an existing model (WATERSHED) that has been adapted to run on modern electronic spreadsheets. As an application, WATERSHED is used to assess options to improve the quality of highly eutrophic Delavan Lake in Wisconsin. WATERSHED is flexible in that several techniques, such as the Universal Soil Loss Equation or unit-area loadings, can be used to estimate nonpoint-source inputs. Once the model parameters are determined (and calibrated, if possible), the spreadsheet features can be used to conduct a sensitivity analysis of management options. In the case of Delavan Lake, it was concluded that, although some nonpoint controls were cost-effective, the overall reduction in phosphorus would be insufficient to measurably improve water quality.

Sensitivity Analysis in Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adelman, Howard M. (Compiler); Haftka, Raphael T. (Compiler)

1987-01-01

The symposium proceedings presented focused primarily on sensitivity analysis of structural response. However, the first session, entitled, General and Multidisciplinary Sensitivity, focused on areas such as physics, chemistry, controls, and aerodynamics. The other four sessions were concerned with the sensitivity of structural systems modeled by finite elements. Session 2 dealt with Static Sensitivity Analysis and Applications; Session 3 with Eigenproblem Sensitivity Methods; Session 4 with Transient Sensitivity Analysis; and Session 5 with Shape Sensitivity Analysis.

Towards the Construction of a Personal Professional Pathway: An Experimental Project for the Recognition of Non-Formal and Informal Learning in the University of Catania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piazza, Roberta

2013-01-01

In Italy, accreditation of prior learning is a sensitive issue. Despite the lack of laws or qualification frameworks regulating the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, most Italian universities proceed with caution, allowing only a restricted number of credits in the university curriculum related to practical activities or to external…

Anxiety sensitivity as a predictor of academic success of medical students at the University of Mostar.

PubMed

Zalihić, Amra; Mešukić, Sabina; Sušac, Bože; Knezović, Katarina; Martinac, Marko

2017-12-01

Higher education students comprise a particularly vulnerable group for the development of anxiety symptoms and disorders. The aim of our research was to examine the impact of anxiety sensitivity on the success of medical students at the University of Mostar, and to establish the differences between students depending on their sex and the year of study. One hundred students in their first and fifth year of medical school were interviewed using the ASI questionnaire, 7 days prior to their final exams. Here we demonstrate a positive correlation between anxiety sensitivity and academic success. We did not find any significant differences between the first and fifth-year medical students, nor between participants based on their sex. We conclude that anxiety can have a positive impact on the academic achievement of higher education students.

Social Intelligence and Communication Competence: Predictors of Students' Intercultural Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosuwon, Takwa

2017-01-01

This study investigated the level of intercultural sensitivity of foreign international undergraduates and its possible predictors. Sample participants included 269 foreign international undergraduates of both government and private universities in Thailand. The research instrument was the three-page survey constructed questionnaire based on the…

Cosmopolitan Sensitivities, Vulnerability, and Global Englishes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobsen, Ushma Chauhan

2015-01-01

This paper is the outcome of an afterthought that assembles connections between three elements: the ambitions of cultivating cosmopolitan sensitivities that circulate vibrantly in connection with the internationalization of higher education, a course on Global Englishes at a Danish university and the sensation of vulnerability. It discusses the…

Strain ratio ultrasound elastography increases the accuracy of colour-Doppler ultrasound in the evaluation of Thy-3 nodules. A bi-centre university experience.

PubMed

Cantisani, Vito; Maceroni, Piero; D'Andrea, Vito; Patrizi, Gregorio; Di Segni, Mattia; De Vito, Corrado; Grazhdani, Hektor; Isidori, Andrea M; Giannetta, Elisa; Redler, Adriano; Frattaroli, Fabrizio; Giacomelli, Laura; Di Rocco, Giorgio; Catalano, Carlo; D'Ambrosio, Ferdinando

2016-05-01

To assess whether ultrasound elastography (USE) with strain ratio increases diagnostic accuracy of Doppler ultrasound in further characterisation of cytologically Thy3 thyroid nodules. In two different university diagnostic centres, 315 patients with indeterminate cytology (Thy3) in thyroid nodules aspirates were prospectively evaluated with Doppler ultrasound and strain ratio USE before surgery. Ultrasonographic features were analysed separately and together as ultrasound score, to assess sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to identify optimal cut-off value of the strain ratio were also provided. Diagnosis on a surgical specimen was considered the standard of reference. Higher strain ratio values were found in malignant nodules, with an optimum strain ratio cut-off of 2.09 at ROC analysis. USE with strain ratio showed 90.6% sensitivity, 93% specificity, 82.8% PPV, 96.4% NPV, while US score yielded a sensitivity of 52.9%, specificity of 84.3%, PPV 55.6% and NPV 82.9%. The diagnostic gain with strain ratio was statistically significant as proved by ROC areas, which was 0.9182 for strain ratio and 0.6864 for US score. USE with strain ratio should be considered a useful additional tool to colour-Doppler US, since it improves characterisation of thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology. • Strain ratio measurements improve differentiation of thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology • Elastography with strain ratio is more reliable than ultrasound features and ultrasound score • Strain ratio may help to better select patients with Thy 3 nodules candidate for surgery.

Carotid Consensus Panel duplex criteria can replace modified University of Washington criteria without affecting accuracy.

PubMed

Kim, Ann H; Augustin, Gener; Shevitz, Andrew; Kim, Hannah; Trivonovich, Michael R; Powell, Alexis R; Kumins, Norman; Tarr, Robert; Kashyap, Vikram S

2018-04-01

The decision to intervene for internal carotid stenosis often depends on the degree of stenosis seen on duplex ultrasound (US). The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of two criteria: modified University of Washington (UW) and 2003 Carotid Consensus Panel (CCP). All patients undergoing US in an accredited (IAC) vascular laboratory from January 2010 to June 2015 were reviewed ( n=18,772 US exams). Patients receiving a neck computed tomography angiography (CTA) within 6 months of the US were included in the study ( n=254). The degree of stenosis was determined by UW/CCP criteria and confirmed on CTA images using North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET)/European Carotid Surgery Trial (ECST) schema. Kappa analysis with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized to determine duplex-CTA agreement. A total of 417 carotid arteries from 221 patients were assessed in this study. The modified UW criteria accurately classified 266 (63.9%, kappa = 0.321, 95% CI 0.255 to 0.386) cases according to NASCET-derived measurements. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy at ≥ 60% stenosis were 65.7%, 81.3%, and 81.9%. The CCP criteria resulted in 296 (70.9%) accurate diagnoses (kappa = 0.359, 95% CI 0.280 to 0.437). At ≥ 70% stenosis, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 38.8%, 91.6%, and 87.1% for NASCET. Comparison of the duplex results to ECST-derived CTA measurements revealed a similar trend (UW 53.1%, κ = 0.301 vs CCP 62.1%, κ = 0.315). The CCP criteria demonstrate a higher concordance rate with measurements taken from CTAs. The CCP criteria may be more sensitive in classifying clinically significant degrees of stenosis without a loss in diagnostic accuracy.

The means/side-effect distinction in moral cognition: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Feltz, Adam; May, Joshua

2017-09-01

Experimental research suggests that people draw a moral distinction between bad outcomes brought about as a means versus a side effect (or byproduct). Such findings have informed multiple psychological and philosophical debates about moral cognition, including its computational structure, its sensitivity to the famous Doctrine of Double Effect, its reliability, and its status as a universal and innate mental module akin to universal grammar. But some studies have failed to replicate the means/byproduct effect especially in the absence of other factors, such as personal contact. So we aimed to determine how robust the means/byproduct effect is by conducting a meta-analysis of both published and unpublished studies (k=101; 24,058 participants). We found that while there is an overall small difference between moral judgments of means and byproducts (standardized mean difference=0.87, 95% CI 0.67-1.06; standardized mean change=0.57, 95% CI 0.44-0.69; log odds ratio=1.59, 95% CI 1.15-2.02), the mean effect size is primarily moderated by whether the outcome is brought about by personal contact, which typically involves the use of personal force. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Universal reverse-transcriptase real-time PCR for infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Purcell, Maureen K.; Thompson, Rachel L.; Garver, Kyle A.; Hawley, Laura M.; Batts, William N.; Sprague, Laura; Sampson, Corie; Winton, James R.

2013-01-01

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is an acute pathogen of salmonid fishes in North America, Europe and Asia and is reportable to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Phylogenetic analysis has identified 5 major virus genogroups of IHNV worldwide, designated U, M, L, E and J; multiple subtypes also exist within those genogroups. Here, we report the development and validation of a universal IHNV reverse-transcriptase real-time PCR (RT-rPCR) assay targeting the IHNV nucleocapsid (N) gene. Properties of diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and specificity (DSp) were defined using laboratory-challenged steelhead trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, and the new assay was compared to the OIE-accepted conventional PCR test and virus isolation in cell culture. The IHNV N gene RT-rPCR had 100% DSp and DSe and a higher estimated diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) than virus culture or conventional PCR. The RT-rPCR assay was highly repeatable within a laboratory and highly reproducible between laboratories. Field testing of the assay was conducted on a random sample of juvenile steelhead collected from a hatchery raceway experiencing an IHN epizootic. The RT-rPCR detected a greater number of positive samples than cell culture and there was 40% agreement between the 2 tests. Overall, the RT-rPCR assay was highly sensitive, specific, repeatable and reproducible and is suitable for use in a diagnostic setting.

Validation of Clinical Testing for Warfarin Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Langley, Michael R.; Booker, Jessica K.; Evans, James P.; McLeod, Howard L.; Weck, Karen E.

2009-01-01

Responses to warfarin (Coumadin) anticoagulation therapy are affected by genetic variability in both the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes. Validation of pharmacogenetic testing for warfarin responses includes demonstration of analytical validity of testing platforms and of the clinical validity of testing. We compared four platforms for determining the relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in both CYP2C9 and VKORC1 that are associated with warfarin sensitivity (Third Wave Invader Plus, ParagonDx/Cepheid Smart Cycler, Idaho Technology LightCycler, and AutoGenomics Infiniti). Each method was examined for accuracy, cost, and turnaround time. All genotyping methods demonstrated greater than 95% accuracy for identifying the relevant SNPs (CYP2C9 *2 and *3; VKORC1 −1639 or 1173). The ParagonDx and Idaho Technology assays had the shortest turnaround and hands-on times. The Third Wave assay was readily scalable to higher test volumes but had the longest hands-on time. The AutoGenomics assay interrogated the largest number of SNPs but had the longest turnaround time. Four published warfarin-dosing algorithms (Washington University, UCSF, Louisville, and Newcastle) were compared for accuracy for predicting warfarin dose in a retrospective analysis of a local patient population on long-term, stable warfarin therapy. The predicted doses from both the Washington University and UCSF algorithms demonstrated the best correlation with actual warfarin doses. PMID:19324988

Validation of clinical testing for warfarin sensitivity: comparison of CYP2C9-VKORC1 genotyping assays and warfarin-dosing algorithms.

PubMed

Langley, Michael R; Booker, Jessica K; Evans, James P; McLeod, Howard L; Weck, Karen E

2009-05-01

Responses to warfarin (Coumadin) anticoagulation therapy are affected by genetic variability in both the CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes. Validation of pharmacogenetic testing for warfarin responses includes demonstration of analytical validity of testing platforms and of the clinical validity of testing. We compared four platforms for determining the relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in both CYP2C9 and VKORC1 that are associated with warfarin sensitivity (Third Wave Invader Plus, ParagonDx/Cepheid Smart Cycler, Idaho Technology LightCycler, and AutoGenomics Infiniti). Each method was examined for accuracy, cost, and turnaround time. All genotyping methods demonstrated greater than 95% accuracy for identifying the relevant SNPs (CYP2C9 *2 and *3; VKORC1 -1639 or 1173). The ParagonDx and Idaho Technology assays had the shortest turnaround and hands-on times. The Third Wave assay was readily scalable to higher test volumes but had the longest hands-on time. The AutoGenomics assay interrogated the largest number of SNPs but had the longest turnaround time. Four published warfarin-dosing algorithms (Washington University, UCSF, Louisville, and Newcastle) were compared for accuracy for predicting warfarin dose in a retrospective analysis of a local patient population on long-term, stable warfarin therapy. The predicted doses from both the Washington University and UCSF algorithms demonstrated the best correlation with actual warfarin doses.

Hepatitis B immunization in a low-incidence province of Canada: comparing alternative strategies.

PubMed

Wiebe, T; Fergusson, P; Horne, D; Shanahan, M; Macdonald, A; Heise, L; Roos, L L

1997-01-01

This study provides a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of three universal immunization programs for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Using three theoretical cohorts of infants, 10-year-olds, and 12-year-olds, a universal immunization program was compared with a prenatal screening/newborn immunization program involving testing of prepartum women and immunization of newborns of HBsAg-positive mothers. A Markov long-term outcome model used Manitoba data to estimate costs and health outcomes across the lifespan. The model was based on an HBV incidence rate of 19/100,000 and a discount rate of 5% and incorporated the most recent treatment advances (interferon therapy). Cost-effectiveness was calculated as the ratio of dollars spent per year of life saved, with costs determined from the perspective of a third-party payer. The universal infant-immunization program, although not cost-saving, was associated with a low, economically attractive cost-effectiveness ratio of $15,900 (Canadian) per year of life saved, a figure substantially lower than the ratios of $97,600 and $184,800 (Canadian) associated with the universal programs for 10- and 12-year-olds, respectively. Cost-effectiveness ratios were found to be sensitive to changes in immunization costs, HBV incidence rates, and the rate at which protective antibody levels are lost over time: If these variables move in the directions suggested by current trends, the authors anticipate an increasing economic appeal of universal programs well into the future. A universal program of HBV immunization for infants appears to be economically practical in regions where HBV infection rates are low and stable.

Development of duplex real-time PCR for the detection of WSSV and PstDV1 in cultivated shrimp.

PubMed

Leal, Carlos A G; Carvalho, Alex F; Leite, Rômulo C; Figueiredo, Henrique C P

2014-07-05

The White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and Penaeus stylirostris penstyldensovirus 1 (previously named Infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus-IHHNV) are two of the most important viral pathogens of penaeid shrimp. Different methods have been applied for diagnosis of these viruses, including Real-time PCR (qPCR) assays. A duplex qPCR method allows the simultaneous detection of two viruses in the same sample, which is more cost-effective than assaying for each virus separately. Currently, an assay for the simultaneous detection of the WSSV and the PstDV1 in shrimp is unavailable. The aim of this study was to develop and standardize a duplex qPCR assay for the simultaneous detection of the WSSV and the PstDV1 in clinical samples of diseased L. vannamei. In addition, to evaluate the performance of two qPCR master mixes with regard to the clinical sensitivity of the qPCR assay, as well as, different methods for qPCR results evaluation. The duplex qPCR assay for detecting WSSV and PstDV1 in clinical samples was successfully standardized. No difference in the amplification of the standard curves was observed between the duplex and singleplex assays. Specificities and sensitivities similar to those of the singleplex assays were obtained using the optimized duplex qPCR. The analytical sensitivities of duplex qPCR were two copies of WSSV control plasmid and 20 copies of PstDV1 control plasmid. The standardized duplex qPCR confirmed the presence of viral DNA in 28 from 43 samples tested. There was no difference for WSSV detection using the two kits and the distinct methods for qPCR results evaluation. High clinical sensitivity for PstDV1 was obtained with TaqMan Universal Master Mix associated with relative threshold evaluation. Three cases of simultaneous infection by the WSSV and the PstDV1 were identified with duplex qPCR. The standardized duplex qPCR was shown to be a robust, highly sensitive, and feasible diagnostic tool for the simultaneous detection of the WSSV and the PstDV1 in whiteleg shrimp. The use of the TaqMan Universal Master Mix and the relative threshold method of data analysis in our duplex qPCR method provided optimal levels of sensitivity and specificity.

Gender Pronouns: Recommendations from an Institution with Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks, Parks,; O'Connor, Margaret; Parrish, Jesse

2016-01-01

As the population of transgender and gender-nonconforming students at colleges and universities increases, it is important to examine how institutions have adjusted policies and student systems to create a universally welcoming environment. Transitioning is often a challenging and sensitive process, making each interaction in a new setting vital…

Jingqiu Moa and Xinrong Ren check out Pennsylvania State University's Airborne Tropospheric Hydrogen Oxides Sensor instrument during the ARCTAS mission upload

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-07

Climate researchers from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and several universities install and perform functional checkouts of a variety of sensitive atmospheric instruments on NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory prior to beginning the ARCTAS mission.

Universal Design and Multimethod Approaches to Item Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnstone, Christopher J.; Thompson, Sandra J.; Bottsford-Miller, Nicole A.; Thurlow, Martha L.

2008-01-01

Test items undergo multiple iterations of review before states and vendors deem them acceptable to be placed in a live statewide assessment. This article reviews three approaches that can add validity evidence to states' item review processes. The first process is a structured sensitivity review process that focuses on universal design…

Women's finger sensitivity correlates with partnered sexual behavior but not solitary masturbation frequencies.

PubMed

Brody, Stuart; Fischer, Agneta H; Hess, Ursula

2008-01-01

In a sample of 97 healthy Dutch female university students, women with greater finger tactile sensitivity (von Frey-type filaments) engaged more in partnered (but not solitary masturbation) sexual behavior. Orgasmic responses in the past 30 days were not correlated with finger sensitivity. Results are discussed in terms of differences between different sexual behaviors, as well as susceptibility to reinforcement, and psychoanalytic views of conversion hysteria.

Impact of climate change on soil thermal and moisture regimes in Serbia: An analysis with data from regional climate simulations under SRES-A1B.

PubMed

Mihailović, D T; Drešković, N; Arsenić, I; Ćirić, V; Djurdjević, V; Mimić, G; Pap, I; Balaž, I

2016-11-15

We considered temporal and spatial variations to the thermal and moisture regimes of the most common RSGs (Reference Soil Groups) in Serbia under the A1B scenario for the 2021-2050 and 2071-2100 periods, with respect to the 1961-1990 period. We utilized dynamically downscaled global climate simulations from the ECHAM5 model using the coupled regional climate model EBU-POM (Eta Belgrade University-Princeton Ocean Model). We analysed the soil temperature and moisture time series using simple statistics and a Kolmogorov complexity (KC) analysis. The corresponding metrics were calculated for 150 sites. In the future, warmer and drier regimes can be expected for all RSGs in Serbia. The calculated soil temperature and moisture variations include increases in the mean annual soil temperature (up to 3.8°C) and decreases in the mean annual soil moisture (up to 11.3%). Based on the KC values, the soils in Serbia are classified with respect to climate change impacts as (1) less sensitive (Vertisols, Umbrisols and Dystric Cambisols) or (2) more sensitive (Chernozems, Eutric Cambisols and Planosols). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical Visualization of Phosphoproteomes on Membrane*

PubMed Central

Iliuk, Anton; Liu, X. Shawn; Xue, Liang; Liu, Xiaoqi; Tao, W. Andy

2012-01-01

With new discoveries of important roles of phosphorylation on a daily basis, phospho-specific antibodies, as the primary tool for on-membrane detection of phosphoproteins, face enormous challenges. To address an urgent need for convenient and reliable analysis of phosphorylation events, we report a novel strategy for sensitive phosphorylation analysis in the Western blotting format. The chemical reagent, which we termed pIMAGO, is based on a multifunctionalized soluble nanopolymer and is capable of selectively binding to phosphorylated residues independent of amino acid microenvironment, thus offering great promise as a universal tool in biological analyses where the site of phosphorylation is not known or its specific antibody is not available. The specificity and sensitivity of the approach was first examined using a mixture of standard proteins. The method was then applied to monitor phosphorylation changes in in vitro kinase and phosphatase assays. Finally, to demonstrate the unique ability of pIMAGO to measure endogenous phosphorylation, we used it to visualize and determine the differences in phosphorylated proteins that interact with wild-type and kinase dead mutant of Polo-like kinase 1 during mitosis, the results of which were further confirmed by a quantitative phosphoproteomics experiment. PMID:22593177

Performance of an automated electronic acute lung injury screening system in intensive care unit patients.

PubMed

Koenig, Helen C; Finkel, Barbara B; Khalsa, Satjeet S; Lanken, Paul N; Prasad, Meeta; Urbani, Richard; Fuchs, Barry D

2011-01-01

Lung protective ventilation reduces mortality in patients with acute lung injury, but underrecognition of acute lung injury has limited its use. We recently validated an automated electronic acute lung injury surveillance system in patients with major trauma in a single intensive care unit. In this study, we assessed the system's performance as a prospective acute lung injury screening tool in a diverse population of intensive care unit patients. Patients were screened prospectively for acute lung injury over 21 wks by the automated system and by an experienced research coordinator who manually screened subjects for enrollment in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Clinical Trials Network (ARDSNet) trials. Performance of the automated system was assessed by comparing its results with the manual screening process. Discordant results were adjudicated blindly by two physician reviewers. In addition, a sensitivity analysis using a range of assumptions was conducted to better estimate the system's performance. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, an academic medical center and ARDSNet center (1994-2006). Intubated patients in medical and surgical intensive care units. None. Of 1270 patients screened, 84 were identified with acute lung injury (incidence of 6.6%). The automated screening system had a sensitivity of 97.6% (95% confidence interval, 96.8-98.4%) and a specificity of 97.6% (95% confidence interval, 96.8-98.4%). The manual screening algorithm had a sensitivity of 57.1% (95% confidence interval, 54.5-59.8%) and a specificity of 99.7% (95% confidence interval, 99.4-100%). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated a range for sensitivity of 75.0-97.6% of the automated system under varying assumptions. Under all assumptions, the automated system demonstrated higher sensitivity than and comparable specificity to the manual screening method. An automated electronic system identified patients with acute lung injury with high sensitivity and specificity in diverse intensive care units of a large academic medical center. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of automated prompts that such a system can initiate on the use of lung protective ventilation in patients with acute lung injury.

Universal antenatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing programme is cost-effective despite a low HIV prevalence in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lee, P M; Wong, K H

2007-06-01

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of universal antenatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing in Hong Kong. Cost-effectiveness analysis from the health care provider's perspective. Public antenatal clinics in Hong Kong. All pregnant women who gave birth in Hong Kong during the inclusive period 1 September 2001 and 31 December 2004. The primary endpoints were (i) the cost per HIV infection avoided and (ii) the cost per life-year gained. From 2001 to 2004, a total of 160,878 deliveries were recorded in Hong Kong; and 75% of the corresponding women had HIV testing before delivery. In all, 28 women tested HIV-positive and gave birth to 15 babies, one of which was HIV-positive. The mother of the infected baby presented late in labour, without her HIV status being diagnosed and thus missed the opportunity for prompt intervention. Assuming a natural transmission rate of 25%, it was estimated that six out of seven anticipated HIV infections among the newborns had been avoided. The cost for implementation of the programme for the first 3 years was HKD12 227 988. Hence, the average costs per HIV infection averted and per discounted life-year gained were HKD2 037 998 and HKD79 099, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that both the coverage and the loss-to-follow-up rate were the major determinants of the cost-effectiveness of the universal antenatal testing programme in Hong Kong. The universal antenatal testing programme in Hong Kong is largely efficient. In view of the low prevalence of HIV infection, high rates of HIV testing and uptake of antiretroviral prophylaxis are crucial to the success of the programme.

Understanding the Role of Dimensions of Perfectionism on Anxiety Sensitivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erozkan, Atilgan

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between dimensions of perfectionism and anxiety sensitivity. The study group is composed by 398 (211 female; 187 male) students who were studying at the pedagogical formation certificate program at Mugla Sitki Kocman University. The data were collected by using the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale…

Determining the Anxiety Sensitivity Bases of Anxiety: A Study with Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erozkan, Atilgan

2017-01-01

This study aims to examine the relationships between subdimensions of anxiety sensitivity and anxiety. The participants in the study were 841 undergraduate students (411 females; 430 males) randomly selected from three different faculties--Faculties of Technical Education, Education, and Sport Sciences--at Mugla Sitki Kocman University. Data…

Measuring Ethical Sensitivity to Radio Messages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Robert F.

A study examined whether ethical sensitivity can be measured in response to radio programming. The study was interested in the extent to which a person feels a program is unethical in either its substance or its presentation. Subjects, 17 undergraduates in telecommunications at a large midwestern university, received course credit for their…

Trends in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia and impacts of infection control practices including universal MRSA admission screening in a hospital in Scotland, 2006-2010: retrospective cohort study and time-series intervention analysis.

PubMed

Lawes, Timothy; Edwards, Becky; López-Lozano, José-Maria; Gould, Ian

2012-01-01

To describe secular trends in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) and to assess the impacts of infection control practices, including universal methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) admission screening on associated clinical burdens. Retrospective cohort study and multivariate time-series analysis linking microbiology, patient management and health intelligence databases. Teaching hospital in North East Scotland. All patients admitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010: n=420 452 admissions and 1 430 052 acute occupied bed days (AOBDs). Universal admission screening programme for MRSA (August 2008) incorporating isolation and decolonisation. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY MEASURES: Hospital-wide prevalence density, hospital-associated incidence density and death within 30 days of MRSA or methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteraemia. Between 2006 and 2010, prevalence density of all SAB declined by 41%, from 0.73 to 0.50 cases/1000 AOBDs (p=0.002 for trend), and 30-day mortality from 26% to 14% (p=0.013). Significant reductions were observed in MRSA bacteraemia only. Overnight admissions screened for MRSA rose from 43% during selective screening to >90% within 4 months of universal screening. In multivariate time-series analysis (R(2) 0.45 to 0.68), universal screening was associated with a 19% reduction in prevalence density of MRSA bacteraemia (-0.035, 95% CI -0.049 to -0.021/1000 AOBDs; p<0.001), a 29% fall in hospital-associated incidence density (-0.029, 95% CI -0.035 to -0.023/1000 AOBDs; p<0.001) and a 46% reduction in 30-day mortality (-15.6, 95% CI -24.1% to -7.1%; p<0.001). Positive associations with fluoroquinolone and cephalosporin use suggested that antibiotic stewardship reduced prevalence density of MRSA bacteraemia by 0.027 (95% CI 0.015 to 0.039)/1000 AOBDs. Rates of MSSA bacteraemia were not significantly affected by screening or antibiotic use. Declining clinical burdens from SAB were attributable to reductions in MRSA infections. Universal admission screening and antibiotic stewardship were associated with decreases in MRSA bacteraemia and associated early mortality. Control of MSSA bacteraemia remains a priority.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of universal newborn screening for medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in France

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Five diseases are currently screened on dried blood spots in France through the national newborn screening programme. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a technology that is increasingly used to screen newborns for an increasing number of hereditary metabolic diseases. Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) is among these diseases. We sought to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing MCADD screening in France. Methods We developed a decision model to evaluate, from a societal perspective and a lifetime horizon, the cost-effectiveness of expanding the French newborn screening programme to include MCADD. Published and, where available, routine data sources were used. Both costs and health consequences were discounted at an annual rate of 4%. The model was applied to a French birth cohort. One-way sensitivity analyses and worst-case scenario simulation were performed. Results We estimate that MCADD newborn screening in France would prevent each year five deaths and the occurrence of neurological sequelae in two children under 5 years, resulting in a gain of 128 life years or 138 quality-adjusted life years (QALY). The incremental cost per year is estimated at €2.5 million, down to €1 million if this expansion is combined with a replacement of the technology currently used for phenylketonuria screening by MS/MS. The resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is estimated at €7 580/QALY. Sensitivity analyses indicate that while the results are robust to variations in the parameters, the model is most sensitive to the cost of neurological sequelae, MCADD prevalence, screening effectiveness and screening test cost. The worst-case scenario suggests an ICER of €72 000/QALY gained. Conclusions Although France has not defined any threshold for judging whether the implementation of a health intervention is an efficient allocation of public resources, we conclude that the expansion of the French newborn screening programme to MCADD would appear to be cost-effective. The results of this analysis have been used to produce recommendations for the introduction of universal newborn screening for MCADD in France. PMID:22681855

Cost-effectiveness analysis of universal newborn screening for medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in France.

PubMed

Hamers, Françoise F; Rumeau-Pichon, Catherine

2012-06-08

Five diseases are currently screened on dried blood spots in France through the national newborn screening programme. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a technology that is increasingly used to screen newborns for an increasing number of hereditary metabolic diseases. Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) is among these diseases. We sought to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing MCADD screening in France. We developed a decision model to evaluate, from a societal perspective and a lifetime horizon, the cost-effectiveness of expanding the French newborn screening programme to include MCADD. Published and, where available, routine data sources were used. Both costs and health consequences were discounted at an annual rate of 4%. The model was applied to a French birth cohort. One-way sensitivity analyses and worst-case scenario simulation were performed. We estimate that MCADD newborn screening in France would prevent each year five deaths and the occurrence of neurological sequelae in two children under 5 years, resulting in a gain of 128 life years or 138 quality-adjusted life years (QALY). The incremental cost per year is estimated at €2.5 million, down to €1 million if this expansion is combined with a replacement of the technology currently used for phenylketonuria screening by MS/MS. The resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is estimated at €7 580/QALY. Sensitivity analyses indicate that while the results are robust to variations in the parameters, the model is most sensitive to the cost of neurological sequelae, MCADD prevalence, screening effectiveness and screening test cost. The worst-case scenario suggests an ICER of €72 000/QALY gained. Although France has not defined any threshold for judging whether the implementation of a health intervention is an efficient allocation of public resources, we conclude that the expansion of the French newborn screening programme to MCADD would appear to be cost-effective. The results of this analysis have been used to produce recommendations for the introduction of universal newborn screening for MCADD in France.

Herschel and the Molecular Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, A. G. G. M.; Helmich, F. P.

2006-01-01

Over the next decade, space-based missions will open up the universe to high spatial and spectral resolution studies at infrared and submillimeter wavelengths. This will allow us to study, in much greater detail, the composition and the origin and evolution of molecules in space. Moreover, molecular transitions in these spectral ranges provide a sensitive probe of the dynamics and the physical and chemical conditions in a wide range of objects at scales ranging from budding planetary systems to galactic and extragalactic sizes. Hence, these missions provide us with the tools to study key astrophysical and astrochemical processes involved in the formation and evolution of planets, stars, and galaxies. These new missions can be expected to lead to the detection of many thousands of new spectral features. Identification, analysis and interpretation of these features in terms of the physical and chemical characteristics of the astronomical sources will require detailed astronomical modeling tools supported by laboratory measurements and theoretical studies of chemical reactions and collisional excitation rates on species of astrophysical relevance. These data will have to be made easily accessible to the scientific community through web-based data archives. In this paper, we will review the Herschel mission and its expected impact on our understanding of the molecular universe.

PCR/LDR/universal array platforms for the diagnosis of infectious disease.

PubMed

Pingle, Maneesh; Rundell, Mark; Das, Sanchita; Golightly, Linnie M; Barany, Francis

2010-01-01

Infectious diseases account for between 14 and 17 million deaths worldwide each year. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections is therefore essential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. Classical microbiological and serological methods have long served as the gold standard for diagnosis but are increasingly being replaced by molecular diagnostic methods that demonstrate increased sensitivity and specificity and provide an identification of the etiologic agent in a shorter period of time. PCR/LDR coupled with universal array detection provides a highly sensitive and specific platform for the detection and identification of bacterial and viral infections.

PCR/LDR/Universal Array Platforms for the Diagnosis of Infectious Disease

PubMed Central

Pingle, Maneesh; Rundell, Mark; Das, Sanchita; Golightly, Linnie M.; Barany, Francis

2015-01-01

Infectious diseases account for between 14 and 17 million deaths worldwide each year. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections is therefore essential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. Classical microbiological and serological methods have long served as the gold standard for diagnosis but are increasingly being replaced by molecular diagnostic methods that demonstrate increased sensitivity and specificity and provide an identification of the etiologic agent in a shorter period of time. PCR/LDR coupled with universal array detection provides a highly sensitive and specific platform for the detection and identification of bacterial and viral infections. PMID:20217576

Medical Applications of IR Focal Plane Arrays

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-15

University of Memphis, USA, E. Wolf, H. Bada C Leffler - University of Tennessee at Memphis, USA, M. Daley ■ University of Memphis, USA A two channel ...optical aperture versus thermal sensitivity at two different resolution settings for an optimized medical IR camera LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1 Advantages...34. Technology Transferred: Through this work, infrared imaging in medicine was exposed to ever-growing audiences. For the first time, the work of the last two

Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Group: The University of Michigan Site

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

and fusion-negative strata. UM will be the lead site for this trial with the Univ. of Chicago N01 Phase II consortium as the coordinating center. Ten...sensitive prostate cancer: a University of Chicago Phase II Consortium/Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium study. JE Ward, T...N01 contract with CTEP (University of Chicago – Early Therapeutics Development with Phase II emphasis group). The Program is committed to creating

Systematic Review and Cost Analysis Comparing Use of Chlorhexidine with Use of Iodine for Preoperative Skin Antisepsis to Prevent Surgical Site Infection

PubMed Central

Lee, Ingi; Agarwal, Rajender K.; Lee, Bruce Y.; Fishman, Neil O.; Umscheid, Craig A.

2013-01-01

Objective To compare use of chlorhexidine with use of iodine for preoperative skin antisepsis with respect to effectiveness in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) and cost. Methods We searched the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website, the Cochrane Library, Medline, and EMBASE up to January 2010 for eligible studies. Included studies were systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing preoperative skin antisepsis with chlorhexidine and with iodine and assessing for the outcomes of SSI or positive skin culture result after application. One reviewer extracted data and assessed individual study quality, quality of evidence for each outcome, and publication bias. Meta-analyses were performed using a fixed-effects model. Using results from the meta-analysis and cost data from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, we developed a decision analytic cost-benefit model to compare the economic value, from the hospital perspective, of antisepsis with iodine versus antisepsis with 2 preparations of chlorhexidine (ie, 4% chlorhexidine bottle and single-use applicators of a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate [CHG] and 70% isopropyl alcohol [IPA] solution), and also performed sensitivity analyses. Results Nine RCTs with a total of 3,614 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis revealed that chlorhexidine antisepsis was associated with significantly fewer SSIs (adjusted risk ratio, 0.64 [95% confidence interval, [0.51–0.80]) and positive skin culture results (adjusted risk ratio, 0.44 [95% confidence interval, 0.35–0.56]) than was iodine antisepsis. In the cost-benefit model baseline scenario, switching from iodine to chlorhexidine resulted in a net cost savings of $16–$26 per surgical case and $349,904–$568,594 per year for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Sensitivity analyses showed that net cost savings persisted under most circumstances. Conclusions Preoperative skin antisepsis with chlorhexidine is more effective than preoperative skin antisepsis with iodine for preventing SSI and results in cost savings. PMID:20969449

Modeling organizational justice improvements in a pediatric health service : a discrete-choice conjoint experiment.

PubMed

Cunningham, Charles E; Kostrzewa, Linda; Rimas, Heather; Chen, Yvonne; Deal, Ken; Blatz, Susan; Bowman, Alida; Buchanan, Don H; Calvert, Randy; Jennings, Barbara

2013-01-01

Patients value health service teams that function effectively. Organizational justice is linked to the performance, health, and emotional adjustment of the members of these teams. We used a discrete-choice conjoint experiment to study the organizational justice improvement preferences of pediatric health service providers. Using themes from a focus group with 22 staff, we composed 14 four-level organizational justice improvement attributes. A sample of 652 staff (76 % return) completed 30 choice tasks, each presenting three hospitals defined by experimentally varying the attribute levels. Latent class analysis yielded three segments. Procedural justice attributes were more important to the Decision Sensitive segment, 50.6 % of the sample. They preferred to contribute to and understand how all decisions were made and expected management to act promptly on more staff suggestions. Interactional justice attributes were more important to the Conduct Sensitive segment (38.5 %). A universal code of respectful conduct, consequences encouraging respectful interaction, and management's response when staff disagreed with them were more important to this segment. Distributive justice attributes were more important to the Benefit Sensitive segment, 10.9 % of the sample. Simulations predicted that, while Decision Sensitive (74.9 %) participants preferred procedural justice improvements, Conduct (74.6 %) and Benefit Sensitive (50.3 %) participants preferred interactional justice improvements. Overall, 97.4 % of participants would prefer an approach combining procedural and interactional justice improvements. Efforts to create the health service environments that patients value need to be comprehensive enough to address the preferences of segments of staff who are sensitive to different dimensions of organizational justice.

Reduced sensitivity to context in language comprehension: A characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorders or of poor structural language ability?

PubMed

Eberhardt, Melanie; Nadig, Aparna

2018-01-01

We present two experiments examining the universality and uniqueness of reduced context sensitivity in language processing in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), as proposed by the Weak Central Coherence account (Happé & Frith, 2006, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(1), 25). That is, do all children with ASD exhibit decreased context sensitivity, and is this characteristic specific to ASD versus other neurodevelopmental conditions? Experiment 1, conducted in English, was a comparison of children with ASD with normal language and their typically-developing peers on a picture selection task where interpretation of sentential context was required to identify homonyms. Contrary to the predictions of Weak Central Coherence, the ASD-normal language group exhibited no difficulty on this task. Experiment 2, conducted in German, compared children with ASD with variable language abilities, typically-developing children, and a second control group of children with Language Impairment (LI) on a sentence completion task where a context sentence had to be considered to produce the continuation of an ambiguous sentence fragment. Both ASD-variable language and LI groups exhibited reduced context sensitivity and did not differ from each other. Finally, to directly test which factors contribute to reduced context sensitivity, we conducted a regression analysis for each experiment, entering nonverbal IQ, structural language ability, and autism diagnosis as predictors. For both experiments structural language ability emerged as the only significant predictor. These convergent findings demonstrate that reduced sensitivity to context in language processing is linked to low structural language rather than ASD diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The cost-effectiveness of targeted or universal screening for vasa praevia at 18-20 weeks of gestation in Ontario.

PubMed

Cipriano, L E; Barth, W H; Zaric, G S

2010-08-01

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of targeted and universal screening for vasa praevia at 18-20 weeks of gestation in singleton and twin pregnancies. Cost-utility analysis based on a decision-analytic model comparing relevant strategies and life-long outcomes for mother and infant(s). Ontario, Canada. A cohort of pregnant women in 1 year. We constructed a decision-analytic model to estimate the lifetime incremental costs and benefits of screening for vasa praevia. Inputs were estimated from the literature. Costs were collected from the London Health Sciences Centre, the Ontario Health Insurance Program, and other sources. We used one-way, scenario and probabilistic sensitivity analysis to determine the robustness of the results. Incremental costs, life expectancy, quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Universal transvaginal ultrasound screening of twin pregnancies has an ICER of $5488 per QALY-gained. Screening all singleton pregnancies with the risk factors low-lying placentas, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) conception, accessory placental lobes, or velamentous cord insertion has an ICER of $15,764 per QALY-gained even though identifying some of these risk factors requires routine use of colour Doppler during transabdominal examinations. Screening women with a marginal cord insertion costs an additional $27,603 per QALY-gained. Universal transvaginal screening for vasa praevia in singleton pregnancies costs $579,164 per QALY compared with targeted screening. Compared with current practice, screening all twin pregnancies for vasa praevia with transvaginal ultrasound is cost-effective. Among the alternatives considered, the use of colour Doppler at all transabdominal ultrasound examinations of singleton pregnancies and targeted use of transvaginal ultrasound for IVF pregnancies or when the placenta has been found to be associated with one or more risk factors is cost-effective. Universal screening of singleton pregnancies is not cost-effective compared with targeted screening.

FY09 Final Report for LDRD Project: Understanding Viral Quasispecies Evolution through Computation and Experiment

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

Zhou, C

2009-11-12

In FY09 they will (1) complete the implementation, verification, calibration, and sensitivity and scalability analysis of the in-cell virus replication model; (2) complete the design of the cell culture (cell-to-cell infection) model; (3) continue the research, design, and development of their bioinformatics tools: the Web-based structure-alignment-based sequence variability tool and the functional annotation of the genome database; (4) collaborate with the University of California at San Francisco on areas of common interest; and (5) submit journal articles that describe the in-cell model with simulations and the bioinformatics approaches to evaluation of genome variability and fitness.

On simulation of local fluxes in molecular junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabra, Gabriel; Jensen, Anders; Galperin, Michael

2018-05-01

We present a pedagogical review of the current density simulation in molecular junction models indicating its advantages and deficiencies in analysis of local junction transport characteristics. In particular, we argue that current density is a universal tool which provides more information than traditionally simulated bond currents, especially when discussing inelastic processes. However, current density simulations are sensitive to the choice of basis and electronic structure method. We note that while discussing the local current conservation in junctions, one has to account for the source term caused by the open character of the system and intra-molecular interactions. Our considerations are illustrated with numerical simulations of a benzenedithiol molecular junction.

Measuring Dark Energy with CHIME

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newburgh, Laura; Chime Collaboration

2015-04-01

The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is a new radio transit interferometer currently being built at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) in Penticton, BC, Canada. We will use the 21 cm emission line of neutral hydrogen to map baryon acoustic oscillations between 400-800 MHz across 3/4 of the sky. These measurements will yield sensitive constraints on the dark energy equation of state between redshifts 0.8 - 2.5, a fascinating but poorly probed era corresponding to when dark energy began to impact the expansion history of the Universe. I will describe theCHIME instrument, the analysis challenges, the calibration requirements, and current status.

A methodological combined framework for roadmapping biosensor research: a fault tree analysis approach within a strategic technology evaluation frame.

PubMed

Siontorou, Christina G; Batzias, Fragiskos A

2014-03-01

Biosensor technology began in the 1960s to revolutionize instrumentation and measurement. Despite the glucose sensor market success that revolutionized medical diagnostics, and artificial pancreas promise currently the approval stage, the industry is reluctant to capitalize on other relevant university-produced knowledge and innovation. On the other hand, the scientific literature is extensive and persisting, while the number of university-hosted biosensor groups is growing. Considering the limited marketability of biosensors compared to the available research output, the biosensor field has been used by the present authors as a suitable paradigm for developing a methodological combined framework for "roadmapping" university research output in this discipline. This framework adopts the basic principles of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), replacing the lower level of technology alternatives with internal barriers (drawbacks, limitations, disadvantages), modeled through fault tree analysis (FTA) relying on fuzzy reasoning to count for uncertainty. The proposed methodology is validated retrospectively using ion selective field effect transistor (ISFET) - based biosensors as a case example, and then implemented prospectively membrane biosensors, putting an emphasis on the manufacturability issues. The analysis performed the trajectory of membrane platforms differently than the available market roadmaps that, considering the vast industrial experience in tailoring and handling crystallic forms, suggest the technology path of biomimetic and synthetic materials. The results presented herein indicate that future trajectories lie along with nanotechnology, and especially nanofabrication and nano-bioinformatics, and focused, more on the science-path, that is, on controlling the natural process of self-assembly and the thermodynamics of bioelement-lipid interaction. This retained the nature-derived sensitivity of the biosensor platform, pointing out the differences between the scope of academic research and the market viewpoint.

Genome-Wide Transcriptome Analysis During Anthesis Reveals New Insights into the Molecular Basis of Heat Stress Responses in Tolerant and Sensitive Rice Varieties.

PubMed

González-Schain, Nahuel; Dreni, Ludovico; Lawas, Lovely M F; Galbiati, Massimo; Colombo, Lucia; Heuer, Sigrid; Jagadish, Krishna S V; Kater, Martin M

2016-01-01

Rice is one of the main food crops in the world. In the near future, yield is expected to be under pressure due to unfavorable climatic conditions, such as increasing temperatures. Therefore, improving rice germplasm in order to guarantee rice production under harsh environmental conditions is of top priority. Although many physiological studies have contributed to understanding heat responses during anthesis, the most heat-sensitive stage, molecular data are still largely lacking. In this study, an RNA-sequencing approach of heat- and control-treated reproductive tissues during anthesis was carried out using N22, one of the most heat-tolerant rice cultivars known to date. This analysis revealed that expression of genes encoding a number of transcription factor families, together with signal transduction and metabolic pathway genes, is repressed. On the other hand, expression of genes encoding heat shock factors and heat shock proteins was highly activated. Many of these genes are predominantly expressed at late stages of anther development. Further physiological experiments using heat-tolerant N22 and two sensitive cultivars suggest that reduced yield in heat-sensitive plants may be associated with poor pollen development or production in anthers prior to anthesis. In parallel, induction levels of a set of heat-responsive genes in these tissues correlated well with heat tolerance. Altogether, these findings suggest that proper expression of protective chaperones in anthers is needed before anthesis to overcome stress damage and to ensure fertilization. Genes putatively controlling this process were identified and are valuable candidates to consider for molecular breeding of highly productive heat-tolerant cultivars. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Screening for phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma: impact of using supine reference intervals for plasma metanephrines with samples collected from fasted/seated patients.

PubMed

Casey, R; Griffin, T P; Wall, D; Dennedy, M C; Bell, M; O'Shea, P M

2017-01-01

Background The Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline on Phaeochomocytoma and Paraganglioma recommends phlebotomy for plasma-free metanephrines with patients fasted and supine using appropriately defined reference intervals. Studies have shown higher diagnostic sensitivities using these criteria. Further, with seated-sampling protocols, for result interpretation, reference intervals that do not compromise diagnostic sensitivity should be employed. Objective To determine the impact on diagnostic performance and financial cost of using supine reference intervals for result interpretation with our current plasma-free metanephrines fasted/seated-sampling protocol. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent screening for PPGL using plasma-free metanephrines from 2009 to 2014 at Galway University Hospitals. Plasma-free metanephrines were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Supine thresholds for plasma normetanephrine and metanephrine set at 610 pmol/L and 310 pmol/L, respectively, were used. Results A total of 183 patients were evaluated. Mean age of participants was 53.4 (±16.3) years. Five of 183 (2.7%) patients had histologically confirmed PPGL (males, n=4). Using seated reference intervals for plasma-free metanephrines, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 98.9%, respectively, with two false-positive cases. Application of reference intervals established in subjects supine and fasted to this cohort gave diagnostic sensitivity of 100% with specificity of 74.7%. Financial analysis of each pretesting strategy demonstrated cost-equivalence (€147.27/patient). Conclusion Our cost analysis, together with the evidence that fasted/supine-sampling for plasma-free metanephrines, offers more reliable exclusion of PPGL mandates changing our current practice. This study highlights the important advantages of standardized diagnostic protocols for plasma-free metanephrines to ensure the highest diagnostic accuracy for investigation of PPGL.

The sensitivity and specificity of frozen-section histopathology in the management of benign oral and maxillofacial lesions.

PubMed

Aronovich, Sharon; Kim, Roderick Y

2014-05-01

The management of odontogenic cysts and tumors typically requires a biopsy, which may present significant challenges and prompt an additional visit to the operating room before definitive treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the validity of frozen-section diagnosis in the management of benign oral and maxillofacial lesions, allowing intraoperative diagnosis followed by definitive treatment under the same general anesthetic. A retrospective chart review of patients treated at the University of Michigan Health System was performed. Patients of all ages who had a diagnosis of a benign maxillofacial lesion by frozen-section and permanent histopathology reports were included for analysis. Patients were identified using the Current Procedural Terminology code for enucleation and curettage and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for benign cysts or tumors of skull, face, or lower jaw. Of 450 patients reviewed, 214 had intraoperative frozen-section examination available for comparison with permanent histopathology. There were 121 men (56.5%) and 93 women (43.5%), with a mean age of 41 years. Compared with final permanent histopathology, the overall sensitivity of frozen sections was 92.1%. Frozen-section histopathology had a sensitivity greater than 90% and a specificity greater than 95% for the diagnosis of dentigerous cyst and keratocyst odontogenic tumor. In this study of 214 patients with benign maxillofacial lesions, frozen-section histopathology was found to be a valid diagnostic modality with high sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. These results and analysis support the use of frozen-section histopathology for the treatment of benign maxillofacial lesions and underscore its value in the management of these lesions. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Paresthesia: A Retrospective Study of 125 Clinical Cases.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Renata Ferreira; da Silva, Alessandro Costa; Simões, Alyne; Youssef, Michel Nicolau; de Freitas, Patrícia Moreira

2015-08-01

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of laser therapy for acceleration and recovery of nerve sensitivity after orthognathic or minor oral surgeries, by analysis of clinical records of patients treated at the Special Laboratory of Lasers in Dentistry (LELO, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo), throughout the period 2007-2013. Nerve tissue lesions may occur during various dental and routine surgical procedures, resulting in paresthesia. Laser therapy has been shown to be able to accelerate and enhance the regeneration of the affected nerve tissue; however, there are few studies in the literature that evaluate the effects of treatment with low-power laser on neural changes after orthognathic or minor oral surgeries. A total of 125 clinical records were included, and the data on gender, age, origin of the lesion, nerve, interval between surgery and onset of laser therapy, frequency of laser irradiation (one or two times per week), final evolution, and if there was a need to change the irradiation protocol, were all recorded. These data were related to the recovery of sensitivity in the affected nerve area. Descriptive analyses and modeling for analysis of categorical data (α=5%) were performed. The results from both analyses showed that the recovery of sensitivity was correlated with patient age (p=0.015) and interval between surgery and onset of laser therapy (p=0.002). Within the limits of this retrospective study, it was found that low- power laser therapy with beam emission band in the infrared spectrum (808 nm) can positively affect the recovery of sensitivity after orthognathic or minor oral surgeries.

Schistosomal MicroRNAs Isolated From Extracellular Vesicles in Sera of Infected Patients: A New Tool for Diagnosis and Follow-up of Human Schistosomiasis.

PubMed

Meningher, Tal; Lerman, Galya; Regev-Rudzki, Neta; Gold, Daniel; Ben-Dov, Iddo Z; Sidi, Yechezkel; Avni, Dror; Schwartz, Eli

2017-02-01

Schistosomiasis traditionally has been diagnosed by detecting eggs in stool or urine. However, the sensitivity of these examinations is limited, especially in travelers with a low worm burden. Serologic tests have a greater sensitivity, but their results remain positive regardless of treatment and thus cannot be used for follow-up of patients. We hypothesized that detection of worm microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum can overcome the drawbacks of the existing diagnostic methods. Twenty-six returning travelers with schistosomiasis (based on positive results of serologic tests or detection of ova) and 17 healthy controls were included in the study. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) amplification of miRNA extracted directly from 500 µL of serum had limited sensitivity and specificity. However, qRT-PCR analysis of RNA extracted from 200 μL of serum extracellular vesicles detected 4 schistosomal miRNAs; the sensitivity and specificity of the 2 highest expressed miRNAs (bantam and miR-2c-3p) were 86% and 84%, respectively. In 7 patients with posttreatment serum available for analysis, we observed outcomes ranging from a reduction in the schistosomal miRNA level to full recovery from disease. qRT-PCR of pathogen miRNAs isolated from extracellular vesicles in sera from infected individuals may provide a new tool for diagnosing schistosomiasis in patients with a low parasite burden. This assay could also be used for evaluating the outcome of therapy, as well as disease-control programs. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Fiber Optic Ammonia Sensor Using a Universal pH Indicator

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Adolfo J.; Zamarreño, Carlos R.; Matías, Ignacio R.; Arregui, Francisco. J.; Domínguez Cruz, Rene F.; May-Arrioja, Daniel. A.

2014-01-01

A universal pH indicator is used to fabricate a fiber optic ammonia sensor. The advantage of this pH indicator is that it exhibits sensitivity to ammonia over a broad wavelength range. This provides a differential response, with a valley around 500 nm and a peak around 650 nm, which allows us to perform ratiometric measurements. The ratiometric measurements provide not only an enhanced signal, but can also eliminate any external disturbance due to humidity or temperature fluctuations. In addition, the indicator is embedded in a hydrophobic and gas permeable polyurethane film named Tecoflex®. The film provides additional advantages to the sensor, such as operation in dry environments, efficient transport of the element to be measured to the sensitive area of the sensor, and prevent leakage or detachment of the indicator. The combination of the universal pH indicator and Tecoflex® film provides a reliable and robust fiber optic ammonia sensor. PMID:24583969

Cognitive capital, equity and child-sensitive social protection in Asia and the Pacific.

PubMed

Samson, Michael; Fajth, Gaspar; François, Daphne

2016-01-01

Promoting child development and welfare delivers human rights and builds sustainable economies through investment in 'cognitive capital'. This analysis looks at conditions that support optimal brain development in childhood and highlights how social protection promotes these conditions and strengthens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia and the Pacific. Embracing child-sensitive social protection offers multiple benefits. The region has been a leader in global poverty reduction but the underlying pattern of economic growth exacerbates inequality and is increasingly unsustainable. The strategy of channelling low-skilled rural labour to industrial jobs left millions of children behind with limited opportunities for development. Building child-sensitive social protection and investing better in children's cognitive capacity could check these trends and trigger powerful long-term human capital development-enabling labour productivity to grow faster than populations age. While governments are investing more in social protection, the region's spending remains low by international comparison. Investment is particularly inadequate where it yields the highest returns: during the first 1000 days of life. Five steps are recommended for moving forward: (1) building cognitive capital by adjusting the region's development paradigms to reflect better the economic and social returns from investing in children; (2) understand and track better child poverty and vulnerability; (3) progressively build universal, child-sensitive systems that strengthen comprehensive interventions within life cycle frameworks; (4) mobilise national resources for early childhood investments and child-sensitive social protection; and (5) leverage the SDGs and other channels of national and international collaboration.

Impacts of ocean acidification on marine organisms: quantifying sensitivities and interaction with warming

PubMed Central

Kroeker, Kristy J; Kordas, Rebecca L; Crim, Ryan; Hendriks, Iris E; Ramajo, Laura; Singh, Gerald S; Duarte, Carlos M; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre

2013-01-01

Ocean acidification represents a threat to marine species worldwide, and forecasting the ecological impacts of acidification is a high priority for science, management, and policy. As research on the topic expands at an exponential rate, a comprehensive understanding of the variability in organisms' responses and corresponding levels of certainty is necessary to forecast the ecological effects. Here, we perform the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date by synthesizing the results of 228 studies examining biological responses to ocean acidification. The results reveal decreased survival, calcification, growth, development and abundance in response to acidification when the broad range of marine organisms is pooled together. However, the magnitude of these responses varies among taxonomic groups, suggesting there is some predictable trait-based variation in sensitivity, despite the investigation of approximately 100 new species in recent research. The results also reveal an enhanced sensitivity of mollusk larvae, but suggest that an enhanced sensitivity of early life history stages is not universal across all taxonomic groups. In addition, the variability in species' responses is enhanced when they are exposed to acidification in multi-species assemblages, suggesting that it is important to consider indirect effects and exercise caution when forecasting abundance patterns from single-species laboratory experiments. Furthermore, the results suggest that other factors, such as nutritional status or source population, could cause substantial variation in organisms' responses. Last, the results highlight a trend towards enhanced sensitivity to acidification when taxa are concurrently exposed to elevated seawater temperature. PMID:23505245

Impacts of ocean acidification on marine organisms: quantifying sensitivities and interaction with warming.

PubMed

Kroeker, Kristy J; Kordas, Rebecca L; Crim, Ryan; Hendriks, Iris E; Ramajo, Laura; Singh, Gerald S; Duarte, Carlos M; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre

2013-06-01

Ocean acidification represents a threat to marine species worldwide, and forecasting the ecological impacts of acidification is a high priority for science, management, and policy. As research on the topic expands at an exponential rate, a comprehensive understanding of the variability in organisms' responses and corresponding levels of certainty is necessary to forecast the ecological effects. Here, we perform the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date by synthesizing the results of 228 studies examining biological responses to ocean acidification. The results reveal decreased survival, calcification, growth, development and abundance in response to acidification when the broad range of marine organisms is pooled together. However, the magnitude of these responses varies among taxonomic groups, suggesting there is some predictable trait-based variation in sensitivity, despite the investigation of approximately 100 new species in recent research. The results also reveal an enhanced sensitivity of mollusk larvae, but suggest that an enhanced sensitivity of early life history stages is not universal across all taxonomic groups. In addition, the variability in species' responses is enhanced when they are exposed to acidification in multi-species assemblages, suggesting that it is important to consider indirect effects and exercise caution when forecasting abundance patterns from single-species laboratory experiments. Furthermore, the results suggest that other factors, such as nutritional status or source population, could cause substantial variation in organisms' responses. Last, the results highlight a trend towards enhanced sensitivity to acidification when taxa are concurrently exposed to elevated seawater temperature. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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

Catoire, F.; Staicu-Casagrande, E. M.; Lahmam-Bennani, A.

We describe new developments aimed to extend the capabilities and the sensitivity of the (e,2e)/(e,3e) multicoincidence spectrometer at Orsay University [Duguet et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 69, 3524 (1998)]. The spectrometer has been improved by the addition of a third multiangle detection channel for the fast ''scattered'' electron. The present system is unique in that it is the only system which combines three toroidal analyzers all equipped with position sensitive detectors, thus allowing the triple coincidence detection of the three electrons present in the final state of an electron impact double ionization process. The setup allows measurement of the angularmore » and energy distributions of the ejected electrons over almost the totality of the collision plane as well as that of the scattered electron over a large range of scattering angles in the forward direction. The resulting gain in sensitivity ({approx}25) has rendered feasible a whole class of experiments which could not be otherwise envisaged. The setup is described with a special emphasis on the new toroidal analyzer, data acquisition hardware, and data analysis procedures. The performances are illustrated by selected results of (e,2e) and (e,3e) experiments on the rare gases.« less

Specificity and sensitivity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale for suicidal ideation among adolescents entering early intervention service.

PubMed

Granö, Niklas; Oksanen, Jorma; Kallionpää, Santeri; Roine, Mikko

2017-01-01

Previous studies have shown an association between hopelessness and suicidal behaviour in clinical populations. The aim of the study was to investigate sensitivity, specificity, and predictive validity of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) for suicidal ideation in adolescents who show early risk signs on the psychiatric disorder continuum. Three-hundred and two help-seeking adolescents (mean age = 15.5 years) who were entering an early intervention team at Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, completed questionnaires of BHS and suicidal ideation, derived from Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Results suggest that a BHS cut-off score ≥8 (sensitivity = 0.70, specificity = 0.76) or cut-off score ≥9 (sensitivity = 0.63, specificity = 0.80) may be useful to detect suicidal ideation with BHS in help-seeking adolescents population. Results remain mainly the same in a separate analysis with adolescents at risk for psychosis. The results support previous cut-off points for BHS in identification of suicidal ideation. The results suggest also that lower cut-off scores may be useful in sense of sensitivity, especially in clinical settings.

Test validity and performance validity: considerations in providing a framework for development of an ability-focused neuropsychological test battery.

PubMed

Larrabee, Glenn J

2014-11-01

Literature on test validity and performance validity is reviewed to propose a framework for specification of an ability-focused battery (AFB). Factor analysis supports six domains of ability: first, verbal symbolic; secondly, visuoperceptual and visuospatial judgment and problem solving; thirdly, sensorimotor skills; fourthly, attention/working memory; fifthly, processing speed; finally, learning and memory (which can be divided into verbal and visual subdomains). The AFB should include at least three measures for each of the six domains, selected based on various criteria for validity including sensitivity to presence of disorder, sensitivity to severity of disorder, correlation with important activities of daily living, and containing embedded/derived measures of performance validity. Criterion groups should include moderate and severe traumatic brain injury, and Alzheimer's disease. Validation groups should also include patients with left and right hemisphere stroke, to determine measures sensitive to lateralized cognitive impairment and so that the moderating effects of auditory comprehension impairment and neglect can be analyzed on AFB measures. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Microarray R-based analysis of complex lysate experiments with MIRACLE.

PubMed

List, Markus; Block, Ines; Pedersen, Marlene Lemvig; Christiansen, Helle; Schmidt, Steffen; Thomassen, Mads; Tan, Qihua; Baumbach, Jan; Mollenhauer, Jan

2014-09-01

Reverse-phase protein arrays (RPPAs) allow sensitive quantification of relative protein abundance in thousands of samples in parallel. Typical challenges involved in this technology are antibody selection, sample preparation and optimization of staining conditions. The issue of combining effective sample management and data analysis, however, has been widely neglected. This motivated us to develop MIRACLE, a comprehensive and user-friendly web application bridging the gap between spotting and array analysis by conveniently keeping track of sample information. Data processing includes correction of staining bias, estimation of protein concentration from response curves, normalization for total protein amount per sample and statistical evaluation. Established analysis methods have been integrated with MIRACLE, offering experimental scientists an end-to-end solution for sample management and for carrying out data analysis. In addition, experienced users have the possibility to export data to R for more complex analyses. MIRACLE thus has the potential to further spread utilization of RPPAs as an emerging technology for high-throughput protein analysis. Project URL: http://www.nanocan.org/miracle/. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

High-resolution Behavioral Economic Analysis of Cigarette Demand to Inform Tax Policy

PubMed Central

MacKillop, James; Few, Lauren R.; Murphy, James G.; Wier, Lauren M.; Acker, John; Murphy, Cara; Stojek, Monika; Carrigan, Maureen; Chaloupka, Frank

2012-01-01

Aims Novel methods in behavioral economics permit the systematic assessment of the relationship between cigarette consumption and price. Toward informing tax policy, the goals of this study were to conduct a high-resolution analysis of cigarette demand in a large sample of adult smokers and to use the data to estimate the effects of tax increases in ten U.S. States. Design In-person descriptive survey assessment. Setting Academic departments at three universities. Participants Adult daily smokers (i.e., 5+ cigarettes/day; 18+ years old; ≥8th grade education); N = 1056. Measurements Estimated cigarette demand, demographics, expired carbon monoxide. Findings The cigarette demand curve exhibited highly variable levels of price sensitivity, especially in the form of ‘left-digit effects’ (i.e., very high price sensitivity as pack prices transitioned from one whole number to the next; e.g., $5.80-$6/pack). A $1 tax increase in the ten states was projected to reduce the economic burden of smoking by an average of $531M (range: $93.6M-$976.5M) and increase gross tax revenue by an average of 162% (range: 114%- 247%). Conclusions Tobacco price sensitivity is nonlinear across the demand curve and in particular for pack-level left-digit price transitions. Tax increases in U.S. states with similar price and tax rates to the sample are projected to result in substantial decreases in smoking-related costs and substantial increases in tax revenues. PMID:22845784

High-resolution behavioral economic analysis of cigarette demand to inform tax policy.

PubMed

MacKillop, James; Few, Lauren R; Murphy, James G; Wier, Lauren M; Acker, John; Murphy, Cara; Stojek, Monika; Carrigan, Maureen; Chaloupka, Frank

2012-12-01

Novel methods in behavioral economics permit the systematic assessment of the relationship between cigarette consumption and price. Towards informing tax policy, the goals of this study were to conduct a high-resolution analysis of cigarette demand in a large sample of adult smokers and to use the data to estimate the effects of tax increases in 10 US States. In-person descriptive survey assessment. Academic departments at three universities. Adult daily smokers (i.e. more than five cigarettes/day; 18+ years old; ≥8th grade education); n = 1056. Estimated cigarette demand, demographics, expired carbon monoxide. The cigarette demand curve exhibited highly variable levels of price sensitivity, especially in the form of 'left-digit effects' (i.e. very high price sensitivity as pack prices transitioned from one whole number to the next; e.g. $5.80-6/pack). A $1 tax increase in the 10 states was projected to reduce the economic burden of smoking by an average of $530.6 million (range: $93.6-976.5 million) and increase gross tax revenue by an average of 162% (range: 114-247%). Tobacco price sensitivity is non-linear across the demand curve and in particular for pack-level left-digit price transitions. Tax increases in US states with similar price and tax rates to the sample are projected to result in substantial decreases in smoking-related costs and substantial increases in tax revenues. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Developing an Intercultural Competence Programme at an International Cross-Border University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hiller, Gundula Gwenn; Wozniak, Maja

2009-01-01

The European University Viadrina located on the German-Polish border, with a high number of international students, was founded to promote the "growing-together" of Europe. Despite those aims, it is becoming more evident that international institutions must develop special strategies to sensitize their members on an intercultural level…

The Privacy and Security Policy Vacuum in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cate, Fred H.

2006-01-01

Colleges and universities face heightened responsibilities. They possess a large volume and variety of sensitive information on a wide range of individuals, and demands for this information are growing. The students that are educated, housed, and/or employed by colleges and universities tend to be in a vulnerable age cohort: eighteen- to…

Open Access, Retention and Throughput at the Central University of Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Beer, K. J.

2006-01-01

The most debatable question in higher education today is: Why first "open access" to promote massafication and now "capping" to restrict learner intake? (cf. SA Media Information 2004). Concerning the managing of this difficult and extremely sensitive issue, the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) has come a long…

The Nature of Psychology: Reflections on University Teachers' Experiences of Teaching Sensitive Topics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hulme, Julie A.; Kitching, Helen J.

2017-01-01

This paper describes one aspect of a larger scale qualitative study conducted to investigate psychology-specific issues in learning and teaching in higher education. Participants included academic psychologists from across the career spectrum and from diverse UK universities. A semi-structured focus group methodology was employed, and results were…

The Role of Personality Variables in Drug Abuse in a Spanish University Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garcia-Montes, Jose M.; Zaldivar-Basurto, Flor; Lopez-Rios, Francisca; Molina-Moreno, Antonio

2009-01-01

This article explores the relationships between certain cognitive and emotional factors (sensation seeking, impulsivity, self-esteem, anxiety sensitivity and loneliness) and regular consumption of alcohol and other drugs by a university population from Almeria (South Spain). During 2005 and 2006 students were given a battery of questionnaires…

Research Ethics and Ethical Research: Some Observations from the Global South

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, J. J.

2017-01-01

This paper aims to achieve two objectives. Firstly, it elicits some of the concerns for universal research ethics. It is argued that ethical codes are never universal; they are geographically sensitive. As such, it is important to "develop authentic individual responses to potentially unique circumstances". Secondly, in going beyond a…

Eric Scheuer of the University of New Hampshire installs the Soluble Acidic Gases and Aerosol instrument in NASA's DC-8 for the ARCTAS mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-03-07

Climate researchers from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and several universities install and perform functional checkouts of a variety of sensitive atmospheric instruments on NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory prior to beginning the ARCTAS mission.

An Experiential Approach to an Upper Division Course in Intercultural Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostermeier, Terry H.

Rapidly changing demographics are forcing more and more Americans to interact with people who are different from themselves. Americans must become more sensitive to cultural diversity. One way to address this challenge at the university level is to offer courses in intercultural communication. At one university, an upper level course in…

Entrepreneurship Training Programme in Universities and Graduates' Productivity in South-South Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oleforo, Ngozika A.; Oko, Dominic Edema; Akpan, Eno G.

2013-01-01

Entrepreneurial training programme has to do with acquiring relevant skills in which an individual has to be sensitized, motivated and guided to achieve self-reliance and self employment. The paper examined the relevance of entrepreneurial training programme in the universities to graduates' productivity. Three null hypotheses were formulated. A…

A universal, accurate intensity-based classification of different physical activities using raw data of accelerometer.

PubMed

Vähä-Ypyä, Henri; Vasankari, Tommi; Husu, Pauliina; Suni, Jaana; Sievänen, Harri

2015-01-01

Accelerometers are increasingly used for objective assessment of physical activity. However, because of lack of the proprietary analysis algorithms, direct comparisons between accelerometer brands are difficult. In this study, we propose and evaluate open source methods for commensurate assessment of raw accelerometer data irrespective of the brand. Twenty-one participants carried simultaneously three different tri-axial accelerometers on their waist during five different sedentary activities and five different intensity levels of bipedal movement from slow walking to running. Several time and frequency domain traits were calculated from the measured raw data, and their performance in classifying the activities was compared. Of the several traits, the mean amplitude deviation (MAD) provided consistently the best performance in separating the sedentary activities and different speeds of bipedal movement from each other. Most importantly, the universal cut-off limits based on MAD classified sedentary activities and different intensity levels of walking and running equally well for all three accelerometer brands and reached at least 97% sensitivity and specificity in each case. Irrespective of the accelerometer brand, a simply calculable MAD with universal cut-off limits provides a universal method to evaluate physical activity and sedentary behaviour using raw accelerometer data. A broader application of the present approach is expected to render different accelerometer studies directly comparable with each other. © 2014 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sexual violence against female university students in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Adinew, Yohannes Mehretie; Hagos, Mihiret Abreham

2017-07-24

Though many women are suffering the consequences of sexual violence, only few victims speak out as it is sensitive and prone to stigma. This lack of data made it difficult to get full picture of the problem and design proper interventions. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with sexual violence among female students of Wolaita Sodo University, south Ethiopia. Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 462 regular female Wolaita Sodo University students on April 7/2015. Participants were selected by simple random sampling. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis was done by EPI info and SPSS statistical packages respectively. Descriptive statistics were done. Moreover, bivariate and multivariate analyses were also carried out to identify predictors of sexual violence. The age of respondents ranged from 18 to 26 years. Lifetime sexual violence was found to be 45.4%. However, 36.1% and 24.4% of respondents reported experiencing sexual violence since entering university and in the current academic year respectively. Life time sexual violence was positively associated with witnessing inter-parental violence as a child, rural childhood residence, having regular boyfriend, alcohol consumption and having friends who drink regularly; while it was negatively associated with discussing sexual issues with parents. Sexual violence is a common phenomenon among the students. More detailed research has to be conducted to develop prevention and intervention strategies.

Applications of three DNA barcodes in assorting intertidal red macroalgal flora in Qingdao, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xiaobo; Pang, Shaojun; Shan, Tifeng; Liu, Feng

2013-03-01

This study is part of the endeavor to construct a comprehensive DNA barcoding database for common seaweeds in China. Identifications of red seaweeds, which have simple morphology and anatomy, are sometimes difficult solely depending on morphological characteristics. In recent years, DNA barcode technique has become a more and more effective tool to help solve some of the taxonomic difficulties. Some DNA markers such as COI (cytochrome oxidase subunit I) are proposed as standardized DNA barcodes for all seaweed species. In this study, COI, UPA (universal plastid amplicon, domain V of 23S rRNA), and ITS (nuclear internal transcribed spacer) were employed to analyze common species of intertidal red seaweeds in Qingdao (119.3°-121°E, 35.35°-37.09°N). The applicability of using one or a few combined barcodes to identify red seaweed species was tested. The results indicated that COI is a sensitive marker at species level. However, not all the tested species gave PCR amplification products due to lack of the universal primers. The second barcode UPA had effective universal primers but needed to be tested for the effectiveness of resolving closely related species. More than one ITS sequence types were found in some species in this investigation, which might lead to confusion in further analysis. Therefore ITS sequence is not recommended as a universal barcode for seaweeds identification.

Comparison of large-scale structures and velocities in the local universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yahil, Amos

1994-01-01

Comparison of the large-scale density and velocity fields in the local universe shows detailed agreement, strengthening the standard paradigm of the gravitational origin of these structures. Quantitative analysis can determine the cosmological density parameter, Omega, and biasing factor, b; there is virtually no sensitivity in any local analyses to the cosmologial constant, lambda. Comparison of the dipole anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background with the acceleration due to the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) galaxies puts the linear growth factor in the range beta approximately equals Omega (exp 0.6)/b = 0.6(+0.7/-0.3) (95% confidence). A direct comparison of the density and velocity fields of nearby galaxies gives beta = 1.3 (+0.7/-0.6), and from nonlinear analysis the weaker limit (Omega greater than 0.45 for b greater than 0.5 (again 95% confidence). A tighter limit (Omega greater than 0.3 (4-6 sigma)), is obtained by a reconstruction of the probability distribution function of the initial fluctuations from which the structures observed today arose. The last two methods depend critically on the smooth velocity field determined from the observed velocities of nearby galaxies by the POTENT method. A new analysis of these velocities, with more than three times the data used to obtain the above quoted results, is now underway and promises to tighten the uncertainties considerably, as well as reduce systematic bias.

Establishment of a universal and rational gene detection strategy through three-way junction-based remote transduction.

PubMed

Tang, Yidan; Lu, Baiyang; Zhu, Zhentong; Li, Bingling

2018-01-21

The polymerase chain reaction and many isothermal amplifications are able to achieve super gene amplification. Unfortunately, most commonly-used transduction methods, such as dye staining and Taqman-like probing, still suffer from shortcomings including false signals or difficult probe design, or are incompatible with multi-analysis. Here a universal and rational gene detection strategy has been established by translating isothermal amplicons to enzyme-free strand displacement circuits via three-way junction-based remote transduction. An assistant transduction probe was imported to form a partial hybrid with the target single-stranded nucleic acid. After systematic optimization the hybrid could serve as an associative trigger to activate a downstream circuit detector via a strand displacement reaction across the three-way junction. By doing so, the detection selectivity can be double-guaranteed through both amplicon-transducer recognition and the amplicon-circuit reaction. A well-optimized circuit can be immediately applied to a new target detection through simply displacing only 10-12 nt on only one component, according to the target. More importantly, this property for the first time enables multi-analysis and logic-analysis in a single reaction, sharing a single fluorescence reporter. In an applicable model, trace amounts of Cronobacter and Enterobacteria genes have been clearly distinguished from samples with no bacteria or one bacterium, with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity.

Diagnostic value and cost utility analysis for urine Gram stain and urine microscopic examination as screening tests for urinary tract infection.

PubMed

Wiwanitkit, Viroj; Udomsantisuk, Nibhond; Boonchalermvichian, Chaiyaporn

2005-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic properties of urine Gram stain and urine microscopic examination for screening for urinary tract infection (UTI), and to perform an additional cost utility analysis. This descriptive study was performed on 95 urine samples sent for urine culture to the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. The first part of the study was to determine the diagnostic properties of two screening tests (urine Gram stain and urine microscopic examination). Urine culture was set as the gold standard and the results from both methods were compared to this. The second part of this study was to perform a cost utility analysis. The sensitivity of urine Gram stain was 96.2%, the specificity 93.0%, the positive predictive value 94.3% and the negative predictive value 95.2%. False positives occurred with a frequency of 7.0% and false negatives 3.8%. For the microscopic examination, the sensitivity was 65.4%, specificity 74.4%, positive predictive value 75.6% and negative predictive value 64.0%. False positives occurred with a frequency of 25.6% and false negatives 34.6%. Combining urine Gram stain and urine microscopic examination, the sensitivity was 98.1%, specificity 74.4%, positive predictive value 82.3% and negative predictive value 97.0%. False positives occurred with a frequency of 25.6% and false negatives 1.9%. However, the cost per utility of the combined method was higher than either urine microscopic examination or urine Gram stain alone. Urine Gram stain provided the lowest cost per utility. Economically, urine Gram stain is the proper screening tool for presumptive diagnosis of UTI.

Coronary artery calcification and large artery stiffness in renal transplant recipients.

PubMed

Stróżecki, Paweł; Serafin, Zbigniew; Adamowicz, Andrzej; Flisiński, Mariusz; Włodarczyk, Zbigniew; Manitius, Jacek

2015-09-01

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events in renal transplant recipients (RTR). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), a non-invasive measure of large artery stiffness, also predicts CV events in RTR. The study investigated the relationship between CAC and PWV in RTR and assessed the performance of PWV measurement in predicting CAC. The study was performed as cross-sectional analysis in 104 RTR. CAC was determined as total calcium score (CS) and calcium mass (CM). Carotid-femoral PWV was also measured. Sensitivity, specificity and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the performance of PWV as diagnostic test for presence of CAC. CAC was found in 69% of participants. PWV was higher in RTR with CAC than in RTR without CAC (10.2±2.2 vs. 8.6±15; p<0.001). In univariate analysis CS was significantly correlated with age, duration of hypertension, waist circumference, PWV, hemoglobin concentration, and serum glucose. In multiple linear regression analysis CS was independently associated with age only, but not with PWV. Sensitivity and specificity of PWV>7.6m/s as cut-off for detecting CAC>0 was 0.889 and 0.406, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of PWV>10.2m/s as cut-off for detecting severe CAC (CS>400) was 0.319 and 0.969, respectively. The study confirmed high prevalence of coronary artery calcification in renal transplant recipients. The study does not support the hypothesis that aortic stiffness is independently associated with coronary artery calcification in RTR. PWV measurement may be useful in excluding severe CAC in RTR. Copyright © 2015 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Design of Power System Architectures for Small Spacecraft Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Momoh, James A.; Subramonian, Rama; Dias, Lakshman G.

1996-01-01

The objective of this research is to perform a trade study on several candidate power system architectures for small spacecrafts to be used in NASA's new millennium program. Three initial candidate architectures have been proposed by NASA and two other candidate architectures have been proposed by Howard University. Howard University is currently conducting the necessary analysis, synthesis, and simulation needed to perform the trade studies and arrive at the optimal power system architecture. Statistical, sensitivity and tolerant studies has been performed on the systems. It is concluded from present studies that certain components such as the series regulators, buck-boost converters and power converters can be minimized while retaining the desired functionality of the overall architecture. This in conjunction with battery scalability studies and system efficiency studies have enabled us to develop more economic architectures. Future studies will include artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic to analyze the performance of the systems. Fault simulation studies and fault diagnosis studies using EMTP and artificial neural networks will also be conducted.

Detection of colorectal cancer (CRC) by urinary volatile organic compound analysis.

PubMed

Arasaradnam, Ramesh P; McFarlane, Michael J; Ryan-Fisher, Courtenay; Westenbrink, Erik; Hodges, Phoebe; Hodges, Paula; Thomas, Matthew G; Chambers, Samantha; O'Connell, Nicola; Bailey, Catherine; Harmston, Christopher; Nwokolo, Chuka U; Bardhan, Karna D; Covington, James A

2014-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer related death in Europe and the USA. There is no universally accepted effective non-invasive screening test for CRC. Guaiac based faecal occult blood (gFOB) testing has largely been superseded by Faecal Immunochemical testing (FIT), but sensitivity still remains poor. The uptake of population based FOBt testing in the UK is also low at around 50%. The detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) signature(s) for many cancer subtypes is receiving increasing interest using a variety of gas phase analytical instruments. One such example is FAIMS (Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometer). FAIMS is able to identify Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD) patients by analysing shifts in VOCs patterns in both urine and faeces. This study extends this concept to determine whether CRC patients can be identified through non-invasive analysis of urine, using FAIMS. 133 patients were recruited; 83 CRC patients and 50 healthy controls. Urine was collected at the time of CRC diagnosis and headspace analysis undertaken using a FAIMS instrument (Owlstone, Lonestar, UK). Data was processed using Fisher Discriminant Analysis (FDA) after feature extraction from the raw data. FAIMS analyses demonstrated that the VOC profiles of CRC patients were tightly clustered and could be distinguished from healthy controls. Sensitivity and specificity for CRC detection with FAIMS were 88% and 60% respectively. This study suggests that VOC signatures emanating from urine can be detected in patients with CRC using ion mobility spectroscopy technology (FAIMS) with potential as a novel screening tool.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a National Newborn Screening Program for Biotinidase Deficiency.

PubMed

Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Castilla, Iván; Couce, María L; Pérez-Cerdá, Celia; Martín-Hernández, Elena; Pineda, Mercé; Campistol, Jaume; Arrospide, Arantzazu; Morris, Stephen; Serrano-Aguilar, Pedro

2015-08-01

There are conflicting views as to whether testing for biotinidase deficiency (BD) ought to be incorporated into universal newborn screening (NBS) programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding BD to the panel of conditions currently screened under the national NBS program in Spain. We used information from the regional NBS program for BD that has been in place in the Spanish region of Galicia since 1987. These data, along with other sources, were used to develop a cost-effectiveness decision model that compared lifetime costs and health outcomes of a national birth cohort of newborns with and without an early detection program. The analysis took the perspective of the Spanish National Health Service. Effectiveness was measured in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). We undertook extensive sensitivity analyses around the main model assumptions, including a probabilistic sensitivity analysis. In the base case analysis, NBS for BD led to higher QALYs and higher health care costs, with an estimated incremental cost per QALY gained of $24,677. Lower costs per QALY gained were found when conservative assumptions were relaxed, yielding cost savings in some scenarios. The probability that BD screening was cost-effective was estimated to be >70% in the base case at a standard threshold value. This study indicates that NBS for BD is likely to be a cost-effective use of resources. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cultural Sensitivity Levels of University Students Receiving Education in Health Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meydanlioglu, Ayse; Arikan, Fatma; Gozum, Sebahat

2015-01-01

Medical and nursing students are expected to be more competent in terms of being acquainted with different cultures and approaching culturally, compared to many other disciplines. This descriptive study was designed to evaluate the cultural sensitivity levels of nursing and medical students and the affecting factors. One hundred and eleven nursing…

PERIODS OF VERTEBRAL COLUMN SENSITIVITY TO BORIC ACID TREATMENT IN CD-1 MICE IN UTERO

EPA Science Inventory

Periods of vertebral column sensitivity to boric acid treatment in CD-1 mice in utero.

Cherrington JW, Chernoff N.

Department of Toxicology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA. jana_cherrington@hotmail.com

Boric acid (BA) has many uses as...

Bill Wilkins as a Model for Sensitivity Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Henry C.

This case study is presented as a model for a sensitivity training program planned at Michigan State University. The goals, procedures, and criteria for conducting a program are illustrated. Based on the assumption that empathy is the mainspring of impression formation, and that empathy and evaluation interact, the goal is accurate evaluation.…

Using cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate targeting strategies: the case of vitamin A supplementation.

PubMed

Loevinsohn, B P; Sutter, R W; Costales, M O

1997-03-01

Given the demonstrated efficacy of vitamin A supplements in reducing childhood mortality, health officials now have to decide whether it would be efficient to target the supplements to high risk children. Decisions about targeting are complex because they depend on a number of factors; the degree of clustering of preventable deaths, the cost of the intervention, the side-effects of the intervention, the cost of identifying the high risk group, and the accuracy of the 'diagnosis' of risk. A cost-effectiveness analysis was used in the Philippines to examine whether vitamin A supplements should be given universally to all children 6-59 months, targeted broadly to children suffering from mild, moderate, or severe malnutrition, or targeted narrowly to pre-schoolers with moderate and severe malnutrition. The first year average cost of the universal approach was US$67.21 per death averted compared to $144.12 and $257.20 for the broad and narrow targeting approaches respectively. When subjected to sensitivity analysis the conclusion about the most cost-effective strategy was robust to changes in underlying assumptions such as the efficacy of supplements, clustering of deaths, and toxicity. Targeting vitamin A supplements to high risk children is not an efficient use of resources. Based on the results of this cost-effectiveness analysis and a consideration of alternate strategies, it is apparent that vitamin A, like immunization, should be provided to all pre-schoolers in the developing world. Issues about targeting public health interventions can usefully be addressed by cost-effectiveness analysis.

Barcoding Melting Curve Analysis for Rapid, Sensitive, and Discriminating Authentication of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) from Its Adulterants

PubMed Central

Cao, Liang; Yuan, Yuan; Chen, Min; Jin, Yan; Huang, Luqi

2014-01-01

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most important and expensive medicinal spice products in the world. Because of its high market value and premium price, saffron is often adulterated through the incorporation of other materials, such as Carthamus tinctorius L. and Calendula officinalis L. flowers, Hemerocallis L. petals, Daucus carota L. fleshy root, Curcuma longa L. rhizomes, Zea may L., and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. stigmas. To develop a straightforward, nonsequencing method for rapid, sensitive, and discriminating detection of these adulterants in traded saffron, we report here the application of a barcoding melting curve analysis method (Bar-MCA) that uses the universal chloroplast plant DNA barcoding region trnH-psbA to identify adulterants. When amplified at DNA concentrations and annealing temperatures optimized for the curve analysis, peaks were formed at specific locations for saffron (81.92°C) and the adulterants: D. carota (81.60°C), C. tinctorius (80.10°C), C. officinalis (79.92°C), Dendranthema morifolium (Ramat.) Tzvel. (79.62°C), N. nucifera (80.58°C), Hemerocallis fulva (L.) L. (84.78°C), and Z. mays (84.33°C). The constructed melting curves for saffron and its adulterants have significantly different peak locations or shapes. In conclusion, Bar-MCA could be a faster and more cost-effective method to authenticate saffron and detect its adulterants. PMID:25548775

Barcoding melting curve analysis for rapid, sensitive, and discriminating authentication of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) from its adulterants.

PubMed

Jiang, Chao; Cao, Liang; Yuan, Yuan; Chen, Min; Jin, Yan; Huang, Luqi

2014-01-01

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most important and expensive medicinal spice products in the world. Because of its high market value and premium price, saffron is often adulterated through the incorporation of other materials, such as Carthamus tinctorius L. and Calendula officinalis L. flowers, Hemerocallis L. petals, Daucus carota L. fleshy root, Curcuma longa L. rhizomes, Zea may L., and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. stigmas. To develop a straightforward, nonsequencing method for rapid, sensitive, and discriminating detection of these adulterants in traded saffron, we report here the application of a barcoding melting curve analysis method (Bar-MCA) that uses the universal chloroplast plant DNA barcoding region trnH-psbA to identify adulterants. When amplified at DNA concentrations and annealing temperatures optimized for the curve analysis, peaks were formed at specific locations for saffron (81.92°C) and the adulterants: D. carota (81.60°C), C. tinctorius (80.10°C), C. officinalis (79.92°C), Dendranthema morifolium (Ramat.) Tzvel. (79.62°C), N. nucifera (80.58°C), Hemerocallis fulva (L.) L. (84.78°C), and Z. mays (84.33°C). The constructed melting curves for saffron and its adulterants have significantly different peak locations or shapes. In conclusion, Bar-MCA could be a faster and more cost-effective method to authenticate saffron and detect its adulterants.

Heart failure disease management programs: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Chan, David C; Heidenreich, Paul A; Weinstein, Milton C; Fonarow, Gregg C

2008-02-01

Heart failure (HF) disease management programs have shown impressive reductions in hospitalizations and mortality, but in studies limited to short time frames and high-risk patient populations. Current guidelines thus only recommend disease management targeted to high-risk patients with HF. This study applied a new technique to infer the degree to which clinical trials have targeted patients by risk based on observed rates of hospitalization and death. A Markov model was used to assess the incremental life expectancy and cost of providing disease management for high-risk to low-risk patients. Sensitivity analyses of various long-term scenarios and of reduced effectiveness in low-risk patients were also considered. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of extending coverage to all patients was $9700 per life-year gained in the base case. In aggregate, universal coverage almost quadrupled life-years saved as compared to coverage of only the highest quintile of risk. A worst case analysis with simultaneous conservative assumptions yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $110,000 per life-year gained. In a probabilistic sensitivity analysis, 99.74% of possible incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were <$50,000 per life-year gained. Heart failure disease management programs are likely cost-effective in the long-term along the whole spectrum of patient risk. Health gains could be extended by enrolling a broader group of patients with HF in disease management.

Designing scalable product families by the radial basis function-high-dimensional model representation metamodelling technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pirmoradi, Zhila; Haji Hajikolaei, Kambiz; Wang, G. Gary

2015-10-01

Product family design is cost-efficient for achieving the best trade-off between commonalization and diversification. However, for computationally intensive design functions which are viewed as black boxes, the family design would be challenging. A two-stage platform configuration method with generalized commonality is proposed for a scale-based family with unknown platform configuration. Unconventional sensitivity analysis and information on variation in the individual variants' optimal design are used for platform configuration design. Metamodelling is employed to provide the sensitivity and variable correlation information, leading to significant savings in function calls. A family of universal electric motors is designed for product performance and the efficiency of this method is studied. The impact of the employed parameters is also analysed. Then, the proposed method is modified for obtaining higher commonality. The proposed method is shown to yield design solutions with better objective function values, allowable performance loss and higher commonality than the previously developed methods in the literature.

Reagent Strips as an Aid to Diagnosis of Neonatal Meningitis in a Resource-limited Setting.

PubMed

Burgoine, Kathy; Ikiror, Juliet; Naizuli, Ketty; Achom, Linda; Akol, Sylivia; Olupot-Olupot, Peter

2018-01-29

Without early recognition and treatment, neonatal meningitis (NM) has a high mortality and morbidity. Although some neonates have features of NM, many do not. In many low-resource settings, the laboratory support to diagnose NM is not available, and bedside diagnostics are needed. This retrospective study was conducted in a neonatal unit in Uganda. Clear cerebrospinal fluid samples were routinely screened for glucose, protein and leukocytes on a Combur®-10 urinalysis reagent strip. A definitive diagnosis was made using laboratory analysis. The results of the screening and definitive tests were compared. The reagent strip showed moderate sensitivity and high specificity for leukocytes ≥10×106 cells/l, high sensitivity for protein ≥100 mg/dl and high specificity for glucose <50 mg/dl. The use of reagent strips has the potential to improve and hasten the diagnosis of probable NM in settings where adequate or timely laboratory support is not available. © The Author(s) [2018]. Published by Oxford University Press.

Atomic Gravitational Wave Interferometric Sensors (AGIS) in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugarbaker, Alex; Hogan, Jason; Johnson, David; Dickerson, Susannah; Kovachy, Tim; Chiow, Sheng-Wey; Kasevich, Mark

2012-06-01

Atom interferometers have the potential to make sensitive gravitational wave detectors, which would reinforce our fundamental understanding of gravity and provide a new means of observing the universe. We focus here on the AGIS-LEO proposal [1]. Gravitational waves can be observed by comparing a pair of atom interferometers separated over an extended baseline. The mission would offer a strain sensitivity that would provide access to a rich scientific region with substantial discovery potential. This band is not currently addressed with the LIGO or LISA instruments. We analyze systematic backgrounds that are relevant to the mission and discuss how they can be mitigated at the required levels. Some of these effects do not appear to have been considered previously in the context of atom interferometry, and we therefore expect that our analysis will be broadly relevant to atom interferometric precision measurements. Many of the techniques relevant to an AGIS mission can be investigated in the Stanford 10-m drop tower.[4pt] [1] J.M. Hogan, et al., Gen. Rel. Grav. 43, 1953-2009 (2011).

High Energy Follow-up Study of Gravitational Wave Transients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, Brandon L.; Patricelli, Barbara

2018-01-01

As second-generation gravitational wave interferometers, such as Advanced Virgo and Advanced LIGO, reach their design sensitivities, a new lens into our universe will become available. Many of the most violent and energetic events in the cosmos, in particular the merger of compact objects and core collapse supernovae, are sources of gravitational waves and are also believed to be connected with Gamma Ray Bursts. Joint observations of electromagnetic and gravitational wave signals will provide an ideal opportunity to study the physics of these transient events and their progenitors. In particular, gamma ray observatories such as Fermi, coupled with precise sky lo- calization, will be crucial to observe the high energy electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave signals. We constructed joint binary neutron star and gamma ray burst detection rate estimates using an analysis pipeline and report on the results of this analysis.

Demand for Colonoscopy in Colorectal Cancer Screening Using a Quantitative Fecal Immunochemical Test and Age/Sex-Specific Thresholds for Test Positivity.

PubMed

Chen, Sam Li-Sheng; Hsu, Chen-Yang; Yen, Amy Ming-Fang; Young, Graeme P; Chiu, Sherry Yueh-Hsia; Fann, Jean Ching-Yuan; Lee, Yi-Chia; Chiu, Han-Mo; Chiou, Shu-Ti; Chen, Hsiu-Hsi

2018-06-01

Background: Despite age and sex differences in fecal hemoglobin (f-Hb) concentrations, most fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening programs use population-average cut-points for test positivity. The impact of age/sex-specific threshold on FIT accuracy and colonoscopy demand for colorectal cancer screening are unknown. Methods: Using data from 723,113 participants enrolled in a Taiwanese population-based colorectal cancer screening with single FIT between 2004 and 2009, sensitivity and specificity were estimated for various f-Hb thresholds for test positivity. This included estimates based on a "universal" threshold, receiver-operating-characteristic curve-derived threshold, targeted sensitivity, targeted false-positive rate, and a colonoscopy-capacity-adjusted method integrating colonoscopy workload with and without age/sex adjustments. Results: Optimal age/sex-specific thresholds were found to be equal to or lower than the universal 20 μg Hb/g threshold. For older males, a higher threshold (24 μg Hb/g) was identified using a 5% false-positive rate. Importantly, a nonlinear relationship was observed between sensitivity and colonoscopy workload with workload rising disproportionately to sensitivity at 16 μg Hb/g. At this "colonoscopy-capacity-adjusted" threshold, the test positivity (colonoscopy workload) was 4.67% and sensitivity was 79.5%, compared with a lower 4.0% workload and a lower 78.7% sensitivity using 20 μg Hb/g. When constrained on capacity, age/sex-adjusted estimates were generally lower. However, optimizing age/-sex-adjusted thresholds increased colonoscopy demand across models by 17% or greater compared with a universal threshold. Conclusions: Age/sex-specific thresholds improve FIT accuracy with modest increases in colonoscopy demand. Impact: Colonoscopy-capacity-adjusted and age/sex-specific f-Hb thresholds may be useful in optimizing individual screening programs based on detection accuracy, population characteristics, and clinical capacity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(6); 704-9. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

A Search for WIMP Dark Matter using an Optimized Chi-square Technique on the Final Data from the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search Experiment (CDMS II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manungu Kiveni, Joseph

2012-06-01

During the last two decades, cosmology has become a precision observational science thanks (in part) to the incredible number of experiments performed to better understand the composition of the universe. The large amount of data accumulated strongly indicates that the bulk of the universe's matter is in the form of non-baryonic matter that does not interact electromagnetically. Combined evidence from the dynamics of galaxies and galaxy clusters confirms that most of the mass in the universe is not composed of any known form of matter. Measurements of the cosmic microwave background, big bang nucleosynthesis and many other experiments indicate that ˜80% of the matter in the universe is dark, non-relativistic and cold. The dark matter resides in the halos surrounding galaxies, galaxy clusters and other large-scale structures. Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are well motivated class of dark matter candidates that arise naturally in supersymmetric extensions to the Standard Model of particles physics, and can be produced as non-relativistic thermal relics in the early universe with about the right density to account for the missing mass. The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment seeks to directly detect the keV-scale energy deposited by WIMPs in the galactic halo when they scatter from nuclei in the crystalline detectors made of germanium and silicon. These detectors, called Z-sensitive Ionization and Phonon detectors (ZIPs) are operated at ˜ 45 mK and simultaneously measure the ionization and the (athermal) phonons produced by particle interactions. The ratio of ionization and phonon energies allows discrimination of a low rate of nuclear recoils (expected for WIMPs) from an overwhelming rate of electron recoils (expected for most backgrounds). Phonon-pulse shape and timing enables further suppression of lower-rate interactions at the detector surfaces. This dissertation describes the results of a WIMP search using CDMS II data sets accumulated at the Soudan Underground Laboratory in Minnesota. Results from the original analysis of these data were published in 2009; two events were observed in the signal region with an expected leakage of 0.9 events. Further investigation revealed an issue with the ionization-pulse reconstruction algorithm leading to a software upgrade and a subsequent reanalysis of the data. As part of the reanalysis, I performed an advanced discrimination technique to better distinguish (potential) signal events from backgrounds using a 5-dimensional chi-square method. This data-analysis technique combines the event information recorded for each WIMP-search event to derive a background-discrimination parameter capable of reducing the expected background to less than one event, while maintaining high efficiency for signal events. Furthermore, optimizing the cut positions of this 5-dimensional chi-square parameter for the 14 viable germanium detectors yields an improved expected sensitivity to WIMP interactions relative to previous CDMS results. This dissertation describes my improved (and optimized) discrimination technique and the results obtained from a blind application to the reanalyzed CDMS II WIMP-search data. This analysis achieved the best expected sensitivity of the three techniques developed for the reanalysis and so was chosen as the primary timing analysis whose limit will be quoted in a on-going publication paper which is currently in preparation. For this analysis, a total raw exposure of 612.17 kg-days are analyzed for this work. No candidate events was observed, and a corresponding upper limit on the WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section as a function of WIMP mass is defined. These data set a 90% upper limit on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic-scattering cross section of 3.19 × 10-44 cm2 for a WIMP mass of 60 GeV c 2. Combining this result with all previous CDMS II data gives an upper limit of 1.96 ×10-44 cm2 for a WIMP of mass 60 GeV/c2 (a factor of 2 better than the original analysis). At the moment this analysis is being written, the WIMP-search results obtained with the reanalyzed CDMS II data occupies the second most stringent limits on WIMP-nucleon scattering, after XENON100, excluding previously unexplored parameter space. Interesting parameter space is excluded for WIMP-nucleon cross section as function of WIMP masse under standard assumptions, the parameter space favored by interpretations of other experiments's data as low-mass WIMP signals due to an excess of low energy events and annual modulation is partially excluded for DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT.

Gender-based education during clerkships: a focus group study

PubMed Central

van Leerdam, Lotte; Rietveld, Lianne; Teunissen, Doreth; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine

2014-01-01

Objectives One of the goals of the medical master’s degree is for a student to become a gender-sensitive doctor by applying knowledge of gender differences in practice. This study aims to investigate, from the students’ perspective, whether gender medicine has been taught in daily practice during clerkship. Methods A focus group study was conducted among 29 medical students from Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, who had just finished either their internal medicine or surgical clerkships. Data were analyzed in line with the principles of constant comparative analysis. Results Four focus groups were conducted with 29 participating students. Clinical teachers barely discuss gender differences during students’ clerkships. The students mentioned three main explanatory themes: insufficient knowledge; unawareness; and minor impact. As a result, students feel that they have insufficient competencies to become gender-sensitive doctors. Conclusion Medical students at our institution perceive that they have received limited exposure to gender-based education after completing two key clinical clerkships. All students feel that they have insufficient knowledge to become gender-sensitive doctors. They suppose that their clinical teachers have insufficient knowledge regarding gender sensitivity, are unaware of gender differences, and the students had the impression that gender is not regarded as an important issue. We suggest that the medical faculty should encourage clinical teachers to improve their knowledge and awareness of gender issues. PMID:24600301

Geometry and growth contributions to cosmic shear observables

DOE PAGES

Matilla, Jose Manuel Zorrilla; Haiman, Zoltan; Petri, Andrea; ...

2017-07-13

We explore the sensitivity of weak-lensing observables to the expansion history of the Universe and to the growth of cosmic structures, as well as the relative contribution of both effects to constraining cosmological parameters. We utilize ray-tracing dark-matter-only N-body simulations and validate our technique by comparing our results for the convergence power spectrum with analytic results from past studies. We then extend our analysis to non-Gaussian observables which cannot be easily treated analytically. We study the convergence (equilateral) bispectrum and two topological observables, lensing peaks and Minkowski functionals, focusing on their sensitivity to the matter density Ω m and themore » dark energy equation of state w. We find that a cancellation between the geometry and growth effects is a common feature for all observables and exists at the map level. It weakens the overall sensitivity by factors of up to 3 and 1.5 for w and Ω m, respectively, with the bispectrum worst affected. However, combining geometry and growth information alleviates the degeneracy between Ω m and w from either effect alone. As a result, the magnitudes of marginalized errors remain similar to those obtained from growth-only effects, but with the correlation between the two parameters switching sign. Furthermore, these results shed light on the origin of the cosmology sensitivity of non-Gaussian statistics and should be useful in optimizing combinations of observables.« less

Clinical diagnosis and typing of systemic amyloidosis in subcutaneous fat aspirates by mass spectrometry-based proteomics

PubMed Central

Vrana, Julie A.; Theis, Jason D.; Dasari, Surendra; Mereuta, Oana M.; Dispenzieri, Angela; Zeldenrust, Steven R.; Gertz, Morie A.; Kurtin, Paul J.; Grogg, Karen L.; Dogan, Ahmet

2014-01-01

Examination of abdominal subcutaneous fat aspirates is a practical, sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis. Here we describe the development and implementation of a clinical assay using mass spectrometry-based proteomics to type amyloidosis in subcutaneous fat aspirates. First, we validated the assay comparing amyloid-positive (n=43) and -negative (n=26) subcutaneous fat aspirates. The assay classified amyloidosis with 88% sensitivity and 96% specificity. We then implemented the assay as a clinical test, and analyzed 366 amyloid-positive subcutaneous fat aspirates in a 4-year period as part of routine clinical care. The assay had a sensitivity of 90%, and diverse amyloid types, including immunoglobulin light chain (74%), transthyretin (13%), serum amyloid A (%1), gelsolin (1%), and lysozyme (1%), were identified. Using bioinformatics, we identified a universal amyloid proteome signature, which has high sensitivity and specificity for amyloidosis similar to that of Congo red staining. We curated proteome databases which included variant proteins associated with systemic amyloidosis, and identified clonotypic immunoglobulin variable gene usage in immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis, and the variant peptides in hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis. In conclusion, mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of subcutaneous fat aspirates offers a powerful tool for the diagnosis and typing of systemic amyloidosis. The assay reveals the underlying pathogenesis by identifying variable gene usage in immunoglobulin light chains and the variant peptides in hereditary amyloidosis. PMID:24747948

The Relationship Between Cultural Sensitivity and Assertiveness in Nursing Students from Turkey.

PubMed

Kılıç, Serap Parlar; Sevinç, Sibel

2018-07-01

As foreigners live in and visit Turkey for various reasons, it is essential to provide culturally appropriate health care. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between cultural sensitivity and assertiveness in university nursing students. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at two universities in the cities of Kilis and Elazığ, Turkey. The study sample consisted of 444 nursing students. Data collection tools included a questionnaire about participant sociodemographic characteristics, Chen and Starosta's Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, and the Rathus Assertiveness Scale. The mean age of participants was 21.09 years. Most students (71.6%) were female and 34.7% of the students stayed at the hostel. Of the students, 44.4%, 27.5%, and 28.2% attended were the second-, third-, and fourth-year students, respectively. Participants were asked about problems related to caring for patients who speak different languages. The mean score for the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale was 89.42 ± 13.55 and the total score for all students for the Assertiveness Scale was 112.64 ± 15.61. We identified a positive relationship between total scores for the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale and the Assertiveness Scale ( p < .001). There was relationship between cultural sensitivity and gender and want to work overseas; assertiveness and year of nursing education and want to work overseas. Nursing students at both schools had a moderate level of cultural sensitivity and assertiveness. It has been determined that as assertiveness level of the students increased, intercultural sensitivity of them also increased. Consequently, it is concluded that training as assertive and self-confident individuals during the nursing education of students has a contribution to making patient-specific and culture-sensitive care.

Computer-Delivered and Web-Based Interventions to Improve Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Well-Being of University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Morriss, Richard; Glazebrook, Cris

2014-01-01

Background Depression and anxiety are common mental health difficulties experienced by university students and can impair academic and social functioning. Students are limited in seeking help from professionals. As university students are highly connected to digital technologies, Web-based and computer-delivered interventions could be used to improve students’ mental health. The effectiveness of these intervention types requires investigation to identify whether these are viable prevention strategies for university students. Objective The intent of the study was to systematically review and analyze trials of Web-based and computer-delivered interventions to improve depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and stress in university students. Methods Several databases were searched using keywords relating to higher education students, mental health, and eHealth interventions. The eligibility criteria for studies included in the review were: (1) the study aimed to improve symptoms relating to depression, anxiety, psychological distress, and stress, (2) the study involved computer-delivered or Web-based interventions accessed via computer, laptop, or tablet, (3) the study was a randomized controlled trial, and (4) the study was trialed on higher education students. Trials were reviewed and outcome data analyzed through random effects meta-analyses for each outcome and each type of trial arm comparison. Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool was used to assess study quality. Results A total of 17 trials were identified, in which seven were the same three interventions on separate samples; 14 reported sufficient information for meta-analysis. The majority (n=13) were website-delivered and nine interventions were based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A total of 1795 participants were randomized and 1480 analyzed. Risk of bias was considered moderate, as many publications did not sufficiently report their methods and seven explicitly conducted completers’ analyses. In comparison to the inactive control, sensitivity meta-analyses supported intervention in improving anxiety (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] −0.56; 95% CI −0.77 to −0.35, P<.001), depression (pooled SMD −0.43; 95% CI −0.63 to −0.22, P<.001), and stress (pooled SMD −0.73; 95% CI −1.27 to −0.19, P=.008). In comparison to active controls, sensitivity analyses did not support either condition for anxiety (pooled SMD −0.18; 95% CI −0.98 to 0.62, P=.66) or depression (pooled SMD −0.28; 95% CI −0.75 to −0.20, P=.25). In contrast to a comparison intervention, neither condition was supported in sensitivity analyses for anxiety (pooled SMD −0.10; 95% CI −0.39 to 0.18, P=.48) or depression (pooled SMD −0.33; 95% CI −0.43 to 1.09, P=.40). Conclusions The findings suggest Web-based and computer-delivered interventions can be effective in improving students’ depression, anxiety, and stress outcomes when compared to inactive controls, but some caution is needed when compared to other trial arms and methodological issues were noticeable. Interventions need to be trialed on more heterogeneous student samples and would benefit from user evaluation. Future trials should address methodological considerations to improve reporting of trial quality and address post-intervention skewed data. PMID:24836465

Preparing systems engineering and computing science students in disciplined methods, quantitative, and advanced statistical techniques to improve process performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCray, Wilmon Wil L., Jr.

The research was prompted by a need to conduct a study that assesses process improvement, quality management and analytical techniques taught to students in U.S. colleges and universities undergraduate and graduate systems engineering and the computing science discipline (e.g., software engineering, computer science, and information technology) degree programs during their academic training that can be applied to quantitatively manage processes for performance. Everyone involved in executing repeatable processes in the software and systems development lifecycle processes needs to become familiar with the concepts of quantitative management, statistical thinking, process improvement methods and how they relate to process-performance. Organizations are starting to embrace the de facto Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI RTM) Models as process improvement frameworks to improve business processes performance. High maturity process areas in the CMMI model imply the use of analytical, statistical, quantitative management techniques, and process performance modeling to identify and eliminate sources of variation, continually improve process-performance; reduce cost and predict future outcomes. The research study identifies and provides a detail discussion of the gap analysis findings of process improvement and quantitative analysis techniques taught in U.S. universities systems engineering and computing science degree programs, gaps that exist in the literature, and a comparison analysis which identifies the gaps that exist between the SEI's "healthy ingredients " of a process performance model and courses taught in U.S. universities degree program. The research also heightens awareness that academicians have conducted little research on applicable statistics and quantitative techniques that can be used to demonstrate high maturity as implied in the CMMI models. The research also includes a Monte Carlo simulation optimization model and dashboard that demonstrates the use of statistical methods, statistical process control, sensitivity analysis, quantitative and optimization techniques to establish a baseline and predict future customer satisfaction index scores (outcomes). The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) model and industry benchmarks were used as a framework for the simulation model.

Do Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Represent Good Value for Money in a Lower-Middle Income Country? A Cost-Utility Analysis in the Philippines.

PubMed

Haasis, Manuel Alexander; Ceria, Joyce Anne; Kulpeng, Wantanee; Teerawattananon, Yot; Alejandria, Marissa

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to assess the value for money of introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines as part of the immunization program in a lower-middle income country, the Philippines, which is not eligible for GAVI support and lower vaccine prices. It also includes the newest clinical evidence evaluating the efficacy of PCV10, which is lacking in other previous studies. A cost-utility analysis was conducted. A Markov simulation model was constructed to examine the costs and consequences of PCV10 and PCV13 against the current scenario of no PCV vaccination for a lifetime horizon. A health system perspective was employed to explore different funding schemes, which include universal or partial vaccination coverage subsidized by the government. Results were presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in Philippine peso (Php) per QALY gained (1 USD = 44.20 Php). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the impact of parameter uncertainty. With universal vaccination at a cost per dose of Php 624 for PCV10 and Php 700 for PCV13, both PCVs are cost-effective compared to no vaccination given the ceiling threshold of Php 120,000 per QALY gained, yielding ICERs of Php 68,182 and Php 54,510 for PCV10 and PCV13, respectively. Partial vaccination of 25% of the birth cohort resulted in significantly higher ICER values (Php 112,640 for PCV10 and Php 84,654 for PCV13) due to loss of herd protection. The budget impact analysis reveals that universal vaccination would cost Php 3.87 billion to 4.34 billion per annual, or 1.6 to 1.8 times the budget of the current national vaccination program. The inclusion of PCV in the national immunization program is recommended. PCV13 achieved better value for money compared to PCV10. However, the affordability and sustainability of PCV implementation over the long-term should be considered by decision makers.

Sensitivity Analysis of Multidisciplinary Rotorcraft Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Li; Diskin, Boris; Biedron, Robert T.; Nielsen, Eric J.; Bauchau, Olivier A.

2017-01-01

A multidisciplinary sensitivity analysis of rotorcraft simulations involving tightly coupled high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics and comprehensive analysis solvers is presented and evaluated. An unstructured sensitivity-enabled Navier-Stokes solver, FUN3D, and a nonlinear flexible multibody dynamics solver, DYMORE, are coupled to predict the aerodynamic loads and structural responses of helicopter rotor blades. A discretely-consistent adjoint-based sensitivity analysis available in FUN3D provides sensitivities arising from unsteady turbulent flows and unstructured dynamic overset meshes, while a complex-variable approach is used to compute DYMORE structural sensitivities with respect to aerodynamic loads. The multidisciplinary sensitivity analysis is conducted through integrating the sensitivity components from each discipline of the coupled system. Numerical results verify accuracy of the FUN3D/DYMORE system by conducting simulations for a benchmark rotorcraft test model and comparing solutions with established analyses and experimental data. Complex-variable implementation of sensitivity analysis of DYMORE and the coupled FUN3D/DYMORE system is verified by comparing with real-valued analysis and sensitivities. Correctness of adjoint formulations for FUN3D/DYMORE interfaces is verified by comparing adjoint-based and complex-variable sensitivities. Finally, sensitivities of the lift and drag functions obtained by complex-variable FUN3D/DYMORE simulations are compared with sensitivities computed by the multidisciplinary sensitivity analysis, which couples adjoint-based flow and grid sensitivities of FUN3D and FUN3D/DYMORE interfaces with complex-variable sensitivities of DYMORE structural responses.

Japanese University Students' Willingness to Communicate in English: The Serendipitous Effect of Oral Presentations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsuoka, Rieko; Matsumoto, Kahoko; Poole, Gregory; Matsuoka, Misato

2014-01-01

This study examines the ways in which college students in Japan overcame sensitivity to external evaluation and increased their willingness to communicate in English. It is not uncommon for university students in Japan, who are otherwise proficient speakers of English and motivated to learn, fail to exhibit English competency in real communication…

Political ideology is contextually variable and flexible rather than fixed.

PubMed

Morgan, G Scott; Skitka, Linda J; Wisneski, Daniel C

2014-06-01

Hibbing et al. argue that the liberal-conservative continuum is (a) universal and (b) grounded in psychological differences in sensitivity to negative stimuli. Our commentary argues that both claims overlook the importance of context. We review evidence that the liberal-conservative continuum is far from universal and that ideological differences are contextually flexible rather than fixed.

Is Race Really Controversial in the University Classroom?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philion, Stephen

2009-01-01

Today, even though "social justice" programs exist as a virtual growth industry on US campuses and many universities have incorporated classes on race and racism into their curricula, everyone continues to be faced with the perception that race is a "controversial" topic that has to be broached with care due to its "sensitive nature". This is even…

NOD2 mutations and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies are risk factors for Crohn’s disease in African Americans

PubMed Central

Dassopoulos, Themistocles; Nguyen, Geoffrey C.; Talor, Monica Vladut; Datta, Lisa Wu; Isaacs, Kim L.; Lewis, James D.; Gold, Michael S.; Valentine, John F.; Smoot, Duane T.; Harris, Mary L.; Oliva-Hemker, Maria; Bayless, Theodore M.; Burek, C. Lynne; Brant, Steven R.

2012-01-01

Background NOD2 mutations and anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) are associated with Crohn’s disease (CD), ileal involvement and complicated disease behavior in whites. ASCA and the three common NOD2 mutations have not been assessed in African American (AA) adults with CD. Methods AA patients with CD and controls were recruited by the Mid-Atlantic African American IBD Study (Johns Hopkins Hospital and satellite centers at Howard University, University of Florida, University of North Carolina, University of Pennsylvania, and the Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC) as part of the NIDDK IBD Genetics Consortium. Genotyping for the three common CD associated NOD2 mutations (Leu1007fsinsC, G908R/2722g>c, and R702W/2104c>t) and ASCA ELISA assays were performed in 183 AA CD patients and 143 controls. Positive ASCA was based on either IgA or IgG above threshold. CD phenotyping was performed using the NIDDK IBD Genetics Consortium guidelines. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (OR) for the association between ASCA and disease phenotype. Results ASCA sensitivity and specificity in this AA population were 70.5% and 70.4% respectively. On univariate analysis, ASCA was associated with younger mean age at diagnosis (25.0±11.8 vs. 32.1±14.2 yrs, p<0.001), ileal involvement (73.0% vs. 48.0%, p=0.002), and complicated (stricturing/ penetrating) behavior (60.3% vs. 41.7%, p=0.03). On multivariate analysis, ASCA titer (/25U) was associated with ileal involvement (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34), complicated behavior (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.28) and surgery (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.21). Risks for surgery also included smoking (hazard ratio 1.50, 95% CI 1.14-1.99) and CD family history (hazard ratio 2.39, 95% CI 1.11-5.14). NOD2 carriers (all heterozygotes) were more common among CD cases than controls (8.2 vs. 2.1%; OR 4.17, 95% CI: 1.18 - 14.69). NOD2 mutation population attributable risk was 6.2%. Conclusions In comparison to whites, ASCA in AAs has a similar sensitivity but a lower specificity for CD. ASCA is associated with ileal involvement, complicated behavior and surgery in AAs with CD. NOD2 is a risk gene for AA CD, although mutation frequency and population attributable risk are much lower than in whites. PMID:19826411

Photochemical Ignition Studies. 3. Ignition by Efficient and Resonant Multiphoton Photochemical Formation of Microplasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

Fragments," Chem. Phys., Vol. 33, p. 161, 1978. 5. R.C. Sausa, A.J. Alfano , and A.W. Miziolek, "ArF Laser Photoproduction and Sensitive Detection of Carbon...Unlversity/APL Chemical Propulsion I Purdue University Information Agency Department of Chomistry ATTN: TW. Christian ATTN: H. Grant Johns Hopkins...of Chemistry ATTN: T.W. Christian ATTN: E. Grant Johns Hopkins Road West Lafayette, IN 47906 Laurel, MD 20707 2 Purdue University University of

The Factors Affecting the Intercultural Sensitivity Perception Level of Psychological Counseling and Guidance Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuncel, Ibrahim; Aricioglu, Ahu

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting the intercultural sensitivity perception levels of Psychological Counseling and Guidance students. This study was conducted in Pamukkale University which is located in the western part of Turkey. Data were gathered from 524 freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior students who are…

Optimizing EFL Learners' Sensitizing Reading Skill: Development of Local Content-Based Textbook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arifani, Yudhi

2016-01-01

The development of local wisdom based sensitizing reading material is aimed at penetrating one of the imperishable gaps between authentic and non-authentic reading materials dispute in an EFL teaching context. Promoting EFL learners' needs for the first semester students of English department at university level, who rarely or even never have a…

Soil Carbon Variability and Change Detection in the Forest Inventory Analysis Database of the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, A. M.; Nater, E. A.; Dalzell, B. J.; Perry, C. H.

2014-12-01

The USDA Forest Service's Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) program is a national effort assessing current forest resources to ensure sustainable management practices, to assist planning activities, and to report critical status and trends. For example, estimates of carbon stocks and stock change in FIA are reported as the official United States submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. While the main effort in FIA has been focused on aboveground biomass, soil is a critical component of this system. FIA sampled forest soils in the early 2000s and has remeasurement now underway. However, soil sampling is repeated on a 10-year interval (or longer), and it is uncertain what magnitude of changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) may be detectable with the current sampling protocol. We aim to identify the sensitivity and variability of SOC in the FIA database, and to determine the amount of SOC change that can be detected with the current sampling scheme. For this analysis, we attempt to answer the following questions: 1) What is the sensitivity (power) of SOC data in the current FIA database? 2) How does the minimum detectable change in forest SOC respond to changes in sampling intervals and/or sample point density? Soil samples in the FIA database represent 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depth increments with a 10-year sampling interval. We are investigating the variability of SOC and its change over time for composite soil data in each FIA region (Pacific Northwest, Interior West, Northern, and Southern). To guide future sampling efforts, we are employing statistical power analysis to examine the minimum detectable change in SOC storage. We are also investigating the sensitivity of SOC storage changes under various scenarios of sample size and/or sample frequency. This research will inform the design of future FIA soil sampling schemes and improve the information available to international policy makers, university and industry partners, and the public.

Detection of sdhB Gene Mutations in SDHI-Resistant Isolates of Botrytis cinerea Using High Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis.

PubMed

Samaras, Anastasios; Madesis, Panagiotis; Karaoglanidis, George S

2016-01-01

Botrytis cinerea , is a high risk pathogen for fungicide resistance development. Pathogen' resistance to SDHIs is associated with several mutations in sdh gene. The diversity of mutations and their differential effect on cross-resistance patterns among SDHIs and the fitness of resistant strains necessitate the availability of a tool for their rapid identification. This study was initiated to develop and validate a high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for the identification of P225H/F/L//T, N230I, and H272L/R/Y mutations. Based on the sequence of sdh B subunit of resistant and sensitive isolates, a universal primer pair was designed. The specificity of the HRM analysis primers was verified to ensure against the cross-reaction with other fungal species and its sensitivity was evaluated using concentrations of known amounts of mutant's DNA. The melting curve analysis generated nine distinct curve profiles, enabling the discrimination of all the four mutations located at codon 225, the N230I mutation, the three mutations located in codon 272, and the non-mutated isolates (isolates of wild-type sensitivity). Similar results were obtained when DNA was extracted directly from artificially inoculated strawberry fruit. The method was validated by monitoring the presence of sdh B mutations in samples of naturally infected strawberry fruits and stone fruit rootstock seedling plants showing damping-off symptoms. HRM analysis data were compared with a standard PIRA-PCR technique and an absolute agreement was observed suggesting that in both populations the H272R mutation was the predominant one, while H272Y, N230I, and P225H were detected in lower frequencies. The results of the study suggest that HRM analysis can be a useful tool for sensate, accurate, and rapid identification of several sdh B mutations in B. cinerea and it is expected to contribute in routine fungicide resistance monitoring or assessments of the effectiveness of anti-resistance strategies implemented in crops heavily treated with botryticides.

Detection of sdhB Gene Mutations in SDHI-Resistant Isolates of Botrytis cinerea Using High Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis

PubMed Central

Samaras, Anastasios; Madesis, Panagiotis; Karaoglanidis, George S.

2016-01-01

Botrytis cinerea, is a high risk pathogen for fungicide resistance development. Pathogen’ resistance to SDHIs is associated with several mutations in sdh gene. The diversity of mutations and their differential effect on cross-resistance patterns among SDHIs and the fitness of resistant strains necessitate the availability of a tool for their rapid identification. This study was initiated to develop and validate a high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for the identification of P225H/F/L//T, N230I, and H272L/R/Y mutations. Based on the sequence of sdhB subunit of resistant and sensitive isolates, a universal primer pair was designed. The specificity of the HRM analysis primers was verified to ensure against the cross-reaction with other fungal species and its sensitivity was evaluated using concentrations of known amounts of mutant’s DNA. The melting curve analysis generated nine distinct curve profiles, enabling the discrimination of all the four mutations located at codon 225, the N230I mutation, the three mutations located in codon 272, and the non-mutated isolates (isolates of wild-type sensitivity). Similar results were obtained when DNA was extracted directly from artificially inoculated strawberry fruit. The method was validated by monitoring the presence of sdhB mutations in samples of naturally infected strawberry fruits and stone fruit rootstock seedling plants showing damping-off symptoms. HRM analysis data were compared with a standard PIRA–PCR technique and an absolute agreement was observed suggesting that in both populations the H272R mutation was the predominant one, while H272Y, N230I, and P225H were detected in lower frequencies. The results of the study suggest that HRM analysis can be a useful tool for sensate, accurate, and rapid identification of several sdhB mutations in B. cinerea and it is expected to contribute in routine fungicide resistance monitoring or assessments of the effectiveness of anti-resistance strategies implemented in crops heavily treated with botryticides. PMID:27895633

A universal aptameric biosensor: Multiplexed detection of small analytes via aggregated perylene-based broad-spectrum quencher.

PubMed

Hu, Rong; Zhang, Xi; Xu, Qiang; Lu, Dan-Qing; Yang, Yun-Hui; Xu, Quan-Qing; Ruan, Qiong; Mo, Liu-Ting; Zhang, Xiao-Bing

2017-06-15

A universal aptameric system based on the taking advantage of double-stranded DNA/perylene diimide (dsDNA/PDI) as the signal probe was developed for multiplexed detection of small molecules. Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides which are selected in vitro by a process known as systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. In this work, we synthesized a new kind of PDI and reported this aggregated PDI could quench the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-labeled fluorophores with a high quenching efficiency. The quenching efficiencies on the fluorescence of FAM, TAMRA and Cy5 could reach to 98.3%±0.9%, 97.2%±0.6% and 98.1%±1.1%, respectively. This broad-spectrum quencher was then adopted to construct a multicolor biosensor via a label-free approach. A structure-switching-triggered enzymatic recycling amplification was employed for signal amplification. High quenching efficiency combined with autocatalytic target recycling amplification afforded the biosensor with high sensitivity towards small analytes. For other targets, changing the corresponding aptamer can achieve the goal. The quencher did not interfere with the catalytic activity of nuclease. The biosensor could be manipulated with similar sensitivity no matter in pre-addition or post-addition manner. Moreover, simultaneous and multiplexed analysis of several small molecules in homogeneous solution was achieved, demonstrating its potential application in the rapid screening of multiple biotargets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Parallel microscope-based fluorescence, absorbance and time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection for high performance liquid chromatography and determination of glucosamine in urine.

PubMed

Xiong, Bo; Wang, Ling-Ling; Li, Qiong; Nie, Yu-Ting; Cheng, Shuang-Shuang; Zhang, Hui; Sun, Ren-Qiang; Wang, Yu-Jiao; Zhou, Hong-Bin

2015-11-01

A parallel microscope-based laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), ultraviolet-visible absorbance (UV) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) detection for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was achieved and used to determine glucosamine in urines. First, a reliable and convenient LIF detection was developed based on an inverted microscope and corresponding modulations. Parallel HPLC-LIF/UV/TOF-MS detection was developed by the combination of preceding Microscope-based LIF detection and HPLC coupled with UV and TOF-MS. The proposed setup, due to its parallel scheme, was free of the influence from photo bleaching in LIF detection. Rhodamine B, glutamic acid and glucosamine have been determined to evaluate its performance. Moreover, the proposed strategy was used to determine the glucosamine in urines, and subsequent results suggested that glucosamine, which was widely used in the prevention of the bone arthritis, was metabolized to urines within 4h. Furthermore, its concentration in urines decreased to 5.4mM at 12h. Efficient glucosamine detection was achieved based on a sensitive quantification (LIF), a universal detection (UV) and structural characterizations (TOF-MS). This application indicated that the proposed strategy was sensitive, universal and versatile, and it was capable of improved analysis, especially for analytes with low concentrations in complex samples, compared with conventional HPLC-UV/TOF-MS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cosmic microwave background polarimetry with ABS and ACT: Instrumental design, characterization, and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Sara Michelle

The LCDM model of the universe is supported by an abundance of astronomical observations, but it does not confirm a period of inflation in the early universe or explain the nature of dark energy and dark matter. The polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) may hold the key to addressing these profound questions. If a period of inflation occurred in the early universe, it could have left a detectable odd-parity pattern called B-modes in the polarization of the CMB on large angular scales. Additionally, the CMB can be used to probe the structure of the universe on small angular scales through lensing and the detection of galaxy clusters and their motions via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, which can improve our understanding of neutrinos, dark matter, and dark energy. The Atacama B-mode Search (ABS) instrument was a cryogenic crossed-Dragone telescope located at an elevation of 5190m in the Atacama Desert in Chile that observed from February 2012 until October 2014. ABS searched on degree-angular scales for inflationary B-modes in the CMB and pioneered the use of a rapidly-rotating half-wave plate (HWP), which modulates the polarization of incoming light to permit the measurement of celestial polarization on large angular scales that would otherwise be obscured by 1/f noise from the atmosphere. Located next to ABS in the Atacama is the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), which is an off-axis Gregorian telescope. Its large 6m primary mirror facilitates measurements of the CMB on small angular scales. HWPs are baselined for use with the upgraded polarization-sensitive camera for ACT, called Advanced ACTPol, to extend observations of the polarized CMB to larger angular scales while also retaining sensitivity to small angular scales. The B-mode signal is extremely faint, and measuring it poses an instrumental challenge that requires the development of new technologies and well-characterized instruments. I will discuss the use of novel instrumentation and methods on the ABS telescope and Advanced ACTPol, the characterization of the ABS instrument, and the first two seasons of ABS data, including an overview of the data selection process.

Role of Prefrontal Serotonergic and Dopaminergic Systems in Encounter-Induced Hyperactivity in Methamphetamine-Sensitized Mice.

PubMed

Tanaka, Tatsunori; Ago, Yukio; Umehara, Chiaki; Imoto, Emina; Hasebe, Shigeru; Hashimoto, Hitoshi; Takuma, Kazuhiro; Matsuda, Toshio

2017-05-01

Isolation-reared mice show social encounter-induced hyperactivity with activation of prefrontal serotonergic and dopaminergic systems, but it is not known whether this stress response is observed in other pathological conditions. Here we examined whether the social encounter stimulation induces abnormal behavior during withdrawal in chronic methamphetamine-treated mice. To induce methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization, male mice were injected with methamphetamine (1 mg/kg) once daily for 7 days. The encounter with an intruder elicited hyperactivity 24 h after the last injection of methamphetamine in methamphetamine-sensitized mice. This response was observed even as long as 2 weeks after withdrawal of methamphetamine. The encounter increased c-Fos expression in the prefrontal cortex, dorsal raphe nucleus and ventral tegmental area in methamphetamine-sensitized mice, while it did not in control mice. Furthermore, the encounter increased extracellular serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine, but not noradrenaline, levels in the prefrontal cortex in methamphetamine-sensitized mice. Local injection of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine and 6-hydroxydopamine into the prefrontal cortex attenuated encounter-induced hyperactivity in methamphetamine-sensitized mice and it markedly decreased prefrontal 5-HT and dopamine levels, respectively. Pharmacological analysis showed that the encounter-induced hyperactivity is mediated by dopamine D1 receptors and 5-HT2A receptors and attenuated by anxiolytics and antidepressants such as diazepam, osemozotan and selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors. The effect of paroxetine was blocked by the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist azasetron. The present study shows that psychological stress elicits hyperactivity with activation of prefrontal 5-HT and dopamine systems in methamphetamine-dependent mice and suggests that the abnormal behavior is associated with anxiety and depression. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Evaluation of a New Immunochromatography Technology Test (LDBio Diagnostics) To Detect Toxoplasma IgG and IgM: Comparison with the Routine Architect Technique

PubMed Central

Flori, Pierre; Delaunay, Edouard; Guillerme, Cécile; Charaoui, Sana; Raberin, Hélène; Hafid, Jamal; L'Ollivier, Coralie

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT A study comparing the ICT (immunochromatography technology) Toxoplasma IgG and IgM rapid diagnostic test (LDBio Diagnostics, France) with a fully automated system, Architect, was performed on samples from university hospitals of Marseille and Saint-Etienne. A total of 767 prospective sera and 235 selected sera were collected. The panels were selected to test various IgG and IgM parameters. The reference technique, Toxoplasma IgGII Western blot analysis (LDBio Diagnostics), was used to confirm the IgG results, and commercial kits Platelia Toxo IgM (Bio-Rad) and Toxo-ISAgA (bioMérieux) were used in Saint-Etienne and Marseille, respectively, as the IgM reference techniques. Sensitivity and specificity of the ICT and the Architect IgG assays were compared using a prospective panel. Sensitivity was 100% for the ICT test and 92.1% for Architect (cutoff at 1.6 IU/ml). The low-IgG-titer serum results confirmed that ICT sensitivity was superior to that of Architect. Specificity was 98.7% (ICT) and 99.8% (Architect IgG). The ICT test is also useful for detecting IgM without IgG and is both sensitive (100%) and specific (100%), as it can distinguish nonspecific IgM from specific Toxoplasma IgM. In comparison, IgM sensitivity and specificity on Architect are 96.1% and 99.6%, respectively (cutoff at 0.5 arbitrary units [AU]/ml). To conclude, this new test overcomes the limitations of automated screening techniques, which are not sensitive enough for IgG and lack specificity for IgM (rare IgM false-positive cases). PMID:28954897

Home oximetry to screen for obstructive sleep apnoea in Down syndrome.

PubMed

Hill, Catherine M; Elphick, Heather E; Farquhar, Michael; Gringras, Paul; Pickering, Ruth M; Kingshott, Ruth N; Martin, Jane; Reynolds, Janine; Joyce, Anna; Gavlak, Johanna C; Evans, Hazel J

2018-05-14

Children with Down syndrome are at high risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and screening is recommended. Diagnosis of OSA should be confirmed with multichannel sleep studies. We aimed to determine whether home pulse oximetry (HPO) discriminates children at high risk of OSA, who need further diagnostic multichannel sleep studies. Cross-sectional prospective study in a training sample recruited through three UK centres. Validation sample used single-centre retrospective analysis of clinical data. Children with Down syndrome aged 0.5-6 years. Diagnostic multichannel sleep study and HPO. Sensitivity and specificity of HPO to predict moderate-to-severe OSA. 161/202 children with Down syndrome met quality criteria for inclusion and 25 had OSA. In this training sample, the best HPO parameter predictors of OSA were the delta 12 s index >0.555 (sensitivity 92%, specificity 65%) and 3% oxyhaemoglobin (SpO 2 ) desaturation index (3% ODI)>6.15 dips/hour (sensitivity 92%, specificity 63%). Combining variables (delta 12 s index, 3% ODI, mean and minimum SpO 2 ) achieved sensitivity of 96% but reduced specificity to 52%. All predictors retained or improved sensitivity in a clinical validation sample of 50 children with variable loss of specificity, best overall was the delta 12 s index, a measure of baseline SpO 2 variability (sensitivity 92%; specificity 63%). HPO screening could halve the number of children with Down syndrome needing multichannel sleep studies and reduce the burden on children, families and health services alike. This approach offers a practical universal screening approach for OSA in Down syndrome that is accessible to the non-specialist paediatrician. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Relevance of gender-sensitive policies and general health indicators to compare the status of South Asian women's health.

PubMed

Gill, Roopan; Stewart, Donna E

2011-01-01

despite goals for gender equity in South Asia, the relationship between gender-sensitive policies and the empowerment of women is complex and requires an analysis of how policies align with a broad set of social, cultural, political, and economic indicators that relate to women's health. through a review of four documents under the umbrella of the World Health Organization and the United Nations, a list of 17 gender-sensitive policy and 17 general health indicators was generated with a focus on health, education, economic, and political empowerment and violence against women. A series of policy documents and international and national databases that are accessible in the public domain were the major tools used to find supporting documentation to address women's health outcomes in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. all five South Asian countries had several gender-sensitive policies that were measurable by indicators that contribute to health. Examination of political and economic status, birth sex ratios, human trafficking, illiteracy rates, maternal mortality rates, contraception prevalence, fertility rates, knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention, access to skilled birth attendants, and microfinance show that large gender inequities still prevail despite the presence of gender-sensitive policies. in many cases, the presence of gender-sensitive policies did not reflect the realization of gender equity over a wide range of indicators. Although the economic, political, social, and cultural climates of the five countries may differ, the integration of women's needs into the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of policies is a universal necessity to achieve positive outcomes. 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Robust Optimization and Sensitivity Analysis with Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms: Single- and Multi-Disciplinary Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

multi-disciplinary optimization with uncertainty. Robust optimization and sensitivity analysis is usually used when an optimization model has...formulation is introduced in Section 2.3. We briefly discuss several definitions used in the sensitivity analysis in Section 2.4. Following in...2.5. 2.4 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS In this section, we discuss several definitions used in Chapter 5 for Multi-Objective Sensitivity Analysis . Inner

Use of the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis comorbidity and multidrug-resistant TB in obstetrics and gynaecology inpatient wards at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.

PubMed

Bates, Matthew; Ahmed, Yusuf; Chilukutu, Lophina; Tembo, John; Cheelo, Busiku; Sinyangwe, Sylvester; Kapata, Nathan; Maeurer, Markus; O'Grady, Justin; Mwaba, Peter; Zumla, Alimuddin

2013-09-01

In high-tuberculosis (TB)-endemic countries, comorbidity of pulmonary TB in hospitalised patients with non-communicable diseases is well documented. In this study, we evaluated the use of the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay for the detection of concomitant pulmonary TB in patients admitted to the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia, with a primary obstetric or gynaecological condition. The Study population were inpatients admitted with a primary obstetric or gynaecological problem who had a concomitant cough and were able to expectorate a sputum sample. Sputum samples from 94 patients were analysed for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) by standard smear microscopy, MGIT culture, MGIT drug-susceptibility testing (DST) and the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay were evaluated against the culture gold standard. Twenty-six of 94 (27.7%) patients had culture-confirmed pulmonary TB. The Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay had a sensitivity of 80.8% [95% CI: 60.0-92.7%]) compared against MGIT culture. The Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay was more sensitive than sputum smear microscopy (21/26 (80.8%) vs. 13/26 (50.0%), P = 0.02) and detected an additional eight culture-confirmed cases. Culture DST analysis identified two monoresistant M.tb strains: one resistant to rifampicin (rifampicin sensitive by the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay) and one to ethambutol. HIV infection was linked with a 3-fold increase in risk of TB, accounting for 87.5% (21/24) of TB cases. 50% of cases presented as comorbidities with other communicable diseases (CDs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). As an alternative to sputum microscopy, the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay provides a sensitive, specific and rapid method for the diagnosis of pulmonary TB in obstetric or gynaecological inpatients. Pulmonary TB is an important cause of concomitant comorbidity to the obstetric or gynaecological condition necessitating admission. TB and HIV comorbidities with other communicable and non-communicable diseases were also common. More proactive screening for TB comorbidity is required in obstetric and gynaecological wards. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Introducing sensitive issues and self-care strategies to first year midwifery students.

PubMed

Cummins, Allison M; Wight, Raechel; Watts, Nicole; Catling, Christine

2018-06-01

first year midwifery students learn early in semester about situations in midwifery where a high level of emotion is expressed, such as taking a sexual history, being faced with the body image changes of pregnancy and working with women in the extreme pain of labour. Commencing students usually have not had exposure to the realities of studying and working in midwifery, and often have an idealised view of midwifery that may lead to attrition from the course. We aimed to equip students with personal and professional tools to discuss sensitive issues in midwifery and promote self-care through the development of two workshops. The first workshop focussed on sensitive issues in midwifery and the second on self-care strategies. quantitative and qualitative data were collected pre and post workshops using a survey. the workshops were developed at one university in New South Wales, Australia. Beginning first year midwifery students MEASUREMENTS: feeling more comfortable, confident and knowledgeable was measured using a paired t-test from the responses on a pre and post workshop survey. Content analysis was performed on the qualitative survey responses. there were significant increases in the students feeling more comfortable to discuss sensitive issues in midwifery following the first workshop. They found meeting new people, respecting opinions, normalizing confronting topics to be valuable and useful. The second workshop found significant differences in being more confident and knowledgeable to access and try new self-care strategies in both their personal and professional life. Students discussed learning to be more mindful in order to prepare for stressful situations. They became aware of their feeling and thoughts when under stress and said they would practice techniques including meditation. the workshops assisted the students to develop peer support, self-care strategies and coping mechanisms when faced with the intimate and sometimes confronting nature of midwifery practice. Through embedding these first year workshops early in the degree we hope to address attrition rates and facilitate the students' to become the compassionate, caring, woman-centred midwives that they envisioned. the workshops have the potential for replication in other universities to support and nurture beginning midwifery students. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing Weather Curiosity in University Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, A. E.

2017-12-01

This research focuses upon measuring an individual's level of trait curiosity about the weather using the Weather Curiosity Scale (WCS). The measure consists of 15 self-report items that describe weather preferences and/or behaviors that people may perform more or less frequently. The author reports on two initial studies of the WCS that have used the responses of 710 undergraduate students from a large university in the southeastern United States. In the first study, factor analysis of the 15 items indicated that the measure was unidimensional - suggesting that its items singularly assessed weather curiosity. The WCS also was internally consistent as evidenced by an acceptable Cronbach's alpha, a = .81). The second study sought to identify other personality variables that may relate with the WCS scores and thus illuminate the nature of weather curiosity. Several clusters of personality variables appear to underlie the curiosity levels people exhibited, the first of which related to perceptual curiosity (r = .59). Being curious about sights, sounds, smells, and textures generally related somewhat to curiosity about weather. Two measures of trait sensitivity to environmental stimulation, the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (r = .47) and the Orientation Sensitivity Scale of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (r = .43), also predicted weather curiosity levels. Finally, possessing extraverted personality traits (r = .34) and an intense style of experiencing one's emotions (r = .33) related to weather curiosity. How can this measure be used in K-12 or post-secondary settings to further climate literacy? First, the WCS can identify students with natural curiosities about weather and climate so these students may be given more challenging instruction that will leverage their natural interests. Second, high-WCS students may function as weather and climate ambassadors during inquiry-based learning activities and thus help other students who are not as oriented to the atmosphere. Finally the results of this study reveal some of the underlying psychological mechanisms that are associated with weather curiosity. Building greater perceptual curiosity or increasing perceptual sensitivity and discrimination skills may make it possible to increase students' levels of weather curiosity.

Predicting severe injury using vehicle telemetry data.

PubMed

Ayoung-Chee, Patricia; Mack, Christopher D; Kaufman, Robert; Bulger, Eileen

2013-01-01

In 2010, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standardized collision data collected by event data recorders, which may help determine appropriate emergency medical service (EMS) response. Previous models (e.g., General Motors ) predict severe injury (Injury Severity Score [ISS] > 15) using occupant demographics and collision data. Occupant information is not automatically available, and 12% of calls from advanced automatic collision notification providers are unanswered. To better inform EMS triage, our goal was to create a predictive model only using vehicle collision data. Using the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System data set, we included front-seat occupants in late-model vehicles (2000 and later) in nonrollover and rollover crashes in years 2000 to 2010. Telematic (change in velocity, direction of force, seat belt use, vehicle type and curb weight, as well as multiple impact) and nontelematic variables (maximum intrusion, narrow impact, and passenger ejection) were included. Missing data were multiply imputed. The University of Washington model was tested to predict severe injury before application of guidelines (Step 0) and for occupants who did not meet Steps 1 and 2 criteria (Step 3) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Triage Guidelines. A probability threshold of 20% was chosen in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. There were 28,633 crashes, involving 33,956 vehicles and 52,033 occupants, of whom 9.9% had severe injury. At Step 0, the University of Washington model sensitivity was 40.0% and positive predictive value (PPV) was 20.7%. At Step 3, the sensitivity was 32.3 % and PPV was 10.1%. Model analysis excluding nontelematic variables decreased sensitivity and PPV. The sensitivity of the re-created General Motors model was 38.5% at Step 0 and 28.1% at Step 3. We designed a model using only vehicle collision data that was predictive of severe injury at collision notification and in the field and was comparable with an existing model. These models demonstrate the potential use of advanced automatic collision notification in planning EMS response. Prognostic study, level II.

[Identification of Clonorchis sinensis metacercariae based on PCR targeting ribosomal DNA ITS regions and COX1 gene].

PubMed

Yang, Qing-Li; Shen, Ji-Qing; Jiang, Zhi-Hua; Yang, Yi-Chao; Li, Hong-Mei; Chen, Ying-Dan; Zhou, Xiao-Nong

2014-06-01

To identify Clonorchis sinensis metacercariae using PCR targeting ribosomal DNA ITS region and COX1 gene. Pseudorasbora parva were collected from Hengxian County of Guangxi at the end of May 2013. Single metacercaria of C. sinensis and other trematodes were separated from muscle tissue of P. parva by digestion method. Primers targeting ribosomal DNA ITS region and COX1 gene of C. sinensis were designed for PCR and the universal primers were used as control. The sensitivity and specificity of the PCR detection were analyzed. C. sinensis metacercariae at different stages were identified by PCR. DNA from single C. sinensis metacercaria was detected by PCR targeting ribosomal DNA ITS region and COX1 gene. The specific amplicans have sizes of 437/549, 156/249 and 195/166 bp, respectively. The ratio of the two positive numbers in PCR with universal primers and specific primers targeting C. sinensis ribosomal DNA ITS1 and ITS2 regions was 0.905 and 0.952, respectively. The target gene fragments were amplified by PCR using COX1 gene-specific primers. The PCR with specific primers did not show any non-specific amplification. However, the PCR with universal primers targeting ribosomal DNA ITS regions performed serious non-specific amplification. C. sinensis metacercariae at different stages are identified by morphological observation and PCR method. Species-specific primers targeting ribosomal DNA ITS region show higher sensitivity and specificity than the universal primers. PCR targeting COX1 gene shows similar sensitivity and specificity to PCR with specific primers targeting ribosomal DNA ITS regions.

A new approach to harmonic elimination based on a real-time comparison method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gourisetti, Sri Nikhil Gupta

Undesired harmonics are responsible for noise in a transmission channel, power loss in power electronics and in motor control. Selective Harmonic Elimination (SHE) is a well-known method used to eliminate or suppress the unwanted harmonics between the fundamental and the carrier frequency harmonic/component. But SHE bears the disadvantage of its incapability to use in real-time applications. A novel reference-carrier comparative method has been developed which can be used to generate an SPWM signal to apply in real-time systems. A modified carrier signal is designed and tested for different carrier frequencies based on the generated SPWM FFT. The carrier signal may change for different fundamental to carrier ratio that leads to solving the equations each time. An analysis to find all possible solutions for a particular carrier frequency and fundamental amplitude is performed and found. This proves that there is no one global maxima instead several local maximas exists for a particular condition set that makes this method less sensitive. Additionally, an attempt to find a universal solution that is valid for any carrier signal with predefined fundamental amplitude is performed. A uniform distribution Monte-Carlo sensitivity analysis is performed to measure the window i.e., best and worst possible solutions. The simulations are performed using MATLAB and are justified with experimental results.

Diffusivities of Redox-Sensitive Elements in Basalt vs. Oxygen Fugacity Determined by LA-ICP-MS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szumila, Ian; Danielson, Lisa; Trail, Dustin

2017-01-01

Several diffusion experiments were conducted in a piston cylinder device across a range of oxygen fugacities (FMQ-3 FMQ-1.2, FMQ+6) at 1 GPa and 1300 C. This was done to explore the effects of oxygen fugacity (fO2) on diffusivity of redox sensitive trace elements. This allows investigation of how these elements diffuse across the fO2 range encountered in different reservoirs on planets and moons in our solar system. The University of Rochester LA-ICP-MS system was used for analysis of samples. Analyses were conducted using an Agilent 7900 quadrupole mass spectrometer connected to a Photon Machines 193 nm G2 laser ablation (LA) system equipped with a HelEx 2-volume sample chamber. Spots used were 35 micrometers circles spaced at 65 micrometers intervals. Laser fluence was 7.81 J/cm^2 with a rep rate of 10 Hz. The iolite software package was used to reduce data collected from laser ablation analysis of experiments with Si-29 used as the internal standard isotope. Iolite's global fit module was used to simultaneously fit elements' diffusivities in each experiment while keeping the Matano interface constant. Elements analysed include V, Nb, W, Mo, La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ta, and W. Figures

PRADA: pipeline for RNA sequencing data analysis.

PubMed

Torres-García, Wandaliz; Zheng, Siyuan; Sivachenko, Andrey; Vegesna, Rahulsimham; Wang, Qianghu; Yao, Rong; Berger, Michael F; Weinstein, John N; Getz, Gad; Verhaak, Roel G W

2014-08-01

Technological advances in high-throughput sequencing necessitate improved computational tools for processing and analyzing large-scale datasets in a systematic automated manner. For that purpose, we have developed PRADA (Pipeline for RNA-Sequencing Data Analysis), a flexible, modular and highly scalable software platform that provides many different types of information available by multifaceted analysis starting from raw paired-end RNA-seq data: gene expression levels, quality metrics, detection of unsupervised and supervised fusion transcripts, detection of intragenic fusion variants, homology scores and fusion frame classification. PRADA uses a dual-mapping strategy that increases sensitivity and refines the analytical endpoints. PRADA has been used extensively and successfully in the glioblastoma and renal clear cell projects of The Cancer Genome Atlas program.  http://sourceforge.net/projects/prada/  gadgetz@broadinstitute.org or rverhaak@mdanderson.org  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

AVR Microcontroller-based automated technique for analysis of DC motors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, P.; Chatterji, S.

2014-01-01

This paper provides essential information on the development of a 'dc motor test and analysis control card' using AVR series ATMega32 microcontroller. This card can be interfaced to PC and calculates parameters like motor losses, efficiency and plot characteristics for dc motors. Presently, there are different tests and methods available to evaluate motor parameters, but a single and universal user-friendly automated set-up has been discussed in this paper. It has been accomplished by designing a data acquisition and SCR bridge firing hardware based on AVR ATMega32 microcontroller. This hardware has the capability to drive the phase-controlled rectifiers and acquire real-time values of current, voltage, temperature and speed of motor. Various analyses feasible with the designed hardware are of immense importance for dc motor manufacturers and quality-sensitive users. Authors, through this paper aim to provide details of this AVR-based hardware which can be used for dc motor parameter analysis and also for motor control applications.

Techno-economic analysis of ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse using a Liquefaction plus Simultaneous Saccharification and co-Fermentation process.

PubMed

Gubicza, Krisztina; Nieves, Ismael U; Sagues, William J; Barta, Zsolt; Shanmugam, K T; Ingram, Lonnie O

2016-05-01

A techno-economic analysis was conducted for a simplified lignocellulosic ethanol production process developed and proven by the University of Florida at laboratory, pilot, and demonstration scales. Data obtained from all three scales of development were used with Aspen Plus to create models for an experimentally-proven base-case and 5 hypothetical scenarios. The model input parameters that differed among the hypothetical scenarios were fermentation time, enzyme loading, enzymatic conversion, solids loading, and overall process yield. The minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) varied between 50.38 and 62.72 US cents/L. The feedstock and the capital cost were the main contributors to the production cost, comprising between 23-28% and 40-49% of the MESP, respectively. A sensitivity analysis showed that overall ethanol yield had the greatest effect on the MESP. These findings suggest that future efforts to increase the economic feasibility of a cellulosic ethanol process should focus on optimization for highest ethanol yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probing the Politics of Comprehensive Sexuality Education: "Universality" versus "Cultural Sensitivity": A Dutch-Bangladeshi Collaboration on Adolescent Sexuality Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roodsaz, Rahil

2018-01-01

As part of Western European development aid policy, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is increasingly promoted in resource-poor countries. This paper engages with CSE promotion in Bangladesh funded by the Dutch Government. It unpacks the "collaboration" by looking at how a paradox is played out between the universal ideals…

If You Build It, They May Not Come: Why Australian University Students Do Not Take Part in Outbound Mobility Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Benjamin T.; Power, Anne; Gray, Tonia; Downey, Greg; Hall, Timothy; Truong, Son

2016-01-01

Universities around the world seek to internationalise students to prepare them for an increasingly globalised world. Outbound mobility experiences (OMEs) are recognised as one of the most effective ways to foster independent thinking, cultural sensitivity, and a sense of "worldmindedness". This article takes a case study from an…

Cognitive capital, equity and child-sensitive social protection in Asia and the Pacific

PubMed Central

Samson, Michael; Fajth, Gaspar; François, Daphne

2016-01-01

Promoting child development and welfare delivers human rights and builds sustainable economies through investment in ‘cognitive capital’. This analysis looks at conditions that support optimal brain development in childhood and highlights how social protection promotes these conditions and strengthens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia and the Pacific. Embracing child-sensitive social protection offers multiple benefits. The region has been a leader in global poverty reduction but the underlying pattern of economic growth exacerbates inequality and is increasingly unsustainable. The strategy of channelling low-skilled rural labour to industrial jobs left millions of children behind with limited opportunities for development. Building child-sensitive social protection and investing better in children's cognitive capacity could check these trends and trigger powerful long-term human capital development—enabling labour productivity to grow faster than populations age. While governments are investing more in social protection, the region's spending remains low by international comparison. Investment is particularly inadequate where it yields the highest returns: during the first 1000 days of life. Five steps are recommended for moving forward: (1) building cognitive capital by adjusting the region's development paradigms to reflect better the economic and social returns from investing in children; (2) understand and track better child poverty and vulnerability; (3) progressively build universal, child-sensitive systems that strengthen comprehensive interventions within life cycle frameworks; (4) mobilise national resources for early childhood investments and child-sensitive social protection; and (5) leverage the SDGs and other channels of national and international collaboration. PMID:28588990

Addressing the Analytic Challenges of Cross-Sectional Pediatric Pneumonia Etiology Data.

PubMed

Hammitt, Laura L; Feikin, Daniel R; Scott, J Anthony G; Zeger, Scott L; Murdoch, David R; O'Brien, Katherine L; Deloria Knoll, Maria

2017-06-15

Despite tremendous advances in diagnostic laboratory technology, identifying the pathogen(s) causing pneumonia remains challenging because the infected lung tissue cannot usually be sampled for testing. Consequently, to obtain information about pneumonia etiology, clinicians and researchers test specimens distant to the site of infection. These tests may lack sensitivity (eg, blood culture, which is only positive in a small proportion of children with pneumonia) and/or specificity (eg, detection of pathogens in upper respiratory tract specimens, which may indicate asymptomatic carriage or a less severe syndrome, such as upper respiratory infection). While highly sensitive nucleic acid detection methods and testing of multiple specimens improve sensitivity, multiple pathogens are often detected and this adds complexity to the interpretation as the etiologic significance of results may be unclear (ie, the pneumonia may be caused by none, one, some, or all of the pathogens detected). Some of these challenges can be addressed by adjusting positivity rates to account for poor sensitivity or incorporating test results from controls without pneumonia to account for poor specificity. However, no classical analytic methods can account for measurement error (ie, sensitivity and specificity) for multiple specimen types and integrate the results of measurements for multiple pathogens to produce an accurate understanding of etiology. We describe the major analytic challenges in determining pneumonia etiology and review how the common analytical approaches (eg, descriptive, case-control, attributable fraction, latent class analysis) address some but not all challenges. We demonstrate how these limitations necessitate a new, integrated analytical approach to pneumonia etiology data. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

The TETRA-II Experiment to Observe Terrestrial Gamma Flashes at Ground Level - Preliminary Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherry, M. L.; Adams, C.; Al-Nussirat, S.; Bai, S.; Banadaki, Y.; Bitzer, P. M.; Hoffmann, J.; Khosravi, E.; Legault, M.; Orang, M.; Pleshinger, D. J.; Rodriguez, R.; Smith, D.; Trepanier, J. C.; Sunda-Meya, A.; Zimmer, N.

2017-12-01

An upgraded version of the TGF and Energetic Thunderstorm Rooftop Array (TETRA-II) consists of an array of BGO scintillators to detect bursts of gamma rays from thunderstorms at ground level in four separate locations: the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; the campus of the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado, Puerto Rico; the Centro Nacional de Metrologia de Panama (CENAMEP) in Panama City, Panama; and the Severe Weather Institute and Radar & Lightning Laboratories in Huntsville, Alabama. The original TETRA-I array of NaI scintillators at Louisiana State University detected 37 millisecond-scale bursts of gamma rays at energies 50 keV-2 MeV associated with nearby (< 8 km) thunderstorms. TETRA-II began operation in May 2016 and now has approximately an order of magnitude greater sensitivity than TETRA-I. The ability to observe ground-level Terrestrial Gamma Flashes from close to the source allows a unique analysis of the storm cells producing these events. A brief description of the TETRA-I observations, a description of TETRA-II, and preliminary results of the first events observed by TETRA-II will be presented including frequency and time history of events, spectral information, and correlation with local radar and radio data.

Chemical contamination in aquatic ecosystems.

PubMed

Iwata, Hisato; Kim, Eun-Young; Yamauchi, Masanobu; Inoue, Suguru; Agusa, Tetsuro; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2007-03-01

The 21st Century's Center of Excellence (COE) Program "Coastal Marine Environmental Research" in Ehime University, funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of Japan, started its activities in October 2002. One of the core projects of the COE Program in Ehime University is "studies on environmental behavior of hazardous chemicals and their toxic effects on wildlife". This core project deals with studies of the local and global distribution of environmental contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, retrospective analysis of such chemicals, their toxicokinetics in humans and wildlife, molecular mechanisms to determine species-specific reactions, and sensitivity of chemically induced effects, and with the development of methodology for risk assessment for the conservation of ecological and species diversity. This presentation describes our recent achievements of this project, including research on contamination by arsenic and organohalogen pollutants in the Mekong River basin and molecular mechanisms of morphologic deformities in dioxin-exposed red seabream (Pagrus major) embryos. We established the Environmental Specimen Bank (es-BANK) in Ehime University in 2004, archiving approximately 100000 cryogenic samples containing tissues of wildlife and humans that have been collected for the past 40 years. The CMES homepage offers details of samples through online database retrieval. The es-BANK facility was in operation by the end of 2005.

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

Conley, A.; Goldhaber, G.; Wang, L.

We present measurements of {Omega}{sub m} and {Omega}{sub {Lambda}} from a blind analysis of 21 high redshift supernovae using a new technique (CMAGIC) for fitting the multicolor lightcurves of Type Ia supernovae, first introduced in Wang et al. (2003). CMAGIC takes advantage of the remarkably simple behavior of Type Ia supernovae on color-magnitude diagrams, and has several advantages over current techniques based on maximum magnitudes. Among these are a reduced sensitivity to host galaxy dust extinction, a shallower luminosity-width relation, and the relative simplicity of the fitting procedure. This allows us to provide a cross check of previous supernova cosmologymore » results, despite the fact that current data sets were not observed in a manner optimized for CMAGIC. We describe the details of our novel blindness procedure, which is designed to prevent experimenter bias. The data are broadly consistent with the picture of an accelerating Universe, and agree with a at Universe within 1.7{sigma}, including systematics. We also compare the CMAGIC results directly with those of a maximum magnitude fit to the same SNe, finding that CMAGIC favors more acceleration at the 1.6{sigma} level, including systematics and the correlation between the two measurements. A fit for w assuming a at Universe yields a value which is consistent with a cosmological constant within 1.2{sigma}.« less

Cost-utility analysis of duloxetine in osteoarthritis: a US private payer perspective.

PubMed

Wielage, Ronald C; Bansal, Megha; Andrews, J Scott; Klein, Robert W; Happich, Michael

2013-06-01

Duloxetine has recently been approved in the USA for chronic musculoskeletal pain, including osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain. The cost effectiveness of duloxetine in osteoarthritis has not previously been assessed. Duloxetine is targeted as post first-line (after acetaminophen) treatment of moderate to severe pain. The objective of this study was to estimate the cost effectiveness of duloxetine in the treatment of osteoarthritis from a US private payer perspective compared with other post first-line oral treatments, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and both strong and weak opioids. A cost-utility analysis was performed using a discrete-state, time-dependent semi-Markov model based on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) model documented in its 2008 osteoarthritis guidelines. The model was extended for opioids by adding titration, discontinuation and additional adverse events (AEs). A life-long time horizon was adopted to capture the full consequences of NSAID-induced AEs. Fourteen health states comprised the structure of the model: treatment without persistent AE, six during-AE states, six post-AE states and death. Treatment-specific utilities were calculated using the transfer-to-utility method and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total scores from a meta-analysis of osteoarthritis clinical trials of 12 weeks and longer. Costs for 2011 were estimated using Red Book, The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database, the literature and, sparingly, expert opinion. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken, as well as subgroup analyses of patients over 65 years old and a population at greater risk of NSAID-related AEs. In the base case the model estimated naproxen to be the lowest total-cost treatment, tapentadol the highest cost, and duloxetine the most effective after considering AEs. Duloxetine accumulated 0.027 discounted quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) more than naproxen and 0.013 more than oxycodone. Celecoxib was dominated by naproxen, tramadol was subject to extended dominance, and strong opioids were dominated by duloxetine. The model estimated an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of US$47,678 per QALY for duloxetine versus naproxen. One-way sensitivity analysis identified the probabilities of NSAID-related cardiovascular AEs as the inputs to which the ICER was most sensitive when duloxetine was compared with an NSAID. When compared with a strong opioid, duloxetine dominated the opioid under nearly all sensitivity analysis scenarios. When compared with tramadol, the ICER was most sensitive to the costs of duloxetine and tramadol. In subgroup analysis, the cost per QALY for duloxetine versus naproxen fell to US$24,125 for patients over 65 years and to US$18,472 for a population at high risk of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal AEs. The model estimated that duloxetine was potentially cost effective in the base-case population and more cost effective for subgroups over 65 years or at high risk of NSAID-related AEs. In sensitivity analysis, duloxetine dominated all strong opioids in nearly all scenarios.

The "dark Side" of Gravitational Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyle, Charles D.

Theoretical speculations about the quantum nature of the gravitational interaction have motivated many recent experiments. But perhaps the most profound and puzzling questions that these investigations address surround the observed cosmic acceleration, or Dark Energy. This mysterious substance comprises roughly 2/3 of the energy density of the universe. Current gravitational experiments may soon have the sensitivity to detect subtle clues that will reveal the mechanism behind the cosmic acceleration. On the laboratory scale, short-range tests of the Newtonian inverse-square law (ISL) provide the most sensitive measurements of gravity at the Dark Energy length scale, λd = (ħc/ρd)1/4 ≈ 85 μm, where ρd ≈ 3.8 keV/cm3 is the observed Dark Energy density. This length scale may also have fundamental significance that could be related to the "size" of the graviton. At the University of Washington, we are conducting the world's most sensitive, short-range test of the Newtonian ISL.

Virtual Journey Coupled with Face-to-Face Exchange: Enhancing the Cultural Sensitivity and Competence of Graduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellenwood, Audrey E.; Snyders, Frederik J. A.

2010-01-01

This study attempted to enhance cultural sensitivity for graduate students at an American and a South African university, using a six-week online List Serv, email buddy exchange, and two-week face-to-face experience. After the course was over, results of the intercultural developmental inventory, using "t"-tests for related samples,…

University of Maryland MRSEC - News

Science.gov Websites

. Come by to make silly putty polymers, UV-sensitive color-changing bead bracelets, or try out the UV -sensitive color-changing nail polish. We hope to see you there! [04/18/13] Former MRSEC REU Student PowerPoint, you may download the free PowerPoint Viewer to view the slides. [07/06/12] MRSEC Ph.D. student

The detection of NBOMe designer drugs on blotter paper by high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) with and without chromatography.

PubMed

Botch-Jones, Sabra; Foss, Jamie; Barajas, David; Kero, Frank; Young, Craig; Weisenseel, Jason

2016-10-01

New psychoactive substances (NPS) have been associated with fatalities and severe injuries in a number of cases in the United States and have led investigators to rethink traditional drug monitoring protocols. Of particular interest are the variable phenethylamine chemical structures known as 'NBOMes', which pose an emerging threat to public health with incidence steadily growing over the past decade. In this study, direct sample analysis (DSA)-time of flight mass spectrometry was employed to leverage rapid and sensitive ambient ionization mass spectrometry without chromatographic separation as verified with an authentic case sample. Samples for method development were prepared at Boston University School of Medicine's Biomedical Forensic Sciences program (Boston, MA) and analyzed at the State of Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory's Forensic Chemistry Section (Augusta, ME). Preliminary method development work was performed at the University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL). DSA without any extraction step in addition to the evaluation of methanol, dichloromethane and hexane extractions were conducted. Methanol was found to not be a suitable extraction solvent for DSA analysis of these compounds. For the screening of NBOMe designer drug variables on blotter paper, DSA-TOFMS was successful at reducing analysis time to ∼15s per sample, for qualitative identification for the selected analytes of interest. The analysis of an authentic forensic case sample by DSA-TOFMS using the method development parameters demonstrates its utility in forensic laboratories. 25C-NBOMe was identified with an exact mass accuracy of 0.60ppm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Bacterial Glycoengineered Antigen for Improved Serodiagnosis of Porcine Brucellosis

PubMed Central

Cortina, María E.; Balzano, Rodrigo E.; Rey Serantes, Diego A.; Caillava, Ana J.; Elena, Sebastián; Ferreira, A. C.; Nicola, Ana M.; Ugalde, Juan E.

2016-01-01

Brucellosis is a highly zoonotic disease that affects animals and human beings. Brucella suis is the etiological agent of porcine brucellosis and one of the major human brucellosis pathogens. Laboratory diagnosis of porcine brucellosis mainly relies on serological tests, and it has been widely demonstrated that serological assays based on the detection of anti O-polysaccharide antibodies are the most sensitive tests. Here, we validate a recombinant glycoprotein antigen, an N-formylperosamine O-polysaccharide–protein conjugate (OAg-AcrA), for diagnosis of porcine brucellosis. An indirect immunoassay based on the detection of anti-O-polysaccharide IgG antibodies was developed coupling OAg-AcrA to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay plates (glyco-iELISA). To validate the assay, 563 serum samples obtained from experimentally infected and immunized pigs, as well as animals naturally infected with B. suis biovar 1 or 2, were tested. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed, and based on this analysis, the optimum cutoff value was 0.56 (relative reactivity), which resulted in a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99.7%, respectively. A cutoff value of 0.78 resulted in a test sensitivity of 98.4% and a test specificity of 100%. Overall, our results demonstrate that the glyco-iELISA is highly accurate for diagnosis of porcine brucellosis, improving the diagnostic performance of current serological tests. The recombinant glycoprotein OAg-AcrA can be produced in large homogeneous batches in a standardized way, making it an ideal candidate for further validation as a universal antigen for diagnosis of “smooth” brucellosis in animals and humans. PMID:26984975

Comparing the validity of different sources of information on emergency department visits: a latent class analysis.

PubMed

Dendukuri, Nandini; McCusker, Jane; Bellavance, François; Cardin, Sylvie; Verdon, Josée; Karp, Igor; Belzile, Eric

2005-03-01

Emergency department (ED) use in Quebec may be measured from varied sources, eg, patient's self-reports, hospital medical charts, and provincial health insurance claims databases. Determining the relative validity of each source is complicated because none is a gold standard. We sought to compare the validity of different measures of ED use without arbitrarily assuming one is perfect. Data were obtained from a nursing liaison intervention study for frail seniors visiting EDs at 4 university-affiliated hospitals in Montreal. The number of ED visits during 2 consecutive follow-up periods of 1 and 4 months after baseline was obtained from patient interviews, from medical charts of participating hospitals, and from the provincial health insurance claims database. Latent class analysis was used to estimate the validity of each source. The impact of the following covariates on validity was evaluated: hospital visited, patient's demographic/clinical characteristics, risk of functional decline, nursing liaison intervention, duration of recall, previous ED use, and previous hospitalization. The patient's self-report was found to be the least accurate (sensitivity: 70%, specificity: 88%). Claims databases had the greatest validity, especially after defining claims made on consecutive days as part of the same ED visit (sensitivity: 98%, specificity: 98%). The validity of the medical chart was intermediate. Lower sensitivity (or under-reporting) on the self-report appeared to be associated with higher age, low comorbidity and shorter length of recall. The claims database is the most valid method of measuring ED use among seniors in Quebec compared with hospital medical charts and patient-reported use.

Breaking through the false coincidence barrier in electron–ion coincidence experiments

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

Osborn, David L.; Hayden, Carl C.; Hemberger, Patrick

Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence (PEPICO) spectroscopy holds the promise of a universal, isomer-selective, and sensitive analytical technique for time-resolved quantitative analysis of bimolecular chemical reactions. Unfortunately, its low dynamic range of ~10 3 has largely precluded its use for this purpose, where a dynamic range of at least 10 5 is generally required. This limitation is due to the false coincidence background common to all coincidence experiments, especially at high count rates. Electron/ion pairs emanating from separate ionization events but arriving within the ion time of flight (TOF) range of interest constitute the false coincidence background. Although this background has uniformmore » intensity at every m/z value, the Poisson scatter in the false coincidence background obscures small signals. In this paper, temporal ion deflection coupled with a position-sensitive ion detector enables suppression of the false coincidence background, increasing the dynamic range in the PEPICO TOF mass spectrum by 2–3 orders of magnitude. The ions experience a time-dependent electric deflection field at a well-defined fraction of their time of flight. This deflection defines an m/z- and ionization-time dependent ion impact position for true coincidences, whereas false coincidences appear randomly outside this region and can be efficiently suppressed. When cold argon clusters are ionized, false coincidence suppression allows us to observe species up to Ar 9 +, whereas Ar 4 + is the largest observable cluster under traditional operation. As a result, this advance provides mass-selected photoelectron spectra for fast, high sensitivity quantitative analysis of reacting systems.« less

A comprehensive sensitivity analysis of the WRF model for air quality applications over the Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borge, Rafael; Alexandrov, Vassil; José del Vas, Juan; Lumbreras, Julio; Rodríguez, Encarnacion

Meteorological inputs play a vital role on regional air quality modelling. An extensive sensitivity analysis of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was performed, in the framework of the Integrated Assessment Modelling System for the Iberian Peninsula (SIMCA) project. Up to 23 alternative model configurations, including Planetary Boundary Layer schemes, Microphysics, Land-surface models, Radiation schemes, Sea Surface Temperature and Four-Dimensional Data Assimilation were tested in a 3 km spatial resolution domain. Model results for the most significant meteorological variables, were assessed through a series of common statistics. The physics options identified to produce better results (Yonsei University Planetary Boundary Layer, WRF Single-Moment 6-class microphysics, Noah Land-surface model, Eta Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory longwave radiation and MM5 shortwave radiation schemes) along with other relevant user settings (time-varying Sea Surface Temperature and combined grid-observational nudging) where included in a "best case" configuration. This setup was tested and found to produce more accurate estimation of temperature, wind and humidity fields at surface level than any other configuration for the two episodes simulated. Planetary Boundary Layer height predictions showed a reasonable agreement with estimations derived from routine atmospheric soundings. Although some seasonal and geographical differences were observed, the model showed an acceptable behaviour overall. Despite being useful to define the most appropriate setup of the WRF model for air quality modelling over the Iberian Peninsula, this study provides a general overview of WRF sensitivity and can constitute a reference for future mesoscale meteorological modelling exercises.

Breaking through the false coincidence barrier in electron–ion coincidence experiments

DOE PAGES

Osborn, David L.; Hayden, Carl C.; Hemberger, Patrick; ...

2016-10-31

Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence (PEPICO) spectroscopy holds the promise of a universal, isomer-selective, and sensitive analytical technique for time-resolved quantitative analysis of bimolecular chemical reactions. Unfortunately, its low dynamic range of ~10 3 has largely precluded its use for this purpose, where a dynamic range of at least 10 5 is generally required. This limitation is due to the false coincidence background common to all coincidence experiments, especially at high count rates. Electron/ion pairs emanating from separate ionization events but arriving within the ion time of flight (TOF) range of interest constitute the false coincidence background. Although this background has uniformmore » intensity at every m/z value, the Poisson scatter in the false coincidence background obscures small signals. In this paper, temporal ion deflection coupled with a position-sensitive ion detector enables suppression of the false coincidence background, increasing the dynamic range in the PEPICO TOF mass spectrum by 2–3 orders of magnitude. The ions experience a time-dependent electric deflection field at a well-defined fraction of their time of flight. This deflection defines an m/z- and ionization-time dependent ion impact position for true coincidences, whereas false coincidences appear randomly outside this region and can be efficiently suppressed. When cold argon clusters are ionized, false coincidence suppression allows us to observe species up to Ar 9 +, whereas Ar 4 + is the largest observable cluster under traditional operation. As a result, this advance provides mass-selected photoelectron spectra for fast, high sensitivity quantitative analysis of reacting systems.« less

Gold nanoparticle-enhanced target (AuNPET) as universal solution for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry analysis and imaging of low molecular weight compounds.

PubMed

Sekuła, Justyna; Nizioł, Joanna; Rode, Wojciech; Ruman, Tomasz

2015-05-22

Preparation is described of a durable surface of cationic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), covering commercial and custom-made MALDI targets, along with characterization of the nanoparticle surface properties and examples of the use in MS analyses and MS imaging (IMS) of low molecular weight (LMW) organic compounds. Tested compounds include nucleosides, saccharides, amino acids, glycosides, and nucleic bases for MS measurements, as well as over one hundred endogenous compounds in imaging experiment. The nanoparticles covering target plate were enriched in sodium in order to promote sodium-adduct formation. The new surface allows fast analysis, high sensitivity of detection and high mass determination accuracy. Example of application of new Au nanoparticle-enhanced target for fast and simple MS imaging of a fingerprint is also presented. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advanced nursing training in health policy: designing and implementing a new program.

PubMed

Harrington, Charlene; Crider, Mark C; Benner, Patricia E; Malone, Ruth E

2005-05-01

Although the nursing profession has a growing role in the health policy arena, the rapidly changing health care environment means that clinicians need a sophisticated understanding of health policy. Nurses are assuming leadership roles in advocacy, research, analysis, and policy development, implementation, and evaluation, contributing to a growing need to educate nurses to specialize in health policy research and analysis. This article provides an overview of a new master's and doctoral educational program specializing in health policy for advanced practice nurses who are culturally diverse and sensitive to issues of diversity. The program, currently in its third year of operation at the University of California San Francisco, School of Nursing, is addressing the gap in nursing education and practice expertise in health policy. The program is supported through funding by the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, Advanced Nurse Training program.

Using Dynamic Sensitivity Analysis to Assess Testability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voas, Jeffrey; Morell, Larry; Miller, Keith

1990-01-01

This paper discusses sensitivity analysis and its relationship to random black box testing. Sensitivity analysis estimates the impact that a programming fault at a particular location would have on the program's input/output behavior. Locations that are relatively \\"insensitive" to faults can render random black box testing unlikely to uncover programming faults. Therefore, sensitivity analysis gives new insight when interpreting random black box testing results. Although sensitivity analysis is computationally intensive, it requires no oracle and no human intervention.

Advancing precision cosmology with 21 cm intensity mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masui, Kiyoshi Wesley

In this thesis we make progress toward establishing the observational method of 21 cm intensity mapping as a sensitive and efficient method for mapping the large-scale structure of the Universe. In Part I we undertake theoretical studies to better understand the potential of intensity mapping. This includes forecasting the ability of intensity mapping experiments to constrain alternative explanations to dark energy for the Universe's accelerated expansion. We also considered how 21 cm observations of the neutral gas in the early Universe (after recombination but before reionization) could be used to detect primordial gravity waves, thus providing a window into cosmological inflation. Finally we showed that scientifically interesting measurements could in principle be performed using intensity mapping in the near term, using existing telescopes in pilot surveys or prototypes for larger dedicated surveys. Part II describes observational efforts to perform some of the first measurements using 21 cm intensity mapping. We develop a general data analysis pipeline for analyzing intensity mapping data from single dish radio telescopes. We then apply the pipeline to observations using the Green Bank Telescope. By cross-correlating the intensity mapping survey with a traditional galaxy redshift survey we put a lower bound on the amplitude of the 21 cm signal. The auto-correlation provides an upper bound on the signal amplitude and we thus constrain the signal from both above and below. This pilot survey represents a pioneering effort in establishing 21 cm intensity mapping as a probe of the Universe.

A parallel and sensitive software tool for methylation analysis on multicore platforms.

PubMed

Tárraga, Joaquín; Pérez, Mariano; Orduña, Juan M; Duato, José; Medina, Ignacio; Dopazo, Joaquín

2015-10-01

DNA methylation analysis suffers from very long processing time, as the advent of Next-Generation Sequencers has shifted the bottleneck of genomic studies from the sequencers that obtain the DNA samples to the software that performs the analysis of these samples. The existing software for methylation analysis does not seem to scale efficiently neither with the size of the dataset nor with the length of the reads to be analyzed. As it is expected that the sequencers will provide longer and longer reads in the near future, efficient and scalable methylation software should be developed. We present a new software tool, called HPG-Methyl, which efficiently maps bisulphite sequencing reads on DNA, analyzing DNA methylation. The strategy used by this software consists of leveraging the speed of the Burrows-Wheeler Transform to map a large number of DNA fragments (reads) rapidly, as well as the accuracy of the Smith-Waterman algorithm, which is exclusively employed to deal with the most ambiguous and shortest reads. Experimental results on platforms with Intel multicore processors show that HPG-Methyl significantly outperforms in both execution time and sensitivity state-of-the-art software such as Bismark, BS-Seeker or BSMAP, particularly for long bisulphite reads. Software in the form of C libraries and functions, together with instructions to compile and execute this software. Available by sftp to anonymous@clariano.uv.es (password 'anonymous'). juan.orduna@uv.es or jdopazo@cipf.es. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Chemometrics-enhanced high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection strategy for simultaneous determination of eight co-eluted compounds in ten kinds of Chinese teas using second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition algorithm.

PubMed

Yin, Xiao-Li; Wu, Hai-Long; Gu, Hui-Wen; Zhang, Xiao-Hua; Sun, Yan-Mei; Hu, Yong; Liu, Lu; Rong, Qi-Ming; Yu, Ru-Qin

2014-10-17

In this work, an attractive chemometrics-enhanced high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) strategy was proposed for simultaneous and fast determination of eight co-eluted compounds including gallic acid, caffeine and six catechins in ten kinds of Chinese teas by using second-order calibration method based on alternating trilinear decomposition (ATLD) algorithm. This new strategy proved to be a useful tool for handling the co-eluted peaks, uncalibrated interferences and baseline drifts existing in the process of chromatographic separation, which benefited from the "second-order advantages", making the determination of gallic acid, caffeine and six catechins in tea infusions within 8 min under a simple mobile phase condition. The average recoveries of the analytes on two selected tea samples ranged from 91.7 to 103.1% with standard deviations (SD) ranged from 1.9 to 11.9%. Figures of merit including sensitivity (SEN), selectivity (SEL), root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP) and limit of detection (LOD) have been calculated to validate the accuracy of the proposed method. To further confirm the reliability of the method, a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method based on LC-MS/MS was employed for comparison and the obtained results of both methods were consistent with each other. Furthermore, as a universal strategy, this new proposed analytical method was applied for the determination of gallic acid, caffeine and catechins in several other kinds of Chinese teas, including different levels and varieties. Finally, based on the quantitative results, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to conduct a cluster analysis for these Chinese teas. The green tea, Oolong tea and Pu-erh raw tea samples were classified successfully. All results demonstrated that the proposed method is accurate, sensitive, fast, universal and ideal for the rapid, routine analysis and discrimination of gallic acid, caffeine and catechins in Chinese tea samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The utility of the bifactor model in understanding unique components of anxiety sensitivity in a South Korean sample.

PubMed

Ebesutani, Chad; Kim, Mirihae; Park, Hee-Hoon

2016-08-01

The present study was the first to examine the applicability of the bifactor structure underlying the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3) in an East Asian (South Korean) sample and to determine which factors in the bifactor model were significantly associated with anxiety, depression, and negative affect. Using a sample of 289 South Korean university students, we compared (a) the original 3-factor AS model, (b) a 3-group bifactor AS model, and (c) a 2-group bifactor AS model (with only the physical and social concern group factors present). Results revealed that the 2-group bifactor AS model fit the ASI-3 data the best. Relatedly, although all ASI-3 items loaded on the general AS factor, the Cognitive Concern group factor was not defined in the bifactor model and may therefore need to be omitted in order to accurately model AS when conducting factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) in cross cultural contexts. SEM results also revealed that the general AS factor was the only factor from the 2-group bifactor model that significantly predicted anxiety, depression, and negative affect. Implications and importance of this new bifactor structure of Anxiety Sensitivity in East Asian samples are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resuscitation of neonates at 23 weeks' gestational age: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Partridge, J Colin; Robertson, Kathryn R; Rogers, Elizabeth E; Landman, Geri Ottaviano; Allen, Allison J; Caughey, Aaron B

2015-01-01

Resuscitation of infants at 23 weeks' gestation remains controversial; clinical practices vary. We sought to investigate the cost effectiveness of resuscitation of infants born 23 0/7-23 6/7 weeks' gestation. Decision-analytic modeling comparing universal and selective resuscitation to non-resuscitation for 5176 live births at 23 weeks in a theoretic U.S. cohort. Estimates of death (77%) and disability (64-86%) were taken from the literature. Maternal and combined maternal-neonatal utilities were applied to discounted life expectancy to generate QALYs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated, discounting costs and QALYs. Main outcomes included number of survivors, their outcome status and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the three strategies. A cost-effectiveness threshold of $100 000/QALY was utilized. Universal resuscitation would save 1059 infants: 138 severely disabled, 413 moderately impaired and 508 without significant sequelae. Selective resuscitation would save 717 infants: 93 severely disabled, 279 moderately impaired and 343 without significant sequelae. For mothers, non-resuscitation is less expensive ($19.9 million) and more effective (127 844 mQALYs) than universal resuscitation ($1.2 billion; 126 574 mQALYs) or selective resuscitation ($845 million; 125 966 mQALYs). For neonates, both universal and selective resuscitation were cost-effective, resulting in 22 256 and 15 134 nQALYS, respectively, versus 247 nQALYs for non-resuscitation. In sensitivity analyses, universal resuscitation was cost-effective from a maternal perspective only at utilities for neonatal death <0.42. When analyzed from a maternal-neonatal perspective, universal resuscitation was cost-effective when the probability of neonatal death was <0.95. Over wide ranges of probabilities for survival and disability, universal and selective resuscitation strategies were not cost-effective from a maternal perspective. Both strategies were cost-effective from a maternal-neonatal perspective. This study offers a metric for counseling and decision-making for extreme prematurity. Our results could support a more permissive response to parental requests for aggressive intervention at 23 weeks' gestation.

Probabilistic sensitivity analysis incorporating the bootstrap: an example comparing treatments for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

PubMed

Pasta, D J; Taylor, J L; Henning, J M

1999-01-01

Decision-analytic models are frequently used to evaluate the relative costs and benefits of alternative therapeutic strategies for health care. Various types of sensitivity analysis are used to evaluate the uncertainty inherent in the models. Although probabilistic sensitivity analysis is more difficult theoretically and computationally, the results can be much more powerful and useful than deterministic sensitivity analysis. The authors show how a Monte Carlo simulation can be implemented using standard software to perform a probabilistic sensitivity analysis incorporating the bootstrap. The method is applied to a decision-analytic model evaluating the cost-effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication. The necessary steps are straightforward and are described in detail. The use of the bootstrap avoids certain difficulties encountered with theoretical distributions. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis provided insights into the decision-analytic model beyond the traditional base-case and deterministic sensitivity analyses and should become the standard method for assessing sensitivity.

Data Quality Software for the South Pole Telescope

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

Cotter, Cory; Besnon, Brad; Anderson, Adam

2017-01-01

The South Pole Telescope (SPT) observes the cosmic microwave background in order to answer questions such as how old is the universe, what is the universe made of, and how has the universe evolved. The telescope is in its third generation of upgrades (SPT-3G), but much work has yet to be done to reach full operating capabilities. When fully deployed, it will increase the mapping speed by a factor of 20 over the previous receiver and increase sensitivity significantly. SPT-3G is observing for four years from 2016 to 2019.

Generalized Self-Organizing Maps for Automatic Determination of the Number of Clusters and Their Multiprototypes in Cluster Analysis.

PubMed

Gorzalczany, Marian B; Rudzinski, Filip

2017-06-07

This paper presents a generalization of self-organizing maps with 1-D neighborhoods (neuron chains) that can be effectively applied to complex cluster analysis problems. The essence of the generalization consists in introducing mechanisms that allow the neuron chain--during learning--to disconnect into subchains, to reconnect some of the subchains again, and to dynamically regulate the overall number of neurons in the system. These features enable the network--working in a fully unsupervised way (i.e., using unlabeled data without a predefined number of clusters)--to automatically generate collections of multiprototypes that are able to represent a broad range of clusters in data sets. First, the operation of the proposed approach is illustrated on some synthetic data sets. Then, this technique is tested using several real-life, complex, and multidimensional benchmark data sets available from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Machine Learning repository and the Knowledge Extraction based on Evolutionary Learning data set repository. A sensitivity analysis of our approach to changes in control parameters and a comparative analysis with an alternative approach are also performed.

Costs and clinical outcomes of primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding in patients with hepatic cirrhosis: a decision analytic model.

PubMed

Saab, Sammy; DeRosa, Vincent; Nieto, Jose; Durazo, Francisco; Han, Steven; Roth, Bennett

2003-04-01

Current guidelines recommend upper endoscopic screening for patients with hepatic cirrhosis and primary prophylaxis with a nonselective beta-blocker for those with large varices. However, only 25% of cirrhotics develop large varices. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the most cost-effective approach for primary prophylaxis of variceal hemorrhage. Using a Markov model, we compared the costs and clinical outcomes of three strategies for primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding. In the first strategy, patients were given a beta-blocker without undergoing upper endoscopy. In the second strategy, patients underwent upper endoscopic screening; those found to have large varices were treated with a beta-blocker. In the third strategy, no prophylaxis was used. Selected sensitivity analyses were performed to validate outcomes. Our results show screening prophylaxis was associated with a cost of $37,300 and 5.72 quality-adjusted life yr (QALYs). Universal prophylaxis was associated with a cost of $34,100 and 6.65 QALYs. The no prophylaxis strategy was associated with a cost of $36,600 and 4.84 QALYs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $800/QALY for the endoscopic strategy relative to the no prophylaxis strategy. Screening endoscopy was cost saving when the compliance, bleed risk without beta-blocker, and variceal bleed costs were increased, and when the discount rate, bleed risk on beta-blockers, and cost of upper endoscopy were decreased. In contrast, the universal prophylaxis strategy was persistently cost saving relative to the no prophylaxis strategy. In comparing the strategies, sensitivity analysis on the death rates from variceal hemorrhage did not alter outcomes. Our results provide economic and clinical support for primary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal bleeding in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. Universal prophylaxis with beta-blocker is preferred because it is consistently associated with the lowest costs and highest QALYs.

The Health Economic Impact of Universal Infant Vaccination with the 10-Valent Pneumococcal Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Protein D Conjugate Vaccine as Compared with 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lee, Kenneth K C; Chia Wu, David Bin; Topachevskyi, Oleksandr; Delgleize, Emmanuelle; DeAntonio, Rodrigo

2013-05-01

Pneumococcal universal vaccination in Hong Kong was introduced in 2009. We assessed the health and economic impact of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PCV-10) compared with the current 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) recommended for Hong Kong in 2011, providing new elements to be considered by public health authorities in the future decision-making process for pneumococcal vaccines in this country. An analytical model was used to estimate the annual economic and health outcomes of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), community-acquired pneumonia, and acute otitis media (AOM), including nontypeable H. influenzae-related AOM, for a birth cohort in Hong Kong from the payer perspective with a 10-year horizon. Clinical impact including morbidity-mortality, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental costs, and cost-effectiveness comparing PCV-10 and PCV-13 were estimated. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses by using alternate scenarios were performed. Model projections indicate that PCV-13 and PCV-10 have approximately equivalent impact on the prevention of deaths caused by IPD and pneumonia. PCV-13 is projected to prevent 6 additional cases of IPD, whereas PCV-10 is projected to prevent 13,229 additional AOM cases and 101 additional QALYs. For the base case, PCV-10 vaccination is estimated to save 44.6 million Hong Kong dollars (34.1 million Hong Kong dollars discounted). Sensitivity analysis indicated that PCV-10 would generate more QALYs and save costs as compared with PCV-13. Universal infant vaccination with new available pneumococcal vaccines is expected to generate a significant additional impact on reducing the burden of pneumococcal diseases in Hong Kong. PCV-10 vaccination would be potentially a cost-saving strategy compared with PCV-13 vaccination, generating better cost offsets and higher QALY gains. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessing mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures by qPCR using a set of universal primer pairs targeting a 1.5 kb fragment of 16S rRNA genes

PubMed Central

Jean, Audrey; Tardy, Florence; Allatif, Omran; Grosjean, Isabelle; Blanquier, Bariza

2017-01-01

Mycoplasmas (a generic name for Mollicutes) are a predominant bacterial contaminant of cell culture and cell derived products including viruses. This prokaryote class is characterized by very small size and lack of a cell wall. Consequently, mycoplasmas escape ultrafiltration and visualization under routine microscopic examination, hence the ease with which cells in culture can be contaminated, with routinely more than 10% of cell lines being contaminated. Mycoplasma are a formidable threat both in fundamental research by perverting a whole range of cell properties and functions and in the pharmacological use of cells and cell derived products. Although many methods have been developed, there is still a need for a sensitive, universal assay. Here is reported the development and validation of a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) based on the amplification of a 1.5 kb fragment covering the 16S rDNA of the Mollicute class by real-time PCR using universal U1 and U8 degenerate primers. The method includes the addition of a DNA loading probe to each sample to monitor DNA extraction and the absence of PCR inhibitors in the extracted DNA, a positive mycoplasma 16S rDNA traceable reference sample to exclude any accidental contamination of an unknown sample with this reference DNA, an analysis procedure based on the examination of the melting curve and the size of the PCR amplicon, followed by quantification of the number of 16S rDNA copies (with a lower limit of 19 copies) when relevant, and, if useful, the identification of the contaminating prokaryote by sequencing. The method was validated on a collection of mycoplasma strains and by testing over 100 samples of unknown contamination status including stocks of viruses requiring biosafety level 2, 3 or 4 containments. When compared to four established methods, the m16S_qPCR technique exhibits the highest sensitivity in detecting mycoplasma contamination. PMID:28225826

Automated J wave detection from digital 12-lead electrocardiogram.

PubMed

Wang, Yi Grace; Wu, Hau-Tieng; Daubechies, Ingrid; Li, Yabing; Estes, E Harvey; Soliman, Elsayed Z

2015-01-01

In this report we provide a method for automated detection of J wave, defined as a notch or slur in the descending slope of the terminal positive wave of the QRS complex, using signal processing and functional data analysis techniques. Two different sets of ECG tracings were selected from the EPICARE ECG core laboratory, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC. The first set was a training set comprised of 100 ECGs of which 50 ECGs had J-wave and the other 50 did not. The second set was a test set (n=116 ECGs) in which the J-wave status (present/absent) was only known by the ECG Center staff. All ECGs were recorded using GE MAC 1200 (GE Marquette, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) at 10mm/mV calibration, speed of 25mm/s and 500HZ sampling rate. All ECGs were initially inspected visually for technical errors and inadequate quality, and then automatically processed with the GE Marquette 12-SL program 2001 version (GE Marquette, Milwaukee, WI). We excluded ECG tracings with major abnormalities or rhythm disorder. Confirmation of the presence or absence of a J wave was done visually by the ECG Center staff and verified once again by three of the coauthors. There was no disagreement in the identification of the J wave state. The signal processing and functional data analysis techniques applied to the ECGs were conducted at Duke University and the University of Toronto. In the training set, the automated detection had sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 94%. For the test set, sensitivity was 89% and specificity was 86%. In conclusion, test results of the automated method we developed show a good J wave detection accuracy, suggesting possible utility of this approach for defining and detection of other complex ECG waveforms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine introduction in the universal immunization schedule in Haryana State, India.

PubMed

Gupta, Madhu; Prinja, Shankar; Kumar, Rajesh; Kaur, Manmeet

2013-01-01

In India, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine introduction in the universal immunization programme requires evidence of its potential health impact and cost-effectiveness, as it is a costly vaccine. Since childhood mortality, vaccination coverage and health service utilization vary across states, the cost-effectiveness of introducing Hib vaccine was studied in Haryana state. A mathematical model was used to compare scenarios with and without Hib vaccination to estimate the cost-effectiveness of Hib vaccine in Haryana from 2010 to 2024. Demographic and National Family Health Surveys were used to estimate vaccination coverage and mortality rates among children under 5. Hib pneumonia, Hib meningitis and invasive Hib disease incidence were based on Indian studies. Vaccine and syringe prices of the UNICEF supply division were used. Cost-effectiveness from government and societal perspectives was calculated as the net incremental cost per unit of health benefit gained [disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted, life years saved, Hib cases averted, Hib deaths averted]. Sensitivity analysis was done using variation in parameter estimates among different states of India. The incremental cost of Hib vaccine introduction from a government and a societal perspective was estimated to be US$81.4 and US$27.5 million, respectively, from 2010 to 2024. Vaccination of 73.3, 71.6 and 67.4 million children with first, second and third dose of pentavalent vaccine, respectively, would avert 7 067 817 cases, 31 331 deaths and 994 564 DALYs. Incremental cost per DALY averted from a government (US$819) and a societal perspective (US$277) was found to be less than the per capita gross national income of India in 2009. In sensitivity analysis, Hib vaccine introduction remained cost-effective for India. Hib vaccine introduction is a cost-effective strategy in India.

In and out of the Cross-Cultural Classroom Closet: Negotiating Queer Teacher Identity and Culturally Diverse Cohorts in an Australian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Rebecca; Hill, Braden; Jones, Angela

2015-01-01

There is a gap in queer theory and higher education literature, regarding how queer university teachers negotiate their sexuality in cross-cultural classrooms. This article moves to address this gap by examining the complex intersection between gay teacher identity and cross-cultural sensitivity, evident in the stories of two queer academics.…

Clinical inquiries: which women should we screen for gestational diabetes mellitus?

PubMed

Namak, Shahla; Lord, Richard W; Zolotor, Adam J; Kramer, Rochelle

2010-08-01

It's unclear which women we should screen. No randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrate that either universal screening or risk factor screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevents maternal and fetal adverse outcomes. That said, the common practice of universal screening is more sensitive than screening based on risk factors. Historic risk factors are poor predictors of GDM in a current pregnancy.

How Australian and New Zealand schools of optometry prepare students for culturally competent practice.

PubMed

Truong, Mandy; Bentley, Sharon A; Napper, Genevieve A; Guest, Daryl J; Anjou, Mitchell D

2014-11-01

This study is an investigation of how Australian and New Zealand schools of optometry prepare students for culturally competent practice. The aims are: (1) to review how optometric courses and educators teach and prepare their students to work with culturally diverse patients; and (2) to determine the demographic characteristics of current optometric students and obtain their views on cultural diversity. All Australian and New Zealand schools of optometry were invited to participate in the study. Data were collected with two surveys: a curriculum survey about the content of the optometric courses in relation to cultural competency issues and a survey for second year optometry students containing questions in relation to cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity and attitudes to cultural diversity. Four schools of optometry participated in the curriculum survey (Deakin University, Flinders University, University of Melbourne and University of New South Wales). Sixty-three students (22.3 per cent) from these four schools as well as the University of Auckland participated in the student survey. Cultural competency training was reported to be included in the curriculum of some schools, to varying degrees in terms of structure, content, teaching method and hours of teaching. Among second year optometry students across Australia and New Zealand, training in cultural diversity issues was the strongest predictor of cultural awareness and sensitivity after adjusting for school, age, gender, country of birth and language other than English. This study provides some evidence that previous cultural competency-related training is associated with better cultural awareness and sensitivity among optometric students. The variable approaches to cultural competency training reported by the schools of optometry participating in the study suggest that there may be opportunity for further development in all schools to consider best practice training in cultural competency. © 2014 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2014 Optometrists Association Australia.

Flaxseed supplementation on glucose control and insulin sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

PubMed

Mohammadi-Sartang, Mohsen; Sohrabi, Zahra; Barati-Boldaji, Reza; Raeisi-Dehkordi, Hamidreza; Mazloom, Zohreh

2018-02-01

The results of human clinical trials investigating the effects of flaxseed on glucose control and insulin sensitivity are inconsistent. The present study aimed to systematically review and analyze randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of flaxseed consumption on glycemic control. PubMed, Medline via Ovid, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and ISI Web of Sciences databases were searched up to November 2016. Clinical trials in which flaxseed or its products were administered as an intervention were included. The outcomes were fasting blood glucose, insulin concentration, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), insulin sensitivity (QUIKI), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). A total of 25 randomized clinical trials (30 treatment arms) were included. Meta-analysis suggested a significant association between flaxseed supplementation and a reduction in blood glucose (weighted mean difference [WMD], -2.94 mg/dL; 95%CI,  -5.31 to - 0.56; P = 0.015), insulin levels (WMD,  -7.32 pmol/L; 95%CI, -11.66 to -2.97; P = 0.001), and HOMA-IR index (WMD, -0.49; 95%CI,: -0.78 to - 0.20; P = 0.001) and an increase in QUIKI index (WMD, 0.019; 95%CI, 0.008-0.031; P = 0.001). No significant effect on HbA1c (WMD, -0.045%; 95%CI, -0.16 to - 0.07; P = 0.468) was found. In subgroup analysis, a significant reduction in blood glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR and a significant increase in QUIKI were found only in studies using whole flaxseed but not flaxseed oil and lignan extract. Furthermore, a significant reduction was observed in insulin levels and insulin sensitivity indexes only in the subset of trials lasting ≥12 weeks. Whole flaxseed, but not flaxseed oil and lignan extract, has significant effects on improving glycemic control. Further studies are needed to determine the benefits of flaxseed on glycemic parameters. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Prevalence of undiagnosed asymptomatic bacteriuria and associated risk factors during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study at two tertiary centres in Cairo, Egypt

PubMed Central

Abdel-Aziz Elzayat, Mohamed; Barnett-Vanes, Ashton; Dabour, Mohamed Farag Elmorsy; Cheng, Feng

2017-01-01

Background The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) during pregnancy is poorly understood in Egypt—a country with a high birth rate. Objectives To determine the prevalence of ASB among pregnant women booking at El Hussein and Sayed Galal Hospitals in Al-Azhar University in Egypt; and to observe the relationship between ASB prevalence and risk factors such as socioeconomic level and personal hygiene. Setting Obstetrics and gynaecology clinics of 2 university hospitals in the capital of Egypt. Both hospitals are teaching and referral hospitals receiving referrals from across over the country. They operate specialist antenatal clinics 6 days per week. Participants A cross-sectional study combining the use of questionnaires and laboratory analysis was conducted in 171 pregnant women with no signs or symptoms of urinary tract infection (1 case was excluded). Samples of clean catch midstream urine were collected and cultured using quantitative urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed. Results Of 171 pregnant women, 1 case was excluded; 17 cases (10%, 95% CI 5.93% to 15.53%) were positive for ASB. There was a statistically significant relation between the direction of washing genitals and sexual activity per week—and ASB. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacteria followed by Klebsiella. Nitrofurantoin showed 100% sensitivity, while 88% of the isolates were resistant to cephalexin. Conclusions The prevalence of ASB seen in pregnant women in 2 tertiary hospitals in Egypt was 10%. E. coli and Klebsiella are the common organisms isolated. The direction of washing genitals and sexual activity significantly influences the risk of ASB. Pregnant women should be screened early for ASB during pregnancy; appropriate treatment should be given for positive cases according to antibiotic sensitivity screening. Cephalexin is likely to be of limited use in this management. PMID:28325856

Prevalence of undiagnosed asymptomatic bacteriuria and associated risk factors during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study at two tertiary centres in Cairo, Egypt.

PubMed

Abdel-Aziz Elzayat, Mohamed; Barnett-Vanes, Ashton; Dabour, Mohamed Farag Elmorsy; Cheng, Feng

2017-03-21

The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) during pregnancy is poorly understood in Egypt-a country with a high birth rate. To determine the prevalence of ASB among pregnant women booking at El Hussein and Sayed Galal Hospitals in Al-Azhar University in Egypt; and to observe the relationship between ASB prevalence and risk factors such as socioeconomic level and personal hygiene. Obstetrics and gynaecology clinics of 2 university hospitals in the capital of Egypt. Both hospitals are teaching and referral hospitals receiving referrals from across over the country. They operate specialist antenatal clinics 6 days per week. A cross-sectional study combining the use of questionnaires and laboratory analysis was conducted in 171 pregnant women with no signs or symptoms of urinary tract infection (1 case was excluded). Samples of clean catch midstream urine were collected and cultured using quantitative urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed. Of 171 pregnant women, 1 case was excluded; 17 cases (10%, 95% CI 5.93% to 15.53%) were positive for ASB. There was a statistically significant relation between the direction of washing genitals and sexual activity per week-and ASB. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacteria followed by Klebsiella . Nitrofurantoin showed 100% sensitivity, while 88% of the isolates were resistant to cephalexin. The prevalence of ASB seen in pregnant women in 2 tertiary hospitals in Egypt was 10%. E. coli and Klebsiella are the common organisms isolated. The direction of washing genitals and sexual activity significantly influences the risk of ASB. Pregnant women should be screened early for ASB during pregnancy; appropriate treatment should be given for positive cases according to antibiotic sensitivity screening. Cephalexin is likely to be of limited use in this management. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The progressivity of health-care financing in Kenya.

PubMed

Munge, Kenneth; Briggs, Andrew Harvey

2014-10-01

Health-care financing should be equitable. In many developing countries such as Kenya, changes to health-care financing systems are being implemented as a means of providing equitable access to health care with the aim of attaining universal coverage. Vertical equity means that people of dissimilar ability to pay make dissimilar levels of contribution to the health-care financing system. Vertical equity can be analysed by measuring progressivity. The aim of this study was to analyse progressivity by measuring deviations from proportionality in the relationship between sources of health-care financing and ability to pay using Kakwani indices applied to data from the Kenya Household Health Utilisation and Expenditure Survey 2007. Concentration indices and Kakwani indices were obtained for the sources of health-care financing: direct and indirect taxes, out of pocket (OOP) payments, private insurance contributions and contributions to the National Hospital Insurance Fund. The bootstrap method was used to analyse the sensitivity of the Kakwani index to changes in the equivalence scale or the use of an alternative measure of ability to pay. The overall health-care financing system was regressive. Out of pocket payments were regressive with all other payments being proportional. Direct taxes, indirect taxes and private insurance premiums were sensitive to the use of income as an alternative measure of ability to pay. However, the overall finding of a regressive health-care system remained. Reforms to the Kenyan health-care financing system are required to reduce dependence on out of pocket payments. The bootstrap method can be used in determining the sensitivity of the Kakwani index to various assumptions made in the analysis. Further analyses are required to determine the equity of health-care utilization and the effect of proposed reforms on overall equity of the Kenyan health-care system. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

On the sensitivity of mesoscale models to surface-layer parameterization constants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Pielke, R. A.

1989-09-01

The Colorado State University standard mesoscale model is used to evaluate the sensitivity of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) fields to differences in surface-layer parameterization “constants”. Such differences reflect the range in the published values of the von Karman constant, Monin-Obukhov stability functions and the temperature roughness length at the surface. The sensitivity of 1D boundary-layer structure, and 2D sea-breeze intensity, is generally less than that found in published comparisons related to turbulence closure schemes generally.

Intercultural Sensitivity Levels of Turkish Pre-Service Foreign Language Teachers: Examples from Education Faculties of Two Universities in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yetis, Veda Aslim; Kurt, Çigdem

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine whether intercultural sensitivity levels vary among foreign language teacher candidates in terms of variables such as target language, year of study (grade), and gender in both intra and inters programs. Research sample consists of 1,049 Turkish freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior foreign language teacher…

Hyperion 5113/GP Infrasound Sensor Evaluation.

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

Merchant, Bion J.

2015-08-01

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated an infrasound sensor, the 5113/GP manufactured by Hyperion. These infrasound sensors measure pressure output by a methodology developed by the University of Mississippi. The purpose of the infrasound sensor evaluation was to determine a measured sensitivity, transfer function, power, self-noise, dynamic range, and seismic sensitivity. These sensors are being evaluated prior to deployment by the U.S. Air Force.

The relations between secrecy, rejection sensitivity and autonomy-connectedness.

PubMed

Wismeijer, Andreas A J; Van Assen, Marcel A L M; Bekker, Marrie H J

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of two attachment-related variables on secrecy: rejection sensitivity and autonomy-connectedness. We hypothesized that rejection sensitivity is positively associated with secrecy, and autonomy-connectedness negatively with rejection sensitivity and secrecy. These hypotheses were generally corroborated in a sample of 303 university students. Moreover, we found that autonomy-connectedness at least partly explained the association between rejection sensitivity and secrecy. Self-awareness was negatively related to secrecy, suggesting that being aware of what one needs and thinks and being able to realize one's needs in social interactions reduce the tendency to keep secrets. In addition, interesting gender effects were found suggesting that men have a higher tendency to have secrets than women after controlling for the effects of autonomy-connectedness and rejection sensitivity. Our findings deepen the insight into possible reasons behind established associations between rejection sensitivity and secrecy, and may have clinical implications.

Dendroagricultural Signal in Algeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Touchan, R.; Kherchouche, D.; Anchukaitis, K. J.; Oudjehih, B.; Touchane, H.; Slimani, S.; Meko, D. M.

2015-12-01

Dalila Kherchouche2, Kevin J. Anchukaitis3, Bachir Oudjehih2, Hayat Touchan4, Said Slimani5, and David M. Meko1Drought is one of the main natural factors in declining tree-ring growth and the production of agricultural crops in Algeria. Here we will address the variability of growing conditions for wheat in Algeria with climatic data and a tree-ring reconstruction of January-June precipitation from ten Pinus halepensis tree-ring chronologies. A regression-based reconstruction equation explains up to 74% of the variance of precipitation in the 1970-2011 calibration period and cross validates well. Classification of dry years by the 30% percentile of observed precipitation (131 mm) yields a maximum length of drought of five years (1877-1881) and increasing frequency of dry years in the late 20th and early 21stcenturies. A correlation-based sensitivity analysis shows a similar pattern of dependence of tree-growth and wheat production on monthly and seasonal precipitation, but contrasting patterns of dependence on temperature. The patterns are interpreted by reference to phenology, growth phases, and - for wheat agricultural practices. We apply these interpretations to understand possible impacts of climate variability on the agricultural productivity of past civilizations in the Mediterranean. 2Institute of Veterinary and Agronomy Sciences, The University Hadj-Lakhdar, Batna 05000, Algeria, d.kherchouche@yahoo.fr and oudjehihbachir@yahoo.fr3University of Arizona, ENR2 Building, 1064 E Lowell Street, PO Box 210137, Tucson, AZ 85721-0137, kanchukaitis@email.arizona.edu4Faculty of Agriculture, University of Aleppo, Aleppo-Syria, dr.htouchan@gmail.com5Faculty of Biological Sciences and Agronomy, The University Mouloud Mammeri, Tizi Ouzou 15000, Algeria, slimanisaid@yahoo.fr1Laboratory of Tree Ring Research, The University of Arizona, 1215 E. Lowell St. Bldg. 45B, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA, dmeko@ltrr.arizona.edu

The price sensitivity of Medicare beneficiaries: a regression discontinuity approach.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Thomas C; Grazier, Kyle; Hirth, Richard A; Okeke, Edward N

2013-01-01

We use 4 years of data from the retiree health benefits program of the University of Michigan to estimate the effect of price on the health plan choices of Medicare beneficiaries. During the period of our analysis, changes in the University's premium contribution rules led to substantial price changes. A key feature of this 'natural experiment' is that individuals who had retired before a certain date were exempted from having to pay any premium contributions. This 'grandfathering' creates quasi-experimental variation that is ideal for estimating the effect of price. Using regression discontinuity methods, we compare the plan choices of individuals who retired just after the grandfathering cutoff date and were therefore exposed to significant price changes to the choices of a 'control group' of individuals who retired just before that date and therefore did not experience the price changes. The results indicate a statistically significant effect of price, with a $10 increase in monthly premium contributions leading to a 2 to 3 percentage point decrease in a plan's market share. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

CTS focus about the information and communication technologies on the development of Angola

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrocínio, Gilberto; Ferreira, Orlando Rodrigues; Schimiguel, Juliano; Silveira, Ismar; Voelzke, Marcos Rincon

2012-10-01

This paper aims at developing a systematic analysis on the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Distance Learning in the development of Angola. Currently Angola as one of the most important African countries, the protagonist of the African Union (AU), is in extensive development and rebuilding themselves socially, economically and politically. In the process, Education becomes essential and, together with a proposal to insert through the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), proceeds to the achievement of a future process where science and technology apply in favor of a society, a real action CTS. In this effort we analyzed the most sensitive aspects of the Angolan reality, trying to identify the main points that require dependence on imports in the ICT sector, were also exposed fundamental strategies and initiatives for the implementation of an ICT industry in Angola. It also presented the main center of the Angolan Network for Distance Learning (NDL) and its major partners. And as a proposed application, was taken into consideration the statement of partnership between Southern Cross University and the University Agostinho Neto (UAN) for Distance Education.

Detection prospects for high energy neutrino sources from the anisotropic matter distribution in the local Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mertsch, Philipp; Rameez, Mohamed; Tamborra, Irene

2017-03-01

Constraints on the number and luminosity of the sources of the cosmic neutrinos detected by IceCube have been set by targeted searches for point sources. We set complementary constraints by using the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS) catalogue, which maps the matter distribution of the local Universe. Assuming that the distribution of the neutrino sources follows that of matter, we look for correlations between ``warm'' spots on the IceCube skymap and the 2MRS matter distribution. Through Monte Carlo simulations of the expected number of neutrino multiplets and careful modelling of the detector performance (including that of IceCube-Gen2), we demonstrate that sources with local density exceeding 10-6 Mpc-3 and neutrino luminosity Lν lesssim 1042 erg s-1 (1041 erg s-1) will be efficiently revealed by our method using IceCube (IceCube-Gen2). At low luminosities such as will be probed by IceCube-Gen2, the sensitivity of this analysis is superior to requiring statistically significant direct observation of a point source.

Uncooled thermal imaging and image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shiyun; Chang, Benkang; Yu, Chunyu; Zhang, Junju; Sun, Lianjun

2006-09-01

Thermal imager can transfer difference of temperature to difference of electric signal level, so can be application to medical treatment such as estimation of blood flow speed and vessel 1ocation [1], assess pain [2] and so on. With the technology of un-cooled focal plane array (UFPA) is grown up more and more, some simple medical function can be completed with un-cooled thermal imager, for example, quick warning for fever heat with SARS. It is required that performance of imaging is stabilization and spatial and temperature resolution is high enough. In all performance parameters, noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) is often used as the criterion of universal performance. 320 x 240 α-Si micro-bolometer UFPA has been applied widely presently for its steady performance and sensitive responsibility. In this paper, NETD of UFPA and the relation between NETD and temperature are researched. several vital parameters that can affect NETD are listed and an universal formula is presented. Last, the images from the kind of thermal imager are analyzed based on the purpose of detection persons with fever heat. An applied thermal image intensification method is introduced.

Center for Nuclear Medicine Research in Alzheimer`s Disease Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University. Environmental Assessment

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

Not Available

1994-04-01

The Environmental Assessment (EA) of the Center for Nuclear Medicine Research in Alzheimer`s Disease (CNMR) at the Health Sciences Center, at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia for the construction and operation was prepared by DOE. The EA documents analysis of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts that might occur as a result of these actions, and characterizes potential impacts on the environment. In the EA, DOE presents its evaluation of potential impacts of construction and operation of the CNMR on health and safety of both workers and the public, as well as on the external environment. Construction impacts includemore » the effects of erosion, waste disposal, air emissions, noise, and construction traffic and parking. Operational impacts include the effects of waste generation (domestic, sanitary, hazardous, medical/biological, radioactive and mixed wastes), radiation exposures, air emissions (radioactive, criteria, and air toxics), noise, and new workers. No sensitive resources (wetlands, special sources of groundwater, protected species) exist in the area of project effect.« less

The acquisition and transfer of knowledge of electrokinetic-hydrodynamics (EKHD) fundamentals: an introductory graduate-level course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pascal, Jennifer; Tíjaro-Rojas, Rocío; Oyanader, Mario A.; Arce, Pedro E.

2017-09-01

Relevant engineering applications, such as bioseparation of proteins and DNA, soil-cleaning, motion of colloidal particles in different media, electrical field-based cancer treatments, and the cleaning of surfaces and coating flows, belongs to the family of 'Applied Field Sensitive Process Technologies' requiring an external field to move solutes in a fluid within a fibrous (or porous) domain. This field incorporates an additional variable that makes the analysis very challenging and can create for the student a number of new problems to solve. A graduate-level course, based on active-learning approaches and High Performance Learning Environments, where transfer of knowledge plays a key role, was designed by the Chemical Engineering Department at Tennessee Technological University. This course, where the fundamentals principles of EKHD were taught to science, engineering and technology students was designed by the Chemical Engineering Department at the Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN. An important number of these students were able to grasp the tools required to advance their research projects that led to numerous technical presentations in professional society meetings and publications in peered-reviewed journals.

[Profile of sensitization to allergens in children with atopic dermatitis assisting to Allergology Service of University Hospital, Nuevo Leon, Mexico].

PubMed

Yong-Rodríguez, Adrián; Macías-Weinmann, Alejandra; Palma-Gómez, Samuel; Arias-Cruz, Alfredo; Pérez-Vanzzini, Rafael; Gutiérrez-Mujica, José Julio; González-Díaz, Sandra Nora

2015-01-01

Sensitization to allergens in atopic dermatitis patients is a risk factor for developing asthma and allergic rhinitis in the future,as well as an aggravating factor in the course of the disease. Recent studies have attributed the activity of the proteases of some antigens to cause a grater defect in the epithelial barrier and a more severe disease. To know the sensitization to allergens pattern in children with atopic dermatitis attended at Allergology Service of University Hospital of UANL, Mexico, and to know if these children have higher sensitization to antigens with proteolytic activity. A retrospective study was done reviewing the skin prick test reports done in our service to children ranging from 5 months to 16 years old, diagnosed with atopic dermatitis during a period of 2 years, from January 2012 to January 2014. The frequency of sensitization to aeroallergens and food were analyzed as well as the weal size (≥6mm) on the skin in response to each particular allergen in the case of food skin prick test. Reports of skin tests of 66 children, 30 boys and 36 girls, were included; 37 of children were sensitized to more than one allergen,18/66 had asthma and/or allergic rhinitis, 40/66 60% skin prick tests were positive to high activity protease aeroallergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus/Dermatophagoides farinae). Regarding food, sensitization was seen in 38 children; fruits and vegetables were the two most common foods. Only seven children had skin prick weal bigger than 6 mm, mainly to egg, fish and cow's milk. Children with atopic dermatitis are often sensitized to high protease activity aeroallergens, polysensitization is very common and the association with airway allergy is seen early in life. Sensitization to food is also common in these patients, but only a small percentage showed a response large enough to be associated with disease severity.

Comparison of Two Global Sensitivity Analysis Methods for Hydrologic Modeling over the Columbia River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameed, M.; Demirel, M. C.; Moradkhani, H.

2015-12-01

Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) approach helps identify the effectiveness of model parameters or inputs and thus provides essential information about the model performance. In this study, the effects of the Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SAC-SMA) model parameters, forcing data, and initial conditions are analysed by using two GSA methods: Sobol' and Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST). The simulations are carried out over five sub-basins within the Columbia River Basin (CRB) for three different periods: one-year, four-year, and seven-year. Four factors are considered and evaluated by using the two sensitivity analysis methods: the simulation length, parameter range, model initial conditions, and the reliability of the global sensitivity analysis methods. The reliability of the sensitivity analysis results is compared based on 1) the agreement between the two sensitivity analysis methods (Sobol' and FAST) in terms of highlighting the same parameters or input as the most influential parameters or input and 2) how the methods are cohered in ranking these sensitive parameters under the same conditions (sub-basins and simulation length). The results show the coherence between the Sobol' and FAST sensitivity analysis methods. Additionally, it is found that FAST method is sufficient to evaluate the main effects of the model parameters and inputs. Another conclusion of this study is that the smaller parameter or initial condition ranges, the more consistency and coherence between the sensitivity analysis methods results.

Rheology of polyelectrolyte complex materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tirrell, Matthew

Fluid polyelectrolyte complexes, sometimes known as complex coacervates, have rheological properties that are very sensitive to structure and salt concentration. Dynamic moduli of such viscoelastic materials very many orders of magnitude between solutions of no added salt to of order tenth molar salt, typical, for example of physiological saline. Indeed, salt plays a role in the rheology of complex coacervates analogous to that which temperature plays on polymer melts, leading to an empirical observation of what may be termed time-salt or frequency salt superposition. Block copolymers containing complexing ionic blocks also exhibit strong salt sensitivity of their rheological properties. Data representing these phenomena will be presented and discussed. Support from NIST, Department of Commerce, via the Center for Hierarchical Materials Design at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago is gratefully acknowledged.

A comparison of experimental and theoretical results for leakage, pressure distribution, and rotordynamic coefficients for annular gas seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicks, C. O.; Childs, D. W.

1984-01-01

The importance of seal behavior in rotordynamics is discussed and current annular seal theory is reviewed. A Nelson's analytical-computational method for determining rotordynamic coefficients for this type of compressible-flow seal is outlined. Various means for the experimental identification of the dynamic coefficients are given, and the method employed at the Texas A and M University (TAMU) test facility is explained. The TAMU test apparatus is described, and the test procedures are discussed. Experimental results, including leakage, entrance-loss coefficients, pressure distributions, and rotordynamic coefficients for a smooth and a honeycomb constant-clearance seal are presented and compared to theoretical results from Nelson's analysis. The results for both seals show little sensitivity to the running speed over the test range. Agreement between test results and theory for leakage through the seal is satisfactory. Test results for direct stiffness show a greater sensitivity to fluid pre-rotation than predicted. Results also indicate that the deliberately roughened surface of the honeycomb seal provides improved stability versus the smooth seal.

Analysis of radon and thoron progeny measurements based on air filtration.

PubMed

Stajic, J M; Nikezic, D

2015-02-01

Measuring of radon and thoron progeny concentrations in air, based on air filtration, was analysed in order to assess the reliability of the method. Changes of radon and thoron progeny activities on the filter during and after air sampling were investigated. Simulation experiments were performed involving realistic measuring parameters. The sensitivity of results (radon and thoron concentrations in air) to the variations of alpha counting in three and five intervals was studied. The concentration of (218)Po showed up to be the most sensitive to these changes, as was expected because of its short half-life. The well-known method for measuring of progeny concentrations based on air filtration is rather unreliable and obtaining unrealistic or incorrect results appears to be quite possible. A simple method for quick estimation of radon potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC), based on measurements of alpha activity in a saturation regime, was proposed. Thoron PAEC can be determined from the saturation activity on the filter, through beta or alpha measurements. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Proposal for a Universal Particle Detector Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lesho, J. C.; Cain, R. P; Uy, O. M.

1993-01-01

The Universal Particle Detector Experiment (UPDE), which consists of parallel planes of two diode laser beams of different wavelengths and a large surface metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) impact detector, is proposed. It will be used to perform real-time monitoring of contamination particles and meteoroids impacting the spacecraft surface with high resolution of time, position, direction, and velocity. The UPDE will discriminate between contaminants and meteoroids, and will determine their velocity and size distribution around the spacecraft environment. With two different color diode lasers, the contaminant and meteroid composition will also be determined based on laboratory calibration with different materials. Secondary particles dislodged from the top aluminum surface of the MOS detector will also be measured to determine the kinetic energy losses during energetic meteoroid impacts. The velocity range of this instrument is 0.1 m/s to more than 14 km/s, while its size sensitivity is from 0.2 microns to millimeter-sized particles. The particulate measurements in space of the kind proposed will be the first simultaneous multipurpose particulate experiment that includes velocities from very slow to hypervelocities, sizes from submicrometer- to pellet-sized diameters, chemical analysis of the particulate composition, and measurements of the kinetic energy losses after energetic impacts of meteroids. The experiment will provide contamination particles and orbital debris data that are critically needed for our present understanding of the space environment. The data will also be used to validate contamination and orbital debris models for predicting optimal configuration of future space sensors and for understanding their effects on sensitive surfaces such as mirrors, lenses, paints, and thermal blankets.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial infection trends in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia during 2002-2007

PubMed Central

Al-Talib, Hassanain I.; Yean, Chan Y.; Al-Jashamy, Karim; Hasan, Habsah

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen that causes severe morbidity and mortality in many hospitals worldwide. The aim of the present study was to assess the burden of MRSA nosocomial infection, its association with factors of interest, and its antimicrobial susceptibility. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of a database of all S aureus that were cultured from patients admitted to the different wards of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) over a period of 6 years. RESULTS: The MRSA infections rate was 10.0 per 1000 hospital admissions. The incidence density rate of MRSA infections during the study period was 1.8 per 1000 patient-days, with annual rates ranging from 0.95 to 3.47 per 1000 patient-days. Duration of hospitalization, previous antibiotic use, and bedside invasive procedures were significantly higher among MRSA than methicillin-sensitive S aureus patients (P>.05). The highest number of MRSA infections were found in orthopedic wards (25.3%), followed by surgical wards (18.2%) and intensive care units (ICUs) (16.4%). All MRSA isolates were resistant to erythromycin (98.0%), co-trimoxazole (94.0%) and gentamicin (92.0%). Clindamycin was the best antibiotic with only 6% resistance. All MRSA isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. CONCLUSION: The rate of nosocomial MRSA infection per 1000 admissions was higher than that in other studies. The three factors associated most significantly with acquired MRSA infections included duration of hospitalization, antibiotic use, and bedside invasive procedures. This study confirmed that vancomycin-resistant S aureus has not yet been established in HUSM. PMID:20697171

Modeling the cost-effectiveness of infant vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in Germany.

PubMed

Kuhlmann, Alexander; von der Schulenburg, J-Matthias Graf

2017-04-01

In 2009, the European Medicines Agency granted approval for two higher-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of universal infant (<2 years old) vaccination with a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in comparison with a 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) for the prevention of pneumococcal disease in Germany. A population-based Markov model was developed to estimate the impact of PCV13 and PCV10 on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), non-invasive pneumonia (PNE), and acute otitis media (AOM) over a time horizon of 50 years. The model included the effects of the historical vaccination scheme in infants as well as indirect herd effects and replacement disease. We used German epidemiological data to calculate episodes of IPD, PNE, and AOM, as well as direct and indirect effects of the vaccination. Parameter uncertainty was tested in univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. In the base-case analysis, the ICER of PCV13 versus PCV10 infant vaccination was EUR 9826 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained or EUR 5490 per life-year (LY) gained from the societal perspective and EUR 3368 per QALY gained or EUR 1882 per LY gained from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance. The results were particularly sensitive to the magnitude of indirect effects of both vaccines. Universal infant vaccination with PCV13 is likely to be a cost-effective intervention compared with PCV10 within the German health care system, if additional net indirect effects of PCV13 vaccination are significant.

Assessment of a self-deferral form for screening blood donors, Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand.

PubMed

Thaikruea, Lakkana; Nantachit, Niwes; Leetrakool, Nipapan; Fongsatitkul, Ladda; Sompan, Prakai; Heaton, Andrew; Nelson, Kenrad E

2008-09-01

A self-deferral form has been used to screen Chiang Mai University Hospital blood donors and was improved in 2005. It has never been evaluated. The study aimed to assess the self-deferral form procedures in detecting infected donors. Sera from 5,083 donors, who passed the self-deferral screening form, were tested with the routine immuno-assays (serology) for HIV 1 and 2 antibodies, P24 antigen, HCV antibodies, HBV surface antigen, and syphilis. Antibody negative sera were also tested individually with the the Procleix Ultrio Assay for HIV-1 DNA, HCV RNA, and HBV DNA. The donors who had discrepant results between serology and NAT were evaluated with additional tests, including a more sensitive Alternative Nucleic Acid Test, AntiBcore IgM, AntiBcore IgG, HBsAg and Anti HBs. Among 5,083 donors, 331 (6.5%) had at least one positive marker. In multiple logistic regression analysis, the statistically significant factors (adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI) for infection were age 30 years or below [1.45 (1.03, 2.03)], male gender [2.73 (1.64, 4.56)], primary school or lower education [1.56 (1.09, 2.23)], first-time donation [1.82 (1.25, 2.67)], and frequent donation [0.80 (0.70, 0.92)]. The safest donors were females, older than 30 years, with an education more than primary school, and frequent donation. Because of missing responses to some sensitive questions, there remains a need for further improvement of the self-deferral form.

Proposal for a universal particle detector experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesho, J. C.; Cain, R. P.; Uy, O. M.

The Universal Particle Detector Experiment (UPDE), which consists of parallel planes of two diode laser beams of different wavelengths and a large surface metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) impact detector, is proposed. It will be used to perform real-time monitoring of contamination particles and meteoroids impacting the spacecraft surface with high resolution of time, position, direction, and velocity. The UPDE will discriminate between contaminants and meteoroids, and will determine their velocity and size distribution around the spacecraft environment. With two different color diode lasers, the contaminant and meteroid composition will also be determined based on laboratory calibration with different materials. Secondary particles dislodged from the top aluminum surface of the MOS detector will also be measured to determine the kinetic energy losses during energetic meteoroid impacts. The velocity range of this instrument is 0.1 m/s to more than 14 km/s, while its size sensitivity is from 0.2 microns to millimeter-sized particles. The particulate measurements in space of the kind proposed will be the first simultaneous multipurpose particulate experiment that includes velocities from very slow to hypervelocities, sizes from submicrometer- to pellet-sized diameters, chemical analysis of the particulate composition, and measurements of the kinetic energy losses after energetic impacts of meteroids. The experiment will provide contamination particles and orbital debris data that are critically needed for our present understanding of the space environment. The data will also be used to validate contamination and orbital debris models for predicting optimal configuration of future space sensors and for understanding their effects on sensitive surfaces such as mirrors, lenses, paints, and thermal blankets.

Critical Issues for Establishment of a Permanently-Occupied Lunar Base.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

AIR FORCE ,. AIR UNIVERSITY AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 8 7 12 ’ -0). Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio IpDoTRiBUTON STATEMENT A Approved...the document are technically accurate, and no sensitive items, detrimental ideas, or deleterious information is contained therein. Furthermore, the...Faculty of the School of Systems and Logistics of the Air Force Institute of Technology Air University In Partial Fullfillment of the Requirements

SBML-SAT: a systems biology markup language (SBML) based sensitivity analysis tool

PubMed Central

Zi, Zhike; Zheng, Yanan; Rundell, Ann E; Klipp, Edda

2008-01-01

Background It has long been recognized that sensitivity analysis plays a key role in modeling and analyzing cellular and biochemical processes. Systems biology markup language (SBML) has become a well-known platform for coding and sharing mathematical models of such processes. However, current SBML compatible software tools are limited in their ability to perform global sensitivity analyses of these models. Results This work introduces a freely downloadable, software package, SBML-SAT, which implements algorithms for simulation, steady state analysis, robustness analysis and local and global sensitivity analysis for SBML models. This software tool extends current capabilities through its execution of global sensitivity analyses using multi-parametric sensitivity analysis, partial rank correlation coefficient, SOBOL's method, and weighted average of local sensitivity analyses in addition to its ability to handle systems with discontinuous events and intuitive graphical user interface. Conclusion SBML-SAT provides the community of systems biologists a new tool for the analysis of their SBML models of biochemical and cellular processes. PMID:18706080

SBML-SAT: a systems biology markup language (SBML) based sensitivity analysis tool.

PubMed

Zi, Zhike; Zheng, Yanan; Rundell, Ann E; Klipp, Edda

2008-08-15

It has long been recognized that sensitivity analysis plays a key role in modeling and analyzing cellular and biochemical processes. Systems biology markup language (SBML) has become a well-known platform for coding and sharing mathematical models of such processes. However, current SBML compatible software tools are limited in their ability to perform global sensitivity analyses of these models. This work introduces a freely downloadable, software package, SBML-SAT, which implements algorithms for simulation, steady state analysis, robustness analysis and local and global sensitivity analysis for SBML models. This software tool extends current capabilities through its execution of global sensitivity analyses using multi-parametric sensitivity analysis, partial rank correlation coefficient, SOBOL's method, and weighted average of local sensitivity analyses in addition to its ability to handle systems with discontinuous events and intuitive graphical user interface. SBML-SAT provides the community of systems biologists a new tool for the analysis of their SBML models of biochemical and cellular processes.

Sensitivity analysis of a wing aeroelastic response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapania, Rakesh K.; Eldred, Lloyd B.; Barthelemy, Jean-Francois M.

1991-01-01

A variation of Sobieski's Global Sensitivity Equations (GSE) approach is implemented to obtain the sensitivity of the static aeroelastic response of a three-dimensional wing model. The formulation is quite general and accepts any aerodynamics and structural analysis capability. An interface code is written to convert one analysis's output to the other's input, and visa versa. Local sensitivity derivatives are calculated by either analytic methods or finite difference techniques. A program to combine the local sensitivities, such as the sensitivity of the stiffness matrix or the aerodynamic kernel matrix, into global sensitivity derivatives is developed. The aerodynamic analysis package FAST, using a lifting surface theory, and a structural package, ELAPS, implementing Giles' equivalent plate model are used.

Detection of Internal Delamination in Composite Mono Leaf Spring based on Vibration Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jamadar, Nagendra Iranna; Kivade, S. B.

2017-06-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is one of the non destructive evaluations universally accepted to detect defect or damage in composite structures. The paper deals with detection of inter laminar delamination problems in composite mono leaf spring during service conditions by vibration techniques. The delamination detection is crucial issue as it leads to catastrophic failure. The vibration parameters such as natural frequency and modes shapes are evaluated for healthy and delaminated spring. It has been observed that some mode shapes are found to be more sensitive to the delaminated region. The presence, location and severity of delamination are simulated and validated by experimental modal analysis for both the spring and found closer approximation with each other.

Radiation effect on rocket engine performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, Huei-Huang; Kross, K. W.; Krebsbach, A. N.

1990-01-01

Critical problem areas involving the effect of radiation on the combustion of bipropellants are addressed by formulating a universal scaling law in combination with a radiation-enhanced vaporization combustion model. Numerical algorithms are developed and data pertaining to the Variable Thrust Engine (VTE) and the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) are used to conduct parametric sensitivity studies to predict the principal intercoupling effects of radiation. The analysis reveals that low-enthalpy engines, such as the VTE, are vulnerable to a substantial performance setback due to radiative loss, whereas the performance of high-enthalpy engines such as the SSME are hardly affected over a broad range of engine operation. Combustion enhancement by radiative heating of the propellant has a significant impact on propellants with high absorptivity.

Economic Appraisal of Ontario's Universal Influenza Immunization Program: A Cost-Utility Analysis

PubMed Central

Sander, Beate; Kwong, Jeffrey C.; Bauch, Chris T.; Maetzel, Andreas; McGeer, Allison; Raboud, Janet M.; Krahn, Murray

2010-01-01

Background In July 2000, the province of Ontario, Canada, initiated a universal influenza immunization program (UIIP) to provide free seasonal influenza vaccines for the entire population. This is the first large-scale program of its kind worldwide. The objective of this study was to conduct an economic appraisal of Ontario's UIIP compared to a targeted influenza immunization program (TIIP). Methods and Findings A cost-utility analysis using Ontario health administrative data was performed. The study was informed by a companion ecological study comparing physician visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths between 1997 and 2004 in Ontario and nine other Canadian provinces offering targeted immunization programs. The relative change estimates from pre-2000 to post-2000 as observed in other provinces were applied to pre-UIIP Ontario event rates to calculate the expected number of events had Ontario continued to offer targeted immunization. Main outcome measures were quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs in 2006 Canadian dollars, and incremental cost-utility ratios (incremental cost per QALY gained). Program and other costs were drawn from Ontario sources. Utility weights were obtained from the literature. The incremental cost of the program per QALY gained was calculated from the health care payer perspective. Ontario's UIIP costs approximately twice as much as a targeted program but reduces influenza cases by 61% and mortality by 28%, saving an estimated 1,134 QALYs per season overall. Reducing influenza cases decreases health care services cost by 52%. Most cost savings can be attributed to hospitalizations avoided. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is Can$10,797/QALY gained. Results are most sensitive to immunization cost and number of deaths averted. Conclusions Universal immunization against seasonal influenza was estimated to be an economically attractive intervention. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:20386727

In vivo sensitivity of the embryonic and adult neural stem cell compartments to low-dose radiation.

PubMed

Barazzuol, Lara; Jeggo, Penny A

2016-08-01

The embryonic brain is radiation-sensitive, with cognitive deficits being observed after exposure to low radiation doses. Exposure of neonates to radiation can cause intracranial carcinogenesis. To gain insight into the basis underlying these outcomes, we examined the response of the embryonic, neonatal and adult brain to low-dose radiation, focusing on the neural stem cell compartments. This review summarizes our recent findings. At E13.5-14.5 the embryonic neocortex encompasses rapidly proliferating stem and progenitor cells. Exploiting mice with a hypomorphic mutation in DNA ligase IV (Lig4(Y288C) ), we found a high level of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at E14.5, which we attribute to the rapid proliferation. We observed endogenous apoptosis in Lig4(Y288C) embryos and in WT embryos following exposure to low radiation doses. An examination of DSB levels and apoptosis in adult neural stem cell compartments, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) revealed low DSB levels in Lig4(Y288C) mice, comparable with the levels in differentiated neuronal tissues. We conclude that the adult SVZ does not incur high levels of DNA breakage, but sensitively activates apoptosis; apoptosis was less sensitively activated in the SGZ, and differentiated neuronal tissues did not activate apoptosis. P5/P15 mice showed intermediate DSB levels, suggesting that DSBs generated in the embryo can be transmitted to neonates and undergo slow repair. Interestingly, this analysis revealed a stage of high endogenous apoptosis in the neonatal SVZ. Collectively, these studies reveal that the adult neural stem cell compartment, like the embryonic counterpart, can sensitively activate apoptosis. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Self-Reported Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Behavior in Males and Females: Using the Unmatched-Count Technique to Examine Reporting Practices of Socially Sensitive Subjects in a Sample of University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Jeffrey A.; Braithwaite, Jeremy

2008-01-01

This work, drawing on the literature on alcohol consumption, sexual behavior, and researching sensitive topics, tests the efficacy of the unmatched-count technique (UCT) in establishing higher rates of truthful self-reporting when compared to traditional survey techniques. Traditional techniques grossly underestimate the scope of problems…

Global Sensitivity Analysis of Environmental Models: Convergence, Robustness and Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarrazin, Fanny; Pianosi, Francesca; Khorashadi Zadeh, Farkhondeh; Van Griensven, Ann; Wagener, Thorsten

2015-04-01

Global Sensitivity Analysis aims to characterize the impact that variations in model input factors (e.g. the parameters) have on the model output (e.g. simulated streamflow). In sampling-based Global Sensitivity Analysis, the sample size has to be chosen carefully in order to obtain reliable sensitivity estimates while spending computational resources efficiently. Furthermore, insensitive parameters are typically identified through the definition of a screening threshold: the theoretical value of their sensitivity index is zero but in a sampling-base framework they regularly take non-zero values. There is little guidance available for these two steps in environmental modelling though. The objective of the present study is to support modellers in making appropriate choices, regarding both sample size and screening threshold, so that a robust sensitivity analysis can be implemented. We performed sensitivity analysis for the parameters of three hydrological models with increasing level of complexity (Hymod, HBV and SWAT), and tested three widely used sensitivity analysis methods (Elementary Effect Test or method of Morris, Regional Sensitivity Analysis, and Variance-Based Sensitivity Analysis). We defined criteria based on a bootstrap approach to assess three different types of convergence: the convergence of the value of the sensitivity indices, of the ranking (the ordering among the parameters) and of the screening (the identification of the insensitive parameters). We investigated the screening threshold through the definition of a validation procedure. The results showed that full convergence of the value of the sensitivity indices is not necessarily needed to rank or to screen the model input factors. Furthermore, typical values of the sample sizes that are reported in the literature can be well below the sample sizes that actually ensure convergence of ranking and screening.

International Topical Workshop on Advances in Silicon-Based Polymer Science (2nd) Held in Makaha, Oahu, Hawaii on December 16-20, 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-20

Hochstrasser, 1:30 Break/poster session 1 University of Pennsylvania :00 OS1- 3 Synthesis and Properties of Liquid Crystalline Polysiloxanes, 9:00 OS5- 2 Excited...MONDAY P.M. - FROM 1-D TO 3 -D SILOXSANE$ ... ..10.00. OS5-4 Comparison of Radical Anions and Cations of Polygermane Session 2 : Chairman - Geoffrey...Technology W.0O 056- 3 Thermal Sensitivity of Hydropolysilanes, T. M. Hsu and S. P. SAWAN, University of Lowell PS2- 2 T. M. Hsu, SAMUEL P. SAWAN, University of

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor (THESEUS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amati, Lorenzo; O'Brien, Paul T.; Götz, Diego

2016-07-01

The Transient High Energy Sky and Early Universe Surveyor (THESEUS) is a mission concept under development by a large international collaboration aimed at exploiting gamma-ray bursts for investigating the early Universe. The main scientific objectives of THESEUS include: investigating the star formation rate and metallicity evolution of the ISM and IGM up to redshift 9-10, detecting the first generation (pop III) of stars, studying the sources and physics of re-ionization, detecting the faint end of galaxies luminosity function. These goals will be achieved through a unique combination of instruments allowing GRB detection and arcmin localization over a broad FOV (more than 1sr) and an energy band extending from several MeVs down to 0.3 keV with unprecedented sensitivity, as well as on-board prompt (few minutes) follow-up with a 0.6m class IR telescope with both imaging and spectroscopic capabilities. Such instrumentation will also allow THESEUS to unveil and study the population of soft and sub-energetic GRBs, and, more in general, to perform monitoring and survey of the X-ray sky with unprecedented sensitivity.

Disability, culture and the U.N. convention.

PubMed

Bickenbach, Jerome E

2009-01-01

Is the universality of human rights, such as those set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, incompatible with therapeutic strategies of respecting cultural differences? I show that universalism is essential to the notion of human rights, as well as the rarely explained, political slogan of 'the rights approach to disability'. Similarly, culture responsiveness is commonly defended by therapists. I argue that the conflict between universalism of rights and cultural sensitivity exist only if these positions are expressed in extreme form: rights absolutism and cultural relativity. If more sensibly spelled out--in the form of progressive realisation of rights and situational sensitivity of difference--there is no conflict at all. Indeed, these more reasonable positions are mutually supportive. I conclude that, given resource and other constraints, the realisation of human rights will always be a matter of political negotiation, and that a social commitment to equality demands that we ensure that only transparent, fully-informed and fully-participatory procedures, respectful of difference [are employed]. These principles should guide us when we have to make hard choices in the implementation of human rights.

Value Change Among University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feather, N. T.

1973-01-01

Examines the effects of college on the attitudes of young people, showing that they become less authoritarian, less conservative, less prejudiced, more independent, more self-confident, and more sensitive to aesthetic experiences. (RB)

Fluidized-bed copper oxide process. Phase IV. Conceptual design and economic evaluation, Volume I. Final report

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

NONE

1994-11-30

Universal Oil Products, Inc. (UOP) of Des Plaines, Illinois has contracted A.E. Roberts & Associates, Inc. (AERA) of Atlanta, Georgia to prepare a sensitivity analysis for the development of the Fluidized-bed Copper Oxide (FBCO) process. As proposed by AERA in September 1991, development of the FBCO process design for a 500 mega-watt (MW) unit was divided into three tasks: (1) Establishment of a Conceptual Design, (2) Conceptual Design, (3) Cost Analysis Task 1 determined the basis for a conceptual design for the 500 megawatt (MW) FBCO process. It was completed by AERA in September of 1992, and a report wasmore » submitted at that time {open_quotes}Establishment of the Design Basis for Application to a 500 MW Coal-fired Facility.{close_quotes} Task 2 gathered all pertinent data available to date and reviewed its applicability to the 500 MW FBCO process. Work on this task was carried out on a joint basis by the AERA team members: Roberts & Schaefers worked on the dense phase transport aspect of the design; Cornell and Carnegie Mellon Universities worked on the design kinetics and modeling; and AERA contributed commercial power and combustion experience. Task 3 provides budgetary cost estimates for the FBCO process and competing alternative technologies for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide removal.« less

Survival Analysis of Faculty Retention and Promotion in the Social Sciences by Gender.

PubMed

Box-Steffensmeier, Janet M; Cunha, Raphael C; Varbanov, Roumen A; Hoh, Yee Shwen; Knisley, Margaret L; Holmes, Mary Alice

2015-01-01

Recruitment and retention of talent is central to the research performance of universities. Existing research shows that, while men are more likely than women to be promoted at the different stages of the academic career, no such difference is found when it comes to faculty retention rates. Current research on faculty retention, however, focuses on careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We extend this line of inquiry to the social sciences. We follow 2,218 tenure-track assistant professors hired since 1990 in seven social science disciplines at nineteen U.S. universities from time of hire to time of departure. We also track their time to promotion to associate and full professor. Using survival analysis, we examine gender differences in time to departure and time to promotion. Our methods account for censoring and unobserved heterogeneity, as well as effect heterogeneity across disciplines and cohorts. We find no statistically significant differences between genders in faculty retention. However, we do find that men are more likely to be granted tenure than women. When it comes to promotion to full professor, the results are less conclusive, as the effect of gender is sensitive to model specification. The results corroborate previous findings about gender patterns in faculty retention and promotion. They suggest that advances have been made when it comes to gender equality in retention and promotion, but important differences still persist.

On ultraviolet freeze-in dark matter during reheating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shao-Long; Kang, Zhaofeng

2018-05-01

The absence of any confirmative signals from extensive DM searching motivates us to go beyond the conventional WIMPs scenario. The feebly interacting massive particles (FIMPs) paradigm provides a good alternative which, despite of its feebly interaction with the thermal particles, still could correctly produce relic abundance without conventional DM signals. The Infrared-FIMP based on the renormalizable operators is usually suffering the very tiny coupling drawback, which can be overcome in the UltraViolet-FIMP scenario based on high dimensional effective operators. However, it is sensitive to the history of the very early Universe. The previous works terminates this sensitivity at the reheating temperature TRH. We, motivated by its UV-sensitivity, investigate the effects from the even earlier Universe, reheating era. We find that in the usual case with TRHgg mDM, the production rate during reheating is very small as long as the effective operators dimension d <= 8. Besides, we consider the contribution from the mediator, which may be produced during reheating. Moreover, we study the situation when TRH is even lower than mDM and DM can be directly produced during reheating if its mass does not exceed TMAX.

Simulation-based sensitivity analysis for non-ignorably missing data.

PubMed

Yin, Peng; Shi, Jian Q

2017-01-01

Sensitivity analysis is popular in dealing with missing data problems particularly for non-ignorable missingness, where full-likelihood method cannot be adopted. It analyses how sensitively the conclusions (output) may depend on assumptions or parameters (input) about missing data, i.e. missing data mechanism. We call models with the problem of uncertainty sensitivity models. To make conventional sensitivity analysis more useful in practice we need to define some simple and interpretable statistical quantities to assess the sensitivity models and make evidence based analysis. We propose a novel approach in this paper on attempting to investigate the possibility of each missing data mechanism model assumption, by comparing the simulated datasets from various MNAR models with the observed data non-parametrically, using the K-nearest-neighbour distances. Some asymptotic theory has also been provided. A key step of this method is to plug in a plausibility evaluation system towards each sensitivity parameter, to select plausible values and reject unlikely values, instead of considering all proposed values of sensitivity parameters as in the conventional sensitivity analysis method. The method is generic and has been applied successfully to several specific models in this paper including meta-analysis model with publication bias, analysis of incomplete longitudinal data and mean estimation with non-ignorable missing data.

Sensitivity Analysis of Weather Variables on Offsite Consequence Analysis Tools in South Korea and the United States.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Uk; Moon, Kyong Whan; Sohn, Jong-Ryeul; Byeon, Sang-Hoon

2018-05-18

We studied sensitive weather variables for consequence analysis, in the case of chemical leaks on the user side of offsite consequence analysis (OCA) tools. We used OCA tools Korea Offsite Risk Assessment (KORA) and Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA) in South Korea and the United States, respectively. The chemicals used for this analysis were 28% ammonia (NH₃), 35% hydrogen chloride (HCl), 50% hydrofluoric acid (HF), and 69% nitric acid (HNO₃). The accident scenarios were based on leakage accidents in storage tanks. The weather variables were air temperature, wind speed, humidity, and atmospheric stability. Sensitivity analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program for dummy regression analysis. Sensitivity analysis showed that impact distance was not sensitive to humidity. Impact distance was most sensitive to atmospheric stability, and was also more sensitive to air temperature than wind speed, according to both the KORA and ALOHA tools. Moreover, the weather variables were more sensitive in rural conditions than in urban conditions, with the ALOHA tool being more influenced by weather variables than the KORA tool. Therefore, if using the ALOHA tool instead of the KORA tool in rural conditions, users should be careful not to cause any differences in impact distance due to input errors of weather variables, with the most sensitive one being atmospheric stability.

Measuring the efficiency of dental departments in medical centers: a nonparametric analysis approach.

PubMed

Wang, Su-Chen; Tsai, Chi-Cheng; Huang, Shun-Te; Hong, Yu-Jue

2002-12-01

Data envelopment analysis (DEA), a cross-sectional study design based on secondary data analysis, was used to evaluate the relative operational efficiency of 16 dental departments in medical centers in Taiwan in 1999. The results indicated that 68.7% of all dental departments in medical centers had poor performance in terms of overall efficiency and scale efficiency. All relatively efficient dental departments were in private medical centers. Half of these dental departments were unable to fully utilize available medical resources. 75.0% of public medical centers did not take full advantage of medical resources at their disposal. In the returns to scale, 56.3% of dental departments in medical centers exhibited increasing returns to scale, due to the insufficient scale influencing overall hospital operational efficiency. Public medical centers accounted for 77.8% of the institutions affected. The scale of dental departments in private medical centers was more appropriate than those in public medical centers. In the sensitivity analysis, the numbers of residents, interns, and published papers were used to assess teaching and research. Greater emphasis on teaching and research in medical centers has a large effect on the relative inefficiency of hospital operation. Dental departments in private medical centers had a higher mean overall efficiency score than those in public medical centers, and the overall efficiency of dental departments in non-university hospitals was greater than those in university hospitals. There was no information to evaluate the long-term efficiency of each dental department in all hospitals. A different combination of input and output variables, using common multipliers for efficiency value measurements in DEA, may help establish different pioneering dental departments in hospitals.

Bibliometric analysis on Australian rural health publications from 2006 to 2012.

PubMed

Mendis, Kumara; Edwards, Tegan; Stevens, Wendy; McCrossin, Tim

2014-08-01

To review Australian rural health (ARH) publications in PubMed from 2006 to 2012 and address ARH issues raised by the 2013 Health and Medical Research report. Retrospective observational study. Internet-based bibliometric analysis using PubMed. MEDLINE-indexed ARH publications from 2006 to 2012 were retrieved using PubMed queries. ARH publications were defined as Australian publications that explore issues relevant to the health of the regional, rural or remote Australian population. Two authors independently reviewed a random sample of 5% of publications for validity. Analysis determined country of origin (Australia); publications relevant to the National Health Priority Areas, the 2013 National Rural Health Alliance priority areas and Rural Clinical Schools/University Departments of Rural Health; and journal frequencies and publication types. ARH publications increased from 286 in 2006 to 393 in 2012 and made up 1.4% of all Australian PubMed publications. Combined, the health priority areas were addressed in 52% of ARH publications. Rural Clinical Schools/University Departments of Rural Health articles made up 7% of ARH publications. An increase in cohort studies, systematic reviews and reviews indicated improved quality of articles. ARH articles were most commonly published in the Australian Journal of Rural Health (15.9%), Rural and Remote Health (13.4%) and the Medical Journal of Australia (6.3%). Striking a balance between broadening the queries (increasing sensitivity) and limiting the false positives by restricting the breadth of the queries (increasing specificity) was the main limitation. This reproducible analysis, repeated at given timelines, can track the progress of ARH publications and provide directions regarding future rural health research. © 2014 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

A two-step sensitivity analysis for hydrological signatures in Jinhua River Basin, East China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, S.; Fu, G.; Chiang, Y. M.; Xu, Y. P.

2016-12-01

Owing to model complexity and large number of parameters, calibration and sensitivity analysis are difficult processes for distributed hydrological models. In this study, a two-step sensitivity analysis approach is proposed for analyzing the hydrological signatures in Jinhua River Basin, East China, using the Distributed Hydrology-Soil-Vegetation Model (DHSVM). A rough sensitivity analysis is firstly conducted to obtain preliminary influential parameters via Analysis of Variance. The number of parameters was greatly reduced from eighteen-three to sixteen. Afterwards, the sixteen parameters are further analyzed based on a variance-based global sensitivity analysis, i.e., Sobol's sensitivity analysis method, to achieve robust sensitivity rankings and parameter contributions. Parallel-Computing is applied to reduce computational burden in variance-based sensitivity analysis. The results reveal that only a few number of model parameters are significantly sensitive, including rain LAI multiplier, lateral conductivity, porosity, field capacity, wilting point of clay loam, understory monthly LAI, understory minimum resistance and root zone depths of croplands. Finally several hydrological signatures are used for investigating the performance of DHSVM. Results show that high value of efficiency criteria didn't indicate excellent performance of hydrological signatures. For most samples from Sobol's sensitivity analysis, water yield was simulated very well. However, lowest and maximum annual daily runoffs were underestimated. Most of seven-day minimum runoffs were overestimated. Nevertheless, good performances of the three signatures above still exist in a number of samples. Analysis of peak flow shows that small and medium floods are simulated perfectly while slight underestimations happen to large floods. The work in this study helps to further multi-objective calibration of DHSVM model and indicates where to improve the reliability and credibility of model simulation.

To Screen or Not to Screen? A Decision Analysis of the Utility of Screening for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

PubMed Central

Mahan, Susan T.; Katz, Jeffrey N.; Kim, Young-Jo

2009-01-01

Background: The United States Preventive Services Task Force recently determined that they could not recommend any screening strategies for developmental dysplasia of the hip. Disparate findings in the literature and treatment-related problems have led to confusion about whether or not to screen for this disorder. The purpose of the present study was to determine, with use of expected-value decision analysis, which of the following three strategies leads to the best chance of having a non-arthritic hip by the age of sixty years: (1) no screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip, (2) universal screening of newborns with both physical examination and ultrasonography, or (3) universal screening with physical examination but only selective use of ultrasonography for neonates considered to be at high risk. Methods: Developmental dysplasia of the hip, avascular necrosis, and the treatment algorithm were carefully defined. The outcome was determined as the probability of any neonate having a non-arthritic hip through the age of sixty years. A decision tree was then built with decision nodes as described above, and chance node probabilities were determined from a thorough review of the literature. Foldback analysis and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: The expected value of a favorable hip outcome was 0.9590 for the strategy of screening all neonates with physical examination and selective use of ultrasonography, 0.9586 for screening all neonates with physical examination and ultrasonography, and 0.9578 for no screening. A lower expected value implies a greater risk for the development of osteoarthritis as a result of developmental dysplasia of the hip or avascular necrosis; thus, the optimum strategy was selective screening. This model was robust to sensitivity analysis, except when the rate of missed dysplasia rose as high as 4/1000 or the rate of treated hip subluxation/dislocation was the same; then, the optimum strategy was to screen all neonates with both physical examination and ultrasonography. Conclusions: Our decision analytic model indicated that the optimum strategy, associated with the highest probability of having a non-arthritic hip at the age of sixty years, was to screen all neonates for hip dysplasia with a physical examination and to use ultrasonography selectively for infants who are at high risk. Additional data on the costs and cost-effectiveness of these screening policies are needed to guide policy recommendations. Level of Evidence: Economic and decision analysis Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. PMID:19571094

Preoperative Serum Thyrotropin to Thyroglobulin Ratio Is Effective for Thyroid Nodule Evaluation in Euthyroid Patients.

PubMed

Wang, Lina; Li, Hao; Yang, Zhongyuan; Guo, Zhuming; Zhang, Quan

2015-07-01

This study was designed to assess the efficiency of the serum thyrotropin to thyroglobulin ratio for thyroid nodule evaluation in euthyroid patients. Cross-sectional study. Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China. Retrospective analysis was performed for 400 previously untreated cases presenting with thyroid nodules. Thyroid function was tested with commercially available radioimmunoassays. The receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine cutoff values. The efficacy of the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio and thyroid-stimulating hormone for thyroid nodule evaluation was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and odds ratio. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve was 0.746 for the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio and 0.659 for thyroid-stimulating hormone. With a cutoff point value of 24.97 IU/g for the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were 78.9%, 60.8%, 75.5%, 2.01, and 0.35, respectively. The odds ratio for the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio indicating malignancy was 5.80. With a cutoff point value of 1.525 µIU/mL for thyroid-stimulating hormone, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were 74.0%, 53.2%, 70.8%, 1.58, and 0.49, respectively. The odds ratio indicating malignancy for thyroid-stimulating hormone was 3.23. Increasing preoperative serum thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio is a risk factor for thyroid carcinoma, and the correlation of the thyrotropin:thyroglobulin ratio to malignancy is higher than that for serum thyroid-stimulating hormone. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015.

Design and operational parameters of a rooftop rainwater harvesting system: definition, sensitivity and verification.

PubMed

Mun, J S; Han, M Y

2012-01-01

The appropriate design and evaluation of a rainwater harvesting (RWH) system is necessary to improve system performance and the stability of the water supply. The main design parameters (DPs) of an RWH system are rainfall, catchment area, collection efficiency, tank volume and water demand. Its operational parameters (OPs) include rainwater use efficiency (RUE), water saving efficiency (WSE) and cycle number (CN). The sensitivity analysis of a rooftop RWH system's DPs to its OPs reveals that the ratio of tank volume to catchment area (V/A) for an RWH system in Seoul, South Korea is recommended between 0.03 and 0.08 in terms of rate of change in RUE. The appropriate design value of V/A is varied with D/A. The extra tank volume up to V/A of 0.15∼0.2 is also available, if necessary to secure more water. Accordingly, we should figure out suitable value or range of DPs based on the sensitivity analysis to optimize design of an RWH system or improve operation efficiency. The operational data employed in this study, which was carried out to validate the design and evaluation method of an RWH system, were obtained from the system in use at a dormitory complex at Seoul National University (SNU) in Korea. The results of these operational data are in good agreement with those used in the initial simulation. The proposed method and the results of this research will be useful in evaluating and comparing the performance of RWH systems. It is found that RUE can be increased by expanding the variety of rainwater uses, particularly in the high rainfall season. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of normalization methods on high-throughput screening data with high hit rates and drug testing with dose-response data.

PubMed

Mpindi, John-Patrick; Swapnil, Potdar; Dmitrii, Bychkov; Jani, Saarela; Saeed, Khalid; Wennerberg, Krister; Aittokallio, Tero; Östling, Päivi; Kallioniemi, Olli

2015-12-01

Most data analysis tools for high-throughput screening (HTS) seek to uncover interesting hits for further analysis. They typically assume a low hit rate per plate. Hit rates can be dramatically higher in secondary screening, RNAi screening and in drug sensitivity testing using biologically active drugs. In particular, drug sensitivity testing on primary cells is often based on dose-response experiments, which pose a more stringent requirement for data quality and for intra- and inter-plate variation. Here, we compared common plate normalization and noise-reduction methods, including the B-score and the Loess a local polynomial fit method under high hit-rate scenarios of drug sensitivity testing. We generated simulated 384-well plate HTS datasets, each with 71 plates having a range of 20 (5%) to 160 (42%) hits per plate, with controls placed either at the edge of the plates or in a scattered configuration. We identified 20% (77/384) as the critical hit-rate after which the normalizations started to perform poorly. Results from real drug testing experiments supported this estimation. In particular, the B-score resulted in incorrect normalization of high hit-rate plates, leading to poor data quality, which could be attributed to its dependency on the median polish algorithm. We conclude that a combination of a scattered layout of controls per plate and normalization using a polynomial least squares fit method, such as Loess helps to reduce column, row and edge effects in HTS experiments with high hit-rates and is optimal for generating accurate dose-response curves. john.mpindi@helsinki.fi. Supplementary information: R code and Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

A Bacterial Glycoengineered Antigen for Improved Serodiagnosis of Porcine Brucellosis.

PubMed

Cortina, María E; Balzano, Rodrigo E; Rey Serantes, Diego A; Caillava, Ana J; Elena, Sebastián; Ferreira, A C; Nicola, Ana M; Ugalde, Juan E; Comerci, Diego J; Ciocchini, Andrés E

2016-06-01

Brucellosis is a highly zoonotic disease that affects animals and human beings. Brucella suis is the etiological agent of porcine brucellosis and one of the major human brucellosis pathogens. Laboratory diagnosis of porcine brucellosis mainly relies on serological tests, and it has been widely demonstrated that serological assays based on the detection of anti O-polysaccharide antibodies are the most sensitive tests. Here, we validate a recombinant glycoprotein antigen, an N-formylperosamine O-polysaccharide-protein conjugate (OAg-AcrA), for diagnosis of porcine brucellosis. An indirect immunoassay based on the detection of anti-O-polysaccharide IgG antibodies was developed coupling OAg-AcrA to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay plates (glyco-iELISA). To validate the assay, 563 serum samples obtained from experimentally infected and immunized pigs, as well as animals naturally infected with B. suis biovar 1 or 2, were tested. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed, and based on this analysis, the optimum cutoff value was 0.56 (relative reactivity), which resulted in a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99.7%, respectively. A cutoff value of 0.78 resulted in a test sensitivity of 98.4% and a test specificity of 100%. Overall, our results demonstrate that the glyco-iELISA is highly accurate for diagnosis of porcine brucellosis, improving the diagnostic performance of current serological tests. The recombinant glycoprotein OAg-AcrA can be produced in large homogeneous batches in a standardized way, making it an ideal candidate for further validation as a universal antigen for diagnosis of "smooth" brucellosis in animals and humans. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

MOVES sensitivity analysis update : Transportation Research Board Summer Meeting 2012 : ADC-20 Air Quality Committee

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION : Evaluation Parameters : EPAs Sensitivity Analysis : Comparison to Baseline Case : MOVES Sensitivity Run Specification : MOVES Sensitivity Input Parameters : Results : Uses of Study

MOVES regional level sensitivity analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

The MOVES Regional Level Sensitivity Analysis was conducted to increase understanding of the operations of the MOVES Model in regional emissions analysis and to highlight the following: : the relative sensitivity of selected MOVES Model input paramet...

Impact of the Family Health Program on gastroenteritis in children in Bahia, Northeast Brazil: an analysis of primary care-sensitive conditions

PubMed Central

Monahan, Laura J.; Calip, Gregory S.; Novo, Patricia; Sherstinsky, Mark; Casiano, Mildred; Mota, Eduardo; Dourado, Inês

2013-01-01

In seeking to provide universal health care through its primary care-oriented Family Health Program, Brazil has attempted to reduce hospitalization rates for preventable illnesses such as childhood gastroenteritis. We measured rates of Primary Care-sensitive Hospitalizations and evaluated the impact of the Family Health Program on pediatric gastroenteritis trends in high-poverty Northeast Brazil. We analyzed aggregated municipal-level data in time-series between years 1999-2007 from the Brazilian health system payer database and performed qualitative, in-depth key informant interviews with public health experts in municipalities in Bahia. Data were sampled for Bahia’s Salvador microregion, a population of approximately 14 million. Gastroenteritis hospitalization rates among children aged less than five years were evaluated. Declining hospitalization rates were associated with increasing coverage by the PSF (P=0.02). After multivariate adjustment for garbage collection, sanitation, and water supply, evidence of this association was no longer significant (P=0.28). Qualitative analysis confirmed these findings with a framework of health determinants, proximal causes, and health system effects. The PSF, with other public health efforts, was associated with decreasing gastroenteritis hospitalizations in children. Incentives for providers and more patient-centered health delivery may contribute to strengthening the PSF’s role in improving primary health care outcomes in Brazil. PMID:23932060

Maternal cfDNA screening for Down syndrome--a cost sensitivity analysis.

PubMed

Cuckle, Howard; Benn, Peter; Pergament, Eugene

2013-07-01

This study aimed to determine the principal factors contributing to the cost of avoiding a birth with Down syndrome by using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to replace conventional screening. A range of unit costs were assigned to each item in the screening process. Detection rates were estimated by meta-analysis and modeling. The marginal cost associated with the detection of additional cases using cfDNA was estimated from the difference in average costs divided by the difference in detection. The main factor was the unit cost of cfDNA testing. For example, replacing a combined test costing $150 with 3% false-positive rate and invasive testing at $1000, by cfDNA tests at $2000, $1500, $1000, and $500, the marginal cost is $8.0, $5.8, $3.6, and $1.4m, respectively. Costs were lower when replacing a quadruple test and higher for a 5% false-positive rate, but the relative importance of cfDNA unit cost was unchanged. A contingent policy whereby 10% to 20% women were selected for cfDNA testing by conventional screening was considerably more cost-efficient. Costs were sensitive to cfDNA uptake. Universal cfDNA screening for Down syndrome will only become affordable by public health purchasers if costs fall substantially. Until this happens, the contingent use of cfDNA is recommended. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Long-stem shaped multifunctional molecular beacon for highly sensitive nucleic acids determination via intramolecular and intermolecular interactions based strand displacement amplification.

PubMed

Xu, Jianguo; Zheng, Tingting; Le, Jingqing; Jia, Lee

2017-11-20

Occurrence and application of oligonucleotide probes have promoted great progress in the biochemical analysis field due to their unique biological and chemical properties. In this work, a long-stem shaped multifunctional molecular beacon (LS-MMB) that is responsive to a cancer-related gene, p53, is well-prepared. By designing the probe with long-paired bases at its two ends and short-paired bases between the middle region and the 3' end, the LS-MMB is intelligently endowed with the ability to recognize the target analyte, serve as the polymerization primer/template, and signal the hybridization event synchronously, which is distinctly advantageous over the traditional molecular beacons (MBs). Moreover, it is excitingly found that the LS-MMB can be employed to exert intramolecular and intermolecular interactions for strand displacement amplification (SDA) without the involvement of any assistant probes; this therapy results in a really easy and rapid sensing system that provides an extremely low background noise and high target output signal. In this case, an excellent sensitivity and specificity to detect target gene down to picomolar level and resolution to even one nucleotide variation are achieved, respectively. In addition, the application potential for real genomic DNA analysis is realized. We envision that the probe of LS-MMB can act as a universal platform for biosensing and biomedical research.

Balloon-Borne Observations of the Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This final report is confined to the sub-contract to Caltech, and does not cover work at the PI institution (PI John Ruhl, Case Western Reserve University). In our original proposal, we planned to fly BOOMERANG twice, in the 2000 / 2001 and 2002 / 2003 Austral LDB seasons. The first flight was to have used a newly developed detector technology: the Polarization Sensitive Bolometer (PSB). The second flight was to have used a yet more sophisticated technology: a polarization sensitive, antenna-coupled array (CAMWA). The development of both technologies proceeded more slowly than anticipated. In the end, we were successful in developing the PSB technology to maturity, integrating it into the payload, and flying the payload once during the 2002/2003 Austral season. The payload performed well during this flight, and analysis of the data is in progress. As originally proposed, we have also continued to work on analysis of the data from the 1998 flight, and several publications have resulted. Sufficient progress has been made on the CAMWA technology that we expect to be able to field it into an instrument in 2 to 3 years. However, ground-based telescopes now appear to be a more attractive platform for CMB polarimetry, owing to the longer integration times available. We thus anticipate first implementing CAMWA on a ground-based telescope at South Pole.

Universal versus platelet reactivity assay-driven use of P2Y12 inhibitors in acute coronary syndrome patients: cost-effectiveness analyses for six European perspectives.

PubMed

Coleman, Craig I; Limone, Brendan L

2014-01-01

Platelet reactivity assays (PRAs) can predict patients' likely response to clopidogrel. As ticagrelor and prasugrel are typically considered first-line agents for acute coronary syndrome in Europe, we assessed the cost-effectiveness of universal compared to PRA-driven selection of these agents. A Markov model was used to calculate five-year costs (2013£/€), quality-adjusted life-years and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for one-year of universal ticagrelor or prasugrel (given to all) compared to each agents' corresponding PRA-driven strategy (ticagrelor/prasugrel in those with high platelet reactivity [HPR, >208 on the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay], others given generic clopidogrel). We assumed patients had their index event at 65-70 years of age and had a 42.7% incidence of HPR 24-48 hours post-revascularisation. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of six countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and United Kingdom) and used a one-year cycle length. Event data for P2Y12 inhibitors were taken from multinational randomised trials and adjusted using country-specific epidemiologic data. Neither universal ticagrelor nor prasugrel were found to be cost-effective (all ICERs >40,250€ or £36,600/QALY) compared to their corresponding PRA-driven strategies in any of the countries evaluated. Results were sensitive to differences in P2Y12 Inhibitors costs and drug-specific relative risks of major adverse cardiac events. Monte Carlo simulation suggested universal ticagrelor or prasugrel were cost-effective in only 25-44% and 11-17% of 10,000 iterations compared to their respective PRA-driven strategies, when applying a willingness-to-pay threshold = €30,000 or £20,000/QALY. In conclusion, the universal use of newer P2Y12 inhibitors is not likely cost-effective compared to PRA-driven strategies.

Sensitivity of the TPF Interferometer for Planet Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beichman, C.; Velusamy, T.

1999-01-01

The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) offers the prospect of revolutionizing humanity's perception of its own place in the Universe by identifying habitable and possibly even life-bearing planets orbiting other stars.

Development and analysis of spectroscopic learning tools and the light and spectroscopy concept inventory for introductory college astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardar, Erin M.

Electromagnetic radiation is the fundamental carrier of astronomical information. Spectral features serve as the fingerprints of the universe, revealing many important properties of objects in the cosmos such as temperature, elemental compositions, and relative motion. Because of its importance to astronomical research, the nature of light and the electromagnetic spectrum is by far the most universally covered topic in astronomy education. Yet, to the surprise and disappointment of instructors, many students struggle to understand underlying fundamental concepts related to light and spectroscopic phenomena. This dissertation describes research into introductory college astronomy students' understanding of light and spectroscopy concepts, through the development and analysis of both instructional materials and an assessment instrument. The purpose of this research was two-fold: (1) to develop a novel suite of spectroscopic learning tools that enhance student understanding of light and spectroscopy and (2) to design and validate a Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory (LSCI) with the sensitivity to distinguish the relative effectiveness of various teaching interventions within the context of introductory college astronomy. Through a systematic investigation that included multiple rounds of clinical interviews, open-ended written surveys, and multiple-choice testing, introductory college astronomy students' commonly held misconceptions and reasoning difficulties were explored for concepts relating to: (1) The nature of the electromagnetic spectrum, including the interrelationships of wavelength, frequency, energy, and speed; (2) interpretation of Doppler shift; (3) properties of blackbody radiation; and (4) the connection between spectral features and underlying physical processes. These difficulties guided the development of instructional materials including six unique "homelab" exercises, a binocular spectrometer, a spectral analysis software tool, and the 26-question Light and Spectroscopy Concept Inventory (LSCI). In the fall of 2005, a multi-institution field-test of the LSCI was conducted with student examinees from 14 course sections at 11 colleges and universities employing various instructional techniques. Through statistical analysis, the inventory was proven to be a reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.77) and valid assessment instrument that was able to illustrate statistically significant learning gains (p < 0.05) for most course sections, with students utilizing our suite of instructional materials exhibiting among the highest performance gains (Effect Size = 1.31).

Do Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Represent Good Value for Money in a Lower-Middle Income Country? A Cost-Utility Analysis in the Philippines

PubMed Central

Haasis, Manuel Alexander; Ceria, Joyce Anne; Kulpeng, Wantanee; Teerawattananon, Yot; Alejandria, Marissa

2015-01-01

Objectives The objective of this study is to assess the value for money of introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines as part of the immunization program in a lower-middle income country, the Philippines, which is not eligible for GAVI support and lower vaccine prices. It also includes the newest clinical evidence evaluating the efficacy of PCV10, which is lacking in other previous studies. Methods A cost-utility analysis was conducted. A Markov simulation model was constructed to examine the costs and consequences of PCV10 and PCV13 against the current scenario of no PCV vaccination for a lifetime horizon. A health system perspective was employed to explore different funding schemes, which include universal or partial vaccination coverage subsidized by the government. Results were presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in Philippine peso (Php) per QALY gained (1 USD = 44.20 Php). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the impact of parameter uncertainty. Results With universal vaccination at a cost per dose of Php 624 for PCV10 and Php 700 for PCV13, both PCVs are cost-effective compared to no vaccination given the ceiling threshold of Php 120,000 per QALY gained, yielding ICERs of Php 68,182 and Php 54,510 for PCV10 and PCV13, respectively. Partial vaccination of 25% of the birth cohort resulted in significantly higher ICER values (Php 112,640 for PCV10 and Php 84,654 for PCV13) due to loss of herd protection. The budget impact analysis reveals that universal vaccination would cost Php 3.87 billion to 4.34 billion per annual, or 1.6 to 1.8 times the budget of the current national vaccination program. Conclusion The inclusion of PCV in the national immunization program is recommended. PCV13 achieved better value for money compared to PCV10. However, the affordability and sustainability of PCV implementation over the long-term should be considered by decision makers. PMID:26131961

[Application of the concetrations ratio of soluble receptor tyrosine kinase type 1, and placental growth factor for short-term prediction and diagnosis of preeclampsia].

PubMed

Bubeníková, Š; Cíchová, A; Roubalová, L; Durdová, V; Vlk, R

Bring a comprehensive overview of the available information about applications of the concetration ratio of soluble receptor tyrosine kinase type 1 (sFlt-1), and placental growth factor for short-term prediction and diagnosis of preeclampsia. Overview study. Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Olomouc; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Olomouc; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Olomouc; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and Motol University Hospital. Analysis of literary sources and databases Ovid, Medline (2001-2016). Preeclampsia is a multisystem disease with not fully understood etiology. This disease occurs in 2-5% of pregnant women. Preeclampsia is one of the main causes of global maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. It manifests itself as a newborn hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of pregnancy in previously normotensive women. The only effective treatment is the delivery of the child. Diagnosis of preeclampsia comprises measuring blood pressure and proteinuria. These indicators have low diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. In preeclampsia, there is a decrease of serum levels of placental growth factor (PlGF). Soluble receptor tyrosine kinase type 1 (sFlt-1) is an antagonist of PlGF. Increased levels of sFlt-1 in proportion to the reduced level of PlGF are associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio can be a better predictive marker in the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia after 20 weeks of gestation.

Rotavirus vaccination for Hong Kong children: an economic evaluation from the Hong Kong Government perspective.

PubMed

Ho, A M-H; Nelson, E A S; Walker, D G

2008-01-01

To perform an economic analysis of government-funded universal rotavirus vaccination in Hong Kong from the government's perspective. A Markov model of costs and effects (disability averted) associated with universal vaccination was compared with no vaccination. In both strategies, newborns were studied until 5 years of age or until they died, using cost, probability and utility data from the literature. The potential cost savings and cost effectiveness of vaccination were calculated and their sensitivities to changes in vaccine and health care costs, presumed decline in vaccine efficacy over time, and the use of discounting and age weights were determined. Depending on assumptions, the new rotavirus vaccines would be cost saving to the Hong Kong Government if they cost less than US$40-92 per course. Higher vaccine costs would quickly lead to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio exceeding that of the gross national product per capita if the mortality rate of rotavirus gastroenteritis remained at zero. Based on 2002 demographic, cost and morbidity data and reasonable uncertainty estimates of these variables, a universal rotavirus vaccination programme paid for by the Hong Kong Government is cost neutral at a per course vaccine cost of US$40-92. For a fixed vaccine cost, the potential savings and cost effectiveness of the vaccine increase with higher estimated health care costs and vice versa.

SIMAP—the database of all-against-all protein sequence similarities and annotations with new interfaces and increased coverage

PubMed Central

Arnold, Roland; Goldenberg, Florian; Mewes, Hans-Werner; Rattei, Thomas

2014-01-01

The Similarity Matrix of Proteins (SIMAP, http://mips.gsf.de/simap/) database has been designed to massively accelerate computationally expensive protein sequence analysis tasks in bioinformatics. It provides pre-calculated sequence similarities interconnecting the entire known protein sequence universe, complemented by pre-calculated protein features and domains, similarity clusters and functional annotations. SIMAP covers all major public protein databases as well as many consistently re-annotated metagenomes from different repositories. As of September 2013, SIMAP contains >163 million proteins corresponding to ∼70 million non-redundant sequences. SIMAP uses the sensitive FASTA search heuristics, the Smith–Waterman alignment algorithm, the InterPro database of protein domain models and the BLAST2GO functional annotation algorithm. SIMAP assists biologists by facilitating the interactive exploration of the protein sequence universe. Web-Service and DAS interfaces allow connecting SIMAP with any other bioinformatic tool and resource. All-against-all protein sequence similarity matrices of project-specific protein collections are generated on request. Recent improvements allow SIMAP to cover the rapidly growing sequenced protein sequence universe. New Web-Service interfaces enhance the connectivity of SIMAP. Novel tools for interactive extraction of protein similarity networks have been added. Open access to SIMAP is provided through the web portal; the portal also contains instructions and links for software access and flat file downloads. PMID:24165881

Assessment of pedophilia using hemodynamic brain response to sexual stimuli.

PubMed

Ponseti, Jorge; Granert, Oliver; Jansen, Olav; Wolff, Stephan; Beier, Klaus; Neutze, Janina; Deuschl, Günther; Mehdorn, Hubertus; Siebner, Hartwig; Bosinski, Hartmut

2012-02-01

Accurately assessing sexual preference is important in the treatment of child sex offenders. Phallometry is the standard method to identify sexual preference; however, this measure has been criticized for its intrusiveness and limited reliability. To evaluate whether spatial response pattern to sexual stimuli as revealed by a change in the blood oxygen level-dependent signal facilitates the identification of pedophiles. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, pedophilic and nonpedophilic participants were briefly exposed to same- and opposite-sex images of nude children and adults. We calculated differences in blood oxygen level-dependent signals to child and adult sexual stimuli for each participant. The corresponding contrast images were entered into a group analysis to calculate whole-brain difference maps between groups. We calculated an expression value that corresponded to the group result for each participant. These expression values were submitted to 2 different classification algorithms: Fisher linear discriminant analysis and κ -nearest neighbor analysis. This classification procedure was cross-validated using the leave-one-out method. Section of Sexual Medicine, Medical School, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany. We recruited 24 participants with pedophilia who were sexually attracted to either prepubescent girls (n = 11) or prepubescent boys (n = 13) and 32 healthy male controls who were sexually attracted to either adult women (n = 18) or adult men (n = 14). Sensitivity and specificity scores of the 2 classification algorithms. The highest classification accuracy was achieved by Fisher linear discriminant analysis, which showed a mean accuracy of 95% (100% specificity, 88% sensitivity). Functional brain response patterns to sexual stimuli contain sufficient information to identify pedophiles with high accuracy. The automatic classification of these patterns is a promising objective tool to clinically diagnose pedophilia.

Rapid detection of pathological mutations and deletions of the haemoglobin beta gene (HBB) by High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis and Gene Ratio Analysis Copy Enumeration PCR (GRACE-PCR).

PubMed

Turner, Andrew; Sasse, Jurgen; Varadi, Aniko

2016-10-19

Inherited disorders of haemoglobin are the world's most common genetic diseases, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. The large number of mutations associated with the haemoglobin beta gene (HBB) makes gene scanning by High Resolution Melting (HRM) PCR an attractive diagnostic approach. However, existing HRM-PCR assays are not able to detect all common point mutations and have only a very limited ability to detect larger gene rearrangements. The aim of the current study was to develop a HBB assay, which can be used as a screening test in highly heterogeneous populations, for detection of both point mutations and larger gene rearrangements. The assay is based on a combination of conventional HRM-PCR and a novel Gene Ratio Analysis Copy Enumeration (GRACE) PCR method. HRM-PCR was extensively optimised, which included the use of an unlabelled probe and incorporation of universal bases into primers to prevent interference from common non-pathological polymorphisms. GRACE-PCR was employed to determine HBB gene copy numbers relative to a reference gene using melt curve analysis to detect rearrangements in the HBB gene. The performance of the assay was evaluated by analysing 410 samples. A total of 44 distinct pathological genotypes were detected. In comparison with reference methods, the assay has a sensitivity of 100 % and a specificity of 98 %. We have developed an assay that detects both point mutations and larger rearrangements of the HBB gene. This assay is quick, sensitive, specific and cost effective making it suitable as an initial screening test that can be used for highly heterogeneous cohorts.

Optimization of Parameter Ranges for Composite Tape Winding Process Based on Sensitivity Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Tao; Shi, Yaoyao; He, Xiaodong; Kang, Chao; Deng, Bo; Song, Shibo

2017-08-01

This study is focus on the parameters sensitivity of winding process for composite prepreg tape. The methods of multi-parameter relative sensitivity analysis and single-parameter sensitivity analysis are proposed. The polynomial empirical model of interlaminar shear strength is established by response surface experimental method. Using this model, the relative sensitivity of key process parameters including temperature, tension, pressure and velocity is calculated, while the single-parameter sensitivity curves are obtained. According to the analysis of sensitivity curves, the stability and instability range of each parameter are recognized. Finally, the optimization method of winding process parameters is developed. The analysis results show that the optimized ranges of the process parameters for interlaminar shear strength are: temperature within [100 °C, 150 °C], tension within [275 N, 387 N], pressure within [800 N, 1500 N], and velocity within [0.2 m/s, 0.4 m/s], respectively.

Universal aspects of adhesion and atomic force microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerjea, Amitava; Smith, John R.; Ferrante, John

1990-01-01

Adhesive energies are computed for flat and atomically sharp tips as a function of the normal distance to the substrate. The dependence of binding energies on tip shape is investigated. The magnitudes of the binding energies for the atomic force microscope are found to depend sensitively on tip material, tip shape and the sample site being probed. The form of the energy-distance curve, however, is universal and independent of these variables, including tip shape.

Race, Reparations, and Free Expression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownstein, Andrew

2001-01-01

Describes how a controversial newspaper ad opposing slavery reparations and the subsequent trashing of the student daily have set off a debate at Brown University about the competing values of sensitivity and free expression. (EV)

The Argentine Professorate: Occupational Insecurity and Political Interference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Socolow, Daniel J.

1973-01-01

This article attempts to treat the sensitive issue of occupational insecurity in the Argentine university system and to suggest its effect on the future development of the academic community in Argentina. (Author)

Coupled Aerodynamic and Structural Sensitivity Analysis of a High-Speed Civil Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, B. H.; Walsh, J. L.

2001-01-01

An objective of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program at the NASA Langley Research Center is to demonstrate multidisciplinary shape and sizing optimization of a complete aerospace vehicle configuration by using high-fidelity, finite-element structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics aerodynamic analysis. In a previous study, a multi-disciplinary analysis system for a high-speed civil transport was formulated to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them computationally intensive, This paper is an extension of the previous study, in which the sensitivity analysis for the coupled aerodynamic and structural analysis problem is formulated and implemented. Uncoupled stress sensitivities computed with a constant load vector in a commercial finite element analysis code are compared to coupled aeroelastic sensitivities computed by finite differences. The computational expense of these sensitivity calculation methods is discussed.

The Community Pulling Together: A Tribal Community-University Partnership Project to Reduce Substance Abuse and Promote Good Health in a Reservation Tribal Community

PubMed Central

Thomas, Lisa R.; Donovan, Dennis M.; Sigo, Robin LW.; Austin, Lisette; Marlatt, G. Alan

2010-01-01

Alcohol and drug abuse are major areas of concern for many American Indian/Alaska Native communities. Research on these problems has often been less than successful, in part because many researchers are not sensitive to the culture and traditions of the tribes and communities with which they are working. They also often fail to incorporate tribal customs, traditions, and values into the interventions developed to deal with substance abuse. We describe the use of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and Tribal Participatory Research (TPR) approaches to develop a culturally sensitive substance abuse prevention program for Native youth. This project, The Community Pulling Together: Healing of the Canoe, is a collaboration between the Suquamish Tribe and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington. PMID:20157631

The TETRA-II Experiment to Observe Terrestrial Gamma Flashes at Ground Level - Analysis of Nearby Thunderstorm Activity and Comparison with Lightning Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, D.; Adams, C.; Cherry, M. L.; Al-Nussirat, S.; Bai, S.; Banadaki, Y.; Bitzer, P. M.; Hoffman, J.; Khosravi, E.; Legault, M.; Orang, M.; Pleshinger, D. J.; Rodriguez, R.; Trepanier, J. C.; Sunda-Meya, A.; Zimmer, N.

2017-12-01

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are millisecond bursts of high-energy electrons propagated within the atmosphere. An upgraded version of the TGF and Energetic Thunderstorm Rooftop Array (TETRA-II) consists of an array of BGO scintillators to detect TGFs from thunderstorms at ground-level in four locations: the campus of Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; the campus of the University of Puerto Rico at Utuado, Puerto Rico, in conjunction with the already existing Puerto Rico Lightning Detection Network (PRLDN) of radio receivers; the Centro Nacional de Metrologia de Panama (CENAMEP) in Panama City, Panama; and the Severe Weather Institute and Radar & Lightning Laboratories in Huntsville, Alabama. The original TETRA-I array of NaI scintillators at LSU detected 37 millisecond-scale bursts of gamma-rays at energies of 50 keV-2 MeV associated with nearby (< 8 km) thunderstorms. TETRA-II began operation in May 2016 and now has approximately an order of magnitude greater sensitivity to individual events than TETRA-I. The ability to observe ground-level bursts from close to the source allows an analysis of the storm cells producing these events. An analysis of storms associated with TETRA II gamma-ray events is provided using NEXRAD Level II base-reflectivity scans to determine specific storm features before, during, and after the occurrence of each event. Louisiana events appear to occur within most major thunderstorm types, in particular as the cell is transitioning into the dissipating stage of evolution.

Chaparral Model 60 Infrasound Sensor Evaluation.

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

Slad, George William; Merchant, Bion J.

2016-03-01

Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated an infrasound sensor, the Model 60 manufactured by Chaparral Physics, a Division of Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. The purpose of the infrasound sensor evaluation was to determine a measured sensitivity, transfer function, power, self-noise, dynamic range, and seismic sensitivity. The Model 60 infrasound sensor is a new sensor developed by Chaparral Physics intended to be a small, rugged sensor used in more flexible application conditions.

Investigation of Antennas for a High-Sensitivity Polarization Measurement Sensor

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

Burkholder and Chi-Chih Chen The Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory Department of Electrical Engineering Columbus, Ohio 43212 Final Report...Antennas for a High-Sensitivity Polarization Measurement Sensor 5. Report Date September 2010 6. 7. Author(s) Robert J. Burkholder and Chi-Chih Chen...POLARIZATION Mustafa Kuloglu, Robert J. Burkholder , and Chi-Chih Chen kuloglu.l@osu.edu, rjb@electroscience.osu.edu, chen.l 18@osu.edu ElectroScience

The Influence of Ship Deck-Edge Lighting on Perception of Position and Movement During Helicopter Recovery

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

sensitivity to differences between stimuli. The signal detection theory (SDT; e.g., MacMillan & Creelman , 1991) approach allows examination of both...REJECTIONS. Sensitivity (d’) and response bias (c) were calculated according to the formulae below (Azzopardi & Cowey, 1997; MacMillan & Creelman , 1991...MacMillan, N.A., & Creelman , C.D. (1991). Detection Theory: A User’s Guide. Sydney: Cambridge University Press. Royden, C.S., Banks, M.S

Discrete Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis of Hybrid Dynamical Systems With Switching [Discrete Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis of Hybrid Dynamical Systems

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Hong; Abhyankar, Shrirang; Constantinescu, Emil; ...

2017-01-24

Sensitivity analysis is an important tool for describing power system dynamic behavior in response to parameter variations. It is a central component in preventive and corrective control applications. The existing approaches for sensitivity calculations, namely, finite-difference and forward sensitivity analysis, require a computational effort that increases linearly with the number of sensitivity parameters. In this paper, we investigate, implement, and test a discrete adjoint sensitivity approach whose computational effort is effectively independent of the number of sensitivity parameters. The proposed approach is highly efficient for calculating sensitivities of larger systems and is consistent, within machine precision, with the function whosemore » sensitivity we are seeking. This is an essential feature for use in optimization applications. Moreover, our approach includes a consistent treatment of systems with switching, such as dc exciters, by deriving and implementing the adjoint jump conditions that arise from state-dependent and time-dependent switchings. The accuracy and the computational efficiency of the proposed approach are demonstrated in comparison with the forward sensitivity analysis approach. In conclusion, this paper focuses primarily on the power system dynamics, but the approach is general and can be applied to hybrid dynamical systems in a broader range of fields.« less

Discrete Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis of Hybrid Dynamical Systems With Switching [Discrete Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis of Hybrid Dynamical Systems

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

Zhang, Hong; Abhyankar, Shrirang; Constantinescu, Emil

Sensitivity analysis is an important tool for describing power system dynamic behavior in response to parameter variations. It is a central component in preventive and corrective control applications. The existing approaches for sensitivity calculations, namely, finite-difference and forward sensitivity analysis, require a computational effort that increases linearly with the number of sensitivity parameters. In this paper, we investigate, implement, and test a discrete adjoint sensitivity approach whose computational effort is effectively independent of the number of sensitivity parameters. The proposed approach is highly efficient for calculating sensitivities of larger systems and is consistent, within machine precision, with the function whosemore » sensitivity we are seeking. This is an essential feature for use in optimization applications. Moreover, our approach includes a consistent treatment of systems with switching, such as dc exciters, by deriving and implementing the adjoint jump conditions that arise from state-dependent and time-dependent switchings. The accuracy and the computational efficiency of the proposed approach are demonstrated in comparison with the forward sensitivity analysis approach. In conclusion, this paper focuses primarily on the power system dynamics, but the approach is general and can be applied to hybrid dynamical systems in a broader range of fields.« less

Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole versus vancomycin in the treatment of healthcare/ventilator-associated MRSA pneumonia: a case-control study.

PubMed

Eliakim-Raz, Noa; Hellerman, Moran; Yahav, Dafna; Cohen, Jonathan; Margalit, Ili; Fisher, Sharon; Zusman, Oren; Shaked, Hila; Bishara, Jihad

2017-03-01

Therapeutic options available to treat MRSA pneumonia are limited. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is an attractive treatment because of its bactericidal anti-MRSA activity, oral and parenteral formulations and good penetration to the lung tissue. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole with vancomycin in the treatment of healthcare/ventilator-associated MRSA pneumonia. We carried out a retrospective case-control study of all consecutive hospitalized adult patients diagnosed with MRSA pneumonia at Beilinson Hospital during 2010-15 and treated with either vancomycin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality at 30 days and clinical failure at the end of treatment. In order to reduce bias affecting the decision to use a specific antibiotic and as a sensitivity analysis, a propensity-score model for choosing between vancomycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was used. We identified 42 patients with MRSA pneumonia treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and 39 treated with vancomycin. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the groups. Vancomycin-treated patients showed significantly higher 30 day mortality on both multivariate analysis (HR = 5.28; 95% CI = 1.50-18.60; P  < 0.05) and sensitivity analysis with propensity score [vancomycin 13/24 (54.1%) versus trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 4/24 (16.7%); P  < 0.05], and higher clinical failure rates [vancomycin 23/39 (59%) versus trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 15/42 (35.7%); P  < 0.05], also in the sensitivity analysis with propensity score [vancomycin 14/24 (58.3%) versus trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 6/24 (25%); P  < 0.05]. The rates of side effects in both arms were comparable. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole appears to be superior to vancomycin in the treatment of MRSA pneumonia. A large-scale randomized controlled trial is needed to evaluate these findings. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Benchmarking in Universities: League Tables Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, David

2005-01-01

This paper examines the practice of benchmarking universities using a "league table" approach. Taking the example of the "Sunday Times University League Table", the author reanalyses the descriptive data on UK universities. Using a linear programming technique, data envelope analysis (DEA), the author uses the re-analysis to…

Gas chromatography-vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy for analysis of fatty acid methyl esters.

PubMed

Fan, Hui; Smuts, Jonathan; Bai, Ling; Walsh, Phillip; Armstrong, Daniel W; Schug, Kevin A

2016-03-01

A new vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detector for gas chromatography was recently developed and applied to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. VUV detection features full spectral acquisition in a wavelength range of 115-240nm, where virtually all chemical species absorb. VUV absorption spectra of 37 FAMEs, including saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated types were recorded. Unsaturated FAMEs show significantly different gas phase absorption profiles than saturated ones, and these classes can be easily distinguished with the VUV detector. Another advantage includes differentiating cis/trans-isomeric FAMEs (e.g. oleic acid methyl ester and linoleic acid methyl ester isomers) and the ability to use VUV data analysis software for deconvolution of co-eluting signals. As a universal detector, VUV also provides high specificity, sensitivity, and a fast data acquisition rate, making it a powerful tool for fatty acid screening when combined with gas chromatography. The fatty acid profile of several food oil samples (olive, canola, vegetable, corn, sunflower and peanut oils) were analyzed in this study to demonstrate applicability to real world samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of thermotherapy versus pentavalent antimonials for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Cardona-Arias, Jaiberth Antonio; López-Carvajal, Liliana; Tamayo Plata, Mery Patricia; Vélez, Iván Darío

2017-05-01

The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis is toxic, has contraindications, and a high cost. The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of thermotherapy versus pentavalent antimonials for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Effectiveness was the proportion of healing and safety with the adverse effects; these parameters were estimated from a controlled clinical trial and a meta-analysis. A standard costing was conducted. Average and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated. The uncertainty regarding effectiveness, safety, and costs was determined through sensitivity analyses. The total costs were $66,807 with Glucantime and $14,079 with thermotherapy. The therapeutic effectiveness rates were 64.2% for thermotherapy and 85.1% for Glucantime. The average cost-effectiveness ratios ranged between $721 and $1275 for Glucantime and between $187 and $390 for thermotherapy. Based on the meta-analysis, thermotherapy may be a dominant strategy. The excellent cost-effectiveness ratio of thermotherapy shows the relevance of its inclusion in guidelines for the treatment. © 2017 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Preliminary report for analysis of genome wide mutations from four ciprofloxacin resistant B. anthracis Sterne isolates generated by Illumina, 454 sequencing and microarrays for DHS

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

Jaing, Crystal; Vergez, Lisa; Hinckley, Aubree

2011-06-21

The objective of this project is to provide DHS a comprehensive evaluation of the current genomic technologies including genotyping, Taqman PCR, multiple locus variable tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), microarray and high-throughput DNA sequencing in the analysis of biothreat agents from complex environmental samples. As the result of a different DHS project, we have selected for and isolated a large number of ciprofloxacin resistant B. anthracis Sterne isolates. These isolates vary in the concentrations of ciprofloxacin that they can tolerate, suggesting multiple mutations in the samples. In collaboration with University of Houston, Eureka Genomics and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we analyzedmore » the ciprofloxacin resistant B. anthracis Sterne isolates by microarray hybridization, Illumina and Roche 454 sequencing to understand the error rates and sensitivity of the different methods. The report provides an assessment of the results and a complete set of all protocols used and all data generated along with information to interpret the protocols and data sets.« less

Development of a universal measure of quadrupedal forelimb-hindlimb coordination using digital motion capture and computerised analysis.

PubMed

Hamilton, Lindsay; Franklin, Robin J M; Jeffery, Nick D

2007-09-18

Clinical spinal cord injury in domestic dogs provides a model population in which to test the efficacy of putative therapeutic interventions for human spinal cord injury. To achieve this potential a robust method of functional analysis is required so that statistical comparison of numerical data derived from treated and control animals can be achieved. In this study we describe the use of digital motion capture equipment combined with mathematical analysis to derive a simple quantitative parameter - 'the mean diagonal coupling interval' - to describe coordination between forelimb and hindlimb movement. In normal dogs this parameter is independent of size, conformation, speed of walking or gait pattern. We show here that mean diagonal coupling interval is highly sensitive to alterations in forelimb-hindlimb coordination in dogs that have suffered spinal cord injury, and can be accurately quantified, but is unaffected by orthopaedic perturbations of gait. Mean diagonal coupling interval is an easily derived, highly robust measurement that provides an ideal method to compare the functional effect of therapeutic interventions after spinal cord injury in quadrupeds.

Current state-of-art of STR sequencing in forensic genetics.

PubMed

Alonso, Antonio; Barrio, Pedro A; Müller, Petra; Köcher, Steffi; Berger, Burkhard; Martin, Pablo; Bodner, Martin; Willuweit, Sascha; Parson, Walther; Roewer, Lutz; Budowle, Bruce

2018-05-11

The current state of validation and implementation strategies of MPS technology for the analysis of STR markers for forensic genetics use is described, covering the topics of the current catalogue of commercial MPS-STR panels, leading MPS-platforms, and MPS-STR data analysis tools. In addition, the developmental and internal validation studies carried out to date to evaluate reliability, sensitivity, mixture analysis, concordance, and the ability to analyze challenged samples are summarized. The results of various MPS-STR population studies that showed a large number of new STR sequence variants that increase the power of discrimination in several forensically-relevant loci are also presented. Finally, various initiatives developed by several international projects and standardization (or guidelines) groups to facilitate application of MPS technology for STR marker analyses are discussed in regard to promoting a standard STR sequence nomenclature, performing population studies to detect sequence variants, and developing a universal system to translate sequence variants into a simple STR nomenclature (numbers and letters) compatible with national STR databases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Population-based structural variation discovery with Hydra-Multi.

PubMed

Lindberg, Michael R; Hall, Ira M; Quinlan, Aaron R

2015-04-15

Current strategies for SNP and INDEL discovery incorporate sequence alignments from multiple individuals to maximize sensitivity and specificity. It is widely accepted that this approach also improves structural variant (SV) detection. However, multisample SV analysis has been stymied by the fundamental difficulties of SV calling, e.g. library insert size variability, SV alignment signal integration and detecting long-range genomic rearrangements involving disjoint loci. Extant tools suffer from poor scalability, which limits the number of genomes that can be co-analyzed and complicates analysis workflows. We have developed an approach that enables multisample SV analysis in hundreds to thousands of human genomes using commodity hardware. Here, we describe Hydra-Multi and measure its accuracy, speed and scalability using publicly available datasets provided by The 1000 Genomes Project and by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Hydra-Multi is written in C++ and is freely available at https://github.com/arq5x/Hydra. aaronquinlan@gmail.com or ihall@genome.wustl.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

Impedimetric aptasensor for nuclear factor kappa B with peroxidase-like mimic coupled DNA nanoladders as enhancer.

PubMed

Peng, Kanfu; Zhao, Hongwen; Xie, Pan; Hu, Shuang; Yuan, Yali; Yuan, Ruo; Wu, Xiongfei

2016-07-15

In this work, we developed a sensitive and universal aptasensor for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) detection based on peroxidase-like mimic coupled DNA nanoladders for signal amplification. The dsDNA formed by capture DNA S1 and NF-κB binding aptamer (NBA) was firstly assembled on electrode surface. The presence of target NF-κB then led to the leave of NBA from electrode surface and thus provided the binding sites for immobilizing initiator to trigger in situ formation of DNA nanoladders on electrode surface. Since the peroxidase-like mimic manganese (III) meso-tetrakis (4-Nmethylpyridyl)-porphyrin (MnTMPyP) interacts with DNA nanoladders via groove binding, the insoluble benzo-4-chlorohexadienone (4-CD) precipitation derived from the oxidation of 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) could be formed on electrode surface in the presence of H2O2, resulting in a significantly amplified EIS signal output for quantitative target analysis. As a result, the developed aptasensor showed a low detection limit of 7pM and a wide linear range of 0.01-20nM. Featured with high sensitivity and label-free capability, the proposed sensing scheme can thus offer new opportunities for achieving sensitive, selective and stable detection of different types of target proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Company-Level ART Provision to a Mining Workforce in South Africa: A Cost-Benefit Analysis.

PubMed

Meyer-Rath, Gesine; Pienaar, Jan; Brink, Brian; van Zyl, Andrew; Muirhead, Debbie; Grant, Alison; Churchyard, Gavin; Watts, Charlotte; Vickerman, Peter

2015-09-01

HIV impacts heavily on the operating costs of companies in sub-Saharan Africa, with many companies now providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in the workplace. A full cost-benefit analysis of workplace ART provision has not been conducted using primary data. We developed a dynamic health-state transition model to estimate the economic impact of HIV and the cost-benefit of ART provision in a mining company in South Africa between 2003 and 2022. A dynamic health-state transition model, called the Workplace Impact Model (WIM), was parameterised with workplace data on workforce size, composition, turnover, HIV incidence, and CD4 cell count development. Bottom-up cost analyses from the employer perspective supplied data on inpatient and outpatient resource utilisation and the costs of absenteeism and replacement of sick workers. The model was fitted to workforce HIV prevalence and separation data while incorporating parameter uncertainty; univariate sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of the model findings. As ART coverage increases from 10% to 97% of eligible employees, increases in survival and retention of HIV-positive employees and associated reductions in absenteeism and benefit payments lead to cost savings compared to a scenario of no treatment provision, with the annual cost of HIV to the company decreasing by 5% (90% credibility interval [CrI] 2%-8%) and the mean cost per HIV-positive employee decreasing by 14% (90% CrI 7%-19%) by 2022. This translates into an average saving of US$950,215 (90% CrI US$220,879-US$1.6 million) per year; 80% of these cost savings are due to reductions in benefit payments and inpatient care costs. Although findings are sensitive to assumptions regarding incidence and absenteeism, ART is cost-saving under considerable parameter uncertainty and in all tested scenarios, including when prevalence is reduced to 1%-except when no benefits were paid out to employees leaving the workforce and when absenteeism rates were half of what data suggested. Scaling up ART further through a universal test and treat strategy doubles savings; incorporating ART for family members reduces savings but is still marginally cost-saving compared to no treatment. Our analysis was limited to the direct cost of HIV to companies and did not examine the impact of HIV prevention policies on the miners or their families, and a few model inputs were based on limited data, though in sensitivity analysis our results were found to be robust to changes to these inputs along plausible ranges. Workplace ART provision can be cost-saving for companies in high HIV prevalence settings due to reductions in healthcare costs, absenteeism, and staff turnover. Company-sponsored HIV counselling and voluntary testing with ensuing treatment of all HIV-positive employees and family members should be implemented universally at workplaces in countries with high HIV prevalence.

The Impact of Company-Level ART Provision to a Mining Workforce in South Africa: A Cost–Benefit Analysis

PubMed Central

Meyer-Rath, Gesine; Pienaar, Jan; Brink, Brian; van Zyl, Andrew; Muirhead, Debbie; Grant, Alison; Churchyard, Gavin; Watts, Charlotte; Vickerman, Peter

2015-01-01

Background HIV impacts heavily on the operating costs of companies in sub-Saharan Africa, with many companies now providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in the workplace. A full cost–benefit analysis of workplace ART provision has not been conducted using primary data. We developed a dynamic health-state transition model to estimate the economic impact of HIV and the cost–benefit of ART provision in a mining company in South Africa between 2003 and 2022. Methods and Findings A dynamic health-state transition model, called the Workplace Impact Model (WIM), was parameterised with workplace data on workforce size, composition, turnover, HIV incidence, and CD4 cell count development. Bottom-up cost analyses from the employer perspective supplied data on inpatient and outpatient resource utilisation and the costs of absenteeism and replacement of sick workers. The model was fitted to workforce HIV prevalence and separation data while incorporating parameter uncertainty; univariate sensitivity analyses were used to assess the robustness of the model findings. As ART coverage increases from 10% to 97% of eligible employees, increases in survival and retention of HIV-positive employees and associated reductions in absenteeism and benefit payments lead to cost savings compared to a scenario of no treatment provision, with the annual cost of HIV to the company decreasing by 5% (90% credibility interval [CrI] 2%–8%) and the mean cost per HIV-positive employee decreasing by 14% (90% CrI 7%–19%) by 2022. This translates into an average saving of US$950,215 (90% CrI US$220,879–US$1.6 million) per year; 80% of these cost savings are due to reductions in benefit payments and inpatient care costs. Although findings are sensitive to assumptions regarding incidence and absenteeism, ART is cost-saving under considerable parameter uncertainty and in all tested scenarios, including when prevalence is reduced to 1%—except when no benefits were paid out to employees leaving the workforce and when absenteeism rates were half of what data suggested. Scaling up ART further through a universal test and treat strategy doubles savings; incorporating ART for family members reduces savings but is still marginally cost-saving compared to no treatment. Our analysis was limited to the direct cost of HIV to companies and did not examine the impact of HIV prevention policies on the miners or their families, and a few model inputs were based on limited data, though in sensitivity analysis our results were found to be robust to changes to these inputs along plausible ranges. Conclusions Workplace ART provision can be cost-saving for companies in high HIV prevalence settings due to reductions in healthcare costs, absenteeism, and staff turnover. Company-sponsored HIV counselling and voluntary testing with ensuing treatment of all HIV-positive employees and family members should be implemented universally at workplaces in countries with high HIV prevalence. PMID:26327271

AN OVERVIEW OF THE UNCERTAINTY ANALYSIS, SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS, AND PARAMETER ESTIMATION (UA/SA/PE) API AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT

EPA Science Inventory

The Application Programming Interface (API) for Uncertainty Analysis, Sensitivity Analysis, and
Parameter Estimation (UA/SA/PE API) (also known as Calibration, Optimization and Sensitivity and Uncertainty (CUSO)) was developed in a joint effort between several members of both ...

Autonomic Impairment in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Multimodal Neuromonitoring Study.

PubMed

Sykora, Marek; Czosnyka, Marek; Liu, Xiuyun; Donnelly, Joseph; Nasr, Nathalie; Diedler, Jennifer; Okoroafor, Francois; Hutchinson, Peter; Menon, David; Smielewski, Peter

2016-06-01

Autonomic impairment after acute traumatic brain injury has been associated independently with both increased morbidity and mortality. Links between autonomic impairment and increased intracranial pressure or impaired cerebral autoregulation have been described as well. However, relationships between autonomic impairment, intracranial pressure, impaired cerebral autoregulation, and outcome remain poorly explored. Using continuous measurements of heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity we aimed to test whether autonomic markers are associated with functional outcome and mortality independently of intracranial variables. Further, we aimed to evaluate the relationships between autonomic functions, intracranial pressure, and cerebral autoregulation. Retrospective analysis of a prospective database. Neurocritical care unit in a university hospital. Sedated patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Waveforms of intracranial pressure and arterial blood pressure, baseline Glasgow Coma Scale and 6 months Glasgow Outcome Scale were recorded. Baroreflex sensitivity was assessed every 10 seconds using a modified cross-correlational method. Frequency domain analyses of heart rate variability were performed automatically every 10 seconds from a moving 300 seconds of the monitoring time window. Mean values of baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, intracranial pressure, arterial blood pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, and impaired cerebral autoregulation over the entire monitoring period were calculated for each patient. Two hundred and sixty-two patients with a median age of 36 years entered the analysis. The median admission Glasgow Coma Scale was 6, the median Glasgow Outcome Scale was 3, and the mortality at 6 months was 23%. Baroreflex sensitivity (adjusted odds ratio, 0.9; p = 0.02) and relative power of a high frequency band of heart rate variability (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; p < 0.001) were individually associated with mortality, independently of age, admission Glasgow Coma Scale, intracranial pressure, pressure reactivity index, or cerebral perfusion pressure. Baroreflex sensitivity showed no correlation with intracranial pressure or cerebral perfusion pressure; the correlation with pressure reactivity index was strong in older patients (age, > 60 yr). The relative power of high frequency correlated significantly with intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure, but not with pressure reactivity index. The relative power of low frequency correlated significantly with pressure reactivity index. Autonomic impairment, as measured by heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity, is significantly associated with increased mortality after traumatic brain injury. These effects, though partially interlinked, seem to be independent of age, trauma severity, intracranial pressure, or autoregulatory status, and thus represent a discrete phenomenon in the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury. Continuous measurements of heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity in the neuromonitoring setting of severe traumatic brain injury may carry novel pathophysiological and predictive information.

Pushing boundaries-culture-sensitive care in oncology and palliative care: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Schrank, Beate; Rumpold, Tamara; Amering, Michaela; Masel, Eva Katharina; Watzke, Herbert; Schur, Sophie

2017-06-01

In increasingly globalized societies, patient-centered cancer care requires culture-sensitive approaches in order to ensure patients well-being. While migrant patients' needs are frequently reported in the literature, staff members' perception of work with migrant patients, associated challenges, or individual work approaches are largely unknown. This study addresses this research gap through qualitative exploration of experiences of multicultural health care professionals in supportive oncology and palliative care, working with patients from different cultural backgrounds. This study aims to understand staff experience of the impact of culture on cancer care. This study was conducted at the Medical University of Vienna, including staff from different settings of oncology and palliative care, in different professional positions, and with a range of individual migration backgrounds. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 staff members working with patients from different cultural backgrounds. Interviews explored views on the impact of culture on care were audio-taped, transcribed, and analyzed using a rigorous method of thematic analysis, enhanced with grounded theory techniques. Interviews revealed 4 key topics: culture-specific differences, assumed reasons for differences, consequences of multicultural care, and tools for culture-sensitive care. Strategies to better deal with migrant patients and their families were suggested to improve work satisfaction amongst staff. This study identifies relevant staff challenges in work with migrant patients. Concrete suggestions for improvement include measures on an organizational level, team level, and personal tools. The suggested measures are applicable to improve work satisfaction and culture-sensitive care not only in cancer care but also in other areas of medicine. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A universal multi-wavelength fluorescence polarization immunoassay for multiplexed detection of mycotoxins in maize.

PubMed

Li, Chenglong; Wen, Kai; Mi, Tiejun; Zhang, Xiya; Zhang, Huiyan; Zhang, Suxia; Shen, Jianzhong; Wang, Zhanhui

2016-05-15

Multi-analyte immunoassays have attracted increasing attention due to their short assay times, low sample consumption, and reduced detection costs per assay. In this work, we describe a homologous and high-throughput multi-wavelength fluorescence polarization immunoassay (MWFPIA) for the multiplexed detection of mycotoxins. Three typical Fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin and fumonisin B1 (FB1), were labeled with different dyes. Tracers and specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were employed in the MWFPIA to simultaneously detect the three mycotoxins. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection using MWFPIA were 242.0 μg kg(-1) for DON, 17.8 μg kg(-1) for T-2 toxin and 331.5 μg kg(-1) for FB1, providing sufficient sensitivity to meet the action levels of these three contaminants in maize as set by the European Union. The use of a methanol/water (2:3, v/v) mixture for sample pretreatment allowed recoveries ranging from 76.5-106.3%, with coefficients of variation less than 21.7%. The total time of analysis, including sample preparation, was less than 30 min. Twenty naturally contaminated maize samples were tested using MWFPIA and HPLC-MS/MS, with correlation coefficients (R(2)) of 0.97 for DON and 0.99 for FB1. By changing the targets of interest, homologous MWFPIA, a method with high sensitivity, a simple procedure and a short analysis time, can easily be extended to other chemical contaminants. Thus, MWFPIA represents a versatile strategy for food safety analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural Finite Element Model Updating Using Vibration Tests and Modal Analysis for NPL footbridge - SHM demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, E.; Middleton, C.; Koo, K.; Crocker, L.; Brownjohn, J.

2011-07-01

This paper presents the results from collaboration between the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the University of Sheffield on an ongoing research project at NPL. A 50 year old reinforced concrete footbridge has been converted to a full scale structural health monitoring (SHM) demonstrator. The structure is monitored using a variety of techniques; however, interrelating results and converting data to knowledge are not possible without a reliable numerical model. During the first stage of the project, the work concentrated on static loading and an FE model of the undamaged bridge was created, and updated, under specified static loading and temperature conditions. This model was found to accurately represent the response under static loading and it was used to identify locations for sensor installation. The next stage involves the evaluation of repair/strengthening patches under both static and dynamic loading. Therefore, before deliberately introducing significant damage, the first set of dynamic tests was conducted and modal properties were estimated. The measured modal properties did not match the modal analysis from the statically updated FE model; it was clear that the existing model required updating. This paper introduces the results of the dynamic testing and model updating. It is shown that the structure exhibits large non-linear, amplitude dependant characteristics. This creates a difficult updating process, but we attempt to produce the best linear representation of the structure. A sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the most sensitive locations for planned damage/repair scenarios and is used to decide whether additional sensors will be necessary.

Psychometric properties of Conversion Disorder Scale- Revised (CDS) for children.

PubMed

Ijaz, Tazvin; Nasir, Attikah; Sarfraz, Naema; Ijaz, Shirmeen

2017-05-01

To revise conversion disorder scale and to establish the psychometric properties of the revised scale. This case-control study was conducted from February to June, 2014, at the Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised schoolchildren and children with conversion disorder. In order to generate items for revised version of conversion disorder scale, seven practising mental health professionals were consulted. A list of 42 items was finalised for expert ratings. After empirical validation, a scale of 40 items was administered on the participants and factor analysis was conducted. Of the240 participants, 120(50%) were schoolchildren (controls group) and 120(50%)were children with conversion disorder (clinical group).The results of factor analysis revealed five factors (swallowing and speech symptoms, motor symptoms, sensory symptoms, weakness and fatigue, and mixed symptoms) and retention of all 40 items of revised version of conversion disorder scale. Concurrent validity of the revised scale was found to be 0.81 which was significantly high. Similarly, discriminant validity of the scale was also high as both clinical and control groups had significant difference (p<0.001) in scores. Cronbach's alpha of scale was a=0.91 while item total correlation ranged from 0.50 to 0.80. The sensitivity and specificity analysis indicated that the revised conversion disorder scale was 76% sensitive to predicting conversion disorder while specificity showed that the scale was 73% accurate in specifying participants of the control group. The revised version of conversion disorder scale was a reliable and valid tool to be used for screening of children with conversion disorder.

Psychometric testing of a Mandarin Chinese Version of the Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale for patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Hsu, Lan-Fang; Kao, Ching-Chiu; Wang, Mei-Yeh; Chang, Chun-Jen; Tsai, Pei-Shan

2014-12-01

The Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) is a self-report instrument that assesses symptoms and the severity of depression, but its psychometric properties in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese-Speaking populations are unknown. To examine the psychometric properties of the Mandarin Chinese version of the CUDOS (CUDOS-Chinese). A methodological research design. Endocrinology and metabolism outpatient clinics at 2 university-affiliated hospitals in northern Taiwan. Two-hundred and fourteen type 2 diabetic patients with the mean age of 62.6 years were enrolled, and two-hundred and twelve of them completed the study. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent, and contrasted-groups validity were assessed. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to assess sensitivity and specificity. Construct validity by means of confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Internal consistency (Cronbach α of total scale and four subscales=0.93, 0.80, 0.66, 0.80, and 0.83, respectively), test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients of total scale and four subscales=0.92, 0.89, 0.94, 0.89, and 0.91, respectively), and strong correlations with the Beck Depression Inventory-II (r=0.87) suggested good reliability and validity. The confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor model. A cut-off score of 19/20 yielded 77.8% sensitivity and 75.6% specificity. The CUDOS-Chinese demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability for detecting depression in type 2 diabetic patients in Taiwan. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Assessment of Greek Universities' Efficiency Using Quantitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katharaki, Maria; Katharakis, George

2010-01-01

In part due to the increased demand for higher education, typical evaluation frameworks for universities often address the key issue of available resource utilisation. This study seeks to estimate the efficiency of 20 public universities in Greece through quantitative analysis (including performance indicators, data envelopment analysis (DEA) and…

N.C. college to pay $325,000 to coach fired because of AIDS.

PubMed

1995-05-05

To settle a discrimination lawsuit, Campbell University agreed to pay $325,000 to a physical education instructor fired in 1993 after the university learned he had AIDS. Officials from the North Carolina university said the instructor, known as John Doe, posed a direct threat to students and himself. The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) sued in April 1994 on Doe's behalf, saying the university violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Doe's attorney also charged the university with violating the Rehabilitation Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). According to EEOC officials, the university decided to settle after learning that medical experts were prepared to testify that Doe could perform his job without endangering anyone. As part of the settlement, Doe will return to the payroll, but at a new job which he developed. In addition, the university agreed to keep confidential the medical information of its employees, purge Doe's personnel file of any references to his medical condition or the discrimination complaint, and provide AIDS awareness and sensitivity training to university managers and supervisors.

Sensitivity to the house dust mite and airway hyperresponsiveness in a young adult population.

PubMed

Obase, Y; Shimoda, T; Mitsuta, K; Matsuo, N; Matsuse, H; Kohno, S

1999-10-01

The pathogenic mechanisms of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in asthma are unknown and only a few studies have examined the importance of sensitivity to antigens in AHR in young adults. We investigated the correlation between AHR and sensitivity to specific antigens, atopy, history of childhood asthma and spirometry in a young adult population. Based on the results of interviews with 447 students at our university, 308 non-smoker students were classified into six groups. Group 1 comprised subjects with intermittent mild bronchial asthma; group 2, subjects with history of childhood asthma; group 3, subjects with atopic disease, and a RAST score for Dermatophagoides farinae (Def) of > or = 2; group 4, normal subjects with a RAST score for Def of > or = 2; group 5, subjects with cedar pollinosis; and group 6, normal subjects. We measured AHR to methacholine (MCh), spirometry, immunoglobulin E-radioimmunosorbent test (IgE-RIST), IgE-radioallergosorbent test to six common antigens, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil count in peripheral blood in each subject. Airway hyperresponsiveness to MCh did not correlate with IgE-RIST, eosinophil count, or ECP. The highest AHR to MCh was present in groups 1 and 2 and lowest in groups 5 and 6. Multiple regression analysis showed that sensitivity to Def was the only factor that significantly influenced AHR to MCh. Airway hyperresponsiveness to MCh of groups with a RAST score for Def of 0/1 was lower than groups with a RAST score of 2 to 6. Airway hyperresponsiveness to MCh did not correlate with the degree of positivity to Def antigen among positive sensitized groups (RAST score 2 to 6). Sensitivity to mite antigen may be important in the pathogenesis of AHR and Def is a major contributing antigen in young adults in Japan. Once asthma occurs, AHR remains positive for a long time even after the disappearance of asthma-related symptoms.

Screening for fetal growth restriction with universal third trimester ultrasonography in nulliparous women in the Pregnancy Outcome Prediction (POP) study: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Sovio, Ulla; White, Ian R; Dacey, Alison; Pasupathy, Dharmintra; Smith, Gordon C S

2015-11-21

Fetal growth restriction is a major determinant of adverse perinatal outcome. Screening procedures for fetal growth restriction need to identify small babies and then differentiate between those that are healthy and those that are pathologically small. We sought to determine the diagnostic effectiveness of universal ultrasonic fetal biometry in the third trimester as a screening test for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, and whether the risk of morbidity associated with being small differed in the presence or absence of ultrasonic markers of fetal growth restriction. The Pregnancy Outcome Prediction (POP) study was a prospective cohort study of nulliparous women with a viable singleton pregnancy at the time of the dating ultrasound scan. Women participating had clinically indicated ultrasonography in the third trimester as per routine clinical care and these results were reported as usual (selective ultrasonography). Additionally, all participants had research ultrasonography, including fetal biometry at 28 and 36 weeks' gestational age. These results were not made available to participants or treating clinicians (universal ultrasonography). We regarded SGA as a birthweight of less than the 10th percentile for gestational age and screen positive for SGA an ultrasonographic estimated fetal weight of less than the 10th percentile for gestational age. Markers of fetal growth restriction included biometric ratios, utero-placental Doppler, and fetal growth velocity. We assessed outcomes for consenting participants who attended research scans and had a livebirth at the Rosie Hospital (Cambridge, UK) after the 28 weeks' research scan. Between Jan 14, 2008, and July 31, 2012, 4512 women provided written informed consent of whom 3977 (88%) were eligible for analysis. Sensitivity for detection of SGA infants was 20% (95% CI 15-24; 69 of 352 fetuses) for selective ultrasonography and 57% (51-62; 199 of 352 fetuses) for universal ultrasonography (relative sensitivity 2·9, 95% CI 2·4-3·5, p<0·0001). Of the 3977 fetuses, 562 (14·1%) were identified by universal ultrasonography with an estimated fetal weight of less than the 10th percentile and were at an increased risk of neonatal morbidity (relative risk [RR] 1·60, 95% CI 1·22-2·09, p=0·0012). However, estimated fetal weight of less than the 10th percentile was only associated with the risk of neonatal morbidity (pinteraction=0·005) if the fetal abdominal circumference growth velocity was in the lowest decile (RR 3·9, 95% CI 1·9-8·1, p=0·0001). 172 (4%) of 3977 pregnancies had both an estimated fetal weight of less than the 10th percentile and abdominal circumference growth velocity in the lowest decile, and had a relative risk of delivering an SGA infant with neonatal morbidity of 17·6 (9·2-34·0, p<0·0001). Screening of nulliparous women with universal third trimester fetal biometry roughly tripled detection of SGA infants. Combined analysis of fetal biometry and fetal growth velocity identified a subset of SGA fetuses that were at increased risk of neonatal morbidity. National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Council, Sands, and GE Healthcare. Copyright © 2015 Sovio et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Psychological Universals: What Are They and How Can We Know?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norenzayan, Ara; Heine, Steven J.

2005-01-01

Psychological universals, or core mental attributes shared by humans everywhere, are a foundational postulate of psychology, yet explicit analysis of how to identify such universals is lacking. This article offers a conceptual and methodological framework to guide the investigation of genuine universals through empirical analysis of psychological…

Development of a genus-specific next generation sequencing approach for sensitive and quantitative determination of the Legionella microbiome in freshwater systems.

PubMed

Pereira, Rui P A; Peplies, Jörg; Brettar, Ingrid; Höfle, Manfred G

2017-03-31

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the analysis of natural and man-made microbial communities by using universal primers for bacteria in a PCR based approach targeting the 16S rRNA gene. In our study we narrowed primer specificity to a single, monophyletic genus because for many questions in microbiology only a specific part of the whole microbiome is of interest. We have chosen the genus Legionella, comprising more than 20 pathogenic species, due to its high relevance for water-based respiratory infections. A new NGS-based approach was designed by sequencing 16S rRNA gene amplicons specific for the genus Legionella using the Illumina MiSeq technology. This approach was validated and applied to a set of representative freshwater samples. Our results revealed that the generated libraries presented a low average raw error rate per base (<0.5%); and substantiated the use of high-fidelity enzymes, such as KAPA HiFi, for increased sequence accuracy and quality. The approach also showed high in situ specificity (>95%) and very good repeatability. Only in samples in which the gammabacterial clade SAR86 was present more than 1% non-Legionella sequences were observed. Next-generation sequencing read counts did not reveal considerable amplification/sequencing biases and showed a sensitive as well as precise quantification of L. pneumophila along a dilution range using a spiked-in, certified genome standard. The genome standard and a mock community consisting of six different Legionella species demonstrated that the developed NGS approach was quantitative and specific at the level of individual species, including L. pneumophila. The sensitivity of our genus-specific approach was at least one order of magnitude higher compared to the universal NGS approach. Comparison of quantification by real-time PCR showed consistency with the NGS data. Overall, our NGS approach can determine the quantitative abundances of Legionella species, i. e. the complete Legionella microbiome, without the need for species-specific primers. The developed NGS approach provides a new molecular surveillance tool to monitor all Legionella species in qualitative and quantitative terms if a spiked-in genome standard is used to calibrate the method. Overall, the genus-specific NGS approach opens up a new avenue to massive parallel diagnostics in a quantitative, specific and sensitive way.

Evaluation of Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity by ROPtool or a Lay Reader.

PubMed

Abbey, Ashkan M; Besirli, Cagri G; Musch, David C; Andrews, Chris A; Capone, Antonio; Drenser, Kimberly A; Wallace, David K; Ostmo, Susan; Chiang, Michael; Lee, Paul P; Trese, Michael T

2016-02-01

To determine if (1) tortuosity assessment by a computer program (ROPtool, developed at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Duke University, and licensed by FocusROP) that traces retinal blood vessels and (2) assessment by a lay reader are comparable with assessment by a panel of 3 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) experts for remote clinical grading of vascular abnormalities such as plus disease. Validity and reliability analysis of diagnostic tools. Three hundred thirty-five fundus images of prematurely born infants. Three hundred thirty-five fundus images of prematurely born infants were obtained by neonatal intensive care unit nurses. A panel of 3 ROP experts graded 84 images showing vascular dilatation, tortuosity, or both and 251 images showing no evidence of vascular abnormalities. These images were sent electronically to an experienced lay reader who independently graded them for vascular abnormalities. The images also were analyzed using the ROPtool, which assigns a numerical value to the level of vascular abnormality and tortuosity present in each of 4 quadrants or sectors. The ROPtool measurements of vascular abnormalities were graded and compared with expert panel grades with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Grades between human readers were cross-tabulated. The area under the ROC curve was calculated for the ROPtool, and sensitivity and specificity were computed for the lay reader. Measurements of vascular abnormalities by ROPtool and grading of vascular abnormalities by 3 ROP experts and 1 experienced lay reader. The ROC curve for ROPtool's tortuosity assessment had an area under the ROC curve of 0.917. Using a threshold value of 4.97 for the second most tortuous quadrant, ROPtool's sensitivity was 91% and its specificity was 82%. Lay reader sensitivity and specificity were 99% and 73%, respectively, and had high reliability (κ, 0.87) in repeated measurements. ROPtool had very good accuracy for detection of vascular abnormalities suggestive of plus disease when compared with expert physician graders. The lay reader's results showed excellent sensitivity and good specificity when compared with those of the expert graders. These options for remote reading of images to detect vascular abnormalities deserve consideration in the quest to use telemedicine with remote reading for efficient delivery of high-quality care and to detect infants requiring bedside examination. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shape design sensitivity analysis using domain information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seong, Hwal-Gyeong; Choi, Kyung K.

1985-01-01

A numerical method for obtaining accurate shape design sensitivity information for built-up structures is developed and demonstrated through analysis of examples. The basic character of the finite element method, which gives more accurate domain information than boundary information, is utilized for shape design sensitivity improvement. A domain approach for shape design sensitivity analysis of built-up structures is derived using the material derivative idea of structural mechanics and the adjoint variable method of design sensitivity analysis. Velocity elements and B-spline curves are introduced to alleviate difficulties in generating domain velocity fields. The regularity requirements of the design velocity field are studied.

Sensitivity analysis in economic evaluation: an audit of NICE current practice and a review of its use and value in decision-making.

PubMed

Andronis, L; Barton, P; Bryan, S

2009-06-01

To determine how we define good practice in sensitivity analysis in general and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) in particular, and to what extent it has been adhered to in the independent economic evaluations undertaken for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) over recent years; to establish what policy impact sensitivity analysis has in the context of NICE, and policy-makers' views on sensitivity analysis and uncertainty, and what use is made of sensitivity analysis in policy decision-making. Three major electronic databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database, were searched from inception to February 2008. The meaning of 'good practice' in the broad area of sensitivity analysis was explored through a review of the literature. An audit was undertaken of the 15 most recent NICE multiple technology appraisal judgements and their related reports to assess how sensitivity analysis has been undertaken by independent academic teams for NICE. A review of the policy and guidance documents issued by NICE aimed to assess the policy impact of the sensitivity analysis and the PSA in particular. Qualitative interview data from NICE Technology Appraisal Committee members, collected as part of an earlier study, were also analysed to assess the value attached to the sensitivity analysis components of the economic analyses conducted for NICE. All forms of sensitivity analysis, notably both deterministic and probabilistic approaches, have their supporters and their detractors. Practice in relation to univariate sensitivity analysis is highly variable, with considerable lack of clarity in relation to the methods used and the basis of the ranges employed. In relation to PSA, there is a high level of variability in the form of distribution used for similar parameters, and the justification for such choices is rarely given. Virtually all analyses failed to consider correlations within the PSA, and this is an area of concern. Uncertainty is considered explicitly in the process of arriving at a decision by the NICE Technology Appraisal Committee, and a correlation between high levels of uncertainty and negative decisions was indicated. The findings suggest considerable value in deterministic sensitivity analysis. Such analyses serve to highlight which model parameters are critical to driving a decision. Strong support was expressed for PSA, principally because it provides an indication of the parameter uncertainty around the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The review and the policy impact assessment focused exclusively on documentary evidence, excluding other sources that might have revealed further insights on this issue. In seeking to address parameter uncertainty, both deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses should be used. It is evident that some cost-effectiveness work, especially around the sensitivity analysis components, represents a challenge in making it accessible to those making decisions. This speaks to the training agenda for those sitting on such decision-making bodies, and to the importance of clear presentation of analyses by the academic community.

Design sensitivity analysis with Applicon IFAD using the adjoint variable method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frederick, Marjorie C.; Choi, Kyung K.

1984-01-01

A numerical method is presented to implement structural design sensitivity analysis using the versatility and convenience of existing finite element structural analysis program and the theoretical foundation in structural design sensitivity analysis. Conventional design variables, such as thickness and cross-sectional areas, are considered. Structural performance functionals considered include compliance, displacement, and stress. It is shown that calculations can be carried out outside existing finite element codes, using postprocessing data only. That is, design sensitivity analysis software does not have to be imbedded in an existing finite element code. The finite element structural analysis program used in the implementation presented is IFAD. Feasibility of the method is shown through analysis of several problems, including built-up structures. Accurate design sensitivity results are obtained without the uncertainty of numerical accuracy associated with selection of a finite difference perturbation.

The Impact of Normalization Methods on RNA-Seq Data Analysis

PubMed Central

Zyprych-Walczak, J.; Szabelska, A.; Handschuh, L.; Górczak, K.; Klamecka, K.; Figlerowicz, M.; Siatkowski, I.

2015-01-01

High-throughput sequencing technologies, such as the Illumina Hi-seq, are powerful new tools for investigating a wide range of biological and medical problems. Massive and complex data sets produced by the sequencers create a need for development of statistical and computational methods that can tackle the analysis and management of data. The data normalization is one of the most crucial steps of data processing and this process must be carefully considered as it has a profound effect on the results of the analysis. In this work, we focus on a comprehensive comparison of five normalization methods related to sequencing depth, widely used for transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data, and their impact on the results of gene expression analysis. Based on this study, we suggest a universal workflow that can be applied for the selection of the optimal normalization procedure for any particular data set. The described workflow includes calculation of the bias and variance values for the control genes, sensitivity and specificity of the methods, and classification errors as well as generation of the diagnostic plots. Combining the above information facilitates the selection of the most appropriate normalization method for the studied data sets and determines which methods can be used interchangeably. PMID:26176014

Privacy-preserving microbiome analysis using secure computation.

PubMed

Wagner, Justin; Paulson, Joseph N; Wang, Xiao; Bhattacharjee, Bobby; Corrada Bravo, Héctor

2016-06-15

Developing targeted therapeutics and identifying biomarkers relies on large amounts of research participant data. Beyond human DNA, scientists now investigate the DNA of micro-organisms inhabiting the human body. Recent work shows that an individual's collection of microbial DNA consistently identifies that person and could be used to link a real-world identity to a sensitive attribute in a research dataset. Unfortunately, the current suite of DNA-specific privacy-preserving analysis tools does not meet the requirements for microbiome sequencing studies. To address privacy concerns around microbiome sequencing, we implement metagenomic analyses using secure computation. Our implementation allows comparative analysis over combined data without revealing the feature counts for any individual sample. We focus on three analyses and perform an evaluation on datasets currently used by the microbiome research community. We use our implementation to simulate sharing data between four policy-domains. Additionally, we describe an application of our implementation for patients to combine data that allows drug developers to query against and compensate patients for the analysis. The software is freely available for download at: http://cbcb.umd.edu/∼hcorrada/projects/secureseq.html Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. hcorrada@umiacs.umd.edu. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Large Format Arrays for Far Infrared and Millimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moseley, Harvey

2004-01-01

Some of the most compelling questions in modem astronomy are best addressed with submillimeter and millimeter observations. The question of the role of inflation in the early evolution of the universe is best addressed with large sensitive arrays of millimeter polarimeters. The study of the first generations of galaxies requires sensitive submillimeter imaging, which can help us to understand the history of energy release and nucleosynthesis in the universe. Our ability to address these questions is dramatically increasing, driven by dramatic steps in the sensitivity and size of available detector arrays. While the MIPS instrument on the SIRTF mission will revolutionize far infrared astronomy with its 1024 element array of photoconductors, thermal detectors remain the dominant technology for submillimeter and millimeter imaging and polarimetry. The last decade has seen the deployment of increasingly large arrays of bolometers, ranging from the 48 element arrays deployed on the KAO in the late 198Os, to the SHARC and SCUBA arrays in the 1990s. The past years have seen the deployment of a new generation of larger detector arrays in SHARC II (384 channels) and Bolocam (144 channels). These detectors are in operation and are beginning to make significant impacts on the field. Arrays of sensitive submillimeter bolometers on the SPIRE instrument on Herschel will allow the first large areas surveys of the sky, providing important insight into the evolution of galaxies. The next generation of detectors, led by SCUBA II, will increase the focal scale of these instruments by an order of magnitude. Two major missions are being planned by NASA for which further development of long wavelength detectors is essential, The SAFlR mission, a 10-m class telescope with large arrays of background limited detectors, will extend our reach into the epoch of initial galaxy formation. A major goal of modem cosmology is to test the inflationary paradigm in the early evolution of the universe. To this end, a mission is planned to detect the imprint of inflation on the CMB by precision measurement of its polarization. This work requires very large arrays of sensitive detectors which can provide unprecedented control of a wide range of systematic errors, given the small amplitude of the signal of interest. We will describe the current state of large format detector arrays, the performance requirements set by the new missions, and the different approaches being developed in the community to meet these requirements. We are confident that within a decade, these developments will lead to dramatic advances in our understanding of the evolution of the universe.

Probabilistic Sensitivity Analysis of Fretting Fatigue (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

AFRL-RX-WP-TP-2009-4091 PROBABILISTIC SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF FRETTING FATIGUE (Preprint) Patrick J. Golden, Harry R. Millwater , and...Sensitivity Analysis of Fretting Fatigue Patrick J. Golden * Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 Harry R. Millwater † and

Universal Off-Equilibrium Scaling of Critical Cumulants in the QCD Phase Diagram

DOE PAGES

Mukherjee, Swagato; Venugopalan, Raju; Yin, Yi

2016-11-23

Exploiting the universality between the QCD critical point and the three-dimensional Ising model, closed form expressions derived for nonequilibrium critical cumulants on the crossover side of the critical point reveal that they can differ in both magnitude and sign from equilibrium expectations. Here, we demonstrate here that key elements of the Kibble-Zurek framework of nonequilibrium phase transitions can be employed to describe the dynamics of these critical cumulants. Lastly, our results suggest that observables sensitive to critical dynamics in heavy-ion collisions should be expressible as universal scaling functions, thereby providing powerful model-independent guidance in searches for the QCD critical point.

Summary of Proton Test on the Actel A1280A at Indiana University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katz, Richard; LaBel, K.

1998-01-01

A summary of tests performed at the Indiana University Cycl,oltron Facility, on the Actel A1280A circuit device is described. The intent of the study was to investigate the proton response of the hard-wired S-Module flip-flops with a large sample size. This device is sensitive to protons for S-Modules. The device's performance in the test is shown in graphs, and was typical for devices of this class.

The Relative Efficiencies of Research Universities of Science and Technology in China: Based on the Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Frontier Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuanyi, Wang; Xiaohong, Lv; Shikui, Zhao

2016-01-01

This paper applies data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to explore the relative efficiency of China's research universities of science and technology. According to the finding, when talent training is the only output, the efficiency of research universities of science and technology is far lower than that of…

A universal TaqMan-based RT-PCR protocol for cost-efficient detection of small noncoding RNA.

PubMed

Jung, Ulrike; Jiang, Xiaoou; Kaufmann, Stefan H E; Patzel, Volker

2013-12-01

Several methods for the detection of RNA have been developed over time. For small RNA detection, a stem-loop reverse primer-based protocol relying on TaqMan RT-PCR has been described. This protocol requires an individual specific TaqMan probe for each target RNA and, hence, is highly cost-intensive for experiments with small sample sizes or large numbers of different samples. We describe a universal TaqMan-based probe protocol which can be used to detect any target sequence and demonstrate its applicability for the detection of endogenous as well as artificial eukaryotic and bacterial small RNAs. While the specific and the universal probe-based protocol showed the same sensitivity, the absolute sensitivity of detection was found to be more than 100-fold lower for both than previously reported. In subsequent experiments, we found previously unknown limitations intrinsic to the method affecting its feasibility in determination of mature template RISC incorporation as well as in multiplexing. Both protocols were equally specific in discriminating between correct and incorrect small RNA targets or between mature miRNA and its unprocessed RNA precursor, indicating the stem-loop RT-primer, but not the TaqMan probe, triggers target specificity. The presented universal TaqMan-based RT-PCR protocol represents a cost-efficient method for the detection of small RNAs.

Fuzzy method for pre-diagnosis of breast cancer from the Fine Needle Aspirate analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Across the globe, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women and, currently, Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) with visual interpretation is the easiest and fastest biopsy technique for the diagnosis of this deadly disease. Unfortunately, the ability of this method to diagnose cancer correctly when the disease is present varies greatly, from 65% to 98%. This article introduces a method to assist in the diagnosis and second opinion of breast cancer from the analysis of descriptors extracted from smears of breast mass obtained by FNA, with the use of computational intelligence resources - in this case, fuzzy logic. Methods For data acquisition of FNA, the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer Data (WDBC), from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) Machine Learning Repository, available on the internet through the UCI domain was used. The knowledge acquisition process was carried out by the extraction and analysis of numerical data of the WDBC and by interviews and discussions with medical experts. The PDM-FNA-Fuzzy was developed in four steps: 1) Fuzzification Stage; 2) Rules Base; 3) Inference Stage; and 4) Defuzzification Stage. Performance cross-validation was used in the tests, with three databases with gold pattern clinical cases randomly extracted from the WDBC. The final validation was held by medical specialists in pathology, mastology and general practice, and with gold pattern clinical cases, i.e. with known and clinically confirmed diagnosis. Results The Fuzzy Method developed provides breast cancer pre-diagnosis with 98.59% sensitivity (correct pre-diagnosis of malignancies); and 85.43% specificity (correct pre-diagnosis of benign cases). Due to the high sensitivity presented, these results are considered satisfactory, both by the opinion of medical specialists in the aforementioned areas and by comparison with other studies involving breast cancer diagnosis using FNA. Conclusions This paper presents an intelligent method to assist in the diagnosis and second opinion of breast cancer, using a fuzzy method capable of processing and sorting data extracted from smears of breast mass obtained by FNA, with satisfactory levels of sensitivity and specificity. The main contribution of the proposed method is the reduction of the variation hit of malignant cases when compared to visual interpretation currently applied in the diagnosis by FNA. While the MPD-FNA-Fuzzy features stable sensitivity at 98.59%, visual interpretation diagnosis provides a sensitivity variation from 65% to 98% (this track showing sensitivity levels below those considered satisfactory by medical specialists). Note that this method will be used in an Intelligent Virtual Environment to assist the decision-making (IVEMI), which amplifies its contribution. PMID:23122391

Glaucoma progression detection: agreement, sensitivity, and specificity of expert visual field evaluation, event analysis, and trend analysis.

PubMed

Antón, Alfonso; Pazos, Marta; Martín, Belén; Navero, José Manuel; Ayala, Miriam Eleonora; Castany, Marta; Martínez, Patricia; Bardavío, Javier

2013-01-01

To assess sensitivity, specificity, and agreement among automated event analysis, automated trend analysis, and expert evaluation to detect glaucoma progression. This was a prospective study that included 37 eyes with a follow-up of 36 months. All had glaucomatous disks and fields and performed reliable visual fields every 6 months. Each series of fields was assessed with 3 different methods: subjective assessment by 2 independent teams of glaucoma experts, glaucoma/guided progression analysis (GPA) event analysis, and GPA (visual field index-based) trend analysis. Kappa agreement coefficient between methods and sensitivity and specificity for each method using expert opinion as gold standard were calculated. The incidence of glaucoma progression was 16% to 18% in 3 years but only 3 cases showed progression with all 3 methods. Kappa agreement coefficient was high (k=0.82) between subjective expert assessment and GPA event analysis, and only moderate between these two and GPA trend analysis (k=0.57). Sensitivity and specificity for GPA event and GPA trend analysis were 71% and 96%, and 57% and 93%, respectively. The 3 methods detected similar numbers of progressing cases. The GPA event analysis and expert subjective assessment showed high agreement between them and moderate agreement with GPA trend analysis. In a period of 3 years, both methods of GPA analysis offered high specificity, event analysis showed 83% sensitivity, and trend analysis had a 66% sensitivity.

Multidisciplinary design optimization using multiobjective formulation techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Pagaldipti, Narayanan S.

1995-01-01

This report addresses the development of a multidisciplinary optimization procedure using an efficient semi-analytical sensitivity analysis technique and multilevel decomposition for the design of aerospace vehicles. A semi-analytical sensitivity analysis procedure is developed for calculating computational grid sensitivities and aerodynamic design sensitivities. Accuracy and efficiency of the sensitivity analysis procedure is established through comparison of the results with those obtained using a finite difference technique. The developed sensitivity analysis technique are then used within a multidisciplinary optimization procedure for designing aerospace vehicles. The optimization problem, with the integration of aerodynamics and structures, is decomposed into two levels. Optimization is performed for improved aerodynamic performance at the first level and improved structural performance at the second level. Aerodynamic analysis is performed by solving the three-dimensional parabolized Navier Stokes equations. A nonlinear programming technique and an approximate analysis procedure are used for optimization. The proceduredeveloped is applied to design the wing of a high speed aircraft. Results obtained show significant improvements in the aircraft aerodynamic and structural performance when compared to a reference or baseline configuration. The use of the semi-analytical sensitivity technique provides significant computational savings.

Fermion masses in SO(10)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungman, Gerard

1992-11-01

Yukawa-coupling-constant unification together with the known fermion masses is used to constrain SO(10) models. We consider the case of one (heavy) generation, with the tree-level relation mb=mτ, calculating the limits on the intermediate scales due to the known limits on fermion masses. This analysis extends previous analyses which addressed only the simplest symmetry-breaking schemes. In the case where the low-energy model is the standard model with one Higgs doublet, there are very strong constraints due to the known limits on the top-quark mass and the τ-neutrino mass. The two-Higgs-doublet case is less constrained, though we can make progress in constraining this model also. We identify those parameters to which the viability of the model is most sensitive. We also discuss the ``triviality'' bounds on mt obtained from the analysis of the Yukawa renormalization-group equations. Finally we address the role of a speculative constraint on the τ-neutrino mass, arising from the cosmological implications of anomalous B+L violation in the early Universe.

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the ORTO-15 questionnaire for the diagnosis of orthorexia nervosa

PubMed Central

Parra-Fernandez, María Laura; Rodríguez-Cano, Teresa; Onieva-Zafra, María Dolores; Perez-Haro, Maria José; Casero-Alonso, Víctor; Muñoz Camargo, Juan Carlos; Notario-Pacheco, Blanca

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was the validation and analysis of the psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the ORTO-15 questionnaire; an instrument designed to assess orthorexia nervosa behavior. Four hundred and fifty-four Spanish university students (65% women) aged between 18 and 51 years (M = 21.48 ± 0.31) completed the Spanish version of ORTO-15 and the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2). The Principal Component Analysis suggested a three-factor structure for the abbreviated 11-item version of the instrument. The internal consistency of the measurement was adequate (Cronbach's alpha = 0.80). The proposed test demonstrated a good predictive capacity at a threshold value of <25 (efficiency 84%, sensitivity 75% and specificity 84%). Our results support the psychometric properties of the proposed Spanish shortened-version of the ORTO-15 as being a reliable tool for assessing orthorexia nervosa. Its use is expected to greatly contribute to a better understanding of the impact of this disorder in Spain. PMID:29320545

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of the ORTO-15 questionnaire for the diagnosis of orthorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Parra-Fernandez, María Laura; Rodríguez-Cano, Teresa; Onieva-Zafra, María Dolores; Perez-Haro, Maria José; Casero-Alonso, Víctor; Muñoz Camargo, Juan Carlos; Notario-Pacheco, Blanca

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was the validation and analysis of the psychometric properties of a Spanish translation of the ORTO-15 questionnaire; an instrument designed to assess orthorexia nervosa behavior. Four hundred and fifty-four Spanish university students (65% women) aged between 18 and 51 years (M = 21.48 ± 0.31) completed the Spanish version of ORTO-15 and the Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2). The Principal Component Analysis suggested a three-factor structure for the abbreviated 11-item version of the instrument. The internal consistency of the measurement was adequate (Cronbach's alpha = 0.80). The proposed test demonstrated a good predictive capacity at a threshold value of <25 (efficiency 84%, sensitivity 75% and specificity 84%). Our results support the psychometric properties of the proposed Spanish shortened-version of the ORTO-15 as being a reliable tool for assessing orthorexia nervosa. Its use is expected to greatly contribute to a better understanding of the impact of this disorder in Spain.

Ecological Sensitivity Evaluation of Tourist Region Based on Remote Sensing Image - Taking Chaohu Lake Area as a Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y.; Li, W. J.; Yu, J.; Wu, C. Z.

2018-04-01

Remote sensing technology is of significant advantages for monitoring and analysing ecological environment. By using of automatic extraction algorithm, various environmental resources information of tourist region can be obtained from remote sensing imagery. Combining with GIS spatial analysis and landscape pattern analysis, relevant environmental information can be quantitatively analysed and interpreted. In this study, taking the Chaohu Lake Basin as an example, Landsat-8 multi-spectral satellite image of October 2015 was applied. Integrated the automatic ELM (Extreme Learning Machine) classification results with the data of digital elevation model and slope information, human disturbance degree, land use degree, primary productivity, landscape evenness , vegetation coverage, DEM, slope and normalized water body index were used as the evaluation factors to construct the eco-sensitivity evaluation index based on AHP and overlay analysis. According to the value of eco-sensitivity evaluation index, by using of GIS technique of equal interval reclassification, the Chaohu Lake area was divided into four grades: very sensitive area, sensitive area, sub-sensitive areas and insensitive areas. The results of the eco-sensitivity analysis shows: the area of the very sensitive area was 4577.4378 km2, accounting for about 37.12 %, the sensitive area was 5130.0522 km2, accounting for about 37.12 %; the area of sub-sensitive area was 3729.9312 km2, accounting for 26.99 %; the area of insensitive area was 382.4399 km2, accounting for about 2.77 %. At the same time, it has been found that there were spatial differences in ecological sensitivity of the Chaohu Lake basin. The most sensitive areas were mainly located in the areas with high elevation and large terrain gradient. Insensitive areas were mainly distributed in slope of the slow platform area; the sensitive areas and the sub-sensitive areas were mainly agricultural land and woodland. Through the eco-sensitivity analysis of the study area, the automatic recognition and analysis techniques for remote sensing imagery are integrated into the ecological analysis and ecological regional planning, which can provide a reliable scientific basis for rational planning and regional sustainable development of the Chaohu Lake tourist area.

Universal aspects of brittle fracture, adhesion, and atomic force microscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerjea, Amitava; Ferrante, John; Smith, John R.

1989-01-01

This universal relation between binding energy and interatomic separation was originally discovered for adhesion at bimetallic interfaces involving the simple metals Al, Zn, Mg, and Na. It is shown here that the same universal relation extends to adhesion at transition-metal interfaces. Adhesive energies have been computed for the low-index interfaces of Al, Ni, Cu, Ag, Fe, and W, using the equivalent-crystal theory (ECT) and keeping the atoms in each semiinfinite slab fixed rigidly in their equilibrium positions. These adhesive energy curves can be scaled onto each other and onto the universal adhesion curve. The effect of tip shape on the adhesive forces in the atomic-force microscope (AFM) is studied by computing energies and forces using the ECT. While the details of the energy-distance and force-distance curves are sensitive to tip shape, all of these curves can be scaled onto the universal adhesion curve.

Evaluation of protocol change in burn-care management using the Cox proportional hazards model with time-dependent covariates.

PubMed

Ichida, J M; Wassell, J T; Keller, M D; Ayers, L W

1993-02-01

Survival analysis methods are valuable for detecting intervention effects because detailed information from patient records and sensitive outcome measures are used. The burn unit at a large university hospital replaced routine bathing with total body bathing using chlorhexidine gluconate for antimicrobial effect. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyse time from admission until either infection with Staphylococcus aureus or discharge for 155 patients, controlling for burn severity and two time-dependent covariates: days until first wound excision and days until first administration of prophylactic antibiotics. The risk of infection was 55 per cent higher in the historical control group, although not statistically significant. There was also some indication that early wound excision may be important as an infection-control measure for burn patients.

Targeted Quantification of Isoforms of a Thylakoid-Bound Protein: MRM Method Development.

PubMed

Bru-Martínez, Roque; Martínez-Márquez, Ascensión; Morante-Carriel, Jaime; Sellés-Marchart, Susana; Martínez-Esteso, María José; Pineda-Lucas, José Luis; Luque, Ignacio

2018-01-01

Targeted mass spectrometric methods such as selected/multiple reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM) have found intense application in protein detection and quantification which competes with classical immunoaffinity techniques. It provides a universal procedure to develop a fast, highly specific, sensitive, accurate, and cheap methodology for targeted detection and quantification of proteins based on the direct analysis of their surrogate peptides typically generated by tryptic digestion. This methodology can be advantageously applied in the field of plant proteomics and particularly for non-model species since immunoreagents are scarcely available. Here, we describe the issues to take into consideration in order to develop a MRM method to detect and quantify isoforms of the thylakoid-bound protein polyphenol oxidase from the non-model and database underrepresented species Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.

Confronting Alternative Cosmological Models with the Highest-Redshift Type Ia Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafer, Daniel; Scolnic, Daniel; Riess, Adam

2018-01-01

High-redshift Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the HST CANDELS and CLASH programs significantly extend the Hubble diagram with 7 SNe at z > 1.5 suitable for cosmology, including one at z = 2.3. This unique leverage helps us distinguish "alternative" cosmological models from the standard Lambda-CDM model. Analyzing the Pantheon SN compilation, which includes these high-z SNe, we employ model comparison statistics to quantify the extent to which several proposed alternative expansion histories (e.g., empty universe, power law expansion, timescape cosmology) are disfavored even with SN Ia data alone. Using mock data, we demonstrate that some likelihood analyses used in the literature to support these models are sensitive to unrealistic assumptions and are therefore unsuitable for analysis of realistic SN Ia data.

Buckling of structures; Proceedings of the Symposium, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., June 17-21, 1974

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Budiansky, B.

1976-01-01

The papers deal with such topics as the buckling and post-buckling behavior of plates and shells; methods of calculating critical buckling and collapse loads; finite element representations for thin-shell instability analysis; theory and experiment in the creep buckling of plates and shells; creep instability of thick shell structures; analytical and numerical studies of the influence of initial imperfections on the elastic buckling of columns; mode interaction in stiffened panels under compression; imperfection-sensitivity in the interactive buckling of stiffened plates; buckling of stochastically imperfect structures; and the Liapunov stability of elastic dynamic systems. A special chapter is devoted to design problems, including the design of a Mars entry 'aeroshell', and buckling design in vehicle structures. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Pre-launch estimates for GLAST sensitivity to dark matter annihilation signals

DOE PAGES

Baltz, E. A.; Berenji, B.; Bertone, G.; ...

2008-07-17

Here, we investigate the sensitivity of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) to indirectly detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) through the γ-ray signal that their pair annihilation produces. WIMPs are among the favorite candidates to explain the compelling evidence that about 80% of the mass in the Universe is non-baryonic dark matter (DM). They are serendipitously motivated by various extensions of the standard model of particle physics such as Supersymmetry and Universal Extra Dimensions (UED). With its unprecedented sensitivity and its very large energy range (20 MeV to more than 300 GeV) the main instrument on board themore » GLAST satellite, the Large Area Telescope (LAT), will open a new window of discovery. As our estimates show, the LAT will be able to detect an indirect DM signature for a large class of WIMP models given a cuspy profile for the DM distribution. Using the current state of the art Monte Carlo and event reconstruction software developed within the LAT collaboration, we present preliminary sensitivity studies for several possible sources inside and outside the Galaxy. Lastly, we also discuss the potential of the LAT to detect UED via the electron/positron channel. Diffuse background modeling and other background issues that will be important in setting limits or seeing a signal are presented.« less

The Interaction Between Punishment Sensitivity and Effortful Control for Emerging Adults' Substance Use Behaviors.

PubMed

Kahn, Rachel E; Chiu, Pearl H; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Hochgraf, Anna K; King-Casas, Brooks; Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen

2018-01-08

Within the dual systems perspective, high reward sensitivity and low punishment sensitivity in conjunction with deficits in cognitive control may contribute to high levels of risk taking, such as substance use. The current study examined whether the individual components of effortful control (inhibitory control, attentional control, and activation control) serve as regulators and moderate the association between reward or punishment sensitivity and substance use behaviors. A total of 1,808 emerging adults from a university setting (Mean age = 19.48; 72% female) completed self-report measures of reward and punishment sensitivity, effortful control, and substance use. Findings indicated significant two-way interactions for punishment sensitivity and inhibitory control for alcohol and marijuana use. The form of these interactions revealed a significant negative association between punishment sensitivity and alcohol and marijuana use at low levels of inhibitory control. No significant interactions emerged for reward sensitivity or other components of effortful control. The current findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting the dual systems theorized to influence risk taking behavior interact to make joint contributions to health risk behaviors such as substance use in emerging adults.

What do we mean by sensitivity analysis? The need for comprehensive characterization of "global" sensitivity in Earth and Environmental systems models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razavi, Saman; Gupta, Hoshin V.

2015-05-01

Sensitivity analysis is an essential paradigm in Earth and Environmental Systems modeling. However, the term "sensitivity" has a clear definition, based in partial derivatives, only when specified locally around a particular point (e.g., optimal solution) in the problem space. Accordingly, no unique definition exists for "global sensitivity" across the problem space, when considering one or more model responses to different factors such as model parameters or forcings. A variety of approaches have been proposed for global sensitivity analysis, based on different philosophies and theories, and each of these formally characterizes a different "intuitive" understanding of sensitivity. These approaches focus on different properties of the model response at a fundamental level and may therefore lead to different (even conflicting) conclusions about the underlying sensitivities. Here we revisit the theoretical basis for sensitivity analysis, summarize and critically evaluate existing approaches in the literature, and demonstrate their flaws and shortcomings through conceptual examples. We also demonstrate the difficulty involved in interpreting "global" interaction effects, which may undermine the value of existing interpretive approaches. With this background, we identify several important properties of response surfaces that are associated with the understanding and interpretation of sensitivities in the context of Earth and Environmental System models. Finally, we highlight the need for a new, comprehensive framework for sensitivity analysis that effectively characterizes all of the important sensitivity-related properties of model response surfaces.

The application of sensitivity analysis to models of large scale physiological systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonard, J. I.

1974-01-01

A survey of the literature of sensitivity analysis as it applies to biological systems is reported as well as a brief development of sensitivity theory. A simple population model and a more complex thermoregulatory model illustrate the investigatory techniques and interpretation of parameter sensitivity analysis. The role of sensitivity analysis in validating and verifying models, and in identifying relative parameter influence in estimating errors in model behavior due to uncertainty in input data is presented. This analysis is valuable to the simulationist and the experimentalist in allocating resources for data collection. A method for reducing highly complex, nonlinear models to simple linear algebraic models that could be useful for making rapid, first order calculations of system behavior is presented.

Low-Speed Pressure Sensitive Paint Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, Brown; Mehta, Rabindra; Nixon, David (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

A series of low speed (M less than 0.2) experiments using University of Washington Fib-07 Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) have been conducted at NASA Ames on a NACA 0012 airfoil. Significant improvements in results have been shown: PSP calibration errors of the improved data (with pressure taps as a reference) now agree with theoretical error limits. Additional measurements on the 0012 airfoil using Temperature Sensitive Paint have been made. These TSP measurements now fully quantify the impact of temporal temperature changes on model surfaces on PSP measurements. Finally, simultaneous PSP - TSP measurements have been performed, allowing in-situ temperature correction of PSP data with good results.

Sleep quality and temperament among university students: differential associations with nighttime sleep duration and sleep disruptions.

PubMed

Lukowski, Angela F; Milojevich, Helen M

2015-01-01

Sleep-temperament associations have not yet been examined among university students, despite awareness of the high incidence of sleep problems in this population. The present study was conducted (a) to examine whether sleep quality was associated with temperament among university-attending young adults and (b) to determine whether particular components of sleep quality were differentially associated with temperament. University students completed questionnaires designed to assess sleep quality and temperament. Poor sleep quality was associated with increased negative affect and orienting sensitivity as well as decreased effortful control; regression analyses revealed differential associations between components of nighttime sleep quality and temperament ratings. The presented study reveals conceptual continuity in sleep-temperament relations from infancy to young adulthood and highlights important avenues for future research.

The Basis of the Syllable Hierarchy: Articulatory Pressures or Universal Phonological Constraints?

PubMed

Zhao, Xu; Berent, Iris

2018-02-01

Across languages, certain syllable types are systematically preferred to others (e.g., [Formula: see text] lbif, where [Formula: see text] indicates a preference). Previous research has shown that these preferences are active in the brains of individual speakers, they are evident even when none of these syllable types exists in participants' language, and even when the stimuli are presented in print. These results suggest that the syllable hierarchy cannot be reduced to either lexical or auditory/phonetic pressures. Here, we examine whether the syllable hierarchy is due to articulatory pressures. According to the motor embodiment view, the perception of a linguistic stimulus requires simulating its production; dispreferred syllables (e.g., lbif) are universally disliked because their production is harder to simulate. To address this possibility, we assessed syllable preferences while articulation was mechanically suppressed. Our four experiments each found significant effects of suppression. Remarkably, people remained sensitive to the syllable hierarchy regardless of suppression. Specifically, results with auditory materials (Experiments 1-2) showed strong effects of syllable structure irrespective of suppression. Moreover, syllable structure uniquely accounted for listeners' behavior even when controlling for several phonetic characteristics of our auditory materials. Results with printed stimuli (Experiments 3-4) were more complex, as participants in these experiments relied on both phonological and graphemic information. Nonetheless, readers were sensitive to most of the syllable hierarchy (e.g., [Formula: see text]), and these preferences emerged when articulation was suppressed, and even when the statistical properties of our materials were controlled via a regression analysis. Together, these findings indicate that speakers possess broad grammatical preferences that are irreducible to either sensory or motor factors.

Does low to moderate environmental exposure to noise and air pollution influence preterm delivery in medium-sized cities?

PubMed

Barba-Vasseur, Marie; Bernard, Nadine; Pujol, Sophie; Sagot, Paul; Riethmuller, Didier; Thiriez, Gérard; Houot, Hélène; Defrance, Jérôme; Mariet, Anne-Sophie; Luu, Vinh-Phuc; Barbier, Alice; Benzenine, Eric; Quantin, Catherine; Mauny, Frédéric

2017-12-01

Preterm birth (PB) is an important predictor of childhood morbidity and educational performance. Beyond the known risk factors, environmental factors, such as air pollution and noise, have been implicated in PB. In urban areas, these pollutants coexist. Very few studies have examined the effects of multi-exposure on the pregnancy duration. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between PB and environmental chronic multi-exposure to noise and air pollution in medium-sized cities. A case-control study was conducted among women living in the city of Besançon (121 671 inhabitants) or in the urban unit of Dijon (243 936 inhabitants) and who delivered in a university hospital between 2005 and 2009. Only singleton pregnancies without associated pathologies were considered. Four controls were matched to each case in terms of the mother's age and delivery location. Residential noise and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposures were calculated at the mother's address. Conditional logistic regression models were applied, and sensitivity analyses were performed. This study included 302 cases and 1204 controls. The correlation between noise and NO2 indices ranged from 0.41 to 0.59. No significant differences were found in pollutant exposure levels between cases and controls. The adjusted odds ratios ranged between 0.96 and 1.08. Sensitivity analysis conducted using different temporal and spatial exposure windows demonstrated the same results. The results are in favour of a lack of connection between preterm delivery and multi-exposure to noise and air pollution in medium-sized cities for pregnant women without underlying disease. © The Author 2017; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association