Glucose Meters: A Review of Technical Challenges to Obtaining Accurate Results

PubMed Central

Tonyushkina, Ksenia; Nichols, James H.

2009-01-01

Glucose meters are universally utilized in the management of hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic disorders in a variety of healthcare settings. Establishing the accuracy of glucose meters, however, is challenging. Glucose meters can only analyze whole blood, and glucose is unstable in whole blood. Technical accuracy is defined as the closeness of agreement between a test result and the true value of that analyte. Truth for glucose is analysis by isotope dilution mass spectrometry, and frozen serum standards analyzed by this method are available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Truth for whole blood has not been established, and cells must be separated from the whole blood matrix before analysis by a method like isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Serum cannot be analyzed by glucose meters, and isotope dilution mass spectrometry is not commonly available in most hospitals and diabetes clinics to evaluate glucose meter accuracy. Consensus standards recommend comparing whole blood analysis on a glucose meter against plasma/serum centrifuged from a capillary specimen and analyzed by a clinical laboratory comparative method. Yet capillary samples may not provide sufficient volume to test by both methods, and venous samples may be used as an alternative when differences between venous and capillary blood are considered. There are thus multiple complexities involved in defining technical accuracy and no clear consensus among standards agencies and professional societies on accuracy criteria. Clinicians, however, are more concerned with clinical agreement of the glucose meter with a serum/plasma laboratory result. Acceptance criteria for clinical agreement vary across the range of glucose concentrations and depend on how the result will be used in screening or management of the patient. A variety of factors can affect glucose meter results, including operator technique, environmental exposure, and patient factors, such as medication, oxygen therapy

Valuing inter-sectoral costs and benefits of interventions in the healthcare sector: methods for obtaining unit prices.

PubMed

Drost, Ruben M W A; Paulus, Aggie T G; Ruwaard, Dirk; Evers, Silvia M A A

2017-02-01

There is a lack of knowledge about methods for valuing health intervention-related costs and monetary benefits in the education and criminal justice sectors, also known as 'inter-sectoral costs and benefits' (ICBs). The objective of this study was to develop methods for obtaining unit prices for the valuation of ICBs. By conducting an exploratory literature study and expert interviews, several generic methods were developed. The methods' feasibility was assessed through application in the Netherlands. Results were validated in an expert meeting, which was attended by policy makers, public health experts, health economists and HTA-experts, and discussed at several international conferences and symposia. The study resulted in four methods, including the opportunity cost method (A) and valuation using available unit prices (B), self-constructed unit prices (C) or hourly labor costs (D). The methods developed can be used internationally and are valuable for the broad international field of HTA.

7 CFR 356.4 - Property valued at $10,000 or less; notice of seizure administrative action to obtain forfeiture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Property valued at $10,000 or less; notice of seizure... PROCEDURES § 356.4 Property valued at $10,000 or less; notice of seizure administrative action to obtain... notice of seizure and proposed forfeiture as provided in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, by posting for...

Uncertainties in obtaining high reliability from stress-strength models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neal, Donald M.; Matthews, William T.; Vangel, Mark G.

1992-01-01

There has been a recent interest in determining high statistical reliability in risk assessment of aircraft components. The potential consequences are identified of incorrectly assuming a particular statistical distribution for stress or strength data used in obtaining the high reliability values. The computation of the reliability is defined as the probability of the strength being greater than the stress over the range of stress values. This method is often referred to as the stress-strength model. A sensitivity analysis was performed involving a comparison of reliability results in order to evaluate the effects of assuming specific statistical distributions. Both known population distributions, and those that differed slightly from the known, were considered. Results showed substantial differences in reliability estimates even for almost nondetectable differences in the assumed distributions. These differences represent a potential problem in using the stress-strength model for high reliability computations, since in practice it is impossible to ever know the exact (population) distribution. An alternative reliability computation procedure is examined involving determination of a lower bound on the reliability values using extreme value distributions. This procedure reduces the possibility of obtaining nonconservative reliability estimates. Results indicated the method can provide conservative bounds when computing high reliability. An alternative reliability computation procedure is examined involving determination of a lower bound on the reliability values using extreme value distributions. This procedure reduces the possibility of obtaining nonconservative reliability estimates. Results indicated the method can provide conservative bounds when computing high reliability.

New high-definition thickness data obtained at tropical glaciers: preliminary results from Antisana volcano (Ecuador) using GPR prospection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zapata, Camilo; Andrade, Daniel; Córdova, Jorge; Maisincho, Luis; Carvajal, Juan; Calispa, Marlon; Villacís, Marcos

2014-05-01

The study of tropical glaciers has been a significant contribution to the understanding of glacier dynamics and climate change. Much of the data and results have been obtained by analyzing plan-view images obtained by air- and space-borne sensors, as well as depth data obtained by diverse methodologies at selected points on the glacier surface. However, the measurement of glacier thicknesses has remained an elusive task in tropical glaciers, often located in rough terrains where the application of geophysical surveys (i.e. seismic surveys) requires logistics sometimes hardly justified by the amount of obtained data. In the case of Ecuador, however, where most glaciers have developed on active volcanoes and represent sources/reservoirs of fresh water, the precise knowledge of such information is fundamental for scientific research but also in order to better assess key aspects for the society. The relatively recent but fast development of the GPR technology has helped to obtain new highdefinition thickness data at Antisana volcano that will be used to: 1) better understand the dynamics and fate of tropical glaciers; 2) better estimate the amount of fresh water stored in the glaciers; 3) better assess the hazards associated with the sudden widespread melting of glaciers during volcanic eruptions. The measurements have been obtained at glaciers 12 and 15 of Antisana volcano, with the help of a commercial GPR equipped with a 25 MHz antenna. A total of 30 transects have been obtained, covering a distance of more than 3 km, from the glacier ablation zone, located at ~ 4600 masl, up to the level of 5200 masl. The preliminary results show a positive correlation between altitude and glacier thickness, with maximum and minimum calculated values reaching up to 80 m, and down to 15 m, respectively. The experience gained at Antisana volcano will be used to prepare a more widespread GPR survey in the glaciers of Cotopaxi volcano, whose implications in terms of volcanic hazards

Differences in liver stiffness values obtained with new ultrasound elastography machines and Fibroscan: A comparative study.

PubMed

Piscaglia, Fabio; Salvatore, Veronica; Mulazzani, Lorenzo; Cantisani, Vito; Colecchia, Antonio; Di Donato, Roberto; Felicani, Cristina; Ferrarini, Alessia; Gamal, Nesrine; Grasso, Valentina; Marasco, Giovanni; Mazzotta, Elena; Ravaioli, Federico; Ruggieri, Giacomo; Serio, Ilaria; Sitouok Nkamgho, Joules Fabrice; Serra, Carla; Festi, Davide; Schiavone, Cosima; Bolondi, Luigi

2017-07-01

Whether Fibroscan thresholds can be immediately adopted for none, some or all other shear wave elastography techniques has not been tested. The aim of the present study was to test the concordance of the findings obtained from 7 of the most recent ultrasound elastography machines with respect to Fibroscan. Sixteen hepatitis C virus-related patients with fibrosis ≥2 and having reliable results at Fibroscan were investigated in two intercostal spaces using 7 different elastography machines. Coefficients of both precision (an index of data dispersion) and accuracy (an index of bias correction factors expressing different magnitudes of changes in comparison to the reference) were calculated. Median stiffness values differed among the different machines as did coefficients of both precision (range 0.54-0.72) and accuracy (range 0.28-0.87). When the average of the measurements of two intercostal spaces was considered, coefficients of precision significantly increased with all machines (range 0.72-0.90) whereas of accuracy improved more scatteredly and by a smaller degree (range 0.40-0.99). The present results showed only moderate concordance of the majority of elastography machines with the Fibroscan results, preventing the possibility of the immediate universal adoption of Fibroscan thresholds for defining liver fibrosis staging for all new machines. Copyright © 2017 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Obtaining orthotropic elasticity tensor using entries zeroing method.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gierlach, Bartosz; Danek, Tomasz

2017-04-01

A generally anisotropic elasticity tensor obtained from measurements can be represented by a tensor belonging to one of eight material symmetry classes. Knowledge of symmetry class and orientation is helpful for describing physical properties of a medium. For each non-trivial symmetry class except isotropic this problem is nonlinear. A common method of obtaining effective tensor is a choosing its non-trivial symmetry class and minimizing Frobenius norm between measured and effective tensor in the same coordinate system. Global optimization algorithm has to be used to determine the best rotation of a tensor. In this contribution, we propose a new approach to obtain optimal tensor, with the assumption that it is orthotropic (or at least has a similar shape to the orthotropic one). In orthotropic form tensor 24 out of 36 entries are zeros. The idea is to minimize the sum of squared entries which are supposed to be equal to zero through rotation calculated with optimization algorithm - in this case Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. Quaternions were used to parametrize rotations in 3D space to improve computational efficiency. In order to avoid a choice of local minima we apply PSO several times and only if we obtain similar results for the third time we consider it as a correct value and finish computations. To analyze obtained results Monte-Carlo method was used. After thousands of single runs of PSO optimization, we obtained values of quaternion parts and plot them. Points concentrate in several points of the graph following the regular pattern. It suggests the existence of more complex symmetry in the analyzed tensor. Then thousands of realizations of generally anisotropic tensor were generated - each tensor entry was replaced with a random value drawn from normal distribution having a mean equal to measured tensor entry and standard deviation of the measurement. Each of these tensors was subject of PSO based optimization delivering quaternion for optimal

Value-Added Results for Public Virtual Schools in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Richard; Rice, Kerry

2015-01-01

The objective of this paper is to present value-added calculation methods that were applied to determine whether online schools performed at the same or different levels relative to standardized testing. This study includes information on how we approached our value added model development and the results for 32 online public high schools in…

Results of in vivo measurements of strontium-90 body-burden in Urals residents: analyses of data obtained 2006-2012

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

Tolstykh, E. I.; Bougrov, N. G.; Krivoshchapov, Victor A.

2012-06-01

A part of the Urals territory was contaminated with 90Sr and 137Cs in the 1950s as a result of accidents at the "Mayak" Production Association. The paper describes the analysis of in vivo 90Sr measurements in Urals residents. The measurements were performed with the use of whole-body-counter SICH-9.1M in 2006-2012. Totally 5840 measurements for 4876 persons were performed from 2006 to 2012; maximal measured value was 24 kBq. Earlier, similar measurements were performed with SICH-9.1 (1974-1997). Comparison of the results obtained with SICH-9.1 and SICH-9.1M has shown a good agreement of the two data sets.

7 CFR 356.4 - Property valued at $10,000 or less; notice of seizure administrative action to obtain forfeiture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Property valued at $10,000 or less; notice of seizure administrative action to obtain forfeiture. 356.4 Section 356.4 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FORFEITURE...

Standardization of a fluconazole bioassay and correlation of results with those obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

PubMed Central

Rex, J H; Hanson, L H; Amantea, M A; Stevens, D A; Bennett, J E

1991-01-01

An improved bioassay for fluconazole was developed. This assay is sensitive in the clinically relevant range (2 to 40 micrograms/ml) and analyzes plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid specimens; bioassay results correlate with results obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Bioassay and HPLC analyses of spiked plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid samples (run as unknowns) gave good agreement with expected values. Analysis of specimens from patients gave equivalent results by both HPLC and bioassay. HPLC had a lower within-run coefficient of variation (less than 2.5% for HPLC versus less than 11% for bioassay) and a lower between-run coefficient of variation (less than 5% versus less than 12% for bioassay) and was more sensitive (lower limit of detection, 0.1 micrograms/ml [versus 2 micrograms/ml for bioassay]). The bioassay is, however, sufficiently accurate and sensitive for clinical specimens, and its relative simplicity, low sample volume requirement, and low equipment cost should make it the technique of choice for analysis of routine clinical specimens. PMID:1854166

Saturn gravity results obtained from Pioneer 11 tracking data and earth-based Saturn satellite data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Null, G. W.; Lau, E. L.; Biller, E. D.; Anderson, J. D.

1981-01-01

Improved gravity coefficients for Saturn, its satellites and rings are calculated on the basis of a combination of Pioneer 11 spacecraft Doppler tracking data and earth-based determinations of Saturn natural satellite apse and node rates. Solutions are first obtained separately from the coherent Doppler tracking data obtained for the interval from August 20 to September 4, surrounding the time of closest approach, with the effects of solar plasma on radio signal propagation taken into account, and from secular rates for Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea and Titan determined from astrometric data by Kozai (1957, 1976) and Garcia (1972). Combination of the data by the use of the Pioneer solution and corresponding unadjusted covariance matrix as a priori information for a secular rate analysis results in values for the total ring mass of essentially zero at a standard error level of 1.7 x 10 to the -6th Saturn masses, a ratio of solar mass to that of the Saturn system of 3498.09 + or - 0.22, masses of Rhea, Titan and Iapetus of 4.0 + or - 0.9, 238.8 + or - 3, and 3.4 + or - 1.3 x 10 to the -6th Saturn masses, respectively, and second and fourth zonal harmonics of 16,479 + or - 18 and -937 + or - 38, respectively. The harmonic coefficients are noted to be important as boundary conditions in the modeling of the Saturn interior.

Using the Climbing Drum Peel (CDP) Test to Obtain a G(sub IC) value for Core/Facesheet Bonds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nettles, A. T.; Gregory, Elizabeth D.; Jackson, Justin R.

2006-01-01

A method of measuring the Mode I fracture toughness of core/facesheet bonds in sandwich Structures is desired, particularly with the widespread use of models that need this data as input. This study examined if a critical strain energy release rate, G(sub IC), can be obtained from the climbing drum peel (CDP) test. The CDP test is relatively simple to perform and does not rely on measuring small crack lengths such as required by the double cantilever beam (DCB) test. Simple energy methods were used to calculate G(sub IC) from CDP test data on composite facesheets bonded to a honeycomb core. Facesheet thicknesses from 2 to 5 plies were tested to examine the upper and lower bounds on facesheet thickness requirements. Results from the study suggest that the CDP test, with certain provisions, can be used to find the GIG value of a core/facesheet bond.

7 CFR 356.3 - Property valued at greater than $10,000; notice of seizure and civil action to obtain forfeiture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Property valued at greater than $10,000; notice of seizure and civil action to obtain forfeiture. 356.3 Section 356.3 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE...

Determining the Value of Two Biologic Drugs for Chronic Inflammatory Skin Diseases: Results of a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis.

PubMed

Zozaya, Néboa; Martínez-Galdeano, Lucía; Alcalá, Bleric; Armario-Hita, Jose Carlos; Carmona, Concepción; Carrascosa, Jose Manuel; Herranz, Pedro; Lamas, María Jesús; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Hidalgo-Vega, Álvaro

2018-06-01

Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a tool that systematically considers multiple factors relevant to health decision-making. The aim of this study was to use an MCDA to assess the value of dupilumab for severe atopic dermatitis compared with secukinumab for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Spain. Following the EVIDEM (Evidence and Value: Impact on DEcision Making) methodology, the estimated value of both interventions was obtained by means of an additive linear model that combined the individual weighting (between 1 and 5) of each criterion with the individual scoring of each intervention in each criterion. Dupilumab was evaluated against placebo, while secukinumab was evaluated against placebo, etanercept and ustekinumab. A retest was performed to assess the reproducibility of weights, scores and value estimates. The overall MCDA value estimate for dupilumab versus placebo was 0.51 ± 0.14. This value was higher than those obtained for secukinumab: 0.48 ± 0.15 versus placebo, 0.45 ± 0.15 versus etanercept and 0.39 ± 0.18 versus ustekinumab. The highest-value contribution was reported by the patients' group, followed by the clinical professionals and the decision makers. A fundamental element that explained the difference in the scoring between pathologies was the availability of therapeutic alternatives. The retest confirmed the consistency and replicability of the analysis. Under this methodology, and assuming similar economic costs per patient for both treatments, the results indicated that the overall value estimated of dupilumab for severe atopic dermatitis was similar to, or slightly higher than, that of secukinumab for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

The Defense Logistics Agency Properly Awarded Power Purchase Agreements and the Army Obtained Fair Market Value for Leases Supporting Power Purchase Agreements

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-28

Fair Market Value for Leases Supporting Power Purchase Agreements I N T E G R I T Y  E F F I C I E N C Y  A C C O U N T A B I L I T Y  E X... Market Value for Leases Supporting Power Purchase Agreements Visit us at www.dodig.mil September 28, 2016 Objective We determined whether the...Department of the Army properly awarded and obtained fair market value for leases supporting energy production projects. We conducted this audit in

Obtaining patient test results from clinical laboratories: a survey of state law for pharmacists.

PubMed

Witry, Matthew J; Doucette, William R

2009-01-01

To identify states with laws that restrict to whom clinical laboratories may release copies of laboratory test results and to describe how these laws may affect pharmacists' ability to obtain patient laboratory test results. Researchers examined state statutes and administrative codes for all 50 states and the District of Columbia at the University of Iowa Law Library between June and July 2007. Researchers also consulted with lawyers, state Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments officers, and law librarians. Laws relating to the study objective were analyzed. 34 jurisdictions do not restrict the release of laboratory test results, while 17 states have laws that restrict to whom clinical laboratories can send copies of test results. In these states, pharmacists will have to use alternative sources, such as physician offices, to obtain test results. Pharmacists must consider state law before requesting copies of laboratory test results from clinical laboratories. This may be an issue that state pharmacy associations can address to increase pharmacist access to important patient information.

International normalized ratio (INR) testing in Europe: between-laboratory comparability of test results obtained by Quick and Owren reagents.

PubMed

Meijer, Piet; Kynde, Karin; van den Besselaar, Antonius M H P; Van Blerk, Marjan; Woods, Timothy A L

2018-04-12

This study was designed to obtain an overview of the analytical quality of the prothrombin time, reported as international normalized ratio (INR) and to assess the variation of INR results between European laboratories, the difference between Quick-type and Owren-type methods and the effect of using local INR calibration or not. In addition, we assessed the variation in INR results obtained for a single donation in comparison with a pool of several plasmas. A set of four different lyophilized plasma samples were distributed via national EQA organizations to participating laboratories for INR measurement. Between-laboratory variation was lower in the Owren group than in the Quick group (on average: 6.7% vs. 8.1%, respectively). Differences in the mean INR value between the Owren and Quick group were relatively small (<0.20 INR). Between-laboratory variation was lower after local INR calibration (CV: 6.7% vs. 8.6%). For laboratories performing local calibration, the between-laboratory variation was quite similar for the Owren and Quick group (on average: 6.5% and 6.7%, respectively). Clinically significant differences in INR results (difference in INR>0.5) were observed between different reagents. No systematic significant differences in the between-laboratory variation for a single-plasma sample and a pooled plasma sample were observed. The comparability for laboratories using local calibration of their thromboplastin reagent is better than for laboratories not performing local calibration. Implementing local calibration is strongly recommended for the measurement of INR.

Setting Priorities: Personal Values, Organizational Results. Ideas into Action Guidebooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cartwright, Talula

2007-01-01

Successful leaders get results. To get results, you need to set priorities. This book can help you do a better job of setting priorities, recognizing the personal values that motivate your decision making, the probable trade-offs and consequences of your decisions, and the importance of aligning your priorities with your organization's…

[False positive results or what's the probability that a significant P-value indicates a true effect?

PubMed

Cucherat, Michel; Laporte, Silvy

2017-09-01

The use of statistical test is central in the clinical trial. At the statistical level, obtaining a P<0.05 allows to claim the effectiveness of the new studied treatment. However, given its underlying mathematical logic the concept of "P value" is often misinterpreted. It is often assimilated, mistakenly, to the likelihood that treatment is ineffective. Actually the "P value" gives an indirect information about the plausibility of the existence of treatment effect. With "P<0.05", the probability that the treatment is effective may vary depending on other statistical parameters which are the alpha level of risk, the power of the study and especially the a priori probability of the existence of treatment effect. A "P<0.05" does not always produce the same degree of certainty. Thus there exist situations where the risk of a result "P<0.05" is in reality a false positive is very high. This is the case if the power is low, if there is an inflation of the alpha risk or if the result is exploratory or chance discoveries. This possibility is important to take into consideration when interpreting the results of clinical trials in order to avoid pushing ahead significant results in appearance, but which are likely to be actually false positive results. Copyright © 2017 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Influence of fuel moisture content and reactor temperature on the calorific value of syngas resulted from gasification of oil palm fronds.

PubMed

Atnaw, Samson Mekbib; Sulaiman, Shaharin Anwar; Yusup, Suzana

2014-01-01

Biomass wastes produced from oil palm mills and plantations include empty fruit bunches (EFBs), shells, fibers, trunks, and oil palm fronds (OPF). EFBs and shells are partially utilized as boiler fuel while the rest of the biomass materials like OPF have not been utilized for energy generation. No previous study has been reported on gasification of oil palm fronds (OPF) biomass for the production of fuel gas. In this paper, the effect of moisture content of fuel and reactor temperature on downdraft gasification of OPF was experimentally investigated using a lab scale gasifier of capacity 50 kW. In addition, results obtained from equilibrium model of gasification that was developed for facilitating the prediction of syngas composition are compared with experimental data. Comparison of simulation results for predicting calorific value of syngas with the experimental results showed a satisfactory agreement with a mean error of 0.1 MJ/Nm³. For a biomass moisture content of 29%, the resulting calorific value for the syngas was found to be only 2.63 MJ/Nm³, as compared to nearly double (4.95 MJ/Nm³) for biomass moisture content of 22%. A calorific value as high as 5.57 MJ/Nm³ was recorded for higher oxidation zone temperature values.

WE-G-18C-02: Estimation of Optimal B-Value Set for Obtaining Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Free From Perfusion in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

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

Karki, K; Hugo, G; Ford, J

2014-06-15

Purpose: Diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) is increasingly being investigated for radiotherapy planning and response assessment. Selection of a limited number of b-values in DW-MRI is important to keep geometrical variations low and imaging time short. We investigated various b-value sets to determine an optimal set for obtaining monoexponential apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) close to perfusion-insensitive intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model ADC (ADC IVIM) in nonsmall cell lung cancer. Methods: Seven patients had 27 DW-MRI scans before and during radiotherapy in a 1.5T scanner. Respiratory triggering was applied to the echo-planar DW-MRI with TR=4500ms approximately, TE=74ms, pixel size=1.98X1.98mm{sub 2}, slice thickness=4–6mm andmore » 7 axial slices. Diffusion gradients were applied to all three axes producing traceweighted images with eight b-values of 0–1000μs/μm{sup 2}. Monoexponential model ADC values using various b-value sets were compared to ADC IVIM using all b-values. To compare the relative noise in ADC maps, intra-scan coefficient of variation (CV) of active tumor volumes was computed. Results: ADC IVIM, perfusion coefficient and perfusion fraction for tumor volumes were in the range of 880-1622 μm{sup 2}/s, 8119-33834 μm{sup 2}/s and 0.104–0.349, respectively. ADC values using sets of 250, 800 and 1000; 250, 650 and 1000; and 250–1000μs/μm{sup 2} only were not significantly different from ADC IVIM(p>0.05, paired t-test). Error in ADC values for 0–1000, 50–1000, 100–1000, 250–1000, 500–1000, and three b-value sets- 250, 500 and 1000; 250, 650 and 1000; and 250, 800 and 1000μs/μm{sup 2} were 15.0, 9.4, 5.6, 1.4, 11.7, 3.7, 2.0 and 0.2% relative to the reference-standard ADC IVIM, respectively. Mean intrascan CV was 20.2, 20.9, 21.9, 24.9, 32.6, 25.8, 25.4 and 24.8%, respectively, whereas that for ADC IVIM was 23.3%. Conclusion: ADC values of two 3 b-value sets (250, 650 and 1000; and 250, 800 and 1000μs/μm{sup 2

Recommended Values of the Fundamental Physical Constants: A Status Report

PubMed Central

Taylor, Barry N.; Cohen, E. Richard

1990-01-01

We summarize the principal advances made in the fundamental physical constants field since the completion of the 1986 CODATA least-squares adjustment of the constants and discuss their implications for both the 1986 set of recommended values and the next least-squares adjustment. In general, the new results lead to values of the constants with uncertainties 5 to 7 times smaller than the uncertainties assigned the 1986 values. However, the changes in the values themselves are less than twice the 1986 assigned one-standard-deviation uncertainties and thus are not highly significant. Although much new data has become available since 1986, three new results dominate the analysis: a value of the Planck constant obtained from a realization of the watt; a value of the fine-structure constant obtained from the magnetic moment anomaly of the electron; and a value of the molar gas constant obtained from the speed of sound in argon. Because of their dominant role in determining the values and uncertainties of many of the constants, it is highly desirable that additional results of comparable uncertainty that corroborate these three data items be obtained before the next adjustment is carried out. Until then, the 1986 CODATA set of recommended values will remain the set of choice. PMID:28179787

Complex Values in Different Cultures: Some Research Results of Psycholinguistic Experiments with Russian and Swedish Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shabes, Vladimir; Troshchenkova, Ekaterina; Potapova, Tamara; Ivarsson, Lena; Damber, Ulla; Bostedt, Goran

2012-01-01

In the article on the basis of the psycholinguistic experimental data obtained in 2009-2010 from Russian and Swedish students, we consider internal features of several complex values ("Harmony", "Freedom", "Democracy", "Tolerance" and "Patriotism") and analyze their external systemic organization,…

Comparison of the biometric values obtained by two different A-mode ultrasound devices (Eye Cubed vs. PalmScan): A Transversal, descriptive, and comparative study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background To assess the reliability of the measurements obtained with the PalmScan™, when compared with another standardized A-mode ultrasound device, and assess the consistency and correlation between the two methods. Methods Transversal, descriptive, and comparative study. We recorded the axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and lens thickness (LT) obtained with two A-mode ultrasounds (PalmScan™ A2000 and Eye Cubed™) using an immersion technique. We compared the measurements with a two-sample t-test. Agreement between the two devices was assessed with Bland-Altman plots and 95% limits of agreement. Results 70 eyes of 70 patients were enrolled in this study. The measurements with the Eye Cubed™ of AL and ACD were shorter than the measurements taken by the PalmScan™. The differences were not statistically significant regarding AL (p < 0.4) but significant regarding ACD (p < 0.001). The highest agreement between the two devices was obtained during LT measurement. The PalmScan™ measurements were shorter, but not statistically significantly (p < 0.2). Conclusions The values of AL and LT, obtained with both devices are not identical, but within the limits of agreement. The agreement is not affected by the magnitude of the ocular dimensions (but only between range of 20 mm to 27 mm of AL and 3.5 mm to 5.7 mm of LT). A correction of about 0.5 D could be considered if an intraocular lens is being calculated. However due to the large variability of the results, the authors recommend discretion in using this conversion factor, and to adjust the power of the intraocular lenses based upon the personal experience of the surgeon. PMID:20334670

Results of the 2013 UT modeling benchmark obtained with models implemented in CIVA

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

Toullelan, Gwénaël; Raillon, Raphaële; Chatillon, Sylvain

The 2013 Ultrasonic Testing (UT) modeling benchmark concerns direct echoes from side drilled holes (SDH), flat bottom holes (FBH) and corner echoes from backwall breaking artificial notches inspected with a matrix phased array probe. This communication presents the results obtained with the models implemented in the CIVA software: the pencilmodel is used to compute the field radiated by the probe, the Kirchhoff approximation is applied to predict the response of FBH and notches and the SOV (Separation Of Variables) model is used for the SDH responses. The comparison between simulated and experimental results are presented and discussed.

Comparison of results obtained with various sensors used to measure fluctuating quantities in jets.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parthasarathy, S. P.; Massier, P. F.; Cuffel, R. F.

1973-01-01

An experimental investigation has been conducted to compare the results obtained with six different instruments that sense fluctuating quantities in free jets. These sensors are typical of those that have recently been used by various investigators who are engaged in experimental studies of jet noise. Intensity distributions and two-point correlations with space separation and time delay were obtained. The static pressure, density, and velocity fluctuations are well correlated over the entire cross section of the jet and the cross-correlations persist for several jet diameters along the flow direction. The eddies appear to be flattened in the flow direction by a ratio of 0.4.

Preliminary results of an attempt to predict over apron occupational exposure of cardiologists from cardiac fluoroscopy procedures based on DAP (dose area product) values.

PubMed

Toossi, Mohammad Taghi Bahreyni; Mehrpouyan, Mohammad; Nademi, Hossein; Fardid, Reza

2015-03-01

This study is an effort to propose a mathematical relation between the occupational exposure measured by a dosimeter worn on a lead apron in the chest region of a cardiologist and the dose area product (DAP) recorded by a meter attached to the X-ray tube. We aimed to determine factors by which DAP values attributed to patient exposure could be converted to the over-apron entrance surface air kerma incurred by cardiologists during an angiographic procedure. A Rando phantom representing a patient was exposed by an X-ray tube from 77 pre-defined directions. DAP value for each exposure angle was recorded. Cardiologist exposure was measured by a Radcal ionization chamber 10X5-180 positioned on a second phantom representing the physician. The exposure conversion factor was determined as the quotient of over apron exposure by DAP value. To verify the validity of this method, the over-apron exposure of a cardiologist was measured using the ionization chamber while performing coronary angiography procedures on 45 patients weighing on average 75 ± 5 kg. DAP values for the corresponding procedures were also obtained. Conversion factors obtained from phantom exposure were applied to the patient DAP values to calculate physician exposure. Mathematical analysis of our results leads us to conclude that a linear relationship exists between two sets of data: (a) cardiologist exposure measured directly by Radcal & DAP values recorded by the X-ray machine system (R (2) = 0.88), (b) specialist measured and estimated exposure derived from DAP values (R (2) = 0.91). The results demonstrate that cardiologist occupational exposure can be derived from patient data accurately.

Influence of Fuel Moisture Content and Reactor Temperature on the Calorific Value of Syngas Resulted from Gasification of Oil Palm Fronds

PubMed Central

Atnaw, Samson Mekbib; Sulaiman, Shaharin Anwar; Yusup, Suzana

2014-01-01

Biomass wastes produced from oil palm mills and plantations include empty fruit bunches (EFBs), shells, fibers, trunks, and oil palm fronds (OPF). EFBs and shells are partially utilized as boiler fuel while the rest of the biomass materials like OPF have not been utilized for energy generation. No previous study has been reported on gasification of oil palm fronds (OPF) biomass for the production of fuel gas. In this paper, the effect of moisture content of fuel and reactor temperature on downdraft gasification of OPF was experimentally investigated using a lab scale gasifier of capacity 50 kW. In addition, results obtained from equilibrium model of gasification that was developed for facilitating the prediction of syngas composition are compared with experimental data. Comparison of simulation results for predicting calorific value of syngas with the experimental results showed a satisfactory agreement with a mean error of 0.1 MJ/Nm3. For a biomass moisture content of 29%, the resulting calorific value for the syngas was found to be only 2.63 MJ/Nm3, as compared to nearly double (4.95 MJ/Nm3) for biomass moisture content of 22%. A calorific value as high as 5.57 MJ/Nm3 was recorded for higher oxidation zone temperature values. PMID:24578617

Inappropriate fiddling with statistical analyses to obtain a desirable p-value: tests to detect its presence in published literature.

PubMed

Gadbury, Gary L; Allison, David B

2012-01-01

Much has been written regarding p-values below certain thresholds (most notably 0.05) denoting statistical significance and the tendency of such p-values to be more readily publishable in peer-reviewed journals. Intuition suggests that there may be a tendency to manipulate statistical analyses to push a "near significant p-value" to a level that is considered significant. This article presents a method for detecting the presence of such manipulation (herein called "fiddling") in a distribution of p-values from independent studies. Simulations are used to illustrate the properties of the method. The results suggest that the method has low type I error and that power approaches acceptable levels as the number of p-values being studied approaches 1000.

Obtaining value prior to pulping with diethyl oxalate and oxalic acid

Treesearch

W.R. Kenealy; E. Horn; C.J. Houtman; J. Laplaza; T.W. Jeffries

2007-01-01

Pulp and paper are converted to paper products with yields of paper dependent on the wood and the process used. Even with high yield pulps there are conversion losses and with chemical pulps the yields approach 50%. The portions of the wood that do not provide product are either combusted to generate power and steam or incur a cost in waste water treatment. Value prior...

Using Riemannian geometry to obtain new results on Dikin and Karmarkar methods

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

Oliveira, P.; Joao, X.; Piaui, T.

1994-12-31

We are motivated by a 1990 Karmarkar paper on Riemannian geometry and Interior Point Methods. In this talk we show 3 results. (1) Karmarkar direction can be derived from the Dikin one. This is obtained by constructing a certain Z(x) representation of the null space of the unitary simplex (e, x) = 1; then the projective direction is the image under Z(x) of the affine-scaling one, when it is restricted to that simplex. (2) Second order information on Dikin and Karmarkar methods. We establish computable Hessians for each of the metrics corresponding to both directions, thus permitting the generation ofmore » {open_quotes}second order{close_quotes} methods. (3) Dikin and Karmarkar geodesic descent methods. For those directions, we make computable the theoretical Luenberger geodesic descent method, since we are able to explicit very accurate expressions of the corresponding geodesics. Convergence results are given.« less

Near-Infrared Scintillation of Liquid Argon: Recent Results Obtained with the NIR Facility at Fermilab

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

Escobar, C. O.; Rubinov, P.; Tilly, E.

After a short review of previous attempts to observe and measure the near-infrared scintillation in liquid argon, we present new results obtained with NIR, a dedicated cryostat at the Fermilab Proton Assembly Building (PAB). The new results give confidence that the near-infrared light can be used as the much needed light signal in large liquid argon time projection chambers.11 pages,

A systematic review of the angular values obtained by computerized photogrammetry in sagittal plane: a proposal for reference values.

PubMed

Krawczky, Bruna; Pacheco, Antonio G; Mainenti, Míriam R M

2014-05-01

Reference values for postural alignment in the coronal plane, as measured by computerized photogrammetry, have been established but not for the sagittal plane. The objective of this study is to propose reference values for angular measurements used for postural analysis in the sagittal plane for healthy adults. Electronic databases (PubMed, BVS, Cochrane, Scielo, and Science Direct) were searched using the following key words: evaluation, posture, photogrammetry, and software. Articles published between 2006 and 2012 that used the PAS/SAPO (postural assessment software) were selected. Another inclusion criterion was the presentation of, at least, one of the following measurements: head horizontal alignment, pelvic horizontal alignment, hip angle, vertical alignment of the body, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis. Angle samples of the selected articles were grouped 2 by 2 in relation to an overall average, which made possible total average, variance, and SD calculations. Six articles were included, and the following average angular values were found: 51.42° ± 4.87° (head horizontal alignment), -12.26° ± 5.81° (pelvic horizontal alignment), -6.40° ± 3.86° (hip angle), and 1.73° ± 0.94° (vertical alignment of the body). None of the articles contained the measurements for thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis. The reference values can be adopted as reference for postural assessment in future researches if the same anatomical points are considered. Copyright © 2014 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

An audit of the contribution to post-mortem examination diagnosis of individual analyte results obtained from biochemical analysis of the vitreous.

PubMed

Mitchell, Rebecca; Charlwood, Cheryl; Thomas, Sunethra Devika; Bellis, Maria; Langlois, Neil E I

2013-12-01

Biochemical analysis of the vitreous humor from the eye is an accepted accessory test for post-mortem investigation of cause of death. Modern biochemical analyzers allow testing of a range of analytes from a sample. However, it is not clear which analytes should be requested in order to prevent unnecessary testing (and expense). The means and standard deviation of the values obtained from analysis of the vitreous humor for sodium, potassium, chloride, osmolality, glucose, ketones (β-hydroxybutyrate), creatinine, urea, calcium, lactate, and ammonia were calculated from which the contribution of each analyte was reviewed in the context of post-mortem findings and final cause of death. For sodium 32 cases were regarded as high (more than one standard deviation above the mean), from which 9 contributed to post-mortem diagnosis [drowning (4), heat related death (2), diabetic hyperglycemia (2), and dehydration (1)], but 25 low values (greater than one standard deviation below the mean) made no contribution. For chloride 29 high values contributed to 4 cases--3 drowning and 1 heat-related, but these were all previously identified by a high sodium level. There were 29 high and 35 low potassium values, none of which contributed to determining the final cause of death. Of 22 high values of creatinine, 12 contributed to a diagnosis of renal failure. From 32 high values of urea, 18 contributed to 16 cases of renal failure (2 associated with diabetic hyperglycemia), 1 heat-related death, and one case with dehydration. Osmolarity contributed to 12 cases (5 heat-related, 4 diabetes, 2 renal failure, and 1 dehydration) from 36 high values. There was no contribution from 32 high values and 19 low values of calcium and there was no contribution from 4 high and 2 low values of ammonia. There were 11 high values of glucose, which contributed to the diagnosis of 6 cases of diabetic hyperglycemia and 21 high ketone levels contributed to 8 cases: 4 diabetic ketosis, 3 hypothermia, 3

[VALUE OF SMART PHONE Scoliometer SOFTWARE IN OBTAINING OPTIMAL LUMBAR LORDOSIS DURING L4-S1 FUSION SURGERY].

PubMed

Yu, Weibo; Liang, De; Ye, Linqiang; Jiang, Xiaobing; Yao, Zhensong; Tang, Jingjing; Tang, Yongchao

2015-10-01

To investigate the value of smart phone Scoliometer software in obtaining optimal lumbar lordosis (LL) during L4-S1 fusion surgery. Between November 2014 and February 2015, 20 patients scheduled for L4-S1 fusion surgery were prospectively enrolled the study. There were 8 males and 12 females, aged 41-65 years (mean, 52.3 years). The disease duration ranged from 6 months to 6 years (mean, 3.4 years). Before operation, the pelvic incidence (PI) and Cobb angle of L4-S1 (CobbL4-S1) were measured on lateral X-ray film of lumbosacral spine by PACS system; and the ideal CobbL4-S1 was then calculated according to previously published methods [(PI+9 degrees) x 70%]. Subsequently, intraoperative CobbL4-S1 was monitored by the Scoliometer software and was defined as optimal while it was less than 5 degrees difference compared with ideal CobbL4-S1. Finally, the CobbL4-S1 was measured by the PACS system after operation and the consistency was compared between Scoliometer software and PACS system to evaluate the accuracy of this software. In addition, value of this method in obtaining optimal LL was validated by comparing the difference between ideal CobbL4-S1 and preoperative one with that between ideal CobbL4-S1 and postoperative one. The CobbL4-S1 was (36.17 ± 1.53)degrees for ideal one, (22.57 ± 5.50)degrees for preoperative one, (32.25 ± 1.46)degrees for intraoperative one measured by Scoliometer software, and (34.43 ± 1.72)degrees for postoperative one, respectively. The observed intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was excellent [ICC = 0.96, 95% confidence interval (0.93, 0.97)] and the mean absolute difference (MAD) was low (MAD = 1.23) between Scoliometer software and PACS system. The deviation between ideal CobbL4-S1 and postoperative CobbL4-S1 was (2.31 ± 0.23)degrees, which was significantly lower than the deviation between ideal CobbL4-S1 and preoperative CobbL4-S1 (13.60 ± 1.85)degrees (t = 6.065, P = 0.001). Scoliometer software can help surgeon obtain

Results of Investigative Tests of Gas Turbine Engine Compressor Blades Obtained by Electrochemical Machining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhina, T. D.; Kurochkin, A. V.

2016-04-01

The paper highlights results of the investigative tests of GTE compressor Ti-alloy blades obtained by the method of electrochemical machining with oscillating tool-electrodes, carried out in order to define the optimal parameters of the ECM process providing attainment of specified blade quality parameters given in the design documentation, while providing maximal performance. The new technological methods suggested based on the results of the tests; in particular application of vibrating tool-electrodes and employment of locating elements made of high-strength materials, significantly extend the capabilities of this method.

POSNA Quality Safety Value Initiative: From Vision to Implementation to Early Results.

PubMed

Waters, Peter M; Flynn, John M

2015-01-01

The POSNA Quality, Safety and Value Initiative (QSVI) formally started with POSNA board approval in early 2011. The initial vision statement was: "To lead in defining our members' value based clinical care. To partner with hospital based and orthopedic organizational efforts to guarantee safe, high quality outcomes for our patients. To communicate our initiatives and results cooperatively with payer, credentialing, and compliance organizations to improve pediatric orthopedic care in North America."

Inappropriate Fiddling with Statistical Analyses to Obtain a Desirable P-value: Tests to Detect its Presence in Published Literature

PubMed Central

Gadbury, Gary L.; Allison, David B.

2012-01-01

Much has been written regarding p-values below certain thresholds (most notably 0.05) denoting statistical significance and the tendency of such p-values to be more readily publishable in peer-reviewed journals. Intuition suggests that there may be a tendency to manipulate statistical analyses to push a “near significant p-value” to a level that is considered significant. This article presents a method for detecting the presence of such manipulation (herein called “fiddling”) in a distribution of p-values from independent studies. Simulations are used to illustrate the properties of the method. The results suggest that the method has low type I error and that power approaches acceptable levels as the number of p-values being studied approaches 1000. PMID:23056287

3D High-definition anorectal manometry: Values obtained in asymptomatic volunteers, fecal incontinence and chronic constipation. Results of a prospective multicenter study (NOMAD).

PubMed

Mion, F; Garros, A; Brochard, C; Vitton, V; Ropert, A; Bouvier, M; Damon, H; Siproudhis, L; Roman, S

2017-08-01

3D-high definition anorectal manometry (3DARM) may aid the diagnosis of functional anorectal disorders, but data comparing asymptomatic and symptomatic subjects are scarce. We aimed to describe 3DARM values in asymptomatic volunteers and those with fecal incontinence (FI) or chronic constipation (CC), and identify which variables differentiate best these groups. Asymptomatic subjects were stratified by sex, age, and parity. Those with FI or CC were included according to anorectal symptom questionnaires. Endoanal ultrasound examination and 3DARM were performed the same day. Anal pressures were analyzed at rest, during voluntary squeeze, and during push maneuver, and compared between the 3 groups. Anal pressure defects were defined and compared to ultrasound defects. A total of 126 subjects (113 female, mean age 52 years, range 18-83) were included; 36 asymptomatic, 38 FI, 42 CC. Anal resting and squeeze pressures, and rectal sensitivity values were lower in FI women than in the other groups. Typical anal sphincter asymmetry during squeezing was less frequently observed in FI women. A dyssynergic pattern during push maneuver was found in 70% of asymptomatic subjects, and with a similar frequency in the 2 symptomatic groups. There was slight concordance between 3D-pressure defects and ultrasound defects. 3D anal pressures in asymptomatic women were significantly lower than in men, and in FI compared to asymptomatic women. The classical dyssynergic pattern during push maneuver was found as frequently in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Further studies should try to identify 3DARM variables that could reliably identify dyssynergic defecation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A discrete choice experiment to obtain a tariff for valuing informal care situations measured with the CarerQol instrument.

PubMed

Hoefman, Renske J; van Exel, Job; Rose, John M; van de Wetering, E J; Brouwer, Werner B F

2014-01-01

Economic evaluations adopting a societal perspective need to include informal care whenever relevant. However, in practice, informal care is often neglected, because there are few validated instruments to measure and value informal care for inclusion in economic evaluations. The CarerQol, which is such an instrument, measures the impact of informal care on 7 important burden dimensions (CarerQol-7D) and values this in terms of general quality of life (CarerQol-VAS). The objective of the study was to calculate utility scores based on relative utility weights for the CarerQol-7D. These tariffs will facilitate inclusion of informal care in economic evaluations. The CarerQol-7D tariff was derived with a discrete choice experiment conducted as an Internet survey among the general adult population in the Netherlands (N = 992). The choice set contained 2 unlabeled alternatives described in terms of the 7 CarerQol-7D dimensions (level range: "no,"some," and "a lot"). An efficient experimental design with priors obtained from a pilot study (N = 104) was used. Data were analyzed with a panel mixed multinomial parameter model including main and interaction effects of the attributes. The utility attached to informal care situations was significantly higher when this situation was more attractive in terms of fewer problems and more fulfillment or support. The interaction term between the CarerQol-7D dimensions physical health and mental health problems also significantly explained this utility. The tariff was constructed by adding up the relative utility weights per category of all CarerQol-7D dimensions and the interaction term. We obtained a tariff providing standard utility scores for caring situations described with the CarerQol-7D. This facilitates the inclusion of informal care in economic evaluations.

An assessment of consistence of exhaust gas emission test results obtained under controlled NEDC conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balawender, K.; Jaworski, A.; Kuszewski, H.; Lejda, K.; Ustrzycki, A.

2016-09-01

Measurements concerning emissions of pollutants contained in automobile combustion engine exhaust gases is of primary importance in view of their harmful impact on the natural environment. This paper presents results of tests aimed at determining exhaust gas pollutant emissions from a passenger car engine obtained under repeatable conditions on a chassis dynamometer. The test set-up was installed in a controlled climate chamber allowing to maintain the temperature conditions within the range from -20°C to +30°C. The analysis covered emissions of such components as CO, CO2, NOx, CH4, THC, and NMHC. The purpose of the study was to assess repeatability of results obtained in a number of tests performed as per NEDC test plan. The study is an introductory stage of a wider research project concerning the effect of climate conditions and fuel type on emission of pollutants contained in exhaust gases generated by automotive vehicles.

The value of library and information services in patient care: results of a multisite study*

PubMed Central

Marshall, Joanne Gard; Sollenberger, Julia; Easterby-Gannett, Sharon; Morgan, Lynn Kasner; Klem, Mary Lou; Cavanaugh, Susan K.; Oliver, Kathleen Burr; Thompson, Cheryl A.; Romanosky, Neil; Hunter, Sue

2013-01-01

Objective: The research conducted a large-scale, multisite study on the value and impact of library and information services on patient care. Methods: The study used: (1) 2 initial focus groups of librarians; (2) a web-based survey of physicians, residents, and nurses at 56 library sites serving 118 hospitals; and (3) 24 follow-up telephone interviews. Survey respondents were asked to base their responses on a recent incident in which they had sought information for patient care. Results: Of the 16,122 survey respondents, 3/4 said that they had definitely or probably handled aspects of the patient care situation differently as a result of the information. Among the reported changes were advice given to the patient (48%), diagnosis (25%), and choice of drugs (33%), other treatment (31%), and tests (23%). Almost all of the respondents (95%) said the information resulted in a better informed clinical decision. Respondents reported that the information allowed them to avoid the following adverse events: patient misunderstanding of the disease (23%), additional tests (19%), misdiagnosis (13%), adverse drug reactions (13%), medication errors (12%), and patient mortality (6%). Conclusions: Library and information resources were perceived as valuable, and the information obtained was seen as having an impact on patient care. PMID:23418404

How Often Do Subscores Have Added Value? Results from Operational and Simulated Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinharay, Sandip

2010-01-01

Recently, there has been an increasing level of interest in subscores for their potential diagnostic value. Haberman suggested a method based on classical test theory to determine whether subscores have added value over total scores. In this article I first provide a rich collection of results regarding when subscores were found to have added…

Partitioned key-value store with atomic memory operations

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

Bent, John M.; Faibish, Sorin; Grider, Gary

A partitioned key-value store is provided that supports atomic memory operations. A server performs a memory operation in a partitioned key-value store by receiving a request from an application for at least one atomic memory operation, the atomic memory operation comprising a memory address identifier; and, in response to the atomic memory operation, performing one or more of (i) reading a client-side memory location identified by the memory address identifier and storing one or more key-value pairs from the client-side memory location in a local key-value store of the server; and (ii) obtaining one or more key-value pairs from themore » local key-value store of the server and writing the obtained one or more key-value pairs into the client-side memory location identified by the memory address identifier. The server can perform functions obtained from a client-side memory location and return a result to the client using one or more of the atomic memory operations.« less

Normal Values of Tissue-Muscle Perfusion Indexes of Lower Limbs Obtained with a Scintigraphic Method.

PubMed

Manevska, Nevena; Stojanoski, Sinisa; Pop Gjorceva, Daniela; Todorovska, Lidija; Miladinova, Daniela; Zafirova, Beti

2017-09-01

Introduction Muscle perfusion is a physiologic process that can undergo quantitative assessment and thus define the range of normal values of perfusion indexes and perfusion reserve. The investigation of the microcirculation has a crucial role in determining the muscle perfusion. Materials and method The study included 30 examinees, 24-74 years of age, without a history of confirmed peripheral artery disease and all had normal findings on Doppler ultrasonography and pedo-brachial index of lower extremity (PBI). 99mTc-MIBI tissue muscle perfusion scintigraphy of lower limbs evaluates tissue perfusion in resting condition "rest study" and after workload "stress study", through quantitative parameters: Inter-extremity index (for both studies), left thigh/right thigh (LT/RT) left calf/right calf (LC/RC) and perfusion reserve (PR) for both thighs and calves. Results In our investigated group we assessed the normal values of quantitative parameters of perfusion indexes. Indexes ranged for LT/RT in rest study 0.91-1.05, in stress study 0.92-1.04. LC/RC in rest 0.93-1.07 and in stress study 0.93-1.09. The examinees older than 50 years had insignificantly lower perfusion reserve of these parameters compared with those younger than 50, LC (p=0.98), and RC (p=0.6). Conclusion This non-invasive scintigraphic method allows in individuals without peripheral artery disease to determine the range of normal values of muscle perfusion at rest and stress condition and to clinically implement them in evaluation of patients with peripheral artery disease for differentiating patients with normal from those with impaired lower limbs circulation.

Optimizing Methods of Obtaining Stellar Parameters for the H3 Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivory, KeShawn; Conroy, Charlie; Cargile, Phillip

2018-01-01

The Stellar Halo at High Resolution with Hectochelle Survey (H3) is in the process of observing and collecting stellar parameters for stars in the Milky Way's halo. With a goal of measuring radial velocities for fainter stars, it is crucial that we have optimal methods of obtaining this and other parameters from the data from these stars.The method currently developed is The Payne, named after Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, a code that uses neural networks and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to utilize both spectra and photometry to obtain values for stellar parameters. This project was to investigate the benefit of fitting both spectra and spectral energy distributions (SED). Mock spectra using the parameters of the Sun were created and noise was inserted at various signal to noise values. The Payne then fit each mock spectrum with and without a mock SED also generated from solar parameters. The result was that at high signal to noise, the spectrum dominated and the effect of fitting the SED was minimal. But at low signal to noise, the addition of the SED greatly decreased the standard deviation of the data and resulted in more accurate values for temperature and metallicity.

Obtaining the Iodine Value of Various Oils via Bromination with Pyridinium Tribromide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simurdiak, Michael; Olukoga, Olushola; Hedberg, Kirk

2016-01-01

A laboratory exercise was devised that allows students to rapidly and fairly accurately determine the iodine value of oleic acid. This method utilizes the addition of elemental bromine to the unsaturated bonds in oleic acid, due to bromine's relatively fast reaction rate compared to that of the traditional Wijs solution method. This method also…

Using Publicly Available Data to Construct a Transparent Measure of Health Care Value: A Method and Initial Results.

PubMed

Weeks, William B; Kotzbauer, Gregory R; Weinstein, James N

2016-06-01

Using publicly available Hospital Compare and Medicare data, we found a substantial range of hospital-level performance on quality, expenditure, and value measures for 4 common reasons for admission. Hospitals' ability to consistently deliver high-quality, low-cost care varied across the different reasons for admission. With the exception of coronary artery bypass grafting, hospitals that provided the highest-value care had more beds and a larger average daily census than those providing the lowest-value care. Transparent data like those we present can empower patients to compare hospital performance, make better-informed treatment decisions, and decide where to obtain care for particular health care problems. In the United States, the transition from volume to value dominates discussions of health care reform. While shared decision making might help patients determine whether to get care, transparency in procedure- and hospital-specific value measures would help them determine where to get care. Using Hospital Compare and Medicare expenditure data, we constructed a hospital-level measure of value from a numerator composed of quality-of-care measures (satisfaction, use of timely and effective care, and avoidance of harms) and a denominator composed of risk-adjusted 30-day episode-of-care expenditures for acute myocardial infarction (1,900 hospitals), coronary artery bypass grafting (884 hospitals), colectomy (1,252 hospitals), and hip replacement surgery (1,243 hospitals). We found substantial variation in aggregate measures of quality, cost, and value at the hospital level. Value calculation provided additional richness when compared to assessment based on quality or cost alone: about 50% of hospitals in an extreme quality- (and about 65% more in an extreme cost-) quintile were in the same extreme value quintile. With the exception of coronary artery bypass grafting, higher-value hospitals were larger and had a higher average daily census than lower-value

Comparison of the biometric values obtained by two different A-mode ultrasound devices (Eye Cubed vs. PalmScan): a transversal, descriptive, and comparative study.

PubMed

Velez-Montoya, Raul; Shusterman, Eugene Mark; López-Miranda, Miriam Jessica; Mayorquin-Ruiz, Mariana; Salcedo-Villanueva, Guillermo; Quiroz-Mercado, Hugo; Morales-Cantón, Virgilio

2010-03-24

To assess the reliability of the measurements obtained with the PalmScan, when compared with another standardized A-mode ultrasound device, and assess the consistency and correlation between the two methods. Transversal, descriptive, and comparative study. We recorded the axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and lens thickness (LT) obtained with two A-mode ultrasounds (PalmScan A2000 and Eye Cubed) using an immersion technique. We compared the measurements with a two-sample t-test. Agreement between the two devices was assessed with Bland-Altman plots and 95% limits of agreement. 70 eyes of 70 patients were enrolled in this study. The measurements with the Eye Cubed of AL and ACD were shorter than the measurements taken by the PalmScan. The differences were not statistically significant regarding AL (p < 0.4) but significant regarding ACD (p < 0.001). The highest agreement between the two devices was obtained during LT measurement. The PalmScan measurements were shorter, but not statistically significantly (p < 0.2). The values of AL and LT, obtained with both devices are not identical, but within the limits of agreement. The agreement is not affected by the magnitude of the ocular dimensions (but only between range of 20 mm to 27 mm of AL and 3.5 mm to 5.7 mm of LT). A correction of about 0.5 D could be considered if an intraocular lens is being calculated. However due to the large variability of the results, the authors recommend discretion in using this conversion factor, and to adjust the power of the intraocular lenses based upon the personal experience of the surgeon.

Results of Physical Property Measurements Obtained during the CHIKYU Cruise CK16-01 to Hydrothermal Fields of the Middle Okinawa Trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanikawa, W.; Masaki, Y.; Komori, S.; Torimoto, J.; Makio, M.; Ohta, Y.; Nozaki, T.; Ishibashi, J. I.; Kumagai, H.; Maeda, L.; Hamada, Y.

2016-12-01

The middle Okinawa trough, along the Ryukyu-arc on the margin of the western Pacific, fosters several hydrothermal fields. The cruise CK16-01 of D/V CHIKYU targeted the Iheya-North Field and Noho hydrothermal site. More than ten-days extensive coring was carried out with Logging While Drilling (LWD) and deployment of Kuroko cultivation apparatus between February 29th to March 17th2016. Here we present the results of the physical property measurements obtained using Chikyu's on-board laboratory. Cores were sampled among three sites where the seafloor environments were quite different: the Noho site (C9017), a site between the Natsu and Aki sites of the Iheya-North field (C9021), and the Iheya-North Aki site (C9023). Site C9017 was near the center of the hydrothermal activity, and the obtained core was limited 36 m in length and 30 % in the recovery rate. At 70 mbsf (meters below seafloor), the grain density and bulk density of the sediment reached their maxim (3.7 g/m3 and 2.7 g/cm3, respectively), while thermal conductivity reached its lowest value (0.6 W/m·K). Site C9021 yielded a 54 m core, with a core recovery rate of 50 %. Coarse pumiceous layers were found at 68 mbsf, with a hydrothermally altered layer appearing below 68 mbsf. The mean grain density value was 2.4 g/cm3 and was uniform throughout the core. The mean bulk density value of the pumiceous layers was 1.3 g/cm3, and of the hydrothermally altered layer was 2.1 g/cm3. Site C9023 was close to the active hydrothermal chimneys of the Iheya-North Aki site, and yielded 33 m of core with a core recovery rate of 16 %. Massive sulfide layers were found below 48 mbsf with grain density and bulk density values varying between 2.8-4.7 g/cm3 and 1.5-3.9 g/cm3, respectively. Magnetic susceptibility exhibited a high anomaly in a sedimented anhydrite layer found between 95 and 135 mbsf, and a high porosity and low resistivity zone was found below 150 mbsf. Together, these data from drilling cores and onboard

[Value of liquid-based cytology of brushing specimens obtained via fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of lung cancer].

PubMed

Zhao, Huan; Guo, Huiqin; Zhang, Chuanxin; Zhao, Linlin; Cao, Jian; Pan, Qinjing

2015-06-01

To investigate the value of the liquid-based cytology (LBC) of brushing specimens obtained via fiberoptic bronchoscopy for clinical diagnosis of lung cancer. We retrospectively analyzed the LBC cases in our hospital from January 2011 to May 2012, and evaluate its role in the diagnosis of lung cancer. The clinical data of a total of 4 380 cases were reviewed and 3 763 of them had histopathological or clinical follow-up results (including 3 306 lung cancer cases and 457 benign lesion cases). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of LBC diagnosis for lung cancer were 72.4% (2 392/3 306), 99.3% (454/457) and 75.6% (2 846/3 763), respectively. Of the 1 992 lung cancer cases diagnosed by brushing LBC, 528 cases (26.5%) were failed to take forceps biopsy and 113 cases (5.7%) showed negative forceps biopsy results. The accurate rate of subtyping of LBC for non-small cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma was 99.0% (1 487/1 502) (P < 0.001). Take the resection histopathology as gold standard, the accurate rates of subtyping squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma by LBC were 95.6% (351/367), 95.6% (351/367) and 100% (367/367), respectively, (P < 0.001). The accurate rates of subtyping of squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and small cell carcinoma by forceps biopsy were 97.0% (293/302), 97.4% (294/302) and 99.7% (301/302), respectively, (Kappa = 0.895, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in subtyping respectively between forceps biopsy and brushing LBC (P > 0.05). Fiberoptic bronchoscopic brushing liquid-based cytology can significantly improve the detection rate of lung cancer, and have a high specificity and accurate rate of subtyping. It is an effective tool for the diagnosis and subtyping of lung cancer.

Airglow during ionospheric modifications by the sura facility radiation. experimental results obtained in 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grach, S. M.; Klimenko, V. V.; Shindin, A. V.; Nasyrov, I. A.; Sergeev, E. N.; A. Yashnov, V.; A. Pogorelko, N.

2012-06-01

We present the results of studying the structure and dynamics of the HF-heated volume above the Sura facility obtained in 2010 by measurements of ionospheric airglow in the red (λ = 630 nm) and green (λ = 557.7 nm) lines of atomic oxygen. Vertical sounding of the ionosphere (followed by modeling of the pump-wave propagation) and measurements of stimulated electromagnetic emission were used for additional diagnostics of ionospheric parameters and the processes occurring in the heated volume.

Maximal isometric muscle strength values obtained By hand-held dynamometry in children between 6 and 15 years of age.

PubMed

Escobar, Raul G; Munoz, Karin T; Dominguez, Angelica; Banados, Pamela; Bravo, Maria J

2017-01-01

In this study we aimed to determine the maximal isometric muscle strength of a healthy, normal-weight, pediatric population between 6 and 15 years of age using hand-held dynamometry to establish strength reference values. The secondary objective was determining the relationship between strength and anthropometric parameters. Four hundred normal-weight Chilean children, split into 10 age groups, separated by 1-year intervals, were evaluated. Each age group included between 35 and 55 children. The strength values increased with increasing age and weight, with a correlation of 0.83 for age and 0.82 for weight. The results were similar to those reported in previous studies regarding the relationships among strength, age, and anthropometric parameters, but the reported strength differed. These results provide normal strength parameters for healthy and normal-weight Chilean children between 6 and 15 years of age and highlight the relevance of ethnicity in defining reference values for muscle strength in a pediatric population. Muscle Nerve 55: 16-22, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of the T2-star Values of Placentas Obtained from Pre-eclamptic Patients with Those of a Control Group: an Ex-vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

PubMed

Yurttutan, Nursel; Bakacak, Murat; Kızıldağ, Betül

2017-09-29

Endotel dysfunction, vasoconstriction, and oxidative stress are described in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia, but its aetiology has not been revealed clearly. To examine whether there is a difference between the placentas of pre-eclamptic pregnant women and those of a control group in terms of their T2 star values. Case-control study. Twenty patients diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and 22 healthy controls were included in this study. The placentas obtained after births performed via Caesarean section were taken into the magnetic resonance imaging area in plastic bags within the first postnatal hour, and imaging was performed via modified DIXON-Quant sequence. Average values were obtained by performing T2 star measurements from four localisations on the placentas. T2 star values measured in the placentas of the control group were found to be significantly lower than those in the pre-eclampsia group (p<0.01). While the mean T2 star value in the pre-eclamptic group was found to be 37.48 ms (standard deviation ± 11.3), this value was 28.74 (standard deviation ± 8.08) in the control group. The cut-off value for the T2 star value, maximising the accuracy of diagnosis, was 28.59 ms (area under curve: 0.741; 95% confidence interval: 0.592-0.890); sensitivity and specificity were 70% and 63.6%, respectively. This study, the T2 star value, which is an indicator of iron amount, was found to be significantly lower in the control group than in the pre-eclampsia group. This may be related to the reduction in blood flow to the placenta due to endothelial dysfunction and vasoconstriction, which are important in pre-eclampsia pathophysiology.

Correlation of Lactic Acid and Base Deficit Values Obtained From Arterial and Peripheral Venous Samples in a Pediatric Population During Intraoperative Care.

PubMed

Bordes, Brianne M; Walia, Hina; Sebastian, Roby; Martin, David; Tumin, Dmitry; Tobias, Joseph D

2017-12-01

Lactic acid and base deficit (BD) values are frequently monitored in the intensive care unit and operating room setting to evaluate oxygenation, ventilation, cardiac output, and peripheral perfusion. Although generally obtained from an arterial cannula, such access may not always be available. The current study prospectively investigates the correlation of arterial and peripheral venous values of BD and lactic acid. The study cohort included 48 patients. Arterial BD values ranged from -8 to 4 mEq/L and peripheral venous BD values ranged from -8 to 4 mEq/L. Arterial lactic acid values ranged from 0.36 to 2.45 μmol/L and peripheral venous lactic acid values ranged from 0.38 to 4 μmol/L. The arterial BD (-0.4 ± 2.2 mEq/L) was not significantly different from the peripheral venous BD (-0.6 ± 2.2 mEq/L). The arterial lactic acid (1.0 ± 0.5 μmol/L) was not significantly different from the peripheral venous lactic acid (1.1 ± 0.6 μmol/L). Pearson correlation coefficients demonstrated a very high correlation between arterial and peripheral venous BD ( r = .88, P < .001) and between arterial and peripheral venous lactic acid ( r = .67, P < .001). Bland-Altman plots of both pairs of measures showed that the majority of observations fell within the 95% limits of agreement. Least-squares regression indicated that a 1-unit increase in arterial BD corresponded to a 0.9-unit increase in peripheral venous BD (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7-1.0; P < .001) and a 1-unit increase in arterial lactic acid corresponded to a 0.9-unit increase in peripheral venous lactic acid (95% CI: 0.6-1.2; P < .001). These data demonstrate that there is a clinically useful correlation between arterial and peripheral venous lactic acid and BD values.

47 CFR 54.615 - Obtaining services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provided under § 54.621, that the requester cannot obtain toll-free access to an Internet service provider... thing of value; (6) If the service or services are being purchased as part of an aggregated purchase...

The value of library and information services in patient care: results of a multisite study.

PubMed

Marshall, Joanne Gard; Sollenberger, Julia; Easterby-Gannett, Sharon; Morgan, Lynn Kasner; Klem, Mary Lou; Cavanaugh, Susan K; Oliver, Kathleen Burr; Thompson, Cheryl A; Romanosky, Neil; Hunter, Sue

2013-01-01

The research conducted a large-scale, multisite study on the value and impact of library and information services on patient care. THE STUDY USED: (1) 2 initial focus groups of librarians; (2) a web-based survey of physicians, residents, and nurses at 56 library sites serving 118 hospitals; and (3) 24 follow-up telephone interviews. Survey respondents were asked to base their responses on a recent incident in which they had sought information for patient care. Of the 16,122 survey respondents, 3/4 said that they had definitely or probably handled aspects of the patient care situation differently as a result of the information. Among the reported changes were advice given to the patient (48%), diagnosis (25%), and choice of drugs (33%), other treatment (31%), and tests (23%). Almost all of the respondents (95%) said the information resulted in a better informed clinical decision. Respondents reported that the information allowed them to avoid the following adverse events: patient misunderstanding of the disease (23%), additional tests (19%), misdiagnosis (13%), adverse drug reactions (13%), medication errors (12%), and patient mortality (6%). Library and information resources were perceived as valuable, and the information obtained was seen as having an impact on patient care.

Lunar tidal acceleration obtained from satellite-derived ocean tide parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goad, C. C.; Douglas, B. C.

1978-01-01

One hundred sets of mean elements of GEOS-3 computed at 2-day intervals yielded observation equations for the M sub 2 ocean tide from the long periodic variations of the inclination and node of the orbit. The 2nd degree Love number was given the value k sub 2 = 0.30 and the solid tide phase angle was taken to be zero. Combining obtained equations with results for the satellite 1967-92A gives the M sub 2 ocean tide parameter values. Under the same assumption of zero solid tide phase lag, the lunar tidal acceleration was found mostly due to the C sub 22 term in the expansion of the M sub 2 tide with additional small contributions from the 0 sub 1 and N sub 2 tides. Using Lambeck's (1975) estimates for the latter, the obtained acceleration in lunar longitudal in excellent agreement with the most recent determinations from ancient and modern astronomical data.

Comparison of Bispectral Index™ values during the flotation restricted environmental stimulation technique and results for stage I sleep: a prospective pilot investigation.

PubMed

Dunham, C Michael; McClain, Jesse V; Burger, Amanda

2017-11-29

To determine whether Bispectral Index™ values obtained during flotation-restricted environment stimulation technique have a similar profile in a single observation compared to literature-derived results found during sleep and other relaxation-induction interventions. Bispectral Index™ values were as follows: awake-state, 96.6; float session-1, 84.3; float session-2, 82.3; relaxation-induction, 82.8; stage I sleep, 86.0; stage II sleep, 66.2; and stages III-IV sleep, 45.1. Awake-state values differed from float session-1 (%difference 12.7%; Cohen's d = 3.6) and float session-2 (%difference 14.8%; Cohen's d = 4.6). Relaxation-induction values were similar to float session-1 (%difference 1.8%; Cohen's d = 0.3) and float session-2 (%difference 0.5%; Cohen's d = 0.1). Stage I sleep values were similar to float session-1 (%difference 1.9%; Cohen's d = 0.4) and float session-2 (%difference 4.3%; Cohen's d = 1.0). Stage II sleep values differed from float session-1 (%difference 21.5%; Cohen's d = 4.3) and float session-2 (%difference 19.6%; Cohen's d = 4.0). Stages III-IV sleep values differed from float session-1 (%difference 46.5%; Cohen's d = 5.6) and float session-2 (%difference 45.2%; Cohen's d = 5.4). Bispectral Index™ values during flotation were comparable to those found in stage I sleep and nadir values described with other relaxation-induction techniques.

Probabilities and statistics for backscatter estimates obtained by a scatterometer with applications to new scatterometer design data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierson, Willard J., Jr.

1989-01-01

The values of the Normalized Radar Backscattering Cross Section (NRCS), sigma (o), obtained by a scatterometer are random variables whose variance is a known function of the expected value. The probability density function can be obtained from the normal distribution. Models for the expected value obtain it as a function of the properties of the waves on the ocean and the winds that generated the waves. Point estimates of the expected value were found from various statistics given the parameters that define the probability density function for each value. Random intervals were derived with a preassigned probability of containing that value. A statistical test to determine whether or not successive values of sigma (o) are truly independent was derived. The maximum likelihood estimates for wind speed and direction were found, given a model for backscatter as a function of the properties of the waves on the ocean. These estimates are biased as a result of the terms in the equation that involve natural logarithms, and calculations of the point estimates of the maximum likelihood values are used to show that the contributions of the logarithmic terms are negligible and that the terms can be omitted.

Intraocular pressure values obtained by ocular response analyzer, dynamic contour tonometry, and goldmann tonometry in keratokonic corneas.

PubMed

Bayer, Atilla; Sahin, Afsun; Hürmeriç, Volkan; Ozge, Gökhan

2010-01-01

To determine the agreement between dynamic contour tonometer (DCT), Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), and Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA) in keratoconic corneas and to find out the effect of corneal biomechanics on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements obtained by these devices. IOP was measured with the ORA, DCT, and GAT in random order in 120 eyes of 61 keratoconus patients. Central corneal thickness (CCT) and keratometry were measured after all IOP determinations had been made. The mean IOP measurement by the ORA and DCT was compared with the measurement by the GAT, using Student t test. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to assess the clinical agreement between these methods. The effect of corneal hysteresis (CH), corneal resistance factor (CRF), and CCT on measured IOP was explored by multiple backward stepwise linear regression analysis. The mean±SD patient age was 30.6±11.2 years. The mean±SD IOP measurement obtained with GAT, ORA Goldmann-correlated IOP (IOPg), ORA corneal-compensated IOP (IOPcc), and DCT was 10.96±2.8, 10.23±3.5, 14.65±2.8, and 15.42±2.7 mm Hg, respectively. The mean±SD CCT was 464.08±58.4 microns. The mean difference between IOPcc and GAT (P<0.0001), IOPcc and DCT (P<0.001), GAT and DCT (P<0.0001), IOPg and GAT (P<0.002), and IOPg and DCT (P<0.0001), was highly statistically significant. In multivariable regression analysis, DCT IOP and GAT IOP measurements were significantly associated with CH and CRF (P<0.0001 for both). DCT seemed to be affected by CH and CRF, and the IOP values tended to be higher when compared with GAT. ORA-measured IOPcc was found to be independent of CCT and suitable in comparison to the DCT in keratoconic eyes.

Comparison of visual field test results obtained through Humphrey matrix frequency doubling technology perimetry versus standard automated perimetry in healthy children.

PubMed

Kocabeyoglu, Sibel; Uzun, Salih; Mocan, Mehmet Cem; Bozkurt, Banu; Irkec, Murat; Orhan, Mehmet

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to compare the visual field test results in healthy children obtained via the Humphrey matrix 24-2 threshold program and standard automated perimetry (SAP) using the Swedish interactive threshold algorithm (SITA)-Standard 24-2 test. This prospective study included 55 healthy children without ocular or systemic disorders who underwent both SAP and frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry visual field testing. Visual field test reliability indices, test duration, global indices (mean deviation [MD], and pattern standard deviation [PSD]) were compared between the 2 tests using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and paired t-test. The performance of the Humphrey field analyzer (HFA) 24-2 SITA-standard and frequency-doubling technology Matrix 24-2 tests between genders were compared with Mann-Whitney U-test. Fifty-five healthy children with a mean age of 12.2 ± 1.9 years (range from 8 years to 16 years) were included in this prospective study. The test durations of SAP and FDT were similar (5.2 ± 0.5 and 5.1 ± 0.2 min, respectively, P = 0.651). MD and the PSD values obtained via FDT Matrix were significantly higher than those obtained via SAP (P < 0.001), and fixation losses and false negative errors were significantly less with SAP (P < 0.05). A weak positive correlation between the two tests in terms of MD (r = 0.352, P = 0.008) and PSD (r = 0.329, P = 0.014) was observed. Children were able to complete both the visual test algorithms successfully within 6 min. However, SAP testing appears to be associated with less depression of the visual field indices of healthy children. FDT Matrix and SAP should not be used interchangeably in the follow-up of children.

Partial Adaptation of Obtained and Observed Value Signals Preserves Information about Gains and Losses

PubMed Central

Baddeley, Michelle; Tobler, Philippe N.; Schultz, Wolfram

2016-01-01

Given that the range of rewarding and punishing outcomes of actions is large but neural coding capacity is limited, efficient processing of outcomes by the brain is necessary. One mechanism to increase efficiency is to rescale neural output to the range of outcomes expected in the current context, and process only experienced deviations from this expectation. However, this mechanism comes at the cost of not being able to discriminate between unexpectedly low losses when times are bad versus unexpectedly high gains when times are good. Thus, too much adaptation would result in disregarding information about the nature and absolute magnitude of outcomes, preventing learning about the longer-term value structure of the environment. Here we investigate the degree of adaptation in outcome coding brain regions in humans, for directly experienced outcomes and observed outcomes. We scanned participants while they performed a social learning task in gain and loss blocks. Multivariate pattern analysis showed two distinct networks of brain regions adapt to the most likely outcomes within a block. Frontostriatal areas adapted to directly experienced outcomes, whereas lateral frontal and temporoparietal regions adapted to observed social outcomes. Critically, in both cases, adaptation was incomplete and information about whether the outcomes arose in a gain block or a loss block was retained. Univariate analysis confirmed incomplete adaptive coding in these regions but also detected nonadapting outcome signals. Thus, although neural areas rescale their responses to outcomes for efficient coding, they adapt incompletely and keep track of the longer-term incentives available in the environment. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Optimal value-based choice requires that the brain precisely and efficiently represents positive and negative outcomes. One way to increase efficiency is to adapt responding to the most likely outcomes in a given context. However, too strong adaptation would result

An evaluation of the accuracy of geomagnetic data obtained from an unattended, automated, quasi-absolute station

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herzog, D.C.

1990-01-01

A comparison is made of geomagnetic calibration data obtained from a high-sensitivity proton magnetometer enclosed within an orthogonal bias coil system, with data obtained from standard procedures at a mid-latitude U.S. Geological Survey magnetic observatory using a quartz horizontal magnetometer, a Ruska magnetometer, and a total field magnetometer. The orthogonal coil arrangement is used with the proton magnetometer to provide Deflected-Inclination-Deflected-Declination (DIDD) data from which quasi-absolute values of declination, horizontal intensity, and vertical intensity can be derived. Vector magnetometers provide the ordinate values to yield baseline calibrations for both the DIDD and standard observatory processes. Results obtained from a prototype system over a period of several months indicate that the DIDD unit can furnish adequate absolute field values for maintaining observatory calibration data, thus providing baseline control for unattended, remote stations. ?? 1990.

Survey results of the American public's values, objectives, beliefs, and attitudes regarding forests and grasslands: A technical document supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment

Treesearch

Deborah J. Shields; Ingrid M. Martin; Wade E. Martin; Michelle A. Haefele

2002-01-01

The USDA Forest Service completed its Strategic Plan (2000 Revision) in October 2000. The goals and objectives included in the Plan were developed with input from the public, some of which was obtained through a telephone survey. We report results of the survey. Members of the American public were asked about their values with respect to public lands, objectives for...

Accuracy Evaluation of the Unified P-Value from Combining Correlated P-Values

PubMed Central

Alves, Gelio; Yu, Yi-Kuo

2014-01-01

Meta-analysis methods that combine -values into a single unified -value are frequently employed to improve confidence in hypothesis testing. An assumption made by most meta-analysis methods is that the -values to be combined are independent, which may not always be true. To investigate the accuracy of the unified -value from combining correlated -values, we have evaluated a family of statistical methods that combine: independent, weighted independent, correlated, and weighted correlated -values. Statistical accuracy evaluation by combining simulated correlated -values showed that correlation among -values can have a significant effect on the accuracy of the combined -value obtained. Among the statistical methods evaluated those that weight -values compute more accurate combined -values than those that do not. Also, statistical methods that utilize the correlation information have the best performance, producing significantly more accurate combined -values. In our study we have demonstrated that statistical methods that combine -values based on the assumption of independence can produce inaccurate -values when combining correlated -values, even when the -values are only weakly correlated. Therefore, to prevent from drawing false conclusions during hypothesis testing, our study advises caution be used when interpreting the -value obtained from combining -values of unknown correlation. However, when the correlation information is available, the weighting-capable statistical method, first introduced by Brown and recently modified by Hou, seems to perform the best amongst the methods investigated. PMID:24663491

Weak values in collision theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Castro, Leonardo Andreta; Brasil, Carlos Alexandre; Napolitano, Reginaldo de Jesus

2018-05-01

Weak measurements have an increasing number of applications in contemporary quantum mechanics. They were originally described as a weak interaction that slightly entangled the translational degrees of freedom of a particle to its spin, yielding surprising results after post-selection. That description often ignores the kinetic energy of the particle and its movement in three dimensions. Here, we include these elements and re-obtain the weak values within the context of collision theory by two different approaches, and prove that the results are compatible with each other and with the results from the traditional approach. To provide a more complete description, we generalize weak values into weak tensors and use them to provide a more realistic description of the Stern-Gerlach apparatus.

Calculating Measurement Uncertainty of the “Conventional Value of the Result of Weighing in Air”

DOE PAGES

Flicker, Celia J.; Tran, Hy D.

2016-04-02

The conventional value of the result of weighing in air is frequently used in commercial calibrations of balances. The guidance in OIML D-028 for reporting uncertainty of the conventional value is too terse. When calibrating mass standards at low measurement uncertainties, it is necessary to perform a buoyancy correction before reporting the result. When calculating the conventional result after calibrating true mass, the uncertainty due to calculating the conventional result is correlated with the buoyancy correction. We show through Monte Carlo simulations that the measurement uncertainty of the conventional result is less than the measurement uncertainty when reporting true mass.more » The Monte Carlo simulation tool is available in the online version of this article.« less

Geodetic results from ISAGEX data. [for obtaining center of mass coordinates for geodetic camera sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marsh, J. G.; Douglas, B. C.; Walls, D. M.

1974-01-01

Laser and camera data taken during the International Satellite Geodesy Experiment (ISAGEX) were used in dynamical solutions to obtain center-of-mass coordinates for the Astro-Soviet camera sites at Helwan, Egypt, and Oulan Bator, Mongolia, as well as the East European camera sites at Potsdam, German Democratic Republic, and Ondrejov, Czechoslovakia. The results are accurate to about 20m in each coordinate. The orbit of PEOLE (i=15) was also determined from ISAGEX data. Mean Kepler elements suitable for geodynamic investigations are presented.

Effects of b-value and number of gradient directions on diffusion MRI measures obtained with Q-ball imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schilling, Kurt G.; Nath, Vishwesh; Blaber, Justin; Harrigan, Robert L.; Ding, Zhaohua; Anderson, Adam W.; Landman, Bennett A.

2017-02-01

High-angular-resolution diffusion-weighted imaging (HARDI) MRI acquisitions have become common for use with higher order models of diffusion. Despite successes in resolving complex fiber configurations and probing microstructural properties of brain tissue, there is no common consensus on the optimal b-value and number of diffusion directions to use for these HARDI methods. While this question has been addressed by analysis of the diffusion-weighted signal directly, it is unclear how this translates to the information and metrics derived from the HARDI models themselves. Using a high angular resolution data set acquired at a range of b-values, and repeated 11 times on a single subject, we study how the b-value and number of diffusion directions impacts the reproducibility and precision of metrics derived from Q-ball imaging, a popular HARDI technique. We find that Q-ball metrics associated with tissue microstructure and white matter fiber orientation are sensitive to both the number of diffusion directions and the spherical harmonic representation of the Q-ball, and often are biased when under sampled. These results can advise researchers on appropriate acquisition and processing schemes, particularly when it comes to optimizing the number of diffusion directions needed for metrics derived from Q-ball imaging.

Comparison of the depth of an optic nerve head obtained using stereo retinal images and HRT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakagawa, Toshiaki; Hayashi, Yoshinori; Hatanaka, Yuji; Aoyama, Akira; Hara, Takeshi; Kakogawa, Masakatsu; Fujita, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Tetsuya

2007-03-01

The analysis of the optic nerve head (ONH) in the retinal fundus is important for the early detection of glaucoma. In this study, we investigate an automatic reconstruction method for producing the 3-D structure of the ONH from a stereo retinal image pair; the depth value of the ONH measured by using this method was compared with the measurement results determined from the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT). We propose a technique to obtain the depth value from the stereo image pair, which mainly consists of four steps: (1) cutout of the ONH region from the retinal images, (2) registration of the stereo pair, (3) disparity detection, and (4) depth calculation. In order to evaluate the accuracy of this technique, the shape of the depression of an eyeball phantom that had a circular dent as generated from the stereo image pair and used to model the ONH was compared with a physically measured quantity. The measurement results obtained when the eyeball phantom was used were approximately consistent. The depth of the ONH obtained using the stereo retinal images was in accordance with the results obtained using the HRT. These results indicate that the stereo retinal images could be useful for assessing the depth of the ONH for the diagnosis of glaucoma.

The amount effect and marginal value.

PubMed

Rachlin, Howard; Arfer, Kodi B; Safin, Vasiliy; Yen, Ming

2015-07-01

The amount effect of delay discounting (by which the value of larger reward amounts is discounted by delay at a lower rate than that of smaller amounts) strictly implies that value functions (value as a function of amount) are steeper at greater delays than they are at lesser delays. That is, the amount effect and the difference in value functions at different delays are actually a single empirical finding. Amount effects of delay discounting are typically found with choice experiments. Value functions for immediate rewards have been empirically obtained by direct judgment. (Value functions for delayed rewards have not been previously obtained.) The present experiment obtained value functions for both immediate and delayed rewards by direct judgment and found them to be steeper when the rewards were delayed--hence, finding an amount effect with delay discounting. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Main results and experience obtained on Mir space station and experiment program for Russian segment of ISS.

PubMed

Utkin, V F; Lukjashchenko, V I; Borisov, V V; Suvorov, V V; Tsymbalyuk, M M

2003-07-01

This article presents main scientific and practical results obtained in course of scientific and applied research and experiments on Mir space station. Based on Mir experience, processes of research program formation for the Russian Segment of the ISS are briefly described. The major trends of activities planned in the frames of these programs as well as preliminary results of increment research programs implementation in the ISS' first missions are also presented. c2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scalar discrete nonlinear multipoint boundary value problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Jesus; Taylor, Padraic

2007-06-01

In this paper we provide sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions to scalar discrete nonlinear multipoint boundary value problems. By allowing more general boundary conditions and by imposing less restrictions on the nonlinearities, we obtain results that extend previous work in the area of discrete boundary value problems [Debra L. Etheridge, Jesus Rodriguez, Periodic solutions of nonlinear discrete-time systems, Appl. Anal. 62 (1996) 119-137; Debra L. Etheridge, Jesus Rodriguez, Scalar discrete nonlinear two-point boundary value problems, J. Difference Equ. Appl. 4 (1998) 127-144].

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

25 CFR 162.539 - Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining a WSR lease?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Leases § 162.539 Must I obtain a WEEL before obtaining... direct result of energy resource information gathered from a WEEL activity, obtaining a WEEL is not a...

Assessing the value of Landsat imagery: Results from a 2012 comprehensive user survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, H. M.; Richardson, L.; Loomis, J.; Koontz, S.; Koontz, L.

2012-12-01

Landsat satellite imagery has long been recognized as unique among remotely sensed data due to the combination of its extensive archive, global coverage, and relatively high spatial and temporal resolution. Since the imagery became available at no cost in 2008, the number of users registered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has increased tenfold while the number of scenes downloaded annually has increased a hundredfold. It is clear that the imagery is being used extensively, and understanding the benefits provided by this imagery can help inform decisions involving its provision. However, the value of Landsat imagery is difficult to measure for a variety of reasons, one of which stems from the fact that the imagery has characteristics of a public good and does not have a direct market price to reflect its value to society. Further, there is not a clear understanding of the full range of users of the imagery, as well as how these users are distributed across the many different end uses this data is applied to. To assess the value of Landsat imagery, we conducted a survey of users registered with USGS in early 2012. Over 11,000 current users of Landsat imagery responded to the survey. The value of the imagery was measured both qualitatively and quantitatively. To explore the qualitative value of the imagery, users were asked about the importance of the imagery to their work, their dependence on the imagery, and the impacts on their work if there was no Landsat imagery. The majority of users deemed Landsat imagery important to their work and stated they were dependent on Landsat imagery to do their work. Additionally, if Landsat imagery was no longer available, over half of the users would have to discontinue some of their work. On average, these users would discontinue half of their current work if the imagery was no longer available. The focus of this presentation will be the quantitative results of a double-bounded contingent valuation analysis which reveals

Comparison between Measurements Obtained with three Different Perineometers

PubMed Central

Barbosa, Patrícia Brentegani; Franco, Maíra Menezes; de Oliveira Souza, Flaviane; Antônio, Flávia Ignácio; Montezuma, Thaís; Ferreira, Cristine Homsi Jorge

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results obtained in the evaluation of intra-vaginal pressure using three different brands of perineometers in nulliparous volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty nulliparous women with no anatomical alterations and/or dysfunction of the pelvic floor were enrolled in our study. All the women had the ability to voluntarily contract their PFM (Pelvic Floor Muscles), as assessed by digital palpation. The intra-vaginal pressure was assessed using three different brands of perineometer (Neurodyn Evolution™, SensuPower™ and Peritron™). Each volunteer was evaluated on three alternate days by a single examiner using a single brand of perineometer on each day. In the assessment, the volunteers were required to pull (contract) their PFM in and up as strongly as possible 3 times and to sustain the contraction for 5 seconds, with an interval of 30 seconds between each pull. For the statistical analysis, a concordance correlation coefficient was used to compare the values that were obtained with each brand of perineometer. RESULTS: A moderate concordance (0.51) was found between the results from the Peritron™ and Neurodyn™ perineometers, a fair concordance (0.21) between the Peritron™ and SensuPower™ brands and a poor concordance (0.19) between the Neurodyn™ and SensuPower™ brands. CONCLUSION: The concordance of the measurements of the intra-vaginal pressure ranged from poor to moderate, suggesting that perineometers of different brands generate different results. PMID:19578656

A precise and accurate acupoint location obtained on the face using consistency matrix pointwise fusion method.

PubMed

Yanq, Xuming; Ye, Yijun; Xia, Yong; Wei, Xuanzhong; Wang, Zheyu; Ni, Hongmei; Zhu, Ying; Xu, Lingyu

2015-02-01

To develop a more precise and accurate method, and identified a procedure to measure whether an acupoint had been correctly located. On the face, we used an acupoint location from different acupuncture experts and obtained the most precise and accurate values of acupoint location based on the consistency information fusion algorithm, through a virtual simulation of the facial orientation coordinate system. Because of inconsistencies in each acupuncture expert's original data, the system error the general weight calculation. First, we corrected each expert of acupoint location system error itself, to obtain a rational quantification for each expert of acupuncture and moxibustion acupoint location consistent support degree, to obtain pointwise variable precision fusion results, to put every expert's acupuncture acupoint location fusion error enhanced to pointwise variable precision. Then, we more effectively used the measured characteristics of different acupuncture expert's acupoint location, to improve the measurement information utilization efficiency and acupuncture acupoint location precision and accuracy. Based on using the consistency matrix pointwise fusion method on the acupuncture experts' acupoint location values, each expert's acupoint location information could be calculated, and the most precise and accurate values of each expert's acupoint location could be obtained.

Personal and professional values held by baccalaureate nursing students.

PubMed

Kaya, Hülya; Işik, Burçin; Şenyuva, Emine; Kaya, Nurten

2017-09-01

Values are ideals and beliefs that individuals and groups uphold and lie at the core of the diverse world of human behaviour and are expressed in every human decision and action, both consciously and unconsciously. They represent basic beliefs of what is right, good or desirable and motivate both personal and professional behaviour. In the context of nursing profession, values are essential in order to maintain high standards of the nursing care. This study was planned to examine changes in nursing students' personal and professional values between entering and graduating from an undergraduate nursing programme. Ethical considerations: Measures to protect participants included obtaining Deaconship of Nursing Faculty approval, obtaining signed informed consent and maintaining confidentiality. This study was designed as longitudinal quality. The research population included 143 students registered at a first grade of a nursing faculty for the 2009-2010 academic year. Data were collected with a Questionnaire Form, the Value Preferences Scale, the Professional Values Precedence Scale and the Nursing Professional Values Scale. According to the results, social values have statistical differences in 4-year nursing education. Nursing students in second class have higher score in terms of social values than those in third class. Also, majority of students ranked human dignity as first and justice as second and third from first to fourth classes, and they have very high scores on Nursing Professional Values Scale and its subscales and stated that all items of Nursing Professional Values Scale are very important. As a result, nursing education has vital role in acquiring and maintaining professional values.

Influence of extraction solvent on antioxidant capacity value of oleaster measured by ORAC method.

PubMed

Yalcin, Gorkem; Sogut, Ozlem

2014-01-01

Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) is a widely used hydrogen atom transfer-based method which measures the antioxidant capacity of natural products. ORAC values of oleaster (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.), which was extracted with ethanol/acetone (7:3, v/v), ethanol/water (1:1, v/v) and methanol/water (1:1, v/v) in order to evaluate the effects of solvent type on antioxidant capacity, were examined. In general, results revealed that ethanol/water extracts exhibited better antioxidant capacity values. Furthermore, results obtained by using ORAC-eosin y (ORAC-EY), one of the widely used derivative of fluorescein (FL), as a fluorescent probe were compared with those obtained by using ORAC-FL. According to the results, ORAC-EY values were found to be compatible with ORAC-FL values.

Effect of windowing on lithosphere elastic thickness estimates obtained via the coherence method: Results from northern South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ojeda, GermáN. Y.; Whitman, Dean

2002-11-01

The effective elastic thickness (Te) of the lithosphere is a parameter that describes the flexural strength of a plate. A method routinely used to quantify this parameter is to calculate the coherence between the two-dimensional gravity and topography spectra. Prior to spectra calculation, data grids must be "windowed" in order to avoid edge effects. We investigated the sensitivity of Te estimates obtained via the coherence method to mirroring, Hanning and multitaper windowing techniques on synthetic data as well as on data from northern South America. These analyses suggest that the choice of windowing technique plays an important role in Te estimates and may result in discrepancies of several kilometers depending on the selected windowing method. Te results from mirrored grids tend to be greater than those from Hanning smoothed or multitapered grids. Results obtained from mirrored grids are likely to be over-estimates. This effect may be due to artificial long wavelengths introduced into the data at the time of mirroring. Coherence estimates obtained from three subareas in northern South America indicate that the average effective elastic thickness is in the range of 29-30 km, according to Hanning and multitaper windowed data. Lateral variations across the study area could not be unequivocally determined from this study. We suggest that the resolution of the coherence method does not permit evaluation of small (i.e., ˜5 km), local Te variations. However, the efficiency and robustness of the coherence method in rendering continent-scale estimates of elastic thickness has been confirmed.

An Update on Phased Array Results Obtained on the GE Counter-Rotating Open Rotor Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podboy, Gary; Horvath, Csaba; Envia, Edmane

2013-01-01

Beamform maps have been generated from 1) simulated data generated by the LINPROP code and 2) actual experimental phased array data obtained on the GE Counter-rotating open rotor model. The beamform maps show that many of the tones in the experimental data come from their corresponding Mach radius. If the phased array points to the Mach radius associated with a tone then it is likely that the tone is a result of the loading and thickness noise on the blades. In this case, the phased array correctly points to where the noise is coming from and indicates the axial location of the loudest source in the image but not necessarily the correct vertical location. If the phased array does not point to the Mach radius associated with a tone then some mechanism other than loading and thickness noise may control the amplitude of the tone. In this case, the phased array may or may not point to the actual source. If the source is not rotating it is likely that the phased array points to the source. If the source is rotating it is likely that the phased array indicates the axial location of the loudest source but not necessarily the correct vertical location. These results indicate that you have to be careful in how you interpret phased array data obtained on an open rotor since they may show the tones coming from a location other than the source location. With a subsonic tip speed open rotor the tones can come form locations outboard of the blade tips. This has implications regarding noise shielding.

Gridded versus point data in the context of validation results from experiments of the COST action VALUE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibig, Joanna; Kotlarski, Sven; Maraun, Douglas; Soares, Pedro; Jaczewski, Adam; Czernecki, Bartosz; Gutierrez, Jose; Pongracz, Rita; Bartholy, Judit

2016-04-01

The aim of the paper is to compare the bias of selected ERA-Interim driven RCM projections when evaluated to gridded observation data (regridded to the same resolution as the considered RCM output) with those evaluated against station data to isolate the representativeness issue from the downscaling performance. The comparison has to be done for experiments of the COST action VALUE, so the same data period (1979-2008) and the same set consisting of 85 stations were used. As a gridded observations the EOBs data from the gridpoints closest to selected stations were used. The comparison was made for daily precipitation totals as well as daily minimum, maximum and mean temperature. A lot of indices were analysed to weigh up representativeness issues for marginal and temporal aspects. Relevant marginal aspects are described by average and extreme values distributions, whereas temporal aspects are presented by seasonality and length of extremespells. Set of indices used in VALUE experiment 1 is calculated for each dataset (stations, EOBs, selected RCM outputs) and biases of RCM outputs against station and EOBs data are obtained and compared. Those with most significant changes are analysed in details.

Dealing with the health state 'dead' when using discrete choice experiments to obtain values for EQ-5D-5L heath states.

PubMed

Ramos-Goñi, Juan Manuel; Rivero-Arias, Oliver; Errea, María; Stolk, Elly A; Herdman, Michael; Cabasés, Juan Manuel

2013-07-01

To evaluate two different methods to obtain a dead (0)--full health (1) scale for EQ-5D-5L valuation studies when using discrete choice (DC) modeling. The study was carried out among 400 respondents from Barcelona who were representative of the Spanish population in terms of age, sex, and level of education. The DC design included 50 pairs of health states in five blocks. Participants were forced to choose between two EQ-5D-5L states (A and B). Two extra questions concerned whether A and B were considered worse than dead. Each participant performed ten choice exercises. In addition, values were collected using lead-time trade-off (lead-time TTO), for which 100 states in ten blocks were selected. Each participant performed five lead-time TTO exercises. These consisted of DC models offering the health state 'dead' as one of the choices--for which all participants' responses were used (DCdead)--and a model that included only the responses of participants who chose at least one state as worse than dead (WTD) (DCWTD). The study also estimated DC models rescaled with lead-time TTO data and a lead-time TTO linear model. The DC(dead) and DCWTD models produced relatively similar results, although the coefficients in the DCdead model were slightly lower. The DC model rescaled with lead-time TTO data produced higher utility decrements. Lead-time TTO produced the highest utility decrements. The incorporation of the state 'dead' in the DC models produces results in concordance with DC models that do not include 'dead'.

7 CFR 765.353 - Determining market value.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Determining market value. 765.353 Section 765.353... Determining market value. (a) Security proposed for disposition. (1) The Agency will obtain an appraisal of... estimated value is less than $25,000. (b) Security remaining after disposition. The Agency will obtain an...

Thermoelectric generator based on composites obtained by sintering of detonation nanodiamonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eidelman, E. D.; Meilakhs, A. P.; Semak, B. V.; Shakhov, F. M.

2017-11-01

A model of a thermoelectric generator is proposed, in which composite materials obtained by sintering diamond nanoparticles are used as the main component. To increase the useful conversion of heat into electric current, it is proposed to use the effect of electron drag by ballistic phonons. To reduce the ineffective heat spread, it is proposed to use the effect of thermal resistance of the boundaries between the graphite-like and diamond-like phases of the composite. An experimental confirmation of the existence of an optimal volume ratio between graphite-like and diamond-like phases of the composite is predicted and obtained. The highest achieved value of thermoelectric coefficient in the actual structure is 80 µV K-1 (which means 20 times increase compared to that of composites not of the optimal structure), with a thermal conductivity of 50 W m-1 K-1. These results were obtained with constant electrical conductivity. The combined influence of these two effects in case of the ideal composite structure should result in an increase of the thermoelectric efficiency parameter by three orders of magnitude.

On two special values of temperature factor in hypersonic flow stagnation point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilchenko, G. G.; Bilchenko, N. G.

2018-03-01

The hypersonic aircraft permeable cylindrical and spherical surfaces laminar boundary layer heat and mass transfer control mathematical model properties are investigated. The nonlinear algebraic equations systems are obtained for two special values of temperature factor in the hypersonic flow stagnation point. The mappings bijectivity between heat and mass transfer local parameters and controls is established. The computation experiments results are presented: the domains of allowed values “heat-friction” are obtained.

Prognostic Value of Coronary Flow Reserve Obtained on Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography and its Correlation with Target Heart Rate.

PubMed

Abreu, José Sebastião de; Rocha, Eduardo Arrais; Machado, Isadora Sucupira; Parahyba, Isabelle O; Rocha, Thais Brito; Paes, Fernando José Villar Nogueira; Diogenes, Tereza Cristina Pinheiro; Abreu, Marília Esther Benevides de; Farias, Ana Gardenia Liberato Ponte; Carneiro, Marcia Maria; Paes, José Nogueira

2017-05-01

Normal coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) (≥ 2) obtained in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) from transthoracic echocardiography is associated with a good prognosis, but there is no study correlating CFVR with submaximal target heart rate (HR). To evaluate the prognostic value of CFVR obtained in the LAD of patients with preserved (>50%) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) who completed a dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), considering target HR. Prospective study of patients with preserved LVEF and CFVR obtained in the LAD who completed DSE. In Group I (GI = 31), normal CFVR was obtained before achieving target HR, and, in Group II (GII = 28), after that. Group III (G III=24) reached target HR, but CFVR was abnormal. Death, acute coronary insufficiency, coronary intervention, coronary angiography without further intervention, and hospitalization were considered events. In 28 ± 4 months, there were 18 (21.6%) events: 6% (2/31) in GI, 18% (5/28) in GII, and 46% (11/24) in GIII. There were 4 (4.8%) deaths, 6 (7.2%) coronary interventions and 8 (9.6%) coronary angiographies without further intervention. In event-free survival by regression analysis, GIII had more events than GI (p < 0.001) and GII (p < 0.045), with no difference between GI and GII (p = 0.160). After adjustment, the only difference was between GIII and GI (p = 0.012). In patients with preserved LVEF and who completed their DSE, normal CFVR obtained before achieving target HR was associated with better prognosis. A reserva de velocidade de fluxo coronariano (RVFC) adequada (≥ 2) obtida na artéria descendente anterior (ADA) através do ecocardiograma transtorácico associa-se a bom prognóstico, mas não há estudo correlacionando-a com a frequência cardíaca (FC) alvo (submáxima). Avaliar o valor prognóstico da RVFC obtida na ADA de pacientes com fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo (FEVE) preservada (>50%) e ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina

Yes, one can obtain better quality structures from routine X-ray data collection.

PubMed

Sanjuan-Szklarz, W Fabiola; Hoser, Anna A; Gutmann, Matthias; Madsen, Anders Østergaard; Woźniak, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction structural results for benzidine dihydrochloride, hydrated and protonated N,N,N,N-peri(dimethylamino)naphthalene chloride, triptycene, dichlorodimethyltriptycene and decamethylferrocene have been analysed. A critical discussion of the dependence of structural and thermal parameters on resolution for these compounds is presented. Results of refinements against X-ray data, cut off to different resolutions from the high-resolution data files, are compared to structural models derived from neutron diffraction experiments. The Independent Atom Model (IAM) and the Transferable Aspherical Atom Model (TAAM) are tested. The average differences between the X-ray and neutron structural parameters (with the exception of valence angles defined by H atoms) decrease with the increasing 2θmax angle. The scale of differences between X-ray and neutron geometrical parameters can be significantly reduced when data are collected to the higher, than commonly used, 2θmax diffraction angles (for Mo Kα 2θmax > 65°). The final structural and thermal parameters obtained for the studied compounds using TAAM refinement are in better agreement with the neutron values than the IAM results for all resolutions and all compounds. By using TAAM, it is still possible to obtain accurate results even from low-resolution X-ray data. This is particularly important as TAAM is easy to apply and can routinely be used to improve the quality of structural investigations [Dominiak (2015 ▸). LSDB from UBDB. University of Buffalo, USA]. We can recommend that, in order to obtain more adequate (more accurate and precise) structural and displacement parameters during the IAM model refinement, data should be collected up to the larger diffraction angles, at least, for Mo Kα radiation to 2θmax = 65° (sin θmax/λ < 0.75 Å(-1)). The TAAM approach is a very good option to obtain more adequate results even using data collected to the lower 2θmax angles. Also

Validation of prostate-specific antigen laboratory values recorded in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries.

PubMed

Adamo, Margaret Peggy; Boten, Jessica A; Coyle, Linda M; Cronin, Kathleen A; Lam, Clara J K; Negoita, Serban; Penberthy, Lynne; Stevens, Jennifer L; Ward, Kevin C

2017-02-15

Researchers have used prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values collected by central cancer registries to evaluate tumors for potential aggressive clinical disease. An independent study collecting PSA values suggested a high error rate (18%) related to implied decimal points. To evaluate the error rate in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, a comprehensive review of PSA values recorded across all SEER registries was performed. Consolidated PSA values for eligible prostate cancer cases in SEER registries were reviewed and compared with text documentation from abstracted records. Four types of classification errors were identified: implied decimal point errors, abstraction or coding implementation errors, nonsignificant errors, and changes related to "unknown" values. A total of 50,277 prostate cancer cases diagnosed in 2012 were reviewed. Approximately 94.15% of cases did not have meaningful changes (85.85% correct, 5.58% with a nonsignificant change of <1 ng/mL, and 2.80% with no clinical change). Approximately 5.70% of cases had meaningful changes (1.93% due to implied decimal point errors, 1.54% due to abstract or coding errors, and 2.23% due to errors related to unknown categories). Only 419 of the original 50,277 cases (0.83%) resulted in a change in disease stage due to a corrected PSA value. The implied decimal error rate was only 1.93% of all cases in the current validation study, with a meaningful error rate of 5.81%. The reasons for the lower error rate in SEER are likely due to ongoing and rigorous quality control and visual editing processes by the central registries. The SEER program currently is reviewing and correcting PSA values back to 2004 and will re-release these data in the public use research file. Cancer 2017;123:697-703. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.

Determining localized garment insulation values from manikin studies: computational method and results.

PubMed

Nelson, D A; Curlee, J S; Curran, A R; Ziriax, J M; Mason, P A

2005-12-01

The localized thermal insulation value expresses a garment's thermal resistance over the region which is covered by the garment, rather than over the entire surface of a subject or manikin. The determination of localized garment insulation values is critical to the development of high-resolution models of sensible heat exchange. A method is presented for determining and validating localized garment insulation values, based on whole-body insulation values (clo units) and using computer-aided design and thermal analysis software. Localized insulation values are presented for a catalog consisting of 106 garments and verified using computer-generated models. The values presented are suitable for use on volume element-based or surface element-based models of heat transfer involving clothed subjects.

Consideration on the Long Ecological Half-Life Component of (137)Cs in Demersal Fish Based on Field Observation Results Obtained after the Fukushima Accident.

PubMed

Tagami, Keiko; Uchida, Shigeo

2016-02-16

Radiocesium concentrations in most marine fish collected off the coast of Fukushima and surrounding prefectures have decreased with time, and four years after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident occurred, radiocesium concentrations have generally fallen below the detectable level (ca. < 10 Bq kg(-1)-raw). Only in some demersal fish species have detectable concentration levels still been found, and even these species have showed slow radiocesium decreases. The food web was considered as the major factor causing this phenomenon; however, slow elimination rates of radiocesium from these fish species also could be the cause. The latter effect was examined by considering that the (137)Cs concentration decreasing trend in fish could be fit with a set of three exponentially decreasing components; that is, having short, intermediate, and long biological half-lives. The long ecological half-life component was calculated using a 400-1500 d period of monitoring results for Japanese rockfish (Sebastes cheni) and compared with previous reported laboratory results for biological half-life. The obtained ecological half-lives ranged from 274-365 d, and these values agreed with the biological half-life of this fish species. This result implied that the long biological half-lives of radiocesium in some demersal fish species made their radiocesium contamination periods longer.

Failure to obtain value enhancement by within-trial contrast in simultaneous and successive discriminations.

PubMed

Arantes, Joana; Grace, Randolph C

2008-02-01

The present research tested the generality of the "work ethic" effect described by Clement, Feltus, Kaiser, and Zentall (2000). In Experiment 1, we trained 10 pigeons on a pair of either simultaneous or successive discriminations. One discrimination followed a high-effort requirement (20 pecks to the center key) and the other followed a low-effort requirement (1 peck). Contrary to Clement et al.'s results, we found that preferences between the S+ and S- stimuli in transfer tests depended on the event that initiated the trial: Pigeons preferred the stimulus from the baseline discrimination whose initiating event was most dissimilar from that preceding the test trial. Preferences were similar but less extreme in the successive condition. In Experiment 2, we investigated whether test preferences depended on the amount of training. A total of 12 pigeons were trained on a pair of simultaneous discriminations, except that test sessions were scheduled after every three baseline sessions. Preferences increased across test sessions but were similar to those in Experiment 1. Together with Vasconcelos, Urcuioli, and Lionello-DeNolf (2007a), our study represents a second failure to replicate Clement et al.'s work ethic effect. The finding that preference depends on the event that initiates the test trial suggests that choice probes may not provide unambiguous assessments of stimulus value.

Comparison of Theoretical Stresses and Deflections of Multicell Wings with Experimental Results Obtained from Plastic Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zender, George W

1956-01-01

The experimental deflections and stresses of six plastic multicell-wing models of unswept, delta, and swept plan form are presented and compared with previously published theoretical results obtained by the electrical analog method. The comparisons indicate that the theory is reliable except for the evaluation of stresses in the vicinity of the leading edge of delta wings and the leading and trailing edges of swept wings. The stresses in these regions are questionable, apparently because of simplifications employed in idealizing the actual structure for theoretical purposes and because of local effects of concentrated loads.

Sharp bounds for singular values of fractional integral operators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burman, Prabir

2007-03-01

From the results of Dostanic [M.R. Dostanic, Asymptotic behavior of the singular values of fractional integral operators, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 175 (1993) 380-391] and Vu and Gorenflo [Kim Tuan Vu, R. Gorenflo, Singular values of fractional and Volterra integral operators, in: Inverse Problems and Applications to Geophysics, Industry, Medicine and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, 1995, Ho Chi Minh City Math. Soc., Ho Chi Minh City, 1995, pp. 174-185] it is known that the jth singular value of the fractional integral operator of order [alpha]>0 is approximately ([pi]j)-[alpha] for all large j. In this note we refine this result by obtaining sharp bounds for the singular values and use these bounds to show that the jth singular value is ([pi]j)-[alpha][1+O(j-1)].

Users, uses, and value of Landsat satellite imagery: results from the 2012 survey of users

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Holly M.; Richardson, Leslie A.; Koontz, Stephen R.; Loomis, John; Koontz, Lynne

2013-01-01

Landsat satellites have been operating since 1972, providing a continuous global record of the Earth’s land surface. The imagery is currently available at no cost through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Social scientists at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center conducted an extensive survey in early 2012 to explore who uses Landsat imagery, how they use the imagery, and what the value of the imagery is to them. The survey was sent to all users registered with USGS who had accessed Landsat imagery in the year prior to the survey and over 11,000 current Landsat imagery users responded. The results of the survey revealed that respondents from many sectors use Landsat imagery in myriad project locations and scales, as well as application areas. The value of Landsat imagery to these users was demonstrated by the high importance of and dependence on the imagery, the numerous environmental and societal benefits observed from projects using Landsat imagery, the potential negative impacts on users’ work if Landsat imagery was no longer available, and the substantial aggregated annual economic benefit from the imagery. These results represent only the value of Landsat to users registered with USGS; further research would help to determine what the value of the imagery is to a greater segment of the population, such as downstream users of the imagery and imagery-derived products.

[Morphometric and stereologic nuclear values obtained from the study of a population suffering from nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

PubMed

Pérez Plasencia, D; Flores Corral, T; Urrutia Avisrror, M; Santa Cruz Ruiz, S; Benito González, J; Mateos Pérez, M M; Gómez González, J L

2002-01-01

Computer nuclear morphometry and stereology are attractive methods because its objectivity and cheapness allowing histologic diagnosis when identifying minimal variations respectively the normality and also detect negligible disparities between anormal cells which could escape to the assessment of the pathologist. We present the data gained from several morphogenic and stereologic parameters resulting of measurements of tumoral cells procured from 40 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinomata. Middle values have been: nuclear area 27.70 microns 2; nuclear perimeter 20.80 microns; nuclear factor of form 0.81 microns; nuclear outline index 4.01; nuclear orientation angle 87.29 degrees; nuclear ellipsiticity 704.14; nuclear regularity 61.83; middle lineal length 4.30, middle linear distance 107.94; and nuclear volume 118.80 microns 3. Our series is the largest studied till now of all found in the literature. Comparison our data with those of previous publications.

Preference-based measures to obtain health state utility values for use in economic evaluations with child-based populations: a review and UK-based focus group assessment of patient and parent choices.

PubMed

Wolstenholme, Jane L; Bargo, Danielle; Wang, Kay; Harnden, Anthony; Räisänen, Ulla; Abel, Lucy

2018-03-21

No current guidance is available in the UK on the choice of preference-based measure (PBM) that should be used in obtaining health-related quality of life from children. The aim of this study is to review the current usage of PBMs for obtaining health state utility values in child and adolescent populations, and to obtain information on patient and parent-proxy respondent preferences in completing PBMs in the UK. A literature review was conducted to determine which instrument is most frequently used for child-based economic evaluations and whether child or proxy responses are used. Instruments were compared on dimensions, severity levels, elicitation and valuation methods, availability of value sets and validation studies, and the range of utility values generated. Additionally, a series of focus groups of parents and young people (11-20 years) were convened to determine patient and proxy preferences. Five PBMs suitable for child populations were identified, although only the Health Utilities Index 2 (HUI2) and Child Heath Utility 9D (CHU-9D) have UK value sets. 45 papers used PBMs in this population, but many used non-child-specific PBMs. Most respondents were parent proxies, even in adolescent populations. Reported missing data ranged from 0.5 to 49.3%. The focus groups reported their experiences with the EQ-5D-Y and CHU-9D. Both the young persons' group and parent/proxy groups felt that the CHU-9D was more comprehensive but may be harder for a proxy to complete. Some younger children had difficulty understanding the CHU-9D questions, but the young persons' group nonetheless preferred responding directly. The use of PBMs in child populations is increasing, but many studies use PBMs that do not have appropriate value sets. Parent proxies are the most common respondents, but the focus group responses suggest it would be preferred, and may be more informative, for older children to self-report or for child-parent dyads to respond.

Comparison of orbital volume obtained by tomography and rapid prototyping.

PubMed

Roça, Guilherme Berto; Foggiatto, José Aguiomar; Ono, Maria Cecilia Closs; Ono, Sergio Eiji; da Silva Freitas, Renato

2013-11-01

This study aims to compare orbital volume obtained by helical tomography and rapid prototyping. The study sample was composed of 6 helical tomography scans. Eleven healthy orbits were identified to have their volumes measured. The volumetric analysis with the helical tomography utilized the same protocol developed by the Plastic Surgery Unit of the Federal University of Paraná. From the CT images, 11 prototypes were created, and their respective volumes were analyzed in 2 ways: using software by SolidWorks and by direct analysis, when the prototype was filled with saline solution. For statistical analysis, the results of the volumes of the 11 orbits were considered independent. The average orbital volume measurements obtained by the method of Ono et al was 20.51 cm, the average obtained by the SolidWorks program was 20.64 cm, and the average measured using the prototype method was 21.81 cm. The 3 methods demonstrated a strong correlation between the measurements. The right and left orbits of each patient had similar volumes. The tomographic method for the analysis of orbital volume using the Ono protocol yielded consistent values, and by combining this method with rapid prototyping, both reliability validations of results were enhanced.

The gap values in the profile matching method by fuzzy logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitepu, S. A.; Efendi, S.; Situmorang, Z.

2018-03-01

In this research, the determination of the appropriate values of Gap for the assessment of promotion criteria of position in an institution / company. In this study the authors use Fuzzy Sugeno logic on the determination of Gap values used in Profile Matching method. Test results of 5 employees obtained the eligibility of promotion with the position of Z* values between in 3.20 to 4.11.

Evaluation of a statistics-based Ames mutagenicity QSAR model and interpretation of the results obtained.

PubMed

Barber, Chris; Cayley, Alex; Hanser, Thierry; Harding, Alex; Heghes, Crina; Vessey, Jonathan D; Werner, Stephane; Weiner, Sandy K; Wichard, Joerg; Giddings, Amanda; Glowienke, Susanne; Parenty, Alexis; Brigo, Alessandro; Spirkl, Hans-Peter; Amberg, Alexander; Kemper, Ray; Greene, Nigel

2016-04-01

The relative wealth of bacterial mutagenicity data available in the public literature means that in silico quantitative/qualitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) systems can readily be built for this endpoint. A good means of evaluating the performance of such systems is to use private unpublished data sets, which generally represent a more distinct chemical space than publicly available test sets and, as a result, provide a greater challenge to the model. However, raw performance metrics should not be the only factor considered when judging this type of software since expert interpretation of the results obtained may allow for further improvements in predictivity. Enough information should be provided by a QSAR to allow the user to make general, scientifically-based arguments in order to assess and overrule predictions when necessary. With all this in mind, we sought to validate the performance of the statistics-based in vitro bacterial mutagenicity prediction system Sarah Nexus (version 1.1) against private test data sets supplied by nine different pharmaceutical companies. The results of these evaluations were then analysed in order to identify findings presented by the model which would be useful for the user to take into consideration when interpreting the results and making their final decision about the mutagenic potential of a given compound. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Results of a NASA Kennedy Space Center Earned Value Management Pilot Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Hector N.; Rhodeside, Glenn R.

2004-01-01

The Earn Value Management Pilot provided a tremendous amount of data on the strengths and weaknesses of the new financial system, the ability to support EVM from many viewpoints, the lack of tools for small to medium projects implementing EVM, and the training and environment necessary to successfully deploy EVM to all projects. This data along with other pilots will prove invaluable. Deploying EVM should not be taken lightly - a full assessment of capabilities and supporting infrastructure should be done prior to any deployment, and some very basic questions should be asked. For instance, will sufficient training be provided? Can the project managers readily and easily obtain all the necessary data? If EVM is to thrive in all projects regardless of cost, the transition should be as seamless as possible, minimizing cost and effort, and with the end user in mind. In setting up an EVM implementation, the question, "How does the project manager benefit from this process?" must remain at the forefront. Further research in this area is needed to answer the question,"Is EVM cost effective in small projects?" The authors welcome knowledge sharing with other organizations that are striving to gain the benefits of EVM on small projects.

Meaning That Social Studies Teacher Candidates Give to Value Concept and Their Value Rankings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aysegül, Tural

2018-01-01

This work determines the role that value education plays in shaping people's personal and social life. This research aims to put forward meaning that social studies teacher candidates give to value concept and its value ranking. To achieve this aim, the opinions of 12 social studies teacher candidates were obtained. During the data collection…

The relative ease of obtaining a dermatologic appointment in Boston: how methods drive results.

PubMed

Weingold, David Howard; Lack, Michael Dweight; Yanowitz, Karen Leslie

2009-06-01

Recent reports have indicated long wait times for dermatologic appointments even for changing moles. Our objective was to determine the wait time for a person willing to make multiple calls and accept an appointment from any dermatologist at any satellite location for a changing mole from a dermatologist who advertised in a Boston, MA, telephone book. We telephoned each practice listed in a Boston, MA, telephone book. Patients making one call to each dermatologic practice on average obtained an appointment in 18 days. Patients calling two practices were offered an appointment on average in 7 days. Patients calling 3 practices were also offered an appointment in 1 week. We only telephoned practices listed in a Boston, MA, telephone book and we only surveyed one urban area. These results suggest that a reasonable concerned patient who was willing to make multiple calls to different providers in Boston, MA, can be seen in a timely fashion.

Quantitative assessment of the impact of biomedical image acquisition on the results obtained from image analysis and processing.

PubMed

Koprowski, Robert

2014-07-04

Dedicated, automatic algorithms for image analysis and processing are becoming more and more common in medical diagnosis. When creating dedicated algorithms, many factors must be taken into consideration. They are associated with selecting the appropriate algorithm parameters and taking into account the impact of data acquisition on the results obtained. An important feature of algorithms is the possibility of their use in other medical units by other operators. This problem, namely operator's (acquisition) impact on the results obtained from image analysis and processing, has been shown on a few examples. The analysed images were obtained from a variety of medical devices such as thermal imaging, tomography devices and those working in visible light. The objects of imaging were cellular elements, the anterior segment and fundus of the eye, postural defects and others. In total, almost 200'000 images coming from 8 different medical units were analysed. All image analysis algorithms were implemented in C and Matlab. For various algorithms and methods of medical imaging, the impact of image acquisition on the results obtained is different. There are different levels of algorithm sensitivity to changes in the parameters, for example: (1) for microscope settings and the brightness assessment of cellular elements there is a difference of 8%; (2) for the thyroid ultrasound images there is a difference in marking the thyroid lobe area which results in a brightness assessment difference of 2%. The method of image acquisition in image analysis and processing also affects: (3) the accuracy of determining the temperature in the characteristic areas on the patient's back for the thermal method - error of 31%; (4) the accuracy of finding characteristic points in photogrammetric images when evaluating postural defects - error of 11%; (5) the accuracy of performing ablative and non-ablative treatments in cosmetology - error of 18% for the nose, 10% for the cheeks, and 7% for the

Stabilization of kerosene/water emulsions using bioemulsifiers obtained by fermentation of hemicellulosic sugars with Lactobacillus pentosus.

PubMed

Portilla-Rivera, Oscar Manuel; Torrado, Ana María; Domínguez, José Manuel; Moldes, Ana Belén

2010-09-22

The results of the present study show that Lactobacillus pentosus can produce extracellular bioemulsifiers by utilizing hemicellulosic sugars from grape marc as a source of carbon. The effectiveness of these bioemulsifiers (LPEM) was studied by preparing kerosene/water (K/W) emulsions in the presence and absence of these emulsifiers. Various parameters such as relative emulsion volume (EV), stabilizing capacity (ES), viscosity, and droplet size of K/W emulsions were measured. The EV values for K/W emulsions stabilized by concentrated LPEM were approximately 74.5% after 72 h of emulsion formation, with ES values of 97%. These values were higher than those obtained with dodecyl sodium sulfate as emulsifier (EV=62.3% and ES=87.7%). Additionally, K/W emulsions stabilized by LPEM produced polydisperse emulsions containing droplets of radius between 10 and 40 μm, which were smaller than those obtained for K/W emulsions without LPEM (droplet radius=60-100 μm). Moreover, the viscosity values of the K/W emulsions without and with LPEM were approximately 236 and 495 cP, respectively.

A System Evaluation Theory Analyzing Value and Results Chain for Institutional Accreditation in Oman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paquibut, Rene Ymbong

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to apply the system evaluation theory (SET) to analyze the institutional quality standards of Oman Academic Accreditation Authority using the results chain and value chain tools. Design/methodology/approach: In systems thinking, the institutional standards are connected as input, process, output and feedback and leads to…

Measurement results obtained from air quality monitoring system

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

Turzanski, P.K.; Beres, R.

1995-12-31

An automatic system of air pollution monitoring operates in Cracow since 1991. The organization, assembling and start-up of the network is a result of joint efforts of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Cracow environmental protection service. At present the automatic monitoring network is operated by the Provincial Inspection of Environmental Protection. There are in total seven stationary stations situated in Cracow to measure air pollution. These stations are supported continuously by one semi-mobile (transportable) station. It allows to modify periodically the area under investigation and therefore the 3-dimensional picture of creation and distribution of air pollutants within Cracowmore » area could be more intelligible.« less

Syngas Production from Pyrolysis of Nine Composts Obtained from Nonhybrid and Hybrid Perennial Grasses

PubMed Central

Hlavsová, Adéla; Raclavská, Helena; Juchelková, Dagmar; Škrobánková, Hana; Frydrych, Jan

2014-01-01

A pyrolysis of compost for the production of syngas with an explicit H2/CO = 2 or H2/CO = 3 was investigated in this study. The composts were obtained from nonhybrid (perennial) grasses (NHG) and hybrid (perennial) grasses (HG). Discrepancies in H2 evolution profiles were found between NHG and HG composts. In addition, positive correlations for NHG composts were obtained between (i) H2 yield and lignin content, (ii) H2 yield and potassium content, and (iii) CO yield and cellulose content. All composts resulted in H2/CO = 2 and five of the nine composts resulted in H2/CO = 3. Exceptionally large higher heating values (HHVs) of pyrolysis gas, very close to HHVs of feedstock, were obtained for composts made from mountain brome (MB, 16.23 MJ/kg), hybrid Becva (FB, 16.45 MJ/kg), and tall fescue (TF, 17.43 MJ/kg). The MB and FB composts resulted in the highest syngas formation with H2/CO = 2, whereas TF compost resulted in the highest syngas formation with H2/CO = 3. PMID:25101320

Validation of spatial variability in downscaling results from the VALUE perfect predictor experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widmann, Martin; Bedia, Joaquin; Gutiérrez, Jose Manuel; Maraun, Douglas; Huth, Radan; Fischer, Andreas; Keller, Denise; Hertig, Elke; Vrac, Mathieu; Wibig, Joanna; Pagé, Christian; Cardoso, Rita M.; Soares, Pedro MM; Bosshard, Thomas; Casado, Maria Jesus; Ramos, Petra

2016-04-01

VALUE is an open European network to validate and compare downscaling methods for climate change research. Within VALUE a systematic validation framework to enable the assessment and comparison of both dynamical and statistical downscaling methods has been developed. In the first validation experiment the downscaling methods are validated in a setup with perfect predictors taken from the ERA-interim reanalysis for the period 1997 - 2008. This allows to investigate the isolated skill of downscaling methods without further error contributions from the large-scale predictors. One aspect of the validation is the representation of spatial variability. As part of the VALUE validation we have compared various properties of the spatial variability of downscaled daily temperature and precipitation with the corresponding properties in observations. We have used two test validation datasets, one European-wide set of 86 stations, and one higher-density network of 50 stations in Germany. Here we present results based on three approaches, namely the analysis of i.) correlation matrices, ii.) pairwise joint threshold exceedances, and iii.) regions of similar variability. We summarise the information contained in correlation matrices by calculating the dependence of the correlations on distance and deriving decorrelation lengths, as well as by determining the independent degrees of freedom. Probabilities for joint threshold exceedances and (where appropriate) non-exceedances are calculated for various user-relevant thresholds related for instance to extreme precipitation or frost and heat days. The dependence of these probabilities on distance is again characterised by calculating typical length scales that separate dependent from independent exceedances. Regionalisation is based on rotated Principal Component Analysis. The results indicate which downscaling methods are preferable if the dependency of variability at different locations is relevant for the user.

Proximate analyses and predicting HHV of chars obtained from cocracking of petroleum vacuum residue with coal, plastics and biomass.

PubMed

Ahmaruzzaman, M

2008-07-01

Higher heating value (HHV) and analysis of chars obtained from cocracking of petroleum vacuum residue (XVR) with coal (SC), biomass (BG, CL) and plastics (PP, PS, BL) are important which define the energy content and determine the clean and efficient use of these chars. The main aim of the present study is to analyze the char obtained from cocracking in terms of their proximate analysis data and determination of the HHV of the chars. The char obtained from XVR+PP cocracking showed a HHV of 32.84 MJ/kg, whereas that from CL cracking showed a HHV of 18.52 MJ/kg. The experimentally determined heating values of the char samples obtained from cocracking have been correlated with the theoretical equation based on proximate analysis data. There exists a variety of correlations for predicting HHV from proximate analysis of fuels. Based upon proximate analysis data, the models were tested. The best results show coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.965 and average absolute and bias error of 3.07% and 0.41%, respectively. The heating values obtained from the model were in good agreement with that obtained by experiment. Proximate analysis of the chars obtained from the cocracking of XVR with coal, biomass and plastics showed that there exists a definite interaction of the reactive species, when they were cocracked together.

Caudate Microstimulation Increases Value of Specific Choices.

PubMed

Santacruz, Samantha R; Rich, Erin L; Wallis, Joni D; Carmena, Jose M

2017-11-06

Value-based decision-making involves an assessment of the value of items available and the actions required to obtain them. The basal ganglia are highly implicated in action selection and goal-directed behavior [1-4], and the striatum in particular plays a critical role in arbitrating between competing choices [5-9]. Previous work has demonstrated that neural activity in the caudate nucleus is modulated by task-relevant action values [6, 8]. Nonetheless, how value is represented and maintained in the striatum remains unclear since decision-making in these tasks relied on spatially lateralized responses, confounding the ability to generalize to a more abstract choice task [6, 8, 9]. Here, we investigate striatal value representations by applying caudate electrical stimulation in macaque monkeys (n = 3) to bias decision-making in a task that divorces the value of a stimulus from motor action. Electrical microstimulation is known to induce neural plasticity [10, 11], and caudate microstimulation in primates has been shown to accelerate associative learning [12, 13]. Our results indicate that stimulation paired with a particular stimulus increases selection of that stimulus, and this effect was stimulus dependent and action independent. The modulation of choice behavior using microstimulation was best modeled as resulting from changes in stimulus value. Caudate neural recordings (n = 1) show that changes in value-coding neuron activity are stimulus value dependent. We argue that caudate microstimulation can differentially increase stimulus values independent of action, and unilateral manipulations of value are sufficient to mediate choice behavior. These results support potential future applications of microstimulation to correct maladaptive plasticity underlying dysfunctional decision-making related to neuropsychiatric conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison with IRI-PLUS and IRI-2012-TEC values of GPS-TEC values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atıcı, Ramazan; Saǧır, Selçuk

2016-07-01

This study presents a comparison with IRI-PLUS and IRI-2012 Total Electron Content (TEC) values of Total Electron Content (TEC) values obtained from Ankara station (39,7 N; 32,76 E) of Global Position System (GPS) of Turkey on equinox and solstice days of 2009 year. For all days, it is observed that GPS-TEC values are greater than IRI-2012-TEC values, while IRI-PLUS-TEC values are very close to GPS-TEC values. When GPS-TEC values for both equinoxes are compared, it is seen that TEC values on September equinox are greater than one on March equinox. However, it is observed that GPS-TEC values on June solstice are greater than one on December solstice. Also, the relationship between GPS-TEC values and geomagnetic indexes is investigated.

Incorporating geographical factors with artificial neural networks to predict reference values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The measurement of the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) value is a standard procedure performed during a typical blood test. In order to formulate a unified standard of establishing reference ESR values, this paper presents a novel prediction model in which local normal ESR values and corresponding geographical factors are used to predict reference ESR values using multi-layer feed-forward artificial neural networks (ANN). Methods and findings Local normal ESR values were obtained from hospital data, while geographical factors that include altitude, sunshine hours, relative humidity, temperature and precipitation were obtained from the National Geographical Data Information Centre in China. The results show that predicted values are statistically in agreement with measured values. Model results exhibit significant agreement between training data and test data. Consequently, the model is used to predict the unseen local reference ESR values. Conclusions Reference ESR values can be established with geographical factors by using artificial intelligence techniques. ANN is an effective method for simulating and predicting reference ESR values because of its ability to model nonlinear and complex relationships. PMID:23497145

Incorporating geographical factors with artificial neural networks to predict reference values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

PubMed

Yang, Qingsheng; Mwenda, Kevin M; Ge, Miao

2013-03-12

The measurement of the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) value is a standard procedure performed during a typical blood test. In order to formulate a unified standard of establishing reference ESR values, this paper presents a novel prediction model in which local normal ESR values and corresponding geographical factors are used to predict reference ESR values using multi-layer feed-forward artificial neural networks (ANN). Local normal ESR values were obtained from hospital data, while geographical factors that include altitude, sunshine hours, relative humidity, temperature and precipitation were obtained from the National Geographical Data Information Centre in China.The results show that predicted values are statistically in agreement with measured values. Model results exhibit significant agreement between training data and test data. Consequently, the model is used to predict the unseen local reference ESR values. Reference ESR values can be established with geographical factors by using artificial intelligence techniques. ANN is an effective method for simulating and predicting reference ESR values because of its ability to model nonlinear and complex relationships.

Effect of 25(OH) vitamin D reference method procedure (RMP) alignment on clinical measurements obtained with the IDS-iSYS chemiluminescent-based automated analyzer.

PubMed

Simpson, Christine A; Cusano, Anna Maria; Bihuniak, Jessica; Walker, Joanne; Insogna, Karl L

2015-04-01

The Vitamin D Standardization Program (VDSP) has identified ID-LC/MS/MS as the reference method procedure (RMP) for 25(OH) vitamin D and NIST Standard SRM2972 as the standard reference material (SRM). As manufacturers align their products to the RMP and NIST standard, a concern is that results obtained in aligned assays will be divergent from those obtained with pre-alignment assays. The Immunodiagnostic Systems Ltd., chemiluminescent, 25(OH) vitamin D iSYS platform assay, was recently harmonized to the RMP. To determine the impact of standardization on results obtained with iSYS reagents, 119 single donor serum samples from eight different disease categories were analyzed in four non-standardized and two standardized iSYS assays. There were strong correlations between the four non-standardized and two standardized assays with Spearman's rank r values between 0.975 and 0.961 and four of the eight r values were >0.97. R(2) values for the eight best-fit linear regression equations ranging between 0.947 and 0.916. None of the slopes were found to be significantly different from one another. Bland-Altman plots showed that the bias was comparable when each of the four non-standardized assays was compared to either of the standardized assays. When the data were segregated in values between 6 and 49ng/mL (15-122nmol/L) or between 50 and 100ng/mL (125-250nmol/L) significant associations remained between results obtained with non-standardized and standardized calibrators regardless of the absolute value. When five recent DEQAS unknowns were analyzed in one non-standardized and one standardized assay the mean percent difference from the NIST target in values obtained using standardized vs. non-standardized calibrators were not significantly different. Finally, strong and statistically significant associations between the results were obtained using non-standardized and standardized assays for six of eight clinical conditions. The only exceptions were hypocalcemia and breast

Concretes of low environmental impact obtained by geopolymerization of Metakaolin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandoval, D. C.; Montaño, A. M.; González, C. P.; Gutiérrez, J.

2018-04-01

This work shows results of partial replacement of Portland Type I cement®, by geopolymers obtained through alkaline activation of Metakaolin, in concrete mixtures. Replacement was made with 10%, 20% and 30% of geopolymers at 7, 14, 28 and 90 days of setting. Cement samples was mechanical and electrically tested. Mechanical resistance to compression assay shows that the best percentage of replacement is 10% for every setting time; highest value is 26.75MPa at 90 days. Nyquist diagrams at different times of immersion exhibit same trend: decreasing of electrical resistance as time of assay goes by.

Correlation between radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis measurements obtained from two French centres.

PubMed

Mirjolet, C; Merlin, J L; Dalban, C; Maingon, P; Azria, D

2016-07-01

In the era of modern treatment delivery, increasing the dose delivered to the target to improve local control might be modulated by the patient's intrinsic radio-sensitivity. A predictive assay based on radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis quantification highlighted the significant correlation between CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte apoptosis and grade 2 or 3 radiation-induced late toxicities. By conducting this assay at several technical platforms, the aim of this study was to demonstrate that radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis values obtained from two different platforms were comparable. For 25 patients included in the PARATOXOR trial running in Dijon the radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis results obtained from the laboratory of Montpellier (IRCM, Inserm U1194, France), considered as the reference (referred to as Lab 1), were compared with those from the laboratory located at the Institut de cancérologie de Lorraine (ICL, France), referred to as Lab 2. Different statistical methods were used to measure the agreement between the radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis data from the two laboratories (quantitative data). The Bland-Altman plot was used to identify potential bias. All statistical tests demonstrated good agreement between radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis values obtained from both sites and no major bias was identified. Since radio-induced lymphocyte apoptosis values, which predict tolerance to radiotherapy, could be assessed by two laboratories and showed a high level of robustness and consistency, we can suggest that this assay be extended to any laboratories that use the same technique. Copyright © 2016 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents from Mérida city, Venezuela: Comparison of results using local and international reference values (CREDEFAR study).

PubMed

Villalobos Reyes, Marjorie; Mederico, Maracelly; Paoli de Valeri, Mariela; Briceño, Yajaira; Zerpa, Yajaira; Gómez-Pérez, Roald; Camacho, Nolis; Martínez, José Luis; Valeri, Lenín; Arata-Bellabarba, Gabriela

2014-11-01

To obtain local reference values for blood lipids and blood pressure (BP), and to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in children and adolescents from Mérida, Venezuela, and to compare results using local and international cut-off values. The study enrolled 916 participants of both sexes aged 9-18 years of age from educational institutions. Demographic, anthropometric, and BP data were collected. Fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were measured. Percentile distribution of lipid and BP values was done by age group and sex. Prevalence of MS was estimated based on the NCEP-ATPIII classification (as modified by Cook et al.) and the classification of the International Diabetes Federation, using percentiles of Mérida and the USA as cut-off points. Agreement between both classifications was estimated using the kappa test (κ). Prevalence of MS was 2.2% by Cook-Merida percentiles, as compared to 1.8% by Cook-USA percentiles, a moderate agreement (κ=0.54). Agreement between Cook et al. and IDF using Merida percentiles was weak (κ=0.28). There was a higher frequency of abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, and a lower frequency of low HDL-C using Mérida percentiles. The risk (odds ratio) of having MS is greater if abdominal obesity exists (OR: 98.63, CI: 22.45-433.35, p=0.0001). MS was significantly more common in obese subjects (18.3%, p=0.0001). Prevalence of MS in this sample of children and adolescents was 2.2%. Lipid and BP values were lower in Venezuelan as compared to US, European, and Asian children and adolescents, and similar to those in Latin-American references. Own reference values are required for accurate diagnosis of MS, as well as a worldwide consensus on its diagnostic criteria. Copyright © 2014 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Experimental Results Obtained with Air Liquide Cold Compression System: CERN LHC and SNS Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delcayre, F.; Courty, J.-C.; Hamber, F.; Hilbert, B.; Monneret, E.; Toia, J.-L.

2006-04-01

Large scale collider facilities will make intensive use of superconducting magnets, operating below 2.0 K. This dictates high-capacity refrigeration systems operating below 2.0 K. These systems, making use of cryogenic centrifugal compressors in a series arrangement with room temperature screw compressors will be coupled to a refrigerator, providing a certain power at 4.5 K. A first Air Liquide Cold Compression System (CCS) unit was built and delivered to CERN in 2001. Installed at the beginning of 2002, it was commissioned and tested successfully during year 2002. A series of four sets of identical CCS were then tested in 2004. Another set of four cryogenic centrifugal compressors (CCC) has been delivered to Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLAB) for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) in 2002. These compressors were tested and commissioned from December 2004 to July 2005. The experimental results obtained with these systems will be presented and discussed: the characteristics of the CCC will be detailed. The principles of control for the CCC in series will be detailed.

Analysis of Calorific Value of Tibarau Cane Briquette

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurdin, H.; Hasanuddin, H.; Darmawi, D.; Prasetya, F.

2018-04-01

The development of product diversification through tibarau cane briquettes as an effort in obtaining alternative fuels. Tibarau cane is one of the potential materials of renewable energy sources that can be processed into briquette. So as to reduce dependence on energy fuel oil, which for the middle to lower class is the main requirement. Efforts and innovations tibarau cane briquettes in producing fuel that has quality and performance can be measured with calorific value. Prior to development of this potential required the existence of test and evaluation stages according to the order of the flow of new material product development. Through process technology of briquette product making with compaction and optimization of composition content on tapioca adhesive and mesh particles suitable to get optimum calorific value. The results obtained in this research are the development of tibarau cane briquette model which is recommended as replacement fuel. Where the calorific value of tibarau cane briquette is 11.221,72 kJ / kg at composition percentage 80: 20 and its density is 0,565 gr/cm3. The comparison of mass tibarau with tapioca, particle size, pressure force (compaction), can affect the calorific value and density of tibarau cane briquette.

Biosensors for monitoring the isothermal breakdown kinetics of peanut oil heated at 180°C. Comparison with results obtained for extra virgin olive oil.

PubMed

Tomassetti, M; Vecchio, S; Campanella, L; Dragone, R

2013-10-15

The present research was devoted to studying the kinetics of the artificial rancidification of peanut oil (PO) when a sample of this oil was isothermally heated at 180°C in an air stream. The formation of radical species due to heating was evaluated using a radical index whose value was determined using a biosensor method based on a superoxide dismutase (SOD), while the increasing toxicity was monitored using a suitable toxicity measuring probe based on the Clark electrode and immobilized yeast cells. An extra virgin olive oil was isothermally rancidified under the same experimental conditions and the corresponding data were used for the purpose of comparison. Both the so-called "model-fitting" and the classical kinetic methods were applied to the isothermal process biosensor data in order to obtain the kinetic constant rate value at 180°C. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Correlation Coefficient of Polyethylene Glycol Treated and Direct Prolactin Results and Comparability with Different Assay System Results.

PubMed

Pal, Shyamali

2017-12-01

The presence of Macro prolactin is a significant cause of elevated prolactin resulting in misdiagnosis in all automated systems. Poly ethylene glycol (PEG) pretreatment is the preventive process but such process includes the probability of loss of a fraction of bioactive prolactin. Surprisingly, PEG treated EQAS & IQAS samples in Cobas e 411 are found out to be correlating with direct results of at least 3 immunoassay systems and treated and untreated Cobas e 411 results are comparable by a correlation coefficient. Comparison of EQAS, IQAS and patient samples were done to find out the trueness of such correlation factor. Study with patient's results have established the correlation coefficient is valid for very small concentration of prolactin also. EQAS, IQAS and 150 patient samples were treated with PEG and prolactin results of treated and untreated samples obtained from Roche Cobas e 411. 25 patient's results (treated) were compared with direct results in Advia Centaur, Architect I & Access2 systems. Correlation coefficient was obtained from trend line of the treated and untreated results. Two tailed p-value obtained from regression coefficient(r) and sample size. The correlation coefficient is in the range (0.761-0.771). Reverse correlation range is (1.289-1.301). r value of two sets of calculated results were 0.995. Two tailed p- value is zero approving dismissal of null hypothesis. The z-score of EQAS does not always assure authenticity of resultsPEG precipitation is correlated by the factor 0.761 even in very small concentrationsAbbreviationsGFCgel filtration chromatographyPEGpolyethylene glycolEQASexternal quality assurance systemM-PRLmacro prolactinPRLprolactinECLIAelectro-chemiluminescence immunoassayCLIAclinical laboratory improvement amendmentsIQASinternal quality assurance systemrregression coefficient.

The Added Value of Pathology Review in Vulvar Cancer: Results From a Population-based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Barbera, Lisa; Gien, Lilian T; Sutradhar, Rinku; Thomas, Gillian; Covens, Al; Elit, Laurie; Fyles, Anthony; Rakovitch, Eileen; Liu, Ying; Khalifa, Mahmoud

2017-03-01

We conducted a population-based patterns of care study of vulvar carcinoma. This paper describes the changes in reporting based on pathology review. This is a retrospective population-based cohort study. We obtained all pathology records available from the provincial cancer registry for primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva diagnosed between 1998 and 2007. Pathology reviews were conducted centrally by a group of gynecologic pathologists and were identified during abstraction. Corresponding original reports were matched to pathology review reports based on accession numbers. We compared the reported value for presence/absence of invasion, grade, depth, thickness, size, lymphovascular space invasion, peripheral margin status, and deep margin status in the original and review report. A total of 1011 vulvar resection reports were identified. From these, we identified 316 pairs of original/review reports. Missing data were common but improved in the reviews. In total, 55 (17%) reports had at least 1 change from the original to the review based on presence of invasion, depth, lymphovascular space invasion, or margin. When we included reports where a variable was missing in the original but then completed in the review, there were clinically relevant changes in 210 reports (66%). Vulvar carcinoma is a rare diagnosis and pathology reviews resulted in potentially important clinical changes in a significant proportion of cases. Referral pathologists play an important role in contributing to high-quality clinical decisions.

Implementing Generalized Additive Models to Estimate the Expected Value of Sample Information in a Microsimulation Model: Results of Three Case Studies.

PubMed

Rabideau, Dustin J; Pei, Pamela P; Walensky, Rochelle P; Zheng, Amy; Parker, Robert A

2018-02-01

The expected value of sample information (EVSI) can help prioritize research but its application is hampered by computational infeasibility, especially for complex models. We investigated an approach by Strong and colleagues to estimate EVSI by applying generalized additive models (GAM) to results generated from a probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA). For 3 potential HIV prevention and treatment strategies, we estimated life expectancy and lifetime costs using the Cost-effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC) model, a complex patient-level microsimulation model of HIV progression. We fitted a GAM-a flexible regression model that estimates the functional form as part of the model fitting process-to the incremental net monetary benefits obtained from the CEPAC PSA. For each case study, we calculated the expected value of partial perfect information (EVPPI) using both the conventional nested Monte Carlo approach and the GAM approach. EVSI was calculated using the GAM approach. For all 3 case studies, the GAM approach consistently gave similar estimates of EVPPI compared with the conventional approach. The EVSI behaved as expected: it increased and converged to EVPPI for larger sample sizes. For each case study, generating the PSA results for the GAM approach required 3 to 4 days on a shared cluster, after which EVPPI and EVSI across a range of sample sizes were evaluated in minutes. The conventional approach required approximately 5 weeks for the EVPPI calculation alone. Estimating EVSI using the GAM approach with results from a PSA dramatically reduced the time required to conduct a computationally intense project, which would otherwise have been impractical. Using the GAM approach, we can efficiently provide policy makers with EVSI estimates, even for complex patient-level microsimulation models.

The Effects of Social Position, Race, and Sex on Work Values of Ninth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Hollie B.

This study investigated the effect of social class, race, and sex on the work values of ninth-grade students in a large metropolitan area. Measures of work values were obtained using Super's (1970) Work Values Inventory. Results indicated that race and sex have differential effects on the development of work values. Significant differences between…

Field Extension of Real Values of Physical Observables in Classical Theory can Help Attain Quantum Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hai; Kumar, Asutosh; Cho, Minhyung; Wu, Junde

2018-04-01

Physical quantities are assumed to take real values, which stems from the fact that an usual measuring instrument that measures a physical observable always yields a real number. Here we consider the question of what would happen if physical observables are allowed to assume complex values. In this paper, we show that by allowing observables in the Bell inequality to take complex values, a classical physical theory can actually get the same upper bound of the Bell expression as quantum theory. Also, by extending the real field to the quaternionic field, we can puzzle out the GHZ problem using local hidden variable model. Furthermore, we try to build a new type of hidden-variable theory of a single qubit based on the result.

Salient value similarity, social trust, and attitudes toward wildland fire management strategies

Treesearch

Jerry J. Vaske; James D. Absher; Alan D. Bright

2007-01-01

Using the salient value similarity (SVS) model, we predicted that social trust mediated the relationship between SVS and attitudes toward prescribed burns and mechanical thinning. Data were obtained from a mail survey (n = 532) of Colorado residents living in the wildland-urban interface. Results indicated that respondents shared the same values as U...

Statistical evaluation of fatty acid profile and cholesterol content in fish (common carp) lipids obtained by different sample preparation procedures.

PubMed

Spiric, Aurelija; Trbovic, Dejana; Vranic, Danijela; Djinovic, Jasna; Petronijevic, Radivoj; Matekalo-Sverak, Vesna

2010-07-05

Studies performed on lipid extraction from animal and fish tissues do not provide information on its influence on fatty acid composition of the extracted lipids as well as on cholesterol content. Data presented in this paper indicate the impact of extraction procedures on fatty acid profile of fish lipids extracted by the modified Soxhlet and ASE (accelerated solvent extraction) procedure. Cholesterol was also determined by direct saponification method, too. Student's paired t-test used for comparison of the total fat content in carp fish population obtained by two extraction methods shows that differences between values of the total fat content determined by ASE and modified Soxhlet method are not statistically significant. Values obtained by three different methods (direct saponification, ASE and modified Soxhlet method), used for determination of cholesterol content in carp, were compared by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The obtained results show that modified Soxhlet method gives results which differ significantly from the results obtained by direct saponification and ASE method. However the results obtained by direct saponification and ASE method do not differ significantly from each other. The highest quantities for cholesterol (37.65 to 65.44 mg/100 g) in the analyzed fish muscle were obtained by applying direct saponification method, as less destructive one, followed by ASE (34.16 to 52.60 mg/100 g) and modified Soxhlet extraction method (10.73 to 30.83 mg/100 g). Modified Soxhlet method for extraction of fish lipids gives higher values for n-6 fatty acids than ASE method (t(paired)=3.22 t(c)=2.36), while there is no statistically significant difference in the n-3 content levels between the methods (t(paired)=1.31). The UNSFA/SFA ratio obtained by using modified Soxhlet method is also higher than the ratio obtained using ASE method (t(paired)=4.88 t(c)=2.36). Results of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the highest positive impact to

Evaluation of marginal and internal gaps of metal ceramic crowns obtained from conventional impressions and casting techniques with those obtained from digital techniques.

PubMed

Rai, Rathika; Kumar, S Arun; Prabhu, R; Govindan, Ranjani Thillai; Tanveer, Faiz Mohamed

2017-01-01

Accuracy in fit of cast metal restoration has always remained as one of the primary factors in determining the success of the restoration. A well-fitting restoration needs to be accurate both along its margin and with regard to its internal surface. The aim of the study is to evaluate the marginal fit of metal ceramic crowns obtained by conventional inlay casting wax pattern using conventional impression with the metal ceramic crowns obtained by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique using direct and indirect optical scanning. This in vitro study on preformed custom-made stainless steel models with former assembly that resembles prepared tooth surfaces of standardized dimensions comprised three groups: the first group included ten samples of metal ceramic crowns fabricated with conventional technique, the second group included CAD/CAM-milled direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) crowns using indirect scanning, and the third group included DMLS crowns fabricated by direct scanning of the stainless steel model. The vertical marginal gap and the internal gap were evaluated with the stereomicroscope (Zoomstar 4); post hoc Turkey's test was used for statistical analysis. One-way analysis of variance method was used to compare the mean values. Metal ceramic crowns obtained from direct optical scanning showed the least marginal and internal gap when compared to the castings obtained from inlay casting wax and indirect optical scanning. Indirect and direct optical scanning had yielded results within clinically acceptable range.

Financing results and value in behavioral health services.

PubMed

2003-11-01

Current changes require that behavioral health care leaders understand how public and private financing mechanisms interact and how, now more than ever, behavioral health care leadership must span multiple systems and financing streams. Understanding how financing mechanisms work, what they create, and what they cause is essential if we are to make the most of increasingly limited and increasingly complex resource streams in today's health care market. This article explores a different paradigm of what adds value to publicly funded behavioral health care systems, and provides the framework for the American College of Mental Health Administration's call to behavioral health care administrators to take a new approach to the considerations behind funding decisions and payment mechanisms.

Paternity tests in Mexico: Results obtained in 3005 cases.

PubMed

García-Aceves, M E; Romero Rentería, O; Díaz-Navarro, X X; Rangel-Villalobos, H

2018-04-01

National and international reports regarding the paternity testing activity scarcely include information from Mexico and other Latin American countries. Therefore, we report different results from the analysis of 3005 paternity cases analyzed during a period of five years in a Mexican paternity testing laboratory. Motherless tests were the most frequent (77.27%), followed by trio cases (20.70%); the remaining 2.04% included different cases of kinship reconstruction. The paternity exclusion rate was 29.58%, higher but into the range reported by the American Association of Blood Banks (average 24.12%). We detected 65 mutations, most of them involving one-step (93.8% and the remaining were two-step mutations (6.2%) thus, we were able to estimate the paternal mutation rate for 17 different STR loci: 0.0018 (95% CI 0.0005-0.0047). Five triallelic patterns and 12 suspected null alleles were detected during this period; however, re-amplification of these samples with a different Human Identification (HID) kit confirmed the homozygous genotypes, which suggests that most of these exclusions actually are one-step mutations. HID kits with ≥20 STRs detected more exclusions, diminishing the rate of inconclusive results with isolated exclusions (<3 loci), and leading to higher paternity indexes (PI). However, the Powerplex 21 kit (20 STRs) and Powerplex Fusion kit (22 STRs) offered similar PI (p = 0.379) and average number of exclusions (PE) (p = 0.339) when a daughter was involved in motherless tests. In brief, besides to report forensic parameters from paternity tests in Mexico, results describe improvements to solve motherless paternity tests using HID kits with ≥20 STRs instead of one including 15 STRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Life test results for the advanced very high resolution radiometer scanner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lenz, James

1996-01-01

The following paper reports the results obtained during a 3.33-year life test on the TIROS Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer/3 (AVHRR/3) Scanner. The bearing drag torque and lubricant loss over life will be compared to predicted values developed through modeling. The condition of the lubricant at the end of the test will be described and a theory presented to explain the results obtained. The differences (if any) in the predicted and measured values of drag torque and lubricant loss will be discussed and possible reasons for these examined.

Synchronization of fractional-order complex-valued neural networks with time delay.

PubMed

Bao, Haibo; Park, Ju H; Cao, Jinde

2016-09-01

This paper deals with the problem of synchronization of fractional-order complex-valued neural networks with time delays. By means of linear delay feedback control and a fractional-order inequality, sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the synchronization of the drive-response systems. Numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness of the obtained results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An iterative transformation procedure for numerical solution of flutter and similar characteristics-value problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gossard, Myron L

1952-01-01

An iterative transformation procedure suggested by H. Wielandt for numerical solution of flutter and similar characteristic-value problems is presented. Application of this procedure to ordinary natural-vibration problems and to flutter problems is shown by numerical examples. Comparisons of computed results with experimental values and with results obtained by other methods of analysis are made.

Seasonal differences in the subjective assessment of outdoor thermal conditions and the impact of analysis techniques on the obtained results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kántor, Noémi; Kovács, Attila; Takács, Ágnes

2016-11-01

Wide research attention has been paid in the last two decades to the thermal comfort conditions of different outdoor and semi-outdoor urban spaces. Field studies were conducted in a wide range of geographical regions in order to investigate the relationship between the thermal sensation of people and thermal comfort indices. Researchers found that the original threshold values of these indices did not describe precisely the actual thermal sensation patterns of subjects, and they reported neutral temperatures that vary among nations and with time of the year. For that reason, thresholds of some objective indices were rescaled and new thermal comfort categories were defined. This research investigates the outdoor thermal perception patterns of Hungarians regarding the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature ( PET) index, based on more than 5800 questionnaires. The surveys were conducted in the city of Szeged on 78 days in spring, summer, and autumn. Various, frequently applied analysis approaches (simple descriptive technique, regression analysis, and probit models) were adopted to reveal seasonal differences in the thermal assessment of people. Thermal sensitivity and neutral temperatures were found to be significantly different, especially between summer and the two transient seasons. Challenges of international comparison are also emphasized, since the results prove that neutral temperatures obtained through different analysis techniques may be considerably different. The outcomes of this study underline the importance of the development of standard measurement and analysis methodologies in order to make future studies comprehensible, hereby facilitating the broadening of the common scientific knowledge about outdoor thermal comfort.

Anomaly formulas for the complex-valued analytic torsion on compact bordisms

PubMed Central

Maldonado Molina, Osmar

2013-01-01

We extend the complex-valued analytic torsion, introduced by Burghelea and Haller on closed manifolds, to compact Riemannian bordisms. We do so by considering a flat complex vector bundle over a compact Riemannian manifold, endowed with a fiberwise nondegenerate symmetric bilinear form. The Riemmanian metric and the bilinear form are used to define non-selfadjoint Laplacians acting on vector-valued smooth forms under absolute and relative boundary conditions. In order to define the complex-valued analytic torsion in this situation, we study spectral properties of these generalized Laplacians. Then, as main results, we obtain so-called anomaly formulas for this torsion. Our reasoning takes into account that the coefficients in the heat trace asymptotic expansion associated to the boundary value problem under consideration, are locally computable. The anomaly formulas for the complex-valued Ray–Singer torsion are derived first by using the corresponding ones for the Ray–Singer metric, obtained by Brüning and Ma on manifolds with boundary, and then an argument of analytic continuation. In odd dimensions, our anomaly formulas are in accord with the corresponding results of Su, without requiring the variations of the Riemannian metric and bilinear structures to be supported in the interior of the manifold. PMID:27087744

Feasibility and accuracy of molecular testing in specimens obtained with small biopsy forceps: comparison with the results of surgical specimens.

PubMed

Oki, Masahide; Yatabe, Yasushi; Saka, Hideo; Kitagawa, Chiyoe; Kogure, Yoshihito; Ichihara, Shu; Moritani, Suzuko

2015-01-01

During bronchoscopy, small biopsy forceps are increasingly used for the diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary lesions. However, it is unclear whether the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens sampled with the small biopsy forceps are suitable for the determination of genotypes which become indispensable for the management decision regarding patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of molecular testing in the specimens obtained with 1.5-mm small biopsy forceps. We examined specimens in 91 patients, who were enrolled in our previous 3 studies on the usefulness of thin bronchoscopes and given a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer by bronchoscopy with the 1.5-mm biopsy forceps, and then underwent surgical resection. An experienced pathologist examined paraffin-embedded specimens obtained by bronchoscopic biopsy or surgical resection in a blind fashion on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements and KRAS mutations. Twenty-five (27%), 2 (2%) and 5 (5%) patients had an EGFR mutation, ALK rearrangement and KRAS mutation, respectively, based on the results in surgical specimens. EGFR, ALK and KRAS testing with bronchoscopic specimens was feasible in 82 (90%), 86 (95%) and 83 (91%) patients, respectively. If molecular testing was feasible, the accuracy of EGFR, ALK and KRAS testing with bronchoscopic specimens for the results with surgical specimens was 98, 100 and 98%, respectively. The results of molecular testing in the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens obtained with the small forceps, in which the genotype could be evaluated, correlated well with those in surgically resected specimens.

Reaching consensus on communication of critical laboratory results using a collective intelligence method.

PubMed

Llovet, Maria Isabel; Biosca, Carmen; Martínez-Iribarren, Alicia; Blanco, Aurora; Busquets, Glòria; Castro, María José; Llopis, Maria Antonia; Montesinos, Mercè; Minchinela, Joana; Perich, Carme; Prieto, Judith; Ruiz, Rosa; Serrat, Núria; Simón, Margarita; Trejo, Alex; Monguet, Josep Maria; López-Pablo, Carlos; Ibarz, Mercè

2018-02-23

There is no consensus in the literature about what analytes or values should be informed as critical results and how they should be communicated. The main aim of this project is to establish consensual standards of critical results for the laboratories participating in the study. Among the project's secondary objectives, establishing consensual procedures for communication can be highlighted. Consensus was reached among all participating laboratories establishing the basis for the construction of the initial model put forward for consensus in conjunction with the clinicians. A real-time Delphi, methodology "health consensus" (HC), with motivating and participative questions was applied. The physician was expected to choose a numeric value within a scale designed for each analyte. The medians of critical results obtained represent the consensus on critical results for outpatient and inpatient care. Both in primary care and in hospital care a high degree of consensus was observed for critical values proposed in the analysis of creatinine, digoxin, phosphorus, glucose, international normalized ratio (INR), leukocytes, magnesium, neutrophils, chloride, sodium, calcium and lithium. For the rest of critical results the degree of consensus obtained was "medium high". The results obtained showed that in 72% of cases the consensual critical value coincided with the medians initially proposed by the laboratories. The real-time Delphi has allowed obtaining consensual standards for communication of critical results among the laboratories participating in the study, which can serve as a basis for other organizations.

First results obtained within the European 'LAMA' programme (Large Active Mirrors in Aluminium)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozelot, J.-P.

1993-11-01

To investigate the feasibility of large size aluminum mirrors, studies have been undertaken in cooperation with European Southern Observatory (ESO), in the framework of a European program. The first phase, which is just now ended, addressed the following items: (1) tests to select the best aluminum alloy, (2) aluminum welding, homogeneity and stability, (3) aluminum high-precision machining, (4) nickel coating, (5) polishing of the nickel layer, (6) active optics. Furthermore, tests have been conducted to demonstrate that the quality of the mirrors is not altered at various temperatures and after a large number of aluminizing and cleaning cycles (corresponding to about 50 years' life). The mirror shape (whose specifications are fully compliant with those of the Very Large Telescope (VLT), as the program is conducted in cooperation with ESO) was computed under several causes of deformations: evidencing gravity as the predominant effect, and very low distortions as the high thermal conductivity limits the thermal transverse gradient to 0.025 C. Results show that it is quite possible to obtain high optical quality mirrors, mainly due to recent progress both in metallurgical processes (high precision machining -7 microns rms-) and active optics, that permit to correct residual aberrations of the surface. Such an alternative to classical glass mirrors will presently stand as a safe, economical solution that saves manufacturing time, for monolithic or segmented mirrors for innovative telescopes (e.g., lunar interferometric network).

Response effort discounts the subjective value of rewards.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Ryoji

2014-09-01

Factors associated with obtaining a reward, such as a temporal delay in receiving the reward, can influence the subjective value of the reward. Cognitive as well as physical response effort is also known to influence choice behaviors. The present study used hypothetical situations to assess whether response effort affects the subjective value of rewards. The results demonstrated that increasing response effort increases the amount of money that participants are willing to forgo to avoid engaging in work. An exponential as well as hyperbolic function provided a good fit for such discounting. The findings suggest that response effort discounts the subjective value of a reward as a function of its amount. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical utility of apparent diffusion coefficient values obtained using high b-value when diagnosing prostate cancer using 3 tesla MRI: comparison between ultra-high b-value (2000 s/mm²) and standard high b-value (1000 s/mm²).

PubMed

Kitajima, Kazuhiro; Takahashi, Satoru; Ueno, Yoshiko; Yoshikawa, Takeshi; Ohno, Yoshiharu; Obara, Makoto; Miyake, Hideaki; Fujisawa, Masato; Sugimura, Kazuro

2012-07-01

To determine whether the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained using b = 2000 s/mm(2) upon 3 Tesla (T) diffusion-weighted MRI is superior to b = 1000 s/mm(2) for discriminating malignant from normal prostate tissue and predicting the aggressiveness of prostate cancer, using histopathological findings of radical prostatectomy as a reference. Eighty prostate cancer patients underwent preoperative 3T MRI including diffusion weighted imaging with b-values of 0, 1000, and 2000 s/mm(2) . ADCs were measured for malignant lesions and normal sites on three sets of ADC maps calculated with monoexponential fitting between b = 0 and 1000, 0 and 2000, and 1000 and 2000, respectively. The relationship between the ADC and Gleason score was evaluated. The areas under the ROC curves for b = 0,1000, b = 0,2000, and b = 1000,2000 were 0.896, 0.937, and 0.857, respectively, in the peripheral zone (PZ) and 0.877, 0.889, and 0.731, respectively, in the transition zone (TZ). The difference between b = 0,1000 and b = 0,2000 was significant in PZ (P = 0.033), but not in TZ (P = 0.84). Weak but significant negative correlations were identified between ADCs and Gleason score in both PZ and TZ cancer at b = 0,1000 and b = 0,2000 (r = -0.323 to -0.341). For 3T MRI, ADCs using b = 0,2000 are more accurate than b = 0,1000 for diagnosing PZ cancer, and as accurate for TZ cancer. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

What's the Value in Value-Added?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffrin, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

A growing number of school districts are adopting "value-added" measures of teaching quality to award bonuses or even tenure. And two competitive federal grants are spurring them on. Districts using value-added data are encouraged by the results. But researchers who support value-added measures advise caution. The ratings, which use a…

Revealing and acknowledging value judgments in health technology assessment.

PubMed

Hofmann, Bjørn; Cleemput, Irina; Bond, Kenneth; Krones, Tanja; Droste, Sigrid; Sacchini, Dario; Oortwijn, Wija

2014-12-01

Although value issues are increasingly addressed in health technology assessment (HTA) reports, HTA is still seen as a scientific endeavor and sometimes contrasted with value judgments, which are considered arbitrary and unscientific. This article aims at illustrating how numerous value judgments are at play in the HTA process, and why it is important to acknowledge and address value judgments. A panel of experts involved in HTA, including ethicists, scrutinized the HTA process with regard to implicit value judgments. It was analyzed whether these value judgments undermine the accountability of HTA results. The final results were obtained after several rounds of deliberation. Value judgments are identified before the assessment when identifying and selecting health technologies to assess, and as part of assessment. They are at play in the processes of deciding on how to select, frame, present, summarize or synthesize information in systematic reviews. Also, in economic analysis, value judgments are ubiquitous. Addressing the ethical, legal, and social issues of a given health technology involves moral, legal, and social value judgments by definition. So do the appraisal and the decision-making process. HTA by and large is a process of value judgments. However, the preponderance of value judgments does not render HTA biased or flawed. On the contrary they are basic elements of the HTA process. Acknowledging and explicitly addressing value judgments may improve the accountability of HTA.

The study of stiffness modulus values for AC-WC pavement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubis, AS; Muis, Z. A.; Iskandar, T. D.

2018-02-01

One of the parameters of the asphalt mixture in order for the strength and durability to be achieved as required is the stress-and-strain showing the stiffness of a material. Stiffness modulus is a very necessary factor that will affect the performance of asphalt pavements. If the stiffness modulus value decreases there will be a cause of aging asphalt pavement crack easily when receiving a heavy load. The high stiffness modulus asphalt concrete causes more stiff and resistant to bending. The stiffness modulus value of an asphalt mixture material can be obtained from the theoretical (indirect methods) and laboratory test results (direct methods). For the indirect methods used Brown & Brunton method, and Shell Bitumen method; while for the direct methods used the UMATTA tool. This study aims to determine stiffness modulus values for AC-WC pavement. The tests were conducted in laboratory that used 3 methods, i.e. Brown & Brunton Method, Shell Bitumen Method and Marshall Test as a substitute tool for the UMATTA tool. Hotmix asphalt made from type AC-WC with pen 60/70 using a mixture of optimum bitumen content was 5.84% with a standard temperature variation was 60°C and several variations of temperature that were 30, 40, 50, 70 and 80°C. The stiffness modulus value results obtained from Brown & Brunton Method, Shell Bitumen Method and Marshall Test which were 1374,93 Mpa, 235,45 Mpa dan 254,96 Mpa. The stiffness modulus value decreases with increasing temperature of the concrete asphalt. The stiffness modulus value from the Bitumen Shell method and the Marshall Test has a relatively similar value.The stiffness modulus value from the Brown & Brunton method is greater than the Bitumen Shell method and the Marshall Test, but can not measure the stiffness modulus value at temperature above 80°C.

First Nuclear DNA C-values for 18 Eudicot Families

PubMed Central

HANSON, LYNDA; BOYD, AMY; JOHNSON, MARGARET A. T.; BENNETT, MICHAEL D.

2005-01-01

• Background and Aims A key target set at the second Plant Genome Size Workshop, held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2003, was to produce first DNA C-value data for an additional 1 % of angiosperm species, and, within this, to achieve 75 % familial coverage overall (up from approx. 50 %) by 2009. The present study targeted eudicot families for which representation in 2003 (42·5 %) was much lower than monocot (72·8 %) and basal angiosperm (69·0 %) families. • Methods Flow cytometry or Feulgen microdensitometry were used to estimate nuclear DNA C-values, and chromosome counts were obtained where possible. • Key Results First nuclear DNA C-values are reported for 20 angiosperm families, including 18 eudicots. This substantially increases familial representation to 55·2 % for angiosperms and 48·5 % for eudicots. • Conclusions The importance of targeting specific plant families to improve familial nuclear DNA C-value representation is reconfirmed. International collaboration will be increasingly essential to locate and obtain material of unsampled plant families, if the target set by the second Plant Genome Size Workshop is to be met. PMID:16239248

A Simple Compression Scheme Based on ASCII Value Differencing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tommy; Siregar, Rosyidah; Lubis, Imran; Marwan E, Andi; Mahmud H, Amir; Harahap, Mawaddah

2018-04-01

ASCII characters have a different code representation where each character has a different numeric value between the characters to each other. The characters is usually used as a text message communication has the representation of a numeric code to each other or have a small difference. The value of the difference can be used as a substitution of the characters so it will generate a new message with a size that is a little more. This paper discusses the utilization value of the difference of characters ASCII in a message to a much simpler substitution by using a dynamic-sized window in order to obtain the difference from ASCII value contained on the window as the basis in determining the bit substitution on the file compression results.

Changes during storage of quality parameters and in vitro antioxidant activity of extra virgin monovarietal oils obtained with two extraction technologies.

PubMed

Fadda, C; Del Caro, A; Sanguinetti, A M; Urgeghe, P P; Vacca, V; Arca, P P; Piga, A

2012-10-01

Extraction technology has a great effect on quality of olive oils. This paper studied 18 months of storage of two Sardinian extra virgin monovarietal oils obtained with a traditional and with a low oxidative stress technology. Oil samples were subjected to the following chemical analyses: acidity, peroxide value, ultraviolet light absorption K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀, carotenoids, chlorophylls, tocopherols and total polyphenols. The antioxidant capacity of oils, polyphenol extract and oil extract (remaining after polyphenol extraction) was also determined as radical scavenging activity. The results show that both extraction technologies resulted in minor changes in legal and quality indices during storage, due surely to the high quality of the oils as well as to the very good storage conditions used. Oils obtained with the low oxidative stress technology showed lower peroxide value and acidity and resulted in up to 103% higher total polyphenol content as well as increased radical-scavenging activity, with respect to oils obtained with the traditional technology. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidative degradation of biorefinery lignin obtained after pretreatment of forest residues of Douglas Fir.

PubMed

Srinivas, Keerthi; de Carvalho Oliveira, Fernanda; Teller, Philip Johan; Gonҫalves, Adilson Roberto; Helms, Gregory L; Ahring, Birgitte Kaer

2016-12-01

Harvested forest residues are usually considered a fire hazards and used as "hog-fuel" which results in air pollution. In this study, the biorefinery lignin stream obtained after wet explosion pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of forestry residues of Douglas Fir (FS-10) was characterized and further wet oxidized under alkaline conditions. The studies indicated that at 10% solids, 11.7wt% alkali and 15min residence time, maximum yields were obtained for glucose (12.9wt%), vanillin (0.4wt%) at 230°C; formic acid (11.6wt%) at 250°C; acetic acid (10.7wt%), hydroxybenzaldehyde (0.2wt%), syringaldehyde (0.13wt%) at 280°C; and lactic acid (12.4wt%) at 300°C. FTIR analysis of the solid residue after wet oxidation showed that the aromatic skeletal vibrations relating to lignin compounds increased with temperature indicating that higher severity could result in increased lignin oxidation products. The results obtained, as part of the study, is significant for understanding and optimizing processes for producing high-value bioproducts from forestry residues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On determining the most appropriate test cut-off value: the case of tests with continuous results

PubMed Central

Habibzadeh, Parham; Yadollahie, Mahboobeh

2016-01-01

There are several criteria for determination of the most appropriate cut-off value in a diagnostic test with continuous results. Mostly based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, there are various methods to determine the test cut-off value. The most common criteria are the point on ROC curve where the sensitivity and specificity of the test are equal; the point on the curve with minimum distance from the left-upper corner of the unit square; and the point where the Youden’s index is maximum. There are also methods mainly based on Bayesian decision analysis. Herein, we show that a proposed method that maximizes the weighted number needed to misdiagnose, an index of diagnostic test effectiveness we previously proposed, is the most appropriate technique compared to the aforementioned ones. For determination of the cut-off value, we need to know the pretest probability of the disease of interest as well as the costs incurred by misdiagnosis. This means that even for a certain diagnostic test, the cut-off value is not universal and should be determined for each region and for each disease condition. PMID:27812299

Patterns of Wildlife Value Orientations

Treesearch

Harry C. Zinn; Michael J. Manfredo; Susan C. Barro

2002-01-01

Public value orientations toward wildlife may be growing less utilitarian and more protectionist. To better understand one aspect of this trend, we investigated patterns of wildlife value orientations within families. Using a mail survey, we sampled Pennsylvania and Colorado hunting license holders 50 or older; obtaining a 54% response rate (n = 599). Males (94% of...

Incidence of Artifacts and Deviating Values in Research Data Obtained from an Anesthesia Information Management System in Children.

PubMed

Hoorweg, Anne-Lee J; Pasma, Wietze; van Wolfswinkel, Leo; de Graaff, Jurgen C

2018-02-01

Vital parameter data collected in anesthesia information management systems are often used for clinical research. The validity of this type of research is dependent on the number of artifacts. In this prospective observational cohort study, the incidence of artifacts in anesthesia information management system data was investigated in children undergoing anesthesia for noncardiac procedures. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of artifacts among deviating and nondeviating values, among the anesthesia phases, and among different anesthetic techniques. We included 136 anesthetics representing 10,236 min of anesthesia time. The incidence of artifacts was 0.5% for heart rate (95% CI: 0.4 to 0.7%), 1.3% for oxygen saturation (1.1 to 1.5%), 7.5% for end-tidal carbon dioxide (6.9 to 8.0%), 5.0% for noninvasive blood pressure (4.0 to 6.0%), and 7.3% for invasive blood pressure (5.9 to 8.8%). The incidence of artifacts among deviating values was 3.1% for heart rate (2.1 to 4.4%), 10.8% for oxygen saturation (7.6 to 14.8%), 14.1% for end-tidal carbon dioxide (13.0 to 15.2%), 14.4% for noninvasive blood pressure (10.3 to 19.4%), and 38.4% for invasive blood pressure (30.3 to 47.1%). Not all values in anesthesia information management systems are valid. The incidence of artifacts stored in the present pediatric anesthesia practice was low for heart rate and oxygen saturation, whereas noninvasive and invasive blood pressure and end-tidal carbon dioxide had higher artifact incidences. Deviating values are more often artifacts than values in a normal range, and artifacts are associated with the phase of anesthesia and anesthetic technique. Development of (automatic) data validation systems or solutions to deal with artifacts in data is warranted.

Pavlovian reward learning underlies value driven attentional capture.

PubMed

Bucker, Berno; Theeuwes, Jan

2017-02-01

Recent evidence shows that distractors that signal high compared to low reward availability elicit stronger attentional capture, even when this is detrimental for task-performance. This suggests that simply correlating stimuli with reward administration, rather than their instrumental relationship with obtaining reward, produces value-driven attentional capture. However, in previous studies, reward delivery was never response independent, as only correct responses were rewarded, nor was it completely task-irrelevant, as the distractor signaled the magnitude of reward that could be earned on that trial. In two experiments, we ensured that associative reward learning was completely response independent by letting participants perform a task at fixation, while high and low rewards were automatically administered following the presentation of task-irrelevant colored stimuli in the periphery (Experiment 1) or at fixation (Experiment 2). In a following non-reward test phase, using the additional singleton paradigm, the previously reward signaling stimuli were presented as distractors to assess truly task-irrelevant value driven attentional capture. The results showed that high compared to low reward-value associated distractors impaired performance, and thus captured attention more strongly. This suggests that genuine Pavlovian conditioning of stimulus-reward contingencies is sufficient to obtain value-driven attentional capture. Furthermore, value-driven attentional capture can occur following associative reward learning of temporally and spatially task-irrelevant distractors that signal the magnitude of available reward (Experiment 1), and is independent of training spatial shifts of attention towards the reward signaling stimuli (Experiment 2). This confirms and strengthens the idea that Pavlovian reward learning underlies value driven attentional capture.

Microbiological quality of five potato products obtained at retail markets.

PubMed Central

Duran, A P; Swartzentruber, A; Lanier, J M; Wentz, B A; Schwab, A H; Barnard, R J; Read, R B

1982-01-01

The microbiological quality of frozen hash brown potatoes, dried hash brown potatoes with onions, frozen french fried potatoes, dried instant mashed potatoes, and potato salad was determined by a national sampling at the retail level. A wide range of results was obtained, with most sampling units of each products having excellent microbiological quality. Geometric mean aerobic plate counts were as follows: dried hash brown potatoes, 270/g; frozen hash brown potatoes with onions, 580/g; frozen french fried potatoes 78/g; dried instant mashed potatoes, 1.1 x 10(3)/g; and potato salad, 3.6 x 10(3)/g. Mean values of coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were less than 10/g. PMID:6758695

Correlation between doctor's belief on the patient's self-determination and medical outcomes in obtaining informed consent.

PubMed

Yoshihara, Keisuke; Takase, Kozo

2013-03-01

We employed a questionnaire survey to assess attitudes toward informed consent (IC) among hospital doctors. Based on the result of the correlation analysis, the following two hypotheses were identified. The first hypothesis is that "the doctor's belief that the patient's self-determination is possible promotes cure of illness by obtaining IC." The second hypothesis is that "the doctor's belief that the patient's self-determination is possible has a positive influence on patient's quality of life by obtaining IC." We clarified the rationale for explaining these two hypotheses by applying cross tabulation analysis, discriminant analysis and principal component analysis (PCA). The doctors were divided into two groups in terms of their position on the patient's self-determination. One group of doctors believed the possibility of patient's self-determination, and the other did not. Through our statistical analyses, the characteristics that discriminate these two groups were identified. It was revealed that the former group placed a great importance on the hospitality value, while the latter placed an importance on the service value. Agreement or rejection of the concept of IC has been demonstrated as a key distinguishing factor between the two groups. The results of PCA showed that the doctor's belief on the patient's self-determination in obtaining IC had a significant effect on medical outcomes, and the two above-mentioned hypotheses were revealed.

Nonparametric functional data estimation applied to ozone data: prediction and extreme value analysis.

PubMed

Quintela-del-Río, Alejandro; Francisco-Fernández, Mario

2011-02-01

The study of extreme values and prediction of ozone data is an important topic of research when dealing with environmental problems. Classical extreme value theory is usually used in air-pollution studies. It consists in fitting a parametric generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution to a data set of extreme values, and using the estimated distribution to compute return levels and other quantities of interest. Here, we propose to estimate these values using nonparametric functional data methods. Functional data analysis is a relatively new statistical methodology that generally deals with data consisting of curves or multi-dimensional variables. In this paper, we use this technique, jointly with nonparametric curve estimation, to provide alternatives to the usual parametric statistical tools. The nonparametric estimators are applied to real samples of maximum ozone values obtained from several monitoring stations belonging to the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) in the UK. The results show that nonparametric estimators work satisfactorily, outperforming the behaviour of classical parametric estimators. Functional data analysis is also used to predict stratospheric ozone concentrations. We show an application, using the data set of mean monthly ozone concentrations in Arosa, Switzerland, and the results are compared with those obtained by classical time series (ARIMA) analysis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Evaluation of Condylar Guidance Value from Radiograph with Interocclusal Records made During Jaw Relation and Try-in: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Shetty, Shilpa; Satish Babu, C L; Tambake, Deepti; Surendra Kumar, G P; Setpal, Abhishek T

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of programming the articulator using the radiographs and the interocclusal records made during Jaw relation (Arrow point tracing) and Try-in stage. The study comprised of 15 edentulous subjects with well formed maxillary and mandibular ridges, with no signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders and neuromuscular disorders. Digital Orthopantomograph was taken for all the subjects. The condylar guidance angles were traced on Orthopantomograph for right and left sides and the values were recorded. The protrusive interocclusal records were made at jaw relation stage and at try-in stage using bite registration paste (Bitrex- vinyl polysiloxane) for all subjects. These interocclusal records were used to programme the Semi-adjustable articulator (Hanau Wide Vue) and the condylar guidance values on the right and left sides were recorded. The condylar guidance values so obtained were compared with the values obtained by Orthopantomograph. The condylar guidance values obtained by the various procedures were subjected to statistical analysis. The results showed statistically significant difference between the condylar guidance values obtained from Orthopantomograph (Radiograph) and the condylar guidance values obtained at the stage of jaw relation and also between Orthopantomograph and condylar guidance values obtained at the stage of Try-in. Condylar guidance values obtained from the Radiographs were higher than those obtained at the stage of Jaw relation and at the stage of Try-in. However, we notice that the mean condylar guidance values obtained at the stage of Try-in were nearer to the mean condylar guidance values obtained on the Radiographs.

Stable isotopes to discriminate lambs fed herbage or concentrate both obtained from C(3) plants.

PubMed

Moreno-Rojas, Jose M; Vasta, Valentina; Lanza, Alfio; Luciano, Giuseppe; Ladroue, Virginie; Guillou, Claude; Priolo, Alessandro

2008-12-01

This study was aimed at determining whether isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) enables us to discriminate between lambs fed herbage or concentrate, both obtained from C(3) plants, and those fed a concentrate obtained from C(4) plants. Thirty-four Comisana male lambs (age 45 days) were assigned to three feeding treatments. Fourteen lambs were fed vetch (Vicia sativa) ad libitum. Another fourteen lambs received a barley-based concentrate. The remaining six lambs were fed a maize-based concentrate. After 60 days of experimental treatment the animals were slaughtered and the wool, perirenal fat and muscle longissimus dorsi were sampled. The delta(13)C and delta(15)N values of the muscle, wool and feed were measured by continuous flow elemental analysis (CF-EA)-IRMS. The delta(13)C of the fat was determined likewise. The isotopic composition of the tissues reflected that of the three diets. For the lambs which were fed herbage the muscle delta(13)C values were higher (P < 0.0005) and delta(15)N values were lower (P < 0.0005) than those of the lambs receiving concentrates. The delta(15)N and delta(13)C values in the muscle and delta(13)C values in the adipose tissue allowed perfect discrimination between the lambs fed the three different diets. The regression between the delta(13)C values measured in muscle and in wool of lambs was linear (R(2) = 0.99; P < 0.0005). This result shows that delta(13)C measured in the wool can predict muscle delta(13)C distribution, suggesting that wool is a valuable matrix for meat authentication.

Characterisation of transition state structures for protein folding using 'high', 'medium' and 'low' {Phi}-values.

PubMed

Geierhaas, Christian D; Salvatella, Xavier; Clarke, Jane; Vendruscolo, Michele

2008-03-01

It has been suggested that Phi-values, which allow structural information about transition states (TSs) for protein folding to be obtained, are most reliably interpreted when divided into three classes (high, medium and low). High Phi-values indicate almost completely folded regions in the TS, intermediate Phi-values regions with a detectable amount of structure and low Phi-values indicate mostly unstructured regions. To explore the extent to which this classification can be used to characterise in detail the structure of TSs for protein folding, we used Phi-values divided into these classes as restraints in molecular dynamics simulations. This type of procedure is related to that used in NMR spectroscopy to define the structure of native proteins from the measurement of inter-proton distances derived from nuclear Overhauser effects. We illustrate this approach by determining the TS ensembles of five proteins and by showing that the results are similar to those obtained by using as restraints the actual numerical Phi-values measured experimentally. Our results indicate that the simultaneous consideration of a set of low-resolution Phi-values can provide sufficient information for characterising the architecture of a TS for folding of a protein.

Weak values, 'negative probability', and the uncertainty principle

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

Sokolovski, D.

2007-10-15

A quantum transition can be seen as a result of interference between various pathways (e.g., Feynman paths), which can be labeled by a variable f. An attempt to determine the value of f without destroying the coherence between the pathways produces a weak value of f. We show f to be an average obtained with an amplitude distribution which can, in general, take negative values, which, in accordance with the uncertainty principle, need not contain information about the actual range of f which contributes to the transition. It is also demonstrated that the moments of such alternating distributions have amore » number of unusual properties which may lead to a misinterpretation of the weak-measurement results. We provide a detailed analysis of weak measurements with and without post-selection. Examples include the double-slit diffraction experiment, weak von Neumann and von Neumann-like measurements, traversal time for an elastic collision, phase time, and local angular momentum.« less

Aircraft and ground vehicle friction correlation test results obtained under winter runway conditions during joint FAA/NASA Runway Friction Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, Thomas J.; Vogler, William A.; Baldasare, Paul

1988-01-01

Aircraft and ground vehicle friction data collected during the Joint FAA/NASA Runway Friction Program under winter runway conditions are discussed and test results are summarized. The relationship between the different ground vehicle friction measurements obtained on compacted snow- and ice-covered conditions is defined together with the correlation to aircraft tire friction performance under similar runway conditions.

Synthesis and characterization of hematite pigment obtained from a steel waste industry.

PubMed

Prim, S R; Folgueras, M V; de Lima, M A; Hotza, D

2011-09-15

Pigments that meet environmental and technology requirements are the focus of the research in the ceramic sector. This study focuses on the synthesis of ceramic pigment by encapsulation of hematite in crystalline and amorphous silica matrix. Iron oxide from a metal sheet rolling process was used as chromophore. A different content of hematite and silica was homogenized by conventional and high energy milling. The powders obtained after calcinations between 1050 and 1200 °C for 2h were characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM analysis. The pigments were applied to ceramic enamel and porcelain body. The effect of pigment was measured by comparing L*a*b* values of the heated samples. Results showed that the color developed is influenced by variables such as oxide content employed, conditions of milling and processing temperature. The results showed that the use of pigment developed does not interfere in microstructural characteristics of pigmented material. The best hue was obtained from samples with 15 wt% of chromophore, heated at 1200 °C in amorphous silica matrix. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new warfarin dosing algorithm including VKORC1 3730 G > A polymorphism: comparison with results obtained by other published algorithms.

PubMed

Cini, Michela; Legnani, Cristina; Cosmi, Benilde; Guazzaloca, Giuliana; Valdrè, Lelia; Frascaro, Mirella; Palareti, Gualtiero

2012-08-01

Warfarin dosing is affected by clinical and genetic variants, but the contribution of the genotype associated with warfarin resistance in pharmacogenetic algorithms has not been well assessed yet. We developed a new dosing algorithm including polymorphisms associated both with warfarin sensitivity and resistance in the Italian population, and its performance was compared with those of eight previously published algorithms. Clinical and genetic data (CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3, VKORC1 -1639 G > A, and VKORC1 3730 G > A) were used to elaborate the new algorithm. Derivation and validation groups comprised 55 (58.2% men, mean age 69 years) and 40 (57.5% men, mean age 70 years) patients, respectively, who were on stable anticoagulation therapy for at least 3 months with different oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) indications. Performance of the new algorithm, evaluated with mean absolute error (MAE) defined as the absolute value of the difference between observed daily maintenance dose and predicted daily dose, correlation with the observed dose and R(2) value, was comparable with or slightly lower than that obtained using the other algorithms. The new algorithm could correctly assign 53.3%, 50.0%, and 57.1% of patients to the low (≤25 mg/week), intermediate (26-44 mg/week) and high (≥ 45 mg/week) dosing range, respectively. Our data showed a significant increase in predictive accuracy among patients requiring high warfarin dose compared with the other algorithms (ranging from 0% to 28.6%). The algorithm including VKORC1 3730 G > A, associated with warfarin resistance, allowed a more accurate identification of resistant patients who require higher warfarin dosage.

Weak values in continuous weak measurements of qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Lupei; Liang, Pengfei; Li, Xin-Qi

2015-07-01

For continuous weak measurements of qubits, we obtain exact expressions for weak values (WVs) from the postselection restricted average of measurement outputs, by using both the quantum-trajectory equation (QTE) and the quantum Bayesian approach. The former is applicable to short-time weak measurement, while the latter can relax the measurement strength to finite. We find that even in the "very" weak limit the result can be essentially different from the one originally proposed by Aharonov, Albert, and Vaidman (AAV), in the sense that our result incorporates nonperturbative correction which could be important when the AAV WV is large. Within the Bayesian framework, we obtain also elegant expressions for finite measurement strength and find that the amplifier's noise in quantum measurement has no effect on the WVs. In particular, we obtain very useful results for homodyne measurement in a circuit-QED system, which allows for measuring the real and imaginary parts of the AAV WV by simply tuning the phase of the local oscillator. This advantage can be exploited as an efficient state-tomography technique.

The LANDSAT system operated in Brazil by CNPq/INPE - results obtained in the area of mapping and future perspectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Barbosa, M. N.

1981-01-01

The LANDSAT system, operated in the country by CNPg/INPE since 1973, systematically acquires, produces, and distributes both multispectral and panchromatic images obtained through remote sensing satellites to thousands of researchers and technicians involved in the natural resources survey. To cooperate in the solution of national problems, CNPq/INPE is developing efforts in the area of manipulation of those images with the objective of making them useful as planimetric bases for the simple revision of already published maps or for its utilization as basic material in regions not yet reliability mapped. The results obtained from performed tests are presented and the existing limitations are discussed. The new system purchased to handle data from the next series of LANDSAT as well as from MAPSAT and SPOT which will be in operation within the 80's decade, and are designed not only for natural resources survey but also for the solution of cartographic problems.

Estimating the impact of somatic cell count on the value of milk utilising parameters obtained from the published literature.

PubMed

Geary, Una; Lopez-Villalobos, Nicolas; O'Brien, Bernadette; Garrick, Dorian J; Shalloo, Laurence

2014-05-01

The impact of mastitis on milk value per litre independent of the effect of mastitis on milk volume, was quantified for Ireland using a meta-analysis and a processing sector model. Changes in raw milk composition, cheese processing and composition associated with increased bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) were incorporated into the model. Processing costs and market values were representative of current industry values. It was assumed that as BMSCC increased (i) milk fat and milk protein increased and milk lactose decreased, (ii) fat and protein recoveries decreased, (iii) cheese protein decreased and cheese moisture increased. Five BMSCC categories were examined from ⩽100 000 to >400 000 cells/ml. The analysis showed that as BMSCC increased the production quantities reduced. An increase in BMSCC from 100 000 to >400 000 cells/ml saw a reduction in net revenue of 3·2% per annum (€51·3 million) which corresponded to a reduction in the value of raw milk of €0·0096 cents/l.

Pre-Licensed Nursing Students Rate Professional Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garee, Denise L.

2016-01-01

Ethical decision making of new nurses relies on professional values and moral development obtained during training. This descriptive, comparative study demonstrated the importance values attributed to the items of the Nurses' Professional Values Scale-Revised (Weis & Schank, 2009), by a sample of senior ADN and BSN students from across the…

Obtaining molecular and structural information from 13C-14N systems with 13C FIREMAT experiments.

PubMed

Strohmeier, Mark; Alderman, D W; Grant, David M

2002-04-01

The effect of dipolar coupling to 14N on 13C FIREMAT (five pi replicated magic angle turning) experiments is investigated. A method is developed for fitting the 13C FIREMAT FID employing the full theory to extract the 13C-14N dipolar and 13C chemical shift tensor information. The analysis requires prior knowledge of the electric field gradient (EFG) tensor at the 14N nucleus. In order to validate the method the analysis is done for the amino acids alpha-glycine, gamma-glycine, l-alanine, l-asparagine, and l-histidine on FIREMAT FIDs recorded at 13C frequencies of 50 and 100 MHz. The dipolar and chemical shift data obtained with this analysis are in very good agreement with the previous single-crystal 13C NMR results and neutron diffraction data on alpha-glycine, l-alanine, and l-asparagine. The values for gamma-glycine and l-histidine obtained with this new method are reported for the first time. The uncertainties in the EFG tensor on the resultant 13C chemical shift and dipolar tensor values are assessed. (c) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging using different b-value combinations for the evaluation of treatment results after volumetric MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of uterine fibroids.

PubMed

Ikink, Marlijne E; Voogt, Marianne J; van den Bosch, Maurice A A J; Nijenhuis, Robbert J; Keserci, Bilgin; Kim, Young-sun; Vincken, Koen L; Bartels, Lambertus W

2014-09-01

To assess the value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping using different b-value combinations for treatment evaluation after magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU) of uterine fibroids. Fifty-six patients with 67 uterine fibroids were treated with volumetric MR-HIFU. Pre-treatment and post-treatment images were obtained using contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI (CE-T1WI) and DWI using b = 0, 200, 400, 600, 800 s/mm(2). ADC maps were generated using subsets of b-values to investigate the effects of tissue ablation on water diffusion and perfusion in fibroids treated with MR-HIFU. Four combinations of b-values were used: (1) all b-values; (2) b = 0, 200 s/mm(2); (3) b = 400, 600, 800 s/mm(2); and (4) b = 0, 800 s/mm(2). Using the lowest b-values (0 and 200 s/mm(2)), the mean ADC value in the ablated tissue reduced significantly (p < 0.001) compared with baseline. Calculating the ADC value with the highest b-values (400, 600, 800 s/mm(2)), the ADC increased significantly (p < 0.001) post-treatment. ADC maps calculated with the lowest b-values resulted in the best visual agreement of non-perfused fibroid tissue detected on CE images. Other b-value combinations and normal myometrium showed no difference in ADC after MR-HIFU treatment. A decrease in contrast agent uptake within the ablated region on CE-T1WI was correlated to a significantly decreased ADC when b = 0 and 200 s/mm(2) were used. DWI could be useful for treatment evaluation after MR-HIFU of uterine fibroids. The ADC in fibroid tissue is influenced by the choice of b- values. Low b-values seem the best choice to emphasise perfusion effects after MR-HIFU.

The economic value of an investment in physiotherapy education: a net present value analysis.

PubMed

Rivers, George; Foo, Jonathan; Ilic, Dragan; Nicklen, Peter; Reeves, Scott; Walsh, Kieran; Maloney, Stephen

2015-07-01

What is the economic value for an individual to invest in physiotherapy undergraduate education in Australia? How is this affected by increased education costs or decreased wages? A cost-benefit analysis using a net present value (NPV) approach was conducted and reported in Australian dollars. In relation to physiotherapy education, the NPV represents future earnings as a physiotherapist minus the direct and indirect costs in obtaining the degree. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to consider varying levels of experience, public versus private sector, and domestic versus international student fees. Comparable calculations were made for educational investments in medicine and nursing/midwifery. Assuming an expected discount rate of 9.675%, investment in education by domestic students with approximately 34 years of average work experience yields a NPV estimated at $784,000 for public sector physiotherapists and $815,000 for private sector therapists. In relation to international students, the NPV results for an investment and career as a physiotherapist is estimated at $705,000 in the public sector and $736,000 in the private sector. With an approximate payback period of 4 years, coupled with strong and positive NPV values, physiotherapy education in Australia is a financially attractive prospect and a viable value proposition for those considering a career in this field. Copyright © 2015 Australian Physiotherapy Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 703.11 - Valuing securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) At least monthly, a Federal credit union must determine the fair value of each security it holds. It may determine fair value by obtaining a price quotation on the security from an industry-recognized... supervisory committee or its external auditor must independently assess the reliability of monthly price...

Prediction of anaerobic power values from an abbreviated WAnT protocol.

PubMed

Stickley, Christopher D; Hetzler, Ronald K; Kimura, Iris F

2008-05-01

The traditional 30-second Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) is a widely used anaerobic power assessment protocol. An abbreviated protocol has been shown to decrease the mild to severe physical discomfort often associated with the WAnT. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether a 20-second WAnT protocol could be used to accurately predict power values of a standard 30-second WAnT. In 96 college females, anaerobic power variables were assessed using a standard 30-second WAnT protocol. Maximum power values as well as instantaneous power at 10, 15, and 20 seconds were recorded. Based on these results, stepwise regression analysis was performed to determine the accuracy with which mean power, minimum power, 30-second power, and percentage of fatigue for a standard 30-second WAnT could be predicted from values obtained during the first 20 seconds of testing. Mean power values showed the highest level of predictability (R2 = 0.99) from the 20-second values. Minimum power, 30-second power, and percentage of fatigue also showed high levels of predictability (R2 = 0.91, 0.84, and 0.84, respectively) using only values obtained during the first 20 seconds of the protocol. An abbreviated (20-second) WAnT protocol appears to effectively predict results of a standard 30-second WAnT in college-age females, allowing for comparison of data to published norms. A shortened test may allow for a decrease in unwanted side effects associated with the traditional WAnT protocol.

Image enhancement by spatial frequency post-processing of images obtained with pupil filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estévez, Irene; Escalera, Juan C.; Stefano, Quimey Pears; Iemmi, Claudio; Ledesma, Silvia; Yzuel, María J.; Campos, Juan

2016-12-01

The use of apodizing or superresolving filters improves the performance of an optical system in different frequency bands. This improvement can be seen as an increase in the OTF value compared to the OTF for the clear aperture. In this paper we propose a method to enhance the contrast of an image in both its low and its high frequencies. The method is based on the generation of a synthetic Optical Transfer Function, by multiplexing the OTFs given by the use of different non-uniform transmission filters on the pupil. We propose to capture three images, one obtained with a clear pupil, one obtained with an apodizing filter that enhances the low frequencies and another one taken with a superresolving filter that improves the high frequencies. In the Fourier domain the three spectra are combined by using smoothed passband filters, and then the inverse transform is performed. We show that we can create an enhanced image better than the image obtained with the clear aperture. To evaluate the performance of the method, bar tests (sinusoidal tests) with different frequency content are used. The results show that a contrast improvement in the high and low frequencies is obtained.

Analysis of Meteorological Data Obtained During Flight in a Supercooled Stratiform Cloud of High Liquid-Water Content

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, Porter J.; Kline, Dwight B.

1951-01-01

Flight icing-rate data obtained in a dense and. abnormally deep supercooled stratiform cloud system indicated the existence of liquid-water contents generally exceeding values in amount and extent previously reported over the midwestern sections of the United States. Additional information obtained during descent through a part of the cloud system indicated liquid-water contents that significantly exceeded theoretical values, especially near the middle of the cloud layer.. The growth of cloud droplets to sizes that resulted in sedimentation from the upper portions of the cloud is considered to be a possible cause of the high water contents near the center of the cloud layer. Flight measurements of the vertical temperature distribution in the cloud layer indicated a rate of change of temperature with altitude exceeding that of the moist adiabatic lapse rate. This excessive rate of change is considered to have contributed to the severity of the condition.

Effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices: Results from an experimental trial

PubMed Central

Harnack, Lisa J; French, Simone A; Oakes, J Michael; Story, Mary T; Jeffery, Robert W; Rydell, Sarah A

2008-01-01

Background Although point-of-purchase calorie labeling at restaurants has been proposed as a strategy for improving consumer food choices, a limited number of studies have evaluated this approach. Likewise, little research has been conducted to evaluate the influence of value size pricing on restaurant meal choices. Methods To examine the effect of point-of-purchase calorie information and value size pricing on fast food meal choices a randomized 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted in which participants ordered a fast food meal from one of four menus that varied with respect to whether calorie information was provided and whether value size pricing was used. Study participants included 594 adolescents and adults who regularly ate at fast food restaurants. Study staff recorded the foods ordered and consumed by each participant. Participants also completed surveys to assess attitudes, beliefs and practices related to fast food and nutrition. Results No significant differences in the energy composition of meals ordered or eaten were found between menu conditions. The average energy content of meals ordered by those randomized to a menu that included calorie information and did not include value size pricing was 842 kcals compared with 827 kcals for those who ordered their meal from a menu that did not include calorie information but had value size pricing (control menu). Results were similar in most analyses conducted stratified by factors such as age, race and education level. Conclusion Additional research is needed to better evaluate the effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices. Studies in which participants are repeatedly exposed to these factors are needed since long term exposure may be required for behavior change. PMID:19061510

Critical values in hematology of 862 institutions in China.

PubMed

Ye, Y Y; Zhao, H J; Fei, Y; Wang, W; He, F L; Zhong, K; Yuan, S; Wang, Z G

2017-10-01

A national survey on critical values in hematology of China laboratories was conducted to determine the current practice and assess the quality indicators so as to obtain a quality improvement. Laboratories participating were asked to submit the general information, the practice of critical value reporting, and the status of timeliness of critical value reporting. A total of 862 laboratories submitted the results. The majority of participants have included white blood cell count, blood platelet count, hemoglobin, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time in their critical value lists. Many sources are used for establishing a critical value policy, and some of the laboratories consult with clinicians. The unreported critical value rate, late critical value reporting rate, and clinically unacknowledged rate in China are relatively low, and the median of critical value reporting time is 8-9 minutes. There exists a wide variety for critical value reporting in hematology in China. Laboratories should establish a policy of critical value reporting suited for their own situations and consult with clinicians to set critical value lists. Critical values are generally reported in a timely manner in China, but some measures should be taken to further improve the timeliness of critical value reporting. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interpersonal Values and Academic Performance Related to Delinquent Behaviors

PubMed Central

Molero Jurado, María Del Mar; Pérez Fuentes, María Del Carmen; Luque De La Rosa, Antonio; Martos Martínez, África; Barragán Martín, Ana Belén; Simón Márquez, María del Mar

2016-01-01

The present study analyzes the relation between delinquent behaviors, interpersonal values, and academic performance. It also analyzes the possible protective function of interpersonal values against delinquent behaviors. The Interpersonal Values Questionnaire (IVQ) was used to assess interpersonal values, and the Antisocial-Delinquent Behaviors Questionnaire (A-D) was employed to assess antisocial behaviors. The sample was made up of 885 students of Compulsory Secondary Education, aged from 14 to 17 years. The results show that individuals who fail a subject as well as those who repeat a course present higher means in delinquent behaviors. Repeaters present higher means in the values of recognition and leadership, and non-repeaters in the value stimulation, whereas students who do not fail obtain higher scores in the value benevolence. Students with high levels of recognition, independence, and leadership, as well as students with low levels of conformity and benevolence display significantly higher levels of delinquent behaviors. Lastly, the probability of presenting a high level of delinquent behaviors is greater in individuals with: high independence, high leadership, high recognition, low benevolence, and low conformity. PMID:27799914

Obtaining of caffeine from Turkish tea fiber and stalk wastes.

PubMed

Gürü, M; Içen, H

2004-08-01

The aim of this study was to find a cheap method to obtain caffeine. Experiments were performed on fiber and stalk wastes of Turkish tea plants that had no economical value other than being used merely as low grade fuel and fodder. Tea stalks and fiber were obtained from tea factories. Parameters affecting caffeine extraction from tea wastes were determined to be, mixing rate, water/tea ratio, temperature, time and particle size. The maximum yields by dried mass from the tea fibers and stalks were 1.16% and 0.92%, respectively.

[Value(s)].

PubMed

Vanbelle, G

2006-01-01

After a short explanation of the word value, the (cultural) value of teeth, the economic evaluation of dentistry and the payment criteria are being presented. The specific situation of health care as a service which deviates in quite a few aspects from the standard demand-supply model is being pointed out. Attention is drawn to key characteristics of the liberal professions such as the obligation to perform to the best of one's ability, not to a specific result. Function classification appears to offer possibilities for cataloguing the wide variation in practice settings. The well-known wage calculation of Professor De Lembre is being reviewed. Subsequently the analysis of cost variation and induced demand by extra services and profile shaping is being elaborated. Cost-benefit-analysis is the concluding item.

Synchronization stability of memristor-based complex-valued neural networks with time delays.

PubMed

Liu, Dan; Zhu, Song; Ye, Er

2017-12-01

This paper focuses on the dynamical property of a class of memristor-based complex-valued neural networks (MCVNNs) with time delays. By constructing the appropriate Lyapunov functional and utilizing the inequality technique, sufficient conditions are proposed to guarantee exponential synchronization of the coupled systems based on drive-response concept. The proposed results are very easy to verify, and they also extend some previous related works on memristor-based real-valued neural networks. Meanwhile, the obtained sufficient conditions of this paper may be conducive to qualitative analysis of some complex-valued nonlinear delayed systems. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our theoretical results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Value engineering on the designed operator work tools for brick and rings wells production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayu Bidiawati J., R.; Muchtiar, Yesmizarti; Wariza, Ragil Okta

2017-06-01

Operator working tools in making brick and ring wells were designed and made, and the value engineering was calculated to identify and develop the function of these tools in obtaining the balance between cost, reliability and appearance. This study focused on the value of functional components of the tools and attempted to increase the difference between the costs incurred by the generated values. The purpose of this study was to determine the alternatives of tools design and to determine the performance of each alternative. The technique was developed using FAST method that consisted of five stages: information, creative, analytical, development and presentation stage. The results of the analysis concluded that the designed tools have higher value and better function description. There were four alternative draft improvements for operator working tools. The best alternative was determined based on the rank by using matrix evaluation. Best performance was obtained by the alternative II, amounting to 98.92 with a value of 0.77.

Characterisation of Aronia powders obtained by different drying processes.

PubMed

Horszwald, Anna; Julien, Heritier; Andlauer, Wilfried

2013-12-01

Nowadays, food industry is facing challenges connected with the preservation of the highest possible quality of fruit products obtained after processing. Attention has been drawn to Aronia fruits due to numerous health promoting properties of their products. However, processing of Aronia, like other berries, leads to difficulties that stem from the preparation process, as well as changes in the composition of bioactive compounds. Consequently, in this study, Aronia commercial juice was subjected to different drying techniques: spray drying, freeze drying and vacuum drying with the temperature range of 40-80 °C. All powders obtained had a high content of total polyphenols. Powders gained by spray drying had the highest values which corresponded to a high content of total flavonoids, total monomeric anthocyanins, cyaniding-3-glucoside and total proanthocyanidins. Analysis of the results exhibited a correlation between selected bioactive compounds and their antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, drying techniques have an impact on selected quality parameters, and different drying techniques cause changes in the content of bioactives analysed. Spray drying can be recommended for preservation of bioactives in Aronia products. Powder quality depends mainly on the process applied and parameters chosen. Therefore, Aronia powders production should be adapted to the requirements and design of the final product. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A direct method for computing extreme value (Gumbel) parameters for gapped biological sequence alignments.

PubMed

Quinn, Terrance; Sinkala, Zachariah

2014-01-01

We develop a general method for computing extreme value distribution (Gumbel, 1958) parameters for gapped alignments. Our approach uses mixture distribution theory to obtain associated BLOSUM matrices for gapped alignments, which in turn are used for determining significance of gapped alignment scores for pairs of biological sequences. We compare our results with parameters already obtained in the literature.

Working harder to obtain more snack foods when wanting to eat less.

PubMed

Giesen, Janneke C A H; Havermans, Remco C; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Strafaci, Silvana; Jansen, Anita

2009-01-01

This study investigates individual differences in the reinforcing value of snack food. More specifically, it was investigated whether differences in restraint status are associated with differences in working for high-caloric snack food. Thirty-six unrestrained non-dieters, twenty restrained non-dieters and fifteen current dieters performed a concurrent schedules task in which they had the option to work for points for either snack food or fruit and vegetables. By progressively increasing the "price" of the snack foods (i.e., the amount of work required to obtain extra snack points) the relative reinforcing value of snack food was determined. As hypothesized, restrained non-dieters worked harder and current dieters worked less hard to obtain snack food as compared to unrestrained non-dieters.

Characterization and obtainment of phosphate rock concentrates of Turmequé, Boyacá

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanguña, S. Quijano; Lozano Gómez, L. F.; Pineda Triana, Y.

2017-12-01

The work focuses on the use and exploitation of the mineral concentrates from phosphate rock (PR) coming from mines with a low percentage of phosphorus. The procedure was based on the collection of a source of phosphate rock from the department of Boyacá (municipality of Turmequé), using a randomized design with three replications. The samples were initially milled and sifted using meshes between 140 and 200 US standard, homogenizing them and improving the process of solubility of the phosphorus in the soil. We conduced Z-potential tests, which show that by performing a prior wash on the mineral and maintaining certain concentrations and pH defined, better results are achieved in terms of the buoyancy of the particles in the flotation process. The results obtained from the microflotation tests; both direct and inverse, and the results of chemical composition, with X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), before and after the microflotation process, were carried out to obtain of commercial laws grade phosphate rock concentrate, confirm that the protocol used increases by 9% the value of total phosphorus in the collected sample. These concentrates from phosphate rock, could be used in the future for the attainment of simple superphosphate (SSP), with the help of sulphuric acid and ammonium thiosulphate mixtures.

The Value of Heterogeneity for Cost-Effectiveness Subgroup Analysis

PubMed Central

Manca, Andrea; Claxton, Karl; Sculpher, Mark J.

2014-01-01

This article develops a general framework to guide the use of subgroup cost-effectiveness analysis for decision making in a collectively funded health system. In doing so, it addresses 2 key policy questions, namely, the identification and selection of subgroups, while distinguishing 2 sources of potential value associated with heterogeneity. These are 1) the value of revealing the factors associated with heterogeneity in costs and outcomes using existing evidence (static value) and 2) the value of acquiring further subgroup-related evidence to resolve the uncertainty given the current understanding of heterogeneity (dynamic value). Consideration of these 2 sources of value can guide subgroup-specific treatment decisions and inform whether further research should be conducted to resolve uncertainty to explain variability in costs and outcomes. We apply the proposed methods to a cost-effectiveness analysis for the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome. This study presents the expected net benefits under current and perfect information when subgroups are defined based on the use and combination of 6 binary covariates. The results of the case study confirm the theoretical expectations. As more subgroups are considered, the marginal net benefit gains obtained under the current information show diminishing marginal returns, and the expected value of perfect information shows a decreasing trend. We present a suggested algorithm that synthesizes the results to guide policy. PMID:24944196

12 CFR 703.11 - Valuing securities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Valuing securities. 703.11 Section 703.11 Banks... DEPOSIT ACTIVITIES § 703.11 Valuing securities. (a) Before purchasing or selling a security, a Federal credit union must obtain either price quotations on the security from at least two broker-dealers or a...

Health professionals' use of documents obtained through the Regional Medical Library Network.

PubMed

Lovas, I; Graham, E; Flack, V

1991-01-01

The Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library Service (PSRMLS) studied how health professionals use documents obtained through the regional medical library (RML) network and how various factors, such as delivery time, affected that use. A random sample of libraries in Region 7 of the RML network was selected to survey health professionals who had received documents through the interlibrary loan (ILL) network. The survey provided data about the purposes for which health professionals requested documents, how the immediacy of need for the items affected their usefulness, what effect the obtained information had on the health professionals' work, and whether the illustrations represented an important part of the information content of the items. Survey results provided a positive assessment of the ILL network. Results also verified the basic value of the materials provided to health professionals through ILL and identified some areas for consideration in future network development. Users of the documents indicated that the network works efficiently and effectively to provide timely and useful information needed by health professionals. Technological developments in electronic information transmission and imaging will further enhance network operation in the future.

[Full blood count reference values in children of 8 to 12 years old residing at 2,760 m above sea level].

PubMed

Armando García-Miranda, L; Contreras, I; Estrada, J A

2014-04-01

To determine reference values for full blood count parameters in a population of children 8 to 12 years old, living at an altitude of 2760 m above sea level. Our sample consisted of 102 individuals on whom a full blood count was performed. The parameters included: total number of red blood cells, platelets, white cells, and a differential count (millions/μl and %) of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. Additionally, we obtained values for hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, concentration of corpuscular hemoglobin and red blood cell distribution width. The results were statistically analyzed with a non-parametric test, to divide the sample in quartiles and obtain the lower and upper limits for our intervals. Moreover, the values for the intervals obtained from this analysis were compared to intervals obtained estimating+- 2 standard deviations above and below from our mean values. Our results showed significant differences compared to normal interval values reported for the adult Mexican population in most of the parameters studied. The full blood count is an important laboratory test used routinely for the initial assessment of a patient. Values of full blood counts in healthy individuals vary according to gender, age and geographic location; therefore, each population should have its own reference values. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Predictive models of alcohol use based on attitudes and individual values.

PubMed

García del Castillo Rodríguez, José A; López-Sánchez, Carmen; Quiles Soler, M Carmen; García del Castillo-López, Alvaro; Gázquez Pertusa, Mónica; Marzo Campos, Juan Carlos; Inglés, Candido J

2013-01-01

Two predictive models are developed in this article: the first is designed to predict people's attitudes to alcoholic drinks, while the second sets out to predict the use of alcohol in relation to selected individual values. University students (N = 1,500) were recruited through stratified sampling based on sex and academic discipline. The questionnaire used obtained information on participants' alcohol use, attitudes and personal values. The results show that the attitudes model correctly classifies 76.3% of cases. Likewise, the model for level of alcohol use correctly classifies 82% of cases. According to our results, we can conclude that there are a series of individual values that influence drinking and attitudes to alcohol use, which therefore provides us with a potentially powerful instrument for developing preventive intervention programs.

Serum free light chain reference values: a critical approach.

PubMed

Altinier, Sara; Seguso, Mara; Zaninotto, Martina; Varagnolo, Mariacristina; Adami, Fausto; Angeli, Paolo; Plebani, Mario

2013-05-01

The clinical usefulness of serum free light chain (FLC) measurement in the management of patients with plasma cell proliferative disorders has been reported in several papers, and most clinical studies use the reference ranges declared by the manufacturer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reproducibility of FLCs immunoassay and to validate the reference range, before introducing it in routine setting. Internal quality control materials and a pool of fresh serum samples were used to evaluate imprecision; 162 fresh sera from healthy blood donors were analyzed to evaluate the reference range for FLCs. In order to verify the κ/λ FLC ratio, 43 sera from patients with polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia were tested. The FLC immunoassay was performed using a nephelometer with the Freelite reagents. The imprecision studies performed using a serum pool tested with two different lots of reagents showed a mean CV of 16.09% for κFLC and of 16.72% for λFLC. Lower CV%s and different mean values were found by calculating the results from each specific lot separately, while different results were obtained using the control materials provided by the manufacturer. In reference subjects, the 2.5-97.5th percentiles were found to be 4.52-22.33 and 4.84-21.88mg/L for κFLC and λFLC, respectively. The range for κ/λ ratio (0.65-2.36) was validated with the values obtained from subjects with polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia. In retesting 15 samples from blood donor subjects with a different lot of reagents, mean bias percentages of 17.60 for κFLC and 15.26 for λFLC were obtained. These findings confirm the lot-to-lot variability of the FLC assays also in the measurement of polyclonal light chains, as well as the need to carefully validate the reference values. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Fox and the Grapes-How Physical Constraints Affect Value Based Decision Making.

PubMed

Gross, Jörg; Woelbert, Eva; Strobel, Martin

2015-01-01

One fundamental question in decision making research is how humans compute the values that guide their decisions. Recent studies showed that people assign higher value to goods that are closer to them, even when physical proximity should be irrelevant for the decision from a normative perspective. This phenomenon, however, seems reasonable from an evolutionary perspective. Most foraging decisions of animals involve the trade-off between the value that can be obtained and the associated effort of obtaining. Anticipated effort for physically obtaining a good could therefore affect the subjective value of this good. In this experiment, we test this hypothesis by letting participants state their subjective value for snack food while the effort that would be incurred when reaching for it was manipulated. Even though reaching was not required in the experiment, we find that willingness to pay was significantly lower when subjects wore heavy wristbands on their arms. Thus, when reaching was more difficult, items were perceived as less valuable. Importantly, this was only the case when items were physically in front of the participants but not when items were presented as text on a computer screen. Our results suggest automatic interactions of motor and valuation processes which are unexplored to this date and may account for irrational decisions that occur when reward is particularly easy to reach.

The Fox and the Grapes—How Physical Constraints Affect Value Based Decision Making

PubMed Central

Strobel, Martin

2015-01-01

One fundamental question in decision making research is how humans compute the values that guide their decisions. Recent studies showed that people assign higher value to goods that are closer to them, even when physical proximity should be irrelevant for the decision from a normative perspective. This phenomenon, however, seems reasonable from an evolutionary perspective. Most foraging decisions of animals involve the trade-off between the value that can be obtained and the associated effort of obtaining. Anticipated effort for physically obtaining a good could therefore affect the subjective value of this good. In this experiment, we test this hypothesis by letting participants state their subjective value for snack food while the effort that would be incurred when reaching for it was manipulated. Even though reaching was not required in the experiment, we find that willingness to pay was significantly lower when subjects wore heavy wristbands on their arms. Thus, when reaching was more difficult, items were perceived as less valuable. Importantly, this was only the case when items were physically in front of the participants but not when items were presented as text on a computer screen. Our results suggest automatic interactions of motor and valuation processes which are unexplored to this date and may account for irrational decisions that occur when reward is particularly easy to reach. PMID:26061087

Crack Free Tungsten Carbide Reinforced Ni(Cr) Layers obtained by Laser Cladding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amado, J. M.; Tobar, M. J.; Yáñez, A.; Amigó, V.; Candel, J. J.

The development of hardfacing coatings has become technologically significant in many industries A common approach is the production of metal matrix composites (MMC) layers. In this work NiCr-WC MMC hardfacing layers are deposited on C25 steel by means of laser cladding. Spheroidal fused tungsten carbides is used as reinforcement phase. Three different NiCr alloys with different Cr content were tested. Optimum conditions to obtain dense, uniform carbide distribution and hardness close to nominal values were defined. The effect of Cr content respect to the microstructure, susceptibility for cracking and the wear rate of the resulting coating will also be discussed.

Assessing and Communicating the Value of Biomedical Research: Results From a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Guthrie, Susan; Krapels, Joachim; Adams, Alexandra; Alberti, Philip; Bonham, Ann; Garrod, Bryn; Esmond, Sarah; Scott, Caitlin; Cochrane, Gavin; Wooding, Steven

2017-10-01

Assessing the impact of research requires an approach that is sensitive both to the context of the research and the perspective of the stakeholders trying to understand its benefits. Here, the authors report on a pilot that applied such an approach to research conducted at the Collaborative Center for Health Equity (CCHE) of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. The pilot assessed the academic impact of CCHE's work; the networks between CCHE and community partners; and the reach of CCHE's programs, including an attempt to estimate return on investment (ROI). Data included bibliometrics, findings from a stakeholder survey and in-depth interviews, and financial figures. The pilot illustrated how CCHE programs increase the capacity of community partners to advocate for their communities and engage with researchers to ensure that research benefits the community. The results illustrate the reach of CCHE's programs into the community. The authors produced an estimate of the ROI for one CCHE program targeting childhood obesity, and values ranged from negative to positive. The authors experienced challenges using novel assessment techniques at a small scale including the lack of comparator groups and the scarcity of cost data for estimating ROI. This pilot demonstrated the value of research from a variety of perspectives-from academic to community. It illustrates how metrics beyond grant income and publications can capture the outputs of an academic health center in a way that may better align with the aims of the center and stakeholders.

Patient-perceived changes in the system of values after cancer diagnosis.

PubMed

Greszta, Elżbieta; Siemińska, Maria J

2011-03-01

A cross-sectional study investigated changes in patients' value systems following a diagnosis of cancer. Fifty patients at 1 to 6 months following cancer diagnosis, were asked to compare their current values with their recollection of past values. Using the Rokeach Value Survey we obtained statistically significant results showing that twenty-seven out of thirty-six values changed their importance from the patients' perspective: 16 values significantly increased, while 11 values significantly decreased in importance. Changes with respect to nine values were insignificant. We indentified clusters of values increasing in importance the most: Religious morality (Salvation, Forgiving, Helpful, Clean), Personal orientation (Self-Respect, True Friendship, Happiness), Self-constriction (Self-Controlled, Obedient, Honest), Family security (Family Security, Responsible), and Delayed gratification (Wisdom, Inner Harmony). We also observed that the following value clusters decreased in importance: Immediate gratification (An Exciting Life, Pleasure, A Comfortable Life); Self-expansion (Capable, Ambitious, Broadminded), Competence (A Sense of Accomplishment, Imaginative, Intellectual). The remaining values belonged to clusters that as a group changed slightly or not at all. Practical implications of the study are discussed.

Mapping Bone Mineral Density Obtained by Quantitative Computed Tomography to Bone Volume Fraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pennline, James A.; Mulugeta, Lealem

2017-01-01

Methods for relating or mapping estimates of volumetric Bone Mineral Density (vBMD) obtained by Quantitative Computed Tomography to Bone Volume Fraction (BVF) are outlined mathematically. The methods are based on definitions of bone properties, cited experimental studies and regression relations derived from them for trabecular bone in the proximal femur. Using an experimental range of values in the intertrochanteric region obtained from male and female human subjects, age 18 to 49, the BVF values calculated from four different methods were compared to the experimental average and numerical range. The BVF values computed from the conversion method used data from two sources. One source provided pre bed rest vBMD values in the intertrochanteric region from 24 bed rest subject who participated in a 70 day study. Another source contained preflight vBMD values from 18 astronauts who spent 4 to 6 months on the ISS. To aid the use of a mapping from BMD to BVF, the discussion includes how to formulate them for purpose of computational modeling. An application of the conversions would be used to aid in modeling of time varying changes in vBMD as it relates to changes in BVF via bone remodeling and/or modeling.

Value System Changes by Students as Result of Media Ethics Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Surlin, Stuart H.

1987-01-01

Investigates the values of mass communication students before and after undergoing formal training in mass media ethics. Claims that at the conclusion of the course students had adopted ethical mass media attitudes which incorporate a personal acceptance of democratic principles and a belief in equal rights for all. (MM)

Communication in Medicine: A Study of How Family Doctors Obtain Information on Recent Advances in the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray-Lyon, N.

1977-01-01

The results of a questionnaire on how 131 family doctors in Glasgow and the West of Scotland obtain information regarding recent advances are described, indicating that medical journals and formal lectures and symposia are still popular. Tape/slide and television presentations were not considered of much value. (Author/LBH)

Methods to obtain protein concentrates from jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) and evaluation of their functionality.

PubMed

Galvez-Rongel, A; Ezquerra-Brauer, J M; Ocano-Higuera, V M; Ramirez-Wong, B; Torres-Arreola, W; Rouzaud-Sandez, O; Marquez-Rios, E

2014-03-01

Jumbo squid is an important fishery resource in Mexico, and its muscle is lean and white and it has a very low price in the market. It is abundant, but with little or nothing added value, therefore is necessary to search alternatives of processing. Due to muscle characteristics, the aim of this study was to obtain protein concentrates using different methods. They were obtained by means of acidic (acid protein concentrates) and alkaline (alkaline protein concentrates) dissolution. Moreover, a protein concentrate was obtained by direct isoelectric precipitation and by the traditional method (neutral protein concentrates). The yield with better results was alkaline protein concentrates (63.58 ± 1.8%). The gel hardness was significantly different (p < 0.05), especially for the alkaline protein concentrates. The acid protein concentrates, isoelectric precipitation and alkaline protein concentrates were better with regard to the neutral protein concentrates, concerning the emulsifying and foaming properties. The protein concentrates by means of alkaline dissolution gave a better gelling property, but all the processes had the potential to obtain protein with emulsifying and foaming properties.

9 CFR 439.10 - Criteria for obtaining accreditation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... absolute value of the average standardized difference must not exceed the following: (i) For food chemistry... samples must be less than 5.0. A result will have a large deviation measure equal to zero when the absolute value of the result's standardized difference, (d), is less than 2.5 and otherwise a measure equal...

9 CFR 439.10 - Criteria for obtaining accreditation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... absolute value of the average standardized difference must not exceed the following: (i) For food chemistry... samples must be less than 5.0. A result will have a large deviation measure equal to zero when the absolute value of the result's standardized difference, (d), is less than 2.5 and otherwise a measure equal...

9 CFR 439.10 - Criteria for obtaining accreditation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... absolute value of the average standardized difference must not exceed the following: (i) For food chemistry... samples must be less than 5.0. A result will have a large deviation measure equal to zero when the absolute value of the result's standardized difference, (d), is less than 2.5 and otherwise a measure equal...

9 CFR 439.10 - Criteria for obtaining accreditation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... absolute value of the average standardized difference must not exceed the following: (i) For food chemistry... samples must be less than 5.0. A result will have a large deviation measure equal to zero when the absolute value of the result's standardized difference, (d), is less than 2.5 and otherwise a measure equal...

9 CFR 439.10 - Criteria for obtaining accreditation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... absolute value of the average standardized difference must not exceed the following: (i) For food chemistry... samples must be less than 5.0. A result will have a large deviation measure equal to zero when the absolute value of the result's standardized difference, (d), is less than 2.5 and otherwise a measure equal...

FLUID: A numerical interpolation procedure for obtaining thermodynamic and transport properties of fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fessler, T. E.

1977-01-01

A computer program subroutine, FLUID, was developed to calculate thermodynamic and transport properties of pure fluid substances. It provides for determining the thermodynamic state from assigned values for temperature-density, pressure-density, temperature-pressure, pressure-entropy, or pressure-enthalpy. Liquid or two-phase (liquid-gas) conditions are considered as well as the gas phase. A van der Waals model is used to obtain approximate state values; these values are then corrected for real gas effects by model-correction factors obtained from tables based on experimental data. Saturation conditions, specific heat, entropy, and enthalpy data are included in the tables for each gas. Since these tables are external to the FLUID subroutine itself, FLUID can implement any gas for which a set of tables has been generated. (A setup phase is used to establish pointers dynamically to the tables for a specific gas.) Data-table preparation is described. FLUID is available in both SFTRAN and FORTRAN

An iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions, Addendum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, B. C., Jr.; Walker, H. F.

1975-01-01

New results and insights concerning a previously published iterative procedure for obtaining maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters for a mixture of normal distributions were discussed. It was shown that the procedure converges locally to the consistent maximum likelihood estimate as long as a specified parameter is bounded between two limits. Bound values were given to yield optimal local convergence.

Health significance and statistical uncertainty. The value of P-value.

PubMed

Consonni, Dario; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto

2017-10-27

The P-value is widely used as a summary statistics of scientific results. Unfortunately, there is a widespread tendency to dichotomize its value in "P<0.05" (defined as "statistically significant") and "P>0.05" ("statistically not significant"), with the former implying a "positive" result and the latter a "negative" one. To show the unsuitability of such an approach when evaluating the effects of environmental and occupational risk factors. We provide examples of distorted use of P-value and of the negative consequences for science and public health of such a black-and-white vision. The rigid interpretation of P-value as a dichotomy favors the confusion between health relevance and statistical significance, discourages thoughtful thinking, and distorts attention from what really matters, the health significance. A much better way to express and communicate scientific results involves reporting effect estimates (e.g., risks, risks ratios or risk differences) and their confidence intervals (CI), which summarize and convey both health significance and statistical uncertainty. Unfortunately, many researchers do not usually consider the whole interval of CI but only examine if it includes the null-value, therefore degrading this procedure to the same P-value dichotomy (statistical significance or not). In reporting statistical results of scientific research present effects estimates with their confidence intervals and do not qualify the P-value as "significant" or "not significant".

Entanglement and Weak Values: A Quantum Miracle Cookbook

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botero, Alonso

The concept of the weak value has proved to be a powerful and operationally grounded framework for the assignment of physical properties to a quantum system at any given time. More importantly, this framework has allowed us to identify a whole range of surprising quantum effects, or "miracles", which are readily testable but which lie buried "under the noise" when the results of measurements are not post-selected. In all cases, these miracles have to do with the fact that weak values can take values lying outside the conventional ranges of quantum expectation values. We explore the extent to which such miracles are possible within the weak value framework. As we show, given appropriate initial and final states, it is generally possible to produce any set of weak values that is consistent with the linearity of weak values, provided that the states are entangled states of the system with some external ancillary system. Through a simple constructive proof, we obtain a recipe for arbitrary quantum miracles, and give examples of some interesting applications. In particular, we show how the classical description of an infinitely-localized point in phase-space is contained in the weak-value framework augmented by quantum entanglement. [Editor's note: for a video of the talk given by Prof. Botero at the Aharonov-80 conference in 2012 at Chapman University, see http://quantum.chapman.edu/talk-27.

The reliability and validity of a three-camera foot image system for obtaining foot anthropometrics.

PubMed

O'Meara, Damien; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; Hunt, Adrienne; Smith, Richard

2010-08-01

The purpose was to develop a foot image capture and measurement system with web cameras (the 3-FIS) to provide reliable and valid foot anthropometric measures with efficiency comparable to that of the conventional method of using a handheld anthropometer. Eleven foot measures were obtained from 10 subjects using both methods. Reliability of each method was determined over 3 consecutive days using the intraclass correlation coefficient and root mean square error (RMSE). Reliability was excellent for both the 3-FIS and the handheld anthropometer for the same 10 variables, and good for the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint height. The RMSE values over 3 days ranged from 0.9 to 2.2 mm for the handheld anthropometer, and from 0.8 to 3.6 mm for the 3-FIS. The RMSE values between the 3-FIS and the handheld anthropometer were between 2.3 and 7.4 mm. The 3-FIS required less time to collect and obtain the final variables than the handheld anthropometer. The 3-FIS provided accurate and reproducible results for each of the foot variables and in less time than the conventional approach of a handheld anthropometer.

Work Values, Early Career Difficulties, and the U.S. Economic Recession

PubMed Central

Johnson, Monica Kirkpatrick; Sage, Rayna Amber; Mortimer, Jeylan T.

2012-01-01

We examine how work difficulties in the early career, and the generally deteriorating work conditions associated with the recent U.S. economic recession, shape individuals’ work values. Drawing on panel data from the Youth Development Study, we test whether individuals change their work values in response to concerns about satisfying material needs or the features of jobs that they are able to attain. Results indicate that extrinsic values are weakened in the face of unemployment, as well as reduced job security, income, and advancement. These patterns support a reinforcement and accentuation model in which workers adjust their values to emphasize what they actually obtain from the job. Intrinsic values are weakened by working in a job unrelated to one’s career plans; they are reinforced by the experience of greater intrinsic rewards and advancement opportunities. PMID:23503050

Characterisation of transition state structures for protein folding using ‘high’, ‘medium’ and ‘low’ Φ-values

PubMed Central

Geierhaas, Christian D.; Salvatella, Xavier; Clarke, Jane; Vendruscolo, Michele

2008-01-01

It has been suggested that Φ-values, which allow structural information about transition states (TSs) for protein folding to be obtained, are most reliably interpreted when divided into three classes (high, medium and low). High Φ-values indicate almost completely folded regions in the TS, intermediate Φ-values regions with a detectable amount of structure and low Φ-values indicate mostly unstructured regions. To explore the extent to which this classification can be used to characterise in detail the structure of TSs for protein folding, we used Φ-values divided into these classes as restraints in molecular dynamics simulations. This type of procedure is related to that used in NMR spectroscopy to define the structure of native proteins from the measurement of inter-proton distances derived from nuclear Overhauser effects. We illustrate this approach by determining the TS ensembles of five proteins and by showing that the results are similar to those obtained by using as restraints the actual numerical Φ-values measured experimentally. Our results indicate that the simultaneous consideration of a set of low-resolution Φ-values can provide sufficient information for characterising the architecture of a TS for folding of a protein. PMID:18299294

Comparison of NDVI fields obtained from different remote sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escribano Rodriguez, Juan; Alonso, Carmelo; Tarquis, Ana Maria; Benito, Rosa Maria; Hernandez Díaz-Ambrona, Carlos

2013-04-01

Satellite image data have become an important source of information for monitoring vegetation and mapping land cover at several scales. Beside this, the distribution and phenology of vegetation is largely associated with climate, terrain characteristics and human activity. Various vegetation indices have been developed for qualitative and quantitative assessment of vegetation using remote spectral measurements. In particular, sensors with spectral bands in the red (RED) and near-infrared (NIR) lend themselves well to vegetation monitoring and based on them [(NIR - RED) / (NIR + RED)] Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) has been widespread used. Given that the characteristics of spectral bands in RED and NIR vary distinctly from sensor to sensor, NDVI values based on data from different instruments will not be directly comparable. The spatial resolution also varies significantly between sensors, as well as within a given scene in the case of wide-angle and oblique sensors. As a result, NDVI values will vary according to combinations of the heterogeneity and scale of terrestrial surfaces and pixel footprint sizes. Therefore, the question arises as to the impact of differences in spectral and spatial resolutions on vegetation indices like the NDVI and their interpretation as a drought index. During 2012 three locations (at Salamanca, Granada and Córdoba) were selected and a periodic pasture monitoring and botanic composition were achieved. Daily precipitation, temperature and monthly soil water content were measurement as well as fresh and dry pasture weight. At the same time, remote sensing images were capture by DEIMOS-1 and MODIS of the chosen places. DEIMOS-1 is based on the concept Microsat-100 from Surrey. It is conceived for obtaining Earth images with a good enough resolution to study the terrestrial vegetation cover (20x20 m), although with a great range of visual field (600 km) in order to obtain those images with high temporal resolution and at a

The value of urban open space: meta-analyses of contingent valuation and hedonic pricing results.

PubMed

Brander, Luke M; Koetse, Mark J

2011-10-01

Urban open space provides a number of valuable services to urban populations, including recreational opportunities, aesthetic enjoyment, environmental functions, and may also be associated with existence values. In separate meta-analyses of the contingent valuation (CV) and hedonic pricing (HP) literature we examine which physical, socio-economic, and study characteristics determine the value of open space. The dependent variable in the CV meta-regression is defined as the value of open space per hectare per year in 2003 US$, and in the HP model as the percentage change in house price for a 10 m decrease in distance to open space. Using a multi-level modelling approach we find in both the CV and HP analyses that there is a positive and significant relationship between the value of urban open space and population density, indicating that scarcity and crowdedness matter, and that the value of open space does not vary significantly with income. Further, urban parks are more highly valued than other types of urban open space (forests, agricultural and undeveloped land) and methodological differences in study design have a large influence on estimated values from both CV and HP. We also find important regional differences in preferences for urban open space, which suggests that the potential for transferring estimated values between regions is likely to be limited. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Demand for health care in Denmark: results of a national sample survey using contingent valuation.

PubMed

Gyldmark, M; Morrison, G C

2001-10-01

In this paper we use willingness to pay (WTP) to elicit values for private insurance covering treatment for four different health problems. By way of obtaining these values, we test the viability of the contingent valuation method (CVM) and econometric techniques, respectively, as means of eliciting and analysing values from the general public. WTP responses from a Danish national sample survey, which was designed in accordance with existing guidelines, are analysed in terms of consistency and validity checks. Large numbers of zero responses are common in WTP studies, and are found here; therefore, the Heckman selectivity model and log-transformed OLS are employed. The selectivity model is rejected, but test results indicate that the lognormal model yields efficient and unbiased estimates. The results give confidence in the WTP estimates obtained and, more generally, in CVM as a means of valuing publicly provided goods and in econometrics as a tool for analysing WTP results containing many zero responses.

Imaging b-value depth variations within the Cocos and Rivera plates at the Mexican subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez-Pérez, Quetzalcoatl; Zuñiga, F. Ramón

2018-06-01

By a systematic mapping of the b-value along profiles perpendicular to the Mexican Wadati-Benioff zone, we obtained important characteristics pertaining the stress state and faulting style related to the subduction process. To this purpose, we used data from the earthquake catalog reported by the Servicio Sismologico Nacional (1988-2016). We investigate depth variations of the b-value for the Cocos and Rivera under North American plates interface, by a detailed analysis of 15 cross-sections. The obtained b-value profiles vary from 0.50 to 2.50, which nevertheless appear related to the faulting style and stress state. By comparing the locations and focal mechanism of the largest events with the b-values of the surrounding regions, our analysis corroborates the dependence of the b-value on the faulting style. Thrust events occur in regions of low and high b-value at depths <50 km. Normal-faulting events occur mainly in high b-value regions at all shallow (Z < 30 km) and intermediate depths (Z > 30 km), in agreement with global studies. These results support the hypothesis that differential stress processes may be behind the occurrence of the different faulting style. On the contrary, by analyzing the mean b-values for both types of faulting mechanism at each of the cross-sections, we found a significantly lower mean b-value related to normal faulting for those regions where the 8 (Mw 8.2) and 19 (Mw 7.1) September 2017 earthquakes occur. These results lead us to conclude that those regions experienced an increased stress state prone to the occurrence of normal-intraplate events. We also compare the b-value distribution with Vp and Q tomography studies obtaining a good correlation between them. We found evidence to relate b-value variations with subduction processes such as stress state due to tectonic and flexural conditions, and to a lesser extent to material heterogeneity and fluid dehydration.

Comparison of fractal dimensions based on segmented NDVI fields obtained from different remote sensors.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alonso, C.; Benito, R. M.; Tarquis, A. M.

2012-04-01

such complexities from remote sensing images and will applied in this study to see the scaling behavior for each sensor in generalized fractal dimensions. The studied area is located in the provinces of Caceres and Salamanca (east of Iberia Peninsula) with an extension of 32 x 32 km2. The altitude in the area varies from 1,560 to 320 m, comprising natural vegetation in the mountain area (forest and bushes) and agricultural crops in the valleys. Scaling analysis were applied to Landsat-5 and MODIS TERRA to the normalized derived vegetation index (NDVI) on the same region with one day of difference, 13 and 12 of July 2003 respectively. From these images the area of interest was selected obtaining 1024 x 1024 pixels for Landsat image and 128 x 128 pixels for MODIS image. This implies that the resolution for MODIS is 250x250 m. and for Landsat is 30x30 m. From the reflectance data obtained from NIR and RED bands, NDVI was calculated for each image focusing this study on 0.2 to 0.5 ranges of values. Once that both NDVI fields were obtained several fractal dimensions were estimated in each one segmenting the values in 0.20-0.25, 0.25-0.30 and so on to rich 0.45-0.50. In all the scaling analysis the scale size length was expressed in meters, and not in pixels, to make the comparison between both sensors possible. Results are discussed. Acknowledgements This work has been supported by the Spanish MEC under Projects No. AGL2010-21501/AGR, MTM2009-14621 and i-MATH No. CSD2006-00032

Simple relationship between the virial-route hypernetted-chain and the compressibility-route Percus-Yevick values of the fourth virial coefficient.

PubMed

Santos, Andrés; Manzano, Gema

2010-04-14

As is well known, approximate integral equations for liquids, such as the hypernetted chain (HNC) and Percus-Yevick (PY) theories, are in general thermodynamically inconsistent in the sense that the macroscopic properties obtained from the spatial correlation functions depend on the route followed. In particular, the values of the fourth virial coefficient B(4) predicted by the HNC and PY approximations via the virial route differ from those obtained via the compressibility route. Despite this, it is shown in this paper that the value of B(4) obtained from the virial route in the HNC theory is exactly three halves the value obtained from the compressibility route in the PY theory, irrespective of the interaction potential (whether isotropic or not), the number of components, and the dimensionality of the system. This simple relationship is confirmed in one-component systems by analytical results for the one-dimensional penetrable-square-well model and the three-dimensional penetrable-sphere model, as well as by numerical results for the one-dimensional Lennard-Jones model, the one-dimensional Gaussian core model, and the three-dimensional square-well model.

Estimating SPT-N Value Based on Soil Resistivity using Hybrid ANN-PSO Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Asmawisham Alel, Mohd; Ruben Anak Upom, Mark; Asnida Abdullah, Rini; Hazreek Zainal Abidin, Mohd

2018-04-01

Standard Penetration Resistance (N value) is used in many empirical geotechnical engineering formulas. Meanwhile, soil resistivity is a measure of soil’s resistance to electrical flow. For a particular site, usually, only a limited N value data are available. In contrast, resistivity data can be obtained extensively. Moreover, previous studies showed evidence of a correlation between N value and resistivity value. Yet, no existing method is able to interpret resistivity data for estimation of N value. Thus, the aim is to develop a method for estimating N-value using resistivity data. This study proposes a hybrid Artificial Neural Network-Particle Swarm Optimization (ANN-PSO) method to estimate N value using resistivity data. Five different ANN-PSO models based on five boreholes were developed and analyzed. The performance metrics used were the coefficient of determination, R2 and mean absolute error, MAE. Analysis of result found that this method can estimate N value (R2 best=0.85 and MAEbest=0.54) given that the constraint, Δ {\\bar{l}}ref, is satisfied. The results suggest that ANN-PSO method can be used to estimate N value with good accuracy.

Correlation of Fractal Dimension Values with Implant Insertion Torque and Resonance Frequency Values at Implant Recipient Sites.

PubMed

Suer, Berkay Tolga; Yaman, Zekai; Buyuksarac, Bora

2016-01-01

Fractal analysis is a mathematical method used to describe the internal architecture of complex structures such as trabecular bone. Fractal analysis of panoramic radiographs of implant recipient sites could help to predict the quality of the bone prior to implant placement. This study investigated the correlations between the fractal dimension values obtained from panoramic radiographs and the insertion torque and resonance frequency values of mandibular implants. Thirty patients who received a total of 55 implants of the same brand, diameter, and length in the mandibular premolar and molar regions were included in the study. The same surgical procedures were applied to each patient, and the insertion torque and resonance frequency values were recorded for each implant at the time of placement. The radiographic fractal dimensions of the alveolar bone in the implant recipient area were calculated from preoperative panoramic radiographs using a box-counting algorithm. The insertion torque and resonance frequency values were compared with the fractal dimension values using the Spearman test. All implants were successful, and none were lost during the follow-up period. Linear correlations were observed between the fractal dimension and resonance frequency, between the fractal dimension and insertion torque, and between resonance frequency and insertion torque. These results suggest that the noninvasive measurement of the fractal dimension from panoramic radiographs might help to predict the bone quality, and thus the primary stability of dental implants, before implant surgery.

Real-Valued Covariance Vector Sparsity-Inducing DOA Estimation for Monostatic MIMO Radar

PubMed Central

Wang, Xianpeng; Wang, Wei; Li, Xin; Liu, Jing

2015-01-01

In this paper, a real-valued covariance vector sparsity-inducing method for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation is proposed in monostatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar. Exploiting the special configuration of monostatic MIMO radar, low-dimensional real-valued received data can be obtained by using the reduced-dimensional transformation and unitary transformation technique. Then, based on the Khatri–Rao product, a real-valued sparse representation framework of the covariance vector is formulated to estimate DOA. Compared to the existing sparsity-inducing DOA estimation methods, the proposed method provides better angle estimation performance and lower computational complexity. Simulation results verify the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed method. PMID:26569241

Real-Valued Covariance Vector Sparsity-Inducing DOA Estimation for Monostatic MIMO Radar.

PubMed

Wang, Xianpeng; Wang, Wei; Li, Xin; Liu, Jing

2015-11-10

In this paper, a real-valued covariance vector sparsity-inducing method for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation is proposed in monostatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar. Exploiting the special configuration of monostatic MIMO radar, low-dimensional real-valued received data can be obtained by using the reduced-dimensional transformation and unitary transformation technique. Then, based on the Khatri-Rao product, a real-valued sparse representation framework of the covariance vector is formulated to estimate DOA. Compared to the existing sparsity-inducing DOA estimation methods, the proposed method provides better angle estimation performance and lower computational complexity. Simulation results verify the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed method.

Emission of biocides from hospitals: comparing current survey results with European Union default values.

PubMed

Tluczkiewicz, Inga; Bitsch, Annette; Hahn, Stefan; Hahn, Torsten

2010-04-01

Under the European Union (EU) Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC, comprehensive evaluations on substances of the Third Priority List were conducted until 31 July 2007. This list includes, among other categories, disinfectants for human hygiene (e.g., skin and surface disinfection). For environmental exposure assessment of biocides, the EU emission scenarios apply. Currently available default values for disinfectants are based on consumption data from not more than 8 hospitals and were originally assembled for other purposes. To revalidate these default values, a survey on annual consumption data was performed in 27 German hospitals. These data were analyzed to provide consumption data per bed and day and per nurse and day for particular categories of active ingredients and were compared with default values from the EU emission scenario documents. Although several deviations were detected, an overall acceptable correspondence between Emission Scenario Documents default values and the current survey data was found. (c) 2009 SETAC

The similia principle: results obtained in a cellular model system.

PubMed

Wiegant, Fred; Van Wijk, Roeland

2010-01-01

This paper describes the results of a research program focused on the beneficial effect of low dose stress conditions that were applied according to the similia principle to cells previously disturbed by more severe stress conditions. In first instance, we discuss criteria for research on the similia principle at the cellular level. Then, the homologous ('isopathic') approach is reviewed, in which the initial (high dose) stress used to disturb cellular physiology and the subsequent (low dose) stress are identical. Beneficial effects of low dose stress are described in terms of increased cellular survival capacity and at the molecular level as an increase in the synthesis of heat shock proteins (hsps). Both phenomena reflect a stimulation of the endogenous cellular self-recovery capacity. Low dose stress conditions applied in a homologous approach stimulate the synthesis of hsps and enhance survival in comparison with stressed cells that were incubated in the absence of low dose stress conditions. Thirdly, the specificity of the low dose stress condition is described where the initial (high dose) stress is different in nature from the subsequently applied (low dose) stress; the heterologous or 'heteropathic' approach. The results support the similia principle at the cellular level and add to understanding of how low dose stress conditions influence the regulatory processes underlying self-recovery. In addition, the phenomenon of 'symptom aggravation' which is also observed at the cellular level, is discussed in the context of self-recovery. Finally, the difference in efficiency between the homologous and the heterologous approach is discussed; a perspective is indicated for further research; and the relationship between studies on the similia principle and the recently introduced concept of 'postconditioning hormesis' is emphasized. Copyright 2009 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power laws and extreme values in antibody repertoires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyer, Sebastien; Biswas, Dipanwita; Scaramozzino, Natale; Kumar, Ananda Soshee; Nizak, Clément; Rivoire, Olivier

2015-03-01

Evolution by natural selection involves the succession of three steps: mutations, selection and proliferation. We are interested in describing and characterizing the result of selection over a population of many variants. After selection, this population will be dominated by the few best variants, with highest propensity to be selected, or highest ``selectivity.'' We ask the following question: how is the selectivity of the best variants distributed in the population? Extreme value theory, which characterizes the extreme tail of probability distributions in terms of a few universality class, has been proposed to describe it. To test this proposition and identify the relevant universality class, we performed quantitative in vitro experimental selections of libraries of >105 antibodies using the technique of phage display. Data obtained by high-throughput sequencing allows us to fit the selectivity distribution over more than two decades. In most experiments, the results show a striking power law for the selectivity distribution of the top antibodies, consistent with extreme value theory.

First archeointensity results from Portuguese potteries (1550-1750 AD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartmann, Gelvam A.; Trindade, Ricardo I. F.; Goguitchaichvili, Avto; Etchevarne, Carlos; Morales, Juan; Afonso, Marisa C.

2009-01-01

Geomagnetic field variations at archeomagnetic timescales can be obtained from well-dated heated structures and archeological potsherds. Here, we present the first archeointensity results obtained on Portuguese ceramics (1550 to 1750 AD) collected at Brazilian archeological sites. The results are compared to those obtained from Western Europe and currently available geomagnetic field models. Continuous thermomagnetic and IRM acquisitions curves indicate that Ti-poor titanomagnetite is responsible for the remanence in these ceramic fragments. Five fragments (24 samples) out of twelve analyzed yielded reliable intensity estimates. The row archeointensity data were corrected for TRM anisotropy and cooling rate effect. The mean dipole moments are obtained for three different age intervals: 1550±30 AD, 1600±30 AD and 1750±50 AD. Mean intensities vary from 37.9±4.2 μT to 54.8±7.6 μT in agreement with the previously reported data for 1550 AD and 1750 AD. Relatively weaker, but still highly dispersed, values were obtained for 1600 AD ceramics.

A comparison of quality of present-day heat flow obtained from BHTs, Horner Plots of Malay Basin

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

Waples, D.W.; Mahadir, R.

1994-07-01

Reconciling temperature data obtained from measurement of single BHT, multiple BHT at a single depth, RFTs, and DSTs, is very difficult. Quality of data varied widely, however DST data were assumed to be most reliable. Data from 87 wells was used in this study, but only 47 wells have DST data. BASINMOD program was used to calculate the present-day heat flow, using measured thermal conductivity and calibrated against the DST data. The heat flows obtained from the DST data were assumed to be correct and representative throughout the basin. Then, heat flows using (1) uncorrected RFT data, (2) multiple BHTmore » data corrected by the Horner plot method, and (3) single BHT values corrected upward by a standard 10% were calculated. All of these three heat-flow populations had identically standard deviations to that for the DST data, but with significantly lower mean values. Correction factors were calculated to give each of the three erroneous populations the same mean value as the DST population. Heat flows calculated from RFT data had to be corrected upward by a factor of 1.12 to be equivalent to DST data; Horner plot data corrected by a factor of 1.18, and single BHT data by a factor of 1.2. These results suggest that present-day subsurface temperatures using RFT, Horner plot, and BHT data are considerably lower than they should be. The authors suspect qualitatively similar results would be found in other areas. Hence, they recommend significant corrections be routinely made until local calibration factors are established.« less

Estimate of the critical exponents from the field-theoretical renormalization group: mathematical meaning of the 'Standard Values'

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

Pogorelov, A. A.; Suslov, I. M.

2008-06-15

New estimates of the critical exponents have been obtained from the field-theoretical renormalization group using a new method for summing divergent series. The results almost coincide with the central values obtained by Le Guillou and Zinn-Justin (the so-called standard values), but have lower uncertainty. It has been shown that usual field-theoretical estimates implicitly imply the smoothness of the coefficient functions. The last assumption is open for discussion in view of the existence of the oscillating contribution to the coefficient functions. The appropriate interpretation of the last contribution is necessary both for the estimation of the systematic errors of the standardmore » values and for a further increase in accuracy.« less

Partition coefficients of methylated DNA bases obtained from free energy calculations with molecular electron density derived atomic charges.

PubMed

Lara, A; Riquelme, M; Vöhringer-Martinez, E

2018-05-11

Partition coefficients serve in various areas as pharmacology and environmental sciences to predict the hydrophobicity of different substances. Recently, they have also been used to address the accuracy of force fields for various organic compounds and specifically the methylated DNA bases. In this study, atomic charges were derived by different partitioning methods (Hirshfeld and Minimal Basis Iterative Stockholder) directly from the electron density obtained by electronic structure calculations in a vacuum, with an implicit solvation model or with explicit solvation taking the dynamics of the solute and the solvent into account. To test the ability of these charges to describe electrostatic interactions in force fields for condensed phases, the original atomic charges of the AMBER99 force field were replaced with the new atomic charges and combined with different solvent models to obtain the hydration and chloroform solvation free energies by molecular dynamics simulations. Chloroform-water partition coefficients derived from the obtained free energies were compared to experimental and previously reported values obtained with the GAFF or the AMBER-99 force field. The results show that good agreement with experimental data is obtained when the polarization of the electron density by the solvent has been taken into account, and when the energy needed to polarize the electron density of the solute has been considered in the transfer free energy. These results were further confirmed by hydration free energies of polar and aromatic amino acid side chain analogs. Comparison of the two partitioning methods, Hirshfeld-I and Minimal Basis Iterative Stockholder (MBIS), revealed some deficiencies in the Hirshfeld-I method related to the unstable isolated anionic nitrogen pro-atom used in the method. Hydration free energies and partitioning coefficients obtained with atomic charges from the MBIS partitioning method accounting for polarization by the implicit solvation model

On-line sulfur isotope analysis of organic material by direct combustion: Preliminary results and potential applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kester, C.L.; Rye, R.O.; Johnson, C.A.; Schwartz, C.H.; Holmes, C.H.

2001-01-01

Sulfur isotopes have received little attention in ecology studies because plant and animal materials typically have low sulfur concentrations (< 1 wt.%) necessitating labor-intensive chemical extraction prior to analysis. To address the potential of direct combustion of organic material in an elemental analyzer coupled with a mass spectrometer, we compared results obtained by direct combustion to results obtained by sulfur extraction with Eschka's mixture. Direct combustion of peat and animal tissue gave reproducibility of better than 0.5??? and on average, values are 0.8??? higher than values obtained by Eschka extraction. Successful direct combustion of organic material appears to be a function of sample matrix and sulfur concentration. Initial results indicate that direct combustion provides fast, reliable results with minimal preparation. Pilot studies underway include defining bear diets and examining fluctuations between freshwater and brackish water in coastal environments.

Beta value coupled wave theory for nonslanted reflection gratings.

PubMed

Neipp, Cristian; Francés, Jorge; Gallego, Sergi; Bleda, Sergio; Martínez, Francisco Javier; Pascual, Inmaculada; Beléndez, Augusto

2014-01-01

We present a modified coupled wave theory to describe the properties of nonslanted reflection volume diffraction gratings. The method is based on the beta value coupled wave theory, which will be corrected by using appropriate boundary conditions. The use of this correction allows predicting the efficiency of the reflected order for nonslanted reflection gratings embedded in two media with different refractive indices. The results obtained by using this method will be compared to those obtained using a matrix method, which gives exact solutions in terms of Mathieu functions, and also to Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. As will be demonstrated, the technique presented in this paper means a significant improvement over Kogelnik's coupled wave theory.

Beta Value Coupled Wave Theory for Nonslanted Reflection Gratings

PubMed Central

Neipp, Cristian; Francés, Jorge; Gallego, Sergi; Bleda, Sergio; Martínez, Francisco Javier; Pascual, Inmaculada; Beléndez, Augusto

2014-01-01

We present a modified coupled wave theory to describe the properties of nonslanted reflection volume diffraction gratings. The method is based on the beta value coupled wave theory, which will be corrected by using appropriate boundary conditions. The use of this correction allows predicting the efficiency of the reflected order for nonslanted reflection gratings embedded in two media with different refractive indices. The results obtained by using this method will be compared to those obtained using a matrix method, which gives exact solutions in terms of Mathieu functions, and also to Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. As will be demonstrated, the technique presented in this paper means a significant improvement over Kogelnik's coupled wave theory. PMID:24723811

The Application of FT-IR Spectroscopy for Quality Control of Flours Obtained from Polish Producers

PubMed Central

Ceglińska, Alicja; Reder, Magdalena; Ciemniewska-Żytkiewicz, Hanna

2017-01-01

Samples of wheat, spelt, rye, and triticale flours produced by different Polish mills were studied by both classic chemical methods and FT-IR MIR spectroscopy. An attempt was made to statistically correlate FT-IR spectral data with reference data with regard to content of various components, for example, proteins, fats, ash, and fatty acids as well as properties such as moisture, falling number, and energetic value. This correlation resulted in calibrated and validated statistical models for versatile evaluation of unknown flour samples. The calibration data set was used to construct calibration models with use of the CSR and the PLS with the leave one-out, cross-validation techniques. The calibrated models were validated with a validation data set. The results obtained confirmed that application of statistical models based on MIR spectral data is a robust, accurate, precise, rapid, inexpensive, and convenient methodology for determination of flour characteristics, as well as for detection of content of selected flour ingredients. The obtained models' characteristics were as follows: R2 = 0.97, PRESS = 2.14; R2 = 0.96, PRESS = 0.69; R2 = 0.95, PRESS = 1.27; R2 = 0.94, PRESS = 0.76, for content of proteins, lipids, ash, and moisture level, respectively. Best results of CSR models were obtained for protein, ash, and crude fat (R2 = 0.86; 0.82; and 0.78, resp.). PMID:28243483

In-vitro evaluation of the accuracy of conventional and digital methods of obtaining full-arch dental impressions.

PubMed

Ender, Andreas; Mehl, Albert

2015-01-01

To investigate the accuracy of conventional and digital impression methods used to obtain full-arch impressions by using an in-vitro reference model. Eight different conventional (polyether, POE; vinylsiloxanether, VSE; direct scannable vinylsiloxanether, VSES; and irreversible hydrocolloid, ALG) and digital (CEREC Bluecam, CER; CEREC Omnicam, OC; Cadent iTero, ITE; and Lava COS, LAV) full-arch impressions were obtained from a reference model with a known morphology, using a highly accurate reference scanner. The impressions obtained were then compared with the original geometry of the reference model and within each test group. A point-to-point measurement of the surface of the model using the signed nearest neighbour method resulted in a mean (10%-90%)/2 percentile value for the difference between the impression and original model (trueness) as well as the difference between impressions within a test group (precision). Trueness values ranged from 11.5 μm (VSE) to 60.2 μm (POE), and precision ranged from 12.3 μm (VSE) to 66.7 μm (POE). Among the test groups, VSE, VSES, and CER showed the highest trueness and precision. The deviation pattern varied with the impression method. Conventional impressions showed high accuracy across the full dental arch in all groups, except POE and ALG. Conventional and digital impression methods show differences regarding full-arch accuracy. Digital impression systems reveal higher local deviations of the full-arch model. Digital intraoral impression systems do not show superior accuracy compared to highly accurate conventional impression techniques. However, they provide excellent clinical results within their indications applying the correct scanning technique.

Full characterization of modular values for finite-dimensional systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Le Bin; Imoto, Nobuyuki

2016-06-01

Kedem and Vaidman obtained a relationship between the spin-operator modular value and its weak value for specific coupling strengths [14]. Here we give a general expression for the modular value in the n-dimensional Hilbert space using the weak values up to (n - 1)th order of an arbitrary observable for any coupling strength, assuming non-degenerated eigenvalues. For two-dimensional case, it shows a linear relationship between the weak value and the modular value. We also relate the modular value of the sum of observables to the weak value of their product.

Comparison of microdosimetry-based absorbed doses to control tumours and clinically obtained tumour absorbed doses in treatments with ²²³Ra.

PubMed

Minguez Gabina, Pablo; Roeske, John C; Mínguez, Ricardo; Gomez de Iturriaga, Alfonso; Rodeño, Emilia

2018-06-20

We performed Monte Carlo simulations in order to determine by means of microdosimetry calculations the average number of hits to the cell nucleus required to reach a tumour control probability (TCP) of 0.9, 〈n_0.9 〉, for the source geometry of a nucleus embedded in a homogeneous distribution of ²²³Ra atoms. From the results obtained and following the MIRD methodology, we determined the values of lesion absorbed doses needed to reach a TCP of 0.9, D_0.9, for different values of mass density, cell radiosensitivity, nucleus radius and lesion volume. The greatest variation of those absorbed doses occurred with cell radiosensitivity and no dependence was found on mass density. The source geometry used was chosen because we aimed to compare the values of D_0.9 with the lesion absorbed doses obtained from image-based macrodosimetry in treatments of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with ²²³Ra which were obtained assuming a homogeneous distribution of ²²³Ra atoms within the lesion. In a comparison with a study including 29 lesions, results showed that even for the case of the most radiosensitive cells simulated, 45% of the lesions treated following a schedule of two cycles of 110 kBq/kg body mass would receive absorbed doses below the values of D_0.9 determined in this study. © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

Scientific results obtained by the Busot observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Lozano, R.; Rodes, J. J.; Torrejón, J. M.; Bernabéu, G.; Berná, J. Á.

2016-12-01

We present the discovery of three new W UMa systems by our group as a part of a photometric follow-up of variable stars carried out with the Busot observatory 36 cm robotic telescope in collaboration with the X-ray astronomy group at University of Alicante (Alicante, Spain). Specifically we show the high limiting magnitude to detect moving objects (V˜ 21 mag), and the high stability and accuracy attained in photometry which allow us to measure very shallow planet transits.

[Reference values of energy for the Venezuelan population].

PubMed

Landaeta-Jiménez, Maritza; Aliaga, Carla; Sifontes, Yaritza; Vásquez, Maura; Ramírez, Guillermo; Falque Madrid, Luís; Herrera, Marianella; María Reyes, Ana; Emilia, Elzakem; Herrera, Ctor; Bernal, Jennifer

2013-12-01

The project of updating the Venezuelan energy reference values respond to the recommendations made by an FAO experts committee, several decades ago for the countries assuming this work. Because of the dramatic changes experienced globally regarding energy intake/expenditure and particularly variations on the Venezuelan nutritional scenario with the presence of "the double burden of malnutrition" it a review of Energy Reference Values (VRE) from a more integral approach is pertinent. This report follows the methodology proposed by FAO/WHO/UNU 2004 experts committee and energy reference values were established by group of age and gender, also average energy values for Venezuelan population were obtained. For calculation of these requirements, the energy expenditure was included by taking into account Basal Metabolic Rate and physical activity level for some specific groups. The score average values updated in 2012 of 2.200 kcal/dia reported to be lower than those of 2000 at all ages for masculine gender except for the 16-17 age group and for feminine gender just until ages 10-12 years and from there are slightly above the values obtained in 2000.

Adaptive exponential synchronization of complex-valued Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with known and unknown parameters.

PubMed

Hu, Jin; Zeng, Chunna

2017-02-01

The complex-valued Cohen-Grossberg neural network is a special kind of complex-valued neural network. In this paper, the synchronization problem of a class of complex-valued Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with known and unknown parameters is investigated. By using Lyapunov functionals and the adaptive control method based on parameter identification, some adaptive feedback schemes are proposed to achieve synchronization exponentially between the drive and response systems. The results obtained in this paper have extended and improved some previous works on adaptive synchronization of Cohen-Grossberg neural networks. Finally, two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices: results from an experimental trial.

PubMed

Harnack, Lisa J; French, Simone A; Oakes, J Michael; Story, Mary T; Jeffery, Robert W; Rydell, Sarah A

2008-12-05

Although point-of-purchase calorie labeling at restaurants has been proposed as a strategy for improving consumer food choices, a limited number of studies have evaluated this approach. Likewise, little research has been conducted to evaluate the influence of value size pricing on restaurant meal choices. To examine the effect of point-of-purchase calorie information and value size pricing on fast food meal choices a randomized 2 x 2 factorial experiment was conducted in which participants ordered a fast food meal from one of four menus that varied with respect to whether calorie information was provided and whether value size pricing was used. Study participants included 594 adolescents and adults who regularly ate at fast food restaurants. Study staff recorded the foods ordered and consumed by each participant. Participants also completed surveys to assess attitudes, beliefs and practices related to fast food and nutrition. No significant differences in the energy composition of meals ordered or eaten were found between menu conditions. The average energy content of meals ordered by those randomized to a menu that included calorie information and did not include value size pricing was 842 kcals compared with 827 kcals for those who ordered their meal from a menu that did not include calorie information but had value size pricing (control menu). Results were similar in most analyses conducted stratified by factors such as age, race and education level. Additional research is needed to better evaluate the effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices. Studies in which participants are repeatedly exposed to these factors are needed since long term exposure may be required for behavior change.

Clinical Value of Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential in Assessing the Stage and Predicting the Hearing Results in Ménière's Disease

PubMed Central

Kim, Min-Beom; Choi, Jeesun; Park, Ga Young; Cho, Yang-Sun; Hong, Sung Hwa

2013-01-01

Objectives Our goal was to find the clinical value of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) in Ménière's disease (MD) and to evaluate whether the VEMP results can be useful in assessing the stage of MD. Furthermore, we tried to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of VEMP in predicting hearing outcomes. Methods The amplitude, peak latency and interaural amplitude difference (IAD) ratio were obtained using cervical VEMP. The VEMP results of MD were compared with those of normal subjects, and the MD stages were compared with the IAD ratio. Finally, the hearing changes were analyzed according to their VEMP results. Results In clinically definite unilateral MD (n=41), the prevalence of cervical VEMP abnormality in the IAD ratio was 34.1%. When compared with normal subjects (n=33), the VEMP profile of MD patients showed a low amplitude and a similar latency. The mean IAD ratio in MD was 23%, which was significantly different from that of normal subjects (P=0.01). As the stage increased, the IAD ratio significantly increased (P=0.09). After stratification by initial hearing level, stage I and II subjects (hearing threshold, 0-40 dB) with an abnormal IAD ratio showed a decrease in hearing over time compared to those with a normal IAD ratio (P=0.08). Conclusion VEMP parameters have an important clinical role in MD. Especially, the IAD ratio can be used to assess the stage of MD. An abnormal IAD ratio may be used as a predictor of poor hearing outcomes in subjects with early stage MD. PMID:23799160

Marketing Internships: How Values and Search Strategies Differ across the Student-Employer Dyad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Scott R.; Tomkovick, Chuck

2012-01-01

This study identifies the value undergraduate marketing students are placing on various aspects of a marketing internship and compares the relative importance that internship providers place on these same factors. Results were obtained by surveying 140 internship providers and 336 undergraduate marketing majors. Internship providers rated…

An automatic scaling method for obtaining the trace and parameters from oblique ionogram based on hybrid genetic algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Huan; Hu, Yaogai; Jiang, Chunhua; Zhou, Chen; Zhao, Zhengyu; Zou, Xianjian

2016-12-01

Scaling oblique ionogram plays an important role in obtaining ionospheric structure at the midpoint of oblique sounding path. The paper proposed an automatic scaling method to extract the trace and parameters of oblique ionogram based on hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA). The extracted 10 parameters come from F2 layer and Es layer, such as maximum observation frequency, critical frequency, and virtual height. The method adopts quasi-parabolic (QP) model to describe F2 layer's electron density profile that is used to synthesize trace. And it utilizes secant theorem, Martyn's equivalent path theorem, image processing technology, and echoes' characteristics to determine seven parameters' best fit values, and three parameter's initial values in QP model to set up their searching spaces which are the needed input data of HGA. Then HGA searches the three parameters' best fit values from their searching spaces based on the fitness between the synthesized trace and the real trace. In order to verify the performance of the method, 240 oblique ionograms are scaled and their results are compared with manual scaling results and the inversion results of the corresponding vertical ionograms. The comparison results show that the scaling results are accurate or at least adequate 60-90% of the time.

Production and characterization of refined oils obtained from Indian oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps).

PubMed

Chakraborty, Kajal; Joseph, Deepu

2015-01-28

Crude Sardinella longiceps oil was refined in different stages such as degumming, neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization. The efficiency of these processes was evaluated on the basis of free fatty acid (FFA), peroxide (PV), p-anisidine (pAV), total oxidation (TOTOX), thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) values, Lovibond CIE-L*a*b* color analyses, and (1)H NMR or GC-MS experiments. The utilities of NMR-based proton signal characteristics as new analytical tools to understand the signature peaks and relative abundance of different fatty acids and monitoring the refining process of fish oil have been demonstrated. Phosphoric acid (1%) was found to be an effective degumming reagent to obtain oil with the lowest FFA, PV, pAV, TOTOX, and TBARS values and highest color reduction. Significant reduction in the contents of hydrocarbon functionalities as shown by the decrease in proton integral in the characteristic (1)H NMR region was demonstrated by using 1% H3PO4 during the course of the degumming process. A combination (1.25:3.75%) of activated charcoal and Fuller's earth at 3% concentration for a stirring time of 40 min was found to be effective in bleaching the sardine oil. This study demonstrated that unfavorable odor-causing components, particularly low molecular weight carbonyl compounds, could successfully be removed by the refining process. The alkane-dienals/alkanes, which cause unfavorable fishy odors, were successfully removed by distillation (100 °C) under vacuum with aqueous acetic acid solution (0.25 N) to obtain greater quality of refined sardine oil, a rich source of essential fatty acids and improved oxidative stability. The present study demonstrated that the four-stage refinement process of sardine oil resulted in a significant improvement in quality characteristics and nutritional values, particularly n-3 PUFAs, with improved fish oil characteristics for use in the pharmaceutical and functional food industries.

Attitudes toward older adults: A matter of cultural values or personal values?

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Xing, Cai; Guan, Yanjun; Song, Xuan; Melloy, Robert; Wang, Fei; Jin, Xiaoyu

2016-02-01

The current research aimed to address the inconsistent findings regarding cultural differences in attitudes toward older adults by differentiating the effects of personal and cultural values. In Study 1, we used data from the sixth wave of the World Values Survey to examine attitudes toward older adults across cultures, and how different personal values (i.e., communal vs. agentic) and cultural values (i.e., individualism) predicted these attitudes. The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses showed that after controlling for potential covariates, personal communal values positively correlated with positive attitudes toward older adults; however, cultural individualistic values did not. To further examine the causal effects of personal values (vs. cultural values), we conducted an experimental study and confirmed that priming personal values rather than cultural values had significant effects on ageism attitudes. The present studies help to reconcile conflicting results on cultural differences in attitudes toward older adults. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Chemometrical assessment of the electrical parameters obtained by long-term operating freshwater sediment microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Mitov, Mario; Bardarov, Ivo; Mandjukov, Petko; Hubenova, Yolina

2015-12-01

The electrical parameters of nine freshwater sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) were monitored for a period of over 20 months. The developed SMFCs, divided into three groups, were started up and continuously operated under different constant loads (100, 510 and 1100 Ω) for 2.5 months. At this stage of the experiment, the highest power density values, reaching 1.2 ± 0.2 mW/m(2), were achieved by the SMFCs loaded with 510 Ω. The maximum power obtained at periodical polarization during the rest period, however, ranged between 26.2 ± 2.8 and 35.3 ± 2.8 mW/m(2), strongly depending on the internal cell resistance. The statistical evaluation of data derived from the polarization curves shows that after 300 days of operation all examined SMFCs reached a steady-state and the system might be assumed as homoscedastic. The estimated values of standard and expanded uncertainties of the electric parameters indicate a high repeatability and reproducibility of the SMFCs' performance. Results obtained in subsequent discharge-recovery cycles reveal the opportunity for practical application of studied SMFCs as autonomous power sources.

Characterisation of Intensity Values on Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Recording Enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaguer-Puig, M.; Molada-Tebar, A.; Marqués-Mateu, A.; Lerma, J. L.

2017-08-01

Mapping surveys based on terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) are common nowadays for different purposes such as documentation of cultural heritage assets. The chance to extract relevant information from TLS surveys depends not only on the fast acquisition of XYZ coordinates, but also on the meaningful intensity values of the fired objects. TLS behaviour depends on several known factors such as distance, texture, roughness, colour and albedo. This paper seeks to find out the mathematical relationship between the TLS intensity values and the colorimetric data using a colour chart. In order to do so, objective colour specification based on well-known colour spaces is needed. The approach used here started with scanning a colour chart containing a number of colour patches with known chromatic and reflection characteristics. After several transformations, the results allowed us to characterise the intensity behaviour of a time-of-flight laser scanner. The characterisation of the intensity values are tested indoor on the colour chart and outdoor on an archaeological shelter. Promising results are obtained to enhance the behaviour of the intensity values coming from the TLS.

The value of pathogen information in treating clinical mastitis.

PubMed

Cha, Elva; Smith, Rebecca L; Kristensen, Anders R; Hertl, Julia A; Schukken, Ynte H; Tauer, Loren W; Welcome, Frank L; Gröhn, Yrjö T

2016-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine the economic value of obtaining timely and more accurate clinical mastitis (CM) test results for optimal treatment of cows. Typically CM is first identified when the farmer observes recognisable outward signs. Further information of whether the pathogen causing CM is Gram-positive, Gram-negative or other (including no growth) can be determined by using on-farm culture methods. The most detailed level of information for mastitis diagnostics is obtainable by sending milk samples for culture to an external laboratory. Knowing the exact pathogen permits the treatment method to be specifically targeted to the causation pathogen, resulting in less discarded milk. The disadvantages are the additional waiting time to receive test results, which delays treating cows, and the cost of the culture test. Net returns per year (NR) for various levels of information were estimated using a dynamic programming model. The Value of Information (VOI) was then calculated as the difference in NR using a specific level of information as compared to more detailed information on the CM causative agent. The highest VOI was observed where the farmer assumed the pathogen causing CM was the one with the highest incidence in the herd and no pathogen specific CM information was obtained. The VOI of pathogen specific information, compared with non-optimal treatment of Staphylococcus aureus where recurrence and spread occurred due to lack of treatment efficacy, was $20.43 when the same incorrect treatment was applied to recurrent cases, and $30.52 when recurrent cases were assumed to be the next highest incidence pathogen and treated accordingly. This indicates that negative consequences associated with choosing the wrong CM treatment can make additional information cost-effective if pathogen identification is assessed at the generic information level and if the pathogen can spread to other cows if not treated appropriately.

A Validity and Reliability Study on the Development of the Values Scale in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dilmac, Bulent; Aricak, Osman Tolga; Cesur, Sevim

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to examine the initial psychometric properties of the Values Scale for adults. While developing the first stage of the Values Scale, open-ended data on the values held by 216 university students were obtained. During the second stage, the validity and reliability studies of the 60-item Values Scale obtained by…

A service-oriented approach to assessing the infrastructure value index.

PubMed

Amaral, R; Alegre, H; Matos, J S

Many national and regional administrations are currently facing challenges to ensure long-term sustainability of urban water services, as infrastructures continue to accumulate alarming levels of deferred maintenance and rehabilitation. The infrastructure value index (IVI) has proven to be an effective tool to support long-term planning, in particular by facilitating the ability to communicate and to create awareness. It is given by the ratio between current value of an infrastructure and its replacement cost. Current value is commonly estimated according to an asset-oriented approach, which is based on the concept of useful life of individual components. The standard values assumed for the useful lives can vary significantly, which leads to valuations that are just as different. Furthermore, with water companies increasingly focused on the customer, effective service-centric asset management is essential now more than ever. This paper shows results of on-going research work, which aims to explore a service-oriented approach for assessing the IVI. The paper presents the fundamentals underlying this approach, discusses and compares results obtained from both perspectives and points to challenges that still need to be addressed.

Computation of convex bounds for present value functions with random payments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahcan, Ales; Darkiewicz, Grzegorz; Goovaerts, Marc; Hoedemakers, Tom

2006-02-01

In this contribution we study the distribution of the present value function of a series of random payments in a stochastic financial environment. Such distributions occur naturally in a wide range of applications within fields of insurance and finance. We obtain accurate approximations by developing upper and lower bounds in the convex-order sense for present value functions. Technically speaking, our methodology is an extension of the results of Dhaene et al. [Insur. Math. Econom. 31(1) (2002) 3-33, Insur. Math. Econom. 31(2) (2002) 133-161] to the case of scalar products of mutually independent random vectors.

A partial Hamiltonian approach for current value Hamiltonian systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naz, R.; Mahomed, F. M.; Chaudhry, Azam

2014-10-01

We develop a partial Hamiltonian framework to obtain reductions and closed-form solutions via first integrals of current value Hamiltonian systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The approach is algorithmic and applies to many state and costate variables of the current value Hamiltonian. However, we apply the method to models with one control, one state and one costate variable to illustrate its effectiveness. The current value Hamiltonian systems arise in economic growth theory and other economic models. We explain our approach with the help of a simple illustrative example and then apply it to two widely used economic growth models: the Ramsey model with a constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) utility function and Cobb Douglas technology and a one-sector AK model of endogenous growth are considered. We show that our newly developed systematic approach can be used to deduce results given in the literature and also to find new solutions.

Psychometric properties of the Valued Living Questionnaire Adapted to Dementia Caregiving.

PubMed

Romero-Moreno, R; Gallego-Alberto, L; Márquez-González, M; Losada, A

2017-09-01

Caring for a relative with dementia is associated with physical and emotional health problems in caregivers. There are no studies analysing the role of personal values in the caregiver stress process. This study aims to analyse the psychometric properties of the Valued Living Questionnaire Adapted to Caregiving (VLQAC), and to explore the relationship between personal values and stressors, coping strategies and caregiver distress. A total of 253 individual interviews with caregivers of relatives with dementia were conducted, and the following variables were assessed: personal values, stressors, cognitive fusion, emotional acceptance, depression, anxiety, and satisfaction with life. An exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression analyses were carried out. Two factors were obtained, Commitment to Own Values and Commitment to Family Values which explain 43.42% of variance, with reliability coefficients (Cronbach's alpha) of .76 and .61, respectively. Personal values had a significant effect on emotional distress (depression and anxiety) and satisfaction with life, even when controlling for socio-demographic variables, stressors and coping strategies. Results suggest that the personal values construct of dementia caregivers is two-dimensional. The personal values of the caregivers play an important role in accounting for distress and satisfaction with life in this population.

Application of reiteration of Hankel singular value decomposition in quality control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staniszewski, Michał; Skorupa, Agnieszka; Boguszewicz, Łukasz; Michalczuk, Agnieszka; Wereszczyński, Kamil; Wicher, Magdalena; Konopka, Marek; Sokół, Maria; Polański, Andrzej

2017-07-01

Medical centres are obliged to store past medical records, including the results of quality assurance (QA) tests of the medical equipment, which is especially useful in checking reproducibility of medical devices and procedures. Analysis of multivariate time series is an important part of quality control of NMR data. In this work we proposean anomaly detection tool based on Reiteration of Hankel Singular Value Decomposition method. The presented method was compared with external software and authors obtained comparable results.

Selection of putative Terra Maranhão plantain cultivar mutants obtained by gamma radiation.

PubMed

Reis, R V; Amorim, E P; Ledo, C A S; Pestana, R K N; Gonçalves, Z S; Borém, A

2015-05-11

The aim of this study was to select putative Terra Maranhão plantain cultivar mutants obtained by gamma radiation, with good agronomic traits and short height. A total of 315 buds were irradiated in vitro with gamma rays in doses of 20 Gy and were subcultivated and evaluated in the field over 2 production cycles. The clones were evaluated to select the best 10% of the plants. Cultivation was undertaken at a spacing of 3 x 4 m, and fertilization was carried out according to the technical recommendations for the crop. A total of 111 irradiated plants and 41 controls were evaluated in the field. Among the irradiated plants selected, genotypes that exhibited reduced height were observed. The genotypes Irra 04, Irra 13, Irra 19, and Irra 21 exhibited a height of 3.6 m, which was below the mean value of the controls selected. Other irradiated genotypes selected such as Irra 14 and Irra 16, with a height of 3.65 m, are promising because, in addition to reduced height, they exhibited good bunch weight and shorter period to flowering in relation to the mean value of the controls, which is a significant factor for the next stages in breeding. These results confirm the possibility of inducing mutations in Terra type banana plants to obtain desirable agronomic traits and short height.

Whey-derived valuable products obtained by microbial fermentation.

PubMed

Pescuma, Micaela; de Valdez, Graciela Font; Mozzi, Fernanda

2015-08-01

Whey, the main by-product of the cheese industry, is considered as an important pollutant due to its high chemical and biological oxygen demand. Whey, often considered as waste, has high nutritional value and can be used to obtain value-added products, although some of them need expensive enzymatic synthesis. An economical alternative to transform whey into valuable products is through bacterial or yeast fermentations and by accumulation during algae growth. Fermentative processes can be applied either to produce individual compounds or to formulate new foods and beverages. In the first case, a considerable amount of research has been directed to obtain biofuels able to replace those derived from petrol. In addition, the possibility of replacing petrol-derived plastics by biodegradable polymers synthesized during bacterial fermentation of whey has been sought. Further, the ability of different organisms to produce metabolites commonly used in the food and pharmaceutical industries (i.e., lactic acid, lactobionic acid, polysaccharides, etc.) using whey as growth substrate has been studied. On the other hand, new low-cost functional whey-based foods and beverages leveraging the high nutritional quality of whey have been formulated, highlighting the health-promoting effects of fermented whey-derived products. This review aims to gather the multiple uses of whey as sustainable raw material for the production of individual compounds, foods, and beverages by microbial fermentation. This is the first work to give an overview on the microbial transformation of whey as raw material into a large repertoire of industrially relevant foods and products.

The challenge of obtaining information necessary for multi-criteria decision analysis implementation: the case of physiotherapy services in Canada

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background As fiscal constraints dominate health policy discussions across Canada and globally, priority-setting exercises are becoming more common to guide the difficult choices that must be made. In this context, it becomes highly desirable to have accurate estimates of the value of specific health care interventions. Economic evaluation is a well-accepted method to estimate the value of health care interventions. However, economic evaluation has significant limitations, which have lead to an increase in the use of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). One key concern with MCDA is the availability of the information necessary for implementation. In the Fall 2011, the Canadian Physiotherapy Association embarked on a project aimed at providing a valuation of physiotherapy services that is both evidence-based and relevant to resource allocation decisions. The framework selected for this project was MCDA. We report on how we addressed the challenge of obtaining some of the information necessary for MCDA implementation. Methods MCDA criteria were selected and areas of physiotherapy practices were identified. The building up of the necessary information base was a three step process. First, there was a literature review for each practice area, on each criterion. The next step was to conduct interviews with experts in each of the practice areas to critique the results of the literature review and to fill in gaps where there was no or insufficient literature. Finally, the results of the individual interviews were validated by a national committee to ensure consistency across all practice areas and that a national level perspective is applied. Results Despite a lack of research evidence on many of the considerations relevant to the estimation of the value of physiotherapy services (the criteria), sufficient information was obtained to facilitate MCDA implementation at the local level. Conclusions The results of this research project serve two purposes: 1) a method to

Analysis shear wave velocity structure obtained from surface wave methods in Bornova, Izmir

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

Pamuk, Eren, E-mail: eren.pamuk@deu.edu.tr; Akgün, Mustafa, E-mail: mustafa.akgun@deu.edu.tr; Özdağ, Özkan Cevdet, E-mail: cevdet.ozdag@deu.edu.tr

2016-04-18

Properties of the soil from the bedrock is necessary to describe accurately and reliably for the reduction of earthquake damage. Because seismic waves change their amplitude and frequency content owing to acoustic impedance difference between soil and bedrock. Firstly, shear wave velocity and depth information of layers on bedrock is needed to detect this changing. Shear wave velocity can be obtained using inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion curves obtained from surface wave methods (MASW- the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves, ReMi-Refraction Microtremor, SPAC-Spatial Autocorrelation). While research depth is limeted in active source study, a passive source methods are utilized formore » deep depth which is not reached using active source methods. ReMi method is used to determine layer thickness and velocity up to 100 m using seismic refraction measurement systems.The research carried out up to desired depth depending on radius using SPAC which is utilized easily in conditions that district using of seismic studies in the city. Vs profiles which are required to calculate deformations in under static and dynamic loads can be obtained with high resolution using combining rayleigh wave dispersion curve obtained from active and passive source methods. In the this study, Surface waves data were collected using the measurements of MASW, ReMi and SPAC at the İzmir Bornova region. Dispersion curves obtained from surface wave methods were combined in wide frequency band and Vs-depth profiles were obtained using inversion. Reliability of the resulting soil profiles were provided by comparison with theoretical transfer function obtained from soil paremeters and observed soil transfer function from Nakamura technique and by examination of fitting between these functions. Vs values are changed between 200-830 m/s and engineering bedrock (Vs>760 m/s) depth is approximately 150 m.« less

4D co-registration of X-ray and MR-mammograms: initial clinical results and potential incremental diagnostic value.

PubMed

Dietzel, Matthias; Hopp, Torsten; Ruiter, Nicole V; Kaiser, Clemens G; Kaiser, Werner A; Baltzer, Pascal A

2015-01-01

4D co-registration of X-ray- and MR-mammograms (XM and MM) is a new method of image fusion. The present study aims to evaluate its clinical feasibility, radiological accuracy, and potential clinical value. XM and MM of 25 patients were co-registered. Results were evaluated by a blinded reader. Precision of the 4D co-registration was "very good" (mean-score [ms]=7), and lesions were "easier to delineate" (ms=5). In 88.8%, "relevant additional diagnostic information" was present, accounting for a more "confident diagnosis" in 76% (ms=5). 4D co-registration is feasible, accurate, and of potential clinical value. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial variation of stratospheric aerosol acidity and model refractive index - Implications of recent results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, P. B.; Hamill, P.

1984-01-01

Recent experimental results indicate that little or no solid ammonium sulfate is present in background stratospheric aerosols. Other results allow straightforward calculation of sulfuric acid/water droplet properties (acidity, specific gravity, refractive index) as functions of stratospheric temperature and humidity. These results are combined with a variety of latitudinal and seasonal temperature and humidity profiles to obtain corresponding profiles of droplet properties. These profiles are used to update a previous model of stratospheric aerosol refractive index. The new model retains the simplifying approximation of vertically constant refractive index in the inner stratosphere, but has sulfuric acid/water refractive index values that significantly exceed the previously used room temperature values. Mean conversion ratios (e.g., extinction-to-number, backscatter-to-volume) obtained using Mie scattering calculations with the new refractive indices are very similar to those obtained for the old indices, because the effects of deleting ammonium sulfate and increasing acid indices tend to cancel each other.

Fungicidal values of bio-oils and their lignin-rich fractions obtained from wood/bark fast pyrolysis.

PubMed

Mohan, Dinesh; Shi, Jenny; Nicholas, Darrel D; Pittman, Charles U; Steele, Philip H; Cooper, Jerome E

2008-03-01

Pine wood, pine bark, oak wood and oak bark were pyrolyzed in an auger reactor. A total of 16 bio-oils or pyrolytic oils were generated at different temperatures and residence times. Two additional pine bio-oils were produced at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in a fluidized-bed reactor at different temperatures. All these bio-oils were fractionated to obtain lignin-rich fractions which consist mainly of phenols and neutrals. The pyrolytic lignin-rich fractions were obtained by liquid-liquid extraction. Whole bio-oils and their lignin-rich fractions were studied as potential environmentally benign wood preservatives to replace metal-based CCA and copper systems that have raised environmental concerns. Each bio-oil and several lignin-rich fractions were tested for antifungal properties. Soil block tests were conducted using one brown-rot fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum) and one white-rot fungus (Trametes versicolor). The lignin-rich fractions showed greater fungal inhibition than whole bio-oils for a impregnation solution 10% concentration level. Water repellence tests were also performed to study wood wafer swelling behavior before and after bio-oil and lignin-rich fraction treatments. In this case, bio-oil fractions did not exhibit higher water repellency than whole bio-oils. Comparison of raw bio-oils in soil block tests, with unleached wafers, at 10% and 25% bio-oil impregnation solution concentration levels showed excellent wood preservation properties at the 25% level. The good performance of raw bio-oils at higher loading levels suggests that fractionation to generate lignin-rich fractions is unnecessary. At this more effective 25% loading level in general, the raw bio-oils performed similarly. Prevention of leaching is critically important for both raw bio-oils and their fractions to provide decay resistance. Initial tests of a polymerization chemical to prevent leaching showed some success.

Comparative lethality kinetic curves and predictive models of F-value for Listeria monocytogenes using different sanitizers

PubMed Central

Beltrame, Cezar A; Kubiak, Gabriela B; Rottava, Ieda; Toniazzo, Geciane; Cansian, Rogério L; Lerin, Lindomar A; de Oliveira, Débora; Treichel, Helen

2013-01-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the kinetic of inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes using peracetic acid, chlorhexidine, and organic acids as active agent, determining the respective D-, Z-, and F-values. From our knowledge, these important results from an industrial view point are not available in the current literature, mainly for organic acids, pointing out the main contribution of the present work. Lower D-values were obtained for peracetic acid and chlorhexidine, compared with the organic acids. For the reduction of 6 log10 of L. monocytogenes using peracetic acid, at 0.2, 0.1, and 0.05% are necessary 7.08, 31.08, and 130.44 min of contact, respectively. The mathematical models of F-values showed that at concentrations lower than 0.15% one can verify an exponential increase in F-values, for both de chlorhexidine and peracetic acid. The organic acids presented a linear behavior, showing slight variation in F-values, is even more effective in under dosage. The results obtained are of fundamental importance in terms of industrial strategy for sanitization procedure, permitting to choose the best relation product concentration/exposure time, aiming at reducing costs without compromising the disinfectant efficiency. PMID:24804011

[Reference values for lead levels in blood for the urban population].

PubMed

Paolielo, M M; Gutierrez, P R; Turini, C A; Matsuo, T; Mezzaroba, L; Barbosa, D S; Alvarenga, A L; Carvalho, S R; Figueiroa, G A; Leite, V G; Gutierrez, A C; Nogueira, K B; Inamine, W A; Zavatti, A M

1997-04-01

The lead reference values for blood used in Brazil come from studies conducted in other countries, where socioeconomic, clinical, nutritional and occupational conditions are significantly different. In order to guarantee an accurate biomonitoring of the population which is occupationally exposed to lead, a major health concern of the studied community, reference values for individuals who are not occupationally exposed and who live in the southern region of the city were established. The sample was composed of 206 subjects of at least 15 years of age. Various strategies were employed to assure good-quality sampling. Subjects who presented values outside clinical or laboratory norms were excluded, as well as those whose specific activities might interfere with the results. Lead reference values for blood were found to be from 2.40 to 16.6 micrograms.dL-1, obtained by the interval x +/- 2s (where x is the mean and s is the standard deviation form observed values) and the median was 7.9 micrograms.dL-1.

[Value of the tritium test for determining the fat content in the body of rats].

PubMed

Pisarchuk, K L

1990-01-01

An indirect method for estimation of the fat percentage in the animal organism, a tritium test, was studied on laboratory male rats aged 4 and 12 months. Results obtained from the tritium test and direct chemical analysis were compared. With age a mean absolute error of the tritium test increased (from 1 to 8%) as against actual values of the water and fat percentage in the organism obtained by a direct chemical analysis. The data obtained testify to the relative insolvency of the tritium test, as well as the necessity to carry additional investigations in order to obtain adequate data.

A surge of p-values between 0.041 and 0.049 in recent decades (but negative results are increasing rapidly too)

PubMed Central

Dodou, Dimitra

2015-01-01

It is known that statistically significant (positive) results are more likely to be published than non-significant (negative) results. However, it has been unclear whether any increasing prevalence of positive results is stronger in the “softer” disciplines (social sciences) than in the “harder” disciplines (physical sciences), and whether the prevalence of negative results is decreasing over time. Using Scopus, we searched the abstracts of papers published between 1990 and 2013, and measured longitudinal trends of multiple expressions of positive versus negative results, including p-values between 0.041 and 0.049 versus p-values between 0.051 and 0.059, textual reporting of “significant difference” versus “no significant difference,” and the reporting of p < 0.05 versus p > 0.05. We found no support for a “hierarchy of sciences” with physical sciences at the top and social sciences at the bottom. However, we found large differences in reporting practices between disciplines, with p-values between 0.041 and 0.049 over 1990–2013 being 65.7 times more prevalent in the biological sciences than in the physical sciences. The p-values near the significance threshold of 0.05 on either side have both increased but with those p-values between 0.041 and 0.049 having increased to a greater extent (2013-to-1990 ratio of the percentage of papers = 10.3) than those between 0.051 and 0.059 (ratio = 3.6). Contradictorily, p < 0.05 has increased more slowly than p > 0.05 (ratios = 1.4 and 4.8, respectively), while the use of “significant difference” has shown only a modest increase compared to “no significant difference” (ratios = 1.5 and 1.1, respectively). We also compared reporting of significance in the United States, Asia, and Europe and found that the results are too inconsistent to draw conclusions on cross-cultural differences in significance reporting. We argue that the observed longitudinal trends are caused by negative factors, such as an

Obtaining Magnetic Properties of Meteorites Using Magnetic Scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kletetschka, G.; Nabelek, L.; Mazanec, M.; Simon, K.; Hruba, J.

2015-12-01

Magnetic images of Murchison meteorite's and Chelyabinsk meteorite's thin section have been obtained from magnetic scanning system from Youngwood Science and Engineering (YSE) capable of resolving magnetic anomalies down to 10-3 mT range from about 0.3 mm distance between the probe and meteorite surface (resolution about 0.15 mm). Anomalies were produced repeatedly, each time after application of magnetic field pulse of varying amplitude and constant, normal or reversed, direction. This process resulted in both magnetizing and demagnetizing of the meteorite thin section, while keeping the magnetization vector in the plane of the thin section. Analysis of the magnetic data allows determination of coercivity of remanence (Bcr) for the magnetic sources in situ. Value of Bcr is critical for calculating magnetic forces applicable during missions to asteroids where gravity is compromised. Bcr was estimated by two methods. First method measured varying dipole magnetic field strength produced by each anomaly in the direction of magnetic pulses. Second method measured deflections of the dipole direction from the direction of magnetic pulses (Nabelek et al., 2015). Nabelek, L., Mazanec, M., Kdyr, S., and Kletetschka, G., 2015, Magnetic, in situ, mineral characterization of Chelyabinsk meteorite thin section: Meteoritics & Planetary Science.

Hydrolyzable Tannins from Sweet Chestnut Fractions Obtained by a Sustainable and Eco-friendly Industrial Process.

PubMed

Campo, Margherita; Pinelli, Patrizia; Romani, Annalisa

2016-03-01

Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) wood extracts, rich in Hydrolyzable Tannins (HTs), are traditionally used in the tanning and textile industries, but recent studies suggest additional uses. The aim of this work is the HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS characterization of Sweet Chestnut aqueous extracts and fractions obtained through a membrane separation technology system without using other solvents, and the evaluation of their antioxidant and antiradical activities. Total tannins range between 2.7 and 138.4 mM; gallic acid ranges between 6% and 100%; castalagin and vescalagin range between 0% and 40%. Gallic Acid Equivalents, measured with the Folin-Ciocalteu test, range between 0.067 and 56.99 g/100 g extract weight; ORAC test results for the marketed fractions are 450.4 and 3050 µmol/g Trolox Equivalents/extract weight. EC₅₀ values, measured with the DPPH test, range between 0.444 and 2.399 µM. These results suggest a new ecofriendly and economically sustainable method for obtaining chestnut fractions with differentiated, stable and reproducible chemical compositions. Such fractions can be marketed for innovative uses in several sectors.

Provisional hourly values of equatorial Dst for 1971

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sugiura, M.; Poros, D. J.

1972-01-01

Tables and plots of provisional hourly values of the equatorial Dst index for 1971 are given, a table of daily mean Dst values for 1971 is also provided. The base line values for the four observatories, Hermanus, Kakioka, Honolulu, and San Juan, were obtained from extrapolations using the coefficients for the secular variations determined for the previous years. Examining the Dst values for quiet days, the base lines so determined appear to be slightly low, so that the Dst index for quiet periods tends to be high.

Average and recommended half-life values for two neutrino double beta decay: Upgrade-2013

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

Barabash, A. S.

2013-12-30

All existing positive results on two neutrino double beta decay in different nuclei were analyzed. Using the procedure recommended by the Particle Data Group, weighted average values for half-lives of {sup 48}Ca, {sup 76}Ge, {sup 82}Se, {sup 96}Zr, {sup 100}Mo, {sup 100}Mo−{sup 100}Ru (0{sub 1}{sup +}), {sup 116}Cd, {sup 130}Te, {sup 136}Xe, {sup 150}Nd, {sup 150}Nd−{sup 150}Sm (0{sub 1}{sup +}) and {sup 238}U were obtained. Existing geochemical data were analyzed and recommended values for half-lives of {sup 128}Te and {sup 130}Ba are proposed. I recommend the use of these results as the most currently reliable values for half-lives.

Individual preferences modulate incentive values: Evidence from functional MRI

PubMed Central

Koeneke, Susan; Pedroni, Andreas F; Dieckmann, Anja; Bosch, Volker; Jäncke, Lutz

2008-01-01

Background In most studies on human reward processing, reward intensity has been manipulated on an objective scale (e.g., varying monetary value). Everyday experience, however, teaches us that objectively equivalent rewards may differ substantially in their subjective incentive values. One factor influencing incentive value in humans is branding. The current study explores the hypothesis that individual brand preferences modulate activity in reward areas similarly to objectively measurable differences in reward intensity. Methods A wheel-of-fortune game comprising an anticipation phase and a subsequent outcome evaluation phase was implemented. Inside a 3 Tesla MRI scanner, 19 participants played for chocolate bars of three different brands that differed in subjective attractiveness. Results Parametrical analysis of the obtained fMRI data demonstrated that the level of activity in anatomically distinct neural networks was linearly associated with the subjective preference hierarchy of the brands played for. During the anticipation phases, preference-dependent neural activity has been registered in premotor areas, insular cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and in the midbrain. During the outcome phases, neural activity in the caudate nucleus, precuneus, lingual gyrus, cerebellum, and in the pallidum was influenced by individual preference. Conclusion Our results suggest a graded effect of differently preferred brands onto the incentive value of objectively equivalent rewards. Regarding the anticipation phase, the results reflect an intensified state of wanting that facilitates action preparation when the participants play for their favorite brand. This mechanism may underlie approach behavior in real-life choice situations. PMID:19032746

Factors influencing the robustness of P-value measurements in CT texture prognosis studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McQuaid, Sarah; Scuffham, James; Alobaidli, Sheaka; Prakash, Vineet; Ezhil, Veni; Nisbet, Andrew; South, Christopher; Evans, Philip

2017-07-01

Several studies have recently reported on the value of CT texture analysis in predicting survival, although the topic remains controversial, with further validation needed in order to consolidate the evidence base. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of varying the input parameters in the Kaplan-Meier analysis, to determine whether the resulting P-value can be considered to be a robust indicator of the parameter’s prognostic potential. A retrospective analysis of the CT-based normalised entropy of 51 patients with lung cancer was performed and overall survival data for these patients were collected. A normalised entropy cut-off was chosen to split the patient cohort into two groups and log-rank testing was performed to assess the survival difference of the two groups. This was repeated for varying normalised entropy cut-offs and varying follow-up periods. Our findings were also compared with previously published results to assess robustness of this parameter in a multi-centre patient cohort. The P-value was found to be highly sensitive to the choice of cut-off value, with small changes in cut-off producing substantial changes in P. The P-value was also sensitive to follow-up period, with particularly noisy results at short follow-up periods. Using matched conditions to previously published results, a P-value of 0.162 was obtained. Survival analysis results can be highly sensitive to the choice in texture cut-off value in dichotomising patients, which should be taken into account when performing such studies to avoid reporting false positive results. Short follow-up periods also produce unstable results and should therefore be avoided to ensure the results produced are reproducible. Previously published findings that indicated the prognostic value of normalised entropy were not replicated here, but further studies with larger patient numbers would be required to determine the cause of the different outcomes.

Patients' Perspective on the Value of Medication Management Appointments.

PubMed

Cruz, Mario; Cruz, Robyn Flaum; Pincus, Harold Alan

2015-05-20

There is ongoing concern that psychiatric medication management appointments add little value to care. The present study attempted to address this concern by capturing depressed patients' views and opinions about the value of psychiatric medication management appointments. Seventy-eight semi-structured interviews were performed with white and African American depressed patients post medication management appointments. These interviews tapped patients' views and opinions about the value of attending medication management appointments. An iterative thematic analysis was performed. Patients reported greater appointment value when appointments included obtaining medications, discussing the need for medication changes or dose adjustments, and discussing the impact of medications on their illness. Additionally, greater appointment value was perceived by patients when there were non-medical conversations about life issues, immediate outcomes from the appointment such as motivation to continue in care, and specific qualities of providers that were appealing to patients. Patients' perceived value of psychiatric medication management appointments is complex. Though important patient outcomes are obtaining medicine and perceiving improvement in their mental health, there are other valued appointment and provider factors. Some of these other valued factors embedded within medication management appointments could have therapeutic properties. These findings have implications for future clinical research and service delivery.

Preliminary Results from Duplex Procedure for Obtain of Fe Based Materials for Automotive Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crăciun, R. C.; Stanciu, S.; Geantă, V.; Voiculescu, I.; Manole, V.; Gârneţ, I. A.; Alexandru, A.; Cimpoesu, N.; Săndulache, F.

2017-06-01

Abstract Iron based materials still represent a high percentage from metallic materials used in industry, in general, and in automotive industry, in particular. In this case we used a duplex process in order to obtain the FeMnSiAl experimental alloy for a more efficient use of various units. In the first stage iron, manganese, silicon and aluminum were melted and mixed together using arc melting technology and for the second stage the alloy was re-melt for homogeneity in an induction furnace. Chemical composition, after each melting step, was analyzed using EDS Bruker detector for various areas and microstructural characterization using SEM, VegaTescan LMH II with SE detector, equipment. This alloy is proposed as a metallic approach of mechanical dumpers used in automotive industry for low and medium impact contacts.

Watermarking scheme based on singular value decomposition and homomorphic transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Deval; Aggarwal, A. K.; Agarwal, Himanshu

2017-10-01

A semi-blind watermarking scheme based on singular-value-decomposition (SVD) and homomorphic transform is pro-posed. This scheme ensures the digital security of an eight bit gray scale image by inserting an invisible eight bit gray scale wa-termark into it. The key approach of the scheme is to apply the homomorphic transform on the host image to obtain its reflectance component. The watermark is embedded into the singular values that are obtained by applying the singular value decomposition on the reflectance component. Peak-signal-to-noise-ratio (PSNR), normalized-correlation-coefficient (NCC) and mean-structural-similarity-index-measure (MSSIM) are used to evaluate the performance of the scheme. Invisibility of watermark is ensured by visual inspection and high value of PSNR of watermarked images. Presence of watermark is ensured by visual inspection and high values of NCC and MSSIM of extracted watermarks. Robustness of the scheme is verified by high values of NCC and MSSIM for attacked watermarked images.

The application of the statistical theory of extreme values to gust-load problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Press, Harry

1950-01-01

An analysis is presented which indicates that the statistical theory of extreme values is applicable to the problems of predicting the frequency of encountering the larger gust loads and gust velocities for both specific test conditions as well as commercial transport operations. The extreme-value theory provides an analytic form for the distributions of maximum values of gust load and velocity. Methods of fitting the distribution are given along with a method of estimating the reliability of the predictions. The theory of extreme values is applied to available load data from commercial transport operations. The results indicate that the estimates of the frequency of encountering the larger loads are more consistent with the data and more reliable than those obtained in previous analyses. (author)

Binding Energies of Proton-Bound Dimers of Imidazole and n-Acetylalanine Methyl Ester Obtained by Blackbody Infrared Radiative Dissociation

PubMed Central

Jockusch, Rebecca A.; Williams*, Evan R.

2005-01-01

The dissociation kinetics of protonated n-acetyl-L-alanine methyl ester dimer (AcAlaMEd), imidazole dimer, and their cross dimer were measured using blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD). Master equation modeling of these data was used to extract threshold dissociation energies (Eo) for the dimers. Values of 1.18 ± 0.06, 1.11 ± 0.04, and 1.12 ± 0.08 eV were obtained for AcAlaMEd, imidazole dimer, and the cross dimer, respectively. Assuming that the reverse activation barrier for dissociation of the ion–molecule complex is negligible, the value of Eo can be compared to the dissociation enthalpy (ΔHd°) from HPMS data. The Eo values obtained for the imidazole dimer and the cross dimer are in agreement with HPMS values; the value for AcAlaMEd is somewhat lower. Radiative rate constants used in the master equation modeling were determined using transition dipole moments calculated at the semiempirical (AM1) level for all dimers and compared to ab initio (RHF/3-21G*) calculations where possible. To reproduce the experimentally measured dissociation rates using master equation modeling, it was necessary to multiply semiempirical transition dipole moments by a factor between 2 and 3. Values for transition dipole moments from the ab initio calculations could be used for two of the dimers but appear to be too low for AcAlaMEd. These results demonstrate that BIRD, in combination with master equation modeling, can be used to determine threshold dissociation energies for intermediate size ions that are in neither the truncated Boltzmann nor the rapid energy exchange limit. PMID:16604163

The value of innovation under value-based pricing

PubMed Central

Moreno, Santiago G.; Ray, Joshua A.

2016-01-01

Objective The role of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) in incentivizing innovation is controversial. Critics of CEA argue that its use for pricing purposes disregards the ‘value of innovation’ reflected in new drug development, whereas supporters of CEA highlight that the value of innovation is already accounted for. Our objective in this article is to outline the limitations of the conventional CEA approach, while proposing an alternative method of evaluation that captures the value of innovation more accurately. Method The adoption of a new drug benefits present and future patients (with cost implications) for as long as the drug is part of clinical practice. Incidence patients and off-patent prices are identified as two key missing features preventing the conventional CEA approach from capturing 1) benefit to future patients and 2) future savings from off-patent prices. The proposed CEA approach incorporates these two features to derive the total lifetime value of an innovative drug (i.e., the value of innovation). Results The conventional CEA approach tends to underestimate the value of innovative drugs by disregarding the benefit to future patients and savings from off-patent prices. As a result, innovative drugs are underpriced, only allowing manufacturers to capture approximately 15% of the total value of innovation during the patent protection period. In addition to including the incidence population and off-patent price, the alternative approach proposes pricing new drugs by first negotiating the share of value of innovation to be appropriated by the manufacturer (>15%?) and payer (<85%?), in order to then identify the drug price that satisfies this condition. Conclusion We argue for a modification to the conventional CEA approach that integrates the total lifetime value of innovative drugs into CEA, by taking into account off-patent pricing and future patients. The proposed approach derives a price that allows manufacturers to capture an agreed share

Recovering metal values hydrometallurgically from spent dry battery cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabah, M. A.; Barakat, M. A.; Mahrous, Y. Sh.

1999-12-01

A hydro-pyrometallurgical method was used to recover metal values from spent dry battery cells. Water-soluble ingredients were filtered, and solid residue was sorted by magnetic separation and water flotation. Parameters affecting the recovery efficiency were also studied. Results revealed that metallic parts, carbon rods, and paper were safely recovered; pure NH4Cl, MnO2, and ZnCl2 salts were obtained. Maximum recovery efficiencies reached 93 percent for manganese and 99.5 percent for zinc and NH4.

Final Results from the Jefferson Lab Qweak Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Gregory

2017-09-01

The Qweak collaboration has unblinded our final result. We briefly describe the e-> p elastic scattering experiment used to extract the asymmetries measured in the two distinct running periods which constituted the experiment. The precision obtained on the final combined asymmetry is +/- 9.3 ppb. Some of the backgrounds and corrections applied in the experiment will be explained and quantified. We then provide the results of several methods we have used to extract consistent values of the proton's weak charge QWp from our asymmetry measurements. We also present results for the strange and axial form factors obtained from a fit to existing parity-violating electron scattering data. In conjunction with existing atomic parity violation results on 133Cs we extract the vector weak quark couplings C1u and C1d. The latter are combined to obtain the neutron's weak charge. From the proton's weak charge we obtain a result for sin2θW at the energy scale of our experiment, a sensitive SM test of the running of sin2θW . We also show the mass reach for new beyond-the-Standard-Model physics obtained from our determination of the proton's weak charge and its uncertainty, and discuss sensitivity to specific models. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, under Contract DE-AC05-06OR23177, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

A boundary value approach for solving three-dimensional elliptic and hyperbolic partial differential equations.

PubMed

Biala, T A; Jator, S N

2015-01-01

In this article, the boundary value method is applied to solve three dimensional elliptic and hyperbolic partial differential equations. The partial derivatives with respect to two of the spatial variables (y, z) are discretized using finite difference approximations to obtain a large system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) in the third spatial variable (x). Using interpolation and collocation techniques, a continuous scheme is developed and used to obtain discrete methods which are applied via the Block unification approach to obtain approximations to the resulting large system of ODEs. Several test problems are investigated to elucidate the solution process.

Spectral flux from low-density photospheres - Numerical results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hershkowitz, S.; Linder, E.; Wagoner, R. V.

1986-01-01

Radiative transfer through sharp, quasi-static atmospheres whose opacity is dominated by hydrogen is considered at densities low enough that scattering usually dominates absorption and radiative excitations usually dominate collisional excitations. Numerical results for the continuum spectral flux are obtained for effective temperatures T(e) = 6000-16,000 K and scale heights Delta-R = 10 to the 10th - 10 to the 14th cm. Spectra are significantly different than if LTE level populations were assumed. Comparison with observations of the Type II supernova 1980k tends to increase the value of the Hubble constant previously obtained by the Baade (1926) method.

Clinical Value of Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential in Assessing the Stage and Predicting the Hearing Results in Ménière's Disease.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Beom; Choi, Jeesun; Park, Ga Young; Cho, Yang-Sun; Hong, Sung Hwa; Chung, Won-Ho

2013-06-01

Our goal was to find the clinical value of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) in Ménière's disease (MD) and to evaluate whether the VEMP results can be useful in assessing the stage of MD. Furthermore, we tried to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of VEMP in predicting hearing outcomes. The amplitude, peak latency and interaural amplitude difference (IAD) ratio were obtained using cervical VEMP. The VEMP results of MD were compared with those of normal subjects, and the MD stages were compared with the IAD ratio. Finally, the hearing changes were analyzed according to their VEMP results. In clinically definite unilateral MD (n=41), the prevalence of cervical VEMP abnormality in the IAD ratio was 34.1%. When compared with normal subjects (n=33), the VEMP profile of MD patients showed a low amplitude and a similar latency. The mean IAD ratio in MD was 23%, which was significantly different from that of normal subjects (P=0.01). As the stage increased, the IAD ratio significantly increased (P=0.09). After stratification by initial hearing level, stage I and II subjects (hearing threshold, 0-40 dB) with an abnormal IAD ratio showed a decrease in hearing over time compared to those with a normal IAD ratio (P=0.08). VEMP parameters have an important clinical role in MD. Especially, the IAD ratio can be used to assess the stage of MD. An abnormal IAD ratio may be used as a predictor of poor hearing outcomes in subjects with early stage MD.

Statistical considerations for harmonization of the global multicenter study on reference values.

PubMed

Ichihara, Kiyoshi

2014-05-15

The global multicenter study on reference values coordinated by the Committee on Reference Intervals and Decision Limits (C-RIDL) of the IFCC was launched in December 2011, targeting 45 commonly tested analytes with the following objectives: 1) to derive reference intervals (RIs) country by country using a common protocol, and 2) to explore regionality/ethnicity of reference values by aligning test results among the countries. To achieve these objectives, it is crucial to harmonize 1) the protocol for recruitment and sampling, 2) statistical procedures for deriving the RI, and 3) test results through measurement of a panel of sera in common. For harmonized recruitment, very lenient inclusion/exclusion criteria were adopted in view of differences in interpretation of what constitutes healthiness by different cultures and investigators. This policy may require secondary exclusion of individuals according to the standard of each country at the time of deriving RIs. An iterative optimization procedure, called the latent abnormal values exclusion (LAVE) method, can be applied to automate the process of refining the choice of reference individuals. For global comparison of reference values, test results must be harmonized, based on the among-country, pair-wise linear relationships of test values for the panel. Traceability of reference values can be ensured based on values assigned indirectly to the panel through collaborative measurement of certified reference materials. The validity of the adopted strategies is discussed in this article, based on interim results obtained to date from five countries. Special considerations are made for dissociation of RIs by parametric and nonparametric methods and between-country difference in the effect of body mass index on reference values. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Examining the Relationship between Value-Added Results and Elements of Teacher Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holloway, Carla Euniece

2014-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine if student growth as measured by value-added measure of fourth grade 2011-2012 reading test scores was correlated with teacher observation ratings on the Teach and Cultivate Learning Environment domains of the Teaching and Learning Framework Rubric. A second purpose of the…

An Examination of Personal Values and Value Systems of Chinese and U.S. Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giacomino, Don E.; Li, Xin; Michael D. Akers,

2013-01-01

Using the Rokeach Value Survey and the Musser and Orke typology this paper examines the personal values and value systems of business students in China and compares the results with the results of a recent study that used similar methodology to examine the values and value systems of U.S. students. The study also examines the differences in values…

Professional values of nurse lecturers at three universities in Colombia.

PubMed

López-Pereira, Arabely; Arango-Bayer, Gloria

2017-03-01

To describe the professional values of the nurse lectures according to 241 nursing students, who participated voluntarily, in three different universities of Bogotá. This is a quantitative, descriptive cross-sectional study that applied the Nurses Professional Values Scale-permission secured-Spanish; three dimensions of values were applied: ethics, commitment, and professional knowledge. Ethical consideration: Project had ethical review and approval from an ethics committee and participants were given information sheets to read before they agreed to participate in the project. It was concluded that nursing students, in general, do perceive these values in their professors, and they give priority to the dimension of ethics, followed by the knowledge dimension, and finally, commitment. It is evident that professional values are transmitted by professors and students place importance to such values. Values related to the other's care are paramount in nursing training in Colombia as well as in other countries. It was found that participating students observed professors directly in relation to values focused on direct patient care, respect for privacy, respect for life, while matters related to professional improvement, participation in unions were not actually analyzed may be due to poor promotion activities and unions during undergraduate studies. The results obtained are primary approach to the study of values related to nursing, a topic which needs to be researched, something vital to all the country offering nursing training programs.

Strategies for Efficient Computation of the Expected Value of Partial Perfect Information

PubMed Central

Madan, Jason; Ades, Anthony E.; Price, Malcolm; Maitland, Kathryn; Jemutai, Julie; Revill, Paul; Welton, Nicky J.

2014-01-01

Expected value of information methods evaluate the potential health benefits that can be obtained from conducting new research to reduce uncertainty in the parameters of a cost-effectiveness analysis model, hence reducing decision uncertainty. Expected value of partial perfect information (EVPPI) provides an upper limit to the health gains that can be obtained from conducting a new study on a subset of parameters in the cost-effectiveness analysis and can therefore be used as a sensitivity analysis to identify parameters that most contribute to decision uncertainty and to help guide decisions around which types of study are of most value to prioritize for funding. A common general approach is to use nested Monte Carlo simulation to obtain an estimate of EVPPI. This approach is computationally intensive, can lead to significant sampling bias if an inadequate number of inner samples are obtained, and incorrect results can be obtained if correlations between parameters are not dealt with appropriately. In this article, we set out a range of methods for estimating EVPPI that avoid the need for nested simulation: reparameterization of the net benefit function, Taylor series approximations, and restricted cubic spline estimation of conditional expectations. For each method, we set out the generalized functional form that net benefit must take for the method to be valid. By specifying this functional form, our methods are able to focus on components of the model in which approximation is required, avoiding the complexities involved in developing statistical approximations for the model as a whole. Our methods also allow for any correlations that might exist between model parameters. We illustrate the methods using an example of fluid resuscitation in African children with severe malaria. PMID:24449434

Environments Perceived as Obesogenic Have Lower Residential Property Values

PubMed Central

Drewnowski, Adam; Aggarwal, Anju; Rehm, Colin D.; Cohen-Cline, Hannah; Hurvitz, Philip M.; Moudon, Anne V.

2014-01-01

Background Studies have tried to link multiple aspects of the built environment with physical activity and obesity rates. Purpose To determine the relation between residential property values and multiple perceived (self-reported) measures of the obesogenic environment. Methods The Seattle Obesity Study (SOS) used a telephone survey of a representative, geographically distributed sample of 2,001 King County adults, collected in 2008–2009 and analyzed in 2012–2013. Home addresses were geocoded. Residential property values at the tax parcel level were obtained from the King County tax assessor. Mean residential property values within a 10-minute walk (833-meter buffer) were calculated for each respondent. Data on multiple perceived measures of the obesogenic environment were collected by self-report. Correlations and multivariable linear regression analyses, stratified by residential density, were used to examine the associations among perceived environmental measures, property values, and BMI. Results Perceived measures of the environment such as crime, heavy traffic, and proximity to bars, liquor stores, and fast food were all associated with lower property values. By contrast, living in neighborhoods that were perceived as safe, quiet, clean, and attractive was associated with higher property values. Higher property values were associated, in turn, with lower BMIs. The observed associations between perceived environment measures and BMI were largely attenuated after accounting for residential property values. Conclusions Perceived measures of obesogenic environments are associated with lower property values. Studies in additional locations need to explore to what extent other perceived environment measures can be reflected in residential property values. PMID:25049218

Standardizing Foot-Type Classification Using Arch Index Values

PubMed Central

Weil, Rich; de Boer, Emily

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: The lack of a reliable classification standard for foot type makes drawing conclusions from existing research and clinical decisions difficult, since different foot types may move and respond to treatment differently. The purpose of this study was to determine interrater agreement for foot-type classification based on photo-box-derived arch index values. Method: For this correlational study with two raters, a sample of 11 healthy volunteers with normal to obese body mass indices was recruited from both a community weight-loss programme and a programme in physical therapy. Arch index was calculated using AutoCAD software from footprint photographs obtained via mirrored photo-box. Classification as high-arched, normal, or low-arched foot type was based on arch index values. Reliability of the arch index was determined with intra-class correlations; agreement on foot-type classification was determined using quadratic weighted kappa (κw). Results: Average arch index was 0.215 for one tester and 0.219 for the second tester, with an overall range of 0.017 to 0.370. Both testers classified 6 feet as low-arched, 9 feet as normal, and 7 feet as high-arched. Interrater reliability for the arch index was ICC=0.90; interrater agreement for foot-type classification was κw=0.923. Conclusions: Classification of foot type based on arch index values derived from plantar footprint photographs obtained via mirrored photo-box showed excellent reliability in people with varying BMI. Foot-type classification may help clinicians and researchers subdivide sample populations to better differentiate mobility, gait, or treatment effects among foot types. PMID:23729964

Comparison of the diagnostic performance of bacterial culture of nasopharyngeal swab and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples obtained from calves with bovine respiratory disease.

PubMed

Capik, Sarah F; White, Brad J; Lubbers, Brian V; Apley, Michael D; DeDonder, Keith D; Larson, Robert L; Harhay, Greg P; Chitko-McKown, Carol G; Harhay, Dayna M; Kalbfleisch, Ted S; Schuller, Gennie; Clawson, Michael L

2017-03-01

OBJECTIVE To compare predictive values, extent of agreement, and gamithromycin susceptibility between bacterial culture results of nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples obtained from calves with bovine respiratory disease (BRD). ANIMALS 28 beef calves with clinical BRD. PROCEDURES Pooled bilateral NPS samples and BALF samples were obtained for bacterial culture from calves immediately before and at various times during the 5 days after gamithromycin (6 mg/kg, SC, once) administration. For each culture-positive sample, up to 12 Mannheimia haemolytica, 6 Pasteurella multocida, and 6 Histophilus somni colonies underwent gamithromycin susceptibility testing. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on all M haemolytica isolates. For paired NPS and BALF samples collected 5 days after gamithromycin administration, the positive and negative predictive values for culture results of NPS samples relative to those of BALF samples and the extent of agreement between the sampling methods were determined. RESULTS Positive and negative predictive values of NPS samples were 67% and 100% for M haemolytica, 75% and 100% for P multocida, and 100% and 96% for H somni. Extent of agreement between results for NPS and BALF samples was substantial for M haemolytica (κ, 0.71) and H somni (κ, 0.78) and almost perfect for P multocida (κ, 0.81). Gamithromycin susceptibility varied within the same sample and between paired NPS and BALF samples. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated culture results of NPS and BALF samples from calves with BRD should be interpreted cautiously considering disease prevalence within the population, sample collection relative to antimicrobial administration, and limitations of diagnostic testing methods.

Uniqueness Results for Weak Leray-Hopf Solutions of the Navier-Stokes System with Initial Values in Critical Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, T.

2018-03-01

The main subject of this paper concerns the establishment of certain classes of initial data, which grant short time uniqueness of the associated weak Leray-Hopf solutions of the three dimensional Navier-Stokes equations. In particular, our main theorem that this holds for any solenodial initial data, with finite L_2(R^3) norm, that also belongs to certain subsets of {it{VMO}}^{-1}(R^3). As a corollary of this, we obtain the same conclusion for any solenodial u0 belonging to L2(R^3)\\cap \\dot{B}^{-1+3/p}_{p,∞}(R^3), for any 3results rely on the establishment of certain continuity properties near the initial time, for weak Leray-Hopf solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations, with these classes of initial data. Such properties seem to be of independent interest. Consequently, we are also able to show if a weak Leray-Hopf solution u satisfies certain extensions of the Prodi-Serrin condition on R^3 × ]0,T[, then it is unique on R^3 × ]0,T[ amongst all other weak Leray-Hopf solutions with the same initial value. In particular, we show this is the case if u\\in L^{q,s}(0,T; L^{p,s}(R^3)) or if it's L^{q,∞}(0,T; L^{p,∞}(R^3)) norm is sufficiently small, where 3

Statistical Analysis of Deflation in Covariance and Resultant Pc Values for AQUA, AURA and TERRA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasan, Syed O.

2016-01-01

This presentation will display statistical analysis performed for raw conjunction CDMs received for the EOS Aqua, Aura and Terra satellites within the period of February 2015 through July 2016. The analysis performed indicates a discernable deflation in covariance calculated at the JSpOC after the utilization of the dynamic drag consider parameter was implemented operationally in May 2015. As a result, the overall diminution in the conjunction plane intersection of the primary and secondary objects appears to be leading to reduced probability of collision (Pc) values for these conjunction events. This presentation also displays evidence for this theory with analysis of Pc trending plots using data calculated by the SpaceNav CRMS system.

On the dependence of the domain of values of functionals of hypersonic aerodynamics on controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilchenko, Grigory; Bilchenko, Nataly

2018-05-01

The properties of mathematical model of control of heat and mass transfer in laminar boundary layer on permeable cylindrical and spherical surfaces of the hypersonic aircraft are considered. Dependences of hypersonic aerodynamics functionals (the total heat flow and the total Newton friction force) on controls (the blowing into boundary layer, the temperature factor, the magnetic field) are investigated. The domains of allowed values of functionals of hypersonic aerodynamics are obtained. The results of the computational experiments are presented: the dependences of total heat flow on controls; the dependences of total Newton friction force on controls; the mutual dependences of functionals (as the domains of allowed values "Heat and Friction"); the dependences of blowing system power on controls. The influences of magnetic field and dissociation on the domain of "Heat and Friction" allowed values are studied. It is proved that for any fixed constant value of magnetic field the blowing system power is a symmetric function of constant dimensionless controls (the blowing into boundary layer and the temperature factor). It is shown that the obtained domain of allowed values of functionals of hypersonic aerodynamics depending on permissible range of controls may be used in engineering.

Everyday value conflicts and integrative complexity of thought.

PubMed

Myyry, Liisa

2002-12-01

This study examined the value pluralism model in everyday value conflicts, and the effect of issue context on complexity of thought. According to the cognitive manager model we hypothesized that respondents would obtain a higher level of integrative complexity on personal issues that on professional and general issues. We also explored the relations of integrative complexity to value priorities, measured by the Schwartz Value Survey, and to emotional empathy. The value pluralism model was not supported by the data collected from 126 university students from social science, business and technology. The cognitive manager model was partially confirmed by data from females but not from males. Concerning value priorities, more complex respondents had higher regard for self-transcendence values, and less complex respondents for self-enhancement values Emotional empathy was also significantly related to complexity score.

What vaccine product attributes do immunization program stakeholders value? Results from interviews in six low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Kristensen, Debra D; Bartholomew, Kate; Villadiego, Shirley; Lorenson, Kristina

2016-12-07

This study attempts to capture the opinions of stakeholders working in immunization programs in low- and middle-income countries to understand how vaccine products could be improved to better meet their needs and to obtain feedback on specific vaccine product attributes including the number of doses per container and ease of preparing a dose for administration. We also reviewed how procurement decisions are made within immunization programs. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 158 immunization stakeholders in Brazil, China, India, Peru, the Philippines, and Tanzania. Interviewees included national decision-makers and advisors involved in vaccine-purchasing decisions (n=30), national Expanded Programme on Immunization managers (n=6), and health and logistics personnel at national, subnational, and health-facility levels (n=122). Immunization stakeholders at all levels of the supply chain valued vaccine product attributes that prevent heat damage, decrease vaccine wastage, and simplify delivery. Minimizing the time required to prepare a dose is especially valued by those closest to the work of actually administering vaccines. Respondents appreciated the benefits of lower-multidose presentations on reducing wastage but seemed to prefer single-dose vials even more. They also expressed concern about the need for training and the potential for confusion and vial contamination if opened vials of liquid preservative-free vaccines are not handled properly. Procurement decision-making processes varied widely between countries, though most relied heavily on international agencies and vaccine manufacturers for information. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Validation of odor concentration from mechanical-biological treatment piles using static chamber and wind tunnel with different wind speed values.

PubMed

Szyłak-Szydłowski, Mirosław

2017-09-01

The basic principle of odor sampling from surface sources is based primarily on the amount of air obtained from a specific area of the ground, which acts as a source of malodorous compounds. Wind tunnels and flux chambers are often the only available, direct method of evaluating the odor fluxes from small area sources. There are currently no widely accepted chamber-based methods; thus, there is still a need for standardization of these methods to ensure accuracy and comparability. Previous research has established that there is a significant difference between the odor concentration values obtained using the Lindvall chamber and those obtained by a dynamic flow chamber. Thus, the present study compares sampling methods using a streaming chamber modeled on the Lindvall cover (using different wind speeds), a static chamber, and a direct sampling method without any screens. The volumes of chambers in the current work were similar, ~0.08 m 3 . This study was conducted at the mechanical-biological treatment plant in Poland. Samples were taken from a pile covered by the membrane. Measured odor concentration values were between 2 and 150 ou E /m 3 . Results of the study demonstrated that both chambers can be used interchangeably in the following conditions: odor concentration is below 60 ou E /m 3 , wind speed inside the Lindvall chamber is below 0.2 m/sec, and a flow value is below 0.011 m 3 /sec. Increasing the wind speed above the aforementioned value results in significant differences in the results obtained between those methods. In all experiments, the results of the concentration of odor in the samples using the static chamber were consistently higher than those from the samples measured in the Lindvall chamber. Lastly, the results of experiments were employed to determine a model function of the relationship between wind speed and odor concentration values. Several researchers wrote that there are no widely accepted chamber-based methods. Also, there is still a

Numerical indicators of absorption spectra of green leaf extract obtained from plants of different life forms.

PubMed

Koldaev, Vladimir M; Manyakhin, Artem Yu

2018-06-05

The study was carried out using 58 species of terrestrial plants of different life forms at the start of their fruiting stage. Photoreceptive systems of the leaves were assessed by means of unconventional numerical indicators of absorption spectra, relative photoabsorption coefficient, photosynthetic pigments' integral absorption intensity and relative absorption intensity coefficient. As the study showed, the leaves of all trees and light-demanding grasses favoring open spaces, which were subjected to the study were featured by the lowest values of numerical indicators of absorption spectra (NIAS). Shade-demanding grasses, which grow beneath the canopy, by contrast, were featured by the highest NIAS values. These values of the shrub leaves were in between those of light-demanding plants and shade-demanding ones. The results obtained are consistent with modern visions concerning the biochemistry and the physiology of plants' photoreceptive system. It is appropriate to apply the NIAS, which were used in this study and reflect a leaf's photoreceptive properties, as spectrophotometric criteria for monitoring and environmental management of natural plant resources and agricultural plants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multisource image fusion method using support value transform.

PubMed

Zheng, Sheng; Shi, Wen-Zhong; Liu, Jian; Zhu, Guang-Xi; Tian, Jin-Wen

2007-07-01

With the development of numerous imaging sensors, many images can be simultaneously pictured by various sensors. However, there are many scenarios where no one sensor can give the complete picture. Image fusion is an important approach to solve this problem and produces a single image which preserves all relevant information from a set of different sensors. In this paper, we proposed a new image fusion method using the support value transform, which uses the support value to represent the salient features of image. This is based on the fact that, in support vector machines (SVMs), the data with larger support values have a physical meaning in the sense that they reveal relative more importance of the data points for contributing to the SVM model. The mapped least squares SVM (mapped LS-SVM) is used to efficiently compute the support values of image. The support value analysis is developed by using a series of multiscale support value filters, which are obtained by filling zeros in the basic support value filter deduced from the mapped LS-SVM to match the resolution of the desired level. Compared with the widely used image fusion methods, such as the Laplacian pyramid, discrete wavelet transform methods, the proposed method is an undecimated transform-based approach. The fusion experiments are undertaken on multisource images. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach is effective and is superior to the conventional image fusion methods in terms of the pertained quantitative fusion evaluation indexes, such as quality of visual information (Q(AB/F)), the mutual information, etc.

An Algorithm for Critical Nodes Problem in Social Networks Based on Owen Value

PubMed Central

Wang, Xue-Guang

2014-01-01

Discovering critical nodes in social networks has many important applications. For finding out the critical nodes and considering the widespread community structure in social networks, we obtain each node's marginal contribution by Owen value. And then we can give a method for the solution of the critical node problem. We validate the feasibility and effectiveness of our method on two synthetic datasets and six real datasets. At the same time, the result obtained by using our method to analyze the terrorist network is in line with the actual situation. PMID:25006592

Limitations of disordered carbons obtained from biomass as anodes for real lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Caballero, Alvaro; Hernán, Lourdes; Morales, Julián

2011-05-23

Two disordered microporous carbons were obtained from two different types of biomass residues: olive and cherry stones. The former (OS) was activated physically under steam while the latter (CS) chemically with an aqueous solution of ZnCl(2). Their structural and textural properties were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and N(2) adsorption/desorption. Although the samples possess similar textural properties (BET surface areas, micropore surfaces and volumes), the CS carbon is more disordered than the OS carbon. Their electrochemical response in half-cells (CS[OS]/Li) is good; the values are comparable to those obtained from mesocarbon microbeads commonly used in commercial lithium-ion batteries, which consist of highly graphitized carbon. However, cells featuring the OS or CS carbon as anode and LiMn(2)O(4) as cathode perform poorly. Electrochemical activation of the electrodes against lithium metal, a recommended procedure for boosting the electrochemical properties of real lithium-ion batteries, improves cell performance (particularly with OS) but is ultimately ineffective: the delivered average capacity of the activated cell made from OS was less than half its theoretical value. The high irreversible capacity, high polarization between the charge and discharge curves, combined with the presence of various functional groups and the high disorder of the studied carbons which may facilitate side reactions such as electrolyte decomposition, results in a degraded cell performance. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Techniques for obtaining subjective response to vertical vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, M. J.; Oborne, D. J.

1975-01-01

Laboratory experiments were performed to validate the techniques used for obtaining ratings in the field surveys carried out by the University College of Swansea. In addition, attempts were made to evaluate the basic form of the human response to vibration. Some of the results obtained by different methods are described.

A Comparison of Streaming and Microelectrophoresis Methods for Obtaining the zeta Potential of Granular Porous Media Surfaces.

PubMed

Johnson

1999-01-01

The electrokinetic behavior of granular quartz sand in aqueous solution is investigated by both microelectrophoresis and streaming potential methods. zeta potentials of surfaces composed of granular quartz obtained via streaming potential methods are compared to electrophoretic mobility zeta potential values of colloid-sized quartz fragments. The zeta values generated by these alternate methods are in close agreement over a wide pH range and electrolyte concentrations spanning several orders of magnitude. Streaming measurements performed on chemically heterogeneous mixtures of physically homogeneous sand are shown to obey a simple mixing model based on the surface area-weighted average of the streaming potentials associated with the individual end members. These experimental results support the applicability of the streaming potential method as a means of determining the zeta potential of granular porous media surfaces. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

[Gas Concentration Measurement Based on the Integral Value of Absorptance Spectrum].

PubMed

Liu, Hui-jun; Tao, Shao-hua; Yang, Bing-chu; Deng, Hong-gui

2015-12-01

of the absorptance spectrum varied with temperature and the calculating error for the integral value fluctuates with ranges of temperature, in the gas measurement when we usd integral values of the absoptance spectrum, we should select a suitable temperature variation and obtain a more accurate measurement result.

Estimating the Value of Life, Injury, and Travel Time Saved Using a Stated Preference Framework.

PubMed

Niroomand, Naghmeh; Jenkins, Glenn P

2016-06-01

The incidence of fatality over the period 2010-2014 from automobile accidents in North Cyprus is 2.75 times greater than the average for the EU. With the prospect of North Cyprus entering the EU, many investments will need to be undertaken to improve road safety in order to reach EU benchmarks. The objective of this study is to provide local estimates of the value of a statistical life and injury along with the value of time savings. These are among the parameter values needed for the evaluation of the change in the expected incidence of automotive accidents and time savings brought about by such projects. In this study we conducted a stated choice experiment to identify the preferences and tradeoffs of automobile drivers in North Cyprus for improved travel times, travel costs, and safety. The choice of route was examined using mixed logit models to obtain the marginal utilities associated with each attribute of the routes that consumers choose. These estimates were used to assess the individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid fatalities and injuries and to save travel time. We then used the results to obtain community-wide estimates of the value of a statistical life (VSL) saved, the value of injury (VI) prevented, and the value per hour of travel time saved. The estimates for the VSL range from €315,293 to €1,117,856 and the estimates of VI from € 5,603 to € 28,186. These values are consistent, after adjusting for differences in incomes, with the median results of similar studies done for EU countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of loss of time value during road maintenance project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudarsana, Dewa Ketut; Sanjaya, Putu Ari

2017-06-01

Lane closure is frequently performed in the execution of the road maintenance project. It has a negative impact on road users such as the loss of vehicle operating costs and the loss of time value. Nevertheless, analysis on loss of time value in Indonesia has not been carried out. The parameter of time value for the road users was the minimum wage city/region approach. Vehicle speed of pre-construction was obtained by observation, while the speed during the road maintenance project was predicted by the speed of the pre-construction by multiplying it with the speed adjustment factor. In the case of execution of the National road maintenance project in the two-lane two-way urban and interurban road types in the fiscal year of 2015 in Bali province, the loss of time value was at the average of IDR 12,789,000/day/link road. The relationship of traffic volume and loss of time value of the road users was obtained by a logarithm model.

Global exponential periodicity and stability of discrete-time complex-valued recurrent neural networks with time-delays.

PubMed

Hu, Jin; Wang, Jun

2015-06-01

In recent years, complex-valued recurrent neural networks have been developed and analysed in-depth in view of that they have good modelling performance for some applications involving complex-valued elements. In implementing continuous-time dynamical systems for simulation or computational purposes, it is quite necessary to utilize a discrete-time model which is an analogue of the continuous-time system. In this paper, we analyse a discrete-time complex-valued recurrent neural network model and obtain the sufficient conditions on its global exponential periodicity and exponential stability. Simulation results of several numerical examples are delineated to illustrate the theoretical results and an application on associative memory is also given. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Achieving Value in Primary Care: The Primary Care Value Model.

PubMed

Rollow, William; Cucchiara, Peter

2016-03-01

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model provides a compelling vision for primary care transformation, but studies of its impact have used insufficiently patient-centered metrics with inconsistent results. We propose a framework for defining patient-centered value and a new model for value-based primary care transformation: the primary care value model (PCVM). We advocate for use of patient-centered value when measuring the impact of primary care transformation, recognition, and performance-based payment; for financial support and research and development to better define primary care value-creating activities and their implementation; and for use of the model to support primary care organizations in transformation. © 2016 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Do petroleum-based protective coatings add fuel value to slash

Treesearch

James L. Murphy; Charles W. Philpot

1965-01-01

Asphalts and wax emulsions have been recommended as protective coatings to help obtain clean, safe burns in slash disposal work. Fuel value determinations in the laboratory indicate that such coatings add little to the fuel value of slash.

Thermodynamic States of the Mixed Spin 1/2 and Spin 1 Hexagonal Nanowire System Obtained from a Seven-Site Cluster Within an Improved Mean Field Approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendes, R. G. B.; Barreto, F. C. Sá; Santos, J. P.

2018-04-01

The mean field approximation results in the mixedspin 1/2 Ising model and spin 1 Blume-Capel model, in the hexagonal nanowire system, are obtained from the Bogoliubov inequality. The Gibbs free energy, magnetization, and critical frontiers are obtained. Besides the stable branches of the order parameters, we obtain the metastable and unstable parts of these curves and also find phase transitions of the metastable branches of the order parameters. The classification of the stable, metastable, and unstable states is made by comparing the free energy values of these states.

High viscosity environments: an unexpected route to obtain true atomic resolution with atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Weber, Stefan A L; Kilpatrick, Jason I; Brosnan, Timothy M; Jarvis, Suzanne P; Rodriguez, Brian J

2014-05-02

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is widely used in liquid environments, where true atomic resolution at the solid-liquid interface can now be routinely achieved. It is generally expected that AFM operation in more viscous environments results in an increased noise contribution from the thermal motion of the cantilever, thereby reducing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Thus, viscous fluids such as ionic and organic liquids have been generally avoided for high-resolution AFM studies despite their relevance to, e.g. energy applications. Here, we investigate the thermal noise limitations of dynamic AFM operation in both low and high viscosity environments theoretically, deriving expressions for the amplitude, phase and frequency noise resulting from the thermal motion of the cantilever, thereby defining the performance limits of amplitude modulation, phase modulation and frequency modulation AFM. We show that the assumption of a reduced SNR in viscous environments is not inherent to the technique and demonstrate that SNR values comparable to ultra-high vacuum systems can be obtained in high viscosity environments under certain conditions. Finally, we have obtained true atomic resolution images of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite and mica surfaces, thus revealing the potential of high-resolution imaging in high viscosity environments.

High viscosity environments: an unexpected route to obtain true atomic resolution with atomic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, Stefan A. L.; Kilpatrick, Jason I.; Brosnan, Timothy M.; Jarvis, Suzanne P.; Rodriguez, Brian J.

2014-05-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is widely used in liquid environments, where true atomic resolution at the solid-liquid interface can now be routinely achieved. It is generally expected that AFM operation in more viscous environments results in an increased noise contribution from the thermal motion of the cantilever, thereby reducing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Thus, viscous fluids such as ionic and organic liquids have been generally avoided for high-resolution AFM studies despite their relevance to, e.g. energy applications. Here, we investigate the thermal noise limitations of dynamic AFM operation in both low and high viscosity environments theoretically, deriving expressions for the amplitude, phase and frequency noise resulting from the thermal motion of the cantilever, thereby defining the performance limits of amplitude modulation, phase modulation and frequency modulation AFM. We show that the assumption of a reduced SNR in viscous environments is not inherent to the technique and demonstrate that SNR values comparable to ultra-high vacuum systems can be obtained in high viscosity environments under certain conditions. Finally, we have obtained true atomic resolution images of highly ordered pyrolytic graphite and mica surfaces, thus revealing the potential of high-resolution imaging in high viscosity environments.

Micrometric precision of prosthetic dental crowns obtained by optical scanning and computer-aided designing/computer-aided manufacturing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

das Neves, Flávio Domingues; de Almeida Prado Naves Carneiro, Thiago; do Prado, Célio Jesus; Prudente, Marcel Santana; Zancopé, Karla; Davi, Letícia Resende; Mendonça, Gustavo; Soares, Carlos José

2014-08-01

The current study evaluated prosthetic dental crowns obtained by optical scanning and a computer-aided designing/computer-aided manufacturing system using micro-computed tomography to compare the marginal fit. The virtual models were obtained with four different scanning surfaces: typodont (T), regular impressions (RI), master casts (MC), and powdered master casts (PMC). Five virtual models were obtained for each group. For each model, a crown was designed on the software and milled from feldspathic ceramic blocks. Micro-CT images were obtained for marginal gap measurements and the data were statistically analyzed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's test. The mean vertical misfit was T=62.6±65.2 μm; MC=60.4±38.4 μm; PMC=58.1±38.0 μm, and RI=89.8±62.8 μm. Considering a percentage of vertical marginal gap of up to 75 μm, the results were T=71.5%, RI=49.2%, MC=69.6%, and PMC=71.2%. The percentages of horizontal overextension were T=8.5%, RI=0%, MC=0.8%, and PMC=3.8%. Based on the results, virtual model acquisition by scanning the typodont (simulated mouth) or MC, with or without powder, showed acceptable values for the marginal gap. The higher result of marginal gap of the RI group suggests that it is preferable to scan this directly from the mouth or from MC.

Analysis of factors determining enterprise value of company merger and acquisition: A case study of coal in Kalimantan, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candra, Ade; Pasasa, Linus A.; Simatupang, Parhimpunan

2015-09-01

The main purpose of this paper is looking at the relationship between the factors of technical, financial and legal with enterprise value in mergers and acquisitions of coal companies in Kalimantan, Indonesia over the last 10 years. Data obtained from secondary data sources in the company works and from published data on the internet. The data thus obtained are as many as 46 secondary data with parameters resources, reserves, stripping ratio, calorific value, distance from pit to port, and distance from ports to vessels, production per annum, the cost from pit to port, from port to vessel costs, royalties, coal price and permit status. The data was analysis using structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine the factors that most significant influence enterprise value of coal company in Kalimantan. The result shows that a technical matter is the factor that most affects the value of enterprise in coal merger and acquisition company. Financial aspect is the second factor that affects the enterprise value.

Phase portraits analysis of a barothropic system: The initial value problem

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

Kuetche, Victor Kamgang, E-mail: vkuetche@yahoo.fr; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde; The Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, 34014 Trieste

2014-05-15

In this paper, we investigate the phase portraits features of a barothropic relaxing medium under pressure perturbations. In the starting point, we show within a third-order of accuracy that the previous system is modeled by a “dissipative” cubic nonlinear evolution equation. Paying particular attention to high-frequency perturbations of the system, we solve the initial value problem of the system both analytically and numerically while unveiling the existence of localized multivalued waveguide channels. Accordingly, we find that the “dissipative” term with a “dissipative” parameter less than some limit value does not destroy the ambiguous solutions. We address some physical implications ofmore » the results obtained previously.« less

Stroke volume obtained by electrical interrogation of the brachial artery: transbrachial electrical bioimpedance velocimetry.

PubMed

Bernstein, Donald P; Henry, Isaac C; Banet, Mathew J; Dittrich, Teri

2012-04-01

The goal of this study is to measure left ventricular stroke volume (SV) from the brachial artery (BA) using electrical bioimpedance. Doppler-derived SV was used for comparison. Twenty-nine healthy adults were recruited for study. Doppler echocardiographic-derived SV was obtained from the product of distal left ventricular outflow tract cross-sectional area and systolic velocity integral. SV from the BA was obtained by transbrachial electrical bioimpedance velocimetry (TBEV). Application of a current field across the left brachium was effected by injection of a constant magnitude, high frequency, low amperage, alternating current. Therein, a static voltage (U(0)) and pulsatile voltage change (ΔU(t)) were measured and converted to their corresponding impedances, Z(0) and ΔZ(t). TBEV-derived SV was obtained by multiplying a square root value of the normalized, acceleration-based, peak first time derivative of ΔZ(t) by a volume conductor and systolic flow time. Inter-method agreement was determined by the Bland-Altman method. To assess the contribution of blood resistivity variations to ΔZ(t), BA diameters were measured at end-diastole and peak systolic expansion. Results indicate that since the BA demonstrates parabolic, laminar flow, with minimal diameter changes, blood resistivity variations are likely responsible for the derived impedance changes. Bland-Altman analysis shows that SV is obtainable by TBEV from healthy humans at rest. © 2012 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine

Preliminary Results on the Use of Leather Chrome Shavings for Air Passive Sampling

PubMed Central

Sanjuán-Herráez, D.; Chabaane, L.; Tahiri, S.; Pastor, A.; de la Guardia, M.

2012-01-01

A new passive sampler based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) layflat tube filled with chrome shavings from tannery waste residues was evaluated to determine volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor and outdoor areas. VOCs were directly determined by head space-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) without any pretreatment of the sampler and avoiding the use of solvents. Limit of detection values ranging from 20 to 75 ng sampler−1 and good repeatability values were obtained for VOCs under study with relative standard deviation values from 2.8 to 9.6% except for carbon disulfide for which it was 22.5%. The effect of the amount of chrome shavings per sampler was studied and results were compared with those obtained using empty LDPE tubes, to demonstrate the capacity of chrome shavings to adsorb VOCs. PMID:22900233

Evaluation and validation of the diagnostic value of the apparent diffusion coefficient for differentiating early-stage endometrial carcinomas from benign mimickers at 3T MRI.

PubMed

Wang, Xue; Zhao, Yu; Hu, Yumin; Zhou, Yongjin; Ye, Xinjian; Liu, Kun; Bai, Guanghui; Guo, Anna; Du, Meimei; Jiang, Lezhen; Wang, Jinhong; Yan, Zhihan

2017-07-11

Previous researchers obtained various apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) cutoff values to differentiate endometrial carcinoma from benign mimickers with 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Few studies have used 3T MRI or validated the effectiveness of these cutoff ADC values prospectively. This study was designed in two stages to obtain a cutoff ADC value at 3T MRI and to validate prospectively the role of the ADC value. First, we conducted a retrospective study of 60 patients to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADC by obtain a theoretical cutoff ADC value for differentiating between benign and malignant endometrial lesions. Student's t test revealed that ADC values for stage I endometrial carcinomas were significantly lower than those for benign lesions. The area under the curve value of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.993, and the cutoff ADC value was 0.98 × 10-3 mm2/s. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of diagnosing stage I endometrial carcinoma were 100%, 97.1%, and 98.3%, respectively. Second, we conducted a prospective study of 26 patients to validate the use of the cutoff ADC value obtained in the study's first stage. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for differentiating malignant from benign endometrial lesions based on the cutoff ADC value obtained earlier were as follows: radiologist 1 attained 86.67%, 100.0%, and 92.31%, respectively; radiologist 2 attained 86.67%, 91.0%, and 88.5%, respectively. Our results suggest that ADC values could be a potential biomarker for use as a quantitative and qualitative tool for differentiating between early-stage endometrial carcinomas and benign mimickers.

Evaluation and validation of the diagnostic value of the apparent diffusion coefficient for differentiating early-stage endometrial carcinomas from benign mimickers at 3T MRI

PubMed Central

Hu, Yumin; Zhou, Yongjin; Ye, Xinjian; Liu, Kun; Bai, Guanghui; Guo, Anna; Du, Meimei; Jiang, Lezhen

2017-01-01

Previous researchers obtained various apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) cutoff values to differentiate endometrial carcinoma from benign mimickers with 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Few studies have used 3T MRI or validated the effectiveness of these cutoff ADC values prospectively. This study was designed in two stages to obtain a cutoff ADC value at 3T MRI and to validate prospectively the role of the ADC value. First, we conducted a retrospective study of 60 patients to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADC by obtain a theoretical cutoff ADC value for differentiating between benign and malignant endometrial lesions. Student's t test revealed that ADC values for stage I endometrial carcinomas were significantly lower than those for benign lesions. The area under the curve value of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.993, and the cutoff ADC value was 0.98 × 10−3 mm2/s. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of diagnosing stage I endometrial carcinoma were 100%, 97.1%, and 98.3%, respectively. Second, we conducted a prospective study of 26 patients to validate the use of the cutoff ADC value obtained in the study's first stage. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for differentiating malignant from benign endometrial lesions based on the cutoff ADC value obtained earlier were as follows: radiologist 1 attained 86.67%, 100.0%, and 92.31%, respectively; radiologist 2 attained 86.67%, 91.0%, and 88.5%, respectively. Our results suggest that ADC values could be a potential biomarker for use as a quantitative and qualitative tool for differentiating between early-stage endometrial carcinomas and benign mimickers. PMID:28634318

Beyond Values Clarification: Addressing Client Values in Clinical Behavior Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonow, Jordan T.; Follette, William C.

2009-01-01

Ethical principles of psychology, as exemplified in the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics (2002), provide impractical advice for addressing client values during psychotherapy. These principles seem to argue that each client's values should be respected and protected at all times, except in cases in which this would result in…

SU-D-18C-02: Feasibility of Using a Short ASL Scan for Calibrating Cerebral Blood Flow Obtained From DSC-MRI

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

Wang, P; Chang, T; Huang, K

2014-06-01

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using a short arterial spin labeling (ASL) scan for calibrating the dynamic susceptibility contrast- (DSC-) MRI in a group of patients with internal carotid artery stenosis. Methods: Six patients with unilateral ICA stenosis enrolled in the study on a 3T clinical MRI scanner. The ASL-cerebral blood flow (-CBF) maps were calculated by averaging different number of dynamic points (N=1-45) acquired by using a Q2TIPS sequence. For DSC perfusion analysis, arterial input function was selected to derive the relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) map and the delay (Tmax) map. Patient-specific CF wasmore » calculated from the mean ASL- and DSC-CBF obtained from three different masks: (1)Tmax< 3s, (2)combined gray matter mask with mask 1, (3)mask 2 with large vessels removed. One CF value was created for each number of averages by using each of the three masks for calibrating the DSC-CBF map. The CF value of the largest number of averages (NL=45) was used to determine the acceptable range(< 10%, <15%, and <20%) of CF values corresponding to the minimally acceptable number of average (NS) for each patient. Results: Comparing DSC CBF maps corrected by CF values of NL (CBFL) in ACA, MCA and PCA territories, all masks resulted in smaller CBF on the ipsilateral side than the contralateral side of the MCA territory(p<.05). The values obtained from mask 1 were significantly different than the mask 3(p<.05). Using mask 3, the medium values of Ns were 4(<10%), 2(<15%) and 2(<20%), with the worst case scenario (maximum Ns) of 25, 4, and 4, respectively. Conclusion: This study found that reliable calibration of DSC-CBF can be achieved from a short pulsed ASL scan. We suggested use a mask based on the Tmax threshold, the inclusion of gray matter only and the exclusion of large vessels for performing the calibration.« less

Solution Path for Pin-SVM Classifiers With Positive and Negative $\\tau $ Values.

PubMed

Huang, Xiaolin; Shi, Lei; Suykens, Johan A K

2017-07-01

Applying the pinball loss in a support vector machine (SVM) classifier results in pin-SVM. The pinball loss is characterized by a parameter τ . Its value is related to the quantile level and different τ values are suitable for different problems. In this paper, we establish an algorithm to find the entire solution path for pin-SVM with different τ values. This algorithm is based on the fact that the optimal solution to pin-SVM is continuous and piecewise linear with respect to τ . We also show that the nonnegativity constraint on τ is not necessary, i.e., τ can be extended to negative values. First, in some applications, a negative τ leads to better accuracy. Second, τ = -1 corresponds to a simple solution that links SVM and the classical kernel rule. The solution for τ = -1 can be obtained directly and then be used as a starting point of the solution path. The proposed method efficiently traverses τ values through the solution path, and then achieves good performance by a suitable τ . In particular, τ = 0 corresponds to C-SVM, meaning that the traversal algorithm can output a result at least as good as C-SVM with respect to validation error.

Predictive value and efficiency of laboratory testing.

PubMed

Galen, R S

1980-11-01

Literature on determining reference values and reference intervals on "normal" or "healthy" individuals is abundant. It is impossible, however, to evaluate a data set of reference values and select a suitable reference interval that will be meaningful for the practice of medicine. The reference interval, no matter how derived statistically, tells us nothing about disease. This is the main reason the concepts of "normal values" have failed us and why "reference values" will prove similarly disappointing. By studying these same constituents in a variety of disease states as well, it will be possible to select "referent values" that will make the test procedure meaningful for diagnostic purposes. In order to obtain meaningful referent values for predicting disease, it is necessary to study not only the "healthy" reference population, but patients with the disease in question, and patients who are free of the disease in question but who have other diseases. Studies of this type are not frequently found for laboratory tests that are in common use today.

Feasibility of using 'lung density' values estimated from EIT images for clinical diagnosis of lung abnormalities in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.

PubMed

Nebuya, Satoru; Koike, Tomotaka; Imai, Hiroshi; Iwashita, Yoshiaki; Brown, Brian H; Soma, Kazui

2015-06-01

This paper reports on the results of a study which compares lung density values obtained from electrical impedance tomography (EIT), clinical diagnosis and CT values (HU) within a region of interest in the lung. The purpose was to assess the clinical use of lung density estimation using EIT data. In 11 patients supported by a mechanical ventilator, the consistency of regional lung density measurements as estimated by EIT was validated to assess the feasibility of its use in intensive care medicine. There were significant differences in regional lung densities recorded in the supine position between normal lungs and diseased lungs associated with pneumonia, atelectasis and pleural effusion (normal; 240 ± 71.7 kg m(-3), pneumonia; 306 ± 38.6 kg m(-3), atelectasis; 497 ± 130 kg m(-3), pleural effusion; 467 ± 113 kg m(-3): Steel-Dwass test, p < 0.05). In addition, in order to compare lung density with CT image pixels, the image resolution of CT images, which was originally 512 × 512 pixels, was changed to 16 × 16 pixels to match that of the EIT images. The results of CT and EIT images from five patients in an intensive care unit showed a correlation coefficient of 0.66 ± 0.13 between the CT values (HU) and the lung density values (kg m(-3)) obtained from EIT. These results indicate that it may be possible to obtain a quantitative value for regional lung density using EIT.

Exact Analytic Result of Contact Value for the Density in a Modified Poisson-Boltzmann Theory of an Electrical Double Layer.

PubMed

Lou, Ping; Lee, Jin Yong

2009-04-14

For a simple modified Poisson-Boltzmann (SMPB) theory, taking into account the finite ionic size, we have derived the exact analytic expression for the contact values of the difference profile of the counterion and co-ion, as well as of the sum (density) and product profiles, near a charged planar electrode that is immersed in a binary symmetric electrolyte. In the zero ionic size or dilute limit, these contact values reduce to the contact values of the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) theory. The analytic results of the SMPB theory, for the difference, sum, and product profiles were compared with the results of the Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations [ Bhuiyan, L. B.; Outhwaite, C. W.; Henderson, D. J. Electroanal. Chem. 2007, 607, 54 ; Bhuiyan, L. B.; Henderson, D. J. Chem. Phys. 2008, 128, 117101 ], as well as of the PB theory. In general, the analytic expression of the SMPB theory gives better agreement with the MC data than the PB theory does. For the difference profile, as the electrode charge increases, the result of the PB theory departs from the MC data, but the SMPB theory still reproduces the MC data quite well, which indicates the importance of including steric effects in modeling diffuse layer properties. As for the product profile, (i) it drops to zero as the electrode charge approaches infinity; (ii) the speed of the drop increases with the ionic size, and these behaviors are in contrast with the predictions of the PB theory, where the product is identically 1.

Three-Dimensional Temperature and Wind Profiles Obtained Using UAV-Based Acoustic Atmospheric Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finn, A.

2017-12-01

The natural sound generated by an unmanned aerial vehicle is used in conjunction with tomography to remotely sense atmospheric temperature and wind profiles simultaneously. Sound fields recorded onboard the aircraft and by an array of microphones on the ground are compared and converted to sound speed estimates for the ray paths intersecting the intervening medium. Tomographic inversion is then used to transform these sound speed values into vertical cross-sections and 3D volumes of virtual temperature and wind vectors, which enables the atmosphere to be visualised and monitored over time up to altitudes of 1,200m and over baselines of up to 600m. This paper reports on results from two short campaigns during which 2D and 3D profiles of wind and temperature obtained in this way were compared to: measurements taken by co-located mid-range Doppler SODAR and LIDAR; and temperature measurements made by instruments carried by unmanned aircraft flying through the intervening atmosphere. Large eddy simulation of daytime atmospheric boundary layers were also used to examine the anticipated performance of the instruments and the nature of any errors. The observations obtained using all systems are shown to correspond closely.

[Using neural networks based template matching method to obtain redshifts of normal galaxies].

PubMed

Xu, Xin; Luo, A-li; Wu, Fu-chao; Zhao, Yong-heng

2005-06-01

Galaxies can be divided into two classes: normal galaxy (NG) and active galaxy (AG). In order to determine NG redshifts, an automatic effective method is proposed in this paper, which consists of the following three main steps: (1) From the template of normal galaxy, the two sets of samples are simulated, one with the redshift of 0.0-0.3, the other of 0.3-0.5, then the PCA is used to extract the main components, and train samples are projected to the main component subspace to obtain characteristic spectra. (2) The characteristic spectra are used to train a Probabilistic Neural Network to obtain a Bayes classifier. (3) An unknown real NG spectrum is first inputted to this Bayes classifier to determine the possible range of redshift, then the template matching is invoked to locate the redshift value within the estimated range. Compared with the traditional template matching technique with an unconstrained range, our proposed method not only halves the computational load, but also increases the estimation accuracy. As a result, the proposed method is particularly useful for automatic spectrum processing produced from a large-scale sky survey project.

Climatic signals registered as Carbon isotopic values in Metasequoia leaf tissues: A statistical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, H.; Blais, B.; Perez, G.; Pagani, M.

2006-12-01

To examine climatic signals registered as carbon isotopic values in leaf tissues of C3 plants, we collected mature leaf tissues from sun and shade leaves of Metasequoia trees germinated from the 1947 batch of seeds from China and planted along a latitudinal gradient of the United States. Samples from 40 individual trees, along with fossilized material from the early Tertiary of the Canadian Arctic, were analyzed for C and concentration and isotopic values using EA-IRMS after the removal of free lipids. The generated datasets were then merged with climate data compiled from each tree site recorded as average values over the past thirty years (1971-2002, NOAA database). When the isotope data were cross plotted against each geographic and climatic indicator, Latitude, Mean Annual Temperature (MAT), Average Summer Mean Temperature (ASMT)(June-August), Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP), and Average Summer Mean Precipitation (ASMP) respectively correlation patterns were revealed. The best correlating trend was obtained between temperature parameters and C isotopic values, and this correlation is stronger in the northern leaf samples than the southern samples. We discovered a strong positive correlation between latitude and the offset of C isotopic values between shade and sun leaves. This investigation represents a comprehensive examination on climatic signals registered as C isotopic values on a single species that is marked by single genetic source. The results bear implications on paleoclimatic interpretations of C isotopic signals obtained from fossil plant tissues.

Applications of Hybrid Algorithm (Successive Over Relaxation and Inverse Distance Weighting) for Interpolating Rainfall Data Obtained from a Dense Network of Meteorological Stations in Metro Manila, Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, J. G.; Lagrosas, N.; Ampil, L. J. Y.; Lorenzo, G. R. H.; Simpas, J.

2016-12-01

A hybrid piecewise rainfall value interpolation algorithm was formulated using the commonly known Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) and Gauss-Seidel variant Successive Over Relaxation (SOR) to interpolate rainfall values over Metro Manila, Philippines. Due to the fact that the SOR requires boundary values for its algorithm to work, the IDW method has been used to estimate rainfall values at the boundary. Iterations using SOR were then done on the defined boundaries to obtain the desired results corresponding to the lowest RMSE value. The hybrid method was applied to rainfall datasets obtained from a dense network of 30 stations in Metro Manila which has been collecting meteorological data every 5 minutes since 2012. Implementing the Davis Vantage Pro 2 Plus weather monitoring system, each station sends data to a central server which could be accessed through the website metroweather.com.ph. The stations are spread over approximately 625 sq km of area such that each station is approximately within 25 sq km from each other. The locations of the stations determined by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are in critical sections of Metro Manila such as watersheds and flood-prone areas. Three cases have been investigated in this study, one for each type of rainfall present in Metro Manila: monsoon-induced (8/20/13), typhoon (6/29/13), and thunderstorm (7/3/15 & 7/4/15). The area where the rainfall stations are located is divided such that large measured rainfall values are used as part of the boundaries for the SOR. Measured station values found inside the area where SOR is implemented are compared with results from interpolated values. Root mean square error (RMSE) and correlation trends between measured and interpolated results are quantified. Results from typhoon, thunderstorm and monsoon cases show RMSE values ranged from 0.25 to 2.46 mm for typhoons, 1.55 to 10.69 mm for monsoon-induced rain and 0.01 to 6.27 mm for thunderstorms. R2 values, on the other

Two Dimensional Finite Element Based Magnetotelluric Inversion using Singular Value Decomposition Method on Transverse Electric Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjong, Tiffany; Yihaa’ Roodhiyah, Lisa; Nurhasan; Sutarno, Doddy

2018-04-01

In this work, an inversion scheme was performed using a vector finite element (VFE) based 2-D magnetotelluric (MT) forward modelling. We use an inversion scheme with Singular value decomposition (SVD) method toimprove the accuracy of MT inversion.The inversion scheme was applied to transverse electric (TE) mode of MT. SVD method was used in this inversion to decompose the Jacobian matrices. Singular values which obtained from the decomposition process were analyzed. This enabled us to determine the importance of data and therefore to define a threshold for truncation process. The truncation of singular value in inversion processcould improve the resulted model.

Determination of wine authenticity and geographical origin by measuring non-exchangeable hydrogen stable isotopes in wine ethanol with EIM-IRMS® methodology in combination with δ18O values obtained from wine water.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smajlovic, Ivan; Glavanovic, Mirko; Sparks, Kimberlee L.; Sparks, Jed P.; Jovic, Slobodan

2014-05-01

drawn from the wine water δ18O value. If water is added prior or during alcoholic fermentation, final ethanol δDn value will fall outside of the range of -205 to -215 ‰ vs. V-SMOW, while wine water δ18O value may still appear valid for the wine origin. We are certain that measuring wine water δ18O alone could give wrong impression about wine origin. With the new set of ethanol δDn and wine water δ18O results obtained from genuine wine samples from different vintages and from different geographic destinations (Serbia and USA), we are more certain that EIM-IRMS® method can help in determination of geographical origin and give additional information about wine authenticity and also important information about illegal production practices (addition of sugar and/or dilution with water) in wine production. Keywords: Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), Wine, Authenticity, determination of origin

Accuracy of the HumaSensplus point-of-care uric acid meter using capillary blood obtained by fingertip puncture.

PubMed

Fabre, Stéphanie; Clerson, Pierre; Launay, Jean-Marie; Gautier, Jean-François; Vidal-Trecan, Tiphaine; Riveline, Jean-Pierre; Platt, Adam; Abrahamsson, Anna; Miner, Jeffrey N; Hughes, Glen; Richette, Pascal; Bardin, Thomas

2018-05-02

The uric acid (UA) level in patients with gout is a key factor in disease management and is typically measured in the laboratory using plasma samples obtained after venous puncture. This study aimed to assess the reliability of immediate UA measurement with capillary blood samples obtained by fingertip puncture with the HumaSens plus point-of-care meter. UA levels were measured using both the HumaSens plus meter in the clinic and the routine plasma UA method in the biochemistry laboratory of 238 consenting diabetic patients. HumaSens plus capillary and routine plasma UA measurements were compared by linear regression, Bland-Altman plots, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Lin's concordance coefficient. Values outside the dynamic range of the meter, low (LO) or high (HI), were analyzed separately. The best capillary UA thresholds for detecting hyperuricemia were determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The impact of potential confounding factors (demographic and biological parameters/treatments) was assessed. Capillary and routine plasma UA levels were compared to reference plasma UA measurements by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for a subgroup of 67 patients. In total, 205 patients had capillary and routine plasma UA measurements available. ICC was 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-0.92), Lin's coefficient was 0.91 (0.88-0.93), and the Bland-Altman plot showed good agreement over all tested values. Overall, 17 patients showed values outside the dynamic range. LO values were concordant with plasma values, but HI values were considered uninterpretable. Capillary UA thresholds of 299 and 340 μmol/l gave the best results for detecting hyperuricemia (corresponding to routine plasma UA thresholds of 300 and 360 μmol/l, respectively). No significant confounding factor was found among those tested, except for hematocrit; however, this had a negligible influence on the assay reliability. When capillary and routine

The value of heterogeneity for cost-effectiveness subgroup analysis: conceptual framework and application.

PubMed

Espinoza, Manuel A; Manca, Andrea; Claxton, Karl; Sculpher, Mark J

2014-11-01

This article develops a general framework to guide the use of subgroup cost-effectiveness analysis for decision making in a collectively funded health system. In doing so, it addresses 2 key policy questions, namely, the identification and selection of subgroups, while distinguishing 2 sources of potential value associated with heterogeneity. These are 1) the value of revealing the factors associated with heterogeneity in costs and outcomes using existing evidence (static value) and 2) the value of acquiring further subgroup-related evidence to resolve the uncertainty given the current understanding of heterogeneity (dynamic value). Consideration of these 2 sources of value can guide subgroup-specific treatment decisions and inform whether further research should be conducted to resolve uncertainty to explain variability in costs and outcomes. We apply the proposed methods to a cost-effectiveness analysis for the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome. This study presents the expected net benefits under current and perfect information when subgroups are defined based on the use and combination of 6 binary covariates. The results of the case study confirm the theoretical expectations. As more subgroups are considered, the marginal net benefit gains obtained under the current information show diminishing marginal returns, and the expected value of perfect information shows a decreasing trend. We present a suggested algorithm that synthesizes the results to guide policy. © The Author(s) 2014.

A summary of results from solar monitoring rocket flights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, C. H.

1981-01-01

Three rocket flights to measure the solar constant and provide calibration data for sensors aboard Nimbus 6, 7, and Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) spacecraft were accomplished. The values obtained by the rocket instruments for the solar constant in SI units are: 1367 w/sq m on 29 June 1976; 1372 w/sq m on 16 November 1978; and 1374 w/sq m on 22 May 1980. The uncertainty of the rocket measurements is + or - 0.5%. The values obtained by the Hickey-Frieden sensor on Nimbus 7 during the second and third flights was 1376 w/sq m. The value obtained by the Active Cavity Radiometer Model IV (ACR IV) on SMM during the flight was 1368 w/sq m.

Strategies for obtaining unpublished drug trial data: a qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Authors of systematic reviews have difficulty obtaining unpublished data for their reviews. This project aimed to provide an in-depth description of the experiences of authors in searching for and gaining access to unpublished data for their systematic reviews, and to give guidance on best practices for identifying, obtaining and using unpublished data. Methods This is a qualitative study analyzing in-depth interviews with authors of systematic reviews who have published Cochrane reviews or published systematic reviews outside of The Cochrane Library. We included participants who 1) were the first or senior author of a published systematic review of a drug intervention, 2) had expertise in conducting systematic reviews, searching for data, and assessing methodological biases, and 3) were able to participate in an interview in English. We used non-random sampling techniques to identify potential participants. Eighteen Cochrane authors were contacted and 16 agreed to be interviewed (89% response rate). Twenty-four non-Cochrane authors were contacted and 16 were interviewed (67% response rate). Results Respondents had different understandings of what was meant by unpublished data, including specific outcomes and methodological details. Contacting study authors was the most common method used to obtain unpublished data and the value of regulatory agencies as a data source was underappreciated. Using the data obtained was time consuming and labor intensive. Respondents described the collaboration with other colleagues and/or students required to organize, manage and use the data in their reviews, generally developing and using templates, spreadsheets and computer programs for data extraction and analysis. Respondents had a shared belief that data should be accessible but some had concerns about sharing their own data. Respondents believed that obtaining unpublished data for reviews has important public health implications. There was widespread support for

[Bad results obtained from the current public health policies and recommendations of hydration].

PubMed

San Mauro Martín, Ismael; Romo Orozco, Denisse Aracely; Mendive Dubourdieu, Paula; Garicano Vilar, Elena; Valente, Ana; Betancor, Fabiana; Morales Hurtado, Alexis Daniel; Garagarza, Cristina

2016-07-19

Achieving an adequate intake of water is crucial within a balanced diet. For that purpose, dietary guidelines for healthy eating and drinking are an important consideration and need to be updated and disseminated to the population. We aimed to evaluate the liquid intake habits of a Mediterranean and Latin American population (Spain-Portugal and Mexico-Uruguay) and if they support the current recommendations of hydration by the EFSA. A record of fluid intake was obtained from 1168 participants from 4 countries above; and then compared with current consensus about hydration 1600 mL/day (female) and 2000 mL/day (male). The average fluid intake slightly surpassed the recommended: mean of 2049 mL/day (2,223 mL in males, 1,938 mL in females). Portugal stood out due to its lower intake (mean of 1,365 mL/day). Water contributed the largest part to total fluid intake (37%) in all countries (mean of 1365 mL/day). Hot beverages (18%) and milk and derivates (17%) follow water in highest consumption. The 20% of males and only 0.3% of females knew recommendations of hydration, while 63.3% of males and 62% of females followed them. Only 8.4% of people who follow the recommendations know them. The people studied surpassed the recommendation, although majority they didn´t know it. Future research should examine actual beverage consumption patterns and evaluate if the current consensuses are correctly adapted to the population needs. Hydration's policies should be transmitted to the population for their knowledge and adequate compliance.

Influence of chamber type integrated with computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) system on the results of boar semen evaluation.

PubMed

Gączarzewicz, D

2015-01-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different types of chambers used in computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) on boar sperm concentration and motility parameters. CASA measurements were performed on 45 ejaculates by comparing three commonly used chambers: Leja chamber (LJ), Makler chamber (MK) and microscopic slide-coverslip (SL). Concentration results obtained with CASA were verified by manual counting on a Bürker hemocytometer (BH). No significant differences were found between the concentrations determined with BH vs. LJ and SL, whereas higher (p<0.01) values of this parameter were obtained with MK. Compared to MK and SL, significantly higher values were recorded in LJ for velocity (VCL and VAP) as well as amplitude of the lateral head displacement (ALH) and beat cross frequency (BCF), which was associated with significantly higher percentages of motile, progressively motile and rapidly progressive motile spermatozoa. Higher values for the linearity (LIN) and straightness (STR) of sperm movement were obtained for the analysis performed in MK and SL. In both these chambers, the results of all the linearity and kinetic parameters of sperm were similar (p>0.05). The results obtained show that CASA assessment of boar semen should account for the effect of counting chamber on the results of sperm motility and concentration, which confirms the need for further study on standardizing the automatic analysis of boar semen.

Experimental Demonstration of Higher Precision Weak-Value-Based Metrology Using Power Recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yi-Tao; Tang, Jian-Shun; Hu, Gang; Wang, Jian; Yu, Shang; Zhou, Zong-Quan; Cheng, Ze-Di; Xu, Jin-Shi; Fang, Sen-Zhi; Wu, Qing-Lin; Li, Chuan-Feng; Guo, Guang-Can

2016-12-01

The weak-value-based metrology is very promising and has attracted a lot of attention in recent years because of its remarkable ability in signal amplification. However, it is suggested that the upper limit of the precision of this metrology cannot exceed that of classical metrology because of the low sample size caused by the probe loss during postselection. Nevertheless, a recent proposal shows that this probe loss can be reduced by the power-recycling technique, and thus enhance the precision of weak-value-based metrology. Here we experimentally realize the power-recycled interferometric weak-value-based beam-deflection measurement and obtain the amplitude of the detected signal and white noise by discrete Fourier transform. Our results show that the detected signal can be strengthened by power recycling, and the power-recycled weak-value-based signal-to-noise ratio can surpass the upper limit of the classical scheme, corresponding to the shot-noise limit. This work sheds light on higher precision metrology and explores the real advantage of the weak-value-based metrology over classical metrology.

Top Value Added Chemicals From Biomass. Volume 1 - Results of Screening for Potential Candidates From Sugars and Synthesis Gas

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

Hydrogenation of sugars or extraction from biomass pretreatment processes. Very few if any. Commercial processes Non-nutritive sweeteners ...and no commercial production of arabinitol. Xylitol is used as a non-nutritive sweetener . The technology required to convert the five carbon sugars ...Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass Volume I—Results of Screening for Potential Candidates from Sugars and Synthesis Gas Produced by

Value-informed space systems design and acquisition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brathwaite, Joy

Investments in space systems are substantial, indivisible, and irreversible, characteristics that make them high-risk, especially when coupled with an uncertain demand environment. Traditional approaches to system design and acquisition, derived from a performance- or cost-centric mindset, incorporate little information about the spacecraft in relation to its environment and its value to its stakeholders. These traditional approaches, while appropriate in stable environments, are ill-suited for the current, distinctly uncertain, and rapidly changing technical and economic conditions; as such, they have to be revisited and adapted to the present context. This thesis proposes that in uncertain environments, decision-making with respect to space system design and acquisition should be value-based, or at a minimum value-informed. This research advances the value-centric paradigm by providing the theoretical basis, foundational frameworks, and supporting analytical tools for value assessment of priced and unpriced space systems. For priced systems, stochastic models of the market environment and financial models of stakeholder preferences are developed and integrated with a spacecraft-sizing tool to assess the system's net present value. The analytical framework is applied to a case study of a communications satellite, with market, financial, and technical data obtained from the satellite operator, Intelsat. The case study investigates the implications of the value-centric versus the cost-centric design and acquisition choices. Results identify the ways in which value-optimal spacecraft design choices are contingent on both technical and market conditions, and that larger spacecraft for example, which reap economies of scale benefits, as reflected by their decreasing cost-per-transponder, are not always the best (most valuable) choices. Market conditions and technical constraints for which convergence occurs between design choices under a cost-centric and a value

Standardization of glycohemoglobin results and reference values in whole blood studied in 103 laboratories using 20 methods.

PubMed

Weykamp, C W; Penders, T J; Miedema, K; Muskiet, F A; van der Slik, W

1995-01-01

We investigated the effect of calibration with lyophilized calibrators on whole-blood glycohemoglobin (glyHb) results. One hundred three laboratories, using 20 different methods, determined glyHb in two lyophilized calibrators and two whole-blood samples. For whole-blood samples with low (5%) and high (9%) glyHb percentages, respectively, calibration decreased overall interlaboratory variation (CV) from 16% to 9% and from 11% to 6% and decreased intermethod variation from 14% to 6% and from 12% to 5%. Forty-seven laboratories, using 14 different methods, determined mean glyHb percentages in self-selected groups of 10 nondiabetic volunteers each. With calibration their overall mean (2SD) was 5.0% (0.5%), very close to the 5.0% (0.3%) derived from the reference method used in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. In both experiments the Abbott IMx and Vision showed deviating results. We conclude that, irrespective of the analytical method used, calibration enables standardization of glyHb results, reference values, and interpretation criteria.

Piezoelectric Characteristics of Chiral Polymer Composite Films Obtained under Strong Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakiri, Takuo; Okuno, Masaki; Maki, Nobuyuki; Kanasaki, Masayoshi; Morimoto, Yu; Okamoto, Satoshi; Ishizuka, Masayuki; Fukuda, Kazuyuki; Takaki, Toshihiko; Tajitsu, Yoshiro

2005-09-01

It is difficult to obtain a drawn chiral polymer/inorganic material composite membrane with shear piezoelectricity by the conventional method because the chiral polymer/inorganic material composite membrane breaks during the drawing process by which shear piezoelectricity is realized. Using a strong magnetic field, we propose to manufacture a drawn composite membrane of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), a chiral polymer, and hydroxyapatite (Hap), an inoroganic material (PLLA/Hap composite membrane). The manufacturing method used here is effective for obtaining a drawn PLLA/Hap composite membrane with a large uniform area. Also, the shear piezoelectric constant of the drawn PLLA/Hap composite membrane is about 20 pC/N. This value is large for piezoelectric polymers.

Correlation between polar values and vector analysis.

PubMed

Naeser, K; Behrens, J K

1997-01-01

To evaluate the possible correlation between polar value and vector analysis assessment of surgically induced astigmatism. Department of Ophthalmology, Aalborg Sygehus Syd, Denmark. The correlation between polar values and vector analysis was evaluated by simple mathematical and optical methods using accepted principles of trigonometry and first-order optics. Vector analysis and polar values report different aspects of surgically induced astigmatism. Vector analysis describes the total astigmatic change, characterized by both astigmatic magnitude and direction, while the polar value method produces a single, reduced figure that reports flattening or steepening in preselected directions, usually the plane of the surgical meridian. There is a simple Pythagorean correlation between vector analysis and two polar values separated by an arch of 45 degrees. The polar value calculated in the surgical meridian indicates the power or the efficacy of the surgical procedure. The polar value calculated in a plane inclined 45 degrees to the surgical meridian indicates the degree of cylinder rotation induced by surgery. These two polar values can be used to obtain other relevant data such as magnitude, direction, and sphere of an induced cylinder. Consistent use of these methods will enable surgeons to control and in many cases reduce preoperative astigmatism.

Chemical composition and bioactivity of Citrus medica L. cv. Diamante essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation, cold-pressing and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.

PubMed

Menichini, Federica; Tundis, Rosa; Bonesi, Marco; de Cindio, Bruno; Loizzo, Monica R; Conforti, Filomena; Statti, Giancarlo A; Menabeni, Roberta; Bettini, Ruggero; Menichini, Francesco

2011-04-01

The chemical composition of the essential oil of Citrus medica L. cv. Diamante peel obtained by hydrodistillation, cold-pressing and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction techniques was determined by GC/MS analysis. Forty-six components were fully characterised. Limonene and γ-terpinene were the major components of the oils obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) and cold-pressing (CP), while citropten was the major constituent in the oil obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities were evaluated. The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation exerted the highest inhibitory activity against BChE (IC₅₀ value of 154.6 µg mL⁻¹) and AChE (IC₅₀ value of 171.3 µg mL⁻¹. Interestingly, the oil obtained by cold-pressing exhibited a selective inhibitory activity against AChE. The essential oils have also been evaluated for the inhibition of NO production in LPS induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. The oil obtained by hydrodistillation exerted a significant inhibition of NO production with an IC₅₀ value of 17 µg mL⁻¹ (IC₅₀ of positive control 53 µg mL⁻¹).

How work setting and job experience affect professional nurses' values.

PubMed

Fernández-Feito, Ana; Palmeiro-Longo, María Del Rosario; Hoyuelos, Salomé Basurto; García-Díaz, Vanesa

2017-01-01

The development of professional values in nursing is directly related to quality and ethical clinical practise and may also increase practitioner and patients' satisfaction. Some factors, such as work setting or work experience, can influence the importance granted to the professional values of nursing. To compare in primary care nurses and hospital care nurses the importance granted to professional values and to contrast this perception as a function of professional experience. Research design, participants and research context: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants were 380 nursing professionals from the public health system (primary care and hospital care). Three dimensions were analysed: ethics, professional expertise and professional mastery. Data were collected from January to June 2015. Ethical considerations: We obtained permission from the Ethics Committee and participants' informed consent. Hospital care professionals attached more importance to all the values analysed, regardless of their work experience. Ethical values, such as confidentiality and respect for the person, were considered to be very important in both systems. Values related to professional expertise obtained lower scores, especially in primary care. In general, professionals with more than 20 years' experience granted less importance to the values. The professional setting influenced the importance assigned to professional nursing values, and clear differences were observed between primary and hospital care. The domain of ethics was considered the most important. It is necessary to reflect on the significance attributed to professional values, especially in more expert nursing staff.

Obtaining and characterization of La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 perovskite by the combustion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales Rivera, A. M.; Gómez Cuaspud, J. A.; López, E. Vera

2017-01-01

This research is focused on the synthesis and characterization of a perovskite oxide based on La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 system by the combustion method. The material was obtained in order to contribute to analyse the effect of synthesis route in the obtaining of advanced anodic materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The obtaining of solid was achieved starting from corresponding nitrate dissolutions, which were polymerized by temperature effect in presence of citric acid. The solid precursor as a foam citrate was characterized by infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, confirming the effectiveness in synthesis process. The solid was calcined in oxygen atmosphere at 800°C and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive of X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and solid state impedance spectroscopy (IS). Results confirm the obtaining of an orthorhombic solid with space group Pnma (62) and cell parameters a=5.4590Å, b=7.7310Å and c=5.5050Å. At morphological level the solid showed a heterogeneous distribution with an optimal correspondence with proposed and obtained stoichiometry. The electrical characterization, confirm a semiconductor behaviour with a value of 2.14eV Band-gap according with previous works.

The value of innovation under value-based pricing.

PubMed

Moreno, Santiago G; Ray, Joshua A

2016-01-01

The role of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) in incentivizing innovation is controversial. Critics of CEA argue that its use for pricing purposes disregards the 'value of innovation' reflected in new drug development, whereas supporters of CEA highlight that the value of innovation is already accounted for. Our objective in this article is to outline the limitations of the conventional CEA approach, while proposing an alternative method of evaluation that captures the value of innovation more accurately. The adoption of a new drug benefits present and future patients (with cost implications) for as long as the drug is part of clinical practice. Incidence patients and off-patent prices are identified as two key missing features preventing the conventional CEA approach from capturing 1) benefit to future patients and 2) future savings from off-patent prices. The proposed CEA approach incorporates these two features to derive the total lifetime value of an innovative drug (i.e., the value of innovation). The conventional CEA approach tends to underestimate the value of innovative drugs by disregarding the benefit to future patients and savings from off-patent prices. As a result, innovative drugs are underpriced, only allowing manufacturers to capture approximately 15% of the total value of innovation during the patent protection period. In addition to including the incidence population and off-patent price, the alternative approach proposes pricing new drugs by first negotiating the share of value of innovation to be appropriated by the manufacturer (>15%?) and payer (<85%?), in order to then identify the drug price that satisfies this condition. We argue for a modification to the conventional CEA approach that integrates the total lifetime value of innovative drugs into CEA, by taking into account off-patent pricing and future patients. The proposed approach derives a price that allows manufacturers to capture an agreed share of this value, thereby incentivizing

High-value chemicals obtained from selective photo-oxidation of glucose in the presence of nanostructured titanium photocatalysts.

PubMed

Colmenares, Juan C; Magdziarz, Agnieszka; Bielejewska, Anna

2011-12-01

Glucose was oxidized in the presence of powdered TiO(2) photocatalysts synthesized by an ultrasound-promoted sol-gel method. The catalysts were more selective towards glucaric acid, gluconic acid and arabitol (total selectivity approx. 70%) than the most popular photocatalyst, Degussa P-25. The photocatalytic systems worked at mild reaction conditions: 30°C, atmospheric pressure and very short reaction time (e.g. 5 min). Such relatively good selectivity towards high-valued molecules are attributed to the physico-chemical properties (e.g. high specific surface area, nanostructured anatase phase, and visible light absorption) of novel TiO(2) materials and the reaction conditions. The TiO(2) photocatalysts have potential for water purification and energy production and for use in the pharmaceutical, food, perfume and fuel industries. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controllability of switched singular mix-valued logical control networks with constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Lei; Gong, Mengmeng; Zhu, Peiyong

2018-03-01

The present paper investigates the controllability problem of switched singular mix-valued logical control networks (SSMLCNs) with constraints on states and controls. First, using the semi-tenser product (STP) of matrices, the SSMLCN is expressed in an algebraic form, based on which a necessary and sufficient condition is given for the uniqueness of solution of SSMLCNs. Second, a necessary and sufficient criteria is derived for the controllability of constrained SSMLCNs, by converting a constrained SSMLCN into a parallel constrained switched mix-valued logical control network. Third, an algorithm is presented to design a proper switching sequence and a control scheme which force a state to a reachable state. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the efficiency of the results obtained in this paper.

Analyzing Value Content in Television Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Larry; Zelig, Mark

Four prime time television programs--"Charlie's Angels,""Little House on the Prairie,""Grizzly Adams," and "Lou Grant" --were rated by university students for their portrayal of moral reasoning and values. Data were obtained from three episodes of each program by randomly assigning raters to one of two viewing groups, both of which used an…

Non-use Economic Values for Little-Known Aquatic Species at Risk: Comparing Choice Experiment Results from Surveys Focused on Species, Guilds, and Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudd, Murray A.; Andres, Sheri; Kilfoil, Mary

2016-09-01

Accounting for non-market economic values of biological diversity is important to fully assess the benefits of environmental policies and regulations. This study used three choice experiments (species-, guild-, and ecosystem-based surveys) in parallel to quantify non-use values for little-known aquatic species at risk in southern Ontario. Mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) ranged from 9.45 to 21.41 per listing status increment under Canada's Species at Risk Act for both named and unnamed little-known species. Given the broad range of valuable ecosystem services likely to accrue to residents from substantial increases in water quality and the rehabilitation of coastal wetlands, the difference in WTP between species- and ecosystem-based surveys seemed implausibly small. It appeared that naming species—the `iconization' of species in two of the three surveys—had an important effect on WTP. The results suggest that reasonable annual household-level WTP values for little-known aquatic species may be 10 to 25 per species or 10 to 20 per listing status increment. The results highlighted the utility of using parallel surveys to triangulate on non-use economic values for little-known species at risk.

Non-use Economic Values for Little-Known Aquatic Species at Risk: Comparing Choice Experiment Results from Surveys Focused on Species, Guilds, and Ecosystems.

PubMed

Rudd, Murray A; Andres, Sheri; Kilfoil, Mary

2016-09-01

Accounting for non-market economic values of biological diversity is important to fully assess the benefits of environmental policies and regulations. This study used three choice experiments (species-, guild-, and ecosystem-based surveys) in parallel to quantify non-use values for little-known aquatic species at risk in southern Ontario. Mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) ranged from $9.45 to $21.41 per listing status increment under Canada's Species at Risk Act for both named and unnamed little-known species. Given the broad range of valuable ecosystem services likely to accrue to residents from substantial increases in water quality and the rehabilitation of coastal wetlands, the difference in WTP between species- and ecosystem-based surveys seemed implausibly small. It appeared that naming species-the 'iconization' of species in two of the three surveys-had an important effect on WTP. The results suggest that reasonable annual household-level WTP values for little-known aquatic species may be $10 to $25 per species or $10 to $20 per listing status increment. The results highlighted the utility of using parallel surveys to triangulate on non-use economic values for little-known species at risk.

Risk factors influencing the early outcome results after laparoscopic repair of perforated duodenal ulcer and their predictive value.

PubMed

Lunevicius, Raimundas; Morkevicius, Matas

2005-09-01

Clear patient selection criteria and indications for laparoscopic repair of perforated duodenal ulcers are necessary. The aims of our study are to report the early outcome results after operation and to define the predictive values of risk factors influencing conversion rate and genesis of suture leakage. Sixty nonrandomly selected patients operated on laparoscopically in a tertiary care academic center between October 1996 and May 2004 for perforated duodenal ulcers were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcome measures included the duration of symptoms, shock, underlying medical illness, ulcer size, age, Boey score, and the collective predictive value of these variables for conversion and suture leakage rates. Laparoscopic repair was completed in 46 patients (76.7%). Fourteen patients (23.3%) underwent conversion to open repair. Eight patients (13.3%) had postoperative complications. Suture leakage was confirmed in four patients (6.7%). Hospital stay was 7.8+/-5.3 days. There was no mortality. Patients with an ulcer perforation size of >8 mm had a significantly increased risk for conversion to open repair (p<0.05): positive predictive value (PPV) 75%, sensitivity 27%, specificity 98%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 85%. The significance of ulcer perforation size was confirmed by a stepwise logistic regression test (p=0.0201). All patients who developed suture leakage had acute symptoms for >9 h preoperatively (p<0.001): PPV 31%, specificity 84%, sensitivity 100%, and NPV 100%. Conversions happened with surgeons whose previous experience involved 1.8+/-2.3 cases compared to 3.9+/-2.9 cases in successful laparoscopic repair (p=0.039, t test). Ulcer perforation size of >8 mm is a significant risk factor influencing the conversion rate. An increase in the suture leakage rate is predicted by delayed presentation of >9 h.

Choice by value encoding and value construction: processes of loss aversion.

PubMed

Willemsen, Martijn C; Böckenholt, Ulf; Johnson, Eric J

2011-08-01

Loss aversion and reference dependence are 2 keystones of behavioral theories of choice, but little is known about their underlying cognitive processes. We suggest an additional account for loss aversion that supplements the current account of the value encoding of attributes as gains or losses relative to a reference point, introducing a value construction account. Value construction suggests that loss aversion results from biased evaluations during information search and comparison processes. We develop hypotheses that identify the influence of both accounts and examine process-tracing data for evidence. Our data suggest that loss aversion is the result of the initial direct encoding of losses that leads to the subsequent process of directional comparisons distorting attribute valuations and the final choice.

Continuous H/V spectral ratio analysis of ambient noise: a necessity to understand microzonation results obtained by mobile stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Noten, Koen; Lecocq, Thomas

2016-04-01

Estimating the resonance frequency (f0) and amplification factor of unconsolidated sediments by H/V spectral ratio (HVSR) analysis of seismic ambient noise has been widely used since Nakamura's proposal in 1989. To measure f0 properly, Nakamura suggested to perform microzonation surveys at night when the artificial microtremor is small and does not fully disrupt the ambient seismic noise. As nightly fieldwork is not always a reasonable demand, we propose an alternative workflow of Nakamura's technique to improve the quality of HVSR results obtained by ambient noise measurements of mobile stations during the day. This new workflow includes the automated H/V calculation of continuous seismic data of a stationary or permanent station installed near the microzonation site for as long as the survey lasts in order to control the error in the HVSR analysis obtained by the mobile stations. In this presentation, we apply this workflow on one year of seismic data at two different case studies; i.e. a rural site with a shallow bedrock depth of 30 m and an urban site (Brussels, capital of Belgium, bedrock depth of 110 m) where human activity is continuous 24h/day. By means of an automated python script, the fundamental peak frequency and the H/V amplitude are automatically picked from H/V spectra that are calculated from 50% overlapping, 30 minute windows during the whole year. Afterwards, the f0 and amplitude picks are averaged per hour/per day for the whole year. In both case studies, the H/V amplitude and the fundamental frequencies range considerable, up to ˜15% difference between the daily and nightly measurements. As bedrock depth is known from boreholes at both sites, we concluded that the nightly picked f0 is the true one. Our results thus suggest that changes in the determined f0 and H/V amplitude are dominantly caused by the human behaviour which is stored in the ambient seismic noise (e.g. later onset of traffic in a weekend, quiet Sundays, differences between

Estimating the value of life and injury for pedestrians using a stated preference framework.

PubMed

Niroomand, Naghmeh; Jenkins, Glenn P

2017-09-01

The incidence of pedestrian death over the period 2010 to 2014 per 1000,000 in North Cyprus is about 2.5 times that of the EU, with 10.5 times more pedestrian road injuries than deaths. With the prospect of North Cyprus entering the EU, many investments need to be undertaken to improve road safety in order to reach EU benchmarks. We conducted a stated choice experiment to identify the preferences and tradeoffs of pedestrians in North Cyprus for improved walking times, pedestrian costs, and safety. The choice of route was examined using mixed logit models to obtain the marginal utilities associated with each attribute of the routes that consumers chose. These were used to estimate the individuals' willingness to pay (WTP) to save walking time and to avoid pedestrian fatalities and injuries. We then used the results to obtain community-wide estimates of the value of a statistical life (VSL) saved, the value of an injury (VI) prevented, and the value per hour of walking time saved. The estimate of the VSL was €699,434 and the estimate of VI was €20,077. These values are consistent, after adjusting for differences in incomes, with the median results of similar studies done for EU countries. The estimated value of time to pedestrians is €7.20 per person hour. The ratio of deaths to injuries is much higher for pedestrians than for road accidents, and this is completely consistent with the higher estimated WTP to avoid a pedestrian accident than to avoid a car accident. The value of time of €7.20 is quite high relative to the wages earned. Findings provide a set of information on the VRR for fatalities and injuries and the value of pedestrian time that is critical for conducing ex ante appraisals of investments to improve pedestrian safety. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subprimal purchasing and merchandising decisions for pork: relationship to retail value.

PubMed

Lorenzen, C L; Walter, J P; Dockerty, T R; Griffin, D B; Johnson, H K; Savell, J W

1996-01-01

To assess retail value and profitability, cutting test data were obtained in a simulated retail cutting room for boxed pork subprimals, bone-in loins (n = 180), boneless loins (n = 94), Boston butts (n = 148), fresh hams (n = 28), and boneless hams (n = 23). Processing times (seconds) and retail weights (kilograms) were used to determine relative value. Cutting style affected (P < .05) value differential (US$/subprimal) for bone-in and boneless loins. When cutting styles within subprimals were pooled, value differential was affected (P < .05) by purchasing specification for bone-in loins, boneless loins, Boston butts, and inside fresh hams. Processing bone-in loins to a boneless end point produced a greater (P < .05) value differential and percentage of gross margin than a bone-in retail end point. Bone-in loins fabricated to a boneless retail end point produced a greater (P < .05) value differential and percentage of gross margin than boneless loins fabricated to the same end point. The increase in retail value can be attributed to the increased number and weight of retail cuts produced from bone-in loins. The thick, boneless loin cutting style produced a greater (P < .05) value differential and percentage of gross margin as a result of a lower (P < .05) cost of fabrication and increased value of retail cuts than the thin, boneless cutting style. In general, boneless pork cutting methods were more profitable than bone-in cutting methods regardless of subprimal.

[Obtaining the Impact Factor by Ginekologia Polska].

PubMed

Spaczyński, Marek; Januszek-Michalecka, Lucyna; Nowak-Markwitz, Ewa; Kedzia, Witold; Spaczyński, Robert; Karowicz-Bilińska, Agata

2011-08-01

Scientific journals are ranked and evaluated to measure their relative importance and influence on science within a specific field. One of the tools most widely used to evaluate and compare journals is the Thomson Reuters Impact Factor In Poland a specific value of a scientist's Impact Factor is required for academic promotion. Ginekologia Polska was placed on the Master Journal List in 2008 in the result of changes introduced in 2007 by the new Chief Editor prof. Marek Spaczynski. In 2010, first time in its history the journal was listed in the Journal Citation Reports with the Impact Factor 0.367. The analysis of Ginekologia Polska contemporary value, as well as of prospects for its development was conducted on the basis of the Journal Citation Reports. In the light of the JCR data, Ginekologia Polska is a highly regarded title compared to other Polish journals. Its value and importance is gradually growing.

OGTT results in obese adolescents with normal HOMA-IR values.

PubMed

Sahin, Nursel Muratoglu; Kinik, Sibel Tulgar; Tekindal, Mustafa Agah

2013-01-01

To investigate insulin resistance (IR) with OGTT in obese adolescents who have normal fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). A total of 97 obese adolescents who had values of HOMA-IR <3.16 and insulin levels <18 μU/mL (125 pmol/L) were included in the study. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on all cases. Subjects were divided into two groups: subjects with and without IR using an insulin peak of ≥150 μU/mL (1041.8 pmol/L) and/or ≥75 μU/mL (520.9 pmol/L) 120 min after glucose charge and the sum of insulin levels >2083.5 pmol/L (300 μU/mL) in OGTT. IR risk factors were defined as family history of diabetes mellitus, acanthosis nigricans (AN), and hepatic steatosis. IR was detected in 61 (62.9%) patients. The IR group had significantly more frequent AN (p=0.0001). As the number of risk factors increased, the frequency of IR also increased (p=0.01). We advise to perform OGTT in obese adolescents with normal HOMA-IR, if they have risk factors for IR.

A numerical solution of a singular boundary value problem arising in boundary layer theory.

PubMed

Hu, Jiancheng

2016-01-01

In this paper, a second-order nonlinear singular boundary value problem is presented, which is equivalent to the well-known Falkner-Skan equation. And the one-dimensional third-order boundary value problem on interval [Formula: see text] is equivalently transformed into a second-order boundary value problem on finite interval [Formula: see text]. The finite difference method is utilized to solve the singular boundary value problem, in which the amount of computational effort is significantly less than the other numerical methods. The numerical solutions obtained by the finite difference method are in agreement with those obtained by previous authors.

Αntioxidant activity of Cynara scolymus L. and Cynara cardunculus L. extracts obtained by different extraction techniques.

PubMed

Kollia, Eleni; Markaki, Panagiota; Zoumpoulakis, Panagiotis; Proestos, Charalampos

2017-05-01

Extracts of different parts (heads, bracts and stems) of Cynara cardunculus L. (cardoon) and Cynara scolymus L. (globe artichoke), obtained by two different extraction techniques (Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE) and classical extraction (CE)) were examined and compared for their total phenolic content (TPC) and their antioxidant activity. Moreover, infusions of the plant's parts were also analysed and compared to aforementioned samples. Results showed that cardoon's heads extract (obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction) displayed the highest TPC values (1.57 mg Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE) g -1 fresh weight (fw)), the highest DPPH • scavenging activity (IC50; 0.91 mg ml -1 ) and the highest ABTS •+ radical scavenging capacity (2.08 mg Trolox Equivalents (TE) g -1 fw) compared to infusions and other extracts studied. Moreover, Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction technique proved to be more appropriate and effective for the extraction of antiradical and phenolic compounds.

Recent results obtained on the APEX 12 m antenna with the ArTeMiS prototype camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talvard, M.; André, P.; Rodriguez, L.; Le-Pennec, Y.; De Breuck, C.; Revéret, V.; Agnèse, P.; Boulade, O.; Doumayrou, E.; Dubreuil, D.; Ercolani, E.; Gallais, P.; Horeau, B.; Lagage, PO; Leriche, B.; Lortholary, M.; Martignac, J.; Minier, V.; Pantin, E.; Rabanus, D.; Relland, J.; Willmann, G.

2008-07-01

ArTeMiS is a camera designed to operate on large ground based submillimetric telescopes in the 3 atmospheric windows 200, 350 and 450 µm. The focal plane of this camera will be equipped with 5760 bolometric pixels cooled down at 300 mK with an autonomous cryogenic system. The pixels have been manufactured, based on the same technology processes as used for the Herschel-PACS space photometer. We review in this paper the present status and the future plans of this project. A prototype camera, named P-ArTeMiS, has been developed and successfully tested on the KOSMA telescope in 2006 at Gornergrat 3100m, Switzerland. Preliminary results were presented at the previous SPIE conference in Orlando (Talvard et al, 2006). Since then, the prototype camera has been proposed and successfully installed on APEX, a 12 m antenna operated by the Max Planck Institute für Radioastronomie, the European Southern Observatory and the Onsala Space Observatory on the Chajnantor site at 5100 m altitude in Chile. Two runs have been achieved in 2007, first in March and the latter in November. We present in the second part of this paper the first processed images obtained on star forming regions and on circumstellar and debris disks. Calculated sensitivities are compared with expectations. These illustrate the improvements achieved on P-ArTeMiS during the 3 experimental campaigns.

Study of Lightweight Ni-Co Alloy Mirrors Obtained by Electroforming Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Ruth; Muntele, Iulia; Muntele, Claudiu; Zimmerman, Robert; Ila, Daryush; Smith, W. Scott (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

One contribution in reducing the costs of optics in space can be provided by production of ultralight mirrors. The decrease in the weight of the primary mirror of a telescope is anticipated to lead to the possibility of increasing the size of the telescopes, therefore increasing the amount and distance from which information is received. An electroplating process of ultralight replica mirrors from nickel sulfamate solution will be described. Based on an experimental setup with cylindrical symmetry, flat mirrors with a diameter of 7 inches and thickness of 1.5 mm are made from a Ni-Co alloy. The composition of the resulting deposit is analyzed using Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) and Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). In order to resolve Ni and Co, 10 MeV nitrogen ions are used as projectiles in the RBS measurements. Solution parameters monitored during the deposition process using optical absorption and polarography will be correlated with the final concentration of Ni and Co in the deposit. Bath parameters like temperature, current density, agitation level and acidity are chosen at certain values and maintained constant from one sample to another throughout the deposition process. The purpose of the experiment is to obtain mirrors with near zero stress, and predetermined composition and hardness. This study is an intermediate step in obtaining through the same process, but with a larger scale setup, ultralight large aperture replica mirrors.

Replica and extreme-value analysis of the Jarzynski free-energy estimator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palassini, Matteo; Ritort, Felix

2008-03-01

We analyze the Jarzynski estimator of free-energy differences from nonequilibrium work measurements. By a simple mapping onto Derrida's Random Energy Model, we obtain a scaling limit for the expectation of the bias of the estimator. We then derive analytical approximations in three different regimes of the scaling parameter x = log(N)/W, where N is the number of measurements and W the mean dissipated work. Our approach is valid for a generic distribution of the dissipated work, and is based on a replica symmetry breaking scheme for x >> 1, the asymptotic theory of extreme value statistics for x << 1, and a direct approach for x near one. The combination of the three analytic approximations describes well Monte Carlo data for the expectation value of the estimator, for a wide range of values of N, from N=1 to large N, and for different work distributions. Based on these results, we introduce improved free-energy estimators and discuss the application to the analysis of experimental data.

Haematological and biochemical values in horses naturally infected with Strongylus vulgaris.

PubMed

Bailey, M; Kent, J; Martin, S C; Lloyd, S; Soulsby, E J

1984-08-18

The concentrations of serum proteins (beta 1, beta 2, gamma, alpha 1, alpha 2 globulins and albumin) and absolute numbers of eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes were examined in 64 naturally infected horses and ponies in which the number of larvae of Strongylus vulgaris in the cranial mesenteric artery and the severity of the lesion of verminous arteritis could be determined. The horses were grouped according to the number of larvae found and the severity of the arteritis. The results demonstrated that, although some significant deviation from a random distribution occurred in certain of the values (chi 2 test), there was considerable individual variation in the values obtained for individual animals within groups and overlap of the range of values between groups. Also the number of larvae present in the artery did not necessarily accurately reflect the severity of the arterial lesion. Thus, the parameters examined could not be used reliably to estimate the intensity of infection with S vulgaris in an individual animal.

[Evaluation of soy bean proteins obtained by pressure].

PubMed

Bau, H M; Poullain, B; Debry, G

1978-01-01

Besides the processes of extrusion and protein fiber spinning, analogous utilization research with a range of protein sources is continuing at an accelerated pace. However, the pressure forming process, an attractive process for producing protein foods, has not received the attention as it merits. The fabrication techniques contribute the advantages of nutritional value, economic and simplicity in manufacture; it can be extend to utilize in the development of useful textured vegetable protein foods. Here, we present a pressure forming process for producing protein foods with soybean grains. In this paper, we evaluated the composition, and the yield of the products obtained by this process; the trypsin inhibitor and enzymatic proteolyse of the products were also studied. The product obtained contents soluble and insoluble proteins of soybean, 45 p. 100 of protein (N x 6,25), 20-25 p. 100 of carbohydrates of which the fibers are included; moreover it contents 6-7 p. 100 of ash and 20-22 p. 100 of fat. It does not content any starch, the oligosaccharides and antinutritional factors were almost eliminated. This product presents in acceptable textural form resembling traditional animal protein foodstuffs; its fonctional and nutritional properties can meet different utilizations in foodstuffs such as dietetic products and protein complements.

Vibrational properties of gold nanoparticles obtained by green synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez, Ramón A. B.; Cortez-Valadez, M.; Bueno, L. Oscar Neira; Britto Hurtado, R.; Rocha-Rocha, O.; Delgado-Beleño, Y.; Martinez-Nuñez, C. E.; Serrano-Corrales, Luis Ivan; Arizpe-Chávez, H.; Flores-Acosta, M.

2016-10-01

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles through an ecological method to obtain nanostructures from the extract of the plant Opuntia ficus-indica. Colloidal nanoparticles show sizes that vary between 10-20 nm, and present various geometric morphologies. The samples were characterized through optical absorption, Raman Spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Additionally, low energy metallic clusters of Aun (n=2-20 atoms) were modeled by computational quantum chemistry. The theoretical results were obtained with Density Functional Theory (DFT). The predicted results of Au clusters show a tendency and are correlated with the experimental results concerning the optical absorption bands and Raman spectroscopy in gold nanoparticles.

Different top-down approaches to estimate measurement uncertainty of whole blood tacrolimus mass concentration values.

PubMed

Rigo-Bonnin, Raül; Blanco-Font, Aurora; Canalias, Francesca

2018-05-08

Values of mass concentration of tacrolimus in whole blood are commonly used by the clinicians for monitoring the status of a transplant patient and for checking whether the administered dose of tacrolimus is effective. So, clinical laboratories must provide results as accurately as possible. Measurement uncertainty can allow ensuring reliability of these results. The aim of this study was to estimate measurement uncertainty of whole blood mass concentration tacrolimus values obtained by UHPLC-MS/MS using two top-down approaches: the single laboratory validation approach and the proficiency testing approach. For the single laboratory validation approach, we estimated the uncertainties associated to the intermediate imprecision (using long-term internal quality control data) and the bias (utilizing a certified reference material). Next, we combined them together with the uncertainties related to the calibrators-assigned values to obtain a combined uncertainty for, finally, to calculate the expanded uncertainty. For the proficiency testing approach, the uncertainty was estimated in a similar way that the single laboratory validation approach but considering data from internal and external quality control schemes to estimate the uncertainty related to the bias. The estimated expanded uncertainty for single laboratory validation, proficiency testing using internal and external quality control schemes were 11.8%, 13.2%, and 13.0%, respectively. After performing the two top-down approaches, we observed that their uncertainty results were quite similar. This fact would confirm that either two approaches could be used to estimate the measurement uncertainty of whole blood mass concentration tacrolimus values in clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2018 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Geant4-DNA simulation of S-values with other Monte Carlo codes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

André, T.; Morini, F.; Karamitros, M.; Delorme, R.; Le Loirec, C.; Campos, L.; Champion, C.; Groetz, J.-E.; Fromm, M.; Bordage, M.-C.; Perrot, Y.; Barberet, Ph.; Bernal, M. A.; Brown, J. M. C.; Deleuze, M. S.; Francis, Z.; Ivanchenko, V.; Mascialino, B.; Zacharatou, C.; Bardiès, M.; Incerti, S.

2014-01-01

Monte Carlo simulations of S-values have been carried out with the Geant4-DNA extension of the Geant4 toolkit. The S-values have been simulated for monoenergetic electrons with energies ranging from 0.1 keV up to 20 keV, in liquid water spheres (for four radii, chosen between 10 nm and 1 μm), and for electrons emitted by five isotopes of iodine (131, 132, 133, 134 and 135), in liquid water spheres of varying radius (from 15 μm up to 250 μm). The results have been compared to those obtained from other Monte Carlo codes and from other published data. The use of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test has allowed confirming the statistical compatibility of all simulation results.

Obtaining Parts

Science.gov Websites

The Cosmic Connection Parts for the Berkeley Detector Suppliers: Scintillator Eljen Technology 1 obtain the components needed to build the Berkeley Detector. These companies have helped previous the last update. He estimates that the cost to build a detector varies from $1500 to $2700 depending

Quality characteristics of pork burger added with albedo-fiber powder obtained from yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa) co-products.

PubMed

López-Vargas, Jairo H; Fernández-López, Juana; Pérez-Álvarez, José Ángel; Viuda-Martos, Manuel

2014-06-01

The aim of this work determined the technological, nutritional and sensory characteristics of pork burgers, added with different concentrations (2.5 and 5%) of passion fruit albedo (PFA) co-product, obtained from passion fruit juice processing. The addition of PFA on pork burgers improves their nutritional value (higher fiber content). In raw and cooked burger, all textural parameters, except springiness and cohesiveness, were affected by the incorporation of PFA. PFA addition was found to be effective improving the cooking yield, moisture retention and fat retention. The raw and cooked pork burgers added with PFA had lower TBA values and lower counts of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and enterobacteria than the control samples. No Escherichia coli and molds were found in the samples. The overall acceptability scores showed that the most appreciated sample was the one containing 2.5% PFA. According to the results obtained, 2.5 and 5% of PFA addition can be recommended in pork burger production as a new dietary fiber source. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Critical Value Reporting in Transfusion Medicine

PubMed Central

Reese, Erika M.; Nelson, Randin C.; Flegel, Willy A.; Byrne, Karen M.; Booth, Garrett S.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objectives: While critical value procedures have been adopted in most areas of the clinical laboratory, their use in transfusion medicine has not been reviewed in detail. The results of this study present a comprehensive overview of critical value reporting and communication practices in transfusion medicine in the United States. Methods: A web-based survey was developed to collect data on the prevalence of critical value procedures and practices of communicating results. The survey was distributed via email to US hospital-based blood banks. Results: Of 123 facilities surveyed, 84 (68.3%) blood banks had a critical value procedure. From a panel of 23 common blood bank results, nine results were selected by more than 70% of facilities as either a critical value or requiring rapid communication as defined by an alternate procedure. Conclusions: There was overlap among results communicated by facilities with and without a critical value procedure. The most frequently communicated results, such as incompatible crossmatch for RBC units issued uncrossmatched, delay in finding compatible blood due to a clinically significant antibody, and transfusion reaction evaluation suggestive of a serious adverse event, addressed scenarios associated with the leading reported causes of transfusion-related fatalities. PMID:28371931

Evaluation of random errors in Williams’ series coefficients obtained with digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lychak, Oleh V.; Holyns'kiy, Ivan S.

2016-03-01

The use of the Williams’ series parameters for fracture analysis requires valid information about their error values. The aim of this investigation is the development of the method for estimation of the standard deviation of random errors of the Williams’ series parameters, obtained from the measured components of the stress field. Also, the criteria for choosing the optimal number of terms in the truncated Williams’ series for derivation of their parameters with minimal errors is proposed. The method was used for the evaluation of the Williams’ parameters, obtained from the data, and measured by the digital image correlation technique for testing a three-point bending specimen.

Values in environmental research: Citizens’ views of scientists who acknowledge values

PubMed Central

McCright, Aaron M.; Allen, Summer; Dietz, Thomas

2017-01-01

Scientists who perform environmental research on policy-relevant topics face challenges when communicating about how values may have influenced their research. This study examines how citizens view scientists who publicly acknowledge values. Specifically, we investigate whether it matters: if citizens share or oppose a scientist’s values, if a scientist’s conclusions seem contrary to or consistent with the scientist’s values, and if a scientist is assessing the state of the science or making a policy recommendation. We conducted two 3x2 factorial design online experiments. Experiment 1 featured a hypothetical scientist assessing the state of the science on the public-health effects of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), and Experiment 2 featured a scientist making a policy recommendation on use of BPA. We manipulated whether or not the scientist expressed values and whether the scientist’s conclusion appeared contrary to or consistent with the scientist’s values, and we accounted for whether or not subjects’ values aligned with the scientist’s values. We analyzed our data with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression techniques. Our results provide at least preliminary evidence that acknowledging values may reduce the perceived credibility of scientists within the general public, but this effect differs depending on whether scientists and citizens share values, whether scientists draw conclusions that run contrary to their values, and whether scientists make policy recommendations. PMID:29069087

Values in environmental research: Citizens' views of scientists who acknowledge values.

PubMed

Elliott, Kevin C; McCright, Aaron M; Allen, Summer; Dietz, Thomas

2017-01-01

Scientists who perform environmental research on policy-relevant topics face challenges when communicating about how values may have influenced their research. This study examines how citizens view scientists who publicly acknowledge values. Specifically, we investigate whether it matters: if citizens share or oppose a scientist's values, if a scientist's conclusions seem contrary to or consistent with the scientist's values, and if a scientist is assessing the state of the science or making a policy recommendation. We conducted two 3x2 factorial design online experiments. Experiment 1 featured a hypothetical scientist assessing the state of the science on the public-health effects of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), and Experiment 2 featured a scientist making a policy recommendation on use of BPA. We manipulated whether or not the scientist expressed values and whether the scientist's conclusion appeared contrary to or consistent with the scientist's values, and we accounted for whether or not subjects' values aligned with the scientist's values. We analyzed our data with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression techniques. Our results provide at least preliminary evidence that acknowledging values may reduce the perceived credibility of scientists within the general public, but this effect differs depending on whether scientists and citizens share values, whether scientists draw conclusions that run contrary to their values, and whether scientists make policy recommendations.

Accuracies of genomic breeding values in American Angus beef cattle using K-means clustering for cross-validation

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Genomic selection is a recently developed technology that is beginning to revolutionize animal breeding. The objective of this study was to estimate marker effects to derive prediction equations for direct genomic values for 16 routinely recorded traits of American Angus beef cattle and quantify corresponding accuracies of prediction. Methods Deregressed estimated breeding values were used as observations in a weighted analysis to derive direct genomic values for 3570 sires genotyped using the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip. These bulls were clustered into five groups using K-means clustering on pedigree estimates of additive genetic relationships between animals, with the aim of increasing within-group and decreasing between-group relationships. All five combinations of four groups were used for model training, with cross-validation performed in the group not used in training. Bivariate animal models were used for each trait to estimate the genetic correlation between deregressed estimated breeding values and direct genomic values. Results Accuracies of direct genomic values ranged from 0.22 to 0.69 for the studied traits, with an average of 0.44. Predictions were more accurate when animals within the validation group were more closely related to animals in the training set. When training and validation sets were formed by random allocation, the accuracies of direct genomic values ranged from 0.38 to 0.85, with an average of 0.65, reflecting the greater relationship between animals in training and validation. The accuracies of direct genomic values obtained from training on older animals and validating in younger animals were intermediate to the accuracies obtained from K-means clustering and random clustering for most traits. The genetic correlation between deregressed estimated breeding values and direct genomic values ranged from 0.15 to 0.80 for the traits studied. Conclusions These results suggest that genomic estimates of genetic merit can be

Students' Progression in Monitoring Anomalous Results Obtained in Inquiry-Based Laboratory Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crujeiras-Pérez, Beatriz; Jiménez-Aleixandre, Maria Pilar

2017-07-01

This paper examines students' engagement in monitoring anomalous results across a 2-year longitudinal study with 9th and 10th graders (14-15 and 15-16 years of age). The context is a set of five inquiry-based laboratory tasks, requiring students to plan and carry out investigations. The study seeks to examine students' interpretation of data, in particular anomalous results generated by them during the process of solving the tasks, and their ability to monitor them. Data collected include video and audio recordings as well as students' written products. For the analysis, two rubrics were developed drawing on Chinn and Brewer (Cognition and Instruction, 19, 323-393, 2001) and Hmelo-Silver et al. (Science Education, 86, 219-243, 2002). The findings point to a pattern of progress in students' responses across the 2 years: (a) responses revealing a low capacity of monitoring due to not recognizing the data as anomalous or recognizing it as anomalous but being unable to explain their causes are more frequent in the first tasks and (b) responses revealing an improved capacity of monitoring are more frequent in the last tasks. The factors influencing students' regulation of their performances, as the requirement of planning, and specific scaffolding based on activity theory are discussed.

The Diagnostic Value of the Vacuum Phenomenon during Hip Arthroscopy

PubMed Central

Rath, Ehud; Gortzak, Yair; Schwarzkopf, Ran; Benkovich, Vadim; Cohen, Eugene; Atar, Dan

2011-01-01

The diagnostic value of the vacuum phenomenon between the femoral head and the acetabulum, and time frame of its occurrence after application of traction is an important clinical question. The resulting arthrogram may outline the shape, location, and extent of cartilage lesions prior to arthroscopy of the hip joint. The presence, duration, and diagnostic information of the vacuum phenomenon were evaluated in 24 hips that underwent arthroscopy. The operative diagnosis was compared to the results of imaging studies and to findings obtained during a traction trial prior to arthroscopy. Indications for arthroscopy included avascular necrosis, labral tears, loose bodies, osteoarthrosis, and intractable hip pain. In 22 hips the vacuum phenomenon developed within 30 seconds after application of traction. The most important data obtained from the vacuum phenomenon was the location and extent of femoral head articular cartilage detachment and the presence of nonossified loose bodies. The vacuum phenomenon did not reveal labral or acetabular cartilage pathology in any of these patients. The vacuum phenomenon obtained during the trial of traction can add valuable information prior to hip arthroscopy. Femoral head articular cartilage detachment was best documented by this method. The hip arthroscopist should utilize this diagnostic window routinely prior to hip arthroscopy. PMID:24977068

The Diagnostic Value of the Vacuum Phenomenon during Hip Arthroscopy.

PubMed

Rath, Ehud; Gortzak, Yair; Schwarzkopf, Ran; Benkovich, Vadim; Cohen, Eugene; Atar, Dan

2011-01-01

The diagnostic value of the vacuum phenomenon between the femoral head and the acetabulum, and time frame of its occurrence after application of traction is an important clinical question. The resulting arthrogram may outline the shape, location, and extent of cartilage lesions prior to arthroscopy of the hip joint. The presence, duration, and diagnostic information of the vacuum phenomenon were evaluated in 24 hips that underwent arthroscopy. The operative diagnosis was compared to the results of imaging studies and to findings obtained during a traction trial prior to arthroscopy. Indications for arthroscopy included avascular necrosis, labral tears, loose bodies, osteoarthrosis, and intractable hip pain. In 22 hips the vacuum phenomenon developed within 30 seconds after application of traction. The most important data obtained from the vacuum phenomenon was the location and extent of femoral head articular cartilage detachment and the presence of nonossified loose bodies. The vacuum phenomenon did not reveal labral or acetabular cartilage pathology in any of these patients. The vacuum phenomenon obtained during the trial of traction can add valuable information prior to hip arthroscopy. Femoral head articular cartilage detachment was best documented by this method. The hip arthroscopist should utilize this diagnostic window routinely prior to hip arthroscopy.

Antimicrobial activity and composition profile of grape (Vitis vinifera) pomace extracts obtained by supercritical fluids.

PubMed

Oliveira, Daniela A; Salvador, Ana Augusta; Smânia, Artur; Smânia, Elza F A; Maraschin, Marcelo; Ferreira, Sandra R S

2013-04-10

The possibility of increasing the aggregated value of the huge amount of residues generated by wineries around the world foment studies using the grape pomace - the residue from the wine production, composed by seed, skin and stems - to obtain functional ingredients. Nowadays, consumers in general prefer natural and safe products mainly for food and cosmetic fields, where the supercritical fluid extraction is of great importance due to the purity of the extracts provided. Therefore, the objective of this work is to evaluate the global extraction yield, the antimicrobial activity and the composition profile of Merlot and Syrah grape pomace extracts obtained by supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) and CO2 added with co-solvent at pressures up to 300 bar and temperatures of 50 and 60 °C. The results were compared with the ones obtained by Soxhlet and by ultrasound-assisted leaching extraction methods. The main components from the extracts, identified by HPLC, were gallic acid, p-OH-benzoic acid, vanillic acid and epicatechin. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the extracts were evaluated using four strains of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and three fungi strains (Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei). Despite lower extraction yield results, the supercritical fluid extracts presented the highest antimicrobial effectiveness compared to the other grape pomace extracts due to the presence of antimicrobial active compounds. Syrah extracts were less efficient against the microorganisms tested and Merlot extracts were more active against Gram-positive bacteria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Negative symptoms in schizophrenia result from a failure to represent the expected value of rewards: Behavioral and computational modeling evidence

PubMed Central

Gold, James M.; Waltz, James A.; Matveeva, Tatyana M.; Kasanova, Zuzana; Strauss, Gregory P.; Herbener, Ellen S.; Collins, Anne G.E.; Frank, Michael J.

2015-01-01

Context Negative symptoms are a core feature of schizophrenia, but their pathophysiology remains unclear. Objective Negative symptoms are defined by the absence of normal function. However, there must be a productive mechanism that leads to this absence. Here, we test a reinforcement learning account suggesting that negative symptoms result from a failure to represent the expected value of rewards coupled with preserved loss avoidance learning. Design Subjects performed a probabilistic reinforcement learning paradigm involving stimulus pairs in which choices resulted in either reward or avoidance of loss. Following training, subjects indicated their valuation of the stimuli in a transfer task. Computational modeling was used to distinguish between alternative accounts of the data. Setting A tertiary care research outpatient clinic. Patients A total of 47 clinically stable patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 28 healthy volunteers participated. Patients were divided into high and low negative symptom groups. Main Outcome measures 1) The number of choices leading to reward or loss avoidance and 2) performance in the transfer phase. Quantitative fits from three different models were examined. Results High negative symptom patients demonstrated impaired learning from rewards but intact loss avoidance learning, and failed to distinguish rewarding stimuli from loss-avoiding stimuli in the transfer phase. Model fits revealed that high negative symptom patients were better characterized by an “actor-critic” model, learning stimulus-response associations, whereas controls and low negative symptom patients incorporated expected value of their actions (“Q-learning”) into the selection process. Conclusions Negative symptoms are associated with a specific reinforcement learning abnormality: High negative symptoms patients do not represent the expected value of rewards when making decisions but learn to avoid punishments through the

A review of the liquid metal diffusion data obtained from the space shuttle endeavour mission STS-47 and the space shuttle columbia mission STS-52

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirkhanzadeh, Morteza

Accurate data of liquid-phase solute diffusion coefficients are required to validate the condensed -matter physics theories. However, the required data accuracy to discriminate between com-peting theoretical models is 1 to 2 percent(1). Smith and Scott (2) have recently used the measured values of diffusion coefficients for Pb-Au in microgravity to validate the theoretical values of the diffusion coefficients derived from molecular dynamics simulations and several Enskog hard sphere models. The microgravity data used was obtained from the liquid diffusion experiments conducted on board the Space Shuttle Endeavour (mission STS-47) and the Space Shuttle Columbia (mission STS-52). Based on the analysis of the results, it was claimed that the measured values of diffusion coefficients were consistent with the theoretical results and that the data fit a linear relationship with a slope slightly greater than predicted by the molecular dynamics simulations. These conclusions, however, contradict the claims made in previous publications (3-5) where it was reported that the microgravity data obtained from the shuttle experiments fit the fluctuation theory (D proportional to T2). A thorough analysis of data will be presented to demonstrate that the widely-reported micro-gravity results obtained from shuttle experiments are not reliable and sufficiantly accurate to discriminate between competing theoretical models. References: 1. J.P. Garandet, G. Mathiak, V. Botton, P. Lehmann and A. Griesche, Int. J. Thermophysics, 25, 249 (2004). 2.P.J. Scott and R.W. Smith, J. Appl. Physics 104, 043706 (2008). 3. R.W. Smith, Microgravity Sci. Technol. XI (2) 78-84 (1998). 4.Smith et al, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 974:56-67 (2002) (retracted). 5.R.A. Herring et al, J. Jpn. Soc. Microgravity Appl., Vol.16, 234-244 (1999).

Universal values of Canadian astronauts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brcic, Jelena; Della-Rossa, Irina

2012-11-01

Values are desirable, trans-situational goals, varying in importance, that guide behavior. Research has demonstrated that universal values may alter in importance as a result of major life events. The present study examines the effect of spaceflight and the demands of astronauts' job position as life circumstances that affect value priorities. We employed thematic content analysis for references to Schwartz's well-established value markers in narratives (media interviews, journals, and pre-flight interviews) of seven Canadian astronauts and compared the results to the values of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Russian Space Agency (RKA) astronauts. Space flight did alter the level of importance of Canadian astronauts' values. We found a U-shaped pattern for the values of Achievement and Tradition before, during, and after flight, and a linear decrease in the value of Stimulation. The most frequently mentioned values were Achievement, Universalism, Security, and Self-Direction. Achievement and Self Direction are also within the top 4 values of all other astronauts; however, Universalism was significantly higher among the Canadian astronauts. Within the value hierarchy of Canadian astronauts, Security was the third most frequently mentioned value, while it is in seventh place for all other astronauts. Interestingly, the most often mentioned value marker (sub-category) in this category was Patriotism. The findings have important implications in understanding multi-national crew relations during training, flight, and reintegration into society.

Value of freedom to choose encoded by the human brain

PubMed Central

Fujiwara, Juri; Usui, Nobuo; Park, Soyoung Q.; Williams, Tony; Iijima, Toshio; Taira, Masato; Tsutsui, Ken-Ichiro

2013-01-01

Humans and animals value the opportunity to choose by preferring alternatives that offer more rather than fewer choices. This preference for choice may arise not only from an increased probability of obtaining preferred outcomes but also from the freedom it provides. We used human neuroimaging to investigate the neural basis of the preference for choice as well as for the items that could be chosen. In each trial, participants chose between two options, a monetary amount option and a “choice option.” The latter consisted of a number that corresponded to the number of everyday items participants would subsequently be able to choose from. We found that the opportunity to choose from a larger number of items was equivalent to greater amounts of money, indicating that participants valued having more choice; moreover, participants varied in the degree to which they valued having the opportunity to choose, with some valuing it more than the increased probability of obtaining preferred items. Neural activations in the mid striatum increased with the value of the opportunity to choose. The same region also coded the value of the items. Conversely, activation in the dorsolateral striatum was not related to the value of the items but was elevated when participants were offered more choices, particularly in those participants who overvalued the opportunity to choose. These data suggest a functional dissociation of value representations within the striatum, with general representations in mid striatum and specific representations of the value of freedom provided by the opportunity to choose in dorsolateral striatum. PMID:23864380

Demands, values, and burnout

PubMed Central

Leiter, Michael P.; Frank, Erica; Matheson, Timothy J.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE T o explore the interaction between workload and values congruence (personal values with health care system values) in the context of burnout and physician engagement and to explore the relative importance of these factors by sex, given the distinct work patterns of male and female physicians. DESIGN National mailed survey. SETTING Canada. PARTICIPANTS A random sample of 8100 Canadian physicians (response rate 40%, N = 3213); 2536 responses (from physicians working more than 35 hours per week) were analyzed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Levels of burnout, values congruence, and workload, by sex, measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Scale and the Areas of Worklife Scale. RESULTS Results showed a moderate level of burnout among Canadian physicians, with relatively positive scores on exhaustion, average scores on cynicism, and mildly negative scores on professional efficacy. A series of multiple regression analyses confirmed parallel main effect contributions from manageable workload and values congruence. Both workload and values congruence predicted exhaustion and cynicism for men and women (P = .001). Only values congruence provided a significant prediction of professional efficacy for both men and women (P = .001) These predictors interacted for women on all 3 aspects of burnout (exhaustion, cynicism, and diminished efficacy). Howevever, overall levels of the burnout indicators departed only modestly from normative levels. CONCLUSION W orkload and values congruence make distinct contributions to physician burnout. Work overload contributes to predicting exhaustion and cynicism; professional values crises contribute to predicting exhaustion, cynicism, and low professional efficacy. The interaction of values and workload for women in particular has implications for the distinct work-life patterns of male and female physicians. Specifically, the congruence of individual values with values inherent in the health care system appeared to be of greater

Parallel sort with a ranged, partitioned key-value store in a high perfomance computing environment

DOEpatents

Bent, John M.; Faibish, Sorin; Grider, Gary; Torres, Aaron; Poole, Stephen W.

2016-01-26

Improved sorting techniques are provided that perform a parallel sort using a ranged, partitioned key-value store in a high performance computing (HPC) environment. A plurality of input data files comprising unsorted key-value data in a partitioned key-value store are sorted. The partitioned key-value store comprises a range server for each of a plurality of ranges. Each input data file has an associated reader thread. Each reader thread reads the unsorted key-value data in the corresponding input data file and performs a local sort of the unsorted key-value data to generate sorted key-value data. A plurality of sorted, ranged subsets of each of the sorted key-value data are generated based on the plurality of ranges. Each sorted, ranged subset corresponds to a given one of the ranges and is provided to one of the range servers corresponding to the range of the sorted, ranged subset. Each range server sorts the received sorted, ranged subsets and provides a sorted range. A plurality of the sorted ranges are concatenated to obtain a globally sorted result.

Variability of dental cone beam CT grey values for density estimations

PubMed Central

Pauwels, R; Nackaerts, O; Bellaiche, N; Stamatakis, H; Tsiklakis, K; Walker, A; Bosmans, H; Bogaerts, R; Jacobs, R; Horner, K

2013-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the use of dental cone beam CT (CBCT) grey values for density estimations by calculating the correlation with multislice CT (MSCT) values and the grey value error after recalibration. Methods A polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom was developed containing inserts of different density: air, PMMA, hydroxyapatite (HA) 50 mg cm−3, HA 100, HA 200 and aluminium. The phantom was scanned on 13 CBCT devices and 1 MSCT device. Correlation between CBCT grey values and CT numbers was calculated, and the average error of the CBCT values was estimated in the medium-density range after recalibration. Results Pearson correlation coefficients ranged between 0.7014 and 0.9996 in the full-density range and between 0.5620 and 0.9991 in the medium-density range. The average error of CBCT voxel values in the medium-density range was between 35 and 1562. Conclusion Even though most CBCT devices showed a good overall correlation with CT numbers, large errors can be seen when using the grey values in a quantitative way. Although it could be possible to obtain pseudo-Hounsfield units from certain CBCTs, alternative methods of assessing bone tissue should be further investigated. Advances in knowledge The suitability of dental CBCT for density estimations was assessed, involving a large number of devices and protocols. The possibility for grey value calibration was thoroughly investigated. PMID:23255537

Decomposition of Fuzzy Soft Sets with Finite Value Spaces

PubMed Central

Jun, Young Bae

2014-01-01

The notion of fuzzy soft sets is a hybrid soft computing model that integrates both gradualness and parameterization methods in harmony to deal with uncertainty. The decomposition of fuzzy soft sets is of great importance in both theory and practical applications with regard to decision making under uncertainty. This study aims to explore decomposition of fuzzy soft sets with finite value spaces. Scalar uni-product and int-product operations of fuzzy soft sets are introduced and some related properties are investigated. Using t-level soft sets, we define level equivalent relations and show that the quotient structure of the unit interval induced by level equivalent relations is isomorphic to the lattice consisting of all t-level soft sets of a given fuzzy soft set. We also introduce the concepts of crucial threshold values and complete threshold sets. Finally, some decomposition theorems for fuzzy soft sets with finite value spaces are established, illustrated by an example concerning the classification and rating of multimedia cell phones. The obtained results extend some classical decomposition theorems of fuzzy sets, since every fuzzy set can be viewed as a fuzzy soft set with a single parameter. PMID:24558342

Decomposition of fuzzy soft sets with finite value spaces.

PubMed

Feng, Feng; Fujita, Hamido; Jun, Young Bae; Khan, Madad

2014-01-01

The notion of fuzzy soft sets is a hybrid soft computing model that integrates both gradualness and parameterization methods in harmony to deal with uncertainty. The decomposition of fuzzy soft sets is of great importance in both theory and practical applications with regard to decision making under uncertainty. This study aims to explore decomposition of fuzzy soft sets with finite value spaces. Scalar uni-product and int-product operations of fuzzy soft sets are introduced and some related properties are investigated. Using t-level soft sets, we define level equivalent relations and show that the quotient structure of the unit interval induced by level equivalent relations is isomorphic to the lattice consisting of all t-level soft sets of a given fuzzy soft set. We also introduce the concepts of crucial threshold values and complete threshold sets. Finally, some decomposition theorems for fuzzy soft sets with finite value spaces are established, illustrated by an example concerning the classification and rating of multimedia cell phones. The obtained results extend some classical decomposition theorems of fuzzy sets, since every fuzzy set can be viewed as a fuzzy soft set with a single parameter.

A New Approach to Extreme Value Estimation Applicable to a Wide Variety of Random Variables

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, Frederic A., Jr.

1997-01-01

Designing reliable structures requires an estimate of the maximum and minimum values (i.e., strength and load) that may be encountered in service. Yet designs based on very extreme values (to insure safety) can result in extra material usage and hence, uneconomic systems. In aerospace applications, severe over-design cannot be tolerated making it almost mandatory to design closer to the assumed limits of the design random variables. The issue then is predicting extreme values that are practical, i.e. neither too conservative or non-conservative. Obtaining design values by employing safety factors is well known to often result in overly conservative designs and. Safety factor values have historically been selected rather arbitrarily, often lacking a sound rational basis. To answer the question of how safe a design needs to be has lead design theorists to probabilistic and statistical methods. The so-called three-sigma approach is one such method and has been described as the first step in utilizing information about the data dispersion. However, this method is based on the assumption that the random variable is dispersed symmetrically about the mean and is essentially limited to normally distributed random variables. Use of this method can therefore result in unsafe or overly conservative design allowables if the common assumption of normality is incorrect.

Results of a Study Investigating the Plant Uptake of Explosive Residues From Compost of Explosives-Contaminated Soil Obtained from the Umatilla Army Depot Activity

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-11-01

Avoid contact with samples. Be aware of broken containers, corrosives, irritants, biohazards, flammability, pyrophoricity , reactivity, radioactivity...Revision RO 9/23/97 Page 3 NOj-N by Flow Injection Analysis 6.2.2.2 Low results may be obtained for samples that contain high concentrations of iron ...however, for analytes such as iron that may be found at high concentration, a more appropriate test would be to use a concentration near the upper

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value Changes and Clinical Correlation in 90 Cases of Cytomegalovirus-Infected Fetuses with Unremarkable Fetal MRI Results.

PubMed

Kotovich, D; Guedalia, J S B; Hoffmann, C; Sze, G; Eisenkraft, A; Yaniv, G

2017-07-01

Cytomegalovirus is the leading intrauterine infection. Fetal MR imaging is an accepted tool for fetal brain evaluation, yet it still lacks the ability to accurately predict the extent of the neurodevelopmental impairment, especially in fetal MR imaging scans with unremarkable findings. Our hypothesis was that intrauterine cytomegalovirus infection causes diffusional changes in fetal brains and that those changes may correlate with the severity of neurodevelopmental deficiencies. A retrospective analysis was performed on 90 fetal MR imaging scans of cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses with unremarkable results and compared with a matched gestational age control group of 68 fetal head MR imaging scans. ADC values were measured and averaged in the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes; basal ganglia; thalamus; and pons. For neurocognitive assessment, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II) was used on 58 children in the cytomegalovirus-infected group. ADC values were reduced for the cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses in most brain areas studied. The VABS-II showed no trend for the major domains or the composite score of the VABS-II for the cytomegalovirus-infected children compared with the healthy population distribution. Some subdomains showed an association between ADC values and VABS-II scores. Cytomegalovirus infection causes diffuse reduction in ADC values in the fetal brain even in unremarkable fetal MR imaging scans. Cytomegalovirus-infected children with unremarkable fetal MR imaging scans do not deviate from the healthy population in the VABS-II neurocognitive assessment. ADC values were not correlated with VABS-II scores. However, the lack of clinical findings, as seen in most cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses, does not eliminate the possibility of future neurodevelopmental pathology. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

The picture of happiness in Alzheimer's disease: living a life congruent with personal values.

PubMed

Shell, Lynn

2015-01-01

It is generally understood that happiness is an important goal of dementia care, though evaluation has been challenging. Concerns about cognitive and communicative limitations have led to the use of proxy reports to assess positive affect. However, proxy reports have been shown to differ from appraisals obtained by the person with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This article reports on a qualitative study of happiness in a sample of 12 persons with mild to moderate AD using photo-elicitation and individual interviews for data collection. Results demonstrate people with mild to moderate AD can provide meaningful evaluations of happiness, and that lifelong values continue to be important in the presence of AD. This study suggests photographs may offer a novel approach to obtain a contextualized understanding of happiness and other values in this population which may lead to the development of person centered interventions aimed to improve the individual's quality of life. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Application value of Xpert MTB/RIF in diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis and detection of rifampin resistance].

PubMed

Jin, Yang-Hui; Shi, Shi-Yuan; Zheng, Qi; Shen, Jian; Ying, Xiao-Zhang; Wang, Yi-Fan

2017-09-25

To investigate the application value of Xpert MTB/RIF in diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis and detection of rifampin resistance. The 109 pus specimens were obtained from patients who were primaryly diagnosed as spinal tuberculosis. All of the pus specimens were detected by acid-fast stain, liquid fast culturing by BACTEC MGIT 960 and Xpert MTB/RIF assay to definite the differences in sensitivity and specificity of mycobacterium tuberculosis among detecting methods. Pus specimens obtained by different methods were deteceded by MTB/RIF test to analyze the self-influence on Xpert MTB/RIF test. The result of liquid fast culturing by BACTEC MGIT 960 was used as the gold standard; and the value of Xpert MTB/RIF assay in detecting rifampin resistance was analyzed. The sensitivity of acid-fast stain, liquid fast culturing by BACTEC MGIT 960 and Xpert MTB/RIF assay were 25.92%, 48.15%, 77.78%, respectively. The sensitivity of pus specimens obtained from open surgery, ultrasound positioning puncture and biopsy the sensitivity were 83.78%, 76.47%, 44.68% respectively deteceded by MTB/RIF test. According to the gold standard of the results of liquid fast culturing by BACTEC MGIT 960 assay, the sensitivity and specificity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay in detecting rifampin resistance were 80%(4/5) and 90.70%(39/43), respectively. Xpert MTB/RIF assay has higher value in diagnosis of spinal tuberculosi, and also can detect rifampin resistance. The number of mycobacterium tuberculosis in pus specimens has a great influence in the sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay.

Characterization of the carbonaceous materials obtained from different agro-industrial wastes.

PubMed

Ensuncho-Muñoz, A E; Carriazo, J G

2015-01-01

This paper reports the preparation and characterization of carbonaceous materials obtained from three types of vegetable wastes provided by agricultural industries. Soft carbonization (280°C) and H3PO4-activation procedures were used to convert the agricultural wastes to carbon powders with high adsorbent capacities. This process is excellent for eliminating and exploiting the huge masses (many tons) of vegetable residues remaining after each harvest every year in several Colombian agro-industries. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N2-adsorption isotherms. XRD and IR verified the formation of carbons, and SEM showed small particles (20-500 µm) with characteristic morphology for each type of residue used and abundant cavities of different sizes. The N2-adsorption analyses showed that the carbons had high adsorption capacities with important surface area values and large pore volumes. The use of the activated carbonaceous materials as adsorbent of azo dyes (allura red and sunset yellow) from aqueous solutions was evaluated. The results showed a good adsorption capacity indicating the potentiality of these materials as pollutant adsorbents in food industry wastewaters. These results indicate that these powders can be used as potential adsorbents for different gaseous or liquid pollutants.

Exploring experiential value in online mobile gaming adoption.

PubMed

Okazaki, Shintaro

2008-10-01

Despite the growing importance of the online mobile gaming industry, little research has been undertaken to explain why consumers engage in this ubiquitous entertainment. This study attempts to develop an instrument to measure experiential value in online mobile gaming adoption. The proposed scale consists of seven first-order factors of experiential value: intrinsic enjoyment, escapism, efficiency, economic value, visual appeal, perceived novelty, and perceived risklessness. The survey obtained 164 usable responses from Japanese college students. The empirical data fit our first-order model well, indicating a high level of reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity. The single second-order model also shows an acceptable model fit.

Exact results for the finite time thermodynamic uncertainty relation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manikandan, Sreekanth K.; Krishnamurthy, Supriya

2018-03-01

We obtain exact results for the recently discovered finite-time thermodynamic uncertainty relation, for the dissipated work W d , in a stochastically driven system with non-Gaussian work statistics, both in the steady state and transient regimes, by obtaining exact expressions for any moment of W d at arbitrary times. The uncertainty function (the Fano factor of W d ) is bounded from below by 2k_BT as expected, for all times τ, in both steady state and transient regimes. The lower bound is reached at τ=0 as well as when certain system parameters vanish (corresponding to an equilibrium state). Surprisingly, we find that the uncertainty function also reaches a constant value at large τ for all the cases we have looked at. For a system starting and remaining in steady state, the uncertainty function increases monotonically, as a function of τ as well as other system parameters, implying that the large τ value is also an upper bound. For the same system in the transient regime, however, we find that the uncertainty function can have a local minimum at an accessible time τm , for a range of parameter values. The large τ value for the uncertainty function is hence not a bound in this case. The non-monotonicity suggests, rather counter-intuitively, that there might be an optimal time for the working of microscopic machines, as well as an optimal configuration in the phase space of parameter values. Our solutions show that the ratios of higher moments of the dissipated work are also bounded from below by 2k_BT . For another model, also solvable by our methods, which never reaches a steady state, the uncertainty function, is in some cases, bounded from below by a value less than 2k_BT .

Comparison of cerebral vascular reactivity measures obtained using breath-holding and CO2 inhalation

PubMed Central

Tancredi, Felipe B; Hoge, Richard D

2013-01-01

Stimulation of cerebral vasculature using hypercapnia has been widely used to study cerebral vascular reactivity (CVR), which can be expressed as the quantitative change in cerebral blood flow (CBF) per mm Hg change in end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (PETCO2). We investigate whether different respiratory manipulations, with arterial spin labeling used to measure CBF, lead to consistent measures of CVR. The approaches included: (1) an automated system delivering variable concentrations of inspired CO2 for prospective targeting of PETCO2, (2) administration of a fixed concentration of CO2 leading to subject-dependent changes in PETCO2, (3) a breath-hold (BH) paradigm with physiologic modeling of CO2 accumulation, and (4) a maneuver combining breath-hold and hyperventilation. When CVR was expressed as the percent change in CBF per mm Hg change in PETCO2, methods 1 to 3 gave consistent results. The CVR values using method 4 were significantly lower. When CVR was expressed in terms of the absolute change in CBF (mL/100 g per minute per mm Hg), greater discrepancies became apparent: methods 2 and 3 gave lower absolute CVR values compared with method 1, and the value obtained with method 4 was dramatically lower. Our findings indicate that care must be taken to ensure that CVR is measured over the linear range of the CBF-CO2 dose–response curve, avoiding hypocapnic conditions. PMID:23571282

Students' Reasoning about p-Values

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aquilonius, Birgit C.; Brenner, Mary E.

2015-01-01

Results from a study of 16 community college students are presented. The research question concerned how students reasoned about p-values. Students' approach to p-values in hypothesis testing was procedural. Students viewed p-values as something that one compares to alpha values in order to arrive at an answer and did not attach much meaning to…

Obtaining highly excited eigenstates of the localized XX chain via DMRG-X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devakul, Trithep; Khemani, Vedika; Pollmann, Frank; Huse, David A.; Sondhi, S. L.

2017-10-01

We benchmark a variant of the recently introduced density matrix renormalization group (DMRG)-X algorithm against exact results for the localized random field XX chain. We find that the eigenstates obtained via DMRG-X exhibit a highly accurate l-bit description for system sizes much bigger than the direct, many-body, exact diagonalization in the spin variables is able to access. We take advantage of the underlying free fermion description of the XX model to accurately test the strengths and limitations of this algorithm for large system sizes. We discuss the theoretical constraints on the performance of the algorithm from the entanglement properties of the eigenstates, and its actual performance at different values of disorder. A small but significant improvement to the algorithm is also presented, which helps significantly with convergence. We find that, at high entanglement, DMRG-X shows a bias towards eigenstates with low entanglement, but can be improved with increased bond dimension. This result suggests that one must be careful when applying the algorithm for interacting many-body localized spin models near a transition. This article is part of the themed issue 'Breakdown of ergodicity in quantum systems: from solids to synthetic matter'.

The economic value added (EVA) resulting from medical care of functional amblyopia, strabismus, (pathologies of binocular vision) and asthma.

PubMed

Beauchamp, Cynthia L; Felius, Joost; Beauchamp, George R

2010-01-01

Value analysis in health care calculates the economic value added (EVA) that results from improvements in health and health care. Our purpose was to develop an EVA model and to apply the model to typical and hypothetical (instantaneous and perfect) cures for amblyopia, surgical strabismus and asthma, as another, but non-ophthalmological disease standard for comparison, in the United States. The model is based on changes in utility and longevity, the associated incremental costs, and an estimate of the value of life. Univariate sensitivity analyses were performed to arrive at a plausible range of outcomes. For the United States, the EVA for current practice amblyopia care is 12.9B dollars (billion) per year, corresponding to a return on investment (ROI) of 10.4% per yr. With substantial increases in investment aimed at maximal improvement ("perfect cure"), the EVA is 32.7B per yr, with ROI of 5.3% per yr. The EVA for typical surgical strabismus care is 10.3B per yr. A perfect cure may yield EVA of 9.6B per yr. The EVA for asthma is 1317B per yr (ROI 20.4% per yr.., while a perfect cure may yield EVA of 110 B per yr. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the relatively large effects of incidence, utility, and longevity, while incremental costs have a relatively minor effect on the EVA. The economic value added by improvements in patient-centered outcomes is very large. Failing to make the necessary investments in research, prevention, detection, prompt treatment and rehabilitation of these diseases, at virtually any conceivable cost, appears economically, medically, morally and ethically deficient and consequently wasteful at very least economically for our society.