LCLS Maximum Credible Beam Power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clendenin, J.

2005-01-01

The maximum credible beam power is defined as the highest credible average beam power that the accelerator can deliver to the point in question, given the laws of physics, the beam line design, and assuming all protection devices have failed. For a new accelerator project, the official maximum credible beam power is determined by project staff in consultation with the Radiation Physics Department, after examining the arguments and evidence presented by the appropriate accelerator physicist(s) and beam line engineers. The definitive parameter becomes part of the project's safety envelope. This technical note will first review the studies that were done for the Gun Test Facility (GTF) at SSRL, where a photoinjector similar to the one proposed for the LCLS is being tested. In Section 3 the maximum charge out of the gun for a single rf pulse is calculated. In Section 4, PARMELA simulations are used to track the beam from the gun to the end of the photoinjector. Finally in Section 5 the beam through the matching section and injected into Linac-1 is discussed

Credibility is the first principle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beecher, William

2002-01-01

The first principle of an effective public affairs program on nuclear energy is credibility. If credibility is lacking, no matter how artful the message, it will not be persuasive. There has long been a problem in the United States. For years much of the industry followed the practice, when there was an event at a nuclear power plant that resulted in an unplanned release of radioactivity, to tell the public there was 'no release' if in fact the release was below the technical specifications of what the NRC mandates as being safe. The NRC is a safety regulator. It can tell nuclear power plant operators what to do, or not do, when it comes to safety, but doesn't have the right to tell them what to say to the public. The example of an emergency exercise and the NRC press release on that occasion showed the direction how companies could be influenced to behave in order to prevent such avoidably negative news coverage, i.e. attaining credibility when public anxiety is concerned

Credible nuclear waste management: a legislative perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffords, J.M.

1978-01-01

The past credibility of the AEC, ERDA, and NRC, along with the present credibility of DOE and NRC, are questioned. The results of voter responses to a moratorium on expansion of nuclear power are linked to the question of past credibility of these Federal agencies. It is proposed that the future of nuclear power be linked directly to the Executive Branch of the government via a new bureaucracy, a Waste Management Authority. This new bureaucracy would be completely separated from the construction or licensing phase of nuclear power, except it would have final say over any nuclear power expansion pending an acceptable solution to the waste reprocessing question

The Credibility of Science Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nielsen, L. H.

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Current developments in the media marketplace and an increased need for visibility to secure funding are leading inevitably to faster, simpler and more aggressive science communication. This article presents the results of an exploratory study of potential credibility problems in astronomy press releases, their causes, consequences and possible remedies. The study consisted of eleven open-ended interviews with journalists, scientists and public information officers. Results suggest that credibility issues are central to communication, deeply integrated into the workflow and can have severe consequences for the actors (especially the scientist, but are an unavoidable part of thecommunication process.

Exchange rate stabilization under imperfect credibility

OpenAIRE

Calvo, Guillermo; Vegh, Carlos

1991-01-01

This paper analyzes stabilization policy under predetermined exchange rates in a cash-in-advance, staggered-prices model. Under full credibility, a reduction in the rate of devaluation results in an immediate and permanent reduction in the inflation rate, with no effect on output or consumption. In contrast, a non-credible stabilization results in an initial expansion of output, followed by a later recession. The inflation rate of home goods remains above the rate of devaluation throughout...

Credibility judgments of narratives: language, plausibility, and absorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Nahari, Galit; Glicksohn, Joseph; Nachson, Israel

2010-01-01

Two experiments were conducted in order to find out whether textual features of narratives differentially affect credibility judgments made by judges having different levels of absorption (a disposition associated with rich visual imagination). Participants in both experiments were exposed to a textual narrative and requested to judge whether the narrator actually experienced the event he described in his story. In Experiment 1, the narrative varied in terms of language (literal, figurative) and plausibility (ordinary, anomalous). In Experiment 2, the narrative varied in terms of language only. The participants' perceptions of the plausibility of the story described and the extent to which they were absorbed in reading were measured. The data from both experiments together suggest that the groups applied entirely different criteria in credibility judgments. For high-absorption individuals, their credibility judgment depends on the degree to which the text can be assimilated into their own vivid imagination, whereas for low-absorption individuals it depends mainly on plausibility. That is, high-absorption individuals applied an experiential mental set while judging the credibility of the narrator, whereas low-absorption individuals applied an instrumental mental set. Possible cognitive mechanisms and implications for credibility judgments are discussed.

Mathematical Modeling for Water Quality Management under Interval and Fuzzy Uncertainties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Liu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, an interval fuzzy credibility-constrained programming (IFCP method is developed for river water quality management. IFCP is derived from incorporating techniques of fuzzy credibility-constrained programming (FCP and interval-parameter programming (IPP within a general optimization framework. IFCP is capable of tackling uncertainties presented as interval numbers and possibility distributions as well as analyzing the reliability of satisfying (or the risk of violating system’s constraints. A real-world case for water quality management planning of the Xiangxi River in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (which faces severe water quality problems due to pollution from point and nonpoint sources is then conducted for demonstrating the applicability of the developed method. The results demonstrate that high biological oxygen demand (BOD discharge is observed at the Baishahe chemical plant and Gufu wastewater treatment plant. For nonpoint sources, crop farming generates large amounts of total phosphorus (TP and total nitrogen (TN. The results are helpful for managers in not only making decisions of effluent discharges from point and nonpoint sources but also gaining insight into the tradeoff between system benefit and environmental requirement.

Credibility assessment in child sexual abuse investigations: A descriptive analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Melkman, Eran P; Hershkowitz, Irit; Zur, Ronit

2017-05-01

A major challenge in cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) is determining the credibility of children's reports. Consequently cases may be misclassified as false or deemed 'no judgment possible'. Based on a large national sample of reports of CSA made in Israel in 2014, the study examines child and event characteristics contributing to the probability that reports of abuse would be judged credible. National data files of all children aged 3-14, who were referred for investigation following suspected victimization of sexual abuse, and had disclosed sexual abuse, were analyzed. Cases were classified as either 'credible' or 'no judgment possible'. The probability of reaching a 'credible' judgment was examined in relation to characteristics of the child (age, gender, cognitive delay, marital status of the parents,) and of the abusive event (abuse severity, frequency, perpetrator-victim relationship, perpetrator's use of grooming, and perpetrator's use of coercion), controlling for investigator's identity at the cluster level of the analysis. Of 1563 cases analyzed, 57.9% were assessed as credible. The most powerful predictors of a credible judgment were older age and absence of a cognitive delay. Reports of children to married parents, who experienced a single abusive event that involved perpetrator's use of grooming, were also more likely to be judged as credible. Rates of credible judgments found are lower than expected suggesting under-identification of truthful reports of CSA. In particular, those cases of severe and multiple abuse involving younger and cognitively delayed children are the ones with the lowest chances of being assessed as credible. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aggregated trustworthiness: Redefining online credibility through social validation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jessen, Johan; Jørgensen, Anker Helms

2012-01-01

This article investigates the impact of social dynamics on online credibility. Empirical studies by Pettingill (2006) and Hargittai, et al. (2010) suggest that social validation and online trustees play increasingly important roles when evaluating credibility online. This dynamic puts pressure...

Credibility Perceptions of User Generated Content

OpenAIRE

Murugan, S.; Nagarajan, Dr. P.S.

2017-01-01

Social media users generate a large volume of user generated content in various social media platforms to share their experiences in using a brand or a service. In the travel industry, the user generated content reviews are used by the prospective travellers to decide their travel plans. In the 1950’s credibility research of the media was started when television was introduced as a new media in the world dominated by newspapers. In the Social Media platforms, the credibility assessment is muc...

Evaluation method of nuclear nonproliferation credibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Eun-ha; Ko, Won Il

2009-01-01

This paper presents an integrated multicriteria analysis method for the quantitative evaluation of a state's nuclear nonproliferation credibility level. Underscoring the implications of policy on the sources of political demand for nuclear weapons rather than focusing on efforts to restrict the supply of specific weapons technology from the 'haves' to the 'have-nots', the proposed methodology considers the political, social, and cultural dimensions of nuclear proliferation. This methodology comprises three steps: (1) identifying the factors that influence credibility formation and employing them to construct a criteria tree that will illustrate the relationships among these factors; (2) defining the weight coefficients of each criterion through pairwise comparisons of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP); and (3) assigning numerical scores to a state under each criterion and combining them with the weight coefficients in order to provide an overall assessment of the state. The functionality of this methodology is examined by assessing the current level of nuclear nonproliferation credibility of four countries: Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Switzerland.

Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Patton, M Q

1999-12-01

Varying philosophical and theoretical orientations to qualitative inquiry remind us that issues of quality and credibility intersect with audience and intended research purposes. This overview examines ways of enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis by dealing with three distinct but related inquiry concerns: rigorous techniques and methods for gathering and analyzing qualitative data, including attention to validity, reliability, and triangulation; the credibility, competence, and perceived trustworthiness of the qualitative researcher; and the philosophical beliefs of evaluation users about such paradigm-based preferences as objectivity versus subjectivity, truth versus perspective, and generalizations versus extrapolations. Although this overview examines some general approaches to issues of credibility and data quality in qualitative analysis, it is important to acknowledge that particular philosophical underpinnings, specific paradigms, and special purposes for qualitative inquiry will typically include additional or substitute criteria for assuring and judging quality, validity, and credibility. Moreover, the context for these considerations has evolved. In early literature on evaluation methods the debate between qualitative and quantitative methodologists was often strident. In recent years the debate has softened. A consensus has gradually emerged that the important challenge is to match appropriately the methods to empirical questions and issues, and not to universally advocate any single methodological approach for all problems.

Assessing the credibility of diverting through containment penetrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooley, J.N.; Swindle, D.W. Jr.

1980-01-01

A viable approach has been developed for identifying those containment penetrations in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant which are credible diversion routes. The approach is based upon systematic engineering and design analyses and is applied to each type of penetration to determine which penetrations could be utilized to divert nuclear material from a reprocessing facility. The approach is described and the results of an application are discussed. In addition, the concept of credibility is developed and discussed. For a typical reprocessing plant design, the number of penetrations determined to be credible without process or piping modifications was approx. 16% of the penetrations originally identified

Institutional credibility and the future of Danish journalism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørsten, Mark; Burkal, Rasmus

Credibility is frequently represented as both an ideal goal for journalism as a profession (Vultree, 2010) and as an integral part of the survival strategy of the news industry (Meyer, 2004). Yet there exists no widely accepted operationalization of the concept of credibility. In this paper we...... ethics among Danish journalists....

eWOM credibility on social networking sites: A framework

OpenAIRE

Moran, Gillian; Muzellec, Laurent

2017-01-01

Social networking sites (SNS) offer brands the ability to spread positive electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) for the purposes of building awareness and acquiring new customers. However, the credibility of eWOM is threatened of late as marketers increasingly try to manipulate eWOM practices on SNS. A greater understanding of eWOM credibility is necessary to better enable marketers to leverage true consumer engagement by generating credible peer-to-peer communications. Yet, to date, there is no on...

How Organizational Design Can Make Delegation Credible

OpenAIRE

Foss, Kirsten; Foss, Nicolai J.

2005-01-01

Credible delegation of discretion obtains when it is a rational strategy for managers not to overrule employee decisions that are based on delegated decision rights or renege on the level of delegated discretion (and this is common knowledge). Making delegation of discretion credible becomes a crucial issue when organizations want to sustain the advantages that may flow from delegation: Such advantages are dependent on motivated employees, and managerial overruling or reneging is harmful to m...

Extension and Application of Credibility Models in Predicting Claim Frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan-tao Xie

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In nonlife actuarial science, credibility models are one of the main methods of experience ratemaking. Bühlmann-Straub credibility model can be expressed as a special case of linear mixed models (LMMs with the underlying assumption of normality. In this paper, we extend the assumption of Bühlmann-Straub model to include Poisson and negative binomial distributions as they are more appropriate for describing the distribution of a number of claims. By using the framework of generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs, we obtain the generalized credibility premiums that contain as particular cases another credibility premium in the literature. Compared to generalized linear mixed models, our extended credibility models also have an advantage in that the credibility factor falls into the range from 0 to 1. The performance of our models in comparison with an existing model in the literature is also evaluated through numerical studies, which shows that our approach produces premium estimates close to the optima. In addition, our proposed model can also be applied to the most commonly used ratemaking approach, namely, the net, the optimal Bonus-Malus system.

EVALUATION OF NATIONAL BANK OF ROMANIA MONETARY POLICY CREDIBILITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toader Valentin

2008-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper, using the models from the economic literature, the authors study the credibility level of National Bank of Romania (NRB during the time span Mars 2007 – Mars 2008. We will use three types of credibility indexes - two from the economic literature and one proposed by the authors. Also, we will emphasize the impact of unpredictable shocks - the natural calamities (drought which affected the aggregate supply in the summer of 2007 and the depreciation of RON against the euro - on the NBR credibility.

Brand emotional credibility: effects of mixed emotions about branded products with varying credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Mileti, Antonio; Prete, M Irene; Guido, Gianluigi

2013-10-01

This research investigates the effects of mixed emotions on the positioning and on the intention to purchase different categories of branded products (i.e., Attractiveness-products, Expertise-products, and Trustworthiness-products), in relation to their main component of credibility (Ohanian, 1990). On the basis of a focus group (n = 12) aimed to identify the three branded products used as stimuli and a pre-test (n = 240) directed to discover emotions elicited by them, two studies (n = 630; n = 240) were carried out. Positioning and multiple regression analyses showed that positive and negative emotions are positively related with the positioning and the purchase intention of Attractiveness-products, and, respectively, positively and negatively related with those of Trustworthiness-products; whereas negative emotions are negatively associated with those of Expertise-products. Brand Emotional Credibility--i.e., the emotional believability of the brand positioning signals--may help to identify unconscious elements and the simultaneous importance of mixed emotions associated with different products to match consumers' desires and expectations.

Exchange-Rate-Based Stabilization under Imperfect Credibility

OpenAIRE

Guillermo Calvo; Carlos A. Végh Gramont

1991-01-01

This paper analyzes stabilization policy under predetermined exchange rates in a cash-in-advance, staggered-prices model. Under full credibility, a reduction in the rate of devaluation results in an immediate and permanent reduction in the inflation rate, with no effect on output or consumption. In contrast, a non-credible stabilization results in an initial expansion of output, followed by a later recession. The inflation rate of home goods remains above the rate of devaluation throughout th...

Topic familiarity and information skills in online credibility evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lucassen, T.; Schraagen, J.M.C.

2013-01-01

With the rise of user generated content, evaluating the credibility of information has become increasingly important. It is already known that various user characteristics influence the way credibility evaluation is performed. Domain experts on the topic at hand primarily focus on semantic features

Impact of Celebrity Credibility on Advertising Effectiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadia Aziz

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Advertisers often make use of endorsers or representatives as trustworthy sources of persuasion for consumers' attitudes. Promotion of products through celebrities is a trendy advertising practice around the world. The present study judged the impact of celebrity credibility on advertising effectiveness in terms of consumer’s attitude towards the advertisement, attitude towards the brand and their purchase intention. This study also explored the differences of respondent’s responses towards the advertisements of brand through famous celebrities as well as unknown celebrities. Different TV advertisements were used for the experiment. Several statistical tools were applied to test the hypotheses and identify significant differences & the proposed relationships among the variables. Overall findings suggests that the respondents considered the famous celebrities of the brand as the most credible celebrities, having positive impact on consumers attitude towards the advertisement, attitude to the brand and their favorable purchase intentions as compare to the unknown celebrity with less credibility.

Conquering Credibility for Monetary Policy Under Sticky Confidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaylson Jair da Silveira

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We derive a best-reply monetary policy when the confidence by price setters on the monetary authority’s commitment to price level targeting may be both incomplete and sticky. We find that complete confidence (or full credibility is not a necessary condition for the achievement of a price level target even when heterogeneity in firms’ price level expectations is endogenously time-varying and may emerge as a long-run equilibrium outcome. In fact, in the absence of exogenous perturbations to the dynamic of confidence building, it is the achievement of a price level target for long enough that, due to stickiness in the state of confidence, rather ensures the conquering of full credibility. This result has relevant implications for the conduct of monetary policy in pursuit of price stability. One implication is that setting a price level target matters more as a means to provide monetary policy with a sharper focus on price stability than as a device to conquer credibility. As regards the conquering of credibility for monetary policy, it turns out that actions speak louder than words, as the continuing achievement of price stability is what ultimately performs better as a confidence-building device.

The Effect of Top-Level Domains and Advertisements on Health Web Site Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zuoming; Loh, Tracy

2004-01-01

Background Concerns over health information on the Internet have generated efforts to enhance credibility markers; yet how users actually assess the credibility of online health information is largely unknown. Objective This study set out to (1) establish a parsimonious and valid questionnaire instrument to measure credibility of Internet health information by drawing on various previous measures of source, news, and other credibility scales; and (2) to identify the effects of Web-site domains and advertising on credibility perceptions. Methods Respondents (N = 156) examined one of 12 Web-site mock-ups and completed credibility scales in a 3 x 2 x 2 between-subjects experimental design. Factor analysis and validity checks were used for item reduction, and analysis of variance was employed for hypothesis testing of Web-site features' effects. Results In an attempt to construct a credibility instrument, three dimensions of credibility (safety, trustworthiness, and dynamism) were retained, reflecting traditional credibility sub-themes, but composed of items from disparate sources. When testing the effect of the presence or absence of advertising on a Web site on credibility, we found that this depends on the site's domain, with a trend for advertisements having deleterious effects on the credibility of sites with .org domain, but positive effects on sites with .com or .edu domains. Conclusions Health-information Web-site providers should select domains purposefully when they can, especially if they must accept on-site advertising. Credibility perceptions may not be invariant or stable, but rather are sensitive to topic and context. Future research may employ these findings in order to compare other forms of health-information delivery to optimal Web-site features. PMID:15471750

Does the Credible Fiscal Policy Support the Prices Stabilization?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuncoro Haryo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims at analyzing the co-movement between fiscal policy and monetary policy rules in the context of price stabilization. More specifically, we observe the potential impact of fiscal policy credibility on the price stabilization in the inflation targeting framework. Motivated by the fact that empirical studies concerning this aspect are still limited, we take the case of Indonesia over the period 2001-2013. Based on the quarterly data analysis, we found that the impact of credibility typically depends on characteristics of fiscal rules commitment. On one hand, the credibility of debt rule reduces the inflation rate. In contrast, the incredible deficit rule policy does not have any impact on the inflation rate and therefore does not support to inflation targeting. Given those results, we conclude that credibility matters in stabilizing price levels. Accordingly, those findings suggest tightening coordination between monetary and fiscal policy to maintain fiscal sustainability in accordance with price stabilization policy

Credibility judgments in web page design - a brief review.

Science.gov (United States)

Selejan, O; Muresanu, D F; Popa, L; Muresanu-Oloeriu, I; Iudean, D; Buzoianu, A; Suciu, S

2016-01-01

Today, more than ever, knowledge that interfaces appearance analysis is a crucial point in human-computer interaction field has been accepted. As nowadays virtually anyone can publish information on the web, the credibility role has grown increasingly important in relation to the web-based content. Areas like trust, credibility, and behavior, doubled by overall impression and user expectation are today in the spotlight of research compared to the last period, when other pragmatic areas such as usability and utility were considered. Credibility has been discussed as a theoretical construct in the field of communication in the past decades and revealed that people tend to evaluate the credibility of communication primarily by the communicator's expertise. Other factors involved in the content communication process are trustworthiness and dynamism as well as various other criteria but to a lower extent. In this brief review, factors like web page aesthetics, browsing experiences and user experience are considered.

Public confidence in local management officials: organizational credibility and emergency behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sorensen, J.H.

1984-01-01

Confidence issues create potential risks for the public in any emergency situation. They do so because credibility and associated perceptions of legitimacy and competency of organizations are determinants of human behavior in disasters. Credibility, however, is only one of numerous factors that shape response of people or organizations to a threatening event. The purposes of this paper are to review what is known about the way in which credibility and related constructs influence emergency response, discuss how this knowledge applies to radiological emergency planning, and suggest how credibility-induced risk can be minimized in emergency planning and response.

Public confidence in local management officials: organizational credibility and emergency behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sorensen, J.H.

1984-01-01

Confidence issues create potential risks for the public in any emergency situation. They do so because credibility and associated perceptions of legitimacy and competency of organizations are determinants of human behavior in disasters. Credibility, however, is only one of numerous factors that shape response of people or organizations to a threatening event. The purposes of this paper are to review what is known about the way in which credibility and related constructs influence emergency response, discuss how this knowledge applies to radiological emergency planning, and suggest how credibility-induced risk can be minimized in emergency planning and response

How Experienced SoTL Researchers Develop the Credibility of Their Work

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennie Billot

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Teaching and learning research in higher education, often referred to as the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL, is still relatively novel in many academic contexts compared to the mainstay of disciplinary research. One indication of this is the challenges those who engage in SoTL report in terms of how this work is valued or considered credible amongst disciplinary colleagues and in the face of institutional policies and practices. This paper moves beyond the literature that describes these specific challenges to investigate how 23 experienced SoTL researchers from five different countries understood the notion of credibility in relationship to their SoTL research and how they went about developing credibility for their work. Semi-structured interviews were facilitated and analyzed using inductive analysis. Findings indicate that notions of credibility encompassed putting SoTL research into action and building capacity and community around research findings, as well as gaining external validation through traditional indicators such as publishing. SoTL researchers reported a variety of strategies and approaches they were using, both formal and informal, to develop credibility for their work. The direct focus of this paper on credibility of SoTL work as perceived by experienced SoTL researchers, and how they go about developing credibility, is a distinct contribution to the discussions about the valuing of SoTL work.

Credibility of experts and institutions in emergency situations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renn, O.; Kastenholz, H.G.

1997-01-01

This article deals with the most important results of communication and psychological studies on credibility and trust in emergency situations. The central insight in this paper has been that communication about the different elements of credibility needs to start before any emergency in order to build trust among the various constituents. In addition, emergency handling institutions need to reflect the experiences they have made during an emergency and involve the public in a social learning process to improve the existing emergency plans. Credibility of institutions relies on the congruence between the expectations of the public with respect to the demanded performance and the preception of the actual performance. Any institution needs to adjust its communication about public expectations as well as institute sufficient control and monitoring to improve actual performance. (orig.) [de

Deposit Insurance Coverage, Credibility of Non-insurance, and Banking Crises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Angkinand, Apanard; Wihlborg, Clas

2005-01-01

level require analyses of institutional factors affecting the credibility of non-insurance. In particular, the implementation of effective distress resolution procedures for banks would allow governments to reduce explicit deposit insurance coverage and, thereby, to strengthen market discipline......The ambiguity in existing empirical work with respect to effects of deposit insurance schemes on banks' risk-taking can be resolved if it is recognized that absence of deposit insurance is rarely credible and that the credibility of non-insurance can be enhanced by explicit deposit insurance...... schemes. We show that under reasonable conditions for effects on risk-taking of creditor protection in banking, and for effects on credibility of non-insurance of explicit coverage of deposit insurance schemes, there exists a partial level of coverage that maximizes market discipline and minimizes moral...

Vigilance and reason - The keys to continued credibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arlotto, G.A.

1994-01-01

I have entitle my speech open-quotes Vigilance and Reason-The Keys to Continued Credibilityclose quotes. A partitioning of the words gives insight into my view of where we are, where we may be going, and that we have control of our fate. open-quotes Continuedclose quotes indicates that I believe, at present, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Codes and Standards process has credibility. open-quotes Keysclose quotes connotes that we are at a crossroads and something must be done to stay on track. And open-quotes Vigilance and Reasonclose quotes suggest that we can achieve our goal of continued credibility through exercising vigilance and reason. We cannot rest on our laurels. We must take conscious, positive actions to strengthen the credibility of our products; otherwise we will backslide. It is up to us

Mathematical Validation and Credibility of Diagnostic Blocks for Spinal Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Andrew J; Bogduk, Nikolai

2016-10-01

Diagnostic blocks are used in different ways for the diagnosis of spinal pain, but their validity has not been fully evaluated. Four clinical protocols were analyzed mathematically to determine the probability of correct responses arising by chance. The complement of this probability was adopted as a measure of the credibility of correct responses. The credibility of responses varied from 50% to 95%, and was determined less by the agents used but more by what information was given to patients and if the agents were fully randomized for each block. Randomized, comparative local anesthetic blocks offer a credibility of 75%, but randomized, placebo-controlled blocks provide a credibility of 95%, and are thereby suitable as a criterion standard for diagnostic blocks. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Calving Interval Covariance Structures for dairy breeds in South Africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

OlivierR

Abstract. Calving interval (CI) is a fertility trait that can be used in selection programmes to minimize the ... Calving Interval (CI), Days Open and Pregnancy Rate. The last group of ..... SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina, USA. VanRaden ...

Revisiting Organizational Credibility and Organizational Reputation – A Situational Crisis Communication Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamal Jamilah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Organizational credibility, the extent of which an organization as the source of messages is perceived as trustworthy and reliable, is one important aspect to determine organization’s survival. The perceived credibility of the messages will either strengthen or worsen an organization reputation. The primary objective of this paper is to revisit the concept of organizational credibility and its interaction with organizational outcomes such as organizational reputation. Based on the situational crisis communication theory (SCCT, this paper focuses on the impact of organizational credibility on organizational reputation following a crisis. Even though the SCCT has been widely used in crisis communication research, the theory still has its own limitations in explaining factors that could potentially affect the reputation of an organization. This study proposes a model by integrating organizational credibility in the SCCT theoretical framework. Derived from the theoretical framework, three propositions are advanced to determine the relationships between organizational credibility with crisis responsibility and perceived organizational reputation. This paper contributes to further establishing the SCCT and posits key attributes in the organizational reputation processes..

Credibility and Crisis Stress Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Lian Ong

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Credibility is the bedrock of any crisis stress test. The use of stress tests to manage systemic risk was introduced by the U.S. authorities in 2009 in the form of the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program. Since then, supervisory authorities in other jurisdictions have also conducted similar exercises. In some of those cases, the design and implementation of certain elements of the framework have been criticized for their lack of credibility. This paper proposes a set of guidelines for constructing an effective crisis stress test. It combines financial markets impact studies of previous exercises with relevant case study information gleaned from those experiences to identify the key elements and to formulate their appropriate design. Pertinent concepts, issues and nuances particular to crisis stress testing are also discussed. The findings may be useful for country authorities seeking to include stress tests in their crisis management arsenal, as well as for the design of crisis programs.

Improving credibility evaluations on Wikipedia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lucassen, T.; Schmettow, Martin; Wiering, Caro H.; Pieters, Jules M.; Boer, Henk

2011-01-01

In this chapter, ongoing research on trust in Wikipedia is used as a case study to illustrate the design process of a support tool for Wikipedia, following the ASCE-model. This research is performed from a cognitive perspective and aims at users actively evaluating the credibility of information on

Data Credibility: A Perspective from Systematic Reviews in Environmental Management

Science.gov (United States)

Pullin, Andrew S.; Knight, Teri M.

2009-01-01

To use environmental program evaluation to increase effectiveness, predictive power, and resource allocation efficiency, evaluators need good data. Data require sufficient credibility in terms of fitness for purpose and quality to develop the necessary evidence base. The authors examine elements of data credibility using experience from critical…

The Importance of Being…Social? Instructor Credibility and the Millennials

Science.gov (United States)

Gerhardt, Megan W.

2016-01-01

Using the framework of generational identity, the current study explores how a range of characteristics impact Millennial perceptions of instructor credibility. Millennial Generation student ratings of the impact of competence, character, and sociability on instructor credibility were compared to faculty ratings of the same characteristics.…

Strategy to Increase U.S. Credibility

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Shanks, Wayne M

2006-01-01

...) National Security Strategy (NSS). The public's mistrust of the United States is born out of a widespread misunderstanding and mistrust of its policies and a lack of USG credibility especially in the Greater Middle East...

Marginality, Credibility, and Impression Management: The Asian Sociologist in America.

Science.gov (United States)

Unnithan, N. Prabha

1988-01-01

Relates personal experiences of a sociologist of Asian origin in an effort to illustrate problems inherent in the process of becoming accepted as an academic sociologist. Identifies important themes of marginality, credibility, and impression management. Points out ways in which the Asian sociologists can go about achieving credibility. (KO)

The effects of stakeholder involvement on perceptions of an evaluation's credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, Miriam R; Azzam, Tarek

2018-06-01

This article presents a study of the effects of stakeholder involvement on perceptions of an evaluation's credibility. Crowdsourced members of the public and a group of educational administrators read a description of a hypothetical program and two evaluations of the program: one conducted by a researcher and one conducted by program staff (i.e. program stakeholders). Study participants were randomly assigned versions of the scenario with different levels of stakeholder credibility and types of findings. Results showed that both samples perceived the researcher's evaluation findings to be more credible than the program staff's, but that this difference was significantly reduced when the program staff were described to be highly credible. The article concludes with implications for theory and research on evaluation dissemination and stakeholder involvement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risky Business: Communicating with Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberger, Leonard S.

2011-01-01

In hostile situations, a communicator's goal is to establish and maintain trust and credibility with the audience. School business officials need the special skills and techniques of what's known as "risk communication." Few people are natural risk communicators. Those who do it well honed their skills over many years spent in hostile…

Use of Credibility Heuristics in a Social Question-Answering Service

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Paul

2015-01-01

Introduction: This study looked at the effect of community peripheral cues (specifically voting score and answerer's reputation) on the user's credibility rating of answers. Method: Students in technology and philosophy were asked to assess the credibility of answers to questions posted on a social question-answering platform. Through the use of a…

Five-Year Risk of Interval-Invasive Second Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Buist, Diana S. M.; Houssami, Nehmat; Dowling, Emily C.; Halpern, Elkan F.; Gazelle, G. Scott; Lehman, Constance D.; Henderson, Louise M.; Hubbard, Rebecca A.

2015-01-01

Background: Earlier detection of second breast cancers after primary breast cancer (PBC) treatment improves survival, yet mammography is less accurate in women with prior breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine women presenting clinically with second breast cancers after negative surveillance mammography (interval cancers), and to estimate the five-year risk of interval-invasive second cancers for women with varying risk profiles. Methods: We evaluated a prospective cohort of 15 114 women with 47 717 surveillance mammograms diagnosed with stage 0-II unilateral PBC from 1996 through 2008 at facilities in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. We used discrete time survival models to estimate the association between odds of an interval-invasive second breast cancer and candidate predictors, including demographic, PBC, and imaging characteristics. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: The cumulative incidence of second breast cancers after five years was 54.4 per 1000 women, with 325 surveillance-detected and 138 interval-invasive second breast cancers. The five-year risk of interval-invasive second cancer for women with referent category characteristics was 0.60%. For women with the most and least favorable profiles, the five-year risk ranged from 0.07% to 6.11%. Multivariable modeling identified grade II PBC (odds ratio [OR] = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15 to 3.31), treatment with lumpectomy without radiation (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 1.91 to 5.62), interval PBC presentation (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.28 to 3.16), and heterogeneously dense breasts on mammography (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.01 to 2.36) as independent predictors of interval-invasive second breast cancers. Conclusions: PBC diagnosis and treatment characteristics contribute to variation in subsequent-interval second breast cancer risk. Consideration of these factors may be useful in developing tailored post-treatment imaging surveillance plans. PMID:25904721

Revisiting Organizational Credibility and Organizational Reputation – A Situational Crisis Communication Approach

OpenAIRE

Jamal Jamilah; Abu Bakar Hassan

2017-01-01

Organizational credibility, the extent of which an organization as the source of messages is perceived as trustworthy and reliable, is one important aspect to determine organization’s survival. The perceived credibility of the messages will either strengthen or worsen an organization reputation. The primary objective of this paper is to revisit the concept of organizational credibility and its interaction with organizational outcomes such as organizational reputation. Based on the situational...

Establishing model credibility involves more than validation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirchner, T.

1991-01-01

One widely used definition of validation is that the quantitative test of the performance of a model through the comparison of model predictions to independent sets of observations from the system being simulated. The ability to show that the model predictions compare well with observations is often thought to be the most rigorous test that can be used to establish credibility for a model in the scientific community. However, such tests are only part of the process used to establish credibility, and in some cases may be either unnecessary or misleading. Naylor and Finger extended the concept of validation to include the establishment of validity for the postulates embodied in the model and the test of assumptions used to select postulates for the model. Validity of postulates is established through concurrence by experts in the field of study that the mathematical or conceptual model contains the structural components and mathematical relationships necessary to adequately represent the system with respect to the goals for the model. This extended definition of validation provides for consideration of the structure of the model, not just its performance, in establishing credibility. Evaluation of a simulation model should establish the correctness of the code and the efficacy of the model within its domain of applicability. (24 refs., 6 figs.)

Credibility and Consumer Behavior of Islamic Bank in Indonesia: A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naufal BACHRI

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The concept “credibility” has become significant attention from academics and practitioners because it played an important role in creating and maintaining consumer behavior. This study uses twenty- seven references relates to credibility, customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty. Several studies have discussed the relationship between credibility and consumer behavior and also elaborated dimensions of credibility. It also presented the shortcomings of current research and the trends for future study in Islamic banking.

Credibility and the media as a political institution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørsten, Mark; Burkal, Rasmus

2014-01-01

of credibility in Danish news media. Credibility is defined at an institutional level by two dimensions: A) the accuracy and reliability of the news stories featured in leading Danish news media, and B) journalists’ knowledge and understanding of the Danish code of press ethics. The results show that sources...... only find objective errors in 14.1% of the news stories, which is a lower figure than most other studies report. The results also show that Danish journalists find bad press ethics to be an increasing problem and attribute this problem to increased pressure in the newsroom....

Variation in Cancer Incidence among Patients with ESRD during Kidney Function and Nonfunction Intervals.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanik, Elizabeth L; Clarke, Christina A; Snyder, Jon J; Pfeiffer, Ruth M; Engels, Eric A

2016-05-01

Among patients with ESRD, cancer risk is affected by kidney dysfunction and by immunosuppression after transplant. Assessing patterns across periods of dialysis and kidney transplantation may inform cancer etiology. We evaluated 202,195 kidney transplant candidates and recipients from a linkage between the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and cancer registries, and compared incidence in kidney function intervals (time with a transplant) with incidence in nonfunction intervals (waitlist or time after transplant failure), adjusting for demographic factors. Incidence of infection-related and immune-related cancer was higher during kidney function intervals than during nonfunction intervals. Incidence was most elevated for Kaposi sarcoma (hazard ratio [HR], 9.1; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 4.7 to 18), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (HR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.8 to 3.7), Hodgkin's lymphoma (HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.7 to 5.3), lip cancer (HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.0 to 6.0), and nonepithelial skin cancers (HR, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.5 to 5.8). Conversely, ESRD-related cancer incidence was lower during kidney function intervals (kidney cancer: HR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.7 to 0.8 and thyroid cancer: HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6 to 0.8). With each successive interval, incidence changed in alternating directions for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, melanoma, and lung, pancreatic, and nonepithelial skin cancers (higher during function intervals), and kidney and thyroid cancers (higher during nonfunction intervals). For many cancers, incidence remained higher than in the general population across all intervals. These data indicate strong short-term effects of kidney dysfunction and immunosuppression on cancer incidence in patients with ESRD, suggesting a need for persistent cancer screening and prevention. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Credibility improves topical blog post retrieval

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weerkamp, W.; de Rijke, M.

2008-01-01

Topical blog post retrieval is the task of ranking blog posts with respect to their relevance for a given topic. To improve topical blog post retrieval we incorporate textual credibility indicators in the retrieval process. We consider two groups of indicators: post level (determined using

The Credibility of Fiscal Rules Policy and Business Cycle Volatility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuncoro Haryo

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is two-fold; first, it studies the impact of the credibility of fiscal rule policy on the stability of output growth; second, it compares the effectiveness of fiscal rule policy to discretionary and automatic stabilizer fiscal policies to address the fluctuation of output growth. Employing quarterly data over the period 2001-2013 in the case of Indonesia, we obtain that the credible debt rule leads to a decrease in the volatility of output growth while the non-credible deficit rule does not have any effect. Both unsystematic and systematic components of discretionary fiscal policy have a stabilizing function. Interestingly, the automatic stabilization tends to induce the volatility of output growth. Given those results, we infer that government spending is not a good automatic stabilizer. It seems that the lower ratio of government expenditure to GDP along with improving credibility of deficit rule policy has a smoother effect on the economy. Therefore, they implicitly support expenditure cuts when implementing fiscal adjustment with the purpose of reaching fiscal sustainability in the short-run and a stable economic growth in the long-run.

Trust and credibility: measured by multidimensional scaling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warg, L.E.; Bodin, L.

1998-01-01

Full text of publication follows: in focus of much of today's research interest in risk communication, is the fact that the communities do not trust policy and decision makers such as politicians, government or industry people. This is especially serious in the years to come when we are expecting risk issues concerning for example the nuclear industry, global warming and hazardous waste, to be even higher on the political and social agenda all over the world. Despite the research efforts devoted to trust, society needs an in depth understanding of trust for conducting successful communication regarding environmental hazards. The present abstract is about an experimental study in psychology where focus has been on the possibility to use the multidimensional scaling technique to explore the characteristics people consider to be of importance when they say that certain persons are credible. In the study, a total of 61 students of the University of Oerebro, Sweden, were required to make comparisons of the similarity between 12 well-known swedish persons from politics science, media, industry, 'TV-world' and literature (two persons at a time), regarding their credibility when making statements about risks in society. In addition, the subjects were rating the importance of 19 factors for the credibility of a source. These 61 persons comprised three groups of students: pedagogists, business economists, and chemists. There were 61 % women and 39% men and the mean age was 23 years. The results will be analyzed using multidimensional scaling technique. Differences between the three groups will be analyzed and presented as well as those between men and women. In addition, the 19 factors will be discussed and considered when trying to label the dimensions accounted for by the multidimensional scaling technique. The result from this study will contribute to our understanding of important factors behind human judgments concerning trust and credibility. It will also point to a

Five-year risk of interval-invasive second breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Janie M; Buist, Diana S M; Houssami, Nehmat; Dowling, Emily C; Halpern, Elkan F; Gazelle, G Scott; Lehman, Constance D; Henderson, Louise M; Hubbard, Rebecca A

2015-07-01

Earlier detection of second breast cancers after primary breast cancer (PBC) treatment improves survival, yet mammography is less accurate in women with prior breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine women presenting clinically with second breast cancers after negative surveillance mammography (interval cancers), and to estimate the five-year risk of interval-invasive second cancers for women with varying risk profiles. We evaluated a prospective cohort of 15 114 women with 47 717 surveillance mammograms diagnosed with stage 0-II unilateral PBC from 1996 through 2008 at facilities in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. We used discrete time survival models to estimate the association between odds of an interval-invasive second breast cancer and candidate predictors, including demographic, PBC, and imaging characteristics. All statistical tests were two-sided. The cumulative incidence of second breast cancers after five years was 54.4 per 1000 women, with 325 surveillance-detected and 138 interval-invasive second breast cancers. The five-year risk of interval-invasive second cancer for women with referent category characteristics was 0.60%. For women with the most and least favorable profiles, the five-year risk ranged from 0.07% to 6.11%. Multivariable modeling identified grade II PBC (odds ratio [OR] = 1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15 to 3.31), treatment with lumpectomy without radiation (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 1.91 to 5.62), interval PBC presentation (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.28 to 3.16), and heterogeneously dense breasts on mammography (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.01 to 2.36) as independent predictors of interval-invasive second breast cancers. PBC diagnosis and treatment characteristics contribute to variation in subsequent-interval second breast cancer risk. Consideration of these factors may be useful in developing tailored post-treatment imaging surveillance plans. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

Establishing Credibility in the Multicultural Classroom: When the Instructor Speaks with an Accent

Science.gov (United States)

McLean, Chikako Akamatsu

2007-01-01

Applying theories of cultural dimensions, teacher credibility, and nonverbal immediacy, this chapter explores classroom management techniques used by Asian female teachers to establish credibility. (Contains 1 note.)

Comparing confidence intervals for Goodman and Kruskal's gamma coefficient

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Ark, L.A.; van Aert, R.C.M.

2015-01-01

This study was motivated by the question which type of confidence interval (CI) one should use to summarize sample variance of Goodman and Kruskal's coefficient gamma. In a Monte-Carlo study, we investigated the coverage and computation time of the Goodman-Kruskal CI, the Cliff-consistent CI, the

Hospital process intervals, not EMS time intervals, are the most important predictors of rapid reperfusion in EMS Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Carol Lynn; Berman, Aaron D; McHugh, Ann; Roe, Edward Jedd; Boura, Judith; Swor, Robert A

2012-01-01

To assess the relationship of emergency medical services (EMS) intervals and internal hospital intervals to the rapid reperfusion of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We performed a secondary analysis of a prospectively collected database of STEMI patients transported to a large academic community hospital between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2009. EMS and hospital data intervals included EMS scene time, transport time, hospital arrival to myocardial infarction (MI) team activation (D2Page), page to catheterization laboratory arrival (P2Lab), and catheterization laboratory arrival to reperfusion (L2B). We used two outcomes: EMS scene arrival to reperfusion (S2B) ≤90 minutes and hospital arrival to reperfusion (D2B) ≤90 minutes. Means and proportions are reported. Pearson chi-square and multivariate regression were used for analysis. During the study period, we included 313 EMS-transported STEMI patients with 298 (95.2%) MI team activations. Of these STEMI patients, 295 (94.2%) were taken to the cardiac catheterization laboratory and 244 (78.0%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). For the patients who underwent PCI, 127 (52.5%) had prehospital EMS activation, 202 (82.8%) had D2B ≤90 minutes, and 72 (39%) had S2B ≤90 minutes. In a multivariate analysis, hospital processes EMS activation (OR 7.1, 95% CI 2.7, 18.4], Page to Lab [6.7, 95% CI 2.3, 19.2] and Lab arrival to Reperfusion [18.5, 95% CI 6.1, 55.6]) were the most important predictors of Scene to Balloon ≤ 90 minutes. EMS scene and transport intervals also had a modest association with rapid reperfusion (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78, 0.93 and OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83, 0.95, respectively). In a secondary analysis, Hospital processes (Door to Page [OR 44.8, 95% CI 8.6, 234.4], Page 2 Lab [OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.9, 15.3], and Lab arrival to Reperfusion [OR 14.6 95% CI 2.5, 84.3]), but not EMS scene and transport intervals were the most important predictors D2B ≤90

Development of a Severe Accident Mitigation Support with Speediness and Credibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hur, Sup; Park, Jae Chang; Choi, Jong Gyun; Kim, Jung Taek; Kim, Chang Hwoi

2014-01-01

This study suggests a methodology of severe accident mitigation support with speediness and credibility. Using this methodology, the severe accident is automatically identified based on the information credibility check. And then, proper mitigation function, available mitigation routes, and an optimal mitigation path are automatically suggested. The basic logic of the information credibility is based on environmental evaluation, historical evaluation and some conventional methods such as redundancy and diversity comparison of instruments. To identify the available mitigation routes, availability of paths and components, source status, process limitation, expected adverse effect, and mitigation capability of the path are automatically were evaluated. Among the available routes, the optimal mitigation path was finally suggested based on the path priority criteria and physical relationship

8 CFR 1208.30 - Credible fear determinations involving stowaways and applicants for admission found inadmissible...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Credible fear determinations involving..., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS PROCEDURES FOR ASYLUM AND WITHHOLDING OF REMOVAL Credible Fear of Persecution § 1208.30 Credible fear determinations involving stowaways and applicants for...

Consider the source: persuasion of implicit evaluations is moderated by source credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Colin Tucker; De Houwer, Jan; Nosek, Brian A

2013-02-01

The long history of persuasion research shows how to change explicit, self-reported evaluations through direct appeals. At the same time, research on how to change implicit evaluations has focused almost entirely on techniques of retraining existing evaluations or manipulating contexts. In five studies, we examined whether direct appeals can change implicit evaluations in the same way as they do explicit evaluations. In five studies, both explicit and implicit evaluations showed greater evidence of persuasion following information presented by a highly credible source than a source low in credibility. Whereas cognitive load did not alter the effect of source credibility on explicit evaluations, source credibility had an effect on the persuasion of implicit evaluations only when participants were encouraged and able to consider information about the source. Our findings reveal the relevance of persuasion research for changing implicit evaluations and provide new ideas about the processes underlying both types of evaluation.

Autoimmune antibodies and recurrence-free interval in melanoma patients treated with adjuvant interferon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bouwhuis, Marna G; Suciu, Stefan; Collette, Sandra

2009-01-01

relapse-free interval in both trials (EORTC 18952, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.25 to 0.68, P P ... (model 2: EORTC 18952, HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.46 to 1.40, P = .44; and Nordic IFN, HR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.55 to 1.30, P = .45; model 3: EORTC 18952, HR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.59 to 1.87, P = .88; and Nordic IFN, HR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.49 to 1.24, P = .30). CONCLUSIONS: In two randomized trials of IFN...

Effects of message repetition and negativity on credibility judgments and political attitudes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ernst, N.; Kühne, R.; Wirth, W.

2017-01-01

Research on the truth effect has demonstrated that statements are rated as more credible when they are repeatedly presented. However, current research indicates that there are limits to the truth effect and that too many repetitions can decrease message credibility. This study investigates whether

The 'Thin film of gold': monetary rules and policy credibility

OpenAIRE

Niall Ferguson; Moritz Schularick

2012-01-01

This paper asks whether developing countries can reap credibility gains from submitting policy to a strict monetary rule. Following earlier work, we look at the gold standard era (1880-1914) as a "natural experiment" to test whether adoption of a rule-based monetary framework such as the gold standard increased policy credibility. On the basis of the largest possible dataset covering almost sixty independent and colonial borrowers in the London market, we challenge the traditional view that g...

Credible accident analyses for TRIGA and TRIGA-fueled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hawley, S.C.; Kathren, R.L.

1982-04-01

Credible accidents were developed and analyzed for TRIGA and TRIGA-fueled reactors. The only potential for offsite exposure appears to be from a fuel-handling accident that, based on highly conservative assumptions, would result in dose equivalents of less than or equal to 1 mrem to the total body from noble gases and less than or equal to 1.2 rem to the thyroid from radioiodines. Credible accidents from excess reactivity insertions, metal-water reactions, lost, misplaced, or inadvertent experiments, core rearrangements, and changes in fuel morphology and ZrH/sub x/ composition are also evaluated, and suggestions for further study provided

Examining the Effect of Endorser Credibility on the Consumers' Buying Intentions: An Empirical Study in Turkey

OpenAIRE

Sertoglu, Aysegul Ermec; Catlı, Ozlem; Korkmaz, Sezer

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to test whether the source credibility affects buying intention and measure the perceived credibility differences between created spokesperson and celebrity endorser. The influence that endorser credibility dimensions (i.e. attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise) have on purchase intentions of 326 young consumers has been examined. The results showed that all of the three credibility dimensions for both celebrity endorser and created spokesperson have a pos...

EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF ENDORSER CREDIBILITY ON THE CONSUMERS' BUYING INTENTIONS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN TURKEY

OpenAIRE

Aysegul Ermec Sertoglu; Ozlem Catli; Sezer Korkmaz

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to test whether the source credibility affects buying intention and measure the perceived credibility differences between created spokesperson and celebrity endorser. The influence that endorser credibility dimensions (i.e. attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise) have on purchase intentions of 326 young consumers has been examined. The results showed that all of the three credibility dimensions for both celebrity endorser and created spokesperson have a pos...

In Your Facebook: Examining Facebook Usage as Misbehavior on Perceived Teacher Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchens, Jason S.; Hayes, Timothy

2014-01-01

Teachers sometimes do things that negatively impact their own credibility in classroom settings. One way instructors maintain credibility among students is by keeping a veil between their personal and professional personas. The advent of Facebook presents new challenges for instructors seeking to keep their personal lives private in order to…

Establishing the credibility of qualitative research findings: the plot thickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutcliffe, J R; McKenna, H P

1999-08-01

Qualitative research is increasingly recognized and valued and its unique place in nursing research is highlighted by many. Despite this, some nurse researchers continue to raise epistemological issues about the problems of objectivity and the validity of qualitative research findings. This paper explores the issues relating to the representativeness or credibility of qualitative research findings. It therefore critiques the existing distinct philosophical and methodological positions concerning the trustworthiness of qualitative research findings, which are described as follows: quantitative studies should be judged using the same criteria and terminology as quantitative studies; it is impossible, in a meaningful way, for any criteria to be used to judge qualitative studies; qualitative studies should be judged using criteria that are developed for and fit the qualitative paradigm; and the credibility of qualitative research findings could be established by testing out the emerging theory by means of conducting a deductive quantitative study. The authors conclude by providing some guidelines for establishing the credibility of qualitative research findings.

The Influence of Peer Reviews on Source Credibility and Purchase Intention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristine L. Nowak

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM is information shared on the Internet about a product, which allows people to receive information from others they may not otherwise encounter. Online product reviews are a type of eWOM where a user posts a comment about a product and selects an image to represent the self. The perception of the image and the text in the product review can influence source credibility and the perception of the product, as well as the likelihood that someone will purchase the product. This study examines the effect of the product reviews and their different images and text on perceived credibility, source trustworthiness and purchase intention. Consistent with predictions based on the information processing theory, perceived anthropomorphism influences perceived credibility, source trust, and purchase intention.

Comparing confidence intervals for Goodman and Kruskal’s gamma coefficient

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Ark, L.A.; van Aert, R.C.M.

2015-01-01

This study was motivated by the question which type of confidence interval (CI) one should use to summarize sample variance of Goodman and Kruskal's coefficient gamma. In a Monte-Carlo study, we investigated the coverage and computation time of the Goodman–Kruskal CI, the Cliff-consistent CI, the

Establishment of reference intervals for plasma protein electrophoresis in Indo-Pacific green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas.

Science.gov (United States)

Flint, Mark; Matthews, Beren J; Limpus, Colin J; Mills, Paul C

2015-01-01

Biochemical and haematological parameters are increasingly used to diagnose disease in green sea turtles. Specific clinical pathology tools, such as plasma protein electrophoresis analysis, are now being used more frequently to improve our ability to diagnose disease in the live animal. Plasma protein reference intervals were calculated from 55 clinically healthy green sea turtles using pulsed field electrophoresis to determine pre-albumin, albumin, α-, β- and γ-globulin concentrations. The estimated reference intervals were then compared with data profiles from clinically unhealthy turtles admitted to a local wildlife hospital to assess the validity of the derived intervals and identify the clinically useful plasma protein fractions. Eighty-six per cent {19 of 22 [95% confidence interval (CI) 65-97]} of clinically unhealthy turtles had values outside the derived reference intervals, including the following: total protein [six of 22 turtles or 27% (95% CI 11-50%)], pre-albumin [two of five, 40% (95% CI 5-85%)], albumin [13 of 22, 59% (95% CI 36-79%)], total albumin [13 of 22, 59% (95% CI 36-79%)], α- [10 of 22, 45% (95% CI 24-68%)], β- [two of 10, 20% (95% CI 3-56%)], γ- [one of 10, 10% (95% CI 0.3-45%)] and β-γ-globulin [one of 12, 8% (95% CI 0.2-38%)] and total globulin [five of 22, 23% (8-45%)]. Plasma protein electrophoresis shows promise as an accurate adjunct tool to identify a disease state in marine turtles. This study presents the first reference interval for plasma protein electrophoresis in the Indo-Pacific green sea turtle.

Credible enough? Forward guidance and perceived National Bank of Poland’s policy rule

OpenAIRE

Baranowski, Paweł; Gajewski, Paweł

2015-01-01

Credible forward guidance should bring down the perceived impact of macroeconomic variables on the interest rate. Using a micro-level dataset we test the perception of monetary policy in Poland among professional forecasters and find evidence for forward guidance credibility.

Change in Breast Cancer Screening Intervals Since the 2009 USPSTF Guideline.

Science.gov (United States)

Wernli, Karen J; Arao, Robert F; Hubbard, Rebecca A; Sprague, Brian L; Alford-Teaster, Jennifer; Haas, Jennifer S; Henderson, Louise; Hill, Deidre; Lee, Christoph I; Tosteson, Anna N A; Onega, Tracy

2017-08-01

In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended biennial mammography for women aged 50-74 years and shared decision-making for women aged 40-49 years for breast cancer screening. We evaluated changes in mammography screening interval after the 2009 recommendations. We conducted a prospective cohort study of women aged 40-74 years who received 821,052 screening mammograms between 2006 and 2012 using data from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. We compared changes in screening intervals and stratified intervals based on whether the mammogram at the end of the interval occurred before or after the 2009 recommendation. Differences in mean interval length by woman-level characteristics were compared using linear regression. The mean interval (in months) minimally decreased after the 2009 USPSTF recommendations. Among women aged 40-49 years, the mean interval decreased from 17.2 months to 17.1 months (difference -0.16%, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.30 to -0.01). Similar small reductions were seen for most age groups. The largest change in interval length in the post-USPSTF period was declines among women with a first-degree family history of breast cancer (difference -0.68%, 95% CI -0.82 to -0.54) or a 5-year breast cancer risk ≥2.5% (difference -0.58%, 95% CI -0.73 to -0.44). The 2009 USPSTF recommendation did not lengthen the average mammography interval among women routinely participating in mammography screening. Future studies should evaluate whether breast cancer screening intervals lengthen toward biennial intervals following new national 2016 breast cancer screening recommendations, particularly among women less than 50 years of age.

Trust and Credibility in Web-Based Health Information: A Review and Agenda for Future Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Sbaffi, Laura; Rowley, Jennifer

2017-06-19

Internet sources are becoming increasingly important in seeking health information, such that they may have a significant effect on health care decisions and outcomes. Hence, given the wide range of different sources of Web-based health information (WHI) from different organizations and individuals, it is important to understand how information seekers evaluate and select the sources that they use, and more specifically, how they assess their credibility and trustworthiness. The aim of this study was to review empirical studies on trust and credibility in the use of WHI. The article seeks to present a profile of the research conducted on trust and credibility in WHI seeking, to identify the factors that impact judgments of trustworthiness and credibility, and to explore the role of demographic factors affecting trust formation. On this basis, it aimed to identify the gaps in current knowledge and to propose an agenda for future research. A systematic literature review was conducted. Searches were conducted using a variety of combinations of the terms WHI, trust, credibility, and their variants in four multi-disciplinary and four health-oriented databases. Articles selected were published in English from 2000 onwards; this process generated 3827 unique records. After the application of the exclusion criteria, 73 were analyzed fully. Interest in this topic has persisted over the last 15 years, with articles being published in medicine, social science, and computer science and originating mostly from the United States and the United Kingdom. Documents in the final dataset fell into 3 categories: (1) those using trust or credibility as a dependent variable, (2) those using trust or credibility as an independent variable, and (3) studies of the demographic factors that influence the role of trust or credibility in WHI seeking. There is a consensus that website design, clear layout, interactive features, and the authority of the owner have a positive effect on trust or

Electrocardiographic PR-interval duration and cardiovascular risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Peter Vibe; Nielsen, Jonas Bille; Skov, Morten Wagner

2017-01-01

Background Because of ambiguous reports in the literature, we aimed to investigate the association between PR interval and the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death, heart failure, and pacemaker implantation, allowing for a nonlinear relationship. MethodsWe included 293,111 individuals...... into 7 groups based on the population PR interval distribution. Cox models were used, with reference to a PR interval between 152 and 161 ms (40th to heart failure...... adjustment. A long PR interval conferred an increased risk of heart failure ( > 200 ms; HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.22-1.42; P 200 ms (HR, 3...

Credibility of the emotional witness: a study of ratings by court judges.

Science.gov (United States)

Wessel, Ellen; Drevland, Guri C B; Eilertsen, Dag Erik; Magnussen, Svein

2006-04-01

Previous studies have shown that the emotional behavior displayed during testimony may affect the perceived credibility of the witness. The present study compares credibility ratings by Norwegian court judges with those made by lay people. The participants viewed one of three video-recorded versions of a rape victim's statement, role played by a professional actress. The statement was given in a free-recall manner with one of three kinds of emotions displayed, termed congruent, neutral, and incongruent emotional expression. The results show that, in contrast to lay people, the credibility ratings of court judges and their votes for a guilty verdict were not influenced by the emotions displayed by the witness. Results are discussed in terms of professional expertise.

Credible Phenomenological Research: A Mixed-Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Stephen V.; Korcuska, James S.

2018-01-01

The authors conducted a 3-phase investigation into the credible standards for phenomenological research practices identified in the literature and endorsed by a sample of counselor education qualitative research experts. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the findings offer evidence that professional counseling has a distinctive format in which…

Distribution system reliability evaluation using credibility theory

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Xufeng Xu, Joydeep Mitra

have found that credibility theory, which broadens the scope of fuzzy set theory, is an effective tool for representing fuzzy events, and have developed a theoretical .... Based on the status of switches, the distribution system can be divided into multiple SPSS, which are connected with tie switches. For example, SPSS.

Exposing therapists to trauma-focused treatment in psychosis: effects on credibility, expected burden, and harm expectancies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David P. G. van den Berg

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite robust empirical support for the efficacy of trauma-focused treatments, the dissemination proves difficult, especially in relation to patients with comorbid psychosis. Many therapists endorse negative beliefs about the credibility, burden, and harm of such treatment. Objective: This feasibility study explores the impact of specialized training on therapists’ beliefs about trauma-focused treatment within a randomized controlled trial. Method: Therapist-rated (n=16 credibility, expected burden, and harm expectancies of trauma-focused treatment were assessed at baseline, post-theoretical training, post-technical training, post-supervised practical training, and at 2-year follow-up. Credibility and burden beliefs of therapists concerning the treatment of every specific patient in the trial were also assessed. Results: Over time, therapist-rated credibility of trauma-focused treatment showed a significant increase, whereas therapists’ expected burden and harm expectancies decreased significantly. In treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD in patients with psychotic disorders (n=79, pre-treatment symptom severity was not associated with therapist-rated credibility or expected burden of that specific treatment. Treatment outcome had no influence on patient-specific credibility or burden expectancies of therapists. Conclusions: These findings support the notion that specialized training, including practical training with supervision, has long-term positive effects on therapists’ credibility, burden, and harm beliefs concerning trauma-focused treatment.

Credibility of the Printed Media: The Swine Flu as a Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ksenija Žlof

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The issue of credibility becomes especially pronounced in times of crises, which characteristically abound in the unknown, uncertainty, and doubt. Such crises are mostly sudden, often complex, andsometimes mired in controversial events. The public subsequently craves more information in times of crises, such that they may obtain more precise guidance, and ease their ability to cope. Given the relatively low frequency of crisis situations, most people lack actual experience relevant to a given predicament. The appearance of Virus A (H1N1 at the onset of 2009 is one such case. Despite H1N1’s classification as a broad-scale, serious health hazard, preventive vaccinations failed to reach a large segment of the population. We contend that the lack of credibility in informing the public through the media contributed considerably to this failure. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to determine the level of credible information provided by the print media from which the general public could have taken an informed position on the crisis in question. Quantitative research and content analysis ascertained from a body of print media sources with national coverage reveals that the Croatian print media, contrary to our expectations, largely rely on official sources and transparently cite authors, which contributes to a higher degree of credibility. Yet further analysis of the number of sources suggests that most journalists used on average only one or no named sources, which significantly reduces the credibility of the published articles.

Methodology for identifying credible disruptions to isolation of nuclear waste within Columbia River basalts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, J.D.

1982-01-01

Analysis of potential preclosure and postclosure disruptive events and processes is comprised of evaluation of (1) potential uncertainties and omissions associated with characterization of the site; (2) credible events and processes resulting from the dynamics of natural systems; (3) potential, credible changes in isolation conditions induced by the presence of the repository, and (4) potential, credible future changes impacting isolation capability resulting from man's activities, independent of repository construction/operation. This report presents the overall methodology for identification, classification and analysis of disruptive events based on Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency guidelines proposed in drafts of 10 CFR 60 and 40 CFR 191. Potential credible disruptive events, processes, and conditions are considered with respect to whether they are anticipated or unanticipated, and determined to have reasonably foreseeable, very unlikely, or extremely unlikely probability of occurrence. 85 refs., 2 figs., 7 tabs

Strategies Employed by Citizen Science Programs to Increase the Credibility of Their Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Freitag

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The success of citizen science in producing important and unique data is attracting interest from scientists and resource managers. Nonetheless, questions remain about the credibility of citizen science data. Citizen science programs desire to meet the same standards of credibility as academic science, but they usually work within a different context, for example, training and managing significant numbers of volunteers with limited resources. We surveyed the credibility-building strategies of 30 citizen science programs that monitor environmental aspects of the California coast. We identified a total of twelve strategies: Three that are applied during training and planning; four that are applied during data collection; and five that are applied during data analysis and program evaluation. Variation in the application of these strategies by program is related to factors such as the number of participants, the focus on group or individual work, and the time commitment required of volunteers. The structure of each program and available resources require program designers to navigate tradeoffs in the choices of their credibility strategies. Our results illustrate those tradeoffs and provide a framework for the necessary discussions between citizen science programs and potential users of their data—including scientists and decision makers—about shared expectations for credibility and practical approaches for meeting those expectations. This article has been corrected here: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/cstp.91

Credible enough? Forward guidance and per-ceived National Bank of Poland’s policy rule

OpenAIRE

Pawel Baranowski; Pawel Gajewski

2015-01-01

Credible forward guidance should reduce the perceived impact of macroeconomic variables on the interest rate. Using a micro-level dataset we test the perception of monetary policy in Poland among professional forecasters and find evidence for forward guidance credibility.

Information Literacy on the Web: How College Students Use Visual and Textual Cues to Assess Credibility on Health Websites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrina L. Pariera

2012-12-01

Full Text Available One of the most important literacy skills in today’s information society is the ability to determine the credibility of online information. Users sort through a staggering number of websites while discerning which will provide satisfactory information. In this study, 70 college students assessed the credibility of health websites with a low and high design quality, in either low or high credibility groups. The study’s purpose was to understand if students relied more on textual or visual cues in determining credibility, and to understand if this affected their recall of those cues later. The results indicate that when viewing a high credibility website, high design quality will bolster the credibility perception, but design quality will not compensate for a low credibility website. The recall test also indicated that credibility does impact the participants’ recall of visual and textual cues. Implications are discussed in light of the Elaboration Likelihood Model.

Adherence patterns to extended cervical screening intervals in women undergoing human papillomavirus (HPV) and cytology cotesting.

Science.gov (United States)

Rendle, Katharine A; Schiffman, Mark; Cheung, Li C; Kinney, Walter K; Fetterman, Barbara; Poitras, Nancy E; Lorey, Thomas; Castle, Philip E

2018-04-01

Although guidelines have recommended extended interval cervical screening using concurrent human papillomavirus (HPV) and cytology ("cotesting") for over a decade, little is known about its adoption into routine care. Using longitudinal medical record data (2003-2015) from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), which adopted triennial cotesting in 2003, we examined adherence to extended interval screening. We analyzed predictors of screening intervals among 491,588 women undergoing routine screening, categorizing interval length into early (<2.5years), adherent (2.5<3.5years), or late (3.5<6.0years). We also examined repeated early screening in a subgroup of 50,691 women. Predictors examined included: cohort year (defined by baseline cotest, 2003-2009), race/ethnicity, and baseline age. Compared to the 2003 cohort, women in the 2009 cohort were significantly less likely to screen early (aOR=0.22, 95% CI=0.21, 0.23) or late (aOR=0.47, 95% CI=0.45, 0.49). African American (AA) and Hispanic women were less adherent overall than Non-Hispanic White women, with increased early [(AA: aOR=1.21, 95%CI=1.17, 1.25) (Hispanic: aOR=1.08, 95%CI=1.06, 1.11)] and late screening [(AA: aOR=1.23, 95%CI=1.19, 1.27) (Hispanic: aOR=1.06, 95%CI=1.03, 1.08)]. Asian women were slightly more likely to screen early (aOR=1.03, 95%CI=1.01, 1.05), and less likely to screen late (aOR=0.92, 95% CI=0.90, 0.94). Women aged 60-64years were most likely to screen early for two consecutive intervals (aOR=2.09, 95%CI=1.91, 2.29). Our study found that widespread and rapid adoption of extended interval cervical cancer screening is possible, at least in this managed care setting. Further research examining multilevel drivers promoting or restricting extended interval screening across diverse healthcare settings is needed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Credibility engineering in the food industry: linking science, regulation, and marketing in a corporate context.

Science.gov (United States)

Penders, Bart; Nelis, Annemiek P

2011-12-01

We expand upon the notion of the "credibility cycle" through a study of credibility engineering by the food industry. Research and development (R&D) as well as marketing contribute to the credibility of the food company Unilever and its claims. Innovation encompasses the development, marketing, and sales of products. These are directed towards three distinct audiences: scientific peers, regulators, and consumers. R&D uses scientific articles to create credit for itself amongst peers and regulators. These articles are used to support health claims on products. However, R&D, regulation, and marketing are not separate realms. A single strategy of credibility engineering connects health claims to a specific public through linking that public to a health issue and a food product.

Inflation Targeting and Liquidity Traps under Endogenous Credibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hommes, C.; Lustenhouwer, J.

2015-01-01

We derive policy implications for an inflation targeting central bank, who's credibility is endogenous and depends on its past ability to achieve its targets. We do this in a New Keynesian framework with heterogeneous agents and boundely rational expectations. Our assumptions about expectation

CI Implementation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; Boer, Harry; Laugen, Bjørge Timenes

2006-01-01

There are a number of tools available for organizations wishing to measure and subsequently develop Continuous Improvement (CI). In this article, we review and evaluate a well-accepted CI development model, namely the CI Maturity Model (Bessant and Caffyn, 1997), against data collected from the 2nd...... Continuous Improvement Network Survey and a number of empirical cases described in the literature. While the CI Maturity Model suggests that CI maturation ought to be a linear process, the findings in this article suggest that there are feasible alternatives for companies to develop CI capability....

Estimation of maximum credible atmospheric radioactivity concentrations and dose rates from nuclear tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Telegadas, K.

1979-01-01

A simple technique is presented for estimating maximum credible gross beta air concentrations from nuclear detonations in the atmosphere, based on aircraft sampling of radioactivity following each Chinese nuclear test from 1964 to 1976. The calculated concentration is a function of the total yield and fission yield, initial vertical radioactivity distribution, time after detonation, and rate of horizontal spread of the debris with time. calculated maximum credible concentrations are compared with the highest concentrations measured during aircraft sampling. The technique provides a reasonable estimate of maximum air concentrations from 1 to 10 days after a detonation. An estimate of the whole-body external gamma dose rate corresponding to the maximum credible gross beta concentration is also given. (author)

Spectral reflectance properties of carbonaceous chondrites: 1. CI chondrites

Science.gov (United States)

Cloutis, E. A.; Hiroi, T.; Gaffey, M. J.; Alexander, C. M. O.'D.; Mann, P.

2011-03-01

Existing reflectance spectra of CI chondrites (18 spectra of 3 CIs) have been augmented with new (18 spectra of 2 CIs) reflectance spectra to ascertain the spectral variability of this meteorite class and provide insights into their spectral properties as a function of grain size, composition, particle packing, and viewing geometry. Particle packing and viewing geometry effects have not previously been examined for CI chondrites. The current analysis is focused on the 0.3-2.5 μm interval, as this region is available for the largest number of CI spectra. Reflectance spectra of powdered CI1 chondrites are uniformly dark (IOM), as no other CI opaque phase appears able to produce concurrent darkening and bluing. Magnetite can also explain the presence of an absorption feature near 1 μm in some CI spectra. The most blue-sloped spectra are generally associated with the larger grain size samples. For incidence and emission angles <60°, increasing phase angle results in darker and redder spectra, particularly below ∼1 μm. At high incidence angles (60°), increasing emission angle results in brighter and redder spectra. More densely packed samples and underdense (fluffed) samples show lower overall reflectance than normally packed and flat-surface powdered samples. Some B-class asteroids exhibit selected spectral properties consistent with CI chondrites, although perfect spectral matches have not been found. Because many CI chondrite spectra exhibit absorption features that can be related to specific mineral phases, the search for CI parent bodies can fruitfully be conducted using such parameters.

A framework to establish credibility of computational models in biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Eann A; Whelan, Maurice P

2017-10-01

Computational models in biology and biomedical science are often constructed to aid people's understanding of phenomena or to inform decisions with socioeconomic consequences. Model credibility is the willingness of people to trust a model's predictions and is often difficult to establish for computational biology models. A 3 × 3 matrix has been proposed to allow such models to be categorised with respect to their testability and epistemic foundation in order to guide the selection of an appropriate process of validation to supply evidence to establish credibility. Three approaches to validation are identified that can be deployed depending on whether a model is deemed untestable, testable or lies somewhere in between. In the latter two cases, the validation process involves the quantification of uncertainty which is a key output. The issues arising due to the complexity and inherent variability of biological systems are discussed and the creation of 'digital twins' proposed as a means to alleviate the issues and provide a more robust, transparent and traceable route to model credibility and acceptance. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Interval breast cancers in the 'screening with tomosynthesis or standard mammography' (STORM) population-based trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Houssami, Nehmat; Bernardi, Daniela; Caumo, Francesca; Brunelli, Silvia; Fantò, Carmine; Valentini, Marvi; Romanucci, Giovanna; Gentilini, Maria A; Zorzi, Manuel; Macaskill, Petra

2018-04-01

The prospective 'screening with tomosynthesis or standard mammography' (STORM) trial recruited women participating in biennial breast screening in Italy (2011-2012), and compared sequential screen-readings based on 2D-mammography alone or based on tomosynthesis (integrated 2D/3D-mammography). The STORM trial showed that tomosynthesis screen-reading significantly increased breast cancer detection compared to 2D-mammography alone. The present study completes reporting of the trial by examining interval breast cancers ascertained at two year follow-up. 9 interval breast cancers were identified; the estimated interval cancer rate was 1.23/1000 screens [9/7292] (95%CI 0.56 to 2.34) or 1.24/1000 negative screens [9/7235] (95%CI 0.57 to 2.36). In concurrently screened women who attended the same screening services and received 2D-mammography, interval cancer rate was 1.60/1000 screens [40/25,058] (95% CI 1.14 to 2.17) or 1.61/1000 negative screens [40/24,922] (95% CI 1.15 to 2.18). Estimated screening sensitivity for the STORM trial was 85.5% [59/69] (95%CI 75.0%-92.8%), and that for 2D-mammography screening was 77.3% [136/176] (95%CI 70.4%-83.2%). Interval breast cancer rate amongst screening participants in the STORM trial was marginally lower (and screening sensitivity higher) than estimates amongst 2D-screened women; these findings should be interpreted with caution given the small number of interval cases and the sample size of the trial. Much larger screening studies, or pooled analyses, are required to examine interval cancer rates arising after breast tomosynthesis screening versus digital mammography screening. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confidence Intervals: From tests of statistical significance to confidence intervals, range hypotheses and substantial effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dominic Beaulieu-Prévost

2006-03-01

Full Text Available For the last 50 years of research in quantitative social sciences, the empirical evaluation of scientific hypotheses has been based on the rejection or not of the null hypothesis. However, more than 300 articles demonstrated that this method was problematic. In summary, null hypothesis testing (NHT is unfalsifiable, its results depend directly on sample size and the null hypothesis is both improbable and not plausible. Consequently, alternatives to NHT such as confidence intervals (CI and measures of effect size are starting to be used in scientific publications. The purpose of this article is, first, to provide the conceptual tools necessary to implement an approach based on confidence intervals, and second, to briefly demonstrate why such an approach is an interesting alternative to an approach based on NHT. As demonstrated in the article, the proposed CI approach avoids most problems related to a NHT approach and can often improve the scientific and contextual relevance of the statistical interpretations by testing range hypotheses instead of a point hypothesis and by defining the minimal value of a substantial effect. The main advantage of such a CI approach is that it replaces the notion of statistical power by an easily interpretable three-value logic (probable presence of a substantial effect, probable absence of a substantial effect and probabilistic undetermination. The demonstration includes a complete example.

Impact of Risk Factors on Different Interval Cancer Subtypes in a Population-Based Breast Cancer Screening Programme

Science.gov (United States)

Blanch, Jordi; Sala, Maria; Ibáñez, Josefa; Domingo, Laia; Fernandez, Belén; Otegi, Arantza; Barata, Teresa; Zubizarreta, Raquel; Ferrer, Joana; Castells, Xavier; Rué, Montserrat; Salas, Dolores

2014-01-01

Background Interval cancers are primary breast cancers diagnosed in women after a negative screening test and before the next screening invitation. Our aim was to evaluate risk factors for interval cancer and their subtypes and to compare the risk factors identified with those associated with incident screen-detected cancers. Methods We analyzed data from 645,764 women participating in the Spanish breast cancer screening program from 2000–2006 and followed-up until 2009. A total of 5,309 screen-detected and 1,653 interval cancers were diagnosed. Among the latter, 1,012 could be classified on the basis of findings in screening and diagnostic mammograms, consisting of 489 true interval cancers (48.2%), 235 false-negatives (23.2%), 172 minimal-signs (17.2%) and 114 occult tumors (11.3%). Information on the screening protocol and women's characteristics were obtained from the screening program registry. Cause-specific Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) of risks factors for interval cancer and incident screen-detected cancer. A multinomial regression model, using screen-detected tumors as a reference group, was used to assess the effect of breast density and other factors on the occurrence of interval cancer subtypes. Results A previous false-positive was the main risk factor for interval cancer (HR = 2.71, 95%CI: 2.28–3.23); this risk was higher for false-negatives (HR = 8.79, 95%CI: 6.24–12.40) than for true interval cancer (HR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.59–3.21). A family history of breast cancer was associated with true intervals (HR = 2.11, 95%CI: 1.60–2.78), previous benign biopsy with a false-negatives (HR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.23–2.71). High breast density was mainly associated with occult tumors (RRR = 4.92, 95%CI: 2.58–9.38), followed by true intervals (RRR = 1.67, 95%CI: 1.18–2.36) and false-negatives (RRR = 1.58, 95%CI: 1.00–2.49). Conclusion The role of women's characteristics differs among

Ciência no globo-ciência

OpenAIRE

Mendonça,Otávio Machado Lopes de

1996-01-01

O objetivo da presente pesquisa foi verificar as áreas de conhecimento científico que se fizeram presentes na programação do Globo-Ciência, veiculada pela Rede Globo de Televisão,verificando também as estratégias usadas e o material empregado como recursos didáticos. O material utilizado foi o catálogo da programação do Globo-Ciência-10 anos (1984-1994). Os resultados mostram que as Ciências Exatas e da Terra foi a mais apresentada no programa com 49,65%,havendo pouco espaço para as outras, v...

Building Credible Human Capital Analytics for Organizational Competitive Advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Minbaeva, Dana

2018-01-01

Despite the enormous interest in human capital analytics (HCA), organizations have struggled to move from operational reporting to HCA. This is mainly the result of the inability of analytics teams to establish credible internal HCA and demonstrate its value. In this article, we stress the import......Despite the enormous interest in human capital analytics (HCA), organizations have struggled to move from operational reporting to HCA. This is mainly the result of the inability of analytics teams to establish credible internal HCA and demonstrate its value. In this article, we stress...... the importance of conceptualizing HCA as an organizational capability and suggest a method for its operationalization. We argue that the development of HCA within an organization requires working with three dimensions of HCA: data quality, analytics capabilities, and strategic ability to act. Moreover, such work...

Can Simulation Credibility Be Improved Using Sensitivity Analysis to Understand Input Data Effects on Model Outcome?

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Jerry G.; Young, M.; Goodenow, Debra A.; Keenan, A.; Walton, M.; Boley, L.

2015-01-01

Model and simulation (MS) credibility is defined as, the quality to elicit belief or trust in MS results. NASA-STD-7009 [1] delineates eight components (Verification, Validation, Input Pedigree, Results Uncertainty, Results Robustness, Use History, MS Management, People Qualifications) that address quantifying model credibility, and provides guidance to the model developers, analysts, and end users for assessing the MS credibility. Of the eight characteristics, input pedigree, or the quality of the data used to develop model input parameters, governing functions, or initial conditions, can vary significantly. These data quality differences have varying consequences across the range of MS application. NASA-STD-7009 requires that the lowest input data quality be used to represent the entire set of input data when scoring the input pedigree credibility of the model. This requirement provides a conservative assessment of model inputs, and maximizes the communication of the potential level of risk of using model outputs. Unfortunately, in practice, this may result in overly pessimistic communication of the MS output, undermining the credibility of simulation predictions to decision makers. This presentation proposes an alternative assessment mechanism, utilizing results parameter robustness, also known as model input sensitivity, to improve the credibility scoring process for specific simulations.

A generalized fuzzy credibility-constrained linear fractional programming approach for optimal irrigation water allocation under uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chenglong; Guo, Ping

2017-10-01

The vague and fuzzy parametric information is a challenging issue in irrigation water management problems. In response to this problem, a generalized fuzzy credibility-constrained linear fractional programming (GFCCFP) model is developed for optimal irrigation water allocation under uncertainty. The model can be derived from integrating generalized fuzzy credibility-constrained programming (GFCCP) into a linear fractional programming (LFP) optimization framework. Therefore, it can solve ratio optimization problems associated with fuzzy parameters, and examine the variation of results under different credibility levels and weight coefficients of possibility and necessary. It has advantages in: (1) balancing the economic and resources objectives directly; (2) analyzing system efficiency; (3) generating more flexible decision solutions by giving different credibility levels and weight coefficients of possibility and (4) supporting in-depth analysis of the interrelationships among system efficiency, credibility level and weight coefficient. The model is applied to a case study of irrigation water allocation in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin, northwest China. Therefore, optimal irrigation water allocation solutions from the GFCCFP model can be obtained. Moreover, factorial analysis on the two parameters (i.e. λ and γ) indicates that the weight coefficient is a main factor compared with credibility level for system efficiency. These results can be effective for support reasonable irrigation water resources management and agricultural production.

Vote Buying or Campaign Promises? Electoral Strategies When Party Credibility is Limited

OpenAIRE

Hanusch, Marek; Keefer, Philip; Vlaicu, Razvan

2016-01-01

What explains significant variation across countries in the use of vote buying instead of campaign promises to secure voter support? This paper explicitly models the tradeoff parties face between engaging in vote buying and making campaign promises, and explores the distributional consequences of this decision, in a setting where party credibility can vary. When parties are less credible they spend more on vote buying and target vote buying more heavily toward groups that do not believe campa...

INVESTIGATINGTHE SOURCEATTRIBUTES INFLUENCINGCONSUMERS’ CREDIBILITY EVALUATIONS OF AN ATHLETE-CELEBRITY ENDORSED PRODUCT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bafokeng Bafokeng Mahao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The use of celebrity endorsement as an advertising strategy has been widelyembraced by numerousorganisations. Nonetheless, scholarly wisdom suggests theneed for cumulative research that seeks to identify the unique set of source factorsthat enhance the credibility of advertising communication messages delivered bycelebrities across countries.Inthis vein, the primary purpose of this research wasto apply the dimensions of thesource attributes theory (Ohanian, 1990 tounderstand the underlying factors that influence South African consumers to havepositive perceptions towards purchasingaproductthat hasbeen endorsed by alocal athlete celebrity-endorser. A quantitative research approach was applied,wherein a self-administered survey questionnaire comprising20scale items wasadapted for this research. Data were collected from a consumer sample of 456consumers based in Gauteng, South Africa. Upon applying exploratory factoranalysisand mean score rankings, source likeability, source trust, source authorityand source credibility were established as the underlying factors influencingconsumers’ credibility evaluations, in descending order of importance. Moreover,the inter-factor correlation matrix revealed positive relationships among theidentified factors. Insights gained from this study could assist practitioners todesign effectiveadvertisementstrategies that fosterpositivecredibility evaluationsthrough known product endorsers.

Credibility, Replicability, and Reproducibility in Simulation for Biomedicine and Clinical Applications in Neuroscience

Science.gov (United States)

Mulugeta, Lealem; Drach, Andrew; Erdemir, Ahmet; Hunt, C. A.; Horner, Marc; Ku, Joy P.; Myers Jr., Jerry G.; Vadigepalli, Rajanikanth; Lytton, William W.

2018-01-01

Modeling and simulation in computational neuroscience is currently a research enterprise to better understand neural systems. It is not yet directly applicable to the problems of patients with brain disease. To be used for clinical applications, there must not only be considerable progress in the field but also a concerted effort to use best practices in order to demonstrate model credibility to regulatory bodies, to clinics and hospitals, to doctors, and to patients. In doing this for neuroscience, we can learn lessons from long-standing practices in other areas of simulation (aircraft, computer chips), from software engineering, and from other biomedical disciplines. In this manuscript, we introduce some basic concepts that will be important in the development of credible clinical neuroscience models: reproducibility and replicability; verification and validation; model configuration; and procedures and processes for credible mechanistic multiscale modeling. We also discuss how garnering strong community involvement can promote model credibility. Finally, in addition to direct usage with patients, we note the potential for simulation usage in the area of Simulation-Based Medical Education, an area which to date has been primarily reliant on physical models (mannequins) and scenario-based simulations rather than on numerical simulations. PMID:29713272

Credibility, Replicability, and Reproducibility in Simulation for Biomedicine and Clinical Applications in Neuroscience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lealem Mulugeta

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Modeling and simulation in computational neuroscience is currently a research enterprise to better understand neural systems. It is not yet directly applicable to the problems of patients with brain disease. To be used for clinical applications, there must not only be considerable progress in the field but also a concerted effort to use best practices in order to demonstrate model credibility to regulatory bodies, to clinics and hospitals, to doctors, and to patients. In doing this for neuroscience, we can learn lessons from long-standing practices in other areas of simulation (aircraft, computer chips, from software engineering, and from other biomedical disciplines. In this manuscript, we introduce some basic concepts that will be important in the development of credible clinical neuroscience models: reproducibility and replicability; verification and validation; model configuration; and procedures and processes for credible mechanistic multiscale modeling. We also discuss how garnering strong community involvement can promote model credibility. Finally, in addition to direct usage with patients, we note the potential for simulation usage in the area of Simulation-Based Medical Education, an area which to date has been primarily reliant on physical models (mannequins and scenario-based simulations rather than on numerical simulations.

A comparison of inflation expectations and inflation credibility in South Africa: results from survey data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jannie Rossouw

2011-08-01

Full Text Available This paper reports a comparison of South African household inflation expectations and inflation credibility surveys undertaken in 2006 and 2008. It tests for possible feed-through between inflation credibility and inflation expectations. It supplements earlier research that focused only on the 2006 survey results. The comparison shows that inflation expectations differed between different income groups in both 2006 and 2008. Inflation credibility differed between male and female respondents, but this difference did not feed through to inflation expectations. More periodic survey data will be required for developing final conclusions on the possibility of feed-through effects. To this end the structure of credibility surveys should be reconsidered, as a large percentage of respondents indicated that they ‘don’t know’ whether the historic rate of inflation is an accurate indication of price increases.

Credible or not : A study on the factors influencing consumers' credibility assessment of product placements on Instagram

OpenAIRE

Kulin, Elin; Blomgren, Linnéa

2016-01-01

Background: To align with the new trend of using social media in the marketing mix, product placement has been adapted to social media platforms as one strategy to create attention. Especially on Instagram, product placements have gained popularity among companies. While scholars have focused on measuring the effectiveness of the strategy, suggesting that credibility is one component necessary for success, a gap in the research is illuminated when focusing on what makes a product placement on...

Distribution system reliability evaluation using credibility theory | Xu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this paper, a hybrid algorithm based on fuzzy simulation and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is applied to determine fuzzy reliability indices of distribution system. This approach can obtain fuzzy expected values and their variances of reliability indices, and the credibilities of reliability indices meeting specified ...

Credibility assessment of testimonies provided by victims with intellectual disabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio L. MANZANERO

2017-09-01

Full Text Available One of the main obstacles in the way of access to justice for the victims with intellectual disability comes from the stereotypes referred to their ability to produce a statement at police legal procedures, with the consequence that some consider their statements less reliable than the rest of the victims, and others considerate their statements more reliable given their inability to create complex lies. This article reviews three of the most recent studies done by the UCM group of Psychology of Testimony, with the objective of analyzing the role of experience and intuition in the evaluation of credibility in people with intellectual disability (ID, and also it aims to prove whether the credibility analysis procedures such as Reality Monitoring (RM and Statement Validity Assessment (SVA would be valid procedures to discriminate between real and false statements within these collectives. From the results of these studies, it can be deducted that experience may not seem to be enough in order to discriminate between real and simulated victims, but analyzing the characteristics of the statements as the only indicator doesn’t seem to be enough either. As an alternative, the general procedure HELPT is proposed for the evaluation of credibility of people with ID.

The Source and Credibility of Colorectal Cancer Information on Twitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, SoHyun; Oh, Heung-Kwon; Park, Gibeom; Suh, Bongwon; Bae, Woo Kyung; Kim, Jin Won; Yoon, Hyuk; Kim, Duck-Woo; Kang, Sung-Bum

2016-02-01

Despite the rapid penetration of social media in modern life, there has been limited research conducted on whether social media serves as a credible source of health information. In this study, we propose to identify colorectal cancer information on Twitter and assess its informational credibility. We collected Twitter messages containing colorectal cancer-related keywords, over a 3-month period. A review of sample tweets yielded content and user categorization schemes. The results of the sample analysis were applied to classify all collected tweets and users, using a machine learning technique. The credibility of the information in the sampled tweets was evaluated. A total of 76,119 tweets were analyzed. Individual users authored the majority of tweets (n = 68,982, 90.6%). They mostly tweeted about news articles/research (n = 16,761, 22.0%) and risk/prevention (n = 14,767, 19.4%). Medical professional users generated only 2.0% of total tweets (n = 1509), and medical institutions rarely tweeted (n = 417, 0.6%). Organizations tended to tweet more about information than did individuals (85.2% vs 63.1%; P users. Coupled with the Internet's potential to increase social support, Twitter may contribute to enhancing public health and empowering users, when used with proper caution.

Empirical Bayes Credibility Models for Economic Catastrophic Losses by Regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jindrová Pavla

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Catastrophic events affect various regions of the world with increasing frequency and intensity. The number of catastrophic events and the amount of economic losses is varying in different world regions. Part of these losses is covered by insurance. Catastrophe events in last years are associated with increases in premiums for some lines of business. The article focus on estimating the amount of net premiums that would be needed to cover the total or insured catastrophic losses in different world regions using Bühlmann and Bühlmann-Straub empirical credibility models based on data from Sigma Swiss Re 2010-2016. The empirical credibility models have been developed to estimate insurance premiums for short term insurance contracts using two ingredients: past data from the risk itself and collateral data from other sources considered to be relevant. In this article we deal with application of these models based on the real data about number of catastrophic events and about the total economic and insured catastrophe losses in seven regions of the world in time period 2009-2015. Estimated credible premiums by world regions provide information how much money in the monitored regions will be need to cover total and insured catastrophic losses in next year.

Credibility and music´s effect as therapeutic kind in health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karyne Cristine da Fonseca

2006-12-01

Full Text Available This article has as purpose to analise the professional´s music therapist´s perception about the credibility and approval of music therapy by their clients. It´s a qualitative research, developed in Goiânia-GO, between 2003, august and 2004, june. We verified that the professional´s majority noted their client´s credibility related to music capacity in transmitting pleasant sensations and its capacity to act in a efficient way on the healing process of some diseases. They too evidence that the music therapy needs to be published with more effectiveness for the population.

Genetic relationships between calving interval and linear type traits in

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Genetic correlations between first calving interval (CI) and linear type traits in South African Holstein and Jersey cattle were estimated to assess the possibility of using type information as selection criteria for CI. All linear type traits routinely evaluated under the National Genetic Evaluation Programme (18 for Jersey and 17 ...

Eletronuclear's relationship with the Brazilian media: transparency and credibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez, Gloria

2013-01-01

In a capitalist economy the most valued assets are not money, shares or facilities, but credibility. Lack of money can ruin a company, but often it is reputation that delivers the final blow. It has become challenging to safeguard reputation in a world where Communication is increasingly connected and with such an intense and lightning fast flow of information. This is particularly true for the electricity sector - a commodity so prevalent in everyday modern life, but, whose business dealings, are hardly known by the general public. When it comes to nuclear energy, the challenge of establishing an effective Communication with transparency and credibility touches on even more complex elements. The topic of this paper is the scenario through which the Communication process, along with its characteristics and approaches, unfolds between the nuclear sector and the Brazilian media. (author)

Improving credibility and transparency of conservation impact evaluations through the partial identification approach.

Science.gov (United States)

McConnachie, Matthew M; Romero, Claudia; Ferraro, Paul J; van Wilgen, Brian W

2016-04-01

The fundamental challenge of evaluating the impact of conservation interventions is that researchers must estimate the difference between the outcome after an intervention occurred and what the outcome would have been without it (counterfactual). Because the counterfactual is unobservable, researchers must make an untestable assumption that some units (e.g., organisms or sites) that were not exposed to the intervention can be used as a surrogate for the counterfactual (control). The conventional approach is to make a point estimate (i.e., single number along with a confidence interval) of impact, using, for example, regression. Point estimates provide powerful conclusions, but in nonexperimental contexts they depend on strong assumptions about the counterfactual that often lack transparency and credibility. An alternative approach, called partial identification (PI), is to first estimate what the counterfactual bounds would be if the weakest possible assumptions were made. Then, one narrows the bounds by using stronger but credible assumptions based on an understanding of why units were selected for the intervention and how they might respond to it. We applied this approach and compared it with conventional approaches by estimating the impact of a conservation program that removed invasive trees in part of the Cape Floristic Region. Even when we used our largest PI impact estimate, the program's control costs were 1.4 times higher than previously estimated. PI holds promise for applications in conservation science because it encourages researchers to better understand and account for treatment selection biases; can offer insights into the plausibility of conventional point-estimate approaches; could reduce the problem of advocacy in science; might be easier for stakeholders to agree on a bounded estimate than a point estimate where impacts are contentious; and requires only basic arithmetic skills. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Looking into the Credibility of Appearance: Exploring the Role of Color in Interface Aesthetics and How it Affects our Perception on System’s Credibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achmad Syarief

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Dalam penelitian  ini dikaji hasil tiga eksperimen sebagai kelanjutan studi yang pernah dilakukan oleh Kurosu-Kashimura [1] dan Noam Tractinsky [2] tentang  relasi antara persepsi pengguna dengan kualitas estetik dan usability tampilan interface. Berdasar dua premis utama yaitu bahwa persepsi estetik dipengaruhi latar belakang kultural serta tampilan yang atraktif dapat mempengaruhi persepsi kehandalan sebuah produk., Dalam penelitian ini dievaluasi bagaimana persepsi pengguna migran (:orang Indonesia yang berada di Jepang terhadap relasi antara tampilan estetik  dan apparent usability pada sebuah interface produk. Dalam eksperimen dilakukan investigasi efek tampilan warna pada sebuah interface produk terhadap persepsi trustworthy (tingkat kepercayaan dan credibility (tingkat kredibilitas produk secara umum. Sebagai stimulus, digunakan tampilan  layout-utama (hasil modifikasi layar ATM bank di Jepang. Hasil eksperimen menunjukkan bahwa nilai estetik tampilan interface mempengaruhi persepsi user atas credibility (tingkat kredibilitas dan trustworthy (tingkat kepercayaan sebuah objek. Latar belakang budaya pengguna tidak memiliki pengaruh signifikan terhadap persepsi estetik tampilan interface apabila pengguna telah melakukan adaptasi eksperiential  atau memiliki pengalaman interaksi dengan produk dengan komposisi layout sejenis. Lebih lanjut hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa warna memiliki pengaruh penting dalam meningkatkan kualitas ke-atraktif-an, persepsi kredibiltas (credibility, dan tingkat penerimaan (acceptability pengguna (user. Eksperimen lebih lanjut perlu dilakukan untuk mengetahui bagaimana dan seperti apa sebuah kombinasi warna pada sebuah tampilan interface, dapat memiliki pengaruh yang bermakna  pada keterpakaian sebuah  produk.

GROWTH, LIQUIDITY CONSTRAINTS, CREDIBILITY AND THE EFFECTS OF SHOCKS UNDER A NON-CREDIBLE GOVERNMENT

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DURMUŞ ÖZDEMİR

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an overlapping generations model for a small open economy. The model is calibrated to fit data for Turkey. Simulations suggest that for a fairly open economy such as Turkey, credibility and liquidity constraints matter and the choice of income taxation rate, the mix of government spending and the long-run government debt/GDP ratio can all significantly affect the economic growth. The paper also examines the effectiveness of fiscal policy under different levels of liquidity constraint in an open economy within a dynamic framework. It shows that liquidity constraints can affect the outcome of any fiscal policy. Hence fiscal policy is even more important for the less developed economies of the world.

Source Credibility and the Biasing Effect of Narrative Information on the Perception of Vaccination Risks.

Science.gov (United States)

Haase, Niels; Betsch, Cornelia; Renkewitz, Frank

2015-08-01

Immunization rates are below the Global Immunization Vision and Strategy established by the World Health Organization. One reason for this are anti-vaccination activists, who use the Internet to disseminate their agenda, frequently by publishing narrative reports about alleged vaccine adverse events. In health communication, the use of narrative information has been shown to be effectively persuasive. Furthermore, persuasion research indicates that the credibility of an information source may serve as a cue to discount or augment the communicated message. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of source credibility on the biasing effect of narrative information regarding the perception of vaccination risks. 265 participants were provided with statistical information (20%) regarding the occurrence of vaccine adverse events after vaccination against a fictitious disease. This was followed by 20 personalized narratives from an online forum on vaccination experiences. The authors varied the relative frequency of narratives reporting vaccine adverse events (35% vs. 85%), narrative source credibility (anti-vaccination website vs. neutral health forum), and the credibility of the statistical information (reliable data vs. unreliable data vs. control) in a between-subjects design. Results showed a stable narrative bias on risk perception that was not affected by credibility cues. However, narratives from an anti-vaccination website generally led to lower perceptions of vaccination risks.

Excess Claims and Data Trimming in the Context of Credibility Rating Procedures,

Science.gov (United States)

1981-11-01

Triining in the Context of Credibility Rating Procedures by Hans BShlmann, Alois Gisler, William S. Jewell* 1. Motivation In Ratemaking and in Experience...work on the ETH computer. __.1: " Zen * ’ ’ II / -2- 2. The Basic Model Throughout the paper we work with the most simple model in the credibility...additional structure are summed up by stating that the density -3- f 8 (x) has the following form 1) fe(x) -(1-r)po (x/e) + rape(x) 3. The Basic Problem As

CIMP status of interval colon cancers: another piece to the puzzle.

Science.gov (United States)

Arain, Mustafa A; Sawhney, Mandeep; Sheikh, Shehla; Anway, Ruth; Thyagarajan, Bharat; Bond, John H; Shaukat, Aasma

2010-05-01

Colon cancers diagnosed in the interval after a complete colonoscopy may occur due to limitations of colonoscopy or due to the development of new tumors, possibly reflecting molecular and environmental differences in tumorigenesis resulting in rapid tumor growth. In a previous study from our group, interval cancers (colon cancers diagnosed within 5 years of a complete colonoscopy) were almost four times more likely to demonstrate microsatellite instability (MSI) than non-interval cancers. In this study we extended our molecular analysis to compare the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) status of interval and non-interval colorectal cancers and investigate the relationship between the CIMP and MSI pathways in the pathogenesis of interval cancers. We searched our institution's cancer registry for interval cancers, defined as colon cancers that developed within 5 years of a complete colonoscopy. These were frequency matched in a 1:2 ratio by age and sex to patients with non-interval cancers (defined as colon cancers diagnosed on a patient's first recorded colonoscopy). Archived cancer specimens for all subjects were retrieved and tested for CIMP gene markers. The MSI status of subjects identified between 1989 and 2004 was known from our previous study. Tissue specimens of newly identified cases and controls (between 2005 and 2006) were tested for MSI. There were 1,323 cases of colon cancer diagnosed over the 17-year study period, of which 63 were identified as having interval cancer and matched to 131 subjects with non-interval cancer. Study subjects were almost all Caucasian men. CIMP was present in 57% of interval cancers compared to 33% of non-interval cancers (P=0.004). As shown previously, interval cancers were more likely than non-interval cancers to occur in the proximal colon (63% vs. 39%; P=0.002), and have MSI 29% vs. 11%, P=0.004). In multivariable logistic regression model, proximal location (odds ratio (OR) 1.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1

Controversy matters: Impacts of topic and solution controversy on the perceived credibility of a scientist who advocates.

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Lindsey Beall

Full Text Available In this article, we focus on the potential influence of a scientist's advocacy position on the public's perceived credibility of scientists as a whole. Further, we examine how the scientist's solution position (information only, non-controversial, and controversial affects the public's perception of the scientist's motivation for sharing information about specific issues (flu, marijuana, climate change, severe weather. Finally, we assess how perceived motivations mediate the relationship between solution position and credibility. Using data from a quota sample of American adults obtained by Qualtrics (n = 2,453, we found that in some conditions advocating for a solution positively predicted credibility, while in one condition, it negatively predicted scientist credibility. We also found that the influence of solution position on perceived credibility was mediated by several motivation perceptions; most notably through perception that the scientist was motivated to: (a serve the public and (b persuade the public. Further results and implications are discussed.

Impact of Celebrity Credibility on Advertising Effectiveness

OpenAIRE

Sadia Aziz; Usman Ghani; Abdullah Niazi

2013-01-01

Advertisers often make use of endorsers or representatives as trustworthy sources of persuasion for consumers' attitudes. Promotion of products through celebrities is a trendy advertising practice around the world. The present study judged the impact of celebrity credibility on advertising effectiveness in terms of consumer’s attitude towards the advertisement, attitude towards the brand and their purchase intention. This study also explored the differences of respondent’s responses towards t...

Co-Prescription of QT-Interval Prolonging Drugs: An Analysis in a Large Cohort of Geriatric Patients.

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Simone Schächtele

Full Text Available Drug-induced QT-interval prolongation is associated with occurrence of potentially fatal Torsades de Pointes arrhythmias (TdP. So far, data regarding the overall burden of QT-interval prolonging drugs (QT-drugs in geriatric patients are limited.This study was performed to assess the individual burden of QT-interval prolonging drugs (QT-drugs in geriatric polymedicated patients and to identify the most frequent and risky combinations of QT-drugs.In the discharge medication of geriatric patients between July 2009 and June 2013 from the Geriatrics in Bavaria-Database (GiB-DAT (co-prescriptions of QT-drugs were investigated. QT-drugs were classified according to a publicly available reference site (CredibleMeds® as ALL-QT-drugs (associated with any QT-risk or High-risk-QT-drugs (corresponding to QT-drugs with known risk of Torsades de Pointes according to CredibleMeds® and in addition as SmPC-high-risk-QT-drugs (according to the German prescribing information (SmPC contraindicated co-prescription with other QT-drugs.Of a cohort of 130,434 geriatric patients (mean age 81 years, 67% women, prescribed a median of 8 drugs, 76,594 patients (58.7% received at least one ALL-QT-drug. Co-prescriptions of two or more ALL-QT-drugs were observed in 28,768 (22.1% patients. Particularly risky co-prescriptions of High-risk-QT-drugs or SmPC-high-risk-QT-drugs with at least on further QT-drug occurred in 55.9% (N = 12,633 and 54.2% (N = 12,429 of these patients, respectively. Consideration of SmPCs (SmPC-high-risk-QT-drugs allowed the identification of an additional 15% (N = 3,999 patients taking a risky combination that was not covered by the commonly used CredibleMeds® classification. Only 20 drug-drug combinations accounted for more than 90% of these potentially most dangerous co-prescriptions.In a geriatric study population co-prescriptions of two and more QT-drugs were common. A considerable proportion of QT-drugs with higher risk only could be detected by

Reported credibility techniques in higher education evaluation studies that use qualitative methods: A research synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hongjing; Hitchcock, John

2018-06-01

This synthesis study examined the reported use of credibility techniques in higher education evaluation articles that use qualitative methods. The sample included 118 articles published in six leading higher education evaluation journals from 2003 to 2012. Mixed methods approaches were used to identify key credibility techniques reported across the articles, document the frequency of these techniques, and describe their use and properties. Two broad sets of techniques were of interest: primary design techniques (i.e., basic), such as sampling/participant recruitment strategies, data collection methods, analytic details, and additional qualitative credibility techniques (e.g., member checking, negative case analyses, peer debriefing). The majority of evaluation articles reported use of primary techniques although there was wide variation in the amount of supporting detail; most of the articles did not describe the use of additional credibility techniques. This suggests that editors of evaluation journals should encourage the reporting of qualitative design details and authors should develop strategies yielding fuller methodological description. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investors Assessment of the Credibility of Management Disclosures ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study, is to examine the issue of the assessment of the credibility of management disclosures about a company from the perspective of the investors. It presents the results from a questionnaire survey of a sample of financial Analysts, accountants and other investor. The data were analyzed using the one ...

Source credibility and the effectiveness of firewise information

Science.gov (United States)

Alan D. Bright; Andrew W. Don Carlos; Jerry J. Vaske; James D. Absher

2007-01-01

Understanding how residents of the wildlandurban interface (WUI) react to information about firewise behavior can enhance efforts to communicate safety information to the public. This study explored the multiple roles of source credibility on the elaboration and impact of messages about conducting firewise behaviors in the WUI. A mail-back survey to residents of the...

Moderators of Framing Effects on Political Attitudes: Is Source Credibility Worth Investigating?

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Dana Raluca Buturoiu

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This research paper focuses on indirect (mediated media effects. In particular, we discuss which independent variables might intervene in and moderate the impact of framing effects on public attitudes (namely political trust, both in short-term and medium-term contexts. Among these, we focus on source credibility as a possible moderator of framing effects over time. The purpose of this study was to examine if and how source credibility influences individuals’ political trust. The moderator role of source credibility is analysed according to the exposure to different types of frames (repetitive or competitive at different moments (one week or one month. By means of a framing experiment (N=769 on political topics, we argue that media frames could influence political trust: Source credibility has a marginal influence, which suggests that, with stronger stimulus material (video, as opposed to written press articles, the source could play an important role in the willingness of people to trust political figures in general. Thus, we might argue that the media play a significant role not only in offering information about politics and politicians, but also in altering people’s perceptions about them. On the other hand, time seems to matter, since framing effects are more powerful after competitive media exposures. This study proposes new theoretical insights into framing effects, in the sense that classical theories should be revisited in various cultural or political contexts

Evaluation measures for relevance and credibility in ranked lists

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lioma, Christina; Simonsen, Jakob Grue; Larsen, Birger

2017-01-01

Recent discussions on alternative facts, fake news, and post truth politics have motivated research on creating technologies that allow people not only to access information, but also to assess the credibility of the information presented to them by information retrieval systems. Whereas technology...

Ranking the Online Documents Based on Relative Credibility Measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Dahlan

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Information searching is the most popular activity in Internet. Usually the search engine provides the search results ranked by the relevance. However, for a certain purpose that concerns with information credibility, particularly citing information for scientific works, another approach of ranking the search engine results is required. This paper presents a study on developing a new ranking method based on the credibility of information. The method is built up upon two well-known algorithms, PageRank and Citation Analysis. The result of the experiment that used Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient to compare the proposed rank (generated by the method with the standard rank (generated manually by a group of experts showed that the average Spearman 0 < rS < critical value. It means that the correlation was proven but it was not significant. Hence the proposed rank does not satisfy the standard but the performance could be improved.

Ranking the Online Documents Based on Relative Credibility Measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Dahlan

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Information searching is the most popular activity in Internet. Usually the search engine provides the search results ranked by the relevance. However, for a certain purpose that concerns with information credibility, particularly citing information for scientific works, another approach of ranking the search engine results is required. This paper presents a study on developing a new ranking method based on the credibility of information. The method is built up upon two well-known algorithms, PageRank and Citation Analysis. The result of the experiment that used Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient to compare the proposed rank (generated by the method with the standard rank (generated manually by a group of experts showed that the average Spearman 0 < rS < critical value. It means that the correlation was proven but it was not significant. Hence the proposed rank does not satisfy the standard but the performance could be improved.

Credible baseline analysis for multi-model public policy studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parikh, S.C.; Gass, S.I.

1981-01-01

The nature of public decision-making and resource allocation is such that many complex interactions can best be examined and understood by quantitative analysis. Most organizations do not possess the totality of models and needed analytical skills to perform detailed and systematic quantitative analysis. Hence, the need for coordinated, multi-organization studies that support public decision-making has grown in recent years. This trend is expected not only to continue, but to increase. This paper describes the authors' views on the process of multi-model analysis based on their participation in an analytical exercise, the ORNL/MITRE Study. One of the authors was the exercise coordinator. During the study, the authors were concerned with the issue of measuring and conveying credibility of the analysis. This work led them to identify several key determinants, described in this paper, that could be used to develop a rating of credibility.

The effect of source credibility on consumers' perceptions of the quality of health information on the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Benjamin R; Romina, Sharon; Ahmed, Rukhsana; Hopson, Danielle

2006-03-01

Recent use of the Internet as a source of health information has raised concerns about consumers' ability to tell 'good' information from 'bad' information. Although consumers report that they use source credibility to judge information quality, several observational studies suggest that consumers make little use of source credibility. This study examines consumer evaluations of web pages attributed to a credible source as compared to generic web pages on measures of message quality. In spring 2005, a community-wide convenience survey was distributed in a regional hub city in Ohio, USA. 519 participants were randomly assigned one of six messages discussing lung cancer prevention: three messages each attributed to a highly credible national organization and three identical messages each attributed to a generic web page. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare each attributed message to its counterpart attributed to a generic web page on measures of trustworthiness, truthfulness, readability, and completeness. The results demonstrated that differences in attribution to a source did not have a significant effect on consumers' evaluations of the quality of the information.Conclusions. The authors offer suggestions for national organizations to promote credibility to consumers as a heuristic for choosing better online health information through the use of media co-channels to emphasize credibility.

Source attribution and credibility of health and appearance exercise advertisements: relationship with implicit and explicit attitudes and intentions.

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Tanya R; Shields, Chris

2014-02-01

The relationship of attributed source (commercial or nonprofit) and credibility of exercise advertisements to explicit and implicit exercise-related attitudes and intentions was examined. Male and female participants (N = 227) were randomly assigned to watch health or appearance-related advertisements and then completed an implicit attitudes task and questionnaires. Health advertisements and those attributed to a nonprofit source were rated more credible. Appearance condition participants who attributed the advertisement to a nonprofit source also rated the advertisement as more credible. Participants who rated a commercial advertisement as credible reported higher implicit instrumental attitudes. Implications for exercise promotion are discussed.

Calving interval genetic parameters and trends for dairy breeds in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Calving interval (CI) is a fertility trait that can be used in selection programmes to minimize the negative effects that selection for production have on fertility. CI can be derived from milk recording data, therefore this fertility trait can easily be implemented in the National Dairy Genetic Evaluations of South Africa. The aim of this ...

Ferrocyanide safety program: Credibility of drying out ferrocyanide tank waste by hot spots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickinson, D.R.; McLaren, J.M.; Borsheim, G.L.; Crippen, M.D.

1993-04-01

The single-shell waste tanks at the Hanford Site that contain significant quantities of ferrocyanide have been considered a possible hazard, since under certain conditions the ferrocyanide in the waste tanks could undergo an exothermic chemical reaction with the nitrates and nitrites that are also present in the tanks. The purpose of this report is to assess the credibility of local dryout of ferrocyanide due to a hotspot. This report considers the following: What amount of decay heat generation within what volume would be necessary to raise the temperature of the liquid in the sludge to its boiling point? What mechanisms could produce a significant local concentration of heat sources? Is it credible that a waste tank heat concentration could be as large as that required to reach the dryout temperatures? This report also provides a recommendation as to whether infrared scanning of the ferrocyanide tanks is needed. From the analyses presented in this report it is evident that formation of dry, and thus chemically reactive, regions in the ferrocyanide sludge by local hotspots is not credible. This conclusion is subject to reevaluation if future analyses of tank core samples show much higher 137 Cs or 90 Sr concentrations than expected. Since hotspots of concern are not credible, infrared scanning to detect such hotspots is not required for safe storage of tank waste

Motivation and treatment credibility predict alliance in cognitive behavioral treatment for youth with anxiety disorders in community clinics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fjermestad, K W; Lerner, M D; McLeod, B D; Wergeland, G J H; Haugland, B S M; Havik, O E; Öst, L-G; Silverman, W K

2017-11-16

We examined whether motivation and treatment credibility predicted alliance in a 10-session cognitive behavioral treatment delivered in community clinics for youth anxiety disorders. Ninety-one clinic-referred youths (mean age  = 11.4 years, standard deviation = 2.1, range 8-15 years, 49.5% boys) with anxiety disorders-rated treatment motivation at pretreatment and perceived treatment credibility after session 1. Youths and therapists (YT) rated alliance after session 3 (early) and session 7 (late). Hierarchical linear models were applied to examine whether motivation and treatment credibility predicted YT early alliance, YT alliance change, and YT alliance agreement. Motivation predicted high early YT alliance, but not YT alliance change or alliance agreement. Youth-rated treatment credibility predicted high early youth alliance and high YT positive alliance change, but not early therapist alliance or alliance agreement. Conclusion Efforts to enhance youth motivation and treatment credibility early in treatment could facilitate the formation of a strong YT alliance. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pengaruh Brand Credibility Terhadap Information Efficiency Dan Risk Reduction, Serta Dampaknya Atas Repurchase Intention

OpenAIRE

Faisal, Aekram

2015-01-01

This research conducted to know the influence of Brand Credibility to Information efficiency and Risk reduction, also the influence of Information efficiency and Risk reduction to Repurchase intention. This research aimed to know the influence of Brand Credibility to Repurchase intention that mediated by Information efficiency and Risk reduction. The methodology of this research is testing hypothesis research. The sample collecting by questionnaire of 150 respondents from Starb...

The Credibility of Policy Reporting Across Learning Disciplines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carley, S.; Youtie, J.; Solomon, G.; Porter, A.

2016-07-01

The notion of a credibility map argues that everyone has a distinctive map that dictates the preference given to different types and sources of information. When seeking to influence other academic fields, scholars will likely turn to scientific and technical information though other types, such as policy reports, may also be relevant. We draw on the credibility mapping concept to understand how a major policy report is taken up by the target academic community. The report, How People Learn, was published by the US National Academies in 2000, to expose the education community (mainly educational researchers but also knowledge-seeking practitioners) to major cognitive science research findings of relevance to learning. We applied several search strings to measure the take up of this report in the target community. We used Google Scholar to evince that that How People Learn was cited in nearly 15,000 publications, these citations grew particularly steeply from 2000 to 2008, and most were in education-related journal papers. We performed a similar analysis using the Web of Science, which showed that most of the citations were substantial as opposed to perfunctory. (Author)

EXAMINING THE EFFECT OF ENDORSER CREDIBILITY ON THE CONSUMERS' BUYING INTENTIONS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN TURKEY

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Aysegul Ermec Sertoglu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to test whether the source credibility affects buying intention and measure the perceived credibility differences between created spokesperson and celebrity endorser. The influence that endorser credibility dimensions (i.e. attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise have on purchase intentions of 326 young consumers has been examined. The results showed that all of the three credibility dimensions for both celebrity endorser and created spokesperson have a positive relationship with purchase intention. Created spokesperson is perceived to be more trustworthy and competent whereas the celebrity endorser is found to be more attractive by the respondents. This study is unique in a way that it covers fairly new and rapidly growing Turkish market. One factor that makes this study unique in Turkey, in which the usage of celebrity endorsers holds significant part in the marketing of products, is the lack of studies that would measure the effectiveness of this method.

Simulating Terrorism: Credible Commitment, Costly Signaling, and Strategic Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, David A.; Young, Joseph K.

2009-01-01

We present two simulations designed to convey the strategic nature of terrorism and counterterrorism. The first is a simulated hostage crisis, designed primarily to illustrate the concepts of credible commitment and costly signaling. The second explores high-level decision making of both a terrorist group and the state, and is designed to…

I FEEL CONNECTED: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND LECTURERS’ CREDIBILITY

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Padma Pillai

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Communication is essential. Having the ability to communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings is crucial in all environments. The education industry regards communication as a core business to transfer knowledge. This paper focuses on how two different groups of students at Sunway University, Malaysia, perceived Lecturers’ Credibility (LC in a class that enhances the Students’ Engagement (SE. A group of 50 to 60 students from the Faculty of Arts (FoA and School of Business (SoB completed measures of LC and SE using McCroskey and Teven’s (1999 Source Credibility Questionnaire (SCQ and Students Engagement Survey from Indicators of Positive Development Conference, Child Trends. The variables for LC comprise competence, character and caring (CCC, and the variables for SE consist of cognitive, behaviour and emotion (CBE. The study aims to determine if there are any differences in SE between students from FoA and SoB with their perceived LC. Hopefully, the study sheds some light on the research question: “Are there any differences among Faculty of Arts students and School of Business students in the relationship between lecturers’ credibility and students’ engagement?”

Truth and Credibility in Sincere Policy Analysis: Alternative Approaches for the Production of Policy-Relevant Knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Bozeman, Barry; Landsbergen, David

1989-01-01

Two competing approaches to policy analysis are distinguished: a credibility approach, and a truth approach. According to the credibility approach, the policy analyst's role is to search for plausible argument rather than truth. Each approach has pragmatic tradeoffs in fulfilling the goal of providing usable knowledge to decision makers. (TJH)

Using the confidence interval confidently.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazra, Avijit

2017-10-01

Biomedical research is seldom done with entire populations but rather with samples drawn from a population. Although we work with samples, our goal is to describe and draw inferences regarding the underlying population. It is possible to use a sample statistic and estimates of error in the sample to get a fair idea of the population parameter, not as a single value, but as a range of values. This range is the confidence interval (CI) which is estimated on the basis of a desired confidence level. Calculation of the CI of a sample statistic takes the general form: CI = Point estimate ± Margin of error, where the margin of error is given by the product of a critical value (z) derived from the standard normal curve and the standard error of point estimate. Calculation of the standard error varies depending on whether the sample statistic of interest is a mean, proportion, odds ratio (OR), and so on. The factors affecting the width of the CI include the desired confidence level, the sample size and the variability in the sample. Although the 95% CI is most often used in biomedical research, a CI can be calculated for any level of confidence. A 99% CI will be wider than 95% CI for the same sample. Conflict between clinical importance and statistical significance is an important issue in biomedical research. Clinical importance is best inferred by looking at the effect size, that is how much is the actual change or difference. However, statistical significance in terms of P only suggests whether there is any difference in probability terms. Use of the CI supplements the P value by providing an estimate of actual clinical effect. Of late, clinical trials are being designed specifically as superiority, non-inferiority or equivalence studies. The conclusions from these alternative trial designs are based on CI values rather than the P value from intergroup comparison.

Scientific risk communication about controversial issues influences public perceptions of scientists' political orientations and credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Vraga, Emily; Myers, Teresa; Kotcher, John; Beall, Lindsey; Maibach, Ed

2018-02-01

Many scientists communicate with the public about risks associated with scientific issues, but such communication may have unintended consequences for how the public views the political orientations and the credibility of the communicating scientist. We explore this possibility using an experiment with a nationally representative sample of Americans in the fall of 2015. We find that risk communication on controversial scientific issues sometimes influences perceptions of the political orientations and credibility of the communicating scientist when the scientist addresses the risks of issues associated with conservative or liberal groups. This relationship is moderated by participant political ideology, with liberals adjusting their perceptions of the scientists' political beliefs more substantially when the scientist addressed the risks of marijuana use when compared with other issues. Conservatives' political perceptions were less impacted by the issue context of the scientific risk communication but indirectly influenced credibility perceptions. Our results support a contextual model of audience interpretation of scientific risk communication. Scientists should be cognizant that audience members may make inferences about the communicating scientist's political orientations and credibility when they engage in risk communication efforts about controversial issues.

Currency option pricing in a credible exchange rate target zone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veestraeten, D.

2013-01-01

This article examines currency option pricing within a credible target zone arrangement where interventions at the boundaries push the exchange rate back into its fluctuation band. Valuation of such options is complicated by the requirement that the reflection mechanism should prevent the arbitrage

Currency option pricing in a credible exchange rate target zone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veestraeten, D.

2012-01-01

This article examines currency option pricing within a credible target zone arrangement where interventions at the boundaries push the exchange rate back into its fluctuation band. Valuation of such options is complicated by the requirement that the reflection mechanism should prevent the arbitrage

Student Perceptions of Peer Credibility Based on Email Addresses

Science.gov (United States)

Livermore, Jeffrey A.; Scafe, Marla G.; Wiechowski, Linda S.; Maier, David J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' perceptions of their peer's credibility based on email addresses. The survey was conducted at a community college in Michigan where all students were registered and actively taking at least one course. The survey results show that a student's selection of an email address does influence other…

Student Perceptions of Faculty Credibility Based on Email Addresses

Science.gov (United States)

Livermore, Jeffrey A.; Scafe, Marla G.; Wiechowski, Linda S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate students' perceptions of faculty credibility based on email addresses. The survey was conducted at an upper division business school in Michigan where all students have completed at least two years of college courses. The survey results show that a faculty member's selection of an email address does…

Determinants of Judgments of Explanatory Power: Credibility, Generality, and Statistical Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, Matteo; Bucher, Leandra; Sprenger, Jan

2017-01-01

Explanation is a central concept in human psychology. Drawing upon philosophical theories of explanation, psychologists have recently begun to examine the relationship between explanation, probability and causality. Our study advances this growing literature at the intersection of psychology and philosophy of science by systematically investigating how judgments of explanatory power are affected by (i) the prior credibility of an explanatory hypothesis, (ii) the causal framing of the hypothesis, (iii) the perceived generalizability of the explanation, and (iv) the relation of statistical relevance between hypothesis and evidence. Collectively, the results of our five experiments support the hypothesis that the prior credibility of a causal explanation plays a central role in explanatory reasoning: first, because of the presence of strong main effects on judgments of explanatory power, and second, because of the gate-keeping role it has for other factors. Highly credible explanations are not susceptible to causal framing effects, but they are sensitive to the effects of normatively relevant factors: the generalizability of an explanation, and its statistical relevance for the evidence. These results advance current literature in the philosophy and psychology of explanation in three ways. First, they yield a more nuanced understanding of the determinants of judgments of explanatory power, and the interaction between these factors. Second, they show the close relationship between prior beliefs and explanatory power. Third, they elucidate the nature of abductive reasoning. PMID:28928679

Dos encuadernaciones históricas: propuesta de intervención

OpenAIRE

Valle Gutiérrez, Ascensión del

2016-01-01

El siguiente trabajo versará sobre la propuesta de intervención de dos encuadernaciones históricas de diferente tipología del fondo de patrimonio documental de la Biblioteca Histórica Marqués de Valdecilla de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Se realizará un estudio documental y un análisis detallado del estado de conservación para elaborar una propuesta de intervención ciñéndose a los criterios de metodología e intervención actuales, seguidos a nivel tanto nacional como internacional por...

On the credibility of scientific findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maier-Leibnitz, H.

1987-01-01

Since the beginning of the so-called nuclear controversy, problems of risk and of safety increasingly have come to be discussed also by persons not really qualified for the job; often, results and findings were presented which, although technically unfounded or based on wrong assumptions or conclusions, have greatly helped to create fear and concern about the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. In a study of the credibility gap faced by science, criteria are given for the competency of experts vis-a-vis specific problems. The most important aspect in arriving at the truth is felt to be the weighing of alternative decisions. (orig./HP) [de

Faculty Perceptions of Student Credibility Based on Email Addresses

Science.gov (United States)

Livermore, Jeffrey A.; Wiechowski, Linda S.; Scafe, Marla G.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate faculty perceptions of student credibility based on email addresses. The survey was conducted at an upper division business school in Michigan where all students have completed at least two years of college courses. The survey results show that a student's selection of an email address does influence the…

Chapter 8: The credibility crisis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poumadere, M.

1991-01-01

In the credibility crisis, a generalized state of conflicting cognitions is probably prevalent, along with possible individual and social pathologies. These cognitive conflicts and emotional traumas are linked to both the characteristics of Chernobyl as a human-made disaster and the specific nature of Chernobyl as a nuclear disaster. Three major elements as constituents of this nature are identified: The rupture of a social contract, the loss of a socially valued object, and the sudden removal of established distances. Further research and basic information are needed in this area where little specific observation is reported. A better grasp of the impact of nuclear energy on our societies can lead to better adapted policy, increased local and social solidarity, more decentralized initiative and risk management, and better organized primary prevention in nuclear disaster. (orig./DG)

Luka Brajnović – From Fidelity to Oneself towards Credibility of Profession

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danijel Labaš

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In certain periods, at certain places and in certain media, the reputation and credibility of the journalistic profession has suff ered for a number of reasons, including ignorance, mediocrity, dishonorable or morally questionable methods of journalists, or scandalous, fabricated or partial news stories. This is the opinion of Luka Brajnović, whose reflections in a comparative analysis with other authors comprise the ”contemplative axis” of this article. The fundamental task and goal of this article is to present and analyze Mr Brajnović’s refl ections on the possibility of saving or restoring the reputation and credibility of the journalistic profession. Journalists and the media will not be able to restore credibility as long as extravagant ideas exist about journalism as a profession that deals with ”public whispering, accusations and dissatisfaction with everything that has been established, or as a neutral profession that is ethically hybrid and indifferent towards good and evil”. Such an understanding of the journalistic profession runs against a positive image and reputation of journalism, a fi eld which is in itself worthy of respect of the entire public. In journalism, just as in other professions, unethical behavior on the part of a small number of journalists and media outlets casts a shadow on the journalistic profession as a whole, causing the reputation of the profession to become dependent upon a positive image and the reputation of those individuals working in it. As results of this article show – which for the fi rst time analytically approaches the scientific arguments and refl ections of Mr Brajnović in the Croatian public sphere – ethical and intellectual health, which can restore credibility to the journalistic profession, are the very elements rooted deep inside of it.

How influencers’ credibility on Instagram is perceived by consumers and its impact on purchase intention

OpenAIRE

Rebelo, Marta Figueiredo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this thesis is to understand the perception Instagram users, in other words consumers, have of influencers they follow on Instagram. Consumer perceived credibility of influencers, and its impact on the purchase intention, is therefore studied. This dissertation aims to highlight which credibility dimensions better explain the purchase intention. Gender is also explored to verify behavior differences between female and male consumers. To better analyze the perc...

Mentalizing skills do not differentiate believers from non-believers, but credibility enhancing displays do.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David L R Maij

Full Text Available The ability to mentalize has been marked as an important cognitive mechanism enabling belief in supernatural agents. In five studies we cross-culturally investigated the relationship between mentalizing and belief in supernatural agents with large sample sizes (over 67,000 participants in total and different operationalizations of mentalizing. The relative importance of mentalizing for endorsing supernatural beliefs was directly compared with credibility enhancing displays-the extent to which people observed credible religious acts during their upbringing. We also compared autistic with neurotypical adolescents. The empathy quotient and the autism-spectrum quotient were not predictive of belief in supernatural agents in all countries (i.e., The Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States, although we did observe a curvilinear effect in the United States. We further observed a strong influence of credibility enhancing displays on belief in supernatural agents. These findings highlight the importance of cultural learning for acquiring supernatural beliefs and ask for reconsiderations of the importance of mentalizing.

The relationship between clients' depression etiological beliefs and psychotherapy orientation preferences, expectations, and credibility beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Tompkins, Kelley A; Swift, Joshua K; Rousmaniere, Tony G; Whipple, Jason L

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between clients' etiological beliefs for depression and treatment preferences, credibility beliefs, and outcome expectations for five different depression treatments-behavioral activation, cognitive therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and psychodynamic psychotherapy. Adult psychotherapy clients (N = 98) were asked to complete an online survey that included the Reasons for Depression Questionnaire, a brief description of each of the five treatment options, and credibility, expectancy, and preference questions for each option. On average, the participating clients rated pharmacotherapy as significantly less credible, having a lower likelihood of success, and being less preferred than the four types of psychotherapy. In general, interpersonal psychotherapy was also rated more negatively than the other types of psychotherapy. However, these findings depended somewhat on whether the participating client was personally experiencing depression. Credibility beliefs, outcome expectations, and preferences for pharmacotherapy were positively associated with biological beliefs for depression; however, the other hypothesized relationships between etiological beliefs and treatment attitudes were not supported. Although the study is limited based on the specific sample and treatment descriptions that were used, the results may still have implications for psychotherapy research, training, and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The use of tags and tag clouds to discern credible content in online health message forums.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Grady, Laura; Wathen, C Nadine; Charnaw-Burger, Jill; Betel, Lisa; Shachak, Aviv; Luke, Robert; Hockema, Stephen; Jadad, Alejandro R

2012-01-01

Web sites with health-oriented content are potentially harmful if inaccurate or inappropriate medical information is used to make health-related decisions. Checklists, rating systems and guidelines have been developed to help people determine what is credible, but recent Internet technologies emphasize applications that are collaborative in nature, including tags and tag clouds, where site users 'tag' or label online content, each using their own labelling system. Concepts such as the date, reference, author, testimonial and quotations are considered predictors of credible content. An understanding of these descriptive tools, how they relate to the depiction of credibility and how this relates to overall efforts to label data in relation to the semantic web has yet to emerge. This study investigates how structured (pre-determined) and unstructured (user-generated) tags and tag clouds with a multiple word search feature are used by participants to assess credibility of messages posted in online message forums. The targeted respondents were those using web sites message forums for disease self-management. We also explored the relevancy of our findings to the labelling or indexing of data in the context of the semantic web. Diabetes was chosen as the content area in this study, since (a) this is a condition with increasing prevalence and (b) diabetics have been shown to actively use the Internet to manage their condition. From January to March 2010 participants were recruited using purposive sampling techniques. A screening instrument was used to determine eligibility. The study consisted of a demographic and computer usage survey, a series of usability tests and an interview. We tested participants (N=22) on two scenarios, each involving tasks that assessed their ability to tag content and search using a tag cloud that included six structured credibility terms (statistics, date, reference, author, testimonial and quotations). MORAE Usability software (version 3

Deflation Risk in the Euro Area and Central Bank Credibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

G. Galati (Gabriele); Z. Gorgi (Zion); R. Moessner (Richhild); C. Zhou (Chen)

2016-01-01

textabstractThis paper investigates how the perceived risk that the euro area will experience deflation has evolved over time, and what this risk implies for the credibility of the ECB. We use a novel data set on market participants’ perceptions of short- to long-term deflation risk implied by

Estimating the generation interval of influenza A (H1N1) in a range of social settings.

Science.gov (United States)

te Beest, Dennis E; Wallinga, Jacco; Donker, Tjibbe; van Boven, Michiel

2013-03-01

A proper understanding of the infection dynamics of influenza A viruses hinges on the availability of reliable estimates of key epidemiologic parameters such as the reproduction number, intrinsic growth rate, and generation interval. Often the generation interval is assumed to be similar in different settings although there is little evidence justifying this. Here we estimate the generation interval for stratifications based on age, cluster size, and social setting (camp, school, workplace, household) using data from 16 clusters of Novel Influenza A (H1N1) in the Netherlands. Our analyses are based on a Bayesian inferential framework, enabling flexible handling of both missing infection links and missing times of symptoms onset. The analysis indicates that a stratification that allows the generation interval to differ by social setting fits the data best. Specifically, the estimated generation interval was shorter in households (2.1 days [95% credible interval = 1.6-2.9]) and camps (2.3 days [1.4-3.4]) than in workplaces (2.7 days [1.9-3.7]) and schools (3.4 days [2.5-4.5]). Our findings could be the result of differences in the number of contacts between settings, differences in prophylactic use of antivirals between settings, and differences in underreporting.

Determining the optimal screening interval for type 2 diabetes mellitus using a risk prediction model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei Brateanu

Full Text Available Progression to diabetes mellitus (DM is variable and the screening time interval not well defined. The American Diabetes Association and US Preventive Services Task Force suggest screening every 3 years, but evidence is limited. The objective of the study was to develop a model to predict the probability of developing DM and suggest a risk-based screening interval.We included non-diabetic adult patients screened for DM in the Cleveland Clinic Health System if they had at least two measurements of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c, an initial one less than 6.5% (48 mmol/mol in 2008, and another between January, 2009 and December, 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were created. The primary outcome was DM defined as HbA1C greater than 6.4% (46 mmol/mol. The optimal rescreening interval was chosen based on the predicted probability of developing DM.Of 5084 participants, 100 (4.4% of the 2281 patients with normal HbA1c and 772 (27.5% of the 2803 patients with prediabetes developed DM within 5 years. Factors associated with developing DM included HbA1c (HR per 0.1 units increase 1.20; 95%CI, 1.13-1.27, family history (HR 1.31; 95%CI, 1.13-1.51, smoking (HR 1.18; 95%CI, 1.03-1.35, triglycerides (HR 1.01; 95%CI, 1.00-1.03, alanine aminotransferase (HR 1.07; 95%CI, 1.03-1.11, body mass index (HR 1.06; 95%CI, 1.01-1.11, age (HR 0.95; 95%CI, 0.91-0.99 and high-density lipoproteins (HR 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.95. Five percent of patients in the highest risk tertile developed DM within 8 months, while it took 35 months for 5% of the middle tertile to develop DM. Only 2.4% percent of the patients in the lowest tertile developed DM within 5 years.A risk prediction model employing commonly available data can be used to guide screening intervals. Based on equal intervals for equal risk, patients in the highest risk category could be rescreened after 8 months, while those in the intermediate and lowest risk categories could be rescreened after 3 and 5 years

Cultural Variation in Situation Assessment: Influence of Source Credibility and Rank Status

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Heacox, N

2000-01-01

.... Although information content, rank status, and source credibility have received much attention by researchers in command and control decision-making, cultural variations in these factors have seldom been studied...

Questioning History, Nationality and Identity in Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Credible Witness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nursen Gömceli

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to examine the Anglo-American playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker’s approach to the issues of history, nationality and identity in her play Credible Witness (2001, and to discuss the significance of these concepts in our modern world through a close analysis of the play. In Credible Witness, the playwright brings together people from diverse countries, such as Sri Lanka, Algeria, Eritrea, Somalia and Macedonia in a detention centre in London, and via the stories of these asylum seekers, and particularly through the dramatic encounter between Petra, a Macedonian woman with strong nationalistic pride, and her son Alexander, a history teacher forced to seek refuge in Britain for political reasons, Wertenbaker tries to demonstrate “what happens to people when they step outside, or are forced outside, their history, their identity” (Aston 2003, 13.

Eletronuclear's relationship with the Brazilian media: transparency and credibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarez, Gloria, E-mail: galvarez@eletronuclear.gov.br [Eletrobras Termonuclear S.A. (ELETRONUCLEAR), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2013-07-01

In a capitalist economy the most valued assets are not money, shares or facilities, but credibility. Lack of money can ruin a company, but often it is reputation that delivers the final blow. It has become challenging to safeguard reputation in a world where Communication is increasingly connected and with such an intense and lightning fast flow of information. This is particularly true for the electricity sector - a commodity so prevalent in everyday modern life, but, whose business dealings, are hardly known by the general public. When it comes to nuclear energy, the challenge of establishing an effective Communication with transparency and credibility touches on even more complex elements. The topic of this paper is the scenario through which the Communication process, along with its characteristics and approaches, unfolds between the nuclear sector and the Brazilian media. (author)

Persuading girls to take elective physical science courses in high school: Who are the credible communicators?

Science.gov (United States)

Koballa, Thomas R., Jr.

Eighth-grade girls (N=257) randomly selected from nine different public junior high schools in central Texas were questioned in order to identify the communicators whom they perceive as highly credible regarding reasons for taking elective physical science courses in high school and the attributes associated with these communicators. Four persons were each identified by better than 10 percent of the sample as the best person to try to convince junior high school girls to take elective physical science courses in high school. In order of perceived credibility, these persons are father, woman science teacher, mother, and boy high school student. Slight variations in the order of perceived credibility were found when the responses from girls of the different ethnic groups represented in the sample (Caucasian, Hispanic, Black, and Asian) were examined separately. Attributes listed by the respondents for father, woman science teacher, mother, and boy high school student were examined and classified into the categories of prestige, trustworthiness, similarity, attractiveness, and power. Prestige and trustworthiness are the attributes associates most frequently with communicators identified as highly credible. Implications of the present study and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Tumor phenotype and breast density in distinct categories of interval cancer: results of population-based mammography screening in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Domingo, Laia; Salas, Dolores; Zubizarreta, Raquel; Baré, Marisa; Sarriugarte, Garbiñe; Barata, Teresa; Ibáñez, Josefa; Blanch, Jordi; Puig-Vives, Montserrat; Fernández, Ana; Castells, Xavier; Sala, Maria

2014-01-10

Interval cancers are tumors arising after a negative screening episode and before the next screening invitation. They can be classified into true interval cancers, false-negatives, minimal-sign cancers, and occult tumors based on mammographic findings in screening and diagnostic mammograms. This study aimed to describe tumor-related characteristics and the association of breast density and tumor phenotype within four interval cancer categories. We included 2,245 invasive tumors (1,297 screening-detected and 948 interval cancers) diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 among 645,764 women aged 45 to 69 who underwent biennial screening in Spain. Interval cancers were classified by a semi-informed retrospective review into true interval cancers (n = 455), false-negatives (n = 224), minimal-sign (n = 166), and occult tumors (n = 103). Breast density was evaluated using Boyd's scale and was conflated into: 75%. Tumor-related information was obtained from cancer registries and clinical records. Tumor phenotype was defined as follows: luminal A: ER+/HER2- or PR+/HER2-; luminal B: ER+/HER2+ or PR+/HER2+; HER2: ER-/PR-/HER2+; triple-negative: ER-/PR-/HER2-. The association of tumor phenotype and breast density was assessed using a multinomial logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. All statistical tests were two-sided. Forty-eight percent of interval cancers were true interval cancers and 23.6% false-negatives. True interval cancers were associated with HER2 and triple-negative phenotypes (OR = 1.91 (95% CI:1.22-2.96), OR = 2.07 (95% CI:1.42-3.01), respectively) and extremely dense breasts (>75%) (OR = 1.67 (95% CI:1.08-2.56)). However, among true interval cancers a higher proportion of triple-negative tumors was observed in predominantly fatty breasts (breasts (28.7%, 21.4%, 11.3% and 14.3%, respectively; cancers, extreme breast density being strongly associated with occult tumors (OR�

Perceptions of Credibility of Male and Female Syndicated Political Columnists.

Science.gov (United States)

Andsager, Julie L.

1990-01-01

Examines perceptions of the credibility of male and female syndicated political columnists. Finds that college students exhibited little prejudice against female versus male bylines in political interpretive columns. Finds a small tendency for male readers to evaluate male bylines higher in stereotypical ways, but female readers do not do this.…

Consistency between verbal and non-verbal affective cues: a clue to speaker credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillis, Randall L; Nilsen, Elizabeth S

2017-06-01

Listeners are exposed to inconsistencies in communication; for example, when speakers' words (i.e. verbal) are discrepant with their demonstrated emotions (i.e. non-verbal). Such inconsistencies introduce ambiguity, which may render a speaker to be a less credible source of information. Two experiments examined whether children make credibility discriminations based on the consistency of speakers' affect cues. In Experiment 1, school-age children (7- to 8-year-olds) preferred to solicit information from consistent speakers (e.g. those who provided a negative statement with negative affect), over novel speakers, to a greater extent than they preferred to solicit information from inconsistent speakers (e.g. those who provided a negative statement with positive affect) over novel speakers. Preschoolers (4- to 5-year-olds) did not demonstrate this preference. Experiment 2 showed that school-age children's ratings of speakers were influenced by speakers' affect consistency when the attribute being judged was related to information acquisition (speakers' believability, "weird" speech), but not general characteristics (speakers' friendliness, likeability). Together, findings suggest that school-age children are sensitive to, and use, the congruency of affect cues to determine whether individuals are credible sources of information.

CPSFS: A Credible Personalized Spam Filtering Scheme by Crowdsourcing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Email spam consumes a lot of network resources and threatens many systems because of its unwanted or malicious content. Most existing spam filters only target complete-spam but ignore semispam. This paper proposes a novel and comprehensive CPSFS scheme: Credible Personalized Spam Filtering Scheme, which classifies spam into two categories: complete-spam and semispam, and targets filtering both kinds of spam. Complete-spam is always spam for all users; semispam is an email identified as spam by some users and as regular email by other users. Most existing spam filters target complete-spam but ignore semispam. In CPSFS, Bayesian filtering is deployed at email servers to identify complete-spam, while semispam is identified at client side by crowdsourcing. An email user client can distinguish junk from legitimate emails according to spam reports from credible contacts with the similar interests. Social trust and interest similarity between users and their contacts are calculated so that spam reports are more accurately targeted to similar users. The experimental results show that the proposed CPSFS can improve the accuracy rate of distinguishing spam from legitimate emails compared with that of Bayesian filter alone.

Civil Society and the Conduct of Free, Fair and Credible Election ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Civil Society and the Conduct of Free, Fair and Credible Election: Lessons from ... of Non Governmental agencies like civil society to prevent the government of the ... fair so as to rid the continent of its notorious record of post election violence.

Investigating the impact of viral message appeal and message credibility on consumer attitude toward brand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Esmaeilpour

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background - Due to the rapid growth of the Internet and use of e-commerce in recent years, viral marketing has drawn the attention of manufacturing and service organizations. However, no research has been conducted to examine the impact of message appeal and message source credibility on consumers' attitude with mediating role of intellectual involvement of consumers and their risk taking level. Purpose - The aim of this study was to examine the impact of appeal and message source credibility on consumers’ attitude with mediating role of consumers’ intellectual involvement and their risk taking level. Design/methodology/approach – The population of this study includes consumers of mobile phones (Samsung, Sony, Nokia, LG and iPhone in Bushehr city (Iran. As the population of the study is unlimited, 430 questionnaires were distributed using available sampling method, and 391 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Using structural equation modeling, data were analyzed through smart PLS software. Findings –The results show that the appeal and credibility of the message source have impact on consumer attitudes toward the brand. It was also found that intellectual involvement of consumers plays the mediating role in the relationship between message appeal and consumer attitudes toward brand. In the relationship between message source credibility and customer attitude towards the brand, the level of risk taking of people has no mediating role. Research limitations/implications – Data collection tool was questionnaire in this study, and questionnaire has some disadvantages that can affect the results. Additionally, this study was conducted in Bushehr city (Iran. Therefore, we should be cautious in generalizing the findings. Originality/value – In this study, the effect of message appeal and message source credibility on consumer attitude to brand was examined. The risk taking level of consumer and his involvement level were considered

Extended score interval in the assessment of basic surgical skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Acosta, Stefan; Sevonius, Dan; Beckman, Anders

2015-01-01

The Basic Surgical Skills course uses an assessment score interval of 0-3. An extended score interval, 1-6, was proposed by the Swedish steering committee of the course. The aim of this study was to analyze the trainee scores in the current 0-3 scored version compared to a proposed 1-6 scored version. Sixteen participants, seven females and nine males, were evaluated in the current and proposed assessment forms by instructors, observers, and learners themselves during the first and second day. In each assessment form, 17 tasks were assessed. The inter-rater reliability between the current and the proposed score sheets were evaluated with intraclass correlation (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). The distribution of scores for 'knot tying' at the last time point and 'bowel anastomosis side to side' given by the instructors in the current assessment form showed that the highest score was given in 31 and 62%, respectively. No ceiling effects were found in the proposed assessment form. The overall ICC between the current and proposed score sheets after assessment by the instructors increased from 0.38 (95% CI 0.77-0.78) on Day 1 to 0.83 (95% CI 0.51-0.94) on Day 2. A clear ceiling effect of scores was demonstrated in the current assessment form, questioning its validity. The proposed score sheet provides more accurate scores and seems to be a better feedback instrument for learning technical surgical skills in the Basic Surgical Skills course.

Ciência global?

OpenAIRE

Abreu, Armando Trigo de

2000-01-01

No fim do séc. XX, poucas actividades podem reclamar um passado de universalidade tão longo e tão paradigmático como a ciência. Se eliminarmos ocasionais e limitados acessos de nacionalismo ou ideologismo mais destemperado que levaram à procura da ciência proletária ou da filosofia portuguesa, a história da ciência é uma história comum. Portugal está excepcionalmente bem situado para compreender esta característica da ciência universal. Três exemplos, apenas, podem ilustrar esta condição:...

The associations of birth intervals with small-for-gestational-age, preterm, and neonatal and infant mortality: a meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Short and long birth intervals have previously been linked to adverse neonatal outcomes. However, much of the existing literature uses cross-sectional studies, from which deriving causal inference is complex. We examine the association between short/long birth intervals and adverse neonatal outcomes by calculating and meta-analyzing associations using original data from cohort studies conducted in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). Methods We identified five cohort studies. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated for each study, with birth interval as the exposure and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and/or preterm birth, and neonatal and infant mortality as outcomes. The associations were controlled for potential confounders and meta-analyzed. Results Birth interval of shorter than 18 months had statistically significant increased odds of SGA (pooled aOR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.31-1.75), preterm (pooled aOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.19-2.10) and infant mortality (pooled aOR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.19-2.81) after controlling for potential confounding factors (reference 36-gestational-age, and preterm-SGA. Birth interval over 60 months had increased risk of SGA (pooled aOR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.07-1.39) and term-SGA (pooled aOR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03-1.27), but was not associated with other outcomes. Conclusions Birth intervals shorter than 18 months are significantly associated with SGA, preterm birth and death in the first year of life. Lack of access to family planning interventions thus contributes to the burden of adverse birth outcomes and infant mortality in LMICs. Programs and policies must assess ways to provide equitable access to reproductive health interventions to mothers before or soon after delivering a child, but also address underlying socioeconomic factors that may modify and worsen the effect of short intervals. PMID:24564484

Predictors of premature termination from psychotherapy for anorexia nervosa: Low treatment credibility, early therapy alliance, and self-transcendence.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Jennifer; McIntosh, Virginia V W; Carter, Frances A; Joyce, Peter R; Frampton, Christopher M A; Luty, Suzanne E; McKenzie, Janice M; Carter, Janet D; Bulik, Cynthia M

2017-08-01

Failure to complete treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is- common, clinically concerning but difficult to predict. This study examines whether therapy-related factors (patient-rated pretreatment credibility and early therapeutic alliance) predict subsequent premature termination of treatment (PTT) alongside self-transcendence (a previously identified clinical predictor) in women with AN. 56 women aged 17-40 years participating in a randomized outpatient psychotherapy trial for AN. Treatment completion was defined as attending 15/20 planned sessions. Measures were the Treatment Credibility, Temperament and Character Inventory, Vanderbilt Therapeutic Alliance Scale and the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Process Scale. Statistics were univariate tests, correlations, and logistic regression. Treatment credibility and certain early patient and therapist alliance/process subscales predicted PTT. Lower self-transcendence and lower early process accounted for 33% of the variance in predicting PTT. Routine assessment of treatment credibility and early process (comprehensively assessed from multiple perspectives) may help clinicians reduce PTT thereby enhancing treatment outcomes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors that optimise the credibility of advertisements whilst promoting feelings of emotional well-being and satisfaction

OpenAIRE

Duck, Nicholas

2017-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate that advertisements that challenge the security of consumers can undermine the impact and lasting influence of these messages. Conversely, advertisements could be used to evoke feelings of security and enhance emotional well-being whilst optimising the credibility and impact of messages. Specifically, research demonstrates that advertisements might elicit different motivational styles, referred to as an individual’s regulatory focus. The credibility of...

The relationship between quality of sleep and night shift rotation interval.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jae Youn; Chae, Chang Ho; Kim, Young Ouk; Son, Jun Seok; Kim, Ja Hyun; Kim, Chan Woo; Park, Hyoung Ouk; Lee, Jun Ho; Kwon, Soon Il; Kwon, Sun Il

2015-01-01

Shift work is closely related with workers' health. In particular, sleep is thought to be affected by shift work. In addition, shift work has been reported to be associated with the type or direction of shift rotation, number of consecutive night shifts, and number of off-duty days. We aimed to analyze the association between the night shift rotation interval and the quality of sleep reported by Korean female shift workers. In total, 2,818 female shift workers from the manufacturing industry who received an employee physical examination at a single university hospital from January to August in 2014 were included. Subjects were classified into three groups (A, B, and C) by their night shift rotation interval. The quality of sleep was measured using the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Descriptive analysis, univariate logistic regression, and multivariate logistic regression were performed. With group A as the reference, the odds ratio (OR) for having a seriously low quality of sleep was 1.456 (95% CI 1.171-1.811) and 2.348 (95% CI 1.852-2.977) for groups B and C, respectively. Thus, group C with the shortest night shift rotation interval was most likely to have a low quality of sleep. After adjustment for age, obesity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise, being allowed to sleep during night shifts, work experience, and shift work experience, groups B and C had ORs of 1.419 (95% CI 1.134-1.777) and 2.238 (95% CI 1.737-2.882), respectively, compared to group A. Our data suggest that a shorter night shift rotation interval does not provide enough recovery time to adjust the circadian rhythm, resulting in a low quality of sleep. Because shift work is influenced by many different factors, future studies should aim to determine the most optimal shift work model and collect accurate, prospective data.

Influence of Source Credibility on Consumer Acceptance of Genetically Modified Foods in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingyang Zhang

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the reasoning mechanism behind the consumer acceptance of genetically modified foods (GMFs in China, and investigates influence of source credibility on consumer acceptance of GMFs. Based on the original Persuasion Model—which was developed by Carl Hovland, an American psychologist and pioneer in the study of communication and its effect on attitudes and beliefs—we conducted a survey using multistage sampling from 1167 urban residents, which were proportionally selected from six cities in three economic regions (south, central, and north in the Jiangsu province through face to face interviews. Mixed-process regression that could correct endogeneity and ordered probit model were used to test the impact of source credibility on consumers’ acceptance of GMFs. Our major finding was that consumer acceptance of GMFs is affected by such factors as information source credibility, general attitudes, gender, and education levels. The reliability of biotechnology research institutes, government offices devoted to management of GM organisms (GMOs, and GMO technological experts have expedited urban consumer acceptance of GM soybean oil. However, public acceptance can also decrease as faith in the environmental organization. We also found that ignorance of the endogeneity of above mentioned source significantly undervalued its effect on consumers’ acceptance. Moreover, the remaining three sources (non-GMO experts, food companies, and anonymous information found on the Internet had almost no effect on consumer acceptance. Surprisingly, the more educated people in our survey were more skeptical towards GMFs. Our results contribute to the behavioral literature on consumer attitudes toward GMFs by developing a reasoning mechanism determining consumer acceptance of GMFs. Particularly, this paper quantitatively studied the influence of different source credibility on consumer acceptance of GMFs by using mixed-process regression to

Public Affairs: An Operational Planning Function to Safeguard Credibility and Public Opinion

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cutler, Dawn

2004-01-01

... context throughout all phases of conflict. Although the target audiences may differ when a commander is considering message dissemination through either the PA or IC channel, the consistency of the messages is important to credibility...

Strength and hypertrophy responses to constant and decreasing rest intervals in trained men using creatine supplementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Souza-Junior, Tácito P; Willardson, Jeffrey M; Bloomer, Richard; Leite, Richard D; Fleck, Steven J; Oliveira, Paulo R; Simão, Roberto

2011-10-27

The purpose of the current study was to compare strength and hypertrophy responses to resistance training programs that instituted constant rest intervals (CI) and decreasing rest intervals (DI) between sets over the course of eight weeks by trained men who supplemented with creatine monohydrate (CR). Twenty-two recreationally trained men were randomly assigned to a CI group (n = 11; 22.3 ± 1 years; 77.7 ± 5.4 kg; 180 ± 2.2 cm) or a DI group (n = 11; 22 ± 2.5 years; 75.8 ± 4.9 kg; 178.8 ± 3.4 cm). Subjects in both groups supplemented with CR; the only difference between groups was the rest interval instituted between sets; the CI group used 2 minutes rest intervals between sets and exercises for the entire 8-weeks of training, while the DI group started with a 2 minute rest interval the first two weeks; after which the rest interval between sets was decreased 15 seconds per week (i.e. 2 minutes decreasing to 30 seconds between sets). Pre- and post-intervention maximal strength for the free weight back squat and bench press exercises and isokinetic peak torque were assessed for the knee extensors and flexors. Additionally, muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right thigh and upper arm was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Both groups demonstrated significant increases in back squat and bench press maximal strength, knee extensor and flexor isokinetic peak torque, and upper arm and right thigh CSA from pre- to post-training (p ≤ 0.0001); however, there were no significant differences between groups for any of these variables. The total volume for the bench press and back squat were significantly greater for CI group versus the DI group. We report that the combination of CR supplementation and resistance training can increase muscular strength, isokinetic peak torque, and muscle CSA, irrespective of the rest interval length between sets. Because the volume of training was greater for the CI group versus the DI group, yet strength gains were

Strength and hypertrophy responses to constant and decreasing rest intervals in trained men using creatine supplementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fleck Steven J

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of the current study was to compare strength and hypertrophy responses to resistance training programs that instituted constant rest intervals (CI and decreasing rest intervals (DI between sets over the course of eight weeks by trained men who supplemented with creatine monohydrate (CR. Methods Twenty-two recreationally trained men were randomly assigned to a CI group (n = 11; 22.3 ± 1 years; 77.7 ± 5.4 kg; 180 ± 2.2 cm or a DI group (n = 11; 22 ± 2.5 years; 75.8 ± 4.9 kg; 178.8 ± 3.4 cm. Subjects in both groups supplemented with CR; the only difference between groups was the rest interval instituted between sets; the CI group used 2 minutes rest intervals between sets and exercises for the entire 8-weeks of training, while the DI group started with a 2 minute rest interval the first two weeks; after which the rest interval between sets was decreased 15 seconds per week (i.e. 2 minutes decreasing to 30 seconds between sets. Pre- and post-intervention maximal strength for the free weight back squat and bench press exercises and isokinetic peak torque were assessed for the knee extensors and flexors. Additionally, muscle cross-sectional area (CSA of the right thigh and upper arm was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Results Both groups demonstrated significant increases in back squat and bench press maximal strength, knee extensor and flexor isokinetic peak torque, and upper arm and right thigh CSA from pre- to post-training (p ≤ 0.0001; however, there were no significant differences between groups for any of these variables. The total volume for the bench press and back squat were significantly greater for CI group versus the DI group. Conclusions We report that the combination of CR supplementation and resistance training can increase muscular strength, isokinetic peak torque, and muscle CSA, irrespective of the rest interval length between sets. Because the volume of training was greater for the

Interpregnancy interval and risk of autistic disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunnes, Nina; Surén, Pål; Bresnahan, Michaeline; Hornig, Mady; Lie, Kari Kveim; Lipkin, W Ian; Magnus, Per; Nilsen, Roy Miodini; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted; Schjølberg, Synnve; Susser, Ezra Saul; Øyen, Anne-Siri; Stoltenberg, Camilla

2013-11-01

A recent California study reported increased risk of autistic disorder in children conceived within a year after the birth of a sibling. We assessed the association between interpregnancy interval and risk of autistic disorder using nationwide registry data on pairs of singleton full siblings born in Norway. We defined interpregnancy interval as the time from birth of the first-born child to conception of the second-born child in a sibship. The outcome of interest was autistic disorder in the second-born child. Analyses were restricted to sibships in which the second-born child was born in 1990-2004. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by fitting ordinary logistic models and logistic generalized additive models. The study sample included 223,476 singleton full-sibling pairs. In sibships with interpregnancy intervals autistic disorder, compared with 0.13% in the reference category (≥ 36 months). For interpregnancy intervals shorter than 9 months, the adjusted OR of autistic disorder in the second-born child was 2.18 (95% confidence interval 1.42-3.26). The risk of autistic disorder in the second-born child was also increased for interpregnancy intervals of 9-11 months in the adjusted analysis (OR = 1.71 [95% CI = 1.07-2.64]). Consistent with a previous report from California, interpregnancy intervals shorter than 1 year were associated with increased risk of autistic disorder in the second-born child. A possible explanation is depletion of micronutrients in mothers with closely spaced pregnancies.

Tumor phenotype and breast density in distinct categories of interval cancer: results of population-based mammography screening in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Introduction Interval cancers are tumors arising after a negative screening episode and before the next screening invitation. They can be classified into true interval cancers, false-negatives, minimal-sign cancers, and occult tumors based on mammographic findings in screening and diagnostic mammograms. This study aimed to describe tumor-related characteristics and the association of breast density and tumor phenotype within four interval cancer categories. Methods We included 2,245 invasive tumors (1,297 screening-detected and 948 interval cancers) diagnosed from 2000 to 2009 among 645,764 women aged 45 to 69 who underwent biennial screening in Spain. Interval cancers were classified by a semi-informed retrospective review into true interval cancers (n = 455), false-negatives (n = 224), minimal-sign (n = 166), and occult tumors (n = 103). Breast density was evaluated using Boyd’s scale and was conflated into: 75%. Tumor-related information was obtained from cancer registries and clinical records. Tumor phenotype was defined as follows: luminal A: ER+/HER2- or PR+/HER2-; luminal B: ER+/HER2+ or PR+/HER2+; HER2: ER-/PR-/HER2+; triple-negative: ER-/PR-/HER2-. The association of tumor phenotype and breast density was assessed using a multinomial logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Forty-eight percent of interval cancers were true interval cancers and 23.6% false-negatives. True interval cancers were associated with HER2 and triple-negative phenotypes (OR = 1.91 (95% CI:1.22-2.96), OR = 2.07 (95% CI:1.42-3.01), respectively) and extremely dense breasts (>75%) (OR = 1.67 (95% CI:1.08-2.56)). However, among true interval cancers a higher proportion of triple-negative tumors was observed in predominantly fatty breasts (breasts (28.7%, 21.4%, 11.3% and 14.3%, respectively; screening-detected cancers, extreme breast density

The Effects of Source Credibility in the Presence or Absence of Prior Attitudes: Implications for the Design of Persuasive Communication Campaigns.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumkale, G Tarcan; Albarracín, Dolores; Seignourel, Paul J

2010-06-01

Most theories of persuasion predict that limited ability and motivation to think about communications should increase the impact of source credibility on persuasion. Furthermore, this effect is assumed to occur, regardless of whether or not the recipients have prior attitudes. In this study, the effects of source credibility, ability, and motivation (knowledge, message repetition, relevance) on persuasion were examined meta-analytically across both attitude formation and change conditions. Findings revealed that the Source Credibility × Ability/Motivation interaction emerged only when participants lacked prior attitudes and were unable to form a new attitude based on the message content. In such settings, the effects of source credibility decayed rapidly. The implications of these findings for applied communication campaigns are discussed.

Dose assessment around TR-2 reactor due to maximum credible accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turgut, M. H.; Adalioglu, U.; Aytekin, A.

2001-01-01

The revision of safety analysis report of TR-2 research reactor had been initiated in 1995. The whole accident analysis and accepted scenario for maximum credible accident has been revised according to the new safety concepts and the impact to be given to the environment due to this scenario has been assessed. This paper comprises all results of these calculations. The accepted maximum credible accident scenario is the partial blockage of the whole reactor core which resulted in the release of 25% of the core inventory. The DOSER code which uses very conservative modelling of atmospheric distributions were modified for the assessment calculations. Pasquill conditions based on the local weather observations, topography, and building affects were considered. The thyroid and whole body doses for 16 sectors and up to 10 km of distance around CNAEM were obtained. Release models were puff and a prolonged one of two hours of duration. Release fractions for the active isotopes were chosen from literature which were realistic

The 'credibility paradox' in China's science communication: Views from scientific practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Joy Yueyue

2015-11-01

In contrast to increasing debates on China's rising status as a global scientific power, issues of China's science communication remain under-explored. Based on 21 in-depth interviews in three cities, this article examines Chinese scientists' accounts of the entangled web of influence which conditions the process of how scientific knowledge achieves (or fails to achieve) its civic authority. A main finding of this study is a 'credibility paradox' as a result of the over-politicisation of science and science communication in China. Respondents report that an absence of visible institutional endorsements renders them more public credibility and better communication outcomes. Thus, instead of exploiting formal channels of science communication, scientists interviewed were more keen to act as 'informal risk communicators' in grassroots and private events. Chinese scientists' perspectives on how to earn public support of their research sheds light on the nature and impact of a 'civic epistemology' in an authoritarian state. © The Author(s) 2015.

Ci PERMIT

CERN Multimedia

Relations with the Host States Service

1999-01-01

The Swiss Permanent Mission to the International Organisations at Geneva recalls that only the spouses and children of members of personnel resident in Switzerland and in possession of a legitimation card of types 'B', 'C', 'D' or 'E' issued by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs are entitled to benefit from a Ci Permit.The 'demande d'attestation de permis Ci' (request for a Ci permit attestation) can be sent to the Mission only through Personnel Division (Administrative Services, Office 33/1-025).Additional information on access by family members of CERN officials to the Swiss labour market are available to you on the Web site of the Relations with the Host States Service (cf. document entitled 'Employment in Switzerland for spouses and children of CERN officials' dated March 1996).Relations with the Host States Servicehttp://www.cern.ch/relations/Tel. 72848

Establishing the credibility of archaeoastronomical sites

Science.gov (United States)

Ruggles, Clive L. N.

2015-08-01

This is not a talk about archaeoastronomy per se, but rather about how the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative helps us deal with archaeoastronomical sites as potential World Heritage.In 2011, an attempt to nominate a prehistoric “observatory” site onto the World Heritage List proved unsuccessful because UNESCO rejected the interpretation as statistically and archaeologically unproven. The case highlights an issue at the heart of archaeoastronomical methodology and interpretation: the mere existence of astronomical alignments in ancient sites does not prove that they were important to those who constructed and used the sites, let alone giving us insights into their likely significance and meaning. Advances in archaeoastronomy over several decades have resulted in the development of a substantial body of theory and practice (Ruggles 2014) where the most favoured interpretations depend upon integrating methods from astronomy, anthropology and other disciplines, but individual cases can still engender considerable controversy.The fact that more archaeoastronomical sites are now appearing on national tentative lists prior to their WHL nomination means that this is no longer just an academic issue; establishing the credibility of the archaeoastronomical interpretations is crucial to any assessment of their value in heritage terms.In this talk I shall describe progress that has been made within the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative towards establishing broadly acceptable measures of archaeoastronomical credibility that make sense in the context of the heritage evaluation process. I will focus particularly, but not exclusively, on sites that are included in the Thematic Studies and/or are already included on national Tentative Lists, such as the Portuguese/Spanish seven-stone antas (Neolithic dolmens) and Chankillo in Peru (solar observation device dating to c. 300BC). I will also mention how the recognition of astronomical attributes of potential

Instructor Credibility across Disciplines: Identifying Students' Differentiated Expectations of Instructor Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Obermiller, Carl; Ruppert, Bryan; Atwood, April

2012-01-01

Business communication instructors can face a unique set of challenges to maintain their credibility with students. Communication plays an important role in the instructor-student relationship, and students judge instructors' ability to teach communication based on their ability to practice what they teach. The authors' empirical study shows that…

The Effects of Teacher Self-Disclosure via "Facebook" on Teacher Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

Mazer, Joseph P.; Murphy, Richard E.; Simonds, Cheri J.

2009-01-01

Research suggests that teachers who personalize their teaching through the use of humor, stories, enthusiasm, and self-disclosure are perceived by their students to be effective in explaining course content. This experimental study examined the effects of computer-mediated teacher self-disclosure on perceptions of teacher credibility. Participants…

Twitter Use and Its Effects on Student Perception of Instructor Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

DeGroot, Jocelyn M.; Young, Valerie J.; VanSlette, Sarah H.

2015-01-01

This study investigates college student perceptions of instructor credibility based on the content of an instructor's Twitterfeed and student beliefs about Twitter as a communication tool. Quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized to explore the effects of three manipulated Twitter feeds (e.g., tweeting social topics, professional topics,…

Electrocardiogram PR Interval Is a Surrogate Marker to Predict New Occurrence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Frequent Premature Atrial Contractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Kwang Jin; Hwang, Jin Kyung; Choi, So Ra; Park, Seung-Jung; On, Young Keun; Kim, June Soo; Park, Kyoung-Min

2016-04-01

The clinical significance of prolonged PR interval has not been evaluated in patients with frequent premature atrial contractions (PACs). We investigated whether prolonged PR interval could predict new occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with frequent PACs. We retrospectively analyzed 684 patients with frequent PACs (> 100 PACs/day) who performed repeated 24-hour Holter monitoring. Prolonged PR interval was defined as longer than 200 msec. Among 684 patients, 626 patients had normal PR intervals (group A) and 58 patients had prolonged PR intervals (group B). After a mean follow-up of 59.3 months, 14 patients (24.1%) in group B developed AF compared to 50 patients (8.0%) in group A (P PR interval (hazard ratio [HR], 1.950; 95% CI, 1.029-3.698; P = 0.041), age (HR, 1.033; 95% CI, 1.006-1.060; P = 0.015), and left atrial (LA) dimension (HR, 1.061; 95% CI, 1.012-1.112; P = 0.015) were associated with AF occurrence. Prolonged PR interval, advanced age, and enlarged LA dimension are independent risk factors of AF occurrence in patients with frequent PACs.

Towards Credible City Branding Practices: How Do Iran’s Largest Cities Face Ecological Modernization?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Negar Noori

2018-04-01

Full Text Available City branding is not only increasingly practiced in cities in established economies, but also among municipal governments in countries, until quite recently, rather closed off from the outside world. One country with a strong drive to engage in urban (redevelopment in the post-oil era through enhancing its ‘ecological modernization’ is Iran. Megacities in Iran have all begun to venture into making profiles of what they think they are or would like to be. However, some of the adopted city branding strategies lack sophistication. In this article, the authors examine what indicators can be used for evaluating the credibility of city brands and apply these to Iran’s 15 megacities. After offering brief descriptions of the generic features of each of these cities, they map their use of city brand identities and popular city labels related to ecological modernization and analyze the credibility of their city branding practices. Based on their findings, the authors distinguish five types of cities and explain what makes some types more credible in their use of brands than others. Generally speaking, compared to cities in other nations, Iranian cities pay special attention to historical, natural, cultural, and religious aspects.

Why Follow the Leader? Collective Action, Credible Commitment and Conflict

OpenAIRE

Keefer, Philip

2012-01-01

Most analyses of conflict assume that conflicting groups act in a unitary fashion. This assumption is often violated: to reduce their risk of replacement, group leaders prevent both group members and soldiers from acting collectively, making it difficult for leaders to make credible commitments to them. Lifting the assumption that groups are unitary shifts the analysis of a wide range of c...

Supply Chain Risk Management: An Introduction to the Credible Threat

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-01

van.poindexter@dau.mil. Figure 3. Trusted Suppliers Source: “ Managing Information Communications Technology Global Supply Chain Risk Awareness...Defense AT&L: July-August 2016 18 Supply Chain Risk Management An Introduction to the Credible Threat Heath Ferry n Van Poindexter 19...cybersecurity breach. This article examines the elements of supply chain risk management , the national security risks associated with exploitation, and

Influence of User Ratings, Expert Ratings and Purposes of Information Use on the Credibility Judgments of College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Sook; Steffel, Nick

2015-01-01

Introduction: This study examined whether user ratings, expert ratings and the purpose of the use of a book on a user-generated site influenced the credibility of the book. It also examined whether the effects of user ratings and expert ratings on credibility judgments of the book varied according to the purpose of information use. In addition,…

The Emotional Moves of a Rational Actor: Smiles, Scowls, and Other Credible Messages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lawrence Ian Reed

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Many scholars turn to emotions to understand irrational behavior. We do the opposite: we turn to rationality and game theory to understand people’s emotions. We discuss a striking theory of emotions that began with the game theory of credible threats and promises, then was enriched by evolutionary biology and psychology, and now is being tested in psychological experiments. We review some of these experiments which use economic games to set up strategic situations with real payoffs. The experiments test whether a player’s emotional expressions lend credibility to promises, threats, and claims of danger or hardship. The results offer insights into the hidden strategies behind a warm smile, an angry scowl, a look of terror, and eyes of despair.

Workshop on establishing institutional credibility for SEAB Task Force on Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

At the request of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board's Task Force on Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, the National Research Council sponsored a workshop on Establishing Institutional Credibility. The purpose of the workshop was to (1) identify the range of available knowledge regarding the theoretical and conceptual issues of how institutions establish their credibility and legitimacy with key constituents, and (2) to help explore and clarify fundamental concepts in management theory related to these issues. The examination was to include what is known about how organizations establish, maintain, lose, and regain public trust and confidence. There was to be no attempt to develop consensus on these issues or to suggest particular courses of action. The workshop was held on October 24-25, 1991, in Denver, Colorado

From intermediation to disintermediation and apomediation: new models for consumers to access and assess the credibility of health information in the age of Web2.0.

Science.gov (United States)

Eysenbach, Gunther

2007-01-01

This theoretical paper discusses the model that, as a result of the social process of disintermediation enabled by digital media, traditional intermediaries are replaced by what this author calls apomediaries, which are tools and peers standing by to guide consumers to trustworthy information, or adding credibility to information. For apomediation to be an attractive and successful model for consumers, the recipient has to reach a certain degree of maturity and autonomy. Different degrees of autonomy may explain differences in information seeking and credibility appraisal behaviours. It is hypothesized that in an apomediated environment, tools, influential peers and opinion leaders are the primary conveyors of trust and credibility. In this environment, apomediary credibility may become equally or more important than source credibility or even message credibility. It is suggested to use tools of network analysis to study the dynamics of apomediary credibility in a networked digital world. There are practical implications of the apomediation model for developers of consumer health websites which aspire to come across as "credible: Consumers need and want to be able to be co-creators of content, not merely be an audience who is broadcasted to. Web2.0 technology enables such sites. Engaging and credible Web sites are about building community and communities are built upon personal and social needs.

Investigating the impact of viral message appeal and message credibility on consumer attitude toward the brand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esmaeilpour Majid

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Due to the rapid growth of the Internet and use of e-commerce in the recent years, viral marketing has drawn the attention of manufacturing and service organizations. However, no research has been conducted to examine the impact of message appeal and message source credibility on consumers’ attitude with mediating role of intellectual involvement of consumers and their risk taking level. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of appeal and message source credibility on consumers’ attitude with mediating role of consumers’ intellectual involvement and their risk taking level. The population of this study includes consumers of mobile phones (Samsung, Sony, Nokia, LG and iPhone in the Bushehr city (Iran. As the population of the study is unlimited, 430 questionnaires were distributed using available sampling method, and 391 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Using structural equation modeling, we analysed the data through smart PLS software. The results show that the appeal and credibility of the message source impact the consumer attitudes toward the brand. We also found that the intellectual involvement of consumers plays the mediating role in the relationship between message appeal and consumer attitudes toward brands. In the relationship between message source credibility and customer attitude towards the brand, the level of risk taking of people has no mediating role.

Global Zero and Deterrence Credibility : A Critical Analysis of Obama`s Nuclear Policy and Extended Nuclear Deterrence Credibility on the Korean Peninsula

OpenAIRE

Ganss, Mathias

2012-01-01

This thesis is a qualitative case study analysis of the whether the nuclear policies of President Obama has weakened the U.S. extended nuclear deterrence credibility on the Korean Peninsula. To answer this, the thesis employs two strategies: First, two variables are discussed; a nuclear capabilities-variable; and a nuclear policy-variable. The purpose is to assess the impact the New START treaty has on U.S. nuclear capabilities, and to assess the implications of Obama`s nuclear policy, expres...

The Age of Emotionality? – How emotions influence consumers’ perception of credibility and trust in CSR communication

OpenAIRE

Reupsch, Anika

2017-01-01

Companies around the world are using different strategies for their corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication, but finding an appropriate strategy to enhance trust and credibility on the consumer side remains challenging. The constitutive aspect of emotions in CSR communication has long been overlooked. Therefore, this study investigates the influence emotions in CSR communication have on the credibility and trust consumers have in a firm’s CSR. Quantitative research with group divi...

Investigating electronic word-of-mouth effects on online discussion forums: the role of perceived positive electronic word-of-mouth review credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Chih, Wen-Hai; Wang, Kai-Yu; Hsu, Li-Chun; Huang, Su-Chen

2013-09-01

Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) has been an important factor influencing consumer purchase decisions. Using the ABC model of attitude, this study proposes a model to explain how eWOM affects online discussion forums. Specifically, we propose that platform (Web site reputation and source credibility) and customer (obtaining buying-related information and social orientation through information) factors influence purchase intentions via perceived positive eWOM review credibility, as well as product and Web site attitudes in an online community context. A total of 353 online discussion forum users in an online community (Fashion Guide) in Taiwan were recruited, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that Web site reputation, source credibility, obtaining buying-related information, and social orientation through information positively influence perceived positive eWOM review credibility. In turn, perceived positive eWOM review credibility directly influences purchase intentions and also indirectly influences purchase intentions via product and Web site attitudes. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.

The Importance of 'Likes': The Interplay of Message Framing, Source, and Social Endorsement on Credibility Perceptions of Health Information on Facebook.

Science.gov (United States)

Borah, Porismita; Xiao, Xizhu

2018-01-01

Online sources not only permeate the information-seeking environment of the younger generation, but also have profound influence in shaping their beliefs and behaviors. In this landscape, examining the factors responsible for credibility perceptions of online information is fundamental, particularly for health-related information. Using a 2 (frames: gain vs. loss) × 2 (source: expert vs. non-expert) × 2 (social endorsement: high vs. low) randomized between-subjects experimental design, this study examines the effect of health message framing and the moderating effects of social endorsement and source type on credibility perceptions of Facebook posts. Testing across two issues--physical activity and alcohol consumption--findings indicate that the gain-framed message was perceived as most credible. Additionally, significant three-way interactions suggest that social endorsement and source type affect the relationship between message framing and credibility perceptions. Specifically, the findings demonstrate that a gain-framed message from an expert source with high number of 'likes' is considered the most credible message. These findings have significant implications for information gathering from social media sources, such as the influence of 'likes' on health information.

Plant identification credibility in ethnobotany: a closer look at Polish ethnographic studies

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Łuczaj Łukasz J

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper is an attempt to estimate the percentage of erroneously identified taxa in ethnographic studies concerning the use of plants and to propose a code for recording credibility of identification in historical ethnobotany publications. Methods A sample of Polish-language ethnobotanical literature (45 published sources from 1874-2005 and four collections of voucher specimens (from 1894-1975 were analyzed. Errors were detected in the publications by comparing the data with existing knowledge on the distribution of plant names and species ranges. The voucher specimens were re-examined. A one-letter code was invented for quick identification of the credibility of data published in lists of species compiled from historical or ethnographic sources, according to the source of identification: voucher specimen, Latin binominal, botanical expert, obvious widespread name, folk name, mode of use, range, physical description or photograph. To test the use of the code an up-to-date list of wild food plants used in Poland was made. Results A significant difference between the ratio of mistakes in the voucher specimen collections and the ratio of detectable mistakes in the studies without herbarium documentation was found. At least 2.3% of taxa in the publications were identified erroneously (mean rate was 6.2% per publication, and in half of these mistakes even the genus was not correct. As many as 10.0% of voucher specimens (on average 9.2% per collection were originally erroneously identified, but three quarters of the identification mistakes remained within-genus. The species of the genera Thymus, Rumex and Rubus were most often confused within the genus. Not all of the invented credibility codes were used in the list of wild food plants, but they may be useful for other researchers. The most often used codes were the ones signifying identification by: voucher specimen, botanical expert and by a common name used throughout the

Plant identification credibility in ethnobotany: a closer look at Polish ethnographic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Łuczaj, Łukasz J

2010-12-17

This paper is an attempt to estimate the percentage of erroneously identified taxa in ethnographic studies concerning the use of plants and to propose a code for recording credibility of identification in historical ethnobotany publications. A sample of Polish-language ethnobotanical literature (45 published sources from 1874-2005) and four collections of voucher specimens (from 1894-1975) were analyzed. Errors were detected in the publications by comparing the data with existing knowledge on the distribution of plant names and species ranges. The voucher specimens were re-examined.A one-letter code was invented for quick identification of the credibility of data published in lists of species compiled from historical or ethnographic sources, according to the source of identification: voucher specimen, Latin binominal, botanical expert, obvious widespread name, folk name, mode of use, range, physical description or photograph. To test the use of the code an up-to-date list of wild food plants used in Poland was made. A significant difference between the ratio of mistakes in the voucher specimen collections and the ratio of detectable mistakes in the studies without herbarium documentation was found. At least 2.3% of taxa in the publications were identified erroneously (mean rate was 6.2% per publication), and in half of these mistakes even the genus was not correct. As many as 10.0% of voucher specimens (on average 9.2% per collection) were originally erroneously identified, but three quarters of the identification mistakes remained within-genus.The species of the genera Thymus, Rumex and Rubus were most often confused within the genus.Not all of the invented credibility codes were used in the list of wild food plants, but they may be useful for other researchers. The most often used codes were the ones signifying identification by: voucher specimen, botanical expert and by a common name used throughout the country. The results of this study support the rigorous use

Incorrect, fake, and false: Journalists' perceived online source credibility and verification behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vergeer, M.R.M.

2018-01-01

This study focuses on the extent journalists verify information provided by online sources, and tests to what extent this verification behavior can be explained by journalists' perceived credibility of online information and other factors, such as journalism education of journalists, work and

CREDIBILITY OF WEBSITES THROUGH FACETS AND DIMENSIONS

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Oana ȚUGULEA

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study aims to investigate important aspects to concern on when building a commercial presentation website, in order to increase the credibility of the certain categories of a presentation website. Factor analysis was used in order to identify the dimensions of each category. The categories and resulted dimensions discussed were: “image” – with the following dimensions: Projected image, Specialist, Advert and Coherence, “relationship” – with the following dimensions: Bi-directional communication and Contact information, “product presentation” – with the following dimensions: In-depth description and Variety and “site functionality” – with the following dimensions: Usefulness, Official relationship, Complete communication, Exterior communication, Information format and References.

The use of relative coupling intervals in horses during walk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Emil; Pfau, Thilo

Walking speed varies between over-ground trials and a speed-independent gait-parameter does not exist for use in horses. We introduce relative (R) lateral (L) and diagonal (D) coupling intervals (CI) and hypothesize that both are independent of walking speed. Four horses were walked over 8 Kistler...

Evidence for the credibility of health economic models for health policy decision-making

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Rikke; Lindholt, Jes S.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the credibility of health economic models of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms for health policy decision-making has improved since 2005 when a systematic review by Campbell et al. concluded that reporting standards were poor and there was divergence between...... benefited from general advances in health economic modelling and some improvements in reporting were noted. However, the low level of agreement between studies in model structures and assumptions, and difficulty in justifying these (convergent validity), remain a threat to the credibility of health economic...... models. Decision-makers should not accept the results of a modelling study if the methods are not fully transparent and justified. Modellers should, whenever relevant, supplement a primary report of results with a technical report detailing and discussing the methodological choices made....

Correction: An Indicator of Media Credibility

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Gordana Vilović

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The regularity of publishing corrections, clarifi cations, and letters to the editor, entail a high level of respect among the media for their audiences as they signify accountability and media credibility.This study began on the general assumption that the Croatian media is reluctant to publish corrections regularly, projecting an image that errors simply do not occur. Certainly errorless reporting is impossible due to fact that journalism is a profession prone to human error. Therefore, this study has enacted a content analysis methodology to follow the four primary Croatian daily newspapers, Jutarnji list, Večernji list, 24 sata and Vjesnik, for the period between May 6 and 30, 2010. The primary conclusion is that Croatian newspaper editors are hesitant to publish corrections if they are not under pressure from the Media Law.

Freedom and Responsibility in First Amendment Theory: Defamation Law and Media Credibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunsaker, David M.

1979-01-01

Explores the concepts of freedom and responsibility in the context of First Amendment theory through an examination of the interrelationships between defamation law, access to media, and media credibility. Calls for a reassessment of the importance of defamation law in First Amendment theory. (JMF)

[Association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and the risk of postpartum haemorrhage].

Science.gov (United States)

Loscul, C; Chantry, A-A; Caubit, L; Deneux-Tharaux, C; Goffinet, F; Le Ray, C

2016-09-01

To study the association between the duration of oxytocin augmentation intervals and the risk of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) among primiparous women in spontaneous labour. Retrospective cohort including primiparous women in spontaneous labour who received oxytocin during labour (n=454). Oxytocin augmentation intervals were dichotomized in intervalsoxytocin augmentation intervals. The association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and PPH was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. Oxytocin augmentation intervals were shorter than 20minutes for 43.8% of the study population. The rate of PPH was higher (9.1% vs 3.5%; P=0.014), and the use of sulprostone was more frequent (6.5% vs 3.5%; P=0.013) if oxytocin augmentation intervals were shorter than 20minutes in comparison with intervals≥20minutes. The association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and PPH remains significant after adjustment on other PPH risk factors (adjusted OR=3.48, 95% CI [1.45-8.34]). The rate of adverse neonatal issue, defined by arterial pH at birth≤7.10 and/or 5minutes score d'Apgar≤7, was higher if oxytocin augmentation intervals wereoxytocin with augmentation intervals shorter than 20minutes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

The Effects of Source Credibility in the Presence or Absence of Prior Attitudes: Implications for the Design of Persuasive Communication Campaigns1

Science.gov (United States)

Kumkale, G. Tarcan; AlbarracÍn, Dolores; Seignourel, Paul J.

2011-01-01

Most theories of persuasion predict that limited ability and motivation to think about communications should increase the impact of source credibility on persuasion. Furthermore, this effect is assumed to occur, regardless of whether or not the recipients have prior attitudes. In this study, the effects of source credibility, ability, and motivation (knowledge, message repetition, relevance) on persuasion were examined meta-analytically across both attitude formation and change conditions. Findings revealed that the Source Credibility × Ability/Motivation interaction emerged only when participants lacked prior attitudes and were unable to form a new attitude based on the message content. In such settings, the effects of source credibility decayed rapidly. The implications of these findings for applied communication campaigns are discussed. PMID:21625405

Further Validation of the Conner's Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Rating Scale Infrequency Index (CII) for Detection of Non-Credible Report of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Carolyn M; Bolinger, Elizabeth; Suhr, Julie

2016-06-01

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be easily presented in a non-credible manner, through non-credible report of ADHD symptoms and/or by non-credible performance on neuropsychological tests. While most studies have focused on detection of non-credible performance using performance validity tests, there are few studies examining the ability to detect non-credible report of ADHD symptoms. We provide further validation data for a recently developed measure of non-credible ADHD symptom report, the Conner's Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) Infrequency Index (CII). Using archival data from 86 adults referred for concerns about ADHD, we examined the accuracy of the CII in detecting extreme scores on the CAARS and invalid reporting on validity indices of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Format (MMPI-2-RF). We also examined the accuracy of the CII in detecting non-credible performance on standalone and embedded performance validity tests. The CII was 52% sensitive to extreme scores on CAARS DSM symptom subscales (with 97% specificity) and 20%-36% sensitive to invalid responding on MMPI-2-RF validity scales (with near 90% specificity), providing further evidence for the interpretation of the CII as an indicator of non-credible ADHD symptom report. However, the CII detected only 18% of individuals who failed a standalone performance validity test (Word Memory Test), with 87.8% specificity, and was not accurate in detecting non-credible performance using embedded digit span cutoffs. Future studies should continue to examine how best to assess for non-credible symptom report in ADHD referrals. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Investing without credible inter-period regulations. A bargaining approach with application to investments in natural resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nordal, Kjell Bjoern

2002-01-01

A government's lack of credibility when promising future taxation and regulation of foreign direct investment is often regarded as an obstacle to foreign investment. As shown in this paper, the total lack of inter-period credibility may not necessarily prevent investments from taking place. Both the government and the investor can benefit from negotiating a series of short-lived agreements in which the investor obtains a share of the revenue generated from previous investments against the undertaking of making new investments. This assumes that intra-period agreements are respected by the parties

A multicriteria decision making approach based on fuzzy theory and credibility mechanism for logistics center location selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bowen; Xiong, Haitao; Jiang, Chengrui

2014-01-01

As a hot topic in supply chain management, fuzzy method has been widely used in logistics center location selection to improve the reliability and suitability of the logistics center location selection with respect to the impacts of both qualitative and quantitative factors. However, it does not consider the consistency and the historical assessments accuracy of experts in predecisions. So this paper proposes a multicriteria decision making model based on credibility of decision makers by introducing priority of consistency and historical assessments accuracy mechanism into fuzzy multicriteria decision making approach. In this way, only decision makers who pass the credibility check are qualified to perform the further assessment. Finally, a practical example is analyzed to illustrate how to use the model. The result shows that the fuzzy multicriteria decision making model based on credibility mechanism can improve the reliability and suitability of site selection for the logistics center.

Counselor Bilingual Ability, Counselor Ethnicity, Acculturation, and Mexican Americans' Perceived Counselor Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos-Sanchez, Lucila

2009-01-01

This study examined the effects of counselor bilingual ability and counselor ethnicity on client-perceived counselor credibility and cultural competence. Participants were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment conditions created by crossing counselor ethnicity with counselor language. No significant differences were found. Regarding rank ordering of the…

Practicing What We Teach: Credibility and Alignment in the Business Communication Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Ruppert, Bryan; Green, David A.

2012-01-01

The authors investigate the importance of instructor communication behaviors in a course on business communication, arguing that alignment between instructor behaviors and the precepts of the discipline has a pronounced effect on perceived instructor credibility in this field. Student evaluations were analyzed qualitatively for their comments on…

The Precision of Effect Size Estimation From Published Psychological Research: Surveying Confidence Intervals.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Andrew; Bradley, Michael T

2016-02-01

Confidence interval ( CI) widths were calculated for reported Cohen's d standardized effect sizes and examined in two automated surveys of published psychological literature. The first survey reviewed 1,902 articles from Psychological Science. The second survey reviewed a total of 5,169 articles from across the following four APA journals: Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, and Developmental Psychology. The median CI width for d was greater than 1 in both surveys. Hence, CI widths were, as Cohen (1994) speculated, embarrassingly large. Additional exploratory analyses revealed that CI widths varied across psychological research areas and that CI widths were not discernably decreasing over time. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed along with ways of reducing the CI widths and thus improving precision of effect size estimation.

The Concept of Credibility (Validity in Television and Internet News Discourse: Critical Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Ružić

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This article reverses the traditional notion of media (television, radio or news papers as a unidirectional agent of communication from producer to receiver to a more appropriate paradigm inwhich information is not embedded with hierarchy. The new media perspective and the appropriation of technology (Internet have changed the nature of information dissemination. One cannot discuss authenticity or credibility in terms of ”telling the truth or lying”. On the contrary, users today can verify information by contrasting traditional media, or by autonomous investigation on the Internet. In this manner, the obtained information is rendered semantically ambiguous. With an approach akin to cultural studies, the authority of the speakers becomes important (unlike today in mainstream television media where a speaker is hidden behind his or her program. New media provides a unique perspective in which the user is always the arbiter of informational usefulness. The crisis that is manifested in traditional media by the lack of subjectivity of the reporter becomes diametrically opposite on the Internet. The all-knowing subject vanishes and gives place to an inter-subjective exchange which deletes hierarchy and the ontology of the ”truth”. A mirror perspective becomes the dominant order, by which one becomes inter-subjective par excellence. Within the present and future of new media, credibility will not be reserved for the ideological mass producers of information, but rather the credibility of the users. By becoming media, users begin to bear the burden of subjective analysis and multivocality.

AlphaCI: un programa de cálculo de intervalos de confianza para el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach AlphaCI: a computer program for computing confidence intervals around Cronbach's alfa coefficient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubén Ledesma

2004-06-01

Full Text Available El coeficiente alfa de Cronbach es el modo más habitual de estimar la fiabilidad de pruebas basadas en Teoría Clásica de los Test. En dicha estimación, los investigadores usualmente omiten informar intervalos de confianza para el coeficiente, un aspecto no solo recomendado por los especialistas, sino también requerido explícitamente en las normas editoriales de algunas revistas especializadas. Esta situación puede atribuirse a que los métodos de estimación de intervalos de confianza son poco conocidos, además de no estar disponibles al usuario en los programas estadísticos más populares. Así, en este trabajo se presenta un programa desarrollado dentro del sistema estadístico ViSta que permite calcular intervalos de confianza basados en el enfoque clásico y mediante la técnica bootstrap. Se espera promover la inclusión de intervalos de confianza para medidas de fiabilidad, facilitando el acceso a las herramientas necesarias para su aplicación. El programa es gratuito y puede obtenerse enviando un mail de solicitud al autor del trabajo.Cronbach's alpha coefficient is the most popular way of estimating reliability in measurement scales based on Classic Test Theory. When estimating it, researchers usually omit to report confidence intervals of this coefficient, as it is not only recommended by experts, but also required by some journal's guidelines. This situation is because the different methods of estimating confidence intervals are not well-known by researchers, as well as they are not being available among the most popular statistical packages. Therefore, this paper describes a computer program integrated into the ViSta statistical system, which allows computing confidence intervals based on the classical approach and using bootstrap technique. It is hoped that this work promotes the inclusion of confidence intervals of reliability measures, by increasing the availability of the required computer tools. The program is free and

Natureza e ciências sociais

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Gloria Maria Vargas

2003-12-01

Full Text Available A construção do sentido do termo natureza abrange diferentes áreas do conhecimento e tem sido objeto de reflexão tanto das ciências naturais quanto sociais. Nos desdobramentos do conhecimento produzido sobre esta temática existem diversas abordagens que, da perspectiva das ciências sociais, podem ser identificadas. O propósito deste artigo é considerar algumas dessas abordagens e relacioná-las com as novas práticas sociais que determinam formas de intervenção inéditas sobre a natureza, e que colocam questões para estas ciências, enquanto produtoras de conhecimento sobre o tema. De igual forma, explicita-se a substituição deste termo pelo de ambiente e, posteriormente, o aparecimento do desenvolvimento sustentável, como parte do cabedal conceitual com que a problemática em torno das relações naturezasociedade é abordada nas ciências sociais.La construcción del sentido del término naturaleza abarca diferentes áreas del conocimiento y ha sido objeto de reflexión tanto de las ciencias naturales como sociales. Los desdoblamientos del conocimiento producido sobre este tema muestran que existen diversos abordajes que pueden ser identificados desde la perspectiva de las ciencias sociales. El objetivo de este artículo es considerar algunos de esos abordajes y relacionarlos con las nuevas prácticas sociales que determinan formas de intervención inéditas sobre la naturaleza y que sugieren cuestionamientos para estas ciencias, como productoras de conocimiento sobre este tema. De igual manera, se explicita la substitución de este término por el de ambiente e, posteriormente, el aparecimiento del término desarrollo sostenible como parte del acervo conceptual con que es abordada la problemática alrededor de las relaciones naturaleza-sociedad en las ciencias sociales.The construction of the term nature involves different areas of knowledge and has been the object of inquiry of both natural and social sciences. The knowledge

The dual impact of "appeal" and "researcher credibility" on mail survey response rate in the context of preventive health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Angur, M G; Nataraajan, R; Chawla, S K

1994-01-01

Health and fitness centers are becoming increasingly aware of their importance in the realm of preventive health care. Many hospitals have begun to open and run fitness centers, a trend that seems very likely to continue. In a competitive environment, every center would desire to obtain maximum valid customer information at minimum cost, and this paper addresses this issue. The authors investigate the confluence of both appeal and researcher credibility on mail questionnaire response rates from a metropolitan membership of a large fitness center. Personal appeal with high researcher credibility was found to generate significantly higher response rate followed by the hybrid appeal with low researcher credibility.

The effects of similarity, parasocial identification, and source credibility in obesity public service announcements on diet and exercise self-efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Phua, Joe

2016-05-01

This study examined the effect of the audience's similarity to, and parasocial identification with, spokespersons in obesity public service announcements, on perceived source credibility, and diet and exercise self-efficacy. The results (N = 200) indicated that perceived similarity to the spokesperson was significantly associated with three dimensions of source credibility (competence, trustworthiness, and goodwill), each of which in turn influenced parasocial identification with the spokesperson. Parasocial identification also exerted a positive impact on the audiences' diet and exercise self-efficacy. Additionally, significant differences were found between overweight viewers and non-overweight viewers on perceived similarity, parasocial identification with the spokesperson, and source credibility. © The Author(s) 2014.

Adolescent Health Literacy: The Importance of Credible Sources for Online Health Information

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaddar, Suad F.; Valerio, Melissa A.; Garcia, Carolyn M.; Hansen, Lucy

2012-01-01

Background: Little research has examined adolescent health literacy and its relationship with online health information sources. The purpose of this study is to explore health literacy among a predominantly Hispanic adolescent population and to investigate whether exposure to a credible source of online health information, MedlinePlus[R], is…

The Impact of Computing Interpregnancy Intervals Without Accounting for Intervening Pregnancy Events.

Science.gov (United States)

Conzuelo-Rodriguez, Gabriel; Naimi, Ashley I

2018-03-01

Short interpregnancy intervals (IPI) are associated with poor birth outcomes. Often, only livebirths are considered to estimate IPI. The objective of our work is to explore whether the associations between demographic, behavioural, and pregnancy variables and IPI change when events other than livebirth are included. We used data from the 2006-10 and 2011-13 period of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). We defined IPI using the conception date of the index pregnancy and the event date of the previous one ending in (i) livebirth; (ii) stillbirth; (iii) miscarriage; (iv) abortion; or (v) any of these events. Risk ratios (RR) were estimated for short IPI (definition, especially for unintended versus intended pregnancies (only livebirth risk ratio [RR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2, 1.5) versus livebirth and miscarriage RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.0, 1.3) and women older than 30 vs. younger than 20 at resolution of the previous pregnancy (only livebirth RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.0, 1.5 versus livebirth and miscarriage RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.2, 1.6). Including miscarriage as an intervening event in the calculation of IPI changes the association between several risk factors and short IPI. However, the association between short IPI and preterm birth does not vary when different IPI calculations are used. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Consumer Health Information Websites with High Visual Design Ratings Likely to Be also Highly Rated for Perceived Credibility. A Review of: Robins, D., Holmes, J., & Stansbury, M. (2010. Consumer health information on the web: The relationship of visual design and perceptions of credibility. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 61(1, 13-19.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Kelly

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Objective – To answer two research questions: 1 What is the relationship between the visual design of a consumer health information web site and perceptions of the credibility of information found on it? 2 Is there a relationship between brand recognition, visual design preference, and credibility judgments?Design – Qualitative (correlation of rating of response to stimulus and quantitative (credibility coding of participant commentsSetting – Not stated; assumed to be academic institutions in the United States.Subjects – Thirty-four participants over the age of 35 (34 for statistical power and age over 35 on the hypothesis that this age group is most likely to seek health information on the Internet.Methods – Screen shots of 31 consumer health information sites chosen from the results of a Google search using the term “consumer health information” were converted to slide format and shown to participants. The 31 sites included 12 of the top ranked consumer health information sites derived from three sources: the Consumer and Patient Health Information Section (CAPHIS of the Medical Library Association (MLA, the MLA itself, and Consumer Reports. Participants were read and shown a script explaining the process prior to being asked to view and rate the 31 sites. Participants were first shown a blank slide with a crosshair to focus attention. Then a stimulus slide was shown for 2.8 seconds. A blank black screen was shown while they determined their rating. Participants were first asked to rate the visual design and aesthetics of the 31 web sites using a rating scale of -4 to -1 for negative judgments and +1 to +4 for positive judgments. Then they were asked to remember why they had made positive or negative ratings and why some web sites were preferred to others. The process was repeated with the slides re-ordered, and participants were asked to rate the credibility of the sites using the same rating scales. Upon completion

Verification, Validation and Credibility Assessment of a Computational Model of the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED)

Science.gov (United States)

Werner, C. R.; Humphreys, B. T.; Mulugeta, L.

2014-01-01

The Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) is the resistive exercise device used by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to mitigate bone loss and muscle atrophy due to extended exposure to microgravity (micro g). The Digital Astronaut Project (DAP) has developed a multi-body dynamics model of biomechanics models for use in spaceflight exercise physiology research and operations. In an effort to advance model maturity and credibility of the ARED model, the DAP performed verification, validation and credibility (VV and C) assessment of the analyses of the model in accordance to NASA-STD-7009 'Standards for Models and Simulations'.

Filosofia da ciência e ensino da ciência: uma analogia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Villani

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Neste trabalho, inicialmente explicitaremos nossa compreensão do debate entre Kuhn, Popper, Lakatos e Feyerabend na Conferencia Internacional sobre Filosofia da Ciência (1965, delineando as diferenças nas posições de nossos filósofos. Em seguida apresentaremos um quadro das posições sobre o ensino de ciências, assim como nos parecem caracterizar os último 30 anos de pesquisas na área. Finalmente tentaremos uma aproximação dos dois campos, procurando salientar as implicações que a problemática filosófica teve e tem para uma maior compreensão do ensino de ciências e matemática.

The public information challenge: confidence and credibility through communications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spence, H.J.M.

1994-01-01

Canada's Atomic Energy Control Board, considered the oldest independent nuclear regulatory body in the world, has made significant progress toward openness and visibility through public information policy initiatives and communications activities, particularly in the last five years. A number of public information projects are described, and successes as well as disappointments are outlined. The importance in terms of enhanced credibility and public confidence in the regulatory agency is stressed. In looking toward the future, the linking of communications to the operational functions and activities of the regulator is presented as a key requirement. (author)

Attitude Similarity and Therapist Credibility as Predictors of Attitude Change and Improvement in Psychotherapy

Science.gov (United States)

Beutler, Larry E.; And Others

1975-01-01

This study attempts to (1) assess the effects of therapist credibility and patient-therapist similarity on interpersonal persuasion; and (2) to further assess the relationship between patient attitude change and psychotherapy outcome. (HMV)

Interval selection with machine-dependent intervals

OpenAIRE

Bohmova K.; Disser Y.; Mihalak M.; Widmayer P.

2013-01-01

We study an offline interval scheduling problem where every job has exactly one associated interval on every machine. To schedule a set of jobs, exactly one of the intervals associated with each job must be selected, and the intervals selected on the same machine must not intersect.We show that deciding whether all jobs can be scheduled is NP-complete already in various simple cases. In particular, by showing the NP-completeness for the case when all the intervals associated with the same job...

Multiplicative Consistency for Interval Valued Reciprocal Preference Relations

OpenAIRE

Wu, Jian; Chiclana, Francisco

2014-01-01

The multiplicative consistency (MC) property of interval additive reciprocal preference relations (IARPRs) is explored, and then the consistency index is quantified by the multiplicative consistency estimated IARPR. The MC property is used to measure the level of consistency of the information provided by the experts and also to propose the consistency index induced ordered weighted averaging (CI-IOWA) operator. The novelty of this operator is that it aggregates individual IARPRs in such ...

Format as a False Judge of Credibility: Messages from Librarians and Faculty and Student Responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy E. Mark

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this case study is to explore how students make sense of and respond to messages about information in higher education. This study identifies the messages students in higher education receive about information gathering, conducting research, and the credibility and authority of information sources. This research revealed that students are receiving the message from faculty that format is a stand-in for credibility. Research to date focuses on how to steer students to information privileged by the academy: academic, peer reviewed articles, and books. The voice of students is often absent. This study employs the critical framework of Paulo Freire in order to give voice to student perceptions of information.

Preserving professional credibility: grounded theory study of medical trainees' requests for clinical support.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Tara J T; Regehr, Glenn; Baker, G Ross; Lingard, Lorelei

2009-02-09

To develop a conceptual framework of the influences on medical trainees' decisions regarding requests for clinical support from a supervisor. Phase 1: members of teaching teams in internal and emergency medicine were observed during regular clinical activities (216 hours) and subsequently completed brief interviews. Phase 2: 36 in depth interviews were conducted using videotaped vignettes to probe tacit influences on decisions to request support. Data collection and analysis used grounded theory methods. Three teaching hospitals in an urban setting in Canada. 124 members of teaching teams on general internal medicine wards and in the emergency department, comprising 31 attending physicians, 57 junior and senior residents, 28 medical students, and eight nurses. Purposeful sampling to saturation was conducted. Trainees' decisions about whether or not to seek clinical support were influenced by three issues: the clinical question (clinical importance, scope of practice), supervisor factors (availability, approachability), and trainee factors (skill, desire for independence, evaluation). Trainees perceived that requesting frequent/inappropriate support threatened their credibility and used rhetorical strategies to preserve credibility. These strategies included building a case for the importance of requests, saving requests for opportune moments, making a plan before requesting support, and targeting requests to specific team members. Trainees consider not only clinical implications but also professional credibility when requesting support from clinical supervisors. Exposing the complexity of this process provides the opportunity to make changes to training programmes to promote timely supervision and provides a framework for further exploration of the impact of clinical training on quality of care of patients.

A conceptual model of the automated credibility assessment of the volunteered geographic information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Idris, N H; Jackson, M J; Ishak, M H I

2014-01-01

The use of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) in collecting, sharing and disseminating geospatially referenced information on the Web is increasingly common. The potentials of this localized and collective information have been seen to complement the maintenance process of authoritative mapping data sources and in realizing the development of Digital Earth. The main barrier to the use of this data in supporting this bottom up approach is the credibility (trust), completeness, accuracy, and quality of both the data input and outputs generated. The only feasible approach to assess these data is by relying on an automated process. This paper describes a conceptual model of indicators (parameters) and practical approaches to automated assess the credibility of information contributed through the VGI including map mashups, Geo Web and crowd – sourced based applications. There are two main components proposed to be assessed in the conceptual model – metadata and data. The metadata component comprises the indicator of the hosting (websites) and the sources of data / information. The data component comprises the indicators to assess absolute and relative data positioning, attribute, thematic, temporal and geometric correctness and consistency. This paper suggests approaches to assess the components. To assess the metadata component, automated text categorization using supervised machine learning is proposed. To assess the correctness and consistency in the data component, we suggest a matching validation approach using the current emerging technologies from Linked Data infrastructures and using third party reviews validation. This study contributes to the research domain that focuses on the credibility, trust and quality issues of data contributed by web citizen providers

PR Interval Prolongation and Cryptogenic Stroke: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Montalvo, Mayra; Tadi, Prasanna; Merkler, Alexander; Gialdini, Gino; Martin-Schild, Sheryl; Navalkele, Digvijaya; Samai, Alyana; Nouh, Amre; Hussain, Mohammad; Goldblatt, Steven; Hemendinger, Morgan; Chu, Antony; Song, Christopher; Kamel, Hooman; Furie, Karen L; Yaghi, Shadi

2017-10-01

Atrial dysfunction or "cardiopathy" has been recently proposed as a mechanism in cryptogenic stroke. A prolonged PR interval may reflect impaired atrial conduction and thus may be a biomarker of atrial cardiopathy. We aim to compare the prevalence of PR interval prolongation in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) when compared with known non-cryptogenic non-cardioembolic stroke (NCNCS) subtypes. We used prospective ischemic stroke databases of 3 comprehensive stroke centers to identify patients 18 years or older with a discharge diagnosis of ischemic non-cardioembolic stroke between December 1, 2013 and August 31, 2015. The main outcome was ischemic stroke subtype (CS versus NCNCS). We compared PR intervals as a continuous and categorical variable (PR interval prolongation and CS. We identified 644 patients with ischemic non-cardioembolic stroke (224 CS and 420 NCNCS). Patients with CS were more likely to have a PR of 200 milliseconds or greater when compared with those with NCNCS (23.2% versus 13.8%, P = .009). After adjusting for factors that were significant in univariate analyses, a PR of 200 milliseconds or greater was independently associated with CS (odds ratio [OR] 1.70, 95% CI 1.08-2.70). The association was more pronounced when excluding patients on atrioventricular nodal blocking agents (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.44-4.83). A PR of 200 milliseconds or greater is associated with CS and may be a biomarker of atrial cardiopathy in the absence of atrial fibrillation. Prospective studies are needed to confirm this association. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nudności i wymioty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Mokrowiecka

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Nudności są nieprzyjemnym, niebolesnym odczuciem silnej, nieodpartej potrzeby zwymiotowania, z kolei wymioty polegają na gwałtownym wydaleniu treści żołądka przez usta w wyniku silnych skurczów mięśni brzucha i klatki piersiowej. Nudności i wymioty mogą występować niezależnie od siebie, ale najczęściej są ze sobą powiązane. Nudności i wymioty powstają w odpowiedzi zarówno na bodźce fizjologiczne, jak i patologiczne. Zwykle jednak przewlekłe nudności i wymioty są objawem chorób przewodu pokarmowego lub innych narządów. Choroby przewodu pokarmowego i otrzewnej stanowią szeroką grupę chorób wywołujących nudności i wymioty, począwszy od nieżytu żołądkowo-jelitowego o ostrym infekcyjnym tle, przez zatrucie pokarmowe i nadwrażliwość pokarmową, do stanów ostrych – niedrożności jelita cienkiego lub/i grubego. Leki i toksyny, między innymi cytostatyki, są jedną z najczęstszych przyczyn nudności i wymiotów. Wśród innych przyczyn nudności i wymiotów można wymienić: choroby OUN prowadzące do zwiększenia ciśnienia śródczaszkowego, choroby endokrynologiczne i metaboliczne (mocznica, kwasica ketonowa w cukrzycy, choroby tarczycy i przytarczyc oraz choroba Addisona, zawał ściany dolnej mięśnia sercowego, nudności i wymioty pooperacyjne. Nudności i wymioty jako choroby czynnościowe zostały ujęte w III kryteriach rzymskich w punkcie „Choroby czynnościowe żołądka i dwunastnicy”. W diagnostyce różnicowej należy uwzględnić czas trwania wymiotów, czas pomiędzy posiłkiem a wystąpieniem wymiotów, a także charakter treści wymiocin i inne objawy towarzyszące. Wywiad i badanie fizykalne dostarczają zwykle wystarczających informacji do postawienia prawidłowej diagnozy i ustalenia leczenia u większości chorych cierpiących na nudności i wymioty. Niektórzy pacjenci wymagają jednak badań laboratoryjnych, obrazowych i endoskopowych przed zastosowaniem odpowiedniej

The Relation of Source Credibility and Message Frequency to Program Evaluation and Self-Confidence of Students in a Job Shadowing Program

Science.gov (United States)

Linnehan, Frank

2004-01-01

Using a pre- and post-test design, this study examined the relation of an adult's credibility and message frequency to the beliefs of female high school students participating in a job-shadowing program. Hypotheses were based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model of attitude formation and change. Findings indicate that credibility of the adult…

Maximum credible accident analysis for TR-2 reactor conceptual design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manopulo, E.

1981-01-01

A new reactor, TR-2, of 5 MW, designed in cooperation with CEN/GRENOBLE is under construction in the open pool of TR-1 reactor of 1 MW set up by AMF atomics at the Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center. In this report the fission product inventory and doses released after the maximum credible accident have been studied. The diffusion of the gaseous fission products to the environment and the potential radiation risks to the population have been evaluated

The ‘credibility paradox’ in China’s science communication: Views from scientific practitioners

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Joy Yueyue

2015-01-01

In contrast to increasing debates on China’s rising status as a global scientific power, issues of China’s science communication remain under-explored. Based on 21 in-depth interviews in three cities, this article examines Chinese scientists’ accounts of the entangled web of influence which conditions the process of how scientific knowledge achieves (or fails to achieve) its civic authority. A main finding of this study is a ‘credibility paradox’ as a result of the over-politicisation of science and science communication in China. Respondents report that an absence of visible institutional endorsements renders them more public credibility and better communication outcomes. Thus, instead of exploiting formal channels of science communication, scientists interviewed were more keen to act as ‘informal risk communicators’ in grassroots and private events. Chinese scientists’ perspectives on how to earn public support of their research sheds light on the nature and impact of a ‘civic epistemology’ in an authoritarian state. PMID:26307594

Robust misinterpretation of confidence intervals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoekstra, Rink; Morey, Richard D; Rouder, Jeffrey N; Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan

2014-10-01

Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) is undoubtedly the most common inferential technique used to justify claims in the social sciences. However, even staunch defenders of NHST agree that its outcomes are often misinterpreted. Confidence intervals (CIs) have frequently been proposed as a more useful alternative to NHST, and their use is strongly encouraged in the APA Manual. Nevertheless, little is known about how researchers interpret CIs. In this study, 120 researchers and 442 students-all in the field of psychology-were asked to assess the truth value of six particular statements involving different interpretations of a CI. Although all six statements were false, both researchers and students endorsed, on average, more than three statements, indicating a gross misunderstanding of CIs. Self-declared experience with statistics was not related to researchers' performance, and, even more surprisingly, researchers hardly outperformed the students, even though the students had not received any education on statistical inference whatsoever. Our findings suggest that many researchers do not know the correct interpretation of a CI. The misunderstandings surrounding p-values and CIs are particularly unfortunate because they constitute the main tools by which psychologists draw conclusions from data.

Shifting Roles, Enduring Values: The Credible Journalist in a Digital Age

OpenAIRE

Hayes, A.; Singer, J.; Ceppos, J.

2007-01-01

When everyone can be a publisher, what distinguishes the journalist? This article considers contemporary challenges to institutional roles in a digital media environment, then focuses on three broad journalistic normative values -- authenticity, accountability and autonomy -- that affect the credibility of both the journalist and the content he or she provides. A set of questions that can help citizens determine the trustworthiness of the information available to them also is provided.

Optimal preparation-to-colonoscopy interval in split-dose PEG bowel preparation determines satisfactory bowel preparation quality: an observational prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Eun Hee; Kim, Tae Oh; Park, Min Jae; Joo, Hee Rin; Heo, Nae Yun; Park, Jongha; Park, Seung Ha; Yang, Sung Yeon; Moon, Young Soo

2012-03-01

Several factors influence bowel preparation quality. Recent studies have indicated that the time interval between bowel preparation and the start of colonoscopy is also important in determining bowel preparation quality. To evaluate the influence of the preparation-to-colonoscopy (PC) interval (the interval of time between the last polyethylene glycol dose ingestion and the start of the colonoscopy) on bowel preparation quality in the split-dose method for colonoscopy. Prospective observational study. University medical center. A total of 366 consecutive outpatients undergoing colonoscopy. Split-dose bowel preparation and colonoscopy. The quality of bowel preparation was assessed by using the Ottawa Bowel Preparation Scale according to the PC interval, and other factors that might influence bowel preparation quality were analyzed. Colonoscopies with a PC interval of 3 to 5 hours had the best bowel preparation quality score in the whole, right, mid, and rectosigmoid colon according to the Ottawa Bowel Preparation Scale. In multivariate analysis, the PC interval (odds ratio [OR] 1.85; 95% CI, 1.18-2.86), the amount of PEG ingested (OR 4.34; 95% CI, 1.08-16.66), and compliance with diet instructions (OR 2.22l 95% CI, 1.33-3.70) were significant contributors to satisfactory bowel preparation. Nonrandomized controlled, single-center trial. The optimal time interval between the last dose of the agent and the start of colonoscopy is one of the important factors to determine satisfactory bowel preparation quality in split-dose polyethylene glycol bowel preparation. Copyright © 2012 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear snow job: utilities struggle to avoid credibility meltdown

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feeney, A.

1979-01-01

Electric utilities and the US nuclear industry are criticized for giving a public relations response to safety concerns following the accident at Three Mile Island and for passing the cost of the response on to utility customers. The large amounts of money budgeted by Babcock and Wilcox, Bechtel Power Corporation, the Atomic Industrial Forum, Electric Power Research Institute, Nuclear Energy Women, and others to minimize the incident and counter anti-nuclear arguments with media events are seen here by Feeney as evidence that the utilities and nuclear industry are afraid of political consequences as their technical credibility vanishes

Population genetic differentiation of height and body mass index across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Robinson, Matthew R.; Hemani, Gibran; Medina-Gomez, Carolina

2015-01-01

Across-nation differences in the mean values for complex traits are common(1-8), but the reasons for these differences are unknown. Here we find that many independent loci contribute to population genetic differences in height and body mass index (BMI) in 9,416 individuals across 14 European...... countries. Using discovery data on over 250,000 individuals and unbiased effect size estimates from 17,500 sibling pairs, we estimate that 24% (95% credible interval (CI) = 9%, 41%) and 8% (95% CI = 4%, 16%) of the captured additive genetic variance for height and BMI, respectively, reflect population...... genetic differences. Population genetic divergence differed significantly from that in a null model (height, P

On Manipulating Nonverbal Interaction Style to Increase Anthropomorphic Computer Character Credibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cowell, Andrew J.; Stanney, Kay M.

2003-09-01

This study examined the effectiveness of enhancing humanagentinteraction through the use of nonverbal behaviors. Ataxonomy is described, which organizes nonverbal behaviorsinto functional categories and the manner in which they can beembodied (i.e. through gesture, posture, paralanguage, eyecontact and facial expression). Prototype computer characterswere created according to guidelines extracted from thetaxonomy and their efficacy was empirical evaluated. Theresults indicate that by including trusting nonverbal behaviors,the perceived credibility of a computer character was enhanced,although addition of trusting bodily nonverbal behaviorprovided little in addition to trusting facial nonverbal behavior.Perhaps more importantly, a character expressing non-trustingnonverbal behaviors was perceived to be the least credible of allcharacters examined (including a character that expressed nononverbal behavior). Participants that interacted with thispersona perceived the task to be more demanding, madesignificantly more errors, and rated their interaction lesspositively and more monotonous than those using trustingpersonas. They also rated this character to be less likable,accurate, and intelligent. Taken together, the results from thisstudy suggest that there may indeed be benefit to endowingcomputer characters with nonverbal trusting behaviors, as longas those behaviors are accurately and appropriately portrayed.Such behaviors may lead to a more trusting environment andpositive experience for users. Negative character behavior,however, such as non-trusting behavior, may squander theadvantages that embodiment brings.

Residential Proximity to Major Roadways and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiqing Zhao

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Research indicates that higher levels of traffic-related pollution exposure increase the risk of diabetes, but the association between road proximity and diabetes risk remains unclear. To assess and quantify the association between residential proximity to major roadways and type 2 diabetes, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Embase, Medline, and Web of Science were searched for eligible studies. Using a random-effects meta-analysis, the summary relative risks (RRs were calculated. Bayesian meta-analysis was also performed. Eight studies (6 cohort and 2 cross-sectional with 158,576 participants were finally included. The summary unadjusted RR for type 2 diabetes associated with residential proximity to major roadways was 1.24 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07–1.44, p = 0.001, I2 = 48.1%. The summary adjusted RR of type 2 diabetes associated with residential proximity to major roadways was 1.12 (95% CI: 1.03–1.22, p = 0.01, I2 = 17.9%. After excluding two cross-sectional studies, the summary results suggested that residential proximity to major roadways could increase type 2 diabetes risk (Adjusted RR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02–1.27, p = 0.025, I2 = 36.6%. Bayesian meta-analysis showed that the unadjusted RR and adjusted RR of type 2 diabetes associated with residential proximity to major roadways were 1.22 (95% credibility interval: 1.06–1.55 and 1.13 (95% credibility interval: 1.01–1.31, respectively. The meta-analysis suggested that residential proximity to major roadways could significantly increase risk of type 2 diabetes, and it is an independent risk factor of type 2 diabetes. More well-designed studies are needed to further strengthen the evidence.

Facts, perception of facts, and the credibility of the process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossin, A.D.

1983-01-01

This paper analyses nuclear opposition in the United States, in particular as concerns construction of new facilities. The US adopted in 1969 the National Environmental Policy Act and subsequently, other regulations designed to assure public access to the decision-making process. However nuclear opponents continue to use every level of legal recourse open which results in doubts, delays and erosion of the credibility of the regulatory process. The author concludes that the most important objective is the continued safe operation of nuclear power plants. (NEA) [fr

Response expectancies, treatment credibility, and hypnotic suggestibility: mediator and moderator effects in hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral pain interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Milling, Leonard S; Shores, Jessica S; Coursen, Elizabeth L; Menario, Deanna J; Farris, Catherine D

2007-04-01

Several studies have shown that response expectancies are an important mechanism of popular psychological interventions for pain. However, there has been no research on whether response expectancies and treatment credibility independently mediate hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral pain interventions and whether the pattern of mediation is affected by experience with the interventions. Also, past research has indicated that hypnotic pain interventions may be moderated by hypnotic suggestibility. However, these studies have typically failed to measure the full range of suggestibility and have assessed pain reduction and suggestibility in the same experimental context, possibly inflating the association between these variables. To clarify the mediator role of response expectancies and treatment credibility, and the moderator role of hypnotic suggestibility in the hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral reduction of pain. Approximately 300 participants were assessed for suggestibility. Then, as part of an apparently unrelated experiment, 124 of these individuals received analogue cognitive-behavioral, hypnotic, or placebo control pain interventions. Response expectancies and credibility independently mediated treatment. The extent of mediation increased as participants gained more experience with the interventions. Suggestibility moderated treatment and was associated with relief only from the hypnotic intervention. Response expectancies and treatment credibility are unique mechanisms of hypnotic and cognitive-behavioral pain interventions. Hypnotic suggestibility predicts relief from hypnotic pain interventions and this association is not simply an artifact of measuring suggestibility and pain reduction in the same experimental context. The relationship between suggestibility and hypnotic pain reduction appears to be linear in nature.

Enacting Effective Climate Policy Advice: Institutional Strategies to Foster Saliency, Credibility and Legitimacy

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Anja; Pregernig, Michael; Reinecke, Sabine

2016-01-01

This article asks how scientific advisory institutions (SAIs) in climate policy strive towards effectiveness. Our analysis is grounded on the assumption that effectiveness is not passively experienced but is deliberately enacted by SAIs. We draw on a widely used set of criteria, namely saliency, credibility and legitimacy (SCL). Based on an…

Credibility elements of eWOM messages in the context of health care services. A Romanian perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Purcarea, V L; Gheorghe, I R; Petrescu, C M

2013-09-15

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the Romanian consumers' determinants of eWOM messages' perceived credibility in the context of health care services. We selected a sample of 127 women and we administered a questionnaire. We used the partial least squares to uncover the established relationships between the variables of the model, namely the argument strength and the source credibility of a eWOM message and the intention to purchase a health care service based on the information embedded in the eWOM messages. The results revealed that all variables had positive direct correlations with each other but the argument strength of a message has the highest impact on the intention.

Electrical PR Interval Variation Predicts New Occurrence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Frequent Premature Atrial Contractions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chun, Kwang Jin; Hwang, Jin Kyung; Park, Seung-Jung; On, Young Keun; Kim, June Soo; Park, Kyoung-Min

2016-04-01

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and fluctuation of autonomic tone is more prominent in patients with AF. As autonomic tone affects the heart rate (HR), and there is an inverse relationship between HR and PR interval, PR interval variation could be greater in patients with AF than in those without AF. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between PR interval variation and new-onset AF in patients with frequent PACs.We retrospectively enrolled 207 patients with frequent PACs who underwent electrocardiographs at least 4 times during the follow-up period. The PR variation was calculated by subtracting the minimum PR interval from the maximum PR interval. The outcomes were new occurrence of AF and all-cause mortality during the follow-up period.During a median follow-up of 8.3 years, 24 patients (11.6%) developed new-onset AF. Univariate analysis showed that prolonged PR interval (PR interval > 200 ms, P = 0.021), long PR variation (PR variation > 36.5 ms, P = 0.018), and PR variation (P = 0.004) as a continuous variable were associated with an increased risk of AF. Cox regression analysis showed that prolonged PR interval (hazard ratio = 3.321, 95% CI 1.064-10.362, P = 0.039) and PR variation (hazard ratio = 1.013, 95% CI 1.002-1.024, P = 0.022) were independent predictors for new-onset AF. However, PR variation and prolonged PR interval were not associated with all-cause mortality (P = 0.465 and 0.774, respectively).PR interval variation and prolonged PR interval are independent risk factors for new-onset AF in patients with frequent PACs. However we were unable to determine a cut-off value of PR interval variation for new-onset AF.

MARKETING COMMUNICATION IN ONLINE SOCIAL PROGRAMS: OHANIAN MODEL OF SOURCE CREDIBILITY

OpenAIRE

Serban Corina

2010-01-01

The development of the Internet as a medium for interaction with customers has resulted in many changes regarding the promotion of organizations. Online marketing is nowadays used not only to sell a product on the market, but also requires ideas and behavioral change. Non-profit organizations active in online communication are based on the quality of their provided information. Crediblity, attractiveness and usefullness are the key elements that provide effective online social programs. This ...

CI+MBPT calculations of Ar I energies, g factors, and transition line strengths

Science.gov (United States)

Savukov, I. M.

2018-03-01

Excited states of noble gas atoms present certain challenges to atomic theory for several reasons: first, relativistic effects are important and LS coupling is not optimal; second, energy intervals can be quite small, leading to strong mixing of states; third, many-body perturbation theory for hole states does not converge well. Previously, some attempts were made to solve this problem, using for example the all-order coupled-cluster approach and particle-hole configuration-interaction many-body perturbation theory (CI-MBPT) with modified denominators. However, while these approaches were promising, the accuracy was still limited. In this paper, we calculate Ar I energies, g factors, and transition amplitudes using ab initio CI-MBPT with eight valence electrons to avoid the problem of slow convergence of MBPT due to strong interaction between 3p and 3s states. We also included in CI many dominant states obtained by double excitations of the ground state configuration. Thus perturbation corrections were needed only for 1s, 2s, 2p core electrons non-included in valence-valence CI, which are quite small. We found that energy, g factors, and electric dipole matrix elements are in reasonable agreement with experiments. It is noteworthy that the theory agreed well with accurately measured g factors. Experimental oscillator strengths have large uncertainty, so in some cases we made a comparison with average values.

Comparative evaluation of the two methods of fixed dose radioiodine therapy (5 mCi and 10 mCi) for the treatment of Graves' disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fard Esfehani, A.; Dabbagh Kakhki, V.R.; Eftekhari, M.; Zarpak, B.; Fallahi Seyjani, B.; Saghari, M.

2002-01-01

Radioiodine therapy is the safest, simplest, least expensive and most effective method for treatment in most patients with Graves' disease. Due to complexity of methods for dose determination, the tendency is toward using fixed doses of I-131 for this purpose. As there is conflict for the best fixed dose, regarding it's efficiency and complication of hypothyroidism, standardized dose selection is of particular importance in treatment of Grave' disease. 59 patients with grave' disease, referred to the nuclear medicine center of Shariati Hospital from 78.5.25 were studied. In this clinical trial, the patients were randomized into two groups, one were treated with 5 mCi of 1-131 and the other received 10 mCi of the same agent. All patients were followed for two years, with 6-month intervals. Among 65 patients treated with I-131, 20 (33 9%) patients became euthyroid and 19(32.2%) became hypothyroid while relapse was noticed in 20 patients (33.9%) In The group treated by 5 mCi I-131 (33 patients), 10(30%) were euthyroid, 6(18.2%) were hypothyroid (overall cure of 48.5% while 17(51.5%) remained hyperthyroid by the end of the follow -up period(two years). From the 26 patients who were treated with 10 mCi, the euthyroid, hypothyroid and hypothyroid states were observed in 10(38.5%), 13(50%), 13(50%) and 3(11.5%) patients respectively (with an overall cure rate of 88.5%). No relationship was noted between the outcome and age, sex, size of the thyroid gland and thyroid uptake, but the relationship between the disease outcome and the amount of administered radioiodine was statistically significant (P=0.003). For most of the patients, age, sex, iodine uptake and even thyroid size play minor roles in dose selection. Although the incidence-rate of early hypothyroidism (by the end of 2 years) in the cases related with 5 mCi is less than those treated with 10 mCi, the incidence of relapse is greatly higher in the former group. In addition, it was found that long

Effects of argument quality, source credibility and self-reported diabetes knowledge on message attitudes: an experiment using diabetes related messages.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Tung-Cheng; Hwang, Lih-Lian; Lai, Yung-Jye

2017-05-17

Previous studies have reported that credibility and content (argument quality) are the most critical factors affecting the quality of health information and its acceptance and use; however, this causal relationship merits further investigation in the context of health education. Moreover, message recipients' prior knowledge may moderate these relationships. This study used the elaboration likelihood model to determine the main effects of argument quality, source credibility and the moderating effect of self-reported diabetes knowledge on message attitudes. A between-subjects experimental design using an educational message concerning diabetes for manipulation was applied to validate the effects empirically. A total of 181 participants without diabetes were recruited from the Department of Health, Taipei City Government. Four group messages were manipulated in terms of argument quality (high and low) × source credibility (high and low). Argument quality and source credibility of health information significantly influenced the attitude of message recipients. The participants with high self-reported knowledge participants exhibited significant disapproval for messages with low argument quality. Effective health information should provide objective descriptions and cite reliable sources; in addition, it should provide accurate, customised messages for recipients who have high background knowledge level and ability to discern message quality. © 2017 Health Libraries Group Health Information & Libraries Journal.

Information credibility for radiation contamination of foods after the Fukushima nuclear accident (3). Undergraduates panel data from one and four months after

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusumi, Takashi; Miura, Asako; Ogura, Kanayo

2011-01-01

We examined the changes in information credibility, attitude of mass media, and risk perception concerning radiation contamination of foods after the Fukushima nuclear accident. We used a two-wave panel data of 277 undergraduates who completed the scales twice, one month and four months after the accident. Our findings indicated that the information credibility of optimistic experts, citizens' web pages and government press conferences decreased with time. On the other hand, the credibility of newspaper and TV news programs increased. In addition, while the critical attitude of mass media and the knowledge of radiation health effects increased after four months, the risk perception for foods under legal limits of radiation contamination decreased. A causal analysis carried out with the panel data found that (1) critical thinking attitude affected media literacy. In turn, (2) media literacy affected bias perception of mass media, information credibility, active information search, and risk perception of contamination foods. Finally, (3) this causal relationship was constant from the first to the fourth month after the accident. (author)

Assessing the Credibility of Climate Science Information: A Roadmap for Educators

Science.gov (United States)

Mandia, S. A.

2017-12-01

Although there is an overwhelming scientific consensus that humans are driving modern day climate change, a significant portion of Americans are still not convinced. One reason for this gap in understanding results from a large body of misinformation that is easily accessible by students and educators. Here the author presents an effective teaching model to allow students to assess the credibility of organizations and their authors who publish climate science information aimed toward the general public.

Risk analysis of gravity dam instability using credibility theory Monte Carlo simulation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Cao; Chongshi, Gu

2016-01-01

Risk analysis of gravity dam stability involves complicated uncertainty in many design parameters and measured data. Stability failure risk ratio described jointly by probability and possibility has deficiency in characterization of influence of fuzzy factors and representation of the likelihood of risk occurrence in practical engineering. In this article, credibility theory is applied into stability failure risk analysis of gravity dam. Stability of gravity dam is viewed as a hybrid event considering both fuzziness and randomness of failure criterion, design parameters and measured data. Credibility distribution function is conducted as a novel way to represent uncertainty of influence factors of gravity dam stability. And combining with Monte Carlo simulation, corresponding calculation method and procedure are proposed. Based on a dam section, a detailed application of the modeling approach on risk calculation of both dam foundation and double sliding surfaces is provided. The results show that, the present method is feasible to be applied on analysis of stability failure risk for gravity dams. The risk assessment obtained can reflect influence of both sorts of uncertainty, and is suitable as an index value.

 Dylematy harmonizacji rachunkowości

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Gierusz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Harmonizacja rachunkowości finansowej jest procesem przynoszącym wiele korzyści, ale także generującym poważne zagrożenia. Wśród pozytywnych stron harmonizacji wymienić należy: wzmocnienie funkcji alokacyjnej rynków kapitałowych, wzrost zaufania inwestorów do sprawozdań finansowych, rozszerzenie możliwości pozyskiwania kapitału pożyczkowego, obniżenie kosztów funkcjonowania korporacji międzynarodowych. Towarzyszące harmonizacji zjawiska niepożądane to: wyeliminowanie porównywalności sprawozdań finansowych na poziomie krajowym, przekreślenie znacznej części dorobku szkoły kontynentalnej rachunkowości, ustanowienie monopolu w tworzeniu standardów, zanik normatywnego nurtu badań w rachunkowości.

Improving speed behaviour : the potential of in-car speed assistance and speed limit credibility.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nes, C.N. van Houtenbos, M. & Schagen, I.N.L.G. van

2009-01-01

Speeding is still a common practice on many roads and it contributes to a significant number of crashes. Two new approaches to solve speeding issues are focused on: intelligent speed assistance systems (ISA) and speed limit credibility. Research has indicated that ISA is promising with respect to

Prolonged interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy does not benefit the outcome in esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tie, H; He, F; Shen, J; Zhang, B; Ye, M; Chen, B; Wu, Q

2018-01-01

Whether a prolonged interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and esophagectomy could benefits conditions such as rectal cancer, still remains unknown. We therefore performed the current study to evaluate the influence of the interval between nCRT and esophagectomy on the clinical outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer. PubMed and Embase were searched to identify eligible cohort studies. The primary outcome was five-year overall survival (OS), and secondary outcomes included the incidence of anastomotic complications, perioperative mortality, pathologic complete response (pCR) rate, positive circumferential resection margin (CRM) rate, and R0 resection rate. A random-effects model was used for all meta-analyses irrespective of heterogeneity. Ten cohort studies with 2383 patients were included. Overall, the pooled estimate revealed that the prolonged interval has no impact on five-year OS (odds ratio (OR) 0.87, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.14, P = 0.30), with low heterogeneity (PH = 0.78, I2 = 0%). However, it was associated with an increased risk of anastomotic complication (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.54, P = 0.008), with no effect on perioperative mortality (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.83, P = 0.40). Additionally, the prolonged interval failed to increase the pCR rate (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.33, P = 0.89). Even worse, it was correlated with a decreased R0 resection rate (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.88, P = 0.009) and increased positive CRM rate (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.44 to 3.36, P < 0.001). This study suggests that the prolonged interval between nCRT and esophagectomy fails to result in better outcomes, and in fact, could worsen clinical outcomes, with increasing anastomotic complications, and undermine resection completeness. However, this conclusion should be treated with caution because of the limitations of retrospective cohort study and substantial clinical heterogeneity. (The study was registered at PRESPERO as CRD42016048210). © The Authors

Zależność bodźcowości ciśnienia od cyrkulacji atmosferycznej w Warszawie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Rozbicka

2016-09-01

Full Text Available W pracy zbadano: czasowy rozkład ciśnienia atmosferycznego, bodźcowe oddziaływanie ciśnienia atmosferycznego o wartościach wyższych od 1015 hPa lub niższych od 985 hPa. Wyznaczono częstość i prawdopodobieństwo wystąpienia ciśnienia o oddziaływaniu bodźcowym oraz zanalizowano zależność zmian międzydobowych ciśnienia od typów cyrkulacji atmosferycznej według klasyfikacji Lityńskiego. Do obliczeń wykorzystano cogodzinne wartości ciśnienia atmosferycznego pochodzące ze stacji Ursynów SGGW z okresu 2011–2015. Na podstawie badań stwierdzono, że ciśnienie atmosferyczne o oddziaływaniu bodźcowym w Warszawie może wystąpić w każdym miesiącu z prawdopodobieństwem od 0,2% do 19,1%, w przypadku ciśnienia o wartościach wyższych niż 1015 hPa oraz od 0,1 do 3,4%, w przypadku ciśnienia niższego od 985 hPa, z wyjątkiem czerwca i sierpnia. Zmiany międzydobowe ciśnienia atmosferycznego mogą osiągać około 24 hPa, a częstość występowania bodźców „silnych” wywołanych tymi zmianami wyniosła w poszczególnych miesiącach od 1% do 16%, natomiast bodźców „bardzo silnych” od 2% do 8%. Spośród sytuacji synoptycznych największe znaczenie dla bodźcowości zmian ciśnienia mają sytuacje cyklonalne: szczególnie przy adwekcji powietrza z sektora północno-zachodniego (NWC.

Prolonged PR interval predicts clinical recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Junbeom; Kim, Tae-Hoon; Lee, Jihei Sara; Park, Jin Kyu; Uhm, Jae Sun; Joung, Boyoung; Lee, Moon Hyoung; Pak, Hui-Nam

2014-10-07

A prolonged PR interval is known to be a poor prognostic factor in cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between PR interval and clinical outcome in patients undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). We prospectively included 576 patients with AF (75.5% male, 57.8±11.6 years old, 68.8% paroxysmal AF) who underwent RFCA. We analyzed preprocedural sinus rhythm ECGs obtained in the absence of antiarrhythmic drug, and all enrolled patients were categorized into 4 groups based on the quartile values of the PR interval (166, 182, and 202 ms), and were analyzed according to the left atrium (LA) volume (CT; Computed tomography), LA voltage (NavX), and clinical outcome of AF ablation. Based on quartile value of PR interval, the highest quartile of PR interval (Q4; PR ≥202 ms) was oldest (PPR interval was a significant predictor of AF recurrence after RFCA of AF (HR=1.969, 95% CI 1.343 to 2.886, P=0.001). The PR interval was closely associated with advanced LA remodeling due to AF, and had a noninvasive significant predictive value of clinical recurrence of AF after RFCA. © 2014 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Extracting Credible Dependencies for Averaged One-Dependence Estimator Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LiMin Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Of the numerous proposals to improve the accuracy of naive Bayes (NB by weakening the conditional independence assumption, averaged one-dependence estimator (AODE demonstrates remarkable zero-one loss performance. However, indiscriminate superparent attributes will bring both considerable computational cost and negative effect on classification accuracy. In this paper, to extract the most credible dependencies we present a new type of seminaive Bayesian operation, which selects superparent attributes by building maximum weighted spanning tree and removes highly correlated children attributes by functional dependency and canonical cover analysis. Our extensive experimental comparison on UCI data sets shows that this operation efficiently identifies possible superparent attributes at training time and eliminates redundant children attributes at classification time.

The Role of Credibility In the Design of Mobile Solutions To Enhance the Social Skill-Set of Teenagers Diagnosed with Autism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerdes, Anne; Øhrstrøm, Peter

2011-01-01

Purpose – Helping Autism-diagnosed teenagers navigate and develop socially (HANDS) is an EU research project in progress. The aim of HANDS is to investigate the potential of persuasive technology as a tool to help young people diagnosed, to whatever degree, as autistic. The HANDS project set out...... the necessity of certain preconditions requisite for evaluating the credibility of a system; and, in this way, seek to establish an ethically sound evaluation procedure for analysing credibility, by combining quantitative (i.e. electronic footprints) and qualitative assessments (i.e. dialogue between teacher...... to develop mobile ICT solutions to help young people with autism become more fully integrated into society and the purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the design behind the HANDS toolset. Design/methodology/approach – The topic of credibility is approached from an analytical, as well...

(Human) Resourcing For CI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Frances; S., Jacob; Kofoed, Lise Busk

2005-01-01

the change processes in which we are engaged?” Without a clear picture of the types of competencies required to implement CI, it is impossible for companies to make informed decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, and training of their workforce. The objective of this paper is therefore to define...... and characterize the types of competencies necessary for persons involved change implementation. Data collection involved interviews and observations in three longitudinal studies in five companies based in Denmark. From these data, a list of competencies that appeared to facilitate CI implementation was compiled...... challenging in organizations involved in change processes such as Continuous Improvement (CI), as the technical skills traditionally valued are no longer adequate. These companies are faced with the question: “What competencies should our employees possess in order to contribute to our success, given...

Disagreement in expectations and the credibility of monetary authorities in the Brazilian inflation targeting regime

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano Vereda Oliveira

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Based on market expectations reported by the Central Bank of Brazil for the SELIC interest rate, the IPCA inflation, the exchange rate (BRL/USD and the growth rate of industrial production for four different forecasting horizons, this work analyzes the term structures of disagreement in expectations regarding the future values of these variables. It also investigates the driving factors of disagreement, paying special attention to the influence of monetary authorities’ credibility. An extensive regression analysis shows that the levels of the term structures of disagreement are negatively related to the output gap (although this result is not very robust; and that the levels of the term structures of disagreement in expectations about the IPCA inflation rate and the SELIC interest rate have a strong negative relationship with central bankers’ credibility; this relationship is positive in the case of the growth rate of industrial production.

Validation of PR interval length as a criterion for development of atrial fibrillation in non-Hispanic whites, African Americans and Hispanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Shulman, Eric; Aagaard, Philip; Kargoli, Faraj; Hoch, Ethan; Zheng, Laura; Di Biase, Luigi; Fisher, John; Gross, Jay; Kim, Soo; Ferrick, Kevin; Krumerman, Andrew

2015-01-01

PR interval prolongation on electrocardiogram (ECG) increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Non-Hispanic Whites are at higher risk of AF compared to African Americans and Hispanics. However, it remains unknown if prolongation of the PR interval for the development of AF varies by race/ethnicity. Therefore, we determined whether race affects the PR interval length's ability to predict AF and if the commonly used criterion of 200 ms in AF prediction models can continue to be used for non-White cohorts. This is a retrospective epidemiological study of consecutive inpatient and outpatients. An ECG database was initially interrogated. Patients were included if their initial ECG demonstrated sinus rhythm and had two or more electrocardiograms and declared a race and/or ethnicity as non-Hispanic White, African American or Hispanic. Development of AF was stratified by race/ethnicity along varying PR intervals. Cox models controlled for age, gender, race/ethnicity, systolic blood pressure, BMI, QRS, QTc, heart rate, murmur, treatment for hypertension, heart failure and use of AV nodal blocking agents to assess PR interval's predictive ability for development of AF. 50,870 patients met inclusion criteria of which 5,199 developed AF over 3.72 mean years of follow-up. When the PR interval was separated by quantile, prolongation of the PR interval to predict AF first became significant in Hispanic and African Americans at the 92.5th quantile of 196-201 ms (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.09-1.86, p=0.01; HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07-1.64, p=0.01, respectively) then in non-Hispanic Whites at the 95th quantile at 203-212 ms (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.24-1.53, p=0.04). For those with a PR interval above 200 ms, African Americans had a lower risk than non-Hispanic Whites to develop AF (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.64-0.95, p=0.012), however, no significant difference was demonstrated in Hispanics. This is the first study to validate a PR interval value of 200 ms as a criterion in African Americans and

The Influence of Peer Reviews on Source Credibility and Purchase Intention

OpenAIRE

Nowak, Kristine; McGloin, Rory

2014-01-01

Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) is information shared on the Internet about a product, which allows people to receive information from others they may not otherwise encounter. Online product reviews are a type of eWOM where a user posts a comment about a product and selects an image to represent the self. The perception of the image and the text in the product review can influence source credibility and the perception of the product, as well as the likelihood that someone will purchase the pr...

Relationship between green marketing strategies and green marketing credibility among Generation Y

OpenAIRE

Garcia Sandoval, Michelle Haeberli; Manon Padilla, Alejandro

2016-01-01

Since terms like “sustainability” and “consumer consciousness” were introduced, green products began being integrated into consumers’ lifestyles. But due to the greenwashing practices that took place during the 90’s consumers refrain to buy green products because they do not trust the advertising released by marketers. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relationship between green advertising credibility (dependent variable) and price sensitiveness, and the four proposed green market...

Effects of High Intensity Interval Training and Strength Training on Metabolic, Cardiovascular and Hormonal Outcomes in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ida Almenning

Full Text Available Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common endocrinopathy in reproductive-age women, and associates with insulin resistance. Exercise is advocated in this disorder, but little knowledge exists on the optimal exercise regimes. We assessed the effects of high intensity interval training and strength training on metabolic, cardiovascular, and hormonal outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.Three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Thirty-one women with polycystic ovary syndrome (age 27.2 ± 5.5 years; body mass index 26.7 ± 6.0 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to high intensity interval training, strength training, or a control group. The exercise groups exercised three times weekly for 10 weeks.The main outcome measure was change in homeostatic assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR. HOMA-IR improved significantly only after high intensity interval training, by -0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.45, -0.20, equal to 17%, with between-group difference (p = 0.014. After high intensity interval training, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased by 0.2 (95% CI, 0.02, 0.5 mmol/L, with between group difference (p = 0.04. Endothelial function, measured as flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, increased significantly after high intensity interval training, by 2.0 (95% CI, 0.1, 4.0 %, between-group difference (p = 0.08. Fat percentage decreased significantly after both exercise regimes, without changes in body weight. After strength training, anti-Müllarian hormone was significantly reduced, by -14.8 (95% CI, -21.2, -8.4 pmol/L, between-group difference (p = 0.04. There were no significant changes in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, adiponectin or leptin in any group.High intensity interval training for ten weeks improved insulin resistance, without weight loss, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Body composition improved significantly after both strength training and high intensity interval training. This pilot

Effects of High Intensity Interval Training and Strength Training on Metabolic, Cardiovascular and Hormonal Outcomes in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Almenning, Ida; Rieber-Mohn, Astrid; Lundgren, Kari Margrethe; Shetelig Løvvik, Tone; Garnæs, Kirsti Krohn; Moholdt, Trine

2015-01-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common endocrinopathy in reproductive-age women, and associates with insulin resistance. Exercise is advocated in this disorder, but little knowledge exists on the optimal exercise regimes. We assessed the effects of high intensity interval training and strength training on metabolic, cardiovascular, and hormonal outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Three-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Thirty-one women with polycystic ovary syndrome (age 27.2 ± 5.5 years; body mass index 26.7 ± 6.0 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to high intensity interval training, strength training, or a control group. The exercise groups exercised three times weekly for 10 weeks. The main outcome measure was change in homeostatic assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). HOMA-IR improved significantly only after high intensity interval training, by -0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.45, -0.20), equal to 17%, with between-group difference (p = 0.014). After high intensity interval training, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased by 0.2 (95% CI, 0.02, 0.5) mmol/L, with between group difference (p = 0.04). Endothelial function, measured as flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, increased significantly after high intensity interval training, by 2.0 (95% CI, 0.1, 4.0) %, between-group difference (p = 0.08). Fat percentage decreased significantly after both exercise regimes, without changes in body weight. After strength training, anti-Müllarian hormone was significantly reduced, by -14.8 (95% CI, -21.2, -8.4) pmol/L, between-group difference (p = 0.04). There were no significant changes in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, adiponectin or leptin in any group. High intensity interval training for ten weeks improved insulin resistance, without weight loss, in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Body composition improved significantly after both strength training and high intensity interval training. This pilot study

Ukaegbe, CI

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ukaegbe, CI. Vol 11, No 1-2 (2012) - Articles Postpartum Depression Among Igbo Women In An Urban Mission Hospital, South East Nigeria Abstract. ISSN: 1597-1260. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL · AJOL's Partners · Terms and ...

Uncertainty quantification's role in modeling and simulation planning, and credibility assessment through the predictive capability maturity model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rider, William J. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Witkowski, Walter R. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Mousseau, Vincent Andrew [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-04-13

The importance of credible, trustworthy numerical simulations is obvious especially when using the results for making high-consequence decisions. Determining the credibility of such numerical predictions is much more difficult and requires a systematic approach to assessing predictive capability, associated uncertainties and overall confidence in the computational simulation process for the intended use of the model. This process begins with an evaluation of the computational modeling of the identified, important physics of the simulation for its intended use. This is commonly done through a Phenomena Identification Ranking Table (PIRT). Then an assessment of the evidence basis supporting the ability to computationally simulate these physics can be performed using various frameworks such as the Predictive Capability Maturity Model (PCMM). There were several critical activities that follow in the areas of code and solution verification, validation and uncertainty quantification, which will be described in detail in the following sections. Here, we introduce the subject matter for general applications but specifics are given for the failure prediction project. In addition, the first task that must be completed in the verification & validation procedure is to perform a credibility assessment to fully understand the requirements and limitations of the current computational simulation capability for the specific application intended use. The PIRT and PCMM are tools used at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to provide a consistent manner to perform such an assessment. Ideally, all stakeholders should be represented and contribute to perform an accurate credibility assessment. PIRTs and PCMMs are both described in brief detail below and the resulting assessments for an example project are given.

Prokinetics for the treatment of functional dyspepsia: Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Young Joo; Bang, Chang Seok; Baik, Gwang Ho; Park, Tae Young; Shin, Suk Pyo; Suk, Ki Tae; Kim, Dong Joon

2017-06-26

Controversies persist regarding the effect of prokinetics for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD). This study aimed to assess the comparative efficacy of prokinetic agents for the treatment of FD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of prokinetics for the treatment of FD were identified from core databases. Symptom response rates were extracted and analyzed using odds ratios (ORs). A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method in WinBUGS and NetMetaXL. In total, 25 RCTs, which included 4473 patients with FD who were treated with 6 different prokinetics or placebo, were identified and analyzed. Metoclopramide showed the best surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) probability (92.5%), followed by trimebutine (74.5%) and mosapride (63.3%). However, the therapeutic efficacy of metoclopramide was not significantly different from that of trimebutine (OR:1.32, 95% credible interval: 0.27-6.06), mosapride (OR: 1.99, 95% credible interval: 0.87-4.72), or domperidone (OR: 2.04, 95% credible interval: 0.92-4.60). Metoclopramide showed better efficacy than itopride (OR: 2.79, 95% credible interval: 1.29-6.21) and acotiamide (OR: 3.07, 95% credible interval: 1.43-6.75). Domperidone (SUCRA probability 62.9%) showed better efficacy than itopride (OR: 1.37, 95% credible interval: 1.07-1.77) and acotiamide (OR: 1.51, 95% credible interval: 1.04-2.18). Metoclopramide, trimebutine, mosapride, and domperidone showed better efficacy for the treatment of FD than itopride or acotiamide. Considering the adverse events related to metoclopramide or domperidone, the short-term use of these agents or the alternative use of trimebutine or mosapride could be recommended for the symptomatic relief of FD.

A proactive public information policy: a key element for regulator independence and credibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kindelan, J.M.

2001-01-01

The future of the nuclear industry will depend to a large extent on the perception that the members of the public have of it. However, our mission as regulatory bodies is not to change the pro-or anti- nuclear feelings of the public, but to set in them the confidence that the use currently made of nuclear energy is carried out with the greatest guarantees of safety. We should continue to avoid their feeling of fear without reasons or their perception of uncertainty regarding processes that are duly controlled and supervised. I am convinced that whatever progress we make in increasing transparency will lead to an increase in the public credibility of the organisations that we represent. The reason underlying our need for this credibility, this reputation for autonomy and efficiency, for good performance, is that without it we will not have sufficient authority in the eyes of the regulated sector or other private political and economic interests, and will not, therefore, be in a position to provide a sensation of confidence to the members of the public, whose tranquillity and interests are our obligation. (author)

Od ciężkości astmy do kontroli astmy. Metody oceny kontroli astmy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Mikołajczyk

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Według pierwszych wytycznych dotyczących postępowania w astmie leczenie astmy zależy od stopnia jej cięż- kości, określonej na podstawie objawów klinicznych i wskaźników czynności płuc. Ponieważ astma jest chorobą o zmiennym przebiegu, duże znaczenie ma jej ciągła ocena kliniczna i dostosowana do niej modyfikacja leczenia. Niestety, stopień ciężkości nie dopasowuje się elastycznie do odpowiedzi na leczenie. Biorąc ten fakt pod uwagę, światowi eksperci zalecają zmianę w postępowaniu z astmą, przedkładając uzyskanie klinicznej kontroli astmy nad ustaleniem stopnia jej ciężkości, wyróżniając astmę kontrolowaną, częściowo kontrolowaną i niekontrolowaną. Uzyskanie stanu pełnej kontroli astmy formułuje się w raporcie GINA 2006 jako główny cel leczenia. Kontrola astmy odnosi się do stopnia opanowania objawów i byłoby najlepiej, gdyby dotyczyła też markerów zapalenia i patofizjologicznych wykładników choroby. Określenie stopnia kontroli choroby zgodnie z obecnymi założeniami stanowi podstawę wyboru i modyfikacji leczenia – właściwe ustalenie stopnia kontroli astmy wpływa na skuteczność leczenia. Obecnie dostępnych jest wiele metod oceny kontroli astmy, wtym ocena parametrów klinicznych (objawy w ciągu dnia, objawy nocne, stosowanie leków rozszerzających oskrzela, ocena czynności płuc (PEF i FEV1, określenie zaawansowania zapalenia w drogach oddechowych (nieswoista nadreaktywność oskrzeli, stężenie tlenku azotu w powietrzu wydechowym, liczba eozynofili w plwocinie indukowanej. Dostępne są także subiektywnie oceniające kontrolę astmy kwestionariusze badawcze oraz szybkie testy kontroli astmy (ACT, ACQ, ATAQ. Z drugiej strony wciąż nie wypracowano jednoznacznego stanowiska, który z parametrów lub jakie połączenia parametrów najbardziej wiarygodnie określają kontrolę astmy. Ze względu na wieloczynnikową patogenezę astmy wydaje się, iż uzyskanie pe

Aerobic interval training reduces vascular resistances during submaximal exercise in obese metabolic syndrome individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Mora-Rodriguez, Ricardo; Fernandez-Elias, V E; Morales-Palomo, F; Pallares, J G; Ramirez-Jimenez, M; Ortega, J F

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of high-intensity aerobic interval training (AIT) on exercise hemodynamics in metabolic syndrome (MetS) volunteers. Thirty-eight, MetS participants were randomly assigned to a training (TRAIN) or to a non-training control (CONT) group. TRAIN consisted of stationary interval cycling alternating bouts at 70-90% of maximal heart rate during 45 min day -1 for 6 months. CONT maintained baseline physical activity and no changes in cardiovascular function or MetS factors were detected. In contrast, TRAIN increased cardiorespiratory fitness (14% in VO 2PEAK ; 95% CI 9-18%) and improved metabolic syndrome (-42% in Z score; 95% CI 83-1%). After TRAIN, the workload that elicited a VO 2 of 1500 ml min -1 increased 15% (95% CI 5-25%; P exercise heart rate (109 ± 15-106 ± 13 beats min -1 ; P exercise in MetS patients. Specifically, it reduces diastolic blood pressure, systemic vascular resistances, and the double product. The reduction in double product, suggests decreased myocardial oxygen demands which could prevent the occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events during exercise in this population. CLINICALTRIALS. NCT03019796.

Evaluation of the Diagnostic Accuracy of a Typhoid IgM Flow Assay for the Diagnosis of Typhoid Fever in Cambodian Children Using a Bayesian Latent Class Model Assuming an Imperfect Gold Standard

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Catrin E.; Pan-Ngum, Wirichada; Wijedoru, Lalith P. M.; Sona, Soeng; Nga, Tran Vu Thieu; Duy, Pham Thanh; Vinh, Phat Voong; Chheng, Kheng; Kumar, Varun; Emary, Kate; Carter, Michael; White, Lisa; Baker, Stephen; Day, Nicholas P. J.; Parry, Christopher M.

2014-01-01

Rapid diagnostic tests are needed for typhoid fever (TF) diagnosis in febrile children in endemic areas. Five hundred children admitted to the hospital in Cambodia between 2009 and 2010 with documented fever (≥ 38°C) were investigated using blood cultures (BCs), Salmonella Typhi/Paratyphi A real-time polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), and a Typhoid immunoglobulin M flow assay (IgMFA). Test performance was determined by conventional methods and Bayesian latent class modeling. There were 32 cases of TF (10 BC- and PCR-positive cases, 14 BC-positive and PCR-negative cases, and 8 BC-negative and PCR-positive cases). IgMFA sensitivity was 59.4% (95% confidence interval = 41–76), and specificity was 97.8% (95% confidence interval = 96–99). The model estimate sensitivity for BC was 81.0% (95% credible interval = 54–99). The model estimate sensitivity for PCR was 37.8% (95% credible interval = 26–55), with a specificity of 98.2% (95% credible interval = 97–99). The model estimate sensitivity for IgMFA (≥ 2+) was 77.9% (95% credible interval = 58–90), with a specificity of 97.5% (95% credible interval = 95–100). The model estimates of IgMFA sensitivity and specificity were comparable with BCs and better than estimates using conventional analysis. PMID:24218407

Students’ Trust Formation and Credibility Judgements in Online Health Information – A Review Article

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahmood Khosrowjerdi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Health information is a frequent subject for online information seeking. Research on the phenomenon has to a certain extent included students. This review, based on an analysis of 61 articles, shows the current state of the art of research on students’ trust in online health information. The review covers methodological approaches and findings of previous previous empirical studies: research design; trustworthy health information sources; credibility assessment; and factors impacting on trust formation. The analysis of research designs reveals that the survey method was most frequent, but small qualitative studies were also occurring. More than half of the studies were administered in the USA, while only a smaller part concerned ‘non-Western’ countries. Female subjects were more frequent than male.The concept of trust was not always explicitly defined in the studies. The students' actual propensity to use internet was generally taken as an expression of trust. The antecedents of trust identified in the studies can be summarized as the perceived quality of the information, the perceived credibility of the source or source provider, the users’ general inclination to trust, the actual use of information, and the perceived intelligibility of the information. The findings show that Internet was among the main sources for health information, but parents or other family members, friends, schools, health professionals were also frequent sources of health information, and students were not immediately accepting online information as trustworthy. The students’ trust and credibility judgments were influenced by social and demographic, cultural, psychological, knowledge and skills-related, and source, system and content-related factors. Governmental and organizational websites were reported as the most trustful sources, although some issues regarding website features and presentation of content were reported as barriers. Easy access were of

"ESSAY ON CI" BY LI QINGZHAO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Dashchenko

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The article presents the first Russian translation of "Essay on Ci" with detailed comments. It was written by the outstanding Chinese poetess Li Qingzhao and considered to be the first theoretical treatise dedicated to genre ci. The article revealed that the poetess used three strategies to make a genre demarcation: to legitimise, dichotomise and historicise. To legitimise means to justify that ci is a genre of poetry by identifying the same traits with official poetry shi (e.g. using the classical quotations and allusions. To dichotomise is to determine a core element of genre and oppose it to the other element identifying the similar genre (e.g. music separates ci from shi. To historicise is to develop or discover the unique historical past (e.g. the source of ci is in antiquity. The article also examined the strategy to invent classics: Li Qingzhao wrote the apophatic history of genre ci pointing not to the merits but weaknesses of her predecessors.

The Effects of Source Credibility in the Presence or Absence of Prior Attitudes: Implications for the Design of Persuasive Communication Campaigns1

OpenAIRE

Kumkale, G. Tarcan; AlbarracÍn, Dolores; Seignourel, Paul J.

2010-01-01

Most theories of persuasion predict that limited ability and motivation to think about communications should increase the impact of source credibility on persuasion. Furthermore, this effect is assumed to occur, regardless of whether or not the recipients have prior attitudes. In this study, the effects of source credibility, ability, and motivation (knowledge, message repetition, relevance) on persuasion were examined meta-analytically across both attitude formation and change conditions. Fi...

Efectos del entrenamiento continuo e interválico de carga externa similar sobre la frecuencia cardiaca Effects of continuous and interval training similar external load on heart rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. L. Tuimil

2010-09-01

Full Text Available

Los objetivos de este estudio fueron comparar la frecuencia cardíaca (FC media entre dos tipos de entrenamiento de carga externa equiparada basados en la carrera, la relación de la velocidad aeróbica máxima (VAM con la F.C. de reserva (FCR y los efectos de estos dos tipos de entrenamiento sobre la F.C. basal (FCB. El estudio se llevó a cabo con ocho estudiantes de educación física (23,25 años; VAM: 17,93 Km.h-1 que realizaron dos tipos de entrenamiento: CC =8 km al 70%VAM y CI= 4x(1000m al 90%VAM+1000m al 50% VAM. Se registró la FC durante el entrenamiento y la FCB antes y después del mismo. La diferencia de la FC media entre ambos métodos no fue estadísticamente significativa, sin embargo las medias del CC (FCCC (Z=2,240; p<0,05 y CI (FCCI (Z=2,380; p<0,05 fueron significativamente más elevadas que la calculada al 70% de FCR. La FCB se elevó de forma significativa (Z=2,319; p=0.020 solamente después del entrenamiento CI. En conclusión, dos métodos de entrenamiento distintos, pero de intensidad media similar, pueden dar lugar a una FC media también similar. La intensidad de carrera programada en función de la VAM es significativamente superior a la programada en función de la FCR. El entrenamiento interválico puede tener un mayor efecto sobre el incremento de la FCB.
PALABRAS CLAVE: Frecuencia cardíaca media, frecuencia cardíaca de reserva, frecuencia cardíaca basal, VAM, carrera continua, carrera interválica.

The aims of this study were to compare the mean heart rate response in two training methods of equal average intensity based on running, the relationship of the maximal aerobic speed (VAM with the reserve heart rate (FCR and the effects of these modes of training on the basal heart rate (FCB. The study was carried out with eight physical activity students (23,25 years old; VAM: 17,93 Km.h^-1

Salient stimuli in advertising: the effect of contrast interval length and type on recall.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, G Douglas

2002-09-01

Salient auditory stimuli (e.g., music or sound effects) are commonly used in advertising to elicit attention. However, issues related to the effectiveness of such stimuli are not well understood. This research examines the ability of a salient auditory stimulus, in the form of a contrast interval (CI), to enhance recall of message-related information. Researchers have argued that the effectiveness of the CI is a function of the temporal duration between the onset and offset of the change in the background stimulus and the nature of this stimulus. Three experiments investigate these propositions and indicate that recall is enhanced, providing the CI is 3 s or less. Information highlighted with silence is recalled better than information highlighted with music.

ANALIZA NIEZAWODNOŚCI STACJI UZDATNIANIA WODY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara TCHÓRZEWSKA-CIEŚLAK

Full Text Available Systemy zbiorowego zaopatrzenia w wodę składają się z połączonych ze sobą elementów (podsystemów stanowiących integralna całość, współpracujących ze sobą w sposób ciągły w celu zapewnienia dla konsumentów wody o odpowiedniej jakości. W przypadku gdy jakość wody w źródle nie odpowiada normatywom stawianym wodzie przeznaczonej do spożycia przez ludzi, woda musi być poddana procesom uzdatniania. Niezawodność funkcjonowania stacji uzdatniania wody jest jednym z podstawowych elementów szeroko rozumianej analizy niezawodności i bezpieczeństwa całego systemu zbiorowego zaopatrzenia w wodę. Niezawodność dostawy wody polega na zapewnieniu stabilnych warunków, umożliwiających pokrycie bieżącego i perspektywicznego zapotrzebowania na wodę w odpowiedniej ilości i wymaganej jakości w dowolnym, dogodnym dla konsumentów wody czasie. W pracy przedstawiono podstawy analizy niezawodności, podano podstawowe miary oraz zasady wykorzystania struktur niezawodnościowych. Obliczenia wykonano dla stacji uzdatniania wody na podstawie schematu niezwodnościowego metodą jednoparametryczną. Na podstawie danych z eksploatacyjnych stacji uzdatniania wody (SUW wchodzącej w skład systemu zbiorowego zaopatrzenia w wodę miasta liczącego ok 80 tys. mieszkańców sporządzono schemat niewodności stacji oraz przeprowadzono obliczenia wskaźnika gotowości K. W metodzie wykorzystano podstawowe struktury niezawodnościowe. Wyznaczoną miarę niezawodności porównano z wartościami kryterialnymi.

Interviewing to assess credibility in the Swedish asylum procedure: analyzing question style, type and theme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Veldhuizen, T.S.; Horselenberg, R.; Landström, S.; Granhag, P.A.; van Koppen, P.J.

2017-01-01

The aim of the current vignette study is to map the style, type, and themes of questions that are asked when assessing the credibility of asylum seekers' claims. Sixty-five officials from the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), were asked to respond to one out of four different vignettes

Motivation and Treatment Credibility Predicts Dropout, Treatment Adherence, and Clinical Outcomes in an Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Relaxation Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Alfonsson, Sven; Olsson, Erik; Hursti, Timo

2016-03-08

In previous research, variables such as age, education, treatment credibility, and therapeutic alliance have shown to affect patients' treatment adherence and outcome in Internet-based psychotherapy. A more detailed understanding of how such variables are associated with different measures of adherence and clinical outcomes may help in designing more effective online therapy. The aims of this study were to investigate demographical, psychological, and treatment-specific variables that could predict dropout, treatment adherence, and treatment outcomes in a study of online relaxation for mild to moderate stress symptoms. Participant dropout and attrition as well as data from self-report instruments completed before, during, and after the online relaxation program were analyzed. Multiple linear and logistical regression analyses were conducted to predict early dropout, overall attrition, online treatment progress, number of registered relaxation exercises, posttreatment symptom levels, and reliable improvement. Dropout was significantly predicted by treatment credibility, whereas overall attrition was associated with reporting a focus on immediate consequences and experiencing a low level of intrinsic motivation for the treatment. Treatment progress was predicted by education level and treatment credibility, whereas number of registered relaxation exercises was associated with experiencing intrinsic motivation for the treatment. Posttreatment stress symptoms were positively predicted by feeling external pressure to participate in the treatment and negatively predicted by treatment credibility. Reporting reliable symptom improvement after treatment was predicted by treatment credibility and therapeutic bond. This study confirmed that treatment credibility and a good working alliance are factors associated with successful Internet-based psychotherapy. Further, the study showed that measuring adherence in different ways provides somewhat different results, which

The Project Based Mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. Credible Instruments or Challenges to the Integrity of the Kyoto Protocol?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takeuchi Waldegren, Linn

2006-03-15

The project based mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol are innovative instruments which allow projects to earn credits for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The credits can in turn be used by countries to reach their emissions targets according to the Kyoto Protocol. The Project based mechanisms are known as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the Joint Implementation (JI). If the project based mechanisms are to be effective policy instruments they must ensure the integrity of the Kyoto Protocol, and their ability to promote and prove real emission reductions is critical. The environmental credibility of the project based mechanisms will also ensure their ability to promote cost effectiveness. Key concepts in this context are environmental and project additionality, and their role and value for the project based mechanisms are analyzed. Environmental additionality is established by comparing a project's emissions to a baseline. The baseline's credibility is thus vital. The concept of project additionality is somewhat controversial, but is nonetheless of equal importance. The case studies of CDM approved methodologies (AMs) and proposed projects suggest that there are credibility issues that need to be addressed if the project based mechanisms are to promote real emissions reductions.

How Environmental Uncertainty Moderates the Effect of Relative Advantage and Perceived Credibility on the Adoption of Mobile Health Services by Chinese Organizations in the Big Data Era

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Xing Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the importance of adoption of mobile health services by an organization on the diffusion of mobile technology in the big data era, it has received minimal attention in literature. This study investigates how relative advantage and perceived credibility affect an organization’s adoption of mobile health services, as well as how environmental uncertainty changes the relationship of relative advantage and perceived credibility with adoption. A research model that integrates relative advantage, perceived credibility, environmental uncertainty, and an organization’s intention to use mobile health service is developed. Quantitative data are collected from senior managers and information systems managers in 320 Chinese healthcare organizations. The empirical findings show that while relative advantage and perceived credibility both have positive effects on an organization’s intention to use mobile health services, relative advantage plays a more important role than perceived credibility. Moreover, environmental uncertainty positively moderates the effect of relative advantage on an organization’s adoption of mobile health services. Thus, mobile health services in environments characterized with high levels of uncertainty are more likely to be adopted because of relative advantage than in environments with low levels of uncertainty.

How Environmental Uncertainty Moderates the Effect of Relative Advantage and Perceived Credibility on the Adoption of Mobile Health Services by Chinese Organizations in the Big Data Era.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xing; Zhang, Xing

2016-01-01

Despite the importance of adoption of mobile health services by an organization on the diffusion of mobile technology in the big data era, it has received minimal attention in literature. This study investigates how relative advantage and perceived credibility affect an organization's adoption of mobile health services, as well as how environmental uncertainty changes the relationship of relative advantage and perceived credibility with adoption. A research model that integrates relative advantage, perceived credibility, environmental uncertainty, and an organization's intention to use mobile health service is developed. Quantitative data are collected from senior managers and information systems managers in 320 Chinese healthcare organizations. The empirical findings show that while relative advantage and perceived credibility both have positive effects on an organization's intention to use mobile health services, relative advantage plays a more important role than perceived credibility. Moreover, environmental uncertainty positively moderates the effect of relative advantage on an organization's adoption of mobile health services. Thus, mobile health services in environments characterized with high levels of uncertainty are more likely to be adopted because of relative advantage than in environments with low levels of uncertainty.

Establishing credibility in the environmental models used for safety and licensing calculations in the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, P.A.

1997-01-01

Models that simulate the transport and behaviour of radionuclides in the environment are used extensively in the nuclear industry for safety and licensing purposes. They are needed to calculate derived release limits for new and operating facilities, to estimate consequences following hypothetical accidents and to help manage a real emergency. But predictions generated for these purposes are essentially meaningless unless they are accompanied by a quantitative estimate of the confidence that can be placed in them. For example, in an emergency where there has been an accidental release of radioactivity to the atmosphere, decisions based on a validated model with small uncertainties would likely be very different from those based on an untested model, or on one with large uncertainties. This paper begins with a discussion of some general methods for establishing the credibility of model predictions. The focus will be on environmental transport models but the principles apply to models of all kinds. Establishing the credibility of a model is not a trivial task, It involves a number of tasks including face validation, verification, experimental validation and sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. The remainder of the paper will present quantitative results relating to the credibility of environmental transport models. Model formation, choice of parameter values and the influence of the user will all be discussed as sources of uncertainty in predictions. The magnitude of uncertainties that must be expected in various applications of the models will be presented. The examples used throughout the paper are drawn largely from recent work carried out in BIOMOVS and VAMP. (DM)

A history of chagas disease transmission, control, and re-emergence in peri-rural La Joya, Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado, Stephen; Castillo Neyra, Ricardo; Quispe Machaca, Víctor R; Ancca Juárez, Jenny; Chou Chu, Lily; Verastegui, Manuela Renee; Moscoso Apaza, Giovanna M; Bocángel, César D; Tustin, Aaron W; Sterling, Charles R; Comrie, Andrew C; Náquira, César; Cornejo del Carpio, Juan G; Gilman, Robert H; Bern, Caryn; Levy, Michael Z

2011-02-22

The history of Chagas disease control in Peru and many other nations is marked by scattered and poorly documented vector control campaigns. The complexities of human migration and sporadic control campaigns complicate evaluation of the burden of Chagas disease and dynamics of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission. We conducted a cross-sectional serological and entomological study to evaluate temporal and spatial patterns of T. cruzi transmission in a peri-rural region of La Joya, Peru. We use a multivariate catalytic model and Bayesian methods to estimate incidence of infection over time and thereby elucidate the complex history of transmission in the area. Of 1,333 study participants, 101 (7.6%; 95% CI: 6.2-9.0%) were confirmed T. cruzi seropositive. Spatial clustering of parasitic infection was found in vector insects, but not in human cases. Expanded catalytic models suggest that transmission was interrupted in the study area in 1996 (95% credible interval: 1991-2000), with a resultant decline in the average annual incidence of infection from 0.9% (95% credible interval: 0.6-1.3%) to 0.1% (95% credible interval: 0.005-0.3%). Through a search of archival newspaper reports, we uncovered documentation of a 1995 vector control campaign, and thereby independently validated the model estimates. High levels of T. cruzi transmission had been ongoing in peri-rural La Joya prior to interruption of parasite transmission through a little-documented vector control campaign in 1995. Despite the efficacy of the 1995 control campaign, T. cruzi was rapidly reemerging in vector populations in La Joya, emphasizing the need for continuing surveillance and control at the rural-urban interface.

A Biblioteconomia e a Ciência da Informação na taxionomia das ciências de Charles Sanders Peirce

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Carlos Cândido de Almeida

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Mostra a taxionomia das ciências desenvolvida por Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914 que divide as ciências em três ramos: ciências teóricas, ciências da revisão e ciências aplicadas. Detalha principalmente as ciências teóricas: a Matemática, a Filosofia e a Idioscopia. Discute também o conceito de Biblioteconomia e de Ciência da Informação e que segundo as definições e características, encontradas na literatura consultada, estão na condição de ciências aplicadas, direcionadas a problemas práticos da sociedade, ou seja, o problema de controle e disseminação da informação.

Using Initial, Derived, and Terminal Credibility to Help Students Understand How They Are Perceived by Others

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Marcia

2018-01-01

Courses: Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, Introduction to Communication Studies, Business Communication. Objectives: The goal for this activity is not only to provide students with an understanding of their initial, derived, and terminal credibility when relating a personal, edifying story but also to…

Framing Service, Benefit, and Credibility Through Images and Texts: A Content Analysis of Online Promotional Messages of Korean Medical Tourism Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Jungmi

2016-07-01

This study examines how the Korean medical tourism industry frames its service, benefit, and credibility issues through texts and images of online brochures. The results of content analysis suggest that the Korean medical tourism industry attempts to frame their medical/health services as "excellence in surgeries and cancer care" and "advanced health technology and facilities." However, the use of cost-saving appeals was limited, which can be seen as a strategy to avoid consumers' association of lower cost with lower quality services, and to stress safety and credibility.

The Concept of Credibility (Validity) in Television and Internet News Discourse: Critical Analysis

OpenAIRE

Boris Ružić

2010-01-01

This article reverses the traditional notion of media (television, radio or news papers) as a unidirectional agent of communication from producer to receiver to a more appropriate paradigm inwhich information is not embedded with hierarchy. The new media perspective and the appropriation of technology (Internet) have changed the nature of information dissemination. One cannot discuss authenticity or credibility in terms of ”telling the truth or lying”. On the contrary, users today can verify ...

How to recover credibility of nuclear technologies in Japan where people wish to have 'Anshin'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasui, Itaru

2014-01-01

Although it is inevitable to recover credibility of utilities, there are no clear ways to realize a final target yet. Credibility issue is a very difficult especially in Japan, where the word of 'Anshin' has special importance in the mind of people. In this paper, the word of 'Anshin' in Japan was discussed in order to find out differences in other countries by comparison of culture and customs, especially ways to prepare food, i.e. agriculture and hunting and gathering and so on. The meanings of 'Anshin' were decomposed into several elements, and each element was discussed and clarified. Human factor is important in both operation of plants and risk communication. The philosophy and attitude of COE of utilities are those of very important factors to regain credibility. The utilities' responsibilities are important, but not enough by themselves. In order to assure transparency of information used in risk communication, improvement of people's scientific literacy and their attitude to elect their representatives are absolutely necessary. Especially, risk information related to Level 3 RPA to be opened to public have to be fully transparent. Risk is one of most difficult concept for Japanese people to handle. The reoperation issue of nuclear power plants will involve several difficulties, but challenges to overcome this issue will be a good chance to change a way of decision making in Japan. (author)

Reactor safety research - visible demonstrations and credible computations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loewenstein, W B; Divakaruni, S M

1985-11-01

EPRI has been conducting nuclear safety research for a number of years with the primary goal of assuring the safety and reliability of the nuclear plants. The visibility is emphasized by sponsoring or participating in large scale test demonstrations to credibly support the complex computations that are the basis for quantification of safety margins. Recognizing the success of the airline industry in receiving favorable public perception, the authors compare the design and operation practices of the airline industry with those of the nuclear industry practices to identify the elements contributing to public concerns and unfavorable perceptions. In this paper, authors emphasize the importance of proper communications of research results to the public in a manner that non-specialists understand. Further, EPRI supported research and results in the areas of source term, seismic and structural engineering research, analysis using probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), quantification of safety margins, digital technology development and implementation, and plant transient and performance evaluations are discussed in the paper. (orig./HP).

Reactor safety research - visible demonstrations and credible computations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loewenstein, W.B.; Divakaruni, S.M.

1985-01-01

EPRI has been conducting nuclear safety research for a number of years with the primary goal of assuring the safety and reliability of the nuclear plants. The visibility is emphasized by sponsoring or participating in large scale test demonstrations to credibly support the complex computations that are the basis for quantification of safety margins. Recognizing the success of the airline industry in receiving favorable public perception, the authors compare the design and operation practices of the airline industry with those of the nuclear industry practices to identify the elements contributing to public concerns and unfavorable perceptions. In this paper, authors emphasize the importance of proper communications of research results to the public in a manner that non-specialists understand. Further, EPRI supported research and results in the areas of source term, seismic and structural engineering research, analysis using probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), quantification of safety margins, digital technology development and implementation, and plant transient and performance evaluations are discussed in the paper. (orig./HP)

Time interval between infective endocarditis first symptoms and diagnosis: relationship to infective endocarditis characteristics, microorganisms and prognosis.

Science.gov (United States)

N'Guyen, Yohan; Duval, Xavier; Revest, Matthieu; Saada, Matthieu; Erpelding, Marie-Line; Selton-Suty, Christine; Bouchiat, Coralie; Delahaye, François; Chirouze, Catherine; Alla, François; Strady, Christophe; Hoen, Bruno

2017-03-01

To analyze the characteristics and outcome of infective endocarditis (IE) according to the time interval between IE first symptoms and diagnosis. Among the IE cases of a French population-based epidemiological survey, patients having early-diagnosed IE (diagnosis of IE within 1 month of first symptoms) were compared with those having late-diagnosed IE (diagnosis of IE more than 1 month after first symptoms). Among the 486 definite-IE, 124 (25%) had late-diagnosed IE whereas others had early-diagnosed IE. Early-diagnosed IE were independently associated with female gender (OR = 1.8; 95% CI [1.0-3.0]), prosthetic valve (OR= 2.6; 95% CI [1.4-5.0]) and staphylococci as causative pathogen (OR = 3.7; 95% CI [2.2-6.2]). Cardiac surgery theoretical indication rates were not different between early and late-diagnosed IE (56.3% vs 58.9%), whereas valve surgery performance was lower in early-diagnosed IE (41% vs 53%; p = .03). In-hospital mortality rates were higher in early-diagnosed IE than in late-diagnosed IE (25.1% vs 16.1%; p endocarditis, which time interval between first symptoms and diagnosis was less than one month, were mainly due to Staphylococcus aureus in France. Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis were associated with septic shock, transient ischemic attack or stroke and higher mortality rates than infective endocarditis due to other bacteria or infective endocarditis, which time interval between first symptoms and diagnosis was more than one month. Infective endocarditis, which time interval between first symptoms and diagnosis was more than one month, were accounting for one quarter of all infective endocarditis in our study and were associated with vertebral osteomyelitis and a higher rate of cardiac surgery performed for hemodynamic indication than other infective endocarditis.

Persuading Girls to Take Elective Physical Science Courses in High School: Who Are the Credible Communicators?

Science.gov (United States)

Koballa, Thomas R., Jr.

1988-01-01

Identifies communicators whom eighth-grade girls perceive as credible regarding reasons for taking elective physical science courses in high school. Finds that father, woman science teacher, mother, and boy high school student are ranked highly. Attributes associated with the communicators were classified as prestige, trustworthiness, similarity,…

Uwarunkowania skuteczności działania inkubatorów przedsiębiorczości

OpenAIRE

Świeszczak, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

Skłonność społeczeństwa do prowadzenia własnej działalności gospodarczej odgrywa istotną rolę w rozwoju krajowych gospodarek. Biorąc pod uwagę charakterystykę jednostek należących do sektora MSP, ich potrzeby oraz bariery, niekiedy uniemożliwiające egzystencję na rynku, warto zwrócić uwagę na konieczność kreowania narzędzi wspomagających przedsiębiorczość. Spośród licznych instrumentów wsparcia jednostek z sektora MSP na szczególną uwagę zasługują inkubatory przedsiębiorczości , których dział...

Can Optimism, Pessimism, Hope, Treatment Credibility and Treatment Expectancy Be Distinguished in Patients Undergoing Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsjitske M Haanstra

Full Text Available The constructs optimism, pessimism, hope, treatment credibility and treatment expectancy are associated with outcomes of medical treatment. While these constructs are grounded in different theoretical models, they nonetheless show some conceptual overlap. The purpose of this study was to examine whether currently available measurement instruments for these constructs capture the conceptual differences between these constructs within a treatment setting.Patients undergoing Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty (THA and TKA (Total N = 361; 182 THA; 179 TKA, completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised for optimism and pessimism, the Hope Scale, the Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire for treatment credibility and treatment expectancy. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine whether the instruments measure distinct constructs. Four theory-driven models with one, two, four and five latent factors were evaluated using multiple fit indices and Δχ2 tests, followed by some posthoc models.The results of the theory driven confirmatory factor analysis showed that a five factor model in which all constructs loaded on separate factors yielded the most optimal and satisfactory fit. Posthoc, a bifactor model in which (besides the 5 separate factors a general factor is hypothesized accounting for the commonality of the items showed a significantly better fit than the five factor model. All specific factors, except for the hope factor, showed to explain a substantial amount of variance beyond the general factor.Based on our primary analyses we conclude that optimism, pessimism, hope, treatment credibility and treatment expectancy are distinguishable in THA and TKA patients. Postdoc, we determined that all constructs, except hope, showed substantial specific variance, while also sharing some general variance.

Can Optimism, Pessimism, Hope, Treatment Credibility and Treatment Expectancy Be Distinguished in Patients Undergoing Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Science.gov (United States)

Haanstra, Tsjitske M; Tilbury, Claire; Kamper, Steven J; Tordoir, Rutger L; Vliet Vlieland, Thea P M; Nelissen, Rob G H H; Cuijpers, Pim; de Vet, Henrica C W; Dekker, Joost; Knol, Dirk L; Ostelo, Raymond W

2015-01-01

The constructs optimism, pessimism, hope, treatment credibility and treatment expectancy are associated with outcomes of medical treatment. While these constructs are grounded in different theoretical models, they nonetheless show some conceptual overlap. The purpose of this study was to examine whether currently available measurement instruments for these constructs capture the conceptual differences between these constructs within a treatment setting. Patients undergoing Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty (THA and TKA) (Total N = 361; 182 THA; 179 TKA), completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised for optimism and pessimism, the Hope Scale, the Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire for treatment credibility and treatment expectancy. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine whether the instruments measure distinct constructs. Four theory-driven models with one, two, four and five latent factors were evaluated using multiple fit indices and Δχ2 tests, followed by some posthoc models. The results of the theory driven confirmatory factor analysis showed that a five factor model in which all constructs loaded on separate factors yielded the most optimal and satisfactory fit. Posthoc, a bifactor model in which (besides the 5 separate factors) a general factor is hypothesized accounting for the commonality of the items showed a significantly better fit than the five factor model. All specific factors, except for the hope factor, showed to explain a substantial amount of variance beyond the general factor. Based on our primary analyses we conclude that optimism, pessimism, hope, treatment credibility and treatment expectancy are distinguishable in THA and TKA patients. Postdoc, we determined that all constructs, except hope, showed substantial specific variance, while also sharing some general variance.

Is debt restructuring needed to make the Stability and Growth Pact (more credible?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens Körner

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The emergence of the so-called PIIGS crisis which in 2009 became acute due to strongly diverging risk premiums, marked the beginning of a new phase for the European Monetary Union. Whilst the run-up to EMU had been characterized by an encouraging convergence of macroeconomic fundamentals of its member countries, it is now facing a serious threat in particular due to excessive levels of public debt. In 1997, the Stability and Growth Pact introduced a mechanism designed to prevent excessive public debt of the type currently observed; the fact of the matter, however, seems to be that levels of public debt has continuously grown from one economic cycle to the next. But the SGP apparently not only failed to fulfil its aim to keep the deficit and the debt level within its limits but also suffered from a severe loss of credibility; unless some profound action is taken it may further diminish, severely hampering the loose structure of the European Monetary Union. In order to regain some credibility, mitigate financial market’s concerns and, hence, lower borrowing cost, a consolidation path is needed to returns to acceptable levels of debt in the foreseeable future. This process has already started and measures have been taken by several eurozone countries to speed up fiscal consolidation. The aim of the paper is to analyze whether or not the group of the PIIGS countries are likely to return to debt levels in accordance with the SGP criteria or if it might be necessary to undergo a process of debt restructuring or default. By analysing different scenarios where nominal interest rates on debt (r and nominal growth rates (n as well as gaps thereof (r-n, herein called the automatic debt dynamics, are varied, this paper comes to the conclusion, that debt restructuring or default is a likely outcome for some of the PIIGS; arithmetics is in particular playing against Greece. As disillusioning and disappointing this outcome might be for some observers, it

As ciências naturais e as ciências do espírito na era da globalização

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Jaeschke, Walter

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Este artigo, o autor apresenta, primeiramente, reflexões de cunho histórico sobre a relação entre as Ciências Naturais e as Ciências do Espírito, seguidas de observações, de caráter mais sistemático, sobre o conceito das próprias Ciências do Espírito. Com fundamento nessas observações, tece algumas reflexões sobre até que ponto podemos esperar da globalização efeitos sobre as Ciências Naturais e as Ciências do Espírito

An Interval Fuzzy-Stochastic Chance-Constrained Programming Based Energy-Water Nexus Model for Planning Electric Power Systems

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Jing Liu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, an interval fuzzy-stochastic chance-constrained programming based energy-water nexus (IFSCP-WEN model is developed for planning electric power system (EPS. The IFSCP-WEN model can tackle uncertainties expressed as possibility and probability distributions, as well as interval values. Different credibility (i.e., γ levels and probability (i.e., qi levels are set to reflect relationships among water supply, electricity generation, system cost, and constraint-violation risk. Results reveal that different γ and qi levels can lead to a changed system cost, imported electricity, electricity generation, and water supply. Results also disclose that the study EPS would tend to the transition from coal-dominated into clean energy-dominated. Gas-fired would be the main electric utility to supply electricity at the end of the planning horizon, occupying [28.47, 30.34]% (where 28.47% and 30.34% present the lower bound and the upper bound of interval value, respectively of the total electricity generation. Correspondingly, water allocated to gas-fired would reach the highest, occupying [33.92, 34.72]% of total water supply. Surface water would be the main water source, accounting for more than [40.96, 43.44]% of the total water supply. The ratio of recycled water to total water supply would increase by about [11.37, 14.85]%. Results of the IFSCP-WEN model present its potential for sustainable EPS planning by co-optimizing energy and water resources.

Credibility and Usefulness of Health Information on Facebook: A Survey Study with U.S. College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sung Un; Syn, Sue Yeon

2016-01-01

Introduction: This study examines ways in which college students perceive the credibility and usefulness of health information on Facebook, depending on topic sensitivity, information source and demographic factors. Method: With self-selection sampling, data were collected from two universities through an online survey; 351 responses were used for…

The Emotional Moves of a Rational Actor: Smiles, Scowls, and Other Credible Messages

OpenAIRE

Lawrence Ian Reed; Peter DeScioli

2017-01-01

Many scholars turn to emotions to understand irrational behavior. We do the opposite: we turn to rationality and game theory to understand people’s emotions. We discuss a striking theory of emotions that began with the game theory of credible threats and promises, then was enriched by evolutionary biology and psychology, and now is being tested in psychological experiments. We review some of these experiments which use economic games to set up strategic situations with real payoffs. The exper...

Credible checklists and quality questionnaires a user-centered design method

CERN Document Server

Wilson, Chauncey

2013-01-01

Credible Checklists and Quality Questionnaires starts off with an examination of the critical but commonly overlooked checklist method. In the second chapter, questionnaires and surveys are discussed. Asking questions sounds simple, but the hard truth is that asking questions (and designing questionnaires) is a difficult task. This chapter discusses being mindful of the choice of words, order of questions and how early questions influence later questions, answer scales and how they impact the user response, questionnaire design, and much more. The final chapter provides examples of some common questionnaires (both free and fee-based) for assessing the usability of products. After reading this book, readers will be able to use these user design tools with greater confidence and certainty.

The Bank of Canada's Monetary Policy Framework; Have Recent Changes Enhanced Central Bank Credibility?

OpenAIRE

Takatoshi Ito; Brenda Gonzalez-Hermosillo

1997-01-01

In recent years the Bank of Canada has made important changes in the way it conducts monetary policy. In particular, the bank has adopted explicit inflation targets and introduced significant changes to its operational framework designed to increase transparency and reduce market uncertainty. This paper examines the key issues associated with the recent changes in the Bank of Canada’s monetary policy framework and analyzes various indicators of central bank credibility.

Convex Interval Games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alparslan-Gok, S.Z.; Brânzei, R.; Tijs, S.H.

2008-01-01

In this paper, convex interval games are introduced and some characterizations are given. Some economic situations leading to convex interval games are discussed. The Weber set and the Shapley value are defined for a suitable class of interval games and their relations with the interval core for

The Relationship between Students' Motives to Communicate with Their Instructors and Perceived Instructor Credibility, Attractiveness, and Homophily

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, Scott A.; Huebner, Alex D.

2011-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between students' motives to communicate (i.e., relational, functional, participatory, excuse making, and sycophantic) with their instructors and perceived instructor credibility, attractiveness, and homophily. 150 undergraduate students (85 men, 64 women, one did not indicate sex) enrolled at a large…

Disclosing celebrity endorsement in a television program to mitigate persuasion: how disclosure type and celebrity credibility interact

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dekker, K.; van Reijmersdal, E.A.

2013-01-01

This experiment (N = 165) examined the effects of two aspects of in-program celebrity endorsement on brand attitudes and product claim acceptance: credibility of the celebrity and the effects of disclosure types. Although there is an increasing call for endorsement disclosures, the effects of these

Filosofia das ciências sociais: temas atuais

OpenAIRE

Kincaid, Harold

2014-01-01

A filosofia das ciências sociais, concebida da maneira adequada, tem algo a oferecer aos que praticam as ciências sociais. Os cientistas sociais adotam em suas pesquisas, ainda que de forma implícita, alguma filosofia de sua ciência. Para evitar impasses, é melhor explicitar essa filosofia e ser criticamente consciente dos seus méritos. A filosofia das ciências sociais, por sua vez, não pode ser praticada sem um envolvimento íntimo com a pesquisa social. O artigo esboça alguns desenvolvimento...

A dynamic model for firm-response to non-credible incentive regulation regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agrell, Per J.; Grifell-Tatjé, Emili

2016-01-01

Economic network regulation increasingly use quantitative performance models (from econometrics and engineering) to set revenues. In theory, high-powered incentive regulation, such as revenue-caps, induces firms to cost-efficient behavior independent of underlying model. However, anecdotal evidence shows regulated firms occasionally maintaining cost-inefficiency under incentive regulation even under slumping profitability. We present a model for firm-level efficiency under a regime with a probability of failure explaining this phenomenon. The model is based on the hypothesis that the regulatory choice of method can be associated with intrinsic flaws leading to judicial repeal and replacement of it by a low-powered regime. The results show that the cost efficiency policy is proportional to the type of firm (cost of effort), value of time (discount factor) and the credibility of the method (risk of failure). A panel data set for 2000–2006 for 128 electricity distributors in Sweden is used to validate the model predictions (radical productivity slowdown, failing profitability and efficiency) at the launch and demise of a non-credible regulation method. The work highlights the fallacy of viewing incentive regulation as a method-independent instrument, a result applicable in any infrastructure regulation. - Highlights: • Incentive regulation relies on fixed revenue for operators. • In existing theory the efficiency-inducing effect is model-independent. • A dynamic game exposes the firm to a regulation that may fail. • One optimal policy is to pad cost and wait for the failure. • The Swedish DSOs show this policy 2003–2006, when the regime failed.

The Perceived Credibility of Scientific Claims, Paranormal Phenomena, and Miracles among Primary Teacher Students: A Comparative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keranto, Tapio

2001-01-01

Presents data collected concerning scientific, religious, and magic-occult connections from Finnish, Estonian, and Michigan primary teacher students to answer questions such as Do we find any differences between the credibility estimates?, Are there any differences between primary teacher students raised in different societies and educated in…

Restricted Interval Valued Neutrosophic Sets and Restricted Interval Valued Neutrosophic Topological Spaces

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Anjan Mukherjee

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In this paper we introduce the concept of restricted interval valued neutrosophic sets (RIVNS in short. Some basic operations and properties of RIVNS are discussed. The concept of restricted interval valued neutrosophic topology is also introduced together with restricted interval valued neutrosophic finer and restricted interval valued neutrosophic coarser topology. We also define restricted interval valued neutrosophic interior and closer of a restricted interval valued neutrosophic set. Some theorems and examples are cites. Restricted interval valued neutrosophic subspace topology is also studied.

Crisis of confidence: utilities, public relations, and credibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sullivan, F.C.

1977-01-01

This book deals principally with the role of the public utility in the business sector and specifically with its patterns of communications in this turbulent era of changing public opinion. Offering the premise that time has almost run out to achieve public understanding in today's mounting energy crisis, Frank C. Sullivan diagnoses the problems, examines available communication techniques, and offers a pragmatic approach to action which will stimulate and challenge neophyte and professional alike. The book touches on the history of public relations, discusses its functions and role in utility management, and provides practical suggestions and sound advice on corporate credibility and accounting. Following a ''Rationale for Action'' the book's twenty-two chapters are grouped in four major sections: Public Relations and the Utility; Planning for Rate Increases; The Utility and its Publics, and Private vs. Public Ownership. In his epilogue, ''The Dimensions of Disbelief,'' the author sets forth his candid and provocative thesis for action and change.

When Can Forensic Psychologists Comment on the Credibility of Criminal Defendants?

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Roberto Flores de Apodaca

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Forensic psychological examiners are often confronted with assessments in the guilt phase of criminal cases in which a Defendant denies his/her charged conduct, but the existing evidence clearly contradicts their account. This happens often in cases involving charges of violence, sex offending and or substance abuse (Langton, Barbaree, Harkins, Arenovich, McNamee & Peacock, 2008. What is the proper role of the examiner in such instances?; granting the benefit of the doubt and accepting the Defendant’s account, using the one contained in the differing evidence, or making an independent judgment about which is more likely to be true? Does accepting any version mean the expert is offering an opinion on the Ultimate Issue in the case, and encroaching on the role of the Trier of Fact? The Federal Rules of Evidence (FREE dictate that judgments about Ultimate Issues belong solely to the Trier of Fact, yet the DSM-5 Manual (APA, 2013 instructs us to consider Malingering in every forensic situation; i.e. is the Defendant being honest about his mental state, and by implication, his/her credibility?  Our recommendation is that examiners offer no opinions about which conflicting version in a criminal case is the more credible during the guilt phase, and instead, offer “if, then” assessments about a Defendant’s propensity for violence or sexual offending; i.e. if the charges are true, then s/he poses certain levels of risk going forward, for reasons detailed in the report. Such a stance avoids experts “taking sides” during the guilt phase of a case and allows them to fully inform the adversarial, legal process as it deliberates on possible Plea Bargains or Sentencing decisions. We argue that this impartial approach serves a useful function in legal proceedings while adhering to our Ethical Guidelines (APA, 2010.

Nuclear strategy: India's march towards credible deterrence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sethi, Manpreet

2009-01-01

May 1998 was a momentous event in India's life. At one level, the five nuclear tests marked the culmination of the long debate on India's nuclear status. At another level, they initiated the country's journey towards credible nuclear deterrence. In the eleventh year of its existence as a state with nuclear weapons, India is engaged in a range of activities to meaningfully integrate the nuclear weapon into its national security strategy. The US and the USSR, at the same stage of their lives were engaged in pretty much a similar exercise. However, unlike the superpowers, for whom the immense destructive potential of the atomic weapon and its implications for inter-state relations suddenly burst on the scene and sent them scrambling to craft strategies that could fit the new reality, India's acquisition of nuclear weapons capability, though dictated by circumstances, came with a basic understanding of the ground rules of the game of nuclear deterrence. In fact, it may be recalled that soon after the tests, there was a spate of books and studies on India's nuclear strategy. A draft nuclear doctrine was made public just fifteen months after the tests and operational issues were beginning to be grappled with

Credible knowledge: A pilot evaluation of a modified GRADE method using parent-implemented interventions for children with autism

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Perry Adrienne

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Decision-making in child and youth mental health (CYMH care requires recommendations that are developed through an efficient and effective method and are based on credible knowledge. Credible knowledge is informed by two sources: scientific evidence, and practice-based evidence, that reflects the "real world" experience of service providers. Current approaches to developing these recommendations in relation to CYMH will typically include evidence from one source or the other but do not have an objective method to combine the two. To this end, a modified version of the Grading Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE approach was pilot-tested, a novel method for the CYMH field. Methods GRADE has an explicit methodology that relies on input from scientific evidence as well as a panel of experts. The panel established the quality of evidence and derived detailed recommendations regarding the organization and delivery of mental health care for children and youth or their caregivers. In this study a modified GRADE method was used to provide precise recommendations based on a specific CYMH question (i.e. What is the current credible knowledge concerning the effects of parent-implemented, early intervention with their autistic children?. Results Overall, it appeared that early, parent-implemented interventions for autism result in positive effects that outweigh any undesirable effects. However, as opposed to overall recommendations, the heterogeneity of the evidence required that recommendations be specific to particular interventions, based on the questions of whether the benefits of a particular intervention outweighs its harms. Conclusions This pilot project provided evidence that a modified GRADE method may be an effective and practical approach to making recommendations in CYMH, based on credible knowledge. Key strengths of the process included separating the assessments of the quality of the evidence and

Multiattribute Decision Making Based on Entropy under Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Environment

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Yingjun Zhang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Multiattribute decision making (MADM is one of the central problems in artificial intelligence, specifically in management fields. In most cases, this problem arises from uncertainty both in the data derived from the decision maker and the actions performed in the environment. Fuzzy set and high-order fuzzy sets were proven to be effective approaches in solving decision-making problems with uncertainty. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the MADM problem with completely unknown attribute weights in the framework of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy (IVIF set (IVIFS. We first propose a new definition of IVIF entropy and some calculation methods for IVIF entropy. Furthermore, we propose an entropy-based decision-making method to solve IVIF MADM problems with completely unknown attribute weights. Particular emphasis is put on assessing the attribute weights based on IVIF entropy. Instead of the traditional methods, which use divergence among attributes or the probabilistic discrimination of attributes to obtain attribute weights, we utilize the IVIF entropy to assess the attribute weights based on the credibility of the decision-making matrix for solving the problem. Finally, a supplier selection example is given to demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed MADM method.

 Spis treści

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mieczysław Dobija

2014-04-01

Full Text Available  Od Zespołu Redakcyjnego ............................................................................... 5 Mieczysław Dobija – Rachunkowość w systemie pomiaru aktywności ekonomicznej państwa – Accounting as part of an economic activity measurement system ............... 7 Renata Dyląg, Ewelina Puchalska – Raportowanie zagadnień środowiskowych i społecznych – Reporting on social and environmental issues .............................................. 23 Jacek Gad – Sprawozdanie z wyniku całościowego jako źródło informacji na temat kapitałowych przychodów i kosztów – doświadczenia polskiego i niemieckiego rynku kapitałowego – Statement of comprehensive income as a source of information on capital income and expenses – experience of Polish and German capital markets...... 47 Piotr Luty – Ocena kondycji finansowej łączących się spółek na przykładzie jednostek z wybranych województw Polski Zachodniej – Assessment of financial position of merging companies based on selected provinces of Western Poland ............................................................................ 69 Irena Sobańska – Znaczenie dorobku naukowego Profesor Elżbiety Burzym dla rozwoju nauki i praktyki rachunkowości w Polsce – The importance of Professor Elżbieta Burzym’s contribution to the development of accounting theory, research and practice in Poland ........................ 83 Arleta Szadziewska – Rachunkowość jako źródło informacji na temat realizacji strategii społecznej odpowiedzialności biznesu – Accounting as a source of information for CSR strategy ............................. 95 Halina Waniak-Michalak – Informacja o pracy wolontariuszy w sprawozdaniach organizacji pożytku publicznego w Polsce – Information on volunteer labour in reports of public benefit organizations in Poland ............................................................................................................ 125

The Relationship of Instructor Self-Disclosure, Nonverbal Immediacy, and Credibility to Student Incivility in the College Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Ann Neville; Katt, James A.; Brown, Tim; Sivo, Stephen A.

2014-01-01

In this study, we examined the potential mediating role of instructor credibility in the relationship of instructor self-disclosure and nonverbal immediacy to student incivility in the college classroom. Four hundred thirty-eight students completed online questionnaires regarding the instructor of the class they attended prior to the one in which…

Institutions, credibility and crisis: the inconsistencies of Argentine exchange rate policy (1991-2006

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NICOLÁS CHERNY

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is twofold. The first is to explain the time inconsistencies of the convertibility regime that led to the 2001 crisis. The argument suggests that the credibility requirements for convertibility induced a dynamic of legal, fiscal, financial and external commitments that increased exit costs and time inconsistencies. The second objective is to explain the tensions of the floating regime that replaced convertibility in 2002. We describe the effects of a floating exchange rate on macroeconomic imbalance and the growing tension between competitiveness and inflation.

CUORE sensitivity to 0νββ decay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alduino, C.; Avignone, F.T.; Chott, N.; Creswick, R.J.; Rosenfeld, C.; Wilson, J. [University of South Carolina, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Columbia, SC (United States); Alfonso, K.; Hickerson, K.P.; Huang, H.Z.; Sakai, M.; Schmidt, J.; Trentalange, S.; Zhu, B.X. [University of California, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Artusa, D.R.; Rusconi, C. [University of South Carolina, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Columbia, SC (United States); INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila, Assergi (Italy); Azzolini, O.; Camacho, A.; Keppel, G.; Palmieri, V.; Pira, C. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Padua, Legnaro (Italy); Banks, T.I.; Drobizhev, A.; Freedman, S.J.; Hennings-Yeomans, R.; Kolomensky, Yu.G.; Wagaarachchi, S.L. [University of California, Department of Physics, Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bari, G.; Deninno, M.M. [INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Beeman, J.W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bellini, F.; Casali, N.; Cosmelli, C.; Ferroni, F.; Piperno, G. [Sapienza Universita di Roma, Dipartimento di Fisica, Roma (Italy); INFN-Sezione di Roma, Roma (Italy); Benato, G.; Singh, V. [University of California, Department of Physics, Berkeley, CA (United States); Bersani, A.; Caminata, A. [INFN-Sezione di Genova, Genova (Italy); Biassoni, M.; Brofferio, C.; Capelli, S.; Carniti, P.; Cassina, L.; Chiesa, D.; Clemenza, M.; Faverzani, M.; Fiorini, E.; Gironi, L.; Gotti, C.; Maino, M.; Nastasi, M.; Nucciotti, A.; Pavan, M.; Pozzi, S.; Sisti, M.; Terranova, F.; Zanotti, L. [Universita di Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Fisica, Milano (Italy); INFN-Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Milano (Italy); Branca, A.; Taffarello, L. [INFN-Sezione di Padova, Padova (Italy); Bucci, C.; Cappelli, L.; D' Addabbo, A.; Gorla, P.; Pattavina, L.; Pirro, S. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila, Assergi (Italy); Canonica, L. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila, Assergi (Italy); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Cao, X.G.; Fang, D.Q.; Ma, Y.G.; Wang, H.W.; Zhang, G.Q. [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Shanghai (China); Carbone, L.; Cremonesi, O.; Ferri, E.; Giachero, A.; Pessina, G.; Previtali, E. [INFN-Sezione di Milano Bicocca, Milano (Italy); Cardani, L.; Dafinei, I.; Morganti, S.; Mosteiro, P.J.; Pettinacci, V.; Tomei, C.; Vignati, M. [INFN-Sezione di Roma, Roma (Italy); Copello, S.; Di Domizio, S.; Fernandes, G.; Marini, L.; Pallavicini, M. [INFN-Sezione di Genova, Genova (Italy); Universita di Genova, Dipartimento di Fisica, Genova (Italy); Cushman, J.S.; Davis, C.J.; Heeger, K.M.; Lim, K.E.; Maruyama, R.H. [Yale University, Department of Physics, New Haven, CT (United States); Dell' Oro, S. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila, Assergi (Italy); INFN-Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Di Vacri, M.L.; Santone, D. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila, Assergi (Italy); Universita dell' Aquila, Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche e Chimiche, L' Aquila (Italy); Franceschi, M.A.; Ligi, C.; Napolitano, T. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Rome (Italy); Fujikawa, B.K.; Mei, Y.; Schmidt, B.; Smith, A.R.; Welliver, B. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Nuclear Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Giuliani, A.; Novati, V.; Tenconi, M. [CSNSM, University of Paris-Sud, CNRS/IN2P3, Universit Paris-Saclay, Orsay (France); Gladstone, L.; Leder, A.; Ouellet, J.L.; Winslow, L.A. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Gutierrez, T.D. [California Polytechnic State University, Physics Department, San Luis Obispo, CA (United States); Haller, E.E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Materials Science Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); University of California, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Berkeley, CA (United States); Han, K. [Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai (China); Hansen, E. [University of California, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Kadel, R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Physics Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Martinez, M. [Sapienza Universita di Roma, Dipartimento di Fisica, Roma (Italy); INFN-Sezione di Roma, Roma (Italy); Universidad de Zaragoza, Laboratorio de Fisica Nuclear y Astroparticulas, Zaragoza (Spain); Moggi, N. [INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Alma Mater Studiorum-Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze per la Qualita della Vita, Bologna (Italy); Nones, C. [CEA/Saclay, Service de Physique des Particules, Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Norman, E.B.; Wang, B.S. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States); University of California, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Berkeley, CA (United States); O' Donnell, T. [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Center for Neutrino Physics, Blacksburg, VA (United States); Pagliarone, C.E. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila, Assergi (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Meccanica, Cassino (Italy); Sangiorgio, S.; Scielzo, N.D. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States); Wise, T. [Yale University, Department of Physics, New Haven, CT (United States); University of Wisconsin, Department of Physics, Madison, WI (United States); Woodcraft, A. [University of Edinburgh, SUPA, Institute for Astronomy, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Zimmermann, S. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Engineering Division, Berkeley, CA (United States); Zucchelli, S. [INFN-Sezione di Bologna, Bologna (Italy); Alma Mater Studiorum-Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Bologna (Italy)

2017-08-15

We report a study of the CUORE sensitivity to neutrinoless double beta (0νββ) decay. We used a Bayesian analysis based on a toy Monte Carlo (MC) approach to extract the exclusion sensitivity to the 0νββ decay half-life (T{sub 1/2}{sup 0ν}) at 90% credibility interval (CI) - i.e. the interval containing the true value of T{sub 1/2}{sup 0ν} with 90% probability - and the 3σ discovery sensitivity. We consider various background levels and energy resolutions, and describe the influence of the data division in subsets with different background levels. If the background level and the energy resolution meet the expectation, CUORE will reach a 90% CI exclusion sensitivity of 2 . 10{sup 25} year with 3 months, and 9 . 10{sup 25} year with 5 years of live time. Under the same conditions, the discovery sensitivity after 3 months and 5 years will be 7 . 10{sup 24} year and 4 . 10{sup 25} year, respectively. (orig.)

DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECT OF BRAND CREDIBILITY, BRAND COMMITMENT AND LOYALTY INTENTIONS ON BRAND EQUITY

OpenAIRE

Veeva Mathew; Sam Thomas; Joseph I Injodey

2012-01-01

Brand equity has been and will be an area of interest for marketing managers. All marketing efforts are directed toward the development ofbrand equity. Therefore efforts are taken among the researchers, to understand the concept of brand equity as deep as possible.This paper attempts to understand the interrelationships among key formative indicators of brand equity, using beliefattitude- intention hierarchy of effects. The formative indicators include brand credibility, brand commitment, and...

Interval Cancers in a Population-Based Screening Program for Colorectal Cancer in Catalonia, Spain

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M. Garcia

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To analyze interval cancers among participants in a screening program for colorectal cancer (CRC during four screening rounds. Methods. The study population consisted of participants of a fecal occult blood test-based screening program from February 2000 to September 2010, with a 30-month follow-up (n = 30,480. We used hospital administration data to identify CRC. An interval cancer was defined as an invasive cancer diagnosed within 30 months of a negative screening result and before the next recommended examination. Gender, age, stage, and site distribution of interval cancers were compared with those in the screen-detected group. Results. Within the study period, 97 tumors were screen-detected and 74 tumors were diagnosed after a negative screening. In addition, 17 CRC (18.3% were found after an inconclusive result and 2 cases were diagnosed within the surveillance interval (2.1%. There was an increase of interval cancers over the four rounds (from 32.4% to 46.0%. When compared with screen-detected cancers, interval cancers were found predominantly in the rectum (OR: 3.66; 95% CI: 1.51–8.88 and at more advanced stages (P=0.025. Conclusion. There are large numbers of cancer that are not detected through fecal occult blood test-based screening. The low sensitivity should be emphasized to ensure that individuals with symptoms are not falsely reassured.

R package to estimate intracluster correlation coefficient with confidence interval for binary data.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Hrishikesh; Hossain, Akhtar

2018-03-01

The Intracluster Correlation Coefficient (ICC) is a major parameter of interest in cluster randomized trials that measures the degree to which responses within the same cluster are correlated. There are several types of ICC estimators and its confidence intervals (CI) suggested in the literature for binary data. Studies have compared relative weaknesses and advantages of ICC estimators as well as its CI for binary data and suggested situations where one is advantageous in practical research. The commonly used statistical computing systems currently facilitate estimation of only a very few variants of ICC and its CI. To address the limitations of current statistical packages, we developed an R package, ICCbin, to facilitate estimating ICC and its CI for binary responses using different methods. The ICCbin package is designed to provide estimates of ICC in 16 different ways including analysis of variance methods, moments based estimation, direct probabilistic methods, correlation based estimation, and resampling method. CI of ICC is estimated using 5 different methods. It also generates cluster binary data using exchangeable correlation structure. ICCbin package provides two functions for users. The function rcbin() generates cluster binary data and the function iccbin() estimates ICC and it's CI. The users can choose appropriate ICC and its CI estimate from the wide selection of estimates from the outputs. The R package ICCbin presents very flexible and easy to use ways to generate cluster binary data and to estimate ICC and it's CI for binary response using different methods. The package ICCbin is freely available for use with R from the CRAN repository (https://cran.r-project.org/package=ICCbin). We believe that this package can be a very useful tool for researchers to design cluster randomized trials with binary outcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Perceived Credibility of Web Sites in a Terrorism Context: The PFLP, Tamil Tigers, Hamas, and Hezbollah

Science.gov (United States)

Spinks, Brandon Todd

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to contribute to the overall understanding of terrorist organizations' use of the Internet and to increase researchers' knowledge of Web site effectiveness. The methodological approach was evaluation of the perceived credibility of Web sites based on existing criteria derived from information users. The Web sites of…

Hírpiacok szimulációja

OpenAIRE

Németh, András

2005-01-01

Hírtőzsdén olyan, általában elektronikus piacot értünk, ahol különféle jövőbeli eseményekre lehet fogadni. Mint azt már több vizsgálat is megmutatta, ezek a játéktőzsdék alkalmasak arra, hogy a résztvevők rendelkezésére álló elszórt részinformációkat összegyűjtsék, egyetlen árfolyammá alakítsák (információaggregáció), és ezzel előre jelezzék az eseményeket. Jelen tanulmány célja e hírtőzsdék és szereplőinek modellezése, valamint az információaggregáció vizsgálata. Ennek érdekében felépítünk e...

Communicating soil carbon science to farmers: Incorporating credibility, salience and legitimacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingram, Julie; Mills, Jane; Dibari, Camilla

2016-01-01

A key narrative within climate change science is that conserving and improving soil carbon through agricultural practices can contribute to agricultural productivity and is a promising option for mitigating carbon loss through sequestration. This paper examines the potential disconnect between...... science and practice in the context of communicating information about soil carbon management. It focuses on the information producing process and on stakeholder (adviser, farmer representative, policy maker etc) assessment of the attributes credibility, salience and legitimacy. In doing this it draws...... on results from consultations with stakeholders in the SmartSOIL project which aimed to provide decision support guidelines about practices that optimise carbon mitigation and crop productivity. An iterative methodology, used to engage stakeholders in developing, testing and validating a range of decision...

 Spis treści

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANNA BARTOSZEWICZ

2015-03-01

Full Text Available  Od Zespołu Redakcyjnego – Editorial .......................................................................................................... 7 Anna Bartoszewicz – Praktyczna realizacja Programu zapewnienia i poprawy jakości w komórkach audytu wewnętrznego na wybranych przykładach – Implementation of Quality Assurance and Improvement Program by internal audit teams on selected examples ................................................................ 9 Anna Białek-Jaworska, Natalia Nehrebecka – Struktura kapitałowa przedsiębiorstw w świetle wyników badań – Capital structure of companies in the light of research results ..................... 29 Magda Chraścina – Determinanty tworzenia rezerw oraz ich skutki bilansowo- -wynikowe na przykładzie spółek notowanych na Giełdzie Papierów Wartościowych w Warszawie – Determinants of creating provisions and their effect on the balance sheet and income statement on the example of companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange .................................................................................................. 53 Małgorzata Garstka – Dobry obyczaj jako norma kształtująca zachowanie księgowych – Good practice as a norm shaping the behavior of accountants ...................... 73 Przemysław Kabalski, Joanna Szwajcar – Feminizacja studiów w zakresie rachunkowości w Polsce – przyczyny i skutki – Feminization of accounting studies in Poland – causes and consequences .. 85 Anna Kasperowicz – Znaki i kody rachunkowości w procesie komunikacji – Accounting signs and codes in the communication process .......................... 107 Marcin Kędzior – Dobrowolne stosowanie MSSF przez spółki giełdowe w wybranych krajach Europy Zachodniej – Voluntary adoption of IFRS by listed companies in selected Western European countries ................................................................................................. 123 Ewelina Zarzycka �

High-Intensity Interval Training for Overweight Adolescents: Program Acceptance of a Media Supported Intervention and Changes in Body Composition

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Sabine Herget

2016-11-01

Full Text Available High-intensity interval training (HIIT consists of short intervals of exercise at high intensity intermitted by intervals of lower intensity and is associated with improvement of body composition and metabolic health in adults. Studies in overweight adolescents are scarce. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in overweight adolescents to compare acceptance and attendance of HIIT with or without weekly motivational encouragement through text messages and access to a study website. HIIT was offered for six months (including summer vacation twice a week (60 min/session. Participation rates were continuously assessed and acceptance was measured. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline and after six months. Twenty-eight adolescents participated in this study (age 15.5 ± 1.4; 54% female. The standard deviation score for body mass index over all participants was 2.33 at baseline and decreased by 0.026 (95% CI −0.048 to 0.10 units, p = 0.49. Waist to height ratio was 0.596 at baseline and decreased by 0.013 (95% CI 0.0025 to 0.024, p = 0.023. Participation within the first two months ranged from 65% to 75%, but fell to 15% within the last three months. Attendance in the intervention group was 14% (95% CI −8 to 37, p = 0.18, higher than the control group. Overall program content was rated as “good” by participants, although high drop-out rates were observed. Summer months constitute a serious problem regarding attendance. The use of media support has to be assessed further in appropriately powered trials.

High-Intensity Interval Training for Overweight Adolescents: Program Acceptance of a Media Supported Intervention and Changes in Body Composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Herget, Sabine; Reichardt, Sandra; Grimm, Andrea; Petroff, David; Käpplinger, Jakob; Haase, Michael; Markert, Jana; Blüher, Susann

2016-11-08

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of short intervals of exercise at high intensity intermitted by intervals of lower intensity and is associated with improvement of body composition and metabolic health in adults. Studies in overweight adolescents are scarce. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in overweight adolescents to compare acceptance and attendance of HIIT with or without weekly motivational encouragement through text messages and access to a study website. HIIT was offered for six months (including summer vacation) twice a week (60 min/session). Participation rates were continuously assessed and acceptance was measured. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline and after six months. Twenty-eight adolescents participated in this study (age 15.5 ± 1.4; 54% female). The standard deviation score for body mass index over all participants was 2.33 at baseline and decreased by 0.026 (95% CI -0.048 to 0.10) units, p = 0.49. Waist to height ratio was 0.596 at baseline and decreased by 0.013 (95% CI 0.0025 to 0.024), p = 0.023. Participation within the first two months ranged from 65% to 75%, but fell to 15% within the last three months. Attendance in the intervention group was 14% (95% CI -8 to 37), p = 0.18, higher than the control group. Overall program content was rated as "good" by participants, although high drop-out rates were observed. Summer months constitute a serious problem regarding attendance. The use of media support has to be assessed further in appropriately powered trials.

Programming with Intervals

Science.gov (United States)

Matsakis, Nicholas D.; Gross, Thomas R.

Intervals are a new, higher-level primitive for parallel programming with which programmers directly construct the program schedule. Programs using intervals can be statically analyzed to ensure that they do not deadlock or contain data races. In this paper, we demonstrate the flexibility of intervals by showing how to use them to emulate common parallel control-flow constructs like barriers and signals, as well as higher-level patterns such as bounded-buffer producer-consumer. We have implemented intervals as a publicly available library for Java and Scala.

Projections of Flood Risk using Credible Climate Signals in the Ohio River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Schlef, K.; Robertson, A. W.; Brown, C.

2017-12-01

Estimating future hydrologic flood risk under non-stationary climate is a key challenge to the design of long-term water resources infrastructure and flood management strategies. In this work, we demonstrate how projections of large-scale climate patterns can be credibly used to create projections of long-term flood risk. Our study area is the northwest region of the Ohio River Basin in the United States Midwest. In the region, three major teleconnections have been previously demonstrated to affect synoptic patterns that influence extreme precipitation and streamflow: the El Nino Southern Oscillation, the Pacific North American pattern, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. These teleconnections are strongest during the winter season (January-March), which also experiences the greatest number of peak flow events. For this reason, flood events are defined as the maximum daily streamflow to occur in the winter season. For each gage in the region, the location parameter of a log Pearson type 3 distribution is conditioned on the first principal component of the three teleconnections to create a statistical model of flood events. Future projections of flood risk are created by forcing the statistical model with projections of the teleconnections from general circulation models selected for skill. We compare the results of our method to the results of two other methods: the traditional model chain (i.e., general circulation model projections to downscaling method to hydrologic model to flood frequency analysis) and that of using the historic trend. We also discuss the potential for developing credible projections of flood events for the continental United States.

Facebook versus Twitter: Which one is more credible in a South African context?

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Kim L. Viljoen

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Studies conducted have shown that half of the South African population uses either or both Facebook and Twitter social networking sites for social satisfaction and for the evaluation of products and purchase decisions. This is a direct result of the continuous technological advancements worldwide and the permeative nature of social media. Objective: The focus of this study is to evaluate the credibility of Facebook and Twitter messages while establishing which of the mediums is perceived as more believable by consumers. The results of this research direct information technology practitioners, business managers, business owners, and marketing managers on the viability of these communication mediums. Method: A positivistic paradigm was used in this study through the use of a descriptive research design which consisted of a survey of 446 respondents located in East London, Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Respondents were either selected randomly or through convenience sampling and were between age 18 and 55. Results: It was established that both Facebook and Twitter are significantly related to the independent variable of ‘intention to purchase’, with Twitter having a stronger correlation with the independent variable than Facebook. The context of the study was set in relation to the purchase intention of specific mobile phone brands. Conclusion: Based on these results, it can be concluded that Twitter electronic word-of-mouth can be considered to be more credible than Facebook electronic word-of-mouth; thus this should be considered when advertising or promoting products via these mediums.

Number of core samples: Mean concentrations and confidence intervals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, L.; Cromar, R.D.; Wilmarth, S.R.; Heasler, P.G.

1995-01-01

This document provides estimates of how well the mean concentration of analytes are known as a function of the number of core samples, composite samples, and replicate analyses. The estimates are based upon core composite data from nine recently sampled single-shell tanks. The results can be used when determining the number of core samples needed to ''characterize'' the waste from similar single-shell tanks. A standard way of expressing uncertainty in the estimate of a mean is with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The authors investigate how the width of a 95% CI on the mean concentration decreases as the number of observations increase. Specifically, the tables and figures show how the relative half-width (RHW) of a 95% CI decreases as the number of core samples increases. The RHW of a CI is a unit-less measure of uncertainty. The general conclusions are as follows: (1) the RHW decreases dramatically as the number of core samples is increased, the decrease is much smaller when the number of composited samples or the number of replicate analyses are increase; (2) if the mean concentration of an analyte needs to be estimated with a small RHW, then a large number of core samples is required. The estimated number of core samples given in the tables and figures were determined by specifying different sizes of the RHW. Four nominal sizes were examined: 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of the observed mean concentration. For a majority of analytes the number of core samples required to achieve an accuracy within 10% of the mean concentration is extremely large. In many cases, however, two or three core samples is sufficient to achieve a RHW of approximately 50 to 100%. Because many of the analytes in the data have small concentrations, this level of accuracy may be satisfactory for some applications

Wartości poznawcze sprawozdawczości regulacyjnej podmiotu świadczącego powszechne usługi pocztowe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leszek Borowiec

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Ze względu na aspekty strategiczne, gospodarcze czy społeczne, niektóre obszary aktywności przedsiębiorstw w gospodarce rynkowej są organizowane w ramach tzw. rynków regulowanych. Regulacja danej części rynku najczęściej podlega dodatkowym rygorom sprawozdawczości. Celem artykułu jest próba oceny wartości poznawczych sprawozdawczości z rachunkowości regulacyjnej operatora wyznaczonego do świadczenia powszechnych usług pocztowych. W opracowaniu dokonano przeglądu uwarunkowań prawnych działania operatora wyznaczonego oraz scharakteryzowano zakres ujawnianych informacji w sprawozdawczości regulacyjnej, na przykładzie rynku pocztowych usług powszechnych. Podstawą analizy były sprawozdania regulacyjne składne przez operatora wyznaczonego, tj. Pocztę Polską. Wopracowaniu zastosowano takie metody badawcze jak: studia literaturowe, analiza aktów prawnych regulujących rynek usług pocztowych, wywiady oraz badanie poprzez działanie. Konkluzje skłaniają do stwierdzenia, iż sprawozdawczość regulacyjna, mimo swojej specyfiki, dla regulatora rynku stanowi istotne źródło informacji do oceny efektywności świadczonych usług. Jednocześnie ma bardzo wątpliwe walory poznawcze dla interesariuszy zewnętrznych, ze względu na szeroki zakres stosowania instytucji „tajemnicy przedsiębiorstwa”. Artykuł jest oryginalnym spojrzeniem autora na słabo rozpoznany od strony naukowej problem wartości informacyjnej dla interesariuszy sprawozdawczości podmiotów działających w sektorach regulowanych. For strategic, economic or social reasons, some areas of business activity in the market economy are organized under the so-called regulated markets. The regulation of a given part of the market is most often subject to additional reporting requirements. The aim of this article is to try to assess the cognitive value of reporting from the regulatory accounting of an operator designated to provide universal postal services. The

Estimation of sojourn time in chronic disease screening without data on interval cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, T H; Kuo, H S; Yen, M F; Lai, M S; Tabar, L; Duffy, S W

2000-03-01

Estimation of the sojourn time on the preclinical detectable period in disease screening or transition rates for the natural history of chronic disease usually rely on interval cases (diagnosed between screens). However, to ascertain such cases might be difficult in developing countries due to incomplete registration systems and difficulties in follow-up. To overcome this problem, we propose three Markov models to estimate parameters without using interval cases. A three-state Markov model, a five-state Markov model related to regional lymph node spread, and a five-state Markov model pertaining to tumor size are applied to data on breast cancer screening in female relatives of breast cancer cases in Taiwan. Results based on a three-state Markov model give mean sojourn time (MST) 1.90 (95% CI: 1.18-4.86) years for this high-risk group. Validation of these models on the basis of data on breast cancer screening in the age groups 50-59 and 60-69 years from the Swedish Two-County Trial shows the estimates from a three-state Markov model that does not use interval cases are very close to those from previous Markov models taking interval cancers into account. For the five-state Markov model, a reparameterized procedure using auxiliary information on clinically detected cancers is performed to estimate relevant parameters. A good fit of internal and external validation demonstrates the feasibility of using these models to estimate parameters that have previously required interval cancers. This method can be applied to other screening data in which there are no data on interval cases.

Ensuring VGI Credibility in Urban-Community Data Generation: A Methodological Research Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie O'Brien

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we outline the methodological development of current research into urban community formations based on combinations of qualitative (volunteered and quantitative (spatial analytical and geo-statistical data. We outline a research design that addresses problems of data quality relating to credibility in volunteered geographic information (VGI intended for Web-enabled participatory planning. Here we have drawn on a dual notion of credibility in VGI data, and propose a methodological workflow to address its criteria. We propose a ‘super-positional’ model of urban community formations, and report on the combination of quantitative and participatory methods employed to underpin its integration. The objective of this methodological phase of study is to enhance confidence in the quality of data for Web-enabled participatory planning. Our participatory method has been supported by rigorous quantification of area characteristics, including participant communities’ demographic and socio-economic contexts. This participatory method provided participants with a ready and accessible format for observing and mark-making, which allowed the investigators to iterate rapidly a system design based on participants’ responses to the workshop tasks. Participatory workshops have involved secondary school-age children in socio-economically contrasting areas of Liverpool (Merseyside, UK, which offers a test-bed for comparing communities’ formations in comparative contexts, while bringing an under-represented section of the population into a planning domain, whose experience may stem from public and non-motorised transport modalities. Data has been gathered through one-day participatory workshops, featuring questionnaire surveys, local site analysis, perception mapping and brief, textual descriptions. This innovative approach will support Web-based participation among stakeholding planners, who may benefit from well-structured, community

Extent, accuracy, and credibility of breastfeeding information on the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, Ulfat; Scott, Barbara J

2005-05-01

Our objective was to test and describe a model for evaluating Websites related to breastfeeding. Forty Websites most likely to be accessed by the public were evaluated for extent, accuracy, credibility, presentation, ease of use, and adherence to ethical and medical Internet publishing standards. Extent and accuracy of Website content were determined by a checklist of critical information. The majority of Websites reviewed provided accurate information and complied with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Approximately half the Websites complied with standards of medical Internet publishing. While much information on breastfeeding on the Internet is accurate, there is wide variability in the extent of information, usability of Websites, and compliance with standards of medical Internet publishing. Results of this study may be helpful to health care professionals as a model for evaluating breastfeeding-related Websites and to highlight considerations when recommending or designing Websites.

BIOGRAMY POLSKICH MYŚLICIELI RACHUNKOWOŚCI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Biadacz

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Fragmenty artykułu: Włodzimierz Brzezin (1926–2008, profesor zwyczajny, doktor habilitowany, urodził się 1 lipca 1926 r. w Wieluniu, zmarł 29 grudnia 2008 r. w Częstochowie. (... Bilans działalności i osiągnięć Profesora Brzezina jest bardzo bogaty i trudno go przedstawić w skrócie. Należy jednak zaznaczyć, że jedną z cech charakteryzujących całokształt Jego zainteresowań naukowych jest szeroki krąg tematyczny. Obejmuje zagadnienia teoretyczne i praktyczne rachunkowości, zarówno sensu stricte, jak i sensu largo, jak również problematykę teorii pomiaru, analizy finansowej, controllingu, polityki bilansowej, wykorzystania rachunku kosztów przez kadrę inżynierską. Zdzisław Kołaczyk (1927–2008 docent doktor, urodził się 15 czerwca 1927 r. w Częstochowie, zmarł 9 lipca 2008 r. w Poznaniu. (... Działalność naukowa doc. dr Z. Kołaczyka skupiała się głównie na rachunkowości finansowej. Początkowo Jego zainteresowania naukowe koncentrowały się na rachunku kosztów przedsiębiorstw przemysłowych i budowlanych. Z tego zakresu opublikował kilka interesujących artykułów naukowych, zamieszczonych w Ruchu Prawniczym, Ekonomicznym i Socjologicznym oraz w Zeszytach Naukowych WSE w Poznaniu. W kolejnych latach doc. dra Z. Kołaczyka interesował rozwój rachunkowości jako nauki i działalności praktycznej

Serum prolactin revisited: parametric reference intervals and cross platform evaluation of polyethylene glycol precipitation-based methods for discrimination between hyperprolactinemia and macroprolactinemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Overgaard, Martin; Pedersen, Susanne Møller

2017-10-26

Hyperprolactinemia diagnosis and treatment is often compromised by the presence of biologically inactive and clinically irrelevant higher-molecular-weight complexes of prolactin, macroprolactin. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two macroprolactin screening regimes across commonly used automated immunoassay platforms. Parametric total and monomeric gender-specific reference intervals were determined for six immunoassay methods using female (n=96) and male sera (n=127) from healthy donors. The reference intervals were validated using 27 hyperprolactinemic and macroprolactinemic sera, whose presence of monomeric and macroforms of prolactin were determined using gel filtration chromatography (GFC). Normative data for six prolactin assays included the range of values (2.5th-97.5th percentiles). Validation sera (hyperprolactinemic and macroprolactinemic; n=27) showed higher discordant classification [mean=2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-4.4] for the monomer reference interval method compared to the post-polyethylene glycol (PEG) recovery cutoff method (mean=1.8; 95% CI 0.8-2.8). The two monomer/macroprolactin discrimination methods did not differ significantly (p=0.089). Among macroprolactinemic sera evaluated by both discrimination methods, the Cobas and Architect/Kryptor prolactin assays showed the lowest and the highest number of misclassifications, respectively. Current automated immunoassays for prolactin testing require macroprolactin screening methods based on PEG precipitation in order to discriminate truly from falsely elevated serum prolactin. While the recovery cutoff and monomeric reference interval macroprolactin screening methods demonstrate similar discriminative ability, the latter method also provides the clinician with an easy interpretable monomeric prolactin concentration along with a monomeric reference interval.

Dylematy standaryzacjisprawozdawczości finansowej,wyceny i pomiaru ryzyka

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Dobija

2010-09-01

Full Text Available W artykule zostały poruszone zagadnienia związane z istotą przejrzystości fi-nansowej organizacji. Przejrzystość ta jest jednym z elementów efektywnego systemu ładu korporacyjnego, dlatego tempo zmian w tym obszarze jest narzucone przez refor-my w systemach ładu korporacyjnego. W pierwszej części opracowania jest dyskuto-wana rola menedżerów w zapewnieniu przejrzystości finansowej organizacji. Kolejna część opracowania obejmuje krytyczną dyskusję trzech istotnych wątków teore-tycznych wpływających na jakość sprawozdawczości: postępującej standaryzacji w rachunkowości, problemów wyceny w rachunkowości oraz zagadnień pomiaru i sprawozdawczości ryzyka w organizacji.

DNA damage in isolated rat hepatocytes exposed to C.I. pigment orange 5 and C.I. pigment yellow 12 by the alkaline comet assay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, P; Wallin, Håkan; Grunnet, N

1998-01-01

The induction of DNA damage by commonly used printing ink pigments, C.I. pigment orange 5 (C.I. 12075) and C.I. pigment yellow 12 (C.I. 21090), was investigated in freshly isolated rat hepatocytes with the comet assay. C.I. pigment yellow 12 is a 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine-based diarylide pigment...

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE USAGE AND PERCEIVED CREDIBILITY OF SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON ACCOMMODATION PROVIDERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ovidiu I. MOISESCU

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the usage and perceived credibility of several sources of information domestic travelers take into consideration when gathering information on potential accommodation providers, on one hand, and, respectively, travelers’ demographic characteristics, on the other hand. After analyzing data from an online questionnaire based study conducted among a sample of 346 young Romanian Facebook users (between 19 and 35 years old, the results showed that, considering types of information sources usually taken into consideration, personal sources and Facebook are more frequently found among travelers with a lower income, travel agencies are more frequently mentioned as usual sources of information among older travelers and among those with a higher level of education, while women are more inclined than men to use leaflets and booklets as sources of information on accommodation providers. Moreover, the research showed that the higher the income, the higher the level of perceived credibility of online portals is. Also, travel agencies and personal sources are more frequently mentioned among the most credible sources by women, than by men, while men are slightly more confident than women in online banners and blogs. The findings can be very useful and relevant from a practical perspective, especially for communication and promotion purposes in the hospitality industry.

Selling Health to the Distracted: Consumer Responses to Source Credibility and Ad Appeal Type in a Direct-to-Consumer Advertisement.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemanski, Jennifer L; Villegas, Jorge

2015-01-01

Since 1997, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration first allowed prescription drug companies to release ads directly targeting the public, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising has become an integral part of the pharmaceutical industry marketing toolkit, reaching over $4 billion in 2005. In an experiment where cognitive load, a task that requires the investment of a subject's memory in an unrelated task; source credibility; and advertising appeal type (affective or cognitive) were manipulated, attitude toward the ad was measured for a print DTC meningitis vaccine ad. Main effect results for source credibility and advertising appeal type on attitude toward the ad were found, and interactions between manipulated variables were apparent when the individual difference variables related to a specific illness (vaccination history, living in a dorm, family members or friends who had suffered the illness) were taken into account.

Credibility and Authenticity of Digitally Signed Videos in Traffic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Grgurević

2008-11-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the possibilities of insuring the credibilityand authenticity of the surveillance camera video by digitalsigning, using the public key infrastructure as part of interoperabletraffic and information system in the future intelligenttransport systems. The surveillance camera video is a sequenceof individual frames and a unique digital print, i. e. hash valueis calculated for each of these. By encryption of the hash valuesof the frames using private encryption key of the surveillancecentre, digital signatures are created and they are stored in thedatabase. The surveillance centre can issue a copy of the videoto all the interested subjects for scientific and research workand investigation. Regardless of the scope, each subsequentmanipulation of the video copy contents will certainly changethe hash value of all the frames. The procedure of determiningthe authenticity and credibility of videos is reduced to the comparisonof the hash values of the frames stored in the databaseof the surveillance centre with the values obtained from the interestedsubjects such as the traffic experts and investigators,surveillance-security services etc.

Integrated Medical Model (IMM) Project Verification, Validation, and Credibility (VVandC)

Science.gov (United States)

Walton, M.; Boley, L.; Keenan, L.; Kerstman, E.; Shah, R.; Young, M.; Saile, L.; Garcia, Y.; Meyers, J.; Reyes, D.

2015-01-01

The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) Project supports end user requests by employing the Integrated Medical Evidence Database (iMED) and IMM tools as well as subject matter expertise within the Project. The iMED houses data used by the IMM. The IMM is designed to forecast relative changes for a specified set of crew health and mission success risk metrics by using a probabilistic model based on historical data, cohort data, and subject matter expert opinion. A stochastic approach is taken because deterministic results would not appropriately reflect the uncertainty in the IMM inputs. Once the IMM was conceptualized, a plan was needed to rigorously assess input information, framework and code, and output results of the IMM, and ensure that end user requests and requirements were considered during all stages of model development and implementation, as well as lay the foundation for external review and application. METHODS: In 2008, the Project team developed a comprehensive verification and validation (VV) plan, which specified internal and external review criteria encompassing 1) verification of data and IMM structure to ensure proper implementation of the IMM, 2) several validation techniques to confirm that the simulation capability of the IMM appropriately represents occurrences and consequences of medical conditions during space missions, and 3) credibility processes to develop user confidence in the information derived from the IMM. When the NASA-STD-7009 (7009) [1] was published, the Project team updated their verification, validation, and credibility (VVC) project plan to meet 7009 requirements and include 7009 tools in reporting VVC status of the IMM. Construction of these tools included meeting documentation and evidence requirements sufficient to meet external review success criteria. RESULTS: IMM Project VVC updates are compiled recurrently and include updates to the 7009 Compliance and Credibility matrices. Reporting tools have evolved over the lifetime of

Active ankle motion may result in changes to the talofibular interval in individuals with chronic ankle instability and ankle sprain copers: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Croy, Theodore; Cosby, Nicole L; Hertel, Jay

2013-08-01

Alterations in talocrural joint arthrokinematics related to repositioning of the talus or fibula following ankle sprain have been reported in radiological and clinical studies. It is unclear if these changes can result from normal active ankle motion. The study objective was to determine if active movement created changes in the sagittal plane talofibular interval in ankles with a history of lateral ankle sprain and instability. Three subject groups [control (n = 17), ankle sprain copers (n = 20), and chronic ankle instability (n = 20)] underwent ultrasound imaging of the anterolateral ankle gutter to identify the lateral malleolus and talus over three trials. Between trials, subjects actively plantar and dorsiflexed the ankle three times. The sagittal plane talofibular interval was assessed by measuring the anteroposterior distance (mm) between the lateral malleolus and talus from an ultrasound image. Between group and trial differences were analyzed with repeated measures analysis of variance and post-hoc t-tests. Fifty-seven subjects participated. A significant group-by-trial interaction was observed (F4,108 = 3.5; P = 0.009). The talofibular interval was increased in both copers [2.4±3.6 mm; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73-4.1; P = 0.007] and chronic ankle instability (4.1±4.6 mm; 95% CI: 1.9-6.2; P = 0.001) at trial 3 while no changes were observed in control ankle talar position (0.06±2.8mm; 95% CI: -1.5-1.4; P = 0.93). The talofibular interval increased only in subjects with a history of lateral ankle sprain with large clinical effect sizes observed. These findings suggest that an alteration in the position of the talus or fibula occurred with non-weight bearing sagittal plane motion. These findings may have diagnostic and therapeutic implications for manual therapists.

Simulation of the WWER-440/213 maximum credible accident at the EhNITs stand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blinkov, V.N.; Melikhov, O.I.; Melikhov, V.I.; Davydov, M.V.; Sokolin, A.V.; Shchepetil'nikov, Eh.Yu.

2000-01-01

The calculations of thermohydraulic processes through the ATHLET code for determining optimal conditions for modeling the coolant leakage at the EhNITs stand by the maximum credible accident at the NPP with WWER-440/213 reactor are presented. The diameters of the nozzle at the stand, whereby the local criterion of coincidence with the data on the NPP (by the maximum flow) and integral criterion of coincidence (by the mass and energy of the coolant, effluent during 10 s) are determined in the process of parametric calculations [ru

IS MISS SYMPATHY A CREDIBLE DEFENDANT ALLEGING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN A TRIAL FOR MURDER?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisca Expósito

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Current research has postulated that judicial inferencing and judgement-making are subject to biased appraisals. This study assessed the factors reported in the literature associated to the appraisal of criminality in a mock case of a battered woman standing trial for murdering her husband, and who pleaded legitimate self-defence in response to an instance of intimate partner violence. A nationwide sample of 169 police officers from different cities in Spain freely volunteered to participate in the study. Using a mock trial design, the defendant´s prototypicality (prototypical vs. non-prototypical, and physical attractiveness (attractive vs. unattractive were manipulated. Participants were required to assess the criminality (credibility, responsibility, and controllability of a battered woman accused of murdering her husband, and who alleged legitimate self-defence in response to an incident of intimate partner violence. The results showed that a defendant perceived as the prototype of a battered woman was judged as having less or no control of the situation; physical attractiveness increased the perception of the defendant´s responsibility in committing the crime; and an interaction between prototypicality and attractiveness in assigning credibility to the defendant´s testimony. Moreover, hostile sexism mediated the relationship between the defendant´s prototypicality and controllability. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for judicial judgement making in cases of battered women who kill their aggressors.

Can optimism, pessimism, hope, treatment credibility and treatment expectancy be distinguished in patients undergoing Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haanstra, T.M.; Tilbury, C.; Kamper, S.J.; Tordoir, R.L.; Vliet Vlieland, T.P.M.; Nelissen, R.G.H.H.; Cuijpers, P.; de Vet, H.C.W.; Dekker, J.; Knol, D.L.; Ostelo, R.W.J.G.

2015-01-01

Objectives: The constructs optimism, pessimism, hope, treatment credibility and treatment expectancy are associated with outcomes of medical treatment. While these constructs are grounded in different theoretical models, they nonetheless show some conceptual overlap. The purpose of this study was to

Social Persuasions by Teachers as a Source of Student Self-Efficacy: The Moderating Role of Perceived Teacher Credibility

Science.gov (United States)

Won, Sungjun; Lee, Sun-Young; Bong, Mimi

2017-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the degree to which Korean middle school students perceived their teachers to be credible made a difference in the effectiveness of teachers' persuasion as a source of students' academic self-efficacy. In the contexts of both general school learning and a specific subject of Korean…

Shilling attack detection for recommender systems based on credibility of group users and rating time series.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wei; Wen, Junhao; Qu, Qiang; Zeng, Jun; Cheng, Tian

2018-01-01

Recommender systems are vulnerable to shilling attacks. Forged user-generated content data, such as user ratings and reviews, are used by attackers to manipulate recommendation rankings. Shilling attack detection in recommender systems is of great significance to maintain the fairness and sustainability of recommender systems. The current studies have problems in terms of the poor universality of algorithms, difficulty in selection of user profile attributes, and lack of an optimization mechanism. In this paper, a shilling behaviour detection structure based on abnormal group user findings and rating time series analysis is proposed. This paper adds to the current understanding in the field by studying the credibility evaluation model in-depth based on the rating prediction model to derive proximity-based predictions. A method for detecting suspicious ratings based on suspicious time windows and target item analysis is proposed. Suspicious rating time segments are determined by constructing a time series, and data streams of the rating items are examined and suspicious rating segments are checked. To analyse features of shilling attacks by a group user's credibility, an abnormal group user discovery method based on time series and time window is proposed. Standard testing datasets are used to verify the effect of the proposed method.

Structural Biology of CI from Phage TP901-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Kim Krighaar

(CTD), separated by a linker of various lengths. The NTD is responsible for DNA binding and the CTD is responsible for oligomerization of the CI protein. A Helix-turn-Helix motif is usually responsible for DNA binding. This thesis presents a structural characterization of the CI repressor from TP901...... condition of the CTD, responsible for the arrangement of the hexameric CI repressor. The arrangement of the CI repressor for TP901-1 has previously been described to have 32 point group symmetry based on SAXS studies. The CTD crystallizes with P3121 or P3221 symmetry with one molecule in the asymmetric unit......-length CI can only be answered unambiguously by solving the CTD crystal structure or by use of alternative techniques on the full-length CI....

The role of negative affect and message credibility in perceived effectiveness of smokeless tobacco health warning labels in Navi Mumbai, India and Dhaka, Bangladesh: A moderated-mediation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutti-Packer, Seema; Reid, Jessica L; Thrasher, James F; Romer, Daniel; Fong, Geoffrey T; Gupta, Prakash C; Pednekar, Mangesh S; Nargis, Nigar; Hammond, David

2017-10-01

There is strong evidence showing that pictorial health warnings are more effective than text-only warnings. However, much of this evidence comes from high-income countries and is limited to cigarette packaging. Moreover, few studies have identified mechanisms that might explain the impact of warnings. The current study examined the potential mediating role of negative affect and the moderating influence of message credibility in perceived effectiveness of smokeless tobacco warnings in two low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Field interviews were conducted in India and Bangladesh, with adult (19+ years) smokeless tobacco users (n=1053), and youth (16-18years) users (n=304) and non-users (n=687). Respondents were randomly assigned to view warnings in one of four conditions: (1) Text-only, (2) pictorial with symbolic imagery, (3) pictorial with graphic images of health effects, or (4) pictorial with personalized graphic images plus a personal testimonial. The findings provide support for the mediating influence of negative affect in perceived effectiveness, for adult and youth smokeless tobacco users who viewed pictorial warnings (vs. text-only), and graphic health warnings (vs. personal testimonials). Among adults, message credibility moderated the indirect effect; the association was stronger when credibility was high and weaker when it was low. Among youth users and non-users, message credibility did not moderate the indirect effect. Consistent with research from high-income countries, these findings highlight the importance of selecting imagery that will elicit negative emotional reactions and be perceived as credible. Differential effects among adults and youth highlight the importance of pre-testing images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chosen interval methods for solving linear interval systems with special type of matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Szyszka, Barbara

2013-10-01

The paper is devoted to chosen direct interval methods for solving linear interval systems with special type of matrix. This kind of matrix: band matrix with a parameter, from finite difference problem is obtained. Such linear systems occur while solving one dimensional wave equation (Partial Differential Equations of hyperbolic type) by using the central difference interval method of the second order. Interval methods are constructed so as the errors of method are enclosed in obtained results, therefore presented linear interval systems contain elements that determining the errors of difference method. The chosen direct algorithms have been applied for solving linear systems because they have no errors of method. All calculations were performed in floating-point interval arithmetic.

Interviewing asylum seekers : A vignette study on the questions asked to assess credibility of claims about origin and persecution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Veldhuizen, Tanja S.; Horselenberg, Robert; Landström, Sara; Granhag, Pär Anders; van Koppen, Peter J.

2017-01-01

The aim of the current vignette study is to map the style, type, and themes of questions that are asked when assessing the credibility of asylum seekers' claims. Sixty-five officials from the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket), were asked to respond to one out of four different vignettes

Perceived Teacher Credibility and Students' Affect as a Function of Instructors' Use of PowerPoint and Email

Science.gov (United States)

Ledbetter, Andrew M.; Finn, Amber N.

2018-01-01

In this study, we extend previous work on instructors' use of technology by examining how students' perceptions of teacher credibility and affective experience differ depending on how frequently instructors use two common forms of instructional technology: PowerPoint, which is typically used "inside" the classroom; and email, which is…

Do estilo em ciência e em história das ciências

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Michel Paty

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Ao considerar o conhecimento científico como uma forma de pensamento simbólico, entende-se com isso não simples sistemas de signos, mas conteúdos de pensamento (expressos por conceitos ligados entre si e que fazem sentido, que são, no espaço das representações mentais, os substitutos do "dado objetivo" que se supõe subjazer à experiência que fazemos do "mundo" pelos sentidos e, nesse nível indissociavelmente, pelo entendimento. Esse pensamento simbólico adquire densidade e consistência pela "tecelagem" realizada graças ao trabalho dos pensamentos individuais que se comunicam, social e culturalmente, inscritos no tempo da história. Da tensão dinâmica entre o sujeito do conhecimento, que busca a inteligibilidade (pela operação de sua razão, e a objetividade dos conteúdos que ele se propõe (inicialmente dados, depois modificados ou produzidos, resulta o movimento do pensamento científico e a transformação dos conhecimentos. Esse trabalho do pensamento simbólico é marcado por um estilo próprio a cada um, mas que em parte pode ser comum em contextos, escolas ou tradições. Em ciência e em história das ciências, o estilo intervém em dois níveis: o da abordagem "objetal" da produção das obras pelos cientistas e o da abordagem "reflexiva" da história epistemológica e da filosofia, que se interrogam sobre a significação tanto dos próprios conteúdos de conhecimento quanto do pensamento racional, simbólico, cuja função é manifestá-los.By considering scientific knowledge as a form of symbolic thought, we do not mean by the latter simply systems of signs, but thought contents (expressed by concepts related between them and providing meaning ; they are, in the space of mental representations, the substitutes of the «objectively given» that one supposes to underly the experience of the «world» done through the senses and the understanding, both being indissociable at this level. This symbolic thought gets

As tendências atuais dos paradigmas: ciência, tecnologia e sociedade e ensino de ciências indígena no VII ENPEC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Delourdes Maciel

2014-01-01

Full Text Available O Encontro Nacional de Pesquisas em Educação em Ciências é um evento bianual organizada pelos pesquisadores do ensino de Ciências. O objetivo principal desse encontro é reunir os professores e pesquisadores da área, para socializarem os relatos de experiência e pesquisas no ensino de Ciências. Nesse presente trabalho, foi realizado um mapeamento dos artigos apresentados nas seções de comunicação oral do VII ENPEC, somando um total de 425 artigos selecionados, procurou-se identificar os relacionados com a abordagem Ciências, Tecnologia e Sociedade (CTS no ensino de Ciências sua estrutura de organização e o numero de pesquisadores dessa área do Ensino de Ciências. Para esse estudo foi realizado uma pesquisa qualitativa de caráter bibliográfico, e para a análise dos dados buscou-se subsídios teóricos em Fiorentini (2002 e Bardin (2006 porque assim seria possível comparar minuciosamente os diferentes resultados obtidos. Conclui-se que a linha de pesquisa com a temática CTS apresentou 28 trabalhos cerca de 7% de trabalhos apresentados, confirmando uma sinalização nessa área de pesquisa pelos pesquisadores do ensino de Ciências e a temática sobre ensino de ciências indígena representou cerca de 1% dos trabalhos apresentados.

Assessing precision, bias and sigma-metrics of 53 measurands of the Alinity ci system.

Science.gov (United States)

Westgard, Sten; Petrides, Victoria; Schneider, Sharon; Berman, Marvin; Herzogenrath, Jörg; Orzechowski, Anthony

2017-12-01

Assay performance is dependent on the accuracy and precision of a given method. These attributes can be combined into an analytical Sigma-metric, providing a simple value for laboratorians to use in evaluating a test method's capability to meet its analytical quality requirements. Sigma-metrics were determined for 37 clinical chemistry assays, 13 immunoassays, and 3 ICT methods on the Alinity ci system. Analytical Performance Specifications were defined for the assays, following a rationale of using CLIA goals first, then Ricos Desirable goals when CLIA did not regulate the method, and then other sources if the Ricos Desirable goal was unrealistic. A precision study was conducted at Abbott on each assay using the Alinity ci system following the CLSI EP05-A2 protocol. Bias was estimated following the CLSI EP09-A3 protocol using samples with concentrations spanning the assay's measuring interval tested in duplicate on the Alinity ci system and ARCHITECT c8000 and i2000 SR systems, where testing was also performed at Abbott. Using the regression model, the %bias was estimated at an important medical decisions point. Then the Sigma-metric was estimated for each assay and was plotted on a method decision chart. The Sigma-metric was calculated using the equation: Sigma-metric=(%TEa-|%bias|)/%CV. The Sigma-metrics and Normalized Method Decision charts demonstrate that a majority of the Alinity assays perform at least at five Sigma or higher, at or near critical medical decision levels. More than 90% of the assays performed at Five and Six Sigma. None performed below Three Sigma. Sigma-metrics plotted on Normalized Method Decision charts provide useful evaluations of performance. The majority of Alinity ci system assays had sigma values >5 and thus laboratories can expect excellent or world class performance. Laboratorians can use these tools as aids in choosing high-quality products, further contributing to the delivery of excellent quality healthcare for patients

'Aussie normals': an a priori study to develop clinical chemistry reference intervals in a healthy Australian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Koerbin, G; Cavanaugh, J A; Potter, J M; Abhayaratna, W P; West, N P; Glasgow, N; Hawkins, C; Armbruster, D; Oakman, C; Hickman, P E

2015-02-01

Development of reference intervals is difficult, time consuming, expensive and beyond the scope of most laboratories. The Aussie Normals study is a direct a priori study to determine reference intervals in healthy Australian adults. All volunteers completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire and exclusion was based on conditions such as pregnancy, diabetes, renal or cardiovascular disease. Up to 91 biochemical analyses were undertaken on a variety of analytical platforms using serum samples collected from 1856 volunteers. We report on our findings for 40 of these analytes and two calculated parameters performed on the Abbott ARCHITECTci8200/ci16200 analysers. Not all samples were analysed for all assays due to volume requirements or assay/instrument availability. Results with elevated interference indices and those deemed unsuitable after clinical evaluation were removed from the database. Reference intervals were partitioned based on the method of Harris and Boyd into three scenarios, combined gender, males and females and age and gender. We have performed a detailed reference interval study on a healthy Australian population considering the effects of sex, age and body mass. These reference intervals may be adapted to other manufacturer's analytical methods using method transference.

BIOGRAMY POLSKICH MYŚLICIELI NIERUCHOMOŚCI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edyta Łazarowicz

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Fragment artykułu: [b]Andrzej Bieniek[/b] (1895-1944, doktor, urodził się 17 października 1895 r. w Bratucicach (powiat Bochnia, rozstrzelany 26 lipca 1944 roku w ruinach getta w Warszawie. (...Doktor A. Bieniek zajmował się głównie problemami organizacji księgowości w przedsiębiorstwach oraz rachunkiem kosztów. Był autorem m.in. następujących publikacji: Polska metoda księgowości oparta na ekonomicznym systemie Taylora (Biblioteka Państwowej Szkoły Handlowej Męskiej w Łodzi, Łódź 1927, Kantor wzorowy w szkołach handlowych (Biblioteka Państwowej Szkoły Handlowej Męskiej w Łodzi, Warszawa-Łódź 1928, Księgowość w przedsiębiorstwach przemysłowych (Biblioteka Rady Głównej Zrzeszeń Księgowych i Rzeczoznawców Księgowości w Polsce, Warszawa 1935, Zasady inwentaryzacji i bilansowania (Związek Księgowych w Polsce, Warszawa 1936, Organizacja rachunkowości w przedsiębiorstwach przemysłowych ((Związek Księgowych w Polsce, Warszawa 1939, Zasady analizy bilansów (Stowarzyszenie Nauczycieli Szkół Zawodowych. Sekcja Główna Handlowa, Warszawa 1939. [b]Zygmunt Stefan Kossut[/b] (1922–1984 profesor doktor habilitowany, syn Wiktora Kossuta i Henryki Serafin, urodził się 16 kwietnia 1922 r. (.. Do dzisiaj znane jest profesjonalistom zdanie E. Terebuchy, że „on pierwszy (Z. Kossut – M.G. przeorał ugór w naszej nauce rachunkowości, wykonując próbę sformułowania nowych poglądów na metody badawcze w dziedzinie teorii rachunkowości.” [b]Kazimierz Sowa[/b] (1915–1972, profesor nadzwyczajny, doktor, urodził się 2 października 1915 roku w Krakowie w rodzinie chłopskiej, zmarł 17 grudnia 1972 r. w Krakowie. Był żonaty, bezdzietny. (... Okres pracy zawodowej Kazimiera Sowy (1938–1972 był bardzo zróżnicowany i przebiegał wielotorowo. Była to praca naukowo-dydaktyczna w szkolnictwie wyższym, praca redakcyjno-popularyzatorska, organizacyjno-kierownicza w Stowarzyszeniu Księgowych w

Prevalence of E/A wave fusion and A wave truncation in DDD pacemaker patients with complete AV block under nominal AV intervals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wolfram C Poller

Full Text Available Optimization of the AV-interval (AVI in DDD pacemakers improves cardiac hemodynamics and reduces pacemaker syndromes. Manual optimization is typically not performed in clinical routine. In the present study we analyze the prevalence of E/A wave fusion and A wave truncation under resting conditions in 160 patients with complete AV block (AVB under the pre-programmed AVI. We manually optimized sub-optimal AVI.We analyzed 160 pacemaker patients with complete AVB, both in sinus rhythm (AV-sense; n = 129 and under atrial pacing (AV-pace; n = 31. Using Doppler analyses of the transmitral inflow we classified the nominal AVI as: a normal, b too long (E/A wave fusion or c too short (A wave truncation. In patients with a sub-optimal AVI, we performed manual optimization according to the recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography.All AVB patients with atrial pacing exhibited a normal transmitral inflow under the nominal AV-pace intervals (100%. In contrast, 25 AVB patients in sinus rhythm showed E/A wave fusion under the pre-programmed AV-sense intervals (19.4%; 95% confidence interval (CI: 12.6-26.2%. A wave truncations were not observed in any patient. All patients with a complete E/A wave fusion achieved a normal transmitral inflow after AV-sense interval reduction (mean optimized AVI: 79.4 ± 13.6 ms.Given the rate of 19.4% (CI 12.6-26.2% of patients with a too long nominal AV-sense interval, automatic algorithms may prove useful in improving cardiac hemodynamics, especially in the subgroup of atrially triggered pacemaker patients with AV node diseases.

Language Practices in the Ci-Classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mourtou, Eleni

2014-01-01

Prelingually deafened children are nowadays likely to receive a cochlear implant (ci). As these children do their language acquisition with a cochlear implant they require a constant rehabilitation and support. Educational staff is instructed on how to work with children with ci in form...... of guidelines and workshops. This paper discusses language practices used in the setting of a school for cochlear-implanted children. These children encounter language and pronunciation problems that accompany prelingual deafness and hearing with a cochlear implant. I examine two practices, which are used...

Konwergencja rachunkowości finansowej i rachunkowości zarządczej w Polsce w świetle badań ankietowych

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Przemysław Kabalski

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Celem artykułu jest określenie stopnia konwergencji rachunkowości finansowej i rachunkowości zarządczej w przedsiębiorstwach w Polsce. Do zbadania stopnia konwergencji wykorzystano metodę sondażową z zastosowaniem kwestionariusza ankiety. Okazało się, że poziom konwergencji rachunko- wości w badanych przedsiębiorstwach jest umiarkowany. Badania konwergencji rachunkowości na świecie nie są liczne, a w Polsce ‒ zupełnie wyjątkowe. Z tego względu badanie prezentowane w artykule jest istotne zarówno dla nauki, jak i praktyki rachunkowości. The aim of the article is to determine the level of convergence of financial accounting and management accounting in companies operating in Poland. In order to determine the level of the convergence, the survey method was used. It was found that the level of convergence of accounting in the companies examined is moderate. The number of studies on the convergence of accounting is very limited in the world, and in Poland they are quite unique. For this reason, the research presented in this article is rele- vant for both the science and the practice of accounting.

On interval and cyclic interval edge colorings of (3,5)-biregular graphs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casselgren, Carl Johan; Petrosyan, Petros; Toft, Bjarne

2017-01-01

A proper edge coloring f of a graph G with colors 1,2,3,…,t is called an interval coloring if the colors on the edges incident to every vertex of G form an interval of integers. The coloring f is cyclic interval if for every vertex v of G, the colors on the edges incident to v either form an inte...

VELoCiRaPTORS.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, J.; Esham, B.; Padalino, S. J.; Sangster, T. C.; Glebov, V.

2007-11-01

The Venting and Exhausting of Low Level Air Contaminants in the Rapid Pneumatic Transport of Radioactive Samples (VELoCiRaPTORS) system is constructed to transport radioactive materials quickly and safely at the NIF. A radioactive sample will be placed inside a carrier that is transported via an airflow system produced by controlled differential pressure. Midway through the transportation process, the carrier will be stopped and vented by a powered exhaust blower which will remove radioactive gases within the transport carrier. A Geiger counter will monitor the activity of the exhaust gas to ensure that it is below acceptable levels. If the radiation level is sufficient, the carrier will pass through the remainder of the system, pneumatically braking at the counting station. The complete design will run manually or automatically with control software. Tests were performed using an inactive carrier to determine possible transportation problems. The system underwent many consecutive trials without failure. VELoCiRaPTORS is a prototype of a system that could be installed at both the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester and the National Ignition Facility at LLNL.

Cognitivismo e ciência cognitiva

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Marcos Barbosa de Oliveira

1990-01-01

Full Text Available O objetivo da comunicação é caracterizar uma escola de pensamento-o cognitivismo-e a disciplina a que ela deu origem. Depois de um breve apanhado das origens do cognitivismo descrevem-se os princípios ontológicos e metodológicos que o definem. Mostra-se a seguir a relação que há entre os computadores e a idéia funcionalista de considerar a mente como um sistema cujos elementos são caracterizados por suas funções, e não por sua constituição material. Discute-se finalmente a natureza e o nome da disciplina gerada pelo cognitivismo, sugerindo-se que se trata de uma proto-ciência, a qual deve ser denominada "Estudos Cognitivos" de preferência a "Ciência Cognitiva".

Implications of CI therapy for Visual Deficit Training

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Edward eTaub

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We address here the question of whether the techniques of CI therapy, a family of treatments that has been employed in the rehabilitation of movement and language after brain damage might apply to the rehabilitation of such visual deficits as unilateral spatial neglect and visual field deficits. CI therapy has been used successfully for the upper and lower extremities after chronic stroke, cerebral palsy (CP, multiple sclerosis (MS, other CNS degenerative conditions, resection of motor areas of the brain, focal hand dystonia, and aphasia. Treatments making use of similar methods have proven efficacious for amblyopia.The CI therapy approach consists of four major components: intensive training, training by shaping, a transfer package to facilitate the transfer of gains from the treatment setting to everyday activities, and strong discouragement of compensatory strategies.CI therapy is said to be effective because it overcomes learned nonuse, a learned inhibition of movement that follows injury to the CNS. In addition, CI therapy produces substantial increases in the grey matter of motor areas on both sides of the brain. We propose here that these mechanisms are examples of more general processes: learned nonuse being considered parallel to sensory nonuse following damage to sensory areas of the brain, with both having in common diminished neural connections (DNC in the nervous system as an underlying mechanism. CI therapy would achieve its therapeutic effect by strengthening the diminished neural connections. Use-dependent cortical reorganization is considered to be an example of the more general neuroplastic mechanism of brain structure repurposing (BSR. If the mechanisms involved in these broader categories are involved in each of the deficits being considered, then it may be the principles underlying efficacious treatment in each case may be similar. The lessons learned during CI therapy research might then prove useful for the treatment of

Evaluation of the Clinical Data Dictionary (CiDD)

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myung Kyung; Min, Yul Ha; Kim, Younglan; Min, Hyo Ki; Ham, Sung Woo

2010-01-01

Objectives The purpose of the study was to evaluate content coverage and data quality of the Clinical Data Dictionary (CiDD) developed by the Center for Interoperable EHR (CiEHR). Methods A total of 12,994 terms were collected from 98 clinical forms of a tertiary cancer center hospital with 500 beds. After data cleaning, 9,418 terms were mapped with the data items of the CiDD by the research team, and validated by 30 doctors and nurses at the research hospital. Results Mapping results were classified into five categories: lexically mapped; semantically mapped; mapped to either a broader term or a narrower term; mapped to more than one term and not mapped. In terms of coverage, out of 9,418 terms, 6,750 (71.7%) terms were mapped; 4,319 (45.9%) terms were lexically mapped; 2,431 (25.8%) were semantically mapped; 281 (3.0%) terms were mapped to a broader term; 43 (0.5%) were mapped to a narrower term; and 550 (5.8%) were mapped to more than one term. In terms of data quality, the CiDD has problems such as errors in concept namingand representation, redundancy in synonyms, inadequate synonyms, and ambiguity in meaning. Conclusions Although the CiDD has terms covering 72% of local clinical terms, the CiDD can be improved by cleaning up errors and redundancies, adding textual definitions or use cases of the concept, and arranging the concepts in a hierarchy. PMID:21818428

MARKETING COMMUNICATION IN ONLINE SOCIAL PROGRAMS: OHANIAN MODEL OF SOURCE CREDIBILITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serban Corina

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The development of the Internet as a medium for interaction with customers has resulted in many changes regarding the promotion of organizations. Online marketing is nowadays used not only to sell a product on the market, but also requires ideas and behavioral change. Non-profit organizations active in online communication are based on the quality of their provided information. Crediblity, attractiveness and usefullness are the key elements that provide effective online social programs. This paper aims to extend the scope of research in the field of social marketing by studying the Ohanian model in the online environment. The goal is to highlight the important theories and social models intrinsic to the online non-profit organizations’ communication. The results show that the efficiency of social programs depends on the level of incorporated elements of social theories in the design, content and structure of the website.

Famous North American wolves and the credibility of early wildlife literature

Science.gov (United States)

Gipson, P.S.; Ballard, W.B.; Nowak, R.M.

1999-01-01

We evaluated the credibility of early literature about famous North American wolves (Canis lupus). Many famous wolves were reported to be older than they actually were, and we estimated they did not live long enough to have caused purported damage to livestock and game animals. Wolf kill rates on free-ranging livestock appeared to be inflated compared to recently published kill rates on native ungulates and livestock. Surplus killing of sheep and goats may have accounted for some high kill rates, but surplus killing of free-ranging longhorn cattle probably did not occur. Some famous wolves may actually have been dogs (C. familiaris), wolf-dog hybrids, or possibly coyote (C. latrans)-dog hybrids. We documented instances where early authors appeared to embellish or fabricate information about famous wolves. Caution should be exercised when using early literature about wolves as a basis for wolf management decisions.

The joint influence of marital status, interpregnancy interval, and neighborhood on small for gestational age birth: a retrospective cohort study

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Wu Yuquan

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Interpregnancy interval (IPI, marital status, and neighborhood are independently associated with birth outcomes. The joint contribution of these exposures has not been evaluated. We tested for effect modification between IPI and marriage, controlling for neighborhood. Methods We analyzed a cohort of 98,330 live births in Montréal, Canada from 1997–2001 to assess IPI and marital status in relation to small for gestational age (SGA birth. Births were categorized as subsequent-born with short (intermediate (12–35 months, or long (36+ months IPI, or as firstborn. The data had a 2-level hierarchical structure, with births nested in 49 neighborhoods. We used multilevel logistic regression to obtain adjusted effect estimates. Results Marital status modified the association between IPI and SGA birth. Being unmarried relative to married was associated with SGA birth for all IPI categories, particularly for subsequent births with short (odds ratio [OR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31–1.95 and intermediate (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.26–1.74 IPIs. Subsequent births had a lower likelihood of SGA birth than firstborns. Intermediate IPIs were more protective for married (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.47–0.54 than unmarried mothers (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.56–0.76. Conclusion Being unmarried increases the likelihood of SGA birth as the IPI shortens, and the protective effect of intermediate IPIs is reduced in unmarried mothers. Marital status should be considered in recommending particular IPIs as an intervention to improve birth outcomes.

Wykorzystanie informacji prospektywnychw sprawozdawczości finansowej zorientowanejna wartość na przykładzie MSR 36„Utrata wartości aktywów”

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Irena Sobańska

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Autorzy artykułu wskazują na istotę i rosnące znaczenie informacji prospektywnych we współczesnych systemach sprawozdawczości finansowej opartej na MSSF. Ewolucja dokonująca się w sprawozdawczości finansowej, pod wpływem harmonizacji zasad rachunkowości wskutek ciągle zmieniających się MSSF, została przedstawiona na tle zmian dokonujących się w otoczeniu, w celach i w systemach zarządzania (orientacja strategiczna, wartość przedsiębiorstwa, jak również w systemach strategicznej rachunkowości zarządczej. Na podstawie szerokiego kontekstu analizy autorzy stawiają wniosek, że koncepcja wartości (przedsiębiorstwa stanowi istotny element systemu pomiaru i wyceny w systemie sprawozdawczości finansowej. Tworzy ona także spójną podstawę dla integracji rachunkowości zarządczej i rachunkowości finansowej w jeden system zapewniający użyteczne informacje zarówno dla użytkowników zewnętrznych, jak i wewnętrznych, których łączy wspólny cel – maksymalizacja wartości. Uwarunkowania tworzenia systemu sprawozdawczości opartego na informacjach prospektywnych, zorientowanego na wartość, jak również stopień dostosowania przedsiębiorstw do jego wdrożenia pokazano na przykładzie praktycznej realizacji postanowień MSR 36.

Rejoinder to commentary on Palmatier and Rovner (2015): credibility assessment: Preliminary Process Theory, the polygraph process, and construct validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmatier, John J; Rovner, Louis

2015-01-01

We briefly review comments submitted in response to the target article in this series (Palmatier & Rovner, 2015) arguing that a scientifically defensible construct for the instrumental assessment of credibility (i.e. polygraph) may be found in Barry's Preliminary Process Theory (PPT). Our review of the relevant scientific literature discovered a growing body of converging evidence, particularly from the neurosciences that focus not only on deception, but more broadly on memory, emotion, and the orienting response (OR), leading to this conclusion. After reviewing the submitted comments, we are further convinced, especially as applied scientists, that at this time the most viable direction forward is in the context of the PPT. Concurrently, we candidly acknowledge that research must be conducted to address not only commentator concerns but, if warranted, modification of existing theory. Although disagreement continues to exist regarding the order in which questions are asked, the most significant finding, is perhaps that not a single commentator argues against this growing, and vital applied science (i.e., the instrumental assessment of credibility - polygraph). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Circadian profile of QT interval and QT interval variability in 172 healthy volunteers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bonnemeier, Hendrik; Wiegand, Uwe K H; Braasch, Wiebke

2003-01-01

of sleep. QT and R-R intervals revealed a characteristic day-night-pattern. Diurnal profiles of QT interval variability exhibited a significant increase in the morning hours (6-9 AM; P ... lower at day- and nighttime. Aging was associated with an increase of QT interval mainly at daytime and a significant shift of the T wave apex towards the end of the T wave. The circadian profile of ventricular repolarization is strongly related to the mean R-R interval, however, there are significant...

Interviewee Perceptions of Employment Screening Interviews: Relationships among Perceptions of Communication Satisfaction, Interviewer Credibility and Trust, Interviewing Experience, and Interview Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jablin, Fredric M.; And Others

A study examined employment screening interviews to determine the relationships between an interviewee's perceptions of interview communication satisfaction, interviewer credibility and trust, previous interviewing experiences, and a number of interview outcomes, including expectation of a second interview. Data were collected from 69 students…

How credible are the study results? Evaluating and applying internal validity tools to literature-based assessments of environmental health hazards

Science.gov (United States)

Rooney, Andrew A.; Cooper, Glinda S.; Jahnke, Gloria D.; Lam, Juleen; Morgan, Rebecca L.; Boyles, Abee L.; Ratcliffe, Jennifer M.; Kraft, Andrew D.; Schünemann, Holger J.; Schwingl, Pamela; Walker, Teneille D.; Thayer, Kristina A.; Lunn, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Environmental health hazard assessments are routinely relied upon for public health decision-making. The evidence base used in these assessments is typically developed from a collection of diverse sources of information of varying quality. It is critical that literature-based evaluations consider the credibility of individual studies used to reach conclusions through consistent, transparent and accepted methods. Systematic review procedures address study credibility by assessing internal validity or “risk of bias” — the assessment of whether the design and conduct of a study compromised the credibility of the link between exposure/intervention and outcome. This paper describes the commonalities and differences in risk-of-bias methods developed or used by five groups that conduct or provide methodological input for performing environmental health hazard assessments: the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group, the Navigation Guide, the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) and Office of the Report on Carcinogens (ORoC), and the Integrated Risk Information System of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-IRIS). Each of these groups have been developing and applying rigorous assessment methods for integrating across a heterogeneous collection of human and animal studies to inform conclusions on potential environmental health hazards. There is substantial consistency across the groups in the consideration of risk-of-bias issues or “domains” for assessing observational human studies. There is a similar overlap in terms of domains addressed for animal studies; however, the groups differ in the relative emphasis placed on different aspects of risk of bias. Future directions for the continued harmonization and improvement of these methods are also discussed. PMID:26857180

21 CFR 73.3112 - C.I. Vat Orange 1.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false C.I. Vat Orange 1. 73.3112 Section 73.3112 Food... COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Medical Devices § 73.3112 C.I. Vat Orange 1. (a) Identity. The color additive is C.I. Vat Orange 1, Colour Index No. 59105. (b) Uses and restrictions. (1) The...

High-Intensity Interval Training for Cognitive and Mental Health in Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Costigan, Sarah A; Eather, Narelle; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Hillman, Charles H; Lubans, David R

2016-10-01

Emerging literature suggests that physical activity and fitness may have a positive effect on cognitive and mental health in adolescents. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols for improving cognitive and mental health outcomes (executive function, psychological well-being, psychological distress, and physical self-concept) in adolescents. Participants (n = 65; mean age = 15.8 ± 0.6 yr) were randomized to three conditions: aerobic exercise program (AEP; n = 21), resistance and aerobic program (RAP; n = 22), and control (n = 22). HIIT sessions (8-10 min per session) were delivered during physical education lessons or at lunchtime three times per week for 8 wk. Assessments were conducted at baseline and immediately postintervention to detect changes in executive function (trail making test), psychological well-being, psychological distress, and physical self-description by researchers blinded to treatment allocation. Intervention effects were examined using linear mixed models. Cohen's d effect sizes and clinical inference were also calculated. While results were not significant, small improvements in executive function (mean change (95% CI) -6.69 (-22.03, 8.64), d = -0.32) and psychological well-being (mean change (95% CI) 2.81 (-2.06, 7.68), d = 0.34) were evident in the AEP group; and moderate improvements in executive function (mean change (95% CI) -10.73 (-26.22, 4.76), d = -0.51), and small improvements in well-being (mean change (95% CI) 2.96 (-1.82, 7.75), d = 0.36) and perceived appearance (mean change (95% CI) 0.32 (-0.25, 0.86), d = 0.35), were observed for the RAP group. Mean feeling state scores improved from preworkout to postworkout in both HIIT conditions, with significant results for the AEP (P = 0.001). This study highlights the potential of embedding HIIT within the school day for improving cognitive and mental health among adolescents.

Nowe zasady działalności firm audytorskich

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Kazimierz Sawicki

2009-03-01

Full Text Available W artykule przedstawiono zmiany, stanowiące implementację Dyrektywy 2006/43/WE Unii Europejskiej w części dotyczącej funkcjonowania firm audytorskich w Polsce. Zgłoszono uwagi popierające nowe rozwiązania, jak też zawierające wątpliwości dotyczące skuteczności ich stosowania w praktyce.

Acute effects of high-intensity interval, resistance or combined exercise protocols on testosterone - cortisol responses in inactive overweight individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco-Orjuela, Gina P; Domínguez-Sanchéz, María A; Hernández, Enrique; Correa-Bautista, Jorge E; Triana-Reina, Héctor R; García-Hermoso, Antonio; Peña-Ibagon, Jhonatan C; Izquierdo, Mikel; Cadore, Eduardo L; Hackney, Anthony C; Ramírez-Vélez, Robinson

2018-06-22

The purpose of this study was to compare the hormonal responses to one session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT, 4 × 4 min intervals at 85-95% maximum heart rate [HRmax], interspersed with 4 min of recovery at 75-85% HRmax), resistance training (RT at 50-70% of one repetition maximum 12-15 repetitions per set with 60s of recovery) or both (HIIT+RT) exercise protocol in a cohort of physical inactivity, overweight adults (age 18-30 years old). Randomized, parallel-group clinical trial among fifty-one men (23.6 ± 3.5 yr; 83.5 ± 7.8 kg; 28.0 ± 1.9 kg/m2), physical inactivity (i.e., 6 months), with abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥90 cm) or body mass index ≥25 and ≤30 kg/m 2 were randomized to the following 4 groups: high-intensity interval training (HIIT, n = 14), resistance training (RT, n = 12), combined high-intensity interval and resistance training (HIIT+RT, n = 13), or non-exercising control (CON, n = 12). Cortisol, total- and free-testosterone and total-testosterone/cortisol-ratio (T/C) assessments (all in serum) were determined before (pre) and 1-min post-exercise for each protocol session. Decreases in cortisol levels were -57.08 (95%CI, -75.58 to -38.58; P = 0.001; ɳ 2  = 0.61) and - 37.65 (95%CI, -54.36 to -20.93; P = 0.001; ɳ 2  = 0.51) in the HIIT and control group, respectively. Increases in T/C ratio were 0.022 (95%CI, 0.012 to 0.031; P = 0.001; ɳ 2  = 0.49) and 0.015 (95%CI, 0.004 to 0.025; P = 0.007; ɳ 2  = 0.29) in the HIIT and control group, respectively. In per-protocol analyses revealed a significant change in cortisol levels [interaction effect F( 7.777 ), ɳ 2  = 0.33] and T/C ratio [interaction effect F( 5.298 ), ɳ 2  = 0.25] between groups over time. Additionally, we showed that in both the intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol analyses, HIIT+RT did not change serum cortisol, total or free testosterone. The present

Premature Ventricular Contraction Coupling Interval Variability Destabilizes Cardiac Neuronal and Electrophysiological Control: Insights From Simultaneous Cardioneural Mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamon, David; Rajendran, Pradeep S; Chui, Ray W; Ajijola, Olujimi A; Irie, Tadanobu; Talebi, Ramin; Salavatian, Siamak; Vaseghi, Marmar; Bradfield, Jason S; Armour, J Andrew; Ardell, Jeffrey L; Shivkumar, Kalyanam

2017-04-01

Variability in premature ventricular contraction (PVC) coupling interval (CI) increases the risk of cardiomyopathy and sudden death. The autonomic nervous system regulates cardiac electrical and mechanical indices, and its dysregulation plays an important role in cardiac disease pathogenesis. The impact of PVCs on the intrinsic cardiac nervous system, a neural network on the heart, remains unknown. The objective was to determine the effect of PVCs and CI on intrinsic cardiac nervous system function in generating cardiac neuronal and electric instability using a novel cardioneural mapping approach. In a porcine model (n=8), neuronal activity was recorded from a ventricular ganglion using a microelectrode array, and cardiac electrophysiological mapping was performed. Neurons were functionally classified based on their response to afferent and efferent cardiovascular stimuli, with neurons that responded to both defined as convergent (local reflex processors). Dynamic changes in neuronal activity were then evaluated in response to right ventricular outflow tract PVCs with fixed short, fixed long, and variable CI. PVC delivery elicited a greater neuronal response than all other stimuli ( P <0.001). Compared with fixed short and long CI, PVCs with variable CI had a greater impact on neuronal response ( P <0.05 versus short CI), particularly on convergent neurons ( P <0.05), as well as neurons receiving sympathetic ( P <0.05) and parasympathetic input ( P <0.05). The greatest cardiac electric instability was also observed after variable (short) CI PVCs. Variable CI PVCs affect critical populations of intrinsic cardiac nervous system neurons and alter cardiac repolarization. These changes may be critical for arrhythmogenesis and remodeling, leading to cardiomyopathy. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Reference Interval and Subject Variation in Excretion of Urinary Metabolites of Nicotine from Non-Smoking Healthy Subjects in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Å. M.; Garde, A. H.; Christensen, J. M.

2001-01-01

for determination of cotinine was carried out on 27 samples from non-smokers and smokers. Results obtained from the RIA method showed 2.84 [confidence interval (CI): 2.50; 3.18] times higher results compared to the GC-MS method. A linear correlation between the two methods was demonstrated (rho=0.96). CONCLUSION......BACKGROUND: Passive smoking has been found to be a respiratory health hazard in humans. The present study describes the calculation of a reference interval for urinary nicotine metabolites calculated as cotinine equivalents on the basis of 72 non-smokers exposed to tobacco smoke less than 25....... Parametric reference interval for excretion of nicotine metabolites in urine from non-smokers was established according to International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and International Federation for Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) for use of risk assessment of exposure to tobacco smoke...

O Jornal Nacional e a Ciência

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Andres Salcedo

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Entendendo a informação científica como aquela capaz de contribuir para o desenvolvimento de uma cultura científica, analisamos neste trabalho aspectos relacionados à presença da informação sobre ciência no Jornal Nacional (JN, da Rede Globo de Televisão. A partir da observação do noticiário veiculado de 1º de janeiro a 31 de março de 2007, foi possível identificar 88 matérias que traziam informações relacionadas à ciência. O corpus nos permitiu categorizar os tipos de inserção da ciência no JN, esboçar o interesse do JN pelos temas científicos e discutir seu papel na formação de uma cultura científica do povo brasileiro.

Desarrollo cognitivo diferencial e intervención psicoeducativa

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Sylvia Sastre i Riba

2013-05-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se revisa el concepto de desarrollo cognitivo desde una perspectiva neuroconstructivista actual y sus relaciones con la intervención psicoeduca-tiva. Desde esta perspectiva se postula que, para apresar el desarrollo en toda su ampli-tud multimodal, hay que atender al menos, a dos ejes: 1 el díferencial y, 2 la interacción (simétrica o asímétrica como fenómenos incidentes de forma específica en cada uno de los cursos de desarrollo alternativos que se contemplan: la deficiencia menta! (y dentro de ella el Síndrome de Down y las altas capacidades (y, dentro de ellas, la superdota-ción, postulando la necesidad de una intervención psicoeducativa ajustada a sus parti-cularidades, sin referencias anquilosantes provenientes de la perspectiva normativa = We propose a revision of the concept of cognitive development from a neuroconstructivist point of view and their relations with the psicoeducational practices. From this point of view, we postule that we must adopt two guide-lines in order to know as large as possible the concept of development: 1, the differential one, and, 2. interac-tion (symmetrical or asymmetrical as specific phenomenon in mental deficiency (con-cretely in Down's Syndrome ones and high intellectual abilities (concretely, giftedness. We postulate the necessity of a psicoeducational intervention adjusted to their capabili-ties and necessities without inmovilisms

Treatment credibility, expectancy, and preference: Prediction of treatment engagement and outcome in a randomized clinical trial of hatha yoga vs. health education as adjunct treatments for depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Uebelacker, Lisa A; Weinstock, Lauren M; Battle, Cynthia L; Abrantes, Ana M; Miller, Ivan W

2018-06-02

Hatha yoga may be helpful for alleviating depression symptoms. The purpose of this analysis is to determine whether treatment program preference, credibility, or expectancy predict engagement in depression interventions (yoga or a control class) or depression symptom severity over time. This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of hatha yoga vs. a health education control group for treatment of depression. Depressed participants (n = 122) attended up to 20 classes over a period of 10 weeks, and then completed additional assessments after 3 and 6 months. We assessed treatment preference prior to randomization, and treatment credibility and expectancy after participants attended their first class. Treatment "concordance" indicated that treatment preference matched assigned treatment. Treatment credibility, expectancy, and concordance were not associated with treatment engagement. Treatment expectancy moderated the association between treatment group and depression. Depression severity over time differed by expectancy level for the yoga group but not for the health education group. Controlling for baseline depression, participants in the yoga group with an average or high expectancy for improvement showed lower depression symptoms across the acute intervention and follow-up period than those with a low expectancy for improvement. There was a trend for a similar pattern for credibility. Concordance was not associated with treatment outcome. This is a secondary, post-hoc analysis and should be considered hypothesis-generating. Results suggest that expectancy improves the likelihood of success only for a intervention thought to actively target depression (yoga) and not a control intervention. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Climate Feedback: Bringing the Scientific Community to Provide Direct Feedback on the Credibility of Climate Media Coverage

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, E. M.; Matlock, T.; Westerling, A. L.

2015-12-01

While most scientists recognize climate change as a major societal and environmental issue, social and political will to tackle the problem is still lacking. One of the biggest obstacles is inaccurate reporting or even outright misinformation in climate change coverage that result in the confusion of the general public on the issue.In today's era of instant access to information, what we read online usually falls outside our field of expertise and it is a real challenge to evaluate what is credible. The emerging technology of web annotation could be a game changer as it allows knowledgeable individuals to attach notes to any piece of text of a webpage and to share them with readers who will be able to see the annotations in-context -like comments on a pdf.Here we present the Climate Feedback initiative that is bringing together a community of climate scientists who collectively evaluate the scientific accuracy of influential climate change media coverage. Scientists annotate articles sentence by sentence and assess whether they are consistent with scientific knowledge allowing readers to see where and why the coverage is -or is not- based on science. Scientists also summarize the essence of their critical commentary in the form of a simple article-level overall credibility rating that quickly informs readers about the credibility of the entire piece.Web-annotation allows readers to 'hear' directly from the experts and to sense the consensus in a personal way as one can literaly see how many scientists agree with a given statement. It also allows a broad population of scientists to interact with the media, notably early career scientists.In this talk, we will present results on the impacts annotations have on readers -regarding their evaluation of the trustworthiness of the information they read- and on journalists -regarding their reception of scientists comments.Several dozen scientists have contributed to this effort to date and the system offers potential to

Credibility and Accountability in Academic Discourse: Increasing the Awareness of Ghanaian Graduate Students

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Adika Gordon S. K.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Drawing from a social constructionist perspective to written scholarly communication, this paper argues that training in academic writing for students in higher education especially in second language contexts should go beyond emphasis on grammatical correctness and paragraphing strategies, and also focus on the rhetorical character of academic discourse together with the mastery of its communicative protocols. Using the University of Ghana as a reference point, the paper reviews a selection of Ghanaian graduate students’ awareness of the protocols that govern academic discourses in scholarly writing, and in consideration of their unique educational and socio-cultural circumstances, the paper proposes strategies, from the pedagogical and institutional standpoints, aimed at increasing students’ awareness of the relevant communicative practices that engender credibility and accountability.

Bezpieczne formy aktywności fizycznej dla kobiet w ciąży = Secure forms of physical activity for pregnant women

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Katarzyna Urtnowska

2016-05-01

4Wydział Kultury Fizycznej, Zdrowia i Turystyki, Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy           mgr Katarzyna Urtnowska1, dr n. med. Irena Bułatowicz2, dr hab. n. med. Grzegorz Ludwikowski3, dr hab. Walery Zukow4 1Uczestnik studiów dokotranckich z zakresu Nauk o Zdrowiu; Zakład Medycyny Rozdrodu i Andrologii, Collegium Medicum im. L. Rydygiera w Bydgoszczy Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu 2Katedra Fizjoterapii - Zakład Fizjoterapii Klinicznej, Collegium Medicum im. L. Rydygiera w Bydgoszczy Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu 3Zakład Medycyny Rozdrodu i Andrologii, Collegium Medicum im. L. Rydygiera w Bydgoszczy Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu 4Wydział Kultury Fizycznej, Zdrowia i Turystyki, Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy           Słowa kluczowe: ciąża, aktywność fizyczna, sport. Keywords: pregnancy, physical activity, sport.           Streszczenie Kobieta spodziewać się dziecka w dzisiejszych czasach ma wiele możliwości podjęcia bezpiecznej formy aktywności fizycznej. Z odrobiną racjonalnego podejścia może kontynuować uprawianie ulubionego sportu, lub uczestniczyć w zajęciach przygotowanych specjalnie dla ciężarnych. Aktywność fizyczna uprawiana regularnie w trakcie ciąży jest kluczowym czynnikiem wpływającym na zdrowie i samopoczucie matki. Ćwiczenia wpływają korzystnie na stan zdrowia poprzez zmniejszenie dolegliwości bólowych kręgosłupa, ogólną poprawę lub brak pogorszenia sprawności fizycznej, zapobieganie nadmiernemu przyrostowi masy ciała i poprawę samopoczucia ciężarnej. Dodatkowym, a zarazem najważniejszym efektem jest zwiększenie wydolności fizycznej niezbędnej do porodu siłami natury i skrócenie czasu jego przebiegu oraz czasu regeneracji organizmu w połogu, a co za tym idzie, szybszy powrót do formy sprzed ciąży.     Abstract A women expect a child a child today has a lot of possibilities for secure forms of physical activity. With

The CI:Marketing interface

OpenAIRE

Wright, Sheila

2005-01-01

The potential for CI to inform and influence marketing decisions is increasing and this combination can deliver an enviable competitive advantage. Simply knowing more about competitors is not enough. It is what the firm does with that information and how it weaves it into its decision making process which makes the difference. In a large number of organisations, private or public, it is the Marketing Department which carries the responsibility for critical activities such as customer manageme...

A ciência no espaço educacional da criança: do fazer ciência à ciência do fazer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Rodrigues de Souza

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article aims to reflect on the possible articulations of the development of science in the education of children and their respective childhoods. While in Kindergarten and Elementary School students are, above all, children, and as such, subjects endowed with intelligence, emotions, and feelings. They are able to make observations, retain information, propose arguments, participate in discussions, and make choices that allow them to exercise free expression of theirs thoughts in many different languages. However, to ensure the effective participation of the child as a subject of today, not an intented being, it is necessary to reconsider the actions and relationships in the school environment. In this sense, this study highlights contributions on how the educational process of science can/should be thought in the process of children education. Also, we hope to provide access to scientific culture without detracting the childhoods. We highlight the possibility of using some powerful elements of science in the school environment to sharpen curiosity and improve new worldviews. Often different from the adult perspective, science in children education should emphasize issues such as the specificity of child logic, which encompasses creativity, imagination, fantasy, and desire. This article, in its theoretical nature, discusses notions such as childhood, children, and science in order to consider a type of early childhood education in which an educational routine with elements of scientific culture would enable the occurrence of childhood practice. Este artigo objetiva refletir sobre as possíveis articulações do desenvolvimento das ciências na educação das crianças e suas respectivas infâncias e parte da compreensão de que na Educação Infantil e nos primeiros anos do Ensino Fundamental, os estudantes antes de alunos são crianças, e como tais, são sujeitos completos, dotados de inteligência, emoções e sentimentos; capazes de

Generalized Confidence Intervals and Fiducial Intervals for Some Epidemiological Measures

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Ionut Bebu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available For binary outcome data from epidemiological studies, this article investigates the interval estimation of several measures of interest in the absence or presence of categorical covariates. When covariates are present, the logistic regression model as well as the log-binomial model are investigated. The measures considered include the common odds ratio (OR from several studies, the number needed to treat (NNT, and the prevalence ratio. For each parameter, confidence intervals are constructed using the concepts of generalized pivotal quantities and fiducial quantities. Numerical results show that the confidence intervals so obtained exhibit satisfactory performance in terms of maintaining the coverage probabilities even when the sample sizes are not large. An appealing feature of the proposed solutions is that they are not based on maximization of the likelihood, and hence are free from convergence issues associated with the numerical calculation of the maximum likelihood estimators, especially in the context of the log-binomial model. The results are illustrated with a number of examples. The overall conclusion is that the proposed methodologies based on generalized pivotal quantities and fiducial quantities provide an accurate and unified approach for the interval estimation of the various epidemiological measures in the context of binary outcome data with or without covariates.

The Half RR Rule: A Poor Rule of Thumb and Not a Risk Assessment Tool for QT Interval Prolongation.

Science.gov (United States)

Berling, Ingrid; Isbister, Geoffrey K

2015-10-01

Measuring the QT interval on an electrocardiogram (ECG) is integral to risk assessment of Torsade de Pointes (TdP). This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of the 1/2 RR rule as a risk assessment tool for drug-induced TdP, comparing it to the QT nomogram, Bazett's corrected QT (QTcB), and Fridericia's corrected QT (QTcF). The authors calculated sensitivity and specificity of the 1/2 RR rule using a published data set of 129 cases of drug-induced TdP and 316 controls (noncardiotoxic overdoses), compared to the QT nomogram, QTcB > 500 msec and QTcF > 500 msec. To further determine the value of the 1/2 RR rule, its observed positive, and negative agreement were calculated when compared to the QT nomogram for determining an abnormal QT in eight samples of different drugs in overdose. The sensitivity and specificity of the 1/2 RR rule were 88% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 80% to 93%) and 53% (95% CI = 47% to 58%), respectively, compared to the QT nomogram (sensitivity = 97%, 95% CI = 92% to 99%; specificity = 99%, 95% CI = 97% to 100%). It was also less sensitive than QTcB > 500 msec and had a lower specificity than QTcB > 500 msec and QTcF > 500 msec. In drug overdose patients, the 1/2 RR rule had poor observed agreement averaging 41%, which was mainly due to poor positive agreement, except for amisulpride where there was good agreement. The 1/2 RR rule was not as sensitive as the QT nomogram or QTcB > 500 msec for drug-induced TdP. It had poor positive agreement in almost all overdose patients, resulting in over half of patients receiving unnecessary cardiac monitoring and repeat ECGs. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Complex coordinate rotation and relativistic Hylleraas-CI: helium isoelectronic series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pestka, G; Bylicki, M; Karwowski, J

2007-01-01

A combination of the Hylleraas-CI (Hy-CI) and complex coordinate rotation (CCR) methods has been applied to study the nuclear charge dependence of the eigenvalues of the Dirac-Coulomb (DC) Hamiltonian corresponding to the ground states of helium isoelectronic series atoms. It has been shown that the CCR, due to the separation of the localized states from the unphysical Brown-Ravenhall continuum, removes the instabilities of the bound-state eigenvalues observed in large-basis set Hy-CI results. The Hy-CI-CCR results are in very good agreement with the most accurate ones available in the literature. Surprisingly, the difference between the DC Hy-CI-CCR eigenvalues and the eigenvalues of the positive-energy projected no-pair Hamiltonian is equal, up to the numerical accuracy of the results, to (Zα) 3 /6π, i.e. to (Zα) 3 relativistic many-body perturbation theory contribution for electron-electron Coulomb interaction operator. An excellent agreement between the Hy-CI-CCR eigenvalues shifted by (Zα) 3 /6π and the no-pair ones confirms the very high accuracy achieved in both approaches. The numerical accuracy of the Hy-CI-CCR DC eigenvalues is estimated to eight significant figures

The maternal genes Ci-p53/p73-a and Ci-p53/p73-b regulate zygotic ZicL expression and notochord differentiation in Ciona intestinalis embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Takeshi

2011-12-01

I isolated a Ciona intestinalis homolog of p53, Ci-p53/p73-a, in a microarray screen of rapidly degraded maternal mRNA by comparing the transcriptomes of unfertilized eggs and 32-cell stage embryos. Higher expression of the gene in eggs and lower expression in later embryonic stages were confirmed by whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR); expression was ubiquitous in eggs and early embryos. Knockdown of Ci-p53/p73-a by injection of antisense morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) severely perturbed gastrulation cell movements and expression of notochord marker genes. A key regulator of notochord differentiation in Ciona embryos is Brachyury (Ci-Bra), which is directly activated by a zic-like gene (Ci-ZicL). The expression of Ci-ZicL and Ci-Bra in A-line notochord precursors was downregulated in Ci-p53/p73-a knockdown embryos. Maternal expression of Ci-p53/p73-b, a homolog of Ci-p53/p73-a, was also detected. In Ci-p53/p73-b knockdown embryos, gastrulation cell movements, expression of Ci-ZicL and Ci-Bra in A-line notochord precursors, and expression of notochord marker gene at later stages were perturbed. The upstream region of Ci-ZicL contains putative p53-binding sites. Cis-regulatory analysis of Ci-ZicL showed that these sites are involved in expression of Ci-ZicL in A-line notochord precursors at the 32-cell and early gastrula stages. These results suggest that p53 genes are maternal factors that play a crucial role in A-line notochord differentiation in C. intestinalis embryos by regulating Ci-ZicL expression. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Why Do Students Use Mobile Technology for Social Purposes during Class? Modeling Teacher Credibility, Learner Empowerment, and Online Communication Attitude as Predictors

Science.gov (United States)

Ledbetter, Andrew M.; Finn, Amber N.

2016-01-01

Following research indicating prevalent and deleterious use of social communication technology in college classrooms, this study investigated teacher credibility, learner empowerment, and online communication attitude as predictors of such use. The sample included 379 participants who completed an online survey about a college course. Results…

Da possibilidade de uma Teoria Pura da Ciência da Informação: reflexões iniciais entre a Ciência da Informação e a Ciência do Direito

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max Cirino de Mattos

Full Text Available O artigo discute a fragilidade epistemológica da Ciência da Informação, a partir da adoção de um termo polissêmico, como objeto científico, e a similaridade dessa situação com o contexto da criação da Teoria Pura do Direito de Hans Kelsen. Após a apresentação de algumas definições sobre o objeto da Ciência da Informação, discutem-se alguns reflexos relacionados à identidade científica e à fundamentação teórica derivadas de um objeto polissêmico. Apresenta-se uma breve introdução à Teoria Pura do Direito e algumas reflexões sobre a possibilidade de uma Teoria Pura da Ciência da Informação.

Interval stability for complex systems

Science.gov (United States)

Klinshov, Vladimir V.; Kirillov, Sergey; Kurths, Jürgen; Nekorkin, Vladimir I.

2018-04-01

Stability of dynamical systems against strong perturbations is an important problem of nonlinear dynamics relevant to many applications in various areas. Here, we develop a novel concept of interval stability, referring to the behavior of the perturbed system during a finite time interval. Based on this concept, we suggest new measures of stability, namely interval basin stability (IBS) and interval stability threshold (IST). IBS characterizes the likelihood that the perturbed system returns to the stable regime (attractor) in a given time. IST provides the minimal magnitude of the perturbation capable to disrupt the stable regime for a given interval of time. The suggested measures provide important information about the system susceptibility to external perturbations which may be useful for practical applications. Moreover, from a theoretical viewpoint the interval stability measures are shown to bridge the gap between linear and asymptotic stability. We also suggest numerical algorithms for quantification of the interval stability characteristics and demonstrate their potential for several dynamical systems of various nature, such as power grids and neural networks.

Premature Ventricular Contraction Coupling Interval Variability Destabilizes Cardiac Neuronal and Electrophysiological Control: Insights from Simultaneous Cardio-Neural Mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Hamon, David; Rajendran, Pradeep S.; Chui, Ray W.; Ajijola, Olujimi A.; Irie, Tadanobu; Talebi, Ramin; Salavatian, Siamak; Vaseghi, Marmar; Bradfield, Jason S.; Armour, J. Andrew; Ardell, Jeffrey L.; Shivkumar, Kalyanam

2017-01-01

Background Variability in premature ventricular contraction (PVC) coupling interval (CI) increases the risk of cardiomyopathy and sudden death. The autonomic nervous system regulates cardiac electrical and mechanical indices, and its dysregulation plays an important role in cardiac disease pathogenesis. The impact of PVCs on the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS), a neural network on the heart, remains unknown. The objective was to determine the effect of PVCs and CI on ICNS function in generating cardiac neuronal and electrical instability using a novel cardio-neural mapping approach. Methods and Results In a porcine model (n=8) neuronal activity was recorded from a ventricular ganglion using a microelectrode array, and cardiac electrophysiological mapping was performed. Neurons were functionally classified based on their response to afferent and efferent cardiovascular stimuli, with neurons that responded to both defined as convergent (local reflex processors). Dynamic changes in neuronal activity were then evaluated in response to right ventricular outflow tract PVCs with fixed short, fixed long, and variable CI. PVC delivery elicited a greater neuronal response than all other stimuli (P<0.001). Compared to fixed short and long CI, PVCs with variable CI had a greater impact on neuronal response (P<0.05 versus short CI), particularly on convergent neurons (P<0.05), as well as neurons receiving sympathetic (P<0.05) and parasympathetic input (P<0.05). The greatest cardiac electrical instability was also observed following variable (short) CI PVCs. Conclusions Variable CI PVCs affect critical populations of ICNS neurons and alter cardiac repolarization. These changes may be critical for arrhythmogenesis and remodeling leading to cardiomyopathy. PMID:28408652

Measurement of Small Values of Hydrostatic Pressure with the Compensation of Atmospheric Pressure Influence / Pomiar Małych Wartości Ciśnienia Hydrostatycznego Z Kompensacją Wpływu Ciśnienia Atmosferycznego

Science.gov (United States)

Broda, Krzysztof; Filipek, Wiktor

2013-09-01

structure has been simplified and the measurement accuracy has increased. Znajomość rozkładu ciśnienia (lub różnicy ciśnień) determinuje opis przepływu płynu przez ośrodek porowaty. W przypadku dużych liczb Reynoldsa nie nastręcza to większych trudności, lecz dla przepływów laminarnych (tj. dla liczb Re (Bear, 1988; Duckworth, 1983; Troskolański, 1957) z zakresu 0.01 do 3) jest to praktycznie niemożliwe w oparciu o dostępne na rynku przyrządy. Przyczyny powodujące taką sytuację zostały omówione w poprzednim opracowaniu (Broda i Filipek, 2012), w którym zwrócono uwagę na trudności pomiarów związane z napięciem powierzchniowym czy włoskowatością (Adamson, 1997). Zaproponowano (Broda i Filipek, 2012) nową, autorską metodę pomiaru bardzo małych różnic ciśnień oraz skonstruowano odpowiednie stanowisko składające się z dwóch oddzielnych zbiorników pomiarowych oraz przeprowadzono pomiary. Z przeprowadzonych badań (Broda i Filipek, 2012) wynikała konieczność zastosowania stabilizacji temperatury urządzenia oraz kompensacji wpływu ciśnienia atmosferycznego na proces pomiarowy. Niniejsza publikacja przedstawia wyniki kontynuacji badań nad metodami i aparaturą do pomiaru bardzo małych różnic ciśnień z uwzględnieniem zdobytych doświadczeń, w oparciu o nowe stanowisko pomiarowe, którego zasadę działania i budowę przedstawiono na rys. 1-5, kolejno przedstawiając koncepcję wykonania pomiaru małych wartości ciśnienia hydrodynamicznego z kompensacją wpływu ciśnienia atmosferycznego rys. 1; ilustrację obrazującą stan odpowiadający przypadkowi braku przepływu płynu przez badany obiekt rys. 2; omawiając stan odpowiadający przypadkowi przepływu płynu przez badany obiekt rys. 3. Kolejno omówiono stan odpowiadający pomiarowi spadku ciśnienia na badanym obiekcie rys. 4 oraz przedstawiono metodykę pomiaru (zależności (1) - (20)). Zdjęcie stanowiska badawczego oraz jego elementów ilustruje rys. 5. W

A ideia de ciência em Karl Marx

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Luís Chaves Feijó

2015-12-01

ideias: a economia política clássica e o legado alemão. Em seguida, investiga-se o que seria a sua concepção particular de ciência, entendida como uma proposta de fundir esses dois legados. Avalia-se, em seguida, o caráter científico da contribuição marxiana, entendida como o fazer de uma ciência que se propõe positiva. Destarte, iremos examinar as razões que separam a tradição marxiana e o mainstream da economia atual, mostrando que a natureza peculiar de uma ciência de raízes alemãs gera dificuldades na comunicação entre uma e outra.

RA reactor safety analysis I-III, Part III - Environmental effect of the maximum credible accident; Analiza sigurnosti rada Reaktora RA I-III, III deo - Posledica maksimalno moguceg akcidenta na okolinu reaktora

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raisic, N [Institute of Nuclear Sciences Boris Kidric, Vinca, Beograd (Serbia and Montenegro)

1963-02-15

The objective of the maximum credible accident analysis was to determine the integral radiation doses in the vicinity of the reactor and in the environment. In case of RA reactor the maximum credible accident, meaning release of the fission products, would be caused by fuel elements meltdown. This analysis includes the following calculation results: activity of the fission products, volatility of the fission products, concentration of radioactive materials in the air, analysis of the accident environmental effects.

Application of the graphical unitary group approach to the energy second derivative for CI wave functions via the coupled perturbed CI equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fox, D.J.

1983-10-01

Analytic derivatives of the potential energy for Self-Consistent-Field (SCF) wave functions have been developed in recent years and found to be useful tools. The first derivative for configuration interaction (CI) wave functions is also available. This work details the extension of analytic methods to energy second derivatives for CI wave functions. The principal extension required for second derivatives is evaluation of the first order change in the CI wave function with respect to a nuclear perturbation. The shape driven graphical unitary group approach (SDGUGA) direct CI program was adapted to evaluate this term via the coupled-perturbed CI equations. Several iterative schemes are compared for use in solving these equations. The pilot program makes no use of molecular symmetry but the timing results show that utilization of molecular symmetry is desirable. The principles for defining and solving a set of symmetry adapted equations are discussed. Evaluation of the second derivative also requires the solution of the second order coupled-perturbed Hartree-Fock equations to obtain the correction to the molecular orbitals due to the nuclear perturbation. This process takes a consistently higher percentage of the computation time than for the first order equations alone and a strategy for its reduction is discussed

Combustion Stratification for Naphtha from CI Combustion to PPC

KAUST Repository

Vallinayagam, R.; Vedharaj, S.; An, Yanzhao; Dawood, Alaaeldin; Izadi Najafabadi, Mohammad; Somers, Bart; Johansson, Bengt

2017-01-01

This study demonstrates the combustion stratification from conventional compression ignition (CI) combustion to partially premixed combustion (PPC). Experiments are performed in an optical CI engine at a speed of 1200 rpm for diesel and naphtha (RON

Reference Value Advisor: a new freeware set of macroinstructions to calculate reference intervals with Microsoft Excel.

Science.gov (United States)

Geffré, Anne; Concordet, Didier; Braun, Jean-Pierre; Trumel, Catherine

2011-03-01

International recommendations for determination of reference intervals have been recently updated, especially for small reference sample groups, and use of the robust method and Box-Cox transformation is now recommended. Unfortunately, these methods are not included in most software programs used for data analysis by clinical laboratories. We have created a set of macroinstructions, named Reference Value Advisor, for use in Microsoft Excel to calculate reference limits applying different methods. For any series of data, Reference Value Advisor calculates reference limits (with 90% confidence intervals [CI]) using a nonparametric method when n≥40 and by parametric and robust methods from native and Box-Cox transformed values; tests normality of distributions using the Anderson-Darling test and outliers using Tukey and Dixon-Reed tests; displays the distribution of values in dot plots and histograms and constructs Q-Q plots for visual inspection of normality; and provides minimal guidelines in the form of comments based on international recommendations. The critical steps in determination of reference intervals are correct selection of as many reference individuals as possible and analysis of specimens in controlled preanalytical and analytical conditions. Computing tools cannot compensate for flaws in selection and size of the reference sample group and handling and analysis of samples. However, if those steps are performed properly, Reference Value Advisor, available as freeware at http://www.biostat.envt.fr/spip/spip.php?article63, permits rapid assessment and comparison of results calculated using different methods, including currently unavailable methods. This allows for selection of the most appropriate method, especially as the program provides the CI of limits. It should be useful in veterinary clinical pathology when only small reference sample groups are available. ©2011 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Practical differences among probabilities, possibilities, and credibilities

Science.gov (United States)

Grandin, Jean-Francois; Moulin, Caroline

2002-03-01

This paper presents some important differences that exist between theories, which allow the uncertainty management in data fusion. The main comparative results illustrated in this paper are the followings: Incompatibility between decisions got from probabilities and credibilities is highlighted. In the dynamic frame, as remarked in [19] or [17], belief and plausibility of Dempster-Shafer model do not frame the Bayesian probability. This framing can however be obtained by the Modified Dempster-Shafer approach. It also can be obtained in the Bayesian framework either by simulation techniques, or with a studentization. The uncommitted in the Dempster-Shafer way, e.g. the mass accorded to the ignorance, gives a mechanism similar to the reliability in the Bayesian model. Uncommitted mass in Dempster-Shafer theory or reliability in Bayes theory act like a filter that weakens extracted information, and improves robustness to outliners. So, it is logical to observe on examples like the one presented particularly by D.M. Buede, a faster convergence of a Bayesian method that doesn't take into account the reliability, in front of Dempster-Shafer method which uses uncommitted mass. But, on Bayesian masses, if reliability is taken into account, at the same level that the uncommited, e.g. F=1-m, we observe an equivalent rate for convergence. When Dempster-Shafer and Bayes operator are informed by uncertainty, faster or lower convergence can be exhibited on non Bayesian masses. This is due to positive or negative synergy between information delivered by sensors. This effect is a direct consequence of non additivity when considering non Bayesian masses. Unknowledge of the prior in bayesian techniques can be quickly compensated by information accumulated as time goes on by a set of sensors. All these results are presented on simple examples, and developed when necessary.

Statistical intervals a guide for practitioners

CERN Document Server

Hahn, Gerald J

2011-01-01

Presents a detailed exposition of statistical intervals and emphasizes applications in industry. The discussion differentiates at an elementary level among different kinds of statistical intervals and gives instruction with numerous examples and simple math on how to construct such intervals from sample data. This includes confidence intervals to contain a population percentile, confidence intervals on probability of meeting specified threshold value, and prediction intervals to include observation in a future sample. Also has an appendix containing computer subroutines for nonparametric stati

Statistics of return intervals between long heartbeat intervals and their usability for online prediction of disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogachev, Mikhail I; Bunde, Armin; Kireenkov, Igor S; Nifontov, Eugene M

2009-01-01

We study the statistics of return intervals between large heartbeat intervals (above a certain threshold Q) in 24 h records obtained from healthy subjects. We find that both the linear and the nonlinear long-term memory inherent in the heartbeat intervals lead to power-laws in the probability density function P Q (r) of the return intervals. As a consequence, the probability W Q (t; Δt) that at least one large heartbeat interval will occur within the next Δt heartbeat intervals, with an increasing elapsed number of intervals t after the last large heartbeat interval, follows a power-law. Based on these results, we suggest a method of obtaining a priori information about the occurrence of the next large heartbeat interval, and thus to predict it. We show explicitly that the proposed method, which exploits long-term memory, is superior to the conventional precursory pattern recognition technique, which focuses solely on short-term memory. We believe that our results can be straightforwardly extended to obtain more reliable predictions in other physiological signals like blood pressure, as well as in other complex records exhibiting multifractal behaviour, e.g. turbulent flow, precipitation, river flows and network traffic.

Kontrowersje w leczeniu dietetycznym otyłości

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irena Białokoz-Kalinowska

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Otyłość jest zjawiskiem coraz częściej występującym na świecie. Szacuje się, że ponad połowę dorosłej populacji krajów uprzemysłowionych dotknęła nadwaga, a odsetek otyłości w niektórych krajach (USA, Wielka Brytania wzrasta do 30%. Ta niepokojąca tendencja obserwowana jest również w populacji dzieci i młodzieży. Epidemia otyłości rozpoczęła się w latach 80. i trwa nieprzerwanie do chwili obecnej, stając się poważnym problemem społeczno-medycznym współczesnego świata. Przyczyny tego zjawiska są złożone i wynikają z uwarunkowań biologicznych i środowiskowych, w szczególności z niedostatecznej codziennej aktywności fizycznej oraz złych nawyków żywieniowych. Do tej pory nie udało się wypracować w pełni efektywnej strategii leczenia otyłości. Promocja zdrowego stylu życia oraz właściwych nawyków żywieniowych adresowana do całej populacji stanowi podstawę prewencji i leczenia otyłości. Powszechnie stosowane różnego rodzaju diety odchudzające zawierają często sprzeczne zalecenia. Istniejące kontrowersje utrudniają wybór skutecznej diety w celu redukcji masy ciała, a ich mnogość i różnorodność wprowadzają swoisty chaos informacyjny. Efekty wielu diet są krótkotrwałe i obarczone efektem jo-jo. W wielu przypadkach brak jest jakichkolwiek przesłanek naukowych uzasadniających dane postępowanie dietetyczne. Właśnie dlatego wciąż istnieje potrzeba prowadzenia dalszych badań naukowych umożliwiających w sposób obiektywny ocenę skuteczności dietetycznych metod leczenia otyłości. W niniejszej pracy autorzy przedstawiają spotykane w praktyce różne dietetyczne podejścia do problemu otyłości, wskazując na ich efektywność i naukowe uzasadnienie.

Development and Analysis of Original UNIFAC-CI and Modified UNIFAC-CI Models for Prediction of VLE and SLE Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mustaffa, Azizul Azri; Kontogeorgis, Georgios; Kang, Jeong Won

approach that is able to extend the application range of property models has been developed for mixture properties. This so-called GCPlus approach is a hybrid model which combines GC and valence connectivity indices (CI). The main idea is the use of CI to describe the molecular fragmentation that relates...... parameters are checked using a quality assessment algorithm which combines four widely used consistency tests (Herington, Van Ness, Point/Differential and Infinite Dilution tests) and also a check on the consistencies of the data with the pure component vapor pressures. The overall quality factors, QVLE...

Listening to music during sprint interval exercise: The impact on exercise attitudes and intentions.

Science.gov (United States)

Stork, Matthew J; Martin Ginis, Kathleen A

2017-10-01

This study investigated the impact of listening to music during exercise on perceived enjoyment, attitudes and intentions towards sprint interval training (SIT). Twenty men (24.8 ± 4.5 years) and women (20.1 ± 2.6 years) unfamiliar with SIT exercise completed two acute sessions of SIT, one with and one without music. Perceived enjoyment, attitudes and intentions towards SIT were measured post-exercise for each condition. Attitudes and intentions to engage in SIT were also measured at baseline and follow-up. Post-exercise attitudes mediated the effects of enjoyment on intentions in the music condition (95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.01, 0.07], κ 2  = 0.36) and in the no music condition (95% CI: [0.01, 0.08], κ 2  = 0.37). Attitudes towards SIT were significantly more positive following the music than no music condition (P = 0.004), while intentions towards SIT were not (P = 0.29). Further, attitudes and intentions towards SIT did not change from baseline to follow-up (Ps > 0.05). These findings revealed that participants had relatively positive attitudes and intentions towards SIT, which did not become more negative despite experiencing intense SIT protocols. This study highlights the importance of acute affective responses to SIT exercise for influencing one's attitudes and intentions towards participating in SIT exercise. Such factors could ultimately play a key role in determining whether an individual engages in SIT exercise in the long term.

Probability Distribution for Flowing Interval Spacing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuzio, S.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to develop a probability distribution for flowing interval spacing. A flowing interval is defined as a fractured zone that transmits flow in the Saturated Zone (SZ), as identified through borehole flow meter surveys (Figure 1). This analysis uses the term ''flowing interval spacing'' as opposed to fractured spacing, which is typically used in the literature. The term fracture spacing was not used in this analysis because the data used identify a zone (or a flowing interval) that contains fluid-conducting fractures but does not distinguish how many or which fractures comprise the flowing interval. The flowing interval spacing is measured between the midpoints of each flowing interval. Fracture spacing within the SZ is defined as the spacing between fractures, with no regard to which fractures are carrying flow. The Development Plan associated with this analysis is entitled, ''Probability Distribution for Flowing Interval Spacing'', (CRWMS M and O 2000a). The parameter from this analysis may be used in the TSPA SR/LA Saturated Zone Flow and Transport Work Direction and Planning Documents: (1) ''Abstraction of Matrix Diffusion for SZ Flow and Transport Analyses'' (CRWMS M and O 1999a) and (2) ''Incorporation of Heterogeneity in SZ Flow and Transport Analyses'', (CRWMS M and O 1999b). A limitation of this analysis is that the probability distribution of flowing interval spacing may underestimate the effect of incorporating matrix diffusion processes in the SZ transport model because of the possible overestimation of the flowing interval spacing. Larger flowing interval spacing results in a decrease in the matrix diffusion processes. This analysis may overestimate the flowing interval spacing because the number of fractures that contribute to a flowing interval cannot be determined from the data. Because each flowing interval probably has more than one fracture contributing to a flowing interval, the true flowing interval spacing could be

Two-sorted Point-Interval Temporal Logics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balbiani, Philippe; Goranko, Valentin; Sciavicco, Guido

2011-01-01

There are two natural and well-studied approaches to temporal ontology and reasoning: point-based and interval-based. Usually, interval-based temporal reasoning deals with points as particular, duration-less intervals. Here we develop explicitly two-sorted point-interval temporal logical framework...... whereby time instants (points) and time periods (intervals) are considered on a par, and the perspective can shift between them within the formal discourse. We focus on fragments involving only modal operators that correspond to the inter-sort relations between points and intervals. We analyze...

High-intensity interval training: Modulating interval duration in overweight/obese men.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith-Ryan, Abbie E; Melvin, Malia N; Wingfield, Hailee L

2015-05-01

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient strategy shown to induce various cardiovascular and metabolic adaptations. Little is known about the optimal tolerable combination of intensity and volume necessary for adaptations, especially in clinical populations. In a randomized controlled pilot design, we evaluated the effects of two types of interval training protocols, varying in intensity and interval duration, on clinical outcomes in overweight/obese men. Twenty-five men [body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg · m(2)] completed baseline body composition measures: fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM) and percent body fat (%BF) and fasting blood glucose, lipids and insulin (IN). A graded exercise cycling test was completed for peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and power output (PO). Participants were randomly assigned to high-intensity short interval (1MIN-HIIT), high-intensity interval (2MIN-HIIT) or control groups. 1MIN-HIIT and 2MIN-HIIT completed 3 weeks of cycling interval training, 3 days/week, consisting of either 10 × 1 min bouts at 90% PO with 1 min rests (1MIN-HIIT) or 5 × 2 min bouts with 1 min rests at undulating intensities (80%-100%) (2MIN-HIIT). There were no significant training effects on FM (Δ1.06 ± 1.25 kg) or %BF (Δ1.13% ± 1.88%), compared to CON. Increases in LM were not significant but increased by 1.7 kg and 2.1 kg for 1MIN and 2MIN-HIIT groups, respectively. Increases in VO2peak were also not significant for 1MIN (3.4 ml·kg(-1) · min(-1)) or 2MIN groups (2.7 ml · kg(-1) · min(-1)). IN sensitivity (HOMA-IR) improved for both training groups (Δ-2.78 ± 3.48 units; p < 0.05) compared to CON. HIIT may be an effective short-term strategy to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and IN sensitivity in overweight males.

Filosofia da ciência, ensino de ciências e psicanálise: Explorando analogias

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Villani

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Desenvolveremos um esquema referente às atitudes dos cientistas frente ao conhecimento científico, tendo como referência, de um lado, o debate entre Kuhn, Pepper, Lakatos e Feyerabend e, de outro, conceitos da psicanálise lacaniana. Em seguida, exploraremos esse esquema com uma analogia que nos permitirá elaborar novas interpretações para a educação em Ciências.

2014 Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Forecast

Science.gov (United States)

Scavia, Donald; Evans, Mary Anne; Obenour, Dan

2014-01-01

The Gulf of Mexico annual summer hypoxia forecasts are based on average May total nitrogen loads from the Mississippi River basin for that year. The load estimate, recently released by USGS, is 4,761 metric tons per day. Based on that estimate, we predict the area of this summer’s hypoxic zone to be 14,000 square kilometers (95% credible interval, 8,000 to 20,000) – an “average year”. Our forecast hypoxic volume is 50 km3 (95% credible interval, 20 to 77).

Characteristics and determinants of music appreciation in adult CI users.

Science.gov (United States)

Philips, Birgit; Vinck, Bart; De Vel, Eddy; Maes, Leen; D'Haenens, Wendy; Keppler, Hannah; Dhooge, Ingeborg

2012-03-01

The main objective of this study was to assess the associations between self-reported listening habits and perception of music and speech perception outcomes in quiet and noise for both unilateral cochlear implant (CI) users and bimodal (CI in one ear, hearing aid in contra-lateral ear) users. Information concerning music appreciation was gathered by means of a newly developed questionnaire. Moreover, audiological data (pure-tone audiometry, speech tests in noise and quiet) were gathered and the relationship between speech perception and music appreciation is studied. Bimodal users enjoy listening to music more in comparison with unilateral CI users. Also, music training within rehabilitation is still uncommon, while CI recipients believe that music training might be helpful to maximize their potential with current CI technology. Music training should not be exclusively reserved for the good speech performers. Therefore, a music training program (MTP) that consists of different difficulty levels should be developed. Hopefully, early implementation of MTP in rehabilitation programs can enable adult CI users to enjoy and appreciate music and to maximize their potential with commercially available technology. Furthermore, because bimodal users consider the bimodal stimulation to be the most enjoyable way to listen to music, CI users with residual hearing in the contra-lateral ear should be encouraged to continue wearing their hearing aid in that ear.

A two-states Markov-switching model of inflation in France and the USA: credible target VS inflation spiral

OpenAIRE

B. HEITZ

2005-01-01

This paper seeks to apply the general framework of Markov-switching models to inflation in France and in the USA. We propose a model where inflation can, alternatively, follow two regimes: the first one, where inflation is stationary, is interpreted as a situation where there exists a credible inflation target, even if it is not explicit; the second one where inflation is integrated. Moreover, observing that the two oil shocks were followed by accelerating inflation periods, we allow dependen...

Does Exonerating an Accused Researcher Restore the Researcher's Credibility?

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Tobias Greitemeyer

Full Text Available Scientific misconduct appears to be on the rise. However, an accused researcher may later be exonerated. The present research examines to what extent participants adhere to their attitude toward a researcher who allegedly committed academic misconduct after learning that the researcher is innocent. In two studies, participants in an exoneration and an uncorrected accusation condition learned that the ethics committee of a researcher's university demanded the retraction of one of the researcher's articles, whereas participants in a control condition did not receive this information. As intended, this manipulation led to a more favorable attitude toward the researcher in the control compared to the exoneration and the uncorrected accusation conditions (pre-exoneration attitude. Then, participants in the exoneration condition learned that the researcher was exonerated and that the article was not retracted. Participants in the uncorrected accusation and the control condition were not informed about the exoneration. Results revealed that the exoneration effectively worked, in that participants in the exoneration condition had a more favorable attitude (post-exoneration attitude toward the researcher than did participants in the uncorrected accusation condition. Moreover, the post-exoneration attitude toward the researcher was similar in the exoneration and the control conditions. Finally, in the exoneration condition only, participants' post-exoneration attitude was more favorable than their pre-exoneration attitude. These findings suggest that an exoneration of an accused researcher restores the researcher's credibility.

Does Exonerating an Accused Researcher Restore the Researcher's Credibility?

Science.gov (United States)

Greitemeyer, Tobias; Sagioglou, Christina

2015-01-01

Scientific misconduct appears to be on the rise. However, an accused researcher may later be exonerated. The present research examines to what extent participants adhere to their attitude toward a researcher who allegedly committed academic misconduct after learning that the researcher is innocent. In two studies, participants in an exoneration and an uncorrected accusation condition learned that the ethics committee of a researcher's university demanded the retraction of one of the researcher's articles, whereas participants in a control condition did not receive this information. As intended, this manipulation led to a more favorable attitude toward the researcher in the control compared to the exoneration and the uncorrected accusation conditions (pre-exoneration attitude). Then, participants in the exoneration condition learned that the researcher was exonerated and that the article was not retracted. Participants in the uncorrected accusation and the control condition were not informed about the exoneration. Results revealed that the exoneration effectively worked, in that participants in the exoneration condition had a more favorable attitude (post-exoneration attitude) toward the researcher than did participants in the uncorrected accusation condition. Moreover, the post-exoneration attitude toward the researcher was similar in the exoneration and the control conditions. Finally, in the exoneration condition only, participants' post-exoneration attitude was more favorable than their pre-exoneration attitude. These findings suggest that an exoneration of an accused researcher restores the researcher's credibility.

Resonant communicators, effective communicators. Communicator’s flow and credibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irene García-Ureta, Ph.D

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Communication studies have been integrating the latest developments in cognitive sciences and acknowledging the importance of understanding the subjective processes involved in communication. This article argues that communication studies should also take into account the psychology of the communicator. This article presents the theoretical basis and the results of a training programme designed for audiovisual communicators. The programme is based on the theories of self-efficacy and flow and seeks to improve students’ communication competencies through the use of presentation techniques and psychological skills to tackle communication apprehension. The programme involves an active methodology that is based on modelling, visualisation, immediate feedback and positive reinforcement. A repeated-measures ANOVA shows that the programme successfully decreases the level of communication apprehension, improves the perceived self-efficacy, improves the psychological state needed to perform better in front of the cameras (flow, and improves students’ communication skills. A path analysis proved that the perceived self-efficacy and anxiety levels predict the level of flow during the communication act. At the end of the training programme, those who experienced higher levels of flow and enjoyment during the communication task achieved higher quality levels in their communication exercise. It is concluded that the concepts of self-efficacy and flow facilitate advancing in the understanding of the factors that determine a communicator’s credibility and ability to connect with the audience.

A ciência e a tecnologia n’A Capital: da página de fait-divers à página de ciência

OpenAIRE

Fonseca, Rui Brito

2009-01-01

Durante muito tempo, a ciência e a tecnologia foram olhadas, pela população em geral, como mais um tema de entretenimento e curiosidade, a par de outros. Para a imprensa portuguesa, mormente a imprensa de cariz “popular”, a ciência e a tecnologia também foram durante algum tempo olhadas como um assunto de entretenimento e curiosidade. Partindo da análise, quantitativa e qualitativa, de cerca de 2000 artigos sobre ciência e tecnologia, publicados no jornal diário, pago e de c...

Some Characterizations of Convex Interval Games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brânzei, R.; Tijs, S.H.; Alparslan-Gok, S.Z.

2008-01-01

This paper focuses on new characterizations of convex interval games using the notions of exactness and superadditivity. We also relate big boss interval games with concave interval games and obtain characterizations of big boss interval games in terms of exactness and subadditivity.

Max Weber e a objetividade do conhecimento nas ciências da cultura: um breve guia para o texto A ‘Objetividade’ do Conhecimento na Ciência Social e na Ciência Política (1904

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean Henrique Costa

2011-05-01

Full Text Available

O presente artigo objetiva discutir o sentido da objetividade do conhecimento empírico-social na obra de Max Weber, especificamente no texto “A ‘Objetividade’ do Conhecimento na Ciência Social e na Ciência Política”, de 1904. Discute-se, no primeiro momento, a distinção entre conhecimento empírico e juízo de valor; no segundo momento, faz-se uma rápida crítica às idéias de “lei” e “conexão regular” nas ciências sociais para, em seguida, na terceira parte, discutir a estrutura da formação dos conceitos típico-ideais como recursos metodológicos, nos quais, para Weber, expressam a possibilidade da validade objetiva do conhecimento nas ciências da cultura.

High-intensity interval training in overweight and obese children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Thivel, David; Masurier, Julie; Baquet, Georges; Timmons, Brian W; Pereira, Bruno; Berthoin, Serge; Duclos, Martine; Aucouturier, Julien

2018-03-27

While High Intensity Interval Training is praised in many populations for its beneficial effects on body composition and cardiometabolic health, its use among obese youth remain uncertain. This study aimed at determining whether HIIT is effective to improve aerobic fitness and reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese youth. A systematic search was conducted and articles reporting studies that investigated the effects of HIIT in 6 to 18-year-old youth were eligible. Meta-analyses were performed when appropriate. 15 studies were included for the systematic review and meta-analyses. HIIT significantly improves maximal oxygen uptake [1.117 (95% CI=0.528 to 1.706), pbody mass [-0.295 (95%CI =-0.525 to -0.066), pbody fat [-0.786 (95%CI =-1.452 to - 0.120), phigh inconsistency for most cardiometabolic risk factors and aerobic fitness. Although few studies have reported cardiometabolic risks, HIIT may also be as effective as traditional endurance continuous training to decrease blood pressure and insulin resistance. HIIT is effective to improve aerobic fitness, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese youth, but data are insufficient to determine whether it is more effective than traditional continuous submaximal intensity exercise training.

Multivariate interval-censored survival data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, Philip

2014-01-01

Interval censoring means that an event time is only known to lie in an interval (L,R], with L the last examination time before the event, and R the first after. In the univariate case, parametric models are easily fitted, whereas for non-parametric models, the mass is placed on some intervals, de...

The effects of online review message appeal and online review source across two product types on review credibility, product attitude, and purchase intention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beldad, Ardion; Avicenna, Fitria; De Vries, Sjoerd; Fui-Hoon, Fiona; Tan, Chuan-Hoo

2017-01-01

The study reported in this paper investigated the effects of online review message appeal and online review source type on review credibility perception, product attitude, and purchase intention across two types of products, namely technical and non-technical. A between-respondent 2 (message appeal:

Predicting fecal coliform using the interval-to-interval approach and SWAT in the Miyun watershed, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Jianwen; Shen, Zhenyao; Yan, Tiezhu; Qiu, Jiali; Li, Yangyang

2017-06-01

Pathogens in manure can cause waterborne-disease outbreaks, serious illness, and even death in humans. Therefore, information about the transformation and transport of bacteria is crucial for determining their source. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to simulate fecal coliform bacteria load in the Miyun Reservoir watershed, China. The data for the fecal coliform were obtained at three sampling sites, Chenying (CY), Gubeikou (GBK), and Xiahui (XH). The calibration processes of the fecal coliform were conducted using the CY and GBK sites, and validation was conducted at the XH site. An interval-to-interval approach was designed and incorporated into the processes of fecal coliform calibration and validation. The 95% confidence interval of the predicted values and the 95% confidence interval of measured values were considered during calibration and validation in the interval-to-interval approach. Compared with the traditional point-to-point comparison, this method can improve simulation accuracy. The results indicated that the simulation of fecal coliform using the interval-to-interval approach was reasonable for the watershed. This method could provide a new research direction for future model calibration and validation studies.

Cinema, ciência e percepção.

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Márcio Barreto

Full Text Available Resumo O cinema invoca a questão dos limites da percepção humana, pois modula o tempo em imagens tão reais quanto artificiais, revelando algo mais próximo de uma nova dimensão da realidade do que de sua representação. No início do século XX, a ciência modifica o real percebido através das lentes dos microscópios e das teorias da física moderna; o parentesco entre cinema e ciência está principalmente naquilo que excede o campo perceptivo e é explorado neste artigo para mostrar como a tensão entre o caráter estático da fotografia e a fluidez fugitiva do tempo revela a ciência sem seus estereótipos habituais.

Credible Leadership-In the Eyes of the Follower: A Historical Review of Leadership Theory throughout the Twentieth Century in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, Sharon C.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this historical review was to trace the credible leadership construct of trustworthiness, integrity, honesty, and consistency in leadership theory development during the last 100 years in the United States. Theory focus, key U.S. pivotal events, and follower importance influenced the construct's occurrence in leadership theory. …

LOGISTICS RISK RESEARCH OF PREFABRICATED HOUSE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING BASED ON CREDIBILITY METHOD

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Xiaoping Bai

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the prefabricated house industry has rapid development,.Because of fewer suppliers, higher demand transport scheme and complex quality test, the risks of construction engineering logistics links are relatively high. Studying how to effectively evaluate the risks of construction engineering logistics links is significant. According to the characteristics of the prefabricated house construction engineering, we analyse the construction engineering logistics risks and use the combined weights method to determine the weight of indexes which contains both subjective and objective factors, to improve the scientific value and the validity of the assessment. Based on credibility measure method, a new logistics risk evaluation model in prefabricated housing is established to estimate the risk during making prefabricated house construction engineering. The presented model can avoid the subjectivity of selecting the membership function and solve the problem of how to comprehensively assess the construction engineering logistics risk in a certain extent.

Skinner: sobre ciência e comportamento humano

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Angelo Augusto Silva Sampaio

Full Text Available Atualmente, não se pode pensar no estudo do comportamento humano sem considerar a abordagem científica a este objeto: o campo da Psicologia científica. Esse campo é disputado por diversos enfoques teóricos que divergem quanto ao modo como definem ciência e comportamento humano. A abordagem de B. F. Skinner foi bastante proeminente no século XX, mas ainda continua a ser mal-entendida. Partindo do desenvolvimento histórico de sua obra, o presente texto visa a iluminar alguns aspectos relacionados às noções de ciência e comportamento humano desse autor e ressaltar as transformações por que passaram. Analisam-se três tópicos da obra de Skinner: seu período inicial (de 1930 a cerca de 1938, a obra "Ciência e Comportamento Humano" de 1953, e as influências da Biologia. São enfatizados aspectos relevantes da sua teorização sobre o tema: busca por relações funcionais, ênfase nos dados empíricos, operacionismo, externalismo, multideterminação do comportamento, experimentalismo, previsão e controle, ética.

Por uma ciência do riso e da sabedoria

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Paula Corrêa Henning

2010-06-01

Full Text Available

O artigo busca problematizar a história das ciências, especialmente o ethos da Modernidade e Pós-modernidade. Para isso, utiliza autores que se anteciparam à Pós-modernidade como Friedrich Nietzsche e Michel Foucault. Na esteira dessa discussão busca uma problematização acerca da Ciência nos rastros da Modernidade e algumas fissuras e fragilidades produzidas na ciência num cenário contemporâneo. Apresenta ainda alguns discursos midiáticos acerca de propagandas televisivas que trazem o discurso científico como legítimo e inabalável. Traz para o campo de discussão uma ciência alegre, como aprendemos com Nietzsche ou prosaica por vezes, anunciando o riso e a sabedoria na produção do conhecimento científico.

Safety analysis of RA reactor operation, I-III, Part III - Environmental effect of the maximum credible accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raisic, N.

1963-02-01

Maximum credible accident at the RA reactor would consider release of fission products into the environment. This would result from fuel elements failure or meltdown due to loss of coolant. The analysis presented in this report assumes that the reactor was operating at nominal power at the moment of maximum possible accident. The report includes calculations of fission products activity at the moment of accident, total activity release during the accident, concentration of radioactive material in the air in the reactor neighbourhood, and the analysis of accident environmental effects

Age-specific incidence of A/H1N1 2009 influenza infection in England from sequential antibody prevalence data using likelihood-based estimation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc Baguelin

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Estimating the age-specific incidence of an emerging pathogen is essential for understanding its severity and transmission dynamics. This paper describes a statistical method that uses likelihoods to estimate incidence from sequential serological data. The method requires information on seroconversion intervals and allows integration of information on the temporal distribution of cases from clinical surveillance. Among a family of candidate incidences, a likelihood function is derived by reconstructing the change in seroprevalence from seroconversion following infection and comparing it with the observed sequence of positivity among the samples. This method is applied to derive the cumulative and weekly incidence of A/H1N1 pandemic influenza in England during the second wave using sera taken between September 2009 and February 2010 in four age groups (1-4, 5-14, 15-24, 25-44 years. The highest cumulative incidence was in 5-14 year olds (59%, 95% credible interval (CI: 52%, 68% followed by 1-4 year olds (49%, 95% CI: 38%, 61%, rates 20 and 40 times higher respectively than estimated from clinical surveillance. The method provides a more accurate and continuous measure of incidence than achieved by comparing prevalence in samples grouped by time period.

Scyntygrafia kości w diagnostyce reumatoidalnego zapalenia stawów

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Witold Tłustochowicz

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Celem pracy była ocena przydatności trójfazowej dynamicznejscyntygrafii kości w diagnostyce reumatoidalnego zapalenia stawów.Badaniem objęto 39 chorych hospitalizowanych i diagnozowanychz powodu dolegliwości stawowych. Przeprowadzono diagnostykęobejmującą: badanie podmiotowe, przedmiotowe, badania laboratoryjneoraz obrazowe, w tym trójfazową scyntygrafię kości z użyciemtechnetu 99m. Scyntygraficzne cechy zapalenia stawówstwierdzano, gdy obserwowano wzmożone gromadzenie znacznikawe wszystkich trzech fazach badania.Po ukończeniu diagnostyki rozpoznano u 13 chorych wczesne reumatoidalnezapalenie stawów, u 4 reumatoidalne zapalenie stawów(łącznie 17 pacjentów, a u 1 niezróżnicowane zapalenie stawów.Scyntygrafia kości wykazała cechy zapalenia stawów u 13spośród nich (72,2%, u 4 osób (22,2% wzmożone gromadzeniestwierdzono tylko w fazie statycznej, a u 1 pacjenta (5,6% uzyskanoprawidłowy wynik badania. U 21 chorych wykluczono chorobęzapalną stawów (u 19 rozpoznano fibromialgię, u 2 chorobęzwyrodnieniową. W grupie bez zapalenia stawów u 14 pacjentów(66,6% nie stwierdzono istotnych nieprawidłowości w obraziescyntygraficznym, u 6 (28,6% występowało wzmożone gromadzenieznacznika w badaniu statycznym, a u 1 chorego (4,8% opisanoscyntygraficzne cechy zapalenia stawów.Wbadanej grupie czułość scyntygrafii dynamicznej kości w wykrywaniuzapalenia stawów wynosiła 72,2% (95% CI: 57,5–76,8, a swoistość 95,2% (95% CI: 82,8–99,1. Dodatni wynik badaniadynamicznego wskazuje z dużym prawdopodobieństwem naobecność zapalenia stawów [PPV 92,9% (95% CI: 74,2–98,7].Mniej wiarygodny był ujemny wynik badania [NPV 80% (95% CI:69,5–83,3]. Wyniki niniejszej pracy wskazują, że trójfazowa scyntygrafia dynamicznakości może mieć zastosowanie w diagnostyce reumatoidalnegozapalenia stawów.

Pomiar wiarygodności internetowych serwisów handlowych.

OpenAIRE

Garnik, Igor; Basińska, Beata

2011-01-01

Rozwój handlu internetowego jest odpowiedzią na zapotrzebowanie klientów na tę formę dystrybucji towarów i usług. Z tego powodu, zarządzanie witryną sklepu internetowego, w celu zwiększenia jej wiarygodności, a co za tym idzie – konkurencyjności, jest ważnym zadaniem stojącym przed podmiotami prowadzącymi działalność gospodarczą w sieci. Celem niniejszej pracy było zaproponowanie nowej metody oceny wiarygodności serwisów WWW. Badanie przeprowadzono w grupie 225 osób (83% doświadczonych i 17% ...

Using the Web for Competitive Intelligence (CI) Gathering

Science.gov (United States)

Rocker, JoAnne; Roncaglia, George

2002-01-01

Businesses use the Internet as a way to communicate company information as a way of engaging their customers. As the use of the Web for business transactions and advertising grows, so too, does the amount of useful information for practitioners of competitive intelligence (CI). CI is the legal and ethical practice of information gathering about competitors and the marketplace. Information sources like company webpages, online newspapers and news organizations, electronic journal articles and reports, and Internet search engines allow CI practitioners analyze company strengths and weaknesses for their customers. More company and marketplace information than ever is available on the Internet and a lot of it is free. Companies should view the Web not only as a business tool but also as a source of competitive intelligence. In a highly competitive marketplace can any organization afford to ignore information about the other players and customers in that same marketplace?

Automated and Clinical Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System Density Measures Predict Risk for Screen-Detected and Interval Cancers: A Case-Control Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerlikowske, Karla; Scott, Christopher G; Mahmoudzadeh, Amir P; Ma, Lin; Winham, Stacey; Jensen, Matthew R; Wu, Fang Fang; Malkov, Serghei; Pankratz, V Shane; Cummings, Steven R; Shepherd, John A; Brandt, Kathleen R; Miglioretti, Diana L; Vachon, Celine M

2018-06-05

In 30 states, women who have had screening mammography are informed of their breast density on the basis of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) density categories estimated subjectively by radiologists. Variation in these clinical categories across and within radiologists has led to discussion about whether automated BI-RADS density should be reported instead. To determine whether breast cancer risk and detection are similar for automated and clinical BI-RADS density measures. Case-control. San Francisco Mammography Registry and Mayo Clinic. 1609 women with screen-detected cancer, 351 women with interval invasive cancer, and 4409 matched control participants. Automated and clinical BI-RADS density assessed on digital mammography at 2 time points from September 2006 to October 2014, interval and screen-detected breast cancer risk, and mammography sensitivity. Of women whose breast density was categorized by automated BI-RADS more than 6 months to 5 years before diagnosis, those with extremely dense breasts had a 5.65-fold higher interval cancer risk (95% CI, 3.33 to 9.60) and a 1.43-fold higher screen-detected risk (CI, 1.14 to 1.79) than those with scattered fibroglandular densities. Associations of interval and screen-detected cancer with clinical BI-RADS density were similar to those with automated BI-RADS density, regardless of whether density was measured more than 6 months to less than 2 years or 2 to 5 years before diagnosis. Automated and clinical BI-RADS density measures had similar discriminatory accuracy, which was higher for interval than screen-detected cancer (c-statistics: 0.70 vs. 0.62 [P automated and clinical BI-RADS categories: fatty, 93% versus 92%; scattered fibroglandular densities, 90% versus 90%; heterogeneously dense, 82% versus 78%; and extremely dense, 63% versus 64%, respectively. Neither automated nor clinical BI-RADS density was assessed on tomosynthesis, an emerging breast screening method. Automated and clinical BI

Wrap it in rap! - Music Making with Adolescent CI Users

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Bjørn; Sørensen, Stine Derdau; Pedersen, Ellen Raben

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine 1) the potential effects of an intensive musical ear training program on the perception of music and speech in prelingually hearing impaired adolescent cochlear implant (CI) users and 2) these adolescents’ music engagement. Eleven adolescent CI users parti...... and repetitive focus on language, articulation, rhythm and rhyme and might even represent a possible form of artistic expression for some of the young CI users....

Empiryczna weryfikacja hipotezy o przenośności modelu Altmana na warunki polskiej gospodarki oraz uniwersalności sektorowej modeli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Iwanowicz

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Celem artykułu jest próba udzielenia odpowiedzi na pytanie, czy istnieje uzasadnienie dla mechanicznego przenoszenia modelu Altmana na warunki polskiej gospodarki oraz sprawdzenie, czy wśród testowanych modeli istnieje model wykazujący dla każdego typu przedsiębiorstwa (przemysłowe, handlowe, usługo- we najwyższą skuteczność i najlepsze wartości zastosowanych metod porównawczych. W artykule porównano trzynaście testowanych modeli używając macierzy klasyfikacji, ilorazu szans, krzywej kon- centracji CAP i wskaźnika dokładności Giniego, będących metodami oceny sprawności, oraz wskaźnika Briera będącego metodą oceny modeli z punktu widzenia kryterium kalibracji. Badania zostały przepro- wadzone na bazie 439 sprawozdań finansowych opublikowanych przez 139 spółek kapitałowych zarejestrowanych w warszawskich sądach okręgowych i rejonowych (w tym 79 spółek, które w rzeczywistości ogłosiły upadłość. Przeprowadzone badania obaliły mit o przenośności modelu Altmana na warunki polskiej gospodarki oraz uniwersalności sektorowej modeli. Wykazano, że sprawność modeli różni się dla spółek produkcyjnych, handlowych i usługowych oraz określono te sprawności. Ponadto udowodniono, że istnieją modele dyskryminacyjne różniące się zestawem zmiennych oraz współczynnikami wagowymi, które wykazują zbliżone skuteczności predykcyjne. The purpose of this paper is to answer the question about the validity of mechanical transfer of the Alt- man model to Polish economy and to check if among the tested models there is a model with the highest efficiency and best outcomes for the used comparative methods for each type of enterprise (manufactur- ing, trading, service. Thirteen tested models were compared using the classification matrix, odds ratio, CAP concentration curve and Gini accuracy index, which are efficiency evaluation methods, as well as using the Brier index, which is a method of evaluating models

Kierunki zmiansprawozdawczości finansowej

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Zbigniew Luty

2010-05-01

Full Text Available W artykule wskazano na możliwe kierunki zmian w sprawozdawczości finansowej w najbliższych latach. Wymieńmy najważniejsze: 1 bazą jest informacja oparta na dokumentacji księgowej w ujęciu historycznym, 2 sprawozdania celowe (dedykowane, 3 informacja finansowa jako towar na specyficznym rynku sprawozdań, 4 prawo bilansowe tworzone z minimalnym wpływem lobbingu inwestorów.

Transseksualizm – pytania i wątpliwości

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Magdalena Radko

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Wiek dojrzewania jest czasem określania własnej tożsamości, odkrywania pragnień, dążeń, również w sferze sek‑ sualności. Poszukiwanie siebie, własnej orientacji seksualnej, znajdowanie pierwszych obiektów pożądania jest dla adolescenta nowym, ważnym przeżyciem, wyzwalającym silne emocje. Czasami jednak młody człowiek staje wo‑ bec dużych trudności, bowiem to, co odkrywa w sobie, nie znajduje umocowania w społecznych normach, nie jest akceptowane przez rodzinę i otoczenie, a w związku z tym dla samego adolescenta staje się ciężarem trudnym do uniesienia. Konsekwencją nieradzenia sobie z własną seksualnością, jej odbiorem rodzinnym lub społecznym mogą być zaburzenia depresyjne, lękowe, zaburzenia odżywiania oraz różnorodne formy autoagresji. W obliczu wysokie‑ go ryzyka występowania zaburzeń psychicznych u osób w wieku rozwojowym, u których seksualność kształtuje się w sposób odmienny, należy rozważać szerokie spektrum czynników mogących determinować takie, a nie inne oblicze seksualności. Intencją autorów pracy było przedstawienie, w oparciu o przypadek kliniczny, historii człowieka odkry‑ wającego swoją tożsamość płciową, biorąc pod uwagę zarówno osobnicze uwarunkowania, przebyte zdarzenia trau‑ matyczne, jak i kontekst rodzinny pacjenta oraz konsekwencje procesu coming out. Autorzy starali się zwrócić uwagę na złożoność i wielostopniowość procesu ujawniania się, który stał się możliwy dopiero po zapewnieniu adolescen‑ towi zrozumienia, wsparcia i akceptacji. Tym samym ukazano kluczową rolę środowiska, które może sprzyjać pro‑ cesowi odkrywania się i umożliwić go lub przeciwnie – utrudnić czy też całkowicie go zablokować. Transseksualizm w różnych środowiskach budzi sporo kontrowersji, pytań i wątpliwości. Historia hospitalizowanego pacjenta obrazu‑ je złożoność problemów, z którymi zmagają się osoby z zaburzeniami tożsamości

The corporation and the community: Credibility, legitimacy, and imposed risk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wade, C.; Rosenthal, I.

1991-10-01

In this age of rapid changes, large segments of society no longer trust any institution or authority in regard to pronouncements on what is safe. Because of this distrust, the public has demanded and obtained increased rights for individuals to intervene directly in decisions affecting them. Rosenthal warns that an organization that just fulfills its legal requirements for safety is no longer doing enough. Industry leaders must work toward re-establishing credibility by identifying persons who are potentially at risk as a result of industry activities, involving them in the communication process, and justifying the firm's social benefits. Seeking social legitimacy, chemical manufacturers have formed self-assessment groups and community councils, which have reaped unexpected benefits but have forced them to deal with issues they would have preferred to avoid. To industry leaders who contend that these types of activities are not worth the effort, Rosenthal presents a timely warning. Government and business must reduce public concerns significantly and make stakeholders more willing to tolerate imposed risk because of perceived benefits. It the public's concern is not reduced, we will all be required to make greater and greater investments in an inefficient and largely fruitless pursuit of absolute safety. 16 refs

The corporation and the community: Credibility, legitimacy, and imposed risk

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wade, C. (ed.) (Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)); Rosenthal, I. (Pennsylvania Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States). Center for Risk and Decision Processes)

1991-10-01

In this age of rapid changes, large segments of society no longer trust any institution or authority in regard to pronouncements on what is safe. Because of this distrust, the public has demanded and obtained increased rights for individuals to intervene directly in decisions affecting them. Rosenthal warns that an organization that just fulfills its legal requirements for safety is no longer doing enough. Industry leaders must work toward re-establishing credibility by identifying persons who are potentially at risk as a result of industry activities, involving them in the communication process, and justifying the firm's social benefits. Seeking social legitimacy, chemical manufacturers have formed self-assessment groups and community councils, which have reaped unexpected benefits but have forced them to deal with issues they would have preferred to avoid. To industry leaders who contend that these types of activities are not worth the effort, Rosenthal presents a timely warning. Government and business must reduce public concerns significantly and make stakeholders more willing to tolerate imposed risk because of perceived benefits. It the public's concern is not reduced, we will all be required to make greater and greater investments in an inefficient and largely fruitless pursuit of absolute safety. 16 refs.

Między pamięcią a zapomnieniem Shoah. Problem estetycznej neutralizacji przeszłości w myśleniu historycznym Saula Friedländera

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Sawicki, Maciej

2015-06-01

Full Text Available W tekstach Saula Friedländera problem indywidualnej pamięci Shoahstanowił jedną z głównych granic dla dyskursu. Punktem krytycznym jego refleksji nad pamięcią stała się kwestia społecznego myślenia zbawczego, które stanowiło reakcję obronną wobec katastrofy. Fenomen ten ujawnił się szczególnie wyraźnie w publicznej formie pamięci, która z jednej strony domagała się prostoty i jasnej interpretacji, jako że jej zadaniem było oswojenie niekoherencji, wyeliminowanie bólu oraz rozbudzenie nadziei u współczesnych; z drugiej strony indywidualna pamięć głęboka ocalałych – nie znająca zasad – nie godziła się na formę pamięci publicznej, mimo że nie była w stanie jej się oprzeć. Według Friedländera ekspansja pamięci publicznej i zanikanie pamięci indywidualnej sprawia, iż "pamięć Shoah prawdopodobnie nie ucieknie przed całkowitą rytualizacją"1. W swoich rozważaniach częstokroć zwracał on uwagę na to, że sztuka nie może przeciwdziałać oswajaniu grozy, ponieważ musi wyrażać indywidualną pamięć przeszłości w pewnych prostych formach. Oprócz tego problematyczny stał się fakt, że same kategorie sztuki po Holokauście zostały zawładnięte przez przemysł kulturowy i politykę, przez co problem pamięci stał się środkiem przetargowym dla innych celów. Nawiązując za Friedländerem do aktualnego impasu wobec różnych oswajających mechanizmów pamięci, spróbuję poddać pod rozwagę kwestię granic i możliwości w tworzeniu estetycznego pomostu między teraźniejszością a przeszłością.

Interval to Biochemical Failure Predicts Clinical Outcomes in Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer Treated by Combined-Modality Radiation Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shilkrut, Mark; McLaughlin, P. William; Merrick, Gregory S.; Vainshtein, Jeffrey M.; Feng, Felix Y.; Hamstra, Daniel A.

2013-01-01

Purpose: To validate the prognostic value of interval to biochemical failure (IBF) in patients with high-risk prostate cancer (HiRPCa) treated with combined-modality radiation therapy (CMRT) with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective review of HiRPCa (prostate-specific antigen >20 ng/mL, Gleason score [GS] 8-10, or clinical T stage T3-T4) treated with either dose-escalated external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or CMRT. Interval to biochemical failure was classified as ≤18 or >18 months from the end of all therapy to the date of biochemical failure (BF). Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to evaluate the prognostic value of IBF ≤18 months for distant metastasis (DM) and prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). Results: Of 958 patients with a median follow-up of 63.2 months, 175 patients experienced BF. In those with BF, there were no differences in pretreatment clinical characteristics between the EBRT and CMRT groups, except for a higher proportion of patients with GS 8-10 in the CMRT group (70% vs 52%, P=.02). Median IBF after all therapy was 24.0 months (interquartile range 9.6-46.0) in the EBRT group and 18.9 months (interquartile range 9.2-34.5) in the CMRT group (P=.055). On univariate analysis, IBF ≤18 months was associated with increased risk of DM and PCSM in the entire cohort and the individual EBRT and CMRT groups. On multivariate analysis, only GS 9-10 and IBF ≤18 months, but not the radiation therapy regimen or ADT use, predicted DM (hazard ratio [HR] 3.7, P<.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-10.3 for GS 9-10; HR 3.9, P<.0001, 95% CI 2.4-6.5 for IBF ≤18 months) and PCSM (HR 14.8, P<.009, 95% CI 2.0-110 for GS 9-10; HR 4.4, P<.0001, 95% CI 2.4-8.1 for IBF ≤18 months). Conclusions: Short IBF was highly prognostic for higher DM and PCSM in patients with HiRPCa. The prognostic value of IBF for DM and PCSM was not affected by the radiation

Estimation of transmission parameters of H5N1 avian influenza virus in chickens.

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Annemarie Bouma

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Despite considerable research efforts, little is yet known about key epidemiological parameters of H5N1 highly pathogenic influenza viruses in their avian hosts. Here we show how these parameters can be estimated using a limited number of birds in experimental transmission studies. Our quantitative estimates, based on Bayesian methods of inference, reveal that (i the period of latency of H5N1 influenza virus in unvaccinated chickens is short (mean: 0.24 days; 95% credible interval: 0.099-0.48 days; (ii the infectious period of H5N1 virus in unvaccinated chickens is approximately 2 days (mean: 2.1 days; 95%CI: 1.8-2.3 days; (iii the reproduction number of H5N1 virus in unvaccinated chickens need not be high (mean: 1.6; 95%CI: 0.90-2.5, although the virus is expected to spread rapidly because it has a short generation interval in unvaccinated chickens (mean: 1.3 days; 95%CI: 1.0-1.5 days; and (iv vaccination with genetically and antigenically distant H5N2 vaccines can effectively halt transmission. Simulations based on the estimated parameters indicate that herd immunity may be obtained if at least 80% of chickens in a flock are vaccinated. We discuss the implications for the control of H5N1 avian influenza virus in areas where it is endemic.

Nauczanie sprawności komunikacyjnych w grupach ekonomicznych

OpenAIRE

Wielkiewicz-Jałmużna, Dorota

2013-01-01

Celem nauczania języka polskiego w grupach ekonomicznych jest przede wszystkim rozwijanie kompetencji uczących się. Kluczowe znaczenie mają umiejętności receptywne czyli rozumienie ze słuchu i czytanie. Istotne znaczenie ma również nauczanie sprawności produktywnych to jest mówienia i pisania. Kolejnymi sprawnościami językowymi, które uczniowie zdobywają pod nadzorem nauczyciela są: umiejętność interakcji i mediacji.

Wpływ aktywności fizycznej w okresie ciąży na przebieg porodu = The influence of physical activity during pregnancy on childbirth

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AGNIESZKA KONSTANCJA PAWŁOWSKA-MUC

2015-09-01

3 Ośrodek Kształcenia Podyplomowego Pielęgniarek i Położnych Radomski Szpital Specjalistyczny im. dr Tytusa Chałubińskiego w Radomiu, ul. Lekarska 4   Adres do korespondencji Grażyna Stadnicka Samodzielna Pracownia Umiejętności Położniczych, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny 10-081 Lublin, ul. Staszica 4/6; e-mail:grazyna.stadnicka@umlub.pl   Streszczenie Aktywność fizyczna w czasie ciąży poprawia ogólną kondycję fizyczną i zapobiega dolegliwościom tego okresu. Celem pacy była ocena profilu społeczno-demograficznego kobiet rodzących oraz wpływu aktywności fizycznej w okresie ciąży na przebieg porodu. Materiał i metoda. Badania przeprowadzono wśród 150 rodzących. Narzędzie badawcze stanowiła ankieta własnego autorstwa, skala Borga oraz skala oceny bólu VAS. Wyniki. Badane były w wieku 19-41 lat,  średnia wieku wynosiła 28.7±5.3  lat. Najczęściej podejmowaną przez respondentki aktywnością fizyczną był spacer (n=29; 38.15%, fitness (n=21; 27.63%, joge (n=14; 18.42%, pilates (n=25; 32.89%.Korzystanie z aktywności ruchowej przez kobiety w ciąży było zależne od: wykształcenia (p=0.031, miejsca zamieszkania (p=0.13, statusu zawodowego (0.004 oraz wieku (p=0.042 badanych. Aktywności fizyczna w okresie ciąży miała znamienny statystycznie wpływ na sposób ukończenia ciąży (p=0.024 i wystąpienie samoistnej czynności skurczowej (p=0.001 oraz  bliski istotności statystycznej wpływ na częstość uszkodzenia krocza podczas porodu (0.049. Wnioski. Aktywność fizyczna podczas ciąży nie ma wpływu na częstotliwość okołoporodowych urazów kanału rodnego, w tym nacinania krocza. Natomiast warunkuje wystąpienie samoistnych skurczów porodowych, lepszą tolerancję bólu i wysiłku podczas porodu oraz zmniejsza liczbę cięć cesarskich.   Słowa kluczowe: ciąża, aktywność fizyczna, poród.   Abstract Physical activity during pregnancy, which improves overall physical condition and prevents

Contrasting the Efficiency of the CBCA in the Assessment of Credibility in Violence Against Women Cases

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Ramón Arce

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Archival data reveal that in Spain the conviction rate for cases of gender violence is approximately 70%, whereas the conviction rate for other crimes is in the region of 90%. This dysfunction arises from a multiplicity of factors, chiefly the lack of evidence. As most gender violence occurs within the privacy of the home, the burden of proof rests exclusively or primarily on the victim’s testimony. Testimonies admitted in a court of law are often corroborated by circumstantial evidence (e.g., legal criteria of plausibility, and in particular the psychological report on testimonial credibility that plays a critical role in verdict outcome. An archive study of cases of gender violence revealed that psychological reports were admitted in 20% of the cases reviewed. Although Criteria Based Content Analysis (CBCA; Steller and Köhnken, 1994 is not valid for legal contexts, it has been observed to be the standard procedure for the evaluation of testimonial credibility in the archive cases of gender violence under review. Thus, a study involving 50 women (25 real victims and 25 feigners of gender violence was undertaken to assess the efficacy of this procedure for the discrimination of real victims from feigners. The results reveal that real testimonies contained more reality criteria than faked testimonies. Nevertheless, the procedure, in line with the demands of forensic evidence in terms of the unacceptability of false positives (i.e., feigned case classed as real, erroneously detected 44% of real testimonies as false negatives (i.e., detected real case as feigned. The results are discussed in terms of the practical implications for forensic psychology.

CiPA: Ongoing testing, future qualification procedures, and pending issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavero, Icilio; Holzgrefe, Henry

2015-01-01

The comprehensive in vitro proarrhythmia assay (CiPA) is a nonclinical, mechanism-based paradigm for assessing drug proarrhythmic liability. The first CiPA assay determines effects on cloned human cardiac ion channels. The second investigates whether the latter study-generated metrics engender proarrhythmic markers on a computationally reconstructed human ventricular action potential. The third evaluates conclusions from, and searches possibly missed effects by in silico analysis, in human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hSC-CMs). CiPA ad hoc Expert-Working Groups have proposed patch clamp protocols for seven cardiac ion channels, a modified O'Hara-Rudy model for in silico analysis, detailed procedures for field (MEA) and action potential (VSD) measurements in hSC-CMs, and 29 reference drugs for CiPA assay testing and validation. CiPA adoption as drug development tool for identifying electrophysiological mechanisms conferring proarrhythmic liability to candidate drugs is a complex, multi-functional task requiring significant time, reflection, and efforts to be fully achieved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Kuhn e as ciências sociais

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Jesus de Paula Assis

1993-12-01

Full Text Available No texto, são expostos os motivos básicos pelos quais o vocabulário emprestado de Thomas Kuhn - notadamente o termo paradigma - e o modelo de desenvolvimento científico exposto pelo autor em seu A estrutura das revoluções científicas foram tomados de empréstimo em textos que discutem a epistemologia das ciências sociais. A conclusão é que as supostas aplicações do modelo kuhniano às ciências sociais se baseiam em leitura que não encontra qualquer apoio no autor e, principalmente, obscurecem as implicações mais amplas de sua obra.The article shows for what reasons the vocabulary and the model for scientific growth of Thomas Kuhn were borrowed by epistemologists of the social sciences. The conclusion is that the texts produced in this vein are based in a shallow understanding of the author's main implications.

Individual uncertainty and the uncertainty of science: The impact of perceived conflict and general self-efficacy on the perception of tentativeness and credibility of scientific information

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Danny eFlemming

2015-12-01

Full Text Available We examined in two empirical studies how situational and personal aspects of uncertainty influence laypeople’s understanding of the uncertainty of scientific information, with focus on the detection of tentativeness and perception of scientific credibility. In the first study (N = 48, we investigated the impact of a perceived conflict due to contradicting information as a situational, text-inherent aspect of uncertainty. The aim of the second study (N = 61 was to explore the role of general self-efficacy as an intra-personal uncertainty factor. In Study 1, participants read one of two versions of an introductory text in a between-group design. This text provided them with an overview about the neurosurgical procedure of deep brain stimulation (DBS. The text expressed a positive attitude toward DBS in one experimental condition or focused on the negative aspects of this method in the other condition. Then participants in both conditions read the same text that dealt with a study about DBS as experimental treatment in a small sample of patients with major depression. Perceived conflict between the two texts was found to increase the perception of tentativeness and to decrease the perception of scientific credibility, implicating that text-inherent aspects have significant effects on critical appraisal. The results of Study 2 demonstrated that participants with higher general self-efficacy detected the tentativeness to a lesser degree and assumed a higher level of scientific credibility, indicating a more naïve understanding of scientific information. This appears to be contradictory to large parts of previous findings that showed positive effects of high self-efficacy on learning. Both studies showed that perceived tentativeness and perceived scientific credibility of medical information contradicted each other. We conclude that there is a need for supporting laypeople in understanding the uncertainty of scientific information and that

Preferred providers and the credible commitment problem in health insurance: first experiences with the implementation of managed competition in the Dutch health care system.

Science.gov (United States)

Boonen, Lieke H H M; Schut, Frederik T

2011-04-01

We investigate the impact of the transition towards managed competition in the Dutch health care system on health insurers' contracting behaviour. Specifically, we examine whether insurers have been able to take up their role as prudent buyers of care and examine consumers' attitudes towards insurers' new role. Health insurers' contracting behaviour is investigated by an extensive analysis of available information on purchasing practices by health insurers and by interviews with directors of health care purchasing of the four major health insurers, accounting for 90% of the market. Consumer attitudes towards insurers' new role are investigated by surveys among a representative sample of enrollees over the period 2005-2009. During the first four years of the reform, health insurers were very reluctant to engage in selective contracting and preferred to use 'soft' positive incentives to encourage preferred provider choice rather than engaging in restrictive managed care activities. Consumer attitudes towards channelling vary considerably by type of provider but generally became more negative in the first two years after the reform. Insurers' reluctance to use selective contracting can be at least partly explained by the presence of a credible-commitment problem. Consumers do not trust that insurers with restrictive networks are committed to provide good quality care. The credible-commitment problem seems to be particularly relevant to the Netherlands, since Dutch enrollees are not used to restrictions on provider choice. Since consumers are quite sensitive to differences in provider quality, more reliable information about provider quality is required to reduce the credible-commitment problem.

Lack of Annual Reports Make it Difficult to Analyze Library Strategic Credibility. A Review of: Staines, G. (2009. Towards an assessment of strategic credibility in academic libraries. Library Management, 30(3, 148-162.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirsty Thomson

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Objective – To investigate whether libraries achieve strategic credibility by assessing if strategic planning goals match the achievements described in annual reports.Design – Content analysis of annual reports and strategic plans from a sample of Association of Research Libraries (ARL.Setting – Academic libraries in Canada and the United States of America.Subjects – A random sample of 12 Canadian and 16 American academic libraries. All libraries were members of ARL.Methods – The researcher contacted the directors of 28 ARL libraries and asked for copies of their strategic plans and annual reports. She also visited the websites of libraries to obtain the reports. The contents of the strategic plans and annual reports were analyzed, and trends in the Canadian and American strategic plans were identified.Main Results – This study found that only 39% of ARL libraries produce annual reports, making it difficult to assess if libraries have strategic credibility, as their strategic plans cannot be assessed against annual reports. The strategic plans gathered in this study were analyzed and emerging themes were identified. These included physical library space (renovations, expansions or new buildings; offsite storage; assessment (both of the libraries’ services, and of information literacy training; development activities such as fundraising and marketing; and personnel issues. Cultural differences also were found inthe strategic plans, with American libraries being more focused on trends such as digitization and institutional repositories, andCanadian libraries’ plans being more focused on users’ needs. Trends in annual reports were not reported due to the small number ofannual reports in the sample.Conclusion – This study gives a snapshot ofthe trends in strategic plans of ARL members. It shows that many ARL members do not produce an annual report, and that it istherefore difficult to assess if their strategicplans are

Music Perception and Appraisal: Cochlear Implant Users and Simulated CI Listening

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Rose; Uchanski, Rosalie M.

2012-01-01

Background The inability to hear music well may contribute to decreased quality of life for cochlear implant (CI) users. Researchers have reported recently on the generally poor ability of CI users’ to perceive music, and a few researchers have reported on the enjoyment of music by CI users. However, the relation between music perception skills and music enjoyment is much less explored. Only one study has attempted to predict CI users’ enjoyment and perception of music from the users’ demographic variables and other perceptual skills (Gfeller et al., 2008). Gfeller’s results yielded different predictive relationships for music perception and music enjoyment, and the relationships were weak, at best. Purpose The first goal of this study is to clarify the nature and relationship between music perception skills and musical enjoyment for CI users, by employing a battery of music tests. The second goal is to determine whether normal hearing (NH) subjects, listening with a CI-simulation, can be used as a model to represent actual CI users for either music enjoyment ratings or music perception tasks. Research Design A prospective, cross-sectional observational study. Original music stimuli (unprocessed) were presented to CI users, and music stimuli processed with CI-simulation software were presented to twenty NH listeners (CIsim). As a control, original music stimuli were also presented to five other NH listeners. All listeners appraised twenty-four musical excerpts, performed music perception tests, and filled out a musical background questionnaire. Music perception tests were the Appreciation of Music in Cochlear Implantees (AMICI), Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA), Melodic Contour Identification (MCI), and University of Washington Clinical Assessment of Music Perception (UW-CAMP). Study Sample Twenty-five NH adults (22 – 56 years old), recruited from the local and research communities, participated in the study. Ten adult CI users (46 – 80

The 95% confidence intervals of error rates and discriminant coefficients

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Shuichi Shinmura

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Fisher proposed a linear discriminant function (Fisher’s LDF. From 1971, we analysed electrocardiogram (ECG data in order to develop the diagnostic logic between normal and abnormal symptoms by Fisher’s LDF and a quadratic discriminant function (QDF. Our four years research was inferior to the decision tree logic developed by the medical doctor. After this experience, we discriminated many data and found four problems of the discriminant analysis. A revised Optimal LDF by Integer Programming (Revised IP-OLDF based on the minimum number of misclassification (minimum NM criterion resolves three problems entirely [13, 18]. In this research, we discuss fourth problem of the discriminant analysis. There are no standard errors (SEs of the error rate and discriminant coefficient. We propose a k-fold crossvalidation method. This method offers a model selection technique and a 95% confidence intervals (C.I. of error rates and discriminant coefficients.

Reviewing interval cancers: Time well spent?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gower-Thomas, Kate; Fielder, Hilary M.P.; Branston, Lucy; Greening, Sarah; Beer, Helen; Rogers, Cerilan

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To categorize interval cancers, and thus identify false-negatives, following prevalent and incident screens in the Welsh breast screening programme. SETTING: Breast Test Wales (BTW) Llandudno, Cardiff and Swansea breast screening units. METHODS: Five hundred and sixty interval breast cancers identified following negative mammographic screening between 1989 and 1997 were reviewed by eight screening radiologists. The blind review was achieved by mixing the screening films of women who subsequently developed an interval cancer with screen negative films of women who did not develop cancer, in a ratio of 4:1. Another radiologist used patients' symptomatic films to record a reference against which the reviewers' reports of the screening films were compared. Interval cancers were categorized as 'true', 'occult', 'false-negative' or 'unclassified' interval cancers or interval cancers with minimal signs, based on the National Health Service breast screening programme (NHSBSP) guidelines. RESULTS: Of the classifiable interval films, 32% were false-negatives, 55% were true intervals and 12% occult. The proportion of false-negatives following incident screens was half that following prevalent screens (P = 0.004). Forty percent of the seed films were recalled by the panel. CONCLUSIONS: Low false-negative interval cancer rates following incident screens (18%) versus prevalent screens (36%) suggest that lower cancer detection rates at incident screens may have resulted from fewer cancers than expected being present, rather than from a failure to detect tumours. The panel method for categorizing interval cancers has significant flaws as the results vary markedly with different protocol and is no more accurate than other, quicker and more timely methods. Gower-Thomas, K. et al. (2002)

Reinterpretation of the results of a pooled analysis of dietary carotenoid intake and breast cancer risk by using the interval collapsing method

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Jong-Myon Bae

2016-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: A pooled analysis of 18 prospective cohort studies reported in 2012 for evaluating carotenoid intakes and breast cancer risk defined by estrogen receptor (ER and progesterone receptor (PR statuses by using the “highest versus lowest intake” method (HLM. By applying the interval collapsing method (ICM to maximize the use of the estimated information, we reevaluated the results of the previous analysis in order to reinterpret the inferences made. METHODS: In order to estimate the summary effect size (sES and its 95% confidence interval (CI, meta-analyses with the random-effects model were conducted for adjusted relative risks and their 95% CI from the second to the fifth interval according to five kinds of carotenoids and ER/PR status. RESULTS: The following new findings were identified: α-Carotene and β-cryptoxanthin have protective effects on overall breast cancer. All five kinds of carotenoids showed protective effects on ER− breast cancer. β-Carotene level increased the risk of ER+ or ER+/PR+ breast cancer. α-Carotene, β-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, and lycopene showed a protective effect on ER−/PR+ or ER−/PR− breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The new facts support the hypothesis that carotenoids that show anticancer effects with anti-oxygen function might reduce the risk of ER− breast cancer. Based on the new facts, the modification of the effects of α-carotene, β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin should be evaluated according to PR and ER statuses.

Semiempirical UNO-CAS and UNO-CI: method and applications in nanoelectronics.

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Dral, Pavlo O; Clark, Timothy

2011-10-20

Unrestricted Natural Orbital-Complete Active Space Configuration Interaction, abbreviated as UNO-CAS, has been implemented for NDDO-based semiempirical molecular-orbital (MO) theory. A computationally more economic technique, UNO-CIS, in which we use a configuration interaction (CI) calculation with only single excitations (CIS) to calculate excited states, has also been implemented and tested. The class of techniques in which unrestricted natural orbitals (UNOs) are used as the reference for CI calculations is denoted UNO-CI. Semiempirical UNO-CI gives good results for the optical band gaps of organic semiconductors such as polyynes and polyacenes, which are promising materials for nanoelectronics. The results of these semiempirical UNO-CI techniques are generally in better agreement with experiment than those obtained with the corresponding conventional semiempirical CI methods and comparable to or better than those obtained with far more computationally expensive methods such as time-dependent density-functional theory. We also show that symmetry breaking in semiempirical UHF calculations is very useful for predicting the diradical character of organic compounds in the singlet spin state.

Coffee, alcohol, smoking, physical activity and QT interval duration: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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Yiyi Zhang

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abnormalities in the electrocardiographic QT interval duration have been associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. However, there is substantial uncertainty about the effect of modifiable factors such as coffee intake, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity on QT interval duration.We studied 7795 men and women from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES III, 1988-1994. Baseline QT interval was measured from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram. Coffee and tea intake, alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activities over the past month, and lifetime smoking habits were determined using validated questionnaires during the home interview.In the fully adjusted model, the average differences in QT interval comparing participants drinking ≥6 cups/day to those who did not drink any were -1.2 ms (95% CI -4.4 to 2.0 for coffee, and -2.0 ms (-11.2 to 7.3 for tea, respectively. The average differences in QT interval duration comparing current to never smokers was 1.2 ms (-0.6 to 2.9 while the average difference in QT interval duration comparing participants drinking ≥7 drinks/week to non-drinkers was 1.8 ms (-0.5 to 4.0. The age, race/ethnicity, and RR-interval adjusted differences in average QT interval duration comparing men with binge drinking episodes to non-drinkers or drinkers without binge drinking were 2.8 ms (0.4 to 5.3 and 4.0 ms (1.6 to 6.4, respectively. The corresponding differences in women were 1.1 (-2.9 to 5.2 and 1.7 ms (-2.3 to 5.7. Finally, the average differences in QT interval comparing the highest vs. the lowest categories of total physical activity was -0.8 ms (-3.0 to 1.4.Binge drinking was associated with longer QT interval in men but not in women. QT interval duration was not associated with other modifiable factors including coffee and tea intake, smoking, and physical activity.

Coffee, alcohol, smoking, physical activity and QT interval duration: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yiyi; Post, Wendy S; Dalal, Darshan; Blasco-Colmenares, Elena; Tomaselli, Gordon F; Guallar, Eliseo

2011-02-28

Abnormalities in the electrocardiographic QT interval duration have been associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. However, there is substantial uncertainty about the effect of modifiable factors such as coffee intake, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity on QT interval duration. We studied 7795 men and women from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES III, 1988-1994). Baseline QT interval was measured from the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram. Coffee and tea intake, alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activities over the past month, and lifetime smoking habits were determined using validated questionnaires during the home interview. In the fully adjusted model, the average differences in QT interval comparing participants drinking ≥6 cups/day to those who did not drink any were -1.2 ms (95% CI -4.4 to 2.0) for coffee, and -2.0 ms (-11.2 to 7.3) for tea, respectively. The average differences in QT interval duration comparing current to never smokers was 1.2 ms (-0.6 to 2.9) while the average difference in QT interval duration comparing participants drinking ≥7 drinks/week to non-drinkers was 1.8 ms (-0.5 to 4.0). The age, race/ethnicity, and RR-interval adjusted differences in average QT interval duration comparing men with binge drinking episodes to non-drinkers or drinkers without binge drinking were 2.8 ms (0.4 to 5.3) and 4.0 ms (1.6 to 6.4), respectively. The corresponding differences in women were 1.1 (-2.9 to 5.2) and 1.7 ms (-2.3 to 5.7). Finally, the average differences in QT interval comparing the highest vs. the lowest categories of total physical activity was -0.8 ms (-3.0 to 1.4). Binge drinking was associated with longer QT interval in men but not in women. QT interval duration was not associated with other modifiable factors including coffee and tea intake, smoking, and physical activity.