Insomnia Severity Index: psychometric properties with Chinese community-dwelling older people.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Doris S F

2010-10-01

This paper is a report of a study to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index. Despite the high prevalence of insomnia in older people and its detrimental impact on well-being and healthcare costs, this problem is almost always undetected and consequently under-treated. The Insomnia Severity Index is psychometrically sound in measuring perceived insomnia severity. However, it has had very limited application in non-White populations. An instrument validation study was carried out between October 2008 and April 2009. The Insomnia Severity Index was translated into Chinese using Brislin's model and administered to a convenience sample of 585 older Chinese people recruited from three community centres for elders. Other instruments were also administered, including the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Cronbach's alpha of the Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index was 0.81, with item-to-total correlations in the range of 0.34-0.67. Construct validity was supported by its moderate relationship with the Chinese Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and sleep efficiency. The Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index also indicated more severe level of insomnia in older people who reported depressed mood on the Geriatric Depression Scale. Discriminant validity was supported as the Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index could discriminate poorer sleepers from normal sleepers. Exploratory factor analysis identified a two-factor structure for the Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index in measuring the severity and impacts of insomnia on the Chinese older people. The Chinese version of the Insomnia Severity Index is a culturally-relevant and psychometrically-sound instrument for assessing severity and impact of insomnia in Chinese community-dwelling older people. Nurses can use this tool to assess older people's perceptions of insomnia. © 2010 The

Mercurious Oil Index (MOI) : A new indicator for the global oil price

OpenAIRE

Leeuw, de, J.; Dorsman, A.B.; Nelissen, R.

2008-01-01

“The” price of oil does not exist. This paper describes the development of a (new) oil index, the Mercurious Oil Index (MOI). This index can be seen as an indicator for the global price of oil. We will discuss why this index is a reliable global price reference, and why it is superior to and more useful than the existing indices and/or benchmarks. Indices are very helpful instruments for the tracking and prediction of markets, to measure performance or sentiment and to form a solid basis on w...

A Risk Severity Index for industrial plants and sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Planas, E.; Arnaldos, J.; Silvetti, B.; Vallee, Agnes; Casal, J.

2006-01-01

A risk index (Risk Severity Index, S) has been devised to allow the assessment of the risk level originated by a given installation or site over the affected zone. A set of threshold levels for thermal radiation, toxic concentration and overpressure, together with the probabilities and frequencies associated to critical events and their effects have been the basis for calculating the values of S. A computer tool has been designed to perform a quick calculation of the diverse Risk Severity Indexes (for a critical event, for a dangerous phenomenon, for a type of effect and for the whole installation) and to plot a map of the risk severity levels around the site. The methodology has been applied to diverse test cases and it has proved to be useful for risk assessment, for comparative studies and for land use planning

On indexes and subject matter of “global competitiveness”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Korotkov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research is to analyze the subject matter of a country’s competitiveness and to characterize statistical indexes of competitiveness known in the international practice from the perspective of a more elaborated theory of market competition. This aim follows from the identified problems. First, there are no generally accepted interpretation and joint understanding of competition and competitiveness at country level. Even the international organizations giving estimations of global competitiveness disagree on definitions of competitiveness. Secondly, there is no relation to the theory of market competition in the available source materials on competitiveness of the country without original methodology. Thirdly, well-known statistical indexes of global competitiveness do not have enough theoretical justification and differ in sets of factors. All this highlights the incompleteness of the methodology and methodological support of studying competitiveness at country level.Materials and methods. The research is based on the methodology of statistics, economic theory and marketing. The authors followed the basic principle of statistical methodology – requirement of continuous combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis, when the research begins and ends with qualitative analysis. A most important section of statistical methodology is widely used – construction of statistical indexes. In the course of the analysis, a method of statistical classifications is applied. A significant role in the present research is given to the method of generalizing and analogue method, realizing that related terms should mean similar and almost similar contents. Modeling of competition and competitiveness is widely used in the present research, which made it possible to develop a logical model of competition following from the competition theory.Results. Based on the definitions’ survey the analysis of the subject matter of global

The development of a flash flood severity index

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Amanda J.; Gourley, Jonathan J.; Hardy, Jill; Henderson, Jen J.; Parhi, Pradipta; Rahmani, Vahid; Reed, Kimberly A.; Schumacher, Russ S.; Smith, Brianne K.; Taraldsen, Matthew J.

2016-10-01

Flash flooding is a high impact weather event that requires clear communication regarding severity and potential hazards among forecasters, researchers, emergency managers, and the general public. Current standards used to communicate these characteristics include return periods and the United States (U.S.) National Weather Service (NWS) 4-tiered river flooding severity scale. Return periods are largely misunderstood, and the NWS scale is limited to flooding on gauged streams and rivers, often leaving out heavily populated urban corridors. To address these shortcomings, a student-led group of interdisciplinary researchers came together in a collaborative effort to develop an impact-based Flash Flood Severity Index (FFSI). The index was proposed as a damage-based, post-event assessment tool, and preliminary work toward the creation of this index has been completed and presented here. Numerous case studies were analyzed to develop the preliminary outline for the FFSI, and three examples of such cases are included in this paper. The scale includes five impact-based categories ranging from Category 1 very minor flooding to Category 5 catastrophic flooding. Along with the numerous case studies used to develop the initial outline of the scale, empirical data in the form of semi-structured interviews were conducted with multiple NWS forecasters across the country and their responses were analyzed to gain more perspective on the complicated nature of flash flood definitions and which tools were found to be most useful. The feedback from these interviews suggests the potential for acceptance of such an index if it can account for specific challenges.

Development of a global Agricultural Stress Index System (ASIS) based on remote sensing data

Science.gov (United States)

Van Hoolst, R.

2016-12-01

According to the 2012 IPCC SREX report, extreme drought events are projected to become more frequent and intense in several regions of the world. Wide and timely monitoring systems are required to mitigate the impact of agricultural drought. Therefore, FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) and the Climate, Energy and Tenure Division (NRC) have established the `Agricultural Stress Index System' (ASIS). The ASIS is a remote sensing application that provides early warnings of agricultural drought at a global scale. The ASIS has first been designed and described by Rojas et al. (2011). This study focused on the African continent and was based on the back processing of low resolution data of the NOAA-satellites. In the current setup, developed by VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research), the system operates in Near Real Time using data from the METOP-AVHRR sensor. The Agricultural Stress Index (ASI) is the percentage of agricultural area affected by drought in the course of the growing season within a given administrative unit. The start and end of the growing season are derived per pixel from the long term NDVI average of SPOT-VEGETATION. The Global Administrative Unit Layer (GAUL) defines the administrative boundaries at level 0, 1 and 2. A global cropland and grassland map eliminates non-agricultural areas. Temperature and NDVI anomalies are used as drought indicators and calculated at a per pixel base. The ASIS aggregates this information and produces every dekad global maps to highlight hotspots of drought stress. New developments are ongoing to strengthen the ASIS to produce country specific outputs, improve existing drought indicators and estimate production deficits using a probabilistic approach.

2012 Global Energy Competitiveness Index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorot, Pascal; Lauriano do Rego, Wilfrid

2012-01-01

The 2012 Global Energy Competitiveness Index, a survey jointly conducted by Institut Choiseul and KPMG, is the first of its kind. It ranks 146 countries, grouping them into 5 categories ranging from the best performers to under-performers. The first edition of this annual study ranks the countries surveyed not only by continent but also according to the quality of their energy mix, electricity access and availability levels and the compatibility of their energy policies with environmental challenges. The governing bodies of the countries in the panel (relevant ministries and regulatory authorities) can gain much from this decision-making support tool that fosters dialogue on energy-related issues. The targeted audience also includes industry professionals, NGOs, international organisations and other economic players such as banks, consulting firms and specialist commercial law firms commercial law firms. Europe is by far the best performing continent ahead of the best performing continent, ahead of the Americas and Americas and even further ahead of Asia/Oceania and Africa. Generally speaking, the Nordic countries are among the best performers: Norway, Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Finland rank, in this order, in the global Top 10. Four EU countries are among the global Top 10 (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and France) and five others (the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Slovakia and Spain) are in the Top 20. Surprisingly, Colombia stood out as the fifth most competitive country in terms of energy. Its outstanding performance is due to a strong energy mix (ranked second worldwide) and an energy strategy compatible with today's key environmental challenges. The apparent domination of Northern-hemisphere countries needs to be considered in conjunction with the results achieved by the other Seeming domination of be considered in conjunction with the results achieved by the other countries with regard to their energy mix and the environmental compatibility of

Etiology, clinical profile, severity and outcome of acute pancreatitis in relation to bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis bisap and CT severity index [CTSI] scores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bezwada Srinivasa Rao, Matta SreeVani, V.Sarat Chandra

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreas with involvement of regional tissues or remote organ systems and with potentially devastating consequences. Early prediction of outcome of acute pancreatitis within 24 hrs by clinically based bed Side Index of Severity of Acute Pancreatitis [BISAP] Score and radiological based CT Severity Index [CTSI] later on being useful in initiation of early treatment, assessing severity, to prevent morbidity and mortality. In those who survive, it can progress to chronic pancreatitis resulting in malabsorption and permanent diabetes. Aim: The aim was to study aetiology, clinical profile, severity, outcome of acute pancreatitis in relation to BISAP Score and CTSI. Materials and Methods: This was an observational and prospective study. The present study enrolled 55 patients who were diagnosed as acute pancreatitis and patients with chronic pancreatitis were excluded from the study. Vital data like pulse rate, blood Pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, conscious level using Glasgow coma scale, serum amylase, lipase, Chest x-ray, US abdomen and CT abdomen [both CECT & NCCT] were done. BISAP Score was obtained at the time of presentation or within 24 hours of presentation and radiological based CT Severity Index [CTSI] was calculated using the Balthazar grading system and Necrosis Scoring system to assess the severity, morbidity and mortality. The results: In this study, the most common aetiology being alcohol intake followed by gall stones. BISAP Score 3 had organ dysfunction and Score 4 had 100% mortality. The relation between CTSI score and Organ dysfunction showed increased organic dysfunction and higher mortality with higher CTSI Scores. p value < 0.0001 was calculated using Pearson Chi-square test and found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: Both BISAP and CTSI scores had positive correlation with morbidity and mortality.

The Q* Index: A Useful Global Measure of Dementia Screening Test Accuracy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.J. Larner

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Single, global or unitary, indicators of test diagnostic performance have intuitive appeal for clinicians. The Q* index, the point in receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve space closest to the ideal top left-hand corner and where test sensitivity and specificity are equal, is one such measure. Methods: Datasets from four pragmatic accuracy studies which examined the Mini-Mental State Examination, Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Test Your Memory test, and Mini-Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination were examined to calculate and compare the Q* index, the maximal correct classification accuracy, and the maximal Youden index, as well as the sensitivity and specificity at these cutoffs. Results: Tests ranked similarly for the Q* index and the area under the ROC curve (AUC ROC. The Q* index cutoff was more sensitive (and less specific than the maximal correct classification accuracy cutoff, and less sensitive (and more specific than the maximal Youden index cutoff. Conclusion: The Q* index may be a useful global parameter summarising the test accuracy of cognitive screening instruments, facilitating comparison between tests, and defining a possible test cutoff value. As the point of equal sensitivity and specificity, its use may be more intuitive and appealing for clinicians than AUC ROC.

Derivation and validation of a composite index of severity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the DOSE Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Rupert C; Donaldson, Gavin C; Chavannes, Niels H; Kida, Kozui; Dickson-Spillmann, Maria; Harding, Samantha; Wedzicha, Jadwiga A; Price, David; Hyland, Michael E

2009-12-15

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasingly recognized as a multicomponent disease with systemic consequences and effects on quality of life. Single measures such as lung function provide a limited reflection of how the disease affects patients. Composite measures have the potential to account for many of the facets of COPD. To derive and validate a multicomponent assessment tool of COPD severity that is applicable to all patients and health care settings. The index was derived using data from 375 patients with COPD in primary care. Regression analysis led to a model explaining 48% of the variance in health status as measured by the Clinical COPD Questionnaire with four components: dyspnea (D), airflow obstruction (O), smoking status (S), and exacerbation frequency (E). The DOSE Index was validated in cross-sectional and longitudinal samples in various health care settings in Holland, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The DOSE Index correlated with health status in all data sets. A high DOSE Index score (> or = 4) was associated with a greater risk of hospital admission (odds ratio, 8.3 [4.1-17]) or respiratory failure (odds ratio, 7.8 [3.4-18.3]). The index predicted exacerbations in the subsequent year (P Index is a simple, valid tool for assessing the severity of COPD. The index is related to a range of clinically important outcomes such as health care consumption and predicts future events.

Cost per severe accident as an index for severe accident consequence assessment and its applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Kampanart; Ishiwatari, Yuki; Takahara, Shogo

2014-01-01

The Fukushima Accident emphasizes the need to integrate the assessments of health effects, economic impacts, social impacts and environmental impacts, in order to perform a comprehensive consequence assessment of severe accidents in nuclear power plants. “Cost per severe accident” is introduced as an index for that purpose. The calculation methodology, including the consequence analysis using level 3 probabilistic risk assessment code OSCAAR and the calculation method of the cost per severe accident, is proposed. This methodology was applied to a virtual 1,100 MWe boiling water reactor. The breakdown of the cost per severe accident was provided. The radiation effect cost, the relocation cost and the decontamination cost were the three largest components. Sensitivity analyses were carried out, and parameters sensitive to cost per severe accident were specified. The cost per severe accident was compared with the amount of source terms, to demonstrate the performance of the cost per severe accident as an index to evaluate severe accident consequences. The ways to use the cost per severe accident for optimization of radiation protection countermeasures and for estimation of the effects of accident management strategies are discussed as its applications. - Highlights: • Cost per severe accident is used for severe accident consequence assessment. • Assessments of health, economic, social and environmental impacts are included. • Radiation effect, relocation and decontamination costs are important cost components. • Cost per severe accident can be used to optimize radiation protection measures. • Effects of accident management can be estimated using the cost per severe accident

Spatial Analysis of Accident Spots Using Weighted Severity Index ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

Spatial Analysis of Accident Spots Using Weighted Severity Index (WSI) and ... pedestrians avoiding the use of pedestrian bridges/aid even when they are available. ..... not minding an unforeseen obstruction, miscalculations and wrong break.

Relationship between the stuttering severity index and speech rate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Regina Furquim de Andrade

Full Text Available CONTEXT: The speech rate is one of the parameters considered when investigating speech fluency and is an important variable in the assessment of individuals with communication complaints. OBJECTIVE: To correlate the stuttering severity index with one of the indices used for assessing fluency/speech rate. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Fluency and Fluency Disorders Investigation Laboratory, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy adults with stuttering diagnosis. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: A speech sample from each participant containing at least 200 fluent syllables was videotaped and analyzed according to a stuttering severity index test and speech rate parameters. RESULTS: The results obtained in this study indicate that the stuttering severity and the speech rate present significant variation, i.e., the more severe the stuttering is, the lower the speech rate in words and syllables per minute. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results suggest that speech rate is an important indicator of fluency levels and should be incorporated in the assessment and treatment of stuttering. This study represents a first attempt to identify the possible subtypes of developmental stuttering. DEFINITION: Objective tests that quantify diseases are important in their diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

Damage severity estimation from the global stiffness decrease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nitescu, C; Gillich, G R; Manescu, T; Korka, Z I; Abdel Wahab, M

2017-01-01

In actual damage detection methods, localization and severity estimation can be treated separately. The severity is commonly estimated using fracture mechanics approach, with the main disadvantage of involving empirically deduced relations. In this paper, a damage severity estimator based on the global stiffness reduction is proposed. This feature is computed from the deflections of the intact and damaged beam, respectively. The damage is always located where the bending moment achieves maxima. If the damage is positioned elsewhere on the beam, its effect becomes lower, because the stress is produced by a diminished bending moment. It is shown that the global stiffness reduction produced by a crack is the same for all beams with a similar cross-section, regardless of the boundary conditions. One mathematical relation indicating the severity and another indicating the effect of removing damage from the beam. Measurements on damaged beams with different boundary conditions and cross-sections are carried out, and the location and severity are found using the proposed relations. These comparisons prove that the proposed approach can be used to accurately compute the severity estimator. (paper)

Measuring Globalization

OpenAIRE

Andersen, Torben M.; Herbertsson, Tryggvi Thor

2003-01-01

The multivariate technique of factor analysis is used to combine several indicators of economic integration and international transactions into a single measure or index of globalization. The index is an alternative to the simple measure of openness based on trade, and it produces a ranking of countries over time for 23 OECD countries. Ireland is ranked as the most globalized country during the 1990?s, while the UK was at the top during the 1980?s. Some of the most notable changes in the rank...

Interval Changes in Myocardial Performance Index Predict Outcome in Severe Sepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nizamuddin, Junaid; Mahmood, Feroze; Tung, Avery; Mueller, Ariel; Brown, Samuel M; Shaefi, Shahzad; O'Connor, Michael; Talmor, Daniel; Shahul, Sajid

2017-06-01

Septic cardiomyopathy is a well-described consequence of septic shock and is associated with increased sepsis-related mortality. The myocardial performance index (MPI), a parameter derived from echocardiographic tissue Doppler measurements, allows for a more sensitive assessment of global cardiac function than do traditional metrics for cardiac function. The authors hypothesized that changes in left ventricular MPI in patients with severe sepsis would be associated with a higher 90-day mortality. Prospective, observational study. Intensive care units of a tertiary medical center. The study comprised 47 patients admitted with new diagnoses of severe sepsis or septic shock. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiograms with assessment of MPI at enrollment and 24 hours later. Hemodynamic data and information on sepsis-related mortality were collected. In the primary analysis, the association between change in MPI from enrollment to 24 hours and sepsis-related 90-day mortality was assessed. Of the 47 patients enrolled, 30 demonstrated an improvement in MPI from 0 to 24 hours ("improved" group), and MPI worsened in the remaining 17 patients ("worsened" group). Despite no significant differences in ejection fraction or severity of illness, the median MPI at enrollment in the "improved" group was higher than baseline values in the "worsened" group (p = 0.005). A worsening MPI over the 24-hour study interval was associated with increased mortality at 90 days (p = 0.04), which remained significant (hazard ratio 3.72; 95% confidence interval 1.12-12.41; p = 0.03) after adjusting for severity of illness (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score), intravenous fluids, and vasopressor use. In patients admitted to the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock, a worsening MPI during the first 24 hours after intensive care unit admission was associated with higher 90-day mortality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights

Global Aquaculture Performance Index (GAPI: The First Global Environmental Assessment of Marine Fish Farming

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Jenna M.S. Stoner

2013-09-01

Full Text Available “Sustainable” is among the most sought after of all seafood product adjectives. Ironically it is also one of the most poorly defined and understood. The Global Aquaculture Performance Index (GAPI is the first tool to assess environmental performance of global marine aquaculture production, permitting direct comparison of disparate species, production methods and jurisdictions. Clear patterns emerge from this analysis; significant variation of environmental performance is driven by the species being farmed, significant room for improvement exists across the entire sector, the worst performing players are also the fastest growing, particularly within Asia, and perhaps most importantly, this work highlights the potential trap awaiting policy makers who focus too narrowly on farm production efficiency alone as a solution to diminishing seafood availability.

The essentials of a global index for cognitive function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antony Joseph Mathew

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Cognition is comprised of the faculties: perception, creativity, intuition, and ratiocination. Optimal levels of cognition are needed for independent functioning and balanced living. With an aging population that continues to grow, dietary supplements that tilt the balance towards maintenance of cognition are being marketed for vulnerable populations facing these challenges. Randomized clinical trials provide the causal inference necessary to define the efficacy of emerging nutraceuticals. Cognition testing, in particular, requires a battery of tests that encompass all brain regions involved in cognition so as to provide endpoints necessary for product validation. The lack of well controlled studies for comparison analyses, limited sample sizes, ambiguous dosages, and poor cognitive measures result in data that cannot be compared across studies to determine the efficacy of supplements claiming to enhance cognition. Clinical trials for the nutraceutical industry should consider the multifaceted nature of supplements, where clinical endpoints must be comprehensive while remaining feasible. Combining endpoints of cognition with physiological biomarkers of immunity and metabolism to arrive at a global index for cognitive health may be necessary for claim substantiation in order to fully justify and scientifically validate improvements in cognitive health. The issues and needs of a global index will be discussed here.

Droughts in a warming climate: A global assessment of Standardized precipitation index (SPI) and Reconnaissance drought index (RDI)

Science.gov (United States)

Asadi Zarch, Mohammad Amin; Sivakumar, Bellie; Sharma, Ashish

2015-07-01

Both drought and aridity indicate imbalance in water availability. While drought is a natural temporal hazard, aridity is a constant climatic feature. This paper investigates the changes in drought characteristics across different aridity zones with and without consideration of potential evapotranspiration (PET), as a means to better assess drought in a warming climate. Two drought indexes are employed: (1) Standardized precipitation index (SPI), which is solely based on precipitation; and (2) Reconnaissance drought index (RDI), which, in addition to precipitation, takes PET into account. The two indexes are first employed to observed precipitation and PET data for the period 1960-2009 from the CRU (Climate Research Unit, University of East Anglia) TS 3.1 database. The results indicate that although all the aridity zones experience both downward and upward drought trends, no significant trend is found over large parts of the zones. However, the agreement between SPI and RDI reduces from the hyper-arid zone on one extreme toward the humid zone on the other. In the three more humid zones (i.e. semi-arid, sub-humid, and humid), the indexes exhibit different trends, with RDI showing more decreasing trends (i.e. becoming drier). While SPI generally shows more drought prone areas than RDI for the pre-1998 period, the opposite is observed for the post-1998 period. Given the known changes to PET in observed records, and also expected increases as global warming intensifies, these results suggest that RDI will be consistently different to the SPI as global warming intensifies. This hypothesis is further tested for historic and future climate projections from the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia) Mk3.6 global climate model (GCM), with use of the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) and RCP8.5 (Representative Concentration Pathways). In this case, PET is calculated using FAO56-PM model for assessment of

Validity of the American Board of Orthodontics Discrepancy Index and the Peer Assessment Rating Index for comprehensive evaluation of malocclusion severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, S; Oh, H; Chambers, D W; Baumrind, S; Xu, T

2017-08-01

To assess the validity of the American Board of Orthodontics Discrepancy Index (ABO-DI) and Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) Index in evaluating malocclusion severity in Chinese orthodontic patients. A stratified random sample of 120 orthodontic patients based on Angle classification was collected from six university orthodontic centres. Sixty-nine orthodontists rated malocclusion severity on a five-point scale by assessing a full set of pre-treatment records for each case and listed reasons for their decision. Their judgement was then compared with ABO-DI and PAR scores determined by three calibrated examiners. Excellent interexaminer reliability of clinician judgement, ABO-DI and PAR index was demonstrated by the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (rho= 0.995, 0.990 and 0.964, respectively). Both the ABO-DI and US-PAR index showed good correlation with clinician judgement (r=.700 and r=.707, respectively). There was variability among the different Angle classifications: the ABO-DI showed the highest correlation with clinician judgement in Class II patients (r=.780), whereas the US-PAR index showed the highest correlation with clinician judgement in Class III patients (r=.710). Both indices demonstrated the lowest correlations with clinician judgement in Class I patients. With strong interexaminer agreement, the panel consensus was used for validating the ABO-DI and US-PAR index for malocclusion severity. Overall, the ABO-DI and US-PAR index were reliable for measuring malocclusion severity with significantly variable weightings for different Angle classifications. Further modification of the indices for different Angle classification may be indicated. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Correlation Between Dermatology Life Quality Index and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index in Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Ustekinumab

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hesselvig, Jeanette Halskou; Egeberg, Alexander; Loft, Nikolai Dyrberg

2018-01-01

Monitoring of biological treatment efficacy for psoriasis is based on clinical evaluation and patient's quality of life. However, long-term correlation between Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in real life has not been studied in patients treated...

Human Development Inequality Index and Cancer Pattern: a Global Distributive Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaeian, Shahab; Khazaei, Salman; Khazaei, Somayeh; Mansori, Kamyar; Sanjari Moghaddam, Ali; Ayubi, Erfan

2016-01-01

This study aimed to quantify associations of the human development inequality (HDI) index with incidence, mortality, and mortality to incidence ratios for eight common cancers among different countries. In this ecological study, data about incidence and mortality rates of cancers was obtained from the Global Cancer Project for 169 countries. HDI indices for the same countries was obtained from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) database. The concentration index was defined as the covariance between cumulative percentage of cancer indicators (incidence, mortality and mortality to incidence ratio) and the cumulative percentage of economic indicators (country economic rank). Results indicated that incidences of cancers of liver, cervix and esophagus were mainly concentrated in countries with a low HDI index while cancers of lung, breast, colorectum, prostate and stomach were concentrated mainly in countries with a high HDI index. The same pattern was observed for mortality from cancer except for prostate cancer that was more concentrated in countries with a low HDI index. Higher MIRs for all cancers were more concentrated in countries with a low HDI index. It was concluded that patterns of cancer occurrence correlate with care disparities at the country level.

Application of global rainbow technique in sprays with a dependence of the refractive index on droplet size

Science.gov (United States)

Saengkaew, S.; Bodoc, V.; Lavergne, G.; Grehan, G.

2013-01-01

In liquid combustion, the evaporation process is one of the key parameters which controls combustion efficiency. To understand the combustion process, and to be able to develop an efficient combustor which produces less pollutant, it is necessary to be able to measure evaporation properties. Several techniques exist to measure the physical properties of fuel droplets, but very few exist to measure the thermo-chemical properties. The global rainbow technique (GRT) has been proposed and successfully used to measure the average temperature and the size distribution of sprays under the assumption that all the droplets are at the same temperature. This paper explores the applicability of GRT to sprays where the refractive index is a function of the particle size. A first result proves that the refractive index measured by GRT is weighted by the droplet diameter to the power of 7/3. This result permits accurate and fast comparisons between the numerical simulations and the experiments. A second result is the measurement of the refractive index by the size class by coupling GRT and Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA) measurements (or another measurement technique with a low sensitivity to the refractive index such as holography, diffractometry, etc).

The Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases 1 (GIVD): a new resource for vegetation science

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dengler, J.; Jansen, F.; Glockler, F.; Schaminee, J.H.J.

2011-01-01

Question: How many vegetation plot observations (relevés) are available in electronic databases, how are they geographically distributed, what are their properties and how might they be discovered and located for research and application? Location: Global. Methods: We compiled the Global Index of

Detection of Severe Respiratory Disease Epidemic Outbreaks by CUSUM-Based Overcrowd-Severe-Respiratory-Disease-Index Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Polanco

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A severe respiratory disease epidemic outbreak correlates with a high demand of specific supplies and specialized personnel to hold it back in a wide region or set of regions; these supplies would be beds, storage areas, hemodynamic monitors, and mechanical ventilators, as well as physicians, respiratory technicians, and specialized nurses. We describe an online cumulative sum based model named Overcrowd-Severe-Respiratory-Disease-Index based on the Modified Overcrowd Index that simultaneously monitors and informs the demand of those supplies and personnel in a healthcare network generating early warnings of severe respiratory disease epidemic outbreaks through the interpretation of such variables. A post hoc historical archive is generated, helping physicians in charge to improve the transit and future allocation of supplies in the entire hospital network during the outbreak. The model was thoroughly verified in a virtual scenario, generating multiple epidemic outbreaks in a 6-year span for a 13-hospital network. When it was superimposed over the H1N1 influenza outbreak census (2008–2010 taken by the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran in Mexico City, it showed that it is an effective algorithm to notify early warnings of severe respiratory disease epidemic outbreaks with a minimal rate of false alerts.

Detection of Severe Respiratory Disease Epidemic Outbreaks by CUSUM-Based Overcrowd-Severe-Respiratory-Disease-Index Model

Science.gov (United States)

Castañón-González, Jorge Alberto; Macías, Alejandro E.; Samaniego, José Lino; Buhse, Thomas; Villanueva-Martínez, Sebastián

2013-01-01

A severe respiratory disease epidemic outbreak correlates with a high demand of specific supplies and specialized personnel to hold it back in a wide region or set of regions; these supplies would be beds, storage areas, hemodynamic monitors, and mechanical ventilators, as well as physicians, respiratory technicians, and specialized nurses. We describe an online cumulative sum based model named Overcrowd-Severe-Respiratory-Disease-Index based on the Modified Overcrowd Index that simultaneously monitors and informs the demand of those supplies and personnel in a healthcare network generating early warnings of severe respiratory disease epidemic outbreaks through the interpretation of such variables. A post hoc historical archive is generated, helping physicians in charge to improve the transit and future allocation of supplies in the entire hospital network during the outbreak. The model was thoroughly verified in a virtual scenario, generating multiple epidemic outbreaks in a 6-year span for a 13-hospital network. When it was superimposed over the H1N1 influenza outbreak census (2008–2010) taken by the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran in Mexico City, it showed that it is an effective algorithm to notify early warnings of severe respiratory disease epidemic outbreaks with a minimal rate of false alerts. PMID:24069063

Photographic Documentation and Hand Eczema Severity Index for Severity Assessment of Hand Eczema

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zabludovska, Kristine; Ibler, Kristina S; Jemec, Gregor B E

2017-01-01

.003), respectively, and major worsening, r = 0.41 (P = 0.021). With respect to minor changes, no statistically significant correlations were found (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with mild HE, photographic assessment was found useful for major and moderate changes only. Further studies would need......BACKGROUND: Hand eczema (HE) is a fluctuating disease, and an objective assessment of HE severity is coveted. OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to test the association between Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) score and panel scores of photographs taken by dermatologists. METHODS: A total...... were engaged in blinded evaluation of photographs. RESULTS: The highest correlation coefficients between delta HECSI scores and delta panel scores of photographs in the first and second evaluation rounds were found for moderate improvement and moderate worsening, rs = -0.46 (P = 0.009) and 0.52 (P = 0...

[Experience, prevalence, severity, treatment needs for dental caries and care index in Mexican adolescents and young adults].

Science.gov (United States)

García-Cortés, José Obed; Mejia-Cruz, Jorge Adrián; Medina-Cerda, Eduardo; Orozco-De la Torre, Guillermo; Medina-Solís, Carlo Carlo; Márquez-Rodríguez, Sonia; Navarrete-Hernández, José de Jesús; Islas-Granillo, Horacio

2014-01-01

To determine the experience, prevalence and severity of dental caries as well as to establish the treatment needs and restorative care in adolescents and young adults. This cross-sectional study included 638 subjects 16-25 years old candidates to enter to state public university of San Luis Potosí, México. For caries detection was used the DMFT index (sum of decayed teeth + missing teeth + filled teeth in the permanent dentition). With DMFT index data were calculated the experience, the prevalence and the severity of caries. Also are reported the significant caries index (SiC), the treatment needs index (TNI) and the care index (CI). Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric tests. The mean DMFT index was 4.24 ± 3.85, prevalence 76.5% and severity of 52.3% for DMFT > 3 and 26.2% for DMFT > 6. The SiC index was 8.7. The TNI was 43.0% and 52.8% CI. No variation was observed (p > 0.05) on the experience, prevalence and severity of caries by age. The component "filled teeth" showed differences by age (p caries experience and severity than men (p dental caries in this sample of adolescents and young adults. We found almost 40% of untreated caries lesions. We found some differences by sex.

Global longitudinal strain and its dynamics after replacement of aortal valve in patients with severe aortic stenosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N.V. Ponych

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The aim – to determine factors that may influence the global longitudinal strain (GLS and its dynamics after replacement aortic valve (RAV in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS. Materials and methods. In a one-center prospective study, 30 patients with severe AS were sequentially screened for RAV surgery. Among them there were 16 (53,3 % men and 14 (46,7 % women. The median age was 63 (range from 46 to 77, quartiles 57–69 years. All patients underwent clinical and instrumental study, including transthoracic echocardiography (TTE and coronary angiography. In the early postoperative period and 6–12 months after surgery, all patients performed a repeat TTE according to a standard protocol that included an assessment of the GLS. GLS data and their dynamics was performed in the groups of patients with preserved (n = 18 and low (n = 12 left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF. Results. In patients with preserved LV EF, the median of the preoperative GLS was –12 % (in the quartiles from –15 to –11 %, postoperative GLS –11 % (quartiles from –11 to –9 %. In patients with reduced LV EF, the median of the preoperative GLS was –6 % (from –8.5 to –4 % for quartiles, –8.5 % for postoperative GLS (from –10 to –6 % for quartiles (p < 0.001 for comparison of baseline and p < 0.05 relative to differences in dynamics of GLS in comparable groups. In the examined patients, significant correlations were found between baseline GLS with functional class of heart failure, concomitant tricuspid insufficiency, atrial fibrillation, duration of QRS complex, LV EF, end-diastolic, endsystolic volume index (EDV, ESV and volume left atrium (LA, left ventricular myocardial mass index, aortic valve orifice area index, E/A ratio, and Thei index. In turn, the positive dynamics of GLS significantly depended on the initial functional class of heart failure, the stage of arterial hypertension, the degree of tricuspid insufficiency, LV EF, the index

Global Food Security Index Studies and Satellite Information

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, T. A.; Ganti-Agrawal, S.; Joshi, D.; Lakhankar, T.

2017-12-01

Food yield is equal to the total crop harvest per unit cultivated area. During the elapsed time of germination and frequent harvesting, both human and climate related effects determine a country's' contribution towards global food security. Each country across the globe's annual income per capita was collected to then determine nine countries for further studies. For a location to be chosen, its income per capita needed to be considered poor, uprising or wealthy. Both physical land cover and regional climate helped categorize potential parameters thought to be studied. Once selected, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data was collected for Ethiopia, Liberia, Indonesia, United States, Norway, Russia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia over the recent 16 years for approximately every 16 days starting from early in the year 2000. Software languages such as Geographic Information System (GIS), MatLab and Excel were used to determine how population size, income and deforestation directly determines agricultural yields. Because of high maintenance requirements for large harvests when forest areas are cleared, they often have a reduction in soil quality, requiring fertilizer use to produce sufficient crop yields. Total area and vegetation index of each country is to be studied, to determine crop and deforestation percentages. To determine how deforestation impacts future income and crop yield predictions of each country studied. By using NDVI results a parameter is to be potentially found that will help define an index, to create an equation that will determine a country's annual income and ability to provide for their families and themselves.

Psychometric evaluation of the ostomy complication severity index.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittman, Joyce; Bakas, Tamilyn; Ellett, Marsha; Sloan, Rebecca; Rawl, Susan M

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new instrument to measure incidence and severity of ostomy complications early in the postoperative period. 71 participants were enrolled, most were men (52%), white (96%), and married or partnered (55%). The mean age of participants was 57 ± 15.09 years (mean ± SD). Fifty-two participants (84%) experienced at least 1 ostomy complication in the 60-day postoperative period. The research setting was 3 acute care settings within a large healthcare system in the Midwestern United States. We developed an evidence-based conceptual model to guide development and evaluation of a new instrument, the Pittman Ostomy Complication Severity Index (OCSI). The OCSI format includes Likert-like scale with 9 individual items scored 0 to 3 and a total score computed by summing the individual items. Higher scores indicate more severe ostomy complications. This study consisted of 2 phases: (1) an expert review, conducted to establish content validity; and (2) a prospective, longitudinal study design, to examine psychometric properties of the instrument. A convenience sample of 71 adult patients who underwent surgery to create a new fecal ostomy was recruited from 3 hospitals. Descriptive analyses, content validity indices, interrater reliability testing, and construct validity testing were employed. Common complications included leakage (60%), peristomal moisture-associated dermatitis (50%), stomal pain (42%), retraction (39%), and bleeding (32%). The OCSI demonstrated acceptable evidence of content validity index (CVI = 0.9) and interrater reliability for individual items (k = 0.71-1.0), as well as almost perfect agreement for total scores among raters (ICC = 0.991, P ≤ .001). Construct validity of the OCSI was supported by significant correlations among variables in the conceptual model (complications, risk factors, stoma care self-efficacy, and ostomy adjustment). OCSI demonstrated acceptable validity and

Hyperemic stenosis resistance index for evaluation of functional coronary lesion severity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meuwissen, Martijn; Siebes, Maria; Chamuleau, Steven A. J.; van Eck-Smit, Berthe L. F.; Koch, Karel T.; de Winter, Robbert J.; Tijssen, Jan G. P.; Spaan, Jos A. E.; Piek, Jan J.

2002-01-01

Background-Both coronary blood flow velocity reserve (CFVR) and myocardial fractional flow reserve (FFR) are used to evaluate the hemodynamic severity of coronary lesions. However, discordant results between CFVR and FFR have been observed in 25%, to 30% of intermediate coronary lesions. An index of

Creating a spatially-explicit index: a method for assessing the global wildfire-water risk

Science.gov (United States)

Robinne, François-Nicolas; Parisien, Marc-André; Flannigan, Mike; Miller, Carol; Bladon, Kevin D.

2017-04-01

The wildfire-water risk (WWR) has been defined as the potential for wildfires to adversely affect water resources that are important for downstream ecosystems and human water needs for adequate water quantity and quality, therefore compromising the security of their water supply. While tools and methods are numerous for watershed-scale risk analysis, the development of a toolbox for the large-scale evaluation of the wildfire risk to water security has only started recently. In order to provide managers and policy-makers with an adequate tool, we implemented a method for the spatial analysis of the global WWR based on the Driving forces-Pressures-States-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR) framework. This framework relies on the cause-and-effect relationships existing between the five categories of the DPSIR chain. As this approach heavily relies on data, we gathered an extensive set of spatial indicators relevant to fire-induced hydrological hazards and water consumption patterns by human and natural communities. When appropriate, we applied a hydrological routing function to our indicators in order to simulate downstream accumulation of potentially harmful material. Each indicator was then assigned a DPSIR category. We collapsed the information in each category using a principal component analysis in order to extract the most relevant pixel-based information provided by each spatial indicator. Finally, we compiled our five categories using an additive indexation process to produce a spatially-explicit index of the WWR. A thorough sensitivity analysis has been performed in order to understand the relationship between the final risk values and the spatial pattern of each category used during the indexation. For comparison purposes, we aggregated index scores by global hydrological regions, or hydrobelts, to get a sense of regional DPSIR specificities. This rather simple method does not necessitate the use of complex physical models and provides a scalable and efficient tool

Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) Vegetation Indices Monthly Global 0.05Deg CMG V004

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) global datasets were created using...

Graphical Methodology of Global Pollution Index for the Environmental Impact Assessment Using Two Environmental Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corneliu Cojocaru

2017-04-01

Full Text Available One of the applied methods for environmental impact assessment is the index of global pollution (IGP proposed by Rojanschi in 1991. This methodology enables the global estimation for the ecosystem state affected more or less by human activities. Unfortunately, Rojanschi’s method has a limitation; it can be applied only if at least three environmental components are considered. Frequently, many environmental impact assessment applications rely on analysis of only two environmental components. Therefore, this work aimed to develop a new graphical method to extend Rojanschi’s approach for the case of two environmental components. The proposed method avoids the average value of evaluation grades and uses only the graphical correspondence for calculation of the index of global pollution. A right-angle triangle graph methodology was proposed, where bases represented the values of evaluation grades. Thus, for the case of two environmental components, the index of global pollution was calculated as the relation between the ideal and real ecosystem states represented by the ratio between areas of external and enclosed right triangles. The developed graphical method was tested and validated for real case studies: the environmental impact assessment from a refinery located on the Romanian Black Sea Coast considering Air and Water environmental components and from a coal-fired thermoelectric power plant from Eastern Romania regarding Air and Soil environmental components. In this way, it was provided a reliable and faster tool to be used for the pollution characterization of human-derived chemicals for better decisions in risk management.

Oxygen saturation index and severity of hypoxic respiratory failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Rawat, Munmun; Chandrasekharan, Praveen K; Williams, Ashley; Gugino, Sylvia; Koenigsknecht, Carmon; Swartz, Daniel; Ma, Chang Xing; Mathew, Bobby; Nair, Jayasree; Lakshminrusimha, Satyan

2015-01-01

The oxygenation index (OI = mean airway pressure, MAP × FiO2 × 100 : PaO2) is used to assess the severity of hypoxic respiratory failure (HRF) and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). An indwelling arterial line or arterial punctures are necessary to obtain PaO2 for the calculation of OI. Oxygenation can be continuously and noninvasively assessed using pulse oximetry. The use of the oxygen saturation index (OSI = MAP × FiO2 × 100 : SpO2) can be an alternate method of assessing the severity of HRF. To evaluate the correlation between OSI and OI in the following: (1) neonates with HRF and (2) a lamb model of meconium aspiration syndrome. Human neonates: a retrospective chart review of 74 ventilated late preterm/term neonates with indwelling arterial access and SpO2 values in the first 24 h of life was conducted. OSI and OI were calculated and correlated. Lamb model: arterial blood gases were drawn and preductal SpO2 was documented in 40 term newborn lambs with asphyxia and meconium aspiration. OI and OSI were calculated and correlated with pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Mean values of OSI and OI showed a correlation coefficient of 0.952 in neonates (mean value of 308 observations in 74 neonates) and 0.948 in lambs (mean value of 743 observations in 40 lambs). In lambs, with increasing PVR, there was a decrease in OI and OSI. OSI correlates significantly with OI in infants with HRF. This noninvasive measure may be used to assess the severity of HRF and PPHN in neonates without arterial access. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel

Psychometric Characteristics of the Teen Addiction Severity Index-Two (T-ASI-2)

Science.gov (United States)

Brodey, Benjamin B.; McMullin, Darcy; Kaminer, Yifrah; Winters, Ken C.; Mosshart, Edward; Rosen, Craig S.; Brodey, Inger S.

2008-01-01

The Teen Addiction Severity Index-Two (T-ASI-2) was developed as an extension of the T-ASI to assess the severity of substance abuse and related problems among adolescents (N = 371) 12-19 years of age. The T-ASI-2 consists of 18 domains that assess current use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs, as well as mental health service…

Hemodynamic comparison of mild and severe preeclampsia: concept of stroke systemic vascular resistance index.

Science.gov (United States)

Scardo, J; Kiser, R; Dillon, A; Brost, B; Newman, R

1996-01-01

Our purpose was to compare baseline hemodynamic parameters of mild and severe preeclampsia. Patients admitted to the Medical University Labor and Delivery Unit with the diagnosis of preeclampsia who had not received prior antihypertensive or magnesium sulfate therapy were recruited for noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring with thoracic electrical bioimpedance. After stabilization in the lateral recumbent position, hemodynamic monitoring was begun. Baseline hemodynamic parameters, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), cardiac index (CI), and stroke index (SI) were recorded. Stroke systemic vascular resistance index (SSVRI), the resistance imposed by vasculature on each beat of the heart, was calculated for each patient by multiplying SVRI by HR. For statistical analysis, unpaired Student's t-tests (two-tailed) were utilized (P preclampsia appears to be a more intensely vasoconstricted state than mild preeclampsia. Although CI is inversely proportional to SVRI, increased HR in severe preeclampsia prevents this expected decrease in cardiac output.

Indexing aortic valve area by body surface area increases the prevalence of severe aortic stenosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jander, Nikolaus; Gohlke-Bärwolf, Christa; Bahlmann, Edda

2014-01-01

To account for differences in body size in patients with aortic stenosis, aortic valve area (AVA) is divided by body surface area (BSA) to calculate indexed AVA (AVAindex). Cut-off values for severe stenosis are......To account for differences in body size in patients with aortic stenosis, aortic valve area (AVA) is divided by body surface area (BSA) to calculate indexed AVA (AVAindex). Cut-off values for severe stenosis are...

PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index in the evaluation of the clinical manifestations of psoriasis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Kubanov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Psoriasis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory skin diseases. The severity of its clinical manifestations can vary greatly. Objective assessment of psoriasis severity is required to select an adequate therapy. One of the simplest and most consistent methods used to determine psoriasis severity is to calculate the PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. This index is based on the doctor’s determination of the sum of indices showing the intensity of the main symptoms of psoriasis: erythema, infiltration and peeling in view of the affected skin area. The PASI can also be used to assess the efficacy of treatment for psoriasis patients.

A Global Database of Field-observed Leaf Area Index in Woody Plant Species, 1932-2011

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set provides global leaf area index (LAI) values for woody species. The data are a compilation of field-observed data from 1,216 locations...

Global warming influence on climatic variables and thermal comfort index in Paraíba state, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Silva, Gustavo de Assis; Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco; Souza, Bonifácio Benicio de; Universidade Federal Campina Grande; Silva, Elisângela Maria Nunes da; UFCG

2015-01-01

The increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases originated from burning fossil fuels, along with breeding, been appointed as the main causes of global climate change resulting from global warming in earth's atmosphere. These changes can cause serious impacts on the lives and livestock production mainly in tropical regions. Therefore, the aim with this work was to evaluate the effect of global warming on the climatological variables, thermal comfort index and animal production in the sta...

Facial Angiofibroma Severity Index (FASI): reliability assessment of a new tool developed to measure severity and responsiveness to therapy in tuberous sclerosis-associated facial angiofibroma.

Science.gov (United States)

Salido-Vallejo, R; Ruano, J; Garnacho-Saucedo, G; Godoy-Gijón, E; Llorca, D; Gómez-Fernández, C; Moreno-Giménez, J C

2014-12-01

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant neurocutaneous disorder characterized by the development of multisystem hamartomatous tumours. Topical sirolimus has recently been suggested as a potential treatment for TSC-associated facial angiofibroma (FA). To validate a reproducible scale created for the assessment of clinical severity and treatment response in these patients. We developed a new tool, the Facial Angiofibroma Severity Index (FASI) to evaluate the grade of erythema and the size and extent of FAs. In total, 30 different photographs of patients with TSC were shown to 56 dermatologists at each evaluation. Three evaluations using the same photographs but in a different random order were performed 1 week apart. Test and retest reliability and interobserver reproducibility were determined. There was good agreement between the investigators. Inter-rater reliability showed strong correlations (> 0.98; range 0.97-0.99) with inter-rater correlation coefficients (ICCs) for the FASI. The global estimated kappa coefficient for the degree of intra-rater agreement (test-retest) was 0.94 (range 0.91-0.97). The FASI is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the clinical severity of TSC-associated FAs, which can be applied in clinical practice to evaluate the response to treatment in these patients. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

A Global Database of Field-observed Leaf Area Index in Woody Plant Species, 1932-2011

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set provides global leaf area index (LAI) values for woody species. The data are a compilation of field-observed data from 1,216 locations obtained from...

U.S. Hail Frequency and the Global Wind Oscillation

Science.gov (United States)

Gensini, Vittorio A.; Allen, John T.

2018-02-01

Changes in Earth relative atmospheric angular momentum can be described by an index known as the Global Wind Oscillation. This global index accounts for changes in Earth's atmospheric budget of relative angular momentum through interactions of tropical convection anomalies, extratropical dynamics, and engagement of surface torques (e.g., friction and mountain). It is shown herein that U.S. hail events are more (less) likely to occur in low (high) atmospheric angular momentum base states when excluding weak Global Wind Oscillation days, with the strongest relationships found in the boreal spring and fall. Severe, significant severe, and giant hail events are more likely to occur during Global Wind Oscillation phases 8, 1, 2, and 3 during the peak of U.S. severe weather season. Lower frequencies of hail events are generally found in Global Wind Oscillation phases 4-7 but vary based on Global Wind Oscillation amplitude and month. In addition, probabilistic anomalies of atmospheric ingredients supportive of hail producing supercell thunderstorms closely mimic locations of reported hail frequency, helping to corroborate report results.

Construction of prediction intervals for Palmer Drought Severity Index using bootstrap

Science.gov (United States)

Beyaztas, Ufuk; Bickici Arikan, Bugrayhan; Beyaztas, Beste Hamiye; Kahya, Ercan

2018-04-01

In this study, we propose an approach based on the residual-based bootstrap method to obtain valid prediction intervals using monthly, short-term (three-months) and mid-term (six-months) drought observations. The effects of North Atlantic and Arctic Oscillation indexes on the constructed prediction intervals are also examined. Performance of the proposed approach is evaluated for the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) obtained from Konya closed basin located in Central Anatolia, Turkey. The finite sample properties of the proposed method are further illustrated by an extensive simulation study. Our results revealed that the proposed approach is capable of producing valid prediction intervals for future PDSI values.

Time-frequency wavelet analysis of the interrelationship between the global macro assets and the fear indexes

Science.gov (United States)

Abid, Fathi; Kaffel, Bilel

2018-01-01

Understanding the interrelationships of the global macro assets is crucial for global macro investing. This paper investigates the local variance and the interconnection between the stock, gold, oil, Forex and the implied volatility markets in the time/frequency domains using the wavelet methodology, including the wavelet power spectrum, the wavelet squared coherence and phase difference, the wavelet multiple correlation and cross-correlation. The univariate analysis reveals that, in some crisis periods, underlying asset markets present the same pattern in terms of the wavelet power spectrum indicating high volatility for the medium scale, and that for the other market stress periods, volatility behaves differently. Moreover, unlike the underlying asset markets, the implied volatility markets are characterized by high power regions across the entire period, even in the absence of economic events. Bivariate results show a bidirectional relationship between the underlying assets and their corresponding implied volatility indexes, and a steady co-movement between the stock index and its corresponding fear index. Multiple correlation analysis indicates a strong correlation between markets at high scales with evidence of a nearly perfect integration for a period longer than a year. In addition, the hedging strategies based on the volatility index lead to an increase in portfolio correlation. On the other hand, the results from multiple cross-correlations reveal that the lead-lag effect starts from the medium scale and that the VIX (stock market volatility index) index is the potential leader or follower of the other markets.

TAX HAVENS IN THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CENTERS INDEX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana-Maria GEAMÃNU

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Previously scrutinized for adopting harmful fiscal measures, tax havens have progressively adhered to the internationally agreed principles of transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes promoted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD. In this respect, important amendments have been made to both their tax and commercial legislation. Their main competitive advantage remains the favorable fiscal systems characterized by 0% tax rates which have favored the development of well established financial services sectors. The aim of this paper is to analyze the fiscal framework offered by six former tax haven jurisdictions: Monaco, Jersey, Guernsey, Cayman Islands, Isle of Man and British Virgin Islands, which occupy high ranks in the Global Financial Centers Index. The results come to emphasize the importance of these jurisdictions’ tax systems in the development of strong financial sectors.

Graphical Methodology of Global Pollution Index for the Environmental Impact Assessment Using Two Environmental Components

OpenAIRE

Corneliu Cojocaru; Diana Mariana Cocârţă; Irina Aura Istrate; Igor Creţescu

2017-01-01

One of the applied methods for environmental impact assessment is the index of global pollution (IGP) proposed by Rojanschi in 1991. This methodology enables the global estimation for the ecosystem state affected more or less by human activities. Unfortunately, Rojanschi’s method has a limitation; it can be applied only if at least three environmental components are considered. Frequently, many environmental impact assessment applications rely on analysis of only two environmental components....

Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) Vegetation Indices 7Days Global 0.05Deg CMG V004

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) Vegetation Index and Phenology (VIP) global datasets were created using...

Auroral Electrojet Index Designed to Provide a Global Measure, Hourly Intervals, of Auroral Zone Magnetic Activity

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Auroral Electrojet (AE) index is designed to provide a global quantitative measure of auroral zone magnetic activity produced by enhanced ionospheric currents...

Combined Versus Detailed Evaluation Components in Medical Student Global Rating Indexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kim L. Askew

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: To determine if there is any correlation between any of the 10 individual components of a global rating index on an emergency medicine (EM student clerkship evaluation form. If there is correlation, to determine if a weighted average of highly correlated components loses predictive value for the final clerkship grade. Methods: This study reviewed medical student evaluations collected over two years of a required fourth-year rotation in EM. Evaluation cards, comprised of a detailed 10-part evaluation, were completed after each shift. We used a correlation matrix between evaluation category average scores, using Spearman’s rho, to determine if there was any correlation of the grades between any of the 10 items on the evaluation form. Results: A total of 233 students completed the rotation over the two-year period of the study. There were strong correlations (>0.80 between assessment components of medical knowledge, history taking, physical exam, and differential diagnosis. There were also strong correlations between assessment components of team rapport, patient rapport, and motivation. When these highly correlated were combined to produce a four-component model, linear regression demonstrated similar predictive power in terms of final clerkship grade (R2 =0.71, CI95=0.65–0.77 and R2 =0.69, CI95=0.63–0.76 for the full and reduced models respectively. Conclusion: This study revealed that several components of the evaluation card had a high degree of correlation. Combining the correlated items, a reduced model containing four items (clinical skills, interpersonal skills, procedural skills, and documentation was as predictive of the student’s clinical grade as the full 10-item evaluation. Clerkship directors should be aware of the performance of their individual global rating scales when assessing medical student performance, especially if attempting to measure greater than four components.

The Addiction Severity Index: Reliability and validity in a Dutch alcoholic population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dejong, C.A.J.; Willems, J.C.E.W.; Schippers, G.M.; Hendriks, V.M.

1995-01-01

The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was evaluated for its psychometric qualities in a Dutch alcoholic population admitted to an addiction treatment center in the Netherlands. Its factorial structure in this population was found to be consistent with the established six factor structure of the ASI.

How severe space weather can disrupt global supply chains

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte in den Bäumen, H.; Moran, D.; Lenzen, M.; Cairns, I.; Steenge, A.

2014-10-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) strong enough to create electromagnetic effects at latitudes below the auroral oval are frequent events that could soon have substantial impacts on electrical grids. Modern society's heavy reliance on these domestic and international networks increases our susceptibility to such a severe space-weather event. Using a new high-resolution model of the global economy, we simulate the economic impact of strong CMEs for three different planetary orientations. We account for the economic impacts within the countries directly affected, as well as the post-disaster economic shock in partner economies linked by international trade. For a 1989 Quebec-like event, the global economic impacts would range from USD 2.4 to 3.4 trillion over a year. Of this total economic shock, about 50% would be felt in countries outside the zone of direct impact, leading to a loss in global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 3.9 to 5.6%. The global economic damage is of the same order as wars, extreme financial crisis and estimated for future climate change.

Influence of hypothermia combined with erythropoietin on serum neurological function indexes in newborns with severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua Tian

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the influence of hypothermia combined with erythropoietin (EPO on serum neurological function indexes in newborns with severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE. Methods: A total of 48 cases of newborns with severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in our hospital were enrolled and divided into control group and observation group according to random number table, 24 cases in each group. On the basis of conventional treatment, patients in control group were treated with mild hypothermia, and those in observation group were treated with mild hypothermia combined with EPO. Serum nerve injury indexes, neurological function indexes and nerve apoptosis indexes were compared between two groups before and after treatment. Results: Before treatment, differences in the levels of nerve injury indexes, neurological function indexes and nerve apoptosis indexes were not statistically significant between two groups. After treatment, serum nerve injury indexes NSE and S-100B levels of observation group were lower than those of control group, neurolocial function indexes BDNF, NGF, IGF-1 and GH levels of observation group were higher than those of control group, and nerve apoptosis indexes sFas and sFasL levels of observation group were lower than those of control group. Conclusion: Mild hypothermia combined with EPO can reduce the neurological damage and inhibit neuronal apoptosis in children with severe HIE.

Bioimpedance index for measurement of total body water in severely malnourished children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Girma, Tsinuel; Kæstel, Pernille; Workeneh, Netsanet

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Restoration of body composition indicates successful management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Bioimpedance (BI) index (height(2)/resistance) is used to predict total body water (TBW) but its performance in SAM, especially with oedema, requires further investigation....... SUBJECTS/METHODS: Children with SAM (mid-arm circumference ...Hzs. Pre- and post-deuterium dose saliva samples were analysed using isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. TBW was regressed on H(2)/Z. Xc and R were height (H)-indexed, and Xc/H plotted against R/H. RESULTS: Thirty five children (16 non-oedematous and 19 oedematous) with median (interquartile range) age of 42...

Global Strain in Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Jordi S; Videbæk, Lars; Poulsen, Mikael K

2012-01-01

Score, history with ischemic heart disease and ejection fraction. CONCLUSIONS: -In patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis undergoing AVR reduced GLS provides important prognostic information beyond standard risk factors. Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrial.gov. Unique identifier......BACKGROUND: -Global longitudinal systolic strain (GLS) is often reduced in aortic stenosis despite normal ejection fraction. The importance of reduced preoperative GLS on long-term outcome after aortic valve replacement (AVR) is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: -A total of 125 patients with severe...... and mortality. In a stepwise cox model with forward selection GLS was the sole independent predictor HR=1.13 (95% confidence interval 1.02-1.25), p=0.04. Comparing the overall log likelihood χ(2) of the predictive power of the multivariable model containing GLS was statistically superior to models based on Euro...

Estimates of global HIV/AIDS mortality, prevalence and incidence rates, and their association with the Human Development Index

OpenAIRE

Kamyar Mansori; Erfan Ayubi; Fatemeh Khosravi Shadmani; Shiva Mansouri Hanis; Somayeh Khazaei; Mohadeseh Sani; Yousef Moradi; Salman Khazaei; Abolfazl Mohammadbeigi

2017-01-01

Background: HIV/AIDS is one of greatest global public health concerns today due to the high incidence, prevalence and mortality rates. The aim of this research was investigate and estimate the global HIV/AIDS mortality, prevalence and incidence rates, and explore their associations with the Human Development Index. Methods: The global age-standardized rates of mortality, prevalence and incidence of HIV/AIDS were obtained from the UNAIDS for different countries in 2015. The human developm...

Assessing insomnia in adolescents: comparison of Insomnia Severity Index, Athens Insomnia Scale and Sleep Quality Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Ka-Fai; Kan, Katherine Ka-Ki; Yeung, Wing-Fai

2011-05-01

To compare the psychometric properties of the Chinese versions of Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and Sleep Quality Index (SQI) for assessment and screening of insomnia in adolescents. This is a school-based survey of 1516 adolescents aged 12-19 years. Sleep-wake habit questionnaire, ISI, AIS, SQI, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were administered. Insomnia Interview Schedule was used to assess the severity of insomnia symptoms and DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of insomnia. The Cronbach's alpha of ISI, AIS and SQI were 0.83, 0.81 and 0.65, respectively, and the 2-week test-retest reliability were 0.79, 0.80 and 0.72. All three scales had a 2-factor structure, and their scores were significantly correlated with sleep-wake variables, ESS and GHQ-12 scores, smoking and drinking habits, and academic performance. The areas under curve of ISI, AIS and SQI for detecting clinical insomnia were 0.85, 0.80 and 0.85, respectively. The optimal cut-offs for ISI, AIS and SQI were a total score of nine (sensitivity/specificity: 0.87/0.75), seven (sensitivity/specificity: 0.78/0.74) and five (sensitivity/specificity: 0.83/0.79), respectively. The Chinese versions of ISI, AIS and SQI are reliable and valid instruments. The ISI and AIS appear to have better psychometric properties than the SQI. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Auroral Electrojet Index Designed to Provide a Global Measure, l-minute Intervals, of Auroral Zone Magnetic Activity

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Auroral Electrojet index (AE) is designed to provide a global quantitative measure of auroral zone magnetic activity produced by enhanced ionospheric currents...

Distribution of Severity of Injury/Illness Index according to ICD-10 groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Niels Dalsgaard; Dahl, Michael; Rostgaard-Knudsen, Martin

OBJECTIVE: In our area patients seen by the Prehospital Emergency Physician (PEP) are all classified according to the Severity of Injury/Illness Index (SIII) groups 0 to 7. This classification enables the evaluation of the optimal use of the PEP and focus on education. The PEP should only......, dispatches a PEP for major injury and severe medical conditions. For 72 months we extracted data regarding six main groups of diagnosis according to the ICD-10-system: Metabolic diseases, Diseases of the Central Nervous System (CNS), Diseases of the circulatory system, Diseases of the respiratory system...

Global Age Watch Index 2015, London, 2015, ch 8 Western Europe, North America and Australasia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Bruijn, J.G.M.

2015-01-01

The world’s population is ageing. As fertility declines and life expectancy increases, the proportion of people aged 60 and over is projected to grow in all regions of the world. Yet people’s experiences of later life vary enormously depending on where they live. The Global AgeWatch Index assesses

Investigation on the Patterns of Global Vegetation Change Using a Satellite-Sensed Vegetation Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ainong Li

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The pattern of vegetation change in response to global change still remains a controversial issue. A Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI dataset compiled by the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS was used for analysis. For the period 1982–2006, GIMMS-NDVI analysis indicated that monthly NDVI changes show homogenous trends in middle and high latitude areas in the northern hemisphere and within, or near, the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn; with obvious spatio-temporal heterogeneity on a global scale over the past two decades. The former areas featured increasing vegetation activity during growth seasons, and the latter areas experienced an even greater amplitude in places where precipitation is adequate. The discussion suggests that one should be cautious of using the NDVI time-series to analyze local vegetation dynamics because of its coarse resolution and uncertainties.

Proposing melasma severity index: A new, more practical, office-based scoring system for assessing the severity of melasma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imran Majid

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI, the scoring system in melasma, needs to be refined. Aims and Objectives: To propose a more practical scoring system, named as Melasma Severity Index (MSI, for assessing the disease severity and treatment response in melasma. Materials and Methods: Four dermatologists were trained to calculate MASI and also the proposed MSI scores. For MSI, the formula used was 0.4 (a × p 2 l + 0.4 (a × p 2 r + 0.2 (a × p 2 n where "a" stands for area, "p" for pigmentation, "l" for left face, "r" for right face, and "n" for nose. On a single day, 30 enrolled patients were randomly examined by each trained dermatologist and their MASI and MSI scores were calculated. Next, each rater re-examined every 6 th patient for repeat MASI and MSI scoring to assess intra- and inter-rater reliability of MASI and MSI scores. Validity was assessed by comparing the individual scores of each rater with objective data from mexameter and ImageJ software. Results: Inter-rater reliability, as assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient, was significantly higher for MSI (0.955 as compared to MASI (0.816. Correlation of scores with objective data by Spearman′s correlation revealed higher rho values for MSI than for MASI for all raters. Limitations: Sample population belonged to a single ethnic group. Conclusions: MSI is simpler and more practical scoring system for melasma.

Evaluation of environmental impact produced by different economic activities with the global pollution index.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaharia, Carmen

2012-07-01

The paper analyses the environment pollution state in different case studies of economic activities (i.e. co-generation electric and thermal power production, iron profile manufacturing, cement processing, waste landfilling, and wood furniture manufacturing), evaluating mainly the environmental cumulative impacts (e.g. cumulative impact against the health of the environment and different life forms). The status of the environment (air, water resources, soil, and noise) is analysed with respect to discharges such as gaseous discharges in the air, final effluents discharged in natural receiving basins or sewerage system, and discharges onto the soil together with the principal pollutants expressed by different environmental indicators corresponding to each specific productive activity. The alternative methodology of global pollution index (I (GP)*) for quantification of environmental impacts is applied. Environmental data analysis permits the identification of potential impact, prediction of significant impact, and evaluation of cumulative impact on a commensurate scale by evaluation scores (ES(i)) for discharge quality, and global effect to the environment pollution state by calculation of the global pollution index (I (GP)*). The I (GP)* values for each productive unit (i.e. 1.664-2.414) correspond to an 'environment modified by industrial/economic activity within admissible limits, having potential of generating discomfort effects'. The evaluation results are significant in view of future development of each productive unit and sustain the economic production in terms of environment protection with respect to a preventive environment protection scheme and continuous measures of pollution control.

Psychiatric severity and mortality in substance abusers. A 15 year follow-up

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fridell, Mats; Hesse, Morten

2006-01-01

on the Symptom Checklist 90 [SCL-90] Global Severity Index, lower meaningfulness on the Sense of Coherence scale, and lower Global Assessment of Functioning [GAF] scores at 5-year follow-up. By contrast, there were no associations between baseline drug use and antisocial personality disorder diagnoses...

77 FR 49839 - IndexIQ Advisors LLC and IndexIQ Active ETF Trust; Notice of Application

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-17

... Advisors LLC and IndexIQ Active ETF Trust; Notice of Application August 13, 2012. AGENCY: Securities and... IndexIQ Active ETF Trust (the ``Trust''). SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: Applicants request an order that... series, IQ Global Equity Active ETF (``Global Equity ETF''), IQ Global Fixed Income Active ETF (``Global...

Assessing and mapping drought hazard in Africa and South-Central America with a Meteorological Drought Severity Index

Science.gov (United States)

Carrao, Hugo; Barbosa, Paulo; Vogt, Jürgen

2015-04-01

Drought is a recurring extreme climate event characterized by a temporary deficit of precipitation, soil moisture, streamflow, or any combination of the three taking place at the same time. The immediate consequences of short-term (i.e. a few weeks duration) droughts are, for example, a fall in crop production, poor pasture growth and a decline in fodder supplies from crop residues, whereas prolonged water shortages (e.g. of several months or years duration) may, amongst others, lead to a reduction in hydro-electrical power production and an increase of forest fires. As a result, comprehensive drought risk management is nowadays critical for many regions in the world. Examples are many African and South-and Central American countries that strongly depend on rain-fed agriculture for economic development with hydroelectricity and biomass as main sources of energy. Drought risk is the probability of harmful consequences, or expected losses resulting from interactions between drought hazard, i.e. the physical nature of droughts, and the degree to which a population or activity is vulnerable to its effects. As vulnerability to drought is increasing globally and certain tasks, such as distributive policies (e.g. relief aid, regulatory exemptions, or preparedness investments), require information on drought severity that is comparable across different climatic regions, greater attention has recently been directed to the development of methods for a standardized quantification of drought hazard. In this study we, therefore, concentrate on a methodology for assessing the severity of historical droughts and on mapping the frequency of their occurrence. To achieve these goals, we use a new Meteorological Drought Severity Index (MDSI). The motivation is twofold: 1) the observation that primitive indices of drought severity directly measure local precipitation shortages and cannot be compared geographically; and that 2) standardized indices of drought do not take into account

Assessing pediatric ileocolonic Crohn's disease activity based on global MR enterography scores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pomerri, Fabio; Zuliani, Monica; Giorgi, Benedetta; Muzzio, Pier Carlo [University of Padova, Department of Medicine-DIMED, Padova (Italy); Al Bunni, Faise [Rovigo Hospital, Radiology Unit, S. Maria della Misericordia, Rovigo (Italy); Guariso, Graziella; Gasparetto, Marco; Cananzi, Mara [University of Padova, Department of Women and Child Health, Padova (Italy)

2017-03-15

This study was aimed at correlating a magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA) and a magnetic resonance enterography global score (MEGS) with activity indexes in a paediatric population with Crohn's disease (CD). This retrospective study included 32 paediatric patients (median age 14.5 years, 18 male) with proven CD who underwent magnetic resonance enterography (MRE). A correlation analysis was performed on the MRE-based scores, the simplified endoscopic score for CD (SES-CD), the paediatric Crohn's disease activity index (PCDAI), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Based on PCDAI, comparison of both global MaRIA and MEGS was made between patients with mild and moderate/severe disease activity. Global MaRIA correlated with SES-CD (r = 0.70, p = 0.001) and PCDAI (r = 0.42, p = 0.016). MEGS correlated with PCDAI (r = 0.46, p = 0.007) and CRP levels (r = 0.35, p = 0.046). MEGS differed significantly (p = 0.027) between patients grouped by clinical disease severity. MRE-based global scores correlated with clinical indexes of CD activity. Therefore, they represent a potential useful tool to predict CD activity and severity, as well as a possible promising alternative to endoscopy, to monitor paediatric patients with CD during their follow-up. (orig.)

A Computer Adaptive Testing Version of the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV): The Addiction Severity CAT

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Stephen F.; Black, Ryan A.; McCaffrey, Stacey A.; Ainscough, Jessica; Doucette, Ann M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a computer adaptive testing (CAT) version of the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV®), the Addiction Severity CAT. This goal was accomplished in four steps. First, new candidate items for Addiction Severity CAT domains were evaluated after brainstorming sessions with experts in substance abuse treatment. Next, this new item bank was psychometrically evaluated on a large non-clinical (n =4419) and substance abuse treatment sample (n =845). Based on these results, final items were selected and calibrated for the creation of the Addiction Severity CAT algorithms. Once the algorithms were developed for the entire assessment, a fully functioning prototype of an Addiction Severity CAT was created. CAT simulations were conducted and optimal termination criteria were selected for the Addiction Severity CAT algorithms. Finally, construct validity of the CAT algorithms was evaluated by examining convergent/discriminant validity and sensitivity to change. The Addiction Severity CAT was determined to be valid, sensitive to change, and reliable. Further, the Addiction Severity CAT’s time of administration was found to be significantly less than the average time of administration for the ASI-MV composite scores. This study represents the initial validation of an IRT-based Addiction Severity CAT, and further exploration of the Addiction Severity CAT is needed. PMID:28230387

A computer adaptive testing version of the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV): The Addiction Severity CAT.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Stephen F; Black, Ryan A; McCaffrey, Stacey A; Ainscough, Jessica; Doucette, Ann M

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a computer adaptive testing (CAT) version of the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV), the Addiction Severity CAT. This goal was accomplished in 4 steps. First, new candidate items for Addiction Severity CAT domains were evaluated after brainstorming sessions with experts in substance abuse treatment. Next, this new item bank was psychometrically evaluated on a large nonclinical (n = 4,419) and substance abuse treatment (n = 845) sample. Based on these results, final items were selected and calibrated for the creation of the Addiction Severity CAT algorithms. Once the algorithms were developed for the entire assessment, a fully functioning prototype of an Addiction Severity CAT was created. CAT simulations were conducted, and optimal termination criteria were selected for the Addiction Severity CAT algorithms. Finally, construct validity of the CAT algorithms was evaluated by examining convergent and discriminant validity and sensitivity to change. The Addiction Severity CAT was determined to be valid, sensitive to change, and reliable. Further, the Addiction Severity CAT's time of completion was found to be significantly less than the average time of completion for the ASI-MV composite scores. This study represents the initial validation of an Addiction Severity CAT based on item response theory, and further exploration of the Addiction Severity CAT is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Climate change and marine fisheries: Least developed countries top global index of vulnerability.

Science.gov (United States)

Blasiak, Robert; Spijkers, Jessica; Tokunaga, Kanae; Pittman, Jeremy; Yagi, Nobuyuki; Österblom, Henrik

2017-01-01

Future impacts of climate change on marine fisheries have the potential to negatively influence a wide range of socio-economic factors, including food security, livelihoods and public health, and even to reshape development trajectories and spark transboundary conflict. Yet there is considerable variability in the vulnerability of countries around the world to these effects. We calculate a vulnerability index of 147 countries by drawing on the most recent data related to the impacts of climate change on marine fisheries. Building on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change framework for vulnerability, we first construct aggregate indices for exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity using 12 primary variables. Seven out of the ten most vulnerable countries on the resulting index are Small Island Developing States, and the top quartile of the index includes countries located in Africa (17), Asia (7), North America and the Caribbean (4) and Oceania (8). More than 87% of least developed countries are found within the top half of the vulnerability index, while the bottom half includes all but one of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development member states. This is primarily due to the tremendous variation in countries' adaptive capacity, as no such trends are evident from the exposure or sensitivity indices. A negative correlation exists between vulnerability and per capita carbon emissions, and the clustering of states at different levels of development across the vulnerability index suggests growing barriers to meeting global commitments to reducing inequality, promoting human well-being and ensuring sustainable cities and communities. The index provides a useful tool for prioritizing the allocation of climate finance, as well as activities aimed at capacity building and the transfer of marine technology.

Pengaruh Beberapa Indeks Saham dan Indikator Ekonomi Global terhadap Kondisi Pasar Modal Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Rahyuda, Henny; Purbawangsa, Ida Bagus Anom; Andiyasa, I Gusti Agus

2014-01-01

Indonesian capital market is highly developed capital markets in recent years. With the growing world of investment and finance , the events that occurred in other countries, be it stock index or economic indicator will have an impact to the Indonesian state. This study aimed to determine the effect of several stock indices and global economic indicators to the condition of the Indonesian Capital Market. Global stock indices used in this study is the Dow Jones index, Nikkei 225 index, Shangha...

MODIS/Aqua Clear Radiance Statistics Indexed to Global Grid 5-Min L2 Swath 10km V006

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The MODIS/Aqua Clear Radiance Statistics Indexed to Global Grid 5-Min L2 Swath 10km (MYDCSR_G) provides a variety of statistical measures that characterize observed...

Globalization of consumer confidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Çelik Sadullah

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The globalization of world economies and the importance of nowcasting analysis have been at the core of the recent literature. Nevertheless, these two strands of research are hardly coupled. This study aims to fill this gap through examining the globalization of the consumer confidence index (CCI by applying conventional and unconventional econometric methods. The US CCI is used as the benchmark in tests of comovement among the CCIs of several developing and developed countries, with the data sets divided into three sub-periods: global liquidity abundance, the Great Recession, and postcrisis. The existence and/or degree of globalization of the CCIs vary according to the period, whereas globalization in the form of coherence and similar paths is observed only during the Great Recession and, surprisingly, stronger in developing/emerging countries.

Indexes of leading climate indicators for impact assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Easterling, W.E.; Kates, R.W.

1995-01-01

Could users of climate information for impact assessment be overlooking an important source of information in climate indicators? We argue that indexes of leading climate indicators of impacts may be usable knowledge for consumers and may provide guidance to the global climate observing community concerning the types of data and information that users need. Five classes of indexes are suggested: Climate Extremes Index (CEI) and Greenhouse Climate Response Index (GCRI) - such are already available from scientists at the US National Climatic Data Center - plus proposed indexes of Hazard Warning, Ecosystem Health, and Energy Demand and Renewable Natural Resources. We conclude that the CEI and GCRI posses several necessary attributes to become usable knowledge; the other indexes have the potential to become usable knowledge, but remain to be implemented with climate data and fully evaluated. 34 refs

Assessing Agricultural Drought in the Anthropocene: A Modified Palmer Drought Severity Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingzhi Yang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the current human-influenced era, drought is initiated by natural and human drivers, and human activities are as integral to drought as meteorological factors. In large irrigated agricultural regions with high levels of human intervention, where the natural farmland soil moisture has usually been changed significantly by high-frequency irrigation, the actual severity of agricultural drought is distorted in traditional drought indices. In this work, an agricultural drought index that considering irrigation processes based on the Palmer drought severity index (IrrPDSI was developed to interpret the real agricultural drought conditions in irrigated regions, with a case study in the Haihe River Basin in northeast China. The water balance model in the original PDSI was revised by an auto-irrigation threshold method combined with a local irrigation schedule. The auto-irrigation setting of the index was used by taking irrigation quotas during specific growth stages of specific crops (wheat–corn into consideration. A series of weekly comparative analyses are as follows: (1 The soil moisture analyses showed that soil moisture values calculated by the modified water balance model were close to the real values; (2 The statistical analyses indicated that most of the stations in the study area based on IrrPDSI had nearly normal distributed values; (3 The time series and spatial analyses showed that the results of the IrrPDSI-reported dry-wet evaluation were more consistent with documented real conditions. All the results revealed that IrrPDSI performed well when used to assess agricultural drought. This work has direct significance for agricultural drought management in large irrigated areas heavily disturbed by human activity.

A global assessment of market accessibility and market influence for global environmental change studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verburg, Peter H [Institute for Environmental Studies, Amsterdam Global Change Institute, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Ellis, Erle C [Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250 (United States); Letourneau, Aurelien, E-mail: Peter.Verburg@ivm.vu.nl [UMR 5175 Centre d' Ecologie Fonctionnelle and Evolutive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5 (France)

2011-07-15

Markets influence the global patterns of urbanization, deforestation, agriculture and other land use systems. Yet market influence is rarely incorporated into spatially explicit global studies of environmental change, largely because consistent global data are lacking below the national level. Here we present the first high spatial resolution gridded data depicting market influence globally. The data jointly represent variations in both market strength and accessibility based on three market influence indices derived from an index of accessibility to market locations and national level gross domestic product (purchasing power parity). These indices show strong correspondence with human population density while also revealing several distinct and useful relationships with other global environmental patterns. As market influence grows, the need for high resolution global data on market influence and its dynamics will become increasingly important to understanding and forecasting global environmental change.

A global assessment of market accessibility and market influence for global environmental change studies

Science.gov (United States)

Verburg, Peter H.; Ellis, Erle C.; Letourneau, Aurelien

2011-07-01

Markets influence the global patterns of urbanization, deforestation, agriculture and other land use systems. Yet market influence is rarely incorporated into spatially explicit global studies of environmental change, largely because consistent global data are lacking below the national level. Here we present the first high spatial resolution gridded data depicting market influence globally. The data jointly represent variations in both market strength and accessibility based on three market influence indices derived from an index of accessibility to market locations and national level gross domestic product (purchasing power parity). These indices show strong correspondence with human population density while also revealing several distinct and useful relationships with other global environmental patterns. As market influence grows, the need for high resolution global data on market influence and its dynamics will become increasingly important to understanding and forecasting global environmental change.

A global assessment of market accessibility and market influence for global environmental change studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verburg, Peter H; Ellis, Erle C; Letourneau, Aurelien

2011-01-01

Markets influence the global patterns of urbanization, deforestation, agriculture and other land use systems. Yet market influence is rarely incorporated into spatially explicit global studies of environmental change, largely because consistent global data are lacking below the national level. Here we present the first high spatial resolution gridded data depicting market influence globally. The data jointly represent variations in both market strength and accessibility based on three market influence indices derived from an index of accessibility to market locations and national level gross domestic product (purchasing power parity). These indices show strong correspondence with human population density while also revealing several distinct and useful relationships with other global environmental patterns. As market influence grows, the need for high resolution global data on market influence and its dynamics will become increasingly important to understanding and forecasting global environmental change.

Development and validation of the Dyspnea Index (DI): a severity index for upper airway-related dyspnea.

Science.gov (United States)

Gartner-Schmidt, Jackie L; Shembel, Adrianna C; Zullo, Thomas G; Rosen, Clark A

2014-11-01

To (1) develop and validate the Dyspnea Index (DI); (2) quantify severity of symptoms in upper airway dyspnea; and (3) validate the DI as an outcome measure. Survey development and validation. Three hundred sixty-nine participants were recruited for different phases of the study. Two hundred participants with chief complaints of dyspnea were given a 41-item questionnaire addressing common symptoms of dyspnea related to the upper airway. The questions were then reduced based on principal component analysis (PCA) and internal consistency resulting in a 10-item questionnaire. Cognitive interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Test-retest reliability and discriminant validity were measured from 51 participants. The DI was further validated by administering the index to 57 healthy controls (HC). Validation of the DI as a treatment outcome tool occurred with 46 participants' pre- and post-treatment scores. PCA revealed that only a single factor was being measured in both the original 41- and 10-item questionnaires. Additional cognitive interviewing suggested that no modification was needed to the DI. Test-retest reliability was r = 0.83. Discriminant validity was r = 0.62. The Mann-Whitney test demonstrated significant differences between healthy/symptomatic participants. Scores from the HC cohort resulted in a mean of 3.12 (SEM = 0.484; SD = 3.65) for the normative values. The DI is an effective and efficient instrument to quantify patients' symptoms of upper airway dyspnea. It is a statistically robust index, with significant reliability and validity, and can be dependably used as a treatment outcome measure. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The extremity function index (EFI), a disability severity measure for neuromuscular diseases : psychometric evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, Isaac; Wynia, Klaske; Drost, Gea; Almansa, Josué; Kuks, Joannes

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To adapt and to combine the self-report Upper Extremity Functional Index and Lower Extremity Function Scale, for the assessment of disability severity in patients with a neuromuscular disease and to examine its psychometric properties in order to make it suitable for indicating disease

[Cost-effectiveness analysis and diet quality index applied to the WHO Global Strategy].

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, Flávia Mori Sarti; Simões, Arlete Naresse

2008-02-01

To test the use of cost-effectiveness analysis as a decision making tool in the production of meals for the inclusion of the recommendations published in the World Health Organization's Global Strategy. Five alternative options for breakfast menu were assessed previously to their adoption in a food service at a university in the state of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2006. Costs of the different options were based on market prices of food items (direct cost). Health benefits were estimated based on adaptation of the Diet Quality Index (DQI). Cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated by dividing benefits by costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated as cost differential per unit of additional benefit. The meal choice was based on health benefit units associated to direct production cost as well as incremental effectiveness per unit of differential cost. The analysis showed the most simple option with the addition of a fruit (DQI = 64 / cost = R$ 1.58) as the best alternative. Higher effectiveness was seen in the options with a fruit portion (DQI1=64 / DQI3=58 / DQI5=72) compared to the others (DQI2=48 / DQI4=58). The estimate of cost-effectiveness ratio allowed to identifying the best breakfast option based on cost-effectiveness analysis and Diet Quality Index. These instruments allow easy application easiness and objective evaluation which are key to the process of inclusion of public or private institutions under the Global Strategy directives.

The Addiction Severity Index: Reliability and validity in a Dutch alcoholic population

OpenAIRE

Dejong, C.A.J.; Willems, J.C.E.W.; Schippers, G.M.; Hendriks, V.M.

1995-01-01

The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was evaluated for its psychometric qualities in a Dutch alcoholic population admitted to an addiction treatment center in the Netherlands. Its factorial structure in this population was found to be consistent with the established six factor structure of the ASI. Reliability analysis revealed that the homogeneity of the subscales was acceptable with the exception of the Alcohol Scale. The six subscales were not highly intercorrelated. The results of this stud...

The Addiction Severity Index: reliability and validity in a Dutch alcoholic population.

Science.gov (United States)

DeJong, C A; Willems, J C; Schippers, G M; Hendriks, V M

1995-04-01

The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was evaluated for its psychometric qualities in a Dutch alcoholic population admitted to an addiction treatment center in The Netherlands. Its factorial structure in this population was found to be consistent with the established six factor structure of the ASI. Reliability analysis revealed that the homogeneity of the subscales was acceptable with the exception of the Alcohol Scale. The six subscales were not highly intercorrelated. The results of this study indicate that the ASI is a useful instrument for the assessment of several problems associated with alcoholism. However, the Alcohol Scale appears to be limited as a diagnostic and research instrument in the field of inpatient treatment of alcohol dependence in The Netherlands.

The relationship between the Nasality Severity Index 2.0 and perceptual judgments of hypernasality.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K. Bettens; Anke Luyten; F. Wuyts; M. de Bodt; K. van Lierde; Y. Maryn

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: The Nasality Severity Index 2.0 (NSI 2.0) forms a new, multiparametric approach in the identification of hypernasality. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between the NSI 2.0 scores and the perceptual assessment of hypernasality. METHOD: Speech samples of 35 patients,

Global Solar UV Index (invited paper)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Repacholi, M.H.

2000-01-01

Excessive solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure produces a significant burden of disease to the skin, eyes and immune system. Effective programmes for the reduction of UV exposure are needed to reduce this disease burden and the associated health care costs. The UV index is seen as an effective tool for communicating important protection information to the public through its use in media news and weather information. The index is described and it is suggested that universally common messages should be associated with its ranges. (author)

Global variability in angina pectoris and its association with body mass index and poverty.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Longjian; Ma, Jixiang; Yin, Xiaoyan; Kelepouris, Ellie; Eisen, Howard J

2011-03-01

In the absence of a previous global comparison, we examined the variability in the prevalence of angina across 52 countries and its association with body weight and the poverty index using data from the World Health Organization-World Health Survey. The participants with angina were defined as those who had positive results using a Rose angina questionnaire and/or self-report of a physician diagnosis of angina. The body mass index (BMI) was determined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. The poverty index (a standard score of socioeconomic status for a given country) was extracted from the United Nations' statistics. The associations of angina with the BMI and poverty index were analyzed cross-sectionally using univariate and multivariate analyses. The results showed that the total participants (n = 210,787) had an average age of 40.64 years. The prevalence of angina ranged from 2.44% in Tunisia to 23.89% in Chad. Those participants with a BMI of poverty status was considered. A tendency was seen for underweight status and a poverty index >14.65% to be associated with the risk of having angina, although these associations were not statistically significant in the multilevel models. In conclusion, significant variations were found in the anginal rates across 52 countries worldwide. An increased BMI was significantly associated with the odds of having angina. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Drought severity in intensive agricultural areas by means of the EDI index

Science.gov (United States)

Procházková, Petra; Chuchma, Filip; Středa, Tomáš

2016-12-01

The aim of this work was the evaluation of drought severity development in the Czech Republic for the period 1971-2015 by the means of the Effective Drought Index (EDI). Annual values of the EDI index were determined using the method of effective precipitation for 14 localities spread throughout the Czech Republic (Central Europe). The seven categories were created according to obtained index values for the drought conditions determination for years during the period 1971-2015 through the percentile method. The annual index values were compared with acquired 2nd, 15th, 45th, 55th, 85th and 98th percentiles. Both the years with precipitation unfavourable conditions: 1972, 1973, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 2015 and the years with precipitation favourable conditions: 1977, 1987, 1995, 2001, 2002 and 2010 were determined. Precipitation conditions in the growing season from 61st to 180th day of the year were also analysed. This evaluation was conducted during the period 1971-2015 through the ten-day index values which were compared with acquired 2nd, 15th, 45th, 55th, 85th and 98th percentiles. Dry growing seasons occurred in 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1993. Wet growing seasons occurred in 1987, 2006 and 2010. Trend analysis of annual index values was performed through the Mann-Kendall test. Highly statistically significant increasing linear trends (P < 0.01) were found for four localities (Uherský Ostroh, Vysoká, Znojmo-Oblekovice and Žatec); statistically significant increasing trends (P < 0.05) were found for three localities (Brno-Chrlice, Lednice and Lípa). Based on the extrapolation of the trend, a slightly higher effective precipitation can be expected during the year in a substantial part of the country. However, these findings do not necessarily mean an optimal supply of agricultural land with water. Precipitation exhibits considerable unevenness of distribution through time. Given the increasing evapotranspiration demands of the environment their

Entrepreneurship in the World: The Analysis of the Global Entrepreneurship Index in the Period 2015-2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grădinaru Cătălin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The last decades have witnessed the rapid spread of entrepreneurship all over the world. Consequently, the state of entrepreneurship has significantly improved. The aim of the paper is to present the evolution of the top ten countries in the world according to the Global Entrepreneurship Index in the period 2015-2017. The research methodology is based on a quantitative method. The paper shows that the top ten countries in the world according to this index in the last three years were the same in a high proportion and demonstrates the absolute domination of the United States of America and the growing presence of the European countries.

Reducing Production Basis Risk through Rainfall Intensity Frequency (RIF) Indexes: Global Sensitivity Analysis' Implication on Policy Design

Science.gov (United States)

Muneepeerakul, Chitsomanus; Huffaker, Ray; Munoz-Carpena, Rafael

2016-04-01

The weather index insurance promises financial resilience to farmers struck by harsh weather conditions with swift compensation at affordable premium thanks to its minimal adverse selection and moral hazard. Despite these advantages, the very nature of indexing causes the presence of "production basis risk" that the selected weather indexes and their thresholds do not correspond to actual damages. To reduce basis risk without additional data collection cost, we propose the use of rain intensity and frequency as indexes as it could offer better protection at the lower premium by avoiding basis risk-strike trade-off inherent in the total rainfall index. We present empirical evidences and modeling results that even under the similar cumulative rainfall and temperature environment, yield can significantly differ especially for drought sensitive crops. We further show that deriving the trigger level and payoff function from regression between historical yield and total rainfall data may pose significant basis risk owing to their non-unique relationship in the insured range of rainfall. Lastly, we discuss the design of index insurance in terms of contract specifications based on the results from global sensitivity analysis.

Global drought and severe drought-affected populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wenbin; Sun, Fubao; Lim, Wee Ho; Zhang, Jie; Wang, Hong; Shiogama, Hideo; Zhang, Yuqing

2018-03-01

The 2015 Paris Agreement proposed a more ambitious climate change mitigation target on limiting global warming to 1.5 °C instead of 2 °C above preindustrial levels. Scientific investigations on environmental risks associated with these warming targets are necessary to inform climate policymaking. Based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) climate models, we present the first risk-based assessment of changes in global drought and the impact of severe drought on populations from additional 1.5 and 2 °C warming conditions. Our results highlight the risk of drought on a global scale and in several hotspot regions such as the Amazon, northeastern Brazil, southern Africa and Central Europe at both 1.5 and 2 °C global warming relative to the historical period, showing increases in drought durations from 2.9 to 3.2 months. Correspondingly, more total and urban populations would be exposed to severe droughts globally (+132.5 ± 216.2 million and +194.5 ± 276.5 million total population and +350.2 ± 158.8 million and +410.7 ± 213.5 million urban populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds) and regionally (e.g., East Africa, West Africa and South Asia). Less rural populations (-217.7 ± 79.2 million and -216.2 ± 82.4 million rural populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds) would be exposed to severe drought globally under climate warming, population growth and especially the urbanization-induced population migration. By keeping global warming at 1.5 °C above the preindustrial levels instead of 2 °C, there is a decrease in drought risks (i.e., less drought duration, less drought intensity and severity but relatively more frequent drought) and the affected total, urban and rural populations would decrease globally and in most regions. While challenging for both East Africa and South Asia, the benefits of limiting warming to below 1.5 °C in terms of global drought risk and impact reduction are significant.

Observer agreement of the Manchester Triage System and the Emergency Severity Index: a simulation study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Storm-Versloot, M. N.; Ubbink, D. T.; Chin a Choi, V.; Luitse, J. S. K.

2009-01-01

Objectives: To compare inter and intra-observer agreement of the Manchester Triage System (MTS) and the Emergency Severity Index (ESI). Methods: 50 representative emergency department (ED) scenarios derived from actual cases were presented to 18 ED nurses from three different hospitals. Eight of

Global meta-analysis of leaf area index in wetlands indicates uncertainties in understanding of their ecosystem function

Science.gov (United States)

Dronova, I.; Taddeo, S.; Foster, K.

2017-12-01

Projecting ecosystem responses to global change relies on the accurate understanding of properties governing their functions in different environments. An important variable in models of ecosystem function is canopy leaf area index (LAI; leaf area per unit ground area) declared as one of the Essential Climate Variables in the Global Climate Observing System and extensively measured in terrestrial landscapes. However, wetlands have been largely under-represented in these efforts, which globally limits understanding of their contribution to carbon sequestration, climate regulation and resilience to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. This study provides a global synthesis of >350 wetland-specific LAI observations from 182 studies and compares LAI among wetland ecosystem and vegetation types, biomes and measurement approaches. Results indicate that most wetland types and even individual locations show a substantial local dispersion of LAI values (average coefficient of variation 65%) due to heterogeneity of environmental properties and vegetation composition. Such variation indicates that mean LAI values may not sufficiently represent complex wetland environments, and the use of this index in ecosystem function models needs to incorporate within-site variation in canopy properties. Mean LAI did not significantly differ between direct and indirect measurement methods on a pooled global sample; however, within some of the specific biomes and wetland types significant contrasts between these approaches were detected. These contrasts highlight unique aspects of wetland vegetation physiology and canopy structure affecting measurement principles that need to be considered in generalizing canopy properties in ecosystem models. Finally, efforts to assess wetland LAI using remote sensing strongly indicate the promise of this technology for cost-effective regional-scale modeling of canopy properties similar to terrestrial systems. However, such efforts urgently require more

Global assessment of coastal aquifer state and its vulnerability respect to Sea Water Intrusion. Application to several Mediterranean Coastal Aquifers.

Science.gov (United States)

Baena, Leticia; Pulido-Velazquez, David; Renau-Pruñonosa, Arianna; Morell, Ignacio

2017-04-01

In this research we propose a method for a global assessment of coastal aquifer state and its vulnerability to Sea Water Intrusion (SWI). It is based on two indices, the MART index, which summarize the global significance of the SWI phenomenon, and the L_GALDIT for a lumped assessment of the vulnerability to SWI. Both of them can be useful as a tool to assess coastal groundwater bodies in risk of not achieving good status in accordance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000) and to identify possible management alternative to reduce existing impacts. They can be obtained even from a reduced number of data (in the MART case only depend on the geometry and available aquifer state data) with simple calculations, which have been implemented in a general GIS tool that can be easily applied to other case studies. The MART index in an aquifer is related with the total mass of chloride in the aquifer due to sea water intrusion and can be obtained by simple linear operations of volume and concentrations that can be deduced from a schematic conceptual cross-section approach (orthogonal to the shore line) defined to summarize the intrusion volume in the aquifer. At a certain historical time, this representative aquifer cross-section can be defined in a systhematic way from the aquifer geometry, the specific yield, and the hydraulic head and chloride concentration fields that can be deduced from the available information by using appropriate interpolation methods. Following the proposed procedure we will finally obtain a summary of the historical significance of the SWI in an aquifer at different spatial resolution: 3D salinity concentration maps, 2D representative conceptual cross-section of intrusion and the MART lumped significance index. The historical evolution of the MART can be employed to perform a global assessment of the resilience and trends of global significance of the SWI in an aquifer. It can be useful to compare the significance of intrusion problems in

Generating Global Leaf Area Index from Landsat: Algorithm Formulation and Demonstration

Science.gov (United States)

Ganguly, Sangram; Nemani, Ramakrishna R.; Zhang, Gong; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Milesi, Cristina; Michaelis, Andrew; Wang, Weile; Votava, Petr; Samanta, Arindam; Melton, Forrest;

A generalized cost Malmquist index in DEA for DMUs with negative data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghasem Tohidi

2014-10-01

Full Text Available In some data envelopment analysis (DEA applications, some inputs of DMUs have negative values with positive cost. This paper generalizes the global cost Malmquist productivity index to compare the productivity of different DMUs with negative inputs in any two periods of times under variable returns to scale (VRS technology, and then the generalized index is decomposed to several components. The obtained components are computed using the nonparametric linear programming models, known as DEA. To illustrate the generalized index and its components, a numerical example at three successive periods of time is given.

Correlation of endoscopic severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease (gerd) with body mass index (bmi)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, S.; Haq, I.U.; Butt, A.R.; Shafiq, F.; Huda, G.; Mirza, G.; Rehman, A.U.

2007-01-01

To assess the correlation of endoscopic severity of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) with Body Mass Index (BMI). This study was conducted on 203 patients, who presented with upper GI symptoms. Patients who fulfilled the symptom criteria were referred for endoscopy. Classification of GERD was done according to LA Grading classification system. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as Body Weight (BW) in kilograms (kg) divided by the square of the body height (BH) in meter (m2). Patient data was analyzed using SPSS 12 software. Statistical evaluation was done using non-parametric Wilcoxon's-sign Rank test. P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Distribution of GERD was as follows: GERD-A subjects 65 (32%), GERD B subjects 72 (35.4%), GERD-C subjects 23 (11.3%), GERD-D subjects 10 (4.92%), while Non-Erosive Reflux Disease (NERD) was present in 33 subjects (16.2%). Mean BMI was 27+5.02SD (range of 18.2-38.3). BMI of patients having NERD was in normal range but patients who were having advanced disease i.e. Grade C-D were in obese range of BMI, while those who were having LA grade A-B were in overweight BMI range. When regrouped as mild GERD (grade A-B) and NERD versus severe GERD (grade C-D), there was a strong significant correlation between severity of GERD and BMI, as detected by Wilcoxon's signed Rank test (p=0.001). Higher BMI seems to be associated with higher degree of endoscopic GERD severity. (author)

Evidence for increasingly variable Palmer Drought Severity Index in the United States since 1895.

Science.gov (United States)

Rayne, Sierra; Forest, Kaya

2016-02-15

Annual and summertime trends towards increasingly variable values of the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) over a sub-decadal period (five years) were investigated within the contiguous United States between 1895 and the present. For the contiguous United States as a whole, there is a significant increasing trend in the five-year running minimum-maximum ranges for the annual PDSI (aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range)). During this time frame, the average aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range) has increased by about one full unit, indicating a substantial increase in drought variability over short time scales across the United States. The end members of the running aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range) highlight even more rapid changes in the drought index variability within the past 120 years. This increasing variability in the aPDSI5 yr(min|max, range) is driven primarily by changes taking place in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean coastal climate regions, climate regions which collectively comprise one-third the area of the contiguous United States. Similar trends were found for the annual and summertime Palmer Hydrological Drought Index (PHDI), the Palmer Modified Drought Index (PMDI), and the Palmer Z Index (PZI). Overall, interannual drought patterns in the contiguous United States are becoming more extreme and difficult to predict, posing a challenge to agricultural and other water-resource related planning efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Healthcare Access and Quality Index based on mortality from causes amenable to personal health care in 195 countries and territories, 1990-2015: a novel analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-15

National levels of personal health-care access and quality can be approximated by measuring mortality rates from causes that should not be fatal in the presence of effective medical care (ie, amenable mortality). Previous analyses of mortality amenable to health care only focused on high-income countries and faced several methodological challenges. In the present analysis, we use the highly standardised cause of death and risk factor estimates generated through the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) to improve and expand the quantification of personal health-care access and quality for 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015. We mapped the most widely used list of causes amenable to personal health care developed by Nolte and McKee to 32 GBD causes. We accounted for variations in cause of death certification and misclassifications through the extensive data standardisation processes and redistribution algorithms developed for GBD. To isolate the effects of personal health-care access and quality, we risk-standardised cause-specific mortality rates for each geography-year by removing the joint effects of local environmental and behavioural risks, and adding back the global levels of risk exposure as estimated for GBD 2015. We employed principal component analysis to create a single, interpretable summary measure-the Healthcare Quality and Access (HAQ) Index-on a scale of 0 to 100. The HAQ Index showed strong convergence validity as compared with other health-system indicators, including health expenditure per capita (r=0·88), an index of 11 universal health coverage interventions (r=0·83), and human resources for health per 1000 (r=0·77). We used free disposal hull analysis with bootstrapping to produce a frontier based on the relationship between the HAQ Index and the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a measure of overall development consisting of income per capita, average years of education, and total fertility rates. This

An index-based framework for assessing patterns and trends in river fragmentation and flow regulation by global dams at multiple scales

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grill, Günther; Lehner, Bernhard; Lumsdon, Alexander E; Zarfl, Christiane; MacDonald, Graham K; Reidy Liermann, Catherine

2015-01-01

The global number of dam constructions has increased dramatically over the past six decades and is forecast to continue to rise, particularly in less industrialized regions. Identifying development pathways that can deliver the benefits of new infrastructure while also maintaining healthy and productive river systems is a great challenge that requires understanding the multifaceted impacts of dams at a range of scales. New approaches and advanced methodologies are needed to improve predictions of how future dam construction will affect biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and fluvial geomorphology worldwide, helping to frame a global strategy to achieve sustainable dam development. Here, we respond to this need by applying a graph-based river routing model to simultaneously assess flow regulation and fragmentation by dams at multiple scales using data at high spatial resolution. We calculated the cumulative impact of a set of 6374 large existing dams and 3377 planned or proposed dams on river connectivity and river flow at basin and subbasin scales by fusing two novel indicators to create a holistic dam impact matrix for the period 1930–2030. Static network descriptors such as basin area or channel length are of limited use in hierarchically nested and dynamic river systems, so we developed the river fragmentation index and the river regulation index, which are based on river volume. These indicators are less sensitive to the effects of network configuration, offering increased comparability among studies with disparate hydrographies as well as across scales. Our results indicate that, on a global basis, 48% of river volume is moderately to severely impacted by either flow regulation, fragmentation, or both. Assuming completion of all dams planned and under construction in our future scenario, this number would nearly double to 93%, largely due to major dam construction in the Amazon Basin. We provide evidence for the importance of considering small to medium

Pengaruh Corporate Governance Perception Index Terhadap Kinerja perusahaan dalam Masa Krisis Ekonomi Global

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adi Suharna

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This research examines the infl uence of corporate governance toward corporate performance, in this case market performance and fi nancial performance. The rating of corporate governance perception index (CGPI for 2008 until 2010 by The Indonesian Institute for Corporate Governance is used to measure the corporate governance implementation and Tobin’s Q as a market performance measurement  with  Return  on  Equity  (ROE  and  Return  on  Assets  (ROA  as fi nancial performance measurement. The control variables used are leverage, age,  type  of  industry  and  size  of  fi rm.  This  study  is  causal  research  which companies that scored CGPI and fi nancial statement during 2008-2010 were drawn using purposive sampling method. Research data are pooling data which combines time series and cross sectional data during the observation period 2008-2010. This research employs a multiple regression to test hypothesis that corporate governance and corporate performance are positively related.  From  the  fi rst  regression  equation,  the  result  of  this  study  shows  that  there is  influence  between  corporate  governance  perception  index  and  market performance  (Tobin’s  Q  during  crisis  while  the  control  variables  have  no effect  on  market  performance  unless  leverage  levels  negatively  affect  the market  performance  of  the  company  during  the  global  economic  crisis.  The second  regression  equation  shows  that  there  is  infl uence  between  corporate governance  perception  index  and  fi nancial  performance  (ROE  during  crisis while the control variables have no effect on fi nancial performance (ROE. The third regression equation shows that there has no infl uence between corporate governance  perception  index  (CGPI  and  the  control  variables  to  fi nancial performance (ROA during the

Pengaruh Corporate Governance Perception Index Terhadap Kinerja perusahaan dalam Masa Krisis Ekonomi Global

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adi Suharna

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This research examines the infl uence of corporate governance toward corporate performance, in this case market performance and fi nancial performance. The rating of corporate governance perception index (CGPI for 2008 until 2010 by The Indonesian Institute for Corporate Governance is used to measure the corporate governance implementation and Tobin’s Q as a market performance measurement  with  Return  on  Equity  (ROE  and  Return  on  Assets  (ROA  as fi nancial performance measurement. The control variables used are leverage, age,  type  of  industry  and  size  of  fi rm.  This  study  is  causal  research  which companies that scored CGPI and fi nancial statement during 2008-2010 were drawn using purposive sampling method. Research data are pooling data which combines time series and cross sectional data during the observation period 2008-2010. This research employs a multiple regression to test hypothesis that corporate governance and corporate performance are positively related.  From  the  fi rst  regression  equation,  the  result  of  this  study  shows  that  there is  influence  between  corporate  governance  perception  index  and  market performance  (Tobin’s  Q  during  crisis  while  the  control  variables  have  no effect  on  market  performance  unless  leverage  levels  negatively  affect  the market  performance  of  the  company  during  the  global  economic  crisis.  The second  regression  equation  shows  that  there  is  infl uence  between  corporate governance  perception  index  and  fi nancial  performance  (ROE  during  crisis while the control variables have no effect on fi nancial performance (ROE. The third regression equation shows that there has no infl uence between corporate governance  perception  index  (CGPI  and  the  control  variables  to  fi nancial performance (ROA during the

Association of Body Mass Index with Asthma Severity and Pulmonary Function among Asthmatic Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasuol Nasiri Kalmarzi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease in respiratory system and obesity is another inflammatory disease which incidence rate is increasing. Although, many studies have been conducted on severity of asthma and its relationship with obesity, but different results have been obtained. This study aimed to determine a relationship between asthma severity, Body Mass Index (BMI and pulmonary function in Kurdistan province, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study 90 asthmatic patients referred to referral hospital in Kurdistan, North West of Iran, were selected by simple random method. BMI was calculated by dividing weight by height.Pulmonary Function Test (PFT and bronchial-stimulation-test were used for confirmation and investigation of asthma severity. Data were analyzed using SPSS-15 and Chi-square and spearman correlation coefficient tests. Results: Relationship between BMI and severity of asthma (mild, medium and severe was evaluated, there was a relationship and positive relationship between them (P

An empirical model of L-band scintillation S4 index constructed by using FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC data

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shih-Ping; Bilitza, Dieter; Liu, Jann-Yenq; Caton, Ronald; Chang, Loren C.; Yeh, Wen-Hao

2017-09-01

Modern society relies heavily on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology for applications such as satellite communication, navigation, and positioning on the ground and/or aviation in the troposphere/stratosphere. However, ionospheric scintillations can severely impact GNSS systems and their related applications. In this study, a global empirical ionospheric scintillation model is constructed with S4-index data obtained by the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (F3/C) satellites during 2007-2014 (hereafter referred to as the F3CGS4 model). This model describes the S4-index as a function of local time, day of year, dip-latitude, and solar activity using the index PF10.7. The model reproduces the F3/C S4-index observations well, and yields good agreement with ground-based reception of satellite signals. This confirms that the constructed model can be used to forecast global L-band scintillations on the ground and in the near surface atmosphere.

TOMS/Earth Probe UV Aerosol Index Monthly L3 Global 1x1.25 deg Lat/Lon Grid V008

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data product contains TOMS/Earth Probe UV Aerosol Index Monthly L3 Global 1x1.25 deg Lat/Lon Grid Version 8 data in ASCII format. (The shortname for this...

TOMS/Nimbus-7 UV Aerosol Index Monthly L3 Global 1x1.25 deg Lat/Lon Grid V008

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data product contains TOMS/Nimbus-7 UV Aerosol Index Monthly L3 Global 1x1.25 deg Lat/Lon Grid Version 8 data in ASCII format. The Total Ozone Mapping...

TOMS/Nimbus-7 UV Aerosol Index Daily L3 Global 1x1.25 deg Lat/Lon Grid V008

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data product contains TOMS/Nimbus-7 UV Aerosol Index Daily L3 Global 1x1.25 deg Lat/Lon Grid Version 8 data in ASCII format. The Total Ozone Mapping...

Global Incidence and Mortality Rates of Stomach Cancer and the Human Development Index: an Ecological Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaei, Salman; Rezaeian, Shahab; Soheylizad, Mokhtar; Khazaei, Somayeh; Biderafsh, Azam

2016-01-01

Stomach cancer (SC) is the second leading cause of cancer death with the rate of 10.4% in the world. The correlation between the incidence and mortality rates of SC and human development index (HDI) has not been globally determined. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between the incidence and mortality rates of SC and HDI in various regions. In this global ecological study, we used the data about the incidence and mortality rate of SC and HDI from the global cancer project and the United Nations Development Programme database, respectively. In 2012, SCs were estimated to have affected a total of 951,594 individuals (crude rate: 13.5 per 100,000 individuals) with a male/female ratio of 1.97, and caused 723,073 deaths worldwide (crude rate: 10.2 per 100,000 individuals). There was a positive correlation between the HDI and both incidence (r=0.28, countries with high and very high HDI is remarkable which should be the top priority of interventions for global health policymakers. In addition, health programs should be provided to reduce the burden of this disease in the regions with high incidence and mortality rates of SC.

Sensitivity of the Addiction Severity Index physical and sexual assault items: preliminary findings on gender differences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Langeland, W.; van den Brink, W.; Draijer, N.; Hartgers, C.

2001-01-01

Evaluation of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) as a screen for identifying sexual and physical assault histories. The sensitivity and specificity of the ASI assault items were examined in 146 alcoholic patients with the assault questions of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview

Confirmatory factor analysis and recommendations for improvement of the Autonomy-Preference-Index (API).

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Daniela; Kriston, Levente; Loh, Andreas; Spies, Claudia; Scheibler, Fueloep; Wills, Celia; Härter, Martin

2010-09-01

Validation of the German version of the Autonomy-Preference-Index (API), a measure of patients' preferences for decision making and information seeking. Stepwise confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on a sample of patients (n = 1592) treated in primary care for depression (n = 186), surgical and internal medicine inpatients (n = 811) and patients with minor trauma treated in an emergency department (n = 595). An initial test of the model was done on calculation and validation halves of the sample. Both local and global indexes-of-fit suggested modifications to the scale. The scale was modified and re-tested in the calculation sample and confirmed in the validation sample. Subgroup analyses for age, gender and type of treatment setting were also performed. The confirmatory analysis led to a modified version of the API with better local and global indexes-of-fit for samples of German-speaking patients. Two items of the sub-scale, 'preference for decision-making', and one item of the sub-scale, 'preference for information seeking', showed very low reliability scores and were deleted. Thus, several global indexes-of-fit clearly improved significantly. The modified scale was confirmed on the validation sample with acceptable to good indices of fit. Results of subgroup analyses indicated that no adaptations were necessary. This first confirmatory analysis for a German-speaking population showed that the API was improved by the removal of several items. There were theoretically plausible explanations for this improvement suggesting that the modifications might also be appropriate in English and other language versions.

2016 GRI Index

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2016-01-01

This 2016 World Bank Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Index provides an overview of sustainability considerations within the World Bank’s lending and analytical services as well as its corporate activities. This index of sustainability indicators has been prepared in accordance with the internationally recognized standard for sustainability reporting GRI guidelines (https://www.globalrepo...

A global coupling index of multivariate neural series with application to the evaluation of mild cognitive impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Dong; Xue, Qing; Lu, Chengbiao; Guan, Xinyong; Wang, Yuping; Li, Xiaoli

2014-08-01

Recently, the synchronization between neural signals has been widely used as a key indicator of brain function. To understand comprehensively the effect of synchronization on the brain function, accurate computation of the synchronization strength among multivariate neural series from the whole brain is necessary. In this study, we proposed a method named global coupling index (GCI) to estimate the synchronization strength of multiple neural signals. First of all, performance of the GCI method was evaluated by analyzing simulated EEG signals from a multi-channel neural mass model, including the effects of the frequency band, the coupling coefficient, and the signal noise ratio. Then, the GCI method was applied to analyze the EEG signals from 12 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects and 12 normal controls (NC). The results showed that GCI method had two major advantages over the global synchronization index (GSI) or S-estimator. Firstly, simulation data showed that the GCI method provided both a more robust result on the frequency band and a better performance on the coupling coefficients. Secondly, the actual EEG data demonstrated that GCI method was more sensitive in differentiating the MCI from control subjects, in terms of the global synchronization strength of neural series of specific alpha, beta1 and beta2 frequency bands. Hence, it is suggested that GCI is a better method over GSI and S-estimator to estimate the synchronization strength of multivariate neural series for predicting the MCI from the whole brain EEG recordings. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Proper Methodology and Methods of Collecting and Analyzing Slavery Data: An Examination of the Global Slavery Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Guth

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The Global Slavery Index aims to, among other objectives, recognize the forms, size, and scope of slavery worldwide as well as the strengths and weaknesses of individual countries. An analysis of the Index’s methods exposes significant and critical weaknesses and raises questions into its replicability and validity. The Index may prove more valuable in the future if proper methods are implemented, but the longer improper methods are used the more damage is done to the public policy debate on slavery by advancing data and policy that is not based on sound methodology. To implement proper methods, a committee of sophisticated methodologists needs to develop measurement tools and constantly analyze and refine these methods over the years as data is collected.

Turning the Big Mac Index into the Medical MAC Index | Wilson ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to create a global medical earnings index, called the Medical MAC Index, to enable a comparison of what medical specialists earn in the countries included in the study. Design: The study gathered data on the earnings of specialist anaesthetists employed in state hospitals with five ...

AA Index

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The geomagnetic aa index provides a long climatology of global geomagnetic activity using 2 antipodal observatories at Greenwich and Melbourne- IAGA Bulletin 37,...

A Comparison of Global Indexing Schemes to Facilitate Earth Science Data Management

Science.gov (United States)

Griessbaum, N.; Frew, J.; Rilee, M. L.; Kuo, K. S.

2017-12-01

Recent advances in database technology have led to systems optimized for managing petabyte-scale multidimensional arrays. These array databases are a good fit for subsets of the Earth's surface that can be projected into a rectangular coordinate system with acceptable geometric fidelity. However, for global analyses, array databases must address the same distortions and discontinuities that apply to map projections in general. The array database SciDB supports enormous databases spread across thousands of computing nodes. Additionally, the following SciDB characteristics are particularly germane to the coordinate system problem: SciDB efficiently stores and manipulates sparse (i.e. mostly empty) arrays. SciDB arrays have 64-bit indexes. SciDB supports user-defined data types, functions, and operators. We have implemented two geospatial indexing schemes in SciDB. The simplest uses two array dimensions to represent longitude and latitude. For representation as 64-bit integers, the coordinates are multiplied by a scale factor large enough to yield an appropriate Earth surface resolution (e.g., a scale factor of 100,000 yields a resolution of approximately 1m at the equator). Aside from the longitudinal discontinuity, the principal disadvantage of this scheme is its fixed scale factor. The second scheme uses a single array dimension to represent the bit-codes for locations in a hierarchical triangular mesh (HTM) coordinate system. A HTM maps the Earth's surface onto an octahedron, and then recursively subdivides each triangular face to the desired resolution. Earth surface locations are represented as the concatenation of an octahedron face code and a quadtree code within the face. Unlike our integerized lat-lon scheme, the HTM allow for objects of different size (e.g., pixels with differing resolutions) to be represented in the same indexing scheme. We present an evaluation of the relative utility of these two schemes for managing and analyzing MODIS swath data.

Hourly distributions of the diffuse fraction of global solar irradiation in Cordoba (Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Posadillo, R.; Lopez Luque, R.

2009-01-01

Hourly global irradiations on tilted planes are required for dimensioning PV systems. However, for most sites, only global irradiations on a horizontal plane are available, and, given that to calculate the global irradiation on inclined planes the first step is to determine the diffuse component and this is not collected, we have studied the behaviour of the diffuse component on an hourly basis. Most parametrization models for the derivation of hourly diffuse irradiance from hourly global irradiance involve the clearness index, a parameter that implicitly includes solar altitude. The present paper has focused on the possibility of also including 'mean solar altitude α-bar' explicitly as a parameter in addition to the clearness index. Several analytical models are proposed, validated and compared here, using solar data collected on our station located in Cordoba (Spain)

Exercise-induced changes in left ventricular global longitudinal strain in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lech, Agnieszka K; Dobrowolski, Piotr P; Klisiewicz, Anna; Hoffman, Piotr

2017-01-01

The management of patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (ASAS) is still under discussion. Therefore, it is advisable to search for the parameters of early damage to left ventricular (LV) function. The aim of the study was to assess exercise-induced changes in LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) in ASAS. The ASAS group consisted of 50 patients (26 women and 24 men, aged 38.4 ± 18.1 years) meeting the echocardiographic criteria of severe aortic stenosis (AVA 4 m/s, mean aortic gradient > 40 mm Hg), with normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF ≥ 55%) and sinus rhythm on electrocardiogram, and without significant concomitant valvular heart diseases. The control group consisted of 21 people matched for age and sex. Echocardiographic examinations and echocardiographic stress tests with the assessment of GLS using the speckle tracking imaging were performed. The ASAS group was characterised by statistically significantly higher LV mass index (LVMI) and higher LVEF. GLS values at rest in both groups were within normal limits but were significantly higher in the control group (-18.9 ± 2.4% vs. -20.7 ± 1.7%, p = 0.006). An increase in GLS at peak exercise in both groups was observed, lower in the ASAS group (the difference was not statistically significant: -0.8 ± 3.0% vs. -2.2 ± 3.1%, p = 0.086). Changes in GLS during exercise (ΔGLS) did not correlate with the parameters of the severity of aortic stenosis. In the multivariate model, LVMI proved to be a factor associated with GLS at rest and during exercise. In patients with ASAS, GLS is a non-invasive marker of an early stage of LV myocardial damage associated with myocardial hypertrophy. An increase in GLS during exercise in the ASAS group, smaller than in the control group, indicates a preserved functional reserve of the LV myocardium but smaller than in healthy individuals. The assessment of the clinical usefulness of exercise-induced changes in GLS requires further research.

Validation of the insomnia severity index as a web-based measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorndike, Frances P; Ritterband, Lee M; Saylor, Drew K; Magee, Joshua C; Gonder-Frederick, Linda A; Morin, Charles M

2011-01-01

Although the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) is already administered online, this frequently used instrument has not been validated for Web delivery. This study compares online and paper-and-pencil ISI versions completed by participants in a randomized controlled trial testing an Internet-delivered intervention for insomnia. Forty-three adults with insomnia completed both ISI versions during pre- (Assessment 1) and post-intervention (Assessment 2). Correlations between total scores of both versions were significant (rs ≥ .98, ps < .001). For both ISI versions, internal consistency was acceptable (Assessment 1, α = .61; Assessment 2, α ≥ .88). Among participants not receiving the parent study intervention, correlations between 1 format at Assessment 1 and the alternative format at Assessment 2 were generally significant (rs = .26-.82). Together, findings suggest the ISI can be delivered online.

Climatology of UVA and ozone variations and the global solar UV-index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, C.R.; Gies, H.P.; Toomey, S.J.

1996-01-01

Human overexposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can result in acute and chronic adverse health effects on both the skin and the eye. Skin cancer (both non-melanoma and malignant melanoma) and cataract impose a huge social and cost burden on many societies throughout the world. Such human health problems can be avoided if the individual reduces their UVR exposure. Unfortunately enlightenment may not help persons who have experienced high episodic exposures during childhood as this appears to be an important causal factor in melanoma. In some countries public educational campaigns have been underway for decades in other countries they are just beginning; the global solar uv-index provides a globally consistent means of reporting or predicting UVR as part of public education on UVR exposure. There are now indications that some of these programs have been effective in halting the climb in melanoma incidence. The UVR, and in particular UVB, reaching the earth's surface varies with both latitude and time (both of the day and year). The transmission of the extraterrestrial radiation through the atmosphere is determined by ozone clouds, aerosols and to a lesser extent, trace gases. In recent decades there has been considerable concern that long-term changes in ozone and perhaps clouds and aerosols may result in changes in the UVB at the earth's surface. (author)

Association of body mass index with symptom severity and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Chul-Hyun; Luedtke, Connie A; Vincent, Ann; Thompson, Jeffrey M; Oh, Terry H

2012-02-01

To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and symptom severity and quality of life (QOL) in patients with fibromyalgia. We assessed BMI status and its association with symptom severity and QOL in 888 patients with fibromyalgia who were seen in a fibromyalgia treatment program and who completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey. The BMI distribution of nonobese (BMI fibromyalgia-related symptoms with worse FIQ total scores (P fibromyalgia, severe obesity (BMI ≥35.0 kg/m(2)) is associated with higher levels of fibromyalgia symptoms and lower levels of QOL. Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Rheumatology.

Global drought and severe drought-affected populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Liu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The 2015 Paris Agreement proposed a more ambitious climate change mitigation target on limiting global warming to 1.5 °C instead of 2 °C above preindustrial levels. Scientific investigations on environmental risks associated with these warming targets are necessary to inform climate policymaking. Based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5 climate models, we present the first risk-based assessment of changes in global drought and the impact of severe drought on populations from additional 1.5 and 2 °C warming conditions. Our results highlight the risk of drought on a global scale and in several hotspot regions such as the Amazon, northeastern Brazil, southern Africa and Central Europe at both 1.5 and 2 °C global warming relative to the historical period, showing increases in drought durations from 2.9 to 3.2 months. Correspondingly, more total and urban populations would be exposed to severe droughts globally (+132.5 ± 216.2 million and +194.5 ± 276.5 million total population and +350.2 ± 158.8 million and +410.7 ± 213.5 million urban populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds and regionally (e.g., East Africa, West Africa and South Asia. Less rural populations (−217.7 ± 79.2 million and −216.2 ± 82.4 million rural populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds would be exposed to severe drought globally under climate warming, population growth and especially the urbanization-induced population migration. By keeping global warming at 1.5 °C above the preindustrial levels instead of 2 °C, there is a decrease in drought risks (i.e., less drought duration, less drought intensity and severity but relatively more frequent drought and the affected total, urban and rural populations would decrease globally and in most regions. While challenging for both East Africa and South Asia, the benefits of limiting warming to below 1.5 °C in terms of global drought risk

Development and initial validation of the Localized Scleroderma Skin Damage Index and Physician Global Assessment of disease Damage: a proof-of-concept study

Science.gov (United States)

Vilaiyuk, Soamarat; Torok, Kathryn S.; Medsger, Thomas A.

2010-01-01

Objective. To develop and assess the psychometric properties of the Localized Scleroderma (LS) Skin Damage Index (LoSDI) and Physician Global Assessment of disease Damage (PGA-D). Methods. Damage was defined as irreversible/persistent changes (>6 months) due to previous active disease/complications of therapy. Eight rheumatologists assessed the importance of 17 variables in formulating the PGA-D/LoSDI. LS patients were evaluated by two rheumatologists using both tools to assess their psychometric properties. LoSDI was calculated by summing three scores for cutaneous features of damage [dermal atrophy (DAT), subcutaneous atrophy (SAT) and dyspigmentation (DP)] measured at 18 anatomic sites. Patient GA of disease severity (PtGA-S), Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) and PGA-D were recorded at the time of each examination. Results. Thirty LS patients (112 lesions) and nine patient-visit pairs (18 lesions) were included for inter- and intra-rater reliability study. LoSDI and its domains DAT, SAT, DP and PGA-D demonstrated excellent inter- and intra-rater reliability (reliability coefficients 0.86–0.99 and 0.74–0.96, respectively). LoSDI correlated moderately with PGA-D and poorly with PtGA-S and CDLQI. PGA-D correlated moderately with PtGA-S, but poorly with CDLQI. Conclusions. To complete the LS Cutaneous Assessment Tool (LoSCAT), we developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of the LoSDI and PGA-D in addition to the LS Skin Severity Index (LoSSI). These instruments will facilitate evaluation of LS patients for individual patient management and clinical trials. LoSDI and PGA-D demonstrated excellent reliability and high validity. LoSCAT provides an improved understanding of LS natural history. Further study in a larger group of patients is needed to confirm these preliminary findings. PMID:20008472

Relationships among participant international prostate symptom score, benign prostatic hyperplasia impact index changes and global ratings of change in a trial of phytotherapy in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Michael J; Cantor, Alan; Roehrborn, Claus G

2013-03-01

We related changes in American Urological Association symptom index scores with bother measures and global ratings of change in men with lower urinary tract symptoms who were enrolled in a saw palmetto trial. To be eligible for study men were 45 years old or older, and had a peak uroflow of 4 ml per second or greater and an American Urological Association symptom index score of 8 to 24. Participants self-administered the American Urological Association symptom index, International Prostate Symptom Score quality of life item, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index and 2 global change questions at baseline, and at 24, 48 and 72 weeks. In 357 participants global ratings of a little better were associated with a mean decrease in American Urological Association symptom index scores from 2.8 to 4.1 points across 3 time points. The analogous range for mean decreases in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index scores was 1.0 to 1.7 points and for the International Prostate Symptom Score quality of life item it was 0.5 to 0.8 points. At 72 weeks for the first global change question each change measure discriminated between participants who rated themselves at least a little better vs unchanged or worse 70% to 72% of the time. A multivariate model increased discrimination to 77%. For the second global change question each change measure correctly discriminated ratings of at least a little better vs unchanged or worse 69% to 74% of the time and a multivariate model increased discrimination to 79%. Changes in American Urological Association symptom index scores could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better vs unchanged or worse. Our findings support the practice of powering studies to detect group mean differences in American Urological Association symptom index scores of at least 3 points. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improve Gear Fault Diagnosis and Severity Indexes Determinations via Time Synchronous Average

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed El Morsy

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In order to reduce operation and maintenance costs, prognostics and health management (PHM of the geared system is needed to improve effective gearbox fault detection tools.  PHM system allows less costly maintenance because it can inform operators of needed repairs before a fault causes collateral damage happens to the gearbox. In this article, time synchronous average (TSA technique and complex continuous wavelet analysis enhancement are used as gear fault detection approach. In the first step, extract the periodic waveform from the noisy measured signal is considered as The main value of Time synchronous averaging (TSA for gearbox signals analyses, where it allows the vibration signature of the gear under analysis to be separated from other gears and noise sources in the gearbox that are not synchronous with faulty gear. In the second step, the complex wavelet analysis is used in case of multi-faults in same gear. The signal phased-locked with the angular position of a shaft within the system is done. The main aims for this research is to improve the gear fault diagnosis and severity index determinations based on TSA  of measured signal for investigated passenger vehicle gearbox under different operation conditions. In addition to, correct the variations in shaft speed such that the spreading of spectral energy into an adjacent gear mesh bin helps in detecting the gear fault position (faulted tooth or teeth and improve the Root Mean Square (RMS, Kurtosis, and Peak Pulse as the sensitivity of severity indexes for maintenance, prognostics and health management (PHM purposes. The open loop test stand is equipped with two dynamometers and investigated vehicle gearbox of mid-size passenger car; the total power is taken-off from one side only. Reference Number: www.asrongo.org/doi:4.2016.1.1.6

Exercise training with weight loss and either a high- or low-glycemic index diet reduces metabolic syndrome severity in older adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malin, Steven K; Niemi, Nicole; Solomon, Thomas

2012-01-01

The efficacy of combining carbohydrate quality with exercise on metabolic syndrome risk is unclear. Thus, we determined the effects of exercise training with a low (LoGIx)- or high (HiGIx)-glycemic index diet on the severity of the metabolic syndrome (Z-score).......The efficacy of combining carbohydrate quality with exercise on metabolic syndrome risk is unclear. Thus, we determined the effects of exercise training with a low (LoGIx)- or high (HiGIx)-glycemic index diet on the severity of the metabolic syndrome (Z-score)....

Global Trends in Seasonality of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, 1982–2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Assaf Anyamba

2013-09-01

Full Text Available A 30-year series of global monthly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI imagery derived from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS NDVI3g archive was analyzed for the presence of trends in changing seasonality. Using the Seasonal Trend Analysis (STA procedure, over half (56.30% of land surfaces were found to exhibit significant trends. Almost half (46.10% of the significant trends belonged to three classes of seasonal trends (or changes. Class 1 consisted of areas that experienced a uniform increase in NDVI throughout the year, and was primarily associated with forested areas, particularly broadleaf forests. Class 2 consisted of areas experiencing an increase in the amplitude of the annual seasonal signal whereby increases in NDVI in the green season were balanced by decreases in the brown season. These areas were found primarily in grassland and shrubland regions. Class 3 was found primarily in the Taiga and Tundra biomes and exhibited increases in the annual summer peak in NDVI. While no single attribution of cause could be determined for each of these classes, it was evident that they are primarily found in natural areas (as opposed to anthropogenic land cover conversions and that they are consistent with climate-related ameliorations of growing conditions during the study period.

The impact of global warming on the Southern Oscillation Index

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Power, Scott B.; Kociuba, Greg [Bureau of Meteorology, Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Melbourne (Australia)

2011-11-15

The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) - a measure of air pressure difference across the Pacific Ocean, from Tahiti in the south-east to Darwin in the west - is one of the world's most important climatic indices. The SOI is used to track and predict changes in both the El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon, and the Walker Circulation (WC). During El Nino, for example, the WC weakens and the SOI tends to be negative. Climatic variations linked to changes in the WC have a profound influence on climate, ecosystems, agriculture, and societies in many parts of the world. Previous research has shown that (1) the WC and the SOI weakened in recent decades and that (2) the WC in climate models tends to weaken in response to elevated atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Here we examine changes in the SOI and air pressure across the Pacific in the observations and in numerous WCRP/CMIP3 climate model integrations for both the 20th and 21st centuries. The difference in mean-sea level air pressure (MSLP) between the eastern and western equatorial Pacific tends to weaken during the 21st century, consistent with previous research. Here we show that this primarily arises because of an increase in MSLP in the west Pacific and not a decline in the east. We also show, in stark contrast to expectations, that the SOI actually tends to increase during the 21st century, not decrease. Under global warming MSLP tends to increase at both Darwin and Tahiti, but tends to rise more at Tahiti than at Darwin. Tahiti lies in an extensive region where MSLP tends to rise in response to global warming. So while the SOI is an excellent indicator of interannual variability in both the equatorial MSLP gradient and the WC, it is a highly misleading indicator of long-term equatorial changes linked to global warming. Our results also indicate that the observed decline in the SOI in recent decades has been driven by natural, internally generated variability. The externally forced signal in the

Hourly distributions of the diffuse fraction of global solar irradiation in Cordoba (Spain)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Posadillo, R.; Lopez Luque, R. [Grupo de Investigacion de Fisica para las Energias y Recursos Renovables, Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada/UCO, Edificio C2 Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba (Spain)

2009-02-15

Hourly global irradiations on tilted planes are required for dimensioning PV systems. However, for most sites, only global irradiations on a horizontal plane are available, and, given that to calculate the global irradiation on inclined planes the first step is to determine the diffuse component and this is not collected, we have studied the behaviour of the diffuse component on an hourly basis. Most parametrization models for the derivation of hourly diffuse irradiance from hourly global irradiance involve the clearness index, a parameter that implicitly includes solar altitude. The present paper has focused on the possibility of also including ''mean solar altitude anti {alpha}'' explicitly as a parameter in addition to the clearness index. Several analytical models are proposed, validated and compared here, using solar data collected on our station located in Cordoba (Spain). (author)

Application of the Haines Index in the fire warning system

Science.gov (United States)

Kalin, Lovro; Marija, Mokoric; Tomislav, Kozaric

2016-04-01

Croatia, as all Mediterranean countries, is strongly affected by large wildfires, particularly in the coastal region. In the last two decades the number and intensity of fires has been significantly increased, which is unanimously associated with climate change, e.g. global warming. More extreme fires are observed, and the fire-fighting season has been expanded to June and September. The meteorological support for fire protection and planning is therefore even more important. At the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Croatia a comprehensive monitoring and warning system has been established. It includes standard components, such as short term forecast of Fire Weather Index (FWI), but long range forecast as well. However, due to more frequent hot and dry seasons, FWI index often does not provide additional information of extremely high fire danger, since it regularly takes the highest values for long periods. Therefore the additional tools have been investigated. One of widely used meteorological products is the Haines index (HI). It provides information of potential fire growth, taking into account only the vertical instability of the atmosphere, and not the state of the fuel. Several analyses and studies carried out at the Service confirmed the correlation of high HI values with large and extreme fires. The Haines index forecast has been used at the Service for several years, employing European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) global prediction model, as well as the limited-area Aladin model. The verification results show that these forecast are reliable, when compared to radiosonde measurements. All these results provided the introduction of the additional fire warnings, that are issued by the Service's Forecast Department.

Global lightning and severe storm monitoring from GPS orbit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suszcynsky, D. M. (David M.); Jacobson, A. R.; Linford, J (Justin); Pongratz, M. B. (Morris B.); Light, T. (Tracy E.); Shao, X. (Xuan-Min)

2004-01-01

Over the last few decades, there has been a growing interest to develop and deploy an automated and continuously operating satellite-based global lightning mapper [e.g. Christian et al., 1989; Weber et al., 1998; Suszcynsky et al., 2000]. Lightning is a direct consequence of the electrification and breakdown processes that take place during the convective stages of thunderstorm development. Satellite-based lightning mappers are designed to exploit this relationship by using lightning detection as a proxy for remotely identifying, locating and characterizing strong convective activity on a global basis. Global lightning and convection mapping promises to provide users with (1) an enhanced global severe weather monitoring and early warning capability [e.g. Weber et al., 1998] (2) improved ability to optimize aviation flight paths around convective cells, particularly over oceanic and remote regions that are not sufficiently serviced by existing weather radar [e.g. Weber et al., 1998], and (3) access to regional and global proxy data sets that can be used for scientific studies and as input into meteorological forecast and global climatology models. The physical foundation for satellite-based remote sensing of convection by way of lightning detection is provided by the basic interplay between the electrical and convective states of a thundercloud. It is widely believed that convection is a driving mechanism behind the hydrometeor charging and transport that produces charge separation and lightning discharges within thunderclouds [e.g. see chapter 3 in MacGorman and Rust, 1998]. Although cloud electrification and discharge processes are a complex function of the convective dynamics and microphysics of the cloud, the fundamental relationship between convection and electrification is easy to observe. For example, studies have shown that the strength of the convective process within a thundercell can be loosely parameterized (with large variance) by the intensity of the

Evaluating and Quantifying the Climate-Driven Interannual Variability in Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI3g) at Global Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Fanwei; Collatz, George James; Pinzon, Jorge E.; Ivanoff, Alvaro

2013-01-01

Satellite observations of surface reflected solar radiation contain informationabout variability in the absorption of solar radiation by vegetation. Understanding thecauses of variability is important for models that use these data to drive land surface fluxesor for benchmarking prognostic vegetation models. Here we evaluated the interannualvariability in the new 30.5-year long global satellite-derived surface reflectance index data,Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies normalized difference vegetation index(GIMMS NDVI3g). Pearsons correlation and multiple linear stepwise regression analyseswere applied to quantify the NDVI interannual variability driven by climate anomalies, andto evaluate the effects of potential interference (snow, aerosols and clouds) on the NDVIsignal. We found ecologically plausible strong controls on NDVI variability by antecedent precipitation and current monthly temperature with distinct spatial patterns. Precipitation correlations were strongest for temperate to tropical water limited herbaceous systemswhere in some regions and seasons 40 of the NDVI variance could be explained byprecipitation anomalies. Temperature correlations were strongest in northern mid- to-high-latitudes in the spring and early summer where up to 70 of the NDVI variance was explained by temperature anomalies. We find that, in western and central North America,winter-spring precipitation determines early summer growth while more recent precipitation controls NDVI variability in late summer. In contrast, current or prior wetseason precipitation anomalies were correlated with all months of NDVI in sub-tropical herbaceous vegetation. Snow, aerosols and clouds as well as unexplained phenomena still account for part of the NDVI variance despite corrections. Nevertheless, this study demonstrates that GIMMS NDVI3g represents real responses of vegetation to climate variability that are useful for global models.

Effects of glucocorticoid combined with antibiotics on serum infection indexes, acute phase proteins and stress hormones in patients with severe pneumonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Yu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To study the effects of glucocorticoid combined with antibiotics on serum infection indexes, acute phase proteins and stress hormones in patients with severe pneumonia. Methods: a total of 80 patients with severe pneumonia who were hospitalized between August 2014 and January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed and divided into the routine treatment group (n=46 who received conventional antibiotic therapy and the combined treatment group (n=34 who received glucocorticoid combined with antibiotic therapy, and the differences in infection indexes, acute proteins and stress hormones were compared between the two groups of patients before and after treatment. Results: The differences in serum levels of infection indexes, acute phase proteins and stress hormones were not statistically significant between the two groups before treatment. After 1 week of treatment, serum infection indexes CRP and PCT levels of observation group were lower than those of control group; serum acute phase proteins α1-AT, α1-AG and CER levels were lower than those of control group; serum stress hormones Cor, AngⅠ and AngⅡ levels were lower than those of control group. Conclusion: Glucocorticoid combined with antibiotics can effectively inhibit systemic infection and stress and optimize the illness in patients with severe pneumonia.

Development of a Global Evaporative Stress Index Based on Thermal and Microwave LST towards Improved Monitoring of Agricultural Drought

Science.gov (United States)

Hain, C.; Anderson, M. C.; Otkin, J.; Holmes, T. R.; Gao, F.

2017-12-01

This presentation will describe the development of a global agricultural monitoring tool, with a focus on providing early warning of developing vegetation stress for agricultural decision-makers and stakeholders at relatively high spatial resolution (5-km). The tool is based on remotely sensed estimates of evapotranspiration, retrieved via energy balance principals using observations of land surface temperature. The Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) represents anomalies in the ratio of actual-to-potential ET generated with the ALEXI surface energy balance model. The LST inputs to ESI have been shown to provide early warning information about the development of vegetation stress with stress-elevated canopy temperatures observed well before a decrease in greenness is detected in remotely sensed vegetation indices. As a diagnostic indicator of actual ET, the ESI requires no information regarding antecedent precipitation or soil moisture storage capacity - the current available moisture to vegetation is deduced directly from the remotely sensed LST signal. This signal also inherently accounts for both precipitation and non-precipitation related inputs/sinks to the plant-available soil moisture pool (e.g., irrigation) which can modify crop response to rainfall anomalies. Independence from precipitation data is a benefit for global agricultural monitoring applications due to sparseness in existing ground-based precipitation networks, and time delays in public reporting. Several enhancements to the current ESI framework will be addressed as requested from project stakeholders: (a) integration of "all-sky" MW Ka-band LST retrievals to augment "clear-sky" thermal-only ESI in persistently cloudy regions; (b) operational production of ESI Rapid Change Indices which provide important early warning information related to onset of actual vegetation stress; and (c) assessment of ESI as a predictor of global yield anomalies; initial studies have shown the ability of intra

TOMS/Earth-Probe Total Ozone Aerosol Index UV-Reflectivity UV-B Erythemal Irradiance Daily L3 Global 1x1.25 deg V008

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) version 8 daily global gridded data consist of total column ozone, aerosol index, Lambertian effective surface...

The relationship between the Nasality Severity Index 2.0 and perceptual judgments of hypernasality.

Science.gov (United States)

Bettens, Kim; De Bodt, Marc; Maryn, Youri; Luyten, Anke; Wuyts, Floris L; Van Lierde, Kristiane M

2016-01-01

The Nasality Severity Index 2.0 (NSI 2.0) forms a new, multiparametric approach in the identification of hypernasality. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between the NSI 2.0 scores and the perceptual assessment of hypernasality. Speech samples of 35 patients, representing a range of nasality from normal to severely hypernasal, were rated by four expert speech-language pathologists using visual analogue scaling (VAS) judging the degree of hypernasality, audible nasal airflow (ANA) and speech intelligibility. Inter- and intra-listener reliability was verified using intraclass correlation coefficients. Correlations between NSI 2.0 scores and its parameters (i.e. nasalance score of an oral text and vowel /u/, voice low tone to high tone ratio of the vowel /i/) and the degree of hypernasality were determined using Pearson correlation coefficients. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the possible influence of ANA and speech intelligibility on the NSI 2.0 scores. Overall good to excellent inter- and intra-listener reliability was found for the perceptual ratings. A moderate, but significant negative correlation between NSI 2.0 scores and perceived hypernasality (r=-0.64) was found, in which a more negative NSI 2.0 score indicates the presence of more severe hypernasality. No significant influence of ANA or intelligibility on the NSI 2.0 was observed based on the regression analysis. Because the NSI 2.0 correlates significantly with perceived hypernasality, it provides an easy-to-interpret severity score of hypernasality which will facilitate the evaluation of therapy outcomes, communication to the patient and other clinicians, and decisions for treatment planning, based on a multiparametric approach. However, research is still necessary to further explore the instrumental correlates of perceived hypernasality. The reader will be able to (1) describe and discuss current issues and influencing variables regarding perceptual

The Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index in Relation to Sunspot Number, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation Index, the Mauna Loa Atmospheric Concentration of CO2, and Anthropogenic Carbon Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Robert M.

2013-01-01

Global warming/climate change has been a subject of scientific interest since the early 19th century. In particular, increases in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) have long been thought to account for Earth's increased warming, although the lack of a dependable set of observational data was apparent as late as the mid 1950s. However, beginning in the late 1950s, being associated with the International Geophysical Year, the opportunity arose to begin accurate continuous monitoring of the Earth's atmospheric concentration of CO2. Consequently, it is now well established that the atmospheric concentration of CO2, while varying seasonally within any particular year, has steadily increased over time. Associated with this rising trend in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 is a rising trend in the surface-air and sea-surface temperatures (SSTs). This Technical Publication (TP) examines the statistical relationships between 10-year moving averages (10-yma) of the Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index (GLOTI), sunspot number (SSN), the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) index, and the Mauna Loa CO2 (MLCO2) index for the common interval 1964-2006, where the 10-yma values are used to indicate trends in the data. Scatter plots using the 10-yma values between GLOTI and each of the other parameters are determined, both as single-variate and multivariate fits. Scatter plots are also determined for MLCO2 using single-variate and bivariate (BV) fits, based on the GLOTI alone and the GLOTI in combination with the AMO index. On the basis of the inferred preferential fits for MLCO2, estimates for MLCO2 are determined for the interval 1885-1964, thereby yielding an estimate of the preindustrial level of atmospheric concentration of CO2. Lastly, 10-yma values of MLCO2 are compared against 10-yma estimates of the total carbon emissions (TCE) to determine the likelihood that manmade sources of carbon emissions are indeed responsible for the recent warming now

Analysis of changes in tornadogenesis conditions over Northern Eurasia based on a simple index of atmospheric convective instability

Science.gov (United States)

Chernokulsky, A. V.; Kurgansky, M. V.; Mokhov, I. I.

2017-12-01

A simple index of convective instability (3D-index) is used for analysis of weather and climate processes that favor to the occurrence of severe convective events including tornadoes. The index is based on information on the surface air temperature and humidity. The prognostic ability of the index to reproduce severe convective events (thunderstorms, showers, tornadoes) is analyzed. It is shown that most tornadoes in North Eurasia are characterized by high values of the 3D-index; furthermore, the 3D-index is significantly correlated with the available convective potential energy. Reanalysis data (for recent decades) and global climate model simulations (for the 21st century) show an increase in the frequency of occurrence of favorable for tornado formation meteorological conditions in the regions of Northern Eurasia. The most significant increase is found on the Black Sea coast and in the south of the Far East.

The effect of computer-mediated administration on self-disclosure of problems on the addiction severity index.

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Stephen F; Villapiano, Albert; Malinow, Andrew

2009-12-01

People tend to disclose more personal information when communication is mediated through the use of a computer. This study was conducted to examine the impact of this phenomenon on the way respondents answer questions during computer-mediated, self-administration of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) called the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version((R)) (ASI-MV((R))). A sample of 142 clients in substance abuse treatment was administered the ASI via an interviewer and the computerized ASI-MV((R)), three to five days apart in a counterbalanced order. Seven composite scores were compared between the two test administrations using paired t-tests. Post hoc analyses examined interviewer effects. Comparisons of composite scores for each of the domains between the face-to-face administered and computer-mediated, self-administered ASI revealed that significantly greater problem severity was reported by clients in five of the seven domains during administration of the computer-mediated, self-administered version compared to the trained interviewer version. Item analyses identified certain items as responsible for significant differences, especially those asking clients to rate need for treatment. All items that were significantly different between the two modes of administration revealed greater problem severity reported on the ASI-MV((R)) as compared to the interview administered assessment. Post hoc analyses yielded significant interviewer effects on four of the five domains where differences were observed. These data support a growing literature documenting a tendency for respondents to be more self-disclosing in a computer-mediated format over a face-to-face interview. Differences in interviewer skill in establishing rapport may account for these observations.

Global Ecosystem Response Types Derived from the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index and FPAR3g Series

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ivits, Eva; Horion, Stéphanie Marie Anne F; Fensholt, Rasmus

2014-01-01

Observing trends in global ecosystem dynamics is an important first step, but attributing these trends to climate variability represents a further step in understanding Earth system changes. In the present study, we classified global Ecosystem Response Types (ERTs) based on common spatio-temporal......Observing trends in global ecosystem dynamics is an important first step, but attributing these trends to climate variability represents a further step in understanding Earth system changes. In the present study, we classified global Ecosystem Response Types (ERTs) based on common spatio...... were observed in Asia and North America. These ERTs complement traditional pixel based methods by enabling the combined assessment of the location, timing, duration, frequency and severity of climatic and vegetation anomalies with the joint assessment of wetting and drying climatic conditions. The ERTs...

TOMS/Nimbus-7 Total Ozone Aerosol Index UV-Reflectivity UV-B Erythemal Irradiances Daily L3 Global 1x1.25 deg V008

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) version 8 Daily Gridded Data consist of daily, global coverage of total column ozone, aerosol index, Lambertian effective...

Reliability of the Emergency Severity Index: Meta-analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Mirhaghi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Although triage systems based on the Emergency Severity Index (ESI have many advantages in terms of simplicity and clarity, previous research has questioned their reliability in practice. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to determine the reliability of ESI triage scales. Methods: This metaanalysis was performed in March 2014. Electronic research databases were searched and articles conforming to the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies were selected. Two researchers independently examined selected abstracts. Data were extracted in the following categories: version of scale (latest/older, participants (adult/paediatric, raters (nurse, physician or expert, method of reliability (intra/inter-rater, reliability statistics (weighted/unweighted kappa and the origin and publication year of the study. The effect size was obtained by the Z-transformation of reliability coefficients. Data were pooled with random-effects models and a meta-regression was performed based on the method of moments estimator. Results: A total of 19 studies from six countries were included in the analysis. The pooled coefficient for the ESI triage scales was substantial at 0.791 (95% confidence interval: 0.787‒0.795. Agreement was higher with the latest and adult versions of the scale and among expert raters, compared to agreement with older and paediatric versions of the scales and with other groups of raters, respectively. Conclusion: ESI triage scales showed an acceptable level of overall reliability. However, ESI scales require more development in order to see full agreement from all rater groups. Further studies concentrating on other aspects of reliability assessment are needed.

Assessing global exposure and vulnerability towards natural hazards: the Disaster Risk Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Peduzzi

2009-07-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a model of factors influencing levels of human losses from natural hazards at the global scale, for the period 1980–2000. This model was designed for the United Nations Development Programme as a building stone of the Disaster Risk Index (DRI, which aims at monitoring the evolution of risk. Assessing what countries are most at risk requires considering various types of hazards, such as droughts, floods, cyclones and earthquakes. Before assessing risk, these four hazards were modelled using GIS and overlaid with a model of population distribution in order to extract human exposure. Human vulnerability was measured by crossing exposure with selected socio-economic parameters. The model evaluates to what extent observed past losses are related to population exposure and vulnerability. Results reveal that human vulnerability is mostly linked with country development level and environmental quality. A classification of countries is provided, as well as recommendations on data improvement for future use of the model.

Comparative studies of RNFL thickness measured by OCT with global index of visual fields in patients with ocular hypertension and early open angle glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergios Taliantzis

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Sergios Taliantzis, Dimitris Papaconstantinou, Chrysanthi Koutsandrea, Michalis Moschos, Michalis Apostolopoulos, Gerasimos GeorgopoulosAthens University Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Athens, GreecePurpose: To compare the functional changes in visual fields with optical coherence tomography (OCT findings in patients with ocular hypertension, open angle glaucoma, and suspected glaucoma. In addition, our purpose is to evaluate the correlation of global indices with the structural glaucomatous defect, to assess their statistical importance in all the groups of our study, and to estimate their validity to the clinical practice.Methods: One hundred sixty nine eyes (140 patients were enrolled. The patients were classified in three groups. Group 1 consisted of 54 eyes with ocular hypertension, group 2 of 42 eyes with preperimetric glaucoma, and group 3 of 73 eyes with chronic open angle glaucoma. All of them underwent ophthalmic examination according to a prefixed protocol, OCT exam (Stratus 3000 for retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL thickness measurement with fast RNFL thickness protocol and visual fields (VF examination with Octopus perimeter (G2 program, central 30–2 threshold strategy. Pearson correlation was calculated between RNFL thickness and global index of VF.Results: A moderate correlation between RNFL thickness and indices mean sensitivity (MS, mean defect (MD and loss variance (LV of VF (0.547, -0.582, -0.527, respectively; P < 0.001 was observed for all patients. Correlations of the ocular hypertension and preperimetric groups are weak. Correlation of RNFL thickness with global indices becomes stronger as the structural alterations become deeper in OCT exam. Correlation of RNFL thickness with the global index of VF, in respective segments around optic disk was also calculated and was found significant in the nasal, inferior, superior, and temporal segments.Conclusion: RNFL average thickness is not a reliable index for early

Association between Experience of Child Abuse and Severity of Drug Addiction Measured by the Addiction Severity Index among Japanese Drug-Dependent Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Ogai, Yasukazu; Senoo, Eiichi; Gardner, Fumiyuki Chin; Haraguchi, Ayako; Saito, Tamaki; Morita, Nobuaki; Ikeda, Kazutaka

2015-01-01

The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between child abuse experiences and drug addiction severity among Japanese drug-dependent patients using the Addiction Severity Index-Japanese version (ASI-J). One hundred and eleven inpatients and outpatients with drug dependence participated in the study. Some of the questions on the ASI-J asked about lifetime experiences of abuse. A higher percentage of female participants experienced child abuse compared with male participants. Male participants who experienced child abuse (MEA) had a significantly higher severity of drug use than men who did not experience it (MNEA). Female participants who experienced child abuse (FEA) had significantly more serious problems in family/social relationships than female participants who did not experience it (FNEA). Patients in the MEA group were arrested less frequently for drug charges, experienced more serious problems with their fathers, and experienced more severe anxiety in their lifetime compared with the MNEA group. The FEA group experienced more serious troubles with their sexual partners, close friends, and families and experienced more severe psychiatric problems in their lifetime compared with the FNEA group. These results suggest gender differences in the problems experienced by drug-dependent patients with child abuse experiences, and gender-specific interventions may be more effective in treating their drug dependence. PMID:25741639

Association between experience of child abuse and severity of drug addiction measured by the Addiction Severity Index among Japanese drug-dependent patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogai, Yasukazu; Senoo, Eiichi; Gardner, Fumiyuki Chin; Haraguchi, Ayako; Saito, Tamaki; Morita, Nobuaki; Ikeda, Kazutaka

2015-03-03

The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between child abuse experiences and drug addiction severity among Japanese drug-dependent patients using the Addiction Severity Index-Japanese version (ASI-J). One hundred and eleven inpatients and outpatients with drug dependence participated in the study. Some of the questions on the ASI-J asked about lifetime experiences of abuse. A higher percentage of female participants experienced child abuse compared with male participants. Male participants who experienced child abuse (MEA) had a significantly higher severity of drug use than men who did not experience it (MNEA). Female participants who experienced child abuse (FEA) had significantly more serious problems in family/social relationships than female participants who did not experience it (FNEA). Patients in the MEA group were arrested less frequently for drug charges, experienced more serious problems with their fathers, and experienced more severe anxiety in their lifetime compared with the MNEA group. The FEA group experienced more serious troubles with their sexual partners, close friends, and families and experienced more severe psychiatric problems in their lifetime compared with the FNEA group. These results suggest gender differences in the problems experienced by drug-dependent patients with child abuse experiences, and gender-specific interventions may be more effective in treating their drug dependence.

THE EVOLUTION OF ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION DURING THE CURRENT GLOBAL CRISIS

OpenAIRE

Sabina Tuca

2013-01-01

The current economic crisis constitutes a serious test for the process of globalization. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of the current global crisis on economic globalization. To assess the impact of the current crisis on economic globalization, this paper examines the KOF Index of Globalization, before and during the crisis. The findings generally support the idea that economic globalization has been, in fact, weakened, after the onset of the current crisis. However, t...

Food Insecurity and Mental Health Status: A Global Analysis of 149 Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Andrew D

2017-08-01

This study sought to determine the association of individual-level food insecurity (FI) with mental health status across all global regions. Cross-sectional data were analyzed in 2016 from the 2014 Gallup World Poll, a series of globally implemented, nationally representative surveys. FI was assessed using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale Survey Module for Individuals, an eight-question psychometric scale reporting individuals' experiences of FI. Individual-level composite indices of mental health, the Negative Experience Index and Positive Experience Index (0-100 scale), were calculated based on responses to five questions of respondents' recent negative and positive experiences, respectively, associated with depression and mental distress. The prevalence of any FI ranged from 18.3% in East Asia to 76.1% in Sub-Saharan Africa. In global analyses (149 countries) using adjusted multiple regression analyses, FI was associated in a dose-response fashion with poorer scores on the mental health indices (coefficient [95% CI]: Negative Experience Index: mild FI, 10.4 [9.5, 11.2]; moderate FI, 17.7 [16.4, 19.0]; severe FI, 24.5 [22.7, 26.3]; Positive Experience Index: mild FI, -8.3 [-9.3, -7.4]; moderate FI, -12.6 [-13.8, -11.3]; severe FI, -16.2 [-17.9, -14.5]). Within-region analyses (11 regions) consistently demonstrated the same trends. FI is associated with poorer mental health and specific psychosocial stressors across global regions independent of SES. The numerous pathways via which FI may contribute to common mental disorders, and the broad social implications of FI linked to cultural norms and self-efficacy, may contribute to the cross-cultural consistency of the findings. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis and Research on Several Global Subdivision Grids

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SONG Shuhua

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In order to solve the problem that lacking of an unified organization frame about global remote sensing satellite image data, this paper introduces serval global subdivision grids as the unified organization frame for remote sensing image. Based on the characteristics of remote sensing image data, this paper analyzes and summarizes the design principles and difficulties of the organization frame. Based on analysis and comparison with these grids, GeoSOT is more suitable as the unified organization frame for remote sensing image. To provide a reference for the global remote sensing image organization.

The WHO maternal near-miss approach and the maternal severity index model (MSI: tools for assessing the management of severe maternal morbidity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joao Paulo Souza

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To validate the WHO maternal near-miss criteria and develop a benchmark tool for severe maternal morbidity assessments. METHODS: In a multicenter cross-sectional study implemented in 27 referral maternity hospitals in Brazil, a one-year prospective surveillance on severe maternal morbidity and data collection was carried out. Diagnostic accuracy tests were used to assess the validity of the WHO maternal near-miss criteria. Binary logistic regression was used to model the death probability among women with severe maternal complications and benchmark the management of severe maternal morbidity. RESULTS: Of the 82,388 women having deliveries in the participating health facilities, 9,555 women presented pregnancy-related complications, including 140 maternal deaths and 770 maternal near misses. The WHO maternal near-miss criteria were found to be accurate and highly associated with maternal deaths (Positive likelihood ratio 106.8 (95% CI 99.56-114.6. The maternal severity index (MSI model was developed and found to able to describe the relationship between life-threatening conditions and mortality (Area under the ROC curve: 0.951 (95% CI 0.909-0.993. CONCLUSION: The identification of maternal near-miss cases using the WHO list of pregnancy-related life-threatening conditions was validated. The MSI model can be used as a tool for benchmarking the performance of health services managing women with severe maternal complications and provide case-mix adjustment.

Towards a Global Names Architecture: The future of indexing scientific names.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyle, Richard L

2016-01-01

For more than 250 years, the taxonomic enterprise has remained almost unchanged. Certainly, the tools of the trade have improved: months-long journeys aboard sailing ships have been reduced to hours aboard jet airplanes; advanced technology allows humans to access environments that were once utterly inaccessible; GPS has replaced crude maps; digital hi-resolution imagery provides far more accurate renderings of organisms that even the best commissioned artists of a century ago; and primitive candle-lit microscopes have been replaced by an array of technologies ranging from scanning electron microscopy to DNA sequencing. But the basic paradigm remains the same. Perhaps the most revolutionary change of all - which we are still in the midst of, and which has not yet been fully realized - is the means by which taxonomists manage and communicate the information of their trade. The rapid evolution in recent decades of computer database management software, and of information dissemination via the Internet, have both dramatically improved the potential for streamlining the entire taxonomic process. Unfortunately, the potential still largely exceeds the reality. The vast majority of taxonomic information is either not yet digitized, or digitized in a form that does not allow direct and easy access. Moreover, the information that is easily accessed in digital form is not yet seamlessly interconnected. In an effort to bring reality closer to potential, a loose affiliation of major taxonomic resources, including GBIF, the Encyclopedia of Life, NBII, Catalog of Life, ITIS, IPNI, ICZN, Index Fungorum, and many others have been crafting a "Global Names Architecture" (GNA). The intention of the GNA is not to replace any of the existing taxonomic data initiatives, but rather to serve as a dynamic index to interconnect them in a way that streamlines the entire taxonomic enterprise: from gathering specimens in the field, to publication of new taxa and related data.

The Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson's Disease: international validation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Martín, Pablo; Rodríguez-Blázquez, Carmen; Forjaz, Maria João; de Pedro, Jesús

2009-01-30

This study sought to provide further information about the psychometric properties of the Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson's Disease (CISI-PD), in a large, international, cross-culturally diverse sample. Six hundred and fourteen patients with PD participated in the study. Apart from the CISI-PD, assessments were based on Hoehn & Yahr (HY) staging, the Scales for Outcomes in PD-Motor (SCOPA-M), -Cognition (SCOPA-COG) and -Psychosocial (SCOPA-PS), the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The total CISI-PD score displayed no floor or ceiling effects. Internal consistency was 0.81, the test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.84, and item homogeneity was 0.52. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.07) confirmed CISI-PD's unifactorial structure. The CISI-PD showed adequate convergent validity with SCOPA-COG and SCOPA-M (r(S) = 0.46-0.85, respectively) and discriminative validity for HY stages and disease duration (P validation study, thus showing that the CISI-PD is a valid instrument to measure clinical impression of severity in PD. Its simplicity and easy application make it an attractive and useful tool for clinical practice and research.

Progress in Global Surveillance and Response Capacity 10 Years After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2013-04-10

Dr. Mike Miller reads an abridged version of the Emerging Infectious Diseases' synopsis, Progress in Global Surveillance and Response Capacity 10 Years after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.  Created: 4/10/2013 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 4/11/2013.

A study examining inter-rater and intrarater reliability of a novel instrument for assessment of psoriasis: the Copenhagen Psoriasis Severity Index.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berth-Jones, J.; Thompson, J.; Papp, K.

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is a perceived need for a better method for clinical assessment of the severity of psoriasis vulgaris. The most frequently used system is the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), which has significant disadvantages, including the requirement for assessment of the percentage of

The Effectiveness of Monetary Policy Towards Stock Index Case Study : Jakarta Islamic Index 2006-2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lak lak Nashat el Hasanah

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Fluctuation in economy situation is an important indicator for investor decision making. The investor actions are base on the minimum risk while having maximum profit. One of it is observing the condition of macro variables within monetary policy. This research aims to analyze the impact of inflation, money supply, exchange rate, and birate towards stock of jakarta islamic Index. The type data used is times series periode 2006-2014. Multiple linier regression with chow test and dummy variable approach to compare and to know the behavior of each independent variables. The result shows partially that birate and exchange rate negatively impact Jakarta Islamic Index before global monetary crisis in 2008, while inflation and money supply not that significantly impact. After global monetary crisis in 2008, partially, birate variable and money supply significantly giving positive influence to Jakarta Islamic Index, while at same time exchange rate and inflation are not significantly influencial. Simultaneously, inflation, money supply, exchange rate, and birate influence Jakarta islamic Index.

Severe malnutrition evaluated by patient-generated subjective global assessment results in poor outcome among adult patients with acute leukemia

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ji; Wang, Chang; Liu, Xiaoliang; Liu, Qiuju; Lin, Hai; Liu, Chunshui; Jin, Fengyan; Yang, Yan; Bai, Ou; Tan, Yehui; Gao, Sujun; Li, Wei

2018-01-01

Abstract To evaluate nutritional status in adult patients with acute leukemia (AL) using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to investigate the influence of nutritional status on prognosis. We observationally investigated 68 adult patients with newly diagnosed AL who received PG-SGA at the First Hospital of Jilin University between May 2013 and July 2015. Clinical features, chemotherapy regimens, biochemical indexes, body composition, complete remission (CR) rate, minimal residual disease (MRD), survival time, and side-effects of chemotherapy were compared between patients with and without severe malnutrition. Mean PG-SGA scores of the total patients were 6.1 ± 4.0, and 19 of 68 (27.9%) patients had severe malnutrition (PG-SGA score ≥9). Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) had higher scores than those with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL; P = .011) and high-risk patients had higher scores regardless of whether they had AML or ALL (AML, P = .012; ALL, P = .043). Univariate analysis showed that severe malnutrition was correlated with age (P = .041), transferrin (P = .042), Karnofsky Performance Status score (P = .006), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (P = .018). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that severe malnutrition was associated with CRP (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.020, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002–1.039, P = .026). No difference was found in CR rate (P = .831) between patients with and without malnutrition, but those who were severely malnourished had higher MRD (P = .048 in AML patients, P = .036 in ALL patients) and more gastrointestinal side-effects (P = .014). Severe malnutrition was also associated with inferior overall survival (HR = 0.243, 95% CI: 0.063–0.945, P = .041) but not with event-free survival (HR = 0.808, 95% CI: 0.338–1.934, P = .663). Severe malnutrition defined by PG-SGA in adult patients with de novo AL may result in poor outcome

Factor structure of the autonomy preference index in people with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonfils, Kelsey A; Adams, Erin L; Mueser, Kim T; Wright-Berryman, Jennifer L; Salyers, Michelle P

2015-08-30

People vary in the amount of control they want to exercise over decisions about their healthcare. Given the importance of patient-centered care, accurate measurement of these autonomy preferences is critical. This study aimed to assess the factor structure of the Autonomy Preference Index (API), used widely in general healthcare, in individuals with severe mental illness. Data came from two studies of people with severe mental illness (N=293) who were receiving mental health and/or primary care/integrated care services. Autonomy preferences were assessed with the API regarding both psychiatric and primary care services. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate fit of the hypothesized two-factor structure of the API (decision-making autonomy and information-seeking autonomy). Results indicated the hypothesized structure for the API did not adequately fit the data for either psychiatric or primary care services. Three problematic items were dropped, resulting in adequate fit for both types of treatment. These results suggest that with relatively minor modifications the API has an acceptable factor structure when asking people with severe mental illness about their preferences to be involved in decision-making. The modified API has clinical and research utility for this population in the burgeoning field of autonomy in patient-centered healthcare. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

3D Model Retrieval Based on Vector Quantisation Index Histograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Z M; Luo, H; Pan, J S

2006-01-01

This paper proposes a novel technique to retrieval 3D mesh models using vector quantisation index histograms. Firstly, points are sampled uniformly on mesh surface. Secondly, to a point five features representing global and local properties are extracted. Thus feature vectors of points are obtained. Third, we select several models from each class, and employ their feature vectors as a training set. After training using LBG algorithm, a public codebook is constructed. Next, codeword index histograms of the query model and those in database are computed. The last step is to compute the distance between histograms of the query and those of the models in database. Experimental results show the effectiveness of our method

Dysphonia Severity Index in Typically Developing Indian Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Pebbili, Gopi Kishore; Kidwai, Juhi; Shabnam, Srushti

2017-01-01

Dysphonia is a variation in an individual's quality, pitch, or loudness from the voice characteristics typical of a speaker of similar age, gender, cultural background, and geographic location. Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) is a recognized assessment tool based on a weighted combination of maximum phonation time, highest frequency, lowest intensity, and jitter (%) of an individual. Although dysphonia in adults is accurately evaluated using DSI, standard reference values for school-age children have not been studied. This study aims to document the DSI scores in typically developing children (8-12 years). A total of 42 typically developing children (8-12 years) without complaint of voice problem on the day of testing participated in the study. DSI was computed by substituting the raw scores of substituent parameters: maximum phonation time, highest frequency, lowest intensity, and jitter% using various modules of CSL 4500 software. The average DSI values obtained in children were 2.9 (1.23) and 3.8 (1.29) for males and females, respectively. DSI values are found to be significantly higher (P = 0.027) for females than those for males in Indian children. This could be attributed to the anatomical and behavioral differences among females and males. Further, pubertal changes set in earlier for females approximating an adult-like physiology, thereby leading to higher DSI values in them. The mean DSI value obtained for male and female Indian children can be used as a preliminary reference data against which the DSI values of school-age children with dysphonia can be compared. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

TST, as a polysomnographic variable, is superior to the apnea hypopnea index for evaluating intermittent hypoxia in severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao-Bin; Zen, Hui-Qing; Lin, Qi-Chang; Chen, Gong-Ping; Chen, Li-Da; Chen, Hua

2014-10-01

The polysomnography (PSG) index of the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) is considered the 'gold standard' for stratifying the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, AHI cannot reflect the true characteristic of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), which may trigger systemic inflammation in some OSA patients. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is considered a biomarker of systemic inflammation in OSA patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between PSG variables and hsCRP in men with severe OSA. Men with severe OSA (AHI ≥ 30 events/h) diagnosed by PSG were enrolled. AHI and body mass index were matched between a high hsCRP group (hsCRP ≥ 3.0 mg/L) and a low hsCRP group. A blood sample was taken for serum hsCRP analysis. Multiple regression analysis was performed to assess independent predictors of high hsCRP. One hundred and fifty-two subjects were enrolled in the study (76 in each group). Mean serum hsCRP was 3.76 ± 2.13 mg/L. The mean percentage of total sleep time spent with SaO2 hypoxia variables.

Prediction of massive bleeding. Shock index and modified shock index.

Science.gov (United States)

Terceros-Almanza, L J; García-Fuentes, C; Bermejo-Aznárez, S; Prieto-Del Portillo, I J; Mudarra-Reche, C; Sáez-de la Fuente, I; Chico-Fernández, M

2017-12-01

To determine the predictive value of the Shock Index and Modified Shock Index in patients with massive bleeding due to severe trauma. Retrospective cohort. Severe trauma patient's initial attention at the intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital. Patients older than 14 years that were admitted to the hospital with severe trauma (Injury Severity Score >15) form January 2014 to December 2015. We studied the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive and negative predictive value (PV+ and PV-), positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR+ and LR-), ROC curves (Receiver Operating Characteristics) and the area under the same (AUROC) for prediction of massive hemorrhage. 287 patients were included, 76.31% (219) were male, mean age was 43,36 (±17.71) years and ISS was 26 (interquartile range [IQR]: 21-34). The overall frequency of massive bleeding was 8.71% (25). For Shock Index: AUROC was 0.89 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.84 to 0.94), with an optimal cutoff at 1.11, Se was 91.3% (95% CI: 73.2 to 97.58) and Sp was 79.69% (95% CI: 74.34 to 84.16). For the Modified Shock Index: AUROC was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86 to 0.95), with an optimal cutoff at 1.46, Se was 95.65% (95% CI: 79.01 to 99.23) and Sp was 75.78% (95% CI: 70.18 to 80.62). Shock Index and Modified Shock Index are good predictors of massive bleeding and could be easily incorporated to the initial workup of patients with severe trauma. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

Association between Experience of Child Abuse and Severity of Drug Addiction Measured by the Addiction Severity Index among Japanese Drug-Dependent Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasukazu Ogai

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between child abuse experiences and drug addiction severity among Japanese drug-dependent patients using the Addiction Severity Index-Japanese version (ASI-J. One hundred and eleven inpatients and outpatients with drug dependence participated in the study. Some of the questions on the ASI-J asked about lifetime experiences of abuse. A higher percentage of female participants experienced child abuse compared with male participants. Male participants who experienced child abuse (MEA had a significantly higher severity of drug use than men who did not experience it (MNEA. Female participants who experienced child abuse (FEA had significantly more serious problems in family/social relationships than female participants who did not experience it (FNEA. Patients in the MEA group were arrested less frequently for drug charges, experienced more serious problems with their fathers, and experienced more severe anxiety in their lifetime compared with the MNEA group. The FEA group experienced more serious troubles with their sexual partners, close friends, and families and experienced more severe psychiatric problems in their lifetime compared with the FNEA group. These results suggest gender differences in the problems experienced by drug-dependent patients with child abuse experiences, and gender-specific interventions may be more effective in treating their drug dependence.

Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moesgaard Iburg, Kim

2018-01-01

used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) to assess personal health-care access and quality with the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index for 195 countries and territories, as well as subnational locations in seven countries, from 1990 to 2016. Methods...... and quality from underlying risk factor patterns, we risk-standardised cause-specific deaths due to non-cancers by location-year, replacing the local joint exposure of environmental and behavioural risks with the global level of exposure. Supported by the expansion of cancer registry data in GBD 2016, we used......·0 (14·3–23·7) in Somalia, and 23·4 (20·2–26·8) in Guinea-Bissau. The pace of progress achieved between 1990 and 2016 varied, with markedly faster improvements occurring between 2000 and 2016 for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia, whereas several countries in Latin America...

New approaches for calculating Moran's index of spatial autocorrelation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yanguang

2013-01-01

Spatial autocorrelation plays an important role in geographical analysis; however, there is still room for improvement of this method. The formula for Moran's index is complicated, and several basic problems remain to be solved. Therefore, I will reconstruct its mathematical framework using mathematical derivation based on linear algebra and present four simple approaches to calculating Moran's index. Moran's scatterplot will be ameliorated, and new test methods will be proposed. The relationship between the global Moran's index and Geary's coefficient will be discussed from two different vantage points: spatial population and spatial sample. The sphere of applications for both Moran's index and Geary's coefficient will be clarified and defined. One of theoretical findings is that Moran's index is a characteristic parameter of spatial weight matrices, so the selection of weight functions is very significant for autocorrelation analysis of geographical systems. A case study of 29 Chinese cities in 2000 will be employed to validate the innovatory models and methods. This work is a methodological study, which will simplify the process of autocorrelation analysis. The results of this study will lay the foundation for the scaling analysis of spatial autocorrelation.

New approaches for calculating Moran's index of spatial autocorrelation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanguang Chen

Full Text Available Spatial autocorrelation plays an important role in geographical analysis; however, there is still room for improvement of this method. The formula for Moran's index is complicated, and several basic problems remain to be solved. Therefore, I will reconstruct its mathematical framework using mathematical derivation based on linear algebra and present four simple approaches to calculating Moran's index. Moran's scatterplot will be ameliorated, and new test methods will be proposed. The relationship between the global Moran's index and Geary's coefficient will be discussed from two different vantage points: spatial population and spatial sample. The sphere of applications for both Moran's index and Geary's coefficient will be clarified and defined. One of theoretical findings is that Moran's index is a characteristic parameter of spatial weight matrices, so the selection of weight functions is very significant for autocorrelation analysis of geographical systems. A case study of 29 Chinese cities in 2000 will be employed to validate the innovatory models and methods. This work is a methodological study, which will simplify the process of autocorrelation analysis. The results of this study will lay the foundation for the scaling analysis of spatial autocorrelation.

Psoriasis area severity index (pasi) and the dermatology life quality index (dlqi): the correlation between disease severity and quality of life in patients of psoriasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.A.; Shaikh, Z.I.

2017-01-01

To determine the correlation between Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in patients of psoriasis. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Both outdoor and indoor patients of Dermatology Department, Military Hospital (MH) Rawalpindi for duration of 6 months i.e. from 6th Oct 2014 to 5th Apr 2014 were selected. Material and Methods: A total of 155 patients of chronic plaque psoriasis diagnosed clinically, ranging from 20 to 80 years of age and of either gender were included in the study. A careful history and clinical examination was done and for each case PASI and DLQI were calculated and registered in the designed proforma. Data were entered and analyzed in SPSS version-17.0. Mean and standard deviations were calculated for quantitative variables like age, PASI and DLQI. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for qualitative variables like gender. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) (+1,-1) was calculated between mean PASI and mean DLQI. A p-value <0.05 was considered as significant. Stratification was done for age and gender and post stratification correlation was calculated. Results: Out of 155 patients studied, 110 (70.97%) were males and 45 (29.03%) were females. Ages of the patients ranged from 20-80 years (mean age 49.5 +- 15.6 years). Mean PASI score was 27.92 +- 5.83 and DLQ1 was 11.46 +- 4.22. The value of Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was 0.1324 which showed weak correlation between PASI and DLQ1 with p-value of 0.100. Weak correlation (r=-0.3394) in age 51-80 years while very weak correlation (r=-0.0651) in age 20-50 years was noted. PASI and DLQ1 showed weak correlation in males (r=0.132) and in females (r=0.461). Conclusion: This study concluded that there is a weak correlation between PASI and DLQI.

Neutrophil to Lymphocyte and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratios Are More Effective than the Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index for Predicting Poor Prognosis in Fournier's Gangrene.

Science.gov (United States)

Yim, Sang Un; Kim, Sun Woo; Ahn, Ji Hoon; Cho, Yang Hyun; Chung, Hoseok; Hwang, Eu Chang; Yu, Ho Song; Oh, Kyung Jin; Kim, Sun-Ouck; Jung, Seung Il; Kang, Taek Won; Kwon, Dong Deuk; Park, Kwangsung

2016-04-01

We investigated the value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as markers of mortality in patients with Fournier's gangrene. Records from 62 patients treated for Fournier's gangrene between 2003 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Data were collected regarding medical history, symptoms, physical examination findings, admission laboratory tests, and the extent of body surface area involved (%). Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index score, NLR, and PLR were calculated. The data were assessed separately for surviving and deceased patients. Of the 62 patients, 36 survived (58%, group 1) and 26 died (42%, group 2). Parameters that were statistically different between the two groups (p Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index score, and admission laboratory parameters, including body temperature, heart rate, bicarbonate, albumin, and serum calcium. The average body surface area affected in group 2 was statistically different from that of group 1 (6.0% versus 2.3%, p = 0.001). A high Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index score (>9), high NLR (>8), and high PLR (>140) were associated more frequently with group 2 patients. Multivariable regression analysis showed that high NLR (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-17.3; p = 0.022) and high PLR (adjusted OR, 11.6; 95% CI, 2.7-49.5; p = 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for poor prognosis from Fournier's gangrene. However, the Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index score did not shown any statistically significant effect on mortality (p = 0.086). The Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index scoring system was not associated with determining poor prognosis, however, high NLR and high PLR were associated with predictors of mortality in patients with Fournier's gangrene.

Validation of exhaled volatile organic compounds analysis using electronic nose as index of COPD severity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Finamore P

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Panaiotis Finamore,1 Claudio Pedone,1 Simone Scarlata,1 Alessandra Di Paolo,1 Simone Grasso,2 Marco Santonico,2 Giorgio Pennazza,2 Raffaele Antonelli Incalzi1 1Unit of Geriatrics, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Rome, Italy; 2Unit of Electronics for Sensor Systems, Campus Bio-Medico di Roma University, Rome, Italy Aim: Six-minute walking test distance (6MWD and body mass index, obstruction, dyspnea and exercise (BODE index are measures of functional status in COPD patients, but require space, time and patient’s compliance. Exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs analysis via electronic nose is a quick and easy method that has already been used to discriminate COPD phenotypes. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether VOCs analysis can predict functional status and its variation over time in COPD patients.Methods: A monocentric prospective study with 1 year of follow-up was carried out. All patients underwent pulmonary function tests, arterial gas analysis, bioimpedance analysis, 6-minute walking test, and VOCs collection. Exhaled breath was collected with Pneumopipe® and analyzed using BIONOTE electronic nose. Outcomes prediction was performed by k-fold cross-validated partial least square discriminant analysis: accuracy, sensitivity and specificity as well as Cohen’s kappa for agreement were calculated.Results: We enrolled 63 patients, 60.3% men, with a mean age of 71 (SD: 8 years, median BODE index of 1 (interquartile range: 0–3 and mean 6MWD normalized by squared height (n6MWD of 133.5 (SD: 42 m/m2. The BIONOTE predicted baseline BODE score (dichotomized as BODE score <3 or ≥3 with an accuracy of 86% and quartiles of n6MWD with an accuracy of 79%. n6MWD decline more than the median value after 1 year was predicted with an accuracy of 86% by BIONOTE, 52% by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD class and 78% by combined BIONOTE and GOLD class.Conclusion: Exhaled VOCs analysis identifies classes of BODE

Role of bedside index for severity of acute pancreatitis (bisap score in predicting outcome in acute pancreatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahnawaz Bashir Bhat

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the role of Bedside index for severity of acute pancreatitis (BISAP score in predicting the outcome of acute pancreatitis. Methods: This single hospital based prospective study included fifty patients of acute pancreatitis admitted within 48 hours of onset of symptoms, who were divided into two groups according to admission BISAP score. BISAP score 3 (severe acute pancreatitis. The ability of BISAP score to predict mortality, morbidity and hospital stay in acute pancreatitis patients was analyzed. Results: A BISAP score of >3 was associated with increased risk of development of transient organ failure, persistent organ failure and pancreatic necrosis (Statistically significant. Mortality in group with BISAP and #8805;3 was 23.5% (4 patients which was statistically higher than group with BISAP score and #706;3 (0 patients (p=0.019.The mean duration of hospital stay of patients in group with BISAP score < 3 was 7.58 +/- 4.04 days and in group with BISAP score and #8805;3 was 15.35 +/- 1.66.(p=0.02. Conclusion: Bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP score, at admission is an excellent score in predicting the mortality, morbidity and hospital stay and hence management protocol in patients admitted with acute pancreatitis. [J Contemp Med 2015; 5(4.000: 215-220

Building and verifying a severity prediction model of acute pancreatitis (AP) based on BISAP, MEWS and routine test indexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jiang-Feng; Zhao, Yu-Xin; Ju, Jian; Wang, Wei

2017-10-01

To discuss the value of the Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP), Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), serum Ca2+, similarly hereinafter, and red cell distribution width (RDW) for predicting the severity grade of acute pancreatitis and to develop and verify a more accurate scoring system to predict the severity of AP. In 302 patients with AP, we calculated BISAP and MEWS scores and conducted regression analyses on the relationships of BISAP scoring, RDW, MEWS, and serum Ca2+ with the severity of AP using single-factor logistics. The variables with statistical significance in the single-factor logistic regression were used in a multi-factor logistic regression model; forward stepwise regression was used to screen variables and build a multi-factor prediction model. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was constructed, and the significance of multi- and single-factor prediction models in predicting the severity of AP using the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was evaluated. The internal validity of the model was verified through bootstrapping. Among 302 patients with AP, 209 had mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) and 93 had severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). According to single-factor logistic regression analysis, we found that BISAP, MEWS and serum Ca2+ are prediction indexes of the severity of AP (P-value0.05). The multi-factor logistic regression analysis showed that BISAP and serum Ca2+ are independent prediction indexes of AP severity (P-value0.05); BISAP is negatively related to serum Ca2+ (r=-0.330, P-valuemodel is as follows: ln()=7.306+1.151*BISAP-4.516*serum Ca2+. The predictive ability of each model for SAP follows the order of the combined BISAP and serum Ca2+ prediction model>Ca2+>BISAP. There is no statistical significance for the predictive ability of BISAP and serum Ca2+ (P-value>0.05); however, there is remarkable statistical significance for the predictive ability using the newly built prediction model as well as BISAP

THE NONLINEAR IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON CORRUPTION

OpenAIRE

Jayoti Das; Cassandra DiRienzo

2009-01-01

Some researchers have argued that globalization has increased the opportunity for corrupt practices, while others state that globalization has lead to a decrease in corruption as countries wishing to join the global economy must comply with international anti-corruption rules and regulations. This study empirically explores this paradox using the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and the Konjunkturforschungsstelle (KOF) globalization Index. The results suggest that a nonlinear relationship e...

CO_2 emissions reduction of Chinese light manufacturing industries: A novel RAM-based global Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emrouznejad, Ali; Yang, Guo-liang

2016-01-01

Climate change has become one of the most challenging issues facing the world. Chinese government has realized the importance of energy conservation and prevention of the climate changes for sustainable development of China's economy and set targets for CO_2 emissions reduction in China. In China industry contributes 84.2% of the total CO_2 emissions, especially manufacturing industries. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity (MP) index are the widely used mathematical techniques to address the relative efficiency and productivity of a group of homogenous decision making units, e.g. industries or countries. However, in many real applications, especially those related to energy efficiency, there are often undesirable outputs, e.g. the pollutions, waste and CO_2 emissions, which are produced inevitably with desirable outputs in the production. This paper introduces a novel Malmquist–Luenberger productivity (MLP) index based on directional distance function (DDF) to address the issue of productivity evolution of DMUs in the presence of undesirable outputs. The new RAM (Range-adjusted measure)-based global MLP index has been applied to evaluate CO_2 emissions reduction in Chinese light manufacturing industries. Recommendations for policy makers have been discussed. - Highlights: •CO_2 emissions reduction in Chinese light manufacturing industries are measured. •A novel RAM based Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index has been developed. •Recommendation to policy makers for reducing CO_2 reduction in China are given.

Cardiff acne disability index in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yap, Felix Boon-Bin

2012-05-01

Acne is considered a cosmetic nuisance in Malaysia since no insurance coverage is provided for its treatment. Its psychological impact is unknown. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of acne on quality of life and its relationship with severity. A cross-sectional study using the Cardiff acne disability index (CADI) and Global Acne Grading System for acne severity grading was done in three government-run dermatology clinics in Sarawak, Malaysia. The study cohort of 200 patients had a mean CADI score of 5.1. Most of the patients (59.5%) had mild CADI impairment, with the domain of feelings most affected. Patients with a family income 0.05). The correlation between CADI and mild acne severity was low (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.35; pSarawak was moderate and must be addressed. It should be viewed as a psychologically disabling disease requiring optimal management and resource allocation.

The Gait Deviation Index Is Associated with Hip Muscle Strength and Patient-Reported Outcome in Patients with Severe Hip Osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenlund, Signe; Holsgaard-Larsen, Anders; Overgaard, Søren

2016-01-01

) and with severe primary hip osteoarthritis underwent 3-dimensional gait analysis. Mean Gait Deviation Index, pain after walking and maximal isometric hip muscle strength (flexor, extensor, and abductor) were recorded. All patients completed the 'Physical Function Short-form of the Hip disability...... was to investigate associations between Gait Deviation Index as a measure of gait 'quality' and hip muscle strength and between Gait Deviation Index and patient-reported outcomes in patients with primary hip osteoarthritis. METHOD: Forty-seven patients (34 males), aged 61.1 ± 6.7 years, with BMI 27.3 ± 3.4 (kg/m2...... and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS-Physical Function) and the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales for pain (HOOS-Pain) and quality-of-life (HOOS-QOL). RESULTS: Mean Gait Deviation Index was positively associated with hip abduction strength (pstrength (p = 0...

Impact of Hospital Variables on Case Mix Index as a Marker of Disease Severity

Science.gov (United States)

Mendez, Carmen M.; Harrington, Darrell W.; Christenson, Peter

2014-01-01

Abstract Case mix index (CMI) has become a standard indicator of hospital disease severity in the United States and internationally. However, CMI was designed to calculate hospital payments, not to track disease severity, and is highly dependent on documentation and coding accuracy. The authors evaluated whether CMI varied by characteristics affecting hospitals' disease severity (eg, trauma center or not). The authors also evaluated whether CMI was lower at public hospitals than private hospitals, given the diminished financial resources to support documentation enhancement at public hospitals. CMI data for a 14-year period from a large public database were analyzed longitudinally and cross-sectionally to define the impact of hospital variables on average CMI within and across hospital groups. Between 1996 and 2007, average CMI declined by 0.4% for public hospitals, while rising significantly for private for-profit (14%) and nonprofit (6%) hospitals. After the introduction of the Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) system in 2007, average CMI increased for all 3 hospital types but remained lowest in public vs. private for-profit or nonprofit hospitals (1.05 vs. 1.25 vs. 1.20; P<0.0001). By multivariate analysis, teaching hospitals, level 1 trauma centers, and larger hospitals had higher average CMI, consistent with a marker of disease severity, but only for private hospitals. Public hospitals had lower CMI across all subgroups. Although CMI had some characteristics of a disease severity marker, it was lower across all strata for public hospitals. Hence, caution is warranted when using CMI to adjust for disease severity across public vs. private hospitals. (Population Health Management 2014;17:28–34) PMID:23965045

How Do We Capture "Global Specialization" When Measuring Firms' Degree of Internationalization?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Geisler Asmussen, Christian; Pedersen, Torben; Petersen, Bent

The IB literature informs us of several ways to measure firms' degree of internationalization. In this paper we make the argument that in fact none of the existing indices really measure firms' degree of "global specialization", that is, to what extent their allocation of resources is multidomestic...... or global. As argued, all the existing measures may gauge a purely multidomestic firm as having a high degree of internationalization, whereas a truly global firm may be ranked low. In order to remedy this we introduce a complementary index measuring how firms are configuring their value chains - whether...

HURRICANE AND SEVERE STORM SENTINEL (HS3) GLOBAL HAWK HIGH ALTITUDE MMIC SOUNDING RADIOMETER (HAMSR) V1

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) Global Hawk High Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer (HAMSR) datasets include measurements gathered by the HAMSR...

The EIT-based global inhomogeneity index is highly correlated with regional lung opening in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zhanqi; Pulletz, Sven; Frerichs, Inéz; Müller-Lisse, Ullrich; Möller, Knut

2014-02-06

The electrical impedance tomography (EIT)-based global inhomogeneity (GI) index was introduced to quantify tidal volume distribution within the lung. Up to now, the GI index was evaluated for plausibility but the analysis of how it is influenced by various physiological factors is still missing. The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of proportion of open lung regions measured by EIT on the GI index. A constant low-flow inflation maneuver was performed in 18 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients (58 ± 14 years, mean age ± SD) and 8 lung-healthy patients (41 ± 12 years) under controlled mechanical ventilation. EIT raw data were acquired at 25 scans/s and reconstructed offline. Recruited lung regions were identified as those image pixels of the lung regions within the EIT scans where local impedance amplitudes exceeded 10% of the maximum amplitude during the maneuver. A series of GI indices was calculated during mechanical lung inflation, based on the differential images obtained between different time points. Respiratory system elastance (Ers) values were calculated at 10 lung volume levels during low-flow maneuver. The GI index decreased during low-flow inflation, while the percentage of open lung regions increased. The values correlated highly in both ARDS (r2 = 0.88 ± 0.08, p EIT. The GI index may prove to be a useful EIT-based index to guide ventilation therapy.

Globalization and Gender Equality in Developing Countries

OpenAIRE

Niklas Potrafke; Heinrich Ursprung

2011-01-01

This study empirically assesses the influence of globalization on the institutional root causes of gender equality as measured by the new OECD Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI). We capture the multifaceted concept of globalization with the KOF index and its three sub-indices which measure the economic, social and political dimensions of globalization. Observing the progress of globalization for a sample of almost one hundred countries at ten year intervals starting in 1970, we find ...

Proposal of a service delivery integration index of home care for older persons: application in several European cities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Claude Henrard

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To propose an integration index of home care delivery to older persons, to study its validity and to apply it to home care services of European cities. Theory: Home care delivery integration was based on two dimensions referring to process-centred integration and organisational structure approach. Method: Items considered as part of both dimensions according to an expert consensus (face validity were extracted from a standardised questionnaire used in “Aged in Home care” (AdHoc study to capture basic characteristics of home care services. Their summation leads to a services' delivery integration index. This index was applied to AdHoc services. A factor analysis was computed in order to empirically test the validity of the theoretical constructs. The plot of the settings was performed. Results: Application of the index ranks home care services in four groups according to their score. Factor analysis identifies a first factor which opposes working arrangement within service to organisational structure bringing together provisions for social care. A second factor corresponds to basic nursing care and therapies. Internal consistency for those three domains ranges from 0.78 to 0.93. When plotting the different settings different models of service delivery appear. Conclusion: The proposed index shows that behind a total score several models of care delivery are hidden. Comparison of service delivery integration should take into account this heterogeneity.

Global oncofertility index-data gap slows progress

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roo, S.F. de; Rashedi, A.S.; Beerendonk, C.C.M.; Anazodo, A.; Man, A.M. de; Nelen, W.L.D.M.; Woodruff, T.K.

2017-01-01

The number of pediatric and young adult cancer survivors is increasing globally due to earlier diagnostics and expansion of targeted chemo- and biological-based therapeutics. As a consequence, cancer-related infertility and reproductive hormone loss is of increasing concern for both male and female

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 501 - 550 of 913 ... Vol 10, No 1 (2018), Modeling and comparison of IP and fuzzy-pi ... Modeling the potential impacts of global climate change in Bangladesh: An optimal ... Vol 9, No 4S (2017): Special Issue, New flood risk index in tropical ...

Predictors of severity and outcome of global developmental delay without definitive etiologic yield: a prospective observational study

OpenAIRE

Thomaidis, Loretta; Zantopoulos, Georgios Zacharias; Fouzas, Sotirios; Mantagou, Lito; Bakoula, Chryssa; Konstantopoulos, Andreas

2014-01-01

Background Although several determinants of global developmental delay (GDD) have been recognized, a significant number of children remain without definitive etiologic diagnosis. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of various prenatal and perinatal factors on the severity and outcome of developmental delay without definitive etiologic yield. Methods From March 2008 to February 2010, 142 children with developmental quotient (DQ)

Gender differences in addiction severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Mesa, Eva M; García-Portilla, Paz; Fernández-Artamendi, Sergio; Sáiz, Pilar A; Bobes Bascarán, Teresa; Casares, María José; Fonseca, Eduardo; Al-Halabí, Susana; Bobes, Julio

2016-06-14

Gender has been associated with substance use disorders (SUD). However, there are few studies that have evaluated gender differences in a global and a standardized way, and with a large sample of patients with SUD. Our goal is to analyze the role of gender in addiction severity throughout multiple life domains, using the Addiction Severity Index-6 (ASI-6). A naturalistic, multicenter and prospective study was conducted. A total of 221 patients with SUD (80.1% men) were interviewed with the ASI-6. Our results indicate that the Recent Summary Scores (RSSs) of men and women are similar, with the exception of Psychiatric and Partner- Problems, where women showed higher severity (p = .017 and p = .013, respectively). Statistically significant gender differences were found in certain aspects of the ASI-6 domains: men have more problems of physical health, legal issues, and alcohol and other substance use; and woman score higher in problems of mental health, social network, subjective evaluations of SUD consequences, and treatment needs. These results should be taken into account to improve the identification, prevention, and treatment of SUD.

Body mass index is a poor predictor of malnutrition in hospitalized ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: Comparison between Subjective Global Assessment and Body Mass Index to determine the nutritional status in patients admitted in an Internal Medicine Service. Methods: Prospective, longitudinal,observational study of a population of 152 patients,using the Subjective Global Assessment and Body Mass Index.

Global Update and Trends of Hidden Hunger, 1995-2011: The Hidden Hunger Index.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie C Ruel-Bergeron

Full Text Available Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals-also termed hidden hunger-are pervasive and hold negative consequences for the cognitive and physical development of children.This analysis evaluates the change in hidden hunger over time in the form of one composite indicator-the Hidden Hunger Index (HHI-using an unweighted average of prevalence estimates from the Nutrition Impact Model Study for anemia due to iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and stunting (used as a proxy indicator for zinc deficiency. Net changes from 1995-2011 and population weighted regional means for various time periods are measured.Globally, hidden hunger improved (-6.7 net change in HHI from 1995-2011. Africa was the only region to see a deterioration in hidden hunger (+1.9 over the studied time period; East Asia and the Pacific performed exceptionally well (-13.0, while other regions improved only slightly. Improvements in HHI were mostly due to reductions in zinc and vitamin A deficiencies, while anemia due to iron deficiency persisted and even increased.This analysis is critical for informing and tracking the impact of policy and programmatic efforts to reduce micronutrient deficiencies, to advance the global nutrition agenda, and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs. However, there remains an unmet need to invest in gathering frequent, nationally representative, high-quality micronutrient data as we renew our efforts to scale up nutrition, and as we enter the post-2015 development agenda.Preparation of this manuscript was funded by Sight and Life. There was no funding involved in the study design, data collection, analysis, or decision to publish.

Visceral adiposity index as a predictor of clinical severity and therapeutic outcome of PCOS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Sai-Hua; Li, Xue-Lian

2016-01-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine-metabolic disease which often accompany with abnormal fat distribution. Visceral adiposity has association with abnormal lipid metabolic, pro-inflammatory activity, insulin resistance (IR) and hyperandrogenism. Increased visceral adiposity raises the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular (CV) events, and aggravates ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenism in PCOS women. Visceral adiposity index (VAI), a simple surrogate maker of visceral adipose dysfunction and visceral adiposity, is a predictor of IR, and link hyperinsulinemia, hyperandrogenism and anovulation. This review aims to discuss the visceral adiposity situation in PCOS women, and suggests that VAI may be a useful predictor of clinical severity and therapeutic outcome of PCOS.

Total skin clearance results in improvements in health-related quality of life and reduced symptom severity among patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanathan, Hema N; Chau, Dina; Milmont, Cassandra E; Yang, Wenjjing; Erondu, Ngozi; Revicki, Dennis A; Klekotka, Paul

2015-06-01

Newer therapies provide high levels of skin clearance in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. However, insufficient evidence exists on the impact of total skin clearance from the patient's perspective. To examine effects of total skin clearance on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psoriasis symptom severity in subjects with moderate to severe psoriasis. Pooled data from a phase 2 dose-ranging trial in psoriasis using brodalumab (antibody to interleukin-17 receptor A) were used to compare subjects with static physician global assessment (sPGA) 1 versus sPGA 0 and subjects with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 75 to Quality Index (DLQI = 0) and no psoriasis symptoms (Psoriasis Symptom Inventory = 0). Of subjects with sPGA 0 (clear) and 1 (almost clear), 61.4% and 45.7% had a DLQI = 0 (p = 0.15), and 65.5% and 32.6% had a Psoriasis Symptom Inventory = 0 (p = 0.001), respectively. Significantly more subjects with sPGA 1 continued to report itching, redness, scaling, and flaking compared to subjects with sPGA 0. Similar results were observed based on PASI score. A higher proportion of subjects with total skin clearance reported no impairment in HRQoL and no psoriasis symptoms than those who were almost clear.

The Economic Crisis and Several Effects on Global Economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florina BRAN

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The main mechanism of profit making is not production according to the outcomes of several analyses of the current economic crisis. This mechanism is circulation and exchange. Starting with this observation the paper goes through a number of aspects regarding the relation between crisis and economy at global level. These aspects consist in the recent financial turmoil; who pays for the crisis; stabilizing the financial sector; recession and the financial crisis; the internationalization of the crisis; commodities and the ecological crisis; an end to neo-liberalism; what should socialists demand. We notice and comment on how important current development in the wake of the banking crisis is for the transmission of that crisis to the rest of the economy and its interaction with the more general economic crisis now emerging. It was concluded that there are good chances that the current economic order to be broken. The future shape of the order will depend more on vision of managers than on the influence of the so called objective factors.

Cognitive impairment, clinical severity and MRI changes in MELAS syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraya, Torsten; Neumann, Lena; Paelecke-Habermann, Yvonne; Deschauer, Marcus; Stoevesandt, Dietrich; Zierz, Stephan; Watzke, Stefan

2017-12-29

To examine clinical severity, cognitive impairment, and MRI changes in patients with MELAS syndrome. Cognitive-mnestic functions, brain MRI (lesion load, cella media index) and clinical severity of ten patients with MELAS syndrome were examined. All patients carried the m.3243A>G mutation. The detailed neuropsychological assessment revealed cognitive deficits in attention, executive function, visuoperception, and -construction. There were significant correlations between these cognitive changes, lesion load in MRI, disturbances in everyday life (clinical scale), and high scores in NMDAS. Patients with MELAS syndrome showed no global neuropsychological deficit, but rather distinct cognitive deficits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

Validating the cross-cultural factor structure and invariance property of the Insomnia Severity Index: evidence based on ordinal EFA and CFA.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Po-Yi; Yang, Chien-Ming; Morin, Charles M

2015-05-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the factor structure of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) across samples recruited from different countries. We tried to identify the most appropriate factor model for the ISI and further examined the measurement invariance property of the ISI across samples from different countries. Our analyses included one data set collected from a Taiwanese sample and two data sets obtained from samples in Hong Kong and Canada. The data set collected in Taiwan was analyzed with ordinal exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to obtain the appropriate factor model for the ISI. After that, we conducted a series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), which is a special case of the structural equation model (SEM) that concerns the parameters in the measurement model, to the statistics collected in Canada and Hong Kong. The purposes of these CFA were to cross-validate the result obtained from EFA and further examine the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the ISI. The three-factor model outperforms other models in terms of global fit indices in Taiwan's population. Its external validity is also supported by confirmatory factor analyses. Furthermore, the measurement invariance analyses show that the strong invariance property between the samples from different cultures holds, providing evidence that the ISI results obtained in different cultures are comparable. The factorial validity of the ISI is stable in different populations. More importantly, its invariance property across cultures suggests that the ISI is a valid measure of the insomnia severity construct across countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Validation of the Pneumonia Severity Index for hospitalizing patients with community-acquired pneumonia].

Science.gov (United States)

Querol-Ribelles, José M; Tenías, José M; Querol-Borrás, José M; González-Granda, Damiana; Hernández, Manuel; Ferreruela, Rosa; Martínez, Isidoro

2004-04-10

Our main objective was to assess the utility of the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) to decide the site of care home or hospital of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). All CAP patients who came to the emergency department from 1 January to 31 December, 2000, were prospectively assessed with a protocol based on the PSI and additional admission criteria applied to classes I, II and III. Mortality within 30 days and poor outcome were used as endpoints. We tested the diagnostic efficacy of the PSI scale in predicting mortality or unfavourable events by calculating the area below the ROC curve. Of the 243 CAP patients included, 124 (51%) belonged to classes I, II and III, and 119 (49%) belonged to classes IV and V. One hundred and fifty six (64%) patients were admitted. Fifteen (6.2%) patients died, all of them belonging to classes IV and V. Forty four (18%) patients showed a poor outcome. Only one patient who was initially sent home had a poor outcome. The prognostic value of the PSI scale to predict mortality (ROC = 0.92; CI 95%, 0.88-0.95) was high. Our results confirm that the PSI scale is a good prognostic index in clinical practice for predicting mortality due to CAP. In order to use the PSI to decide the site of care of patients with CAP, not only the score obtained but also additional factors should be taken into account.

Development of resilience evaluation method for nuclear power plant. Part 1. Proposal of resilience index for assessment of safety of nuclear power plant under severe accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demachi, Kazuyuki; Suzuki, Masaaki; Itoi, Tatsuya

2016-01-01

In this research, a new index 'The Resilience Index' was proposed to evaluate the capability of nuclear power plant to recover from the situation of safety function lost. Three elements assumed to evaluate the resilience index are the achievement rate, necessary time, and probability of success of each accident management activity. The resilience index is expected to visualize the improvement of safety of each nuclear power plant against severe accidents. (author)

Body Mass Index at onset of Puberty in Rats Exposed to Aqueous ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rev Dr Olaleye

... Index Medicus (WHO), CAB Abstracts, Index Copernicus, Global Health Abstracts, Asian Science Index, Index ... has any effect on body weight, body mass index (BMI) and weights of some ... detrimental when nutrition was more abundant in.

Body mass index, initial neurological severity and long-term mortality in ischemic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Wi-Sun; Lee, Seung-Hoon; Kim, Chi Kyung; Kim, Beom Joon; Yoon, Byung-Woo

2011-01-01

Obesity is believed to increase the risks of ischemic stroke or coronary heart disease; however, regarding outcome after established vascular diseases, recent unexpected evidence has suggested that an increased body mass index (BMI) might have beneficial effects (obesity paradox). The aim of this study was to evaluate the independent association between BMI and long-term mortality after ischemic stroke. A total of 1,592 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke were prospectively included through our stroke cohort. In this study, the levels of BMI were classified based on guidelines for the Asian-Pacific population. Initial neurological severity was estimated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Information on mortality was collected until the end of 2009, and the median follow-up period was 4 years. To examine the association between BMI and long-term mortality, we used Cox's proportional regression analysis. During follow-up, 23% of patients died. Linear regression analysis showed that the level of BMI was inversely related to initial neurological severity (p = 0.002). In the model of adjustment of age and gender using Cox's proportional regression analysis, this inverse trend was also significant (reference, normal weight; hazard ratio of underweight, 2.45; overweight, 0.77; obesity, 0.60). However, after adjustment of all covariates, including initial neurological severity, only the harmful effect of underweight remained significant (2.79; 95% CI, 1.92-4.05); however, beneficial effects of overweight and obesity did not. Our study showed that an independent association between BMI and long-term mortality after ischemic stroke was found only in underweight patients. The obesity paradox phenomenon seems to be limited, and might not be interpreted as a direct causal relationship due to a strong association with initial neurological severity. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Water dependency and water exploitation at global scale as indicators of water security

Science.gov (United States)

De Roo, A. P. J.; Beck, H.; Burek, P.; Bernard, B.

2015-12-01

A water dependency index has been developed indicating the dependency of water consumption from upstream sources of water, sometimes across (multiple) national border. This index is calculated at global scale using the 0.1 global LISFLOOD hydrological modelling system forced by WFDEI meteorological data for the timeframe 1979-2012. The global LISFLOOD model simulates the most important hydrological processes, as well as water abstraction and consumption from various sectors, and flood routing, at daily scale, with sub-timesteps for routing and subgrid parameterization related to elevation and landuse. The model contains also options for water allocation, to allow preferences of water use for particular sectors in water scarce periods. LISFLOOD is also used for the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS), the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS), continental scale climate change impact studies on floods and droughts. The water dependency indicator is calculated on a monthly basis, and various annual and multiannual indicators are derived from it. In this study, the indicator will be compared against water security areas known from other studies. Other indicators calculated are the Water Exploitation Index (WEI+), which is a commonly use water security indicator in Europe, and freshwater resources per capita indicators at regional, national and river basin scale. Several climate scnearios are run to indicate future trends in water security.

Global drought outlook by means of seasonal forecasts

Science.gov (United States)

Ziese, Markus; Fröhlich, Kristina; Rustemeier, Elke; Becker, Andreas

2017-04-01

Droughts are naturally occurring phenomena which are caused by a shortage of available water due to lower than normal precipitation and/or above normal evaporation. Depending on the length of the droughts, several sectors are affected starting with agriculture, then river and ground water levels and finally socio-economic losses at the long end of the spectrum of drought persistence. Droughts are extreme events that affect much larger areas and last much longer than floods, but are less geared towards media than floods being more short-scale in persistence and impacts. Finally the slow onset of droughts make the detection and early warning of their beginning difficult and time is lost for preparatory measures. Drought indices are developed to detect and classify droughts based on (meteorological) observations and possible additional information tailored to specific user needs, e.g. in agriculture, hydrology and other sectors. Not all drought indices can be utilized for global applications as not all input parameters are available at this scale. Therefore the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) developed a drought index as combination of the Standardized Drought Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), the GPCC-DI. The GPCC-DI is applied to drought monitoring and retrospective analyses on a global scale. As the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) operates a seasonal forecast system in cooperation with Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology Hamburg and University of Hamburg, these data are also used for an outlook of drought conditions by means of the GPCC-DI. The reliability of seasonal precipitation forecasts is limited, so the drought outlook is available only for forecast months two to four. Based on the GPCC-DI, DWD provides a retrospective analysis, near-real-time monitoring and outlook of drought conditions on a global scale and regular basis.

MEMBANGUN SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP UNTUK MENINGKATKAN DAYA SAING GLOBAL (BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN INCREASING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS)

OpenAIRE

NABABAN, TONGAM SIHOL

2014-01-01

Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index or the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index (GEDI) In 2013 positioned Indonesia at ranked 76 of 118 countries. Compared with the ASEAN countries, the position are still far below Singapore (13), and still below Malaysia (57), Brunei Darussalam (58), Thailand (65). This fact shows that Indonesia has not been optimal in building its entrepreneurial yet. To enhance the development of entrepreneurship, the Indonesian government has launched ...

Gender gap matters in maternal mortality in low and lower-middle-income countries: A study of the global Gender Gap Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Choe, Seung-Ah; Cho, Sung-Il; Kim, Hongsoo

2017-09-01

Reducing maternal mortality has been a crucial part of the global development agenda. According to modernisation theory, the effect of gender equality on maternal health may differ depending on a country's economic development status. We explored the correlation between the Global Gender Gap Index (GGI) provided by the World Economic Forum and the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) obtained from the World Development Indicators database of the World Bank. The relationships between each score in the GGI, including its four sub-indices (measuring gender gaps in economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment), and the MMR were analysed. When the countries were stratified by gross national income per capita, the low and lower-middle-income countries had lower scores in the GGI, and lower scores in the economic participation, educational attainment, and political empowerment sub-indices than the high-income group. Among the four sub-indices, the educational attainment sub-index showed a significant inverse correlation with the MMR in low and lower-middle-income countries when controlling for the proportion of skilled birth attendance and public share of health expenditure. This finding suggests that strategic efforts to reduce the gender gap in educational attainment could lead to improvements in maternal health in low and lower-middle-income countries.

Global Update and Trends of Hidden Hunger, 1995-2011: The Hidden Hunger Index

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Gretchen A.; Ezzati, Majid; Black, Robert E.; Kraemer, Klaus

2015-01-01

Background Deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals–also termed hidden hunger–are pervasive and hold negative consequences for the cognitive and physical development of children. Methods This analysis evaluates the change in hidden hunger over time in the form of one composite indicator–the Hidden Hunger Index (HHI)–using an unweighted average of prevalence estimates from the Nutrition Impact Model Study for anemia due to iron deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and stunting (used as a proxy indicator for zinc deficiency). Net changes from 1995–2011 and population weighted regional means for various time periods are measured. Findings Globally, hidden hunger improved (-6.7 net change in HHI) from 1995–2011. Africa was the only region to see a deterioration in hidden hunger (+1.9) over the studied time period; East Asia and the Pacific performed exceptionally well (-13.0), while other regions improved only slightly. Improvements in HHI were mostly due to reductions in zinc and vitamin A deficiencies, while anemia due to iron deficiency persisted and even increased. Interpretation This analysis is critical for informing and tracking the impact of policy and programmatic efforts to reduce micronutrient deficiencies, to advance the global nutrition agenda, and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, there remains an unmet need to invest in gathering frequent, nationally representative, high-quality micronutrient data as we renew our efforts to scale up nutrition, and as we enter the post-2015 development agenda. Funding Preparation of this manuscript was funded by Sight and Life. There was no funding involved in the study design, data collection, analysis, or decision to publish. PMID:26673631

The Chiral Index of the Fermionic Signature Operator

OpenAIRE

Finster, Felix

2014-01-01

We define an index of the fermionic signature operator on even-dimensional globally hyperbolic spin manifolds of finite lifetime. The invariance of the index under homotopies is studied. The definition is generalized to causal fermion systems with a chiral grading. We give examples of space-times and Dirac operators thereon for which our index is non-trivial.

Application of New MODIS-Based Aerosol Index for Air Pollution Severity Assessment and Mapping in Upper Northern Thailand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chat Phayungwiwatthanakoon

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper reports capability of a newly-proposed index called the aerosol prediction index (API in the determination and mapping of near-ground PM10 concentrations (at spatial resolution of 500 x 500 m during the 2009 and 2010 burning seasons in upper northern Thailand. API is a normalized index defined based on the difference in the observed reflectance data at two spectral bands of the MODIS instrument aboard NASA�s Terra satellite; Band 3 (blue and Band 7 (mid-infrared. Initial analysis suggested that API had strong correlation with the corresponding MODIS-AOD and AERONET-AOD with coefficient of determination (R2 about 0.62 in both cases, and also with the reference PM10 data with R2 of 0.66. In terms of predictive performance, it exhibited low bias at low PM10 condition and achieved impressive prediction accuracy with relative error of 10.78 %. The near-ground PM10 concentration map yielded from the proposed index was proved very useful in the comprehensive assessment of aerosol pollution situation over entire area at fine spatial detail. This task could not be fulfilled from sole use of the ground-based measured data or standard MODIS-AOD product. These findings indicate that API should be a promising tool for the regular monitoring of air pollution severity over the concerned area.

Global Insights Based on the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark Howells

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Energy access metrics are needed to track the progress towards providing sustainable energy for all. This paper presents advancements in the development of the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI, as well as results and analysis for a number of developing countries. The MEPI is a composite index designed to shed light on energy poverty by assessing the services that modern energy provides. The index captures both the incidence and intensity of energy poverty. It provides valuable insights–allowing the analysis of determinants of energy poverty–and, subsequently insights into policy efficacy. Building on previous work, this paper presents results obtained as a result of both increased data availability and enhanced methodology. Specifically, this analysis (i includes an increased number of countries, and (ii tracks the evolution of energy poverty over time of energy poverty in selected countries is reported.

Global drought and severe drought-affected populations in 1.5 and 2 °C warmer worlds

OpenAIRE

W. Liu; F. Sun; F. Sun; F. Sun; F. Sun; W. H. Lim; W. H. Lim; J. Zhang; H. Wang; H. Shiogama; Y. Zhang

2018-01-01

The 2015 Paris Agreement proposed a more ambitious climate change mitigation target on limiting global warming to 1.5 °C instead of 2 °C above preindustrial levels. Scientific investigations on environmental risks associated with these warming targets are necessary to inform climate policymaking. Based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) climate models, we present the first risk-based assessment of changes in global drought and the impact of severe drou...

111 Nigeria's Development Challenges in a Digitalized Global

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

2010-10-17

Oct 17, 2010 ... Abstract. The paper assesses Nigeria's digital opportunity index in a digitalized global economy. Given the rising knowledge intensity that permeates every aspect of life, Nigeria is inevitably drawn into the digital global economy indexed by information and communication technology. The paper argues ...

An index for drought induced financial risk in the mining industry

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnafous, L.; Lall, U.; Siegel, J.

2017-02-01

Water scarcity has emerged as a potential risk for mining operations. High capital spending for desalination and water conflicts leading to asset stranding have recently occurred. Investors in mining companies are interested in the exposure to such risks across portfolios of mining assets (whether the practical at-site consequences are foregone production, higher OPEX and CAPEX and ensuing lost revenues, or asset-stranding). In this paper, an index of the potential financial exposure of a portfolio is developed and its application is illustrated. Since the likely loss at each mine is hard to estimate a priori, one needs a proxy for potential loss. The index considers drought duration, severity and frequency (defined by a return-level in years) at each mining asset, and provides a measure of financial exposure through weighing of production or Net Asset Value. Changes in human needs are not considered, but are relevant, and could be incorporated if global data on mine and other water use were available at the appropriate resolution. Potential for contemporaneous drought incidence across sites in a portfolio is considered specifically. Through an appropriate choice of drought thresholds, an analyst can customize a scenario to assess potential losses in production value or profits, or whether conflicts could emerge that would lead to stranded assets or capital expenditure to secure alternate water supplies. Global climate data sets that allow a customized development of such an index are identified, and selected mining company portfolios are scored as to the risk associated with one publicly available drought index.

Development of flood index by characterisation of flood hydrographs

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Biswa; Suman, Asadusjjaman

2015-04-01

In recent years the world has experienced deaths, large-scale displacement of people, billions of Euros of economic damage, mental stress and ecosystem impacts due to flooding. Global changes (climate change, population and economic growth, and urbanisation) are exacerbating the severity of flooding. The 2010 floods in Pakistan and the 2011 floods in Australia and Thailand demonstrate the need for concerted action in the face of global societal and environmental changes to strengthen resilience against flooding. Due to climatological characteristics there are catchments where flood forecasting may have a relatively limited role and flood event management may have to be trusted upon. For example, in flash flood catchments, which often may be tiny and un-gauged, flood event management often depends on approximate prediction tools such as flash flood guidance (FFG). There are catchments fed largely by flood waters coming from upstream catchments, which are un-gauged or due to data sharing issues in transboundary catchments the flow of information from upstream catchment is limited. Hydrological and hydraulic modelling of these downstream catchments will never be sufficient to provide any required forecasting lead time and alternative tools to support flood event management will be required. In FFG, or similar approaches, the primary motif is to provide guidance by synthesising the historical data. We follow a similar approach to characterise past flood hydrographs to determine a flood index (FI), which varies in space and time with flood magnitude and its propagation. By studying the variation of the index the pockets of high flood risk, requiring attention, can be earmarked beforehand. This approach can be very useful in flood risk management of catchments where information about hydro-meteorological variables is inadequate for any forecasting system. This paper presents the development of FI and its application to several catchments including in Kentucky in the USA

HURRICANE AND SEVERE STORM SENTINEL (HS3) GLOBAL HAWK ADVANCED VERTICAL ATMOSPHERIC PROFILING SYSTEM (AVAPS) DROPSONDE SYSTEM V2

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) Global Hawk Advanced Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System (AVAPS) Dropsonde System dataset was collected by the...

Usefulness of CURB-65 and pneumonia severity index for influenza A H1N1v pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Estella, A

2012-01-01

Usefulness of CURB-65 and pneumonia severity index for influenza A H1N1v pneumonia. A. Estella. Different prognostic scales have been documented to assess the severity and indications for hospitalization and ICU admissions of community acquired pneumonia. During the past two years Influenza A H1N1v infections have been commonly attended to in emergency departments. The aim of the study was to analyse the usefulness of the application of the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and CURB-65 prognostic scales in patients with primary viral pneumonia caused by influenza A H1N1v. A retrospective study was performed at a community hospital with a 17 bed-intensive care unit. Patients admitted in hospital with influenza A H1N1v pneumonia over a two year period were analysed. CURB 65 and PSI scales were applied in the emergency department and outcome and destination of admission were analysed. 24 patients were registered, 19 required ICU admission and 5 patients were admitted in medical wards. Most of the patients admitted to the intensive care unit (78.9%) required mechanical ventilation. Mortality was 21.1%. Most patients admitted to the ICU had CURB 65 scale of 1 (60%), 13.3% obtained 0 and 26.7% 2. PSI scale resulted class I in a 20%, class II 40%, 26.7% class IV and 13.3% class V. The scales CURB 65 and PSI showed no differences in scores according to the destination of admission and mortality. Use of CURB-65 and PSI in the emergency department may underestimate the risk of patients with Influenza A H1N1v pneumonia. Based in our results, the ability of these scales to predict ICU admissions for Influenza A H1N1v pneumonia is questioned.

Post-Fire Regeneration and Diversity Response to Burn Severity in Pinus halepensis Mill. Forests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonsoles González-De Vega

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In recent decades, fire regimes have been modified by various factors such as changes in land use, global change or forest management policies. The vulnerability of Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems is increasing due to more severe and frequent droughts. This study aimed to determine the plant response of ecosystems during the short-term post-fire period by relating alpha diversity, floristic richness and tree recruitment dynamics to burn severity 5 years after a wildfire. Our results conclude that in the short term, Pinus halepensis Mill. stands in southeastern Spain quickly recovered alpha diversity values, mainly in areas burned with low severity. We observed that moderate and high severities affected the ecosystem more significantly, showing higher values for the Shannon Index but lower for the Simpson index. Pine recruitment was higher in burned areas, and we found the highest number of Aleppo pine seedlings under a moderate burn severity. Post-fire regeneration functional groups (obligate seeders and resprouters were promoted under moderate and high burn severity, increasing their abundance. Annual species (mainly herbs colonized burned areas, persisting with higher presence under moderate burn severity. Restoration tools should be focused on reducing fire severity, mainly in areas at high risk of desertification, and promoting resistance, vulnerability and resilience of these ecosystems.

Global monthly water stress: II. Water demand and severity of water

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wada, Y.; Beek, L.P.H. van; Viviroli, D.; Dürr, H.H.; Weingartner, R.; Bierkens, M.F.P.

2011-01-01

This paper assesses global water stress at a finer temporal scale compared to conventional assessments. To calculate time series of global water stress at a monthly time scale, global water availability, as obtained from simulations of monthly river discharge from the companion paper, is confronted

Evaluation of the patient generated index as a measure of quality-of-life in people with severe traumatic brain injury.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hogan, Mark

2013-01-01

Quality-of-life (QoL) measures may be useful in quantifying the personal impact of an acquired brain injury and as an indicator of the effectiveness of service provision. This study investigated the validity of the patient generated index (PGI) as a measure of QoL with a sample of adults who had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury.

Corporate Sustainability Indexes: FTSE 4 Good Index Report on Nestle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gülay Keskin

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Corporate sustainability and economic business activities are focused on the social and environmental impacts. In this sense, the economic activity created by the businesses is to pursue social and environmental impacts, and producing information related to these effects is essential for the formation of structure for a sustainable business. Sustainability indices are structures edited on first generation sustainability indicators, which are structures constructed in order to share information with consumers and businesses. The most important benefits are improvements in transparency without the need for regulation of the sustainability index, better understanding of the social and environmental impact of companies and the guidance for arrangements to minimize the negative side effects of company activities. FTSE4Good is a responsible investment index designed to help investors identify companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. It is the only index of its kind since it includes specific criteria on the responsible marketing of breast milk substitutes.

The mediating effects of perceived parental teasing on relations of body mass index to depression and self-perception of physical appearance and global self-worth in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bang, Kyung-Sook; Chae, Sun-Mi; Hyun, Myung-Sun; Nam, Hye Kyung; Kim, Ji-Soo; Park, Kwang-Hee

2012-12-01

To report a correlational study of the relation of body mass index to children's perceptions of physical appearance and global self-worth and depression, as mediated by their perceptions of parental teasing. The relation between depression and self-perception in children with obesity has been reported. Recently, parental factors were found to be related to childhood obesity. Little is known about the effects of perceived parental teasing on depression and self-perception in children. A descriptive correlational research design was used. Data were collected from 455 children in the fifth and sixth grades in four provinces of South Korea using self-report questionnaires for measuring self-perception of physical appearance and global self-worth, depression and perceived parental teasing between October-December in 2009. The children's weight and height information from school health records was used. Multiple regression analysis and the Sobel test were used to identify the mediating effect of perceived parental teasing. Among the children, 20% were overweight or obese. Although children with obesity did not differ in the level of depression from their normal weight counterparts, they demonstrated lower perceived physical appearance and higher perceived parental teasing. The mediating effects of perceived parental teasing were found for the relations between body mass index and self-perception of physical appearance and global self-worth, and body mass index and depression, respectively. Obese children at risk of parental teasing should be identified to prevent their psychological problems. A well-designed intervention study is necessary to examine the effects of psycho-emotional interventions for obese children. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Quantitative analysis of Miller mobility index for the diagnosis of moderate to severe periodontitis - A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Ping Wu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background/purpose: We assessed the mobility of single-root teeth by using Miller's mobility index (MMI and to analyze the validity of MMI for the diagnosis of periodontitis. Materials and methods: A total of 30 patients were included and the Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between MMI, clinical attachment level (CAL, and probing depth (PD. The validity of MMI for the diagnosis of the severity of periodontitis was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve, area under curve (AUC value, positive predictive value (PPV. Results: Strong correlations were observed between MMI and CAL (r = 0.92 and between MMI and PD (r = 0.76. When the CAL = 3–4 mm and CAL ≥5 mm groups were pooled together, the AUC value was 0.81. The AUC was 0.86 for diagnosis with MMI in the CAL ≥5 mm group. A PPV of 100% was achieved for all grades when MMI >1. When the teeth with PD ≥ 5 to <7 mm and PD ≥ 7 mm groups were pooled together, the AUC value for MMI was 0.80. The PPV was 98.8%, 99%, and 100% for MMI Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3, respectively. When PD ≥ 7 mm was defined as severe periodontitis, the AUC value for MMI was 0.72. Conclusion: MMI may provide valuable information for the diagnosis of moderate and severe periodontitis when CAL is not obtainable during routine practice. Keywords: Miller's mobility index, Negative predictive value, Nonsurgical periodontal therapy, Positive predictive value, Receiver operating characteristic curve, Tooth mobility

Severe malnutrition evaluated by patient-generated subjective global assessment results in poor outcome among adult patients with acute leukemia: A retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ji; Wang, Chang; Liu, Xiaoliang; Liu, Qiuju; Lin, Hai; Liu, Chunshui; Jin, Fengyan; Yang, Yan; Bai, Ou; Tan, Yehui; Gao, Sujun; Li, Wei

2018-01-01

To evaluate nutritional status in adult patients with acute leukemia (AL) using patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) and to investigate the influence of nutritional status on prognosis.We observationally investigated 68 adult patients with newly diagnosed AL who received PG-SGA at the First Hospital of Jilin University between May 2013 and July 2015. Clinical features, chemotherapy regimens, biochemical indexes, body composition, complete remission (CR) rate, minimal residual disease (MRD), survival time, and side-effects of chemotherapy were compared between patients with and without severe malnutrition.Mean PG-SGA scores of the total patients were 6.1 ± 4.0, and 19 of 68 (27.9%) patients had severe malnutrition (PG-SGA score ≥9). Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) had higher scores than those with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL; P = .011) and high-risk patients had higher scores regardless of whether they had AML or ALL (AML, P = .012; ALL, P = .043). Univariate analysis showed that severe malnutrition was correlated with age (P = .041), transferrin (P = .042), Karnofsky Performance Status score (P = .006), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (P = .018). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that severe malnutrition was associated with CRP (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.020, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002-1.039, P = .026). No difference was found in CR rate (P = .831) between patients with and without malnutrition, but those who were severely malnourished had higher MRD (P = .048 in AML patients, P = .036 in ALL patients) and more gastrointestinal side-effects (P = .014). Severe malnutrition was also associated with inferior overall survival (HR = 0.243, 95% CI: 0.063-0.945, P = .041) but not with event-free survival (HR = 0.808, 95% CI: 0.338-1.934, P = .663).Severe malnutrition defined by PG-SGA in adult patients with de novo AL may result in poor outcome. Copyright �

Severe Malnutrition: A Global Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelletier, Jean-Gerard

1993-01-01

This report examines the immediate and underlying causes of malnutrition in the developing world. The first section discusses the effects of malnutrition on childhood development and examines the efficacy of nutritional rehabilitation. The second section addresses the medical effects of severe malnutrition, including the onset of ponderostatural…

The development of a value based pricing index for new drugs in metastatic colorectal cancer

OpenAIRE

Lubbe, Martha Susanna; Dranitsaris, George; Truter, Ilse

2011-01-01

Background Worldwide, prices for cancer drugs have been under downward pressure where several governments have mandated price cuts of branded products. A better alternative to government mandated price cuts would be to estimate a final price based on drug performance, cost effectiveness and a country’s ability to pay. We developed a global pricing index for new cancer drugs in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) that encompasses all of these attributes. Methods ...

Parkinson’s Disease Severity at 3 Years Can Be Predicted from Non-Motor Symptoms at Baseline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alba Ayala

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to present a predictive model of Parkinson’s disease (PD global severity, measured with the Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson’s Disease (CISI-PD.MethodsThis is an observational, longitudinal study with annual follow-up assessments over 3 years (four time points. A multilevel analysis and multiple imputation techniques were performed to generate a predictive model that estimates changes in the CISI-PD at 1, 2, and 3 years.ResultsThe clinical state of patients (CISI-PD significantly worsened in the 3-year follow-up. However, this change was of small magnitude (effect size: 0.44. The following baseline variables were significant predictors of the global severity change: baseline global severity of disease, levodopa equivalent dose, depression and anxiety symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, and cognitive state. The goodness-of-fit of the model was adequate, and the sensitive analysis showed that the data imputation method applied was suitable.ConclusionDisease progression depends more on the individual’s baseline characteristics than on the 3-year time period. Results may contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of PD including the non-motor manifestations of the disease.

The index of a holomorphic flow with an isolated singularity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verjovsky, A.; Gomez-Mont, X.; Seade, J.

1987-05-01

The index of a holomorphic vector field Z defined on a germ of a hypersurface V with an isolated singularity is defined. The index coincides with the Hopf index in the smooth case. Formulae for the index in terms of the ideals defining Z and V are given. Topological invariance of the index and the Chern class as well as formulae relating global invariants of the Poincare-Hopf type are proven. (author). 26 refs

Evaluation of the impact of atmospheric ozone and aerosols on the horizontal global/diffuse UV Index at Livorno (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Scaglione, Daniele; Giulietti, Danilo; Morelli, Marco

2016-08-01

A study was conducted at Livorno (Italy) to evaluate the impact of atmospheric aerosols and ozone on the solar UV radiation and its diffuse component at ground in clear sky conditions. Solar UV radiation has been quantified in terms of UV Index (UVI), following the ISO 17166:1999/CIE S007/E-1998 international standard. UVI has been calculated by exploiting the libRadtran radiative transfer modelling software as a function of both the Aerosols Optical Depth (AOD) and the Total Ozone Column (TOC). In particular AOD and TOC values have been remotely sensed by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on board the NASA's EOS (Earth Observing System) satellites constellation. An experimental confirmation was also obtained by exploiting global UVI ground-based measurements from the 26/9/14 to 12/8/15 and diffuse UVI ground-based measurements from the 17/5/15 to 12/8/15. For every considered value of Solar Zenith Angle (SZA) and atmospheric condition, estimates and measurements confirm that the diffuse component contributes for more than 50% on the global UV radiation. Therefore an exposure of human skin also to diffuse solar UV radiation can be potentially harmful for health and need to be accurately monitored, e.g. by exploiting innovative applications such as a mobile app with a satellite-based UV dosimeter that has been developed. Global and diffuse UVI variations due to the atmosphere are primarily caused by the TOC variations (typically cyclic): the maximum TOC variation detected by OMI in the area under study leads to a corresponding variation in global and diffuse UVI of about 50%. Aerosols in the area concerned, mainly of maritime nature, have instead weaker effects causing a maximum variation of the global and diffuse UVI respectively of 9% and 35% with an SZA of 20° and respectively of 13% and 10% with an SZA of 60°.

Detecting post-fire burn severity and vegetation recovery using multitemporal remote sensing spectral indices and field-collected composite burn index data in a ponderosa pine forest

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xuexia; Vogelmann, James E.; Rollins, Matt; Ohlen, Donald; Key, Carl H.; Yang, Limin; Huang, Chengquan; Shi, Hua

2011-01-01

It is challenging to detect burn severity and vegetation recovery because of the relatively long time period required to capture the ecosystem characteristics. Multitemporal remote sensing data can providemultitemporal observations before, during and after a wildfire, and can improve the change detection accuracy. The goal of this study is to examine the correlations between multitemporal spectral indices and field-observed burn severity, and to provide a practical method to estimate burn severity and vegetation recovery. The study site is the Jasper Fire area in the Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota, that burned during August and September 2000. Six multitemporal Landsat images acquired from 2000 (pre-fire), 2001 (post-fire), 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007 were used to assess burn severity. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), normalized burn ratio (NBR), integrated forest index (IFI) and the differences of these indices between the pre-fire and post-fire years were computed and analysed with 66 field-based composite burn index (CBI) plots collected in 2002. Results showed that differences of NDVI and differences of EVI between the pre-fire year and the first two years post-fire were highly correlated with the CBI scores. The correlations were low beyond the second year post-fire. Differences of NBR had good correlation with CBI scores in all study years. Differences of IFI had low correlation with CBI in the first year post-fire and had good correlation in later years. A CBI map of the burnt area was produced using regression tree models and the multitemporal images. The dynamics of four spectral indices from 2000 to 2007 indicated that both NBR and IFI are valuable for monitoring long-term vegetation recovery. The high burn severity areas had a much slower recovery than the moderate and low burn areas.

Impact and prevention on global warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Heon Ryeol

2003-11-01

This book deals with impact and prevention on global warming with eight chapters, which introduce the change after the earth was born and natural environment, how is global atmospheric environment under the control of radiant energy? What does global warming look with the earth history like? What's the status of global warming so far? How does climate change happen? What is the impact by global warming and climate change and for preservation of global environment of 21 century with consumption of energy, measure and prospect on global warming. It has reference, index and three appendixes.

Existence and global attractivity of positive periodic solutions of periodic n-species Lotka-Volterra competition systems with several deviating arguments.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, M; Wang, K; Jiang, D

1999-08-01

In this paper, we study the existence and global attractivity of positive periodic solutions of periodic n-species Lotka-Volterra competition systems. By using the method of coincidence degree and Lyapunov functional, a set of easily verifiable sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of at least one strictly positive (componentwise) periodic solution of periodic n-species Lotka-Volterra competition systems with several deviating arguments and the existence of a unique globally asymptotically stable periodic solution with strictly positive components of periodic n-species Lotka-Volterra competition system with several delays. Some new results are obtained. As an application, we also examine some special cases of the system we considered, which have been studied extensively in the literature. Some known results are improved and generalized.

Globalization and suicide: an ecological study across five regions of the world.

Science.gov (United States)

Milner, Allison; McClure, Rod; De Leo, Diego

2012-01-01

The impact of globalization on health is recognized to be influenced by country and regional-level factors. This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between globalization and suicide in five world regions. An index measure of globalization was developed at the country level over 1980 to 2006. The association between the index and sex specific suicide rates was tested using a fixed-effect regression model. Over time, the globalization index seemed to be associated with increased suicide rates in Asia and the Eastern European/Baltic region. In contrast, it was associated with decreased rates in Scandinavia. There was no significant relationship between globalization and suicide in Southern and Western Europe. The effects of globalization could be determined by specific regional (i.e., cultural and societal) factors. Identification of these mediators might provide opportunities to protect countries from the adverse impacts of globalization.

Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica accepted for coverage in Thomson Reuters' Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI).

Science.gov (United States)

Poljak, Mario; Miljković, Jovan; Triglav, Tina

2016-09-01

Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica (Acta Dermatovenerol APA) is the leading journal in dermatology and sexually transmitted infections in the region. Several important steps were taken during the last 25 years to improve the journal's quality, global visibility, and international impact. After a 1-year trial period, Thomson Reuters recently informed the editorial office that they had accepted Acta Dermatovenerol APA for coverage in Thomson Reuters' new index in the Web of Science Core Collection called the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI). The coverage of Acta Dermatovenerol APA begins with the journal content published online in 2016; that is, from volume 25 onwards.

Validation of the Spanish Addiction Severity Index Multimedia Version (S-ASI-MV).

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Stephen F; Redondo, José Pedro; Fernandez, Kathrine C; Villapiano, Albert

2009-01-01

This study aimed to develop and test the reliability and validity of a Spanish adaptation of the ASI-MV, a computer administered version of the Addiction Severity Index, called the S-ASI-MV. Participants were 185 native Spanish-speaking adult clients from substance abuse treatment facilities serving Spanish-speaking clients in Florida, New Mexico, California, and Puerto Rico. Participants were administered the S-ASI-MV as well as Spanish versions of the general health subscale of the SF-36, the work and family unit subscales of the Social Adjustment Scale Self-Report, the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, the alcohol and drug subscales of the Personality Assessment Inventory, and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90. Three-to-five-day test-retest reliability was examined along with criterion validity, convergent/discriminant validity, and factorial validity. Measurement invariance between the English and Spanish versions of the ASI-MV was also examined. The S-ASI-MV demonstrated good test-retest reliability (ICCs for composite scores between .59 and .93), criterion validity (rs for composite scores between .66 and .87), and convergent/discriminant validity. Factorial validity and measurement invariance were demonstrated. These results compared favorably with those reported for the original interviewer version of the ASI and the English version of the ASI-MV.

Composite Indexes Economic and Social Performance: Do they Provide Valuable Information?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasierowski Wojciech

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the information content of the selected composite indexes, namely the Global Competitiveness Report Index, the Human Development Index, the Knowledge Economy Index, the Innovation Union Scoreboard, and the like. These indexes are examined from the viewpoint of country rankings. It is argued that these indexes provide highly similar information, which brings to question the usefulness of such a variety of approaches. This paper also explores the drawbacks of composite indexes, and questions whether these indexes can adequately serve as policy-setting mechanisms.

Iodine nutrition in elementary state schools of Queretaro, Mexico: correlations between urinary iodine concentration with global nutrition status and social gap index.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Solís, Pablo; Solís-S, Juan Carlos; García-Gaytán, Ana Cristina; Reyes-Mendoza, Vanessa A; Robles-Osorio, Ludivina; Villarreal-Ríos, Enrique; Leal-García, Luisa; Hernández-Montiel, Hebert Luis

2013-08-01

To estimate median urinary iodine concentration (UIC), and to correlate it with global nutrition indicators and social gap index (SGI) in 50 elementary state schools from 10 municipalities in the State of Queretaro, Mexico. 1,544 students were enrolled and an above of requirements of iodine intake was found (median UIC of 297 µg/L). Iodine status was found as deficient, adequate, more than adequate and excessive in 2, 4, 19 and 25 schools, respectively. Seventy seven percent of table salt samples showed adequate iodine content (20-40 ppm), while 9.6% of the samples had low iodine content (school were positively correlated with medians of body mass index (BMI) by using the standard deviation score (SDS) (r = 0.47; p school were negatively correlated with stunting prevalence (r = -0.39; p = 005) and social gap index (r = -0.36; p coexistence between the two extremes of iodine intake (insufficient and excessive). To our knowledge, the observed positive correlation between UIC and overweight and obesity has not been described before, and could be explained by the availability and consumption of snack food rich in energy and iodized salt.

Seasonal variation of photosynthetic model parameters and leaf area index from global Fluxnet eddy covariance data

Science.gov (United States)

Groenendijk, M.; Dolman, A. J.; Ammann, C.; Arneth, A.; Cescatti, A.; Dragoni, D.; Gash, J. H. C.; Gianelle, D.; Gioli, B.; Kiely, G.; Knohl, A.; Law, B. E.; Lund, M.; Marcolla, B.; van der Molen, M. K.; Montagnani, L.; Moors, E.; Richardson, A. D.; Roupsard, O.; Verbeeck, H.; Wohlfahrt, G.

2011-12-01

Global vegetation models require the photosynthetic parameters, maximum carboxylation capacity (Vcm), and quantum yield (α) to parameterize their plant functional types (PFTs). The purpose of this work is to determine how much the scaling of the parameters from leaf to ecosystem level through a seasonally varying leaf area index (LAI) explains the parameter variation within and between PFTs. Using Fluxnet data, we simulate a seasonally variable LAIF for a large range of sites, comparable to the LAIM derived from MODIS. There are discrepancies when LAIF reach zero levels and LAIM still provides a small positive value. We find that temperature is the most common constraint for LAIF in 55% of the simulations, while global radiation and vapor pressure deficit are the key constraints for 18% and 27% of the simulations, respectively, while large differences in this forcing still exist when looking at specific PFTs. Despite these differences, the annual photosynthesis simulations are comparable when using LAIF or LAIM (r2 = 0.89). We investigated further the seasonal variation of ecosystem-scale parameters derived with LAIF. Vcm has the largest seasonal variation. This holds for all vegetation types and climates. The parameter α is less variable. By including ecosystem-scale parameter seasonality we can explain a considerable part of the ecosystem-scale parameter variation between PFTs. The remaining unexplained leaf-scale PFT variation still needs further work, including elucidating the precise role of leaf and soil level nitrogen.

Higher body mass index associated with severe early childhood caries.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Katherine; Schroth, Robert J; Levi, Jeremy A; Yaffe, Aaron B; Mittermuller, Betty-Anne; Sellers, Elizabeth A C

2016-08-20

Severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC) is an aggressive form of tooth decay in preschool children affecting quality of life and nutritional status. The purpose was to determine whether there is an association between Body Mass Index (BMI) and S-ECC. Children with S-ECC were recruited on the day of their slated dental surgery under general anesthesia. Age-matched, caries-free controls were recruited from the community. All children were participating in a larger study on nutrition and S-ECC. Analysis was restricted to children ≥ 24 months of age. Parents completed a questionnaire and heights and weights were recorded. BMI scores and age and gender adjusted BMI z-scores and percentiles were calculated. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was significant. Two hundred thirty-five children were included (141 with S-ECC and 94 caries-free). The mean age was 43.3 ± 12.8 months and 50.2 % were male. Overall, 34.4 % of participants were overweight or obese. Significantly more children with S-ECC were classified as overweight or obese when compared to caries-free children (p = 0.038) and had significantly higher mean BMI z-scores than caries-free children (0.78 ± 1.26 vs. 0.22 ± 1.36, p = 0.002). Those with S-ECC also had significantly higher BMI percentiles (69.0 % ± 29.2 vs. 56.8 % ± 31.7, p = 0.003). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that BMI z-scores were significantly and independently associated with S-ECC and annual household income as were BMI percentiles. Children with S-ECC in our sample had significantly higher BMI z-scores than caries-free peers.

Clinical laboratory markers of inflammation as determinants of chronic graft-versus-host disease activity and NIH global severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Grkovic, L; Baird, K; Steinberg, S M; Williams, K M; Pulanic, D; Cowen, E W; Mitchell, S A; Hakim, F T; Martires, K J; Avila, D N; Taylor, T N; Salit, R B; Rowley, S D; Zhang, D; Fowler, D H; Bishop, M R; Gress, R E; Pavletic, S Z

2012-04-01

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) remains a major cause of non-relapse morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Currently there are no accepted measures of cGVHD activity to aid in clinical management and disease staging. We analyzed clinical markers of inflammation in the sera of patients with established cGVHD and correlated those with definitions of disease activity. In all, 189 adults with cGVHD (33% moderate and 66% severe according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) global scoring) were consecutively enrolled onto a cross-sectional prospective cGVHD natural history study. At the time of evaluation, 80% were receiving systemic immunosuppression and failed a median of four prior systemic therapies (PST) for their cGVHD. Lower albumin (P<0.0001), higher C-reactive protein (P = 0.043), higher platelets (P = 0.030) and higher number of PST (P<0.0001) were associated with active disease defined as clinician's intention to intensify or alter systemic therapy due to the lack of response. Higher platelet count (P = 0.021) and higher number of PST (P<0.0001) were associated with more severe diseased defined by NIH global score. This study identified common laboratory indicators of inflammation that can serve as markers of cGVHD activity and severity.

A multicenter examination and strategic revisions of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, Joseph F; Piacentini, John; Storch, Eric A; Murphy, Tanya K; Ricketts, Emily J; Woods, Douglas W; Walkup, John W; Peterson, Alan L; Wilhelm, Sabine; Lewin, Adam B; McCracken, James T; Leckman, James F; Scahill, Lawrence

2018-05-08

To examine the internal consistency and distribution of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) scores to inform modification of the measure. This cross-sectional study included 617 participants with a tic disorder (516 children and 101 adults), who completed an age-appropriate diagnostic interview and the YGTSS to evaluate tic symptom severity. The distributions of scores on YGTSS dimensions were evaluated for normality and skewness. For dimensions that were skewed across motor and phonic tics, a modified Delphi consensus process was used to revise selected anchor points. Children and adults had similar clinical characteristics, including tic symptom severity. All participants were examined together. Strong internal consistency was identified for the YGTSS Motor Tic score (α = 0.80), YGTSS Phonic Tic score (α = 0.87), and YGTSS Total Tic score (α = 0.82). The YGTSS Total Tic and Impairment scores exhibited relatively normal distributions. Several subscales and individual item scales departed from a normal distribution. Higher scores were more often used on the Motor Tic Number, Frequency, and Intensity dimensions and the Phonic Tic Frequency dimension. By contrast, lower scores were more often used on Motor Tic Complexity and Interference, and Phonic Tic Number, Intensity, Complexity, and Interference. The YGTSS exhibits good internal consistency across children and adults. The parallel findings across Motor and Phonic Frequency, Complexity, and Interference dimensions prompted minor revisions to the anchor point description to promote use of the full range of scores in each dimension. Specific minor revisions to the YGTSS Phonic Tic Symptom Checklist were also proposed. © 2018 American Academy of Neurology.

A suite of global, cross-scale topographic variables for environmental and biodiversity modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Amatulli, Giuseppe; Domisch, Sami; Tuanmu, Mao-Ning; Parmentier, Benoit; Ranipeta, Ajay; Malczyk, Jeremy; Jetz, Walter

2018-03-01

Topographic variation underpins a myriad of patterns and processes in hydrology, climatology, geography and ecology and is key to understanding the variation of life on the planet. A fully standardized and global multivariate product of different terrain features has the potential to support many large-scale research applications, however to date, such datasets are unavailable. Here we used the digital elevation model products of global 250 m GMTED2010 and near-global 90 m SRTM4.1dev to derive a suite of topographic variables: elevation, slope, aspect, eastness, northness, roughness, terrain roughness index, topographic position index, vector ruggedness measure, profile/tangential curvature, first/second order partial derivative, and 10 geomorphological landform classes. We aggregated each variable to 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 km spatial grains using several aggregation approaches. While a cross-correlation underlines the high similarity of many variables, a more detailed view in four mountain regions reveals local differences, as well as scale variations in the aggregated variables at different spatial grains. All newly-developed variables are available for download at Data Citation 1 and for download and visualization at http://www.earthenv.org/topography.

The effects of increasing body mass index on heartburn severity, frequency and response to treatment with dexlansoprazole or lansoprazole.

Science.gov (United States)

Peura, D A; Pilmer, B; Hunt, B; Mody, R; Perez, M C

2013-04-01

Higher body mass index (BMI) is a recognised risk factor for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Data regarding the impact of BMI on proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy are conflicting. To assess the impact of BMI on baseline heartburn symptom severity and frequency and response to PPI therapy in patients with non-erosive GERD (NERD) or erosive oesophagitis (EO). In post hoc analyses of phase 3 trial data, 621 NERD and 2692 EO patients were stratified by BMI (heartburn severity increased with increasing BMI. The impact of PPI therapy on the reduction in heartburn symptom frequency and severity in both NERD and EO patients was similar across BMI categories. EO healing rates in patients treated with dexlansoprazole but not lansoprazole were higher in obese patients compared with those with a BMI heartburn regardless of baseline BMI. In addition, because patients with higher BMI have more severe symptoms at baseline, they may experience greater therapeutic gain with dexlansoprazole (NERD and erosive oesophagitis) and possibly lansoprazole (erosive oesophagitis) treatment. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Relationship between blood pressure, body mass index and health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: Globally, studies have shown that the trend of overweight and obesity has increased astronomically and there is a close link between body mass index and blood pressure. This study determined the link between the body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and health promoting practices of women in rural and ...

Detecting signals of seasonal influenza severity through age dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lee, Elizabeth C.; Viboud, Cécile; Simonsen, Lone

2015-01-01

stages of an outbreak. To address the limitations of traditional indicators, we propose a novel severity index based on influenza age dynamics estimated from routine physician diagnosis data that can be used retrospectively and for early warning. METHODS: We developed a quantitative 'ground truth......' severity benchmark that synthesizes multiple traditional severity indicators from publicly available influenza surveillance data in the United States. Observing that the age distribution of cases may signal severity early in an epidemic, we constructed novel retrospective and early warning severity indexes....... The retrospective index was well correlated with the severity benchmark and correctly identified the two most severe seasons. The early warning index performance varied, but it projected 2007-08 as relatively severe 10 weeks prior to the epidemic peak. Influenza severity varied significantly among states within...

Suicide rate in relation to the Human Development Index and other health related factors: A global ecological study from 91 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaei, Salman; Armanmehr, Vajihe; Nematollahi, Shahrzad; Rezaeian, Shahab; Khazaei, Somayeh

2017-06-01

There has been no worldwide ecological study on suicide as a global major public health problem. This study aimed to identify the variations in suicide specific rates using the Human Development Index (HDI) and some health related variables among countries around the world. In this ecological study, we obtained the data from the World Bank Report 2013. The analysis was restricted to 91 countries for which both the epidemiologic data from the suicide rates and HDI were available. Overall, the global prevalence of suicide rate was 10.5 (95% confidence intervals: 8.8, 12.2) per 100,000 individuals, which significantly varied according to gender (16.3 in males vs. 4.6 in females, pgender and HDI components are associated with an increased risk of suicide behaviors. Hence, detecting population subgroups with a high suicide risk and reducing the inequality of socioeconomic determinants are necessary to prevent this disorder around the world. Copyright © 2017 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of the global regularity of a multifractional Brownian motion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lebovits, Joachim; Podolskij, Mark

This paper presents a new estimator of the global regularity index of a multifractional Brownian motion. Our estimation method is based upon a ratio statistic, which compares the realized global quadratic variation of a multifractional Brownian motion at two different frequencies. We show that a ...... that a logarithmic transformation of this statistic converges in probability to the minimum of the Hurst functional parameter, which is, under weak assumptions, identical to the global regularity index of the path....

Volatility Transmission Between Dow Jones Stock Index And Emerging Islamic Stock Index: Case Of Subprime Financial Crises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir Saadaoui

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In the course of the recent global crisis, the stock shocks are distributed and transmitted from their homes in the developed stock market to emerging stock markets. By supporting the development of emerging stock markets, this study aims to see the transmission of volatility between the Dow Jones stock index and the Dow Jones emerging Islamic stock indiex. In this study we have divided the period into three, periods, before, during and after this crisis to demonstrate the resilience of the Islamic market index in response to the global financial crisis. Another aim of this study is to provide a new guide line for investors in emerging stock market before making investment decisions. The data are daily, going from 02/01/2005 until 31/12/2012. To measure the transmission we used bivariate BEKK-GARCH and DCC-GARCH model. The result shows that there is a transmission mainly during the crisis period which means that the crisis affects all the financial assets whether Islamic or not. The same result also shows the preference to invest in both Islamic and classical stock indexes since they are less risky.

Misery Index corrected by informality: applicable to Venezuela

OpenAIRE

Ramoni Perazzi, Josefa; Orlandoni Merli, Giampaolo

2013-01-01

This paper suggests a variation of the IMO index (Okun's Misery Index), adapting it to markets with these characteristics, adding the ESI level (Employment in the Informal Sector) to the unemployment level -- This research compares the evolution of several standard misery indexes in several zones during the last decades, with emphasis on the case of Venezuela, for which the new proposed index is also estimated -- Results show improvement in the well-being of groups of countries under study, c...

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN INCREASING GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

OpenAIRE

NABABAN, TONGAM SIHOL

2014-01-01

Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index or the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index (GEDI) In 2013 positioned Indonesia at ranked 76 of 118 countries. Compared with the ASEAN countries, the position are still far below Singapore (13), and still below Malaysia (57), Brunei Darussalam (58), Thailand (65). This fact shows that Indonesia has not been optimal in building its entrepreneurial yet. To enhance the development of entrepreneurship, the Indonesian government has launched a...

Tofacitinib for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis in Japanese patients: Subgroup analyses from a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, Masatoshi; Nishigori, Chikako; Torii, Hideshi; Ihn, Hironobu; Ito, Kei; Nagaoka, Makoto; Isogawa, Naoki; Kawaguchi, Isao; Tomochika, Yukiko; Kobayashi, Mihoko; Tallman, Anna M; Papp, Kim A

2017-11-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor. These post-hoc analyses assessed tofacitinib efficacy and safety in Japanese patients with psoriasis enrolled in a 52-week global phase 3 study. Patients received tofacitinib 5 mg, tofacitinib 10 mg or placebo twice daily (b.i.d.); placebo-treated patients advanced to tofacitinib at week 16. Primary efficacy end-points were the proportions of patients with 75% or more reduction from baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI-75) and Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) of "clear" or "almost clear" (PGA response) at week 16. Other end-points included: Itch Severity Item (ISI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score and Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI). Adverse events (AEs) were recorded throughout the study. Overall, 58 Japanese patients were included in this analysis (tofacitinib 5 mg b.i.d., n = 22; 10 mg b.i.d., n = 24; placebo, n = 12); 29 completed the study. At week 16, significantly more patients receiving tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg b.i.d. versus placebo achieved PASI-75 (50% and 75% vs 0%, P tofacitinib doses. Over 52 weeks, similar rates of AEs were reported across treatment groups; one serious AE occurred with tofacitinib 10 mg b.i.d. Herpes zoster occurred in three patients receiving tofacitinib 10 mg b.i.d. No deaths, serious infections, malignancies or gastrointestinal perforations were reported. Results were generally consistent with global analysis, suggesting sustained efficacy and a manageable safety profile, with increased herpes zoster incidence, of tofacitinib in Japanese patients with psoriasis. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Dermatological Association.

Broadband adoption, digital divide, and the global economic competitiveness of Western Balkan countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitrović Đorđe

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The existing variation in economic performance between countries is significantly affected by the level, diffusion, and use of different types of information and communication technology. In the last several years economic competitiveness increasingly depends on broadband availability and the adoption, use, and speed of this technology. Broadband access to the internet fosters economic growth and development and increases a country’s global competitiveness. This technology could have a big impact on the competitive advantage of Western Balkan countries because they currently experience a large digital divide, both within countries (between regions, urban and rural areas, different vulnerable groups, etc. and with EU countries. The purpose of the paper is to analyse the current level and dynamics of the digital divide in Western Balkan countries using the Broadband Achievement Index (BAI, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA-based model, the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI, the Corruption Perception Index (CPI, and cross-country methodology. This paper measures and compares Western Balkan countries’ current level of broadband adoption and their position on the evolutionary path towards closing the existing economic and digital gap with EU countries. Comparative analysis of calculated BAI data values, GCI, and CPI shows that Western Balkan countries belong to the ‘laggard’ group regarding their broadband achievement and global economic competitiveness. The values of the calculated BAI sub-indexes in this paper indicate the strong and weak sides of the corresponding aspects of broadband technology implementation and give directions for setting further priorities for political intervention, not only in the building of information society but also in the improvement of the economic competitiveness of Western Balkan countries.

Affective and sensory dimensions of pruritus severity: associations with psychological symptoms and quality of life in psoriasis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zachariae, R.; Zachariae, C.O.; Lei, U.

2008-01-01

and psychological symptoms. The results confirm that pruritus is multidimensional and indicate that the affective dimension may be the most important predictor of pruritus-related psychological morbidity, and that the association may be mediated by its negative impact on sleep quality Udgivelsesdato: 2008......, sleep quality and pruritus-related quality of life. Psoriasis severity was assessed with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Factor analysis of descriptors confirmed both an affective and a sensory pruritus severity dimension. Multivariate statistics, controlling for age, gender, disease duration...... and severity, showed affective, but not sensory, pruritus severity to be a significant predictor of depressive symptoms, global distress, impairment of sleep, and pruritus-related quality of life. Mediation analyses indicated that impaired sleep quality partly mediated the association between pruritus severity...

Novel criteria for global exponential periodicity and stability of recurrent neural networks with time-varying delays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Qiankun

2008-01-01

In this paper, the global exponential periodicity and stability of recurrent neural networks with time-varying delays are investigated by applying the idea of vector Lyapunov function, M-matrix theory and inequality technique. We assume neither the global Lipschitz conditions on these activation functions nor the differentiability on these time-varying delays, which were needed in other papers. Several novel criteria are found to ascertain the existence, uniqueness and global exponential stability of periodic solution for recurrent neural network with time-varying delays. Moreover, the exponential convergence rate index is estimated, which depends on the system parameters. Some previous results are improved and generalized, and an example is given to show the effectiveness of our method

UNEARTHING GLOBAL FINANCIAL INCLUSION LEVELS AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION AS A MEDIATING FACTOR IN GLOBAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roshny Unnikrishnan

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study is a result of the author’s inquisition to unearth the current values of Global Financial Inclusion and its relationship with economic growth measured by Gross Domestic product(GDP and human development measured by United Nations Human Development Index (HDI. The Financial Inclusion (FI levels are measured using Index for Financial Inclusion .The relationship between GDP and HDI with FI as mediator, using multiple regression, is validated on a global level based on data of 162 countries for the year 2011. An overall global mediation analysis is undertaken to establish Financial Inclusion as a mediating factor and partial mediation on human development is validated. The study is valid and unique in the global context of income inequality prevailing in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries as it validates the argument that an impressive GDP performance does not ensure equity in economic growth.

Parkinson's disease severity levels and MDS-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Martín, Pablo; Rodríguez-Blázquez, Carmen; Mario Alvarez; Arakaki, Tomoko; Arillo, Víctor Campos; Chaná, Pedro; Fernández, William; Garretto, Nélida; Martínez-Castrillo, Juan Carlos; Rodríguez-Violante, Mayela; Serrano-Dueñas, Marcos; Ballesteros, Diego; Rojo-Abuin, Jose Manuel; Chaudhuri, Kallol Ray; Merello, Marcelo

2015-01-01

Severity of PD is usually assessed by means of the motor and disability-based Hoehn and Yahr staging (HY), or clinician and patient global perceptions. Scores of more detailed assessments, as the MDS-UPDRS, have not been translated to a grading that allows assignment of score sections to severity levels. The objective of the present study is to determine cut-off points for PD severity levels based on the MDS-UPDRS. International, observational study. Applied assessments were: HY, MDS-UPDRS, Clinical Impression for Severity Index, and Clinical and Patient Global Impression of Severity. The coincidence in severity level (mild, moderate, severe) of at least two clinical classifications plus the patient's gradation was considered "the criterion of severity". Cut-off values for each MDS-UPDRS subscale was determined by triangulation of: 1) percentile 90 of the subscale total score; 2) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis; and 3) ordinal logistic regression (OLR) model. Sample was composed of 452 consecutive PD patients without dementia, 55.3% males, age 65.1 ± 10.7 years and PD duration 8.7 ± 6.3 years. All HY stages were represented. The "criterion", classified 275 patients (60.8% of the sample) as: mild PD, 149 (54.2%); moderate, 82 (29.8%); and severe, 44 (16%). The following MDS-UPDRS cut-off points between mild/moderate and moderate/severe levels were found: Part 1: 10/11 and 21/22; Part 2: 12/13 and 29/30; Part 3: 32/33 and 58/59; and Part 4: 4/5 and 12/13. Cut-off points to classify PD patients as mild, moderate, or severe on the basis of their MDS-UPDRS scores are proposed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Politics of Global Indicators in Designing, Promoting and Legitimating the Competition State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Giannone

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Global indicators of state's performance have grown exponentially over the last three dec-ades. Issues such as economic freedom, competitiveness, property rights, business environment, credit-worthiness, democracy, governance, transparency and media freedom have become central topics of several global benchmarks focused on the evaluation of the state. The objective of this paper is to analyze the reasons behind this phenomenon, investigating the role of those global indicators in world politics and the shaping of an "ideal state". In the first section, the study emphasizes that the global diffusion of rankings and ratings is primarily linked to the rise of neoliberalism. Drawing on Michel Foucault's work on governmentality, global indicators are conceived as specific apparatuses of neoliberal rationality that help to conform states' polities and policies to the twin neoliberal principles of competitiveness and en-trepreneurship. The second section describes the often contradictory construction of the neoliberal com-petition state. Then the study analyzes how the neoliberal state is forged by global indicators. Specifically, the paper focuses on the Global Competitiveness Index by the World Economic Forum. The article ends with some concluding remarks on the power of global indicators and some suggestion for future research.

Blood global DNA methylation is decreased in non-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zinellu, Angelo; Sotgiu, Elisabetta; Fois, Alessandro G; Zinellu, Elisabetta; Sotgia, Salvatore; Ena, Sara; Mangoni, Arduino A; Carru, Ciriaco; Pirina, Pietro

2017-10-01

Alterations in global DNA methylation have been associated with oxidative stress (OS). Since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by increased oxidative stress we aimed to evaluate the levels of global DNA methylation in this patient group. We assessed methylcytosine (mCyt) levels in DNA from blood collected in 43 COPD patients (29 with mild and 14 with moderate disease) and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. DNA methylation was significantly lower in COPD patients vs. controls (4.20 ± 0.18% mCyt vs. 4.29 ± 0.18% mCyt, p = 0.02). Furthermore, DNA methylation in COPD patients with moderate disease was significantly lower than that in patients with mild disease (4.14 ± 0.15% mCyt vs. 4.23 ± 0.19% mCyt, p COPD (crude OR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.67, p = 0.023). This relationship remained significant after adjusting for several confounders (OR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.67; p = 0.028). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated the area under the curve of mCyt was 0.646, with 46.6% sensitivity and 79.1% specificity for presence of COPD. There were no significant correlations between methylation and OS indices. The presence and severity of COPD is associated with progressively lower DNA methylation in blood. However, this epigenetic alteration seems independent of oxidative stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association between etanercept serum concentration and psoriasis severity is highly age-dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Detrez, Iris; Van Steen, Kristel; Segaert, Siegfried; Gils, Ann

2017-06-01

The association between etanercept serum concentration and psoriasis disease severity is poorly investigated, and currently etanercept serum concentration monitoring that is aiming to optimize the psoriasis treatment lacks evidence. In this prospective study, we investigated the relation between etanercept exposure and disease severity via measuring etanercept concentrations at five consecutive time points in 56 psoriasis patients. Disease severity assessments included the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), body surface area (BSA) and Physician Global Assessment (PGA), and etanercept and anti-etanercept antibody concentrations were determined every 3 months for a period of 1 year. The present study demonstrated that the association between etanercept concentration and psoriasis severity is age-dependent: when patients were stratified into three groups, patients in the youngest age group (-50 years) showed a lower PASI at a higher etanercept concentration (β = -0.26), whereas patients in the oldest age group (+59 years) showed the opposite trend (β =0.22). Similar age effects were observed in the relation of etanercept concentration with BSA ( P =0.02) and PGA ( P =0.02). The influence of age and length of time in therapy on the etanercept concentration-disease severity relation was unaffected by body mass index (BMI) or any other possible confounder. Incidence of anti-etanercept antibodies was low (2%). The age-dependent relation between etanercept serum concentrations is both unexpected and intriguing and needs further investigation. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Predicting global variation in infectious disease severity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Per Moestrup; de Fine Licht, Henrik Hjarvard

2016-01-01

demographic and population data. Results: Birth rates were the best predictor for mumps and malaria CFR. For tuberculosis CFR death rates were the best predictor and for leptospirosis population density was a significant predictor. Conclusions and implications: CFR predictors differed among diseases according...... and leptospirosis and assessed these for association with a range of population characteristics, such as crude birth and death rates, median age of the population, mean body mass index, proportion living in urban areas and tuberculosis vaccine coverage. We then tested this predictive model on Danish his- torical...... have the opposite effect. Accordingly changes in CFR may occur in parallel with demographic transitions. Methodology: We explored the predictability of CFR using data obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) disease databases for four human diseases: mumps, malaria, tuberculosis...

Relationships between Participants' International Prostate Symptom Score and BPH Impact Index Changes and Global Ratings of Change in a Trial of Phytotherapy for Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Michael J.; Cantor, Alan; Roehrborn, Claus G.

2014-01-01

Purpose To relate changes in AUA Symptom Index (AUASI) scores with bother measures and global ratings of change among men with lower urinary tract symptoms enrolled in a trial of saw palmetto. Materials and Methods To be eligible, men were ≥45 years old, had ajpeak uroflow ≥4 ml/sec, and an AUASI score ≥ 8 and ≤ 24. Participants self-administered the AUASI, IPSS quality of life item (IPSS QoL), BPH Impact Index (BII) and two global change questions at baseline and 24, 48, and 72 weeks. Results Among 357 participants, global ratings of “a little better” were associated with mean decreases in AUASI scores from 2.8 to 4.1 points, across three time points. The analogous range for mean decreases in BII scores was 1.0 to 1.7 points, and for the IPSS QoL item 0.5 to 0.8 points. At 72 weeks, for the first global change question, each change measure could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better versus unchanged or worse 70-72% of the time. A multivariable model increased discrimination to 77%. For the second global change question, each change measure correctly discriminated ratings of at least a little better versus unchanged or worse 69-74% of the time, and a multivariable model increased discrimination to 79%. Conclusions Changes in AUASI scores could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better versus unchanged or worse. Our findings support the practice of powering studies to detect group mean differences in AUASI scores of at least 3 points. PMID:23017510

Evaluation of Acne Quality of Life and Clinical Severity in Acne Female Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Kokandi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Acne is a common disease especially among teenagers. It has a considerable psychological impact on affected individuals. The aim of this paper was to assess if the effect of acne on acne-related quality of life is correlated to acne clinical severity. 112 university female students attending the university medical clinics with acne complaints were examined. Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI was used to assess acne-related quality of life, and global acne grading system (GAGS was used to assess clinical severity of acne. There was no correlation between acne severity (GAGS scoring system and quality of life impairment as assessed by CADI score (=0.145, =.127. Additionally, CADI score did not correlate with disease duration or age of patients. We therefore conclude that acne clinical severity alone does not affect acne-related quality of life changes. Many other factors might play a role.

An index predictive of cognitive outcome in retired professional American Football players with a history of sports concussion.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Mathew J; Woo, Ellen; Birath, J Brandon; Siders, Craig A; Kelly, Daniel F; Wang, Christina; Swerdloff, Ronald; Romero, Elizabeth; Kernan, Claudia; Cantu, Robert C; Guskiewicz, Kevin

2016-01-01

Various concussion characteristics and personal factors are associated with cognitive recovery in athletes. We developed an index based on concussion frequency, severity, and timeframe, as well as cognitive reserve (CR), and we assessed its predictive power regarding cognitive ability in retired professional football players. Data from 40 retired professional American football players were used in the current study. On average, participants had been retired from football for 20 years. Current neuropsychological performances, indicators of CR, concussion history, and play data were used to create an index for predicting cognitive outcome. The sample displayed a range of concussions, concussion severities, seasons played, CR, and cognitive ability. Many of the participants demonstrated cognitive deficits. The index strongly predicted global cognitive ability (R(2) = .31). The index also predicted the number of areas of neuropsychological deficit, which varied as a function of the deficit classification system used (Heaton: R(2) = .15; Wechsler: R(2) = .28). The current study demonstrated that a unique combination of CR, sports concussion, and game-related data can predict cognitive outcomes in participants who had been retired from professional American football for an average of 20 years. Such indices may prove to be useful for clinical decision making and research.

PR-Index: Using the h-Index and PageRank for Determining True Impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Chao; Wang, Zhen; Li, Xianghua; Zhang, Zili; Zeng, Wei

2016-01-01

Several technical indicators have been proposed to assess the impact of authors and institutions. Here, we combine the h-index and the PageRank algorithm to do away with some of the individual limitations of these two indices. Most importantly, we aim to take into account value differences between citations-evaluating the citation sources by defining the h-index using the PageRank score rather than with citations. The resulting PR-index is then constructed by evaluating source popularity as well as the source publication authority. Extensive tests on available collections data (i.e., Microsoft Academic Search and benchmarks on the SIGKDD innovation award) show that the PR-index provides a more balanced impact measure than many existing indices. Due to its simplicity and similarity to the popular h-index, the PR-index may thus become a welcome addition to the technical indices already in use. Moreover, growth dynamics prior to the SIGKDD innovation award indicate that the PR-index might have notable predictive power.

Intrathecal IgM index correlates with a severe disease course in multiple sclerosis: Clinical and MRI results.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozakbas, Serkan; Cinar, Bilge Piri; Özcelik, Pinar; Baser, Hatice; Kosehasanoğullari, Gorkem

2017-09-01

Intrathecally synthesized IgM can be seen not only in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in infectious and inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, but also in that of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Intrathecal IgM synthesis in MS seems to be correlated with an unfavorable disease course. In one cross-sectional study, intrathecal synthesis of IgM (IgM index) was found to be correlated with cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible relationship between the IgM index and MRI and clinical parameters. Eighty-one patients with MS (58 female) undergoing lumbar puncture were included in the study. Fifty-one patients had a relapsing-remitting (RR) disease course, while 30 cases were secondary progressive MS (SPMS). IgM was detected in paired CSF and serum specimens using ELISA. The IgM index was calculated using the formula CSF IgM/serum IgM: CSF albumin/serum albumin. IgM indexes higher than 0.1 were considered "increased". All patients underwent brain and whole spinal cord MRI. The IgM index was normal in 43 of the 81 patients (53.1%) and increased in 38 (46.9%). A significant correlation was determined between the IgM index and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (r=0.638, p=0.001). Most of the subjects with increased IgM indexes were SPMS patients, 28 having a SPMS course and 10 a RRMS course. Only two patients with SPMS courses had normal IgM indexes. EDSS scores were significantly higher in patients with increased IgM indexes (EDSS 4.3 vs EDSS 2.8, p=0.000). All patients with EDSS >3 had increased IgM indexes. All patients with IgM index values higher than 0.2 IgM had SPMS courses and EDSS >6. Time to onset of the secondary progressive phase of the disease was correlated with IgM index values (p=0.004). IgM index values were also correlated with T1 hypointense lesions (r=0.0431, p=0.008) and Gd enhancing lesions (r=0.0396, p=0.006). Patients with increased IgM indexes also had more

ENSO-Based Index Insurance: Approach and Peru Flood Risk Management Application

Science.gov (United States)

Khalil, A. F.; Kwon, H.; Lall, U.; Miranda, M. J.; Skees, J. R.

2006-12-01

Index insurance has recently been advocated as a useful risk transfer tool for disaster management situations where rapid fiscal relief is desirable, and where estimating insured losses may be difficult, time consuming, or subject to manipulation and falsification. For climate related hazards, a rainfall or temperature index may be proposed. However, rainfall may be highly spatially variable relative to the gauge network, and in many locations data are inadequate to develop an index due to short time-series and the spatial dispersion of stations. In such cases, it may be helpful to consider a climate proxy index as a regional rainfall index. This is particularly useful if a long record is available for the climate index through an independent source and it is well correlated with the regional rainfall hazard. Here, ENSO related climate indices are explored for use as a proxy to extreme rainfall in one of the departments of Peru -- Piura. The ENSO index insurance product may be purchased by banks or microfinance institutions (MFIs) to aid agricultural damage relief in Peru. Crop losses in the region are highly correlated with floods, but are difficult to assess directly. Beyond agriculture, many other sectors suffer as well. Basic infrastructure is destroyed during the most severe events. This disrupts trade for many micro-enterprises. The reliability and quality of the local rainfall data is variable. Averaging the financial risk across the region is desirable. Some issues with the implementation of the proxy ENSO index are identified and discussed. Specifically, we explore (a) the reliability of the index at different levels of probability of exceedance of maximum seasonal rainfall; (b) the potential for clustering of payoffs; (c) the potential that the index could be predicted with some lead time prior to the flood season; and (d) evidence for climate change or non-stationarity in the flood exceedance probability from the long ENSO record. Finally, prospects for

Haploinsufficiency of KDM6A is associated with severe psychomotor retardation, global growth restriction, seizures and cleft palate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindgren, Amelia M; Hoyos, Tatiana; Talkowski, Michael E; Hanscom, Carrie; Blumenthal, Ian; Chiang, Colby; Ernst, Carl; Pereira, Shahrin; Ordulu, Zehra; Clericuzio, Carol; Drautz, Joanne M; Rosenfeld, Jill A; Shaffer, Lisa G; Velsher, Lea; Pynn, Tania; Vermeesch, Joris; Harris, David J; Gusella, James F; Liao, Eric C; Morton, Cynthia C

2013-05-01

We describe a female subject (DGAP100) with a 46,X,t(X;5)(p11.3;q35.3)inv(5)(q35.3q35.1)dn, severe psychomotor retardation with hypotonia, global postnatal growth restriction, microcephaly, globally reduced cerebral volume, seizures, facial dysmorphia and cleft palate. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and whole-genome sequencing demonstrated that the X chromosome breakpoint disrupts KDM6A in the second intron. No genes were directly disrupted on chromosome 5. KDM6A is a histone 3 lysine 27 demethylase and a histone 3 lysine 4 methyltransferase. Expression of KDM6A is significantly reduced in DGAP100 lymphoblastoid cells compared to control samples. We identified nine additional cases with neurodevelopmental delay and various other features consistent with the DGAP100 phenotype with copy number variation encompassing KDM6A from microarray databases. We evaluated haploinsufficiency of kdm6a in a zebrafish model. kdm6a is expressed in the pharyngeal arches and ethmoid plate of the developing zebrafish, while a kdm6a morpholino knockdown exhibited craniofacial defects. We conclude KDM6A dosage regulation is associated with severe and diverse structural defects and developmental abnormalities.

Global measures of ionospheric electrodynamic activity inferred from combined incoherent scatter radar and ground magnetometer observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richmond, A.D.; Kamide, Y.; Akasofu, S.I.; Alcayde, D.; Blanc, M.; De LaBeaujardiere, O.; Evans, D.S.; Foster, J.C.; Holt, J.M.; Friis-Christensen, E.; Pellinen, R.J.; Senior, C.; Zaitzev, A.N.

1990-01-01

An analysis of several global measures of high-latitude ionospheric electrodynamic activity is undertakn on the basis of results obtained from the Assimilative Mapping of Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) procedure applied to incoherent scatter radar and ground magnetometer observatons for January 18-19, 1984. Different global measures of electric potentials, currents, resistances, and energy transfer from the magnetosphere show temporal variations that are generally well correlated. The authors present parameterizations of thees quantities in terms of the AE index and the hemispheric power index of precipitating auroral particles. It is shown how error estimates of the mapped electric fields can be used to correct the estimation of Joule heating. Global measures of potential drop, field-aligned current, and Joule heating as obtained by the AMIE procedure are compared with similar measures presented in previous studies. Agreement is found to within the uncertainties inherent in each study. The mean potential drop through which field-aligned currents flow in closing through the ionosphere is approximately 28% of the total polar cap potential drop under all conditions during these 2 days. They note that order-of-magnitude differences can appear when comparing different global measures of total electric current flow and of effective resistances of the global circuit, so that care must be exercised in choosing characteristic values of these parameters for circuit-analogy studies of ionosphere-magnetosphere electrodynamic coupling

Global distribution of urban parameters derived from high-resolution global datasets for weather modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Kawano, N.; Varquez, A. C. G.; Dong, Y.; Kanda, M.

2016-12-01

Numerical model such as Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with single-layer Urban Canopy Model (WRF-UCM) is one of the powerful tools to investigate urban heat island. Urban parameters such as average building height (Have), plain area index (λp) and frontal area index (λf), are necessary inputs for the model. In general, these parameters are uniformly assumed in WRF-UCM but this leads to unrealistic urban representation. Distributed urban parameters can also be incorporated into WRF-UCM to consider a detail urban effect. The problem is that distributed building information is not readily available for most megacities especially in developing countries. Furthermore, acquiring real building parameters often require huge amount of time and money. In this study, we investigated the potential of using globally available satellite-captured datasets for the estimation of the parameters, Have, λp, and λf. Global datasets comprised of high spatial resolution population dataset (LandScan by Oak Ridge National Laboratory), nighttime lights (NOAA), and vegetation fraction (NASA). True samples of Have, λp, and λf were acquired from actual building footprints from satellite images and 3D building database of Tokyo, New York, Paris, Melbourne, Istanbul, Jakarta and so on. Regression equations were then derived from the block-averaging of spatial pairs of real parameters and global datasets. Results show that two regression curves to estimate Have and λf from the combination of population and nightlight are necessary depending on the city's level of development. An index which can be used to decide which equation to use for a city is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On the other hand, λphas less dependence on GDP but indicated a negative relationship to vegetation fraction. Finally, a simplified but precise approximation of urban parameters through readily-available, high-resolution global datasets and our derived regressions can be utilized to estimate a

Global economic activity and crude oil prices. A cointegration analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Yanan; Wang, Shouyang; Lai, Kin Keung

2010-01-01

This paper empirically investigates the cointegrating relationship between crude oil prices and global economic activity. The Kilian economic index is used as an indicator of global economic activity. Based on a supply-demand framework and the cointegration theory, we find that real futures prices of crude oil are cointegrated with the Kilian economic index and a trade weighted US dollar index, and crude oil prices are influenced significantly by fluctuations in the Kilian economic index through both long-run equilibrium conditions and short-run impacts. We also develop an empirically stable, data-coherent and single-equation error-correction model (ECM) which has sensible economic properties. Empirical results based on the ECM show that the adjustment implied by a permanent change in the Kilian economic index is a relatively drawn-out process. (author)

Modeling the Severity of Drinking Consequences in First-Year College Women: An Item Response Theory Analysis of the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index*

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, Amy M.; Hagman, Brett T.; Graff, Fiona S.; Noel, Nora E.

2011-01-01

Objective: The present study examined the latent continuum of alcohol-related negative consequences among first-year college women using methods from item response theory and classical test theory. Method: Participants (N = 315) were college women in their freshman year who reported consuming any alcohol in the past 90 days and who completed assessments of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences using the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index. Results: Item response theory analyses showed poor model fit for five items identified in the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index. Two-parameter item response theory logistic models were applied to the remaining 18 items to examine estimates of item difficulty (i.e., severity) and discrimination parameters. The item difficulty parameters ranged from 0.591 to 2.031, and the discrimination parameters ranged from 0.321 to 2.371. Classical test theory analyses indicated that the omission of the five misfit items did not significantly alter the psychometric properties of the construct. Conclusions: Findings suggest that those consequences that had greater severity and discrimination parameters may be used as screening items to identify female problem drinkers at risk for an alcohol use disorder. PMID:22051212

[Evaluation of a German version of WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) Arthrosis Index].

Science.gov (United States)

Stucki, G; Meier, D; Stucki, S; Michel, B A; Tyndall, A G; Dick, W; Theiler, R

1996-01-01

The WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) Osteoarthritis Index is a tested questionnaire to assess symptoms and physical functional disability. We adapted the WOMAC for the German language and tested its metric properties, test-retest reliability and validity in 51 patients with knee and hip OA. All WOMAC scales (pain, stiffness, function) were internally consistent with Cronbach's coefficient alpha ranging from 0.80 to 0.96. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.55 to 0.74. All scales and the global index calculated as the mean of scale scores had a bimodal distribution and a slight ceiling effect. As hypothesized the WOMAC scales were associated with radiological OA-severity and limitations of range-of-motion. Patients with more severe symptoms and functional disability perceived more limitations in their roles at home and at work. The presented German version of the WOMAC is a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of symptoms and physical functional disability in patients with knee and hip OA.

Endometriosis fertility index predicts live births following surgical resection of moderate and severe endometriosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Maheux-Lacroix, S; Nesbitt-Hawes, E; Deans, R; Won, H; Budden, A; Adamson, D; Abbott, J A

2017-11-01

Can live birth be accurately predicted following surgical resection of moderate-severe (Stage III-IV) endometriosis? Live births can accurately be predicted with the endometriosis fertility index (EFI), with adnexal function being the most important factor to predict non-assisted reproductive technology (non-ART) fertility or the requirement for ART (www.endometriosisefi.com). Fertility prognosis is important to many women with severe endometriosis. Controversy persists regarding optimal post-operative management to achieve pregnancy and the counselling of patients regarding duration of conventional treatments before undergoing ART. The EFI is reported to correlate with expectant management pregnancy rate, although external validation has been performed without specifically addressing fertility in women with moderate and severe endometriosis. Retrospective cohort study of 279 women from September 2001 to June 2016. We included women undergoing laparoscopic resection of Stage III-IV endometriosis who attempted pregnancy post-operatively. The EFI was calculated based on detailed operative reports and surgical images. Fertility outcomes were obtained by direct patient contact. Kaplan-Meier model, log rank test and Cox regression were used for analyses. The follow-up rate was 84% with a mean duration of 4.1 years. A total of 147 women (63%) had a live birth following surgery, 94 of them (64%) without ART. The EFI was highly associated with live births (P years was 0% and steadily increased up to 91% with an EFI of 9-10, while the proportion of women who attempted ART and had a live birth, steadily increased from 38 to 71% among the same EFI strata (P = 0.1). A low least function score was the most significant predictor of failure (P = 0.003), followed by having had a previous resection (P = 0.019) or incomplete resection (P = 0.028), being older than 40 compared to years of age (P = 0.027), and having leiomyomas (P = 0.037). The main limitation of this study is its

Assessing the Quality of Life Using the Health Utilities Index Questionnaire in Children With Severe Persistent Asthma During the Treatment With Omalizumab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leyla S. Namazova-Baranova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Quality of life (QoL is an important parameter that provides additional information about changes in health status. Objective. Our aim was to study the change in QoL of patients with severe persistent bronchial asthma (BA during the treatment with genetically engineered biological preparation (GIBP omalizumab in addition to daily background therapy. Methods. The QoL assessment was conducted using the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 and Mark 2 (HUI3, HUI2 questionnaires at two points (1st point and 2nd point — in 6 months in 47 children with severe BA at the age of 13 (7; 17 years, 72% of them are boys. At the same points, QoL was evaluated using the PAQLQ (S specialized pediatric questionnaire (Standardized Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results. Depending on the duration of omalizumab therapy, all children were divided into 5 groups: 1st group — children who did not receive treatment with monoclonal antibodies at the 1st point; in 2, 3, 4, 5-th groups, the QoL assessment was performed on GIBP treatment for different time. In children of the 1st group whose QoL was evaluated before starting GIBP therapy and in 6 months, a statistically significant change in scores on the Health Utilities Index questionnaire was noted: the multi-attribute indices HUI2 and HUI3 improved, respectively, by 21.3 and 10.71% (p = 0.041 and 0.086. According to the HUI2 classification system, a significant improvement in the emotion attribute was revealed, which positively correlated with the overall indicator and the emotion indicator of the PAQLQ (S questionnaire. In the remaining groups, the indicators of the Health Utilities Index questionnaire did not change significantly. Conclusion. The study results showed that the dynamics of the quality of life in children with severe persistent BA is an important additional criterion in a comprehensive assessment of the efficacy of targeted bioengineering therapy. 

The Influence of Global Macroeconomic Factors on Stock Values: A Sector Level Analysis

OpenAIRE

Şerife Özlen

2014-01-01

Investors and policy makers should carefully analyze stock returns and their possible relationships with microeconomic and macroeconomic factors in both local and global arena. Since the markets are increasingly becoming global, the outcomes may be more important for international factors. Therefore, this study aims to identify the relationship between selected international macroeconomic variables (FTSE-100 England market index, GDAX Germany market index, NYSE Composite market index, Gold pr...

PR-Index: Using the h-Index and PageRank for Determining True Impact.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chao Gao

Full Text Available Several technical indicators have been proposed to assess the impact of authors and institutions. Here, we combine the h-index and the PageRank algorithm to do away with some of the individual limitations of these two indices. Most importantly, we aim to take into account value differences between citations-evaluating the citation sources by defining the h-index using the PageRank score rather than with citations. The resulting PR-index is then constructed by evaluating source popularity as well as the source publication authority. Extensive tests on available collections data (i.e., Microsoft Academic Search and benchmarks on the SIGKDD innovation award show that the PR-index provides a more balanced impact measure than many existing indices. Due to its simplicity and similarity to the popular h-index, the PR-index may thus become a welcome addition to the technical indices already in use. Moreover, growth dynamics prior to the SIGKDD innovation award indicate that the PR-index might have notable predictive power.

Variability and trends in global drought

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, Gregory J.; Wolock, David M.

2015-01-01

Monthly precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) from the CRUTS3.1 data set are used to compute monthly P minus PET (PMPE) for the land areas of the globe. The percent of the global land area with annual sums of PMPE less than zero are used as an index of global drought (%drought) for 1901 through 2009. Results indicate that for the past century %drought has not changed, even though global PET and temperature (T) have increased. Although annual global PET and T have increased, annual global P also has increased and has mitigated the effects of increased PET on %drought.

Relationship between global severity of patients with Alzheimer's disease and costs of care in Spain; results from the co-dependence study in Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Darbà, J; Kaskens, L; Lacey, L

2015-11-01

The objectives of this analysis were to examine how patients' global severity with Alzheimer's disease (AD) relates to costs of care and explore the incremental effects of global severity measured by the clinical dementia rating (CDR) scale on these costs for patients in Spain. The Codep-EA study is an 18-multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study among patients (343) with AD according to the CDR score and their caregivers in Spain. The data obtained included (in addition to clinical measures) also socio-demographic data concerning the patient and its caregiver. Cost analyses were based on resource use for medical care, social care, caregiver productivity losses, and informal caregiver time reported in the resource utilization in dementia (RUD). Lite instrument and a complementary questionnaire. Multivariate regression analysis was used to model the effects of global severity and other socio-demographic and clinical variables on cost of care. The mean (standard deviation) costs per patient over 6 months for direct medical, social care, indirect and informal care costs, were estimated at €1,028.1 (1,655.0), €843.8 (2,684.8), €464.2 (1,639.0) and €33,232.2 (30,898.9), respectively. Dementia severity, as having a CDR score 0.5, 2, or 3 with CDR score 1 being the reference group were all independently and significantly associated with informal care costs. Whereas having a CDR score of 2 was also significantly related with social care costs, a CDR score of 3 was associated with most cost components including direct medical, social care, and total costs, all compared to the reference group. The costs of care for patients with AD in Spain are substantial, with informal care accounting for the greatest part. Dementia severity, measured by CDR score, showed that with increasing severity of the disease, direct medical, social care, informal care and total costs augmented.

A fuzzy-based model to implement the global safety buildings index assessment for agri-food buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Barreca

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The latest EU policies focus on the issue of food safety with a view to ensuring adequate and standard quality levels for the food produced and/or consumed within the EC. To that purpose, the environment where agricultural products are manufactured and processed plays a crucial role in achieving food hygiene. As a consequence, it is of the outmost importance to adopt proper building solutions which meet health and hygiene requirements as well as to use suitable tools to measure the levels achieved. Similarly, it is necessary to verify and evaluate the level of workers’ safety and welfare in their working environment. Workers’ safety has not only an ethical and social value but also an economic implication, since possible accidents or environmental stressors are the major causes of the lower efficiency and productivity of workers. Therefore, it is fundamental to design suitable models of analysis that allow assessing buildings as a whole, taking into account both health and hygiene safety as well as workers’ safety and welfare. Hence, this paper proposes an assessment model that, based on an established study protocol and on the application of a fuzzy logic procedure, allows assessing the global safety level of an agri-food building by means of a global safety buildings index. The model here presented is original since it uses fuzzy logic to evaluate the performances of both the technical and environmental systems of an agri-food building in terms of health and hygiene safety of the manufacturing process as well as of workers’ health and safety. The result of the assessment is expressed through a triangular fuzzy membership function which allows carrying out comparative analyses of different buildings. A specific procedure was developed to apply the model to a case study which tested its operational simplicity and the validity of its results. The proposed model allows obtaining a synthetic and global value of the building performance of

Climate conditions and drought assessment with the Palmer Drought Severity Index in Iran: evaluation of CORDEX South Asia climate projections (2070-2099)

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Senatore, Alfonso; Hejabi, Somayeh; Mendicino, Giuseppe; Bazrafshan, Javad; Irannejad, Parviz

2018-03-01

Climate change projections were evaluated over both the whole Iran and six zones having different precipitation regimes considering the CORDEX South Asia dataset, for assessing space-time distribution of drought occurrences in the future period 2070-2099 under RCP4.5 scenario. Initially, the performances of eight available CORDEX South Asia Regional Climate Models (RCMs) were assessed for the baseline period 1970-2005 through the GPCC v.7 precipitation dataset and the CFSR temperature dataset, which were previously selected as the most reliable within a set of five global datasets compared to 41 available synoptic stations. Though the CCLM RCM driven by the MPI-ESM-LR General Circulation Model is in general the most suitable for temperature and, together with the REMO 2009 RCM also driven by MPI-ESM-LR, for precipitation, their performances do not overwhelm other models for every season and zone in which Iranian territory was divided according to a principal component analysis approach. Hence, a weighting approach was tested and adopted to take into account useful information from every RCM in each of the six zones. The models resulting more reliable compared to current climate show a strong precipitation decrease. Weighted average predicts an overall yearly precipitation decrease of about 20%. Temperature projections provide a mean annual increase of 2.4 °C. Future drought scenarios were depicted by means of the self-calibrating version of the Palmer drought severity index (SC-PDSI) model. Weighted average predicts a sharp drying that can be configured as a real shift in mean climate conditions, drastically affecting water resources of the country.

A general exergy-based environmental impact index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz-Mendez, Sosimo E.; Rodriguez-Lelis, Jose Maria; Hernandez-Guerrero, Abel

2011-01-01

An ecosystem is a complex system in which biotic and abiotic factors interact and influence each other both directly and indirectly. Each of these factors has to comply with a specific function in the different processes that occur inside the ecosystem, whether transporting or transforming energy or both. When anthropogenic emissions are produced, part of the useful energy of the ecosystem is used to assimilate or absorb those emissions, and the energy spent, loses its function and becomes lost work in accordance with the Gouy-Stodola theorem. Thus, the work that an ecosystem can carry out varies as a function of the lost work produced by anthropogenic sources. The permanency or loss of the ecosystem depends on how many irreversibilities it can support. The second law of thermodynamics through a systematic use of the exergy and lost work is the basis of this paper where a general environmental impact index, based on exergy, is proposed. For the purpose of this work, the ecosystem is divided in subsystems--water, soil, atmosphere, organisms and society- -all of them inter-related. The ideal work variation can be obtained from each subsystem within the selected ecosystem, and a global index can be determined by adding the partial lost work of each subsystem. This global index is then used to determine the trend followed by the ecosystem from its pristine, original or environmental line base state. This environmental impact index applicability is presented for a simple combustion example

Global hotspots of river erosion under global warming

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Plink-Bjorklund, P.; Reichler, T.

2017-12-01

Extreme precipitation plays a significant role for river hydrology, flood hazards and landscape response. For example, the September 2013 rainstorm in the Colorado Front Range evacuated the equivalent of hundreds to thousands of years of hillslope weathering products. Although promoted by steep topography, the Colorado event is clearly linked to rainfall intensity, since most of the 1100 debris flows occurred within the highest rainfall contour. Additional evidence for a strong link between extreme precipitation and river erosion comes from the sedimentary record, and especially from that of past greenhouse climates. The existence of such a link suggests that information about global rainfall patterns can be used to define regions of increased erosion potential. However, the question arises what rainfall criteria to use and how well the method works. A related question is how ongoing climate change and the corresponding shifts in rainfall might impact the results. Here, we use atmospheric reanalysis and output from a climate model to identify regions that are particularly susceptible to landscape change in response to extreme precipitation. In order to define the regions, we combine several hydroclimatological and geomorphological criteria into a single index of erosion potential. We show that for current climate, our criteria applied to atmospheric reanalysis or to climate model data successfully localize known areas of increased erosion potential, such as the Colorado region. We then apply our criteria to climate model data for future climate to document how the location, extent, and intensity of erosion hotspots are likely to change under global warming.

Increased body mass index predicts severity of asthma symptoms but not objective asthma traits in a large sample of asthmatics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bildstrup, Line; Backer, Vibeke; Thomsen, Simon Francis

2015-01-01

AIM: To examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and different indicators of asthma severity in a large community-based sample of Danish adolescents and adults. METHODS: A total of 1186 subjects, 14-44 years of age, who in a screening questionnaire had reported a history of airway...... symptoms suggestive of asthma and/or allergy, or who were taking any medication for these conditions were clinically examined. All participants were interviewed about respiratory symptoms and furthermore height and weight, skin test reactivity, lung function, and airway responsiveness were measured...

Concordance between patient and clinician assessment of dry eye severity and treatment response in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Po-Ting; Chien, Hsu-Chih; Ng, Kwong; Tseng, Sung-Huei; Chen, Wei-Li; Hou, Yu-Chih; Wang, I-Jong; Chu, Hsiao-Sung; Kao Yang, Yea-Huei; Hu, Fung-Rong

2015-05-01

Accurate diagnosis and early recognition of dry eye symptoms are important in the management of dry eye disease (DED). This study aimed to evaluate concordance between patient and clinician assessment of DED severity and treatment response. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2 ophthalmology clinics in Taiwan. Clinicians assessed severity based on the Dry Eye Workshop severity grading (levels 1-4; where 4 = most severe), whereas patients completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire. To evaluate the treatment response, patients completed the Subject Global Assessment scale, and clinicians independently assessed patients using the Clinical Global Impression scale. A total of 466 patients were included. Clinicians graded 88.3% of patients as level 1/2, 9.0% as level 3, and 2.7% as level 4 Dry Eye Workshop severity, whereas 44.9% of patients reported normal/mild symptoms, 17.1% with moderate severity, and 38.0% with severe DED. Patients were primarily treated with artificial tears. The clinician assessed 10.3% of patients as unchanged on disease severity after treatment and 88.0% as improved, whereas 49.2% of patients reported dry eye symptoms being almost the same after treatment and 34.6% reported improved symptoms. There was low agreement between clinician and patient assessments in terms of disease severity (rho = 0.17, P treatment response (rho = 0.22, P treatment response between patient and clinician assessment. Clinicians may underestimate DED severity and persistence of dry eye symptoms after treatment with artificial tears.Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01942226.

The total right/left-volume index: a new and simplified cardiac magnetic resonance measure to evaluate the severity of Ebstein anomaly of the tricuspid valve: a comparison with heart failure markers from various modalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hösch, Olga; Sohns, Jan Martin; Nguyen, Thuy-Trang; Lauerer, Peter; Rosenberg, Christina; Kowallick, Johannes Tammo; Kutty, Shelby; Unterberg, Christina; Schuster, Andreas; Faßhauer, Martin; Staab, Wieland; Paul, Thomas; Lotz, Joachim; Steinmetz, Michael

2014-07-01

The classification of clinical severity of Ebstein anomaly still remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to focus on the interaction of the pathologically altered right heart with the anatomically-supposedly-normal left heart and to derive from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) a simple imaging measure for the clinical severity of Ebstein anomaly. Twenty-five patients at a mean age of 26±14 years with unrepaired Ebstein anomaly were examined in a prospective study. Disease severity was classified using CMR volumes and functional measurements in comparison with heart failure markers from clinical data, ECG, laboratory and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and echocardiography. All examinations were completed within 24 hours. A total right/left-volume index was defined from end-diastolic volume measurements in CMR: total right/left-volume index=(RA+aRV+fRV)/(LA+LV). Mean total right/left-volume index was 2.6±1.7 (normal values: 1.1±0.1). This new total right/left-volume index correlated with almost all clinically used biomarkers of heart failure: brain natriuretic peptide (r=0.691; P=0.0003), QRS (r=0.432; P=0.039), peak oxygen consumption/kg (r=-0.479; P=0.024), ventilatory response to carbon dioxide production at anaerobic threshold (r=0.426; P=0.048), the severity of tricuspid regurgitation (r=0.692; P=0.009), tricuspid valve offset (r=0.583; P=0.004), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (r=0.554; P=0.006). Previously described severity indices ([RA+aRV]/[fRV+LA+LV]) and fRV/LV end-diastolic volume corresponded only to some parameters. In patients with Ebstein anomaly, the easily acquired index of right-sided to left-sided heart volumes from CMR correlated well with established heart failure markers. Our data suggest that the total right/left-volume index should be used as a new and simplified CMR measure, allowing more accurate assessment of disease severity than previously described scoring systems. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Global relationships in river hydromorphology

Science.gov (United States)

Pavelsky, T.; Lion, C.; Allen, G. H.; Durand, M. T.; Schumann, G.; Beighley, E.; Yang, X.

2017-12-01

Since the widespread adoption of digital elevation models (DEMs) in the 1980s, most global and continental-scale analysis of river flow characteristics has been focused on measurements derived from DEMs such as drainage area, elevation, and slope. These variables (especially drainage area) have been related to other quantities of interest such as river width, depth, and velocity via empirical relationships that often take the form of power laws. More recently, a number of groups have developed more direct measurements of river location and some aspects of planform geometry from optical satellite imagery on regional, continental, and global scales. However, these satellite-derived datasets often lack many of the qualities that make DEM=derived datasets attractive, including robust network topology. Here, we present analysis of a dataset that combines the Global River Widths from Landsat (GRWL) database of river location, width, and braiding index with a river database extracted from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM and the HydroSHEDS dataset. Using these combined tools, we present a dataset that includes measurements of river width, slope, braiding index, upstream drainage area, and other variables. The dataset is available everywhere that both datasets are available, which includes all continental areas south of 60N with rivers sufficiently large to be observed with Landsat imagery. We use the dataset to examine patterns and frequencies of river form across continental and global scales as well as global relationships among variables including width, slope, and drainage area. The results demonstrate the complex relationships among different dimensions of river hydromorphology at the global scale.

Carbon emission intensity in electricity production: A global analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ang, B.W.; Su, Bin

2016-01-01

We study changes in the aggregate carbon intensity (ACI) for electricity at the global and country levels. The ACI is defined as the energy-related CO_2 emissions in electricity production divided by the electricity produced. It is a performance indicator since a decrease in its value is a desirable outcome from the environmental and climate change viewpoints. From 1990 to 2013, the ACI computed at the global level decreased only marginally. However, fairly substantial decreases were observed in many countries. This apparent anomaly arises from a geographical shift in global electricity production with countries having a high ACI increasingly taking up a larger electricity production share. It is found that globally and in most major electricity producing countries, reduction in their ACI was due mainly to improvements in the thermal efficiency of electricity generation rather than to fuel switching. Estimates of the above-mentioned effects are made using LMDI decomposition analysis. Our study reveals several challenges in reducing global CO_2 emissions from the electricity production sector although technically the reduction potential for the sector is known to be great. - Highlights: •Variations of aggregate carbon intensity (ACI) for electricity of world countries are analysed. •Main drivers of changes in ACI of major electricity producing countries are studied using index decomposition analysis. •Geographical shift in electricity production had a significant impact on global ACI. •Improvements in the thermal efficiency of generation were the main driver of reduction in ACI.

The Severity of Dysmenorrhea and its Relationship with Body Mass Index among Female Adolescents in Hamadan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Batool Khodakarami

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background & aim: Primary dysmenorrhea is a common problem among women, resulting in a decline in their performance level and quality of life. Previous studies have not indicated a definite relationship between body mass index (BMI and dysmenorrhea. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the severity of dysmenorrhea and investigate its relationship with BMI among female adolescents in Hamadan, Iran. Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted on 579 single, female adolescents in schools of Hamadan, Iran in 2011. Students with primary dysmenorrhea (without any other conditions were selected, using random cluster sampling. Demographic characteristics and menstrual cycle information were collected, using two separate questionnaires. BMI was recorded in all participants and visual analogue scale was applied for pain assessment. Chi-square, t-test, Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were used to examine the relationship between variables. Data were analyzed, using SPSS version 16. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age, BMI and age at menarche in participants were 15.94±1.17 years, 21.16±3.36 kg/m2 and 12.92± 1.05 years, respectively. The frequency of dysmenorrhea was estimated to be 85.31%. The frequency and severity of dysmenorrhea was higher in the normal-weight group than other subjects. No relationship was seen between the severity and duration of dysmenorrhea with BMI. But dysmenorrhea had a significant relationship with age at menarche and premenstrual syndrome (P

Satellite Leaf Area Index: Global Scale Analysis of the Tendencies Per Vegetation Type Over the Last 17 Years

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Simon Munier

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study is to detect and quantify changes in the vegetation dynamics of each vegetation type at the global scale over the last 17 years. With recent advances in remote sensing techniques, it is now possible to study the Leaf Area Index (LAI seasonal and interannual variability at the global scale and in a consistent way over the last decades. However, the coarse spatial resolution of these satellite-derived products does not permit distinguishing vegetation types within mixed pixels. Considering only the dominant type per pixel has two main drawbacks: the LAI of the dominant vegetation type is contaminated by spurious signal from other vegetation types and at the global scale, significant areas of individual vegetation types are neglected. In this study, we first developed a Kalman Filtering (KF approach to disaggregate the satellite-derived LAI from GEOV1 over nine main vegetation types, including grasslands and crops as well as evergreen, broadleaf and coniferous forests. The KF approach permits the separation of distinct LAI values for individual vegetation types that coexist within a pixel. The disaggregated LAI product, called LAI-MC (Multi-Cover, consists of world-wide LAI maps provided every 10 days for each vegetation type over the 1999–2015 period. A trend analysis of the original GEOV1 LAI product and of the disaggregated LAI time series was conducted using the Mann-Kendall test. Resulting trends of the GEOV1 LAI (which accounts for all vegetation types compare well with previous regional or global studies, showing a greening over a large part of the globe. When considering each vegetation type individually, the largest global trend from LAI-MC is found for coniferous forests (0.0419 m 2 m − 2 yr − 1 followed by summer crops (0.0394 m 2 m − 2 yr − 1 , while winter crops and grasslands show the smallest global trends (0.0261 m 2 m − 2 yr − 1 and 0.0279 m 2 m − 2 yr − 1 , respectively. The LAI

Severity indices in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Toledano, Esther; García de Yébenes, M Jesús; González-Álvaro, Isidoro; Carmona, Loreto

2017-08-11

To identify tools designed to evaluate the severity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in order to use them in the investigation of prognostic markers in early arthritis. We conducted a systematic review of studies that developed/validated an index for RA disease severity. They were analyzed using the COSMIN checklist to assess their methodological quality. In addition, all the variables included were evaluated for their clarity of definition, feasibility and probability of being present in each outcome during the first 2 years of the disease course. To estimate redundancy, variables were grouped by domains. After reviewing 3,519 articles, 3 studies were included. The first study, the PAS, assessed whether current and lifetime treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and/or biologics accurately predicted RA severity, as measured by the patient-reported PAS. Treatment variables did not fully distinguish patients in the highest and lowest quartiles of PAS scores. Another severity index, the Claims-Based Index for RA Severity (CIRAS), included the variables age, sex, Felty's syndrome, number of rehabilitation and rheumatology visits, test for inflammatory markers, number of chemistry panels/platelet counts ordered and rheumatoid factor test. The correlation was low (r=0.56) with an index previously validated by the same research group, the RA medical records-based index of severity (RARBIS), with Disease Activity Score-C-reactive protein (DAS28-PCR) (r=0.07) and Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MD-HAQ) (r=0.008). Finally, the RARBIS, used to validate the CIRAS, was devised as an RA severity index based on medical records. It includes as domains surgery, radiology, extra-articular manifestations, clinical and laboratory variables, previously chosen by an expert panel. RARBIS had a weak correlation with treatment intensity (r=0.35) and with DAS28 (r=0.41). There is no index to assess the severity of RA based on the course of the

Sunshine-based estimation of global solar radiation on horizontal surface at Lake Van region (Turkey)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duzen, Hacer; Aydin, Harun

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The global solar radiation at Lake Van region is estimated. ► This study is unique for the Lake Van region. ► Solar radiation around Lake Van has the highest value at the east-southeast region. ► The annual average solar energy potential is obtained as 750–2458 kWh/m 2 . ► Results can be used to estimate evaporation. - Abstract: In this study several sunshine-based regression models have been evaluated to estimate monthly average daily global solar radiation on horizontal surface of Lake Van region in the Eastern Anatolia region in Turkey by using data obtained from seven different meteorological stations. These models are derived from Angström–Prescott linear regression model and its derivatives such as quadratic, cubic, logarithmic and exponential. The performance of this regression models were evaluated by comparing the calculated clearness index and the measured clearness index. Several statistical tests were used to control the validation and goodness of the regression models in terms of the coefficient of determination, mean percent error, mean absolute percent error, mean biased error, mean absolute biased error, root mean square error and t-statistic. The results of all the regression models are within acceptable limits according to the statistical tests. However, the best performances are obtained by cubic regression model for Bitlis, Gevaş, Hakkari, Muş stations and by quadratic regression model for Malazgirt, Tatvan and Van stations to predict global solar radiation. The spatial distributions of the monthly average daily global solar radiation around the Lake Van region were obtained with interpolation of calculated solar radiation data that acquired from best fit models of the stations. The annual average solar energy potential for Lake Van region is obtained between 750 kWh/m 2 and 2485 kWh/m 2 with annual average of 1610 kWh/m 2 .

Do we need a geoelectric index?

Science.gov (United States)

Holzworth, R.; Volland, H.

1986-01-01

The need for a geoelectric index (GI) measuring the global level of atmospheric electrical activity for a given time is assessed, and methods for defining a GI are compared. Current problems in atmospheric and space electrodynamics (the global circuit, solar-terrestrial coupling, lightning effects on the ionosphere/magnetosphere, and mesospheric generators), atmospheric chemistry (the stratospheric ozone cycle and atmospheric gravity waves), and meteorology (fog forecasting) are reviewed to illustrate the usefullness of a GI. Derivations of a GI from in situ electrical measurements and from ground or satellite remote sensing of source properties are described, and a system based on ground measurement of the intensity of the Schumann resonance lines (as proposed by Polk, 1982) is found to be the most practical, requiring as few as three (automatically operated) stations for global coverage.

A carbon emissions reduction index: Integrating the volume and allocation of regional emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jiandong; Cheng, Shulei; Song, Malin; Wu, Yinyin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We build a carbon emissions reduction index (CERI). • The aim is to quantify the pressure on policymakers to reduce emissions. • Scale-related effects and carbon emissions allocations are included in the CERI. • Different standards of carbon emissions allocations are also considered. • We decompose the Gini coefficient to evaluate the effects of three factors. - Abstract: Given the acceleration of global warming and rising greenhouse gas emissions, all countries are facing the harsh reality of the need to reduce carbon emissions. In this study, we propose an index to quantify the pressure faced by policymakers to reduce such emissions, termed the carbon emissions reduction index. This index allows us to observe the effect of carbon emissions volume on the pressure faced by policymakers and study the impact of optimizing interregional carbon emissions on reducing this pressure. In addition, we account for several carbon emissions standards in constructing the index. We conclude that the variation in the index is likely to be attributable to carbon emissions volume, regional ranking, and population (population can also be replaced by GDP, resource endowment, or other factors). In addition, based on empirical data on the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide (China), this study analyzes the evolution of pressure to reduce emissions on a country’s policymakers. The results show that the growing volume and unsuitable allocation of carbon emissions from 1997 to 2012 imposed increasing pressure on the Chinese government in this regard. In addition, reductions in carbon emissions volume and regional ranking are primary factors that impact pressure on policymakers.

Measuring the Multinational Business Value – An indexing Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge MONGAY HURTADO

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The research project aims to present a comparative analysis of countries related to the value of their MNCs in the global arena. The study works in secondary data analysis using as a platform the Forbes Global 2000 list, which is maybe the best source explaining the presence of MNCs by country. This research goes beyond the information provided by the original list, offering an index and information about the number of corporations per country as well as their value (number of corpora-tions per country, their position in the ranking and the weight obtained by each company expressed in numerical value. Also the index obtained has been adjusted to the population of each country to determine which one should be the expected value per country from a more realistic perspective. An analysis of cultural clus-ters and trading zones has been applied as well. Finally, a calculation of the dif-ferent sectors where MNCs operate give the index the possibility to estimate the % of penetration or importance of the services and financial sector in each country and in the world.

Management model of productive capacity: integrating theory of constraints and the global operational efficiency index (IROG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Augusto Pacheco

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a model of management capacity in productive systems integrating the concepts of the Theory of Constraints and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM. The main objective of this study is to discuss and propose a model of management capacity, able to answer the following key questions: i capacity indicators which should be considered and how to measure them to measure the productive capacity of manufacturing systems? ii what is the real productive capacity of the system analyzed under a determined relationship between capacity and demand? The discussion of the proposed model is relevant because the definition of productive capacity system enables better management of resources and capabilities, improve production scheduling on the factory floor and meeting the demands imposed by the market. This paper presents the proposition of using the Operating Income Index Global (IROG with a different approach from traditional literature dealing with the theme, presented by Nakajima (1988. The results of this paper enable to develop a model to determine the capacity of the production system and the impact on the productive capacity of the entire system, not to consider the quality conformances that occur after the bottleneck resource of the production flow.

A new relative hazard index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, C.F.; Burnett, T.W.T; Kastenberg, W.E.

1976-01-01

Several indexes for the evaluation of relative radionuclide hazards have been previously developed. In this paper, a new relative hazard index is derived for use in the assessment of the future burden to mankind from the presence of radionuclides in the environment. Important features of this hazard index are that it takes into account multiple decay schemes, non-equilibrium conditions, and finite time periods. As an application of this hazard index, a comparison is made between thermal reactor radioactive waste and the uranium required as fuel with the following conclusions: (1) For short time intervals (d 234 U breaking the uranium decay chain. (3) For long time intervals of concern (d >= 500 000 years), the reactor waste and consumed uranium indexes are equal after a much shorter decay time (approximately 10 years.) (author)

On the refractive index of sodium iodide solutions for index matching in PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Kunlun; Katz, Joseph

2014-04-01

Refractive index matching has become a popular technique for facilitating applications of modern optical diagnostic techniques, such as particle image velocimetry, in complex systems. By matching the refractive index of solid boundaries with that of the liquid, unobstructed optical paths can be achieved for illumination and image acquisition. In this research note, we extend previously provided data for the refractive index of aqueous solutions of sodium iodide (NaI) for concentrations reaching the temperature-dependent solubility limit. Results are fitted onto a quadratic empirical expression relating the concentration to the refractive index. Temperature effects are also measured. The present range of indices, 1.333-1.51, covers that of typical transparent solids, from silicone elastomers to several recently introduced materials that could be manufactured using rapid prototyping. We also review briefly previous measurements of the refractive index, viscosity, and density of NaI solutions, as well as prior research that has utilized this fluid.

The potential of the Global Person Generated Index for evaluating the perceived impacts of conservation interventions on subjective well-being

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasolofoson, Ranaivo Andriarilala; Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt; Jones, Julia P.G.

2018-01-01

a subjective measure), and impacts (requiring a participatory approach), but very few, if any, conservation evaluations live up to these standards. We used a participatory impact evaluation approach with the Global Person Generated Index (GPGI) to investigate the relative impacts of strict protection......There is growing interest in the importance of ensuring that biodiversity conservation is not achieved at the expense of local people’s well-being. It has been suggested that when evaluating the impact of an intervention, the affected population should be allowed to define well-being (requiring......, and the relative importance of the five identified domains. Participatory impact evaluation establishes local perceptions of the cause-effect relationship between an intervention and respondents’ performance in each domain. Over half the respondents perceived no positive or negative impacts from the conservation...

Sarcopenia in COPD: relationship with COPD severity and prognosis

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Tatiana Munhoz da Rocha Lemos; Costa, Fabio Marcelo; Moreira, Carolina Aguiar; Rabelo, Leda Maria; Boguszewski, César Luiz; Borba, Victória Zeghbi Cochenski

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of sarcopenia in COPD patients, as well as to determine whether sarcopenia correlates with the severity and prognosis of COPD. Methods: A cross-sectional study with COPD patients followed at the pulmonary outpatient clinic of our institution. The patients underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was made on the basis of the skeletal muscle index, defined as appendicular lean mass/height2 only for low-weight subjects and adjusted for fat mass in normal/overweight subjects. Disease severity (COPD stage) was evaluated with the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria. The degree of obstruction and prognosis were determined by the Body mass index, airflow Obstruction, Dyspnea, and Exercise capacity (BODE) index. Results: We recruited 91 patients (50 females), with a mean age of 67.4 ± 8.7 years and a mean BMI of 25.8 ± 6.1 kg/m2. Sarcopenia was observed in 36 (39.6%) of the patients, with no differences related to gender, age, or smoking status. Sarcopenia was not associated with the GOLD stage or with FEV1 (used as an indicator of the degree of obstruction). The BMI, percentage of body fat, and total lean mass were lower in the patients with sarcopenia than in those without (p < 0.001). Sarcopenia was more prevalent among the patients in BODE quartile 3 or 4 than among those in BODE quartile 1 or 2 (p = 0.009). The multivariate analysis showed that the BODE quartile was significantly associated with sarcopenia, regardless of age, gender, smoking status, and GOLD stage. Conclusions: In COPD patients, sarcopenia appears to be associated with unfavorable changes in body composition and with a poor prognosis. PMID:26578132

Global visibility for global health: Is it time for a new descriptor in Medical Subject Heading (MeSH of MEDLINE/PubMed?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Marušic´

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Despite a large body of research in global health (almost 9000 articles published in PubMed until 2012, the term “global health” is not included in the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH of the NLM – its controlled vocabulary thesaurus which NLM uses to index articles in MEDL INE. There are only 6 journals currently covered by PubMed which specialize in global health, including Journal of Global Health.

Optimal timing of valve replacement in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilen, Emine; Ipek, Gökürk; Ayhan, Huseyin; Nacar, Alper Bugra; Kasapkara, Haci Ahmet; Sani, Cenk; Basbug, Serdar; Kurt, Mustafa; Bozkurt, Engin

2014-09-01

Patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) constitute a heterogeneous group which includes not only certain cases who are at high risk of sudden death and valve-related heart failure, but also those at low risk for these events. Degenerative AS, which includes a majority of patients with AS, is characterized by stricture of the valve, increased arterial stiffness, and diverse left ventricular response to the valvular plus arterial vascular load. In addition to using traditional primary parameters, the severity of AS and the total left ventricular load should be assessed using new measures such as energy loss index and valvulo-arterial impedance. Natriuretic peptide levels and global longitudinal strain imaging may also be used as secondary parameters to obtain information about left ventricular systolic function, although these parameters do not correlate with the severity of AS. Exercise stress testing and exercise echocardiography are also beneficial when assessing the patient if they are symptomatic, and for determining valvular and left ventricular contractile reserves. The aim of this review was to emphasize the importance of risk stratifications in asymptomatic severe AS cases, and to assess the severity of AS using not only conventional methods but also new methods on which much emphasis has been placed during recent years.

Do fire severity effects on soil change in space and time in the short-term? What ash tells us

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Pereira

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In the absence of data, the impact of fire, especially wildfires, is measured analysing the fire severity. This post-fire assessment is very useful because allow to identify the degree of destruction imposed by the fire. Among the techniques used to determine fire severity, ash colour is often used, that permit identify the degree of organic matter consumption (darker ash uncompleted combustion, lighter ash completed combustion. The objective of this paper was observed if fire severity changes in space and time, according to ash colour analysis, applying an index. The ash colour analysis was carried out one and fifteen days after the fire. In this area we identified ash with four different colours, black (B dark grey (DG, light gray (LG and white colour (W and some uncovered areas classified as bared soil (BS. Black and DG represent medium fire severity, LG and W, higher severity. The results showed that in the studied fire, the severity was high and a great part of the plot was uncovered by ash (BS. Fifteen days after BS increased as the fire severity index, from 6.05 to 6.45, showing that during this period the ash redistribution in a short period after the fire can influence the fire severity assessment. We did not identified significant differences between measurements and the coefficient of variation (CV% remained the same. However significant differences were identified with the spatial correlation analysis with Global Moran's I and the spatial structure of fire severity index. This is evidence that ash color changed in this period in the space and the traditional statistical methods did not detected, only with spatial analysis. The analysis of fire severity using ash color some days after the fire can induce important errors, because wind can (remix ash and a particle produced in one area can be easily exported to other.

Women who abuse prescription opioids: findings from the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version Connect prescription opioid database.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Traci C; Grimes Serrano, Jill M; Licari, Andrea; Budman, Simon H; Butler, Stephen F

2009-07-01

Evidence suggests gender differences in abuse of prescription opioids. This study aimed to describe characteristics of women who abuse prescription opioids in a treatment-seeking sample and to contrast gender differences among prescription opioid abusers. Data collected November 2005 to April 2008 derived from the Addiction Severity Index Multimedia Version Connect (ASI-MV Connect) database. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression examined correlates of prescription opioid abuse stratified by gender. 29,906 assessments from 220 treatment centers were included, of which 12.8% (N=3821) reported past month prescription opioid abuse. Women were more likely than men to report use of any prescription opioid (29.8% females vs. 21.1% males, phistory of drug overdose. Men-specific correlates were age screen and identify those at highest risk of prescription opioid abuse. Prevention and intervention efforts with a gender-specific approach are warranted.

Globalization and Social Justice in OECD Countries

OpenAIRE

Björn Kauder; Niklas Potrafke

2015-01-01

Social justice is a topic of importance to social scientists and also political decision makers. We examine the relationship between globalization and social justice as measured by a new indicator for 31 OECD countries. The results show that countries that experienced rapid globalization enjoy social justice. When the KOF index of globalization increases by one standard deviation, the social justice indicator increases by about 0.4 points (on a scale from 1 to 10). The policy implication is t...

Modeling variation in global consumer’ participation behaviour intentions using an institutional market index

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schumann, J.H.; Nijssen, E.J.; Lentz, P.

2014-01-01

Purpose Enhancing customer participation behaviour (CPB) is critical for service firms. However, in a global context, cultural and local market factors are relevant. This study details how and why global service firms can and should account for such factors. Prior research relied on cultural value

Fundamental study on applicability of resilience index for system safety assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Masaaki; Demachi, Kazuyuki; Murakami, Kenta

2015-01-01

We have developed a new index called Resilience index, which evaluate the reliability of system safety of nuclear power plant under severe accident by considering the capability to recover from the situation the system safety function was lost. In this paper, a detailed evaluation procedure for the Resilience index was described. System safety of a PWR plant under severe accident was then assessed according to the Resilience index concept to discuss applicability of the index. We found that the Resilience index successfully visualize the management capability, and therefore, resilience capability of a nuclear power plant. (author)

[Effects of recruitment maneuver in prone position on hemodynamics in patients with severe pulmonary infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Yuan-hua; Liu, Yuan-fei; Zhu, Hua-yong; Zhang, Min

2012-02-01

To evaluate effects of recruitment maneuver in prone position on hemodynamics in patients with severe pulmonary infection, based on the protective pulmonary ventilation strategy. Ninety-seven cases with severe pulmonary infection admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Ganzhou City People's Hospital undergoing mechanical ventilation were involved. Volume controlled ventilation mode with small tidal volume (8 ml/kg) and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 6 cm H(2)O [1 cm H(2)O = 0.098 kPa] was conducted. Each patient underwent recruitment maneuver in supine position and then in prone position [PEEP 20 cm H(2)O+pressure control (PC) 20 cm H(2)O]. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse oxygen saturation [SpO(2)] and blood gas analysis data were recorded before and after recruitment maneuver in either position. A double-lumen venous catheter was inserted into internal jugular vein or subclavian vein, and a pulse index contour cardiac output (PiCCO) catheter was introduced into femoral artery. Cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), intra-thoracic blood volume index (ITBVI), extra vascular lung water index (EVLWI), global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI), global ejection fraction (GEF), stroke volume variation (SVV) and central vein pressure (CVP) were monitored. (1) Compared with data before recruitment maneuver, there were no significant differences in HR and MAP after supine position and prone position recruitment maneuver, but significant differences in SpO(2) were found between before and after recruitment maneuver when patients' position was changed (supine position: 0.954 ± 0.032 vs. 0.917 ± 0.025, P recruitment maneuver (P recruitment maneuver, CI [L×min(-1)×m(-2)], SVI (ml/m(2)), GEDVI (ml/m(2)) and GEF were decreased significantly during recruitment maneuver (supine position: CI 3.2 ± 0.4 vs. 3.8 ± 0.6, SVI 32.4 ± 5.6 vs. 38.8 ± 6.5, GEDVI 689 ± 44 vs. 766 ± 32, GEF 0.267 ± 0

Development of a Global Lifelong Learning Index for Future Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, JuSeuk

2016-01-01

Since the transition from industrial society to a knowledge-based society, the source of national competitiveness is also changing. In this context, lifelong education has become a new competitive strategy for countries. This study broadly consists of three steps. Step I features a theoretical review of global lifelong learning indices and a…

Is a mobile emergency severity index (ESI) triage better than the paper ESI?

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Savatmongkorngul, Sorravit; Yuksen, Chaiyaporn; Suwattanasilp, Chanakarn; Sawanyawisuth, Kittisak; Sittichanbuncha, Yuwares

2017-12-01

This study aims to evaluate the mobile emergency severity index (ESI) tool in terms of validity compared with the original ESI triage. The original ESI and mobile ESI were used with patients at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand. Eligible patients were evaluated by sixth-year medical students/emergency physicians using either the original or mobile ESI. The ESI results for each patient were compared with the standard ESI. Concordance and kappa statistics were calculated for pairs of the evaluators. There were 486 patients enrolled in the study; 235 patients (48.4%) were assessed using the mobile ESI, and 251 patients (51.6%) were in the original ESI group. The baseline characteristics of patients in both groups were mostly comparable except for the ED visit time. The percentages of concordance and kappa statistics in the original ESI group were lower than in the mobile group in all three comparisons (medical students vs gold standard, emergency physicians vs gold standard, and medical students vs emergency physicians). The highest kappa in the original ESI group is 0.69, comparing emergency physicians vs gold standard, while the lowest kappa in the application group is 0.84 comparing the medical students vs gold standard. Both medical students and emergency physicians are more confident with the mobile ESI application triage. In conclusion, the mobile ESI has better inter-rater reliability, and is more user-friendly than the original paper form.

Compact Hilbert Curve Index Algorithm Based on Gray Code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CAO Xuefeng

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Hilbert curve has best clustering in various kinds of space filling curves, and has been used as an important tools in discrete global grid spatial index design field. But there are lots of redundancies in the standard Hilbert curve index when the data set has large differences between dimensions. In this paper, the construction features of Hilbert curve is analyzed based on Gray code, and then the compact Hilbert curve index algorithm is put forward, in which the redundancy problem has been avoided while Hilbert curve clustering preserved. Finally, experiment results shows that the compact Hilbert curve index outperforms the standard Hilbert index, their 1 computational complexity is nearly equivalent, but the real data set test shows the coding time and storage space decrease 40%, the speedup ratio of sorting speed is nearly 4.3.

Contribution Index Based on Green Building Certification Systems

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Yuting Sun

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Green Building Certification Systems (GBCS are carried out in many countries due to the rising awareness of the importance of sustainability in the building industry. The intention should have motivated participants to construct and operate buildings sustainably, however, there is not yet a method developed to investigate the motivation of the participants. Based on the GBCS, this paper proposes the contribution index as a standard global method to analyze the performance of participants in the green building industry. Three contribution indices, namely Frequency Contribution Index (FCI, Intensity Contribution Index (ICI and Comprehensive Contribution Index (CCI that concern each different category of participant, have been formulated. Three further analyses based on the index were undertaken to investigate some features of the industry. A case study of Singapore was conducted to show how the contribution index could be used to extract industry patterns and trends and assess the participants’ performance in the green building industry. Interviews with experts provide some suggested applications and support for the findings.

Impact of Global Financial Crisis on Nigerian Stock Market | Onuoha ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Impact of Global Financial Crisis on Nigerian Stock Market. ... that the global financial crisis measured by currency crisis, credit crisis, liquidity crisis, ... relevant regulatory authorities should use the financial stress index (FSI) as proposed by ...

Electronic evaluation for video commercials by impression index.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Wanzeng; Zhao, Xinxin; Hu, Sanqing; Vecchiato, Giovanni; Babiloni, Fabio

2013-12-01

How to evaluate the effect of commercials is significantly important in neuromarketing. In this paper, we proposed an electronic way to evaluate the influence of video commercials on consumers by impression index. The impression index combines both the memorization and attention index during consumers observing video commercials by tracking the EEG activity. It extracts features from scalp EEG to evaluate the effectiveness of video commercials in terms of time-frequency-space domain. And, the general global field power was used as an impression index for evaluation of video commercial scenes as time series. Results of experiment demonstrate that the proposed approach is able to track variations of the cerebral activity related to cognitive task such as observing video commercials, and help to judge whether the scene in video commercials is impressive or not by EEG signals.

Global patterns of amphibian phylogenetic diversity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fritz, Susanne; Rahbek, Carsten

2012-01-01

Aim  Phylogenetic diversity can provide insight into how evolutionary processes may have shaped contemporary patterns of species richness. Here, we aim to test for the influence of phylogenetic history on global patterns of amphibian species richness, and to identify areas where macroevolutionary...... processes such as diversification and dispersal have left strong signatures on contemporary species richness. Location  Global; equal-area grid cells of approximately 10,000 km2. Methods  We generated an amphibian global supertree (6111 species) and repeated analyses with the largest available molecular...... phylogeny (2792 species). We combined each tree with global species distributions to map four indices of phylogenetic diversity. To investigate congruence between global spatial patterns of amphibian species richness and phylogenetic diversity, we selected Faith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD) index...

Interpreting weightings of the peer assessment rating index and the discrepancy index across contexts on Chinese patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Siqi; Oh, Heesoo; Chambers, David William; Xu, Tianmin; Baumrind, Sheldon

2018-04-06

Determine optimal weightings of Peer Assessment Rating (PAR) index and Discrepancy Index (DI) for malocclusion severity assessment in Chinese orthodontic patients. Sixty-nine Chinese orthodontists assessed a full set of pre-treatment records from a stratified random sample of 120 subjects gathered from six university orthodontic centres. Using professional judgment as the outcome variable, multiple regression analyses were performed to derive customized weighting systems for the PAR index and DI, for all subjects and each Angle classification subgroup. Professional judgment was consistent, with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 0.995. The PAR index or DI can be reliably measured, with ICC = 0.959 and 0.990, respectively. The predictive accuracy of PAR index was greatly improved by the Chinese weighting process (from r = 0.431 to r = 0.788) with almost equal distribution in each Angle classification subgroup. The Chinese-weighted DI showed a higher predictive accuracy, at P = 0.01, compared with the PAR index (r = 0.851 versus r = 0.788). A better performance was found in the Class II group (r = 0.890) when compared to Class I (r = 0.736) and III (r = 0.785) groups. The Chinese-weighted PAR index and DI were capable of predicting 62 per cent and 73 per cent of total variance in the professional judgment of malocclusion severity in Chinese patients. Differential prediction across Angle classifications merits attention since different weighting formulas were found.

Omega-3 Index and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tittus, Janine; Huber, Marie Theres; Storck, Klaus; Köhler, Anton; Köhler, Jan M; von Arnim, Thomas; von Schacky, Clemens

2017-10-15

Erythrocyte levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (Omega-3 Index) were previously found to be associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) at very low levels (Omega-3 Index. These comorbidities can be improved by increasing intake of EPA and DHA, and thus the Omega-3 Index, preferably to its target range of 8% to 11%. Symptoms of OSA might improve by increasing the Omega-3 Index, but more research is needed. In our sleep laboratory, 357 participants with OSA were recruited, and data from 315 participants were evaluated. Three categories of OSA (none/ mild, moderate, severe) were defined based on apnea-hypopnea index. Anthropometrics and lifestyle characteristics (smoking, alcohol, fish intake, omega-3 supplementation) were recorded. Erythrocyte fatty acid compositions were assessed with the HS-Omega-3 Index methodology. The mean Omega-3 Index in all 3 categories of OSA was 5.7%, and no association with OSA was found. There were more male participants with severe OSA (79.7%, P = .042) than females, and participants with severe OSA had a significantly higher body mass index (32.11 ± 6.39 kg/m 2 , P = .009) than participants with mild or moderate OSA. Lifestyle characteristics were not significantly different. In contrast to our hypothesis, an Omega-3 Index of 5.7% was not associated with OSA severity. Previously, an Omega-3 Index Omega-3 Index > 5.7% in an intervention trial with EPA and DHA in OSA, comorbidities of OSA suggest a target range of 8% to 11%. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Deterministic indexing for packed strings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Philip; Gørtz, Inge Li; Skjoldjensen, Frederik Rye

2017-01-01

Given a string S of length n, the classic string indexing problem is to preprocess S into a compact data structure that supports efficient subsequent pattern queries. In the deterministic variant the goal is to solve the string indexing problem without any randomization (at preprocessing time...... or query time). In the packed variant the strings are stored with several character in a single word, giving us the opportunity to read multiple characters simultaneously. Our main result is a new string index in the deterministic and packed setting. Given a packed string S of length n over an alphabet σ...

Concentration and Competition in the Global Meat Market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bocharova Yuliia G.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at analyzing the condition, development specifics, concentration and competition in the global meat market. Both significance and role of meat in providing the food security has been substantiated. An analysis of the dynamics and structure (both geographical and commodity of production volumes, consumption, exports and imports of meat has been conducted. The major producers, consumers, exporters and importers of meat in the context of globalization have been identified. The country-based features, patterns of consumption and imports of meat have been characterized. On the basis of calculated five indicators of concentration (coefficient of concentration, the Herfindahl-Hirschman index, coefficient of relative concentration, dispersion of logarithms of market shares, index of the maximum share the features of competition in the global market of producers and consumers of meat have been determined.

Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability, version II (TRIPS-II): a simple and practical neonatal illness severity score.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Shoo K; Aziz, Khalid; Dunn, Michael; Clarke, Maxine; Kovacs, Lajos; Ojah, Cecil; Ye, Xiang Y

2013-05-01

Derive and validate a practical assessment of infant illness severity at admission to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Prospective study involving 17,075 infants admitted to 15 NICUs in 2006 to 2008. Logistic regression was used to derive a prediction model for mortality comprising four empirically weighted items (temperature, blood pressure, respiratory status, response to noxious stimuli). This Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability, version II (TRIPS-II) was then validated for prediction of 7-day and total NICU mortality. TRIPS-II discriminated 7-day (receiver operating curve [ROC] area, 0.90) and total NICU mortality (ROC area, 0.87) from survival. Furthermore, there was a direct association between changes in TRIPS-II at 12 and 24 hours and mortality. There was good calibration across the full range of TRIPS-II scores and the gestational age at birth, and addition of TRIPS-II improved performance of prediction models that use gestational age and baseline population risk variables. TRIPS-II is a validated benchmarking tool for assessing infant illness severity at admission and for up to 24 hours after. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Association between an inflammatory-nutritional index and nutritional status in cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Alberici Pastore, Carla; Paiva Orlandi, Silvana; González, María Cristina

2013-01-01

Cachexia is a multifatorial syndrome characterized by loss of body weight, fat and muscle, increasing morbidity and mortality. The use of an index accounting for both serum albumin and C Reactive Protein levels could make early identification of cachexia easier. To evaluate the variation of an inflammatory nutritional index related to nutritional status in cancer patients. Cross sectional study including patients with gastrointestinal and lung cancer of a public chemotherapy service in Brazil. Serum albumin and C Reactive Protein were measured and the nutritional status was defined by Subjective Global Assessment. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 9.2(TM). A total of 74 patients were evaluated, 58.1% of them were male, mean age 63.4 ± 11.9 years old. Gastrointestinal cancer was the most prevalent type (71.6%). Only 13.7% of the patients were well nourished and 21.9% were severely malnourished. C Reactive Protein significantly increased according to nutritional status decline (p=0.03). When the albumin from patients with systemic inflammation was evaluated, there was no significant variation in relation to nutritional status (p=0.06). The Inflammatory Nutritional Index significantly varied in relation to nutritional status independent of the systemic inflammation (p=0.02). Inflammatory Nutritional Index can be an adjuvant way for biochemical nutritional assessment and follow up in cancer patients with systemic inflammation. Copyright © AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2013. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Some connectivity indices and zagreb index of polyhex nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Farahani, Mohammad Reza

2012-12-01

Several topological indices are investigated in polyhex nanotubes: Randić connectivity index, sum-connectivity index, atom-bond connectivity index, geometric-arithmetic index, First and Second Zagreb indices and Zagreb polynomials. Formulas for calculating the above topological descriptors in polyhex zigzag TUZC6[m,n] and armchair TUAC6[m,n] nanotube families are given.

Global scale variability of the mineral dust long-wave refractive index: a new dataset of in situ measurements for climate modeling and remote sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Di Biagio, Claudia; Formenti, Paola; Balkanski, Yves; Caponi, Lorenzo; Cazaunau, Mathieu; Pangui, Edouard; Journet, Emilie; Nowak, Sophie; Caquineau, Sandrine; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Kandler, Konrad; Saeed, Thuraya; Piketh, Stuart; Seibert, David; Williams, Earle; Doussin, Jean-François

2017-02-01

Modeling the interaction of dust with long-wave (LW) radiation is still a challenge because of the scarcity of information on the complex refractive index of dust from different source regions. In particular, little is known about the variability of the refractive index as a function of the dust mineralogical composition, which depends on the specific emission source, and its size distribution, which is modified during transport. As a consequence, to date, climate models and remote sensing retrievals generally use a spatially invariant and time-constant value for the dust LW refractive index. In this paper, the variability of the mineral dust LW refractive index as a function of its mineralogical composition and size distribution is explored by in situ measurements in a large smog chamber. Mineral dust aerosols were generated from 19 natural soils from 8 regions: northern Africa, the Sahel, eastern Africa and the Middle East, eastern Asia, North and South America, southern Africa, and Australia. Soil samples were selected from a total of 137 available samples in order to represent the diversity of sources from arid and semi-arid areas worldwide and to account for the heterogeneity of the soil composition at the global scale. Aerosol samples generated from soils were re-suspended in the chamber, where their LW extinction spectra (3-15 µm), size distribution, and mineralogical composition were measured. The generated aerosol exhibits a realistic size distribution and mineralogy, including both the sub- and super-micron fractions, and represents in typical atmospheric proportions the main LW-active minerals, such as clays, quartz, and calcite. The complex refractive index of the aerosol is obtained by an optical inversion based upon the measured extinction spectrum and size distribution. Results from the present study show that the imaginary LW refractive index (k) of dust varies greatly both in magnitude and spectral shape from sample to sample, reflecting the

Testing the performance of a Dynamic Global Ecosystem Model: Water balance, carbon balance, and vegetation structure

Science.gov (United States)

Kucharik, Christopher J.; Foley, Jonathan A.; Delire, Christine; Fisher, Veronica A.; Coe, Michael T.; Lenters, John D.; Young-Molling, Christine; Ramankutty, Navin; Norman, John M.; Gower, Stith T.

2000-09-01

While a new class of Dynamic Global Ecosystem Models (DGEMs) has emerged in the past few years as an important tool for describing global biogeochemical cycles and atmosphere-biosphere interactions, these models are still largely untested. Here we analyze the behavior of a new DGEM and compare the results to global-scale observations of water balance, carbon balance, and vegetation structure. In this study, we use version 2 of the Integrated Biosphere Simulator (IBIS), which includes several major improvements and additions to the prototype model developed by Foley et al. [1996]. IBIS is designed to be a comprehensive model of the terrestrial biosphere; the model represents a wide range of processes, including land surface physics, canopy physiology, plant phenology, vegetation dynamics and competition, and carbon and nutrient cycling. The model generates global simulations of the surface water balance (e.g., runoff), the terrestrial carbon balance (e.g., net primary production, net ecosystem exchange, soil carbon, aboveground and belowground litter, and soil CO2 fluxes), and vegetation structure (e.g., biomass, leaf area index, and vegetation composition). In order to test the performance of the model, we have assembled a wide range of continental and global-scale data, including measurements of river discharge, net primary production, vegetation structure, root biomass, soil carbon, litter carbon, and soil CO2 flux. Using these field data and model results for the contemporary biosphere (1965-1994), our evaluation shows that simulated patterns of runoff, NPP, biomass, leaf area index, soil carbon, and total soil CO2 flux agree reasonably well with measurements that have been compiled from numerous ecosystems. These results also compare favorably to other global model results.

Concurrent chart review provides more accurate documentation and increased calculated case mix index, severity of illness, and risk of mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazee, Richard C; Matejicka, Anthony V; Abernathy, Stephen W; Davis, Matthew; Isbell, Travis S; Regner, Justin L; Smith, Randall W; Jupiter, Daniel C; Papaconstantinou, Harry T

2015-04-01

Case mix index (CMI) is calculated to determine the relative value assigned to a Diagnosis-Related Group. Accurate documentation of patient complications and comorbidities and major complications and comorbidities changes CMI and can affect hospital reimbursement and future pay for performance metrics. Starting in 2010, a physician panel concurrently reviewed the documentation of the trauma/acute care surgeons. Clarifications of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services term-specific documentation were made by the panel, and the surgeon could incorporate or decline the clinical queries. A retrospective review of trauma/acute care inpatients was performed. The mean severity of illness, risk of mortality, and CMI from 2009 were compared with the 3 subsequent years. Mean length of stay and mean Injury Severity Score by year were listed as measures of patient acuity. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and t-test, with p reimbursement and more accurately stratify outcomes measures for care providers. Copyright © 2015 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experience with ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate to severe Hidradenitis suppurativa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gulliver, W.P.; Baker, K.A.; Jemec, G.B.E.

2012-01-01

, however, abrogation of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) function has proven effective in some patients. Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of the interleukin-12/23 inhibitor, ustekinumab for treatment of HS in three patients with moderate-severe disease. Methods The subjects received 3-45 mg...... subcutaneous injections of ustekinumab at 0, 1 and 4 months. Improvement was assessed by the dermatology life quality index (DLQI), visual analogue scale of pain (VAS) and physician's global assessment (PGA) at each monthly visit. Results Prior to treatment, subjects had moderate-severe HS (Hurley stage II......-III) with a DLQI score between 8 and 12. At 6 months, one patient showed complete disease remission, while a 25-49% improvement was seen in a second patient and no change in a third. A moderate but statistically significant relationship was observed between VAS and DLQI scores (r = 0.75; P

Is globalization really good for public health?

Science.gov (United States)

Tausch, Arno

2016-10-01

In the light of recent very prominent studies, especially that of Mukherjee and Krieckhaus (), one should be initially tempted to assume that nowadays globalization is a driver of a good public health performance in the entire world system. Most of these studies use time series analyses based on the KOF Index of Globalization. We attempt to re-analyze the entire question, using a variety of methodological approaches and data. Our re-analysis shows that neoliberal globalization has resulted in very important implosions of public health development in various regions of the world and in increasing inequality in the countries of the world system, which in turn negatively affect health performance. We use standard ibm/spss ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions, time series and cross-correlation analyses based on aggregate, freely available data. Different components of the KOF Index, most notably actual capital inflows, affect public health negatively. The "decomposition" of the available data suggests that for most of the time period of the last four decades, globalization inflows even implied an aggregate deterioration of public health, quite in line with globalization critical studies. We introduce the effects of inequality on public health, widely debated in global public health research. Our annual time series for 99 countries show that globalization indeed leads to increased inequality, and this, in turn, leads to a deteriorating public health performance. In only 19 of the surveyed 99 nations with complete data (i.e., 19.1%), globalization actually preceded an improvement in the public health performance. Far from falsifying globalization critical research, our analyses show the basic weaknesses of the new "pro-globalization" literature in the public health profession. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Is globalization healthy: a statistical indicator analysis of the impacts of globalization on health.

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, Pim; Akin, Su-Mia; Maud, Huynen; Mohsin, Raza

2010-09-17

It is clear that globalization is something more than a purely economic phenomenon manifesting itself on a global scale. Among the visible manifestations of globalization are the greater international movement of goods and services, financial capital, information and people. In addition, there are technological developments, more transboundary cultural exchanges, facilitated by the freer trade of more differentiated products as well as by tourism and immigration, changes in the political landscape and ecological consequences. In this paper, we link the Maastricht Globalization Index with health indicators to analyse if more globalized countries are doing better in terms of infant mortality rate, under-five mortality rate, and adult mortality rate. The results indicate a positive association between a high level of globalization and low mortality rates. In view of the arguments that globalization provides winners and losers, and might be seen as a disequalizing process, we should perhaps be careful in interpreting the observed positive association as simple evidence that globalization is mostly good for our health. It is our hope that a further analysis of health impacts of globalization may help in adjusting and optimising the process of globalization on every level in the direction of a sustainable and healthy development for all.

Is globalization healthy: a statistical indicator analysis of the impacts of globalization on health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martens Pim

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract It is clear that globalization is something more than a purely economic phenomenon manifesting itself on a global scale. Among the visible manifestations of globalization are the greater international movement of goods and services, financial capital, information and people. In addition, there are technological developments, more transboundary cultural exchanges, facilitated by the freer trade of more differentiated products as well as by tourism and immigration, changes in the political landscape and ecological consequences. In this paper, we link the Maastricht Globalization Index with health indicators to analyse if more globalized countries are doing better in terms of infant mortality rate, under-five mortality rate, and adult mortality rate. The results indicate a positive association between a high level of globalization and low mortality rates. In view of the arguments that globalization provides winners and losers, and might be seen as a disequalizing process, we should perhaps be careful in interpreting the observed positive association as simple evidence that globalization is mostly good for our health. It is our hope that a further analysis of health impacts of globalization may help in adjusting and optimising the process of globalization on every level in the direction of a sustainable and healthy development for all.

Misery Index Corrected by Informality: Applicable to Venezuela

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Josefa Ramoni Perazzi

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper suggests a variation of the IMO index (Okun's Misery Index, adapting it to markets with these characteristics, adding the ESI level (Employment in the Informal Sector to the unemployment level. This research compares the evolution of several standard misery indexes in several zones during the last decades, with emphasis on the case of Venezuela, for which the new proposed index is also estimated. Results show improvement in the well-being of groups of countries under study, compared to the deterioration of the indicator in Venezuela. In general terms, the IMO is controlled by unemployment, except in Venezuela. However, preponderance of inflation over unemployment in this country seems to occur by the underestimate that the unemployment rate has on the Venezuelan labor market situation.

DOES FEAR (VIX INDEX INCITE VOLATILITY IN FOOD PRICES?

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Gökhan Çınar

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Globally, the volatility trend in food prices has continued to increase. Different data give the impression that this volatility may be caused by the international finance markets’ propagation effect. For this reason, the study focused on the VIX (fear index that is used to measure the movement in Standard & Poor’s 500 index. The main objective of the study is to analyze the degree of volatility between the VIX index and the wheat market. The research is comprised of monthly data obtained from year 2000 to 2015. The study employs the BEKK GARCH method. The findings show that the variance shocks in the fear index damage food prices. The results may be useful to policy makers in researching the causes of changes in the prices of food commodity and taking necessary measures.

ECONOMIC gROWTH, GLOBALIZATION AND TRADE

OpenAIRE

Nuno Carlos LEITÃO

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to investigate the relationship between economic growth, globalization and trade. The manuscript uses the assumptions of the economic growth exogenous and endogenous models. It introduces new proxies for explain the economic growth as in intra-industry trade, foreign direct investment and globalization index. The results indicate that economic growth is a dynamic process. The intra-industry has a positive impact on economic growth. This paper confirms relevan...

A Global Stock and Bond Model

OpenAIRE

Connor, Gregory

1996-01-01

Factor models are now widely used to support asset selection decisions. Global asset allocation, the allocation between stocks versus bonds and among nations, usually relies instead on correlation analysis of international equity and bond indexes. It would be preferable to have a single integrated framework for both asset selection and asset allocation. This framework would require a factor model applicable at an asset or country level, as well as at a global level,...

Representation of geographic terrain surface using global indexing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolar, Jan

2004-01-01

. Unlike cartographic maps, 3D models can capture the geometry of geographic features without flattening the environment, without cartographic projection?can avoid geometric distortion. More interestingly, however, 3D models can be composed into a single model spanning the whole world; it can be navigated...... visually in order to access information and data in the same geometric space as we navigate ourselves in our real environment.   This article attempts to narrow down the overhead of problems in visualization of 3D geographic information and intends to identify fundamental issues common to other systems......A global 3D geographic model a feasible solution for its visualization and management remains a challenging vision. The existence of a reusable platform would provide an unprecedented potential for development of applications related to geography and facilitate comprehension of geographic data...

The CROES percutaneous nephrolithotomy global study: the influence of body mass index on outcome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fuller, Andrew; Razvi, Hassan; Denstedt, John D

2012-01-01

In addition to more commonly forming stones, obese patients present a number of challenges when undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy. We evaluated percutaneous nephrolithotomy outcomes in 3,709 patients stratified by body mass index.......In addition to more commonly forming stones, obese patients present a number of challenges when undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy. We evaluated percutaneous nephrolithotomy outcomes in 3,709 patients stratified by body mass index....

Investigation into the applicability of Bond Work Index (BWI) and Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) tests for several biomasses compared to Colombian La Loma coal

OpenAIRE

Williams, Orla; Eastwick, Carol; Kingman, Sam; Giddings, Donald; Lormor, Stephen; Lester, Edward

2015-01-01

With increasing quantities of biomass being combusted in coal fired power stations, there is an urgent need to be able to predict the grindability of biomass in existing coal mills, but currently no standard biomass grindability test exists. In this study, the applicability of the Hardgrove Grindability Index (HGI) and Bond Work Index (BWI) as standard grindability tests for biomass were investigated for commercially sourced wood pellets, steam exploded pellets, torrefied pellets, sunflower p...

B-HIT - A Tool for Harvesting and Indexing Biodiversity Data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Kelbert

Full Text Available With the rapidly growing number of data publishers, the process of harvesting and indexing information to offer advanced search and discovery becomes a critical bottleneck in globally distributed primary biodiversity data infrastructures. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF implemented a Harvesting and Indexing Toolkit (HIT, which largely automates data harvesting activities for hundreds of collection and observational data providers. The team of the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem has extended this well-established system with a range of additional functions, including improved processing of multiple taxon identifications, the ability to represent associations between specimen and observation units, new data quality control and new reporting capabilities. The open source software B-HIT can be freely installed and used for setting up thematic networks serving the demands of particular user groups.

The impact of hydraulic flow unit & reservoir quality index on pressure profile and productivity index in multi-segments reservoirs

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Salam Al-Rbeawi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is studying the impact of the hydraulic flow unit and reservoir quality index (RQI on pressure profile and productivity index of horizontal wells acting in finite reservoirs. Several mathematical models have been developed to investigate this impact. These models have been built based on the pressure distribution in porous media, depleted by a horizontal well, consist of multi hydraulic flow units and different reservoir quality index. The porous media are assumed to be finite rectangular reservoirs having different configurations and the wellbores may have different lengths. Several analytical models describing flow regimes have been derived wherein hydraulic flow units and reservoir quality index have been included in addition to rock and fluid properties. The impact of these two parameters on reservoir performance has also been studied using steady state productivity index.It has been found that both pressure responses and flow regimes are highly affected by the existence of multiple hydraulic flow units in the porous media and the change in reservoir quality index for these units. Positive change in the RQI could lead to positive change in both pressure drop required for reservoir fluids to move towards the wellbore and hence the productivity index.

Consciousness Indexing and Outcome Prediction with Resting-State EEG in Severe Disorders of Consciousness.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefan, Sabina; Schorr, Barbara; Lopez-Rolon, Alex; Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana; Shock, Jonathan P; Rosenfelder, Martin; Heck, Suzette; Bender, Andreas

2018-04-17

We applied the following methods to resting-state EEG data from patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) for consciousness indexing and outcome prediction: microstates, entropy (i.e. approximate, permutation), power in alpha and delta frequency bands, and connectivity (i.e. weighted symbolic mutual information, symbolic transfer entropy, complex network analysis). Patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS) were classified into these two categories by fitting and testing a generalised linear model. We aimed subsequently to develop an automated system for outcome prediction in severe DOC by selecting an optimal subset of features using sequential floating forward selection (SFFS). The two outcome categories were defined as UWS or dead, and MCS or emerged from MCS. Percentage of time spent in microstate D in the alpha frequency band performed best at distinguishing MCS from UWS patients. The average clustering coefficient obtained from thresholding beta coherence performed best at predicting outcome. The optimal subset of features selected with SFFS consisted of the frequency of microstate A in the 2-20 Hz frequency band, path length obtained from thresholding alpha coherence, and average path length obtained from thresholding alpha coherence. Combining these features seemed to afford high prediction power. Python and MATLAB toolboxes for the above calculations are freely available under the GNU public license for non-commercial use ( https://qeeg.wordpress.com ).

Air pollution forecast in cities by an air pollution index highly correlated with meteorological variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cogliani, E.

2001-01-01

There are many different air pollution indexes which represent the global urban air pollution situation. The daily index studied here is also highly correlated with meteorological variables and this index is capable of identifying those variables that significantly affect the air pollution. The index is connected with attention levels of NO 2 , CO and O 3 concentrations. The attention levels are fixed by a law proposed by the Italian Ministries of Health and Environment. The relation of that index with some meteorological variables is analysed by the linear multiple partial correlation statistical method. Florence, Milan and Vicence were selected to show the correlation among the air pollution index and the daily thermic excursion, the previous day's air pollution index and the wind speed. During the January-March period the correlation coefficient reaches 0.85 at Milan. The deterministic methods of forecasting air pollution concentrations show very high evaluation errors and are applied on limited areas around the observation stations, as opposed to the whole urban areas. The global air pollution, instead of the concentrations at specific observation stations, allows the evaluation of the level of the sanitary risk regarding the whole urban population. (Author)

Psychometric evaluation of the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) as depression severity scale using the LEAD (Longitudinal Expert Assessment of All Data) as index of validity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech, Per; Timmerby, N; Martiny, K

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Major Depression Inventory (MDI) was developed to cover the universe of depressive symptoms in DSM-IV major depression as well as in ICD-10 mild, moderate, and severe depression. The objective of this study was to evaluate the standardization of the MDI as a depression severity......-IV major depression. The conventional VAS scores for no, mild, moderate, and severe depression were used for the standardization of the MDI. RESULTS: The inter-correlation for the MDI with the clinician ratings (VAS, MES, HAM-D17 and HAM-D6) increased over the rating weeks in terms of Pearson coefficients....... After nine weeks of therapy the coefficient ranged from 0.74 to 0.83. Using the clinician-rated VAS depression severity scale, the conventional MDI cut-off scores for no or doubtful depression, and for mild, moderate and severe depression were confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: Using the VAS as index of external...

Challenges in Evaluating the Severity of Fibropapillomatosis: A Proposal for Objective Index and Score System for Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Silmara; Sánchez-Sarmiento, Angélica María; Vanstreels, Ralph Eric Thijl; Dos Santos, Robson Guimarães; Prioste, Fabiola Eloisa Setim; Gattamorta, Marco Aurélio; Grisi-Filho, José Henrique Hildebrand; Matushima, Eliana Reiko

2016-01-01

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a neoplastic disease that affects marine turtles worldwide, especially green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). FP tumors can develop on the body surface of marine turtles and also internally in the oral cavity and viscera. Depending on their quantity, size and anatomical distribution, these tumors can interfere with hydrodynamics and the ability to feed, hence scoring systems have been proposed in an attempt to quantify the clinical manifestation of FP. In order to establish a new scoring system adapted to geographic regions, we examined 214 juvenile green sea turtles with FP caught or rescued at Brazilian feeding areas, counted their 7466 tumors and classified them in relation to their size and anatomical distribution. The patterns in quantity, size and distribution of tumors revealed interesting aspects in the clinical manifestation of FP in specimens studied in Brazil, and that FP scoring systems developed for other areas might not perform adequately when applied to sea turtles on the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. We therefore propose a novel method to evaluate the clinical manifestation of FP: fibropapillomatosis index (FPI) that provides the Southwest Atlantic fibropapillomatosis score (FPSSWA). In combination, these indexing and scoring systems allow for a more objective, rapid and detailed evaluation of the severity of FP in green sea turtles. While primarily designed for the clinical manifestation of FP currently witnessed in our dataset, this index and the score system can be adapted for other areas and compare the characteristics of the disease across regions. In conclusion, scoring systems to classify the severity of FP can assist our understanding on the environmental factors that modulate its development and its impacts on the individual and population health of green sea turtles.

Effects of Human Development Index and Its Components on Colorectal Cancer Incidence and Mortality: a Global Ecological Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaei, Salman; Rezaeian, Shahab; Khazaei, Somayeh; Mansori, Kamyar; Sanjari Moghaddam, Ali; Ayubi, Erfan

2016-01-01

Geographic disparity for colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality according to the human development index (HDI) might be expected. This study aimed at quantifying the effect measure of association HDI and its components on the CRC incidence and mortality. In this ecological study, CRC incidence and mortality was obtained from GLOBOCAN, the global cancer project for 172 countries. Data were extracted about HDI 2013 for 169 countries from the World Bank report. Linear regression was constructed to measure effects of HDI and its components on CRC incidence and mortality. A positive trend between increasing HDI of countries and age-standardized rates per 100,000 of CRC incidence and mortality was observed. Among HDI components education was the strongest effect measure of association on CRC incidence and mortality, regression coefficients (95% confidence intervals) being 2.8 (2.4, 3.2) and 0.9 (0.8, 1), respectively. HDI and its components were positively related with CRC incidence and mortality and can be considered as targets for prevention and treatment intervention or tracking geographic disparities.

Mapping the global land surface using 1 km AVHRR data

Science.gov (United States)

Lauer, D.T.; Eidenshink, J.C.

1998-01-01

The scientific requirements for mapping the global land surface using 1 km advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data have been set forth by the U.S. Global Change Research Program; the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP); The United Nations; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); the Committee on Earth Observations Satellites; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) mission to planet Earth (MTPE) program. Mapping the global land surface using 1 km AVHRR data is an international effort to acquire, archive, process, and distribute 1 km AVHRR data to meet the needs of the international science community. A network of AVHRR receiving stations, along with data recorded by NOAA, has been acquiring daily global land coverage since April 1, 1992. A data set of over 70,000 AVHRR images is archived and distributed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) EROS Data Center, and the European Space Agency. Under the guidance of the IGBP, processing standards have been developed for calibration, atmospheric correction, geometric registration, and the production of global 10-day maximum normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) composites. The major uses of the composites are for the study of surface vegetation condition, mapping land cover, and deriving biophysical characteristics of terrestrial ecosystems. A time-series of 54 10-day global vegetation index composites for the period of April 1, 1992 through September 1993 has been produced. The production of a time-series of 33 10-day global vegetation index composites using NOAA-14 data for the period of February 1, 1995 through December 31, 1995 is underway. The data products are available from the USGS, in cooperation with NASA's MTPE program and other international organizations.

A winter severity index for the state of Maine.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Winter maintenance in the Sate of Maine consumes around twenty percent of the Bureau of : Maintenance and Operations budget each year. Costs are directly related to the length and severity : of a winter season. In addition, the cost of materials and ...

Association between Severity of Tooth Wear and Dentinal Hypersensitivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashok Ayer

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Background & Objectives: Tooth wear (attrition, abrasion, erosion, and abfraction is perceived globally as ever increasing problem. Several outcome of the tooth wear are hypersensitivity, esthetic problems, functional impairment, annoyance to the patient, and fracture of the tooth. Among these, the measurable and more commonly reported outcome is hypersensitivity to stimuli. Although dentin hypersensitivity is a common clinical condition and is generally reported by the patient after experiencing a sharp, short pain caused by one of the several different external stimuli, it is often inadequately understood. None of the scientific literature available till date attempted to establish the relationship between tooth wear and dentin hypersensitivity which could be a key factor in monitoring those patients.  The aim of the study was to estimate the association between severity of teeth wear and sensitivity in the patients with reported dentinal hypersensitivity.Materials & Methods: Fifty patients with dentin hypersensitivity were investigated for tooth wear. Tooth wear measured using exact tooth wear index and level of sensitivity to stimuli was recorded using a numerical rating scale. Results: Enamel wear at cervical region of teeth showed a positive correlation (p=.010, similarly, dentin wear at cervical region of teeth showed positive correlation and significant association (p<.001 with dentinal hypersensitivity.Conclusion: The observation supports a significant association between severities of tooth surface wear and dentinal hypersensitivity.

Optimized Data Indexing Algorithms for OLAP Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucian BORNAZ

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The need to process and analyze large data volumes, as well as to convey the information contained therein to decision makers naturally led to the development of OLAP systems. Similarly to SGBDs, OLAP systems must ensure optimum access to the storage environment. Although there are several ways to optimize database systems, implementing a correct data indexing solution is the most effective and less costly. Thus, OLAP uses indexing algorithms for relational data and n-dimensional summarized data stored in cubes. Today database systems implement derived indexing algorithms based on well-known Tree, Bitmap and Hash indexing algorithms. This is because no indexing algorithm provides the best performance for any particular situation (type, structure, data volume, application. This paper presents a new n-dimensional cube indexing algorithm, derived from the well known B-Tree index, which indexes data stored in data warehouses taking in consideration their multi-dimensional nature and provides better performance in comparison to the already implemented Tree-like index types.

Evaluation of global continental hydrology as simulated by the Land-surface Processes and eXchanges Dynamic Global Vegetation Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. J. Murray

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Global freshwater resources are sensitive to changes in climate, land cover and population density and distribution. The Land-surface Processes and eXchanges Dynamic Global Vegetation Model is a recent development of the Lund-Potsdam-Jena model with improved representation of fire-vegetation interactions. It allows simultaneous consideration of the effects of changes in climate, CO₂ concentration, natural vegetation and fire regime shifts on the continental hydrological cycle. Here the model is assessed for its ability to simulate large-scale spatial and temporal runoff patterns, in order to test its suitability for modelling future global water resources. Comparisons are made against observations of streamflow and a composite dataset of modelled and observed runoff (1986–1995 and are also evaluated against soil moisture data and the Palmer Drought Severity Index. The model captures the main features of the geographical distribution of global runoff, but tends to overestimate runoff in much of the Northern Hemisphere (where this can be somewhat accounted for by freshwater consumption and the unrealistic accumulation of the simulated winter snowpack in permafrost regions and the southern tropics. Interannual variability is represented reasonably well at the large catchment scale, as are seasonal flow timings and monthly high and low flow events. Further improvements to the simulation of intra-annual runoff might be achieved via the addition of river flow routing. Overestimates of runoff in some basins could likely be corrected by the inclusion of transmission losses and direct-channel evaporation.

Global assessment of surfing conditions: seasonal, interannual and long-term variability

Science.gov (United States)

Espejo, A.; Losada, I.; Mendez, F.

2012-12-01

International surfing destinations owe a great debt to specific combinations of wind-wave, thermal conditions and local bathymetry. As surf quality depends on a vast number of geophysical variables, a multivariable standardized index on the basis of expert judgment is proposed to analyze surf resource in a worldwide domain. Data needed is obtained by combining several datasets (reanalyses): 60-year satellite-calibrated spectral wave hindcast (GOW, WaveWatchIII), wind fields from NCEP/NCAR, global sea surface temperature from ERSST.v3b, and global tides from TPXO7.1. A summary of the global surf resource is presented, which highlights the high degree of variability in surfable events. According to general atmospheric circulation, results show that west facing low to middle latitude coasts are more suitable for surfing, especially those in Southern Hemisphere. Month to month analysis reveals strong seasonal changes in the occurrence of surfable events, enhancing those in North Atlantic or North Pacific. Interannual variability is investigated by comparing occurrence values with global and regional climate patterns showing a great influence at both, global and regional scales. Analysis of long term trends shows an increase in the probability of surfable events over the west facing coasts on the planet (i.e. + 30 hours/year in California). The resulting maps provide useful information for surfers and surf related stakeholders, coastal planning, education, and basic research.; Figure 1. Global distribution of medium quality (a) and high quality surf conditions probability (b).

Several thoughts for using new satellite remote sensing and global modeling for aerosol and cloud climate studies

Science.gov (United States)

Nakajima, Teruyuki; Hashimoto, Makiko; Takenaka, Hideaki; Goto, Daisuke; Oikawa, Eiji; Suzuki, Kentaroh; Uchida, Junya; Dai, Tie; Shi, Chong

2017-04-01

The rapid growth of satellite remote sensing technologies in the last two decades widened the utility of satellite data for understanding climate impacts of aerosols and clouds. The climate modeling community also has received the benefit of the earth observation and nowadays closed-collaboration of the two communities make us possible to challenge various applications for societal problems, such as for global warming and global-scale air pollution and others. I like to give several thoughts of new algorithm developments, model use of satellite data for climate impact studies and societal applications related with aerosols and clouds. Important issues are 1) Better aerosol detection and solar energy application using expanded observation ability of the third generation geostationary satellites, i.e. Himawari-8, GOES-R and future MTG, 2) Various observation functions by directional, polarimetric, and high resolution near-UV band by MISR, POLDER&PARASOL, GOSAT/CAI and future GOSAT2/CAI2, 3) Various applications of general purpose-imagers, MODIS, VIIRS and future GCOM-C/SGLI, and 4) Climate studies of aerosol and cloud stratification and convection with active and passive sensors, especially climate impact of BC aerosols using CLOUDSAT&CALIPSO and future Earth Explorer/EarthCARE.

Global Redistributive Obligations in the Face of Severe Poverty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axelsen, David Vestergaard

? In the debate on global justice, a number of theorists argue that this discrepancy can indeed be justified (so-called anti-cosmopolitans). Thus, to bring us closer to answer regarding our redistributive obligations towards foreigners, I analyze and evaluate such arguments. My critical examination reveals...... comprehensive obligations to foreigners and compatriots simultaneously. Thus, even if we are duty-bound to redistribute comprehensively to compatriots, this does not entail that we could not also do so towards non-compatriots. Hence, their arguments are incomplete. Thirdly, I show that anti...

Clinical Severity as a Moderator of Outcome in Psychodynamic and Dialectical Behavior Therapies for Borderline Personality Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahin, Zeynep; Vinnars, Bo; Gorman, Bernard S; Wilczek, Alexander; Åsberg, Marie; Barber, Jacques P

2017-12-14

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of initial level of psychiatric severity on treatment outcome in psychodynamic therapy and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for borderline personality disorder (BPD). It was hypothesized that DBT would lead to better outcome for patients with high psychiatric severity, whereas dynamic treatment would lead to better outcome for patients with lower psychiatric severity. Data from the 5th-year follow-up of the Stockholm City Council's and the Karolinska Institute's Psychotherapy Project were used in the present study. A total of 106 female patients diagnosed with BPD with at least 2 past suicide attempts were randomized into object-relational psychotherapy (ORP; based on transference-focused psychotherapy), DBT, and treatment as usual. Patients' baseline global severity index was used as a moderator. Global Assessment of Functioning (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition [American Psychiatric Association, 1994]) was used to examine outcome. There was a significant 3-way interaction of Time × Treatment × Severity. Post hoc analyses suggested that patients with lower levels of severity had significantly better outcomes in object-relational psychotherapy. For patients with higher severity, the 3 treatments resulted in similar outcomes in terms of level of functioning. Outcome of treatment for BPD might differ significantly for patients depending on their initial levels of overall psychiatric severity. If our findings are replicated for patients with low severity and supported for a high-severity sample, psychiatric severity can be used as a low-cost and effective tool to match patients with BPD to optimal treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Profit Malmquist Index and Its Global Form in the Presence of the Negative Data in DEA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghasem Tohidi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper first introduces the allocative and profit efficiency in the presence of the negative data and then presents a new circular index to measure the productivity change of decision making units (DMUs for the case that the dataset contains the inputs and/or outputs with the negative values in data envelopment analysis (DEA. The proposed index is decomposed into four components in the two stages. The range directional model (RDM and the proposed efficiencies are used to compute the proposed index and its components. The interpretations of the components are presented. Finally, a numerical example is organized to illustrate the proposed index and its components at three successive periods of time.

Global multi-decadal ocean climate and small-pelagic fish population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tourre, Yves M; Lluch-Cota, Salvador E; White, Warren B

2007-01-01

Ocean climate, environmental and biological conditions vary on several spatio-temporal scales. Besides climate change associated with anthropogenic activity, there is growing evidence of a natural global multi-decadal climate signal in the ocean-atmosphere-biosphere climate system. The spatio-temporal evolution of this signal is thus analyzed during the 20th century and compared to the variability of small-pelagic fish landings. It is argued that the low-frequency global ocean environment and plankton ecosystems must be modified such that small-pelagic populations vary accordingly. A small-pelagic global index or fishing 'regime indicator series' (RIS) (i.e. a small-pelagic abundance indicator) is used. RIS is derived from fish landings data in the four main fishing areas in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Global RIS changes phase (from positive to negative values) when SST multi-decadal anomalies are out-of-phase between the eastern Pacific and southern Atlantic. RIS also displays maxima during the mid-30s to early-40s and the late-70s to early-80s when the multi-decadal signal was approximately changing phases (Tourre and White 2006 Geophys. Res. Lett. 33 L06716). It is recognized that other factors may modulate fish stocks, including anthropogenic predation. Nevertheless it is proposed that variable climate and environment, and the low-frequency 'global synchrony' of small-pelagic landings (Schwartzlose et al 1999 S. Afr. J. Mar. Sci. 21 289-347), could be associated with the multi-decadal changes in global ocean climate conditions

Eating disorder severity and functional impairment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Annika Helgadóttir; Hoyt, William T.; Poulsen, Stig Bernt

2017-01-01

Purpose: The aim was to examine duration of illness and body mass index as possible moderators of the relationship between eating disorder severity and functional impairment, as well as psychological distress as a possible mediator of this relationship. Methods: The study included 159 patients...... was measured with the Sheehan Disability Scale, and psychological distress was measured with the Symptom Check List-90-R. Duration of illness and body mass index were assessed clinically. Results: Duration of illness significantly moderated the relationship between eating disorder severity and functional...... impairment; the relationship was strongest for patients with a shorter duration of illness. Psychological distress partly mediated the relationship between eating disorder severity and functional impairment. Duration of illness significantly moderated the relationship between psychological distress...

Erectile dysfunction is independently associated with apnea-hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index in elderly, but not younger, community-dwelling men.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Sean A; Appleton, Sarah L; Adams, Robert J; Taylor, Anne W; Vincent, Andrew; Brook, Nicholas R; Catcheside, Peter G; Vakulin, Andrew; McEvoy, R Douglas; Antic, Nick A; Wittert, Gary A

2017-08-01

To examine the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep indices using polysomnography (PSG) data and erectile dysfunction (ED) in a representative cohort of men. Cross-sectional. Community-based. Aged 40+ years (n=734; mean age [SD], 60.8 [10.9]). Men with no prior OSA diagnosis who underwent in-home PSG (Embletta X100; 2010-11) and ED assessment (Global Impotence Rating) were selected. Un-adjusted and multi-adjusted regression models of ED were fitted against PSG measures, along with qualifying sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related covariates. Mediation effects were examined using the Baron-Kenny method. Of the men examined, 24.7% (n=181) had ED, most notably in men older than 65years (cf. men 35-49 and 50-64years; Pmen. Given an observed ageinteraction within OSA categories (P=.005), analyses were repeated in age-stratified samples (men younger than 65years, only severe OSA was found to have an association with ED (2.01; 1.13-4.69) in unadjusted models. For men aged 65+ years, an independent association with ED was found for apnea-hyponea index (AHI; 1.55;1.02-2.36), moderate (AHI:10.0-19.9; 1.79;1.18-2.43), and severe (AHI:20.0+; 4.84;2.56-9.93) OSA, and oxygen desaturation index (ODI; both continuous [1.48;1.03-1.99] and >16 seconds [2.79;1.23-6.32]). The effect of AHI on ED was shown to be primarily mediated through ODI (63.4%, Sobel P value=.29). In younger, community-based men, there appeared no independent relationship between objective measures of sleep and ED. However, there appears a strong, independent relationship between OSA, ODI, and ED in men 65 years and older. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. All rights reserved.

Global Analysis of Empirical Relationships Between Annual Climate and Seasonality of NDVI

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, C. S.

1997-01-01

This study describes the use of satellite data to calibrate a new climate-vegetation greenness function for global change studies. We examined statistical relationships between annual climate indexes (temperature, precipitation, and surface radiation) and seasonal attributes of the AVHRR Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series for the mid-1980s in order to refine our empirical understanding of intraannual patterns and global abiotic controls on natural vegetation dynamics. Multiple linear regression results using global l(sup o) gridded data sets suggest that three climate indexes: growing degree days, annual precipitation total, and an annual moisture index together can account to 70-80 percent of the variation in the NDVI seasonal extremes (maximum and minimum values) for the calibration year 1984. Inclusion of the same climate index values from the previous year explained no significant additional portion of the global scale variation in NDVI seasonal extremes. The monthly timing of NDVI extremes was closely associated with seasonal patterns in maximum and minimum temperature and rainfall, with lag times of 1 to 2 months. We separated well-drained areas from l(sup o) grid cells mapped as greater than 25 percent inundated coverage for estimation of both the magnitude and timing of seasonal NDVI maximum values. Predicted monthly NDVI, derived from our climate-based regression equations and Fourier smoothing algorithms, shows good agreement with observed NDVI at a series of ecosystem test locations from around the globe. Regions in which NDVI seasonal extremes were not accurately predicted are mainly high latitude ecosystems and other remote locations where climate station data are sparse.

Index Reduction and Discontinuity Handling Using Substitute Equations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fabian, G.; Beek, van D.A.; Rooda, J.E.

2001-01-01

Download at: http://se.wtb.tue.nl/~vanbeek/. Several techniques exist for index reduction and consistent initialization of higher index DAEs. Many such techniques change the original set of equations by differentiation, substitution, and/or introduction of new variables. This paper introduces

Substitute equations for index reduction and discontinuity handling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fabian, G.; Beek, van D.A.; Rooda, J.E.

2000-01-01

Several techniques exist for index reduction and consistent initialization of higher index DAEs. Many such techniques change the original set of equations by differentiation, substitution, and/or introduction of new variables. This paper introduces substitute equations as a new language element. By

[A global view of population health in Colombia: role of social macro-determinants].

Science.gov (United States)

Idrovo, Alvaro J; Ruiz-Rodríguez, Myriam

2007-09-01

The social environment is an important determinant of population and individual health. However, its impact is often not considered in national health policies and generally its attributes are considered as constants. For this reason, contemporary health policies place greater emphasis on individual risk factors. Colombias position in the world ranking is described with respect to several social macro-determinants of health, previously characterized as components of class/welfare regime model. The exploratory study included all countries with comparable data including the following: (1) economic development [gross domestic product per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity], (2) income inequality [Gini coefficient], (3) social capital corruption perceptions index and generalized trust, and (4) political regime index of freedom. First, correlations between these macro-determinants were estimated, and second, the relationship between them and life expectancy at birth was explored. Finally, the position of Colombia in global context was determined. Important correlations occurred among the macro-determinants. Colombia tended to have intermediate to low positions in the global context in all macro-determinants, with the exception of gross domestic product per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity. The macro-determinant of population health with the highest potential of effecting improvement in health conditions is to modify income inequality.

Assessing the effect of drought severity on height-for-age z-score in Kenyan children: a secondary analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate Lillepold, BScH

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Globally, droughts are occurring more regularly and are having negative effects on population health, particularly in countries such as Kenya, where agriculture is a primary driver of the economy and a source of subsistence for many communities. Children are particularly susceptible to weather-related shocks. Previous research has shown an association between drought and cross-sectional indicators of malnutrition, such as stunting. In this study, we explored various longitudinal and spatial analysis approaches to evaluating the effect of drought on height-for-age z-scores (HAZ over time and space among young children in Kenya. Methods: Using anthropometric data from three georeferenced Kenyan Demographic and Health Surveys (KDHS and the self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index, we developed multivariate linear regression and spatial lag and error models (with Moran's I calculations to investigate the association between drought severity and HAZ in children aged 0–5 years. Initial covariates included age of the child, sex, maternal age, height and education, wealth index, urban or rural location, and size at birth. We then did multilevel and geographically weighted regression modelling using frequentist or Bayesian methods and with inclusion of household-level covariates, such as livelihood zones. To assess the effect of changes in drought severity on child HAZ over time, KDHS data from 2003, 2008–09, and 2014 were analysed with spatiotemporal modelling. Findings: Preliminary results from the multivariate linear model showed a negative, non-significant association between drought severity and HAZ among Kenyan children in 2014 (β=0·033, p=0·101; however, there was a significant interaction between drought severity and age (β=–0·002, p<0·0007. The spatial lag model gave similar results. Other variables associated with HAZ included wealth index, age, sex, maternal education, and maternal height. Global Moran's I

The Association Between Body Mass Index and the Prevalence, Severity, and Frequency of Low Back Pain: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Charles A; Kusin, David J; Li, Samuel Q; Ahn, Uri M; Ahn, Nicholas U

2018-02-16

Cross-sectional study. To determine whether there is an association between body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence, severity, and frequency of low back pain and identify other potential patient risk factors for the development of low back pain. Many studies have implicated that a high BMI is a risk factor for low back pain. However, few studies have examined the association between increased BMI and the prevalence, severity, and frequency of low back pain. Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multicenter, prospective study of knee osteoarthritis, were used to conduct this study, which included 4796 patients. BMI was categorized according to the World Health Organization classification and the prevalence, severity, and frequency of low back pain were assessed. Logistic regression was performed to identify additional patient risk factors associated with low back pain. The prevalence of low back pain was found to be significantly higher in patients with an elevated BMI compared to those with normal or underweight BMI and demonstrated a stepwise increase with each BMI category. Approximately 47.4% of patients with normal or underweight BMI complained of low back pain compared with 72.8% of morbidly obese patients (P frequency or severity of low back pain episodes. Osteoarthritis of the back and depression were patient variables found to be associated with all three measures (prevalence, severity, and frequency) of low back pain. Elevated BMI is strongly associated with an increased prevalence of low back pain. Depression and osteoarthritis of the back are associated with the prevalence, severity, and frequency of low back pain. 3.

Global Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates According to the Human Development Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Khazaei, Salman; Rezaeian, Shahab; Ayubi, Erfan; Gholamaliee, Behzad; Pishkuhi, Mahin Ahmadi; Khazaei, Somayeh; Mansori, Kamyar; Nematollahi, Shahrzad; Sani, Mohadeseh; Hanis, Shiva Mansouri

2016-01-01

Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of death, especially in developed countries. The human development index (HDI) and its dimensions seem correlated with incidence and mortality rates of PC. This study aimed to assess the association of the specific components of HDI (life expectancy at birth, education, gross national income per 1000 capita, health, and living standards) with burden indicators of PC worldwide. Information of the incidence and mortality rates of PC was obtained from the GLOBOCAN cancer project in year 2012 and data about the HDI 2013 were obtained from the World Bank database. The correlation between incidence, mortality rates, and the HDI parameters were assessed using STATA software. A significant inequality of PC incidence rates was observed according to concentration indexes=0.25 with 95% CI (0.22, 0.34) and a negative mortality concentration index of -0.04 with 95% CI (-0.09, 0.01) was observed. A positive significant correlation was detected between the incidence rates of PC and the HDI and its dimensions including life expectancy at birth, education, income, urbanization level and obesity. However, there was a negative significant correlation between the standardized mortality rates and the life expectancy, income and HDI.

Suicide rate in relation to the Human Development Index and other health related factors: A global ecological study from 91 countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salman Khazaei

2017-06-01

Full Text Available There has been no worldwide ecological study on suicide as a global major public health problem. This study aimed to identify the variations in suicide specific rates using the Human Development Index (HDI and some health related variables among countries around the world. In this ecological study, we obtained the data from the World Bank Report 2013. The analysis was restricted to 91 countries for which both the epidemiologic data from the suicide rates and HDI were available. Overall, the global prevalence of suicide rate was 10.5 (95% confidence intervals: 8.8, 12.2 per 100,000 individuals, which significantly varied according to gender (16.3 in males vs. 4.6 in females, p < 0.001 and different levels of human development (11.64/100,000 individuals in very high development countries, 7.93/100,000 individuals in medium development countries, and 13.94/100,000 individuals in high development countries, p = 0.004. In conclusion, the suicide rate varies greatly between countries with different development levels. Our findings also suggest that male gender and HDI components are associated with an increased risk of suicide behaviors. Hence, detecting population subgroups with a high suicide risk and reducing the inequality of socioeconomic determinants are necessary to prevent this disorder around the world.

Calcification remodeling index characterized by cardiac CT as A novel parameter to predict the use of rotational atherectomy for coronary intervention of lesions with moderate to severe calcification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Meng Meng; Li, Yue Hua; Li, Wen Bin; Lu, Zhi Gang; Wei, Meng; Zhang, Jia Yin

2017-01-01

To assess the feasibility of calcification characterization by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to predict the use of rotational atherectomy (RA) for coronary intervention of lesions with moderate to severe calcification. Patients with calcified lesions treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who underwent both CCTA and invasive coronary angiography were retrospectively included in this study. Calcification remodeling index was calculated as the ratio of the smallest vessel cross-sectional area of the lesion to the proximal reference luminal area. Other parameters such as calcium volume, regional Agatston score, calcification length, and involved calcium arc quadrant were also recorded. A total of 223 patients with 241 calcified lesions were finally included. Lesions with RA tended to have larger calcium volume, higher regional Agatston score, more involved calcium arc quadrants, and significantly smaller calcification remodeling index than lesions without RA. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the best cutoff value of calcification remodeling index was 0.84 (area under curve = 0.847, p < 0.001). Calcification remodeling index ≤ 0.84 was the strongest independent predictor (odds ratio: 251.47, p < 0.001) for using RA. Calcification remodeling index was significantly correlated with the incidence of using RA to aid PCI. Calcification remodeling index ≤ 0.84 was the strongest independent predictor for using RA prior to stent implantation.

Calcification Remodeling Index Characterized by Cardiac CT as a Novel Parameter to Predict the Use of Rotational Atherectomy for Coronary Intervention of Lesions with Moderate to Severe Calcification

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Mengmeng; Li, Yuehua; Li, Wenbin; Lu, Zhigang; Wei, Meng

2017-01-01

Objective To assess the feasibility of calcification characterization by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to predict the use of rotational atherectomy (RA) for coronary intervention of lesions with moderate to severe calcification. Materials and Methods Patients with calcified lesions treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who underwent both CCTA and invasive coronary angiography were retrospectively included in this study. Calcification remodeling index was calculated as the ratio of the smallest vessel cross-sectional area of the lesion to the proximal reference luminal area. Other parameters such as calcium volume, regional Agatston score, calcification length, and involved calcium arc quadrant were also recorded. Results A total of 223 patients with 241 calcified lesions were finally included. Lesions with RA tended to have larger calcium volume, higher regional Agatston score, more involved calcium arc quadrants, and significantly smaller calcification remodeling index than lesions without RA. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the best cutoff value of calcification remodeling index was 0.84 (area under curve = 0.847, p < 0.001). Calcification remodeling index ≤ 0.84 was the strongest independent predictor (odds ratio: 251.47, p < 0.001) for using RA. Conclusion Calcification remodeling index was significantly correlated with the incidence of using RA to aid PCI. Calcification remodeling index ≤ 0.84 was the strongest independent predictor for using RA prior to stent implantation. PMID:28860893

Calcification remodeling index characterized by cardiac CT as A novel parameter to predict the use of rotational atherectomy for coronary intervention of lesions with moderate to severe calcification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Meng Meng; Li, Yue Hua; Li, Wen Bin; Lu, Zhi Gang; Wei, Meng; Zhang, Jia Yin [Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People' s Hospital, Shanghai (China)

2017-09-15

To assess the feasibility of calcification characterization by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to predict the use of rotational atherectomy (RA) for coronary intervention of lesions with moderate to severe calcification. Patients with calcified lesions treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who underwent both CCTA and invasive coronary angiography were retrospectively included in this study. Calcification remodeling index was calculated as the ratio of the smallest vessel cross-sectional area of the lesion to the proximal reference luminal area. Other parameters such as calcium volume, regional Agatston score, calcification length, and involved calcium arc quadrant were also recorded. A total of 223 patients with 241 calcified lesions were finally included. Lesions with RA tended to have larger calcium volume, higher regional Agatston score, more involved calcium arc quadrants, and significantly smaller calcification remodeling index than lesions without RA. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the best cutoff value of calcification remodeling index was 0.84 (area under curve = 0.847, p < 0.001). Calcification remodeling index ≤ 0.84 was the strongest independent predictor (odds ratio: 251.47, p < 0.001) for using RA. Calcification remodeling index was significantly correlated with the incidence of using RA to aid PCI. Calcification remodeling index ≤ 0.84 was the strongest independent predictor for using RA prior to stent implantation.

Emergency Severity Index version 4: a valid and reliable tool in pediatric emergency department triage.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Nicole A; Durani, Yamini; Brecher, Deena; DePiero, Andrew; Loiselle, John; Attia, Magdy

2012-08-01

The Emergency Severity Index version 4 (ESI v.4) is the most recently implemented 5-level triage system. The validity and reliability of this triage tool in the pediatric population have not been extensively established. The goals of this study were to assess the validity of ESI v.4 in predicting hospital admission, emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS), and number of resources utilized, as well as its reliability in a prospective cohort of pediatric patients. The first arm of the study was a retrospective chart review of 780 pediatric patients presenting to a pediatric ED to determine the validity of ESI v.4. Abstracted data included acuity level assigned by the triage nurse using ESI v.4 algorithm, disposition (admission vs discharge), LOS, and number of resources utilized in the ED. To analyze the validity of ESI v.4, patients were divided into 2 groups for comparison: higher-acuity patients (ESI levels 1, 2, and 3) and lower-acuity patients (ESI levels 4 and 5). Pearson χ analysis was performed for categorical variables. For continuous variables, we conducted a comparison of means based on parametric distribution of variables. The second arm was a prospective cohort study to determine the interrater reliability of ESI v.4 among and between pediatric triage (PT) nurses and pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians. Three raters (2 PT nurses and 1 PEM physician) independently assigned triage scores to 100 patients; k and interclass correlation coefficient were calculated among PT nurses and between the primary PT nurses and physicians. In the validity arm, the distribution of ESI score levels among the 780 cases are as follows: ESI 1: 2 (0.25%); ESI 2: 73 (9.4%); ESI 3: 289 (37%); ESI 4: 251 (32%); and ESI 5: 165 (21%). Hospital admission rates by ESI level were 1: 100%, 2: 42%, 3: 14.9%, 4: 1.2%, and 5: 0.6%. The admission rate of the higher-acuity group (76/364, 21%) was significantly greater than the lower-acuity group (4/415, 0.96%), P group was

Quality of life in acne vulgaris: Relationship to clinical severity and demographic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Aayush; Sharma, Yugal Kishor; Dash, Kedar Nath; Chaudhari, Nitin Dinkar; Jethani, Sumit

2016-01-01

Acne vulgaris is known to impair many aspects of quality of life. However, the correlation of this impairment with clinical severity remains equivocal despite various school, community and hospital-based studies. A hospital-based study was undertaken to measure the impairment of quality of life of patients of acne vulgaris and correlate it with the severity of lesions. This was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study in a cohort of 100 patients of acne vulgaris attending the outpatient department of our referral hospital. A physician measured the severity of lesions using the global acne grading system, and patients assessed quality of life by completing a questionnaire (Cardiff acne disability index). A correlation of these two was done; some additional correlations were brought out through demographic data collected from the patients. There was no correlation between the severity of acne vulgaris and an impaired quality of life. Patients who consumed alcohol and/or smoked cigarettes were found to have an impaired quality of life. While the severity of acne progressively lessened in older patients, the impact on quality of life increased. The sample size was small and there was a lack of guaranteed reliability on the self-reported quality of life. The severity of acne vulgaris does not correlate with impairment in quality of life.

Exploring standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index for drought assessment in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Miah, Md Giashuddin; Abdullah, Hasan Muhammad; Jeong, Changyoon

2017-10-09

Drought is a critical issue, and it has a pressing, negative impact on agriculture, ecosystems, livelihoods, food security, and sustainability. The problem has been studied globally, but its regional or even local dimension is sometimes overlooked. Local-level drought assessment is necessary for developing adaptation and mitigation strategies for that particular region. Keeping this in understanding, an attempt was made to create a detailed assessment of drought characteristics at the local scale in Bangladesh. Standardized precipitation evapotranspiration (SPEI) is a new drought index that mainly considers the rainfall and evapotranspiration data set. Globally, SPEI has become a useful drought index, but its local scale application is not common. SPEI base (0.5° grid data) for 110 years (1901-2011) was utilized to overcome the lack of long-term climate data in Bangladesh. Available weather data (1955-2011) from Bangladesh Meteorology Department (BMD) were analyzed to calculate SPEI weather station using the SPEI calculator. The drivers for climate change-induced droughts were characterized by residual temperature and residual rainfall data from different BMD stations. Grid data (SPEI base ) of 26 stations of BMD were used for drought mapping. The findings revealed that the frequency and intensity of drought are higher in the northwestern part of the country which makes it vulnerable to both extreme and severe droughts. Based on the results, the SPEI-based drought intensity and frequency analyses were carried out, emphasizing Rangpur (northwest region) as a hot spot, to get an insight of drought assessment in Bangladesh. The findings of this study revealed that SPEI could be a valuable tool to understand the evolution and evaluation of the drought induced by climate change in the country. The study also justified the immediate need for drought risk reduction strategies that should lead to relevant policy formulations and agricultural innovations for developing

Is Clinical Assessment of Addiction Severity of Individuals with Substance Use Disorder, Using the Addiction Severity Index, A Predictor of Future Inpatient Mental Health Hospitalization? A Nine-Year Registry Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Padyab, Mojgan; Armelius, Bengt-Åke; Armelius, Kerstin; Nyström, Siv; Blom, Björn; Grönlund, Ann-Sofie; Lundgren, Lena

2018-04-23

In Sweden, the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) is the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare's recommended substance use disorder assessment tool and used routinely for patient intakes. Our study of 213 individuals assessed for substance use disorder with the ASI used nine years of the National Patient Register and examined whether clinical social workers' assessments of addiction severity at baseline were associated with later hospitalizations for mental health disorder (MHD). ASI composite scores and interviewer severity rating were used to measure clients' problems in seven areas (mental health, family and social relationships, employment, alcohol, drug use, health, and legal) at baseline. A stepwise regression method was used to assess the relative importance of ASI composite scores, MHD hospitalization two years prior to baseline, age, and gender for MHD hospitalization seven years post-baseline. Almost two-thirds of the individuals (63%) were hospitalized at least once for MHD in the seven years post-baseline. At the multivariable level, MHD hospitalization prior to baseline was the strongest predictor of future MHD hospitalization, followed by ASI composite scores for drug use, employment, mental health and, last, male gender. A key finding is that higher ASI composite scores for drug use and mental health are predictors of future need for MHD treatment. Future studies will replicate this effort with a national population of individuals with substance use disorder.

INDEXING AND INDEX FUNDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HAKAN SARITAŞ

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Proponents of the efficient market hypothesis believe that active portfolio management is largely wasted effort and unlikely to justify the expenses incurred. Therefore, they advocate a passive investment strategy that makes no attempt to outsmart the market. One common strategy for passive management is indexing where a fund is designed to replicate the performance of a broad-based index of stocks and bonds. Traditionally, indexing was used by institutional investors, but today, the use of index funds proliferated among individual investors. Over the years, both international and domestic index funds have disproportionately outperformed the market more than the actively managed funds have.

A Satellite-Based Multi-Pollutant Index of Global Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Mathew J.; Martin, Randall V.; vanDonkelaar, Aaron; Lamsal, Lok; Brauer, Michael; Brook, Jeffrey R.

2012-01-01

Air pollution is a major health hazard that is responsible formillions of annual excess deaths worldwide. Simpleindicators are useful for comparative studies and to asses strends over time. The development of global indicators hasbeen impeded by the lack of ground-based observations in vast regions of the world. Recognition is growing of the need for amultipollutant approach to air quality to better represent human exposure. Here we introduce the prospect of amultipollutant air quality indicator based on observations from satellite remote sensing.

A Countrywide House Price Index for 152 Years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lunde, Jens; Helding Madsen, Anders; Lundbæk Laursen, Maria

for Herengracht (the Netherlands), Norway, USA, France, and recently also Australia. Until now, the here presented house price index for Denmark is the longest countrywide house price index ever been published, based on official data, and qualitatively probably the best long house price index....... in house prices is depicted. The Danish house price index covering all the 152 years is in reality a simple average sale price index for houses. From 1920 on it was possible to construct another and a “pure” house price index, based on the Sales Price Appraisal Ratio (SPAR) method. Several challenges...... for creating the house price index arose, especially in converting the previous registered house prices in the statistics into current market prices. In real terms, the average sale price index increased more than the SPAR index for the years where the two indices were compared, and the difference express...

Validation of a Global Hydrodynamic Flood Inundation Model

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, P. D.; Smith, A.; Sampson, C. C.; Alfieri, L.; Neal, J. C.

2014-12-01

In this work we present first validation results for a hyper-resolution global flood inundation model. We use a true hydrodynamic model (LISFLOOD-FP) to simulate flood inundation at 1km resolution globally and then use downscaling algorithms to determine flood extent and depth at 90m spatial resolution. Terrain data are taken from a custom version of the SRTM data set that has been processed specifically for hydrodynamic modelling. Return periods of flood flows along the entire global river network are determined using: (1) empirical relationships between catchment characteristics and index flood magnitude in different hydroclimatic zones derived from global runoff data; and (2) an index flood growth curve, also empirically derived. Bankful return period flow is then used to set channel width and depth, and flood defence impacts are modelled using empirical relationships between GDP, urbanization and defence standard of protection. The results of these simulations are global flood hazard maps for a number of different return period events from 1 in 5 to 1 in 1000 years. We compare these predictions to flood hazard maps developed by national government agencies in the UK and Germany using similar methods but employing detailed local data, and to observed flood extent at a number of sites including St. Louis, USA and Bangkok in Thailand. Results show that global flood hazard models can have considerable skill given careful treatment to overcome errors in the publicly available data that are used as their input.

A global flash flood forecasting system

Science.gov (United States)

Baugh, Calum; Pappenberger, Florian; Wetterhall, Fredrik; Hewson, Tim; Zsoter, Ervin

2016-04-01

The sudden and devastating nature of flash flood events means it is imperative to provide early warnings such as those derived from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) forecasts. Currently such systems exist on basin, national and continental scales in Europe, North America and Australia but rely on high resolution NWP forecasts or rainfall-radar nowcasting, neither of which have global coverage. To produce global flash flood forecasts this work investigates the possibility of using forecasts from a global NWP system. In particular we: (i) discuss how global NWP can be used for flash flood forecasting and discuss strengths and weaknesses; (ii) demonstrate how a robust evaluation can be performed given the rarity of the event; (iii) highlight the challenges and opportunities in communicating flash flood uncertainty to decision makers; and (iv) explore future developments which would significantly improve global flash flood forecasting. The proposed forecast system uses ensemble surface runoff forecasts from the ECMWF H-TESSEL land surface scheme. A flash flood index is generated using the ERIC (Enhanced Runoff Index based on Climatology) methodology [Raynaud et al., 2014]. This global methodology is applied to a series of flash floods across southern Europe. Results from the system are compared against warnings produced using the higher resolution COSMO-LEPS limited area model. The global system is evaluated by comparing forecasted warning locations against a flash flood database of media reports created in partnership with floodlist.com. To deal with the lack of objectivity in media reports we carefully assess the suitability of different skill scores and apply spatial uncertainty thresholds to the observations. To communicate the uncertainties of the flash flood system output we experiment with a dynamic region-growing algorithm. This automatically clusters regions of similar return period exceedence probabilities, thus presenting the at-risk areas at a spatial

Open access: changing global science publishing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gasparyan, Armen Yuri; Ayvazyan, Lilit; Kitas, George D

2013-08-01

The article reflects on open access as a strategy of changing the quality of science communication globally. Successful examples of open-access journals are presented to highlight implications of archiving in open digital repositories for the quality and citability of research output. Advantages and downsides of gold, green, and hybrid models of open access operating in diverse scientific environments are described. It is assumed that open access is a global trend which influences the workflow in scholarly journals, changing their quality, credibility, and indexability.

The Influence of Body Mass Index on Outcomes in Ureteroscopy: Results from the Clinical Research Office of Endourological Society URS Global Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Krambeck, Amy; Wijnstok, Nienke; Olbert, Peter; Mitroi, George; Bariol, Simon; Shah, Hemendra N; El-Abd, Ahmed S; Onal, Bulent; de la Rosette, Jean

2017-01-01

Although ureteroscopy (URS) has been established as a viable treatment for stones in obese patients, its safety and success has not been fully elucidated. The current study describes the worldwide prevalence of obesity in patients with urolithiasis and examines trends in URS outcomes, safety, and efficacy. This study utilized the Clinical Research Office of the Endourological Society (CROES) URS Global Study, which was a prospective, multicenter study including 11,885 patients treated with URS for urinary stones at 1 of 114 urology departments across 32 countries. The relationship between body mass index (BMI), diabetes, and creatinine, with retreatment, stone-free rates, complications, and long hospital stay, was examined with a multivariate logistic regression analyses. Of the 10,099 URS patients with BMI data, 17.4% were obese and 2.2% were super obese. Overall, 86.7% patients were stone free and 16.8% required retreatment. Higher BMI was associated with lower stone-free rates, and any deviation from normal weight was associated with higher retreatment rates. In multivariate analysis controlling for several variables including stone size, the association between BMI and lower stone-free rates with higher retreatment rates persisted. Intraoperative complications occurred in 518 (5.1%) patients, and 343 (3.4%) experienced a postoperative complication. Postoperative complications were more frequent in the underweight and super obese subjects, and there was no relationship between BMI and intraoperative complications. Although URS for stone disease was found to be an overall safe procedure for obese and super obese patients, efficacy of the procedure may be lower compared with normal-weight subjects and higher retreatment rates may be necessary.

GLOBAL OR NATIONAL BRANDS?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sorina GÎRBOVEANU

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Today, branding is such a strong force that hardly anything goes unbranded. Branding in global markets poses several challenges to the marketers. A key decision is the choice between global and nationals brands. This article gives the answers to the questions: what is, what is need for, what are the advantages, costs and risks of global and national brands? All go to the following conclusion: use global brands where possible and national brands where necessary.

Use of global assays to understand clinical phenotype in congenital factor VII deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, L A; Goldenberg, N A; Simpson, M L; Villalobos-Menuey, E; Bombardier, C; Acharya, S S; Santiago-Borrero, P J; Cambara, A; DiMichele, D M

2013-09-01

Congenital factor VII (FVII) deficiency is characterized by genotypic variability and phenotypic heterogeneity. Traditional screening and factor assays are unable to reliably predict clinical bleeding phenotype and guide haemorrhage prevention strategy. Global assays of coagulation and fibrinolysis may better characterize overall haemostatic balance and aid in haemorrhagic risk assessment. We evaluated the ability of novel global assays to better understand clinical bleeding severity in congenital FVII deficiency. Subjects underwent central determination of factor VII activity (FVII:C) as well as clot formation and lysis (CloFAL) and simultaneous thrombin and plasmin generation (STP) global assay analysis. A bleeding score was assigned to each subject through medical chart review. Global assay parameters were analysed with respect to bleeding score and FVII:C. Subgroup analyses were performed on paediatric subjects and subjects with FVII ≥ 1 IU dL(-1). CloFAL fibrinolytic index (FI2 ) inversely correlated with FVII:C while CloFAL maximum amplitude (MA) and STP maximum velocity of thrombin generation (VT max) varied directly with FVII:C. CloFAL FI2 directly correlated with bleeding score among subjects in both the total cohort and paediatric subcohort, but not among subjects with FVII ≥ 1 IU dL(-1) . Among subjects with FVII ≥ 1 IU dL(-1), STP time to maximum velocity of thrombin generation and time to maximum velocity of plasmin generation inversely correlated with bleeding score. These preliminary findings suggest a novel potential link between a hyperfibrinolytic state in bleeding severity and congenital FVII deficiency, an observation that should be further explored. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Validation of the German version of the insomnia severity index in adolescents, young adults and adult workers: results from three cross-sectional studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerber, Markus; Lang, Christin; Lemola, Sakari; Colledge, Flora; Kalak, Nadeem; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Pühse, Uwe; Brand, Serge

2016-05-31

A variety of objective and subjective methods exist to assess insomnia. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was developed to provide a brief self-report instrument useful to assess people's perception of sleep complaints. The ISI was developed in English, and has been translated into several languages including German. Surprisingly, the psychometric properties of the German version have not been evaluated, although the ISI is often used with German-speaking populations. The psychometric properties of the ISI are tested in three independent samples: 1475 adolescents, 862 university students, and 533 police and emergency response service officers. In all three studies, participants provide information about insomnia (ISI), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and psychological functioning (diverse instruments). Descriptive statistics, gender differences, homogeneity and internal consistency, convergent validity, and factorial validity (including measurement invariance across genders) are examined in each sample. The findings show that the German version of the ISI has generally acceptable psychometric properties and sufficient concurrent validity. Confirmatory factor analyses show that a 1-factor solution achieves good model fit. Furthermore, measurement invariance across gender is supported in all three samples. While the ISI has been widely used in German-speaking countries, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence that the German version of this instrument has good psychometric properties and satisfactory convergent and factorial validity across various age groups and both men and women. Thus, the German version of the ISI can be recommended as a brief screening measure in German-speaking populations.

[Reliability and validity of the Severe Impairment Battery, short form (SIB-s), in patients with dementia in Spain].

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Orduña, Isabel; Agüera-Ortiz, Luis F; Montorio-Cerrato, Ignacio; León-Salas, Beatriz; Valle de Juan, M Cristina; Martínez-Martín, Pablo

2015-01-01

People with progressive dementia evolve into a state where traditional neuropsychological tests are not effective. Severe Impairment Battery (SIB) and short form (SIB-s) were developed for evaluating the cognitive status in patients with severe dementia. To evaluate the psychometric attributes of the SIB-s in patients with severe dementia. 127 institutionalized patients (female: 86.6%; mean age: 82.6 ± 7.5 years-old) with dementia were assessed with the SIB-s, the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Severe Mini-Mental State Examination (sMMSE), Barthel Index and FAST. SIB-s acceptability, reliability, validity and precision were analyzed. The mean total score for scale was 19.1 ± 15.34 (range: 0-48). Floor effect was 18.1%, only marginally higher than the desirable 15%. Factor analysis identified a single factor explaining 68% of the total variance of the scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.96 and the item-total corrected correlation ranged from 0.27 to 0.83. The item homogeneity value was 0.43. Test-retest and inter-rater reliability for the total score was satisfactory (ICC: 0.96 and 0.95, respectively). The SIB-s showed moderate correlation with functional dependency scales (Barthel Index: 0.48, FAST: -0.74). Standard error of measurement was 3.07 for the total score. The SIB-s is a reliable and valid instrument for evaluating patients with severe dementia in the Spanish population of relatively brief instruments.

Inter-comparison of different models for estimating clear sky solar global radiation for the Negev region of Israel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ianetz, Amiran; Lyubansky, Vera; Setter, Ilan; Kriheli, Boris; Evseev, Efim G.; Kudish, Avraham I.

2007-01-01

Solar global radiation is a function of solar altitude, site altitude, albedo, atmospheric transparency and cloudiness, whereas solar global radiation on a clear day is defined such that it is a function of all the abovementioned parameters except cloudiness. Consequently, analysis of the relative magnitudes of solar global radiation and solar global radiation on a clear day provides a platform for studying the influence of cloudiness on solar global radiation. The Iqbal filter for determining the day type has been utilized to calculate the monthly average clear day solar global radiation at three sites in the Negev region of Israel. An inter-comparison between four models for estimating clear sky solar global radiation at the three sites was made. The relative accuracy of the four models was determined by comparing the monthly average daily clear sky solar global radiation to that determined using the Iqbal filter. The analysis was performed on databases consisting of measurements made during the time interval of January 1991 to December 2004. The monthly average daily clear sky solar global radiation determined by the Berlynd model was found to give the best agreement with that determined using the Iqbal filter. The Berlynd model was then utilized to calculate a daily clear day index, K c , which is defined as the ratio of the daily solar global radiation to the daily clear day solar global radiation. It is suggested that this index be used as an indication of the degree of cloudiness. Linear regression analysis was performed on the individual monthly databases for each site to determine the correlation between the daily clear day index and the daily clearness index, K T

Socioeconomic factors associated with severe acute malnutrition in Jamaica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debbie S Thompson

Full Text Available Severe acute malnutrition (SAM is an important risk factor for illness and death globally, contributing to more than half of deaths in children worldwide. We hypothesized that SAM is positively correlated to poverty, low educational attainment, major crime and higher mean soil concentrations of lead, cadmium and arsenic.We reviewed admission records of infants admitted with a diagnosis of SAM over 14 years (2000-2013 in Jamaica. Poverty index, educational attainment, major crime and environmental heavy metal exposure were represented in a Geographic Information System (GIS. Cases of SAM were grouped by community and the number of cases per community/year correlated to socioeconomic variables and geochemistry data for the relevant year.375 cases of SAM were mapped across 204 urban and rural communities in Jamaica. The mean age at admission was 9 months (range 1-45 months and 57% were male. SAM had a positive correlation with major crime (r = 0.53; P < 0.001, but not with educational attainment or the poverty index. For every one unit increase in the number of crimes reported, the rate of occurrence of SAM cases increased by 1.01% [Incidence rate ratio (IRR = 1.01 (95% CI = 1.006-1.014; P P<0.001]. The geochemistry data yielded no correlation between levels of heavy metals and the prevalence of malnutrition.Major crime has an independent positive association with severe acute malnutrition in Jamaican infants. This could suggest that SAM and major crime might have similar sociological origins or that criminality at the community level may be indicative of reduced income opportunities with the attendant increase in poor nutrition in the home.

The 'Hub Disruption Index', a reliable index sensitive to the brain networks reorganization. A study of the contralesional hemisphere in stroke

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Maite Termenon

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Stroke, resulting in focal structural damage, induces changes in brain function at both local and global levels. Following stroke, cerebral networks present structural and functional reorganization to compensate for the dysfunctioning provoked by the lesion itself and its remote effects. As some recent studies underlined the role of the contralesional hemisphere during recovery, we studied its role %of the contralesional hemispherein the reorganization of brain function of stroke patients using resting state fMRI and graph theory. We explored this reorganization using the 'hub disruption index' (kappa, a global index sensitive to the reorganization of nodes within the graph. For a given graph metric, kappa of a subject corresponds to the slope of the linear regression model between the mean local network measures of a reference group, and the difference between that reference and the subject under study. In order to translate the use of kappa in clinical context, a prerequisite to achieve meaningful results is to investigate the reliability of this index. In a preliminary part, we studied the reliability of kappa by computing the intraclass correlation coefficient in a cohort of 100 subjects from the Human Connectome Project. Then, we measured intra-hemispheric kappa index in the contralesional hemisphere of 20 subacute stroke patients compared to 20 age-matched healthy controls. Finally, due to the small number of patients, we tested the robustness of our results repeating the experiment 1000 times by bootstrapping on the Human Connectome Project database. Statistical analysis showed a significant reduction of kappa for the contralesional hemisphere of right stroke patients compared to healthy controls. Similar results were observed for the right contralesional hemisphere of left stroke patients. We showed that kappa, is more reliable than global graph metrics and more sensitive to detect differences between groups of patients as compared to

Climatic driving forces in inter-annual variation of global FPAR

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Dailiang; Liu, Liangyun; Yang, Xiaohua; Zhou, Bin

2012-09-01

Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR) characterizes vegetation canopy functioning and its energy absorption capacity. In this paper, we focus on climatic driving forces in inter-annual variation of global FPAR from 1982 to 2006 by Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN-Monthly) data. Using FPAR-Simple Ratio Vegetation Index (SR) relationship, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to estimate FPAR at the global scale. The correlation between inter-annual variation of FPAR and temperature, precipitation derived from GHCN-Monthly was examined, during the periods of March-May (MAM), June-August (JJA), September-November (SON), and December-February (DJF) over from 1982 to 2006. The analysis of climatic influence on global FPAR revealed the significant correlation with temperature and precipitation in some meteorological stations area, and a more significant correlation with precipitation was found than which with temperature. Some stations in the regions between 30° N and 60° N and around 30° S in South America, where the annual FPAR variation showed a significant positive correlation with temperature (P forest of Africa and Amazon during the dry season of JJA and SON.

Effect of geographical and ethnic variation on Dysphonia Severity Index: a study of Indian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayakumar, T; Savithri, S R

2012-01-01

Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) is a widely used multiparametric approach to objectively quantify the voice quality. Few research groups have investigated the test-retest, interobserver variability, and influence of age and gender. They have also verified the application of DSI in various voice rehabilitation conditions. However, all these studies have been conducted on European population. There is a possibility of variation in the basic parameters of DSI across geographical and ethnic groups. Hence, the present study evaluated DSI in Indian population. One hundred twenty voluntary participants (60 males, 60 females) who had G(0) on the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Aesthenia, Strain (GRBAS) scale participated in the study (age range of 18-25 years, M=21.8, standard deviation=2.7). Maximum phonation time (MPT), frequency intensity, and jitter measurements were made using CSL 4500 (Kay Elemetrics, Pine Brook, NJ). Results showed noticeable difference between Indian and European population on MPT, Highest frequency (F(0)-High), and DSI values. Significant gender difference was also observed on MPT and F(0)-High. Test-retest reliability showed >95% for all the parameters. The MPT decrement lead to a reduction in the overall DSI value in both the genders. These results of the study caution voice professionals to reinvestigate and establish their own norms for their geographical and ethnic groups. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors related to positive and negative outcomes in psychiatric inpatients in a General Hospital Psychiatric Unit: a proposal for an outcomes index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HUGO KARLING MORESCHI

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background General Hospital Psychiatric Units have a fundamental importance in the mental health care systems. However, there is a lack of studies regarding the level of improvement of patients in this type of facility. Objective To assess factors related to good and poor outcomes in psychiatric inpatients using an index composed by clinical parameters easily measured. Methods Length of stay (LOS, Global Assessment of Functioning (variation and at discharge and Clinical Global Impression (severity and improvement were used to build a ten-point improvement index (I-Index. Records of psychiatric inpatients of a general hospital during an 18-month period were analyzed. Three groups (poor, intermediate and good outcomes were compared by univariate and multivariate models according to clinical and sociodemographic variables. Results Two hundred and fifty patients were included, with a percentage in the groups with poor, regular and good outcomes of 16.4%, 59,6% and 24.0% respectively. Poor outcome at the discharge was associated mainly with lower education, transient disability, antipsychotics use, chief complaint “behavioral change/aggressiveness” and psychotic features. Multivariate analysis found a higher OR for diagnoses of “psychotic disorders” and “personality disorders” and others variables in relation to protective categories in the poor outcome group compared to the good outcome group. Discussion Our I-Index proved to be an indicator of that allows an easy and more comprehensive evaluation to assess outcomes of inpatients than just LOS. Different interventions addressed to conditions such as psychotic disorders and disruptive chief complaints are necessary.

Brain functional networks. Correlation analysis with clinical indexes in patients with diabetic retinopathy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai, Hui; Zhang, Yu; Hu, Su; Wang, Ximing; Li, Yonggang; Hu, Chunhong [The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Department of Radiology, Suzhou, Jiangsu (China); Lai, Lillian [LAC+USC Medical Center, Department of Neuroradiology, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Shen, Hailin [Suzhou Kowloon Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School, Department of Radiology, Suzhou, Jiangsu (China)

2017-11-15

The relationship between parameters of brain functional networks and clinical indexes is unclear so far in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). This paper is to investigate this. Twenty-one patients with different grades of DR and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled from August 2012 to September 2014. The clinical indexes recorded included DR grade, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, diabetic foot screen, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, Homa-β, Homa-IR, insulin sensitive index (ISI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and patient sex and age. Subjects were scanned using 3-T MR with blood-oxygen-level-dependent and 3D-FSPGR sequences. MR data was analyzed via preprocessing and functional network construction, and quantified indexes of network (clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, global efficiency, degree distribution, and small worldness) were evaluated. Statistics consisted of ANOVA and correlation. There were significant differences between patients and controls among clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, degree distribution, and small worldness parameters (P < 0.05). MMSE scores negatively correlated with characteristic path length, and Hb1Ac negatively correlated with small worldness. MMSE, duration of diabetes, diabetic foot screen, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, Homa-β, Homa-IR, ISI, DR grade, and patient age, except from Hb1Ac, correlated with degree distribution in certain brain areas. Brain functional networks are altered, specifically in the areas of visual function and cognition, and these alterations may reflect the severity of visual weakness and cognitive decline in DR patients. Moreover, the brain networks may be affected both by long-standing and instant clinical factors. (orig.)

Brain functional networks. Correlation analysis with clinical indexes in patients with diabetic retinopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai, Hui; Zhang, Yu; Hu, Su; Wang, Ximing; Li, Yonggang; Hu, Chunhong; Lai, Lillian; Shen, Hailin

2017-01-01

The relationship between parameters of brain functional networks and clinical indexes is unclear so far in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). This paper is to investigate this. Twenty-one patients with different grades of DR and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled from August 2012 to September 2014. The clinical indexes recorded included DR grade, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, diabetic foot screen, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, Homa-β, Homa-IR, insulin sensitive index (ISI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and patient sex and age. Subjects were scanned using 3-T MR with blood-oxygen-level-dependent and 3D-FSPGR sequences. MR data was analyzed via preprocessing and functional network construction, and quantified indexes of network (clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, global efficiency, degree distribution, and small worldness) were evaluated. Statistics consisted of ANOVA and correlation. There were significant differences between patients and controls among clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, degree distribution, and small worldness parameters (P < 0.05). MMSE scores negatively correlated with characteristic path length, and Hb1Ac negatively correlated with small worldness. MMSE, duration of diabetes, diabetic foot screen, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, Homa-β, Homa-IR, ISI, DR grade, and patient age, except from Hb1Ac, correlated with degree distribution in certain brain areas. Brain functional networks are altered, specifically in the areas of visual function and cognition, and these alterations may reflect the severity of visual weakness and cognitive decline in DR patients. Moreover, the brain networks may be affected both by long-standing and instant clinical factors. (orig.)

Spatio-Temporal Characteristics in the Clearness Index Derived from Global Solar Radiation Observations in Korea

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Yeonjin Jung

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The spatio-temporal characteristics of the clearness index (KT were investigated using daily global solar irradiance measurements (290–2800 nm for the period of 2000–2014 at 21 sites in Korea, a complex region in East Asia with a distinct monsoon season and heavy aerosol loading year-round. The annual mean KT value for all sites is 0.46, with values of 0.63 and 0.25 for clear and overcast skies, respectively. The seasonal variations in monthly average KT show a minimum of 0.37 in July at all sites except for Jeju, where the value was 0.29 in January. The maximum value (KT = 0.51 is observed in October, followed by a secondary peak (KT = 0.49 during February–April. The lowest KT value (KT = 0.42 was observed at both the Seoul and Jeju sites, and the highest (KT = 0.48 in the southeastern regions. Increases in average KT exceeding 4% per decade were observed in the middle and southeastern regions, with the maximum (+8% per decade at the Daegu site. Decreasing trends (<−4% per decade were observed in the southwestern regions, with the maximum (−7% per decade at the Mokpo site. Cloud amount, relative humidity, and aerosol optical depth together explained 57% of the variance in daily mean KT values. The contributions of these three variables to variations in KT are 42%, 9% and 6%, respectively. Thus, the variations in KT in Korea can be primarily attributed to the presence of clouds and water vapor, with relatively weak aerosol effects.

Global Journal of Engineering Research: Editorial Policies

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Focus and Scope. The Global Journal of Engineering Research is aimed at promoting research in all areas of Engineering Research including Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Chemical, Electronics, Geological etc. Section Policies. Articles. Checked Open Submissions, Checked Indexed, Checked Peer Reviewed. Publication ...

Labor market deregulation and globalization: empirical evidence from OECD countries

OpenAIRE

Potrafke , Niklas

2010-01-01

Abstract This paper empirically investigates the influence of globalization on various aspects of labor market deregulation. I employ the data set by Bassanini and Duval (2006) on labor market institutions in OECD countries and the KOF index of globalization. The data set covers 20 OECD countries in the 1982?2003 period. The results suggest that globalization did neither influence the unemployment replacement rate, the unemployment benefit length, public expenditures on ALMP, the t...

Multifractal analysis of implied volatility in index options

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, GabJin

2014-06-01

In this paper, we analyze the statistical and the non-linear properties of the log-variations in implied volatility for the CAC40, DAX and S& P500 daily index options. The price of an index option is generally represented by its implied volatility surface, including its smile and skew properties. We utilize a Lévy process model as the underlying asset to deepen our understanding of the intrinsic property of the implied volatility in the index options and estimate the implied volatility surface. We find that the options pricing models with the exponential Lévy model can reproduce the smile or sneer features of the implied volatility that are observed in real options markets. We study the variation in the implied volatility for at-the-money index call and put options, and we find that the distribution function follows a power-law distribution with an exponent of 3.5 ≤ γ ≤ 4.5. Especially, the variation in the implied volatility exhibits multifractal spectral characteristics, and the global financial crisis has influenced the complexity of the option markets.

A Comparison of Global Financial Market Recovery after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis

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Foo Jennifer

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The Financial Crisis of 2007-2009 plunged countries into a Great Recession and focused the world’s attention on the global stock markets. The global contagion has a major impact on global stock markets, with the U.S. DJIA falling to 6,547.05 on March 9, 2009 from a high of 14,164.53 on October 9, 2007, with a loss of more than 54%. Other stock markets also had a precipitous drop during the financial crisis. However, some equity markets have recovered while others have not. This paper looks at how global markets compared in their recovery. This paper also investigates the advanced countries’ recovery relative to the emerging and developing countries in the aftermath of the financial crisis and their ability to climb back to the pre-financial crisis levels. Analysis is provided for 31 stock indexes from January 2005 to March 2013. In 2013 the majority of analysed stock markets recovered from the crises regardless of if they belong to the group of developed or emerging markets.

Psychosocial characteristics of drunk drivers assessed by the Addiction Severity Index, prediction of relapse.

Science.gov (United States)

Hubicka, Beata; Laurell, Hans; Bergman, Hans

2010-02-01

To investigate psychosocial characteristics and problems of a representative sample of Swedish drunk drivers with special consideration of the gender of the driver; analyze criminal records of the drivers before and after enrollment in the study; identify psychosocial predictors of relapse to drunk driving. Psychosocial characteristics were assessed by the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Alcohol problems were additionally assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Criminal records were collected for the five year period before the enrollment, and for the subsequent two years, from Sweden's official crime statistics. About half of the investigated drivers had other psychosocial problems besides the drink driving offence. Female drivers had more alcohol, drug, psychiatric and relational problems, including with parents when growing up, than male drivers, but less previous and subsequent criminality. Heavily drunk drivers (blood alcohol concentration > or = 0.1%) had more problems with alcohol, legal status and employment and support than the other drunk drivers. Problems with legal status, family and social relations and alcohol use increased the risk of relapse in drunk driving, while medical problems seemed to be a protective factor. Different ASI risk factors were identified for relapse in either traffic offences or other crimes. As well as the drunk driving offence, drunk drivers often have other psychosocial problems, female drivers in particular. Already the blood alcohol concentration per se gives some indication of the psychosocial problem profile of a drunk driver and the ASI profile has some prognostic value for relapse in drunk driving.

Relationship between Affective Symptoms and Malnutrition Severity in Severe Anorexia Nervosa

Science.gov (United States)

Mattar, Lama; Huas, Caroline; group, EVHAN; Godart, Nathalie

2012-01-01

Background Very few studies have investigated the relationship between malnutrition and psychological symptoms in Anorexia Nervosa (AN). They have used only body weight or body mass index (BMI) for the nutritional assessment and did not always report on medication, or if they did, it was not included in the analysis of results, and they did not include confounding factors such as duration of illness, AN subtype or age. The present study investigates this relationship using indicators other than BMI/weight, among which body composition and biological markers, also considering potential confounders related to depression and anxiety. Methods 155 AN patients, (DSM-IV) were included consecutively upon admission to inpatient treatment. Depression, anxiety, obsessive behaviours and social functioning were measured using various scales. Nutritional status was measured using BMI, severity of weight loss, body composition, and albumin and prealbumin levels. Results No correlation was found between BMI at inclusion, fat-free mass index, fat mass index, and severity of weight loss and any of the psychometric scores. Age and medication are the only factors that affect the psychological scores. None of the psychological scores were explained by the nutritional indicators with the exception of albumin levels which was negatively linked to the LSAS fear score (p = 0.024; beta = −0.225). Only the use of antidepressants explained the variability in BDI scores (p = 0.029; beta = 0.228) and anxiolytic use explained the variability in HADs depression scores (p = 0.037; beta = 0.216). Conclusion The present study is a pioneer investigation of various nutritional markers in relation to psychological symptoms in severely malnourished AN patients. The clinical hypothesis that malnutrition partly causes depression and anxiety symptoms in AN in acute phase is not confirmed, and future studies are needed to back up our results. PMID:23185320

Exploring energy efficiency in several European countries. An attribution analysis of the Divisia structural change index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernández González, P.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We present a new attribution analysis approach to study structural change index. • Based on LMDI method, we decompose changes in AEI in the EU in 1995–2010. • Mild AEI drop as a result of structural change, particularly in Eastern economies. • Transport, hotels and restaurants: positive contributors, specifically in Western EU. • Strategies should be focused on Industry: the most influential sector in reducing AEI. - Abstract: This paper aims at exploring the influence that the changes in sectoral composition in most EU economies have had on aggregate energy intensity. We rely on the so-called Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method, implemented within a multiplicative energy intensity approach. Then, based on the Index Decomposition Analysis (IDA), we present, develop and apply a new methodology that enables the exploration of the contribution of each sector to the percent change in the structural factors index. Our findings show: (a) a greater importance of the intensity factor over the structural one, (b) a positive influence of structural change in some ex-communist countries, and (c) a strong, negative contribution of the industrial sector (including construction) to changes in aggregate energy intensity in most European economies, particularly in the Western ones. In short, adaptation to more efficient techniques, innovation, R and D, and substitution for higher quality energies, seem to be the action lines to follow, although in former communist countries these strategies should be accompanied by other policies aiming at accelerating the transition processes

Biodiversity sampling using a global acoustic approach: contrasting sites with microendemics in New Caledonia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amandine Gasc

Full Text Available New Caledonia is a Pacific island with a unique biodiversity showing an extreme microendemism. Many species distributions observed on this island are extremely restricted, localized to mountains or rivers making biodiversity evaluation and conservation a difficult task. A rapid biodiversity assessment method based on acoustics was recently proposed. This method could help to document the unique spatial structure observed in New Caledonia. Here, this method was applied in an attempt to reveal differences among three mountain sites (Mandjélia, Koghis and Aoupinié with similar ecological features and species richness level, but with high beta diversity according to different microendemic assemblages. In each site, several local acoustic communities were sampled with audio recorders. An automatic acoustic sampling was run on these three sites for a period of 82 successive days. Acoustic properties of animal communities were analysed without any species identification. A frequency spectral complexity index (NP was used as an estimate of the level of acoustic activity and a frequency spectral dissimilarity index (Df assessed acoustic differences between pairs of recordings. As expected, the index NP did not reveal significant differences in the acoustic activity level between the three sites. However, the acoustic variability estimated by the index Df , could first be explained by changes in the acoustic communities along the 24-hour cycle and second by acoustic dissimilarities between the three sites. The results support the hypothesis that global acoustic analyses can detect acoustic differences between sites with similar species richness and similar ecological context, but with different species assemblages. This study also demonstrates that global acoustic methods applied at broad spatial and temporal scales could help to assess local biodiversity in the challenging context of microendemism. The method could be deployed over large areas, and

On the history of the connectivity index: from the connectivity index to the exact solution of the protein alignment problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Randić, M

2015-01-01

We briefly review the history of the connectivity index from 1975 to date. We hope to throw some light on why this unique, by its design, graph theoretical molecular descriptor continues to be of interest in QSAR, having wide use in applications in structure-property and structure-activity studies. We will elaborate on its generalizations and the insights it offered on applications in Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA). Going beyond the connectivity index we will outline several related developments in the development of molecular descriptors used in MRA, including molecular ID numbers (1986), the variable connectivity index (1991), orthogonal regression (1991), irrelevance of co-linearity of descriptors (1997), anti-connectivity (2006), and high discriminatory descriptors characterizing molecular similarity (2015). We will comment on beauty in QSAR and recent progress in searching for similarity of DNA, proteins and the proteome. This review reports on several results which are little known to the structure-property-activity community, the significance of which may surprise those unfamiliar with the application of discrete mathematics to chemistry. It tells the reader many unknown stories about the connectivity index, which may help the reader to better understand the meaning of this index. Readers are not required to be familiar with graph theory.

Contingency management of power system with Interline Power Flow Controller using Real Power Performance Index and Line Stability Index

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Akanksha Mishra

2016-03-01

Full Text Available As a result of privatization of the electrical industry the power transmission lines have to transfer power at their maximum transmission limits because of the competitive scenario of the electrical market. Hence, secured operation of power system has become one of the most important issues of modern era. In this paper, a probability of severity based placement strategy for Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC has been proposed based on Composite Severity Index (CSI. The composite severity index provides an exact measure of stress in the line in terms of mega watt overloading and voltage instability. IPFC is placed on the line which has the highest probability of severity during the occurrence of different outages. The IPFC has been tuned for a multi-objective function using Differential Evolution (DE and the results have been compared with genetic Algorithm (GA. To verify the proposed method, it has been tested and implemented on IEEE 14 and 57 bus systems.

Satellite remote sensing for estimating leaf area index, FPAR and primary production. A literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boresjoe Bronge, Laine

2004-03-01

Land vegetation is a critical component of several biogeochemical cycles that have become the focus of concerted international research effort. Most ecosystem productivity models, carbon budget models, and global models of climate, hydrology and biogeochemistry require vegetation parameters to calculate land surface photosynthesis, evapotranspiration and net primary production. Therefore, accurate estimates of vegetation parameters are increasingly important in the carbon cycle, the energy balance and in environmental impact assessment studies. The possibility of quantitatively estimating vegetation parameters of importance in this context using satellite data has been explored by numerous papers dealing with the subject. This report gives a summary of the present status and applicability of satellite remote sensing for estimating vegetation productivity by using vegetation index for calculating leaf area index (LAI) and fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR). Some possible approaches for use of satellite data for estimating LAI, FPAR and net primary production (NPP) on a local scale are suggested. Recommendations for continued work in the Forsmark and Oskarshamn investigation areas, where vegetation data and NDVI-images based on satellite data have been produced, are also given

Satellite remote sensing for estimating leaf area index, FPAR and primary production. A literature review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boresjoe Bronge, Laine [SwedPower AB, Stockholm (Sweden)

2004-03-01

Land vegetation is a critical component of several biogeochemical cycles that have become the focus of concerted international research effort. Most ecosystem productivity models, carbon budget models, and global models of climate, hydrology and biogeochemistry require vegetation parameters to calculate land surface photosynthesis, evapotranspiration and net primary production. Therefore, accurate estimates of vegetation parameters are increasingly important in the carbon cycle, the energy balance and in environmental impact assessment studies. The possibility of quantitatively estimating vegetation parameters of importance in this context using satellite data has been explored by numerous papers dealing with the subject. This report gives a summary of the present status and applicability of satellite remote sensing for estimating vegetation productivity by using vegetation index for calculating leaf area index (LAI) and fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR). Some possible approaches for use of satellite data for estimating LAI, FPAR and net primary production (NPP) on a local scale are suggested. Recommendations for continued work in the Forsmark and Oskarshamn investigation areas, where vegetation data and NDVI-images based on satellite data have been produced, are also given.

Generation of global hourly radiation sequences using a Transition Markov matrix for Madrid. Generacion de secuencias horarias de radiacion global utilizando matrices de transicion de Markov, para la localidad de Madrid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mora, Ll

1989-11-01

The aim of this work is the generation of sequences of hourly global radiation which have similar statistically characteristics of real sequences for the city of Madrid (Spain). For this generation, a first order Markov model has been proposed. The input parameters of simulation method are the following: The maximum value of hourly radiation and the average monthly value of the transparency normalized index. The maximum value of hourly radiation has been calculated as a function of the solar height by an empirical expression. The transparency normalized index has been defined as the ratio among the measured hourly global radiation to the maximum value for the corresponding solar height. The method is based on the following observations: -The transparency normalized index shows a significant correlation only for two consecutive hours. -The months with the same average transparency normalized indies have similar probability density function. Global solar radiation, time series, simulation, Markov transition matrix, solar energy.

Testing the developed world: Global CAPM vs. Local CAPM

OpenAIRE

Knudsen, John

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to assess the extent to which the developed world is integrated that the pricing difference between using the local CAPM and the global CAPM is not relevant. This paper has analysed the twenty developed countries which have been classified as such in the MSCI global index. The paper breaks down the country and stock to identify where there is a significant difference in the pricing of assets between the local and global CAPM, and the significance of the result.

Four billion people facing severe water scarcity.

Science.gov (United States)

Mekonnen, Mesfin M; Hoekstra, Arjen Y

2016-02-01

Freshwater scarcity is increasingly perceived as a global systemic risk. Previous global water scarcity assessments, measuring water scarcity annually, have underestimated experienced water scarcity by failing to capture the seasonal fluctuations in water consumption and availability. We assess blue water scarcity globally at a high spatial resolution on a monthly basis. We find that two-thirds of the global population (4.0 billion people) live under conditions of severe water scarcity at least 1 month of the year. Nearly half of those people live in India and China. Half a billion people in the world face severe water scarcity all year round. Putting caps to water consumption by river basin, increasing water-use efficiencies, and better sharing of the limited freshwater resources will be key in reducing the threat posed by water scarcity on biodiversity and human welfare.

A City and National Metric measuring Isolation from the Global Market for Food Security Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Molly E.; Silver, Kirk Coleman; Rajagopalan, Krishnan

2013-01-01

The World Bank has invested in infrastructure in developing countries for decades. This investment aims to reduce the isolation of markets, reducing both seasonality and variability in food availability and food prices. Here we combine city market price data, global distance to port, and country infrastructure data to create a new Isolation Index for countries and cities around the world. Our index quantifies the isolation of a city from the global market. We demonstrate that an index built at the country level can be applied at a sub-national level to quantify city isolation. In doing so, we offer policy makers with an alternative metric to assess food insecurity. We compare our isolation index with other indices and economic data found in the literature.We show that our Index measures economic isolation regardless of economic stability using correlation and analysis

Therapeutic whole-body hypothermia reduces mortality in severe traumatic brain injury if the cooling index is sufficiently high: meta-analyses of the effect of single cooling parameters and their integrated measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Olah, Emoke; Poto, Laszlo; Hegyi, Peter; Szabo, Imre; Hartmann, Petra; Solymar, Margit; Petervari, Erika; Balasko, Marta; Habon, Tamas; Rumbus, Zoltan; Tenk, Judit; Rostas, Ildiko; Weinberg, Jordan; Romanovsky, Andrej A; Garami, Andras

2018-04-21

Therapeutic hypothermia was investigated repeatedly as a tool to improve the outcome of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), but previous clinical trials and meta-analyses found contradictory results. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of therapeutic whole-body hypothermia on the mortality of adult patients with severe TBI by using a novel approach of meta-analysis. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to February 2017. The identified human studies were evaluated regarding statistical, clinical, and methodological designs to ensure inter-study homogeneity. We extracted data on TBI severity, body temperature, mortality, and cooling parameters; then we calculated the cooling index, an integrated measure of therapeutic hypothermia. Forest plot of all identified studies showed no difference in the outcome of TBI between cooled and not cooled patients, but inter-study heterogeneity was high. On the contrary, by meta-analysis of RCTs which were homogenous with regards to statistical, clinical designs and precisely reported the cooling protocol, we showed decreased odds ratio for mortality in therapeutic hypothermia compared to no cooling. As independent factors, milder and longer cooling, and rewarming at < 0.25°C/h were associated with better outcome. Therapeutic hypothermia was beneficial only if the cooling index (measure of combination of cooling parameters) was sufficiently high. We conclude that high methodological and statistical inter-study heterogeneity could underlie the contradictory results obtained in previous studies. By analyzing methodologically homogenous studies, we show that cooling improves the outcome of severe TBI and this beneficial effect depends on certain cooling parameters and on their integrated measure, the cooling index.

Estimation of Global Vegetation Productivity from Global LAnd Surface Satellite Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tao Yu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Accurately estimating vegetation productivity is important in research on terrestrial ecosystems, carbon cycles and climate change. Eight-day gross primary production (GPP and annual net primary production (NPP are contained in MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS products (MOD17, which are considered the first operational datasets for monitoring global vegetation productivity. However, the cloud-contaminated MODIS leaf area index (LAI and Fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FPAR retrievals may introduce some considerable errors to MODIS GPP and NPP products. In this paper, global eight-day GPP and eight-day NPP were first estimated based on Global LAnd Surface Satellite (GLASS LAI and FPAR products. Then, GPP and NPP estimates were validated by FLUXNET GPP data and BigFoot NPP data and were compared with MODIS GPP and NPP products. Compared with MODIS GPP, a time series showed that estimated GLASS GPP in our study was more temporally continuous and spatially complete with smoother trajectories. Validated with FLUXNET GPP and BigFoot NPP, we demonstrated that estimated GLASS GPP and NPP achieved higher precision for most vegetation types.

Uncovering the hidden impacts of inequality on mental health: a global study.

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Yu, Shoukai

2018-05-18

Women are nearly twice as likely as men to suffer from mental illness. This gender disparity in depressive disorders may relate to social inequalities and living standards across nations. Currently, these disparities were not reflected at the level of health policies. This study utilized global data for depressive disorders and socioeconomic data from the United Nations' World Bank databases and Global Burden of Disease database to demonstrate the correlation between social inequality and gender disparities in mental health. This study investigated the association among the ratio of female to male depressive disorder rates, gross domestic product, the GINI Index, and the gender inequality index for 122 countries. The research yielded some major findings. First, there exists a significant correlation between gender inequality and gender disparities in mental health. Second, the GINI index is significantly associated with male-but not female-depressive disorder rates. Third, gender disparities in depressive disorders are associated with a country's wealth. These findings can help to inform society, policy-makers, and clinicians to improve the overall health level globally.

The relationship between global oil price shocks and China's output: A time-varying analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cross, Jamie; Nguyen, Bao H.

2017-01-01

We employ a class of time-varying Bayesian vector autoregressive (VAR) models on new standard dataset of China's GDP constructed by to examine the relationship between China's economic growth and global oil market fluctuations between 1992Q1 and 2015Q3. We find that: (1) the time varying parameter VAR with stochastic volatility provides a better fit as compared to it's constant counterparts; (2) the impacts of intertemporal global oil price shocks on China's output are often small and temporary in nature; (3) oil supply and specific oil demand shocks generally produce negative movements in China's GDP growth whilst oil demand shocks tend to have positive effects; (4) domestic output shocks have no significant impact on price or quantity movements within the global oil market. The results are generally robust to three commonly employed indicators of global economic activity: Kilian's global real economic activity index, the metal price index and the global industrial production index, and two alternative oil price metrics: the US refiners' acquisition cost for imported crude oil and the West Texas Intermediate price of crude oil. - Highlights: • A class of time-varying BVARs is used to examine the relationship between China's economic growth and global oil market fluctuations. • The impacts of intertemporal global oil price shocks on China's output are often small and temporary in nature. • Oil supply and specific oil demand shocks generally produce negative movements in China's GDP growth while oil demand shocks tend to have positive effects. • Domestic output shocks have no significant impact on price or quantity movements within the global oil market.

Determining the minimal clinically important difference and responsiveness of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI): further data.

Science.gov (United States)

Basra, M K A; Salek, M S; Camilleri, L; Sturkey, R; Finlay, A Y

2015-01-01

To determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and its responsiveness to change in inflammatory skin diseases. A longitudinal study: at stage 1, patients completed the DLQI and a disease severity global question; at stage 2, a global rating of change in quality of life (QoL; Global Rating of Change Questionnaire, GRCQ) was added and used as an anchor to measure the MCID of the DLQI. 192 patients completed stage 1 and 107 completed stage 2. The mean DLQI score at stage 1 was 9.8 and 7.4 at stage 2 with a mean change of 2.4 (p < 0.0001). 31 patients experienced a 'small change' in their QoL (±3 and ±2) on the GRCQ. The mean corresponding change in DLQI scores was 3.3, which is regarded as the approximate MCID. Previous estimates of the MCID of the DLQI have varied from 3 to 5. Although this study demonstrated a MCID of 3.3, we recommend that the MCID in inflammatory skin diseases should be 4. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Assessment of the physical activity, body mass index and energy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Declining levels of physical activity at workplaces, during leisure time and when travelling, accompanied by increasing exposure to the mass media, are major determinants of the global obesity epidemic. This study aimed to assess physical activity, the body mass index (BMI) and energy intake of human ...

Methodological considerations concerning the development of oral dental erosion indexes: literature survey, validity and reliability

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Kutschmann, Marcus; Bardehle, Doris

2008-01-01

Within the context of preventing non-communicable diseases, the World Health Report (2002) and the WHO Global Oral Health Program (2003) put forward a new strategy of disease prevention and health promotion. Greater emphasis is placed on developing global policies in oral health promotion and oral disease prevention. The Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) index does not meet new challenges in the field of oral health. Dental erosion seems to be a growing problem, and in some countries, an increase in erosion of teeth is associated with an increase in the consumption of beverages containing acids. Therefore, within a revision of the WHO Oral Health Surveys Basic Methods, new oral disease patterns, e.g. dental erosion, have to be taken into account. Within the last 20 years, many studies on dental erosion have been carried out and published. There has been a rapid growth in the number of indexes quantifying dental erosion process in different age groups. However, these indexes are not comparable. This article discusses quality criteria which an index intended for assessing tooth erosion should possess. PMID:18228060

Experimental study of the ultraviolet global radiation in San Jose, Costa Rica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, J.

1996-01-01

The ultraviolet global radiation and the global solar radiation at San Jose, Costa Rica (latitude: 9 0 56', longitude: 84 0 54', altitude: 1.172 m.) during the period October 1993 to January 1995 were analyzed with respect to their seasonal variations and their independence. The dependence between the ultraviolet radiation and the clearness index of the skies was also investigated. A poor correlation was found between the quotient of the ultraviolet radiation (Hv/Hg) and between the global solar radiation and the extraterrestrial solar radiation (Hg/Ho). The correlation coefficient found between Hv/Hg and Hg/Ho was not greater than 0.25 for four categories of clearness index, i.e., covered skies, clear skies, and two intermediate conditions. This demonstrates that the ultraviolet radiation is not only associated with other atmospheric transmission conditions. A regression analysis between the hourly values of the ultraviolet and global radiation yielded a linear relationship with a determination coefficient greater than 98%. Thus a simple linear regression is reliable for the estimation of the ultraviolet in San Jose from global solar radiation data. (author) [es

Global Warming and 21st Century Drying

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Benjamin I.; Smerdun, Jason E.; Seager, Richard; Coats, Sloan

2014-01-01

Global warming is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of droughts in the twenty-first century, but the relative contributions from changes in moisture supply (precipitation) versus evaporative demand (potential evapotranspiration; PET) have not been comprehensively assessed. Using output from a suite of general circulation model (GCM) simulations from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, projected twentyfirst century drying and wetting trends are investigated using two offline indices of surface moisture balance: the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI). PDSI and SPEI projections using precipitation and Penman- Monteith based PET changes from the GCMs generally agree, showing robust cross-model drying in western North America, Central America, the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and the Amazon and robust wetting occurring in the Northern Hemisphere high latitudes and east Africa (PDSI only). The SPEI is more sensitive to PET changes than the PDSI, especially in arid regions such as the Sahara and Middle East. Regional drying and wetting patterns largely mirror the spatially heterogeneous response of precipitation in the models, although drying in the PDSI and SPEI calculations extends beyond the regions of reduced precipitation. This expansion of drying areas is attributed to globally widespread increases in PET, caused by increases in surface net radiation and the vapor pressure deficit. Increased PET not only intensifies drying in areas where precipitation is already reduced, it also drives areas into drought that would otherwise experience little drying or even wetting from precipitation trends alone. This PET amplification effect is largest in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes, and is especially pronounced in western North America, Europe, and southeast China. Compared to PDSI projections using precipitation changes only, the projections incorporating both

Evolvement of Uniformity and Volatility in the Stressed Global Financial Village

Science.gov (United States)

Kenett, Dror Y.; Raddant, Matthias; Lux, Thomas; Ben-Jacob, Eshel

2012-01-01

Background In the current era of strong worldwide market couplings the global financial village became highly prone to systemic collapses, events that can rapidly sweep throughout the entire village. Methodology/Principal Findings We present a new methodology to assess and quantify inter-market relations. The approach is based on the correlations between the market index, the index volatility, the market Index Cohesive Force and the meta-correlations (correlations between the intra-correlations.) We investigated the relations between six important world markets—U.S., U.K., Germany, Japan, China and India—from January 2000 until December 2010. We found that while the developed “western” markets (U.S., U.K., Germany) are highly correlated, the interdependencies between these markets and the developing “eastern” markets (India and China) are volatile and with noticeable maxima at times of global world events. The Japanese market switches “identity”—it switches between periods of high meta-correlations with the “western” markets and periods when it behaves more similarly to the “eastern” markets. Conclusions/Significance The methodological framework presented here provides a way to quantify the evolvement of interdependencies in the global market, evaluate a world financial network and quantify changes in the world inter market relations. Such changes can be used as precursors to the agitation of the global financial village. Hence, the new approach can help to develop a sensitive “financial seismograph” to detect early signs of global financial crises so they can be treated before they develop into worldwide events. PMID:22347444

Increasing importance of precipitation variability on global livestock grazing lands

Science.gov (United States)

Sloat, Lindsey L.; Gerber, James S.; Samberg, Leah H.; Smith, William K.; Herrero, Mario; Ferreira, Laerte G.; Godde, Cécile M.; West, Paul C.

2018-03-01

Pastures and rangelands underpin global meat and milk production and are a critical resource for millions of people dependent on livestock for food security1,2. Forage growth, which is highly climate dependent3,4, is potentially vulnerable to climate change, although precisely where and to what extent remains relatively unexplored. In this study, we assess climate-based threats to global pastures, with a specific focus on changes in within- and between-year precipitation variability (precipitation concentration index (PCI) and coefficient of variation of precipitation (CVP), respectively). Relating global satellite measures of vegetation greenness (such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; NDVI) to key climatic factors reveals that CVP is a significant, yet often overlooked, constraint on vegetation productivity across global pastures. Using independent stocking data, we found that areas with high CVP support lower livestock densities than less-variable regions. Globally, pastures experience about a 25% greater year-to-year precipitation variation (CVP = 0.27) than the average global land surface area (0.21). Over the past century, CVP has generally increased across pasture areas, although both positive (49% of pasture area) and negative (31% of pasture area) trends exist. We identify regions in which livestock grazing is important for local food access and economies, and discuss the potential for pasture intensification in the context of long-term regional trends in precipitation variability.

Performance Analysis of Indonesia’s Mining Sector Price Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hastra Reza Satyatama

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Subprime mortage’s crisis in United States 2008 giving effect to the global capital markets especially the stock price index of the mining sector Indonesia. This research analyzes the effect of BI Rate, exchange rate, world gold price, crude oil price, and Dow Jones Industrial Average on the stock price index of the mining sector. This research employs time series monthly data of 2009-2016 with Error Correction Model-Engle Granger (ECM-EG as the method. The analysis showed that the BI rate, exchange rate and world gold price, has a negative and significant effect. World oil prices affect positively but not significant meanwhile the Dow Jones Industrial Average has a positive and significant impact on the stock price index of the mining sector. For investors in the mining sector, should pay attention to the exchange rate of the rupiah and Dow Jones Index significantly in the mining sector of the stock price index.DOI: 10.15408/sjie.v6i2.5395 

Improved predictability of droughts over southern Africa using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index and ENSO

Science.gov (United States)

Manatsa, Desmond; Mushore, Terrence; Lenouo, Andre

2017-01-01

The provision of timely and reliable climate information on which to base management decisions remains a critical component in drought planning for southern Africa. In this observational study, we have not only proposed a forecasting scheme which caters for timeliness and reliability but improved relevance of the climate information by using a novel drought index called the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), instead of the traditional precipitation only based index, the standardised precipitation index (SPI). The SPEI which includes temperature and other climatic factors in its construction has a more robust connection to ENSO than the SPI. Consequently, the developed ENSO-SPEI prediction scheme can provide quantitative information about the spatial extent and severity of predicted drought conditions in a way that reflects more closely the level of risk in the global warming context of the sub region. However, it is established that the ENSO significant regional impact is restricted only to the period December-March, implying a revisit to the traditional ENSO-based forecast scheme which essentially divides the rainfall season into the two periods, October to December and January to March. Although the prediction of ENSO events has increased with the refinement of numerical models, this work has demonstrated that the prediction of drought impacts related to ENSO is also a reality based only on observations. A large temporal lag is observed between the development of ENSO phenomena (typically in May of the previous year) and the identification of regional SPEI defined drought conditions. It has been shown that using the Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum's (SARCOF) traditional 3-month averaged Nino 3.4 SST index (June to August) as a predictor does not have an added advantage over using only the May SST index values. In this regard, the extended lead time and improved skill demonstrated in this study could immensely benefit

An Index of Loss Aversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Köbberling, V.; Wakker, P.P.

2005-01-01

To a considerable extent, risk aversion as it is commonly observed is caused by loss aversion. Several indexes of loss aversion have been proposed in the literature. The one proposed in this paper leads to a clear decomposition of risk attitude into three distinct components: basic utility,

An Index of Loss Aversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V. Köbberling (Veronika); P.P. Wakker (Peter)

2005-01-01

textabstractTo a considerable extent, risk aversion as it is commonly observed is caused by loss aversion. Several indexes of loss aversion have been proposed in the literature. The one proposed in this paper leads to a clear decomposition of risk attitude into three distinct components: basic

The carbon cycle in a land surface model: modelling, validation and implementation at a global scale; Cycle du carbone dans un modele de surface continentale: modelisation, validation et mise en oeuvre a l'echelle globale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gibelin, A L

2007-05-15

ISBA-A-gs is an option of the CNRM land surface model ISBA which allows for the simulation of carbon exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere. The model was implemented for the first time at the global scale as a stand-alone model. Several global simulations were performed to assess the sensitivity of the turbulent fluxes and Leaf Area Index to a doubling of the CO{sub 2} atmospheric concentration, and to the climate change simulated by the end of the 21. century. In addition, a new option of ISBA, referred to as ISBA-CC, was developed in order to simulate a more detailed ecosystem respiration by separating the autotrophic respiration and the heterotrophic respiration. The vegetation dynamics and the carbon fluxes were validated at a global scale using satellite datasets, and at a local scale using data from 26 sites of the FLUXNET network. All these results show that the model is sufficiently realistic to be coupled with a general circulation model, in order to account for interactions between the terrestrial biosphere, the atmosphere and the carbon cycle. (author)

Rainbow refractometry on particles with radial refractive index gradients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)